South Africa: President Ramaphosa calls for peaceful resolution of Russia-Ukraine conflict President Cyril Ramaphosa has reiterated his call for the Russia-Ukraine conflict to be resolved through mediation, negotiation and peaceful means. The President was addressing the nation through his weekly newsletter. According to the United Nations, the conflict has led to hundreds of confirmed deaths, the internal displacement of at least 850 000 people along with at least 1.2 million people fleeing the Ukraine. He said government remains resolute in its belief that the resolution of the conflict can be attained through negotiation. It is our hope that negotiations between Russia and the Ukraine yield positive outcomes that pave the way for the end of the conflict. Even though the pace of negotiations may proceed slowly, there is progress nonetheless. Every effort of the international community should be oriented towards supporting these talks, and to bringing the two sides together, he said. The President reflected that South Africa itself has shown that negotiations between conflicting parties can bear fruit. Our own experience with ending apartheid, and our countrys role in mediating conflict elsewhere on the continent, has yielded a number of insights. The first is that even the most seemingly intractable differences can be resolved at the negotiating table. The second is that even as talks may collapse, they can and do resume, as was the case in our own negotiating process. And that even when it seems the parties cannot see eye to eye, breakthroughs can and do happen, he said. President Ramaphosa emphasised that governments call for negotiation co-exists with its commitment to the protection of human rights. That we continue to support the call for negotiation and dialogue does not render our commitment to human rights any less. Since the outbreak of the conflict, we have expressed our concern at the impact of the conflict on civilians, believing that war is not the solution to conflict and that it leads to human suffering. Our country is committed to advancing the human rights and fundamental freedoms not only of our own people, but for the peoples of Palestine, Western Sahara, Afghanistan, Syria and across Africa and the world, he said. Abstaining from voting President Ramaphosa explained that South Africa chose to abstain from United Nations (UN) resolution to condemn Russias invasion of Ukraine because the resolution did not foreground the call for meaningful engagement between the two parties. The resolution was passed at an emergency gathering of the UN General Assembly last week Wednesday. South Africa expected that the UN resolution would foremost welcome the commencement of dialogue between the parties and seek to create the conditions for these talks to succeed. Instead, the call for peaceful resolution through political dialogue is relegated to a single sentence close to the conclusion of the final text. This does not provide the encouragement and international backing that the parties need to continue with their efforts, President Ramaphosa said. The President warned that the consequences of any war within that region will reverberate throughout the world. There have been some who have said that in abstaining from the vote condemning Russias military operation in Ukraine, South Africa has placed itself on the wrong side of history. Yet, South Africa is firmly on the side of peace at a time when another war is something the world does not need, nor can it afford. The results of these hostilities will be felt globally and for many years to come. A cessation of hostilities may indeed be achieved through force of arms or economic pressure, but it would be unlikely to lead to a sustainable and lasting peace, he said. President Ramaphosa called on the UN Security Council to align energies towards finding a peaceful resolution between the Ukraine and Russia. Calling for peaceful negotiation is aligned with values upon which the UN was founded. We are particularly concerned that the UN Security Council was unable to discharge its responsibility to maintain peace and security. This gives impetus to the long standing calls for the Security Councils reform to meet the challenges of the 21st century. The UN Charter enjoins member states to settle their disputes by peaceful means in the first instance, stating explicitly that parties to any dispute should first seek a solution by negotiation, enquiry, mediation, conciliation, arbitration and similar mechanisms. Since the outbreak of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, South Africas position has been to affirm this call, he said. President Ramaphosa said negotiating a way towards a cessation of hostilities can bring sustainable peace to the region which has suffered some form of conflict for decades. The peoples of Russia and Ukraine two neighbours whose histories, peoples and fortunes are inextricably bound together deserve a peace that is durable, sustainable and lasting, President Ramaphosa said. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2022-03-07. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. 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. 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. The Government assigned the Ministry of Transport to take the major lead in 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 the two repatriation flights. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs plans to coordinate with 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 conflict areas and provide them with temporary accommodations and essential necessities. As of March 5, more than 2,000 Vietnamese people had been evacuated from fighting zones in Ukraine to neighbouring countries. Of them, over 1,000 had arrived in Poland, 370 had come to Romania, 200 had been on the way from Moldova to Romania, about 190 had reached Hungary and about 40 had come to Slovakia. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs group for citizen protection and representative offices are keeping a close watch on the situation and receiving requests from Vietnamese people through citizen protection hotlines. Vietnamese in Ukraine and neighbouring countries 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 Poland: 0048782257359 Vietnamese Embassy in Romania: 0040744645037 Vietnamese Embassy in Slovakia: 421 2 5245 1263, 421 915 419 568. Vietnamese Embassy in Hungary 36 308 385 699./. Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 When Darryl Hunt killed himself in March 2016, it came as a shock to many. In the more than 10 years since his exoneration in the 1984 murder of Deborah Sykes, Hunt had become a heroic figure, a man who fought valiantly for years to prove his innocence. And when he won his freedom, Hunt dedicated his life to advocating for people like him who were wronged by the criminal justice system. His efforts led to the Racial Justice Act in 2009 that allowed death-row inmates to challenge their sentences based on allegations of racial bias. And because of his case, the N.C. Innocence Inquiry Commission was established, one of the only commissions of its kind in the country. But Hunt struggled. The 19 years he spent in prison for a crime he didnt commit left deep psychological scars that never healed. Phoebe Zerwick, director of the journalism program at Wake Forest University, has written a new book, Beyond Innocence: The Life Sentence of Darryl Hunt, that explores Hunts life, his journey to exoneration and the trauma he continued to deal with after he was released from prison. Zerwick first wrote about Hunt in a 2003 eight-part series for the Winston-Salem Journal, Murder, Race, Justice: The State V. Darryl Hunt. The series outlined numerous problems with the police investigation and the prosecution. For example, none of the eyewitnesses got a good look at the perpetrator and ended up telling police what they wanted to hear. One witness, Thomas Murphy, spent time with then-Detective Jim Daulton, riding around in a car trying to see if they could find the man that Murphy said he saw attacking Sykes. Winston-Salem police failed to thoroughly investigate other suspects and ignored similarities to a Feb. 2, 1985 rape. Regina Lane identified Williard Brown, the man who DNA evidence eventually proved raped and murdered Sykes six months earlier, as the man who had raped her and slashed her face 12 times. She told police that she saw similarities between her attack and that of Sykes but, as Zerwick outlines in her book, Lane was effectively silenced because police already had a suspect in Hunt. Hunt was released from prison in December 2003, after DNA evidence helped identify Brown as a suspect and he confessed that he alone raped and killed Sykes, a 25-year-old copy editor at the citys afternoon newspaper, The Sentinel. Hunt was officially exonerated in February 2004. But the psychological damage was done, and the scars left behind were overwhelming. It was really his death that prompted me to look into what happened, Zerwick said recently. It was clear that when he died, that something was going on internally that all of us who knew him casually didnt recognize. He had come out of prison a heroic figure. He achieved so many things as an advocate for justice. He did so much for people coming out of prison. In the months after Hunt was found with a gunshot wound in his torso on March 13, 2016, Zerwick tried to track down what Hunt was doing in the last few days of his life. That investigation resulted in a self-published first-person account called The Last Days of Darryl Hunt, which contended that Hunt was addicted to drugs and that he lied to his friends about suffering from prostate and stomach cancer to cover up his drug use. The book expands on those findings and uses Hunts journal entries, now archived at Wake Forest University School of Law, to explore Hunts innermost feelings about what happened to him. Publicly, Hunt was quiet, graceful and persistent in lobbying for changes in the criminal justice system. He was passionate about helping ex-felons acclimate to life once they were released. He founded the Darryl Hunt Project for Freedom and Justice. But privately, the weight of trauma caused Hunts life to collapse. His marriage to April Hunt was failing. He was broke. And his addiction was crippling him. There were glimpses of how his 19 years in prison affected him. Hunt told the Winston-Salem Journal in 2014 that every day he would go to an ATM at a nearby bank because he knew his picture would be taken. He would have a ready alibi if the police ever picked him up. When he was first released, he had a hard time opening doors. Prison had taught him to expect doors to open automatically. But the depth of his pain wasnt widely known, Zerwick said. When a wrongfully-convicted person is exonerated, it is a joyous time. That was no different for Hunt. We have this sense that our justice system has finally worked, Zerwick said. The fact is that we dont really ever reckon with the deep damage done to someone ...You get out as a middle-aged person and how do you build a life when half of your life gets taken away from you. The book includes for the first time details from Hunts time in prison. He was moved numerous times from one prison to another across North Carolina. He also spent months in solitary confinement. Hunt received constant death threats both from inmates and guards. Added to that, Hunt dealt with the stress of fighting to overturn his murder conviction in the death of Sykes and having to fight, successfully, a murder charge connected to the death of Arthur Wilson, who was killed after leaving an illegal drink house. In 1994, new DNA evidence excluded him as the man who raped Sykes. He and his advocates, including Larry Little, the late Rev. Carlton Eversley, the Rev. John Mendez, and his attorney, Mark Rabil, thought this would mean Hunts freedom. But the N.C. Supreme Court refused to overturn the conviction. One of the things I tried to do with this book is look at the whole series of events from his point of view, Zerwick said. She talked to as many people as she could, including April Hunt, with whom he rekindled a relationship after their marriage failed. She also had access to journal entries Hunt wrote over the years as well as letters people wrote to Hunt. Zerwick said that the innocence movement is beginning to wrestle with how to help people who are exonerated cope with the trauma, hiring social workers. But innocence projects across the country are severely underfunded. The hard thing is many people think Hunt getting out of prison was a happy ending but had no idea that there would be all of these other challenges, Zerwick said. She compared the experiences of Hunt and others who are wrongfully-convicted to veterans coming back home from war. Theyve survived the war and now theyre home and safe and (you think) theyre going to be OK and theyre not, she said. " " All eyes are on Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party delegate Fannie Lou Hamer as she speaks out for the meeting of her delegates prior to the formal meeting of the Democratic National Convention. Bettmann/Getty Images The words of Civil Rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer have resounded across generations: "I am sick and tired of being sick and tired." They've been co-opted in memes, written on protest signs and uttered by contemporary activists and organizers. It makes sense that the pithy statement would resonate, since people still deal with frustration over social injustices. Hamer is rightfully celebrated for her oratory skills, and her legacy lives on in part through her speeches and testimonies. But Hamer had a storied life beyond her suffering, and her contributions aren't limited to the adages that have stuck with us over the years. Advertisement Hamer and her parents were sharecroppers, or farmers who worked land that someone else owned in exchange for a share of the crop that they produced. She picked cotton and worked as a time and record keeper on a plantation in Mississippi. Sharecropping was a notoriously exploitative practice that was popular in the wake of the Civil War, and Hamer's family lived in poverty. Hamer was conscious of the racial and economic inequality she faced every day, and she was drawn to do something about it herself. She claimed that she did not know Black people could register to vote, but Dr. Kate Clifford Larson, a historian and author of the forthcoming book "Walk With Me: A Biography of Fannie Lou Hamer," says that was a myth that Hamer herself spread. "She knew full well that they could/should be able to if it were not for the voter restrictions imposed on Mississippians and the oppressive nature of the ways those restrictions were used specifically to deny Blacks the right to vote," Larson says, in an email interview. "She had participated in NAACP membership drives and met with Mississippi civil rights leaders during the 1950s." But it wasn't until 1962 that she and 17 other people tried to register to vote in Indianola, Mississippi. In order to register, the volunteers had to pass literacy tests, which were often used to keep Black people from voting. Hamer was not only denied her right to vote, but she was also dismissed from the plantation where she worked because of her attempt to register. It was a pivotal moment. For the rest of her life, Hamer would be knee-deep in politics and activism. " " Fannie Lou Hamer joined the protest outside Convention Hall over seating the Mississippi delegates to the Democratic National Convention in 1964. Left to right, Dr. Aaron Henry, Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party head; Hamer; and the parents of slain civil rights worker Michael Schwerner. Bettmann/Getty Images Voter suppression tactics like literacy tests and poll taxes were rampant, and voting rights activists faced violence and terrorism. But Hamer was dedicated to the cause, and she worked with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), a civil rights group that organized voter registration drives in the South as a field organizer. Mississippi had historically low levels of Black voter participation, but Hamer had "Mississippi in her bones," as civil rights activist Bob Moses said in the PBS documentary "Freedom Summer." She spoke with Black people in rural counties in Mississippi about registering to vote, and she gained support in places where enthusiasm for voting was low, policies preventing Black people from voting proliferated, and the threat of violence against Black people interested in politics loomed. Hamer was determined to make the state a better place for Black people. Eventually she became the field secretary for SNCC, and while she was in that role, the organization's voter registration drives added thousands of Black voters to the rolls. In the summer of 1964, hundreds of volunteers converged in Mississippi to increase the number of Black registered voters in the state. Hamer was one of the key organizers of this project, known as Freedom Summer. A small percentage of the total number of Black Mississippians who tried to register to vote were successful. But the project did lead to the creation of Freedom Schools (temporary, free schools for African Americans, meant to help them organize for civil rights) and it raised awareness about the disenfranchisement of Black people in Mississippi. It also marked a turning point in the civil rights movement. The effort got a lot of media attention, and it was a significant moment in the buildup to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. In tandem with the Freedom Summer effort, Hamer also co-founded the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party (MFDP) in 1964. Mississippi's Democratic Party was all white, pro-segregation and had a history of blocking Black voter participation. The MFDP aimed to challenge the legitimacy of the Mississippi Democratic Party and to expand representation to Black people. When MFDP delegates went to the Democratic National Convention in August, they testified in front of the Credentials Committee to demand that they be seated in the convention. Hamer's testimony was powerful. " " Some of the keynote speakers at the opening of the National Women's Political Caucus in 1971 (L-R): Betty Smith, former vice-chairman of the GOP in Wisconsin; Dorothy Haener, international representative, women's department, United Automobile Workers Union; Fannie Lou Hamer, civil rights leader from Mississippi; and Gloria Steinem, member, the Democratic National Policy Council. Bettmann/Getty Images "If the freedom Democratic Party is not seated now, I question America," Hamer said. "Is this America, the land of the free and the home of the brave, where we have to sleep with our telephones off of the hooks because our lives be threatened daily, because we want to live as decent human beings, in America?" Hamer's voice was one of her most prominent features her speeches and songs were captivating. "She challenged audiences to open their minds and see the immediacy of the moment through her gifted interpretations of Bible passages," says Larson. "She spoke from her own experience, thus connecting her to everyday people." Hamer died in 1977, after many more years of activism, political involvement and community building. Though voter registration and political representation are still issues that organizers are navigating today in the U.S., Hamer's words and actions continue to inspire contemporary movements for justice and human rights. Now That's Interesting In 1969, Hamer founded the Freedom Farm Cooperative, a project that allowed several thousand people to grow crops and collectively own land in Sunflower County, Mississippi. " " Environmentalist and author Marjory Stoneman Douglas poses in front of the house she lived in for over 70 years in Miami (without air conditioning!) It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2015. Orlando Sentinel/Orlando Sentinel/MCT via Getty Images In the weeks after the horrific Parkland, Florida school shooting, Marjory Stoneman Douglas became a household name for all the wrong reasons. But her name was given to the high school because of her legendary 50-year crusade to save the Florida Everglades. Born in Minneapolis in 1890 and educated at Wellesley College in Massachusetts, Douglas moved to South Florida in 1915 after a brief and disastrous marriage to join her father, editor and founder of a newspaper that would become the Miami Herald. She was an accomplished journalist, short story writer and an outspoken advocate for women's suffrage, anti-poverty campaigns, and ultimately the cause that would make her famous, the Everglades. Advertisement Douglas's 1947 ode to these wetlands, "The Everglades: River of Grass" was published the same year that President Harry S. Truman dedicated Everglades National Park. Long before environmental scientists fully understood the fragility and interconnectedness of the Everglades ecosystem, Douglas railed against efforts by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to drain and divert parts of the sprawling wetlands to make room for agricultural and urban development. "Marjory Stoneman Douglas rang the bell decades ago about the importance of the Everglades, the iconic beauty of the Everglades, and man's decision to chip away at it," says Eric Eikenberg, CEO of the Everglades Foundation. "She spearheaded the efforts that we continue to fight for today." Interestingly, Eikenberg himself graduated from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in 1994, although like most teenagers he didn't know much about his school's namesake. The school was dedicated in 1990 when Douglas was 100 and still going strong. With "The Everglades: River of Grass," Douglas provided a new way of understanding the 1.5 million-acre wetlands preserve. Rather than seeing it as merely a sprawling swamp, Douglas rightly described the Everglades as a massive, slow-moving river of shallow water draining north to south from Lake Okeechobee down through the sawgrass prairies and emptying into the Florida Bay. In moving prose, Douglas wrote of the hundreds of species of birds, fish and flora that thrived in the precariously balanced ecosystem of the Everglades, the largest subtropical wilderness in the United States. She rightly recognized that this area was largely responsible for the rainfall in South Florida. "There are no other Everglades in the world," begins "River of Grass." "They are, they have always been, one of the unique regions of the earth; remote, never wholly known. Nothing anywhere else is like them..." A tireless and often intimidating advocate, she founded the organization Friends of the Everglades at age 79 (despite her failing eyesight) to fight a proposed jetport in the middle of the wetlands. The airport plan was scrapped and Douglas spent the rest of her life defending the Everglades. John Rothchild, who edited her 1987 autobiography "Voice of the River," described her in the book's introduction as she appeared at a public meeting in Everglades City in 1973: "Mrs. Douglas was half the size of her fellow speakers and she wore huge dark glasses, which along with the huge floppy hat made her look like Scarlet O'Hara as played by Igor Stravinsky. When she spoke, everybody stopped slapping [mosquitoes] and more or less came to order... Her voice had the sobering effect of a one-room schoolmarm's. The tone itself seemed to tame the rowdiest of the local stone crabbers, plus the developers, and the lawyers on both sides . . . The request for a Corps of Engineers permit was eventually turned down." Why the Everglades Are in Danger There are two seasons in the Everglades, the dry winter and the monsoon summer, and scientists now understand that seasonal fluctuations in water levels are key to maintaining a delicate equilibrium between competing plant and animal species. That balance has been dangerously disturbed by decades of habitat loss and shortsighted water management tactics, explains Eikenberg of the Everglades Foundation. The River of Grass is no longer a free-flowing sheet of water but sliced up and boxed in by dams and dikes. " " This image shows some Everglades channels with mangrove plants in each side. The Everglades is a natural region of tropical wetlands in Florida, comprising the southern half of a large drainage basin and part of the neotropic ecozone. Roberto Machado Noa/LightRocket via Getty Images "Water floods some areas and you have drought in others. It's all out of whack," says Eikenberg. "That's what restoration is trying to improve." Congress passed the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan back in 2000, but the funds to implement the plan were never secured. In the meantime, Lake Okeechobee, historically the water source that fed the southward flow of the River of Grass, has become hopelessly polluted, largely by agricultural runoff. In 2016, high levels of phosphorus and nitrogen in the lake caused a toxic algae bloom that prompted the governor to issue a state of emergency. Eikenberg says that Congress will have to re-authorize funding for the restoration (it's been 18 years, after all), but that if everything goes well, the River of Grass could be restored in eight years. He believes that Douglas, who died in 1998 at the impressive age of 108, would be energized by the effort. Now That's Cool Among Douglas's many honors and awards was the Presidential Medal of Freedom conferred by Bill Clinton in 1993. In 2000, she was posthumously inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame. Douglas's ashes were scattered in the Everglades National Park over the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Wilderness Area. Advertisement Originally Published: Mar 1, 2018 " " The late paleobiologist Zofia Kielan-Jaworowska's research is behind much of what we know about the early evolution of mammals. HowStuffWorks Scattered bones called out to her. On July 9, 1965, a visiting scientist the late Zofia Kielan-Jaworowska took a stroll through the Mongolian Gobi Desert. Little did she know she was about to discover one of the weirdest non-avian dinosaurs known to mankind. Her 2013 book "In Pursuit of Early Mammals" describes the scene: One rainy day, very rare in the Gobi Desert during summer, I was walking alone along the gullies... and found an unusual skeleton consisting of complete forelimbs and a shoulder girdle of enormous size, along with fragmentary ribs. Strewn across a desert hill, the giant fossilized arms were unlike anything paleontologists had ever seen before. Each of these three-fingered limbs measured about 8.2 feet (2.5 meters) long. Impressed scientists named the animal Deinocheirus, which means "horrible hand." From 1963 through 1971, Kielan-Jaworowska led several joint Polish-Mongolian Field Expeditions through the Gobi. The discovery of Deinocheirus in '65 was among their many highlights. By the 1960s, Kielan-Jaworowska's name was well-known to scientists around the world. A preeminent paleontologist in her native Poland, she'd pursued her education at great personal risk during World War II. Advertisement Research and Resistance Born Zofia Kielan in Sokoow Podlaski, Poland, on April 25, 1925, she was 14 years old when Germany invaded her homeland during the fall of 1939, setting off World War II. German troops would continue to occupy Poland until January 1945. Wanting a subservient workforce, the Nazis segregated learning institutions. Non-Germans living in Polish territory were barred from receiving secondary or higher educations. Yet there were those who defied the edict. From her 2013 book: [At] the risk of the death penalty, Poles organized a clandestine countrywide system of education at all levels. High school teachers and university professors continued to give lessons and lectures in private homes. Gradually, a secret network of instruction was established, constituting part of the Polish resistance. Starting in 1943, Kielan-Jaworowska took covert classes through the University of Warsaw. She chose to study zoology. Earlier in the war, Kielan-Jaworowska had joined a resistance organization known as the "Grey Ranks." They trained her to become a medic; she'd put those skills into practice during the Warsaw Uprising of 1944, a failed attempt to oust the German invaders for good. " " Kielan-Jaworowska led seven dinosaur excavation expeditions into the Gobi Desert, including one in which she discovered the "fighting dinosaurs" fossil. The fossil, which is a Velociraptor and Protoceratops preserved in a deadly fight, is considered a national treasure of Mongolia. Wikimedia/(CC BY-SA 4.0) Advertisement A Rising Star Kielan-Jaworowska credited Roman Kozowski (1889-1977) with kindling her interest in prehistoric life. A distinguished paleontologist, Kozowski became one of Kielan-Jaworowska's professors in 1945, after the University of Warsaw resumed normal operations. Poland has an abundance of marine invertebrate fossils. Ergo, most of Kielan-Jaworowska's early research focused on trilobites, ancient creatures related to horseshoe crabs. While studying these bug-like critters, she earned her Ph.D. in paleontology from the university in 1953. It was during her graduate school years that she met her future husband, radiobiologist Zigniew Jaworowska. They were introduced during a 1950 mountain-climbing trip and tied the knot eight years later. The year 1953 saw Kielan-Jaworowska join Kozowski at the Institute of Paleobiology, an organization run by the Polish Academy of Sciences. It was one of the many scientific enterprises that came of age during the Cold War. Advertisement The Politics of Fossil-Hunting Back in the Roaring '20s, the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) had organized multiple expeditions through the Mongolian Gobi, a land rich in fossils. By all metrics, the campaigns were successful. AMNH researchers discovered a whole slew of fascinating "new" dinosaurs (such as the now-famous Velociraptor and Protoceratops) from the Cretaceous Period, a stretch of deep time that lasted between 145 and 66 million years ago. Then geopolitics intervened. Sandwiched between China and the U.S.S.R., Mongolia emerged as a Soviet satellite. Few researchers from Western countries were allowed to visit its bountiful dig sites once the Cold War arrived. But the situation was different for their counterparts behind the Iron Curtain, as Kielan-Jaworowska found out. Paleontologist and science communicator Donald Prothero explored Kielan-Jaworowska's career in his book, "The Story of the Dinosaurs in 25 Discoveries: Amazing Fossils and the People Who Found Them." "She [Kielan-Jaworowska] took advantage of the fact that, although Outer Mongolia was under Soviet domination and closed to western scientists, Polish scientists could get permission and funding," Prothero says via email. " " This artist's rendering shows what the Deinocheirus dinosaur might have looked like. Kielan-Jaworowska discovered the first skeleton of a Deinocheirus in the Gobi Desert in 1965. Elena Duvernay/Stocktrek Images/Getty Images/Stocktrek Images Advertisement The Desert Beckons Kielan-Jaworowska became the Institute of Paleobiology's director in 1961, the year after Kozowski retired. These two scientists weren't done collaborating, however. Kozowski hatched the idea of organizing a series of collaborative Polish-Mongolian paleontology expeditions through the Gobi. At his suggestion, Kielan-Jaworowska wrote a detailed proposal for three such journeys. Both the Polish and Mongolian Academies of Science signed off on the project. Kielan-Jaworowska was chosen to be the initiative's lead scientist and its chief organizer. Annalisa Berta is a paleontologist at San Diego State University who specializes in whale evolution. She also co-wrote the book "Rebels, Scholars, Explorers: Women in Vertebrate Paleontology" with Susan Turner. As Berta says via email, these Gobi Desert adventures made Kielan-Jaworowska "the first woman to lead a dinosaur excavation expedition." Advertisement Gems of the Gobi There were eight Polish-Mongolian expeditions in total; Kielan-Jaworowska led seven of them. Besides Deinocheirus, Prothero says the participants unearthed "lots of tyrannosaurs called Tarbosaurus. They found huge sauropods, and many different kinds of 'bone headed' dinosaurs, or pachycephalosaurs... a bunch of primitive horned dinosaurs (Ceratopsia), and lots of ostrich dinosaurs (ornithomimids), including the famous Gallimimus from Jurassic Park. The list goes on and on." Her team shipped back at least 20 tons of fossils to Poland in 1965 alone. Two particular dinosaurs stood out. In 1971, an expedition member by the name of Andrzej Sulimski noticed a beautiful Velociraptor skeleton. As the group dug it up, a second tail appeared. It turned out this raptor's fossilized body was intertwined with that of a plant-eating Protoceratops. Now internationally famous, those "fighting dinosaurs" are housed at a museum in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, the nation's capital. Even the best-planned journeys carry unexpected risks. During the last of the Polish-Mongolian expeditions, Kielan-Jaworowska ruptured her left eardrum and went home to Poland on the advice of a local doctor. Three weeks later, she flew back to the Gobi. " " Kielan-Jaworowska continued researching and publishing up until her death at age 89. She published "In Pursuit of Early Mammals" in 2013, and "Mammals from the Age of Dinosaurs" was published 25 years after the first collection. Wikimedia/(CC BY-SA 2.0) Advertisement Our Place in Nature "As fossils from the expeditions came pouring in, she navigated Cold War roadblocks to establish ties with leading Western scholars, notably those in Britain, France and the United States," Berta says of Kielan-Jaworowska. "She built an impressive science network from her hub in Warsaw that extended throughout the world." Although Kielan-Jaworowska began her career as an invertebrate specialist, her attention later shifted to prehistoric mammals. "Before her work, most Cretaceous mammals were only known from a few jaws and some teeth," explains Prothero. "She found dozens of complete skulls and skeletons of nearly all the major groups of mammals that were around in the Late Cretaceous." Beyond that, Kielan-Jaworowska changed the way scientists view some important lineages. Deltatheridium a rat-sized mammal that coexisted with Velociraptor was originally considered a placental mammal. But newer specimens Kielan-Jaworowska and her teams brought to light indicated the creature was more akin to marsupials. Kielan-Jaworowska died in Warsaw March 13, 2015, just a few weeks shy of her 90th birthday. Glowing obituaries appeared in the journals "Nature" and "Acta Palaeontologica Polinica," with both publications calling her "a peerless role model." "She set in motion a remarkable new age of exploration and discovery," Berta says. If there are any budding young dinosaur enthusiasts in your life, you'd do well to tell them her story. HowStuffWorks may earn a small commission from affiliate links in this article. NOW THAT'S INTERESTING Another female paleontologist who took part in the Polish-Mongolian expeditions was Halszka Osmolska (1930-2008), an expert on meat-eating dinosaurs. In 2017, a bizarre semiaquatic predator from the Late Cretaceous was named Halzkaraptor in her honor. AGL Energy will not be bought out. Image: Shutterstock A consortium of investors led by Atlassian CEO Mike Cannon-Brookes is putting aside plans to buy electricity company AGL Energy and turn it into a renewable energy provider after AGLs board knocked back a second sweetened takeover bid on the weekend. The previous $8 billion bid to buy AGL and turn the company into a fully-renewable energy provider by 2023 saw the consortium made up of Grok Ventures an investment firm run by Cannon-Brookes and his wife Annie and Canadian investors Brookfield offer to buy 100 per cent of AGLs shares at a price of $7.50 each. In a tweet on Sunday night, complete with a looping gif of actor David Tennant looking sad and standing in the rain, Cannon-Brookes announced that the consortium would no longer pursue a deal with AGL shareholders after the board rejected its second offer. The Brookfield-Grok consortium looking to take private and transform AGL is putting our pens down with great sadness, he said. This weekend, the board rejected our raised offer of $8.25 [per share]. 46 per cent more than the price of $5.55 about 90 days ago. Cannon-Brookes claimed the plans to turn AGL, which operates coal and gas-fired power stations around the country, would have been the worlds biggest decarbonisation project. The Brookfield-Grok consortium looking to take private & transform AGL is putting our pens down - with great sadness. This weekend, the board rejected our raised offer of $8.25. 46% more than the price of $5.55 about 90 days ago (1/3) pic.twitter.com/c5KYwGozDo Mike Cannon-Brookes (@mcannonbrookes) March 6, 2022 In its response to the latest takeover bid, posted to the ASX on Monday morning, AGL Energy Chairman Peter Botten said Cannon-Brookes offer continues to ignore the opportunity provided by its plans to demerge into two separate companies: a retail provider called AGL Australia and an electricity generator called Accel Energy. The proposed demerger will be a catalyst for the potential realisation of shareholder value, Botten said. It will create two industry leading companies with distinct value propositions. It will allow each business to be valued separately and more positively by the market on the basis of their own specific business fundamentals. The vote to demerge is scheduled to take place in mid-June and, should it be successful, would see shareholders receive one share in Accel Energy for each AGL Energy share they own while retaining existing AGL Energy shares under the new name, AGL Australia. Under its current plans, Accel Energy would close all its coal assets by 2045 15 years later than Brookfield-Groks proposed target of 2030. Cannon-Brookes has called the demerger a terrible outcome for shareholders, taxpayers, customers, Australia and the planet we all share. The attempted AGL buyout was an eye-catching demonstration of the potential financial power Cannon-Brookes wields through wealth generated by the technology business he co-founded with Scott Farquhar. An outspoken climate change activist, Cannon-Brookes has been critical of what he sees as the Australian governments slow approach to transitioning the energy sector away from fossil fuels. He used the attempted AGL buyout as a way of showing an alternative path toward renewable energy and the value foreign investors see in transforming existing electricity infrastructure. The Prime Minister who famously brandished a lump of coal during Question Time was displeased by Cannon-Brookes attempts to end AGLs coal user sooner than planned, saying last month that coal plants needed to run out their lifespans otherwise electricity prices go up. As noted by the Australian Financial Review, the government would have held veto power over the now-defunct idea through regulatory approval mechanisms. 'Putin set for cancer surgery, will hand over temporary power to ex-KGB chief' Moscow, May 1 (IANS) Russian President Vladimir Putin may be forced to give up control of the war in Ukraine for days as he is set for cancer surgery, and will reportedly nominate hardline former FSB chief Nikolai Patrushev to take temporary control of the invasion while he is under the knife, a Kremlin insider has claimed. At the Chamber of Commerce we are asked many questions related to local businesses that lead to very interesting information. Recently a member asked us about The Burger King celebrating their 70th year in business and wanted to know if they were the oldest existing business here in Mattoon. The member was very surprised to find out that 70 years did not even rank them in the top 20. As it turns out there are nearly two dozen businesses in Mattoon who are even older than The Burger King and still in existence. First Mid Bank and Trust has been in business locally in one form or another since 1865, making it the oldest local business still operating. The original name of First Mid was the National Bank of Mattoon and it has gone through a number of name changes throughout the years. Most recently they changed from First Mid Illinois Bank and Trust and dropped Illinois since they now operate in multiple states. Three other local businesses also started in the 1800s. Craig & Craig Law Firm started in 1868, Consolidated Communications in 1894 and Odd Fellow Rebekah Home in 1898. Consolidated Communications was originally called the Mattoon Telephone Company started by Dr. Iverson Allen Lumpkin who was a dentist. Iverson's son William, also a dentist, eventually stopped practicing and devoted all his time to the new telephone business which is still operating to this day. House Brothers Tavern in 1908 and deBuhr's Feed and Seed in 1914 are the oldest businesses in Mattoon that are still owned and operated by the original family members. Most recently Kelsa Bartels (House) took over ownership of House Brothers from her father Bill who is retiring. Both House Brothers and deBuhr's are still operating out of their original locations on Western Avenue. The Mattoon Chamber of Commerce was originally called the Mattoon Association of Commerce and was incorporated in 1905. It has moved locations multiple times throughout the years, most recently in the Burgess Center, Peterson House and for the past seven years in our current location at 1518 Broadway Avenue. Based on our research we have determined there are at least 30 businesses that are still in business that have been located in Mattoon for over 50 years. The complete list is available on our website at www.mattoonchamber.com. We welcome feedback on the list and would appreciate knowing if there are any we might have missed. Ed Dowd is the executive director of the Mattoon Chamber of Commerce. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. CHICAGO - 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. 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. 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. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 When Darryl Hunt killed himself in March 2016, it came as a shock to many people. In the more than 10 years since his exoneration in the 1984 murder of Deborah Sykes, Hunt had become a heroic figure, a man who fought valiantly for years to prove his innocence. And when he won his freedom, Hunt dedicated his life to advocating for people like him who were wronged by the criminal justice system. His efforts led to the Racial Justice Act in 2009 that allowed death-row inmates to challenge their sentences based on allegations of racial bias. And because of his case, the N.C. Innocence Inquiry Commission was established, one of the only ones of its kind in the country. But Hunt struggled. The 19 years he spent in prison for a crime he didnt commit left deep psychological scars that never healed. Phoebe Zerwick, director of the journalism program at Wake Forest University, has written a new book, Beyond Innocence: The Life Sentence of Darryl Hunt, that explores Hunts life, his journey to exoneration and the trauma he continued to deal with after he was released from prison. Zerwick, a former columnist, reporter and editor at the Winston-Salem Journal, will speak about her book at 7 p.m. March 8 at Bookmarks, 634 W. Fourth St. Zerwick first wrote about Hunt in a 2003 eight-part series that the Winston-Salem Journal published called Murder, Race, Justice: The State V. Darryl Hunt. The series outlined numerous problems with the police investigation and the prosecution. For example, none of the eyewitnesses got a good look at the perpetrator and ended up telling police what they wanted to hear. One witness, Thomas Murphy, spent time with then-Detective Jim Daulton, riding around in a car trying to see if they could find the man that Murphy said he saw attacking Sykes. Winston-Salem police also failed to thoroughly investigate other suspects and ignored similarities to a Feb. 2, 1985 rape at what was then known as Integon. Regina Lane identified Williard Brown, the man who DNA evidence eventually proved raped and murdered Sykes six months earlier, as the man who had raped her and slashed her face 12 times. She told police that she saw similarities between her attack and that of Sykes, but as Zerwick outlines in her book, Lane was effectively silenced because police already had a suspect in Hunt. Hunt was released from prison in December 2003, after DNA evidence helped identify Brown as a suspect and Brown confessed that he alone raped and killed Sykes, a 25-year-old copy editor at the citys afternoon newspaper, The Sentinel. Hunt was officially exonerated in February 2004. But the psychological damage was done and the scars left behind were overwhelming. It was really his death that prompted me to look into what happened, Zerwick said recently. It was clear that when he died, that something was going on internally that all of us who knew him casually didnt recognize. He had come out of prison a heroic figure. He achieved so many things as an advocate for justice. He did so much for people coming out of prison. In the months after Hunt was found with a gunshot wound in his torso on March 13, 2016, Zerwick tried to track down what Hunt was doing in the last few days of his life. That investigation resulted in a self-published first-person account called The Last Days of Darryl Hunt, which contended that Hunt was addicted to drugs and that he lied to his friends about suffering from prostate and stomach cancer to cover up his drug use. The book expands on those findings and uses Hunts journal entries, now archived at Wake Forest University School of Law, to explore Hunts innermost feelings about what happened to him. Publicly, Hunt was quiet, graceful and persistent in lobbying for changes in the criminal justice system. He was passionate about helping ex-felons acclimate to life once they were released. He founded the Darryl Hunt Project for Freedom and Justice. But privately, the weight of trauma caused Hunts life to collapse. His marriage to April Hunt was failing. He was broke. And his addiction was crippling him. There were glimpses of how his 19 years in prison affected him. Hunt told the Winston-Salem Journal in 2014 that every day he would go to an ATM at a nearby bank because he knew his picture would be taken. He would have a ready alibi if the police ever picked him up. When he was first released, he had a hard time opening doors. Prison had taught him to expect doors to open automatically. But the depth of his pain wasnt widely known, Zerwick said. When a wrongfully-convicted person is exonerated, it is a joyous time. That was no different for Hunt. We have this sense that our justice system has finally worked, Zerwick said. The fact is that we dont really ever reckon with the deep damage done to someone ...You get out as a middle-aged person and how do you build a life when half of your life gets taken away from you. The book includes for the first time details from Hunts time in prison. He was moved numerous times from one prison to another across North Carolina. He also spent months in solitary confinement. Hunt received constant death threats both from inmates and guards. Added to that, Hunt dealt with the stress of fighting to overturn his murder conviction in the death of Sykes and having to fight, successfully, a murder charge connected to the death of Arthur Wilson, who was killed after leaving an illegal drink house. In 1994, new DNA evidence excluded him as the man who raped Sykes. He and his advocates, including Larry Little, the late Rev. Carlton Eversley, the Rev. John Mendez, and his attorney, Mark Rabil, thought this would mean Hunts freedom. But the N.C. Supreme Court refused to overturn the conviction. One of the things I tried to do with this book is look at the whole series of events from his point of view, Zerwick said. She talked to as many people as she could, including April Hunt, with whom he rekindled a relationship after their marriage failed. She also had access to journal entries Hunt wrote over the years as well as letters people wrote to Hunt. Zerwick said that the innocence movement is beginning to wrestle with how to help people who are exonerated cope with the trauma, hiring social workers. But innocence projects across the country are severely underfunded. The hard thing is many people think Hunt getting out of prison was a happy ending but had no idea that there would be all of these other challenges, Zerwick said. She compared the experiences of Hunt and others who are wrongfully-convicted to veterans coming back home from war. Theyve survived the war and now theyre home and safe and (you think) theyre going to be OK and theyre not, she said. Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. At least two lawsuits filed on behalf of neighbors impacted by a Jan. 31 fire that destroyed the Winston Weaver Co. fertilizer plant will incorporate claims commonly used by communities to fight hog farms, strip clubs and other nuisances. And one legal expert who has followed the blaze and its aftermath says thats likely the most effective approach. Multiple suits argue that negligence by the company led to the potentially explosive fire that burned for days and prompted the city to declare a voluntary evacuation within a one-mile radius of the facility at 4440 N. Cherry St. But a pair of lawsuits also include claims that the fires harmful impact on nearby residents and businesses turned the factory into a public nuisance. Thats because unlike straight negligence claims, which focus on whether actions by the company resulted in distress and hardship for those most affected by the fire, a public nuisance approach focuses on the blazes impact itself, explained Tom Wilmoth, a Winston-Salem-based attorney at the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin, which is representing clients in a class-action suit against Winston Weaver. Class actions are filed on behalf of individuals but allow others to join as plaintiffs. The public nuisance claim offers unique advantages over many other types of claims in both the elements of proof and the relief the court has the authority to order, Wilmoth said, adding that North Carolina courts have found that whatever tends to endanger life, generate disease or affect the health of the community is generally considered a public nuisance. The advantage here is that showing a particular situation is a public nuisance can be proven without the need for extensive investigation into the defendants conduct. Pretty wide discretion Jonathan Cardi, a professor at Wake Forest University Law School, called public nuisance claims the best approach for success in legal action against Winston Weaver. Its just a general question: Does the way you use your land do harm to the public? he explained. And so it gives judges pretty wide discretion to find that perhaps the racial impact, perhaps the environmental impact of the use of this land does harm to the public. Race and the notion of environmental justice already have been themes in reaction to the fire. Nearly 6,000 residents live in the three U.S. Census tracts that touch the plant property. People of color make up between 81% and 85% of the population in those sections, with 70.6% to 90.6% considered low-income. In the tract that includes the plant itself, there are 1,778 residents, 93% of whom are people of color, and 40% are considered low-income. Many of those people living near the site had to find alternative housing for days as the fire continued to smolder and shroud the area in smoke that the Environmental Protection Agency said contained hazardous levels of inhalable particulates released by the blaze. The city also issued a voluntary evacuation within a one-mile radius of the plant, where 600 tons of ammonium nitrate, a common ingredient in commercial fertilizer, threatened to trigger one of the worst explosions in U.S. history, according to Winston-Salem Fire Chief Trey Mayo. Water runoff from the site also contaminated creeks. Those and other factors related to the fire and its aftermath, more than actions or inaction by the company, are the crux of a public nuisance claim. The nuisance is shown by its effect on the public., said Wilmoth, the lawyer from the firm that filed one of the lawsuits. In this instance, the fire and subsequent discovery that the Weaver plant was housing almost 600 tons of highly explosive chemicals in the middle of a residential community is evidence that strongly supports this claim. Winston Weaver was permitted to have ammonium nitrate on its property, which is zoned for industrial use but is flanked by residential neighborhoods. The factory opened in 1940, before the area became part of Winston-Salem and subject to its zoning. Most nearby homes were built after the facility began operating. Those factors will offer little insulation with a public nuisance claim, Wilmoth said. The elements to prove that a public nuisance exists are significantly different than those needed to prove claims based on negligence or intentional misconduct, he added. Ongoing risk The lawsuit filed by Wilmoths firm also suggests the ordeal experienced by neighbors of the plant isnt necessarily over. Nearby residents face an ongoing risk of another fire and explosion, the complaint says. But any potential for future catastrophe should inspire more than a demand of compensation for residents affected by the fire or employees of businesses near the factory who missed work, said Cardi, the Wake Forest law professor. They should ask the court to force the company to cease operations or at least operate in a different way that doesnt pose a threat to the community, he explained. It isnt just about the plaintiffs, its about the public. They ought to amend the complaint, in my view. Winston Weaver has not indicated whether it will replace the destroyed facility, either on the current site or elsewhere. Wilmoth noted that convincing the court to order an abatement forbidding the company from resuming operations at the site is difficult and that they typically only cover a certain period of time. At this juncture, we have not asked the court for an abatement, he added. However, we have left the door open to add such a demand by including, among other things, a public nuisance claim. We will reassess whether abatement is appropriate as the lawsuit progresses. John Deem covers climate change and the environment in the Triad and Northwest North Carolina. His work is funded by a grant from the 1Earth Fund and the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation. 336-727-7204 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Not too early Is it too early to vote in the 2024 presidential election? I hope not, because I want to proudly cast my ballot for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. In these very challenging times, we need a strong leader who is not afraid to stand up to, and bully, high schoolers who wear a mask at a public gathering, including one whose mother is immunocompromised. Despite scientific evidence that masks work, DeSantis knows masks, as he put it, arent doing anything and are nothing more than COVID theater. I hear the reviews are breathtaking! So, join me in supporting Ron Im not afraid of high schoolers! DeSantis as our next president. And while youre voting, be sure to support other like-minded, tolerant and caring politicians like Sen. Rand Paul, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Rep. Lauren Boebert and Rep. Matt Gaetz. Its obviously a very proud time to be a Republican! Greg Romeo Winston-Salem School board hijacking With two kids in Winston-Salem/Forsyth County schools, I attended the school board meeting on Feb. 22. Sadly, I witnessed the hijacking of public comments by a disrespectful minority whose primary goal seemed to be to disrupt and create chaos (Disruption fits national pattern, Feb. 24). One after another, members of this group spoke in favor of lifting the mandate and going mask-optional immediately. Others came to announce that they were filing insurance claims against the board claims with no legal standing that have been promoted nationally by QAnon to create confusion at meetings like this. Some speakers apparently didnt even have children in our schools. Everyone in attendance knew that the board, at the recommendation of superintendent Tricia McManus, already planned to vote for optional masking effective a few school days later, on Feb. 28. After listening to everyone patiently, the board members ultimately voted as planned. Rather than being pleased, the group instead stormed out in unison mid-meeting because they didnt get exactly what they were demanding one person shouting an expletive on the way out. I now regret not signing up to speak that evening in support of our school board. While I, too, believe its time to go mask optional, Im thankful that the board, in the last two years, followed health guidelines from our local health department and infectious disease experts. They have worked hard to keep our kids and teachers safe, and we should be grateful, not hateful. Valerie Brockenbrough Winston-Salem Love thy neighbor? There was an interesting March 2 opinion piece on MSNBC by Anthea Butler titled Why some white evangelicals are cheerleading Russia. Her belief is that this group wants to achieve a theocracy in America (in clear violation of our founding documents). She quotes Lauren Witzke, the GOP candidate for Senate in Delaware: I identify more with Putins Christian values than I do with Joe Biden. Pat Robertson has stated that Putin is being compelled by God to invade Ukraine. My question is: How do right wing evangelicals square their family values with Putin attacking civilians, forcing mass migration and separating parents from their children? If Putin is truly a Christian, his actions are a startling contrast to his Christian value of loving my neighbor. By the way, Ukraine has a larger percentage of its population identified as Christian (82%) than either Russia (77%) or the U.S. (73%). Im reminded of a quote by Annie Lamott: You can safely assume youve created God in your image when it turns out that God hates all the same people you do! Art Gibel Winston-Salem A dream come true Dreams do come true. Kudos to the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County school board and the R.J. Reynolds Home Field Advantage Team for its partnership in making the stadium become a reality (Ground broken for stadium, March 3). Communication and diligence help make good things happen. Claudette B. Weston Winston-Salem An Omaha company is planning a first of its kind industrial project in northeast Lincoln that could be among the largest ever built in the city. According to a redevelopment plan filed with the Lincoln-Lancaster County Planning Department, Tribedo LLC, which is a subsidiary of White Lotus Development of Omaha, wants to build nearly 1 million square feet of warehouse space on 71 acres at roughly 65th Street and Arbor Road. The Lincoln Logistics Hub would be built in three phases, starting with a 309,000-square-foot warehouse building that could be completed as early as spring 2023. That would be followed by a 368,000-square-foot building and then another building thats 309,000 square feet, for a total of 986,000 square feet of space. The project is estimated to cost $89 million, with $13 million of that amount coming in the form of tax-increment financing, which allows increased property taxes generated by a development to pay for certain upfront costs. The redevelopment plan says the project is the "first of its kind in Lincoln" and will bring "national and global trends" to the city. During a hearing Tuesday in front of the city's Urban Design Committee, Dan Kerns, an architect with Schemmer who is working on the project, told members that each building would likely have anywhere from two to five tenants. Kerns said the developers chose the location, which is near the 56th Street exit on Interstate 80, because it is close to other industrial users and also has both good access and visibility from the interstate. He said the project would be similar to one White Lotus developed at 132nd Street and Cornhusker Road in Sarpy County. That project, which is about twice the size of the one proposed in Lincoln, has tenants that include Amazon, Home Depot and Scooters Coffee. While office and retail commercial real estate markets have struggled to recover from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, the industrial market has boomed. As of Dec. 31, the vacancy rate for industrial property in Lincoln was 1.6%, the lowest rate recorded in at least 15 years, according to a report from local commercial real estate firm NAI FMA. The report said that due to the current shift in demand toward e-commerce sales, industrial demand will remain strong in Lincoln for at least the rest of this year. But it also noted that "construction must ramp up" to meet that demand. Reach the writer at 402-473-2647 or molberding@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LincolnBizBuzz. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. 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. For the past several years, federal and state health officials have been working to get Narcan, a drug that can reverse opioid overdoses, into the hands of more people. Pharmacies across Nebraska have made Narcan, or naloxone, available to any resident, often at no charge. A website maintained by a statewide campaign called Stop Overdose Nebraska allows Nebraskans to search for pharmacies near them that offer the drug. A change in Nebraska Medicines electronic medical records software appears to be boosting those efforts. In August, the health system added an advisory to its patient records system, known as One Chart, that alerts health care providers ordering opioids for patients who meet certain criteria to also prescribe naloxone for them. Get free Narcan in Lincoln You can access free Narcan nasal spray at the following pharmacies in Lincoln: * Super Saver, 233 N. 48th St. and 5460 S. 56th St. * Kohlls RX, 808 N. 27th St. * Genoa Healthcare, 2301 O St., Suite 3 * Hy-Vee Pharmacy, 5010 O St. To find other locations, go to the website Stop Overdose Nebraska. Since the alert launched in August, the number of prescriptions for naloxone filled at the health systems pharmacies has increased from 36 in the five months before the move to more than 1,290, said Dr. Alena Balasanova, an addiction psychiatrist with Nebraska Medicine. In addition, the number of prescriptions for naloxone statewide increased roughly four- or fivefold in August over the previous average of 150 to 180 prescriptions a month. The number remained well above that level through December, the latest month for which data was available. The data was collected by CyncHealth, which contracts with the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services to manage its prescription drug monitoring program. Kevin Borcher, CyncHealths vice president of pharmacy informatics, said further research would be needed to confirm that the Nebraska Medicine project directly impacted the statewide prescribing numbers. But Balasanova noted that Nebraska Medicine has clinics throughout the Omaha metropolitan area and that other hospitals elsewhere in the state use its health record system. We want to flood the community with naloxone, she said, because we know this is the No. 1 thing that can help to reverse an opioid overdose. Balasanova said a naloxone prescription might be warranted when opioids are prescribed for people who have respiratory illnesses or other conditions that affect breathing. The same goes for people who take other medications that can interact with opioids to impact breathing. Even when a person takes an opioid as prescribed, the drugs can result in an accidental overdose if breathing slows or stops. Most opioid overdoses, Balasanova said, are accidental. I think of naloxone like a fire extinguisher, she said. You want to have it in your house just in case something should ever happen. You dont ever expect to use it, nor do you want to use it. But, gosh, if you end up having a fire, arent you glad you have that fire extinguisher? More than 200 Nebraskans died of drug overdoses in 2020, an increase of nearly 43% from the previous year, according to a report last summer from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDCs report did not specify which drugs are responsible for the overdose deaths. In Nebraska, Balasanova said, methamphetamines, not opioids, have been the predominant contributor. Balasanova said the change to the medical records system originated with feedback she got while meeting with other Nebraska Medicine providers. She leads an effort for the state health department to educate providers on opioid safety as part of a CDC grant. In a separate but related initiative, Balasanova also spearheaded an effort to create a new set of orders, added to the system in December, that provides a way to assess opioid withdrawal in patients and offer treatment options. Kristin Daniel, Nebraska Medicines pharmacist program coordinator for pain stewardship, said officials edited the medical records system to make it easier to prescribe naloxone. Its just good to know that were increasing the availability of naloxone, Daniel said. If we prevent just one death, then its all worth it. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The leaders of Nebraska's largest hospitals say things are nearly back to normal thanks to the continuing decline in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. There were 191 COVID-19 patients in the state's hospitals as of Sunday night, the lowest level in seven months. That's down about 70% just in the past month. "That's good news, very good news, for Nebraskans, for our hospitals and for our health care heroes working on the front lines," said Jeremy Nordquist, president of the Nebraska Hospital Association. It's also allowed hospitals to catch their breath, relieve stress on staff and catch up on delayed care. "The last two weeks have really been a collective sigh of relief," said Cory Shaw, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Nebraska Medicine. The hospital is just more than a month removed from exiting its crisis standards of care plan, which was implemented in January for the first time ever because of rising COVID-19 hospitalizations and a staff shortage. But now, Shaw said Nebraska Medicine will return to fully normal operations next Monday. Despite the decline in COVID-19 cases, Nebraska Medicine is still very busy, he said, as patients who have delayed necessary care fill the space that's been created. "We've essentially swapped one patient for another," Shaw said. Throughout the pandemic, Bryan Health delayed about 1,200 surgeries, said Dr. John Trapp, chief medical officer of the Lincoln-based health system. Some of those surgeries eventually became urgent or emergent and had to be done, but Bryan is now trying to catch up on the others, Trapp said. He said it will likely be early April before Bryan is back to what it considers to be normal operations, but he expects there to be an increased caseload of patients "for at least weeks and likely months" as people seek care they delayed because of the pandemic. Dr. Cary Ward, the chief medical officer for CHI Health, said it was able to increase the number of outpatient surgeries it did while limiting inpatient surgeries during the pandemic and does not have "big backlogs" of patients waiting for surgeries. Ward said staffing remains an issue, but he hopes nurses who left will come back now that things have settled down. Another big improvement brought on by the decline in COVID-19 patients is larger hospitals are once again able to accommodate most transfer requests from smaller hospitals. Ward said that just a few weeks ago, he would see lists of 30 or more patients waiting for transfers from smaller critical-access hospitals, and there were no larger hospitals that could take them. "Now, we are not denying anybody," he said. "In the last ... 10 days at least, we've not had one denial from a critical-access hospital." One change that hospitals are not making, even with the decline in COVID-19 patients and changes in public health guidance, is dropping mask requirements. Trapp said Bryan has loosened requirements regarding mask use by employees in some private areas of the hospital, but staff and visitors are still required to wear them in public and patient-facing areas and will be for the foreseeable future. He said hospitals care for vulnerable populations and need to protect those people "as much as we can." "We're simply going to monitor and see how things go over the next few weeks," before reconsidering mask policies, Trapp said. Ward said that despite the decline, case numbers still remain too high in most counties, including Douglas and Lancaster counties, which still have transmission levels in the "substantial" category. "Until it gets significantly lower than that, we're not going to change our mask policy," he said. Reach the writer at 402-473-2647 or molberding@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LincolnBizBuzz. Concerned about COVID-19? Sign up now to get the most recent coronavirus headlines and other important local and national news sent to your email inbox daily. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Opening statements are expected Tuesday in Columbus, where the trial has been moved for a Lincoln teenager facing murder charges for the fatal shooting of a longtime Lincoln Police officer in 2020. Felipe Vazquez, 19, is accused of first-degree murder of Police Investigator Mario Herrera, attempted assault on an officer, escape and gun charges. Pretrial publicity in the case led to moving the trial to Platte County District Court, where 100 people were called to begin appearing Monday at the courthouse in Columbus, about 75 miles northwest of Lincoln. The selection process initially was expected to take a day and a half but went more quickly than anticipated. On Aug. 26, 2020, law enforcement went to Vazquez's family's home at 33rd and Vine streets looking for him on a second-degree assault charge in connection with Edward Varejcka's stabbing death five months earlier. In court records, police said as members of the Metro Area Fugitive Task Force gathered outside, Vazquez, then 17, and Orion Ross, then 19, broke out a window in an escape attempt, with Vazquez allegedly firing shots at Herrera and other officers. Herrera who had been in plain clothes, not wearing a bulletproof vest and there, in part, to serve as a translator was struck in the torso. He underwent numerous surgeries but died of his injuries at a hospital in Omaha on Sept. 7, 2020. After, the Lancaster County Attorney's Office upgraded Vazquez's charge from first-degree assault to murder. His attorney, Nancy Peterson, filed a motion seeking a change of venue, pointing to pretrial publicity that she argued would make it impossible to get a fair and impartial jury here. She pointed to prayer vigils, the escort of Herrera's body to Lincoln, his funeral at Pinnacle Bank Arena and the recent unveiling of the "Fallen Officer Memorial," which honors Herrera and others who have died in the line of duty, a short distance from the entrance of the courthouse in Lincoln as evidence Vazquez couldn't get a fair trial here. Lancaster County District Judge Andrew Jacobsen agreed to move the trial to Platte County, finding "that the pervasive publicity makes it impossible for Vazquez to receive a fair trial in Lancaster County, or even Southeast Nebraska," under the U.S. Supreme Court standard. Platte County District Judge Robert Steinke, who retired in February, made his courtroom available for the trial. Lancaster County will have to pay the costs associated with the trial, but the jurors will come from Platte County. Reach the writer at 402-473-7237 or lpilger@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LJSpilger Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 2 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Lincoln police arrested a 31-year-old woman suspected of stealing mail from mailboxes on West Harvest Drive in the Highlands. Sgt. Chris Vigil said police dont yet know if shes connected to several such thefts this year. LPD analysts found 32 mail thefts from Jan. 1-Feb. 28, a 300% increase over the five-year average of mailbox thefts. Another two happened Saturday, when a mail carrier alerted a 40-year-old man living in the 800 block of West Harvest Drive that his mailbox was open, Vigil said. The mail carrier noticed a blue sedan with tinted windows in the area and told police. About 15 minutes later, a 62-year-old woman living a couple blocks away on West Harvest Drive reported shed also noticed mail missing from her mailbox, which included sensitive credit card information. Soon after, Vigil said, she noticed someone attempting to make a money transfer for $62.67 from one of her accounts. Just before 4 p.m., an officer noticed a blue Mazda Protege a car that matched the description given by the mail carrier parked in the 2500 block of North Ninth Street, with Undreia Rei Garza, 31, inside and mail from the male victim on West Harvest Drive on the seat. Based on the mail, the officer searched the car and found 16 grams of methamphetamine, several forged checks, other blank checks, and a printer and laptop officers suspected were used to make the forged checks. Garza was arrested for possession of a controlled substance and for possession of forged checks, Vigil said. Reach the writer at 402-473-7226 or mreist@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LJSreist Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. About 100 people, many carrying signs and adorned with blue and gold ribbons, gathered on the steps of the state capitol building Sunday in support of peace in Ukraine. Nebraskans for Peace, along with other organizations, rallied community members to gather for a Global Day of Action to stop the war in Ukraine, which was invaded 11 days ago by Russian forces. On Sunday, those in attendance listened quietly to speakers and urged those driving along on K Street to honk their horns in support of their cause. Many of the drivers did just that. The light Sunday traffic featured a number of blaring horns, of which were greeted by shows of gratitude from those at the capitol. The signs featured any number of messages from "Stop the Bombing" to "We Want Peace" to "Stop the War, Feed the Poor." Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 For many students of color, navigating a predominantly white institution can make some aspects of college difficult. A lack of diversity in classrooms is one reason University of Nebraska-Lincoln junior Michael Sanders believes its more difficult for students of color to get involved in campus organizations, especially younger students. I was almost peer pressured to get involved on campus, but in a good way and Im glad I did, said Sanders, a computer science major who is now a member of the UNL Afrikan Peoples Union (APU), a senator for the Association of Students of the University of Nebraska (ASUN), as well as a STEM Connect scholar. Sanders is also the president of Brother2Brother, a program within UNL's Office of Academic Success and Intercultural Services that aims to build a community of support for men of color on campus. Sanders credits Batool Ibrahim, president of ASUN, for encouraging him and many other students of color to get involved in any way possible. Now Sanders hopes to have a similar impact through the organizations he's a part of. He said he believes he has an obligation to do more than just get his education while at UNL. Automatically, as a minority, we can relate to any other minority," he said. "We may not be able to fully understand or grasp their struggle but we know the struggle. Its something we can embrace together, so it helps having community. Sanders says a lack of diversity among students, staff and faculty makes it more likely for students of color to shy away from resources on campus, such as mental health services. Those kinds of issues are behind Brother2Brothers mantra of M Mental Health, Masculinity and Money Management, three areas especially important for men of color, Sanders said. Brother2Brother is always recruiting new students to broaden the group's diverse backgrounds. Past events have included trivia nights and video game tournaments. Although he worries about having enough time for everything he'd like to accomplish within Brother2Brother, Sander said he's proud to be laying the foundation for those to come. Foundation is my mantra," he said. "Just start something, build something. Even if I cant finish it, my nephews will finish it. If I cant finish it, the freshmen will finish it, and then the next set of freshmen. Reach the writer at emejia@journalstar.com Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Gov. Pete Ricketts on Monday celebrated the success of the state's effort to fill cascading job vacancies in Nebraska's prison system with substantial increases in wages for prison staff. Ricketts described the initiative, negotiated with employee union representatives, as "a tremendous success" for the state. As part of the agreement, starting wages for corrections corporals and prison caseworkers were hiked from $20 an hour to $28 an hour, triggering an increase in annual salary from $41,600 to $58,240 for a 40-hour week. The agreement doubled overtime pay. Job applications prior to the agreement averaged 34 a week and have now reached 96 a week, Ricketts said during a news conference that shone a spotlight on the dramatic changes that have resulted in Nebraska's prison system. Staffing vacancies already have been reduced from 427 to 206, he said. Scott Frakes, director of the Department of Correctional Services, said his agency has received more than a thousand applications since December, with 267 personnel hired, including 118 from 33 states other than Nebraska. Turnover has declined from 403 last year to 22 so far this year, he said, and the chronically understaffed prison at Tecumseh is "fully staffed" now. Jason Jackson, the state's chief human resources officer, saluted the Nebraska Fraternal Order of Police as "a great partner" in helping negotiate the agreement. Ricketts also pointed to the innovative apprenticeship program instituted with Peru State College that gives criminal justice majors "hands-on experience" within corrections. "We are building leaders for corrections," Frakes said. With the addition of newly hired correctional personnel in the wake of the increase in salary and benefits, "we are a few weeks away from ... a significant downturn in overtime," he said. On another matter, answering a question on whether he would respond favorably to urging from the Legislature's Appropriations Committee that he apply for $120 million in federal funding that remains available to Nebraska for rental and utility assistance, Ricketts said he is "not planning to do that" because he does not see a demand. "I don't see landlords applying," he said. The state would have "a hard time justifying need," the governor said. Reach the writer at 402-473-7248 or dwalton@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LJSdon Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. RAYMOND After owning property in the Village of Raymond for a couple of years, Mitchell and Jillian Berman were excited to build their home and become active community members. They signed their contract to begin construction in September of 2020 and broke ground on their new home March of 2021. But, the construction of their home didnt progress as planned, as the originally planned November completion date came and went. The Bermans, along with their young daughters, became couch surfers, as they had already sold their previous home and had nowhere else go to. The building process has been a nightmare, Jillian Berman said. I mean, Im sure itll be wonderful and hopefully, this will all be worth it in the end. But, its not like we started building this two months ago and were jumping into this. I mean, this has been such a long, long process. Believing that since they didnt have a permanent residence, the site of their new home would be considered their residence under election law, they decided to get involved. Jillian Berman, with the support of her husband, wanted to get involved in the community they would soon call home. She chose to run for school board, since one of their daughters will be starting school this fall at Raymond Elementary in the 4-K program. They were not prepared for some members of the community they had slowly been getting to know to react with harassment and bullying. Does she need to withdraw? Likely not A flier that included pictures of the under-construction home was distributed by Raymond School Board candidates Art Binhack and Gwen Keller. The flier baselessly declared Jillian Berman was not a valid candidate due to her residency. It also made the assertion that the village could risk spending a lot of money to rectify this situation and the only solution was for Jillian Berman to withdraw her candidacy. Under the law, this conclusion is inaccurate. School administrator Steve Harder said that the district consulted the Wisconsin Association of School Boards and the Wisconsin Election Commission. To force someone to withdraw their candidacy because of the residency requirement, Harder said, a member of the public would have to file in circuit court, which he believes would be at the cost of the filer. The district would absorb the cost of any legal representation required. But, Harder contended that residency was still a requirement for 28 days prior to taking the oath of office, which would be April 26 for the Raymond elementary School in accordance to state statutes. As such, claiming Jillian Berman needs to remove her candidacy now is also incorrect. Binhack and Keller are not backing down. By not actually living in Raymond, a newcomer to the area on the board may make important school policy decisions and changes reflecting an outsiders opinion/perspective based on what might be relevant in another prior community and thus not necessarily an informed opinion in Raymonds best interest, Keller said in an email. Binhack and Keller were not the only ones to call attention to Jillian Bermans residency situation. Current board member, Audrey Kostuch, took to social media to question the Bermans and, in some cases, other community members. When a person decides to run for public office, they should be able to answer tough questions, a commenter, identified as Audrey K., on the app Nextdoor in the Village of Raymond wrote. Like, where do you actually live, in a car? Bullying, I dont think so, voters need to know. Maybe you should start asking questions instead of being complicit. Kostuch declined to comment, but an open records request revealed two separate formal complaints against her and her online presence, accusing her of harassment and violating the school boards social media policy. The district, according to current School Board President Jeremy Childers, again consulted WASB for legal advice regarding the complaints. An outside attorney will examine the matter and advise the district on how to move forward. The online squabbling has left some Village of Raymond residence tired of the election, before its even truly begun. I have been completely appalled by most of the behavior of the candidates for RSB. Even community members, Julie Mayhew posted on the Village of Raymonds Nextdoor group. Unfortunately, this has become quite the debacle. Challenged The Bermans residency was formally challenged before the primary election, which resulted in a hearing before the Village of Raymonds clerk. The Bermans showed they had already changed the address on their drivers licenses, the registration for their dogs and had their mail sent to their new home. But, the clerk ultimately ruled against their residency and revoked their voter registration. This did not surprise the Bermans. So, I mean, it was kind of a sham hearing from from the get-go, Jillian Berman said of the hearing. They had brought a bunch of people to come spectate, probably trying to intimidate us. It was a kangaroo court, added Mitchell Berman. The decision was made before we got there. The Bermans have challenged the ruling, along with the help of Stacie Rosenzweig, an attorney with Halling & Cayo in Milwaukee. While Rosenzweig said the Village of Raymond Clerk, Linda Terry, appeared to have wrestle with the issue in her decision letter, she ultimately arrived at the conclusion that because the house cannot legally be occupied, it could not be considered the Bermans residence. Rosenzweig said that, according to Wisconsin statutes, is not the case. Now the problem with that point of view is that well, where do they vote, then? Rosenzweig said. Theyre staying temporarily somewhere. The statute defines the residence as your place of habituation and where you intend to return when away temporarily. Its not where you happen to be sleeping tonight. Thats not the rule. Rosenzweig also drew from two examples: Homeless voters Those displaced by a disaster Homeless voters are able to register their place of residency as any number of places they habitually find themselves, such as a city bench. On the other hand, voters who find themselves displaced by a disaster, such as a fire, dont lose the right to vote simply because their intended home is temporarily uninhabitable. The Bermans, according to Rosenzweig, have found themselves in a similar boat due to the crippling effects the pandemic has had on the construction of their new home. Were confident in our position, but I can never promise what a third party is going to do, Rosenzweig said. Im hopeful that WEC agrees with us, but well get there when we get there. Amid claims of voter fraud and malignant intentions, Jillian Berman maintains that she just wanted to get involved in the community and focus on the students at Raymond Elementary. Its just, this is this is just so not how I wanted my name to get out there, she said. But I guess it is what it is. Correction: This article initially misstated what board Jillian Berman is appealing to, in order to get her name to appear on ballots. She, with attorney Stacie Rosenzweig, is actually appealing to the Wisconsin Elections Commission, as the story now says. A hearing in front of the Raymond clerk was not public, as this story initially incorrectly stated. The location of the Bermans' prior home was initially misstated. The Journal Times regrets the errors. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The GOP-led Legislature on Monday asked the U.S. Supreme Court to take up Wisconsins redistricting case after the states high court last week selected 10-year congressional and legislative maps drawn by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers boundaries Republicans say are redrawn based on racial criteria in violation of the U.S. Constitutions equal protection guarantees. Whats more, state Sen. Lena Taylor, D-Milwaukee, said Monday she also plans to file a legal challenge to the governors maps, which she said violate the federal Voting Rights Act by diluting the Black vote in Milwaukee districts. Republican lawmakers also asked the U.S. Supreme Court to block the Wisconsin Supreme Courts Thursday ruling. Republicans on Friday asked the state Supreme Court to put its ruling on hold pending the appeal to the federal court. If the U.S. Supreme Court doesnt take the case, the states ruling will remain in place. Justice Amy Coney Barrett requested all parties in the case file a response to the lawmakers request for an appeal by 5 p.m. Friday. The nations highest court takes between 100 and 150 of the over 7,000 cases its asked to review each year. But this case is likelier than most to get reviewed, UW-Madison Law School associate professor Robert Yablon said. This is a high-profile case, he said. Its an election law case. And I think in that category of cases, there is a much higher likelihood that its going to get taken up. Yablon pointed out that that the U.S. Supreme Court took up a case from Alabama in early February that centers on how much race should be a factor in drawing boundaries. The high court, in accepting the case, also stayed a lower courts order for the Alabama Legislature to create a second majority-Black congressional district. It may be that the Supreme Court is actually right now constituted in a way that is going to make it somewhat sympathetic to the claims that the (Wisconsin) Legislature is making here, Yablon said. The Legislature in its request for appellate review filed Monday focuses on Evers decision to add a seventh majority-Black Assembly district in Milwaukee with the effect of reducing the Black majority in the existing districts. The states high court, the Legislature argues, never decided whether the seventh district was required by the Voting Rights Act, referencing the majority opinion Thursday that the justices had good reasons to believe the district may be required. There can no good reasons for maximizing the number of minority-majority districts by dialing down the Black populations in the current districts to 50%, attorney Kevin St. John said Friday in a motion requesting a stay on the state Supreme Courts decision Thursday. Republicans write in court filings with the U.S. Supreme Court that, with the adoption of Evers maps, the state is now home to the 21st-century racial gerrymander. Attorneys also ask that current districts remain in place pending the federal courts review. The lawmakers claim Evers used the federal Voting Rights Act as a shield for open and obvious violations of the Constitution in order to move people around in Milwaukee to create the seventh Assembly district with a majority of Black voters. Race dominated the drawing and adoption of this plan, the product of an untheorized and deeply wrong re-writing of the Voting Rights Act, attorneys for Republicans wrote. Didnt do their job The issue is confusing because Evers is being accused of watering down Black representation even though his maps potentially give Black voters more representation in the Legislature. Some Black lawmakers are objecting because their own districts would have populations with a slightly reduced Black majority. Evers maps create a total of nine Black majority districts, with two in the Senate and seven in the Assembly. All districts have Black majorities of between 50.09% and 51.39%, according to court filings. Previously, the state had six majority-Black Assembly districts and two in the Senate, all with a majority range between 51% and 62%. Taylor, whose district sees its majority drop from 58.4% to 50.62% under Evers boundaries, said adding a seventh majority-Black Assembly district looks good on paper, but doing so waters down the Black vote in all the districts. Youre threatening all of them ... you have to take into account the totality of the circumstances, Taylor said, pointing to voter registration, age and turnout, as well as disproportionate mass incarceration among Black residents as factors that could result in a Black majority district not electing a Black lawmaker. (Evers) maps may have been the least-change maps, but theyre not the least-change maps that protect the Voting Rights Act and thats my gripe with the Supreme Court in that they didnt do their job in protecting our interests, so I need to go to the federal court, Taylor said. Taylor said she plans to file her challenge in the coming days. Courts ruling The state Supreme Courts majority concluded in its ruling that selecting a map with seven districts is within the leeway states have to take actions reasonably judged necessary to prevent vote dilution under the VRA. With regard to Republican lawmakers request for a stay in the state Supreme Courts ruling, the court issued an order on Monday allowing all parties in the case to respond until 11 a.m. Wednesday. The court also ordered that requests for additional briefing or extensions will be viewed with disfavor, according to court filings. The appeal to the nations highest court is the latest development in the battle over the states next decennial maps that began when Evers vetoed GOP-drawn boundaries in mid-November. The governor had championed boundaries drawn by the Peoples Maps Commission, but those maps failed to get universal support among legislative Democrats, with some criticizing the boundaries for potentially diminishing Black and Hispanic representation in the Legislature. Evers ultimately submitted new maps to the court, which reduce but maintain Republican majorities in the Legislature while likely preventing them from claiming a veto-proof supermajority. Those maps were drawn after the state Supreme Court in November ruled it would follow a least change approach from the current maps, which are considered some of the most gerrymandered in the nation. The states high court issued a 4-3 ruling last week in favor of Evers maps. Overall, its a step forward, Evers said of his maps after a bill signing Monday. Overall, its not where we need to be. Theres also a separate pending federal lawsuit that was filed by Democrats. Parties in the case have until March 18 to state their position on whether the case should be dismissed now that the state Supreme Court has ruled. Republicans currently hold a 61-38 majority in the Assembly and a 21-12 majority in the Senate. Five of the states eight congressional districts are held by Republicans. Evers office has said the governors maps would elect 44 Democrats and 55 Republicans in the Assembly, and 13 Democrats and 20 Republicans in the Senate. In Congress, Republicans would maintain five seats to Democrats three. The Legislature must redraw political lines every decade based on the latest population figures from the U.S. Census Bureau. In 2011, Republicans, working in secretive conditions, drew maps that packed Democratic voters into lopsided districts and spread out rural and suburban Republicans into districts with solid, but narrower, majorities. The maps allowed the GOP to hold more than 60% of legislative seats, even when Democrats won all statewide elections in 2018. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Former attorneys for the co-defendant of a man whose conviction for rape and murder as a teenager was documented in the 2015 Netflix series "Making a Murderer" are asking Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers for clemency. Brendan Dassey, 32, has spent about half his life in prison for his alleged crimes. He and his uncle, Steven Avery, were convicted in the 2005 rape and murder of 25-year-old photographer Teresa Halbach. Advocates have been pushing for Dassey to be freed but ran out of options in the courts after the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear his appeal. Evers refused to consider Dassey's 2019 plea to scrap his sentence. The most recent request to free Dassey came earlier this week in a letter from Jerome Buting and Dean Strang, who had represented Avery. The lawyers said Evers could exercise his constitutional power of executive clemency while at the same time fulfill a campaign policy to lower the state's prison population. "The courts have failed Brendan repeatedly and at every level," the lawyers said. "We ask you to exercise the power that only you have: to free him. We ask you to do it now." Buting and Strang said they were moved by the 16-year anniversary of Dassey's "manipulative interrogation" to speak out on his behalf. The "Making a Murderer" series cast doubt on the motives of police and left many viewers with the impression that Avery and Dassey were wrongfully convicted. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 In recent years we have applauded the use of DNA sampling to identify criminals and to solve old crimes through the use of this incredibly accurate new technology. And weve championed DNA tests for their ability to right old wrongs and free innocent people who were behind bars after being erroneously convicted when DNA evidence pointed the finger at the real culprit. That said, we were stunned and dismayed at the revelation last month that a womans 2016 rape kit DNA was used to match her to a 2021 property crime, for which she was charged. The story broke when San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin disclosed he had received the case and was dropping the charges, saying it was a violation of the womans constitutional rights. Every district attorney Ive spoken to in the country far and wide, red and blue has been absolutely horrified at this practice. It never should have happened, Boudin said. It turned out this was just the tip of the iceberg. San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott confirmed that for the past seven years, the departments local crime lab has been keeping all processed DNA in one big searchable pool including victims of violent crimes, child victims, even people entirely uninvolved in the crime like roommates and consensual sex partners. Any DNA that our lab tests, or comes across goes into that database, Chief Scott said. The idea that a crime victims DNA could be plucked from a database to link them to a future crime is a travesty. The impact of the San Francisco police practice would likely dampen the reporting of sexual assaults, which are already vastly under-reported. According to the Justice Departments 2020 Criminal Victimization report, less than 23 percent of sexual assaults nationwide are reported to police, USA Today reported. Scott said his department was stopping the practice of using crime victim DNA for investigation of a suspects DNA. Its unclear how many victims or volunteers may have had their DNA queried by the crime lab over the past seven years and unknown if there were any other prosecutions. Boudin indicated that San Francisco may not be the only California law enforcement agency that was compiling local databases that included DNA profiles from sexual assault victims, based on conversations with other district attorneys in the state. Boudin is working with state lawmakers to draft legislation to delete victim DNA from local databases and prohibit crime labs from ever storing them in the future. Thats a good start. Other states including Wisconsin might well want to check their policies on DNA database storage and their use by law enforcement to make sure this very valuable tool is not being misused. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 Killeen, TX (76540) Today Partly cloudy skies this evening will become overcast overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 69F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies this evening will become overcast overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 69F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. 1. Yes. Raising the bar for future developments will boost the citys housing market. 2. Yes. It will help in newer areas, but more needs to be done to change Killeens image. 3. No. The new standards will just slow down homebuilding and drive away developers. 4.No. The ordinance will do little more than drive up the price of new homes in the city. 5. Unsure. Its hard to say what the effect will be until they have been in place for a while. Vote View Results KEARNEY When it comes to timing, State Poet Matt Mason missed the best moment to release his latest book, I Have a Poem As Big As the Moon. It came out a little more than a year ago and I havent had many chances to read from it because of, you know, things, he said in an interview from his home in Lincoln. The COVID-19 shutdowns kept poets from conducting public readings. For Mason, he kept his writing schedule for a while. For the first four or five months, starting in March of 2020 and through the summer, I was really inspired, he said. I was writing a great deal stuff that I thought was really good. And then it went off a cliff and its been slowly building back. I havent done many readings for the past year and a half. Ive done a few. I was in Chadron last month, but Im just kind of taking it slowly, figuring out the landscape. Mason will explore the social and emotional landscape of central Nebraska when he reads at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Kearney Public Library as part of the Front Porch Poetry series presented by the library and Prairie Art Brothers. Admission to the reading is free. Mason, the current state poet, will read with Twyla Hansen, the former state poet. For Mason, a new book and an easing of pandemic restrictions gives him hope. I feel like Im in a good place physically, being vaccinated and boosted and all, he said. I think I have a little voice in the back of my mind, when I go into a room, just hoping that everybody else is OK. I want to be careful and protective of people around me. As a general countenance, Mason admits to a bit of anger. I think, to an extent, I was already angry in my writing, he laughed. But what can you do? Its been an experience where I felt my writing went really well for several months and then just bottomed out. Its made me reset a little as a writer. I think its in ways Im not going to fully understand for several years. Mason plans to read selections from his new book as well as other writings from before the pandemic and after. When it comes to an overview, Mason believes that poetry can help writers and readers better understand themselves and their situations. A big part of poetry is just finding a way of translating feelings into words, which we think is the kind of thing that just comes naturally, he said. But, you know, try to write a love letter and good luck saying things right. But as for other emotions and other experiences, that is really what a poet is trying to do. When you read a really good poem, its like experiencing something that you have not experienced, through someone else. Thats the goal of poetry, thats the goal of literature and the goal of art in general. At this point in publishing, authors are putting out more and more writing influenced by the pandemic. Some of its wonderful and some of its horrifying and everything is politicized, Mason said. Its going to be weird for a while. Im a 53-year-old man, relearning what the world is and my relationship with humanity. KEARNEY Jason Mundorf was working in sales in the Atlanta area when he began pondering a career change. Mundorf and his wife, Kat, were expecting their first child, and he wanted to be home more often with his young family. There was a teacher shortage in Georgia so he decided to pursue a career in education. I worked full time in sales and then I went in the evenings to the University of West Georgia to get a business education certification. ... In the summer of 2000, I was offered a provisional certificate from the state of Georgia, and I got my first teaching job as a business teacher at Paulding County High School in Dallas, Georgia, Mundorf said. Mundorf found his calling in education and has continued to work in the field for 22 years. Mundorf completed his education certification and went on to receive his masters degree in educational administration through Jacksonville State University. After three years as a business education teacher, he accepted a position as the assistant principal at Moses Middle School in 2003. Dr. Kent Edwards, a fellow Nebraskan and Mundorfs eighth-grade history teacher and high school principal at Elgin Public Schools, reached out to Mundorf in 2005 about joining his team as an assistant principal at Carrollton High School in Carrollton, Georgia. Mundorf spent eight years in Carrollton as an assistant principal and principal at Carrollton Middle School. In 2013, Mundorf once again made a career move in order to better focus on his family. His father owned a ranch in north central Nebraska that was struck by drought and a fire that damaged the main cabin and land in 2012. That same year, his mother had a stroke. Those were some strong family considerations to really look at coming back to Nebraska, he said. Mundorf and his family relocated to Nebraska in 2013 where he was the superintendent and principal for Anselmo-Merna Public Schools. After Edwards took on the position of Kearney Public Schools superintendent, he once again recruited Mundorf to be his assistant superintendent. Mundorf had been the assistant superintendent at KPS for five years when he was named as Edwards successor earlier this year. Edwards will retire at the end of June. Kearney Public Schools is a tremendous school system with fantastic teachers, parents, students, all the support staff, the leadership. We just have a great system in place, Mundorf said. I felt like I had been integral in a lot of pieces of leadership here throughout the last five years and supporting Dr. Edwards. I thought that maybe I could continue our stability and some of the progress weve made in various areas, moving it forward over hopefully the next several years. Mundorf was one of four finalists for the position who were interviewed extensively by the KPS Board of Education. Mr. Mundorf has a proven track record in another district as a superintendent. Mr. Mundorf has excellent knowledge of school financing, legislative impact, curriculum knowledge and has been a strong leader in our district. Mr. Mundorf also has a working knowledge of our strategic plan and understands how that has driven the district to our successes, said KPS Board President Wendy Kreis. One of Mundorfs focuses will be developing the schools career technical education apprenticeship program to aid the current challenges the community faces in the workforce. I would love to see as a superintendent for KPS to build a pipeline with our community where our employers, our work leaders, our community leaders and business leaders get to see our students across the board and at an early age and stage and identifying talent and seeing where some of those kids can be contributing members of a growing, vibrant community going forward, Mundorf explained. Other aspects he hopes to focus on include enrichment programs for high-ability learners in grades K-5 and to continue to enhance the Hanny Arram Center for Success. The school district has been known for neighborhood elementary schools. However as the buildings age, Mundorf expects the administration to have to make tough decisions on whether schools will need to be renovated or if something larger and more efficient will need to be built. Attracting people to the teaching profession is another challenge Mundorf knows he will have to tackle. Its getting more and more challenging to find a variety of different teachers. Certainly in career technical areas, thats difficult. ... Even in elementary education which a lot of people would feel as theres a lot of those teachers or a lot of those people available weve seen those percentages of people applying for those jobs even dropped, he said. As Mundorf moves into his new role, his main focus always will be on what is the most important part of his job: the students. Whats best for those kids? When you make decisions based on the students first, youre making the right decisions for the right reasons, Mundorf said. Robin Vos was invited to Florida by Donald Trump and given a ride on Trumps private jet. Vos was berated by Trump because Wisconsin was not doing enough to overturn the election. Vos hired former Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman and handed a budget of $676,000 of taxpayers' money. Gableman received training from observing the Cyber Ninjas (the debunked Arizona debacle) and the Pillow Guy, Mike Lindell. Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce spent $1,760,000 in support of Gableman for the Supreme Court. Wisconsin Club for Growth added $500,000. Gableman is not impartial when huge amounts of cash spent on him. What did Gableman give the taxpayers of Wisconsin for their $676,000? Nothing. The best he could come up with was to suggest the Legislature decertify the 2020 presidential results. Experts and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have described this as legal and a constitutional impossibility. Gableman also called for the "elimination and dismantling" of the bipartisan Wisconsin Elections Commission. The Wisconsin Elections Commission was established in 2015 with support from the Republican Party. The Republican Party should decide if they want a Democracy. Republicans make it as difficult as possible for people to vote in Wisconsin and the country. How far will anti-democratic leaders of the Republican Party go to impose their will on voters? There is no such thing as a One Party Democracy. A one party government model is the Soviet Union. Donald Trump praised Vladimir Putin as pretty smart and genius." Is this what Republican Party wants? Glen Jenkins La Crosse Love 6 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 EAST LAMPETER TWP. SUPERVISORS The East Lampeter Township Board of Supervisors will meet at 7:30 p.m. Monday, March 7, at township office, 2250 Old Philadelphia Pike. Remote access info: eastlampetertownship.org. Among the agenda items: Consent agenda: (a) Approval of the March 7 Board of Supervisors meeting agenda; (b) approval of the minutes of the Feb. 14 regular meeting; (c) approval to pay invoices from all funds. Old business: (a) Request to reduce financial security Glick Fire Equipment, 350 Mill Creek Road; (b) Mr. Car Wash land development plan No. 21-29, 2175 Lincoln Highway, time extension for township action; (c) stormwater management Plan No. 21-34, 2179 Lois Lane; (d) discussion regarding county drug task force funding. New business: (a) Request for separation distance exemption, High, 2350 Old Philadelphia Pike; (b) discussion regarding update to CV Region Comprehensive Plan. Action Items: (a) Resolution regarding trick-or-treat/Halloween; (b) bids for construction of a new impound area; (c) bids for in-place paving materials; (d) bids for in-place road maintenance/oil and chip materials; (e) resolution regarding rapid flashing beacon signals Lancaster Heritage Pathway crossing Ben Franklin Boulevard; (f) resolution regarding complete series; (g) resolution for local Statewide Share Account grant application. Managers report: (a) Walnut Street expansion and Lancaster Heritage Pathway project; (b) MS4 update. Next meeting: Monday, March 21, 7:30 p.m. HEMPFIELD SCHOOL DISTRICT Hempfield School District School Board will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 8, at the administration building, public board room, 200 Church St., Landisville. Among the agenda items: Superintendents report: COVID/Health & Safety Plan update. Policy 903 discussion. LAMPETER-STRASBURG SCHOOL DISTRICT The Lampeter-Strasburg School Board will meet at 7:30 p.m. Monday, March 7, at the district administration building board room, 1600 Book Road, Lampeter. Remote access information: https://www.l-spioneers.org/School-Board/. Among the agenda items: Personnel committee: (1) Recommendation for approval of resignations; (2) recommendation for approval of employment support; (3) recommendation for approval of additional assignment; (4) recommendation for approval of leave of absence; (5) recommendation for approval of sabbatical leave of absence; (6) recommendation for approval of a supplemental contract; (7) recommendation for approval of substitutes; (8) recommendation for approval of volunteers; (9) recommendation for approval of event workers. Business and finance committee: (10) Recommendation for approval of the school age child care (SACC) hourly tuition rate for 2022-23 school year; (11) recommendation for approval to transfer funds from unassigned fund balance to clear historical balance due from food service operations. Academic committee: (12) Recommendation for approval of a contract for professional development services with IU13; (13) recommendation for approval of a textbook. LANCASTER CITY COUNCIL Lancaster City Council will meet at 6:30 p.m. Monday, March 7, in council chambers, City Hall annex, 120 N. Duke St., Marion St. entrance. Among the agenda items: Proclamations, honors, awards and resolutions of recognition: Council Resolution No. 17-2022, recognizing Womens History Month; Resolution No. 18-2022, supporting the Patient Care Act; Resolution No. 33-2022, supporting the people of Ukraine. Reports of committees of council meetings held on March 1: (1) public safety committee Councilor Diaz; (2) public works committee Councilor Walsh; (3) economic development committee Councilor Arroyo; (4) finance committee Councilor Bakay; (5) community planning committee Councilor Craig; (6) personnel committee Councilor Calixte. Legislative agenda: (a) Nominations for appointment consider nominations for appointment to the Human Relations Commission, Public Art Advisory Board, Lancaster Industrial Development Authority and Human Relations Commission Advisory Council; (b) Heritage Conservation District consider the following applications and recommendations from the Historical Commission for improvements to properties within the Heritage Conservation District: (1) Hager Parking Properties, owner of 43 W. King St., proposes demolition of a three-story building (retaining facade features) to allow new construction on the site; (2) Hagar Parking Properties, owner of 49 W. King St., proposes demolition of a one-story commercial structure to allow new construction on the site; (c) Hagar Parking Properties, owner of 33-49 W. King St., proposes construction of a new, six-story multifamily residential building with ground-floor commercial space and interior parking (applications were recommended for approval by the Historical Commission). Ordinances for final passage: Administration Bill No. 02-2022, amending on-street parking meter rates; Administration Bill No. 03-2022, creating the Department of Neighborhood Engagement; Administration Bill No. 04-2022, accepting the dedication of a right-of-way at 210 College Ave. Ordinances for first reading: Administration Bill No. 05-2022, approving a supplemental appropriation for capital projects. Resolutions: Administration Resolution No. 16-2022, approving the appointment of the Director of the Department of Neighborhood Engagement; Administration Resolution No. 19-2022, amending the signatories of the citys nonuniform employees pension plan; Administration Resolution No. 20-2022, amending the signatories of the citys police pension plan. Introduced by: Councilor Bakay, finance committee Administration Resolution 21-2022, amending the signatories of the citys fire pension plan; Administration Resolution No. 22-2022, approving the appointment of a deputy controller; Administration Resolution No. 23-2022, approving the appointment of a deputy treasurer; Administration Resolution 240-2022, authorizing a tax collection agreement; Administration Resolution No. 25-2022, authorizing a tax and revenue anticipation note. Introduced by: Councilor Bakay, finance committee Administration Resolution Lancaster No. 26-2022, stating an intent to reimburse; Administration Resolution No. 27-2022, approving a funding project of the Lancaster Higher Education Authority on behalf of Elizabethtown College; Administration Resolution No. 27-2022, approving a funding project of the Lancaster Higher Education Authority on behalf of Elizabethtown College; Administration Resolution No. 28-2022, authorizing a Local Share Account application on behalf of Tenfold; Administration Resolution No. 29-2022, authorizing a Local Share Account application on behalf of the Spanish American Civic Association; Administration Resolution No. 30-2022, authorizing a Local Share Account application on behalf of YWCA Lancaster; Administration Resolution No. 31-2022, authorizing a Local Share Account application on behalf of South Ann Concerned Neighbors; Administration Resolution No. 32-2022, authorizing a Local Share Account application on behalf of the City of Lancaster. MANHEIM TWP. ZONING The Manheim Township Zoning Hearing Board will meet at 6:30 p.m. Monday, March 7, at the municipal building, 1840 Municipal Dr. Remote access via Zoom: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85151490585; Meeting ID: 851 5149 0585; Call +1 267 831 0333. Among the agenda items: Imperium Real Estate, LLC, B-2 Business and D-C Corridor Overlay, 1860 Oregon Pike. The applicant is requesting a variance of Section 2402.5 and Section 2410.3.A. Appendix A. Design Standard 14.3, to permit a 5-foot-wide sidewalk along Oregon Pike instead of the required 10-foot-wide sidewalk; a variance of Section 2512.3.C(1) not to provide interior landscape island planters the size of 9 feet by 36 feet within the parking lot; a variance of Section 1204.2.B.8. to permit a maximum floor area of 5,000 square feet for a medical/dental office use: a variance of Section 2808.1. to permit a time extension for beginning the authorized action within two years, and a time extension for the completion within three years from when the variance was finally approved. Pennsylvania Lines LLC c/o Sterner Outdoor Signs, I-2 Industrial and D-R Retrofit Overlay, 1230 Plaza Blvd. The applicant is requesting a variance of Section 1806.1. Table 2 Part B to increase the area of the proposed freestanding billboard sign from the required 72 square feet to 300 square feet: a variance of Section 1806.1. Table 2 Part B to increase the height of the proposed freestanding billboard sign from the required 25 feet to 45 feet: a variance of Section 1806.4. to increase the sign area of an electronic variable messaging sign (EVMS) from the required 60% of the proposed freestanding billboard sign area to 100%. Heimer Properties, B-2 Business and D-R overlay, 1609 Oregon Pike. The applicant is requesting a variance of Section 2102.5. to permit a proposed detached carport to encroach within both 25-foot side yard building setbacks. Citizens Bank, B-4 Business and D-R Retrofit Overlay, 1415 Lititz Pike. The applicant is requesting the following: a variance of Section 1405.2.J.5.e. to permit the proposed angled parking spaces and dumpster to encroach within the required 20-foot perimeter buffer; a variance of Section 2005.4. to permit the proposed angled parking spaces to encroach within the required 10-foot setback from the street right of way and encroach within the 20-foot perimeter buffer area along Oregon Pike; a variance of Section 2008.2. to permit the aisle width behind the 45-degree angled parking spaces to be less than the required 18-foot width; a variance of Section 2108.2. to permit a 6-foot-tall dumpster enclosure fence within the front yard building setback; a variance of Section 2108.6. to permit a solid dumpster enclosure fence within the front yard building setback; a variance of Section 2507.4. to permit a dumpster within the front yard building setback along Oregon Pike; a variance of Section 2512.2.A. to permit encroachment within the required 10-foot planting strip; a variance of Section 2512.3.A. not to screen the proposed angled parking spaces along the Oregon Pike Street right of way. Penn Manor School District The Penn Manor School Board will meet 7 p.m. Monday, March 7, at Manor Middle School, 2950 Charlestown Road. The regular board meeting will follow the committee of the whole. Live video stream: https://www.youtube.com/PennManorSchoolDistrict/. Among the agenda items: Superintendents report: Item 1. Review of School Board meeting agenda. Item 2: Consent agenda for the Committee of the Whole meeting: (a) Velocity Fiber agreement addendum for 10G leased lit fiber to Comet Field. Item 3: Consent agenda for administrative actions: (a) Acceptance of STS aides/para and personal care assistant for the 2021-22 school term; (b) Acceptance of STS Substitute teachers for the 2021-22 school term; (c) Agricultural Advisory Committee approval of committee members; (d) ratification of a proposal to perform districtwide lead testing by Miller & Sons; (e) change orders Penn Manor High School project. Item 4: Consent agenda for personnel (a) support staff employment and change in status; (b) retirement; (c) resignation; (d) Act 86. A new, 129-bed, acute-care hospital and a renovated emergency department that is expected to nearly double its capacity are expected to serve Lancaster County residents before the years end. Heres the nitty gritty: Lancaster General Hospital For roughly the past 13 months, the downtown Lancaster hospital has been undergoing work for its 40,000-square-foot, $182.5 million trauma and emergency department expansion. Currently under construction, the emergency department entrance on Duke Street has temporarily moved to Lime Street. That will change in September when the expansion is expected to be completed. Then, the hospitals existing emergency department space will undergo a renovation that will nearly double its capacity once completed in 18 months. Originally designed to accommodate 90,000 annual visits, the emergency department was last renovated in 2003. With both the expansion and renovation in place in spring 2024, the emergency department will be able to treat 140,000 patients annually with 95 beds. The project is one of the largest investments in facilities and technology in LG Healths history, John Lines, a Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health spokesperson, said in an email. LG Health is the health system that operates the hospital. As part of the project, the hospital is also revamping its food service department with expanded storage and refrigeration and a restaurant-style production kitchen that allows for locally sourced menu options for patients, visitors and staff. Originally, the expansion project was to be completed by December but is now set to open in April. Project costs are included with the emergency department overhaul. The dining offerings will emphasize healthful eating and wellness, as well as to promote a sense of community through upgraded seating areas, Lines said. Demand for meals is projected to increase by 20% as a result of the expansion, necessitating a food-prep design featuring multiple stations that flex production based on daily demand. And this summer, LG Health anticipates offering proton therapies believed to the be the first in central Pennsylvania at the Ann B. Barshinger Cancer Institute in East Hempfield Township. Penn State Lancaster Medical Center Penn State Health is constructing a $375 million, 129-bed medical center in East Hempfield Township that, once opened, will mean Lancaster County residents will have four hospital choices in the county. Built with some flexibility, the health system will also be able to add an additional 24 beds when volume warrants an increase. The hospital which at full capacity will employ 900, mostly patient facing, staff is expected to open this fall. Given the difficulty recruiting health care workers, the health system began recruiting efforts about 18 months ago, Deborah Addo, Penn State Health president and chief operating officer, told LNP | LancasterOnline recently. Penn State Health is now hiring and utilizing future Penn State Health Lancaster Medical Center staff to fill some positions at our other facilities, Scott Gilbert, a Penn State Health spokesperson, said in an email. This hiring practice gives staff the chance to learn the processes and systems on which the new hospital will operate before they step into the physical space in East Hempfield Township, allowing for faster orientation. While the employee search is underway, its unclear what percentage have already been hired. Gilbert did not directly respond to this inquiry. Also coming from Penn State Heath to the county this year is a new, $11.2 million pediatric outpatient center in the former Toys R Us store on Harrisburg Pike at Route 30 in Manheim Township. The 47,000-square-foot center, which will employ about 40 people, is expected to offer high-level pediatric care without having to leave the county. And, the Hershey-based system also recently paid $2.4 million for about 3 acres near routes 30 and 222 in Manheim Township, for a three-story, 56,000-square-foot office building with 200-plus parking spaces. Former Ephrata lawyer Kenelm Shirk admitted planning to kill unspecified Democratic senators a year ago, after an argument with his ex-wife over the presidential election and the events of Jan. 6, 2021. I admit to having spoken those words, your honor, Shirk, 72, told Judge Jennifer Wilson on Monday, when he pleaded guilty in federal court in Harrisburg to a single count of threatening to murder a U.S. official. It was the only crime he was charged with. Much of the hearing was spent making sure Shirk, who wore an orange Dauphin County Prison uniform, understood the terms of the plea agreement and was voluntarily pleading guilty. Shirk has been in custody since his arrest last January and will remain in prison until he is sentenced. Defense attorney John Abom said after the hearing that the case was very much making a mountain out of a molehill. We dispute and it will be an issue at sentencing with him being in his car with his lawfully possessed firearms, was anything other than heading to Alexandria, Va., to visit his family members, Abom said after the hearing. Abom said the matter stemmed from an argument Shirk had with his ex-wife. Shirk, Akron boroughs former solicitor, will be sentenced after a background investigation is completed, Abom said. That will likely be in May. Abom said he will ask for a sentence of time-served. The crime carries a maximum possible penalty of 10 years in prison. Prosecutors are asking for a sentence in the standard range of guidelines, which will be determined as part of the presentence investigation. However, Wilson will have final say on his sentence. Shirk was arrested around 8:45 p.m. on Jan. 21, 2021, at a gas station near Shippensburg. State police were acting on a be on the lookout bulletin. Shirks ex-wife, with whom he lived in Cornwall, Lebanon County, had called 911 about 90 minutes earlier and reported that Shirk threatened to kill her and intended to go to the nations capital to kill U.S. senators. Police said they found an AR-15 rifle, two handguns, ammunition, rope, gloves and about $5,000 in his Subaru Forester. Abom said Shirk had the guns because he is a target shooter. Shirk will have to forfeit the guns and ammunition as part of the plea. As a convicted felon, he will not be able to own guns. A defense filing last year characterized Shirks actions as an isolated incident of behavior made worse by drinking. Shirk denied in court Monday having an alcohol or drug problem, nor ever being treated for one. Shirk's former firm, Shirk Law Associates, was the longtime solicitor for Akron Borough. Akron dropped the firm shortly after Shirks arrest. The state Supreme Court disbarred him in May. Shirk comes from a family with a history of community service and political involvement. His father, K. L. Shirk, who died in 2006, was an attorney and long active in Lancaster Countys Republican Committee, serving as chairman of the party from 1964-71. Shirks grandfather served as Lancaster County district attorney in the early 1940s and later was elected to the Lancaster city council. Didn't have a chance to check with with LancasterOnline over the weekend? Here are five articles to catch up on from over the weekend: Green Dragon owners share stories, memories in honor of market's 90th anniversary An inside scoop on a business opportunity and a bit of educated speculation on the future of domestic juvenile shoe production led young William Rohrbach toward becoming a co-owner of the famed Green Dragon Farmers Market and Auction. The Green Dragon, an Ephrata mainstay, marks its 90th anniversary of operation Friday. Rohrbach was just 22 when he got involved with the business. Click here to read the full story. Ex-Ephrata lawyer accused of planning to kill Democratic senators to plead guilty A former Ephrata lawyer intends to plead guilty Monday in federal court to one count of threatening to murder a U.S. official. Kenelm Shirk, 72, indicated his intent in a signed plea agreement filed Thursday in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Click here to read the full story. Manheim Twp. pedestrian crossing tries to get attention of motorists A resident of the Bloomingdale section of Manheim Township said shes excited to see a new pedestrian crossing on Lititz Pike to Overlook Park, but shes concerned that motorists dont quite understand the crossings flashing yellow lights. A neighbor who has used the crossing reported that the button that activates the lights works just fine, but many motorists dont stop, reported Maria Klein, who lives on nearby Robindale Avenue. Nobody pays any mind to it, but maybe people just don't know about it yet. Click here to read the full story. Little Conestoga Creek's severely eroded banks targeted with proposed restoration project Ruth Beck was unfamiliar with native plants. Shed never heard of a riparian buffer. And Beck said she surely didnt set out to inspire a stream restoration project that aims to repair more than 2,000 linear feet of the damaged Little Conestoga Creek. She was simply attending conservation-oriented seminars and meetings as a way to meet people after she moved to the area in 2019. The more she learned at those events, Beck said, the more she started noticing things about the creek, where it passed near her Lancaster Township yard, especially its eroded, vertical banks. Click here to read the full story. Lancaster County could spend millions in federal funds to improve internet access [Lancaster Watchdog] Lancaster County has two major opportunities to fund improvements to its broadband infrastructure, which data suggests is worse than any of its surrounding counties. The first is funding from the American Rescue Plan Act, of which Lancaster received $106 million. The federal money can be used to make necessary investments in water, sewer, or broadband infrastructure, according to the Department of the Treasury. County commissioners have yet to specify how they will use the those funds, despite having started to receive them last May. Click here to read the full story. The public display of a three-dimensional model of the proposed 20-story Mosaic residential development at Southern Market ended last week, and the model will now be used as part of private events for prospective residents of the development and others. Willow Valley Communities, based in Willow Street, brought the model downtown to showcase the Mosaic project during Southern Markets grand opening ceremony on Feb. 24. The organization brought the model back to its Willow Street campus on Tuesday, according to a spokesperson. Willow Valley Communities backed the Southern Market revitalization as a complement to its Mosaic project across the street, where the former printing plant for LNP Media Group currently sits. Once completed, the 244-foot building would be the tallest in Lancaster County, surpassing the 19-floor Lancaster Marriott at Penn Square a block away by 34 feet. The luxury 146-unit apartment building for adults at least 55 years old has won approvals from key city review commissions, but still needs review at the Planning Commission. Brian Rutter, chief marketing officer at Willow Valley Living, a subsidiary of Willow Valley Communities, said Monday that more than 500 people in 24 different states have signed up to receive more information about the $90-million project and when units become available. The organization has not determined any pricing for the 146 luxury units yet, Rutter said, but the fee structure will resemble Willow Valleys other senior living communities. To become a resident, households must first pay an entrance fee to secure a unit in the building. An additional monthly fee covers most of the costs associated with maintaining the building and its services, Rutter said. That monthly fee does not increase because a resident opts to receive personal care, skilled nursing care, or memory support care later in life, according to Willow Valleys website. Monthly fees do increase each year, on average about 3.5%, according to the organization. One-time entrance fees for existing two-bedroom apartments in Willow Street this year run between $250,000 and $480,000. Monthly fees for the same units run from about $3,000 to $4,700. John Swanson, CEO of Willow Valley Development Corp., told LNP | LancasterOnline in January that Willow Valley could pursue final development plan approvals from Lancaster city in the next several months. The earliest construction might start is late this year since Swanson said Willow Valley first wants to get commitments on at least 70% of its units. Our process is to sell and then build, not build and then try to sell, Swanson said. If all goes according to schedule, Willow Valley hopes to have residents inside a completed Mosaic in 2025, Rutter said. We want to make sure, in fairness to ourselves and the community, that before we begin any demolition or construction work, we can all feel confident that we have the market demand, Rutter said. On Monday Rutter repeated Willow Valley's pledge that it wont pursue property tax exemptions as a nonprofit organization. Its an oversimplification to say that a district judge set bail at $5,000 for a man accused of shoplifting $28, according to Lancaster Countys president judge. The man, John Choma, 66, died Feb. 7 of upper gastrointestinal bleeding in an East Lampeter Township motel five days after the Lancaster Bail Fund posted his bail. Circumstances surrounding Chomas pretrial incarceration and death were a subject of a contentious Lancaster Prison Board meeting Feb. 17. County officials criticized Michelle Batt, the bail funds president, for putting out what they called inaccurate information. They also accused her of suggesting that Chomas time in the jail may have hastened his death because his medication and routine was disrupted. Batt, whose organization opposes cash bail as, among other things, a penalty on the poor, maintains she was accurate because the $5,000 bail was set on the $28 theft charge. She apologized for the implication that the prison was somehow responsible for Chomas death, but she also maintains that his scheduled medications had to have been disrupted, though officials said Choma got his medication. Given the public attention on Chomas case, LNP | LancasterOnline examined why Choma ended up in jail and who he was. Why $5,000 bail? Bail is intended to ensure a defendant shows up for court proceedings and to protect the community. Judges setting bail can consider 10 criteria under state law. Among them: the crime charged, community ties, character and mental condition and whether a person has appeared at previous required proceedings. Stevens District Judge Clark Bearinger took those criteria into account when he set Chomas bail on Feb. 1 while serving as night court judge, a rotating after-hours shift that all district judges work, President Judge David Ashworth said. Though LNP directed questions to Bearinger, he deferred to Ashworth, who explained the president judge has always been the county courts spokesman. The president judge also oversees district judges. Besides the retail theft charge, Choma had eight other warrants for failure to appear and nonpayment of fines and costs. Those all stemmed from a July traffic citation for driving without a license and related offenses, which Choma pleaded guilty to in November. Chomas single retail theft charge was actually for two separate thefts from the Sheetz at 2425 Old Philadelphia Pike in East Lampeter, according to charging documents. On Nov. 20, he was seen taking a pack of Marlboros valued at $8.47, and on Nov. 22 he was seen taking a pair of $20 sunglasses, according to records. Choma was charged Dec. 3. Choma was arrested at the Budget Host Inn on Jan. 31 after missing a Jan. 19 preliminary hearing on the theft charge, and he appeared before Bearinger the morning of Feb. 1. Choma, who had largely been living at a storage unit around the corner from the Sheetz, was at the motel because a hospital paid for his room after discharging him on Jan. 27. He had been hospitalized after a Jan. 7 vehicle crash that resulted in a careless driving charge. According to Ashworth, Choma told Bearinger he wasnt a Lancaster resident and intended to leave the area. Choma was also less than cooperative and acted in a manner and spoke about things that suggested he needed assistance in a number of areas, Ashworth said in an email Wednesday. He declined to elaborate, saying it was inappropriate to comment on Chomas issues. Ashworth said it was unfortunate that Batt only knew what Choma told her when she bailed him out. The issue of bail is not simply a matter of warehousing people unnecessarily, he said. It is often about helping people who are unable to help themselves or protecting people from themselves. The prison is well equipped and experienced in identifying the needs of inmates and providing services, if given the opportunity, Ashworth said. Choma was at the prison for about a day and half before being bailed out. Batt, after being told about the specifics Bearinger considered when considering Chomas case, said that underscored one concern for bail reform advocates: Transparency. Under current law, district judges do not have to give reasons for setting a particular bail in most cases. However, if they deny bail, they must do so. It would be nice to know the reasons for bail, Batt said Wednesday. Who was John Choma? Steven News probably knew John Choma better than anyone. Or, at least, as well as anyone could. News cleaned out Chomas motel room after his death not that there was much there. Mostly medications. It was the decent, human thing to do. He didn't have anyone, News said Monday. Batt said she talked to Choma several times by phone after his release. She said he was getting food from Meals on Wheels of Lancaster. She planned to visit him Feb. 8, but learned he had died overnight. News started to get to know Choma early last summer. Thats when Choma began staying at East End Storage off Old Philadelphia Pike in East Lampeter. News is the part-time manager. He was a lonely guy. He saw the opportunity to see me and talk, News said. Choma wasnt supposed to be living there, and News said he talked to Choma repeatedly about needing to find permanent housing. But he also knew Choma had nowhere to go, so he turned a blind eye. When Choma would get his monthly Supplemental Security Income check, hed sometimes rent a room for a week at a motel, News said. But for the most part, he stayed at East End Storage. News said he was trying to work with a nonprofit to get Choma into housing shortly before Choma was hospitalized. News said he recognized Choma had mental health issues, but he didnt know the specifics. Choma also had many physical problems: open sores on his lower legs, knee and back pain and kidney problems. He walked with a cane and took many different medications. He was a wreck, News said. News said Choma was from New Jersey and came to Lancaster at least a decade ago. He doesnt know why. News said Choma told him he left Lancaster and spent at least the past several years in California intending to launch a home-improvement business. But, News said, Choma told him his health problems put him in and out of hospitals and nursing homes for years and he returned to Lancaster early last summer. Choma had four units at East End Storage, one an empty garage and the others filled with household items and clothes, News said. Hed sometimes park his black 1999 Dodge Ram pickup in the garage to sleep. News is trying to work with Chomas parents, who he said are in their 90s and live in northern New Jersey, to empty the units. He said Choma had a sister in the Southwest, but was estranged from her. Technically, Chomas mother and stepfather leased the units, News said. For at least a decade, they sent monthly rental checks, most recently for $332, he said. Chomas stepfather, Richard Triolo, told LNP Wednesday that Chomas mother was feeling too brittle about her sons death to talk. He did say Choma often was out of their lives for years at a time. I will say this: She has done so much for that boy, it's amazing, Triola said. News said Choma enjoyed his phone and he enjoyed reading about military history and war techniques and fighting techniques. Choma would also show him a picture of a pretty young woman in her 20s. Chomas plan, News said, was to bring her over from Ukraine so she could be his caregiver. Of course, News said, he had no idea if the story about the woman was true. Columbia Borough police VANDALISM COLUMBIA: Two tires of a vehicle in the 300 block of Walnut Street were slashed at 12:19 a.m. on Feb. 28, police said. East Hempfield Township police CRASH EAST HEMPFIELD TWP.: A 53-year-old man was hospitalized with serious injuries after rear-ending his motorcycle into a vehicle in the first block of West Main Street in Salunga at 9:28 p.m. on March 2, police said. THEFT EAST HEMPFIELD TWP.: Two unidentified men were seen on surveillance footage stealing two bottles of Casamigo Blanco from a Wine and Spirits Shop at 1761 Columbia Avenue at 8:15 p.m. on Feb. 24, police said. EAST HEMPFIELD TWP.: A catalytic converter valued at $700 was stolen from a vehicle at Leed Truck Center at 402 South Chiques Road sometime between 9 p.m. on Feb. 24 and 8:30 a.m. on Feb. 26, police said. Another catalytic converter, also valued at $700, was damaged, police said. EAST HEMPFIELD TWP.: Two unidentified people were seen breaking into a vehicle in the 300 block of Bethel Drive at 1:37 a.m. on March 2, police said. The two fled on foot after being confronted by the vehicle owner, leaving behind the vehicle they arrived in which was later determined to have been stolen from Willow Street, police said. East Lampeter Township police ASSAULT EAST LAMPETER TWP.: Uniquie Ivette Rodriguez, 26, of Lancaster, was charged with simple assault and theft of services following a fight at a Wawa at 2132 Lincoln Highway East around 7:15 a.m. on March 4, police said. Rodriguez was arrested at a nearby hotel on several outstanding warrants, police said. THEFT EAST LAMPETER TWP.: Krystal Chani Jimenez, 34, of Pocono Summit, and Alison Johnson, 60, of Lancaster, were each charged with retail theft after under-ringing $200 in merchandise at a self-checkout register at a Walmart at 2034 Lincoln Highway East at 4:54 p.m. on March 3, police said. Manor Township police INDECENT EXPOSURE MANOR TWP.: Fernando Alsbrook, 61, of Manor Township, was charged with indecent exposure after a 10-year-old and other juveniles saw him exposing himself and urinating in a storm drain near a bus stop in the 2700 block of Royal Road around 8 p.m. on Dec. 17, police said. Mount Joy Borough police CRUELTY TO ANIMALS MOUNT JOY: Cody M. Franklin, 26, of Mount Joy, was charged with neglect of animals and cruelty of animals after abandoning a cat in his borough apartment for five days without food or water at 11:01 a.m. on March 3, police said. HARASSMENT MOUNT JOY: David P. Gray, 61, of Mount Joy, was charged with harassment after touching a person during an altercation at a borough address at 4:43 p.m. on Feb. 21, police said. New Holland police THEFT NEW HOLLAND: Stacy L. Warner, 45, of Stevens, was charged with theft by deception after using her position as an employee at Petal Perfect at 14 South Tower Road to steal $5,536.12 in flowers in October, police said. Warner only charged herself $1,192.50 for $6,728.62 in flowers and floral arrangements, police said. Pennsylvania State police CRIMINAL MISCHIEF MARTIC TWP.: A mailbox in the 200 block of Bethesda Church Road was damaged for unknown reasons sometime between Feb. 13 and Feb. 14, police said. FIRE MARIETTA: An accidental fire caused $50,000 in property damage to an apartment at Riverside Foundry Apartments on West Market Street at 5:31 p.m. on Feb. 21, police said. THEFT STRASBURG TWP.: A Herr Road residents check was stolen and used to deposit $21,459.15 into an unidentified bank account at 5:10 p.m. on Feb. 16, police said. Susquehanna Regional police ASSAULT MARIETTA: Ronald Allen Griffith, 35, address unknown, was charged with simple assault after attacking a woman during a domestic dispute in the first block of West Market Street at 9:02 p.m. on March 1, police said. Griffith left the scene before officers arrived, but was later arrested in Columbia, police said. Ken Duberstein, a Franklin & Marshall College graduate and former White House chief of staff who helped revive Ronald Reagans presidency, died last week in Washington. He was 77. The New York Times reported that Duberstein's family confirmed his death last Wednesday, saying it had come after a long unspecified illness. Duberstein, who graduated from F&M in 1965, served as Reagans chief of staff during his final presidential year. He spent time with Reagan at Camp David, the presidential retreat in Marylands Catoctin Mountains. We would talk about everything but the presidency and politics," Duberstein recalled in an interview with the Lancaster New Era, a predecessor to LNP, in 2004. We would talk about life." Duberstein served as a college trustee from 1994 to 2010. He is the founder of a public service internship endowment that supports F&M students serve unpaid or minimally paid internships in the executive and legislative branches of the federal government in Washington, D.C. "We are saddened to learn this news about alumnus Ken Duberstein 65, who remained an active supporter of F&M throughout his life, including as a trustee and by endowing a fund for public service interns," F&M said in a written statement. We are saddened to learn this news about alumnus Ken Duberstein 65, who remained an active supporter of F&M throughout his life, including as a trustee and by endowing a fund for public service interns: https://t.co/gqjleFiefE https://t.co/zX3GYmEaMB Franklin & Marshall (@FandMCollege) March 3, 2022 Duberstein returned to campus to talk politics often since his graduation. In interviews with LNP | LancasterOnline over the years, he freely shared stories of his close friendship with the Reagans. When Nancy Reagan died in 2016, Duberstein described the couple's marriage as "a love affair and not simply in the Hollywood sense. She was better when he was around and he was better when she was around. They fed off each other and all it took was a look or a stare or a smile. In 2004, when Ronald Reagan died, Duberstein recalled giving the final OK on the president's most famous lines: The June 1987 speech at the Brandenburg Gate in West Berlin, Germany, where Reagan implored, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!" a direct challenge to Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in what was the last high point of Cold War rhetoric in Berlin. That famous line was almost cut from the speech, Duberstein said at the time. "When the draft came to my desk for final approval on its way to the Oval Office, I thought it was a heck of a line," he said. "When I walked into President Reagan, I said the State Department had objected." Reagan turned to Duberstein. "What do you think?" the president asked his chief of staff. "I think it's a hell of a line," Duberstein responded, "but you're the president. You get to decide." Reagan looked down, read the line one more time, and looked up at Duberstein. "I think we'll leave it in," Reagan said. Click here to read more on Duberstein. When: East Petersburg Council meeting, March 1, in person at East Petersburg Community Center. What happened: Council received an update on emergency medical services and first responder training. Penn State Life Lion: Adam Marden, who manages Penn State Health Life Lion, said that the EMT training academy is going well there are nine students, and he hopes to graduate six. Thats just how it is, he added. The Penn State Health brand seems to be helping attract students, who get paid during the training and have a new career upon graduation. Susquehanna Valley EMS, the boroughs ambulance responder, joined Penn State Health as of Aug. 1. Marden also said that three ambulances reported to the traffic accident in East Hempfield Township last month that claimed the life of 10-year-old Libby Miller. First responders took it hard realizing a child had died, and they took some time to recover. Incentivizing volunteers: John Kottmyer, Hempfield Area Fire Services Commission chief, true to his goal of attracting and retaining younger volunteers in fire departments, described a program being considered where candidates would agree to a 10-year commitment with a fire department and receive a chunk of money after completing it. Kottmyer was in a Zoom meeting to discuss the tax rate of the payment, as he does not want the funds to vanish for the recipients after taxes. He didnt seem optimistic that the tax rate could be reduced enough to achieve his objective. Community learning: Kottmyer also said that people have been requesting more Stop the Bleed programs. This interactive course is taught to the public so that they can step up during a crisis and effectively help a severely injured person. He gave the example that they used to be taught that tourniquets were bad but that is no longer the case when it comes to saving lives. Donation: Borough Manager Karen St. Clair said that S. Clyde Weaver, makers of smoked meats and cheese, donated $10,000 to park improvements. Whats next: Councils committee meeting is at 6 p.m. March 24, and the regular council meeting is at 7 p.m. April 5. The public is welcome to the Northern Lancaster County Regional Police Commission meeting at the East Pete Community Center at 7 p.m. March 10. Dear Dr. Scribblerbook: Events in Indian History, published in Lancaster by G. Hills & Co. in 1841, is a curious book. The most interesting thing that draws you to the book are the crude, folk-art-like folded engravings, including one you know well, of the Paxton massacre. What is the history of those ridiculous but seductive pictures? John C. Dann Dexter, Michigan Dear John: Well, John, the Scribblers bibliophile friend and college roommate, the 633-page Events in Indian History was cobbled together from various sources by several people who will be named later. One of those people obviously asked T. Sinclair & Son, a Philadelphia lithographer, to make eight fold-out engravings for the book. Create is the operative word. The images, each labeled Sinclair's Lith Phila. were created in the fanciful mind of one of Thomas Sinclair's draftsmen. That is why they appear absolutely ridiculous when compared with reality. The frontispiece of Pocahontas rescuing John Smith is typically goofy. Beyond that, the depiction of the massacre of the Conestogas in downtown Lancaster in 1763 is particularly erroneous. The Paxton Boys killing the Conestogas are dressed in anachronistic 19th-century clothing. The Indians are half naked in the winter. The action is occurring on Prince Street, not Water Street. And yet, because it is the only widely distributed illustration of the massacre since 1763, it represents the way many people view the event. A copy of the lithograph on the cover of the Scribbler's 2010 book, Massacre of the Conestogas, broadcast the image to a wider audience. Unfortunately, there was and is no acceptable alternative. But back to the story behind these lithographs. Thomas Sinclair, immigrated from Scotland in 1830 and, by 1840, was set up in his own lithographic shop at 79 S. Third St., Philadelphia. He eventually became one of the premier lithographers in the city. But in 1841, when Sinclair produced the Events in Indian History images, he ran a small and gloomy shop, according to one of his lithographers. His draftsmen, who obviously had fanciful ideas about what American Indians looked like, received $2 to $6 per drawing. The Scribbler learned this from online materials generated by The Library Co. of Philadelphia, which owns some of Sinclair's work. Who asked Sinclair to create these images is a more complicated question. This book was assembled by a committee. G. Hills & Co. copyrighted the book. And G. Hills (always identified by only one initial before his surname) might be the most likely person to have contacted Sinclair. Hills opened a book and stationery store at the corner of North Queen and Chestnut streets in Lancaster in 1839 two years before Events was published. Hills also peddled lithographic prints all of which will be sold as cheap as can be obtained in Philadelphia according to an 1839 ad in the Lancaster Examiner. Other possible Lancaster connections with Sinclair include James Wimer, who is generally credited with compiling Events but whose name appears last in a series of three printers listed in the book. The others are James H. Bryson and John H. Pearsol. All were local newspaper and book publishers. Book-by-committee may be the best explanation of why such a mishmash of writings on American Indians appeared with such a hash of engravings in Lancaster over 180 years ago. Jack Brubaker, retired from the LNP staff, writes The Scribbler'' column every Sunday. He welcomes comments and contributions at scribblerlnp@gmail.com. Walking into a bank is no longer just about depositing a check or getting a loan, at least not at PeoplesBank. Rather, its being asked, What are your dreams? and then getting help financially to achieve them. In the past several decades, there hasnt been much change in the way customers interact with their bank, says Craig Kauffman, President and CEO of PeoplesBank, a Codorus Valley Company. Its easy to make sure the ATM works and ensure we can help someone cash a check, Kauffman says. But the true value a bank brings to the table is in helping people achieve more. Thats what were here to do. Forming a Clear Vision Fulfilling that mission is part of PeoplesBanks bigger vision through its new Connections Center locations. The first Connections Center opened in Downtown Lancaster just days before the pandemic hit and subsequently closed for a short time. Now, the Lancaster City Connections Center is open and eager to serve the Lancaster community at 101 North Queen Street. Its where visitors interact with digital Vision Boards that help bring their dreams whether its to buy a house, save for college, or plan for retirement to life. Rather than tellers, financial mentors greet you, ready to help with basic banking needs and make the connections to the right people within the bank. They arent just there to talk about loans or lines of credit; they want to learn how you hope to grow your business or hear about your wishes to start a family. When people have a clear vision of their priorities, we can help them make the plans and take the next steps to fulfill those visions, Kauffman says. Thats what it means to be a community bank. Take your dreams to the bank. The Vision Board technology that helps you map out your future is now available at all PeoplesBank locations, including Lancaster Downtown and Oregon Pike. It changes the conversation from the banker telling the customer what we have to offer, to the client telling the banker what they hope to achieve, says Chad Clabaugh, Senior Vice President and Chief Consumer Banking Officer at PeoplesBank. It gives the person walking in the door a chance to dream big, to have hope for the future, Clabaugh adds. It has the ability to adapt based on someones place in life, he says, from planning for that first rainy day to getting ready to spend more time with grandchildren. We recognize that PeoplesBank has the opportunity to make a difference in someones life, Clabaugh says. It starts with a conversation. Thats what were hoping to spark. To learn more about the PeoplesBank Vision Board Experience, visit www.peoplesbanknet.com/VBX. Or, stop by a PeoplesBank near you to complete your unique vision board with a financial mentor. Visit us at 2343 Oregon Pike or 101 North Queen Street in Lancaster today! Negotiations on new rules for dealing with pandemics have begun at the World Health Organization (WHO). The United Nations health agency has set a target date of May 2024 for its 194-member countries to reach an agreement. The goal is to develop rules for dealing with infectious diseases that affect the world. A new agreement is among more than 200 recommendations for improving defenses against new infectious materials. The recommendations were made in studies of the COVID-19 pandemic that has caused the deaths of more than 6.2 million people in two years. An independent advisory group described the WHO as "underpowered" when COVID-19 appeared. It said the agency had limited powers to investigate outbreaks and to organize measures to limit the spread of disease. On February 17, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen called on the G20 economic powers to create a fund at the World Bank to help prevent global pandemics. It is among the efforts that could decide the future of the 74-year-old body. What is the Pandemic Treaty? The WHO already has rules known as the International Health Regulations which were last updated in 2005. The rules set out countries' responsibilities when public health events can cross borders. The rules have the force of international law. These include advising the WHO immediately of health emergencies and of measures related to trade and travel. The updates of the current version were developed after the 2002 to 2003 SARS virus outbreak. These regulations are still considered operational for regional epidemics like the Ebola virus, but not enough for a global pandemic like COVID-19. Suggested proposals for a new agreement include the sharing of information and genome sequences of viruses. Other proposals include rules for providing vaccines fairly. A European Union official told Reuters the E.U. is pushing for a ban on wildlife markets. It also wants incentives for reporting of new viruses or variants. Member states have until August to decide on an early version of the agreement which WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus supports. He is likely to be elected unopposed for a second term in May. A new set of rules would be only the second major health agreement since the 2003 Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. It is a legally-binding treaty which aims to reduce smoking through taxation and rules on labeling and advertising. How do countries see an updated treaty? The E.U. proposed a new treaty and is its biggest backer, with support from Britain, Indonesia, Kenya and some other countries. The United States will take part in the talks, but has opposed a treaty with the force of international law. India and Brazil have also voiced concerns. With more than 190-member countries involved, securing a new agreement will be difficult. How would a new treaty work? The legal nature of any new agreement remains to be defined by talks. The WHO uses special words to describe such agreements. The WHO generally calls it an "instrument." The agency has three kinds of instruments: recommendations, regulations and conventions. Of those, regulations are automatically legally binding, or possess the force of international law, for members unless they object. It is not yet clear how the 2005 regulations and a new pandemic treaty might fit together. One suggestion is that they should work together. In this proposal, existing rules would be used for local outbreaks. The new treaty would take effect if the WHO declares a pandemic. It remains to be decided whether negotiators will include enforcement measures such as sanctions. Are other reforms being considered? Separate talks on a U.S. proposal to update the 2005 rules have been taking place. U.S. proposals aim to increase openness and permit the WHO to faster reach places where outbreaks are happening. Several diplomats said the proposals are likely to be opposed. They say China and other nations are expected to reject such measures on national sovereignty grounds. China did permit WHO-led expert teams to visit Wuhan where the COVID-19 pandemic started. But the WHO says it is still withholding clinical data from early cases that may hold clues about the how the SARS-CoV-2 virus started. Another working group of WHO member countries is discussing reforms to the WHO funding structure. They want money to be available in the event of a pandemic. So far, the United States, which is the WHO's top donor, has opposed plans to increase member countries' yearly payments. Im Mario Ritter, Jr. Emma Farge reported this story for Reuters. Mario Ritter Jr. adapted it for VOA Learning English. Quiz - Does the WHO Need a New Treaty for Pandemics? Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz ____________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story regulations n. an official rule or law that says how something should be done genome sequence n. the genetic information found in DNA incentive n. something that causes a person to do something or to work harder labeling n. images and words put on product containers that tell about the produce sanction n. an action that is taken to force a country to obey international laws sovereignty n. a countrys independent authority and right to govern itself We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. Southern Europe is facing a water crisis that could lead to a decrease in food production, especially in agriculture. Decreasing agricultural production in Europe and reduced water resources are future dangers as worldwide temperatures continue to rise, the worlds top climate scientists say. Southern Europe Spain is facing one of the driest winters on record. Juan Camacho, a farmer in the southern province of Granada, said, We are facing a drastic situation. Drastic is a term that means serious or severe. Not far from Camachos land, the area's largest reservoir is down to 15 percent of its capacity after over two months without a drop of rain. In Portugal, authorities have restricted the use of some reservoirs for hydroelectric power and irrigation as the country experiences an unusual winter drought. Joaquin Montes is among those set to lose more. He is one of about 10 million farmers in the European Union who feed some 440 million people. Located between Costa del Sol and the Sierra Nevada mountains in southern Spain, Montes land should have plenty of water. But with 41 percent less rain than average since October, dams contain almost no water. Private sources of water - such as ponds - that are supposed to last farmers through summer are empty. Us farmers, we are used to dealing with drought, said Montes, who learned the job from his father when he was 14. But every year we see less and less rain. I fear for my livelihood. IPCC report A report this week by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change suggested that Europeans will experience high heat and flooding as well as agricultural losses and water scarcity. Extreme heat, floods and droughts will lead to infrastructure damage and increased energy and water demands, the report warned. As warming rises faster in Europe than the worldwide average, experts painted a picture of a divided continent. They suggest that the south would become increasingly dry and the north could take on a Mediterranean climate that might provide some increased crop production and forest growth, but with risks of its own. Rachel Licker is a climate expert at the Union of Concerned Scientists. She told The Associated Press There are some vegetables and warm climate crops that might see benefits in the short term. The major crops that are exported and really form the basis of a lot of the economy are the ones that are likely to be negatively affected, she added. Environmentalists say landowners who switched from traditional crops to those that demand more water and bring higher profits are part of the problem. Industrial, single-crop farming for avocados or mangoes have replaced smaller, traditional farms. Patrick Verkooijen of the Rotterdam-based Global Center on Adaptation said the reports message is that for many, now the time is already adapt or die. He added, The cost of inaction is much higher than the cost of action." I'm John Russell. Aritz Parra and Frank Jordans reported on this story for the Associated Press. John Russell adapted it for Learning English. ____________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story reservoir n. a usually artificial lake that is used to store a large supply of water for use in people's homes, in businesses, etc. capacity n. the ability to hold or contain people or things usually singular irrigation n. the act of supplying (something, such as land) with water by using artificial means (such as pipes) drought n. a long period of time during which there is very little or no rain scarcity n. a very small supply : the state of being scarce infrastructure n. the basic equipment and structures (such as roads and bridges) that are needed for a country, region, or organization to function properly benefit n. a good or helpful result or effect International experts are warning that continued fighting in Ukraine is likely to cause major food shortages for large populations in Europe, Africa and Asia. Russia continues to push its military campaign across Ukraine after invading the country on February 24. Ukraine has been called the breadbasket of the world because it is the worlds fifth-largest wheat exporter. But Ukraines farming system has been disrupted as millions of people fight, flee or struggle to stay alive. Ports have been closed, preventing wheat and other important products from being exported worldwide. Wheat is widely used internationally to make into bread, noodles and animal feed. There are also worries that Russia could have its grain exports reduced by economic restrictions placed on Russias government by the West. Russia is another major food provider. While there have not yet been worldwide disruptions to wheat supplies, prices have risen 55 percent since a week before the invasion. Arnaud Petit directs the International Grains Council. He told The Associated Press that if the war continues for an extended period, nations that depend on wheat exports from Ukraine could face shortages starting in July. Such shortages could create food insecurity and push more people into poverty in places like Egypt and Lebanon. Many people in those countries depend on government-supported bread programs. Egypt is the worlds largest wheat importer. Ahmed Salah, a 47-year-old father of seven in Cairo, told the AP that shortages always bring higher food prices. That, he said, could have catastrophic effects on the majority of Egyptians. Anna Nagurney is an expert on supply chains and economics at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She told the AP that wheat, corn, oils, barley and flour are extremely important to food security, especially in poorer parts of the world. With Ukrainian men being called on to fight, Nagurney asked, Whos going to be doing the harvesting? Whod be doing the transportation? Syria, which is still involved in conflict, recently announced it would cut spending and take steps to ration some foods. In nearby Lebanon, officials are seeking to make up for a predicted wheat shortage, since Ukraine provides 60 percent of its supply. Wandile Sihlobo is chief economist for the Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa. He said African countries imported agricultural products worth $4 billion from Russia in 2020. He said about 90 percent of those imports were wheat. In Nigeria, flour producers believe a shortage of wheat supplies from Russia would affect the price of bread, a common food in Africas most populous country. All of us need to look elsewhere in the future, said Tope Ogun. He is with Honeywell Flour Mills Plc, one of Nigerias biggest flour processing companies. We might not get what we need to, and there is likely going to be an increase in the price, Ogun added. The disruption can be felt as far away as Indonesia, where wheat is used to make noodles, bread, fried foods and snacks. Ukraine was Indonesias second-largest wheat supplier last year, providing 26 percent of all wheat used in the country. Rising prices for noodles would hurt lower-income people, said Kasan Muhri, who heads the trade ministrys research efforts. Ukraine supplies the EU with about 60 percent of its corn and nearly half of an important ingredient in the grains needed to feed cows and other animals. Russia is similarly a major supplier of fertilizer, wheat and other grains. In Spain, the price of grain for animal feed rose 10 percent on the open market in the first two days of Russia's invasion. Officials there expect prices to rise further for both sunflower oil and grains if the fighting in Ukraine continues. The country is already feeling a grain shortage, even as it depends on imported grains to feed about 55 million pigs. Im Bryan Lynn. The Associated Press reported on this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the report for VOA Learning English. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story disrupt v. to interfere with something and stop it from continuing as it should noodle n. a thin often flat strip of fresh or dried dough (as of flour and egg) that is usually boiled supply chain n. a system of organizations or operations that work together to design, produce and deliver a product to the market ration v. to give people only a small amount of something because there is little of it available snack n. a small amount of food that is usually eaten between meals ingredient n. one of the things that are used to make a food, product, etc. fertilizer n. a natural or chemical substance you put on land in order to make plants grow well The official number of worldwide deaths from COVID-19 passed 6 million on Monday. The number shows how the pandemic, now in its third year, is far from over. The Coronavirus Resource Center at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland recorded the total. The virus continues to kill large numbers of people, even as people stop wearing face coverings and begin to travel more freely. Small Pacific islands are experiencing their first large spread of the virus. The isolation of such nations had protected them for more than two years. Hong Kong is also seeing deaths quickly rise. It is testing its entire population of 7.5 million three times this month. Death rates remain high in Poland, Hungary, Romania and other Eastern European countries. The area has also seen more than 1.5 million refugees recently arrive from Ukraine. Ukraine has had poor vaccination rates and high rates of cases and deaths. The United States has recorded nearly 1 million deaths, even with the countrys high vaccine availability and wealth. The U.S. has the highest official death toll in the world. Case numbers in the U.S. have been dropping over the last month. Death rates worldwide are still highest among people who are not vaccinated against the virus, said Tikki Pang. He is a professor at the National University of Singapores medical school and former researcher with the World Health Organization. The large majority of the deaths and the severe cases are in the unvaccinated, vulnerable segment of the population, Pang said. 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. The death toll hit 5 million at the end of October. Now it has reached 6 million. The world very likely 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. There has also been an undercount in excess deaths. Those are deaths related to the pandemic but not from actual COVID-19 infection. They include people who died from preventable causes but could not receive treatment because hospitals were full. Research on excess deaths by a team at The Economist estimates that the number of deaths from the pandemic is between 14.1 million and 23.8 million. The world has seen more than 445 million confirmed COVID-19 cases. New weekly cases have been declining quickly in all areas of the world except for the Western Pacific, the World Health Organization reported this week. That includes China, Japan and South Korea. The worldwide vaccine gap continues. Just 6.95 percent of people in poor countries are fully vaccinated. But more than 73 percent have been vaccinated in wealthy nations, says research organization Our World in Data. However, at the end of last month, Africa passed Europe in the number of vaccine shots given daily. Still, only 12.5 percent of the continents population has received two shots. With about 250,000 reported deaths, Africas lower death rate is thought to be from underreporting. There is also a younger and less mobile population there. 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. He noted the continents low vaccination rates. I'm Dan Novak. Dan Novak adapted this story for VOA Learning English from reporting by The Associated Press. ____________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story isolation n. the state of being in a place or situation that is separate from others vulnerable adj. easily hurt or harmed physically, mentally, or emotionally excess adj. an amount that is more than the usual or necessary amount gap n. a difference between two people, groups, or things mobile adj. able to move from one place to another spare v. to choose not to punish or harm Saying it likely violates the First Amendment, a federal judge this month put an initial stop to Oregon's first-of-its-kind ban on "love letters" in real estate transactions, a state law designed to prevent discrimination which took effect Jan. 1. The practice is used nationwide by would-be buyers via their agents, hoping sellers will choose their bid. But critics have said the letters can appeal to sellers' implicit biases about race and religion, leading to discrimination. State lawmakers "could have addressed the problem of housing discrimination without infringing on protected speech to such a degree," wrote U.S. District Judge Marco A. Hernandez in granting a preliminary injunction. Because it's the first of its kind, the case is likely see action at the federal appeals court or even the Supreme Court, the bill's author said. Hernandez acknowledged that housing discrimination is an enduring societal problem. "Greater enforcement is also not particularly persuasive. The record shows that discrimination in housing has persisted despite the passage of local, state and federal prohibitions," he wrote. "Requiring real estate agents to redact love letters is a more precise tool to address the government's interest." Last year's legislation sponsored by state Rep. Mark Meek, D-Gladstone/Oregon City, is credited with igniting a national debate among real estate agents about preventing Fair Housing Act violations during real-estate sales. "It's disappointing and very frustrating," Meek said of the federal ruling. "The judge had asked some good questions of the attorney general, but I didn't see them making a good case that this was unconstitutional." Total Real Estate Group, which took the state of Oregon to court, said a love-letter ban harmed its ability to match potential homebuyers with their dream homes. Letters can prompt sales below the top monetary offer, the Realtors said, creating opportunities for first-time homeowners and giving sellers peace of mind that their home ends up in caring hands. Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Albany Democrat-Herald. Calling the decision "a major victory for free speech and economic opportunity," Pacific Legal Foundation attorney Daniel Ortner said the federal ruling "preserves the opportunity of homebuyers to speak freely to sellers" and make the case why their purchase offers should win out. "Love letters communicate information that helps sellers select the best offer. The state cannot ban important speech because someone might misuse it. Oregon's overly broad speech restriction is clearly not justified," Ortner said. Meek's bill sought to ban "love letters" from prospective buyers to home sellers, especially when those letters contain photographs of potential buyers that would reveal the buyers' race, along with statements that could sway sellers to choose a particular buyer based on religion and sexual orientation. Typical statements in such letters might say something like, "My wife and I would love to buy your house because it's walking distance for our kids to school and the church we attend with their grandparents." Meek's own experience as a Realtor helped shape the bill, he said. "We are dealing with implicit biases that cause sellers to gravitate to one type of buyer, which can lead to keeping one type of person generally owning homes in neighborhoods," Meek said. "I've sat down with sellers in their living rooms and they've told me, 'I couldn't sell to them because my neighbors would hate me forever.' Not only is that discrimination, but also that seller is about to have different neighbors." Meek said that the federal judge from the District of Oregon probably won't have the last word, and he hopes that the state will get a more favorable hearing from the federal appeals court based in San Francisco. "Our attorney general's office has said that they were going to fight this to the hilt, and it's potentially precedent-setting depending on which way this goes," Meek said. Meek said the bill underwent a thorough analysis for constitutionality prior to consideration by the Oregon Legislature. "Our legislative counsel who helped me draft this bill made sure that it didn't infringe on the U.S. Constitution or anybody's free speech rights," Meek said. Prior to the bill's passage Oregon real-estate agents often felt that they had a fiduciary duty to forward these so-called love letters. Meek's bill didn't ban the love letters exactly, which his legal counsel warned would have violated free-speech rights by preventing someone's ability from writing or sending such a letter; the bill simply removed a Realtor's obligation to forward letters that are potentially discriminatory to homeowners. Under the bill, a prospective homebuyer may still send a love letter directly to the homeowner. Previously, Meek and other Realtors felt they had a fiduciary responsibility to their clients to share "love letters," even though such letters might persuade a seller to choose a buyer at a lower price. "A seller's agent is no longer required to forward letters from potential buyers, who often included photos of their families, in an attempt to sway the seller's decisions," he said. Meek's main hope was that eliminating that practice will make homeownership more achievable for groups that have traditionally not had as much access to owning property. According to late 2019 official statistics, 65% of white people in Oregon owned homes, compared with Black/African Americans at 32.2% and 40.8% for Hispanic/Latino groups. Meek said he hopes the legislation will open up opportunities for people of color to purchase homes. "I've heard from some Realtors saying, 'Hey, you're taking away one of our tools,' but my response is that we're not allowed to say in a real estate listing, 'This house is for sale right next to a church,' or 'Buy this property walking distance from a certain political party's office,' so potential buyers shouldn't be able to so easily use these same types of biases to influence sellers." The legislation says, "In order to help a seller avoid selecting a buyer based on buyer's race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, marital status or familial status as prohibited by the Fair Housing Act, a seller's agent shall reject any communication other than customary documents in a real estate transaction, including photographs, provided by a buyer." The federal judge wrote that the "customary documents" aspect of the bill was too vague and would potentially include a cover letter from a real estate agent in making an offer, which often has some of the same information as love letters. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. The two candidate vying for Seat 3 on the Madison School Board appear to align on many issues facing the district and on controversial stands taken by previous boards, except for one: the June 2020 vote to remove school resource officers from Madisons four main high schools. Laura Simkin, parent of a high school senior, and Shepherd Janeway Shepherd Joyner on the ballot a part-time art instructor, are both newcomers to public office who share similar opinions regarding teacher retention, community engagement and the need for transparency in decision making. But removing police from the districts high schools has split the candidates, as well as the community, as large-scale fights and weapons found on school grounds have disrupted the learning environment for many students during the first semester. I think their removal was unfortunate, Simkin said, adding that she would like to see the school resource officers, or SROs, reinstated as a short-term solution in a larger, longer-term effort to focus on school safety. But Janeway said, I feel that it was the right decision, adding that a few months without SROs isnt long enough to determine whether their absence is contributing to the number of altercations on school grounds. Both candidates agreed, in separate interviews, that COVID-19-related trauma has fueled student mental health struggles and could be exacerbating altercations on school grounds. They also agreed that schools could benefit from districtwide implementation of community volunteer initiatives, such as Moms on a Mission a volunteer group of mothers from the surrounding community that formed after a number of high-profile fights on and near East High School grounds at the beginning of the school year. The volunteers take turns monitoring lunch periods, developing a rapport with students, and often pass out snacks to students outside of school. Janeway, who uses they/them pronouns, would like to see other methods implemented to keep all Madison schools safe instead of reinstating SROs. They would like to see more resources put toward restorative justice practices and for schools to take a trauma-informed approach to address student behavior management. They also would like to see more community involvement in efforts to help students meet basic needs such as access to food. We can see in Madison, the community is ready and willing to step up, Janeway said. Because Madison police are being called to school buildings and the surrounding area on a seemingly regular basis, Simkin would prefer to have resource officers stationed at the schools to act as a buffer between police coming into the school and the students in moments when tensions run high. It is very likely safer for our children to have people approaching them who know them than people who dont, she said. Simkin views a strong push toward the reinstatement of SROs and the use of metal detectors as a short-term fix and a part of a larger school safety initiative. Long-term parts of her plan to address school safety include ensuring students basic needs are met and mental health supports are in place to address behavior concerns, through partnerships with community organizations. She would also like to see restorative justice where parties involved in an altercation resolve differences through mediation rather than punishment embedded into curriculum, so students are able to learn, understand and use that approach when making decisions. Decision to run Janeway entered into the race to compete against Mary Jo Walters, a former candidate who made anti-transgender comments on social media and has since dropped out of the race. Janeway has said they joined the race to protect trans children, including third- and fourth-graders they teach in two Madison schools through a UW-Madison arts program called Whoopensocker, and vowed to continue to seek the seat after Walters exited the race. Janeway said their goal is to ensure all children feel safe at school. They also hope to make the School Board more accessible to members of the community and promote transparency in decision-making, such as the decision to extend the winter holiday and pivot to online learning two days before students were to return to school, which angered many parents. Simkin entered the race in December and said she also plans to focus on school safety as well as teacher retention if elected. Simkin, a manager of Satellite Family Childcare System, which is run through Reach Dane and provides city accreditation for in-home child care providers, said serving on the board has intrigued her for years. With a masters degree in policy and leadership in early care and education, she said she is suited for the role in the current turbulent time. She has also called for more transparency and is pushing for the district to involve teachers and staff in its decision-making process. Want to see more like this? Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Responsibility for the abrupt halt of a contract for on-site COVID-19 testing at Madison schools is in question after the service, provided by a third-party vendor, ended in late February. COVID Clinic, a third-party vendor used to conduct on-site COVID-19 testing at dozens of Madisons schools, told its employees on Feb. 24 not to return to work the next day, effectively putting more than 100 people out of work. But the state Department of Health Services and the Madison School District were unable to determine which government entity was responsible for the dissolution of the contract with the California-based vendor as of Monday. District spokesperson Tim LeMonds said the decision to switch testing vendors was not made by the district because the vendors were chosen and contracted solely by the state Department of Health Services. But both DHS and COVID Clinic said the district halted the testing services, and as of Thursday, DHS was still gathering information regarding the decision. We are aware of (Madison School District) discontinuing services with COVID Clinic, and are gathering information about the situation, DHS spokesperson Elizabeth Goodsitt said. Testing remains a critical tool in our efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19, and maintaining the quality and integrity of our testing activities across the state is key. COVID Clinic board representative Thomas Shaffer said the school district told the company to halt testing services at Madison school sites on Thursday, Feb. 24. Were unclear about the circumstances that led to this decision and continue to work towards finding answers and a resolution for all, Shaffer said. Michelle Trehey, who was hired by COVID Clinic in early February to conduct testing at Wright Middle School, said she and her co-workers were also told by the clinics supervisors that the vendors contract with the district was in limbo on that Thursday. We were just told not to come to work the next day, not to show up but also not to ask any questions, she said. On March 1, COVID Clinic told its employees that the school district dropped its contract with the vendor. If there were 50 schools with a COVID Clinic site and there were four people at each site, that left a whole crew of people abruptly unemployed, Trehey said. We have a signed contract that was supposed to go until December 2022. Its very nerve-wracking. Its a big blow financially, its a big blow to invest that much time and effort into a position, she said. I was at a great school and I was so looking forward to building relationships with wonderful staff at the school. Switching vendors Madison School Board member Nicki Vander Meulen said the board was told by the districts chief of staff, Richard McGregory, that the district would be switching vendors, though no reason was given. LeMonds said the district will pause its on-site COVID-19 testing services to accommodate the transition to a new vendor. He did not say when school-based testing would be up and running again. COVID Clinic, a California company hired as part of a state program to provide COVID-19 testing at Wisconsin schools, experienced a bumpy rollout of its testing services across the state in September. Some of the people it hired said they were hired for jobs that didnt exist. The company blamed hiring pressures and state computer glitches. As of September, DHS had assigned about 40 school districts across the state to receive testing services from Huntington Beach-based COVID Clinic. The company told the State Journal in September that it provides rapid antigen and lab-based PCR tests five days per week in 26 school districts, including Madison. DHS uses a survey filled out by the district to match the district with a company to support the districts testing needs. If a district expresses concern regarding the services provided by the testing company, DHS works with the district to make adjustments, discontinue service, or switch to a different vendor. The statewide program was free for school families, students and staff and was being funded with federal money. Districts that opted into the program were assigned one of 10 providers by DHS. There are 421 public school districts in Wisconsin, but private and independent charter schools were also eligible for the help. COVID Clinic said it signed its contract with the state in August and began rolling out services in the last week of that month. With the compressed timeline and the challenges endemic to setting up a new statewide program, at least four of COVID Clinics assigned districts dropped the company and some of its 80 Wisconsin hires found themselves without a school to work at. Want to see more like this? Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Black History Month at West High School is traditionally celebrated with a soul food luncheon, but this year the organizers started a new tradition. Alicia Grant, multicultural student/services coordinator at West, said she thought about a fundraiser at the school that is part of a larger spirit week, and wanted something like that. So Black History Spirit Week was created to give students and staff a chance to dress up to signify certain themes on the various days. We understand that this has never been done before and that is why it is much needed, Grant said. The luncheon is great. It is the biggest fundraiser that (the Black Student Union) has, and there are certain things that are done in the month of February to celebrate Black history, but it is definitely not enough ... That is why were are going to continue to do spirit week. Grant said West has more white students than students of color and thats why Black History Month activities are even more important to foster an anti-racist community. It shouldnt just be people of color organizing ways to recognize and learn about Black history and Black excellence, she said. It needs to be in the minds of everybody how are we going to do this and how is this going to look (and) not just in the minds of Black and brown people? she said. This year the week was put together quickly as a last-minute idea, so next year there will be a chance to plan, Grant said. The last full week of February started with students and staff dressing in apparel and colors of their favorite historically black colleges and universities. Tuesday recognized Black Excellence by encouraging the wearing of professional attire. Wednesday was called Afrocentric Day when students dressed in colors associated with Black History Month yellow, red, green and black depending on their grade level. Thursday was tagged as the day to wear 58 shades of brown to represent the 58 years since the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Friday was not a dress-up day, but students could express their appreciation for their favorite Black activists by making videos about them. The soul food luncheon did not take place last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and other activities the organization typically does also did not happen. We wanted to start bringing back some of the traditions that we normally do, Grant said. The luncheon was sold out at 175 meals, and the Black Student Union made $1,920. The proceeds fund things such as graduation stoles, trips to Chicago and buses to colleges and universities. Senior Tamea Johnson, an online student who serves as student liaison for the Black Student Union, was impressed by the number of people who came to the luncheon. A lot of things arent as popular as they were before the pandemic, so I was kind of shocked, she said. Although the luncheon made it back, it was trimmed down. In the past, staff members, students and community members would make food like greens, mac and cheese, black-eyed peas and red beans and rice, which would be served potluck style. This year, barbecued chicken, blackened green beans and macaroni and cheese, which was packaged in individual meals, was provided by Little Johns Kitchens at a discounted price. The luncheon wasnt open to the community. Typically the luncheon would include performances by different student groups such as spoken word, singing and rapping. This year, the luncheon featured recorded music from a play list provided by the students. Balloons and tablecloths helped make it festive. Freshman Solomon Edari-Ayala was drawn to the soul food luncheon for a number of reasons. One, the food. Its good food. Better than school lunch, he said. Its a space to just hang out ... Its fun to have music in school for once. And it supports BSU. Senior Shaheer Afghan just came to listen to the music because the luncheon was sold out. Were just taking in the poetry, he said, adding rap is a way for artists to express their feelings with a beat. Senior Jada Smith, president of the Black Student Union, said she appreciated the sense of community and the feeling of representation she felt by the Black History Month recognition at West. The food is more reflective of what the African American diaspora is eating It is something that people want to participate in that look likes me and it feels nice and rewarding, she said. Typical spirit weeks are geared more to white students at West and things that they enjoy or can relate to more than the Black population, she said. I hope it is something that we can build on and continue, Smith said. School Spotlight: Adventures in learning, inside and outside the classroom Each Monday, the Wisconsin State Journal features a story about learning in Wisconsin. Here are School Spotlight stories from the past year. Two candidates are vying for Seat 3, vacated by Cris Carusi, on the Madison School Board. The term is three years. Shepherd Janeway (Shepherd Joyner on the ballot) Age: 26 Address: 602 E. Johnson St., Madison Job: Teaching artist at Whoopensocker Prior elected office: None Other public service: None Education: Verona Area High School Laura Simkin Age: 47 Address: 206 N. Thornton Ave., Madison Family: Wife with 18-year-old son Job: Manager at Reach Dane Prior elected office: None Other public service: None Education: Masters degree in leadership and policy in early care and education Wheelock College; bachelors degree in child and family studies, UW-Madison Q&A What motivated you to seek a seat on the Madison School Board? Janeway (Joyner): Ive always been deeply invested and interested in community organizing, arts education, and diversity, equity and inclusion. I have often been inspired by others in my community who step forward to create positive change. Through my work with Whoopensocker, I have built relationships with MMSD school staff, scholars and their families, and I am fortunate enough to be in a position where I am supported by my community to be that person now. Simkin: This is a challenging time for our public schools, for parents, for families and for our students. I care deeply about public education. I have been involved with our schools as a parent, I have been involved with education as a professional in early childhood education, and I have been involved in administration and management of educational programming. I will bring my commitment to public schools, teaching, teachers and students along with my expertise, skills and experience to help make a positive difference at this critical time for public education in general and Madison schools in particular. Why are you the better candidate for this seat than your opponent? Janeway (Joyner): I am motivated to find creative solutions to the problems MMSD is facing. I am invested in a future where school staff, scholars and their families feel heard, valued and respected. I believe in our community and I am committed to being a resource for all. Simkin: My focus in this campaign is completely positive. I have met my opponent and respect them. Ill bring the qualities I think are important on the board to this job: support for all our students, a commitment to public education, an understanding of child development, including brain development and the development of social and emotional skills, and firsthand knowledge of what goes on in our schools everyday. I look forward to the campaign when well get to discuss issues, share my vision, and hopefully earn the support of people from all across the district. How would you evaluate Superintendent Carlton Jenkins performance so far? Janeway (Joyner): From what Ive seen, Superintendent Jenkins is a passionate educator and leader who works tirelessly to meet the needs of scholars, school staff, and families. I would love to see more proactive, clear communication with communities. Simkin: In order for MMSD to meet the challenges we face, the relationship between Dr. Jenkins and the Board must be one of partnership. That will be my approach. The Board helps set priorities, establishes policy and oversees the budget. Dr. Jenkins is our districts educational leader and is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the district. He must keep the board, and the community, informed about operations, activities, and the districts needs. I look forward to working with Dr. Jenkins and MMSD staff on our shared goals and common purpose. Are there key issues or ways of conducting board business that you would like to address or change? Janeway (Joyner): One of my primary focuses will be increasing transparency and fostering strong relationships with MMSD communities, founded in accessible communication practices. I would also like to focus more energy and resources toward alternative methods for improving school safety, as well as addressing school staff retention. Simkin: Transparency is key. I look forward to working collegially with my fellow board members in order to do what is best for our students and our district. Where there are differences of opinion, my goal is to be respectful and open minded as we work through complex issues and difficult decisions. In order to do that, the board needs timely, complete information from the administration. We also must be sure we communicate in a timely, effective, and open way with parents, families and our community partners. If youre elected, what is your plan for your first 100 days in office? Janeway (Joyner): I would love to increase community engagement, and in doing so, create a clearer, more aligned understanding between the MMSD community and the board. I think a great way to create a solid foundation for that would be creating and circulating clear information regarding the different platforms and dashboards MMSD uses to communicate with families and vice versa. Simkin: One of the most pressing, immediate needs is to review options for immediate actions that will increase safety at our high schools. We must also review options to increase support for the mental health needs of students and families. And we must continue to assess and respond to the effects of the pandemic on our schools to ensure we are doing all we can to increase support for our teachers and staff. Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The GOP-led Legislature on Monday asked the U.S. Supreme Court to take up Wisconsins redistricting case after the states high court last week selected 10-year congressional and legislative maps drawn by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers boundaries Republicans say are redrawn based on racial criteria in violation of the U.S. Constitutions equal protection guarantees. Whats more, state Sen. Lena Taylor, D-Milwaukee, said Monday she also plans to file a legal challenge to the governors maps, which she said violate the federal Voting Rights Act by diluting the Black vote in Milwaukee districts. Republican lawmakers also asked the U.S. Supreme Court to block the Wisconsin Supreme Courts Thursday ruling. Republicans on Friday asked the state Supreme Court to put its ruling on hold pending the appeal to the federal court. If the U.S. Supreme Court doesnt take the case, the states ruling will remain in place. Justice Amy Coney Barrett requested all parties in the case file a response to the lawmakers request for an appeal by 5 p.m. Friday. The nations highest court takes between 100 and 150 of the over 7,000 cases its asked to review each year. But this case is likelier than most to get reviewed, UW-Madison Law School associate professor Robert Yablon said. This is a high-profile case, he said. Its an election law case. And I think in that category of cases, there is a much higher likelihood that its going to get taken up. Yablon pointed out that that the U.S. Supreme Court took up a case from Alabama in early February that centers on how much race should be a factor in drawing boundaries. The high court, in accepting the case, also stayed a lower courts order for the Alabama Legislature to create a second majority-Black congressional district. It may be that the Supreme Court is actually right now constituted in a way that is going to make it somewhat sympathetic to the claims that the (Wisconsin) Legislature is making here, Yablon said. The Legislature in its request for appellate review filed Monday focuses on Evers decision to add a seventh majority-Black Assembly district in Milwaukee with the effect of reducing the Black majority in the existing districts. The states high court, the Legislature argues, never decided whether the seventh district was required by the Voting Rights Act, referencing the majority opinion Thursday that the justices had good reasons to believe the district may be required. There can no good reasons for maximizing the number of minority-majority districts by dialing down the Black populations in the current districts to 50%, attorney Kevin St. John said Friday in a motion requesting a stay on the state Supreme Courts decision Thursday. Republicans write in court filings with the U.S. Supreme Court that, with the adoption of Evers maps, the state is now home to the 21st-century racial gerrymander. Attorneys also ask that current districts remain in place pending the federal courts review. The lawmakers claim Evers used the federal Voting Rights Act as a shield for open and obvious violations of the Constitution in order to move people around in Milwaukee to create the seventh Assembly district with a majority of Black voters. Race dominated the drawing and adoption of this plan, the product of an untheorized and deeply wrong re-writing of the Voting Rights Act, attorneys for Republicans wrote. Didnt do their job The issue is confusing because Evers is being accused of watering down Black representation even though his maps potentially give Black voters more representation in the Legislature. Some Black lawmakers are objecting because their own districts would have populations with a slightly reduced Black majority. Evers maps create a total of nine Black majority districts, with two in the Senate and seven in the Assembly. All districts have Black majorities of between 50.09% and 51.39%, according to court filings. Previously, the state had six majority-Black Assembly districts and two in the Senate, all with a majority range between 51% and 62%. Taylor, whose district sees its majority drop from 58.4% to 50.62% under Evers boundaries, said adding a seventh majority-Black Assembly district looks good on paper, but doing so waters down the Black vote in all the districts. Youre threatening all of them ... you have to take into account the totality of the circumstances, Taylor said, pointing to voter registration, age and turnout, as well as disproportionate mass incarceration among Black residents as factors that could result in a Black majority district not electing a Black lawmaker. (Evers) maps may have been the least-change maps, but theyre not the least-change maps that protect the Voting Rights Act and thats my gripe with the Supreme Court in that they didnt do their job in protecting our interests, so I need to go to the federal court, Taylor said. Taylor said she plans to file her challenge in the coming days. Courts ruling The state Supreme Courts majority concluded in its ruling that selecting a map with seven districts is within the leeway states have to take actions reasonably judged necessary to prevent vote dilution under the VRA. With regard to Republican lawmakers request for a stay in the state Supreme Courts ruling, the court issued an order on Monday allowing all parties in the case to respond until 11 a.m. Wednesday. The court also ordered that requests for additional briefing or extensions will be viewed with disfavor, according to court filings. The appeal to the nations highest court is the latest development in the battle over the states next decennial maps that began when Evers vetoed GOP-drawn boundaries in mid-November. The governor had championed boundaries drawn by the Peoples Maps Commission, but those maps failed to get universal support among legislative Democrats, with some criticizing the boundaries for potentially diminishing Black and Hispanic representation in the Legislature. Evers ultimately submitted new maps to the court, which reduce but maintain Republican majorities in the Legislature while likely preventing them from claiming a veto-proof supermajority. Those maps were drawn after the state Supreme Court in November ruled it would follow a least change approach from the current maps, which are considered some of the most gerrymandered in the nation. The states high court issued a 4-3 ruling last week in favor of Evers maps. Overall, its a step forward, Evers said of his maps after a bill signing Monday. Overall, its not where we need to be. Theres also a separate pending federal lawsuit that was filed by Democrats. Parties in the case have until March 18 to state their position on whether the case should be dismissed now that the state Supreme Court has ruled. Republicans currently hold a 61-38 majority in the Assembly and a 21-12 majority in the Senate. Five of the states eight congressional districts are held by Republicans. Evers office has said the governors maps would elect 44 Democrats and 55 Republicans in the Assembly, and 13 Democrats and 20 Republicans in the Senate. In Congress, Republicans would maintain five seats to Democrats three. The Legislature must redraw political lines every decade based on the latest population figures from the U.S. Census Bureau. In 2011, Republicans, working in secretive conditions, drew maps that packed Democratic voters into lopsided districts and spread out rural and suburban Republicans into districts with solid, but narrower, majorities. The maps allowed the GOP to hold more than 60% of legislative seats, even when Democrats won all statewide elections in 2018. Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Alexander Shur | Wisconsin State Journal Alexander Shur covers state government for the Wisconsin State Journal. Follow Alexander Shur | Wisconsin State Journal Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today It has taken more than a decade, but work to complete the massive, $175 million Judge Doyle Square project Downtown may finally be coming to an end. Mortenson Development, of Minneapolis, which assumed construction rights for a nine-story, 260-room hotel at the project site from Beitler Real Estate Services, of Chicago, last year, is now moving to take over rights for the last piece of the two-block redevelopment: an 11-story, 222-unit apartment building and parking garage. As part of the plan, Mortenson intends to implement an ambitious construction schedule, starting work on the hotel in coming months and the apartment tower perhaps later this year. The block once held the now-razed Government East parking garage a block south of Capitol Square. The city previously chose Stone House Development of Madison to take over the first phase of the project from Beitler and build a $40 million apartment building with some lower-cost units above a $50.4 million city-owned structure with an underground parking garage, first-floor commercial space and bike center, and two floors of parking above the commercial space on the block that also contains the Madison Municipal Building. The parking garage is open, and the housing has been completed. At one time, Beitler controlled all three phases of the redevelopment and in 2016 wowed the city with a bold design featuring curved, shimmering, glass-sheathed towers on each side of Pinckney Street. Now, the company will be completely off the project without ever turning a shovel. Madison needs more housing, so Im glad to see another proposal to build housing in the heart of our city, Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway said of Mortensons involvement in the project. Im also glad that weve been able to move the Judge Doyle Square project forward without drama, with one apartment building, a bike center, public parking and commercial space already built and a hotel in the works. As with the hotel, the city must amend a development agreement with Beitler to assign development rights for the housing parcel to Mortenson, said Matt Mikolajewski, city economic development director. The city must also enter into a purchase and sale agreement with Mortenson. Both documents will need City Council approval. While negotiations are continuing, the city is approaching this with the same contract structure used for the hotel where Beitler assigned its rights to Mortenson and the city sold the parcel to Mortenson, City Attorney Michael Haas said. That is what is anticipated here. The final piece of the Judge Doyle Square puzzle is seemingly at hand, said Downtown Ald. Mike Verveer, 4th District. Its just a great relief to know the development on two key blocks of Downtown real estate is finally coming to fruition. Mortenson officials could not be reached for comment. Going gangbusters For the final phase, Mortenson is proposing a major alteration to Beitlers previously approved plan for a mixed-use building with about 204 housing units. Mortensons proposal includes a parking podium partially built into the ground and an 11-story tower with 222 market-rate apartments, plans submitted to the city say. The units will include a mix of studios and one- and two-bedroom apartments. The Downtown housing market continues to be going gangbusters, Verveer said. (But) its unfortunate there doesnt seem to be lower-cost housing in the proposed building, something Downtown desperately needs. The project will feature a ground-floor lobby on East Doty Street and amenities for residents on the top floor. Parking and service entries will be off East Wilson Street, the plans say. The building will use the entire footprint of the site for the parking podium, while the tower will sit back from the edges, the plans say. The exterior design will be largely opaque surfaces with windows punched in the facade and balconies projecting from the tower. Along Doty Street, the facade is partially set back to preserve the view of the adjacent sign painted on a wall for the former Fess Hotel, revealed after decades when Government East was demolished. Mortenson is scheduled to make an informational presentation to the citys Landmarks Commission at 5 p.m. Monday. The site is located next to the Great Dane Pub and Brewing Co., 123 Doty St., the successor to the Fess, now a city landmark. The Landmarks Commission will make an advisory recommendation for the final piece of the project, with additional approvals needed from the Plan and Urban Design commissions and City Council. A complex project The Judge Doyle Square saga has been unfolding for more than 12 years. In March 2012, a draft staff report envisioned new hotels, housing, offices, stores, restaurants, a bike center and a massive underground parking garage on the two blocks in possibly as complex a project as the city has ever undertaken. In 2016 after failed attempts to advance the project the city chose Beitler for the redevelopment. Beitlers design drew accolades, but legal disputes with the city followed and in January 2019 the City Council approved paying Beitler $700,000 to give up its development rights to the Municipal Building block. The city then issued a new request for proposals and eventually chose Stone House for that portion of the project. After the underground Wilson Street Garage opened in June 2020, the city proceeded with demolition of the aging Government East parking garage to pave the way for Beitlers two projects on that block: the hotel and potential apartments. In October 2020, Beitler announced it planned to build a nine-story, less-flashy structure than originally proposed but one that retained the curved shape facing the street. The city approved the change, and Beitler was to have secured building permits by the end of 2021. But Beitler assigned its development rights for the hotel to Mortenson late last year, and Mortenson secured approvals for the hotel. Beitler also had initial general approval for the housing project, with building permits to be secured no later than the end of 2022 but reached an agreement to also assign the development rights for that portion of the project to Mortenson. In the end, the two main goals of the Judge Doyle Square project replacing Government East and securing a new hotel to serve Monona Terrace will have been met, Verveer said. Once complete, these two blocks will bring even more energy to our already vibrant Downtown, Rhodes-Conway said. Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Dozens of friends and family of Tony Robinson Jr. packed into the Wilmar Community Center Sunday afternoon to celebrate the life of the late teen for the seventh year in a row on the anniversary of his death after he was shot by a Madison police officer in 2015. Poets, musicians and artists took to the stage as community members shared their memories of Robinson, who his grandmother Sharon Irwin-Henry called vibrant and full of life, before a planned march from the community center to 1125 Williamson St., where the 19-year-old was fatally shot. Seven years weve been in this struggle, Irwin-Henry said, though she said she has been heartened by recent actions by the city to bring changes to the Madison Police Department. Tonys death has brought meaningful and necessary change for all people in the city of Madison, she said in a statement, and referred to a 2020 audit of the Police Department that resulted in 177 recommended changes, including the creation of the Police Civilian Oversight Board and an independent police monitor position. Its been seven long years fighting for changes, and we now see a clear path to justice. Police Officer Matt Kenny fatally shot the unarmed teen on March 6, 2015, in the stairwell of a two-flat on Williamson Street after a physical struggle. Kenny was absolved of any criminal wrongdoing in the death, but Irwin-Henry said she and the local organization In Pursuit of Justice are planning to file a petition in Dane County Circuit Court for a judge to review the case. Their hope is a judge will determine Kenny acted recklessly in the shooting death of Robinson as well as in the 2007 shooting death of 48-year-old Ronald Brandon, who had called 911 to report himself and pointed what later turned out to be a pellet gun at police. Lorien Carter, Robinsons aunt, said she hopes this year will be the final year her family will need to draw attention to the death of her nephew with the goal of seeking to hold Kenny accountable. I want to be hopeful but Im afraid to be hopeful because its not worked out so well. But that doesnt stop us from fighting, she said. Police Department spokesperson Stephanie Fryer told the Wisconsin State Journal in December that Chief Shon Barnes and Kenny had a conversation where the possibility of an early retirement was discussed. Officer Kenny declined this idea and no further conversations on the matter occurred, she said. Early retirement can be an option to officers nearing the age of retirement. Kenny has been with the Madison Police Department since 2002. Barnes took over as chief in February 2021. Fryer said she did not know the exact date of the conversation but that the discussion stemmed from Robinsons death. No formal written retirement offer was made to Kenny. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. 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. A little more than a week into Vladimir Putins unprovoked and brutal invasion of Ukraine, Russia is isolated at the United Nations, hobbled by unprecedented economic sanctions and stalled in its conquest by the inspiring resistance of Ukrainians. Yet Russia retains a substantial military advantage and is pressing on with its special military operation, despite the cost in innocent human lives and the dislocation of a million refugees. On Thursday, Putin told French President Emmanuel Macron that Russia would achieve its goals in Ukraine no matter what. Ukraines vulnerability has prompted calls and not only from Ukrainians for military intervention by the United States and its NATO allies to arrest the Russian onslaught. Andriy Yermak, a member of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyys administration, wrote in the New York Times this week to plead for more assistance, including the enforcement of a no-fly zone over Ukraine. To its credit, the Biden administration continues to ratchet up pressure on Russia while proposing more aid for Ukraine. President Joe Biden reportedly will ask Congress for $10 billion in new aid to Ukraine over and above the $1.4 billion already provided. About 20 countries, including members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, are sending weapons into Ukraine to fight the Russian military. On Thursday, Biden also announced new sanctions on more than a dozen Russian oligarchs and their families. Some members of Congress are also suggesting that the U.S. ban oil and gas imports from Russia, an idea the administration hasnt embraced but should consider. It is possible that stronger sanctions and an infusion of military hardware will help the Ukrainians to continue their resistance. Faced with the prospect of a long and costly occupation of Ukraine, Putin might relent in his aggression, agree to a significant cease-fire and ultimately withdraw his forces. Stronger sanctions might also make it harder for Russia to menace other nations, including NATO members. The proposal for a no-fly zone, however, is one that Biden and his advisors are right to reject. The reason is simple: Such a zone would be meaningful only if the U.S. and its allies were willing to enforce it by shooting down aircraft that violated it. Targeting a Russian plane over Ukraine would involve direct hostilities between the U.S. and Russia, as would the deployment of American troops to assist in the defense of Ukraine, another option Biden has ruled out, including in his State of the Union address Tuesday. If it were a NATO member, Ukraine would benefit from Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, which says that an armed attack on one alliance member will be considered an attack against all. ... Biden cited that distinction in his speech when he said: Our forces are not going to Europe to fight in Ukraine but to defend our NATO allies in the event that Putin decides to keep moving west. Yet it isnt just because of NATO that Biden is unwilling to deploy U.S. forces in Ukraine or approve a no-fly zone against Russia. A direct military confrontation between the two nuclear superpowers would be terribly, existentially dangerous, even if Putin hadnt announced recently that he was directing Russian nuclear forces to be placed on special combat readiness. Its understandable that Ukrainians would want the U.S. and its allies to do more to help repel the Russian invaders. But a confrontation between NATO and Russia could increase the possibility of a catastrophic conflict that would be global and unimaginably deadly in its consequences. National Weather Service storm crews confirmed a tornado touched down Saturday night in the Stoughton area amid a line of severe storms that ripped through the area with winds of up to about 95 miles per hour, snapping power poles and blowing out windows in homes. The weather service confirmed an EF-1 tornado the second-weakest on a scale of 0 to 5 touched down near the town of Dunkirk about 9:53 p.m. and left a path of debris that was roughly 5 miles long. Brad Bruun, a Stoughton resident, said he and his family took shelter in the downstairs part of their home once the wind began to pick up. It was really calm and then all of a sudden it sounded like a freight train, he said of the tornado. The tree next to our house snapped off and bounced off of the top of our house and into the backyard. It was pretty scary. He said it sounded like the roof was caving in when the tree hit the top of his home. An inspector is scheduled to stop by his house Monday to assess the damage, but the storm had a silver lining, Bruun said. The most important thing out of today was that random neighbors that Ive never met or known came by and helped clean up the mess for hours on end, out of the goodness of their heart, he said Sunday. It was pretty awesome. I dont know what we would have done without the help. Four hundred of Stoughton Utilitys 9,000 customers were still without power as of noon Sunday after power poles were snapped. Roughly 75% of the utilitys customer base was initially without power Saturday night due to the storm, utility director Jill Weiss said. She said the remaining 400 customers still without power could have their lights back later Sunday, but she warned problems could still arise as crews continued the work. Well have repair work going into next week for sure, she said. Weiss, who had been working through the night along with Stoughton Utility crews and crews from Cedarburg, Waunakee, Lake Mills, Mount Horeb, Prairie Du Sac and Hartford, to return power to customers, said damage caused by Saturdays storm was more substantial than a system that moved through the area in 2019, which caused significant damage in Stoughton and tornados to break out across Iowa and Minnesota. Its incredibly generous and kind of them to help support us when were in need, Weiss said of the area utility companies that came to Stoughtons aid, as well as about 10 others who offered help. It was an incredible outpouring of support from our municipal utility partners. National Weather Service meteorologist Kevin Wagner said survey crews were sent to Stoughton Sunday morning to inspect damage patterns and determine whether a tornado had touched down Saturday. Wagner, who works out of the weather services Milwaukee office, said winds reached approximately 95 miles per hour. Wagner said survey crews look for patterns in damage to determine whether a tornado was present, whether trees are felled in a circular pattern or debris looks as though it had been lifted upward and scattered. With straight-line winds, debris is often thrown in a consistent straight line pattern, but if a tornado was present, that debris is distributed in a more chaotic pattern. There are cases in which both severe straight-line winds and tornados can occur, and Saturdays storm was an example of that, he said. After temperatures reached nearly 60 degrees on Saturday, Dane County was anticipating a snowstorm Sunday night into Monday following the cold front that brought severe weather to the area Saturday night. The city of Madison had 32 trucks standing by to begin plowing the city streets around midnight, when the snowstorm was expected to start. The snowstorm was anticipated to last through the Monday morning commute, with slippery road conditions likely. Also on Saturday, the powerful storm system spawned several tornadoes in central Iowa, killing seven people, including two children, destroying homes and knocking down trees and power lines in the state's 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. Saturday's 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 don't care what the calendar says," Gensini said. "It doesn't have to say June. It doesn't 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, haven't been done and sometimes show no clear connection. Gensini said Saturday's 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. "It's just unbelievable. I tried to walk through and thank them and over and over (and) the response was, we're Iowans and that's 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 didn't 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 weren't 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 and rated an EF-3 on the Enhanced Fujita scale with peak winds of 138 mph. The damage assessment for the Winterset tornado isn't 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. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Local Weather Get the daily forecast and severe weather alerts in your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. JEROME A man from Jerome has achieved a rare feat by attaining a Ph.D. in Welding Engineering from the Ohio State University, and earning perfect 4.0 grades while doing it. Tate Patterson, who grew up in Jerome and graduated from Jerome High School, is now a Doctor of Welding, and he said what has kept him interested in the field is the staggering array of scientific disciplines that go into it, as well as a wide variety of applications in nearly every industry, from automotive, space exploration, defense, and manufacturing. A lot of people think of welding as arcs and sparks, and they dont really see the science behind it, Patterson said. The welding field is relatively new, especially far as engineering goes. Were talking like 100 years old. And I dont think people really realize theres a whole engineering and science aspect behind it. The complexity of it is because it literally pulls in from all areas of science. Within welding, youre kind of a jack of all trades, master of none, because you have to know the material chemistry, the material science, and then the physics that go with it as far as molten weld pools, solidification mechanisms, and then also when thats all done you have to know the loads the weld will take, so theres this whole mechanical side and civil aspect to it. You kind of get into all of the fields of engineering, or at least the core fields, such as mechanical, material science, physics, chemistry, it all comes into play in one degree, and youre not specialized in one particular field. Patterson acknowledges that getting a perfect 4.0 has impressed some people, but he was most happy to be intellectually engaged in his studies. Everyone around me tells me that its pretty big, Patterson said. Its just kind of what I strove for. Its what I wanted, and I guess I just got lucky enough to get it. Mark Cooper is Graduate School Coordinator for OSUs Material Science and Engineering department. Cooper said Pattersons accomplishment is noteworthy, as it is a rare thing to find perfect scores for graduates in such a rigorous field. In my 25 years overseeing grad students in Materials Science and Engineering and 12-plus years with Welding Engineering, I have seen less than half a dozen 4.0 Ph.D. students, of which Tate is one, Cooper said. Cooper said that during that time, roughly 1,000 students have gone through the graduate programs, both MS & Ph.D. students. It is certainly rare and impressive among our students, Cooper said. It speaks highly of Tates intellect and command of a very complex subject. Dissertation on understanding laser beam welding in stainless steel and titanium alloys. This technology is used in industries that use laser and electron beam welding, anything from automotive to aerospace to defense applications, to medical. Following completion of his degree, Patterson returned to Idaho, accepting a position at Idaho National Laboratory as a welding engineer and metallurgist, and is doing research and development in the material science department, where he will work on solutions in additive manufacturing. Im intellectually stimulated by engineering challenges and the sciences, Patterson said. When theres a problem thats presented, its intriguing and rewarding if you can solve that problem. Patterson said there is high demand for welding engineers, who can provide solutions to manufacturing questions, as there are a lot of issues in manufacturing that would be improved with better welding practices. Everything that is manufactured has some form of welding in it, Patterson said. From chairs and barstools to cars. Love 4 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 BEIJING, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday expressed the hope that China and India will be partners for mutual success instead of adversaries of mutual attrition. "We must make sure that our relationship moves forward on the right track," Wang said. With regard to the border issue left over from history, China has always advocated managing differences through equal-footed consultation and seeking a just and reasonable solution, without letting it affect or interfere with the bigger picture of bilateral cooperation, Wang said. China and India have a combined population of over 2.8 billion and account for one third of humanity, Wang said. When the two countries achieve stability and prosperity and live in peace and harmony, global peace and prosperity will have a solid foundation, he added. Only by staying independent can the two sides firmly grasp their own destiny and realize goals of development and rejuvenation, Wang said. A former Idaho lawmaker has been convicted of raping a 19-year-old legislative intern after a dramatic trial in which the young woman fled the witness stand during testimony, saying I cant do this. The verdict was returned Friday. The intern told a Statehouse supervisor that Aaron von Ehlinger raped her at his apartment after the two had dinner at a Boise restaurant in March 2021. He said the sex was consensual. At the time, von Ehlinger was a Republican state representative from Lewiston, but he later resigned. Von Ehlinger was found guilty of rape. He was found not guilty of sexual penetration with a foreign object. Afterwards, prosecutors lauded the victim for her courage in coming forward. BOISE During Chad Houcks brief run for the job of Idaho secretary of state, he received dozens of angry emails and phone calls. A package of shredded campaign materials was sent to his home. But its when people started sending messages to his teenage children on social media and approaching them in person that he reconsidered his candidacy. When you start crossing those lines it becomes really difficult to put up with that level of tension, said Houck, the chief deputy secretary of state, in a phone interview. He announced in December that he would end his campaign. In recent months, several public officials and candidates across the Treasure Valley have either resigned, dropped out of races or announced they wont run for reelection because of harassment and threats they have received in office. The Idaho Statesman has counted at least nine public officials across the area who have publicly discussed having received threats or harassment in recent months. Their experience mirrors a national trend of public officials facing an increasing number of threatening comments from their constituents. The most recent local example is Democratic Ada County Commissioner Kendra Kenyon, who said Thursday that she would not seek reelection for a second term, citing a hostile community culture. That includes a barrage of negative comments and threats surrounding the appointment last year of COVID-19 vaccine critic Ryan Cole to the Central District Health board. Its not healthy for me, Kenyon said by phone. I think I could do as much good on the outside without the pressure of the bullying. Her announcement came more than a year after Kenyons former colleague on the commission, Diana Lachiondo, also a Democrat, had a swarm of anti-mask protesters in late 2020 surround her home while her son was home alone. Protesters also went to homes of several other local officials. While Kenyon said she hasnt received the same level of threats, seeing those made against Lachiondo, as well as Boise Mayor Lauren McLean, made her worry about the potential escalation she could face. Those are two female Democrat leaders in this community am I next? she said. While theres usually an element of vitriol in politics, Boise State Public Policy Professor Stephanie Witt said the harassment of public officials has gone beyond the norm. It does seem worse to me and more widespread, Witt said by phone. School board officials have seen some of the vitriolic behavior from the public, as many local school boards were making decisions regarding masks and vaccine requirements for their students and staff. Three school board members Paula Kellerer and Mike Kipp of Nampa and Amy Johnson of West Ada have resigned in 2022 because of harassment they say they received while in office. Kipp, in particular, faced an attempted recall over his vote to delay in-person learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The behavior can be seen in nearly every type of public body, aimed at people in either political party. Idaho Senate President Pro Tem Chuck Winder, R-Boise, said there were multiple instances last summer of anti-vaccine protesters appearing at his residence and knocking on his door. Winder said the harassment is a tactic used by some organizations to wear down those they dont agree with and drive them into leaving public life altogether. All of us that are in elected office know that were targets, he said. When they take it down to our family and to our own homes, thats crossed a new line. Winder said that in the past four years, hes seen a large number of people who would have made good politicians decide not to run. Local party officials have taken notice, too. Erik Berg, chairman of the Ada County Democratic Party, said its becoming harder to recruit candidates for positions as low as a precinct captain. They dont want to have their name on the ballot or be publicly identified with that, because they dont want to be harassed, Berg said. Idaho GOP Chair Tom Luna said Friday that no official or candidate of his party has come to him with concerns about being harassed or threatened. He said such behavior has no place in local elections. Some threats have prompted changes in official policy on the local level. The Boise City Councils policy on keeping travel plans undisclosed beforehand stems from serious threats made towards some members of the body, although specifics about the threats have not been made public. In response to a Statesman request for comment, Mayor Lauren McLean did not discuss any threats she or the council have received but said its becoming all too prevalent for public officials to fear for their safety. Im incredibly disheartened to see good people stepping down from public service because of the very real threats made against them, McLean said in an emailed statement. I hope as a community we wont let these threats designed to terrify and silence us win. Witt said fixing the problem will likely require Republican and Democratic leaders admonishing those who continue to behave poorly. Its pretty intuitive: If people are afraid, or afraid for their kids, theyre not going to run, Witt said. And that costs all of us in the long run. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 1 Xiulu Ruan, a board-certified Alabama pain specialist, was sentenced to 21 years in federal prison for prescribing opioid analgesics outside the usual course of professional medical practice. According to the appeals court that upheld his conviction, it did not matter whether he sincerely believed he was doing what a physician is supposed to do. That ruling, which is the focus of a case the Supreme Court heard on Tuesday, conflates negligence with criminal liability, invites the Drug Enforcement Administration to usurp state medical regulators and encourages prosecutions that have a chilling effect on pain treatment. If it is allowed to stand, doctors who already face intense pressure to curtail opioid prescriptions will be even more inclined to elevate drug control above pain control. Ruans trial featured the usual battle of experts. Defense witnesses portrayed him as a conscientious physician doing his best to serve patients in dire need, while prosecution witnesses portrayed him as careless and blind to red flags indicating abuse or diversion of the drugs he prescribed. Some of this disagreement stemmed from dueling interpretations of Ruans practices and lapses. Some of it stemmed from ongoing debates on issues such as the risks and benefits of long-term opioid therapy for chronic pain and, more generally, how to balance patients needs against the governments demand that physicians prevent misuse of pain medication. That demand puts doctors in a difficult position since pain cannot be objectively verified. If they trust their patients, some people will take advantage of that trust; if they reflexively treat their patients with suspicion, some people will suffer needlessly from pain that could have been relieved safely and effectively. The threat of regulatory sanctions and malpractice lawsuits already forces clinicians to weigh the risk to their licenses and livelihoods if they make questionable prescribing decisions. The threat of criminal prosecution ups the ante because it means that doctors also can lose their liberty if they make decisions that the DEA, a law enforcement agency with no medical expertise, views as medically inappropriate. Criminal penalties traditionally are reserved for people who knowingly break the law. But the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit has held that a physicians good faith belief that he dispensed a controlled substance in the usual course of his professional practice is irrelevant to the question of whether he violated the Controlled Substances Act. Based on that reading of the law, the 11th Circuit rejected Ruans argument that he was entitled to a jury instruction precluding a guilty verdict if the evidence indicated that he honestly thought his prescriptions were for a legitimate medical purpose and that he was acting in the usual course of his professional practice, as required by CSA regulations. As the appeals court saw it, Ruan could be sent to prison for decades even if he unintentionally fell short of those ambiguous standards. Doctors defending themselves against CSA charges in other circuits face obstacles that are nearly as daunting. In a case that was consolidated with Ruans, the trial court told the jury that good faith connotes an attempt to act in accordance with what a reasonable physician should believe to be proper medical practice. While that standard might make sense in a malpractice lawsuit, it falls short of the culpability that is usually required for a criminal conviction. Worse, when the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit considered the same case, it held that good faith, however defined, does not matter in deciding whether a prescription was written in the usual course of professional practice, which must be determined objectively. As two health law professors note in a brief supporting Ruans appeal, uncertainty about which practices may provoke federal prosecution hurts patients as well as physicians. It provides yet another reason to turn away or abandon patients who already are suffering from the indiscriminate crackdown on pain medication, sacrificing their welfare on the altar of the war on drugs. REPRINTED FROM CREATORS DAILY EDITORIALS BY JACOB SULLUM Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0 When Idaho Senators Jim Risch and Mike Crapo spoke recently to the Idaho Legislature, they spoke about the war in Ukraine, and both of them in clear terms blasted Russia for the invasion. Both are sponsors (with other Senate Republicans) of the Never Yielding Europes Territory (NYET) Act, which seeks to impose significant penalties and blockages on Russia. While it is not exactly the same as the Biden Administrations approach it bears a passing similarity in its stance. The senators werent alone in taking that stance in Idaho, which in a number of areas has been tracking with many other states in response to the tragedy in Ukraine. Idaho liquor stores have pulled bottles of Russian vodka. The Idaho Public Employee Retirement System has been divesting itself of Russian-related connections. Even the Idaho House has passed a memorial criticizing Russia, and House Speaker Scott Bedke said in a statement, Russias violent incursion against Ukraine is inexcusable. All of this is well and good. But look out a little further across the Idaho landscape and youll probably find more diverse reactions. I say that because the situation brings to mind a column from August of 2017, when Russia last emerged in Idaho politics. Heres how it went: Last month the Kootenai County Republican Party blasted Idahos two senators, Mike Crapo and Jim RischRepublicans bothfor their support of sanctions against Russia. Crapo, in fact, was one of the Senate leaders supporting the measure. He said of it, This legislation signals to the world the United States unflagging commitment to the sanctity of territorial integrity, human rights, and good governance. It also demonstrates our resolve in responding to cyber-attacks against American citizens and entities and against our allies. The Crapo-Brown-Corker-Cardin bill will result in some very powerful, new sanctions against Russia. Nearly every member of Congress, in both parties in both chambers, voted in favor. Didnt convince up in the Panhandle. The party in Kootenai passed its own measure warning of the emergence of a globalist Davos Culture [that being this decades preferred name for the international conspiracy] comprised of progressive political elites around the world that is distinct from Traditional Western Civilization. Kootenai contended that Russia has become a nationalistic country that is resisting this progressive globalist agenda. And: globalists have recently been agitating against good relations with Russia because they see it as one of the last holdouts against a progressive globalist agenda. In my column I offered a comparison to a long-ago member of Congress from Idaho, John T. Wood, who was obsessed with the crackpot idea of the United Nations taking over the United States Except that Wood did get that Russiaor, then, the Soviet Unionwas a hostile power, run as a militaristic dictatorship, was a suppressor of speech, press and religion, active in expanding its hegemony at the expense of the United States and its influence, and well, on and on. In many ways, it is like that today. Wood did at least get, more or less, who our friends are in the world, and who arent. Not a lot has emerged from the Kootenai forces about the invasion of Ukraine, but it seems a fair guess that will be coming soonin support of Russia. Maybe theyll surprise me. But I do remember clearly the response I received from the Panhandle in 2017. One Republican e-mailed me to ask if I didnt think Russia had changed from its communist days, I replied that Russia seems to have changed a lot less than Kootenai County had. On the Russian front, at least, I think thats proven out: The Putin invasion could be right out of the old Soviet-Joseph Stalin playbook. I could be wrong, but I doubt Kootenaiand maybe some other quarters in Idahohas changed all that much since 2017. Dont be surprised if you see some support for Vladimir Putin from those quarters before long. Unless something significant really has changed. Randy Stapilus is a former Idaho newspaper reporter and editor and blogs at ridenbaugh.com. He can be reached at stapilus@ridenbaugh.com. His new book What Do You Mean by That? has just been released and can be found at ridenbaugh.com/whatdoyoumeanbythat and on Amazon.com. Love 1 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 A McDowell County teacher has been reinstated to teach at another school after an investigation into a racial slur in the classroom that was videotaped by students, went viral online and prompted a call for action from a local community organization. In the video, which can be viewed by visiting https://tinyurl.com/ms824e25, former McDowell High School math teacher Jack Jensen is seen with his arm around a student of color and says, Im a white man, so I cant say n-. Other students can be heard chiming in before and after the remark. The version published online by The McDowell News mutes the word the teacher uses and blurs the face of the student. The McDowell News did view the original version. Jensen was hired on Aug. 21, 2012 as a secondary math teacher. He was transferred from East McDowell Middle School to McDowell High School on June 30, 2014. His salary as a 10-month employee is $5,200 a month. He was suspended with pay on Nov. 22, 2021. He currently works at McDowell Virtual Academy as a math teacher. West Marion Community Forum Executive Director Paula Swepson sent the video to school board members and the superintendent after she was made aware of the situation. The Forum works in the McDowell community combating inequalities involving race and other social issues. At the time, the schools suspended Jensen with pay during the investigation. On Tuesday, McDowell County Schools released this statement in full to The McDowell News regarding the incident. In late November our administration was made aware of an allegation that McDowell High School staff member Jack Jensen made an inappropriate racial remark. Upon learning of the allegation, the teacher was suspended and the district immediately initiated an investigation. All allegations of misconduct are taken seriously and are thoroughly investigated. The investigation into this allegation has been completed. Mr. Jensen has completed his suspension and has returned to duty as a math teacher at McDowell Virtual Academy. Because state law prohibits the release of certain personnel information, the district is unable to provide additional details other than Mr. Jensens actions were addressed in a manner consistent with district policies. In McDowell County Schools, we are committed to providing a safe and inviting school environment that facilitates student learning and achievement. As stated in our Board policies, MCS does not tolerate any form of unlawful discrimination or harassment, and this incident has been dealt with accordingly. The McDowell County Board of Education adopted its most recent Strategic Plan at the December meeting. One of the strategic goals addresses this issue specifically: BOE Subgoal 1.4: By June 30, 2022, McDowell County Schools will develop a comprehensive plan to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion within our school communities. The MCS Strategic Plan is available on the district website. In January the Board initiated a sub-committee to focus on the development of this goal. The district staff has also established a working group to support the sub-committee. The sub-committees first meeting was held in February, and the next meeting will be held later this month. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are important to our Board and our staff, and this strategic goal is at the forefront of current planning. We will continue to work together with our community partners to make our schools better for all students. On Tuesday, Swepson said she wasnt surprised at the outcome of the investigation. It was just a stall tactic to justify keeping him. I have looked at the policies. I think they took this situation as an isolated incident and tried to put it on the students. We met with (Superintendent Mark Garrett) and he said we didnt know the whole story, and we agreed, without a doubt, Swepson said on Tuesday. But what we do have on video is a teacher trying to have a teachable moment not equipped with what he was trying to teach, but its all justified to them because he was just trying to make a point and he didnt mean any harm by it. Swepson said she doesnt know if there was any malice behind what the teacher said, but that he is the person of power in the room and he didnt handle the situation appropriately. She said Garrett did attend their most recent Racial Equity Training in February. Even as a person of color who took the training, there were some hard truths that I had to listen to. Its not a feel-good moment, Swepson said. He (the teacher) could have said, I dont have the knowledge to have this conversation with you, but the knowledge I do have is math, so lets get back to it. Swepson said she feels they have been shunned by the McDowell County Board of Education and Superintendents Office after a work session on a Joint Racial Equity Statement was postponed. We are talking with the Southern Coalition of Social Justice on holding a Town Hall meeting because we are not going to continue to let them treat our kids this way in the schools and think its OK. We want to work with them, but they arent meeting their obligation. The Forum has released a survey in English and Spanish on their Facebook page for the community. The goal of the online poll is to collect stories and data in an effort to hold McDowell County School system accountable and to a higher standard on issues of racism and bullying incidents in our schools. Data collected from this survey will be shared with the school board to inform current policies and procedures and produce a much needed shift in how these issues are handled and addressed. You can choose to share your name and contact details or complete the survey anonymously, according to the poll. The poll is at https://tinyurl.com/y8z2zsd5. These incidents are not isolated. Hopefully this way we can gather stories. We are trying to work with, and not against, said Swepson. I know that he has an obligation as a superintendent of the school system, but number one is to make sure the students are safe. I just want to see some action and lets get this done. The McDowell News spoke to Garrett late Tuesday evening and he reminded the public there is an anonymous reporting system in place, called Say Something, which can be accessed by visiting https://www.sandyhookpromise.org/say-something-tips/ or calling the 24/7 Crisis Hotline at 1-844-5-SAYNOW (1-844-572-9669). We investigate every single tip that is submitted, said Garrett. I am hopeful the community survey results will be shared with the district so that we can use them to learn and improve for the benefit of students. MCS is actively working toward a diversity, equity and inclusion goal that is contained in the current district strategic plan that was adopted in December. The draft version of the strategic plan contained this goal well before the incident took place. The Board of Education formed a subcommittee to begin addressing this specific goal with the administration, which has already met once with a scheduled meeting this month. There will be opportunities for input as the work continues. To learn more about McDowell County Schools, visit www.mcdowell.k12.nc.us. Tunisias military court has condemned Issam Barkouk; a lawmaker in the countrys suspended parliament, to 10 months in prison with immediate effect, for attacking the dignity of the army and President Kais Saied. The ruling, in absentia, comes almost two months after the independent Member of Parliament (MP) laid into President Saied that he accused of coup detat after the country leader on July 25 last year seized all major power and froze the activities of the parliament, Speaking at a virtual session of the suspended parliament on Jan. 27 to mark the anniversary of the 2014 constitution, Barkouk called on the army to arrest President Saied. The session was led by the speaker of the suspended legislature, Rached Ghannouchi. Barkouk joins the list of people condemned by the judiciary for criticizing the President. Former President Moncef Marzouki has been sentenced to four years in prison in absentia on high treason charges, for plotting against the state and calling for Saieds removal. Burkina Fasos transitional president, Lt. Col. Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, named a new government of 25 ministers to lead the country during a three-year transition. General Barthelemy Simpore, already Defense Minister under Roch Marc Christian Kabore, the president overthrown by a military coup at the end of January, will keep his post, according to a decree published Saturday evening. He has even been elevated to the rank of minister of state. Among the other ministers, Yero Boly, several times a minister in various governments of former President Blaise Compaore, was appointed Minister of State to the President of Faso, in charge of Social Cohesion and National Reconciliation. Leaders of civil society and trade unions, including Lionel Bilgo (National Education and Literacy) and Bassolma Bazie (Civil Service), have also joined the government. There are six women in the government, including Olivia Rouamba, who holds the portfolio of Foreign Affairs. On Thursday, Albert Ouedraogo, a 53-year-old academic, was appointed Prime Minister. Burkina Fasos new head of state, Lieutenant-Colonel Damiba, 41, took power at the end of January after two days of mutiny in several of the countrys barracks, overthrowing President-elect Roch Marc Christian Kabore, who was accused of ineffectiveness in the face of the jihadist violence that has plagued the country. The new president has made the fight against Terrorism and the rebuilding of the Burkinabe state his priority. The transition period before a return to constitutional order has been set at three years, according to a charter signed by Lieutenant-Colonel Damiba, which prohibits him from running in the elections scheduled at the end of the transition. Five Nigerien soldiers were killed in the explosion of an improvised mine in the southwestern department of Torodi, where jihadist attacks with improvised explosive devices (IEDs) are becoming increasingly frequent, the Nigerien Ministry of Defense announced in a statement on Sunday. The tragedy occurred on Friday when a vehicle of a Nigerian army patrol drove over an improvised explosive device (IED) and this accident unfortunately caused the death on the field of honor of five soldiers and three injured, said the statement read on state television. The targeted soldiers are part of the Nigerien anti-jihadist force Niya (will in local language) strong of 2,160 men mounted last February in the southwest, close to Burkina Faso. Since 2017, western Niger has been regularly targeted by assaults by Islamist groups, despite the massive deployment of anti-jihadist national armed forces and the state of emergency in force. On February 16, five Nigerian soldiers were killed and two injured in an IED explosion in Gotheye, according to the Ministry of Defense. In early January, three Nigerien gendarmes were killed in an IED explosion in the Torodi department near Gotheye and close to Burkina Faso. Olivia Farrow, left, is director of community engagement and advocacy for Ascension Saint Agnes Hospital. Through various efforts she found the cellphone of Emily Johanson, right, after it was lost for about 10 days. (Barbara Haddock Taylor/Baltimore Sun) When Emily Johanson lost her phone last month while running into an exercise class at the Movement Lab in Baltimores Remington, her phone company and the company that made it told her the only option to get it back would be contacting law enforcement. Friends told her to kiss the phone goodbye and move on. Advertisement But Johanson wasnt ready to call it quits. Instead, the immigration attorney, together with a hospital director and a longtime resident of Southwest Baltimores Wilhelm Park, harnessed the power of community connections to reunite the lost phone with its owner, in what they described as a classic Smalltimore moment. Advertisement Identifying and reaching those who found the phone was a circuitous path from a last-resort phone call to a connection over trash complaints to a note left on a front door signed, your neighbor. But, not long after, the family contacted through the chain of helpers happily handed over Johansons phone, its purple case, credit cards, ID and all, even turning down an offer for reward money. It reminded the women involved, they said later, that Baltimore is interconnected and residents are not as much strangers as we think. People know people everywhere, said Mary Wilt, the fiancee of the man who found Johansons phone and ultimately helped return it. Somehow, some way. Early on, Johanson pinpointed an address where her phone might be, using a locator app. But her brainstorming on how to retrieve it struck out, as she ruled out approaches she deemed too confrontational or potentially unsafe. And she wanted to avoid contacting police or any other method that might escalate what she considered a small issue. Then, a friend whod worked at Ascension Saint Agnes, close to the Southwest Baltimore address, suggested a contact with connections in nearby neighborhoods: Olivia Farrow, the hospitals community development and engagement officer. Johanson gave it a shot. She called me and, of course, I was like, OK, how am I going to figure this out? Farrow recalled, laughing. Tracking down lost items isnt part of Farrows typical duties, which focus more on things like projects in the community or partnering on initiatives, such as estate planning for seniors. But the phone saga was definitely a part of community engagement, she said later, in seeking out neighborhood connections and involving residents in solutions. And she called it meaningful that a hospital employee knew Farrow was there to make connections and help the community. Advertisement While on the phone with Johanson, Farrow pulled up the address in Wilhelm Park, which borders the hospital grounds, on Google Maps. She remembered a resident shed interacted with a handful of times, whod reached out about trash on a property maintained by the hospital that Farrow worked to remedy. Farrow knew the neighbor was active in the community making trash complaints, for one so she reached out and explained the situation. Pat Shiflett took the case. Shiflett, an 86-year-old resident who has proudly spent her whole life in the tiny neighborhood off Wilkens Avenue, wasnt familiar with the folks at the address. She once knew everyone in the area, she said, but that changed as people moved in and out. Still, she went to the address and knocked. And, when there was no answer, she left a note with her phone number. That evening, Wilt called Shiflett, who called Farrow, who contacted Johanson, and the handoff was made about 10 days after the phone was lost. Advertisement [ An emergency room trip almost canceled a Baltimore couples wedding ] Listen, I dont go to church, but I do believe the Lord works in mysterious ways, Shiflett said. Just like my connection with Olivia. Who would have ever thought that I would be able to return a favor, you know, to her? There are a lot of decent people, she added. I love it in Baltimore, and I hope to live in this house until they carry me out feet first. Breaking News Alerts As it happens Be informed of breaking news as it happens and notified about other don't-miss content with our free news alerts. > When Johanson visited the finders home in mid-February to pick up her phone, the couple refused her offer of reward money telling her, in part, theyd been lucky at the casino and wanted to keep the good karma going. Wilt explained that her fiance found it on top of a gas pump while out delivering for Grubhub. (Johanson thinks someone else may have picked it up from a sidewalk in Remington and dropped it off at the pump later when the cards didnt work.) He brought the phone home and planned to mail it to her, but kept forgetting. As soon as Wilt saw the letter on the door, she was grateful, she said. Otherwise, the couple may have mailed it to Johansons previous California address, based on her drivers license. Im so glad someone was able to reach out, Wilt said. Im glad it worked out the way it did. Advertisement Johanson, too, said she was grateful things worked out and felt shocked at how easy the community connections were made. There are so many people really, really invested in making these connections and being the person on their block who knows everyone, and theyve literally spent their entire lives building those networks, Johanson said. Its such a gift to be able to reach out to them and remember theres so many ways like this to resolve a lot of things, things way more important than a silly lost phone. A jihadist attack on a Malian army camp in central Mali killed 27 soldiers Friday and several dozen terrorists were neutralized, the army said in a statement. This is the deadliest attack reported against Malian forces in several months. It took place on Friday morning at around 05:30 GMT, at the Mondoro camp in central Mali, also injuring 33 people, 21 of them seriously, and seven missing among the soldiers, according to the same source. According to the army, 47 assailants were neutralized in the morning and 23 others were neutralized following a sweep of terrorist sanctuaries. The Malian government declared a three-day national mourning period starting Saturday. This attack comes in the midst of a military reconfiguration. In recent months, many reinforcements have arrived in Mali, presented by the Malian authorities as Russian instructors and by the West as mercenaries. France and its European allies in the Takuba special forces grouping have just announced their military withdrawal from Mali. Against a backdrop of intense diplomatic tensions between the junta in power since 2020 and some of Malis partners, chief among them France, the Malian army has for weeks been proclaiming successes against the jihadists. The Malian army has claimed the deaths of dozens of jihadists in recent months. A statement issued this week said that fear (had) changed sides, the enemy is on the run towards the borders or hiding among the population. This information is difficult to verify due to lack of access to the field or sources who can speak out. On Friday, several sources in Mali indicated that an attack had left many dead in Mondoro. A French military source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the death toll from the attack by several hundred jihadists was between 40 and 50. The source said that 21 vehicles had been seized by the jihadists, including several armored vehicles. In addition, according to the same source, the FAMa (Malian Armed Forces) have not requested the support of (the French anti-jihadist force) Barkhane. Tanzania has released the leader of the main opposition party, Freeman Mbowe, after prosecutors dropped terrorism charges against him last year, his party said. Mbowe, who is the chairman of the Chadema party, was arrested in July in the town of Mwanza while attending a conference on proposals for a new constitution. He was charged in court on July 26, despite protests from his party that the charges against him were politically motivated. The director of prosecution dropped the charges of economic crimes and terrorism, the Chadema party said on its Twitter account. Three co-accused were also released, the party said. Supporters of Freeman Mbowe, who had gathered outside the court to watch the trial, applauded after the decision to drop the charges was announced, while his lawyers rejoiced. The detention of the opposition leader had raised questions about President Samia Suluhu Hassans commitment to greater tolerance of political dissent. Ms. Hassan, who took power after the death of her predecessor John Magufuli in March last year, lifted the ban on four newspapers and met with the main opposition leader in exile in Brussels last month, raising hopes for greater tolerance of political dissent. Todays dismissal of the case against Freeman Mbowe is a welcome opportunity for Tanzania to turn the page and focus on the future, said Donald Wright, U.S. ambassador to Tanzania. Spanish victims of terrorist acts perpetrated by the polisario demand reparation and denounce the impunity that the separatists enjoy in Spain. The Canary Association of Victims of Terrorism (ACAVITE), which brings together the relatives of more than 300 victims of polisario terrorism, called on the regional parliament of the Canary Islands to undertake strong actions to overcome the lack of protection, deliberate neglect and institutional oblivion suffered by the victims of terrorist acts perpetrated by the separatists. A complete and transparent report containing the cases of more than 300 Canary Islands families who have been victims of terrorist acts in Spain over the past 50 years must be prepared urgently, said ACAVITE in a statement. ACAVITE is an association that was created in 2006 to obtain justice for the families of the victims of Canary Islands fishermen killed in the 70s and early 80s by armed elements of the polisario while operating in the area between the Sahara and the Canary Islands. The Canarian NGO has been fighting since its creation to obtain an official recognition of these crimes from the Spanish State and international and national organizations, in addition to a compensation for the victims and their heirs and the reparation of damages in order to end the oblivion. It also demands support similar to that given to the victims of the acts perpetrated by the Basque organization ETA or other terrorist groups. 3D-model of DNA. Credit: Michael Strock/Wikimedia/ GNU Free Documentation License In a recent study published in Circulation: Genomic and Precision Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham researchers found that, while many African Americans, especially those with a higher African ancestry proportion, have a favorable lipid profile, they are at a higher risk of developing diabetes than those of white/European ancestry. A favorable lipid profile indicates there are fewer components of body fat that can lead to cardiovascular and metabolic disease. Researchers believe this may be driven by genetic factors associated with geographic ancestry. "The research indicates there are specific genetic variations that are more common among those with higher African ancestry that predispose these individuals to diabetes," said Vibhu Parcha, M.D., a clinical research fellow in the UAB Division of Cardiovascular Disease and the first author of this study. "We hope to use what we have learned from this study to identify these specific genetic variations among those with higher African ancestry." Parcha attributes the higher risk of diabetes among non-Hispanic Black individuals to social determinants of health, including where people are born, live, learn and work, and age. "There is a higher incidence of diabetes among Black individuals," Parcha said. "However, the prevalence of metabolic syndrome, which is a cluster of diabetes-risk increasing factors, is relatively not as common. This is often described as a metabolic paradox." Through this study, researchers wanted to better understand the basis of this paradox and see whether geographic ancestry played a role in this discrepancy. They investigated more than 9,000 American adult participants of the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. They found that Black participants had a higher incidence of developing diabetes despite having a favorable lipid profile. This paradoxical relationship is associated with European genetic ancestry. The authors also found that a higher continental European genetic ancestry among self-identified Black adults was associated with a lower risk of developing diabetes, even after accounting for the differences in the social determinants of health. This implies that the genetic determinants governing the higher incidence of diabetes among Black individuals are not yet fully understood. "While both biological and social factors contribute to the higher risk of diabetes among Black individuals, the relative contribution is difficult to explain at an individual level," Parcha said. "The scientific community has largely been unsuccessful in including Black individuals into genomic research, which has limited our understanding of the genetic determinants of metabolic health in Black individuals." According to Pankaj Arora, M.D., a physician-scientist in the UAB's Division of Cardiovascular Disease, some people carry naturally occurring variations in their DNA that may contribute to a higher risk of developing diabetes. However, larger efforts to include traditionally underrepresented communities in genomic medicine research can help address this problem. "UAB Cardiology has been advancing the initiative for the inclusion of Black individuals in clinical research and help improve our understanding of what drives the development of diabetes in the community through the UAB CARBON and UAB Cardiogenomics Clinic," Arora said. The UAB Cardiovascular Research Biobank is a large biobank initiative led by UAB physician-scientists to enhance the participation of underrepresented communities in genomic medicine. UAB has been leading the effort of a genomics-ready clinical network in the Southeast. Recently, it launched the UAB Cardiogenomics Clinic, which offers a one-stop shop to help patients interpret their genetic results and provide genomic counseling, a comprehensive cardiovascular and metabolic assessment, and the latest diagnostics and therapeutics for common conditions such as blood pressure, diabetes, heart attacks, heart failure and stroke. The clinic also provides a broad spectrum of cardiology health care services for people of all ages and those with all types of heart diseases in the southeastern United States. Explore further Depression linked to heart disease and type 2 diabetes More information: Vibhu Parcha et al, Genetic European Ancestry and Incident Diabetes in Black Individuals: Insights From the SPRINT Trial, Circulation: Genomic and Precision Medicine (2022). Vibhu Parcha et al, Genetic European Ancestry and Incident Diabetes in Black Individuals: Insights From the SPRINT Trial,(2022). DOI: 10.1161/CIRCGEN.121.003468 Credit: CC0 Public Domain In a study led by Cedars-Sinai, researchers have discovered two types of brain cells that play a key role in dividing continuous human experience into distinct segments that can be recalled later. The discovery provides new promise as a path toward development of novel treatments for memory disorders such as dementia and Alzheimer's disease. The study, part of a multi-institutional BRAIN Initiative consortium funded by the National Institutes of Health and led by Cedars-Sinai, was published in the peer-reviewed journal Nature Neuroscience As part of ongoing research into how memory works, Ueli Rutishauser, Ph.D., professor of Neurosurgery, Neurology, and Biomedical Sciences at Cedars-Sinai, and co-investigators looked at how brain cells react as memories are formed. "One of the reasons we can't offer significant help for somebody who suffers from a memory disorder is that we don't know enough about how the memory system works," said Rutishauser, senior author of the study, adding that memory is foundational to us as human beings. Human experience is continuous, but psychologists believe, based on observations of people's behavior, that memories are divided by the brain into distinct events, a concept known as event segmentation. Working with 19 patients with drug-resistant epilepsy, Rutishauser and his team were able to study how neurons perform during this process. Patients participating in the study had electrodes surgically inserted into their brains to help locate the focus of their epileptic seizures, allowing investigators to record the activity of individual neurons while the patients viewed film clips that included cognitive boundaries. While these boundaries in daily life are nuanced, for research purposes, the investigators focused on "hard" and "soft" boundaries. "An example of a soft boundary would be a scene with two people walking down a hallway and talking, and in the next scene, a third person joins them, but it is still part of the same overall narrative," said Rutishauser, interim director of the Center for Neural Science and Medicine and the Board of Governors Chair in Neurosciences at Cedars-Sinai. In the case of a hard boundary, the second scene might involve a completely different set of people riding in a car. "The difference between hard and soft boundaries is in the size of the deviation from the ongoing narrative," Rutishauser said. "Is it a totally different story, or like a new scene from the same story?" When study participants watched film clips, investigators noted that certain neurons in the brain, which they labeled "boundary cells," increased their activity after both hard and soft boundaries. Another group of neurons, labeled "event cells," increased their activity only in response to hard boundaries, but not soft boundaries. Rutishauser and his co-investigators theorize that peaks in the activity of boundary and event cellswhich are highest after hard boundaries, when both types of cells firesend the brain into the proper state for initiating a new memory. "A boundary response is kind of like creating a new folder on your computer," said Rutishauser. "You can then deposit files in there. And when another boundary comes around, you close the first folder and create another one." To retrieve memories, the brain uses boundary peaks as what Rutishauser calls "anchors for mental time travel." "When you try to remember something, it causes brain cells to fire," Rutishauser said. "The memory system then compares this pattern of activity to all the previous firing peaks that happened shortly after boundaries. If it finds one that is similar, it opens that folder. You go back for a few seconds to that point in time, and things that happened then come into focus." To test their theory, investigators gave study participants two memory tests. They first showed participants a series of still images and asked them whether or not they had seen them in the film clips they had viewed. Study participants were more likely to remember images that closely followed a hard or soft boundary, when a new "memory folder" would have been created. Investigators also showed participants pairs of images from film clips they had viewed and asked which of the images appeared first. Participants had difficulty remembering the correct order of images that appeared on opposite sides of a hard boundary, possibly because the brain had segmented those images into separate memory folders. Rutishauser said that therapies that improve event segmentation could help patients with memory disorders. Even something as simple as a change in atmosphere can amplify event boundaries, he explained. "The effect of context is actually quite strong," Rutishauser said. "If you study in a new place, where you have never been before, instead of on your couch where everything is familiar, you will create a much stronger memory of the material." The research team included postdoctoral fellow Jie Zheng, Ph.D., and neuroscientist Gabriel Kreiman, Ph.D., from Boston Children's Hospital; neurosurgeon Taufik A. Valiante, MD, Ph.D., of the University of Toronto; and Adam Mamelak, MD, professor of Neurosurgery and director of the Functional Neurosurgery Program at Cedars-Sinai. In follow-up studies, the team plans to test the theory that boundary and event cells activate dopamine neurons when they fire, and that dopamine, a chemical that sends messages between cells, might be used as a therapy to strengthen memory formation. Rutishauser and his team also noted during this study that when event cells fired in time with one of the brain's internal rhythms, the theta rhythma repetitive pattern of activity linked to learning, memory and navigationsubjects were better able to remember the order of images they had seen. This is an important new insight because it shows that deep brain stimulation that adjusts theta rhythms could prove therapeutic for memory disorders. "Theta rhythms are thought to be the 'temporal glue' for episodic memory," said Zheng, first author of the study. "We think that firing of event cells in synchrony with the theta rhythm builds time-based links across different memory folders." Explore further Study yields tiny targets for healing human memory More information: Gabriel Kreiman, Neurons detect cognitive boundaries to structure episodic memories in humans, Nature Neuroscience (2022). www.nature.com/articles/s41593-022-01020-w Journal information: Nature Neuroscience Gabriel Kreiman, Neurons detect cognitive boundaries to structure episodic memories in humans,(2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41593-022-01020-w A man wearing a mask walks past the 2022 sign outside an office building on Monday, March 7, 2022, in Beijing. China is seeing a new surge in COVID-19 cases across the vast country, despite its draconian "zero tolerance" approach to dealing with outbreaks. Credit: AP Photo/Ng Han Guan China is seeing a new surge in COVID-19 cases across the vast country, despite its draconian "zero tolerance" approach to dealing with outbreaks. The mainland on Monday reported 214 new cases of infection over the previous 24 hours, with the most, 69, in the southern province of Guangdong bordering on Hong Kong, which has been recording tens of thousands of cases per day. Another 54 cases were reported in the Jilin province, more than 2,000 kilometers (1,200 miles) to the north, and 46 in the eastern province Shandong. In his annual report to the national legislature Saturday, Premier Li Keqiang said China needs to "constantly refine epidemic containment" but gave no indication Beijing might ease the highly touted "zero tolerance" strategy. Li called for accelerating vaccine development and "strengthening epidemic controls" in cities where travelers and goods arrive from abroad. "Zero tolerance" requires quarantines and lockdowns on entire communities and sometimes even cities when as few as a handful of cases have been detected. Chinese officials credit the approachalong with a vaccination rate of more than 80%with helping prevent a major nationwide outbreak, but critics say it is taking a major toll on the economy and preventing the population from building up natural immunity. Residents wearing masks past by a sculpture depicting a Chinese Opera mask on Monday, March 7, 2022, in Beijing. China is seeing a new surge in COVID-19 cases across the vast country, despite its draconian "zero tolerance" approach to dealing with outbreaks. Credit: AP Photo/Ng Han Guan A man wearing a mask walks past the 2022 sign outside an office building on Monday, March 7, 2022, in Beijing. China is seeing a new surge in COVID-19 cases across the vast country, despite its draconian "zero tolerance" approach to dealing with outbreaks. Credit: AP Photo/Ng Han Guan A child wearing a mask waits at a bus stop on Monday, March 7, 2022, in Beijing. China is seeing a new surge in COVID-19 cases across the vast country, despite its draconian "zero tolerance" approach to dealing with outbreaks. Credit: AP Photo/Ng Han Guan Chinese women wearing masks past near shadows on Monday, March 7, 2022, in Beijing. China is seeing a new surge in COVID-19 cases across the vast country, despite its draconian "zero tolerance" approach to dealing with outbreaks. Credit: AP Photo/Ng Han Guan Chinese women wearing masks react to a decoration outside an office building on Monday, March 7, 2022, in Beijing. China is seeing a new surge in COVID-19 cases across the vast country, despite its draconian "zero tolerance" approach to dealing with outbreaks. Credit: AP Photo/Ng Han Guan A neighborhood watch member wearing a mask on duty at a bus stop on Monday, March 7, 2022, in Beijing. China is seeing a new surge in COVID-19 cases across the vast country, despite its draconian "zero tolerance" approach to dealing with outbreaks. Credit: AP Photo/Ng Han Guan Residents wearing masks lineup for security check in the Tiananmen Area where the annual parliamentary meetings are held on Monday, March 7, 2022, in Beijing. China is seeing a new surge in COVID-19 cases across the vast country, despite its draconian "zero tolerance" approach to dealing with outbreaks. Credit: AP Photo/Ng Han Guan No new cases were reported in Beijing and the city was largely back to normal, although masks continue to be worn in public places indoors. One area that continues to feel the effects of tight COVID-19 control is the religious sector. Three of Beijing's most famous Catholic churches, Buddhist temples and mosques stated Sunday they had been ordered closed in January with no date given on reopening. Even before the pandemic, such institutions were under heavy pressure from the Communist authorities to follow through on demands from leader Xi Jinping that all religious centers be purged of outside influence, including the physical appearance of places of worship. The latest daily case numbers mark some of the highest since the initial outbreak in the central city of Wuhan in late 2019 that is believed to have sparked the pandemic. They bring China's total to 111,195 with 4,636 deaths, according to the National Health Commission. At present, 3,837 people are receiving treatment for COVID-19, many of them infected with the omicron strain. 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain The wide inequalities in COVID-19 vaccine uptake between people from ethnic minority groups and White British people are far greater than for the pre-pandemic flu jab, a study by University of Manchester health researchers has found. The findings, published in PLOS Medicine, overturns the prevailing view that ethnic inequalities in COVID-19 vaccine uptake simply follow previous trends in people's willingness to take up vaccination. Instead, the researchers suggest, the COVID-19 vaccination program has created additional and different inequalities beyond pre-existing inequalities in vaccine uptake. Adjusting for age and clinical vulnerability, people from Arab, mixed White and Black African, mixed White and Black Caribbean, and all Black or Black British backgrounds were less than half as likely to take up COVID-19 vaccination compared to the White British group. Inequalities in COVID-19 vaccine uptake were at least double the size of flu vaccine inequalities for almost half (7/16) of ethnic minority groups. Differences between the two types of vaccine were particularly stark for those from a Bangladeshi background. After adjusting for age and clinical vulnerability, people belonging to the Bangladeshi group were almost 10% more likely to have taken up flu vaccination, yet over 40% less likely to have taken up the COVID-19 vaccine, compared to the White British group. Most worryingly, ethnic inequalities were highest amongst people at the highest risk of severe COVID-19older and more clinically vulnerable people, and those living in the most income-deprived areas. The researchers examined 752,715 people eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine between December 2020 and April 2021, and the flu vaccine between September 2019 and March 2020. "We found ethnic inequalities in COVID-19 vaccine uptake are far wider than those seen previously for seasonal Influenza vaccine, and exist even among those recently vaccinated against Influenza," said lead author Dr. Ruth Watkinson from The University of Manchester. "Further research and community engagement is needed to build trust and confidence amongst minority ethnic communities, and to better understand and remove barriers to vaccine access." Online public discussion groups with diverse members of the Greater Manchester community identified themes which could explain the inequalities. Stephanie Gillibrand, another Manchester researcher involved in the study said: "Existing mistrust stemming from racism, experiences of culturally insensitive healthcare, and awareness of previous unethical healthcare research were all themes raised in discussion groups. "Concerns about potential unknown side-effects of COVID-19 vaccines compared to existing vaccines may have been heightened among people from minority ethnic groups due to their underrepresentation in COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials. "Additional research is required to further explore the complex social, political and structural drivers and barriers to vaccine uptake which drive these statistics, as highlighted by our public engagement work" Nicolas Filer, a public contributor involved in the study said: "Especially interesting was the clear exposure of differences in vaccine uptake within different ethnic minority groups and communities within the broader widely used classifications. "Once the more special needs of some of our community were recognized and responded to by the NHS, their vaccine take up was greatly increased." Dr. Watkinson added: "Even for healthcare services provided free at the point of use, disadvantaged populations with the greatest 'need' for care tend to have lower uptake of services. "Residential segregation driven by systemic racism may have resulted in barriersin terms of journey time and costto accessing large centralized vaccination sites for some communities. "However, local solutions such as vaccine pop ups and local centers have now expanded vaccine access across Greater Manchester. These innovations, alongside providing culturally-sensitive vaccination options, are crucial for equitable access." Issues around racism were raised in the discussion groups. Some people from ethnic minority backgrounds reported difficulties booking and traveling to vaccination appointments, as well as a lack of official vaccine information translated into additional languages. While COVID-19 vaccines were initially only available at booked appointments in mass vaccination centers, flu vaccines are available through general practitioner practices and community pharmacies, which often operate drop-in services and are more accessible in areas of high deprivation. More information: Ruth Elizabeth Watkinson et al, Ethnic inequalities in COVID-19 vaccine uptake and comparison to seasonal influenza vaccine uptake in Greater Manchester, UK: A cohort study, PLOS Medicine (2022). Journal information: PLoS Medicine Ruth Elizabeth Watkinson et al, Ethnic inequalities in COVID-19 vaccine uptake and comparison to seasonal influenza vaccine uptake in Greater Manchester, UK: A cohort study,(2022). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1003932 Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Hardee spent nearly six months hospitalized with COVID-19. He suffered two strokes, COVID-induced pneumonia, a medically induced coma and several months wiped from his memory. More than a year after his initial infection, he's still not back to the person he was before the coronavirus. That's the case for many so-called COVID-19 long-haulers in Horry County, South Carolina, and across the country. Hardee's lung capacity is still only at 38%. Michelle Ford can't taste or smell her food. Robert Bellamy was diagnosed with diabetes. Dr. Lisa Centilli felt depressed, frustrated and alone. They attribute it all to the coronavirus. Lingering symptoms of COVID-19 can last long after the virus initially attacks the body. In Horry County, residents who caught COVID more than a year are still battling the lasting physical, emotional and mental effects. 'I can barely stay awake' Since it first arrived in South Carolina in March 2020, the coronavirus has stumped doctors, overwhelmed hospitals and ravaged the bodies of its victims. Some of those patients still don't feel normal in their own skin. While common long-lasting symptoms of COVID-19 include fatigue, coughing and loss of taste and smell, recovering from the virus looks different for everyone, according to Conway Medical Center Chief Medical Officer Paul Richardson. Hardee spent months on a ventilator, and it took time to walk again. Even now, his body is riddled with scar tissue. And he's preparing for a lung transplant in the coming years as he struggles with tasks he used to do with ease. "When that sets in, it hurts," Hardee said. Some who faced less extreme bouts of the illness haven't been able to shake the symptoms. Ford, a Longs mother of three who tested positive in May 2020 and is not vaccinated, says her life now bears no resemblance to her life pre-COVID. "I will talk for like, maybe two or three minutes at a time, because I literally would run out of breath," she said in January, more than 18 months after she first contracted the virus. "Even right now, I can barely stay awake." Perhaps one of the most jarring shifts attributed to the virus was Ford's loss of taste and smell. It still hasn't fully returned. "You're trying to remember what things smell like, but you can't remember," she said. "So it's like, I think I might smell something. And there's nothing." Bellamy and his wife, Conway mayor Barbara Blain-Bellamy, both tested positive in June 2020 as Horry County became a hotspot for coronavirus infections. He was able to kick most symptoms relatively quickly, but other health issues continued to crop up. After being prediabetic, Bellamy was diagnosed with diabetes following his COVID infection. His doctor told him he might have avoided that diagnosis if it wasn't for COVID. He also struggled with knee pain he hadn't felt since right after his knee replacement years ago. "When the COVID came down, I started having knee problems, really hurting every day and night," Bellamy said, who is vaccinated. "It had completely healed (before COVID)." Some may never again reach their pre-COVID baseline. Coming to terms with that has been its own type of hurdle, according to Centilli, a vaccinated family doctor at Tidelands Health. She caught the virus in 2020 and dealt with fatigue and dizziness long after the rest of her symptoms faded. "At first I was like, 'I'll be fine, I'll be fine,'" Centilli said. "And then when I wasn't getting better, I thought, 'Okay, I need to figure out what's going on.'" 'They don't see the nightmares I went through' In the early stages of the pandemic, the psychological effects of quarantine and extreme uncertainty dominated mental health conversations. For people who battled the disease, isolation was a given. For those with long-term COVID, the isolation was worse. For some, it hasn't stopped. "My friends and family, they saw how bad it was," Hardee said. "They don't see the nightmares I went through the sounds of the hospital at night, constantly, having nightmares that they're trying to fix me." "And I can't breathe. Then I wake up and I can't breathe." Before COVID, Hardee prided himself on being active, hosting gatherings for friends and neighbors. He loved his job in Georgetown with the state Department of Transportation, and you could always find him at the grill. He still hosts friends and works his grill. But it's more complicated now. Before a cookout, he thinks about his friends' vaccination status and worries about the effect smoke from the bonfire might have. Like other Horry County residents trying to bounce back, Hardee is often left feeling frustratedfrustrated his life isn't the way it once was; frustrated that simple tasks take more brain power and energy; frustrated that people don't seem to understand what the illness is putting him through. Mounting physical challenges can lead to or worsen depression and anxiety, according to Terry Pettijohn, a professor at Coastal Carolina University who specializes in social psychology. "If you've already had depression or anxiety or some of these other issues in the past, this might actually multiply that," he said. When Ford reflects on her life two years ago, it's nearly unrecognizable. "My life was so much different," she said. "I had a social life. I had friends. (I was) taking the kids on vacations, we're traveling up north ." COVID has changed that. "I don't like leaving my house anymore," she said. "And that's not who I used to be." She's wrestles with serious anxiety that grows from the uncertainty about her health. As doctors continue to learn about the effects of the evolving virus, they haven't been able to give her a definite answer as to if and when her lasting symptoms will subside. Like Hardee, the infamous "brain fog" plagues Ford. "There's days where I can't remember if I ate, took a shower," she said. "There's hours that go by that I don't even realize that have gone by." Without a solid timeline of recovery, the process can be dark. "Everyone just kind of said, 'Don't worry, it'll get better,'" Centilli said. "There was just this time period where I felt very alone it takes a toll on you mentally." 'I want to know when I'm going to have a somewhat normal life again' The past two years have tested relationships in myriad ways. In many instances, those who battled the virus have seen those tests exacerbated. Facing any disease can be isolating, and support is a must for a smooth recovery. But even with a strong support system, relationships can fray under the pressure. Ford and her children are still trying to repair what the virus broke. "It really cut between me and my kids," said Ford, a single mother. "It took a big toll on them I couldn't do anything about it." With the coronavirus, formerly private health decisions became common conversation. At times, it has also been the impetus for ending relationships. Hardee, who says he doesn't consider vaccines to be "political," has gotten both of his shots. But he's also seen friendships dissolve over the polarizing issue. He said people unwilling to get the vaccine should "go talk to (my daughter) and ask how she felt about her daddy" being in the hospital for so long. That talk, he said, will likely "change your mind to make you go to do it. Because of your family," Hardee said. Horry County COVID survivors approach the future with a complicated combination of hope and fear: Hopeful their recovery continues, but they fearful of the possibility they'll never be the same person again. "I want to know when I'm going to have a somewhat normal life again," Ford said. "Or if I'm going to." There's another worrythe possibility of catching the virus a second time. "I think about it quite a bit," Bellamy said. "I just hope I don't get it again . I don't let it change my train of thought. I do what I need to do to try to continue." Those who suspect they have long-lasting COVID symptoms should speak to their primary care doctor and find a support group to bond with others facing similar challenges, according to Richardson and Dr. Gerald Harmon, vice president of medical affairs at Tidelands Health. Centilli found such a group helpful. "I started to start to feel not so alone," she said. "In my struggle, I started to feel validated and what I was feeling, I started to feel more a sense of, 'Okay, other people are going through this.' "I'm not crazy, I can get over this." Explore further Can you get long COVID after an infection with omicron? 2022 The Charlotte Observer. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Efficacy associated with mean neutralization levels for fractional doses. Credit: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2022). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2116932119 To stretch the supply and accelerate global vaccination against the coronavirus, a team of economists is calling for the testing of fractional doses of COVID-19 vaccines. Their findings are published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. "By utilizing half doses of some COVID-19 vaccines, our projections suggest that vaccine supply could be expanded by half-a-billion doses per month," says co-author Christopher Snyder, the Joel Z. and Susan Hyatt Professor of Economics. "Vaccinating more people more quickly could help reduce illness and death. This is especially important for low- and middle-income countries who have limited access to COVID-19 vaccine supplies." The study's co-authors include Snyder's long-time collaborator Michael Kremer, a professor of economics at the University of Chicago and a 2019 Nobel Prize recipient. With 436 million COVID-19 cases reported and approaching 6 million deaths and the continued emergence of new variants, COVID-19 doesn't appear to be going away anytime soon. According to Our World in Data, about 63% of the world's population have received one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine but only 13% of people in low-income countries have received one dose. Meanwhile, some people are receiving up to four doses, illustrating disparities in vaccination. For the study, the team applied a three-pronged approach, involving clinical, epidemiological, and economic analysis, to examine the potential efficacy of fractional COVID-19 vaccine doses given that large-scale randomized controlled trials on such doses have not been conducted. All three approaches supported at least testing, if not large-scale rollout, of fractional doses: Through a synthesis of available clinical studies, the results suggest that cutting the dosage of COVID-19 vaccinesat least those that are highly effective against hospitalizations and severe disease to start withshould not be expected to cause too much of an efficacy falloff, based on projections from existing, small-scale studies of antibody responses from different dosages. The study's epidemiological modeling suggests that fractional doses can be good for public health at the population level even if the efficacy fell off more than expected based on the clinical evidence. More deaths would be averted when a higher percentage of the population is vaccinated even with a moderately less effective dose. The study uses economics to argue that commercial incentives for experimentation come nowhere close to social incentives and that testing fractional doses has huge upside potential with little downside risk. "Commercial incentives to support the testing of fractional doses of COVID-19 are not currently strong given that vaccine manufacturers make the same amount of money regardless of how quickly vaccine doses are sold," says Snyder. "But the social valuethe fact that you're protecting people from the illness and death they might suffer waiting for a vaccine, and you're also helping open up the economy more quicklyis worth trillions of dollars." For primary or booster shots, the researchers propose that governments support either experimental or observational evaluations of fractional dosing. If a major falloff in efficacy is observed, governments can always reverse course and stop the rollout and just re-vaccinate people with a stronger dosage. As countries clamor to obtain boosters against new variants, low-income countries continue to struggle with a lack of vaccine supply and high rates of infection and deaths. The study's authors say fractional dosing could not only provide immediate benefits by relaxing those supply constraints but that the benefits could redound in the future as well. "If we learn that fractional doses work for COVID-19, that's a lesson that can be 'banked' for the next pandemic, reducing the time wasted persuading officials to test a variety of dosing regimens," says Snyder. "The accelerated response can save lives not just now but in the future." Last week, funding came through to run large-scale trials in Nigeria in coordination with the Federal Ministry of Health and support of University of Chicago's Development Innovation Lab and the WAM Foundation. Since 2020, following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Snyder, Kremer, and some of the other co-authors have served as advisers to U.S. and international officials about COVID-19 vaccine funding. They have met with the U.S. Council of Economic Advisers and Domestic Policy Council, Inter-American Development Bank, World Bank, and other international organizations, and continue to present their work to stakeholders around the globe. Snyder, Kremer, and several of the other co-authors are also members of the Accelerating Health Technologies, dedicated to analyzing how to speed widespread access to vaccines and treatments, including those for COVID-19. Snyder is currently working on a funding mechanism to incentivize a universal vaccine that could combat further COVID-19 mutations and coronaviruses yet to emerge, as well as perhaps even the common cold. The incentives might favor a vaccine that could be administered nasally and stored at room temperature, reducing vaccine hesitancy and encouraging distribution to areas lacking the cold-storage infrastructure required by current COVID-19 vaccines. Explore further Third mRNA vaccine dose ups effectiveness against hospitalization Synthetic data: Median estimates of the infection rate functions under each model compared to the true infection rate function. (A) Estimates for the type 0 infection rate. (B) Estimates for the type 1 infection rate. Credit: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2022). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2118425119 A new model to analyze infectious disease outbreak data has been developed by mathematicians that could be used to improve disease tracking and control. Researchers from the University of Nottingham developed a new data-driven framework for modeling how infectious diseases spread through a population that could reduce errors in decisions made about disease control measures. Their findings have been published in PNAS. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted that the ability to unravel the dynamics of the spread of infectious diseases is profoundly important for designing effective control strategies and assessing existing ones. Mathematical models of how infectious diseases spread continue to play a vital role in understanding, mitigating, and preventing outbreaks. Dr. Rowland Seymour led the study and explains: "Most of the infectious disease models contain specific assumptions about how transmission occurs within a population. These assumptions can be arbitrary, particularly when it comes to describing how transmission varies between individuals of different types or in different locations and can be lacking in appropriate biological or epidemiological justification. this can lead to erroneous scientific conclusions and misleading predictions. Infectious diseases both within human and animal populations continue to pose serious health and socioeconomic risks. We have developed a suite of contemporary statistical methods that dispenses with the need for the underlying transmission assumptions of existing models. Our approach enables instead the analysis to be driven by evidence in the data and hence allowing policy makers to make data-driven decisions about controlling the spread of a disease. Our work is another tool in the fight against the spread of infectious diseases and we are excited to develop this framework further." The researchers developed a data-driven framework for modeling how infectious diseases spread through a population by avoiding strict modeling assumptions which are often difficult to justify. The researchers used the method to enhance understanding of the 2001 UK Foot and Mouth outbreak in which over 6 million animals were culled with a cost to the public and private purse of over 8 billion. The proposed methodology is very general making it applicable to a wide class of models, including those which take into account the population's structure (e.g. households, workplaces) and individual's characteristics (e.g. location and age). This work has opened several avenues for further research in this area, including improving its computationally efficiency and being applicable in real-time, i.e. when the outbreak is still ongoing. The latter is of material importance for policy makers and government authorities, so they can be responsive to the data that is emerging from the outbreak. Explore further Network models may help understand spread of new variants in a pandemic More information: Rowland G. Seymour et al, Bayesian nonparametric inference for heterogeneously mixing infectious disease models, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2022). Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Rowland G. Seymour et al, Bayesian nonparametric inference for heterogeneously mixing infectious disease models,(2022). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2118425119 Most of Vietnamese in three big Ukrainian cities already evacuated: ambassador Most of the Vietnamese people wishing to move out of three big cities of Ukraine, namely Kyiv, Kharkov, and Odessa, have been evacuated in the face of the complicated situation there, according to Vietnamese Ambassador to the country Nguyen Hong Thach. The Gara de Nord railway station in Bucharest, Romania, has seen the arrival of many people evacuating from Ukraine. (Photo: VNA) These three cities also house the majority of Vietnamese in Ukraine. Vietnams representative agencies in Ukraine and neighbouring countries said as of 5pm on March 6, they had received more than 2,600 Vietnamese people evacuated from war zones in Ukraine, including over 1,700 to Poland, 290 to Hungary, about 600 to Romania, and over 40 to Slovakia. The agencies have assisted them to handle entry and transit procedures, and coordinated with authorities and Vietnamese associations in the host countries to prepare transport, accommodation, and essential supplies for the evacuees. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is working closely with relevant ministries, sectors, agencies, and airlines to arrange two flights repatriating the Vietnamese and their families from Romania on March 7 and Poland on March 9. Talking to the Vietnam News Agency, Ambassador Thach said on the first one - two days of the fighting, many Vietnamese people in Ukraine didnt have intention to leave since their property and families were still there. However, after some houses of the community were damaged, his embassy has resolutely demanded them to evacuate. The embassy has coordinated with the Vietnamese communities in the three big cities of Ukraine to carry out the evacuation and already completed the task, he noted, adding that to those in smaller cities, it has also liaised and encouraged the expatriates to move to safer places. Only the Vietnamese in Kherson, which is currently under Russian control, and Mariupol, encircled by Russian forces, havent been able to leave. The embassy is exerting efforts to work with diplomatic agencies of Ukraine and Russia, as well as international organisations, to evacuate the Vietnamese people in these two cities. There are about 80 Vietnamese in Kherson and 100 others in Mariupol at present, Thach said. He added the embassy always keeps in touch with Vietnamese associations to grasp the situation, and that there havent been any reports about Vietnamese casualties in Ukraine. According Ambassador Nguyen Hung, the Vietnamese Embassy in Poland has promptly carried out citizen protection measures for those moving from Ukraine, with the highest priority given to safeguarding the lives, property, and legal and legitimate interests of Vietnamese citizens and legal entities. It has also asked the foreign ministry, border guard authority, and committee for foreigners of Poland to facilitate Vietnamese peoples entry, transit, and temporary residency and ensure accommodation and essential supplies for them. In Romania, the Vietnamese Embassy and community have also been exerting efforts to assist the Vietnamese people from Ukraine. Ambassador Dang Tran Phong said more than 800 Vietnamese moved from Ukraine to Romania as of late March 6, and the figure is likely to increase in the coming days. The embassy has been coordinating closely with Vietnamese associations to receive and arrange transport, accommodation, supplies, along with procedures for flying to the homeland for the expatriates, he added. Phong also highly valued the solidarity and wholehearted support of the Vietnamese community in Romania, who have always stayed united and greatly helped the evacuees. Meanwhile, the Vietnamese Embassy in Hungary has been working around the clock to grasp the situation and assist the Vietnamese people moving from Ukraine, Ambassador Nguyen Thi Bich Thao said, noting that the team for legal information has been working continuously to stay updated with information from Ukrainian and EU authorities to offer help in terms of procedures while the logistics team is responsible for preparing accommodation and essential goods for the evacuees. Besides, the Vietnamese community in Hungary has also raised donations to the displaced citizens from Ukraine. The embassy in Hungary received 290 Vietnamese people from Ukraine as of March 6, and about 50 others are on their way to Hungary, the diplomat said. She added most of the Vietnamese fleeing to Hungary only wish to seek temporary shelter and return to Ukraine once the situation there is settled. Only a few of them want to move to another country in the EU like Germany, the Netherlands, and the Czech Republic. Those wishing to come back to Vietnam have registered to move to Poland or Romania./. A federal grand jury indicted a Carroll County man Wednesday after he allegedly submitted $2 million worth of fraudulent invoice charges while his company performed repairs and maintenance at U.S. Postal Service facilities, the U.S. Attorneys Office for Maryland announced Thursday. Joseph Liberto, 45, of New Windsor, was indicted on 31 counts related to federal wire fraud and conspiracy. Advertisement Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 45 Christopher Jordan Ibex - White Male, DOB: 01/17/1999, Height: 600, Weight: 175lbs, Eyes: Brown, Hair: Brown, Identifying Features: None, Last Known Address: 1970 Carrollton Road, Finksburg, MD 21048. Wanted For: VOP-Malicious Dest. Of Prop/Resisting Arrest (Carroll County Sheriff's Office) According to the Office of the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Maryland, Liberto served as the president of Frederick-based Sierra Construction LLC. Between 2014 and 2018, the company contracted with EMCOR Facilities Services Customer Solutions Centers to provide repair services to Postal Service (USPS) facilities. EMCOR acted as the clearing house responsible for receiving service calls for needed maintenance and repair work on its customers facilities, including the USPS, and assigning such work to service providers, such as Liberto and Sierra, the U.S. Attorneys Office said in a news release. Advertisement Liberto allegedly schemed to defraud EMCOR and USPS by concealing Sierras use of subcontractors to carry out maintenance work it was assigned to perform, making false statements, and providing false documents to EMCOR, in order to overcharge the USPS, according to the release. Through this overbilling, the indictment alleges, Sierra obtained about $2 million. [ Hampstead bookkeeper admits stealing nearly $1M from local family business that employed her for 17 years ] If Liberto is found guilty, he would face maximum penalties of 20 years in federal prison for the conspiracy, and for each of the 30 counts of wire fraud. The actual sentence would likely be less than the maximum penalty, according to the release. An initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Baltimore had not yet been scheduled as of 5 p.m. Thursday, the release states. No attorney for Liberto was listed in online court records Thursday. Credit: Mohamed Hassan on Pixabay New recommendations for the management of hepatitis B in Australia have been released, with the authors aiming to improve awareness of chronic hepatitis B among clinicians and to increase detection of cases that currently remain undiagnosed. Published in the Medical Journal of Australia today, the recommendations have been initiated by the Gastroenterological Society of Australia (GESA) and formulated by expert gastroenterology and infectious diseases physicians with input from primary care physicians and consumer representatives. They provide guidance to clinicians managing hepatitis B and recognize groups at increased risk of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and describe appropriate and timely screening strategies. "[The statement] covers six main topics that include epidemiology, natural history, diagnosis and monitoring, treatment and complications, and specific subgroups, such as people with viral coinfection, immunosuppressed individuals, those with renal impairment and pregnant women, especially with regard to preventing vertical transmission," wrote the authors, led by Associate Professor John Lubel, a gastroenterologist and hepatologist at Alfred Health and Monash University. "The expected benefits of this consensus statement include a standardized approach to the management of hepatitis B across varied health care settings in Australia. At a community level, the benefits of producing locally relevant guidance are ultimately to improve the health care, experience and outcomes of people living with hepatitis B." In 2020 an estimated 222,559 people in Australia were living with chronic hepatitis B, representing 0.9% of the population. In Australia, 46.3% of people with chronic hepatitis B were born in the AsiaPacific region, most frequently in China, Vietnam and the Philippines. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples also have higher prevalence, representing 7% of people with chronic hepatitis B. "Australia has committed to the National Hepatitis B Strategy goals, aiming to improve diagnosis, treatment and care and therefore reduce attributable mortality," wrote Lubel and colleagues. "We remain well short of reaching targets, with an estimated 27% of chronic hepatitis B cases remaining undiagnosed, 22.6% receiving care (target 50%) and just 10.7% of people being treated (target 20%). At that rate, Australia will not reach the Strategy 2022 targets until 2045 for the proportion in care (target 50%) and 2046 for the proportion receiving treatment (target 20%). "Although the threshold of 2% prevalence is the commonly accepted cut-off for HBV screening, there are cost-effectiveness data from similar settings to Australia (US and Netherlands) supporting the application of a threshold below Australia's average prevalence of 0.9%," wrote Lubel and colleagues. "Consequently, many experts suggest universal screening could be extended to Australian adults (aged 2079 years) in whom hepatitis B status has not been documented. "In Australia, all clinicians need to recognize groups at increased risk of HBV infection and implement appropriate screening strategies," Lubel and colleagues concluded. "Once identified, monitoring and timely commencement of treatment significantly reduces complications of chronic hepatitis B. "In addition, it is imperative that clinicians understand that in chronic hepatitis B, cirrhosis is not a prerequisite for development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and non-cirrhotic people with chronic hepatitis B require risk evaluation and, where appropriate, should be enrolled into a HCC surveillance program." The full guidelines are available on GESA's website at www.gesa.org.au/education/clin -consensus-statement. Explore further Australians with hepatitis B are slipping through the cracks More information: John S Lubel et al, Australian consensus recommendations for the management of hepatitis B, Medical Journal of Australia (2022). Journal information: Medical Journal of Australia John S Lubel et al, Australian consensus recommendations for the management of hepatitis B,(2022). DOI: 10.5694/mja2.51430 Provided by Medical Journal of Australia Credit: CC0 Public Domain People who live in communities with higher levels of racial prejudice have worse health outcomes, including more heart disease and mental health problems and higher overall mortality rates, according to research published by the American Psychological Association. The researchers conducted a systematic review of fourteen papers that used data gathered from Google, Twitter and other big-data sources to look at how prejudice and health are intertwined in communities across the United States. "Racism is gaining recognition as a fundamental driver of health inequities," said lead study author Eli Michaels, MPH, a doctoral candidate at the University of California, Berkeley. "Leveraging big data to capture area-level racial prejudice is one innovative approach to measuring the overall racial climate in which people live, work, play and pray. The studies included in this review revealed that living in an area with high levels of racial prejudice may harm health and widen racial health inequities." The research was published in the journal Health Psychology. The studies in the review used a variety of sources to measure community-level racial prejudice and included tens of millions of data points from large-scale surveys, internet searches and social media. Three studies analyzed data from Google Trends on how often users' searches included a racial slur. Four studies analyzed data from Twitter on tweets that included negative sentiments toward people of color. Three studies used data from the General Social Survey, a nationally representative survey of social and political attitudes in the United States. And four studies used data from Project Implicit, an online tool that assesses people's implicit biases toward various groups. All of the data were coded by geographic area. The studies examined how these different indicators of area-level racial prejudice correlated with health outcomes among individuals living in those areas, including mortality rates, adverse birth outcomes for mothers and infants, cardiovascular outcomes, mental health and overall self-rated health. All of the studies found an association between communities' levels of racial prejudice and adverse health outcomes for the people of color who lived there; four studies also showed a similar association among white residents (two studies showed a smaller but still harmful effect on whites compared with people of color). "The majority of research on racial discrimination and health to date has focused on experiences at the individual level", said Amani M. Allen, Ph.D., MPH, a professor of community health sciences and epidemiology at the University of California Berkeley School of Public Health and senior author of the study. "The emerging body of work examined in this review is an important step in going above the level of the individual to capture the context of place and how it may impact the health of people living in those places," Allen said. "As we see from this review, living in an environment with an overall climate that is prejudiced against people of color is not only bad for racially marginalized groups, but for everyone. Area-level racial prejudice is a social determinant of population health." There are various theories as to how community racial prejudice may harm health, according to the researchers. One is that at an individual level, living in a community with more prejudice could increase the number of prejudiced interactions that a person experiences, causing harmful stress. At the community level, more racial prejudice may erode social capitaldefined as "the norms of reciprocity, trust and social obligation" in a communityleading to less social and emotional support to buffer stressful life events and less political support for policies and programs that could enhance the health and welfare of all community members. More research is needed to disentangle these various factors that may tie community-level racial prejudice to adverse health outcomes for communities overall and for people of color in particular, according to the researchers. "Because racism is multidimensional, dismantling it and its effects on health will require multidimensional solutions," Michaels said. "Research identifying the root causes of, and testing interventions to shift, our collective prejudice is an urgent priority." Explore further Racism, discrimination likely key drivers of racial inequities in preterm birth rates among black parents More information: "Area-Level Racial Prejudice and Health: A Systematic Review," by Eli Michaels, MA, Christine A. Board, Mahasin S. Mujahid, Ph.D., Corinne A. Riddell, Ph.D., Rucker C. Johnson, Ph.D., and Amani M. Allen, Ph.D., University of California Berkeley, and David H. Chae, ScD, Tulane University. Health Psychology, published online March 7, 2022. Journal information: Health Psychology "Area-Level Racial Prejudice and Health: A Systematic Review," by Eli Michaels, MA, Christine A. Board, Mahasin S. Mujahid, Ph.D., Corinne A. Riddell, Ph.D., Rucker C. Johnson, Ph.D., and Amani M. Allen, Ph.D., University of California Berkeley, and David H. Chae, ScD, Tulane University., published online March 7, 2022. Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain COVID-19 isn't the first time the world has had to deal with a global pandemicand it won't be the last. But lessons learned from previous disease outbreaks, such as HIV/AIDS, play a key role in providing the tools and insight to prepare for, control and eventually prevent future pandemics. When reports of a deadly new disease reached the public in January 2020, it was met first with indifference, then confusion and then fear. Eventually, as the mystery SARS-CoV-2 virus spread across the world, governments, scientists and world leaders scrambled to react. For anyone who could remember the first outbreaks of HIV in the 1980s, this was hauntingly familiar. Over 40 years since the first recorded case, HIV/AIDS is still a major global public health issue. In 2020 an estimated 37.7 million people were living with HIV and 680,000 people died of AIDS-related illnesses. The comparison offers a somber reminder of the devastating toll of pandemics, and how failure to prepare or work together in a global response can have enormous consequences. The HIV/AIDS community has had its share of life-saving victories, as well as losses. Important lessons should be learnt from both to guide our way out of this pandemic and prevent the next. 1. Building public trust saves lives Early cases of HIV led scientists and healthcare workers to think that the virus was only a risk to drug users and members of the LGBTQ+ community. While it was quickly proven to be a risk to everyone, unclear communication and a crumbling trust in governments allowed this harmful narrative to shape public opinion and public health responses for decades. Without accurate information about how the virus spread and who it could infect, HIV was able to transmit through populations with relative ease. At the same time, a lack of trust in government and healthcare providers made those living with HIV less likely to access proper treatment. This shows the dangers of mistrust and misinformation in public health, and we are seeing a similar problem during the COVID-19 pandemic. Early denial, lack of transparency and conflicting messaging from governments and scientists have again caused confusion and mistrust around the world, with a relentless stream of online misinformation and conspiracy theories adding fuel to the fire. During the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Wellcome Global Monitor 2020 report found a clear link between people's trust in government and their belief that their government trusts science. Yet globally, only a quarter of those surveyed said that their government values the opinions and expertise of scientists 'a lot." If governments want to build back public trust, they need to prioritize transparent leadership, clear communication and public health decisions informed by science. For those that do, the benefits are clear. In countries like Denmark, high trust levels have already led to increased rates of vaccine uptake and lower COVID-19 infection rates, contributing to one of the lowest COVID-19 death rates in Europe. 2. We need a coordinated global response A program for a global response to HIV/AIDS was only developed six years into the pandemic. By that time, the virus had already exposed and exacerbated huge inequalities in social, economic and healthcare systems around the world. Though we have come a long way over the past 40 years, many of the most affected communities still need better access to treatments and testing. The majority of people now living with HIV are in low- and middle-income countries, with East and Southern Africa regions accounting for more than two-thirds of cases worldwide. We cannot allow history to repeat itself with COVID-19. To end this pandemic the international community must come together to make sure everyone has access to vaccines and treatments, as well as the tools to track the virus to prevent future outbreaks. Programs such as the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and COVAX will be crucial to ending the COVID-19 pandemic and preventing the next. 3. One size does not fit all A pandemic, by its definition, affects a large number of people across multiple demographics, communities and geographies. Depending on who and where you are, you are likely to experience the impacts of the disease in different ways. Therefore, interventions that work for one group of people may not work for another. It didn't take long for health officials to learn that "don't share needles" was not an effective message for limiting the spread of HIV amongst drug users in the U.S.. Similarly, the guidance "Abstain, Be Faithful and Use Condoms"a public health initiative that was successful in decreasing HIV infection rates in Ugandahas been less effective in other parts of Africa where gender inequality and a lack of access to contraception or sex education remain an issue. This is a familiar challenge for the COVID-19 response. Washing your hands and working from home is unhelpful advice to a community where running water, soap and home-working are not easily accessible. While a nationwide lockdown is especially problematic if the government can't provide communities with income support, health services and access to food and water. As we see the burden of the COVID-19 pandemic move more and more towards less wealthy countries, it is important that we tailor public health communication and solutions to meet the needs of the most affected communities. We can learn a lot from the response to other disease outbreaks, where community-led solutions have helped to shape social norms and deliver important health interventions. For example, across Africa, innovative programs have helped to control the transmission of HIV by integrating testing with other healthcare services and by building local supply chains to deliver antiretroviral drugs. Actively involving the communities who are most at risk in prevention and treatment efforts will be crucial to bringing COVID-19 under control and preventing future pandemics. 4. Life-saving tools can come from unexpected places In the 1990s, former US president Bill Clinton decided to launch a bold new vaccine research center in the hope of developing an effective HIV vaccine. Though unsuccessful in this mission, their research into mRNA vaccines was fundamental in creating the first approved COVID-19 vaccine 25 years later. Likewise, the innovative PCR assay technology used to help monitor HIV patients in the height of the pandemic can now be found in the highly accurate COVID-19 tests that have been critical in controlling the spread of the virus. The moral of the story? We can't always know where the next life-saving science will come from. The pace and innovation of COVID-19 research over the past few years has been staggering. It shows what is possible given the urgency, funding and political will of a global pandemic. However, many of the milestones in COVID-19 research sit on the shoulders of breakthroughs and developments years in the making. As we work towards bringing the spread of COVID-19 under control, we cannot miss this opportunity to apply what we have learned to other deadly diseases, as well as prepare for future pandemics. Whether making use of new public health facilities to improve access to HIV testing or trialing developments in mRNA technology to create a vaccine for HIV, there are already innovative, collaborative projects looking to the future of infectious diseases. Over the next 10 years, Wellcome plans to spend 16 billion to advance scientific discovery: from exploring the factors that drive infections to developing affordable medicines and diagnostics tools. The greatest opportunities for innovation in these areas will come from a diverse and collaborative community, combining strengths from many areas of research. Explore further Fauci says COVID diverted resources from fighting AIDS Credit: CC0 Public Domain Helen McLaughlin says she was suffering so much that she would burn herself with a hot bottle "just because that was a nicer pain than the one that I was in". But when her medical scans kept coming back clear, the doctors in London made her feel like "there's nothing wrong with meit's in your head." Her story will be familiar to millions because the disease plaguing herendometriosisis suffered by one in 10 women worldwide. But endometriosis is so under-researched, and often takes so long to be properly diagnosed, that it has come to symbolise how illnesses that only affect women have long been ignored by a historically male-focused medical establishment. McLaughlin was 16 when she had her first symptoms of endometriosis, where the tissue that normally lines the inside of the uterus instead grows on the outside. When she told her GP in Britain that she was having her period every other week, he prescribed her the pill. When she was 25nearly a decade after that first misdiagnosisshe started getting increasing pain after her period"a quite intense pulling feeling in my tummy". A year later it had spread to her legs and she was "in pain 24 hours a day, seven days a week". "I had difficulty walking in and out of hospital, I couldn't work, I was put on 25 tablets a dayjust pain management." Change only came when a friend of hers said they had heard of another person with similar symptoms who had endometriosis. However when McLaughlin mentioned endometriosis at her hospital, "they were really dismissive" and she was again discharged with painkillers. "I ended up writing a three-page letter to the general surgeon just begging him" for the surgery to search for endometriosis, which neither scans nor blood tests can conclusively detect. "That's how I got diagnosed." Not a 'pink sparkly day' Now 37 and living in London, McLaughlin said International Women's Day, on Tuesday, "can't be seen as thisto use the stereotypepink sparkly day". "It's a day that needs to be taken seriously, because there is so much that affects women that just isn't addressed in the male world." A 2020 British parliamentary report found that women with endometriosis waited an average of eight years for a diagnosis, despite more than half seeing the doctor over 10 times with symptoms. A 2019 analysis of studies in the US showed it is even more difficult for women of colour to get diagnosed with endometriosis. British feminist cultural historian Elinor Cleghorn has a similar story to McLaughlin. When pain gripped her from "hip to ankle", her family GP said he couldn't see anything wrong with her, speculating it was gout. "Might I ask if an attractive young woman such as yourself might be pregnant?" the doctor asked Cleghorn, according to her 2021 book "Unwell Women: Misdiagnosis and Myth in a Man-Made World." When informed that she was on the pill, the doctor concluded, "It's probably just your hormones." After a decade of pain and frustration, a rheumatologist finally discovered the real cause: lupus. Women help men first French neurobiologist Catherine Vidal said the "so-called 'nature' of women, the representations of them as weak creatures, have long permeated medicine". Woman and girls are significantly more likely to suffer from depression than men and boys, according to the World Health Organization. Again, hormones have been traditionally blamed. But the WHO said gender norms that resulted in women having less autonomy, while carrying greater societal expectation, was to blameas well as the trauma some carry as victims of gender-based harassment and violence. Claire Mounier-Vehier, a cardiologist at the University Hospital of Lille, said another problem was that "women feel less concerned about their own health and often put it second to their family or work". A French survey showed women called an ambulance an average of 15 minutes later than men when having a heart attack. A 2019 European Society of Cardiology study also found that "women call an ambulance for husbands, fathers and brothers with heart attack symptoms but not for themselves". "We have to stop believing that when a man collapses, he is having a cardiac arrest but that when it's a woman, it's a fainting spell," Mounier-Vehier said. Explore further Researchers find that undiagnosed endometriosis compromises fertility treatment 2022 AFP The Child HeLP program was launched in Cincinnati in 2008 by Cincinnati Children's and the Legal Aid Soiciety of Greater Cincinnati. Credit: Cincinnati Children's Ever since pushing a large landlord in Cincinnati to correct toxic housing conditions in 2009, clinicians at Cincinnati Children's have had powerful anecdotal evidence that a long-running partnership with the Legal Aid Society of Greater Cincinnati was making real improvement in child health outcomes. Now they have a large body of data to prove it. In a study published March 7, 2022, in Health Affairs, researchers examined thousands of cases to demonstrate how the Child HeLP program serving southwestern Ohio has resulted in sharp reductions in hospital admissions for children during the year following a referral to the program. "If this were a pill that demonstrated a 38% reduction across so many kids in terms of hospitalization, every pharmaceutical company in the country would be going after it, and every healthcare payer would be figuring out how to cover it," says Robert Kahn, MD, MPH, Associate Chair of Community Health at Cincinnati Children's and the University of Cincinnati, and a co-author of the study. What is the Child HeLP program? Launched in 2008, the Child HeLP program (Cincinnati Child Health-Law Partnership) connects pediatric primary care patients and their families to advocates from the Legal Aid Society. Legal Aid attorneys rapidly receive referrals and begin providing assistance to lower-income families of children receiving care at the medical center's primary care clinics. Overall, the Legal Aid Society helps more than 20,000 people a year. Thousands of referrals have come directly from Cincinnati Children's since the launch of Child HeLP. Many cases involve investigating housing conditions when a child winds up needing emergency care for asthma exacerbations. Other common situations include contesting eviction notices that can leave sick children homeless, representing families tangled in public benefits disputes (e.g., unlawful denials or delays of programs like SNAP or WIC), and resolving conflicts with schools when disagreements arise over disability accommodations. Overall, the cases can be as unique as the children involved. Legal Aid serves seven counties in Southwest Ohio. Child HeLP receives referrals from three Cincinnati Children's clinics; Avondale, Hopple Street and Fairfield. Across the country, 450 health organizations have formed medical-legal partnerships, according to the National Center for Medical-Legal Partnership. However, virtually all of the agencies lack the funding to fully meet demand and many areas remain unserved. "When we started, it was a critical response to an urgent need. We've certainly found that we are stronger together. In this kind of partnership, two plus two is absolutely more than four," says Elaine Fink, JD, Managing Attorney at Legal Aid and a co-author of the study. Hard-to-measure success Pinning down the impact of a social program that involves such a wide variety of pediatric health situations was no simple task. The project involved comparing outcomes for 2,203 children referred to Child HeLP over several years to 100 randomly selected control groups drawn from a pool of 34,235 children who were seen concurrently but not referred. The researchers matched referred with control patients as closely as they could, then applied statistic weighting when some factors could not be matched with precision. Their methods were closely scrutinized by peer reviewers and editors at the journal. The work also impressed other professionals in the field. "This is a terrific study," says Laura Gottlieb, MD, MPH, a professor at the University of California, San Francisco and founding co-director of the Social Interventions Research and Evaluation Network (SIREN), a national research network that studies health care strategies to improve social conditions. "This work could only be done in a place like a Cincinnati Children's that has had such a long term dual commitment to addressing families' social/legal and medical needs and to rigorously evaluating their programs. The study adds substantively to the literature in this area, in this case demonstrating that a strong medical-legal partnership can contribute to decreasing costly and avoidable health care utilization in children." Results exceeded co-authors expectations The study's corresponding author, Andrew Beck, MD, MPH, Division of General and Community Pediatrics, worked with Kahn, Fink, and others at Cincinnati Children's and the Legal Aid Society to address the toxic housing case in Avondale. That case started in 2009 with one family facing eviction over installing an air conditioner to help a child with asthma and led to exposing problemsand making improvementsto 19 buildings controlled by the same management group. As Child HeLP continued to assist families, the team had long sought to evaluate the impact on health outcomes. "I expected there to be a decrease in hospitalizations because I have seen the legal advocacy of our partners address risks that many of our families face. Even so, I think we found more of a reduction than we expected," Beck says. Fink agrees. "I definitely did not assume anything about what this would show. There have been many medical-legal partnerships across the country, and some have been around even longer than ours, but people have not been able to demonstrate the impact through data." Next steps Co-authors say the findings support arguments for expanding the work of medical-legal partnerships. The Legal Aid Society is seeking a path to receiving funding from health care payers, like Ohio's Medicaid program, to support more services statewide. Cincinnati Children's is expanding the legal partnership concept to families treated at sub-specialty clinics through its new Health Equity Network, which includes teams seeking to eliminate inequities in child health outcomes by race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status via targeted interventions and best practices. The hope is that these efforts will result in meaningful, sustainable, and equitable improvements in child health. Increased support from health care payers for such community partnerships, the co-authors say, could accelerate the impact they can have. Explore further Leaving work to care for special needs child takes big financial toll More information: Reductions in hospitalizations among children referred to a primary care-based medical-legal partnership, Health Affairs (2022). Journal information: Health Affairs Reductions in hospitalizations among children referred to a primary care-based medical-legal partnership,(2022). www.healthaffairs.org/doi/full 7/hlthaff.2021.00905 Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Transgender individuals are less likely to have had a primary care visit in the last year than cisgender individuals, despite having more chronic conditions. A study from Regenstrief Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine and Eskenazi Health explores the healthcare experiences of transgender patients and has uncovered three major barriers this group faces in accessing healthcare. A cisgender person is someone whose sense of personal identity and gender corresponds with their sex assigned at birth. To better understand the challenges, perceptions and feelings of transgender patients seeking care, the research team interviewed 21 adult patients in the Gender Health Program at Eskenazi Health in Indianapolis, a comprehensive healthcare clinic for transgender and gender-diverse adults. The interviews revealed transgender patients in Indiana face barriers related to: A lack of willing or knowledgeable providers Geography Long wait times for appointments "When we spoke to these patients, many described difficulties in being able to find a provider that could or would treat them. Some traveled for hours just so they could be seen in an affirming setting with providers knowledgeable about transgender health," said first author Joy L. Lee, Ph.D., M.S., research scientist at Regenstrief Institute and assistant professor of medicine at IU School of Medicine. "These interviews speak to the need for more primary care providers who can treat transgender patients and highlight the need to create healthcare spaces that feel safe for transgender individuals." Transgender patient experiences One patient told the research team, "[The transgender clinic physician] is more than willing to be my primary care doctor. His only concern is that he's a hundred miles away, quite literally. I'm a little worried as to where I'm going to find primary care." Other patients reported being uncomfortable in care settings outside of the transgender clinic. "It didn't feel safenot that anybody was mean or anything. It's just that you get in there and you're all nervous because now you have to explain who you are to somebody. I know they're professionals and I'm [probably] not the first trans person they ever saw. But you never know. Sometimes it's hard." Many reported that providers actually looked to the patient for guidance on transgender-specific care. "All I've ever done is had to educate them," one patient said. "Educate doctors. Educate pharmacists." Overall, patients reported very positive experiences in the transgender clinic. One shared the experience, "[My doctor] doesn't make me feel like I'm a man coming into the transgender clinic. He makes me feel like I'm wanted. He talks to me as if I'm a woman. It just feels like a regular doctor's appointment [where] I'm going to go get checked up." However, travel and wait times for transgender care clinic appointments can be prohibitive for patients. "A supportive care environment, whether it is a specialty clinic or a primary care office, is so crucial for these individuals who have many unique needs," said Janine M. Fogel, M.D., a study author, the medical director of the Gender Health Program at Eskenazi Health and assistant professor of clinical family medicine and clinical medicine at IU School of Medicine. "This study is noteworthy because it gives us insight into the experiences of transgender patients in the Midwest, highlighting experiences of rural patients." "Our research indicates that transgender patients are having their needs partially met by the comprehensive care model, but there is a long way to go to make quality care accessible to everyone," said senior author Marianne Matthias, Ph.D., Regenstrief research scientist and associate research professor of medicine at IU School of Medicine. "These findings set the stage to develop future interventions aimed at expanding the capacity of providers and health systems to address the healthcare needs of transgender patients." In addition to Drs. Lee, Matthias and Fogel, the other authors are Monica Huffman, B.S., of Regenstrief, Nicholas A. Rattray, Ph.D., of Regenstrief, IU School of Medicine, and the VA Health Services Research and Development Center for Health Information and Communication (VA HSR&D CHIC); Jennifer L. Carnahan, M.D., MPH, of Regenstrief and IU School of Medicine; Dennis Fortenberry, M.D., M.S., of IU School of Medicine and Michael Weiner, M.D., MPH, of Regenstrief, IU School of Medicine and VA HSR&D CHIC. Explore further Transgender women may be more likely to have type 2 diabetes than cisgender women More information: Joy L. Lee et al, "I Don't Want to Spend the Rest of my Life Only Going to a Gender Wellness Clinic": Healthcare Experiences of Patients of a Comprehensive Transgender Clinic, Journal of General Internal Medicine (2022). Journal information: Journal of General Internal Medicine Joy L. Lee et al, "I Don't Want to Spend the Rest of my Life Only Going to a Gender Wellness Clinic": Healthcare Experiences of Patients of a Comprehensive Transgender Clinic,(2022). DOI: 10.1007/s11606-022-07408-5 Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain The University of Oxford and the Ifakara Health Institute today announced the vaccination of the first participants in a Phase Ib/II trial testing a novel rabies vaccine in human volunteers in Tanzania. The new RAB002 trial builds on encouraging results from a recent, smaller study of the same vaccine in the UK. Up to 192 healthy people will be randomly assigned to receive one dose of Oxford's ChAdOx2 RabG vaccine, or one or two doses of a currently licensed rabies vaccine. The study aims to show whether a single dose of the Oxford vaccine has the potential to induce protective immune responses comparable to existing vaccines. Dr. Sandy Douglas, Research Group Leader and Chief Investigator of the trial, said: "Many people are unaware that rabies still kills about 50,000 people every year, mostly in Asia and Africait's the only known viral infection with essentially 100% fatality. Current rabies vaccines are effective but they require multiple doses and they're too expensive for broad use. A single-dose, low cost vaccine would be a game changerthis trial should show us whether our new vaccine could provide that." One year after receiving their study vaccinations, all participants will receive two doses of a currently licensed rabies vaccine. This will offer all study participants robust protection against rabies, regardless of how well the Oxford vaccine works. This will also show whether the new vaccine creates strong immunological 'memory' which can then be 'recalled' quickly by a further vaccination. This recall would be important to providing robust protection in the event of an exposure to rabies. The vaccine has been designed to be used in a single dose regimen, with currently approved human vaccines relatively expensive and requiring repeated dosing, limiting their use where they are needed most. It is based on the ChAdOx2 vector. This is a weakened version of a common cold virus (adenovirus) that has been genetically modified so that it is impossible for it to replicate in humans, and is similar to the technology used successfully in the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. Dr. Ally Olotu of the Ifakara Health Institute and Principal Investigator of the trial, said, "Rabies causes more than 1,500 deaths annually in Tanzania and imposes a significant financial burden to the poorest in the community who require PEP and supportive treatment following a bite with rabid animal. Developing vaccines that are cheaper and require less encounter with health facility can reduce inequities and facilitate compliance. "This study will generate important data on safety and ability of the candidate vaccine to induce effective immune responses and their duration in an endemic population. The Ifakara Health Institute has a long track record of evaluating health innovations that aims to improve people's health and well-being. We are happy to work with University of Oxford on this important study." Dr. Douglas added, "Rabies really should be consigned to history. It's a privilege to work with such an expert team of African scientists to develop a new, modern tool to fight this terrible disease." Following vaccination, participants will be monitored closely through several visits over 18 months. Initial results from the recently completed UK trial will be published soon. Initial results from the new study in Tanzania are expected later this year, with full results in late 2023. Explore further Ebola vaccine to begin human trials MONDAY, March 7, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Antidepressants don't always help ease depression and anxiety in pregnant women and new moms, according to a new study. "This is the first longitudinal data to show that many pregnant women report depression and anxiety symptoms during pregnancy and postpartum, despite their choice to continue treatment with antidepressants," said senior author Dr. Katherine Wisner. She directs the Asher Center for the Study and Treatment of Depressive Disorders at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago. The new research "lets us know these women need to be continually monitored during pregnancy and postpartum, so their clinicians can tailor their treatment to alleviate their symptoms," Wisner said in a university news release. For the study, 88 pregnant U.S. women completed assessments every four weeks from the time they joined the study until delivery, and at six and 14 weeks after giving birth. During pregnancy, 18% of the women had minimal, 50% had mild and 32% had clinically relevant symptoms of depression, the study found. Despite taking antidepressants called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), many women had lingering depression throughout their pregnancy and after giving birth. Anxiety was also common in treated women, with symptoms worsening over time in some, according to findings published March 4 in the journal Psychiatric Research and Clinical Practice. "Psychological and psychosocial factors change rapidly across childbearing," said co-author Dr. Catherine Stika, a clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern. "Repeated screenings will allow your clinician to adapt the type and/or intensity of intervention until your symptoms improve." The researchers also noted that depression in mothers affects their babies. "This is key as children exposed to a depressed mother have an increased risk of childhood developmental disorders," Wisner said. The study also found that pregnant women taking antidepressants had other health issues such as excess weight, infertility, migraines, thyroid disorders and asthma. A history of eating disorders predicted higher levels of depression. Depression and anxiety affect 20% of women during pregnancy and after birth. That translates to an estimated 500,000 U.S. women who have or will have mental illness during pregnancy, the researchers said. More information The March of Dimes has more about depression during pregnancy. SOURCE: Northwestern University, news release, March 4, 2022 You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Originally published on consumer.healthday.com, part of the TownNews Content Exchange. MONDAY, March 7, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- There is no amount of alcohol that is good for your brain. So claims a new study that found even light to moderate drinking can age the brain faster than normal. Previous research has shown that heavy drinkers have changes in brain structure and size that are associated with thinking and memory problems. In this new study, researchers analyzed data from the U.K. Biobank on more than 36,000 British adults and found that just a few glasses of beer or wine a week was associated with reductions in overall brain volume. The more people drank, the stronger the association. For example, the researchers said that as average drinking among 50-year-olds increased from one alcohol unit (about half a beer) a day to two units (a pint of beer or a glass of wine), there were associated changes in the brain equivalent to aging two years. Going from two to three alcohol units at the same age was like aging 3.5 years. "The fact that we have such a large sample size allows us to find subtle patterns, even between drinking the equivalent of half a beer and one beer a day, said study co-author Gideon Nave, from the University of Pennsylvania. "These findings contrast with scientific and governmental guidelines on safe drinking limits," said co-author Dr. Henry Kranzler, director of the university's Center for Studies of Addiction. "For example, although the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism recommends that women consume an average of no more than one drink per day, recommended limits for men are twice that, an amount that exceeds the consumption level associated in the study with decreased brain volume," Kranzler explained in a UPenn news release. The findings may prompt drinkers to reconsider how much alcohol they consume, according to the researchers. "There is some evidence that the effect of drinking on the brain is exponential," said co-author Remi Daviet, from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. "So, one additional drink in a day could have more of an impact than any of the previous drinks that day. That means that cutting back on that final drink of the night might have a big effect in terms of brain aging." That suggests that "the people who can benefit the most from drinking less are the people who are already drinking the most," Nave said. The study was published March 4 in the journal Nature Communications. The study authors would like to conduct further research to get more answers about alcohol use and the brain. "This study looked at average consumption, but were curious whether drinking one beer a day is better than drinking none during the week and then seven on the weekend, Nave said. "Theres some evidence that binge drinking is worse for the brain, but we havent looked closely at that yet." More information For more on alcohol and the brain, see the U.S. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. SOURCE: University of Pennsylvania, news release, March 4, 2022 You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Originally published on consumer.healthday.com, part of the TownNews Content Exchange. Students in Frenchtown are able to earn college credit before they graduate from high school through a new program through Missoula College. Through the Bronc Fast Track program, 30 students will be able to earn a general studies certificate concurrently with their high school diploma starting next school year during their sophomore year. We are thrilled about the streamlined nature of this program, which is ultimately an accelerated path to a college degree that will save students time and money while helping to prepare them for the expectations and responsibilities of postsecondary education, said Jake Haynes, principal of Frenchtown High School. Thirty-nine students applied for 30 available slots for the first class. Frenchtown High School counselor Beth Terzo was excited to see how many students were interested in even applying, she said. I was already planning on taking most of the classes required for the program, and if I can save time and money and get my first year of college out of the way it was like a win-win, said Maya Skinner, a Frenchtown freshman who was recently admitted into the program. Students will take a business and biology class their sophomore year to kick-start their dual credit pathway. More classes will be required during their junior and senior years, including a rigorous math course, college-level English, Montana ecosystems, public speaking and American history. I think the way we have it structured the sophomores are going to be successful, Terzo said. Students can earn between 30 and 37 college credits before they graduate. Its a good opportunity to get a year ahead for college, said Colter Zenner, who was also recently admitted to the program. Its going to help save money and help guide me into the right direction to the career I want to go into. For me, I want to be an architect or an engineer. Tuition for the Bronc Fast Track program ranges from $1,085 to $1,915. The first six credits are free, and all remaining credits are discounted by 50% with no Missoula College fees. There is financial aid available for students who qualify. Its estimated that students in the program could potentially save up to $15,000 by earning credits that they would normally pay for during their freshman year of college. I wanted to do it, but then when I told my parents they were excited that it would help pay for college early. They were definitely all for it, said Quinn Hodge. The dual credits for a general studies certificate through Missoula College meet the Montana University System core requirements and can also be transferred to other campuses outside of the University of Montana. Terzo is optimistic that this new program will take some of the guesswork out of preparing and applying for college after high school. I feel like its going to help retention rates, I think those students who have built that relationship are definitely more likely to come back for that next year just because theyre already comfortable, Terzo said. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. For the past year, Ive been living in Baltimore, where I managed to forget what it felt like to be different. But moving back to Hagerstown this summer reminded me of the intense Islamophobia that has intoxicated the United States. For those of you who dont know what its like to be a Muslim in rural America, let me brief you: Advertisement Being Muslim is driving in your car and being flipped off just for existing. Being Muslim is heading to your brothers wedding, lost in the excitement, when you hear a string of curse words being launched at you. Advertisement Being Muslim is feeling like an exotic animal at the zoo, when you hear the words, directed at you: Ive never seen one in real life, ewwww. Being Muslim is going to the mall with your friends only to hear the lady next to you complain to her husband because of your presence in the store. It is pretending not to notice that she is staring at you as you hear her tell her husband that she wishes she could punch you in the face. Being Muslim is feeling obliged to look as non-threatening and amicable as possible. It is feeling the need to change yourself, change your mood so other people feel more comfortable. It is fear in your heart. It is words of resistance dancing on your tongue that you just cant manage to get out. It is trying to apologize for crimes you didnt commit. It is being called a terrorist despite being so terrified. I dont worry about myself. I worry about my brothers and sisters, I worry about our youth who have had to grow up with such intense bigotry. Advertisement Last week, a 9-year-old girl came up to me with a bright and beautiful smile on her face. Salaam (an Islamic greeting of peace), I was just wondering, what I should say if someone calls me a terrorist? I told her about empowerment, confidence and fighting for justice. I told her about MLK and our prophet (peace be upon him) and the thousands of battles that people have led before us. I told her to resist and, as Eleanor Roosevelt said, no one can make you feel inferior without your consent. I told her about loving herself and her identity. I told her when someone calls you a terrorist, you do not laugh it off as a joke, you dont try to smile and pretend nothing happened, you dont accept the label that is being placed on you. You resist. You break free. And when the world tries to tie you down, when it tries to put a tape on your mouth, you scream that much louder. As I was telling her all of this I realized that I am the height of hypocrisy. I said all of these words to her but I have failed to implement them in my life. I forgot how to fight. How to be unapologetically Muslim, unapologetically confident, empowered and passionate. But experience is the greatest teacher, and I am a pretty good student. I will no longer keep that smile plastered on my face, continue to ignore, continue to pretend. To do so, would fly in the face of those famous words in the Declaration of Independence that launched our country 241 years ago: We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. With all of its pain, bigotry and heartbreak, I still love the United States. And I have faith that one day, those words will ring true for all of us. Advertisement Maheen Haq (ham14@umbc.edu) is a student at University of Maryland Baltimore County. " " Email sometimes seems to rule our lives, so it's helpful to know that the average recipient is most comfortable reading a 10- or 12-point email in a sans-serif font. Nick Youngson CC BY-SA 3.0 Alpha Stock Images While the days of illegibly handwritten business correspondence may be mostly in the past save a nice thank you note here and there we still have to decide which font is the most readable for all things typed, such as email. Inc. magazine, in fact, reports that we send upward of 269 billion emails every day, and according to DMR, the average office worker received 121 emails per day as of 2015. With masses of information zooming through cyberspace and being checked on smart phone screens more than ever a 2017 study by Return Path found that 55 percent of emails were opened on a mobile device, up 29 percent from 2012 providing clear text is key to getting your message across. And the right font goes a long way toward achieving that goal. Advertisement When choosing a font for business email communication, two important terms to consider are serif and sans-serif because this determines whether the font has little tails at the edges serif or not. Sans-serif literally means "without serif," or no tails. Graphics and typography experts agree that within the digital realm sans-serif fonts are easier to read. A study by Dr. Ralph F. Wilson, aka Doctor Ebiz, showed this to be true and that most viewers were comfortable with a 12-pt. font or even a 10-pt. font, but not smaller sizes. There are plenty of sans-serif fonts to choose from, and each name is more enticing than the next Aller, Avant Garde, Futura, Univers and so many more. But because the goal is clarity, it's best to opt for a font that most computers already include, otherwise you run the risk of having your chosen font converted to whatever system font the recipient has set in their email client. "For example, Gmail does not support web fonts," says C. Michael Frey, a Los Angeles-based graphic designer. "Considering it's the second most commonly used email client, this is a very important consideration." Frey recommends using Arial or Helvetica. " " Arial and Helvetica are the two best fonts to use for business email purposes just make sure you don't go any smaller than 10 points in size. Wikimedia Commons "These are both system fonts that are available on every computer and are easy to read," he says. "While there are other fonts available like Courier or the dreaded Comic Sans, it's best to avoid these if you want your recipient to take you seriously. Just like with branding, the wrong font choice can give people a very specific idea about who you are." You might love the curves of Garamond or the tradition of Bookman Old Style, but you'll have to save those for printed materials. When it comes to email communication, sans-serif rules the day, around 121 times every day. Now That's Interesting In 1991, the crew of STS-43 Atlantis used Apple's early AppleLink software on a Macintosh Portable to transmit the first email from space. It read: "Hello Earth! Greetings from the STS-43 Crew. This is the first AppleLink from space. Having a GREAT time, wish you were here... send cryo and RCS! Hasta la vista, baby... we'll be back!" " " This graphic shows a simple illustration of the food supply chain, from farm to table. Icograms.com/Howstuffworks.com If you've been to a supermarket in the past month or so, you may have been shocked by the sight of empty shelves and cartons of eggs that cost up to three times as much as usual. It's been more difficult to get meat as well. In early April, a major meat processing plant had to shut down indefinitely because employees tested positive for COVID-19, and since then, scores of other meat plants across the U.S. have closed or else are running at limited capacity. Meanwhile, in California, which produces much of the nation's fruit and produce, are struggling. A survey released May 5 by the California Farm Bureau Federation found that one third of farmers haven't been able to start routine planting cultivation and care of crops because they lack protective equipment for their laborers, who must work in close proximity to one another. Even with all this grim news, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief economist wrote in an April 16 blog post that the department's data indicated that "the U.S. agricultural market will remain well supplied and food will continue to be affordable." Even so, the still-escalating crisis clearly has put stress on the supply chain that normally enable foodstuffs to get from farm fields to Americans' dinner tables, and do it so efficiently that many of us probably barely even think about where our usual bountiful supply of fresh fruit, veggies, meats and countless varieties of pasta and breakfast cereal comes from. Even fast food giant Wendy's had to pull burgers and other beef dishes from the menus of nearly 1,000 of its restaurants because of a meat shortage, while Beyond Meat, the plant-based alternative to beef, reported skyrocketing first quarter sales increases of 141 percent. Advertisement Coronavirus Rocked the Nation's Food Supply Experts say that the risk of COVID-19 has forced food processing plants to utilize precautions that have slowed production lines, and reduced the variety of products in the interest of efficiency. Additionally, as shutdown orders deter Americans from dining out, the surge in demand for food that can be prepared at home and the difficulty of making it available to consumers while maintaining social distancing has compelled grocery stores to revamp their way of doing business on the fly. Even after the pandemic eventually becomes a bad memory, the changes and innovations that resulted from it may permanently alter the way that Americans get their food. One of the biggest challenges has been that the pandemic forced a sudden, drastic change in where and what Americans eat. In normal times, for every dollar that Americans spend on food, 54 cents of every dollar goes to eating in restaurants or buying takeout meals, according to Doug Baker. He's vice president of industry relations for FMI, the Food Industry Association, which represents producers and retailers. But starting in mid-March, as states began imposing lockdown and stay-at-home orders, that all abruptly changed. With schools and businesses closing down in rapid succession, Americans of all ages soon were eating all of their meals at home, and needing more and more groceries. "It was almost a perfect storm, in terms of food industry," Baker says. Advertisement What's Changed for Farmers and Food Producers? The sudden change created massive problems for farmers and food producers, who were used to growing and packaging a lot of their output in industrial-size quantities for restaurants and school cafeteria kitchens. As this New York Times article describes, without restaurants frying onion rings a food that people seldom make at home there suddenly was no market for 50-pound (22-kilogram) sacks of onions. Ditto for the vast quantities of milk that go into lattes and other drinks at coffee shops across the land. That left farmers with little choice but to dump or bury their output, and led critics to castigate the Department of Agriculture for what they said was slowness in reorganizing to get the surplus to people who needed it. "It's not a lack of food, it's that the food is in one place and the demand is somewhere else and they haven't been able to connect the dots", former Obama Administration Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack told Politico in late April. "You've got to galvanize people." Meanwhile, ordinary consumers were clamoring for different foods and other products that they were afraid they might not be able to get. "Early on, it was home cleaning products, household care, personal health," Baker recalls. "Then as we came into the major spike, and people were asked to be able to shelter in place, the concern became being able to access food." Initially, people cleared the shelves of perishable products such as milk, eggs and bread, and gradually, as fears of quarantines arose, they began grabbing up canned and frozen vegetables, pasta, ramen noodles, and other stuff that would last longer in a crisis. According to Baker, the result was an unprecedented surge in demand that peaked during the third week in March, with the nation's grocery retailers seeing sales go up by 30 percent. "It was sort of like having Easter every day, " Baker says. After that, demand eased off a bit, with people following government orders to stay at home, or else not feeling comfortable going out and possibly risking infection. But by then, the shift in consumption already had rocked the nation's food supply chain, in which products pass through a variety of stages before they reach the people who eat them. As Baker describes, food that's grown on farms goes to processing plants, where it's made into products and packaged. Then it's shipped to warehouses, which in turn deliver it to grocery stores, where it's picked off the shelves and tossed into shopping carts by the eventual users. " " The food supply chain starts at the farm with the farmers. Thomas Barwick/Getty Images Advertisement The Food Supply Chain During Normal Times In normal times, the different parts of the supply chain each maintain several months' worth of safety stock, so that they can cope with fluctuations in supply and demand. When the coronavirus crisis hit, though, those backup supplies throughout the system were used up in just 10 days, according to Baker. Replenishing those supplies of food has been tougher, because of the coronavirus. So far, only a few facilities actually have had to suspend operations due to COVID-19 cases among the workforce, according to Martin Bucknavage, a senior food safety extension associate in the food science department at Penn State University. But staying open has necessitated changes in practices that can slow down and limit output. "These precautions are necessary to help protect workers who may work in close proximity to each other on production/processing lines," Gregory P. Martin, a poultry extension educator for Penn State Extension, explains via email. "Hand sanitizing and donning outerwear are normal practices in food processing plants, so additional personal protection equipment would be another layer of protection for the worker." "It has been an adjustment for facilities to adjust, for example, to enact spacing, where possible and other precautions," Bucknavage says. "We may be able to tell more after a few more weeks regarding supply chain issues." In order to keep production rolling with those added measures, "many operations have simplified their product offerings, and this is one thing that is noticeable at the grocery store less selection, for example and sizes," Bucknavage explains. " " If a farmer can't get his product to the market, either directly or through another means of distribution, then that breaks the supply chain. Thomas Barwick/Getty Images Advertisement How Food Suppliers Are Adjusting In order to cope with the demand, food manufacturers started cutting the warehouse step out of the chain, shipping from their plants directly to supermarkets. But at the retail end, other challenges emerged. As stores rushed to install plexiglass sneeze shields for cashiers and equip employees with protective gear, consumers increasingly began ordering their food online, either from stores or food delivery services such as Instacart, FreshDirect and Peapod. Before the pandemic, about 3 percent of grocery stores' business was e-commerce, according to Baker. While hard figures aren't yet available, retailers have seen rises ranging from 12 and 20 percent, he says. This is significant, because buying groceries over the internet turns out to be surprisingly labor-intensive. "As a customer, I normally pick my food and put it into basket myself," Baker says. "Now, grocers have to do it." There's only so much labor to handle those orders, which is forcing grocery stores to schedule curbside pickup and delivery windows days in advance, due to the demand. (Here are more details from GroceryDive on how e-commerce grocery services scrambled to keep up.) Additionally, the sudden surge in e-commerce means that store employees or delivery-service workers are grabbing groceries and products off the same shelves that old-school in-person shoppers are relying upon, so there's not as much stuff for them. To fix that problem, Baker says, some retailers have been setting up separate, automated micro-fulfillment centers, which get their own shipments of groceries. The micro-fulfillment centers are a grocery industry trend that most likely will accelerate, according to Baker. Additionally, even before COVID-19 retailers, such as Walmart had begun to look at using autonomous vehicles to make deliveries. At some point in the future, it may be that when you order groceries online, robots will handle much of the process of getting it to you. That could make it a lot easier to get food during future pandemics. For the present, though, U.S. food supply chain will continue to depend upon human labor. Even with added precautions that makes them vulnerable to COVID-19, especially if the virus rapidly spreads in rural areas the way that it has hit urban populations. There are worrisome signs that is already happening. An analysis from the Kaiser Family Foundation showed that mostly rural counties saw a 125 percent increase in coronavirus cases and a 169 percent increase in coronavirus-related deaths in the two weeks prior to April 27, which was higher than cases in metro counties, where a significant part of the U.S. population lives. "Categories which are produced in indoor, large-scale labor intensive plants (such as meat) are most at risk," explains Karan Girotra, a professor of operations, technology and information management at Cornell University and an expert in supply chain, explains via email. "As social distancing is harder in these factories, employees are financially insecure, labor is often migrant labor, and there is limited access to health care for these employees. So they are vulnerable and given the high level of consolidation, even one facility or one breakout can take significant supply off the market. Labor is the weakest link in these categories." Now That's Interesting A poll conducted in mid-March on behalf of online loan marketplace LendingTree found that 63 percent of Americans had purchased supplies related to the coronavirus outbreak, such as food, cleaning products and medication, with the average consumer spending $178.44. Advertisement Originally Published: Apr 16, 2020 Burke County Public Schools wrapped up its eighth annual Souperintendents Souper Bowl Canned-Food Drive on Feb. 14. After taking a year off due to the pandemic last year, the district resumed its annual drive this year for local food pantries. District-wide, schools collected 45,050 pounds of food with five local charities benefiting from the food drive, including Burke United Christian Ministries, the Glen Alpine Food Pantry at Glen Alpine United Methodist Church, East Burke Christian Ministries, Abernethy Memorial United Methodist Church in Rutherford College and East Burke High Schools own food pantry. The school systems food drive starts each year during the week students return from Christmas break and runs until the week after the Super Bowl. Schools decorate their collection barrels and staff, students and the community are invited to fill them with non-perishable food items. I am very impressed with the amount of food our schools collected, BCPS Superintendent Dr. Mike Swan said. The schools had fun with the drive, and kudos to our principals for finding creative ways to incentivize students and staff to donate. While Salem, Ray Childers, Mountain View, George Hildebran and W.A. Young elementary schools were our top collectors, the real winners are the people of the community who depend on our local food pantries during times of food insecurity. This canned food drive started in 2014, and now I am so proud to be able to continue the legacy of this great cause. Linda Schmickle, director of the Glen Alpine Food Pantry, said she was excited to be included in this years drive. They brought in 23 barrels of food. We got over 5,000 pounds, she said. Weve spent three days going through and sorting it and we still have more to go through. Over the past eight years, the drive has collected 189,817 pounds of food for local food pantries. HICKORYCVCCs Redhawk Publications is excited to announce the launch of a three-book series entitled, Beach Day, Park Day and Play Day by Morganton author Nina Meier. Meier, a medical transcriptionist, said she began writing at a young age. As a child, I often wrote short stories and even had one published in a childrens magazine, she said. In school, I enjoyed English literature class, adding British or Irish accents for the main characters. The series grew out of Meiers desire to present a unique gift to her grandchildren. Since there are many family members who love giving gifts to children, finding something unusual to give my two granddaughters was quite a challenge, she said. Instead of simply buying them books, I decided to create memories for them through stories I wrote myself. Hopefully, other young children can now enjoy having these stories read to them, or perhaps early readers would find them fun to read themselves. Robert Canipe, senior editor of Redhawk Publications, described the new series. Beach Day, Park Day and Play Day by Nina Meier are full of vivid imagery, Canipe said. The books in the series will expand each readers imagination and cause the reader to feel like they are personally experiencing the events in each book. I appreciate that Meier worked alongside her husband, who illustrated Beach Day, Park Day, and Play Day, because it made everything in the book seem more realistic and tangible. Meiers books are great for young children who are just beginning to read. Meier has published one other book called, Baileys Cave Adventures. To purchase Beach Day, Park Day, and/or Play Day, visit Adventure Bound Books in downtown Morganton, or visit https://tinyurl.com/NinaMeierBooks Redhawk Publications is an artistic initiative of the Catawba Valley Community College, publishing written works of interest to the local community and beyond. Established in 2017, CVCC is the only state community college with a publishing press containing more than 65 unique titles. For more information on Redhawk Publications, contact Patty Thompson at pthompson994@cvcc.edu. ZAHONY, Hungary (AP) The violin was so beloved by Myroslava Sherbina it was the one item she took as she fled Ukraine, along with the clothes she wore. But the instrument has remained silent since the start of Russia's invasion of her country. "I didn't want to play so I could hear the sirens and we could go to the bomb shelter," the 20-year-old Sherbina said. She is among the more than 1.7 million people who have fled Ukraine in what the United Nations calls Europe's fastest-growing refugee crisis since World War II. The number is up from 1.5 million on Sunday, the U.N. refugee agency said. Sherbina spoke to The Associated Press at a train station in Hungary, one of dozens of musicians with the Youth Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine who are now refugees. But that wasn't the end of their journey. They were on their way to Slovenia as part of a joint evacuation mission with a Slovenian orchestra. Cellos, violins, violas and other instruments lay on the train platform next to their young and disoriented owners. Hours-long train delays caused by the surge of Ukrainians toward borders meant that about 30 of the musicians were still unaccounted for. "There's a group of about 90 people coming to this particular train station," said Uros Dokl, a volunteer from Slovenia who came the 665 kilometers (413 miles) to greet the orchestra members. "Not all of them are members of the orchestra, but they are young people playing music, and young people of course need guidance." Sherbina, the violin player, said she's confident the war in Ukraine will end soon and she'll be able to return to home. Until then, she'll refine her skills in Slovenia, a country she's never visited. "I want to feel safe so I can practice, and not think that a bomb can fall and ruin my house," she said. Some 4 million people may flee Ukraine if Russia's offensive continues, the U.N. has said. On Monday, the European Union's foreign affairs policy chief Josep Borrell urged the mobilization of "all the resources" of the 27-nation bloc to help countries welcoming them. In a sign of the Vatican's concerns, a cardinal dispatched by Pope Francis on a mission to promote peace traveled to the Polish-Ukrainian border on Monday to meet with refugees. He will highlight "the sad similarity between the Ukrainians' sufferings and the protracted conflicts that no longer attract the world's attention," the Vatican said, citing the pope's frequent denunciation of suffering in wars in Ethiopia, Yemen and Syria. Uncertainty and relief continued at the border as thousands of arriving Ukrainians were met by strangers offering care. Many were wrapped in blankets. Some held small children. They sought the basic necessities: food, shelter, sleep, support. Under a canopy next to the train station in the Hungarian border town of Zahony, Tamas Marghescu stirred a large cauldron of traditional meat stew in preparation for hundreds of hungry refugees. As an outdoorsman and the Hungary director for the International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation, he called the meal well-suited to the needs of those who shivered in line for hours at the border. "When you're at home watching the news, you feel so helpless," his wife, Ilona, said. "And not that this is such a big act, but it's important for people when they come off those trains to have somebody smiling at them and to know that there are people here that care." The couple said they felt a responsibility to help those who fled. Ilona's parents left Hungary for Australia during World War II, while Marghescu's family twice fled Soviet domination, after the war in 1948 and again after the brutal Soviet repression of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution. "My parents are still telling me stories about when they were refugees and they were looked after," said Marghescu, His wildlife organization has set up similar outdoor kitchens at the Polish, Slovakian and Romanian borders with Ukraine. "It's a traditional meal and it's cooked with love," his wife said. In Moldova, some families were opening homes to refugees. "It was a natural and beautiful process," said Sabina Nadejdin, who hosts pregnant Anastacsia Luybimova and her three small children. Like most others, Luybimova's husband stayed behind in Ukraine. Lifting her hand from her belly, she showed a heart tattoo that she and her husband got on their ring fingers when they married. In Poland, where more than 1 million refugees have arrived, 17-year-old Polish volunteer Zuzana Koseva described them as "just very, very tired, terrified and confused because they don't know what to expect." The volunteers were trying to organize food and a warm tent for them, she said. She was moved by the exhausted mothers and the small, sometimes bewildered, children. "They are happy with one sweet, so that's just amazing," Koseva said. One mother held a child to her chest and, closing her eyes in what might be prayer, touched their foreheads together. *** PHOTO GALLERY Associated Press journalists around Europe contributed. Vladimir Putin had a problem with Ukraine. It was gradually moving into the Western orbit expanding trade, building democratic institutions and aspiring to join the European Union and NATO. He saw this course as detrimental to Russian interests and Russian security, and he wasnt wrong. But one of the pitfalls of leadership is trying to solve a problem that has no solution. Sometimes such difficulties need to be treated more like tornadoes in Oklahoma. You cant prevent them, so you need to find ways to minimize the damage they do. Putin, however, was not about to settle for adapting to the inconveniences of reality. He strove mightily to pressure, isolate and dominate Ukraine but the more he tried, the more it resisted. He finally played what he thought was his trump card: embarking on a military conquest that would cement his control over the country once and for all. Hes now found that the Ukraine problem resembles the Hydra in Greek mythology a nine-headed creature that grows back two heads when one is cut off. Putin has turned an uncomfortable situation into a full-fledged disaster. He shouldnt have been surprised. The history of our time is littered with cases of major powers embarking on needless wars that backfire. In 1979, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan to rescue a communist regime from losing a civil war and, after nine bloody years, had to admit defeat and leave. In 1982, Israel invaded Lebanon with the goal of replacing a hostile regime with a friendly one, but found itself bogged down in a conflict that ended dismally 18 years later. In 2003, George W. Bush launched an invasion of Iraq, confident of an easy victory and a rapid exit. We spent eight years fighting a vicious insurgency, at a cost of more than 4,400 American lives and trillions of dollars. Great powers often succumb to the temptation of overestimating their power. Putin, however, failed to learn from these experiences. Maybe that was because he had succeeded in crushing his enemies when Russia went to war in Chechnya in 1999 and Georgia in 2008. He made the same mistake as George W. Bush, who assumed that because the U.S. had easily defeated Serbia in 1999 and toppled the Taliban in 2001, it could win any war. Putin poses as a champion of Christian civilization. But he overlooked the Bible verse that warns, Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. The Russian president clearly misjudged the strength of Ukraines resistance. Chechnya and Georgia are small entities with just 5 million people between them. Ukraine is nearly as big as Texas, with a population of 44 million and a longstanding preference for being part of Europe, not a vassal of Russia. Having seized Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 with minimal resistance and no real penalty from the West, Putin apparently figured he could get away with a more ambitious attack. But the scale of this outrage made it impossible for the world to do nothing. Images of Russian tanks rolling over the borders instantly turned Putins government into an international pariah, even as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskys brave leadership turned him into an overnight hero. Putin envisioned making Ukraine a sturdy buffer against NATO, which he sees, not without reason, as a military threat to Russia. But the invasion stands to make Russia less secure by miring its army in a nasty war against a popular insurgency. It has also galvanized NATO into greater unity and resolve against Russia than it has ever shown before. Putin can probably impose his will on Ukraine if he is willing to unleash overwhelming force and slaughter large numbers of civilians. But whats the value of ruling over a wrecked nation whose people hate you? And how much opposition will the war create among Russians? Putin plainly thought the fallout from his assault at home, in Ukraine and in the rest of the world would be minimal and short-lived. It has been heavy, and its likely to last a long time. His military, his economy and his people are already significantly worse off than before, and their troubles have only begun. The invasion came as a surprise because it was so obviously not in Putins interest to follow through on his threats against Ukraine. He may come to realize his error, if he hasnt already. But as the 17th-century philosopher Thomas Hobbes wrote, Hell is truth seen too late. Follow Steve Chapman on Twitter @SteveChapman13 or at www.facebook.com/stevechapman13. To find out more about Chapman, visit www.creators.com. With his flowing shoulder-length white hair, William H. Taylor, known as Taylor the Scout or The Candy Kid, was a well-known character around Butte in the 1900s and 1910s. Taylor was born July 9, 1828, in Brownsville, at the time in Old Mexico before the Texas Republic was established. He joined the U.S. army in Nebraska as a drummer boy in 1856, but Taylor fought for the south in the Civil War, serving with Pickett and participating in the famous charge at Gettysburg. After the war, he rejoined the Union Army and was a scout for General Nelson Miles in the Indian Wars in Montana and was a dispatch rider for George Armstrong Custer who Taylor claimed he could have captured in Virginia during the Civil War. He arrived in Butte sometime in the late 1890s and was a prominent street character selling candy and photographs. For holidays he dressed as Uncle Sam and participated in parades, as well as writing and performing his own productions, including The Indian Scouts Revenge, part of Amateur Night at the Lulu Theater in February 1908. The Lulu Theater was on the north side of Broadway, and under the name Empress, it burned down in 1931. And although he was Secretary of the Butte Confederate Veterans, Taylor would just as soon march in a parade with the Grand Army of the Republic veterans and did so on several occasions. Taylor worked as a cook in his early days in Butte about 1900, and he lived in a shack on East Porphyry near Wyoming until it was burned when the nearby Western Lumber facility was consumed by fire in April 1905. The shack was valued at $300 and was completely destroyed. Later he lived in a small house at 416 Dakota, gone today. In 1911, when he was 82 years old, Taylor marched with the 14th Infantry from Butte to Missoula, hiking more spryly than many younger men, according to the Anaconda Standard. In 1913 or 1914 he left Butte to move to Los Angeles, where he served as a military and woodcraft consultant to Universal Studios, and he appeared in several silent films as a white-haired Indian fighter until 1929. Taylor died in Hollywood December 26, 1930, when he was 103 years old. He never married and had no known relatives. Local geologist and historian Dick Gibson has lived in Butte since 2003 and has worked as a tour guide for various organizations and museums. He can be reached at rigibson@earthlink.net. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Baltimore broke a record high Monday, but the unseasonably warm weather wont last long. A cold front is moving through the area, bringing strong winds and rain showers. Advertisement Scattered showers are possible overnight with a low around 39 degrees. Winds will be 10 to 18 mph with gusts reaching almost 36 mph. Advertisement As the cold front entered the region, it brought rain and thunderstorms with it. Some of the storms were severe, prompting a severe thunderstorm watch and warning across the area. Wind and storm threats are dwindling, but cooler air is moving in as we dry out and calm down. That said, lows tonight will remain slightly on the plus side of normal. pic.twitter.com/CN20y9Hm4N NWS Baltimore-Washington (@NWS_BaltWash) March 8, 2022 The Baltimore region broke an almost 50-year record Monday with a high temperature of 77 degrees, the National Weather Service said. Mondays record was first set 1974 when it reached 76 degrees, the weather service said. It is the second day in a row a temperature record was broken at BWI Marshall Airport. On Sunday, temperatures were recorded at 78 degrees, surpassing the all-time record for March 6, which was 76, set in 1935. As of just after 1 PM, record highs have been set @Reagan_Airport, @BWI_Airport and @Dulles_Airport, with temperatures of 78, 77 and 77 respectively breaking records of 77 (1961), 76 (1974) and 76 (1974) respectively. NWS Baltimore-Washington (@NWS_BaltWash) March 7, 2022 Tuesday will be breezy and significantly cooler than Monday, with an expected high temperature of 53 degrees. Wednesday morning, theres a 90% chance of rain, and the days high temperature will be about 43 degrees. No precipitation is expected during the day Thursday, and the high temperature is 51 degrees. The high will approach 56 degrees Friday, and theres an 80% chance of rain overnight. Saturday, the high might not eclipse 60 degrees, and theres also a 70% chance of rain. The normal high temperatures for this time in March are in the low-to-mid-50s. They increase steadily day by day and reach 60 degrees by the end of the month. WASHINGTON The already challenging path to bringing home Americans jailed in Russia and Ukraine is 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. The families of Reed and Whelan have long held out hope for a 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 led to punishing economic sanctions on Russia 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 from 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." The father 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," 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, 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 added. 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, his father said. Reed 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 she hopes the U.S. can 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 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. After the State Department said last month that it was evacuating almost all of its staff from the embassy in Kyiv and would maintain a small consular presence elsewhere, Kristi Magnusson, Groszhan's sister, said there is "no longer any way" for U.S. officials there to check on him. Magnusson said in a statement provided to AP 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 currently designated Groszhans as a wrongful detainee. It is unclear if that will change. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Montana is faced with a public safety and constitutional crisis. Both the federal and Montana Constitutions require that a person accused of a crime that could result in imprisonment must be provided a lawyer to assist in his or her defense, if the defendant cannot pay for one. Absent a knowing waiver of this right, the case will not go to trial without counsel. If counsel is appointed but is not effective, any conviction that results will most likely be reversed. At the present time, indigent persons in our state who are accused of a crime are defended by the Montana Office of the Public Defenders (OPD). The problem is there is not enough money to pay for the number of attorneys needed to handle the case load or provide an adequate staff. Furthermore, the pay is far too low to attract good attorneys. At the present time, there are about 8 vacancies in the Billings office, mostly because they dont pay enough. An attorney can handle more than one case at a time. However, in Yellowstone County, a typical caseload for each attorney is over 100. In fact, I understand in at least one case it was as high as nearly 300. To require any one person to handle 100 cases or more is unconscionable. I believe it is also unconstitutional. Although it has not happened yet, it is bound to result in a guilty persons case overturned because of ineffective counsel not because the attorney is incompetent but because the attorney simply has not had enough time to devote to that case. It certainly is not fair to the accused, which is why the Constitution requires effective counsel. Furthermore, the Billings office has no paralegals. The support staff they do have leaves the attorneys with frequent administrative problems, e.g., mistakes in scheduling court appearances, handling and processing incoming documentation, processing client communications (including phone calls), and others. All of these place additional administrative burdens on the attorneys. Again, the problem is money. The District Courts used to appoint a local attorney to act as defense counsel for indigent persons. After the case was resolved, the appointed counsel would prepare a bill, ask the judge to approve it, and send it to the county to be paid. judges would not approve a bill for an hourly fee equal to what the attorney would normally charge but the amount presented by the attorney was usually accepted. Over 50 years ago, when I first started my practice in Billings, I received several of these appointments. The counties, however, did not like this system because the total costs kept going up. Several years ago, the state agreed to organize a Public Defender system for the entire state, and the state took over payment of criminal defense costs for indigent persons. The problem now is that the Legislature has failed to keep up with the rising costs of legal representation. Worse, the number of persons who need to be defended rose substantially while the corresponding appropriations did not keep pace. It is unpopular to appropriate money to help persons accused of a crime. If money is short, elected officials often cut the budget of the OPD in order to balance the states budget. The proposed appropriation for the OPD in the recent legislative session was way too small. An $815,000 increase recommended by the governor was eliminated during the last days of the legislative session. In the fall of 2021, Judge Harris tried to remedy the problem by ordering the Office of the Public Defender to assign an attorney to each case within so many days (generally, three business days of the day the indigent defendant is arraigned in District Court). At that time, according to information made public by James Reintsma (then managing attorney of the Billings Conflict Division Office), there had been over six hundred cases in which the Public Defenders Office had been appointed but no attorney had been assigned. Essentially, hundreds of people were languishing in a legal limbo, some of whom were doing so at the local jail. Judge Harris then levied a fine on the OPD when they failed to comply with his order. That is like fining the fire department for not putting out fires quickly enough or fining the hard working health care workers for not taking care of COVID-19 patients when there are not enough beds and staff to handle the pandemic. In other words, he aimed his enforcement at the wrong people. It is the governor and the Legislature who have not appropriated enough money to handle the situation. The funding problem was then compounded by poor decisions made by the leadership of the Montana Office of the Public Defender. They did hire one licensed attorney and two unlicensed individuals in Billings with the COVID-19 relief funds, but it seems the case loads are not significantly impacted. Under the Rules of Professional Responsibility governing attorneys, an attorney should not take a case he does not have time to properly defend. He must then either resign, if already appointed, or refuse to take the case. If the court approves the withdrawal and no one else is appointed by OPD, the court could appoint a local attorney on a contract basis, as the District Courts used to do. Unfortunately, contract attorneys for OPD are currently paid only about $76 per hour. The Courts would soon realize that they would have to pay a lot more to get an effective attorney to take the case. The hourly charge for a private attorney in Billings is about $250 to $275 per hour. The Federal Courts pay about $130 per hour. I do not think Yellowstone County Commissioners would tolerate the huge extra cost that would be entailed by paying a market-based rate to OPD contracting attorneys. Absent appointed attorneys, such cases would be dismissed for lack of a speedy trial while everyone is fussing over who will pay for the defense of each defendant. The dilemma is obvious. If an attorney is assigned too many cases, legal ethics requires the attorney to withdraw. If the County does not immediately pick up the huge extra tab, the defendant is likely to be released for lack of a speedy trial. The problem is money; in the final analysis, only the state Legislature can fix it. It is time to do something about it before it is too late. Billings attorney Tom Towe has served in both houses of the Montana Legislature and has chaired both the Montana State Parks and Recreation Board and the Montana Coal Board. Love 3 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Rosendale is incorrect On Wednesday Rep. Matt Rosendale voted against assisting the people of Ukraine in their defense against the war unleashed upon them by Russia. He said, "The United States has no legal or moral obligation to come to the aide of either side in this foreign conflict." Actually we do. In 1994 the U.S., Russia, and Britain committed to to respect the independence and sovereignty and the existing borders of Ukraine" in the Budapest Memorandum. It went on to say the countries would "refrain from threat or the use of force" against Ukraine. It was these assurances that persuaded Ukraine to give up its 1,900 nuclear warheads. So there's the legal obligation. I would think that, as a fellow human being, the moral obligation would be clear. It frightens me to think that Mr. Rosendale can watch the innocent people of a Ukraine being bombed out of their apartment buildings, premature babies living on subway platforms, a nuclear power station being targeted by the Russian army, and a million refugees fleeing the war and feel nothing. His obliviousness to history, and lack of responsibility or compassion are stunning. He has no place representing Montana. He certainly does not speak for me. Wendy Fox, Helena Love 9 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 ARCHIVED - Wintery weather continues across Spain: weather outlook March 7-11 An Atlantic front puts seven provinces in Spain on weather alert March is bringing some relief to Spains drying reservoirs after an unseasonably parched January and February marked the driest season in 17 years. The weekend passed with heavy rainfall throughout much of the country , and the unsettled weather is set to continue this week, with several Atlantic fronts sweeping across Spain. March 7 begins with cloudy skies and the State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) has put seven provinces on alert due to the plummeting temperatures and possibility of snow. Isolated storms are expected in parts of The week ofbegins with cloudy skies and the State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) has put seven provinces on alert due to the plummeting temperatures and possibility of snow. Isolated storms are expected in parts of the Valencian Community , where Alicante has been issued with a yellow warning, while rain is also forecast in Andalucia , the Balearic Islands, eastern Cantabria and Galicia as the day goes on. On Tuesday March 8, widespread rain is predicted for much of the country, with abundant cloudiness and rainfall affecting the Atlantic and Cantabrian areas in particular. Daytime temperatures will increase slightly, mainly in the eastern part of the country, while night-time temperatures will also creep up in western and northern regions. The mercury will continue to rise on Wednesday March 9, with the exception of the Mediterranean coast and the islands, although south and southeasterly winds will predominate in much of the country. A welcome change is expected on Thursday March 10, when most of the rain will be confined to western Galicia, while the skies should remain relatively clear in most of Spain, with the exception of some scattered showers along the Mediterranean coast. The mercury will rise again as the Atlantic fronts pass, with the intense frosts confined to the Pyrenees and the mountainous north. Looking ahead to Friday March 11, a new Atlantic front will enter the peninsular northwest, leaving cloudy or overcast skies throughout Spain. Night-time temperatures are set to rise but during the day, the mercury will drop in the western part of the country. Images: Aemet At Feast and Field, some of our favorite dishes have come from the minds of incredible female pioneers in todays culinary industry. We have been fortunate to travel the country, stepping inside the kitchens of exciting, daring and talented female chefs who are making waves and bringing about change in said industry. While we are always honored to tell the stories of those behind the food and drink of America, as an all-female staff, we feel especially lucky to be able to give another voice and lift these female chefs weve met along the way. In honor of Marchs Womens History Month and International Womens Day on March 8, Feast and Field is celebrating the chefs who have not only shared with us delicious recipes, but who have provided top-of-the-line tips and offered cooking inspiration for meals and gatherings big and small. Here are some of our favorite Feast and Field-featured female chefs who are doing their part in shaping this nations ever-evolving food scene. Elizabeth Johnson Sofia Tejeda Speaking of grapefruits, we also connected with Sofia Tejeda, a Texas-based pastry chef whose formal training at the Culinary Institute of America (and in some of the nations toughest kitchens!) eventually brought her to the Food Network. We have Tejeda to thank for these Grapefruit Honey Scones, Sparkling Grapefruit Granita and Grapefruit Cremes Brulees. Alekka Sweeney Robin Davis Continuing on the sweet train, we headed over to North Carolinas Maxie Bs bakery for Issue No. 9: Traditional Southern Baking. Were not the only ones to recognize the talent oozing out of Maxie Bs: The bakery experienced fame in 2011 when Southern Living touted founder and owner Robin Davis traditional cakes. Years later, Davis blessed us with a few delicious desserts, including her Blueberry Pie and Jam Crumble Bars that you dont have to wait until peak berry season to enjoy. P.S. Want to pipe a cake like a master baker? Check out our tutorial here. Laurel Burleson Because we cant ever get enough jam (see: Issue No. 13: Jams and Preserves), we traveled north to Wisconsin to try our hand at homemade jam with chef Laurel Burleson, owner of Ugly Apple Cafe, a food cart that was started as a way to address the (perfectly good) produce deemed to be cast-offs. This ugly fruit goes to waste every day in this country, but personally, we dont think theres anything ugly about these Strawberry Caprese Canapes with Strawberry-Basil Jam. Mary Goddard In one of Feast and Fields most ambitious trips yet, we were lucky enough to pull up a seat at Mary Goddards table in Sitka, Alaska. Mary, along with her husband Lucas, is the chef and blogger behind Forest Fresh Alaska, a forest-to-table cooking blog that helps readers unlock the potential of local food and ingredients. We couldnt think of anyone better to teach us a thing or two about cooking salmon for Issue No. 21: Wild Salmon. Be sure to give their Creamy-Coconut Salmon Chowder, Smoked Salmon Sushi Lollipops or their Simply Delicious Grilled Salmon a try. Lisa Shaw Lara Lyn Carter Jaynelle St. Jean Could this list be complete without killer pie? Jaynelle St. Jean, owner and founder of Pietisserie, boasts over 13,000 Instagram followers and has formed a cult following for her modern take on the beloved dessert. St. Jeans story of graduating from just a single pie window to a bakery with national interest is nothing short of inspiring. She gave us some insider secrets to her (beautiful) top-selling pies in Issue No. 36: Pie, including Ginger & Cardamom Apple and Black-Bottom Walnut and even gave us a tutorial on how to master a lattice pie crust. Alexandra Coppinger Kate Heller Rounding out our list is Kate Heller, owner of Leos Bread bakery in New Orleans, a somewhat new bakery which often finds itself on best of lists. (For a city so ingrained in cake culture, we think thats quite impressive!) Heller gave us three delicious rum-spiked desserts in Issue No. 49: Rum, including a few innovative ways to always be able to pull off Tiramisu. Thank you, Kate. And thank you, ladies! Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 WAPELLO There was good news concerning Highway 61 for the Louisa County Board of Supervisors during its regular weekly meeting on Tuesday. Board chair Brad Quigley reported to supervisors Chris Ball and Randy Griffin during the Meetings Attended portion of the meeting that construction on the planned U.S. Highway 61 relocation around Wapello was now scheduled to begin in Fiscal Year (FY) 2025. Quigley said he had recently attended a meeting of the U.S. Highway 61 Coalition where a diagram of the current and proposed highway relocation work had been presented. According to the sheet, the nearly 30-mile stretch from Memorial Park Road in Burlington to 2 miles south of Iowa Highway 92 in Louisa County has been divided into four sections of construction work. Section 1 is closest to Burlington and is projected to be open for traffic in 2022. Construction on it began in 2018. Remaining work includes pavement rehab and erosion control, which is projected to be completed in FY '22. The 10.64-mile section runs from Memorial Park Road to south of 210th Street south of Mediapolis. It is the longest by one-tenth of a mile section in the project. The Mediapolis Bypass is included in Section 2. The section, which will continue from south of 210th Street to just north of Mediapolis, is the shortest section in the project at 2.8 miles. Construction on this section is scheduled to begin in 2022 and be open for traffic in 2024. Remaining work in FY '22 in this section includes grading and bridge/structure construction. Paving and lighting are scheduled for FY '24. Erosion control and pavement rehab will be completed in this section in FY '25. Section 3 is the second-shortest stretch in the project, with 5.13 miles. It will continue from just north of Mediapolis to 1 mile north of Iowa Highway 78. Work on this section is scheduled to begin in 2023 with right-of-way acquisition. Grading, bridge/structures and mitigation are all scheduled for FY '24, with additional bridge/structure work in FY '25. Paving and lighting will follow in FY '26, with Section 3 open to traffic in 2026. The final section will be the 10.54-mile piece that will run from 1 mile north of Iowa Highway 78 to 2 miles south of Iowa Highway 92. Right-of-way acquisition will begin in FY ,25 and will be followed with grading and bridge/structure work in FY ,26. Grading/paving and lighting are scheduled for FY ,27. The date Section 4 is to be open for traffic is yet to be determined. Among other details included in the diagram sheet Quigley distributed at the supervisors meeting was a traffic count comparison for each section. Sections 1-3 showed the comparison between 2018 and 2038. In Section 1, the average daily traffic (ADT) in 2018 was 7,500, which is projected to climb to 9,700 in 2038. The 2018 ADT in Section 2 was 6,300 and is expected to be 8,100 in 2038. The ADT numbers in Section 3 also show a significant jump between 2018 and 2038, going from 5,100 to 6,600. Section 4 ADT numbers were figured for 2020 and 2040 and are expected to grow from 4,600 to 6,000. In other action, the supervisors: Approved the proposed property tax levy for the county after a public hearing. Met with health insurance representatives to discuss a wellness program. Approved a $3,705 accrued vacation/comp time payout to former deputy sheriff Brett Samuels, who resigned on Jan. 9. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 WAPELLO A new draft version of the Louisa County Comprehensive Plan 2040 update was presented to the Louisa County Planning & Zoning Commission (LCPZC) on Tuesday at its regular monthly meeting. Southeast Iowa Regional Planning Commission (SEIRPC) Regional Plans Administrator Kansha Tiwari and SEIRPC Senior Planner Jarred Lassiter said the plan was still a work in progress, but they expected to come back at the LCPZCs April meeting with a full preliminary draft of the plan document. We have made substantial progress on the plan itself, Tiwari told the LCPZC. The SEIRPC was hired by the Louisa County Board of Supervisors on April 28, 2020, to complete the update of the county plan. According to past reports, the update was initially scheduled to be completed within one year. However, because of difficulty in gathering public input, COVID-19 and other issues, the SEIRPC needed an additional year to complete the project. Tiwari and Lassiter said the effort was now entering its final stages, and they presented some of the most current details included in the latest version, including graphics, page designs and other issues. The document is full of graphs, tables, maps and pictures to make it more interactive for the readers, the planners had written on one page. Five key themes dealing with economic prosperity, embracing community, resilient infrastructure & services, quality housing and quality of life will be accompanied by 16 goals. Tiwari said the same color would connect each of the goals to a key theme. The SEIRPC staff had incorporated several timely items, including an announced railroad merger, into the list of goals and objectives. At least one LCPZC member said the design worked well. I really like the (goals and objectives), LCPZC Chair Michael Vance said after reviewing those pages. Lassiter said the SEIRPC staff still needed to make several changes to the document but would spend the rest of the month finalizing the plans content and finishing its formatting and editing. He then reported the SEIRPC would meet with the LCPZC at its April meeting and set a timetable for final review. That would include getting comments back by April 29. The board of supervisors would then receive the document in early April and publish notices for public review of the document. Lassiter said the plan would then return to the LCPZC in May to act on a specific recommendation to the supervisors. The supervisors would then act on adopting the proposal at a May meeting. In other action, county zoning Administrator Brian Thye presented the board with information on Iowa Senate File 2321 (formerly 2127), a proposed bill that would regulate commercially owned solar panel field installation on agricultural land. According to the proposed bill, which was introduced by Senator Dan Zumbach (R-Ryan) on Jan. 26, commercial solar farms would be prohibited on agricultural ground unless the ground had a CSR of 65 or lower; the solar field was not less than one-half mile from any surround solar fields; and the solar field was not less than 1,250 feet from the nearest adjacent landowner. Vance said if that law had been in effect when the Wapello Solar Farm, the states largest solar farm facility, had been proposed, it would have stopped its construction. The members agreed to authorize a letter in opposition to the proposal. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 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 4 March 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 Zelensky. 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 24 February, 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. Cell Cs 45% owner Blue Label Telecoms has declined to reveal where the money would come from for the cellular operator to buy additional radio frequency spectrum this week. Spectrum is the raw network capacity operators use to communicate between their towers and mobile devices. The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) is scheduled to begin the main stage of its spectrum auction on Thursday, 10 March 2022. With spectrum suited for cellular networks in such high demand, regulators worldwide use auctions to decide how frequencies should be assigned to operators. In South Africa, six networks signed up and qualified for Icasas auction: Cell C, Liquid Intelligent Technologies, MTN, Rain, Telkom, and Vodacom. At a minimum, the auction is expected to raise R8 billion for South Africas fiscus. Considering that the auction is likely to be expensive, this raises the question how will Cell C pay for the spectrum, given that it has reported billions in losses nearly every year. Blue Label joint CEO Brett Levy has assured that money would be available for Cell C to bid on the auction. Spectrum itself has tremendous value inside any network, Levy stated. Where that money [to bid in the auction] comes from is too early for me to get into But we are absolutely part of the auction and expecting to get our slice of the pie. Secret spectrum deal MyBroadband previously reported on industry speculation that Vodacom may fund Cell Cs bid for spectrum during the auction. Such a commitment from Vodacom would benefit both operators. It would also put Vodacom in an excellent position to benefit from the new spectrum auction. Vodacom already has managed network services and roaming agreements with Telkom, Rain, and Liquid Telecom. Adding Cell C to this list means it will have agreements with all the new spectrum applicants, except for MTN. Its partnership with Rain provides a blueprint of how Vodacom can integrate Cell Cs new spectrum into its network without regulatory problems. If Vodacom and Cell C did indeed strike a deal involving Cell Cs spectrum, they would need to keep it secret to avoid potential repercussions related to Icasas rules. Court battle looms Icasa has elected to forge ahead with its spectrum auction despite legal action from Telkom calling for the whole process to be declared invalid. Telkoms concerns are manifold, but one of the most significant is that analogue TV broadcasts still occupy some of the spectrum being auctioned. Communications minister Khumbudzo Nthsavheni recently declared that South Africa would finish its migration to digital terrestrial television and switch off its analogue TV signals on 31 March 2022. Human settlements minister Mmamoloko Kubayi has accused the partially state-owned Telkom of holding South Africa to ransom. The Acting Judge President set the dates of the High Court showdown between Telkom and Icasa over the auction for 1114 April 2022. If Telkom wins, it will result in Icasa being forced back to the drawing board. Ellipsis Regulatory Solutions founder Dominic Cull said this would delay the release of additional spectrum by at least 1518 months. The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) has issued a brief summarising the process being followed for its auction of sought-after radio frequency spectrum, which kicks off on Tuesday, 8 March. Assuming all spectrum lots sell, the auction will raise a minimum of R8 billion for South Africas national fiscus. Spectrum is the raw capacity mobile network operators use to communicate between their towers and cellular devices. The radio frequency spectrum in the 700 MHz, 800 MHz, 2600 MHz, and 3500 MHz bands is made available through this licensing process for the purposes of providing national broadband wireless access services to all South Africans, Icasa stated. Six network operators applied and qualified for the auction: Cell C, Liquid Intelligent Technologies, MTN, Rain, Telkom, and Vodacom. The importance of this licensing process lies mainly in the enhancement of competition in the mobile services sector, increasing broadband connectivity and coverage, as well as bridging the digital divide between urban and rural access to mobile broadband networks, said Icasa. The regulator said it held a bidder seminar on 28 February 2022 to familiarise participants with the auction process, and the tools and applications needed to submit bids. We appreciate the way bidders participated in the seminar, and the extensive engagement in that regard. This is exemplary of the commitment and positive spirit we all require during this delicate period, said Icasa chairperson Dr Keabetswe Modimoeng. Following the seminar, Icasa conducted mock auctions on 13 March 2022. This was to ensure bidders were comfortable with the bidding process and reinforce the rules discussed in the seminar. The Opt-In Auction Icasas auction will begin tomorrow with the opt-in round, where eligible operators may submit bids to achieve a minimum spectrum portfolio. Only tier-2 operators are eligible to participate in the Opt-in Auction. Vodacom and MTN are considered tier-1 operators; the rest are all tier-2. During the Opt-In Auction, tier-2 operators may only bid on spectrum to ensure they achieve a minimum spectrum portfolio of 210 MHz in frequencies below 1 GHz, and 60 MHz above 1 GHz. This will allow Telkom, Rain, and Liquid to bid on lower-frequency, sub1 GHz spectrum, as they do not currently hold any of this precious resource. Lower-frequency spectrum offers larger coverage areas per cell and better indoor penetration through walls. Cell C and Rain could also bid on higher-frequency spectrum. However, only two bidders can win in the Opt-In Auction to achieve a minimum spectrum portfolio. Bidders will submit their bids in person between 10h00 to 12h00 on 8 March 2022, Icasa stated. The round will close early if bids from all qualified bidders were received before the scheduled end of the bidding window. Up to two Authorised Representatives of each qualified bidder, regardless of whether they are eligible to bid in the Opt-in Auction, will be allowed to observe and monitor the process. Bid evaluation will be carried out in front of all authorised representatives and following the close of the bid submission window. Icasa will make a public announcement at the end of the Opt-in Auction, including the winners, the amount of spectrum they won and the amount they will need to pay. The Main Auction The main auction will start on 10 March 2022 and be conducted using an online auction platform. All six qualified bidders will be eligible to bid for spectrum in this stage. Bidding is scheduled for business days between 09h00 and 17h00. The main stage is conducted in multiple bidding rounds and will end when bidders do not submit any newer bids or waivers. Icasa will make a public announcement after the conclusion of this stage, including the winners for each lot and the amount they will need to pay. The Frequency Assignment Phase After the main stage is concluded, Icasa will conduct an in-person assignment phase with all qualified bidders. There will be one clear business day between the conclusion of the main stage and the start of the frequency assignment phase. This phase will be finalised in a single day. Our public interest mandate requires of us to be thorough in our approach to licensing and regulatory interventions, Modimoeng said. We continue to take the necessary care in this spectrum auction process to ensure that there are no irreversible anti-competitive effects for the industry and the market. Modimoeng urged all bidders to work with Icasa to ensure the licensing of new spectrum can make a meaningful contribution to all of South Africa. Icasa informed all stakeholders that its head office in Centurion is currently inaccessible to the public until further notice due to the ongoing spectrum auction. The regulators services continue to be available online, via telephone (012 568 3000/1), and email. Now read: Big Cell C spectrum question A day after many of them spoke with Ukraines president, U.S. lawmakers are pledging to provide additional military aid to Kyiv, VOA reported. 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 ABC 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 NBC. 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 NBC. https://www.voanews.com/a/6472487.html EU: Poland fines in rule of law dispute now top $170 million Putin and Lukashenko discuss ongoing situation Greece and Bulgaria say new LNG terminal will help reduce dependence on Russia German vice chancellor calls for rapid construction of LNG terminals Rally of Resistance Movement takes place in France Square Robert Kocharyan takes part in opposition march Mario Draghi calls on EU to abandon requirement of unanimity in making foreign policy decisions Finland and Sweden not yet decided whether to join NATO Croatian president uses veto power to block Finland and Sweden from joining NATO Slovakia will seek exemption from the EU embargo on Russian oil imports NEWS.am digest: Blinken meets Mirzoyan in US, people detained during protests in Yerevan Turkish Foreign Ministry on meeting of special envoys in Vienna Opposition rally in central Yerevan starts with Sirusho's performance Italy to face serious issues in winter if Russian gas supplies are cut off now Johnson announces new military aid to Ukraine in amount of 300 million euros Resistance Movement rally on France Square in Yerevan EU hopes to adopt sixth round of sanctions against Russia at next EU Council meeting Peaceful rallies of disobedience held in Spitak Spain extends OVID-19 entry restrictions Vayk joins demand for Nikol Pashinyan's resignation Putin and Macron discuss Ukraine Citizens demanding Pashinyan's resignation block road from Vayots Dzor to Yerevan Peaceful rallies of disobedience held in Vanadzor demanding PM's resignation Citizens demanding Pashinyan's resignation block Gyumri-Yerevan highway Sirusho: Today I will join our compatriots in France Square Third meeting of Armenia and Turkey special representatives held in Vienna Dollar rises slightly after long decline, euro also goes up in Armenia Civil disobedience actions in regions: Yerevan-Goris highway blocked Azerbaijan settling occupied Armenian Hadrut, Shushi cities of Artsakh New colors and new services: Team Telecom Armenia completes rebranding Armenia legislature speaker receives France-Armenia Friendship Group delegation France senator: We are leaving for Armenia with Senate group Putin signs decree on economic measures against unfriendly countries Armenia legislature speaker: Authorities have repeatedly proposed dialogue to opposition Backpack action of protest being held outside Armenia parliament (PHOTOS) Armenia defense ministry: Azerbaijan MOD statement does not correspond to reality Armenia defense minister receives Kansas National Guard delegation Armenia Police: Yerevan-Sevan motorway reopened Ned Price: Mirzoyan-Blinken meeting will launch US-Armenia strategic dialogue Mirzoyan, Nuland discuss Armenia-Azerbaijan peace agreement process Civil disobedience actions are carried out in some Armenia cities Armenia 2nd-President Kocharyan, ex-deputy PM and now lawmaker Gevorgyan trial to resume Pashinyan to Morawiecki: This year we mark 30th anniversary of Armenia-Poland diplomatic relations No new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia Central Bank leaves refinancing rate unchanged at 9.25% Demonstrators demanding PM Pashinyan's resignation block Sevan-Yerevan motorway Police: 117 demonstrators apprehended in Yerevan Kansas National Guard leadership visiting Armenia Bloomberg: EU new gas partners Armenian member of Turkey legislature says he was thrown at table of wolves Italian PM slams Lavrov for his 'Hitler' statements in interview with local television South Korea and US plan to start air force exercises on May 9 Police special forces apprehend Armenia ex-president Robert Kocharyans son Police: 70 people apprehended from Yerevan streets World Press Freedom Index 2022: Journalism as a profession is humiliated in Armenia Newspaper: Armenia ruling party MPs are worried Borrell speaks on possible disconnection from SWIFT of new Russian banks Cyprus becomes first EU country with full 5G coverage Police apprehending participants of civil disobedience actions in Yerevan State Department: Deepening US-Armenia cooperation in nuclear energy will strengthen bilateral relations Peaceful disobedience actions resume in Yerevan early morning Mirzoyan: Armenia appreciates US support for developing energy sector Blinken underscores US commitment to help Armenia, Azerbaijan find sustainable peace, prosperity Eurozone economic sentiment falls much more than expected in April Apple faces big fine Armenia ex-president joins discussion in France Square Poland wants the EU to set a clear date for stopping Russian oil imports Armenia FM meets with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken Armenia FM meets with Director of USAID Samantha Power Ann Linde says Finland will almost certainly apply for NATO membership Police beat reporters, obstruct their work in Yerevan European Commission may relieve Hungary, Slovakia of embargo on Russian oil purchase Resistance Movement to continue large-scale civil disobedience actions on 3 May in Yerevan and regions EU countries to continue to pay in euros or dollars for Russian gas Resistance Movement participants return to France Square Russian and Turkish defense ministers discuss current situation in Ukraine Ukrainian intelligence accuses Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan of helping Russia evade Western sanctions NEWS.am digest: Turkey says they have agreements with Armenia on border clarification Toivo Klaar informs about meeting of Armen Grigoryan and Hikmet Hajiyev in Brussels PACE initiates resolution on threats to journalists and human rights defenders in Azerbaijan Diplomat kidnapped in Haiti Hungarian president asks Orban to form new government Georgia PM hands over first part of questionnaire answers for accession to EU Resistance Movement participants march in central Yerevan Half of Japanese oppose change of peaceful constitution Resistance movement rally on France Square in Yerevan Blinken and Armenia FM sign memorandum on strategic cooperation in nuclear energy Another earthquake registered on Armenian-Georgian border FLYONE ARMENIA launches regular direct flights between Yerevan and Tbilisi Georgia abolishes requirement to wear masks in closed spaces One dollar drops below AMD 450, euro also falls in Armenia Georgia PM receives Justice Minister of Armenia Armenia MFA says there is no discussion, agreement on re-demarcating border with Turkey Cavusoglu claims there is agreement to clarify Armenia-Turkey border Azerbaijan president receives Brice Roquefeuil Armenia ex-defense minister: These authorities are able to use force inside the country Police: 244 people apprehended in Yerevan as of 2pm Incident involving disobedience march participants occurs at Armenian State Pedagogical University Yerevan Police apprehend opposition MP Police: 199 people apprehended in Yerevan as of noon The Hungarian authorities are abolishing from Monday the compulsory wearing of protective masks in public places as well as a number of other restrictions imposed in connection with coronavirus. The Hungarian government made the decision thanks to successful control and vaccination of the population, TASS reported. The government website specified that the obligation to wear a mask will be abolished from Monday in public transport, shops, shopping centers, post offices, theatres, cinemas, museums and at sporting events. In addition, restrictions on the number of participants in outdoor events are lifted. The rule that employers can require their employees to undergo compulsory vaccinations is being abolished too. At the same time, the government has announced that it will continue to provide vaccines to everyone who wants them. According to official figures, nearly 7 million citizens have been vaccinated against the coronavirus in Hungary, which has a population of about 10 million. Of these, about 4 million have already been revaccinated. During the pandemic in Hungary, more than 1.8 million people became ill with COVID-19 and more than 44 000 died. On March 4, the Azerbaijanis had fired at Norshen village of the Martuni region of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), and urgedthrough a loudspeakerthe local residents to leave the area. In a conversation with Armenian News-NEWS.am Monday, Norshen's prefect Gevorg Harutyunyan said that shots are often heard, but the aforesaid calls from the loudspeaker were made for the first time on March 4. "They [i.e., the Azerbaijanis] had come, fired in the air several times, put a loudspeaker on and said, 'Leave the area! Dont work!' The actions of the adversary lasted about two hours. We informed the Russian peacekeepers [about it], after which they [i.e., the Azerbaijanis]] stopped their actions. There is no panic among the villagers. At any rate, there is fear; they simply have already gotten used to it," Harutyunyan said. The head of the village added that Norshen's kindergarten and school are still operating. "The school is in the direction of the adversary's position, the distance is one kilometer," he said. To note, shots were also fired also at Artsakhs Khramort village, but these shots were silenced by the Armenian position holders. And Khramort mayor Zorik Abrahamyan told us Monday that the situation is calm at the moment in the village. The embassy of Armenia in Ukraine is actively working with the representatives of the Armenian community to resolve their safety issues. Eduard Aghajanyan, Chair of the Standing Committee on Foreign Relations and an MP from the ruling majority Civil Contract Faction of the National Assembly (NA) of Armenia, said this at Mondays press briefing in the NA. According to the lawmaker, the Armenian authorities are in constant contact with the Armenian ambassador to Ukraine. "With the help of the embassy, the representatives of the Armenian community have moved to safer areas," Aghajanyan said. Also, he assured that all the conditions have been created for the local Armenian community members who have expressed or will express a desire to return to Armenia to have the opportunity to do soand from the countries bordering the western part of Ukraine. "The embassy is doing everything to make that process as easy as possible for our compatriots," the Armenian legislator added. The possible engagement of CSTO troops in the current military operation in Ukraine is not being discussed. Eduard Aghajanyan, Chair of the Standing Committee on Foreign Relations and an MP from the ruling majority Civil Contract Faction of the National Assembly (NA) of Armenia, said this at Mondays press briefing in the NA. However, he did not rule out a possible discussion of this matter. "If a specific situation arises, this matter will be discussedwith the arguments brought," said Aghajanyan. In his turn, fellow Civil Contract Faction MP Vahagn Aleksanyan added that the CSTO envisions the engagement of its troops only in case of armed clashes in the territory of one of its member countries. Also, the Armenian lawmaker considered the transfer of the aforesaid military operation to the territory of Russia highly unlikely, and noted that Ukraine is not a CSTO member. To note, Armenia is a member in the CSTO. Alberta's Energy Minister Sonya Savage and Prime Minister Jason Kenney have proposed supplying Canadian oil to the US instead of Russian oil because of the situation around Ukraine. Does the US want to replace Russian barrels with Venezuelan ones? You cant think of something like that on purpose: harsh times require harsh decisions. A reminder of the folly of the energy policy of the last decade. Canada, with the third-largest reserves, could supply the US and the world, Savage wrote on Twitter. For his part, Kenney said the United States plans to replace Russian oil exports with imports of the resource from the "Iranian and Venezuelan dictatorships" after the lifting of sanctions. The politician said Alberta residents would welcome a visit from US President Joe Biden. We could discuss the delivery of approximately 1 million barrels a day of responsibly produced energy from the closest friend and ally of the United States, Kenney said, adding that the blockade of the Keystone XL pipeline at the Canada-US border must first be lifted. The Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) commented on Azerbaijani Minister of Foreign Affairs Jeyhun Bayramovs statement that Azerbaijan has numerously offered Armenia to sign a peace treaty. In response to a query from Armenpress, Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Vahan Hunanyan commented also on Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlut Cavusoglus statement on the Zangezur corridor. Azerbaijani Minister of Foreign Affairs Jeyhun Bayramov said that Azerbaijan has numerously offered Armenia to sign a peace treaty and that, despite the difficulties, the normalization of relations can be considered. How would you comment on this statement? The Government of the Republic of Armenia adopted a strategy of opening an era of peaceful development for Armenia and the region and, naturally, it displays readiness to take steps in that direction. Regarding specifically the signing of a peace treaty: it has been announced several times on the highest level that this is one of the agenda priorities of the [Armenian] government. In turn, Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlut Cavusoglu talked about the so-called Zangezur corridor. What is the position of the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding this statement? This is an incomprehensible terming for us, and everyone knows this. On the other hand, the opening of regional connections is also among the priorities of the [Armenian] government, and concrete steps are being taken in this directionincluding within the framework of the Armenian Crossroads project. STEPANAKERT. Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) President Arayik Harutyunyan on Monday received philanthropist Alec Baghdasaryan, a member of the Board of Trustees of the Armenian Educational Foundation (AEF), the Office of the Artsakh President informed Armenian News-NEWS.am. The interlocutors discussed the various programs being implemented by the AEF in the education and social spheres of Artsakhin particular, the projects toward the development of engineering in Artsakh schools, provision of technical equipment and appliances, and school construction. The Artsakh president highly appreciated the contribution of the aforesaid organization and that of Alec Baghdasaryan, personally, to the development of education in Artsakh, noting that this has already a positive role in improving the educational process. Also, Harutyunyan presented the Vachagan the Pious medal to Alec Baghdasaryan for his assistance rendered to Artsakh, and expressed hope that Baghdasaryans active and patriotic work will be continued. Russia offered to open humanitarian corridors from Kiev to Belarus and further to Russia, from Sumy and Kharkov directly to Russia, Ukraine considers it unacceptable, said the Minister for Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine Iryna Vereshchuk. "In the morning there was information that Russia with a humane purpose opens humanitarian corridors, and the ceasefire is engaged from 10 am. This is an unacceptable way of opening humanitarian corridors. Our people from Ivankiv, Dymer, Vyshgorod, near Kyiv will not go to Belarus to fly to Russia," she said. Vereshchuk said that yesterday night a letter was received from Russia in which they proposed, "given the personal request of the President of the French Republic Emmanuel Macron" to declare a silent regime from 7 March 2022 and open the following humanitarian corridors: - from Kiev: Kiev, Gostomel, Rakovka, Sosnovka, Ivankov, Oranoye, Chernobyl, Gden (Belarus), Gomel with the subsequent delivery to Russia by air. - from Kharkiv: Kharkiv-Nekhoteyevka-Belgorod and then by train or by road to the destination or temporary stay; - from Sumy: Sumy-Sudzha-Belgorod and then by rail or road to the points of destination or temporary stay. "I hope that President Macron understands that his name and sincere attempts to help and assist the civilian population of Ukraine, as well as foreign nationals of China, Pakistan, India and many other countries, are in fact used and manipulated by Russia," Vereshchuk said. At the same time, she added that Ukraine has sent its vision of what humanitarian corridors should look like and is ready to open such corridors from 10 am today. In a congratulatory message to French President Emmanuel Macron on the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev stated his readiness to start negotiations on a peace agreement with Armeniabut based on basic international principles such as territorial integrity, sovereignty, as well as the inviolability of internationally recognized borders. "Emphasizing the importance of manifesting a constructive position by Armenia on this issue, we hope that France will support a peaceful agenda in the region," Aliyev added, Azerbaijani media reported. In fact, the President of Azerbaijan is ready for peace with Armeniabut being guided solely by selective principles. Aliyev completely ignores some other basic international principles, such as the right of peoples to self-determination and non-use of force. Also, he still disregards the existence of Armenian detainees in Azerbaijan. Turning the whole Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) conflict upside down, ignoring the rights of Armenians, and keeping silent about the Azerbaijani-occupation of part of Artsakh and the Azerbaijani invasion of the sovereign territory of Armenia, Aliyev declares that "the opening of transport links promises great economic prospects to our region." Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a phone conversation with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said that Russian servicemen were doing everything to evacuate Indian citizens from the Ukrainian city of Sumy, the Kremlin press service reported. "Indian students, who were held by radicals in Kharkov, managed to leave the city only as a result of strong international pressure on the Kiev authorities. The Russian military is making every effort to ensure the evacuation of Indian citizens from Sumy," the statement said. Modi expressed gratitude to the Russian side for the measures being taken for the return of his compatriots to their homeland. "At the request of Indian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin outlined his assessments of the progress of the talks between the Russian delegation and the Ukrainian representatives, the third round of which is scheduled to be held today," the press service said. According to it, "Narendra Modi showed readiness to provide any possible assistance for the speedy resolution of the conflict." Putin said Ukrainian nationalists continued to prevent civilians from withdrawing from dangerous areas. "Vladimir Putin informed the Indian Prime Minister that in view of the worsening humanitarian situation, the Russian Armed Forces have announced a silence regime and opening of humanitarian corridors today," the statement said. Currently, there is a considerable risk of aggravation of the situation in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh). Hayk Mamijanyan, the secretary of the opposition "With Honor" Faction of the National Assembly (NA) of Armenia, said about this at Mondays press briefing in the NA. Mamijanyan noted that he does not want to go into details and open brackets in this regard, but the risk of increasing tension is too great. "The situation causes concernand that is a fact," the opposition MP emphasized. Commenting on Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev's threats of demanding compensation from Yerevan, Mamijanyan said that such statements are the result of the inaction of the current Armenian authorities. According to him, the incumbent Armenian authorities should have actively raised the matter of Azerbaijan engaging terrorist mercenaries in its military campaign against Artsakh. "Armenia's weak and cowardly foreign policy enables Azerbaijan to attack and make false accusations against Yerevan and the entire Armenian people," Mamijanyan concluded. Russia told Ukraine that it can end the special operation "in a moment" if Kiev meets Moscow's conditions, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. Peskov told Reuters that Russia had told Ukraine it was ready to halt its military action "in a moment" if Kiev complied with Moscow's conditions. According to the Kremlin spokesman, Ukraine "should make amendments to the constitution according to which Ukraine would reject any aims to enter any bloc. This is possible only by making changes to the constitution." In addition, Peskov said Ukraine should recognize Crimea as Russian and Donetsk and Luhansk as independent states, RIA Novosti reported. "We really are finishing the demilitarisation of Ukraine. We will finish it. But the main thing is that Ukraine ceases its military action. They should stop their military action," he said. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director-General Rafael Grossi during his visit to Tehran agreed with the Iranian authorities on comprehensive technical cooperation for the subsequent agreement to work on the resumption of the JCPOA, Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said. He said the agency had questions about a number of Iranian facilities, but Iran pledged to provide clarifications within one to two months, Kommersant reported. "During Grossi's visit, which took place amid negotiations in Vienna (on the resumption of the Iranian nuclear deal), a comprehensive technical cooperation between Iran and the IAEA was agreed, based on which a phased agreement will be concluded," Khatibzadeh said at a press conference. He noted that the parties had agreed that within the next one to two months, this cooperation would provide answers to all questions of interest to the agency if it refrains from politicization and pressure. He stressed that there is a direct link between these questions and the agreement in Vienna. Russian President Vladimir Putin in a conversation with the president of the European Council, Charles Michel, outlined Russia's position on the special military operation to protect Donbas, the official website of the Kremlin reported. "The humanitarian aspects of the current situation were discussed substantially. Vladimir Putin, in particular, stressed that the Russian military was taking all possible measures to preserve the lives of civilians. The main threat comes from nationalist formations, which essentially use terrorist tactics, hiding behind civilians," the statement said. It is noted that the Russian armed forces have already declared a "silence regime" several times in order to evacuate the population through humanitarian corridors. However, the Ukrainian National Battalions have prevented this by resorting to violence against civilians and all kinds of provocations. The Russian President called on the European Union to make a real contribution to saving people's lives, to put pressure on the Kiev authorities and make them respect humanitarian law. "Vladimir Putin also assessed the course of the negotiations with Kiev's representatives, reiterating the well-known Russian demands," the report said. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken assured Lithuania of NATO's protection and Washington's support, AP reports. We are bolstering our shared defense so that we and our allies are prepared, Blinken said, stressing that the U.S. commitment to NATOs mutual defense pact is sacrosanct, We will defend every inch of NATO territory if it comes under attack, he said. No one should doubt our readiness, no one should doubt our resolve. Blinken started his Baltic tour in Vilnius. Unfortunately, the worsening security situation in the Baltic region is of great concern for all of us and around the world, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda told Blinken. Russias reckless aggression against Ukraine once again proves that it is a long-term threat to European security, the security of our alliance. Nauseda noted that the policy of containment is no longer enough and now forward defense is needed. According to him, Russian President Vladimir Putin will not stop in Ukraine if he is not stopped. It is our collective duty as a nation to help all Ukrainians with all means available, said Nauseda. By saying all, I mean, indeed all means all, if we want to avoid the Third World War. The choice is in our hands. Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis called for a sharp increase in aid to Ukraine. He also called for an immediate halt to Russian energy imports. Blinken said that the situation in Ukraine is relevant to the situation of Lithuania in connection with its position on Taiwan, since all countries should have the right to pursue their own foreign policy. Each nation is free to associate with whoever it wants, he said adding that the United States continues to support Lithuania and every nation in choosing their own path." Later on Monday, Blinken will travel to Riga to meet with senior Latvian officials and Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, followed by a visit to Tallinn before heading to Paris on Tuesday for talks with French President Emmanuel Macron. Iran won't allow any external factor to affect national interest. "We will not allow any external factor to affect our national interests in the negotiations in Vienna," said Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian at a meeting with a group of lawmakers in the Iranian parliament, Mehr reports. According to him, Iran welcomes the achievement of a good and strong agreement in Vienna, and stressed Tehran's determination to stick to its red lines, and in particular effective economic guarantees and maximizing the interests of the Islamic Republic of Iran. "Sticking to our red lines, we will not allow any external factors to affect the national interests of the country in the Vienna negotiations aimed at lifting the sanctions," he said. The European Union is considering easing state aid rules for companies hit by EU sanctions against Russia over Ukraine, and the bloc's competition regulators are considering various support measures, the European Commission said on Monday, Reuters reported. Two years ago, the head of the EC set a precedent by relaxing some of the rules on state aid to businesses hit by the coronavirus pandemic, allowing individual member states to invest billions of euros in their companies. The Commission is closely monitoring the situation and is ready to use the full flexibility of its state aid toolbox in order to enable member states to support companies and sectors severely impacted by the current geopolitical developments, Commission spokeswoman Arianna Podesta said in an email. We are looking at all tools at our disposal permanent and temporary, she said. Thousands of European companies, from airlines to banks to automakers, are expected to be hit hard by the sanctions. Philip Lane, chief economist at the European Central Bank, told fellow politicians that the conflict in Ukraine could lead to a reduction in eurozone output this year. Armenian News - NEWS.am presents the daily digest of top news as of 07.03.22 Russia declares a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine as of 10am Monday to open humanitarian corridors at the request of French President Emmanuel Macron to Russian President Vladimir Putin. The agreement on the creation of humanitarian corridors and a possible temporary ceasefire in Ukraine has been reached during the second round of Russia-Ukraine talks in Belarus. Russia has informed the relevant organizations of the UN, OSCE, ICRC, and some other international organizations about these humanitarian corridors in Ukraine. The Russian Armed Forces will oversee via drones this evacuation through the humanitarian corridors, and the attempts of the Ukrainian side to prevent the departure of the people are meaningless. The two previous attempts to organize humanitarian corridors failed during the weekend. These corridors are essential especially for the south-east city of Mariupol, where 200 000 people are deprived of water and electricity. Meanwhile, new talks are scheduled Monday hosted by Belarus. The third round of talks between Russia and Ukraine were due on Monday on the Polish-Belarusian border. Erdogan stressed the intention of Volodymyr Zelenskyy to meet with Putin in Turkey. Russia confirmed its readiness to engage in dialogue with the Ukrainian authorities and foreign partners with a view to resolving the conflict. But the Russian side said suspension of the special operation would only be possible if the Ukrainian Government ceased hostilities and complied with Russia's well-known demands. The Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Turkey will be remarkable this year. Amid the Ukrainian conflict, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Monday that a meeting of Foreign Ministers of Russia and Ukraine Sergey Lavrov and Dmitry Kuleba may take place on March 10 on the sidelines of the diplomatic forum in Antalya. Meanwhile, Armenian FM Ararat Mirzoyan will also attend the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Turkey, Armenian foreign ministry spokesman Vahan Hunanyan noted. The Antalya Diplomacy Forum is scheduled for Friday to Sunday. A huge range of companies have dumped Russia following its military operation of Ukraine last Thursday. Mastercard and Visa suspend all transactions and operations in Russia. Meanwhile, Microsoft said it would suspend all new sales of its products and services in Russia. Apple halted product sales and restricted Apple Pay Russia and removed Russian state media outlets from its App Store. Dell has suspended product sales as well. What comes to retail, Mango, which employs 800 people in Russia, said it would temporarily close its stores and its online platform. Ikea has closed its 17 stores in Russia. H&M, the world's second-largest clothing retailer, has paused all of its sales in Russia. And Nike has stopped taking online orders for Russian customers. Meanwhile, Netflix has temporarily halted all future film and television projects, while TikTok said it will also close its access in Russia. Airbnb suspended all operations in Russia and Belarus. And Spotify has indefinitely closed its Russian offices and removed state-backed media content from its platform. What comes to cars and planes, Mercedes-Benz Group has halted the sale of cars and vans in Russia. Harley-Davidson has paused the shipment of motorcycles to Russia, while BMW has stopped the export of cars to Russia and said it would stop production on the ground there. Airbus pledged to cease its support for Russias aviation industry and Boeing has said it will suspend parts, maintenance and technical support to Russia. Today New Zealand imposed a ban on entry into the country for persons associated with a special operation in Ukraine. In total, the published list has about 100 people in it, including Russian president Vladimir Putin, FM Sergey Lavrov and Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu. The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has also shaken up the global commodities market. Russia is the worlds largest exporter of wheat, with Ukraine in fourth place. Together, they account for 30 percent of global wheat exports, 19 percent of corn exports, and 80 percent of sunflower oil exports. Meanwhile, the Armenian opposition MP Vahe Hakobyan noted that the wheat issue is one of the most important ones for Armenia because Armenia imports most of it from Russia. According to MPs, the longer the Russian military operations continue in Ukraine, the longer Russia will restrict exports. Also, he considered an "amateur approach" the proposal of the Armenian Ministry of Economy to sow wheat at 3,000 hectares of fields. "You can't sow wheat and get a harvest everywhere," Hakobyan said. Ruling MP Eduard Aghajanyan also noted that wheat is one of the risks that may arise from the current Russian-Ukrainian crisis. The prices of Moscow-Yerevan flights have increased sharply in recent days, reaching from $250 to $1,250 amid the Ukrainian-Russian conflict. The Moscow-Yerevan route is in high demand now as due to the economic situation in Russia, most of its citizens are moving temporarily to Yerevan to work remotely. Now there are almost 30-50 flights in a day from Russia to Yerevan. Meanwhile, Russian airlines had to cancel all international flights - including to Armenia. As much of the world continues to shut out Russia, its airlines are starting to face new problems. Russia has been isolated due to Airbus and Boeing stopping the supply of spare parts to the nation. Due to US and EU sanctions, Russian airlines cannot accept the over 60 planes on order from Airbus and Boeing, according to the planemakers' websites, further reducing the number of available parts. His remarks came in a congratulatory message to French President Emmanuel Macron on the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. In fact, the President of Azerbaijan is ready for peace with Armeniabut being guided solely by selective principles. Aliyev completely ignores some other basic international principles, such as the right of peoples to self-determination and non-use of force. Azerbaijani FM Jeyhun Bayramov also said that Azerbaijan has numerously offered Armenia to sign a peace treaty. However, Armenian MFA spokesperson Vahan Hunanyan noted that the signing of a peace treaty is one of the agenda priorities of the Armenian government. Vahan Hunanyan also commented also on Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlut Cavusoglus statement on the Zangezur corridor. This is an incomprehensible term for us, and everyone knows this, he noted. On the other hand, the opening of regional connections is also among the priorities of the Armenian government. The situation both on the Armenian and Nagorno-Karabakh border with Azerbaijan has been unstable this weekend as the Azerbaijani side had been violating the truce or opening fire on Armenians. Azerbaijan opened sniper fire Monday on the Armenian military positions located in the western part of the Armenia-Azerbaijan border, leaving one person dead and one injured. During the weekend Azerbaijanis even shelled the village of Nor Shen in Artsakh, calling on loudspeakers to leave the area. Norshen's prefect Gevorg Harutyunyan said that shots are often heard, but the calls from the loudspeaker were made for the first time on March 4. Along the lines of a fabricated criminal case, Baku accuses them of "illegally crossing the border of Azerbaijan, as well as placing landmines before the supply routes of Azerbaijani Defense Ministry units passing through the Kelbajar [(Karvachar)] region in May 2021. The Russian military forces have taken five populated areas under their control, Major-General Igor Konashenkov, an official representative of the Russian Defence Ministry, said. According to him, bomber and attack aviation of the Russian Aerospace Forces destroyed 26 military facilities in Ukraine. "Strikes against military infrastructure facilities in Ukraine continue," he said. Igor Konashenkov said that among the destroyed facilities were two control points, a radar station, five ammunition depots and 11 weapons and military equipment staging areas. "Units of the Russian Armed Forces have taken control of the settlements of Novoukrainskoye, Staromayorskoye, Staromlinovka, Mayorovo, and Removka. All civilians of the liberated settlements are being provided with humanitarian aid," he said. Konashenkov said that troops of the Luhansk and Donetsk liberated 12 settlements. Expectations of the negotiations with Ukraine did not materialize, the head of the Russian delegation, Vladimir Medinsky, said. He noted that Russia had hoped to sign at least a protocol at the negotiations with Ukraine, but failed to sign anything, TASS reported. According to him, the Russian side raised the issue of humanitarian corridors with the Ukrainian delegation. Medinsky expressed hope that the humanitarian corridors would work on Tuesday. Another member of the delegation, Leonid Slutsky, noted that Russia expects negotiations with Ukraine to continue soon. "But Moscow does not comfort itself with the illusion that there will be a result next time," he said. In his opinion, the negotiations will not be easy. "Russia expects that the next attempts to evacuate civilians in Ukraine will be more successful," Slutsky added. Story Highlights 82% say cyberterrorism is critical threat More than three in four say Iran, North Korea nuclear weapons critical Surge since 2016 in seeing Chinese military as a threat WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Americans generally regard terrorism, the development of nuclear weapons by unfriendly countries, and China's military power as the most critical threats to U.S. vital interests. Specifically, 82% of U.S. adults identify cyberterrorism as a critical threat, while 71% say the same about international terrorism and 68% about domestic terrorism. More than three-quarters each believe Iran's and North Korea's development of nuclear weapons is a serious threat to the U.S. Two-thirds say the same about Chinese military power, while 57% identify China's economic power as a threat. At the time of the survey, conducted in the weeks before Russia invaded Ukraine, 59% of U.S. adults regarded Russia's military power, and 52% said the Russia-Ukraine situation, represented critical threats to the U.S. As Gallup has previously reported, both measures are higher than they were in prior years. Americans' Views of Critical Threats to U.S. Vital Interests Next, I am going to read you a list of possible threats to the vital interests of the United States in the next 10 years. For each one, please tell me if you see this as a critical threat, an important but not critical threat, or not an important threat at all. Critical Important Not important % % % Cyberterrorism, the use of computers to cause disruption or fear in society 82 16 2 Development of nuclear weapons by North Korea 78 19 2 Development of nuclear weapons by Iran 76 19 4 International terrorism 71 25 3 Domestic terrorism 68 26 6 The military power of China 67 29 4 The spread of infectious diseases throughout the world 64 31 5 The military power of Russia 59 35 6 The economic power of China 57 34 8 Global warming or climate change 55 25 20 The conflict between Russia and Ukraine 52 37 11 Large numbers of immigrants entering the United States illegally 48 30 22 The conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians 35 50 13 Gallup, Feb. 1-17, 2022 The Feb. 1-17 Gallup poll also found that majorities of U.S. adults perceive the spread of infectious diseases throughout the world and global warming or climate change as critical threats. China, Cyberterrorism Seen as Greater Threats Than in Past Gallup first asked about critical threats to U.S. vital interests in 2004 and has repeated the question in most years since 2010. Terrorism and nuclear weapons have typically been the greatest concerns. However, in recent years there has been slightly diminished concern about international terrorism and greater concern about cyberterrorism. Gallup asked about domestic terrorism for the first time this year. Line graph. Trend in Americans' views of international terrorism and cyberterrorism as critical threats to the U.S. In 2004, 82% of U.S. adults identified international terrorism as a critical threat to the U.S. In 2015, 84% did. Since then, the percentage has been below 80%, including 71% in 2019, 72% in 2021 and 71% in 2022. In 2016, the first year the item was asked, 73% said cyberterrorism was a critical threat to the U.S. Since then, 81% or 82% have said so, including readings in 2018, 2021 and 2022. Americans have also come to see China as a greater threat, both economically and militarily, than in the past. The 67% who currently view China's military power as a critical threat is the highest in Gallup's trend, 16 percentage points above the prior high from 2013 and 26 points higher than the previous measure, in 2016. Gallup first asked about China's economic power in 2013, and 52% said it was a critical threat that year and in 2014. Between 2015 and 2019, Americans' opinions of the threat posed by China's economy eased, to between 40% and 46%, perhaps because Americans were more positive about the U.S. economy. However, last year the percentage viewing China's economy as a critical threat surged to 63%, before falling slightly this year, to 57%. Line graph. Trend in Americans' views of Chinese military power and Chinese economic power as critical threats to the U.S. In 2004, 39% of U.S. adults identified the military power of China as a critical threat. Today, 67% do. In 2013, the first year it was asked, 52% said the military power of China was a critical threat. The percentage fell to 40% in 2015 and 2018, before increasing to 63% in 2021. It is 57% in 2022. The increases in the perceived threat of China have come as Americans now view China as the United States' greatest enemy, an opinion held by 49% of respondents in the latest poll and 45% in last year's poll. Russia is second at 32% in the 2022 poll and was 26% in the 2021 poll. It is unclear how Russia's invasion of Ukraine may have changed Americans' opinions on which country is the top U.S. enemy. In addition to shifts in the perceived threat of terrorism and China, other notable changes in Americans' views of international situations include: Fewer Americans now (64%) than in 2021 (72%) say the spread of infectious diseases is a critical threat to the U.S., as COVID-19 infections and deaths have declined. The percentage saying infectious diseases are a critical threat essentially matches that of the last pre-pandemic measure, in 2016 (63%). Concern about global warming has edged up slightly, from 50% in 2016 to 55% now. Americans are far less likely to see the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as a critical U.S. threat now (35%) than in 2004, when 58% did. Party Gaps Largest on Global Warming, Immigration Republicans' and Democrats' perceptions of critical threats differ by double-digit margins on about half of the issues measured in the survey. The largest of these is for global warming, which 83% of Democrats versus 19% of Republicans regard as a critical threat to U.S. vital interests. The next-largest party gap is on illegal immigration, something 82% of Republicans and 25% of Democrats view as a major threat. Democrats are also significantly more likely than Republicans to see the spread of infectious diseases as a critical threat. Republicans are more likely than Democrats to believe the economic power of China, Iranian nuclear weapons, the military power of China and international terrorism are threats. Party Differences in Perceptions of Situations as Critical Threats to U.S. Vital Interests Democrat Independent Republican Dem-Rep gap % % % pct. pts. Global warming 83 58 19 +64 Infectious diseases 82 57 53 +29 Domestic terrorism 77 61 68 +9 Russia-Ukraine conflict 61 46 56 +5 Cyberterrorism 84 80 84 0 Israeli-Palestinian conflict 36 30 42 -6 Military power of Russia 64 48 72 -8 Nuclear weapons by North Korea 79 72 87 -8 International terrorism 71 64 84 -13 Military power of China 60 62 82 -22 Nuclear weapons by Iran 67 73 93 -26 Economic power of China 43 54 79 -36 Immigrants entering U.S. illegally 25 42 82 -57 Gallup, Feb. 1-17, 2022 Independents' opinions are closer to those of Republicans on the spread of infectious diseases, while independents align more closely with Democrats on illegal immigration, China's economic and military power, Iranian nuclear weapons, and international terrorism. Bottom Line Among key international challenges facing the U.S., terrorism and nuclear weapons have typically stirred the most concern in Americans. Other international matters have become greater or lesser concerns, depending on how the situations are evolving. This year, as Russia was building up forces outside Ukraine's borders but before it invaded the country, more Americans than in past years saw Russia's military power and the Russia-Ukraine situation as a threat to the U.S. In recent years, as tensions between China and the U.S. have grown over trade and other matters, more Americans have also come to see China as both a critical economic and military threat to the U.S. To stay up to date with the latest Gallup News insights and updates, follow us on Twitter. Learn more about how the Gallup Poll Social Series works. View complete question responses and trends (PDF download). On March 2, 2022, Guillermo Prado, Ph.D., University of Miami Faculty Affairs vice provost, Graduate School dean, and professor at the School of Nursing and Health Studies, participated in a powerful roundtable discussion convened by the bipartisan House Select Committee on Economic Disparity and Fairness in Growth titled "Substance Use: Destroying Families, Communities, and the Opportunity for Prosperity. Dr. Prado was invited to share his expertise as a distinguished researcher in the field of substance abuse prevention who has earned widespread recognition for his innovative and culturally syntonic approach to working with Hispanic families and youth. He was joined by research economist Jevay Grooms, Ph.D. of Howard University, West Virginia Office of Drug Control policy director Matthew Christiansen, M.D., M.P.H., psychiatrist Katherine Pannel, D.O., of Mississippi, and Michael Gray, who became an activist after losing a child to an accidental fentanyl overdose. The timely roundtable met the day after the State of the Union address, during which President Joe Biden committed to beating the opioid epidemic, to more funding for prevention, treatment, harm reduction, and recovery, and to full parity between physical and mental health care. Committee chair and Congressman Jim Hines (D-CT), opened the roundtable by noting the role addiction plays in the economic disparity and devastation of our communities. We have been fighting the war on drugs for more than a generation and we have not won that war, he said. Ranking Member Congressman Bryan Steil (R-WI) called attention to skyrocketing numbers of overdose deaths among young people, making it the leading cause of death for 18-to-45-year-olds. Substance abuse thrives where traditional family and social support structures fail, he said, setting the stage for a dialogue on how to address the root causes of the crisis. The speakers expressed concern that many overdose deaths are linked to widespread and deliberate lacing of illicit drugs with small but deadly amounts of fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that is 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine. Dr. Prado's contributions to the roundtable helped members expand their understanding of how proactive, evidence-based, substance abuse prevention programs can provide parents with effective and culturally-relevant tools to help their kids communicate with them and cope with peer pressure. Substance use is not an individual public health problem, its a public health crisis thats part of families, part of communities, said Prado, emphasizing the urgency of taking prevention programs to scale by embedding them within school systems, primary care settings and communities, as he has done with his signature family-based prevention program, Familias Unidas. Prevention is much more cost-effective, and the effects of prevention are both short-term and long-term, he said, noting that 40 percent of twelfth graders and 1 in 6 eighth graders have already tried illicit drugs. Dr. Prado described how randomized clinical trials of Familias Unidas have shown reductions in drug use of 20 to 40 percent. Ensuring programs targeting kids and families have undergone rigorous testing is crucial to their success in schools and other community settings. Rather than invest millions if not billions of taxpayer dollars in programs that have no rigorous evidence, noted Dr. Prado, we should be investing in programs that do have the evidence base. In response to a comment by Congressman Byron Donalds (R-FL) that he had spoken with his sons about never using illicit drugs, Dr. Prado noted that in some families communication is not where it should be to have those difficult conversations. For those types of families, he explained, telling the youth not to engage in substancesmay actually encourage the youth to use drugs. If there is evidence that just say no or other similar approaches may actually be counterproductive in some cases, then what does work, Rep. Himes asked Dr. Prado. Programs that give parents tools, programs that develop skills among young people, programs that have been evaluated, Dr. Prado responded. He described how Familias Unidas brings together ingredients specific to Hispanic culture, such as a focus on how immigrant parents and kids acculturate to the U.S. at different speeds, which can lead to family conflict. At the same time, added Dr. Prado, while culture and context are really important, oftentimes these [evidence-based prevention] programs are very adaptable, and they have core ingredients or content that cuts across populations. He noted that with some minor changes, Familias Unidas was successfully adapted for use with white non-Hispanic families in Pennsylvania. When other panelists talked about how substance abuse can often co-occur with mental health problems, Dr. Prado emphasized that substance abuse prevention programs can impact mental health outcomes as well. Family programs are very efficacious and effective in reducing drug use and concurrent conditions in part because the parents are the change agents of that kids behavior, and it gives parents the tools to be able to preventsome of the escalation, he said. Dr. Prado concluded his remarks by talking about the importance of intervening along the continuum from primary prevention to treatment. We have to think from a developmental lens, where we are targeting our elementary school children, our middle school children, our young adults, and our adults, he said. So its really important to think about targeting effective programs across the continuum and across the lifespan. The full roundtable discussion can be viewed at: https://lnkd.in/d3GnJQmQ # # # About University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies: At the School of Nursing and Health Studies, we transform lives and health care through education, research, innovation, and service across the hemisphere. Our faculty and students seek bold solutions to improve health outcomes. We value our collaborations with 250+ clinical and community health partners. From our inception as South Floridas first collegiate nursing program in 1948, we have contributed to the professional development of tens of thousands of clinicians, health scientists, and educators across the hemisphere. Our undergraduate nursing program ranks in the top 5% (#31 out of 694) nationwide in US News & World Report, with first-time NCLEX-RN pass rates well above state and national averages. US News & World Report ranks our MSN and DNP programs in the nations top 6% (#34) and 11% (#38), respectively. We rank #22 for NIH funding to nursing schools nationwide. For more information visit, www.sonhs.miami.edu. Harold Long Jr. and H.T. Smith never needed a covenant sealed with signatures. All it took was a handshake. And with that symbolic gesture, the two African American attorneysone, the son of longtime educators; the other, a Vietnam veteran who grew up in his grandmothers shotgun shack on an Overtown street nicknamed Bucket Bloodformed and operated what became the first Black law firm to locate its office in downtown Miami. Friday, on the University of Miami Coral Gables Campus where they both earned law degrees, the two longtime friends were reunited in name when the institution dedicated a building in their honor. The Harold Long Jr. and H.T. Smith Student Services Building marks a milestone for the University, becoming the first structure in the schools history to be named after accomplished Black alumni. Universities have a crucial role to play in modeling racial justice, said President Julio Frenk, noting an initiative launched two years ago that has helped the institution achieve greater diversity, equity, and inclusion across its three campuses. We remain committed to creating a more just society, and the naming of the Student Services Building is another example of our efforts. Bringing this historic occasion to life took the work of many people, said Laurie Silvers, chair of the Board of Trustees. She recognized key members of Frenks cabinet, including Jeffrey L. Duerk, executive vice president for academic affairs and provost; Patricia A. Whitely, senior vice president for student affairs; Don Spivey, distinguished professor of history and advisor to the president on racial justice; and Jacqueline A. Travisano, executive vice president for business and finance and chief operating officer. As an undergraduate at the University during the 1960s, Long blazed new trails. He started the United Black Students organization and led a sit-in inside then-President Henry King Stanfords office, demanding that the institution enroll more Black students, increase the number of scholarships for underrepresented students, create a curriculum focusing on African American history, and hire Black professors to teach those courses. He graduated from the School of Law in 1971, becoming one of the first Black students to do so, then went on to a distinguished career as a barrister, which included serving as Justice of the Peace for the City of Opa-Locka and defending the underserved as a private attorney. Long passed away last year at the age of 73. He would have been in tears if he were here today to witness this moment, Longs widow, Leslie Long, said prior to Fridays dedication. He loved the U, and the older he became, he fell in love with it even more. He sacrificed and always fought for what he believed in, even if it would have cost him his life. Smith, a longtime University trustee, recalled his former law partner as being tremendously humble. The two had practiced law together for a decade, and Smith had always known that Long, as a University student, had led a sit-in in Stanfords office. But it wasnt until Smith saw an old newspaper photo of Long in jail that he learned that his colleague, like the civil rights demonstrators of the 60s, was so passionate about his cause that he was willing to be arrested for it. I said, Harold, you never told me that you got arrested for protesting. Harold looked at me and said, It never came up. Thats how humble he was, Smith noted. Starting in the mid-1970s, Long and Smith P.A. rented office space out of One Biscayne Tower in downtown Miami, sometimes representing clients who, unable to afford an attorney, would pay for legal fees by rendering a service of their own. One woman, for example, was an accomplished cook and prepared for them a Bahamian meal of peas and rice and conch fritters, Smith acknowledged. Their partnership was built on trust. We went into practice together on a handshake, Smith said. We were so locked into each others philosophy of the practice of law and community service and our connection to the University that we trusted each other enough to not need a contract. Before the two forged a partnership, Smith became a trailblazer in his own right, serving as Miami-Dade Countys first Black assistant public defender and then as the countys first Black assistant county attorney. Smith served more than a year in Vietnam, coming home to Miami in 1970 with a dream of enrolling in the University of Miamis law school and becoming a lawyer who would defend the rights of the weak and the marginalized. But he faced two obstacles: classes would be starting in just two weeks and he hadnt even taken the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). Determined to start classes that semester, Smith drove to the Coral Gables Campus and, without an appointment, met with the law schools dean, telling him that the LSAT was not administered to soldiers who were fighting and dying in Southeast Asia. Im going to be in law school this semesterin the first class, in the first row, in the first seat. That is what I gotta do, Smith told the dean. Impressed, the dean worked out an arrangement. He would admit Smith under one conditionthat he pass the LSAT the next time the test was given. And Smith did. Now, Smiths name appears on the facade of a three-story, 30,000-square foot University building erected to serve students. The Student Services Building, which opened two years ago and recently achieved LEED Gold certification for its sustainable features, is a one-stop shop for students providing services that include housing registration, financial aid, and academic counseling under one roof. My name going up on that building is an incredible honor, Smith said. And having it appear with my only law partner, Harold Long, is like hitting the lotterya million to one. As the engines of the U.S. Air Force C-17 cargo plane rumbled underneath, Zakera Azizi peered down at the runway lights on the Kabul tarmac and then outward to the horizonto the Afghanistan she was leaving. She thought of her parents, grandparents, and eight siblings trapped in the chaos of the collapsing country and tried to imagine what lay ahead for the tens of thousands of Afghan women, hundreds of whom she had helped during the past few years in her role as a program development manager and government advisor. Azizi could not know then, nearly midnight on Aug. 17, 2021, all that would unfold in the coming monthsthe first days in an airport hangar in Doha, Qatar, with 2,500 other Afghan refugees and one indoor restroom; weeks in a tent camp; the arrival in Philadelphia as part of the U.S. resettlement program; relocation to camps in New Jersey and Virginia; and a capricious exchange of emails that ultimately resulted in a scholarship offer and chance to start life anew in Miamias an international business student at the University of Miami Patti and Allan Herbert Business School. This spring semester, Azizi is one of two Afghan students who received Global Crossing Airlines Graduate Business Scholarships, making her educational pursuit possible. She relies on a small U.S. government stipend for food and housing, along with donations from Afghan friends, among them her former colleagues at the defense ministry, where she worked as a senior communications advisor, advocating for the safety and protection of women in the Afghan military. "I want to thank the U.S. government, the donor Global Crossing Airlines who established this generous scholarship, and the University of Miami for this opportunity given to me and another Afghan refugee, said Azizi. I never could have imagined that I could get this kind of chance to study for a masters degree. I dreamed of coming to Miami for a visit, and now Im here to study. Sitting in the outside atrium of the business school on a mid-February morning, Azizi said she feels that she has landed in the right spot. She has made a quick transition to academic life, and shes preparing for a presentation with fellow students on a fraud case involving Goldman Sachs and emphasized that shes excited to meet new friends and learn new things in her program. Its not acceptable to forget my past, but I dont want to focus on the bad things that happened to me before, she said. That past and Azizis story begins with this admission: I am part of the generation born in the war and that grew up in the war. Born in Mazar-i-Sharif, in the Balkh province, Azizi grew up in a family with three brothers and five sisters. To protect her as a young girl, her mother dressed her in boys clothes so often that her grandpa at one point staged a party for her to be sure she was recognized as a girl. She dreamed of becoming a doctor and, with the blessing of her mothera schoolteacher who supported the familyAzizi attended school and eventually entered Balkh University. In classes with just a handful of girls, she did well and took the Concord Career exam that revealed a talent for math. To help her family, she got a job as an intern with a U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded project working in the revenue department of the local municipalitya place that she soon saw was rife with corruption. The job earned the equivalent of $200 a month, which she shared with her family, but also prompted the disdain and anger of her own father and of other men in her family and community who believe that girls or women have no business working outside the home. As she studied to earn her education certificate, Azizi thought she might seek to teach in the university. But by the second year, she realized that even the local college was not safe. Harassment was frequent. Because she so enjoyed her work with women in the community, she believed shed have more of an impact working for an international development project. Zakera Azizi at the WPS Conference in Kabul. She finished the university in 2015 and moved to the capital of Kabul in 2016. A former supervisor in the USAID project helped her find full-time work with DAI GLOBAL in the Strong Hubs for Afghan Hope and Resilience (SHAHAR) Project, working with the Deputy Ministry of Municipalities. As part of her new job, she helped to create a municipality advisory board that conducted training programs for women and aimed to reduce corruption. While Farsi was her native language and she had only limited exposure to English in her schooling, she began to learn English in her work environment. Her supervisor helped by bringing newspapers and books for her to read. She worked with the DAI project until 2018 and her job often entailed traveling to different provinces to conduct trainings and organize empowerment conferences for women. At one conference, 500 women from the countrys 34 provinces were invited to travel to Kabulthough at personal risk because of the Taliban threat. Azizi remembered calling all 500 herself over a four-day period and providing those that would come a secret code to share when arrivingto safeguard against infiltration from the Taliban. Through her work, she traveled the country, meeting with women in shelters and listening to their stories. She was offered a position as a program officer with a local organization focused on implementing United Nations Resolution 1325, a landmark resolution passed in October 2000 that affirms the important role of women in peace negotiations, peacebuilding, peacekeeping, and humanitarian efforts. Women's Security Shura Through her efforts, she was invited to meet with then-President Ashraf Ghani, whom she tried to convince to allow more women to participate in the peace negotiations with the Taliban. She remembered the ornate meeting room, the chairs made from a special Afghan wood and the walls decorated with artifacts from around the country, and where she sat at the table with a cadre of top Afghan military officials. She was offered a position as a senior communication advisor with the government and soon given a second position as the head of Directorate of Martyrs and Disabled Family for the Ministry of Defense, where she worked closely with those who had lost their children and husbands in the ongoing war. It was this advisory work with the government that granted her the required documentationU.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services case numberfor evacuation out of the country when the Afghan government collapsed in the face of the Taliban advance on the capital in mid-August. But safe passage was by no means guaranteed in the chaos of those few days. Together with defense ministry colleagues, Azizi watched in disbelief on Aug. 15 as the helicopter flew off from the palace with the Afghan president on board. As the reality of the governments implosion settled in, so did the urgency to leave the country. Over the next few frenetic days, Azizi shuffled back and forth between the mobbed airport and a safe house where she anxiously waited with her brother Sayed Zahirwho had moved to Kabul to live with her and offer some protectionfor instructions from the U.S. embassy. With Al-Qaeda and ISIS now monitoring phones and texting apps, any communication was dangerous. On Aug. 17, she received a call from the U.S. embassy military section office: Come to the airport, your clearance is arranged to leave, but not your brothers. Go to the gate and wait for our call. Azizi knew that the Taliban had already inquired at their Kabul apartment, but Zahir assured his sister that he would find a safe place and that she must go without him. Reluctantly, she conceded. At the airport, she waited at the gate as instructed. As evening began to settle, the crowds around her swarmed, desperately hoping to be let in. She texted her contact: It feels like everyone here just wants to eat meits dangerous, I cant wait much longer. The woman urged her to be patient and to avoid drawing any attention to herself. Azizi remembered wrapping her burka head-covering so that only her eyes were showing and no one could see her. A few minutes later, she was whisked in and then hustled from one airport section to another. Finally, she boarded the military plane to Qatar carrying the knapsack with her MacBook Aira gift from the defense ministry for her hard workand a few personal items as her only possession. She spent several weeks in the camp in Qatar with little to do but sleep. In September, she was flown with a large group of refugees to a facility in Philadelphia, then a month later she was relocated to a camp in New Jersey, then another one in Virginia. In Virginia, she considered her next step and began to search the internet for jobs or study opportunities. She learned of the scholarship at the University and sent an email. Within hours, Cecilia Sanchez, international relations manager at the business school, responded that she was forwarding Azizis inquiry to the director. Chei Hwee Chua, director of the master in international business program, formed part of the dynamic business school team that assessed the applicants for the Global Crossing Airlines Graduate Business Scholarships. Azizis resume leaped out at her when she received it. This was clearly not a regular candidate, but one with valuable work experienceher case was special, said Chua. When it came time for the virtual interview, Chua remembered that she was emotionally moved by what she heard. Learning more about Zakeras meaningful work helping women and then what shed experienced personallyit was heart-wrenching, said Chua, adding that she herself had come to the U.S. on her own from Singapore. But I came here to study for my doctorate, and always had my home to go back to and family for support. Our program doesnt just look at grades, but also life experience. We value the diversity that our students bring to the classroom, Chua pointed out. I dont think weve ever had someone from Afghanistan, and now we have two students this semester. As an international business school with a sense of global responsibility, we welcome the opportunity to offer tangible help to two qualified students displaced by the recent events in Afghanistan, said John Quelch, dean of the Miami Herbert Business School. The airline carrier providing for the scholarship shared their motivations. Global Crossing's humanitarian relief flightsas the only U.S. carrier performing these flights into Kabulhave had a profound impact on all our team members. We are proud to partner with Dean Quelch and Miami Herbert Business School to provide graduate scholarships for those affected by the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, said Ed Wegel, chair and CEO of the airlines. Invited by the U.S. government to participate in the evacuation effort, the Miami-based company sought additional ways to support those who were displaced, according to Mark Salvador, chief marketing officer. The University of Miami is in our backyard, and we felt strongly that supporting the initiatives coming out of the deans office would be an ideal way to tie our experience into the local community, Salvador said. Azizis father has remarried and remains in Afghanistan, but she has helped her mother and several siblings relocate to Turkey and Italy. Shes glad theyre safe but frustrated that they are denied the chance for schooling or work. The challenge of adapting to a new language, culture, and place remains daunting, but Azizi knows she can draw on her experience to persevere. Ive started from zero several times before in my life, she said. For now, I need to study hard and to earn this degree. I just want to work and live my life, yet even from here I can help the women in Afghanistan who are under threat. I can help by advocating for them. She knows it will take years for Afghanistan to stabilize, but she said she hopes that there will come a time that, with her degree and new skills, she will be able to launch a nonprofit to support women to work and empower them through education. For Afghan women, who, like herself, have been resettled in the United States, she encouraged them to do all they can to better themselves. Now were here in the country called the land of opportunity, were safe, and our voices can be heard by everyone. We must take advantage to study and learn. With education we can do anything we want, Azizi declared. And she pledged to continue to advocate for the women back in Afghanistan. They want to try to sing their song, but they cant talk, Azizi said. I want to tell everyone to give them a chance to learn. I want to be their voice. Hong Kong stocks slump 4 percent in early trading The losses mirrored hefty selling across Asian markets. Photo: RTHK Stocks in Hong Kong tumbled more than four percent in the first few minutes of trade on Monday as investors grow increasingly worried about the impact of the Ukraine war on the global economy. The Hang Seng Index dived 4.35 percent, or 953.14 points, to 20,952.15. The losses mirrored hefty selling across Asian markets, with no let-up in Russia's invasion of its neighbour, which has sent the price of commodities soaring to record or multi-year highs. Oil rocketed to nearly US$140 -- its highest since 2008 -- on concerns about supplies being choked off from eastern Europe as world leaders impose tough sanctions on Russia, the world's third-biggest crude producer. (AFP) Colombo Archbishop Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith on Monday urged United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to intervene to ensure impartial probe on 2019 Easter Sunday attack which church leader claimed 'a grand political plot'. Addressing the UNHRC's 49th session in Geneva, Cardinal Ranjith also called on the member countries "to support the continuation of evidence gathering initiated by the Council last year and to devise a means to ensure an impartial investigation to unravel the truth behind the Easter Sunday massacre". A series of coordinated bombings on the Easter Sunday, April 21, 2019 killed 269 including 82 children and 47 foreign nationals belonging to 14 nations and injured more than 500 others. The investigation in to the multiple bomb attacks targeting three churches and three star-class hotels revealed that Sri Lankan security officials had received specific intelligent information from India but had failed to act on them. India had relayed three specific warnings including one on the morning of April 21. The warnings on April 4 and 20 had even specified that the attacks would be on churches and hotels and Lankan security officials had acknowledged that the country received intelligence about possible terror strikes. However, then President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had denied receiving the information. Cardinal Ranjith has repeatedly demanded to hold both the President and the Prime Minister responsible for the massacre. "The first impression of this massacre was that it was purely the work of a few Islamic extremists. However, subsequent investigations indicate that this massacre was part of a grand political plot," the Cardinal informed the UNHRC. The Church leader also complained that "despite repeated requests and those of civil organizations pursuing the truth, the incumbent government of Sri Lanka has failed to mete out justice to the victims". "Instead of uncovering the truth behind the attack and prosecuting those responsible, there are attempts to harass and intimidate those who clamour for justice. As a result, nearly three years after the horrendous crime, we are still in the dark as to what really happened on that Easter Sunday," Cardinal Ranjith stated. --IANS sfl/pgh ( 367 Words) 2022-03-07-20:12:02 (IANS) Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 7 (ANI/NewsVoir): Birla Century's home division is set to enrich the Indian textile market with the launch of Hill & Glade, it's flagship brand catering to the home bedding segment. Already part of the globally recognized brand, Hill & Glade by Birla Century will provide a plethora of choices in both colour and quality on the basis of the preferences of the customers. Speaking at the launch of Hill & Glade by Birla Century in Mumbai, R.K. Dalmia, Sr. President & Wholetime Director, stressed upon the vision of sustainability alongside quality that the organization has a strong focus towards. "Sustainability is the new buzzword, but for Birla Century it has been a practise since our inception. Preserving our Mother Earth has always been a priority and we always keen "Think today, about tomorrow" at the heart of whatever decisions we take. This approach also reflects in our products which are much loved by consumers the world over for their attention to detail and unfailing quality standards." Hill & Glade will launch with over 250 eye-catching designs in a range of colours that will encompass solids as well as prints for the discerning consumer. This comes on the back of months of extensive research on the basis of consumer preferences with test audiences that helped fine tune choices around the most liked and suited bedsheets. Offering choices in 4 different qualities, Hill & Glade will provide Basic, Essential, Premium and Grandeur, in thread counts of 160, 210, 300 and 400 respectively. The entire range of cotton bed sheets promises a never before seen level of uniqueness with unmatchable standards of quality. Speaking at the launch in Mumbai, Ashish Mehrishi - CMO (Home Textiles & Apparel Fabrics) Birla Century, is confident that Hill & Glade will be one of the most well received brands of the year 2022. "We have invested a considerable amount of time and research to get here after ensuring the feedback from a large set of target audiences determined the gaps in the home bedding segment. Hill & Glade will provide choices in terms of textures, colours and quality segments, catering to all consumers." Hill & Glade will also look to offer consumers choices in bath towels with options for Hand towels, Face towels and Bath towels. This will complement the offerings in the home bedding segment perfectly and provide consumers with high quality choices in towels. In an endeavour to merge the quality offering from Birla Century with the ethnic diversity of India, Hill & Glade will be offering a range of Ethnic Bedsheets later this year. This will be a tremendous platform for the rural beauties of India to shine on the global textiles stage. All campaigns are based on sustainability and with a mission to enhance India's glory. Every product from Birla Century is curated with innovation and sustainability, with a strong customer centric approach that never compromises on quality. The organization has a zero compromise approach which means every process is supported with state-of-the-art machinery which has been sourced from the best manufacturers around the world. By offering speed, versatility and quality, the manufacturing technology at Birla Century is at or above par with the best across the globe. The USP of the organization is the customization that is offered to clients in terms of the weave, design and texture of the products. With an extensive network of distributors across India and overseas, it's ensured that these products reach every prospective customer. The goal at every step is to ensure that Birla Century delivers the best to customers who place their trust in Birla. Birla Century is a Division of Century Textiles & Industries Limited in 2009 incorporated a state-of-the-art, vertically integrated plant, (A Division of CTIL) was set up at Jhagadia, Bharuch. Processing 41 million meters annually. Birla Century produces a wide range of premium textiles, from bottom weights & suiting to finer fabrics, household linen, etc, curated with innovation, function, and sustainability. Birla Century's USP is the customization we offer to our clients in terms of the weave, design and texture of products. We have an extensive network of distributors and dealers in India and abroad. Our focus is on making products of excellent and consistent quality sustainably; and thereby adding value by offering a variety of weaves, designs and finishes innovating continuously. Our goal on each step is to make sure that we deliver the best we can to our customers who instil their trust on Birla and it's legacy and simultaneously make sure to add value to the industry of textiles with whatever capacity we can. This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir) Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], March 7 (ANI/NewsVoir): Top IT and Tech companies have begun the process of getting employees back to offices. Bringing the work-from-home trend to its end, PreludeSys has been quick enough to join the bandwagon and is ready to welcome their employees to work from office. PreludeSys has opened its offices on 17th February 2022 for their employees and it is expected to continue with the hybrid work model through 2022. With over 600+ employee force, PreludeSys has adopted a flexi-hybrid mode starting with two days a week. The employees will be having the choice of which days of the week they will be at the office and later moving to three days a week. While the global pandemic situation has improved in many regions of the world and governments have begun to lift the restrictions to restore life to normalcy. The current situation gives us hope that we can come out and be ourselves individually and collectively at the workplaces. The management understand that work from the office requires their employees to re-organize their routines and this re-organization comes with its own challenges. The larger context of this move to open now is a positive reflection of our people dynamics and our collaborative culture. As socializing with colleagues is an integral part of the work life culture at PreludeSys, the management is excited to announce that PreludeSys' s Chennai office has been open will remain so. All the employees will work on staggered schedules abiding all the COVID protocol and safety purposes. "In-person FaceTime has the intangible value to foster team spirit and collaboration. At the same time, we are balancing Work from Office with two days of Work from Home option, which we believe offers the appropriate balance for our PreludeSysians to take advantage of both. Our company believes its culture of apprenticeship and collaboration is best achieved in person and with the COVID-19 situation easing in Chennai, we welcome all our employees back to office, with continued consideration for personal circumstances," says Prasad Reddy, Associate Vice President, HR & IT at PreludeSys. PreludeSys is a global technology solutions provider founded in the year 1998. It has been certified as a 'Great Place to Work' in Sep 2021. As a brand PreludeSys is considered as a trusted technology partner serving more than 300+ customers. As a solution provider, PreludeSys goes an extra mile in helping their clients enhance business value through digital transformation. They offer services such as Enterprise Application Integration, Application Modernization and Cloud Migration, Business Intelligence and Data Analytics, Business Application Services (CRM /ERP), Testing, and Business Process Services. As a company they believe in working with young and mature enterprises across the globe in a diverse set of verticals by leveraging their in-house technical expertise, technology partnership, industry experience, and global delivery model. Overall, PreludeSys will help transform your brand inside out and guide you through your Digital Transformation journey solely committed to success. This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir) CAG of India Girish Chandra Murmu and Auditor General of Maldives Hussain Niyazy, held a meeting in New Delhi and discussed concrete steps for furthering the cooperation between the audit institutions of the two countries. Auditor General of Maldives Hussain Niyazy is on an official visit to India, from 28th February to 10th March 2022. Speaking at the occasion, Murmu reiterated his commitment to sharing knowledge and capacity development, under the aegis of an MoU signed between the top audit body of the two countries, according to a statement released by the CAG of India. CAG of India offered to host members from SAI Maldives for customised training programmes at the training institutions - the National Academy of Audit and Accounts (NAAA), Shimla, International Centre for Information Systems and Audit (iCISA), NOIDA, and the International Centre for Environment Audit and Sustainable Development (iCED), Jaipur. (ANI) New Delhi [India], March 7 (ANI/ATK): Ostwal Group, One of India's fastest growing Group, achieves global recognition under the leadership of M.K Ostwal, Pankaj Ostwal and Praveen Ostwal and successfully accredited tremendous growth and development under the leadership and counsel of these visionary leaders. Ostwal Group stands at 3rd position in terms of manufacturing and sales of SSP Fertilizer in India and accounts for ~8% of total SSP market share in India. The pillar of the group M.K. Ostwal, aged 65 years is one of the pioneers of present SSP technology with 42 years' experience in the sector. A Commerce graduate and founder of Ostwal Group of Industries is guiding force in growth and development of the Group. Despite the fact that he comes from a humble non industrial background, the kind of vision he has shown in the growth of Ostwal group is commendable. Similar kind of ethos he has passed on to his sons who have taken the group to new heights with professional approach. One side when M.K Ostwal is leading industry with his experience, on the other hand his sons Pankaj Ostwal and Praveen Ostwal are putting all their efforts to take it to different level. Their products under the brand name of "ANNADATA" with innovation and quality measures, provides rich source of depleted nutrients for the soil to achieve better farm productivity. They have various types of fertilizers/chemicals which are shining across the globe. Annadata ZIBO (Zincated Boronated Single Super Phosphate Fertilizers) is good for the soil deficit by PHOSPHORUS, Zinc & BORON. DAP/NPK Fertilizer is high grade nutrient fertilizers. Nutrients increase production in all types of crops. Other fertilizers like Potash, PROM, Casma, Water Soluble etc. are other best fertilizers available as nutrient for soil. Apart from above fertilizers, various types of chemicals like liquid SO3, Oleum, CSA dyes & other intermediaries are also produced at various plants. During COVID19, when world was suffering from huge impact, Ostwal Group has served the Nation by providing more than 2 Lakh community means to the people in need, Sanitaires to orphanages, Medical kits to many community centres with the support of 23 NGOs spread across the Nation. They further participated on building 100 Tribal marts in Gujarat, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh for improving the economic conditions of the people in collaboration with United First and joined one million plantation movement in 15 States and 2 UT in India. The Ostwal group believes that it is their moral responsibility to serve nation in need. Today also three times in a month they serve the Nation with all the capacity on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals 2030 of India. Their social contribution and services have also been blessed by several cabinet ministers and spiritual leaders of this Nation With a skilful mind and outstanding vision to leave a benchmark in the society, Ostwal group has joined hands with United First to work upon with all his experience on social projects contributing India towards United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030. Entire group is an example for next generation and companies for their noble contribution towards humanity and scaling up their business to next level. India needs more business group like Ostwal for serving humanity. This story is provided by ATK. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/ATK) Amid the ongoing civil war in Yemen, Hollywood star Angelina Jolie recently visited the country in the Middle East to provide aid to the refugees there. Taking to Instagram, Jolie, who has spent almost two decades working with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, informed her followers that she has "arrived in the capital city of Aden" and also spoke about the struggles being faced by the displaced families, People reported. "I've landed in Aden, to meet displaced families and refugees for UNHCR @refugees and show my support for the people of Yemen," Jolie wrote in the caption. "I will do my best to communicate from the ground as the days unfold," she wrote. She added, "As we continue to watch the horrors unfolding in Ukraine, and call for an immediate end to the conflict and humanitarian access, I'm here in Yemen to support people who also desperately need peace. The situation here is one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world, with one civilian killed or injured every hour in 2022. An economy devastated by war, and over 20 million Yemenis depending on humanitarian assistance to survive." Jolie likened the country's ongoing humanitarian crisis to the current devastation in Ukraine, urging compassion for those impacted by both conflicts. "This week a million people were forced to flee the horrific war in Ukraine. If we learn anything from this shocking situation, it is that we cannot be selective about who deserves support and whose rights we defend. Everyone deserves the same compassion," she penned. "The lives of civilian victims of conflict everywhere are of equal value. After seven years of war, the people of Yemen also need protection, support, and above all, peace," she hoped. For the unversed, Yemen has been convulsed by civil war since 2014. It began with Iran-backed Houthi rebels taking control of the capital Sanaa, and the northern parts of the country. (ANI) In a series of Instagram Stories, the 'Dangal' star posted a few behind-the-scenes glimpses from the sets of the film, which also stars Anant Joshi. She captioned one of the IG Stories as, "#KathalonNetflix." Last week, the actor, who was last seen in 'Love Hostel', shared a video to announce her new project 'Kathal'. She also introduced her character from the film, in which she will be seen as a young police officer. 'Kathal' also marks Sanya's return to Netflix after her performances in 'Ludo', 'Pagglait' and 'Meenakshi Sundareshwar'. For the unversed, 'Kathal' is the directorial debut of Yashowardhan Mishra, who has also written the film along with the veteran, award-winning writer Ashok Mishra. The movie is being produced by Guneet Monga, Ekta Kapoor, Achin Jain and Shobha Kapoor. The plot of this female-centric dramedy will revolve around a local politician whose prized jackfruits (Kathals) go missing and a young police officer, Mahima, played by Sanya Malhotra, is adamant to solve this bizarre case to prove herself. Apart from 'Kathal', Sanya will also be seen in the Hindi remake of the critically acclaimed Malayalam film 'The Great Indian Kitchen'. (ANI) Actor Alec Baldwin recently addressed the on-set tragedy that took place in October 2021 during the filming of 'Rust' and resulted in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and left the movie's director Joel Souza injured. As per Fox News, Baldwin addressed the 'Rust' shooting on Saturday during a film festival in Boulder, Colorado. Baldwin briefly referenced the ongoing investigation and lawsuits surrounding the on-set shooting and the future of safety regulations. Hutchins, along with Souza, was shot on October 21 after a prop gun Baldwin was holding discharged on the movie's Santa Fe, New Mexico set, killing her and wounding Souza. Baldwin launched into a lengthy and somewhat fragmented statement about there being just "two victims" in the 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 we're not gonna let that stop us from doing what we need to do in terms of litigation," he added. "Why sue people if you're not going to get money? That's what you're doing," he further said. The actor also suggested discussions with the unions and others will take place to address new set protocols around guns. "The thing to remember is that guns are fired in films because that's what audiences want. Maybe not this crowd. Maybe not a festival crowd where you want to watch something that's a little more complicated," he said. He added, "There's a place to modify the safety regulations we have to deal with and I'm very much looking forward to our decisions." Amid the ongoing investigation into Hutchins' death, Baldwin has expressed that he has maintained cooperation with the Santa Fe authorities. He handed his phone over to officials in mid-January, nearly one month after they requested it. (ANI) It is always endearing to see actors post inspiring and respectful messages for their colleagues, especially on public platforms. Actor Boman Irani posted one such loving message for his "senior", Anupam Kher, on Monday, which won the hearts of netizens. Boman took to his Instagram handle to post a monochromatic picture of him and the 'A Wednesday' actor and wrote a loving birthday wish, which read, "Was a young man when I saw this "senior" actor in his first film Saaransh, chewing up the screen. It was then I thought I would join films. So inspired was I. Little that I knew that this "old man" was only 27 years old. Thanks for the inspiration! It remains even after 37 years. Only with greater force. Happy birthday @anupampkher." The 'Lage Raho Munna Bhai' actor's post was filled with comments from fans, who were all praises for such a beautiful wish. One fan wrote, "How beautifully wished", while another commented, "Legends in a vintage photo". Boman and Anupam have shared the screen space in films like 'Veer Zara', 'Maine Gandhi Ko Nahi Mara', 'Heyy Babyy', but their most famous film together was the Dibakar Banerjee directorial 'Khosla Ka Ghosla'. Earlier, Anupam had shared a picture of himself, Boman, and veteran actor Danny Dengongpa on his Instagram account. Boman will be next seen in 'Jayeshbhai Jordaar', which stars Ranveer Singh in the titular role. Anupam is awaiting the release of 'The Kashmir Files', which has been slated for a theatrical release on March 11, 2022. (ANI) 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. --IANS sc/vd ( 475 Words) 2022-03-06-22:56:01 (IANS) The Air Asia flight, which evacuated the citizens, evacuated the stranded students from Hungary and landed at the airport at around 4-4.30 am. Harishma, a student who is a Bengaluru resident, said, "It was really difficult. We travelled for three days through the metro tunnel. After we reached Ukraine border, the Indian Embassy evacuated us and brought us back. They had made all the arrangements such as food and water. I am happy that I am back in the country." Gowardhan, another student, said, "After we crossed Ukraine border, the Indian Embassy provided all the facilities. I am thankful to the embassy for evacuating us." 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) Jaiswal is the BJP nominee from Varanasi North constituency. He along with his wife and family members had come to cast vote at the Government Girls Inter College here. "Voting was delayed by around 40 minutes at booth number 311 because of the main power switch connected to the EVM remaining off due to negligence by the polling officer here," Jaiswal alleged. Jaiswal further said that he has spoken to the District Magistrate (DM), asking for strict action against the polling officer. Talking about the Bharatiya Janata Party's chances in the elections, Jaiswal said that the party will win all the seats in the Varanasi district. "The BJP will get over 350 seats in this Assembly elections," he added. Meanwhile, a total of 2.06 crore are eligible to cast their votes in the final phase of the polls in the state, with 613 candidates in the fray, including a few of the ministers in the Yogi Adityanath government in the state. The 54 constituencies going to polls today are spread across nine districts of Mau, Azamgarh, Jaunpur, Ghazipur, Varanasi, Chandauli, Mirzapur, Sonbhadra, and Bhadohi (Sant Ravidas Nagar). Varanasi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Parliamentary constituency, and Samajwadi Party's stronghold Azamgarh are keenly watched electoral battlegrounds in the last phase of the elections. Varanasi district has eight Assembly seats -- Pindra, Ajagara, Shivpur, Rohaniya, Varanasi North, Varanasi South, Varanasi Cantonment, and Sevapuri. Azamgarh district on the other hand has 10 Assembly constituencies -- Gopalpur, Sagri, Mubarakpur, Azamgarh, Mehnagar, Atrauliya, Nizamabad, Phoolpur Pawai, Didarganj, and Lalganj. The counting of votes will take place on March 10. (ANI) As the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections reach its last leg, Adityanath told ANI that the voters are enthusiastic about voting. "I appeal to all voters to exercise their franchise in the last phase of Assembly elections today. There is enthusiasm among the voters. Your one vote will help ensure good governance in the state," he said. Meanwhile, a total of 2.06 crore are eligible to cast their votes in the final phase of the polls in the state, with 613 candidates in the fray, including a few of the Ministers in the Yogi Adityanath government in the state. The 54 constituencies going to polls today are spread across nine districts of Mau, Azamgarh, Jaunpur, Ghazipur, Varanasi, Chandauli, Mirzapur, Sonbhadra, and Bhadohi (Sant Ravidas Nagar). Varanasi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Parliamentary constituency, and Samajwadi Party's stronghold Azamgarh are keenly watched electoral battlegrounds in the last phase of the elections. Varanasi district has eight Assembly seats -- Pindra, Ajagara, Shivpur, Rohaniya, Varanasi North, Varanasi South, Varanasi Cantonment, and Sevapuri. Azamgarh district on the other hand has 10 Assembly constituencies -- Gopalpur, Sagri, Mubarakpur, Azamgarh, Mehnagar, Atrauliya, Nizamabad, Phoolpur Pawai, Didarganj, and Lalganj. The counting of votes will take place on March 10. (ANI) PM Modi has spoke to both the leaders twice, since the beginning of the conflict on February 24 when Russia launched a special military operation on Ukraine. The Indian prime minister had spoken to the Russian President on February 24 night and then on March 2. In his last call PM Modi reviewed the situation in Ukraine, especially in Kharkiv and both the leaders had also discussed the safe evacuation of the Indian nationals from the conflict areas, according to the Prime Minister's office. On February 26, PM Modi spoke to Ukranian President Zelensky in which the latter briefed the Prime Minister in detail about the ongoing conflict situation. After India abstained during a vote in the United Nations Security council, Zelensky spoke to PM Modi and sought India's political support at the UNSC. Meanwhile, 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 under 'Operation Ganga'. On Sunday the Indian government said that since February 22, it has so far evacuated nearly 16,000 Indian students from Ukraine through flights from Ukraine's neighbouring countries. (ANI) Troops of the Border Security Force (BSF) in the early hours of Monday shot down a quadcopter (drone) in the Ferozpur sector carrying contraband items, the BSF said in a statement. At about 2.55 am, BSF personnel deployed in the area heard a humming sound of a suspicious flying object coming from Pakistan towards India in the AOR Ferozpur sector. Troops were immediately alerted and they fired on the flying object and also illuminated the area by firing Para bombs. Resultantly, the drone was shot down. A small green-coloured bag was attached to the drone. It contained four packets in yellow wrapping and one small packet in black coloured wrapping containing contraband items weighing approximately 4.17 kgs (with packing material) and approximately 250 gm of items packed in the black wrapper. The suspected flying object is a quadcopter make DJI Matrice 300 RTX. (ANI) The Delhi High Court on Monday dismissed the plea of West Bengal former Chief Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay challenging the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) Principal Bench order to transfer his application from CAT Kolkata bench to CAT Delhi bench. The bench of Justice DN Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh pronounced the order on Monday and said that there was no reason to interfere in the order of the CAT. Earlier, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta had appeared for the Union of India in the matter and said that the tribunal has the exclusive power to transfer the case from one bench to another. He added that the chief secretary in May Last year chose to not receive the Prime Minister at the Kalaikunda airbase in West Midnapore district, and then skipping his review meeting to assess the damage caused by Cyclone Yaas, was a great violation. Alapan Bandyopadhyay in January approached the Delhi High Court challenging the order passed by the principal bench of CAT transferring his case from Kolkata bench to Delhi bench. Bandyopadhyay argued that the impugned order was passed in complete violation of the principles of natural justice, equity and fair play inasmuch as the petitioner was not even granted a right to file its written objections to the transfer petition. "The transfer petition was allowed on the very first day of its listing", stated Bandhopadhyay's plea. On October 22, 2021, the Chairman of the Central Administrative Tribunal, Principal Bench at New Delhi transferred the application filed by the petitioner before the Central Administrative Tribunal, Kolkata Bench to the Principal Bench in the national capital. The plea stated that the petitioner is the former Chief Secretary to the Government of West Bengal who retired on May 31, 2021. The petitioner ordinarily and permanently resides in Kolkata. Therefore, the petitioner had unqualified rights under Rule 6(2) of the Central Administrative Tribunal (Procedure) Rules, 1987 to file the Original Application before the Kolkata Bench. "Further, the entire cause of action in respect of the Original Application, as well as the underlying disciplinary proceedings against the Petitioner, occurred within the jurisdiction of the Kolkata Bench," the plea said. "There were absolutely no material circumstances that warranted the transfer of the original application to New Delhi. The respondents - Union of India has sought transfer on the ground that the department is based in New Delhi. However, the impugned order fails to appreciate that situs of the office of the Union of India or the convenience of the Union of India can never be a valid ground to transfer an original application," the plea added. It further argued that the convenience of the retired officer ought to have been given precedence. Further, as set out in detail in the writ petition, the Chairman of the Principal Bench exceeded the jurisdiction under Section 25 of the Act while dealing with the Transfer Petition by making an observation on the merits of the case which has absolutely no basis. On May 31, Bandyopadhyay superannuated from the service. Subsequently, an inquiry was initiated against him by the Centre for not attending a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 28, 2021, for assessing the loss of life and property caused by the cyclonic storm YAAS. After the inquiry order, Bandyopadhyay moved CAT's Kolkata Bench challenging it. Thereafter, the Centre moved the Principal Bench for the transfer of the case here in the national capital and on October 22 order was passed allowing the transfer petition. Bandyopadhyay then moved the High Court against CAT, New Delhi order. The High court on October 29, took strong objection to the manner in which the CAT Principal Bench favoured the Central government in transferring Bandyopadhyay's case to itself and quashed CAT's order. Thereafter, the Centre approached the apex court against the High Court order. The apex court said that the Calcutta High Court did not have the jurisdiction to decide the plea of Bandyopadhyay. It also granted liberty to Bandyopadhyay to approach the jurisdictional High Court (Delhi) to challenge the order of the CAT Principal Bench.(ANI) The Delhi High Court on Monday dismissed a plea seeking direction to take sufficient steps to adopt virtual court proceedings through video conferencing as a norm. The plea stated that the counsels, litigants, parties and courts should be at liberty to proceed in any matter through virtual courts if the physical appearance is not really necessary. The bench of Justice DN Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh, after noting down the submission, decided to dismiss the plea. Petitioner Mujeeb Ur Rehman, a practicing lawyer in Delhi also stated that the COVID-19 pandemic is neither vanished nor all the people have been vaccinated for it, so the danger is still continuing, and it may continue for years. Advocate Mujeeb Ur Rehman further stated that Registrar General of Delhi HC's order dated February 11, 2022, directed that all the proceedings in the High Court of Delhi vis-a-vis courts and tribunals over which this Court has jurisdiction shall be through physical hearings only and allowed hybrid/virtual hearings only in exceptional circumstances on a case-to-case basis. The plea further stated that it's not always necessary to be physically present before the court in each and every proceeding, so in such proceedings, the counsels, litigants, parties and courts may opt for virtual hearing through video conferencing to reduce the chances of unnecessary physical contacts with the public at large. "Another aspect of virtual court proceedings is the optimum use of time and efficiency by both the courts and the counsels which in turn could be utilized to dispose of a maximum number of cases on daily basis and to reduce the huge pendency before the courts and virtual court proceedings are environment conservation by reducing the use of papers," the plea read. (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday held a telephone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky amid the ongoing conflict with Russia, and sought continued support from his government for the evacuation of Indian nationals from Sumy. The Prime Minister also appreciated the continuing direct dialogue between Ukraine and Russia, Government of India sources informed. In a phone call that lasted for about 35 minutes, PM Modi thanked President Zelensky for the help extended by the Government of Ukraine in the evacuation of Indian nationals from Ukraine and sought continued support from his government in ongoing efforts for the evacuation of Indian nationals from Sumy. As per the sources, the two leaders discussed the evolving situation in Ukraine. "PM Modi appreciated the continuing direct dialogue between Russia and Ukraine," sources added. Notably, PM Modi will also be speaking to Russian President Vladimir Putin today. Since the beginning of the conflict on February 24 when Russia launched a special military operation on Ukraine, the Prime Minister has spoken to both the leaders twice. On February 26, PM Modi spoke to Ukrainian President Zelensky in which the latter briefed the Prime Minister in detail about the ongoing conflict situation. After India abstained during a vote in the United Nations Security council, Zelensky spoke to PM Modi and sought India's political support at the UNSC. The Indian prime minister had spoken to the Russian President on February 24 night and then on March 2. In his last call, PM Modi reviewed the situation in Ukraine, especially in Kharkiv and both the leaders had also discussed the safe evacuation of the Indian nationals from the conflict areas, according to the Prime Minister's office. Meanwhile, 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 under 'Operation Ganga'. On Sunday the Indian government said that since February 22, it has so far evacuated nearly 16,000 Indian students from Ukraine through flights from Ukraine's neighbouring countries. (ANI) People rush to sell gold as prices surge to new peak Many people queued to sell gold in Vietnam as the prices increased to their highest level on March 7. Many people queue to sell gold in Hanoi on March 7 At 11 am on March 7, gold shops on Hanoi streets like Cau Giay and Tran Nhan Tong were crowded with customers who queued for their turns. Hong Duyen, a customer at a shop on Cau Giay District, said that she wanted to sell three taels of gold which she bought on the God of Wealth Day nearly a month ago. "I bought them at VND 62.65 million a tael," Duyen said. "Now the price is around VND70 million a tael." Another customer, Phuong Linh, said that he was waiting to sell five taels of gold which he was keeping as savings. "I bought the gold long ago at VND 50 million per tael," Linh said. "I think it is a good time to sell with the price of around VND 70 million a tael." Domestic gold prices soared to reach VND72 million per tael on the trading session on the morning of March 7, marking a historic peak in the local market. This comes after the Saigon Gold and Jewellery Company at 11 am on March 7 listed each tael of SJC gold at VND70.3 million per tael for buying and VND71.7 million per tael for selling in Ho Chi Minh City, with prices at VND70.3 million per tael for buying and VND71.72 million per tael for selling in Hanoi. Simultaneously, DOJI Gold and Gems Group reported its buying and selling prices of SJC gold bar at VND70.4 million and VND72 million per tael in Hanoi and VND70.4 million and VND72.5 million per tael in Ho Chi Minh City, respectively. Elsewhere, Phu Nhuan Jewellery Joint Stock Company (PNJ) was trading gold at VND69.7 million per tael for buying and VND71.3 million for selling per tael. Each tael of SJC gold has increased by approximately VND1.4 million for buying and VND1.3 million for selling compared to the prices recorded on March 6. The latest figures broke a record of VND69 million per tael which was set on the afternoon of March 5. In terms of the global market, the precious metals price rose by USD5 per ounce to USD2,003 per ounce, with this figure forecast to continue increasing in the future. Raising concerns over Russia's military operation in Ukraine, Congress on Monday said that it is the duty of the Centre to make all efforts to bring back Indian citizens from the conflict-ridden country without "partisan propaganda". Issuing a statement, the Congress party said that it is alarmed and distressed over the escalation of military conflict in Ukraine. "The loss of innocent lives, widespread destruction, mass exodus of people and aggravated human sufferings is unacceptable. We remain gravely concerned about the safety of thousands of Indian students and citizens trapped in war zones," said Congress. The party further said that it earnestly appeals for an immediate end to all hostilities and the creation of geographically defined humanitarian corridors for safe evacuation respected by both sides. Russia, Ukraine and NATO must engage in sincere negotiations for restoring peace and a lasting resolution of all issues. "It is the duty of Government of India to make all efforts to bring back our citizens and it is important to remember and recall that India has in the past undertaken successful large-scale operations by its Air Force and Navy to evacuate Indians during Gulf war, Lebanon, Libya and Iraq without indulging in partisan propaganda," said Congress. 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) The government has decided that half of the seats in private medical colleges will be charged at par with government medical colleges, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday. The Prime Minister further stated that Government has controlled the price of more than 800 medicines required for the treatment of diseases like cancer, tuberculosis, diabetes, heart disease. Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister said Jan Aushadhi Kendras are centres for medicine for the body, they also reduce the anxiety of the mind and they are also centres of relief to the people by saving their money. The Prime Minister expressed satisfaction that such benefits are accruing to all segments of people and in all parts of the country. He also noted the success of the 1 rupee sanitary napkin. "The sale of 21 crore sanitary napkins shows that Jan Aushadhi Kendras have made the lives of women easy all over the country," he said. The Prime Minister said as of now more than 8,500 Jan Aushadhi Kendras have been opened in the country. "These centres are now becoming solution centres for the common man and not just another government store," PM Modi said. The Prime Minister said that the government has also controlled the price of more than 800 medicines required for the treatment of diseases like cancer, tuberculosis, diabetes, heart disease. "The government has also ensured that the cost of stunting and knee implants is also kept under control," he said. He gave statistics regarding making medical care affordable for the citizens. Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the occasion interacted with the owners and beneficiaries of the scheme. He also interacted with a beneficiary from Patna named Hilda Anthony and asked her about how she came to know about the Jan Aushadhi medicines and their benefits. She said, "I am able to get my monthly medicines in just Rs 250 instead of Rs 1200- Rs 1500." Interacting with another beneficiary, who is a person with a special ability, Suresh Chandra Behera shared his experience about the scheme and said, "I am saving Rs 2000 per month after purchasing medicines from Jan Aushadhi Kendra." The Prime Minister also said that a few days ago, the government has taken another big decision that will benefit the poor and middle-class children. "We have decided that half the seats in private medical colleges will be charged at par with government medical colleges," he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with Jan Aushadhi Kendra owners and beneficiaries of the scheme today via video conferencing. Jan Aushadhi week is being celebrated across the country from March 1 to generate awareness about the usage of generic medicines and the benefits of Jan Aushadhi Pariyojana. The theme of this event was "Jan Aushadhi-Jan Upyogi". Union Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya was among those present on the occasion. (ANI) Women voters have exceeded men electorates in the recently held Assembly elections, said Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra on Monday. Addressing over 150 delegates from nearly 32 countries during, International Election Visitors Programme 2022 virtually, Chandra said, "In Goa, Uttarakhand and several constituencies of Uttar Pradesh, women voters turnout exceeded than men. The difference was striking in Uttarakhand with women clocking 67.20 per cent turnout as against 62.60 per cent male voters, which is 5 per cent more than men." The Chief Election Commissioner said Goa witnessed 80.96 per cent turnout among women voters against 78.19 per cent of men voters. In Manipur, 90 per cent women electors cast their votes as against 88 per cent men voters. Out of seven phases in UP, in three phases, women voters turnout exceeded men. Male voters were 51.03 per cent while female turnout was 62.62 per cent. "I compliment all women voters on the eve of international women's day. Last year we have five elections and turnouts were good. Assam had 82.4 per cent, Kerala 76.5 per cent, Tamil Nadu had 73 per cent, West Bengal 82 per cent and Puducheri had 83.4 per cent. So even at last year's pandemic time, electors came forward to cast their vote." He further added that in the current round of elections, Goa came out with 79.6 per cent voter turnout, Punjab 71.95 per cent , Uttarakhand 65.4 per cent, Manipur 88 per cent and Uttar Pradesh 62-65 per cent till the sixth phase which is not substantially less than last elections. Chief Election Commissioner said that during these current elections about 48,000 complaints were received which were immediately attended by Officials. He further added that the total seizure of cash, liquor, narcotics, and freebies is around USD 137 million, which is 3.5 times more than the 2017 elections. Chandra pointed out that despite the COVID-19 pandemic posing several logistical challenges in conducting elections, India has yet again conducted elections in five states with 183.4a million electorates across 690 Assembly constituencies, making the electoral system more inclusive, accessible, and participative. While highlighting various initiatives taken by the Election Commission for facilitating senior citizens, PwD, and women voters, Chandra appreciated the innovative and localized solutions implemented by field officers to overcome barriers faced by various categories of voters. He mentioned that over 11 million new voters were added for the ongoing elections in the five states. The Election Commission on Monday hosted the virtual International Election Visitors Programme (IEVP) 2022 for Election Management Bodies (EMBs) from nearly 32 countries and four international organizations. An overview of the ongoing Elections for Legislative Assemblies of Goa, Manipur, Punjab, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh was presented to more than 150 EMB delegates participating online. Ambassadors/High Commissioners and other members of the Diplomatic Corps based in India from nine countries also participated in Monday's virtual IEVP 20. Acknowledging the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said that the Commission's aim has been to work with three broad objectives - COVID safe Elections, hassle-free comfortable voting experience, and maximum voter participation. While elaborating on the special measures undertaken by EC to ensure COVID safe elections, he mentioned that the Commission took a graded response keeping a balance between the candidates and parties right to campaigning and with evolving COVID-19 situation, ensuring the safety of voters and polling personnel. Highlighting facilitation for different categories of voters in the current elections, Kumar mentioned that Commission reached out to nearly 5.3 lakh service voters, 13 lakh PwD voters, and a large number of centenarian voters. Election Commissioner Anup Chandra Pandey highlighted the major milestones including the adoption of the Model Code of Conduct, system of deputing Election Observers, EVM-VVPAT, and Information and Communication Technology in the glorious journey of Indian elections in the last 70 years for ensuring free, fair, transparent and ethical elections. He also gave an overview of the various initiatives taken by ECI including voter connect through SVEEP and voter-friendly polling stations to ensure ease of voter registration and facilitation for various categories of voters for enhanced electoral participation. Over 150 delegates from nearly 32 countries across the world participated in the event. (ANI) Just two days before the announcement of the results of the Punjab Assembly elections, Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi met Union Home Minister Amit Shah at his residence in Delhi. However, the Chief Minister after the meeting mentioned that the main issues discussed were on amending Bhakra Beas Management Board rules and the ongoing Operation Ganga. Speaking to reporters here today after meeting Shah, Channi said, "Main issue was BBMB (Bhakra Beas Management Board), officers should be deployed like earlier. The Centre wants to deploy people from outside. I requested Home Minister to reconsider it. He assured me that he'll discuss this with his minister in 1-2 days and act as per Punjab's wish." Notably, political parties in Punjab, barring the BJP, are against the Centre's decision to amend the rules regarding appointments to two key positions on the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB). The Central Government issued a notification on February 23 2022 to amend the BBMB Rules 1974, thereby changing the criteria for the selection of whole-time members of the Board. Further speaking to reporters today, Channi said, "Secondly, 997 of our students were in Ukraine out of whom 420 have returned, 200 have gone to Poland and are safe but some people are still stranded. I made a request for them, Home Minister assured me that they are monitoring the situation and the students will be evacuated." The Centre arranged for flights from neighbouring countries of Ukraine for the evacuation of Indian students under 'Operation Ganga'. With thousands of Indian nationals being brought back from Ukraine under Operation Ganga, Union Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan on Monday apprised about the efforts taken by the Indian Embassies to help people in conflict-ridden Ukraine. Speaking to ANI today, Muraleedharan said, "Out of 20,000 Indian citizens, we have been able to evacuate more than 16,000 citizens. Around 3,000 citizens are still there in the neighbouring countries of Ukraine. Around 600 students are there in Sumy area." (ANI) A ruckus erupted inside West Bengal Legislative Assembly on Monday, the first day of the budget session as the opposition protested over the alleged violence in the recently concluded civic elections in the state. BJP leaders along with the Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari marched towards Raj Bhavan to meet West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar after ruckus in the Assembly session. "Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar was physically assaulted by TMC leaders...what happened inside the House everybody saw very carefully... we'll meet Governor. He should take appropriate action against it. If necessary, we will consult with the Central government", said Suvendu Adhikari. BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul said, "Shockingly, the TMC leaders and ministers (women's) hackled and touched the governor. We were protesting because, for the past months, the kind of elections that have happened in West Bengal even that is something unprecedented. The people of Indian have not seen this kind of election wherein every booth 100-300 outsiders were hired by TMC with firearms. They have even changed the EVM boxes. We want a re-poll and we had a very genuine demand. Our candidates were beaten up and it was being encouraged by Chief Minister." Dhankhar, who arrived at the assembly to deliver the inaugural address, could not do it as BJP legislators descended to the well-carrying posters of alleged victims of civic poll violence staged a protest in the assembly. During the ruckus, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Speaker Biman Banerjee urged the Governor to go ahead with the speech. When the Governor tried to leave the House without reading his speech, TMC MLAs gathered against his seat and prevented him from leaving the House. Mamata Banerjee termed the uproar "unprecedented" and said that it was a "planned attempt" to create a Constitutional crisis. "BJP is doing this because they miserably failed to win the election", she added. CM Banerjee also visited the Raj Bhawan later on Monday to meet Dhankhar. She thanked him for staying back in the Assembly amid the uproar. The Chief Minister added, "What BJP has done today in the Assembly was a shame on democracy." (ANI) The Ministry of Education today, in a statement, gave clarification regarding fake websites allegedly duping job aspirants. An official statement by the ministry read, "It has come to the notice of the Ministry of Education that in order to dupe innocent applicants several websites have been created with the name similar to the schemes of the department like www.sarvashiksha.online, https://samagra.shikshaabhiyan.co.in, https://shikshaabhiyan.org.in." The Ministry said that these websites are offering employment opportunities to aspiring candidates and misguiding the job aspirants through the layout of the website, content and presentation in a manner similar to the original website and asking for money from the respondents for the applications. While these websites have come to the notice of the department of school education and literacy, there may be more such other websites/social media accounts promising jobs and demanding money for the recruitment process, added the ministry. Advising the general public the ministry stated, "The general public is advised to avoid applying for job opportunities on such websites and to ensure themselves that the websites are authorised by visiting the official website of the concerned Department/personal inquiry/telephone call/e-mail to safeguard their own interest." "Any person applying on these websites will be doing so at his own risk & cost and shall be responsible for the consequences thereof," concluded the statement. (ANI) ED had arrested Joshi on February 14 last year. Last year, Sachin Joshi was arrested under the sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA), in the case of siphoning/diversion of bank funds to the tune of Rs 410 crore. The ED initiated an investigation on the basis of FIR registered by City Chowk police station Aurangabad, Maharashtra against promoters of M/s Omkar Group in the month of March 2020. The said FIR alleged cheating and diversion of bank funds. "During the investigation, searches were conducted on various premises including residential and office premises of key persons and subsequently ED arrested Babulal Varma and Kamal Kishore Gupta, promoters of M/s Omkar Group, on January 27, 2021, under PMLA, 2002," the release read. According to ED, the role of Sachin Joshi and his companies were found in the further diversion of said bank funds through non-genuine transactions. It was found that nearly Rs 87 Crores were diverted through such transactions. Accordingly, Sachin Joshi was summoned and questioned. Based on the investigation Sachin Joshi was arrested on February 14, 2021, under PMLA, 2002. Further investigation is underway. (ANI) India's first woman merchant navy captain Captain Radhika Menon lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday saying whenever she travelled to China, Pakistan or in any other country, she received the feedback that India has a very strong leader. On the eve of International Women's Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held an interactive session with the Nari Shakti Puraskar awardees for the years 2020 and 2021, at Lok Kalyan Marg on Monday. Menon is the first woman to receive an award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea from International Maritime Organization (IMO). During the interaction, Captain Radhika Menon told Prime Minister Modi, "After you have come into power, there is a lot of improvement in maritime field and inland waterways. I travelled the entire world with ships. Whenever I go to China, Pakistan or a country with which we are not on good terms, they always tell me 'You have a very strong leader.' I am really happy about it and very proud of you." Prime Minister praised the awardees for the tremendous work done by them, adding that they are contributing to society as well as the country. He said that while their work has a spirit of service, what is also clearly visible in their work is innovation. He added that now there is no sector where women have not made their mark and made the country proud. Prime Minister said that the government is committed to working towards realizing the potential of women and is framing policies through which such potential can be identified. He noted that it is important to ensure that all women become part of decision-making at the family level, which will follow as a result of their economic empowerment. 'Nari Shakti Puraskar' is an initiative of the Ministry of Women and Child Development to acknowledge the exceptional contribution made by individuals and institutions, to celebrate women as game changers and catalysts of positive change in society. In all, 28 awards (14 each for the years 2020 and 2021) will be presented to 29 individuals in recognition of their exceptional work in rendering distinguished services towards the empowerment of women, especially vulnerable and marginalized women. The winners of the Nari Shakti Puraskar for the year 2020 are from fields as diverse as entrepreneurship, agriculture, innovation, social work, arts and crafts, STEMM, wildlife conservation, etc. The winners of the Nari Shakti Puraskar for the year 2021 are from the fields of linguistics, entrepreneurship, agriculture, social work, arts and crafts, Merchant Navy, STEMM, education and literature, disability rights, etc. (ANI) Union Home Minister Amit Shah is slated to visit Tripura on Tuesday to attend a set of programmes organized by both the Tripura government as well as the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. According to official sources, Shah will land at MBB Airport Agartala at around 11 am in the morning on a chartered flight. He will straight fly to Udaipur to attend the scheduled programme of inaugurating the silver made door of Tripura Sundari temple. After that, Shah will address a mammoth public rally at Swami Vivekananda Stadium organized by the Bharatiya Janata Party to mark the fourth year of the BJP-IPFT government here in Tripura. "We have named the rally as four years of development. It has been four years since the first BJP government was formed in the state and the main agenda of the government remained development", said state BJP Vice President and MP from East Tripura Parliamentary Constituency Rebati Tripura. Senior party leaders have been found visiting the Swami Vivekananda ground all across the day to inspect the preparedness in the ground. BJP State President Dr Manik Saha said, "the political change of guard in Tripura became possible due to the apt guidance of the then BJP National President Amit Shah. After the formation of the government, he did not arrive here in the state and this is for the first time he will be arriving here". Meanwhile, security arrangements had been tightened ahead of the visit of the Union Home Minister. "We have arranged elaborate security ahead of Home Minister Amit Shah's visit tomorrow to avert any kind of untoward incidents. We will deploy police, Tripura State Rifle Jawans, and CRPF as well", said superintendent of police West Tripura district Bogati Jagadishwar Reddy said. (ANI) The Delhi Government on Monday launched Aam Aadmi School Clinics, an initiative to promote the mental, physical and emotional wellbeing of school students, said a press release. Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia along with Health Minister Satyendar Jain inaugurated 20 Aam Aadmi School Clinics at an event held at Sarvodaya Kanya Vidyalaya, Moti Bagh. These 20 clinics are a part of a pilot project implemented by the Delhi Government in collaboration with The Hans Foundation. On this occasion, Sisodia highlighted the need of mental health support for students within the school premises. He said, ''this initiative is one of the biggest achievements in the field of education and health sector. The Aam Aadmi School Clinics consists of doctors and psychologists who listen to the problems of students. Having a psychologist is one of the biggest steps because it will be an addition to our happiness curriculum.'' Jain said, ''The program is carefully crafted to cater to young students keeping in mind their physical and mental health needs. It aims to provide health care by providing regular full-body health checkups by trained professionals, guidance on health management by Doctors, group awareness sessions on issues like stress management, and individual therapy sessions by a Psychologist. It not only aims to bring about a change in the overall development but works on building a stronger future by empowering students.'' ''This is a unique first-of-its-kind project in the whole country. It is currently being executed in 20 schools of the Delhi government and will be further established in more schools around Delhi. Each clinic will have a trained doctor, ANM, Psychologist & Multi-Task Worker. ANM will be responsible for screening the students for any physical as well as mental health issues. In case of a physical health issue, ANM will refer the student to the doctor, whereas to the psychologist in case you have any mental health concerns.'' He added. Jain also said, ''We have initially started this for students, but we will think about extending these services for teachers as well as parents in the coming future. These clinics screen 30 students each day. On the other hand, the Aam Aadmi School Clinics are equipped with an adequate supply of medicines for the students. This list has been curated keeping in mind the specific needs of adolescents, with a primary focus on anaemia, malnutrition, refractive errors, worm infestation, and menstrual hygiene. These clinics are equipped with doctors for the early diagnosis of any disease that persists in the students.'' (ANI) Following exit polls predicting Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) clear majority in Punjab Assembly polls, party leader Raghav Chadha said the party is going to be the national and natural replacement of Congress. "Exit poll results tell us that the people of Punjab have overwhelmingly voted for change. People rejected traditional political parties. AAP is now a national and fastest-growing political party. AAP is going to be national and natural replacement of Congress," AAP leader Raghav Chadha told ANI. Several surveys predicted AAP, which is in power in Delhi, getting a landslide victory in Punjab. Most exit polls predicted that the ruling Congress will finish a distant second in the state followed by Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) which had allied with Bahujan Samaj Party. The BJP and its allies are not predicted to do well, according to the surveys. If the results come as per the prediction of exit polls, it will be the first time that AAP will come to power in Punjab. AAP had declared Bhagwant Mann as its chief ministerial candidate in the state. News24-Today's Chanakya Exit poll predicted AAP getting 100 (plus, minus 11) seats and Congress 10 (plus, minus 7) seats in the 117-member Punjab assembly. It predicted SAD getting six (plus, minus five) seats and BJP one (plus, minus one) seat. According to India Today-Axis My India exit poll, AAP is predicted to get 76-90 seats in Punjab, Congress 19-31, SAD and its allies 7-11 and BJP and its allies 1 to 4 seats. The ABP News-C Voter predicted that AAP will get 51-61 seats, Congress 22-28 seats, SAD 20-26 seats and BJP 7-13 seats. The ETG Research survey predicted AAP getting 70-75 seats, Congress 27-33 seats, SAD 7 to 13 and BJP three to seven seats. According to Times Now-Veto exit polls, AAP is predicted to get 70 seats, Congress 22, SAD 19 and BJP five seats. According to P MarQ survey, AAP is predicted to get 62 to 70 seats, Congress 23 to 31 , SAD 16-24 and BJP 1-3 seats. The News-X Polstrat predicted AAP getting 56-61 seats, Congress 24-29, SAD 22-26 and BJP one to six seats. India News-Jan ki Baat said AAP is predicted to get 60-84 seats, Congress 18-31, SAD 12-19 and BJP three to seven. It is the first time that BJP fought over 65 seats in Punjab. It formed an alliance with the Punjab Lok Congress of Capt Amarinder Singh and SAD (Samyukt) led by SS Dhindsa. Polling was held in Punjab on February 20 and the results will be declared on March 10. (ANI) The observers are expected to reach their respective destinations on Tuesday. Senior leader P Chidambaram and Karnataka Congress unit chief DK Shivakumar will go to Goa while Ajay Maken and Punjab in-charge Harish Chaudhary will go Punjab. According to Exit Polls, the Congress party is losing power in Punjab and giving a tough fight in Goa and Uttarakhand. Whereas, the BJP will have a landslide victory in Uttar Pradesh and Manipur. (ANI) Muhammad Saeed Al-Ayash has been appointed as Director of OIC's Afghanistan office, OIC said today on Twitter. The office was opened Friday, reported Tolo News. According to OIC, the office will follow up the implementation of the outcome of the organization's extraordinary ministerial meeting held in Pakistan last December. "The OIC office in Kabul will coordinate the OIC's humanitarian efforts with Afghanistan and international partners. It will be strengthened with human and material resources in conformity with the resolution adopted by the extraordinary ministerial conference on the situation in Afghanistan. This is to enable it fulfill its obligations to support the Afghan people in various fields," it said. At the OIC meeting on Afghanistan in Pakistan, a draft resolution was passed to establish a humanitarian trust fund to channel humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan. The member states agreed to "establish a Humanitarian Trust Fund, under the aegis of the Islamic Development Bank, to serve as a vehicle to channel humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan including in partnership with other international actors." At the meeting, OIC urged the Islamic Development Bank to operationalize the trust fund by the first quarter of 2022 to accelerate the provision of humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan. The Taliban seized control over Afghanistan in last August and since then Afghanistan is facing a looming economic meltdown and humanitarian catastrophe. (ANI) Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday lashed out at the European Union for asking Pakistan to vote against Russia during the recently held special session of the UN General Assembly, asking if they considered Islamabad their "slave". He made these remarks during a public rally in Punjab province's Vehari district. "Did you write the same letter to India?" the Prime Minister asked while citing the letter penned by the EU urging Pakistan to vote against Russia during the UNGA session. The UN General Assembly on Wednesday adopted a resolution that "demands" Russia "immediately" withdraw from Ukraine. But Pakistan was among the few countries that abstained from taking part in voting against the resolution. Imran Khan said that Pakistan would not support any country in war, but they would 'take a step ahead in backing everyone yearning for peace'. "We have friendships with the United States, Russia, China and Europe. We are not in any camp. Since we are neutral, we will try to collaborate with these countries to endeavour for an end to this war in Ukraine," he was quoted as saying by the Dawn newspaper. He also warned the Pakistan opposition to prepare for the consequences if the no-confidence motion against him failed. "I came into politics 25 years ago to fight against them (his political rivals). I will fight them until my last breath. I will face them and I am completely prepared for whatever they throw my way," he said. The Pakistan prime minister also mentioned his main political rivals individually and questioned their credentials and motives. "First there is criminal number one Nawaz Sharif," he said, stating that the PML-N supremo gave a performance worthy of Bollywood when he was handed a prison sentence by the Supreme Court. Furthermore, he commented on Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Co-Chairperson Asif Ali Zardari, the premier said that he was infamously known as "Mr 10 per cent" during the tenure of former PM Benazir Bhutto. He added that international publications and books had detailed the history of Zardari and Nawaz's corruption. Talking about Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Imran said that he would not call him Maulana as it was a title reserved for educated, honest and pious people. (ANI) Underlining the need for more humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan, the food-assistance branch of the United Nations, has once again raised concern about the growing multifold crisis in the country. "WFP funds are running dry but the economic crisis continues. Nearly no family can access enough to eat and humanitarian needs may reach levels we cannot meet," World Food Programme (WFP) tweeted. Margot Van Der Velden, Director of Emergencies, who is working in Kandahar said it is a "very desperate situation that we see here." "23 million people in Afghanistan are facing an acute food insecurity situation. As per a January survey, 95 per cent of the household don't have enough food," she said. As the world's attention shifts to the conflict and displacement crisis in Ukraine, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) last week had called on the world to not neglect Afghanistan. The IRC, in a statement, said the international community should seize this window of opportunity in Afghanistan to prevent famine, save lives, and put an end to the horrific conditions facing women and girls, It called for a scale-up of life-saving humanitarian aid, and policy changes to alleviate the economic crisis that is tipping the scale towards preventable death and suffering. Amanda Catanzano, Vice President of Policy and Advocacy at the IRC, said, "We applaud the recent good work done by the US and other donor governments to alleviate the suffering in Afghanistan. Specifically, the World Bank board's decision to provide USD 1 billion from the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund to UN agencies and aid organizations operating in the country." Catanzano said these funds will help restore essential health and education services that have been paralyzed since August when donors froze funds that made up 75 per cent of public spending. This funding will also help Afghans rebuild their livelihoods at a time of record food insecurity when nearly 9 million Afghans live on the brink of famine, she added. (ANI) Mukul Arya was found dead inside the Indian embassy in Palestine on Sunday. "This is truly shocking. A wonderful colleague snatched away so young. My deepest condolences to his family," Tirumurti tweeted. 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) The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has condemned the terrorist attack in the Pakistani city of Peshawar that claimed the lives of more than 60 people. "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, 4 March 2022. The attack which was claimed by ISIL-K, resulted in the death of at least 62 people and injuries to dozens more," the Council President Lana Zaki Nusseibeh, said in a statement. The members of the Security Council expressed their condolences to the families of the victims. The members of the Security Council reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security. "The members of the Security Council underlined the need to bring perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism to justice and urged all States, in accordance with their obligations under international law and relevant Security Council resolutions, to cooperate actively with the Government of Pakistan and all other relevant authorities in this regard," the UNSC statement added. The members of the Security Council reiterated that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed. They reaffirmed the need for all States to combat threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts. (ANI) The foreign ministry has raised the risk level for Russia (to "Level 3"), urging Japanese nationals to refrain from visiting the country regardless of the purpose. The top "Level 4" warning has been in place for Russian areas bordering Ukraine, with the Japanese government urging its citizens to leave these regions. The Japanese foreign ministry said that the restrictions imposed on Russia could be "further strengthened." According to the ministry's data, there are currently about 2,400 Japanese nationals in Russia. In the early hours of February 24, 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. 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 numerous Russian officials and entities, media, and financial institutions. (ANI/Sputnik) The Joint Base Andrew military base near Washington DC from where Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband had just taken off, has been put on lockdown on Sunday (local time) after reports of an "armed individual" on base, according to reports. "(The) Guards stopped the shuttle reporters take from the terminal. They had rifles out and searched our van," Scott Detrow, NPR's White House correspondent, who is currently at the base and is a part of the press pool reporter for the vice president, said. Joint Base Andrews is located in Prince George's County in Maryland and serves as the home base for several planes that are used by the President of the United States. US President Joe Biden was not at the facility when the incident began, and Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband second gentleman Doug Emhoff had left on Marine Two for the Naval Observatory . According to a White House official, the four cabinet secretaries who were travelling with VP Harris were safely off-base. "We are still on our shuttle, and still are awaiting any sort of official statement on the extent of what's happening at JBA right now. A guard who searched our shuttle told us it is a confirmed "armed individual" but that no shots were fired," Detrow said in his pool report. The vice president and several cabinet members had just landed at the military base after a trip to Selma for a "Bloody Sunday" anniversary event. Reports are coming in that an individual was held at the Joint Base Andrew military facility and the base has been sealed off after the security breach and an investigation is underway, according to pool reporters. (ANI) Ahead of the no-confidence motion against the Imran Khan government, principal Opposition parties, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), have asked Members of the National Assembly (MNAs) to cancel their foreign visits and stay put in Islamabad for the next few days, media reports said. The development comes amid reports that the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government is planning to arrange foreign visits for the lawmakers as part of the strategy to counter the Opposition's no-confidence motion plan, The Dawn reported. The Opposition parties in Pakistan have ramped up their activities ahead of the planned no-confidence motion against the Imran Khan government for "misgovernance and bad economic handling". "We've to take the extreme step to steer the country out of the economic, political and foreign policy crises created by the incumbent government. None can guarantee 100 per cent success. This oppression will continue if [we] wait for the 100 per cent guarantee," said PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari as quoted by The Dawn. Bhutto has been leading a 'long march' against the Imran Khan government in its bid to mobilise the support of the people. Talking about the challenges in the adoption of the no-confidence in the House, Bhutto said, "Yes, it is a difficult task. None can term it to be an easy one. But our duty is to make the effort and we think that this is worth the risk." He also added further that he would not sit idle even if the Motion doesn't sail through in the House and would work to oust the 'selected' government of Imran Khan, the report said. Even while the Opposition is mobilising support for the no-confidence motion, the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Saturday exuded confidence that it has sufficient numbers in the National Assembly. Talking to the 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) Campus News Photo exhibit tells soldiers stories, challenges of coming home after war By BERT GAMBINI As an anthropologist, I am a storyteller. I tell stories of others and stories about the stories of others in hopes of helping make sense of the chaos we call life. UB, in collaboration with a team of community partners, will present selected images from Odyssey: Warriors Come Home, an exhibition of photographs made by local combat veterans who used photography to explore their return to civilian life and to find meaningful social connections after war. The powerful images from 42 photographers in the exhibit give visitors an opportunity to see and experience the challenges veterans face when they return from combat and begin the process of reintegrating into society. The exhibition, curated by Odyssey Project founder Brendan Bannon, tells the collective story of coming home from battle. Odyssey will be displayed March 15 to May 31 outdoors on the surrounding grounds and in the interior main floor space of the Central Library at 1 Lafayette Square in downtown Buffalo. The exhibit represents another phase in UBs project Developing a Sense of Meaningful Belonging among Veterans. These photographs are a profoundly personal testimony to the impact of war on the people who fight it, says Bannon. Stories of war and the challenges of coming home are hard to share and harder yet to understand for people who havent been through war. These images illuminate those stories of complex courage. For the past several months, a UB research team has been working on the project with the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library, Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center, Odyssey Project and the Veterans One-stop Center of Western New York. During this time, local veterans have held a series of meetings to facilitate rich discussion and reflection for how they can find and develop a sense of meaningful belonging after their discharge. Six discussion facilitators, all veterans themselves, led that first series of monthly discussions with members of the wider veteran community in Western New York about reintegration, disability, mental health, loss and suffering, reconciliation and public memory. Those discussion leaders will also open their conversation to the public as part of a free special event at 1 p.m. April 3 at the Central Library. This special event brings veterans and their families together with a wider audience to discuss meaningful belonging, and the importance of having a shared, common experience that creates a feeling of belonging to and being approved by society as a whole. Its a fundamental human need that allows people to positively manage stress and discover coping strategies, while contributing to their overall social and emotional well-being. The projects second series of monthly discussions is scheduled to begin in May. Veterans interested in participating can contact the project team. Developing a Meaningful Sense of Belonging among Veterans is funded through a $100,000 grant UB received last year as part of the National Endowment for the Humanities Dialogues on the Experience of War program, which supports the humanities as a means for U.S. military veterans and others to think more deeply about the issues raised by war and military service. By combining photographic creativity, literature, art and discussion sessions, the project helps veterans find a new sense of social connection and meaningful belonging after their military service. At a fundamental level, the project creates a place for sharing stories in a variety of mediums that demonstrate storytellings ability to help people find meaning and responses to questions whose answers are not easily forthcoming, according to Vasiliki Neofotistos, associate professor of anthropology, College of Arts and Sciences, and the grants principal investigator. As an anthropologist, I am a storyteller. I tell stories of others and stories about the stories of others in hopes of helping make sense of the chaos we call life, says Neofotistos. This project is very dear to me because it helps veterans to tell and re-tell their own stories by gaining new insight into their military experiences, and to bond through collective reflection around novels, memoirs, films and art that provide common patterns of deployment and homecoming, while creating a forum for veterans to form networks of support, combat social isolation and bolster their resilience. Neofotistos has been working on the project with co-investigators and UB colleagues Lisa Butler, associate professor in the School of Social Work and an expert on the care needs of veterans and their families, and Bonnie Vest, a medical anthropologist and research associate professor in the Department of Family Medicine, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, who has expertise in the health and well-being of veteran and military populations. Butler and Vest also co-direct Joining Forces-UB, a project dedicated to veteran-related education and research at UB. Additional support for the Odyssey Project comes from Higher Ground, the National Endowment for the Arts, Canon and Canon Professional Services, The John R. Oishei Foundation, M&T Bank and the Buffalo Sabres Foundation. Refreshments during the two series of monthly discussions are provided by UBs Humanities Institute. "At around 9 pm, one vehicle drove through the security checkpoint and failed to adhere to commands of security personnel at the base's main gate," officials from Joint Base Andrews said in a statement. "The 316th Security Forces Group immediately deployed the barriers and stopped the vehicle, the statement said further. "Two individuals fled the vehicle and one was apprehended by 316th SFG. One individual remains at large. We can confirm that the individual who was apprehended had a weapon, but no shots have been fired," it added. Meanwhile, the Joint Base Andrew military base near Washington DC has been put on lockdown after the reports of an "armed individual" on base. Joint Base Andrews is located in Prince George's County in Maryland and serves as the home base for several planes that are used by the President of the United States. US President Joe Biden was not at the facility when the incident began, and Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband second gentleman Doug Emhoff had left on Marine Two for the Naval Observatory. According to a White House official, the four cabinet secretaries who were travelling with VP Harris were safely off-base. The vice president and several cabinet members had just landed at the military base after a trip to Selma for a "Bloody Sunday" anniversary event. (ANI) Terming Arya a "young and dedicated officer", the official spokesperson of MEA, Arindam Bagchi, said that his passing away will leave a void. "We are deeply shocked at the sudden demise of Shri Mukul Arya, India's Representative at Ramallah. A young and dedicated officer, his passing away will leave a void. Heartfelt condolences on behalf of the Ministry to his family members," Bagchi tweeted. "Our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this difficult time. @MEAIndia will extend all possible support to them," he said in another tweet. Earlier, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar 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. More information is awaited in this regard. (ANI) Amid the ongoing conflict with Russia, Ukraine's foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba on Sunday asked European Union (EU) and G7 countries to impose a specific set of sanctions against Moscow to further "pinch the Russian economy", a media report said. Ukraine's foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba sent letters to all his counterparts in the EU and G7 countries with a specific list of the sanctions "in order to finally pinch the Russian economy and end the war in Ukraine". The development comes amidst Russia's continuous advances in Ukraine, encircling multiple key cities. Earlier on February 28, in a previous meeting with the G7 Foreign Ministers, Kuleba had insisted on a full embargo for Russian oil and gas and said buying them now means "paying for the murder of Ukrainian men, women and children". Kuleba also said that the G7 countries had agreed to provide Ukraine with more practical means to defend itself. He had said that defensive weapons, military equipment, and financial support for Ukraine were underway. In a separate meeting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Sunday, Kuleba urged the UN to step up humanitarian aid to Ukraine. "Call with UN Secretary-General @antonioguterres. 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 resolution 'Russian aggression against Ukraine'," Kuleba tweeted. Russia and Ukraine had agreed to organize humanitarian corridors to evacuate civilians in the second round of talks in Belarus on March 4. The third round of talks between Russia and Ukraine to try a negotiated settlement and end the conflict may take place today, according to Sputnik News Agency. Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the US and its European allies have introduced sanctions targeting several major Russian banks and high-rank Russian officials, including President Vladimir Putin, besides ousting Russia from the SWIFT financial system. A number of countries, including Japan, South Korea and Australia, have also slapped financial sanctions and travel bans against Russia. They are mulling new targeted penalties to freeze assets and restrict travel against Russia's most influential political and military officials. Meanwhile, Russian artillery pounded the southern Ukrainian city of Mykolaiv overnight on Monday, resulting in fires at residential buildings, according to Ukraine's State Emergency Service, reported The Kyiv Independent. The fresh attack in the South comes after 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. Russian forces launched military operations in Ukraine on February 24, three days after Moscow recognized Ukraine's breakaway region Donetsk and Luhansk as independent republics followed by the announcement of a "special military operation" to "demilitarize" and "denazify" Ukraine. (ANI) Ottawa [Canada], March 7 (ANI/Sputnik): The authorities of the Canadian province of Alberta offered on Monday to supply oil to the United Stated amid talks of suspending the Russian oil export by the US following military operation in Ukraine. On Sunday, US State Secretary Antony Blinken said that the US and the European Union were exploring the possibility of banning the import of Russian oil and energy products. "US now looking to replace Russian barrels with Venezuelan? You can't make this stuff up - desperate times require desperate measures. A reminder of the folly of energy policy over the past decade. Canada, with the 3rd largest reserves, could have supplied the US and the world," Alberta Energy Minister Sonya Savage wrote on Twitter. Alberta Prime Minister Jason Kenney also accused Iran and Venezuela of violating human rights, amid reports that the US may lift sanctions on oil "from the Iranian and Venezuelan dictatorships." According to him, the US and Canada should also discuss the lifting of the ban on the Canadian pipeline Keystone XL. "Alberta would be delighted to welcome such a visit from [US] President Joe Biden. We could discuss how to ship nearly 1 million barrels of day of responsibly produced energy every day from the USA's closest friend and ally! All it would take is his approval for Keystone XL. Easy," Kenney wrote on Twitter. On February 24, Russia began a special operation to demilitarize and "denazify" Ukraine, responding to calls for help from the Donetsk and Luhansk people's republics in countering the aggression of Ukrainian troops. The Russian Defense 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. (ANI/Sputnik) China's President Xi Jinping on Saturday urged the minorities in the country to forge "ethnic unity" and a sense of community for the Chinese nation even as new laws have been introduced to repress minorities' identity. The Chinese President made the remarks while addressing the annual session of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature. Xi was listing out the basic "convictions", that were to take the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) forward. Xi called for efforts to help all ethnic groups stay closely united "like the seeds of a pomegranate that stick together" in jointly building the great motherland, Xinhua News Agency reported. Xi also said that when ethnic groups are united and in harmony, people will live happily in a prosperous country and a stable society, adding that any work that can help forge a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation should be done in a thorough, meticulous and solid manner. He also said that "full and rigorous governance must be exercised over the Party to root out any elements that would harm the Party's advanced nature and purity". The remarks come after a series of reports highlighting the new draconian measures that the Chinese authorities have introduced in ethnic minority-dominated areas like Tibet. A new code of conduct for members of the 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, The Hong Kong Post had reported. Another 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. Around the same time, nearly 800 Uyghurs were detained in the Manas county of Xinjiang region, Radio Free Asia reported citing an official from the area who previously worked at the detention facility. 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. 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. Notably, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday said that the Chinese government "continues to commit genocide and crimes against humanity in Xinjiang against predominantly Muslim Uyghurs and other minority groups" while addressing the 49th session of the UN Human Rights Council at the European headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. (ANI) Russian President Vladimir Putin is looking to recruit Syrian soldiers to fight in Ukraine amid the escalating conflict in Kyiv, The Wall Street Journal reported citing US officials. United States officials told the Journal that Moscow is specifically recruiting Syrian fighters for their expertise in urban combat fighting. An American assessment indicates that Russia, which has been operating inside Syria since 2015, has in recent days been recruiting fighters from there, hoping their expertise in urban combat can help take Kyiv and deal a devastating blow to the Ukrainian government, according to four American officials. The move points to a potential escalation of fighting in Ukraine, The Wall Street Journal said citing experts. Troops loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who is backed by Russia, have been fighting a fierce battle in urban centres for nearly a decade, giving them a skill set hard to find among Russian troops, The Hill reported. One official said while it's unclear how many Syrian fighters will join the battle, some are already in Russia preparing to enter the conflict, per the Journal. The involvement of Syrian troops would further internationalize a war that began with Russia's invasion on February 24. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said last week that over 16,000 foreign fighters have volunteered to defend the country, calling it an "international legion." Ukraine's Defense Ministry also put out a call for foreign volunteers on Facebook, asking for applicants with combat experience who have "citizenship other than Ukrainian, but ... are standing with Ukraine against (the) Russian invasion," The New York Post reported. 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. Meanwhile, the third round of talks between Russia and Ukraine may take place today. (ANI) Ambassador Heckner was guided around the temple premises by the temple officials. He also joined 'langar' at the temple. "It was an incredible experience for me. I felt the spirituality of the place and I was privileged to be able to pray with his holiness ('Jathedar' of 'Akal Takht'). I prayed for the Sikh community and I also prayed for peace in the world," the Swiss Ambassador said talking to ANI. Talking about the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, he said, "I prayed for peace in Europe and I prayed also for peace all over the world," adding that India was also included in his prayers. Earlier on February 28, the Swiss Federal Council, Switzerland's top administrative body decided to adopt the packages of sanctions imposed by the European Union (EU) against Russia, including freezing the assets of a number of Russian individuals and companies, reported Xinhua News Agency Swiss airspace is closed to all flights from Russia and to all movements of aircraft with Russian markings with the exception of flights for humanitarian, medical or diplomatic purposes. Switzerland has also expressed its willingness to actively contribute to a solution to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. (ANI) Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, while addressing a huge public gathering in Mailsi on Sunday challenged the opposition to introduce the no-confidence motion in the parliament, declaring that after its failure, they would have to face the consequences. In his address, Imran Khan used derogatory nicknames for his rivals. He said that a 'clique of looters' has now united to protect their vested interests by creating hype about a no-trust motion against the government. Pakistani PM also added that he was fully prepared to tackle the moves made by a 'bunch of thieves'. PM accused Nawaz Sharif, Asif Zardari and Maulana Fazlur Rehman of being the real ones behind the no-confidence motion, reported The News International. He called Nawaz Sharif an absconder and said that he was involved in corruption. Khan said that sources of Sharif's ill-gotten wealth and properties are yet unknown while he has been living in a luxurious house in the UK. The prime minister said that the two families of Sharif and Zardari had plundered the country during the last 30 years. Furthermore, talking on the Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif, Khan said an amount of Rs 3.75 billion was detected in the account of his servant and peon Maqsood. Ahead of the no-confidence motion against the Imran Khan government, principal Opposition parties, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), have asked Members of the National Assembly (MNAs) to cancel their foreign visits and stay put in Islamabad for the next few days, media reports said. The development comes amid reports that the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government is planning to arrange foreign visits for the lawmakers as part of the strategy to counter the Opposition's no-confidence motion plan. The Opposition parties in Pakistan have ramped up their activities ahead of the planned no-confidence motion against the Imran Khan government for "misgovernance and bad economic handling". (ANI) The Russian military declared a ceasefire in the capital city of Kyiv in Ukraine and three other major cities on Monday to open humanitarian corridors. ANI team on board the train covered the journey. The relief material included water bottles, milk packs, medicines and other essential items. All the sleeper classes were empty. The train is moving very carefully since there were reports stating that the train could be a target of Russian aggression. Meanwhile, Kyiv station wore a deserted look when the train reached there. The Russian armed forces announced a ceasefire from 10:00 am (07:00 GMT) for the residents of Ukraine's capital Kyiv, Mariupol, Kharkiv, Sumy to leave the cities. "Given the catastrophic humanitarian situation and its sharp aggravation in the cities of Kyiv, Kharkiv, Sumy and Mariupol, as well as at the personal request of French President Emmanuel Macron to Russian President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, the Russian armed forces announce ceasefire for humanitarian purposes from 10;00 March 7, 2022, and open humanitarian corridors," interdepartmental coordination headquarters for humanitarian response center said in a statement. During the ceasefire, Russia will control the evacuation of residents from the cities of Ukraine with the help of drones, the statement read cited by the Sputnik News Agency said. (ANI) Amid escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine, an Indian doctor living in Severodonetsk city of Ukraine has refused to leave the country without taking his "big cats" - a black panther and a jaguar - along. Dr Girikumar Patil, who is also a YouTuber and an influencer, has been staying in Ukraine since 2007. "I originally belong from Andhra Pradesh and came here in 2007 to pursue MBBS. I finished my course in 2014. Since 2019, I wanted to have big cats like a Bengal tiger," Patil, who is also known as Jaguar Kumar, told ANI. "I spoke to Kyiv zoo regarding this. This jaguar (pointing towards his pet) is actually a crossbreed between a leopard and a black jaguar and is very rare," he said, adding that the jaguar is 20 months old while the black panther is six months old. Patil refuses to leave Ukraine without his "big cats". "For me, these are not my pets. I don't treat them like pets but treat them like my kids," he stated. On being asked if he has spoken to authorities about taking his pets along, Patil said, "I'm calling the embassy but I didn't get a proper response. My place is completely surrounded by Russians. But I'm trying my level best." Patil's resolve to not leave behind his pets might be unique in terms of the kind of pets he owns. However, it is not unheard of as earlier, many Indian nationals refused to leave their pets behind while they were being evacuated from the war-torn country. In a major relief to these pet-lovers, the Government of India had issued a memorandum facilitating "a one-time relaxation measure" for bringing back pet dogs and cats along with stranded Indians who are being evacuated from war-hit Ukraine. A growing number of stranded Indian students from Ukraine are returning with their furry friends, with some even taking risks and forgoing personal belongings in their efforts to save their pets. Meanwhile, 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. 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) Buffalo, WY (82834) Today Windy with light rain likely. High 58F. Winds NNW at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Higher wind gusts possible.. Tonight Rain early...then remaining cloudy with showers overnight. Low 42F. Winds NNW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch. Higher wind gusts possible. A PMO statement said that the two leaders discussed the evolving situation in Ukraine. President Putin briefed Prime Minister Modi on the status of negotiations between the Ukrainian and Russian teams. The Prime Minister welcomed the ongoing negotiations between Russia and Ukraine and expressed hope that they would lead to the cessation of the conflict. "He suggested that a direct conversation between President Putin and President Zelenskyy may greatly assist the ongoing peace efforts," the statement said. Prime Minister Modi conveyed his deep concern for the safety and security of the Indian students still remaining in Sumy. President Putin briefed Prime Minister about the ongoing measures related to humanitarian corridors for facilitating the evacuation of civilians including Indian students. Sources said the phone call lasted for about 50 minutes. The Prime Minister had earlier in the day talked with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. President Zelenskyy briefed the Prime Minister in detail about the conflict situation and the ongoing negotiations between Ukraine and Russia. PM Modi expressed deep concern about the ongoing conflict and resultant humanitarian crisis. Prime Minister reiterated his call for an immediate cessation of violence and noted that India has always stood for peaceful resolution of issues and direct dialogue between the two parties. Prime Minister thanked Ukrainian authorities for their facilitation in evacuating more than 20,000 Indian citizens from Ukraine. He expressed deep concern for the safety and security of Indian students still remaining in Ukraine and emphasized the need for their quick and safe evacuation. The sources said that talks between leaders lasted about 35 minutes. Tensions have escalated since Russia began a special military operation in Ukraine on February 24. PM Modi had earlier spoken to President Putin twice on February 24 and March 2. He had spoken with Ukraine President on February 26. The government had said on Sunday that nearly 16,000 Indian students have been evacuated from Ukraine through flights from Ukraine's neighbouring countries under Operation Ganga. (ANI) The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has challenged the Imran Khan government to convene a session of the National Assembly if it is confident of the failure of the no-trust motion against it, local media reported. "If you have the required strength (in the house), then don't waste time and convene the assembly session immediately for foiling the no-confidence motion (set to be moved by the opposition parties)," the Dawn newspaper quoted the PML-N Punjab president Rana Sanaullah Khan as saying on Sunday. The PML-N Punjab president also implied that the renovation work initiated by the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government for the OIC foreign ministers' conference on March 22 is an excuse to stall the assembly session. "What made you uproot chairs and remove carpets of the house," he asked. Referring to the PTI government's claim that over a dozen opposition MPs were in contact with the government to thwart the no-confidence move against Imran Khan, Sanaullah said that the statement is the government's confession of horse-trading. This comes as the opposition parties in Pakistan are jettisoning mutual hatred to ouster Imran Khan by moving a no-confidence motion against his government. However, Imran Khan has exuded confidence in the failure of this motion and said that the opposition will face consequences post its failure. (ANI) The "oppressive" media law amendments promulgated by the Imran Khan government as an ordinance is colonial in nature and is meant to gag the Press, said a media report. The Pakistan Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) amendment ordinance makes it a criminal act to slander any organisation, institution set up by the government, further increasing the punishment of three years imprisonment for guilty to five years, The News International reported. Pakistan is infamous for its draconian laws since Independence when the Press Act of India was replaced with the Pakistan Security Act. Since then, laws have been formulated to curb the media rather than giving it freedom. Currently, there are over 50 laws in Pakistan to stifle the media, reported the publication adding that these laws allow corrupt law enforcement agencies to abuse their powers. In addition, nearly 50 journalists have been killed Pakistan over the 13 years of "democratic" rule. The ones critical of the government like the rights activists and bloggers have been among the prime targets of laws aimed to stifle dissent. The PECA Ordinance 2022, which allows authorities to arrest any person without a warrant, and further makes the offence unbailable till the final decision of the case, has raised serious concerns that it will be used not only to target government's opponents but also make anybody with a mobile phone vulnerable. Notably, the PECA 2016 was originally aimed at curbing offences like blackmailing of women and children, however, it was used to target the opponents of the government, the media outlet quoted a senior Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) officer as saying. In fact, Imran Khan's recent national address, where he attacked the media and staunchly supported the PECA ordinance 2022, is a demonstration of the government's desperation to stifle the voice of dissent. Meanwhile, amid widespread criticism of the amendments in media law, the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government in Pakistan has agreed to the opposition's demand of withdrawing the PECA ordinance after the deliberations and finalisation of the draft by joint action committee members. (ANI) The sponsored Islamisation process and the call for Afghan Jihad have created an extremist environment based on the religious and sectarian divide in Sindh, local media reported. To counter progressive politics, the power elite in Sindh tried to inject religion into Sindh's politics, the Sunday edition of The News International reported, adding that after decades of deadly conflicts in Sindh's capital Karachi, religious extremism is now penetrating into rural areas of the province. Notably, apart from external factors like 9/11 and the subsequent Afghan War, the 2010 floods which sunk the entire right bank of Indus and left millions of internally displaced people (IDPs), proved to be a blessing for the religious organisations to spread religious extremism in Sindh, according to the media outlet. Under the guise of rehabilitation and charity work, these religious organisations spread their radical message, built seminaries, constructed local support bases and recruited thousands of youths for their madrassas, the majority of who were sent to Afghanistan for 'jihad'. Most of these youths returned back as radicalised individuals to Sindh and became local leaders of their religious organisations. This, in turn, created a sudden rise in seminaries in Sindh, that further promoted a religious and sectarian identity rather than tribe, language and culture. Sindh has witnessed severe terrorist attacks since 2001 and the forced conversions of Hindu girls in northern Sindh has also raised concern in recent years. The incidents demonstrate the depth of violent extremism embedded in society in Sindh, according to the publication. The recent rise of Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), a far-right religious organisation, in Sindh and the resurgence of Jamiat Ulama-i-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) in upper Sindh show how the political environment is bent towards religiopolitical parties in Sindh. However, this will further deteriorate the situation in the province. (ANI) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's aide Mykhailo Podolyak informed that the third round of negotiations between the delegations of Ukraine and Russia will begin at 14:00 GMT on Monday. The composition of the Ukrainian delegation will remain the same, an adviser to the Ukrainian presidential office and a member of the Ukrainian delegation, Podolyak, said on Monday. "Negotiations with the Russian Federation. Third round. Beginning at 16.00 Kyiv time. Delegation unchanged," Podolyak tweeted. The first round of talks between the two sides was held in the Gomel region of Belarus on February 28. The talks are aimed at finding a way to end the Ukraine conflict. Following the talks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's office said Russia and Ukraine identified some priority topics on which they have outlined certain decisions. The second round of talks between Russia and Ukraine over the crisis in Ukraine was held in Belarus on March 3. The Russian delegation, in the first talks, was headed by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky. Earlier, Volodymyr Zelenskyy's office said the key "issue of the negotiations is an immediate ceasefire and the withdrawal of troops from the territory of 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 republics followed by the announcement of a "special military operation" to "demilitarize" and "denazify" Ukraine. (ANI) Russia and Ukraine will discuss political, humanitarian aspects and a military settlement during the third round of talks scheduled to be held today in Belarus, Sputnik reported citing the head of the Russian delegation, presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky. "All the same issues will be discussed: three blocks of issues -- the issue of internal political settlement, international humanitarian aspects and issues of military settlement," the news agency quoted him as saying. Medinsky said that Russia will discuss the organization of humanitarian corridors in the talks today. "We will try again today with the Ukrainian side to discuss the mode of operation of humanitarian corridors since in all the cities in which we promised, these corridors are open from the side of our army and the armed forces of Donbas, the fire has ceased," he said, according to Sputnik. The third round of negotiations between the delegations of Ukraine and Russia will begin at 14:00 GMT on Monday, informed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's aide Mykhailo Podolyak. The composition of the Ukrainian delegation will remain the same, Podolyak said on Monday. The first round of talks between the two sides was held in the Gomel region of Belarus on February 28. The talks are aimed at finding a way to end the Ukraine conflict. Following the talks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's office said Russia and Ukraine identified some priority topics on which they have outlined certain decisions. The second round of talks between Russia and Ukraine over the crisis in Ukraine was held in Belarus on March 3. The Russian delegation, in the first talks, was headed by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky. Earlier, Volodymyr Zelenskyy's office said the key "issue of the negotiations is an immediate ceasefire and the withdrawal of troops from the territory of 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 republics followed by the announcement of a "special military operation" to "demilitarize" and "denazify" Ukraine. (ANI) Podolyak further alleged that over 900 settlements in Ukraine are completely deprived of light, water and heat amid the ongoing war in the country. "Barbarians of the XXI century. Russia damaged/destroyed 202 schools, 34 hospitals, 1500+ residential buildings. 900+ our settlements are completely deprived of light, water, heat. The Russian army doesn't know how to fight against other armies. But it's good at killing civilians," tweeted Podolyak. 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) Ukraine on Monday (local time) requested the UN Court - International Court of Justice to intervene in the ongoing conflict with Russia, seeking to "immediately suspend Russian military operations". Kyiv had lodged an urgent case at the UN Court concerning Allegations of Genocide under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide against Russia. The Court began its deliberation on Monday at 0900 GMT. Russia is slated to reply on Tuesday. As per the ICJ press release, Ukraine submitted for the indication of provisional measures after oral arguments were presented by Kyiv. The Russian Federation did not participate in the hearing. In a letter sent on Saturday 5 March 2022, the Russian Federation informed the Court that it "ha[d] decided not to participate in the oral proceedings due to open on 7 March 2022", read the release. The Ukrainian delegation was led by Anton Korynevych, Permanent Representative of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, as Agent. Ukraine respectfully requested that the Court indicate the following provisional measures: The Russian Federation shall immediately suspend the military operations commenced on 24 February 2022 that have as their stated purpose and objective the prevention and punishment of a claimed genocide in the Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts of Ukraine, added the release. It also said that the Russian Federation shall immediately ensure that any military or irregular armed units which may be directed or supported by it, as well as any organizations and persons which may be subject to its control, direction or influence, take no steps in furtherance of the military operations which have as their stated purpose and objective preventing or punishing Ukraine for committing genocide. The Russian Federation shall refrain from any action and shall provide assurances that no action is taken that may aggravate or extend the dispute that is the subject of this Application, or render this dispute more difficult to resolve, read the release. The Russian Federation shall provide a report to the Court on measures taken to implement the Court's Order on Provisional Measures one week after such order and then on a regular basis to be fixed by the Court, it added. The Court's decision on the Request for the indication of provisional measures submitted by Ukraine will be delivered at a public sitting, the date of which will be announced in due course. This case hinges on the 1948 UN Convention on Genocide, to which both Ukraine and Russia are parties. The ICJ was already dealing with a dispute between the two countries dating back to Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea and support for pro-Moscow rebels in Donetsk and Lugansk. This comes against the backdrop of Russian forces launching 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. These countries have also promised Ukraine to help with military aid to fight Russia. (ANI) 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 with the country becoming more conservative since Imran Khan came to power. On March 8, the world celebrates International Women's Day (IWD). This year's theme for IWD is "Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow," recognising the contributions of women and girls around the world on issues such as the climate change adaption, mitigation, "and response to build a more sustainable future for all. It is a day of celebration for women and girls from all walks of life across the world. But in Pakistan, women 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. According to the last year's 'Global Gender Gap Report 2021', Pakistan ranked 153 out of 156 countries on the gender parity index - 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. Interestingly, 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 also indicates that Pakistan needs 136 years to close the gender gap, with the existing performance rate. These statistics show that overall progress in reducing the gender gap is stagnant in Pakistan in four areas: economic participation & opportunity; educational 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. Lastly, 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 right. 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 famous 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. Otherwise, the 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.[9] 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 IWD by declaring March 8 as the 'International Hijab Day'. 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. 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) Two UN peacekeepers in central Mali were killed and four others wounded by a roadside bomb, the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) said on Monday. "This morning, a supply convoy... struck an improvised explosive device north of Mopti," MINUSMA spokesman Olivier Salgado said on Twitter. "According to a first assessment, the explosion caused the death of two peacekeepers, four others were injured," reported CGTN. (ANI) It's a great place to visit or shop The new street is nice but shops have disappeared I have no reason to go there Vote View Results The cruel father shot his baby five times, reported ARY News. The news has been circulating on social media. Users have shared pictures of the infant that can be seen dead. Inspector general (IG) Punjab has taken heed of the incident and has summoned a report of the incident from the Regional Police Officer (RPO) Sargodha. The IG has ordered to arrest the brutal accused immediately. The IG also ordered strict legal action against the accused. In a separate incident, a woman killed her two children in Lahore for an unknown reason, last year. The incident was reported near Lahore's Gulshan Hayyat Park, where a woman named Najma, strangulated her two sons to death. The deceased children were identified as eight-year-old Talha and Bilal, 12 years old. After killing her children, the woman also injured herself with a sharp blade. The woman was rushed to a nearby medical facility by the neighbours, reported ARY News. (ANI) Pakistan's largest Muslim minority, Shias Muslims are living under the shadow of fear post a terror attack by a suicide bomber on a Shia mosque in Peshawar during Friday prayers. The blast resulted in the death of 62 people, including seven children below 10, and 194 injured on March 4, reported Islam Khabar. In the absence of an official headcount for long years, the number of Shias is estimated around 16 million, or 9.5 per cent to 15 per cent of the 200 million population. They are spread across the country. Old records testify that Shia Muslim civilians were victims of unprovoked hate since the beginning of Pakistan. After the "Islamisation" in the 1980s, Pakistan has been seeing a surge in violence against Shia Muslims in the country in recent decades, reported Islam Khabar. According to one estimate, over 1,900 Shias were killed in bomb blasts or targeted gun attacks from 2012 to May 2015 alone. The violence has claimed the lives of thousands of men, women and children. Shias are mostly excluded from positions of power. Doctors, businessmen and other professionals have been targeted in Karachi by Sunni terrorists on a regular basis. Most have been targeted by terrorist attacks by Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan which are Sunni militant organizations affiliated with Al-Qaeda and Taliban, reported Islam Khabar. In Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, such as Parachinar and Gilgit-Baltistan, Sunni militants have continuously been attacking and killing Shia Muslim civilians. Shia Muslims also fear their religious freedom is being legislated away. In July 2020, Tahaffuz-e-Bunyad-e-Islam (protection of foundation of Islam bill) was passed by the Punjab assembly, which supported only the Sunni interpretation of Islam, provoking a huge backlash from the Shia community. Commenting on the government's efforts to pass the blame for last Friday's violence to "conspiracies", Dawn newspaper in its editorial (March 5, 2022) said: "Despite what those in power have said or will say, the attack betrayed the national security apparatus's unpreparedness for what now seems to be a gradually expanding spectrum of terrorist activities. Writing in the same vein, but more to the point, The News International (March 5, 2022) observed: "Militancy in the form of the TTP or the Islamic State of Khorasan or any of their allies is obviously a national problem, and while they attack indiscriminately, they bear a particular animosity for the Shia community that has been ruthlessly targeted since the 1980s with hundreds of sectarian attacks on places of worship in the last 15 years." "This raises the questions of why the government has not done more to provide security to imambargahs or Shia mosques, especially on Fridays when militants are most likely to strike so that they can cause maximum casualties," editorial said. (ANI) The announcement was made in a joint press conference with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte on Monday. "Today, Canada is announcing new sanctions on 10 individuals complicit in this unjustified invasion. This includes former and current senior government officials, oligarchs and supporters of the Russian leadership," said Trudeau. "Names of these individuals come from a list compiled by jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny. These sanctions put increased pressure on Russia's leadership including on Putin's inner circle. Canada has sent about a billion dollars worth of financial assistance to Ukraine," added the Canadian PM. Canada has imposed sanctions against ten individuals with close ties to the Russian leadership, including Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, businessman Oleg Deripaska and RT Editor-in-Chief Margarita Simonyan, Ottawa said on Monday in an updated sanctions document. Additions to the so-called Special Economic Measures Act also include Minister of Health Mikhail Murashko, parliamentarian Pavel Krasheninnikov, businessman Dmitry Patrushev, TV personality Vladimir Solovyov, TV executive Konstantin Ernst as well as Victor Gavrilov and Dmitry Ivanov. He said that Canada will continue to defend democracy and continue to make sure that Russian President Vladimir Putin is held accountable. "The individuals include former and current senior Russian government officials, oligarchs and supporters of the Russian leadership", Trudeau said. The Canadian leader said he hoped the sanctions and "massive tariffs" imposed on Russian and Belarusian imports would punish "Putin where it hurts most in particular financial systems and sanctioning their central bank so far." (ANI) PM Modi fondly recalled his visit to Bangladesh in March 2021 and conveyed his best wishes to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Moreover, PM Modi commended the leadership of the Bangladeshi PM in ensuring the all-round development of Bangladesh and expressed his commitment to work with her to further strengthen India-Bangladesh ties. India and Bangladesh on Friday held Commerce Secretary-level talks in New Delhi on a variety of issues of mutual interest, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry informed in a press release. The Indian delegation was led by Commerce Secretary Shri BVR Subrahmanyam, while the visiting Bangladeshi delegation was led by Senior Secretary, Ministry of Commerce Tapan Kanti Ghosh. Both sides held extensive discussions on a variety of issues, including the development of railway infrastructure, port infrastructure, Joint Study on Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), border Haats, regional connectivity through multi-modal transportation, harmonization of standards and mutual recognition agreement, the press release said. The two delegations also discussed the progress of the bilateral ties between the two countries in recent years with an emphasis on the development of Railway infrastructure and accompanying logistical facilities to increase commerce between the two countries. Notably, Bangladesh is the 6th largest trade partner of India. Earlier on Wednesday, the 14th meeting of the Joint Working Group (JWG) on Trade, at the level of Joint/Additional Secretaries of India and Bangladesh had taken place to discuss issues of mutual interest. It was also agreed that the next meetings of the JWG and Commerce Secretaries will be held in Bangladesh, at mutually convenient dates. (ANI) Budapest [Hungary], March 7 (ANI/Sputnik): Hungary will not support the expansion of anti-Russian sanctions in the energy sector as this would threaten both the national currency and welfare of Hungarians, Hungarian Finance Minister Mihaly Varga said on Monday. "The Hungarian forint is also a victim of the Brussels sanctions. Sanctions already mean a serious threat to the Hungarian economy. The expansion of sanctions into the energy sector means the biggest threat to the forint and the Hungarian people. Whoever asks for the expansion of sanctions wants to make the Hungarian people pay the price of the war. The Hungarian government will not support such a move in any international fora," Varga said in a video message published on Facebook. On February 24, Russia launched an operation in Ukraine after the breakaway Donbas republics appealed for help in defending themselves against the Ukrainian military. In response, Western nations have rolled out a comprehensive sanctions campaign against Moscow. (ANI/Sputnik) Defending women's rights in Afghanistan, about 25 Afghans gathered in Toronto city of Canada, on Sunday and protested against the Taliban. Protesters carrying placards chanted, "The Taliban have not changed and cooperating with Taliban is a crime against humanity," according to Afghanistan's online media portal, Reporterly. The Taliban members continue to threaten and harass women activists to intimidate them after arresting some women activists recently, according to a media report.Even as the Taliban tries to persuade the world to recognise and financially support its government, it has embarked on a violent crackdown on dissent. In recent weeks, Taliban fighters have targeted women's rights activists, especially those protesting the Taliban's denial of their basic rights. Armed militants have beaten female demonstrators, sprayed pepper spray in their faces and shocked them with electric prods, according to a half-dozen activists interviewed by the US-based publication. Taliban fighters have targeted women's rights activists, especially those protesting the Taliban's denial of their basic rights. Recently, the Taliban arrested some women activists who were protesting against the Taliban and asking them to provide women with their basic rights. Sahar Fetrat, Assistant Researcher for Human Rights Watch said that through the abduction of these women, the Taliban are sending a clear message about how society should function, who is the authority and the power, and how people should obey it. "It is about stopping any kind of activism, any kind of protest against the Taliban." Taliban led a major offensive in Afghanistan during the withdrawal of US troops from the country and took over power in August 2021. (ANI) "Since Russia's invasion, Ukrainian government has assisted 146K foreign citizens to leave Ukraine, including 20K Indian students evacuated from the besieged cities," tweeted Ukraine Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA). It further said that Russia must cease-fire immediately to open humanitarian corridors for civilians in Sumy, Kharkiv and Mariupol cities of Ukraine. Notably, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday held a telephone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky amid the ongoing conflict with Russia and sought continued support from his government for the evacuation of Indian nationals from Sumy. In a phone call that lasted for about 35 minutes, PM Modi thanked President Zelensky for the help extended by the Government of Ukraine in the evacuation of Indian nationals from Ukraine. Meanwhile, the third round of negotiations between the delegations of Ukraine and Russia began on Monday, informed the Belarus Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA). The two countries will discuss political, humanitarian aspects and a military settlement during the third round of talks, Sputnik reported citing the head of the Russian delegation, presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky. 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) UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson in a joint press conference with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte on Monday said that London and other Western governments are seriously considering sanctions on Russian energy exports in response to the ongoing military operation in Ukraine. President of European Union Commission Ursula von der Leyen said the EU will table proposals to 'quickly get rid' of the dependency on Russian fossil fuels. She noted that the approach to reduce dependency on Russia is by diversifying suppliers, switching to LNG and pipeline gas and by investing in renewables. Hungary, on the other hand, said it will not support the expansion of anti-Russian sanctions in the energy sector as this would threaten both the national currency and welfare of Hungarians. The third round of negotiations between the delegations of Ukraine and Russia kicked off in Belarus. Moreover, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will meet in Turkey's coastal Antalya province, according to their Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu. After the diplomatic efforts by Turkey, Foreign Ministers of Ukraine and Russia have agreed to meet in Turkey on Thursday amid the ongoing tensions after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Permanent Representative of President of Ukraine in Crimea, Anton Korynevich, told the International Court of Justice (ICJ) that Kyiv intends to prove the groundlessness of Russia's accusations of genocide against Ukraine. He slammed Russia for "disrespecting the international law." US President Joe Biden, during a conversation with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, welcomed the decisions of Visa and Mastercard to suspend services in Russia, the White House said.Earlier, Zelenskyy said on Twitter that he held phone talks with Biden on Saturday, discussing Western support for Kyiv and anti-Russia sanctions. The Russian government approved a list of countries and territories that are 'unfriendly' with Russia and has imposed sanctions against the country after the start of a special military operation of the Russian Armed Forces in Ukraine. Ukraine's MFA shared the details of the losses that Russia has incurred since the invasion of Ukraine started noting that a total of 11,000 Russian forces were killed till Monday (local time). According to the MFA data, 999 armoured vehicles of different types, 46 aircraft, 68 helicopters, 290 tanks, 117 artillery pieces and 50 MLRs were hit during the combat. Ukrainian forces have retaken control of Mykolaiv airport, local media reported citing Mykolaiv governor Vitaliy Kim. Earlier, Kim had said that the Russian forces had taken control of Mykolaiv international airport. Russian Defense Ministry said a total of 150 civilians were used as a human shield in Mariupol while the Ukrainian nationalists opened fire on the Donetsk People's Republics (DPR) fighters from behind the civilians' back. Furthermore, Under Operation Ganga, 83 flights have brought over 17,100 Indians back to India from war-hit Ukraine so far including a total of 1,250 on board 7 flights that landed in the last 24 hours. Nearly 22,000 Indians have exited Ukraine since the issuance of advisory in January 2022. In a telephonic conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Putin said that the Russian military personnel are making every effort to ensure the evacuation of the Indian citizens from the Ukrainian city of Sumy. (ANI) Protesters on Sunday carried placards and chanted slogans like "The Taliban have not changed", and "Cooperating with Taliban is a crime against humanity." Since coming to power in August last year, the Taliban have targeted women, especially those who are fighting for their basic freedom and rights. Back in January, the Human Rights Watch (HRW) had said the political change in Afghanistan has worsened the human rights crisis in Afghanistan. "The political change in Afghanistan on August 15, 2021 -- the fall of the former government and the Islamic Emirate's return to power -- accelerated human rights crises and humanitarian catastrophe in Afghanistan," the HRW report said in a 753-page report. The report said that the two most significant achievements of the post-2001 era - progress in women's rights and a free press - were rolled back after the fall of the former government. According to the report, restrictions on women's right to work and girls' right to education were rolled back after the political change. The rights group also raised concerns over what it called further restrictions against women. (ANI) Local media citing sources said that it seems that the girl has been raped. However, the Taliban security officials have not yet commented on the incident. In recent months, kidnappings and targeted killings against women have increased significantly in Afghanistan and most of the time, people do not report such cases out of fear. Earlier, on Sunday, about 25 Afghans gathered in Toronto city of Canada and protested against the Taliban. Even as the Taliban is trying to convince the world to recognise and financially support their government but their violent cases are just stating different reasons to not recognise their government. Armed militants have beaten female demonstrators, sprayed pepper spray in their faces and shocked them with electric prods, according to the half dozen activists interviewed by US-based publications. Taliban fighters have targeted women, especially those who are fighting for their basic freedom and rights. Sahar Fetrat, Assistant Researcher for Human rights Watch said that through the abduction of these women, the Taliban are sending a clear message about how society should function, who is the authority and the power and how people should obey it. (ANI) Marie-Elena studied creative writing, art, and photography at University of Nebraska at Omaha, graduating with a BA in Studio Art -Visual Media. She moved to California from Nebraska in 2019 and is happy to call Calaveras County her home. Comment Policy Calaveras Enterprise does not actively monitor comments. However, staff does read through to assess reader interest. When abusive or foul language is used or directed toward other commenters, those comments will be deleted. If a commenter continues to use such language, that person will be blocked from commenting. We wish to foster a community of communication and a sharing of ideas, and we truly value readers' input. Nadima is a well-known comedienne, who also makes videos and posts them on social media platforms. A relative of Nadima, under the condition of anonymity, told TOLOnews that she went missing from her office nearly one month ago and since then there has been no information about her. "A woman called Nadima has been detained by the Taliban at her office. We call on the Islamic Emirate to put an end to these actions," said Moanisa Mubar, a women's rights activist. On Monday, Afghan Women's Advocacy Group had said the Taliban have used abduction, captivity, torture, and then denial as a means to silence women's voices. "Despite widespread pressure and protests from inside and outside of the country, unfortunately, this process has not stopped. Abduction of Nadima, a social and women's rights activist, who disappeared three weeks ago in Kabul is the latest one in this series," the group said in a statement. The Afghan Women's Advocacy Group (AWAG) called on the UN, the US Special Envoy for Afghan Women and other human rights organizations to work for the immediate release of Nadima. (ANI) According to local media, Mohseni's relatives claimed that he has been released from the Taliban intelligence agency's custody. Mohseni disappeared on Friday. However, Taliban security has not yet commented on the incident. As soon as the news of Sayed's disappearance went out, a number of social media users have called for the release of Mohseni, a university professor and critic of the Taliban. They called him the voice of Afghanistan. During a TV interview, Mohseni blamed the Taliban for insecurity, corruption and waste of resources in Afghanistan over the past 20 years. (ANI) The French Presidency of the EU said that the 27 Permanent Representatives of European Countries had, "agreed to invite the European Commission to present an opinion on each of the applications for EU membership submitted by Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova." "Launch of a written procedure for the Council to validate draft letters seeking the opinion of the @EU_Commission," the French Presidency said on Twitter. Two former Soviet republics-- Georgia and Moldova-- last week applied for European Union (EU) membership in the wake of the Russia-Ukraine military conflict. These applications came days after Ukraine said it was seeking fast-track membership to the bloc. Georgia Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said the application for EU Membership is another milestone on the path of European integration aimed at the accession of the country into a common European family. Aside from Georgia, Moldova has also officially applied for membership in the EU. On Thursday, Moldova's President Maia Sandu said that the country had signed "a request to join the European Union". Both Moldova's and Georgia's bid to forge closer ties with the West have long perturbed Russia. Both these countries have signed Association Agreements with the EU "on economic integration and political approximation" and free trade. As Russia continue to advance near Kyiv, Ukrainian officials have asked for swift entry into the EU. (ANI) Turkey's Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlut Cavusoglu on Monday announced that a tripartite meeting of the Foreign Ministries of Turkey, Ukraine, and Russia will take place on Thursday in Antalya. He said that the meeting will be held as part of the Diplomatic Forum in Antalya, in which both his Russian and Ukrainian counterparts Sergey Lavrov and Dmytro Kuleba, respectively, have confirmed their participation, European Pravda reported quoting Turkish Anadolu. "Lavrov and Kuleba will arrive in Antalya. The meeting will take place with my participation. We have invested significant effort into organising it," Cavasoglu said. The Minister expressed the hope that the meeting will contribute to future peace and stability in the region. Stopping hostilities is the absolute priority, he stressed. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called on his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to take immediate steps to open humanitarian corridors in the Ukrainian cities under siege and to reach a peace agreement. In the conversation, according to the report, President Erdogan said he was ready to help resolve the "Ukrainian problem" by peaceful means as soon as possible. He said an immediate general ceasefire would not only reduce humanitarian problems in the region, but also allow a political solution. --IANS san/vd ( 216 Words) 2022-03-07-20:42:07 (IANS) Russian and Ukrainian negotiators on Monday failed to achieve significant results during their third round of peace talks held in Belarus. Mykhailo Podolyak, a member of the Ukrainian delegation, said that there was some small progress in improving the logistics of humanitarian corridors in Ukraine. Podolyak, who is also an advisor to the head of Volodymyr Zelenskyy's office, said intensive consultations continued on the main political block of the settlement along with a ceasefire and security guarantees. "The third round of negotiations has ended. There are small positive subductions in improving the logistics of humanitarian corridors... Intensive consultations have continued on the basic political block of the regulations, along with a ceasefire and security guarantees," Podolyak tweeted. Russian presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, also the head of the Russian delegation, said, "The discussions continued on political and military aspects. However, it remains difficult. It is too early to talk about something positive." Russian negotiators brought a large set of documents, including specific agreements, but the Ukrainian side could not sign them on the spot and took all these documents back home for study, he was quoted as saying by Xinhua. "To be honest, our expectations from the talks were not met. But we hope that next time we will be able to take a more significant step forward," Medinsky said after the meeting, which lasted nearly three hours at the Belovezhskaya Pushcha on the Belarus-Poland border. Both sides addressed the issue of civilian evacuation, and the Ukrainian side assured Russia that the humanitarian corridors will start working on Tuesday. (ANI) "Hungary is offering foreign students who escaped #UkraineRussianWar (India, Nigeria, other African countries) to continue their studies at Hungarian universities," tweeted Dr Attila Demko, the head of Hungary's Centre for Geopolitics. "All third-country refugees (mostly Africans) were accepted without problems and repatriated if they wished so," Demko added in his Sunday tweet. Over 400 Nigerian citizens fleeing the war in Ukraine were flown home over the weekend in chartered flights provided by the Nigerian government, according to the government agency Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM). According to CNN, a returnee revealed that all the returnees were handed a stipend of $100 by the foreign ministry officials upon arrival in Abuja. Meanwhile, India has evacuated over 17,100 stranded Indians from Ukraine including a total of 1,250 onboard 7 flights that landed in the last 24 hours under Operation Ganga. And nearly 22,000 Indians have exited Ukraine since the issuance of advisory in January 2022. Earlier on Sunday, the Minister of State for External Affairs, V. Muraleedharan reported that out of 20,000 Indian citizens, over 16,000 Indians have been evacuated from the war-hit Ukraine under Operation Ganga while 3,000 students are still in the neighbouring countries of Ukraine. (ANI) The Pashtun activists are also demanding the immediate release of PTM leader Ali Wazir, a sitting Member of Pakistan's National Assembly, who was detained last December for allegedly making anti-state comments. The Pashtun Tahafuz Movement is organizing a protest in front of the UNHRC headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland to show its solidarity with the PTM sit-in taking place in Sindh province, for the last 23 days. The people at the sit-in are calling for the release of Ali Wazir MNA, Hanif Pashteen, and Uwais Abdal. They also demanded the release of other Pashtun activists, who have been languishing in jails under false charges. The activists are urging the United Nations to take notice of the enforced disappearances, extra-judicial killings, and arbitrary detentions of Pashtuns in Pakistan. PTM Europe is organizing Conferences and Interventions during the 49th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council to expose gross human rights violations committed by Pakistan on Pashtun ethnic minority in Pakistan. (ANI) The presser was organised by Voice for Justice, an organisation that fights against the persecution of Christians in Pakistan. The conference also talks about the demands for legal safeguards to women's rights. This conference took place at 3:30 pm in the Karachi Press Club. "Voice for Justice held a press conference & released our charter of demand against forced conversion in Pakistan at Karachi press club to mark international woman's day," Voice for Justice tweeted. In the past few months, the violence against minorities has significantly increased in Pakistan. In its world report 2022, Human rights Watch revealed that the Pakistani government continues to do little to hold law enforcement agencies accountable for torture and other serious issues. HRW also reported that attacks by Islamist militants, notably Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, targeting law enforcement officials and religious minorities killed dozens of people. According to Dawn, the US-based Human Rights Group noted with concern that Pakistani authorities "expanded their use of draconian sedition and counter-terrorism laws to stifle dissent and strictly regulated civil society groups critical of government actions or policies." Several national and international watchdog bodies stated the deteriorating status of Pakistan's affair and their inability to criminalise torture against the minorities but this doesn't affect Pakistan much. Violence against women and girls including rape, honour killing, acid attack, domestic violence and forced marriage is epidemic throughout Pakistan. Even the Human Rights defenders estimated roughly 1000 women were killed in a so-called honour killing. (ANI) Two police officers investigating a motel shooting in North Austin on Sunday traded gunfire with a man and killed him in an unrelated confrontation, police said. Austin Police Chief Joe Chacon, briefing reporters Sunday night, did not identify the man who was shot but confirmed that police recovered the man's weapon. Chacon Chacon also did not identify the officers involved in the shooting, saying only that one of the officers was a rookie and the other was veteran who was training him. Police initially responded at 2:55 p.m. to a shooting at a Motel 6 on the southbound service road of Interstate 35 North, in the 7100 block near the intersection with East St. Johns Avenue. PREVIOUSLY: Austin police officer shoots, injures man early Saturday in North Austin The victim in that shooting had critical injuries but was taken to a hospital and was in stable condition Sunday night, the police chief said. "That shooting is not related to our officer-involved shooting," he said, "that's simply the call that (police) found themselves here on." Two of the officers who were investigating the motel shooting were canvassing the area, looking for video that could provide more information about the incident, Chacon said. They were in the parking lot of a 7-Eleven on the north side of the Motel 6 about 4:45 p.m. when they heard gunshots coming from the East St. John's Avenue bridge over I-35. After they called for other officers to respond, the two officers approached East St. Johns Avenue and "did observe a subject who was firing a weapon, appeared to be firing a weapon into a tent that was located in that area," Chacon said. The chief said the two uniformed officers instructed the man to get on the ground but that he turned and fired at the officers. "The officers at that time returned fire, and the subject did go down," Chacon said. More: Video, 911 calls released from Jan. 29 police shooting in North Austin that wounded robbery suspect Story continues With the man on the ground, police moved his weapon away and tried to give the man first aid, but he died of his injuries at 5:06 p.m., the chief said. Police did not release any other details about the man or his injuries. One of the police officers who fired at the man was "in a training capacity" and had graduated from the academy at the end of last month. The other officer, who has four years of experience with the Austin Police Department, was his training officer, Chacon said. As is standard APD protocol in cases where lethal force is used, the two officers will be on administrative duty while concurrent investigations take place: a criminal inquiry undertaken by the department's special investigations unit with the Travis County district attorney's office and an administrative investigation conducted by the police internal affairs unit with the civilian Office of Police Oversight. The incident was captured on police body-worn cameras, and the footage related to the shooting should be released within 10 business days, per police policy, the chief said. Police briefly closed off the area along the southbound service road, including the St. Johns Avenue bridge, while officers investigated. 2nd St. Johns Avenue shooting this year This is the second police shooting in that area this year. In late January, Austin police officer Jon Riordan, also responding to an earlier report of a shooting, shot and wounded a man. The man shot by Riordan, 31-year-old Terry Gonzales, was treated for his injuries and later arrested and charged with aggravated robbery. Police said that officers had responded at 2:31 a.m. Jan. 29 to reports of a shooting in the 7100 block of North I-35, near a restaurant and the Motel 6. In 911 calls and police video footage made public last month, a woman describes a man firing shots behind the restaurant. Video footage shows Riordan walking around the parking lot and heading to the motel behind the restaurant, where the woman pointed. In the video, Riordan finds Gonzales coming out of a breezeway, toward the parking lot of the motel, and shouts to him multiple times, "Hey, get on the ground! Austin police! Get on the ground!" and "I said get on the ground or I'll shoot you." Gonzales is seen walking behind parked vehicles in the motel parking lot. Riordan pulls out his pistol and fires multiple shots. A firearm was recovered where Gonzales fell, police said. Riordan, who has 2 years of service with the Austin Police Department, was placed on administrative leave while investigations of the incident continue. According to the Travis County district attorney's office, its investigation of Riordan's case "should be concluded within a time frame that will allow the case to be presented to a grand jury" no later than early fall. American-Statesman criminal justice reporter Katie Hall contributed to this article. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Police working Austin motel shooting, kill man in unrelated gunfight LVIV, Ukraine (Reuters) - About 2,000 civilians have so far been evacuated from the town of Irpin near the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, police said on Monday. A police statement did not make clear over what period the evacuations had taken place. Ukrainians fleeing Irpin were caught in shelling by Russian forces on Sunday and forced to dive for cover, Reuters witnesses said. (Reporting by Natalia Zinets, Editing by Timothy Heritage) A former Maryland state delegate seeking the Republican nomination for governor has been disbarred from practicing law by a state court following a complaint by the Attorney Grievance Commission. The Maryland Court of Appeals said in its ruling Thursday that Robin Ficker has been the subject of a long history of complaints of professional misconduct that expand over three generations of the bar counsel, The Washington Post reported. Advertisement In an email, Ficker said the ruling was a political decision by recent political appointees. My clients love me. It is judges and lawyers complaining. According to the court ruling, the disbarment stems from a case in which Ficker failed to appear for trial and made other mistakes. Ficker said the case, which occurred three years ago, involved a person accused of driving without a license who he represented for free but didnt show up for a court date. Advertisement The 39-page ruling also said Ficker has been disciplined for professional misconduct eight times dating back to 1990. Ficker is competing against former Maryland commerce secretary Kelly Schulz and Del. Daniel Cox, who is endorsed by former President Donald Trump for the Republican nomination. The Maryland primary is June 28. In this article: Nearly 30 people have applied to be the next state superintendent of the Ohio Department of Education. Ohio is searching for a new person to carry out its education policies as state superintendent and so far 28 people have applied. The list of candidates includes: Superintendents from districts in Ohio, Michigan and West Virginia. A former U.S. Department of Education official. Several people who work for charter or private schools. Steve Dackin, the former vice president of the State Board of Education. Dackin, who was part of the committee searching for a new state superintendent, resigned at the end of February. His departure from the board leaves an open position that Republican Gov. Mike DeWine will have to fill in the coming weeks. That's no small task given that DeWine requested the resignations of two appointed board members in October after they refused to repeal an anti-racist resolution. Many of the applicants referenced the recent upheavals in public education when applying. They also mentioned COVID-19 restrictions and mask mandates and the culture war over how topics such as racism and slavery are taught. Former State Superintendent Paolo DeMaria retired in September, and Stephanie Siddens has filled the position on an interim basis ever since. Here is the list of current candidates: Rodriguez Broadnax, superintendent of Clintondale Community Schools in Michigan Shannon Cox, superintendent of Montgomery County Educational Service Center Steve Dackin, superintendent of school and community partnerships for Columbus State Community College Olympia Della Flora, associate superintendent for school development of Stamford Public schools in Connecticut Lindy Douglas, superintendent of Alexander Local School District Richard Duncan, superintendent of Roane County Schools in West Viriginia Benjamin Edmondson, superintendent of Romulus Community Schools in Michigan India Ford, Ed Innovations Management, LLC Richard Fulkerson, chief administrative officer for Muskingum Valley Health Centers Michelle Grimm, high school counselor for Dover City Schools Larry Hook, superintendent of Springboro Community City School District Thomas Hosler, superintendent of Perrysburg Exempted Village Schools Jennifer Judkins, assistant state superintendent for the Maryland Department of Education Finn Laursen, educational consultant for Christian Educators Association International Dewayne McClary, senior director at Digital Global Promise Crystal Middleton, teacher at Oak Hill Elementary Teresa Moon, instructional leadership specialist (PPIS) for the Department of Defense Jonathan Moore, deputy superintendent for the Nevada Department of Education Lawrence Paska, director of the National Council for the Social Studies in Maryland Heather Peske, senior associate commissioner for the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education John Pfeiffer, employee at Ohio Office of Budget Management David Quattrochi, superintendent of Carollton Village Exempted School District Kimberly Richey, president of RealignEd, LLC Zito Daniel Sabonete, superintendent of public instruction in Zambezia Richard Schroeder, associate partner at the International Center for Leadership in Education in Massachusetts Arthur Stellar, founder of Stellar Advantage Ronnie Tarchichi, superintendent of Pennsauken Public Schools in New Jersey Asheer Tashfeen, assistant superintendent of Zenith Academy Schools Story continues Anna Staver is a reporter for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which serves the Columbus Dispatch, Cincinnati Enquirer, Akron Beacon Journal and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio. Get more political analysis by listening to the Ohio Politics Explained podcast This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Who applied to be Ohio state superintendent? Here's a list Then-Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, a Ukraine expert for the National Security Council, prepares to testify on Nov. 19, 2019, before the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence in a public hearing in the impeachment inquiry into allegations President Donald Trump pressured Ukraine to investigate his political rivals. Former national security aide Alexander Vindman accused Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson and others of having "blood on their hands" as Ukraine withstands a withering assault from Russian troops. In an interview with the Journal Sentinel, Vindman included Johnson on a list with former President Donald Trump, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Fox News host Tucker Carlson, claiming they undermined U.S. national security. "Civilians are dying, Ukrainians are providing a formidable defense, defending democracy for Americans as well as for themselves and their homes. And Ron Johnson is trying to distract and obfuscate," Vindman said. Vindman was responding to comments made Feb. 27 by Johnson on Fox News. Vindman had been with Johnson on a key trip to Ukraine in May 2019, in which the senator sought to assure the newly elected government of congressional support. Subscribe to our On Wisconsin Politics newsletter for the week's political news explained. A retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel, Vindman also blamed Johnson and others for ending his military career. Vindman was a key witness in the first U.S. House impeachment of Trump. He listened in on the 2019 call when Trump asked Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, to investigate Joe Biden while withholding U.S. military aid to the country. Trump later released about $400 million in military aid to Ukraine. Last week, in an interview with Fox News, Johnson blamed Vindman and others for helping embolden Russian president Vladimir Putin. Fox News host Maria Bartiromo, left, interviews U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), right. "I don't think Vladimir Putin would have moved on Ukraine were it not for the weakness displayed certainly by the Biden administration, but by the West in general," Johnson said in the interview. "I'm certainly hoping that Col. Vindman, Adam Schiff, Nancy Pelosi who used Ukraine as a pawn in their impeachment travesty are also recognizing and reflecting about how they weakened Ukraine, weakened the West, weakened America by the divisive politics that they play." Story continues "There's much blame to go around, but in terms of atrocities, that falls squarely on the shoulders of Vladimir Putin and his cronies," Johnson said. Johnson stands by comments According to a statement from his office, Johnson stands behind his Fox News comments. In addition, the statement asserted, Pelosi, Schiff and Vindman "weakened Ukraine by harming its relationship with the U.S. and therefore made Ukraine more vulnerable to Russian aggression, destabilization efforts, and ultimately invasion. "Lt. Col Vindmans actions demonstrated disloyalty to both the U.S. President he served and the Ukrainian people we were trying to help," the statement from his office said. Vindman, who is a senior advisor for the liberal group Vote Vets, countered that Johnson was "a huge disappointment" on the Ukraine issue. "He's responsible more so than many of his colleagues for creating a situation in which the U.S. actually might find itself in a hot war," Vindman said. Asked if Johnson believed he held any responsibility for what is now occurring in Ukraine, the senator's office responded: "Absolutely not. Senator Johnson has been consistently supportive of the people of Ukraine who want to rid their nation of corruption and live in freedom, peace, and prosperity." Johnson's office noted the senator has made seven trips to Ukraine since 2011 and co-sponsored multiple resolutions and bills in support of Ukraine. The Ukrainian-born Vindman and Johnson have a history. "There was a time when I thought he was a good actor, a good guy," Vindman said. They were in the Ukraine capital of Kyiv in May 2019 as part of the U.S. delegation attending Zelensky's inauguration. "I tried to make him feel at home, make him feel welcome," Vindman said. He recalled having a conversation with Johnson. "He was pretty aggressive in providing support for Ukraine in arming the Ukrainians, giving this new president d everything you need to resist Russian coercion at that point, Russian aggression in a war that had been unfolding for the preceding five years," Vindman said. Vindman said he told Johnson that Trump was "not necessarily supportive of such a forward-leaning approach." "This was a very awkward position to be in because I had to point this out to the senator," Vindman said. "That I also don't agree with the policy. But I have to carry the water of the president. The president was already kind of testing the waters on withholding security assistance." Vindman added: "I wanted him (Johnson) to understand that while he might feel strongly about this and that it's the right thing to do, the chief executive might not be on board." "He gave me this quizzical look, like I was a crazy person, like I was the one that was out of step," Vindman said. Vindman's 'assertions are completely false' Johnson's office said in a statement that Vindman's "assertions are completely false," and pointed to a Nov. 2019 letter Johnson wrote House Republicans. In that letter, he recalled a conversation he had with Vindman in Ukraine. "I had just finished making the point that supporting Ukraine was essential because it was ground zero in our geopolitical competition with Russia," Johnson wrote. "I was surprised when Vindman responded to my point. He stated that it was the position of the NSC (National Security Council) that our relationship with Ukraine should be kept separate from our geopolitical competition with Russia. "My blunt response was, 'How in the world is that even possible?' " Johnson wrote he didn't know if "Vindman accurately stated the NSC's position, whether President Trump shared that viewpoint, or whether Vindman was really expressing his own view." Johnson wrote he believed "that a significant number of bureaucrats and staff members within the executive branch have never accepted President Trump as legitimate and resent his unorthodox style and his intrusion onto their 'turf.' They react by leaking to the press and participating in the ongoing effort to sabotage his policies and, if possible, remove him from office. It is entirely possible that Vindman fits this profile." Vindman charged Johnson wrote the letter to undermine his credibility before he gave testimony in the impeachment. He said Johnson "scurried back to his comfort zone, which is how a political creature, a political animal that saw his political survival in pandering to Donald Trump." Our subscribers make this reporting possible. Please consider supporting local journalism by subscribing to the Journal Sentinel at jsonline.com/deal. DOWNLOAD THE APP: Get the latest news, sports and more This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Alexander Vindman says Ron Johnson 'a huge disappointment' on Ukraine The Daily Beast Claudio Peri/Pool/ReutersROMESince the beginning of Russias invasion of Ukraine, Pope Francis has floated the idea that he wants to take a trip to Kyiv to try to broker a ceasefire. But now he says he would prefer to go to Moscow to try to talk some sense into Vladimir Putin, who he has not outwardly condemned in the now nearly three-month-old war and only did so lightly in a lengthy interview with an Italian newspaper.I feel that before going to Kyiv, I must go to Moscow, he told Corriere D An armed teenager was arrested late Sunday evening after allegedly driving through the security checkpoint at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland while Vice President Kamala Harris was transferring flights on the tarmac. Around 9 p.m., a vehicle with two people inside drove through the security checkpoint and was stopped when the 316th Security Forces Group deployed the barriers at the gate, according to a statement from Joint Base Andrews. Shortly after, a 17-year-old was apprehended and was in possession of a gun, the press release said. Read Next: Global Weapons Pipeline into Ukraine Is Being Managed by US European Command Units from Prince Georges County Police, Maryland State Police, the Metropolitan Police Department and the Air Force Office of Special Investigations swamped the base to search for the other person. As security forces grappled with the armed person at the gate, Harris had just arrived on the base at 8:47 p.m. on Air Force Two, according to pool reports. She was returning from a trip to Selma, Alabama, where she honored the 57th anniversary of Bloody Sunday where civil rights demonstrators were beaten by state troopers. Joint Base Andrews is where the presidents and vice presidents airplanes are based. Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff were on the ground for a matter of minutes, and were on Marine Two around 8:51 p.m., per a pool reporter. The vice presidents staff, Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Marcia Fudge and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan were traveling with Harris. All the officials had safely left the base, according to pool reports. A sweep of Joint Base Andrews concluded Monday morning with authorities reporting that the other person in the vehicle had fled the installation, the press release said. "I am incredibly proud of the quick actions of our Defenders to immediately deploy the barriers to stop last night's stolen vehicle and then apprehend one of the individuals that had a weapon. The Defenders handled the intense situation with discipline and calm professionalism," Col. Tyler Schaff, 316th Wing and Joint Base Andrews installation commander, said in a press release. Story continues The main gate at Joint Base Andrews reopened early Monday morning after a six-hour closure. An investigation of the incident is ongoing, Schaff said. This isnt the only recent security breach at Joint Base Andrews. In February 2021, an intruder got on base and entered a plane often used by military officials and government leaders. The incident prompted widespread reviews of security at Air Force bases worldwide. -- Thomas Novelly can be reached at thomas.novelly@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @TomNovelly. Related: Air Force Investigating After Intruder Breaches Joint Base Andrews By Alexander Cornwell RIYADH (Reuters) - Russia's invasion of Ukraine has catapulted defence spending up the political agenda in Europe and could herald a new era of purchases led by Germany, according to weapons makers gathering at an arms fair in Saudi Arabia this week. The World Defense Show, where Europe's Airbus, MBDA and Leonardo are exhibiting alongside nearly 600 other weapons makers, is taking place amid the largest assault on an European state in 70 years. The conflict has reignited interest in security issues after years of European defence spending cuts and fatigue following NATO failures in Afghanistan. Germany, which has long played down the role of its military in foreign policy, Denmark and Poland have all said they will ramp up defence spending with war at their doorstep. "There was peace for decades and people thought there would be peace forever. Unfortunately, that assumption has been proven wrong," Hristo Ibouchev, the executive director of Bulgarian firearms and munitions maker Arsenal, told Reuters. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has said Berlin could buy F-35 stealth warplanes from the United States, but also that future advanced weaponry would be purchased from European consortia. The German budget this year will allocate 100 billion euros ($109 billion) for a one-time increase in defence spending, Scholz said on Feb. 27, which is more than double the entire 2021 defence bill of 47 billion euros. "The German announcement alone is a new era of defence spending for the EU if it's followed through on," manager of Jane's Defence Budgets Andrew MacDonald told Reuters, predicting such a major cultural shift would likely see others follow suit. Some executives were sceptical of any dramatic increase, bemoaning what they see as years of sluggish investment and predicting states would not follow through on new commitments. Others argued EU states, after years of Russian aggression like the 2014 annexation of Crimea, were already paying more attention to security and this war would just ramp plans up. Story continues Russia calls its actions in Ukraine a special operation. "The defence role is changing dramatically," an European executive said, predicting higher spending not only because of the war but also because former U.S. President Donald Trump's "American First" policy underscored the need for self-reliance. At the fair, Russia's weapons makers displayed precision guided missiles and artillery like those used by its forces besieging Ukrainian cities. Russian executives declined to comment on whether their firms could still be paid for exports amid Western sanctions on banks and other businesses aimed at crippling Russia's economy. Western executives said the sanctions would make it difficult for Russian firms to be paid, but not impossible. Elsewhere, armoured vehicles and other weaponry at a near-empty Ukrainian booth will be sent back as soon as the trade show finishes to be used in the conflict. "Ukraine is in martial law and everything that can be used for the Ukrainian army will be used for the Ukrainian army," said the sole representative of a Ukrainian state defence firm. ($1 = 0.9158 euros) (Reporting by Alexander Cornwell; Additional reporting by Aziz El Yaakoubi; Editing by Mark Potter) WARSAW (Reuters) - A total of around 1.067 million Ukrainians have fled to Poland since the Russian invasion on Feb. 24, including 142,300 on Sunday, the Polish Border Guard said on Monday. "Traffic on the Polish-Ukrainian border is growing, today at 07.00 42,000 people arrived in Poland from Ukraine," Border Guard wrote on Twitter. (Reporting by: Pawel Florkiewicz; Writing by: Alicja Ptak; Editing by Toby Chopra) By Chayut Setboonsarng BANGKOK (Reuters) - Travel in Asia-Pacific is trailing the rest of the world and should expect a bumpy recovery, a Booking.com executive said on Monday, as countries in the region have been slower to open borders than other destinations. With North Asian countries still largely restricting entry and Southeast Asian countries reopening cautiously, the region's tourism recovery will not be quick, Laura Houldsworth, the online travel agency's managing director for Asia-Pacific said in an interview. The region should also expect a hit from fewer arrivals from Russia after its invasion of Ukraine triggered a spike in flight cancellations last month. Beach destinations in Thailand, Indonesia, India and the Maldives are usually popular among Russian tourists. "Any of these situations will have people rethink their travel plans," she said, noting that the conflict would have an impact on travel demand among Eastern Europeans in general. Booking.com, a subsidiary of U.S. company Booking Holdings Inc, last week suspended its operations in Russia, joining a host of other Western firms aiming to isolate Moscow. The Amsterdam-based company has stopped all bookings to Russia, Houldsworth said, while outbound travel is expected to "depress significantly". However, a recent flurry of reopenings in the region was cause for optimism, said Houldsworth, pointing to Australia, Cambodia and the Philippines, which have dropped quarantine requirements for vaccinated tourists. Vietnam will soon follow suit. The Indonesian island of Bali on Monday welcomed its first foreign tourists under similarly relaxed travel restrictions. Meanwhile, Thailand resumed its quarantine waiver in February, but local hotel operators have called for further easing, saying the entry process is still too onerous. Destinations with less cumbersome entry rules will have an advantage, and countries that still have entry restrictions in place like South Korea, Japan and China will be watching the impact of recent re-opening programmes closely, Houldsworth said. "The message is: simpler the better for travellers," she said. (Reporting by Chayut Setboonsarng; Editing by Kanupriya Kapoor) Underneath the mask, Paul Dano wrapped his head in cling wrap to play the Riddler in "The Batman." Jonathan Olley/DC Comics Paul Dano wrapped his head in cling wrap to play the Riddler in "The Batman." Dano didn't realize he wouldn't be able to sweat with it on. Holes needed to be punctured in it. The actor said fans shouldn't wear cling wrap if they dress up as the character. Paul Dano's more serious take on the Riddler in "The Batman" wears a more practical outfit than past versions of the character as he carries out murders in Gotham City. But you may have missed that the character also wraps his face tightly in cling wrap, an idea Dano came up with himself. "I thought it would be kind of scary and weird," Dano said in the film's production notes. "[Director] Matt Reeves loved it; he loved anything that was upsetting or disturbing for the character." During an appearance on "The Tonight Show" with Jimmy Fallon, Dano elaborated on the costume choice, saying he was trying to come up with a way for the character to not leave DNA at a crime scene while carrying out murders. "He still needs to be able to go out in the day, so I couldn't shave all the hair off my body," Dano said. "So I had this idea of like wrapping myself in I have to call it cling wrap because I think the Saran people don't want any legal association with my Riddler." Paul Dano describes wrapping himself in plastic wrap to Jimmy Fallon. NBC "I wrapped myself in cling wrap, which kind of looks scary with the light," Dano continued. "I thought, 'OK. Now, I'm not going to shed any hairs here on these crime scenes." However, Dano said he didn't realize that he wouldn't be able to sweat with the cling wrap wound tightly around his face. "The first day of filming, about an hour in, I just start to see white and colors," Dano said, adding he didn't want to cause a stir on set. "It's day one so you don't want to be the actor who's like, 'I've got a little headache here.'" "You can't sweat. That's the issue. It's like going back inside of you," Dano said of the difficulties the cling wrap presented. Story continues The Riddler, as seen on a poster for "The Batman." Warner Bros. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, director Matt Reeves said he told Dano they should rethink the idea after noticing his face was "beet red" after removing the mask. Dano insisted on moving forward with the plastic wrap, but the team came up with a fix. "The next day, we just started to poke some holes in the cling wrap," Dano told Fallon. "My head could breathe. Things got a little better." Dano cautioned that any cosplayers or fans deciding to dress up as his iteration of the character shouldn't do what he did. "I might as well take this opportunity to offer a disclaimer to any Halloween costumers or cosplay fans out there. Maybe skip the cling wrap," Dano suggested. You can watch Dano discuss his costume choice starting around the 3:25 mark below. Read the original article on Insider BBC broadcaster Clive Myrie has left Ukraine after reporting on the front line in Kyiv for the past several weeks. Myrie had been updating viewers on the Russian invasion alongside the BBCs chief international correspondent Lyse Doucet. After 17 or so hours drive in all from Kyiv, heading south then west, then into Moldova to the frontier, we arrive at the queue to cross from Moldova to Romania, he wrote on Twitter on Sunday 6 March. This was to become a long night. We are less than 2miles from the crossing In another tweet, he said: A full 8hours later, we travel the less than 2miles to cross into Romania with the leaflet saying if you are Ukrainian you have the right to enter Romania and you will be protected! Myrie expressed his empathy for the Ukrainian families fleeing the conflict. My thoughts are with the 1million whove fled #Ukraine because they might be killed. The millions who fled #syria and many other millions escaping repression,poverty, war. They all pray theyll be welcomed in other countries as human beings. Thats all they ask 2/2 #refugees pic.twitter.com/cV4bpO9zt0 Clive Myrie (@CliveMyrieBBC) March 6, 2022 It was a long, day of driving and queuing to get out of Kyiv. Imagine having to leave all you know in a hurry because youre being shelled, he tweeted. What do you pack? Do pets come too? Its freezing cold and you pray those in neighbouring countries will welcome you, not despise you! My thoughts are with the 1million whove fled #Ukraine because they might be killed. The millions who fled #syria and many other millions escaping repression, poverty, war. Story continues They all pray theyll be welcomed in other countries as human beings. Thats all they ask. Last week, Nadine Dorries fought back tears as she thanked journalists in Ukraine who are risking their lives to cover the invasion by Russia. The Culture Secretary had to pause to compose herself as she paid tribute in the House of Commons. She told MPs the audience for the BBCs Russian language news website has gone up from 3.1 million to 10.7 million in the last week, adding: Despite his best efforts to censor reporting in Russia, [Vladimir] Putins own citizens are turning to factual, independent information in their millions. At this point Id just like to offer my heartfelt thanks and admiration to all of those journalists working for the BBC, the ITV and other news outlets who are risking their lives to bring us unbiased and accurate news from a live warzone. Labour former minister Chris Bryant offered words of encouragement to Dorries on the tears she was pouring out over the journalists, Clive Myrie and people like that, who are doing an absolutely fabulous job. Read live updates on the war in Ukraine here. The Independent has a proud history of campaigning for the rights of the most vulnerable, and we first ran our Refugees Welcome campaign during the war in Syria in 2015. Now, as we renew our campaign and launch this petition in the wake of the unfolding Ukrainian crisis, we are calling on the government to go further and faster to ensure help is delivered. To find out more about our Refugees Welcome campaign, click here. To sign the petition click here. If you would like to donate then please click here for our GoFundMe page. It was the death of someone she admired from afar that prompted Nakeia Drummond to finally launch The WELL, a support network for Black businesswomen. Drummond was initially drawn to the style of fashion blogger Kyrzayda Rodriguez, then closely followed her near-yearlong battle with cancer. When Rodriguez died in 2018, Drummond said she resolved to make her own dream a reality. Advertisement She lived out loud and she died that way too, Drummond said. If there is something you want to do, do it now. Drummond, a 39-year-old Randallstown resident, said that a year earlier, some business industry leaders had questioned her plans. Advertisement I was met with so much of, Why just Black women? The confusion around how that was truly a business need and a business case for it, she said. I didnt have confidence in starting it right away. But a month after Rodriguezs death, she started The WELL (the name is an acronym of Women Entrepreneur Leadership Lab). Nakeia Drummond, 39, founder of The WELL, speaks during a meeting with entrepreneurs. (Amy Davis/Amy Davis) Since the launch, The WELL has blossomed into 70 members with chapters in Washington, D.C.; Milwaukee; Detroit; Charlotte, North Carolina; Atlanta; New York and Los Angeles. Members meet regularly, exchange ideas, and support one another. The organization sponsors a We Got Your Back grant, a pitch competition that rewards recipients up to $24,000. In 2020, The WELL also launched Early Entrepreneur Growth Program, a six-month virtual accelerator program for businesses owned by Black women that have operated for less than two years and generate less than $25,000 in annual revenue. Drummond gets the money for the organization through membership dues, as well as grants from corporate sponsors such as General Motors. She also receives funding from partnerships such as CLLCTIVLY, a Baltimore-based organization that focuses on Black initiatives, and Reimagine Main Street, a national initiative to advance and uplift innovative solutions during COVID-19. The WELL really was out of my own needs and yearnings, which Drummond defined as her own struggles to obtain social capital and to address isolation with the antithesis of that community. The WELL provides an invaluable service to Black women, according to Karyl Leggio, professor of finance at Loyola University Marylands Sellinger School of Business. It is a marvelous resource for Baltimore and Black-owned businesses, Leggio said. It is such a resource and great idea. It gives participants confidence and sense of purpose. Advertisement Leggio specifically cited the financial benefits of the organization. Funding is always an issue. There are all types of studies that show the bias against women-owned business in general. Baltimore has done a good job fostering an entrepreneur culture, but its not Silicon Valley or Boston. There is not the level of funding, Leggio said. She added: In general, accelerators are highly successful. They provide a sense of community. There is a sharing of resources and a sharing of ideas and information that help businesses become very successful. Detra Miller, a business banking regional manager for M&T Bank, provided free meeting space for The WELL, in addition to mentoring members and sharing strategies and resources to make their businesses successful. There is a lot of information that a lot of Black women do not know about, Miller said, adding that as first-generation business owners they often lack startup money and strategies needed to keep a new business afloat. The WELL can eliminate many of those growing pains. Miller also pointed to the revenue gap as a reason The WELL is needed. Advertisement Black women-owned businesses represent 21% of all women-owned businesses, yet earn an average revenue of $24,000 compared with $142,900 for all women-owned businesses, according to a 2019 State of Women-Owned Businesses report by American Express. They have great energy and passion, but unfortunately they are not getting the things they need to be successful, Miller said. I just truly believe that if we can create more spaces for Black women to succeed, not only will it help small businesses survive, it will have a great impact on this country, Miller said. If we spent more time supporting Black women, we would see more of them being successful. Nakeia Drummond, right, founder of The WELL, speaks with Ruth Coby, left, CEO and founder of The Ready Group, and Dominiece Clifton, center, CEO and founder of Move and Still. (Amy Davis/Amy Davis) The revenue gap also concerns Drummond. Reaching parity with white women is our baseline. That is not our goal, Drummond said. Our goal is to support Black women in business to the level of their dreams. We dont have a dollar mark. We have a life achievement mark. Dominiece Clifton, 34, of East Baltimore, owns Move and Still, which focuses on stress management and trauma recovery. She won a $24,000, no-strings-attached yearlong grant from The WELL as part of its We Got Your Back program and received her first monthly payment of $2,000 in December. It has already made a huge difference, Clifton said. It has allowed me to take time and pause and continue yoga certification and set the foundation for the business. Advertisement In addition to running the business, Clifton has two children, ages 2 and 5, and things have been pretty overwhelming, she said. The grant means she can plan more thoroughly for the future. They saw themselves in my story and where I was in my business, Clifton said of the programs judges, It resonated with them because most of them have been in my place in the past. Macee Caple, owner of The Carroll School of Dance, works March 3, 2022, with Harley Simmons, 6, front, Rylee Solomon, 9, left, Dreu Taylor, 10, and other young dancers at her studio. Caple, 32, started her dance school nine years ago. She is a founding member of The WELL (Women Entrepreneur Leadership Lab), a Baltimore-based group that helps mentor, support and provide funding to Black women-owned businesses. (Amy Davis/Amy Davis) When Macee Caple, 32, of Parkville, joined The WELL four years ago as a founding member, her business was good, but it could have been better. The owner of The Carroll School of Dance in Northeast Baltimore was frustrated with her accountant, and she needed peers she could bounce ideas off. Working with the organization, she has tripled the number of students, signed contracts with Baltimore City Public Schools and has the support of a group of women who can offer guidance. I didnt have any peers my age, Caple said. I wanted to be a part of a group of Black women I could grow with. It was a way for me to bring up any issues I had with other entrepreneurs. It allowed me to push through those hurdles and break through. Afternoon Update Weekdays Updating you on the day's biggest news before the evening commute. > Drummond explained that this advocacy work was particularly valuable for members during the coronavirus pandemic, when businesses faced supply and labor shortages in addition to navigating the federal Paycheck Protection Program process. Advertisement Having that space where you could get access to resources and the community, was invaluable, Miller said. Kirsten Allen, 33, lives in Oliver in East Baltimore. She started Brazen Consulting & Accounting, a Baltimore-based strategic and planning company in 2018 and joined The WELL in 2020. She also said it was invaluable during the pandemic. Its a safe space to talk about the challenges that small businesses face. Weve been able to collaborate with the other businesses in The WELL which has allowed us to branch off and expand our audiences, Allen said. Allen said that The WELL has given her the confidence necessary to balance a roster of more than a half dozen clients, including the Annie E. Casey Foundation, which focuses on children and at-risk youth, and Baltimore Promise, an organization that supports childrens health and education. Im often the youngest in the room or the only woman in the room. When you struggle with confidence, and not having a seat at the table, it is important to have this support being the voice at these tables, she said. The WELL if nothing else has given me the confidence to know that my business is needed and for me to show up as my best self, Allen said. Its not just a professional space, its a sisterhood. You can call on these women. Not everything is about making a dollar. You need to talk to someone who can understand and has a genuine love for the sisterhood. By Marine Strauss BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Belgium should keep an open mind about extending the life-span of its remaining nuclear power plants, the country's Green energy minister said on Monday, in a shift of position prompted by the conflict in Ukraine. After months of debate, Belgium's seven-party coalition government agreed a compromise in December that the country's last nuclear power plant would close in 2025 provided it did not lead to energy supply shortages. The Greens had said a 2003 law setting out a nuclear exit by 2025 must be respected, while the French-speaking liberals sought to extend the life of the two newest reactors. That position has changed. "Plan A is ready and feasible, but reassessment is needed with Ukraine," Tinne Van der Straeten wrote on Twitter. "We also need to look objectively at problems and obstacles related to an extension. The last two reactors represent 3% of our energy. We need a major breakthrough for 100% of our energy," she added. The invasion of Ukraine by Russia, Europe's top gas supplier, has also prompted Germany to reasses its planned phase out of nuclear and coal facilities to cut reliance on Russian gas. Russia calls its campaign launched on Feb. 24 "a special military operation". Belgium, which has a total of seven reactors, has not confirmed how it would replace the nuclear plants' capacity, although one option would have been to build more gas-fuelled power plants. Belgium's two newest nuclear plants are operated by French utility Engie and account for almost half of the country's electricity production. The government said it will decide in mid-March after guidance from electricity grid operator Elia on whether Belgiums nuclear phase-out would threaten the energy supply. The planned nuclear exit is to begin with the closure of one reactor on Oct. 1, 2022. Decommissioning, including the removal of radioactive materials and the demolition of buildings, is to be completed by 2045. (Reporting by Marine Strauss @StraussMarine; Editing by Kate Abnett and Barbara Lewis) President Biden meets with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto in the Oval Office President Biden's planned trip to Texas next week will focus on the effects of burn pits, an issue that he highlighted during his State of the Union address. In a statement on Sunday, the White House said Biden will travel to Fort Worth, Texas, on Tuesday to speak with veterans, caregivers and survivors of the toxic practice during U.S. wars in the Middle East. Biden will also visit a Veterans Affairs (VA) clinic in Fort Worth to receive a briefing on health services for veterans, and he will deliver remarks at a resource center "on expanding access to health care and benefits for veterans affected by environmental exposures during military service as part of his Unity Agenda for the Nation," the White House said. Burn pits were used during the U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to burn everything from medical and human waste to metal and aluminum cans, plastics, rubber, wood and food waste. Exposure to the resulting toxins has caused symptoms ranging from irritation and burning of eyes or throat to coughing, breathing difficulties, skin itching and rashes. Helping veterans exposed to toxic chemicals due to burn pits has gained bipartisan momentum, and the issue has been personal for the president, whose son Beau Biden died of brain cancer in 2015. The president invoked his son in Tuesday's address. "We don't know for sure if a burn pit was the cause of his brain cancer, or the diseases of so many of our troops," he said. "But I'm committed to finding out everything we can." Biden also said the VA will be taking new measures to care for veterans suffering from numerous cancers related to exposure to toxic chemicals. "The VA is pioneering new ways of linking toxic exposures to diseases, already helping more veterans get benefits," Biden said during his speech. "And tonight, I'm announcing we're expanding eligibility to veterans suffering from nine respiratory cancers." The Senate last month passed the Health Care for Burn Pit Victims Act, which expands VA health care for veterans who served after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and were exposed to toxic burn pits. On Saturday, a Windber man became part of an elite group of military personnel to be recognized for highly meritorious service to the United States Army. Surrounded by his family, military and civilian friends and fellow veterans, retired First Sergeant Lindsay J. Mihalko received the Legion of Merit medal for 41 years of service in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard. At left, retired Air Force Brigadier General Duane Hart presents the Legion of Merit medal to retired First Sergeant Lindsay J. Mihalko, of Windber. In the background is Gene Shaffer. All three men are members of the Windber VFW Post No. 4795. The award was presented in an evening ceremony at the Windber VFW Post No. 4795. Retired Air Force Brigadier General Duane Hart, the commander of the VFW Posts ritual team, placed the medal around Mihalkos neck and presented him with a citation from the U.S. Army. Fish fry fundraisers: Somerset groups are still frying fish for Lent despite low supply. Here's where to get a plate. This is a highly significant award, Hart said during the presentation. I have never known an E-8 (a First Sergeant) to ever get this award and when we looked at his sheet, he was an E-7 (Sergeant First Class, Mihalkos rank when he was nominated for the award). Obviously, this man has done wondrous things for you and our Army. Hart and Mihalko salute each other after Hart presents the Legion of Merit medal to Mihalko. Mihalko, a soft-spoken man who admits he does not like to stand out, said he was honored to receive the award. Its a big honor, he said. The people that put me in for it and then signed off as it went through, having their names on it, it means a lot. It really does. Military pilot: "Need for speed": Somerset native Greg Brant takes to the sky as a U.S. naval aviator Retired Air Force Brigadier General Duane Hart, left, presents the Legion of Merit citation from the U.S. Army to retired First Sergeant Lindsay J. Mihalko. What is the Legion of Merit medal? According to the U.S. Army Times, the Legion of Merit medal is one of the U.S. military's most prestigious awards, ranking just below the Silver Star and ahead of the Distinguished Flying Cross. It is one of only two decorations to be issued as neck wear, the other being the Medal of Honor. While authorized for award to soldiers of any rank, the Legion of Merit is typically limited to colonels and general officers for exceptional performance in command and senior staff duties, and less frequently to sergeants major in senior leadership positions. Story continues Retired First Sergeant Lindsay J. Mihalko with some of his memorabilia from 41 years of service with the Pennsylvania Army National Guard. 'A very rare guy' Mihalko had already served for almost 30 years with the Pennsylvania Army National Guard when he asked for full-time, active duty in 2000. He served another 13 years on active duty before retiring in 2013. In 2004, he was named First Sergeant for Company C of the 876th Engineer Battalion, part of the National Guards 28th Infantry Division, based in Johnstown. In 2005, he and the rest of Company C served a year in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Then Mihalko was named the senior noncommissioned officer for the 252nd Engineer Company, a new unit that was being formed within the 103rd Engineer Battalion. He was put in charge of creating and leading the new unit. His former battalion commander, retired Lt. Col. Christopher McDevitt, said Mihalkos leadership was instrumental to making the unit a success. The 252nd Engineer Company still operates in Johnstown as part of the Pennsylvania Army National Guards 213th Regional Support Group. He put it together, took it from really a handful of soldiers to a full complement, integrated all that new equipment into the unit (and) oversaw the training of those equipment officers, McDevitt said. Shortly after he retired, they deployed to Afghanistan and they did an outstanding job, which I owe in large part to Lindsays leadership, getting them started as an organization. He took them from nothing to a very well trained, outstanding unit. He was retired before they left (for Afghanistan), but it was the groundwork that he laid that led in large part to their success. In fact, it was McDevitt who nominated Mihalko for the Legion of Merit medal. It was the highest military award I could recommend him for, McDevitt said. His stellar service, not only to the unit but to the nation. The leadership he provided to the young men and women of the (Pennsylvania Army National Guard) for 40 years is a testament to who he is as a soldier and a leader. Its very rare (Legion of Merit medal) and Lindsay is a very rare guy. You dont find very many like him. This was very well deserved. 'A very humble man' Mihalkos wife, Barb, spoke of her husband as a very humble man as well as an accomplished soldier. The Mihalkos have been married for nearly 49 years and have three children and six grandchildren. Property transfers: A look at who bought, sold property in Somerset County in late February Family and friends of retired First Sergeant Lindsay J. Mihalko attended the awards ceremony and dinner on Saturday at Windber VFW Post No. 4795. Lindsay has a way of gathering respect from all who know him, and his soldiers were no different, she said. His soft yet quiet tone gets things done, but in a big way. He has an abundance of knowledge that allows him to do just about anything. Lindsay was, and still is, an exceptional soldier. (His) 41 years of service to his country came with great sacrifices, but the sacrifices he made was made so that we can all have freedom. The military was so important to him, but I think he would tell you that his best accomplishments are his children and grandchildren. My husband is an unbelievable man. Im very lucky and my children are so lucky, (and) my grandchildren, to have a mentor like that. This article originally appeared on The Daily American: Windber vet Lindsay J. Mihalko awarded Legion of Merit honor The US Supreme Court has refused to hear a bid by prosecutors to undo a ruling that overturned Bill Cosbys 2018 sexual assault conviction. The justices let stand the 2020 decision by a divided Pennsylvania Supreme Court that the 84-year-old actor and comedian should never have faced the charges because a previous local district attorney had publicly promised in 2005 not to prosecute him. The state courts ruling freed Cosby after he spent nearly three years in state prison, to the dismay of sexual assault victims and their advocates. Cosby had been convicted of aggravated indecent assault in 2018 for drugging and sexually assaulting Andrea Constand in his Pennsylvania home in 2004. He was sentenced to three to 10 years in a state prison. Bill Murray has shed some light on why Ivan Reitmans idea for a Batman film starring Murray and Eddie Murphy never materialised. Prior to the 1989 release of Tim Burtons Batman (starring Michael Keaton), Warner Bros had its sights set on the late Reitman to direct a film based on the DC Comics superhero. Reitman had considered casting Murray as Batman with Murphy taking on the sidekick role of Robin. Speaking to Yahoo! Entertainment, Murray opened up about the reasons why the film never happened. He clarified that his potential casting was in the very early stages before the idea was scrapped. Asked whether he had ever spoken to Reitman about it, Murray replied: I talked to Eddie Murphy about it, and Eddie wanted to play Batman. Thats as far as that conversation went. Murray said that despite Murphys wishes to play the caped crusader, he would not have taken the role of Robin. I dont want to be the Boy Wonder to anybody, he said. Maybe much earlier when I was a boy. But it was too late for that by the Eighties. Also, I couldnt do the outfit. Eddie looks good in purple, and I look good in purple. In red and green, I look like one of Santas elves. There was just a lot of vanity involved in the production. It wasnt gonna happen. (Getty Images) The idea for the film was discussed by Sam Hamm, the screenwriter for Batman (1989), in a 2005 DVD documentary titled Shadows of the Bat: The Cinematic Saga of the Dark Knight. Murray later addressed the unmade film during an appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman in 2017. He said: You know, Ive heard that story, too and God, I would have been an awesome Batman. Since its release last week, The Batman which stars Robert Pattinson in the titular role has garnered mostly favourable reviews. The Batman didnt need nearly three hours to tell what is, at heart, the relatively simple story of its heros moral awakening, writes The Independents film critic Clarisse Loughrey. But its a feat in itself that the film has its own voice and perspective, instead of coming across like the Frankensteined creation of every Bruce Wayne that came before. You can read The Independents four-star review of The Batman here. Tolulope Osho, 31, reached the Polish border the day after Russia invaded Ukraine. He was close to safety from the war-torn land. But he decided to turn around. I have friends, he said of his fellow Africans in Ukraine. If by leaving my valuables, I can save more lives, then Im doing it. Life is more important. Osho, who's from Nigeria, returned to Ternopil, in western Ukraine, where hes remained in a safe zone for the past week. He's helped shelter people in underground bunkers, driven them to borders and provided money through a fundraiser. In all, he said he and a friend have aided some 200 people. He said hes relied heavily on Instagram, where people across the country have reached out to ask for money and transportation. I navigate people who dont know how to get out of the war zone, he told NBC News, adding that he has helped people reach the Ternopil safe zone, then to the border. I even buy them train tickets and pay for transportation. Organizations like the Lviv Center for Urban History, Fight for Right, BOCTOK-SOS and the Urgent Action Fund for Womens Human Rights are providing everything from food and transportation to shelter for those fleeing the conflict. And Osho is one of several Africans helping in these rescue efforts, often sharing information online using the hashtags #AfricanInUkraine and #BlackInUkraine. Along with Osho, a trio of women, Korrine Sky, Tokunbo Koiki and Patricia Daley, are among those who have stepped up to help Africans stranded in the country or desperately trying to flee. The women formed Black Women for Black Lives, and provide Africans and Caribbeans in the area with information on the safest routes through areas where they might face discrimination while trying to flee. Ukraine has become a popular choice for African students, who now account for nearly a quarter of the more than 76,000 foreign students in Ukraine, according to the BBC, which cited government data for its report. While the official count of African and Black people in Ukraine has not been updated in 20 years, Reuters reported that there were more than 16,000 African students in the country, citing figures from the education ministry. Story continues A non-Ukrainian passenger waits on a train platform in Poland (Beata Zawrzel / NurPhoto via Getty Images) Ukraine is also home to about 20,000 Indian students, who have also reported discrimination and hostility in trying to escape since the invasion, according to the BBC, which referred to government data. Russia invaded Ukraine more than a week ago, by land, air and sea, following weeks of tension, sending thousands to various borders to evacuate the country. African citizens living in Ukraine have reported incidents of racist discrimination and abuse at the border, which can include beatings, being denied entry to trains or being left stranded in border towns. There was a gap in the access Black people and brown people were getting. There was no one offering their homes to Black people, no one offering to pick up the Black individuals, Daley told NBC News. There was a tremendous amount of people offering help and support, but I feel like it was limited to Ukrainian nationals alone. And we know what that means. Its excluding a group of people. There was a need to support Black people because they werent getting the support or access. There was a gap and we bridged it. Representatives from several African governments Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and Gabon have condemned the reports, and the African Union said earlier this week that it was disturbed by the news. Filippo Grandi, the U.N. high commissioner for refugees, acknowledged at a Tuesday news conference the discrimination some non-Ukrainians had faced at the border. He said that unfair treatment wasn't the result of state policies. Sky, Koiki and Daley have never met in person, but the network of aid they have set up for Black people in need in Ukraine could reach thousands. The women started the Black in Ukraine group chat on Telegram, a messaging app, which has made it possible for more than 4,500 Black people in the country to communicate and coordinate with one another for such necessities as shelter and transportation. After raising at least $40,000 in a pair of PayPal fundraisers, the group launched a GoFundMe campaign, encouraging people around the world to donate to help Black people still in Ukraine as well as those who have escaped. Black Women for Black Lives began with Sky, 26, who was a second- year medical student in Dnieper. She, her husband and two others frantically grabbed whatever they could and left to find safety when Russia began its attack on the country. Sky, who is Zimbabwean, described her harrowing journey from Dnieper to her home in England. Sky said that what should have been a nine-hour journey to Lviv to board a train to a border town on the outskirts of Ukraine ended up taking 24 hours because of traffic and Ukrainian officials stopping the group nearly 10 times to check their documents. The four were initially headed to the Polish border but had heard from peers that Black people at the border village of Medyka had faced severe racism. So Sky and the group decided to seek refuge in Romania, but treatment there was no better. Sky said just before they could cross the border into Romania, she and her fellow Africans were told to leave the line. They were then told to go to a separate line, where she said they stood for at least nine hours. It clicked at that point that it was segregation. I realized there was a nonwhite queue and a white queue, Sky said. The language is, Its because youre not Ukrainian. But that basically means, Its because youre not white. " Sky documented her journey on her Twitter feed while sharing information and resources for other Black people in the area. Sky and Daley said taxi drivers would hike prices for those fleeing, charging hundreds for transportation to border towns. During her own journey, Sky launched the group chat and encouraged Black travelers to stay in groups or use the group chat to find a companion in various areas. Once in Lviv, she increased her efforts and, seeing her tweets, Daley and Koiki decided to join Skys efforts. Daley said she was thankful for Sky, who focused on helping Black students even when she was not safe herself. It is this community and group effort that has been key for Black students either fleeing or still in Ukraine. The three said they have assisted more than 500 people, helping them to locate shelter and accommodations in Ukraine, cross the border safely and find refuge once out of the country. We created a document (that) the students were able to refer to, to find where the borders were, which borders were safe, and at which borders Black people had experienced racism, Daley said. It became a guide that included a list of accommodations, a list of drivers, contacts for when students were crossing over. We found very quickly that once the students had gotten to the border and crossed over, there was no one there to support them. This guide gave them assistance with that. Follow NBCBLK on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. File photo: Ukrainian women and children are seen after crossing the Slovak-Ukrainian border to leave Ukraine in Ubla, eastern Slovakia, 25 February 2022 (AFP via Getty Images) A right-wing Brazilian politician is being urged to step down after leaked recordings revealed him saying Ukrainian women fleeing war are easy due to being impoverished among other offensive and sexist remarks. Arthur do Val, a congressman from Sao Paulo in southeast Brazil, visited western Ukraine last week and was heard saying displaced women he saw on the border with Slovakia were beautiful and better looking than those outside Brazils best nightclub. The politician, who previously supported Brazils far right populist president Jair Bolsonaro, made the remarks during a three-day trip to Uzhhorod last week which was billed as a humanitarian visit carried out in the wake of Russias invasion. In the leaked audio recordings published by Brazilian media, Mr do Val says: Ive just crossed the border on foot between Ukraine and Slovakia. Bro, I swear to you Ive never seen anything like it in terms of beautiful girls. The refugee queue its like 200 metres-long or more of just total goddesses its some incredible shit the queue outside Brazils best nightclub doesnt come close to the refugee queue here. In the second clip, the congressman can be heard saying: Let me tell you, theyre easy because theyre poor. While in the third recording, he makes derogatory comments about female security officials at the border between Ukraine and Slovakia, before he chips in: Just unbelievable, dude. As soon as this wars over, Im coming back. It comes after Mr do Val shared an image of himself surrounded by crates of Molotov cocktails in the border city of Uzhhorod on Thursday last week. While Renan Santos, a Conservative activist who was also on the trip with him, said they supported refugees to cross the border and filmed the reality of a country at war as well as giving away thousands of dollars. Mr do Vals remarks about Ukrainian women have been fiercely criticised - causing more than 40,000 people to pen an online petition calling for the politician to be expelled from parliament in Sao Paulo. Story continues More than 1.7 Ukrainian million refugees have fled into nearby nations in the wake of Russias full-scale invasion. The United Nations has branded the situation the fastest-growing refugee crisis to engulf Europe since the Second World War. Ukraines emergency services have warned hundreds of structures, such as hospitals, transport facilities, peoples houses, and nurseries have been wiped out since Russias invasion. The number of civilian deaths was estimated to be more than 2,000 by the emergency services on Wednesday last week. The Independent has a proud history of campaigning for the rights of the most vulnerable, and we first ran our Refugees Welcome campaign during the war in Syria in 2015. Now, as we renew our campaign and launch this petition in the wake of the unfolding Ukrainian crisis, we are calling on the government to go further and faster to ensure help is delivered. To find out more about our Refugees Welcome campaign, click here Dr. Daniel Finkelstein was an ophthalmologist and a retinal surgeon at the Wilmer Institute of Johns Hopkins Hospital for more than 50 years. Dr. Daniel Finkelstein, a Johns Hopkins Wilmer Institute ophthalmologist and medical ethics specialist, died of complications of Parkinsons disease Feb. 25 at the Blakehurst Retirement Community. He was 81. Born in Philadelphia and raised in the Lower Merion suburb, he was the son of Arthur Finkelstein and Leah Shore Finkelstein, who were both physicians and radiologists, at the University of Pennsylvania Hospital. Advertisement As a young man, he learned music and played flute and double bass at Lower Merion High School, where he graduated in 1958. He was later a player in the Harvard-Radcliffe Orchestra, where he met his future wife, Ellen Friedman, a flute player. He received a degree in biology at Harvard College and was a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Advertisement The next year, he and his wife spent a year in West Berlin. He did neurophysiology research at the Free University of Berlin and she studied music. After he returned to the U.S., he finished medical school and fulfilled his military obligation at the National Institutes of Health where he did ophthalmology research. His two children were born while he was living in the Washington area. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 24 Lois H. Feinblatt was a pioneering sex therapist who practiced with the Johns Hopkins Sex and Gender Clinic for more than three decades and was a also a philanthropist. (handout) He moved to Baltimore in 1970 when he began his ophthalmology residency at the Wilmer Institute at Johns Hopkins Hospital. He was universally admired as a patient-oriented clinician, Dr. Morton F. Goldberg, the emeritus director of the Wilmer Eye Institute, said. He conducted the first national collaborative clinical trial on retinal vein occlusion. It was a national first and a great success. Dr. Goldberg also said, He was a kindly compassionate and widely respected physician. Dr. Finkelstein was an ophthalmologist and a retinal surgeon at the Wilmer Institute of Johns Hopkins Hospital for more than 50 years. He helped pioneer laser treatments for conditions including retinal vein occlusion, retinopathy, and macular degeneration. Dr. Finkelstein was the inaugural recipient of the Andreas Dracopoulos chair in ophthalmology. Mr. Dracopoulos, a patient of Dr. Finkelstein, became a Wilmer benefactor and donor to other philanthropic projects in Baltimore. Advertisement Dr. Finkelstein was a volunteer physician at the free medical clinic at the Little Workers of the Sacred Hearts in Washington, D.C. He did eye screenings with patients with diabetes. He also went to Haiti after the 2010 earthquake and provided medical care. He always gave patients his home phone number, his daughter, Carla Finkelstein, said. He was dedicated. He developed a deep interest in medical ethics and was a founding faculty member of Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics. Dans passion for teaching and for the study of the ethics of clinical practice was unparalleled, Berman Institute founder Ruth Faden said. He was a devoted advocate for the opportunity for doctors and nurses to get together to talk about the ethical challenges they face in the care of patients. For several decades Dr. Finkelstein provided uncompensated personal care to innumerable diabetic patients suffering from serious retinal disease, his colleague, Dr. Goldberg, said. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 60 Naomi Judd, the Kentucky-born matriarch of the Grammy-winning duo The Judds and mother of Wynonna and Ashley Judd, has died at the age of 76. Her family announced Judd's death on April 30, 2022. (Josh Anderson/AP) He was a past chair of the Johns Hopkins Hospital Ethics Committee. He also funded a medical ethics lunch gathering that drew participants within the Hopkins medical community. Advertisement Through his interest in medical ethics, Dr. Finkelstein began to study Roman Catholicism in the 1990s. Medical ethics was a professional interest of his and he did some of that study at Georgetown University. Many of his classes were taught by Jesuit Fathers and he became interested in their ways of thinking, his daughter, Carla Finkelstein, said. That connection got him an invitation to Lourdes. He went out of curiosity and went with folks connected with the Order of Malta. Afternoon Update Weekdays Updating you on the day's biggest news before the evening commute. > She said that her father was very moved by Lourdes and the experience. He went back several times and he began studying Catholicism. Along that path, he decided to purse a masters degree in theology at St. Marys Seminary and University. He converted to Catholicism and participated in multiple trips to Lourdes with members of the Order of Malta, a philanthropic organization. [ James Marshall Jim Kramon, co-founder of a Baltimore law firm, dies ] I met Dan through the hospitals ethics committee and I had spoken to him about my experiences at Lourdes,Jacek L. Mostwin, a Johns Hopkins urologist and medical ethicist, said. He inquired about going to Lourdes and I thought he would be a wonderful companion on the pilgrimage. He came back a second time and a third time. Dr. Mostwin also said, He was humble, honorable, intelligent and a first class clinician. " Advertisement His interest in Catholicism was largely fueled by his committee to medical ethics and in particular, the quality of patient care, his daughter, Carla Finkelstein, said. In addition to becoming a Catholic, he also did some academic work on the holistic and spiritual side of patient care. A memorial Mass will be held at 11 a.m. March 12 at the St. Marys Seminary and University Chapel in Roland Park. Survivors include his daughter, Carla Finkelstein of Baltimore; a son, James Finkelstein of Riderwood; a sister, Jean Ratner of Bethesda; and two grandsons. His marriage ended in divorce. One woman band Jenny Blyth embedded digital into her online store 'Storm in a Teacup Gifts' from the outset Small business campaigners are calling for the introduction of a new Help to Grow style programme to help the nations 4m sole traders recover, as signs point to a two-tier recovery. Small Business Britain, the leading champion of UK small businesses, believes targeted interventions to support sole traders is urgently needed, as new evidence suggests many have fallen behind other-sized businesses during the pandemic, particularly in terms of digital business skills. Lloyds Banks seventh Business Digital Index shows that a fifth of sole traders (22%) still have low digital capability which is having an impact on their productivity and profitability, showing that there is still more to be done. With sole traders accounting for around two thirds of UK businesses, the study found that bridging the digital divide for this group has the potential to unlock 24 billion for the UK economy every year, or an estimated additional 23,000 for each solo business that super-charges its digital capability. Yet over three quarters (76%) of one-person-band business owners do not plan to invest in technology at all, 44% say they dont feel confident using digital to grow and 51% say they dont have the funding to digitise their business. Leisa Pickles business helping food and drinks brands find sales leads has seen success embracing new digital This data shows a concerning twin-track recovery amongst small businesses, which has its roots in the unique set of challenges people running a business alone face to grow, said Michelle Ovens CBE, founder of Small Business Britain. During the pandemic we saw a phenomenal digital shift, and almost two-thirds (64%) of small businesses now have the highest level of digital capability according to this new research. "While many sole traders were among those making progress, a lot also ended up further behind and we urgently need to support these types of businesses to make that leap and fulfil their potential. Doing so is key to the UKs recovery and future growth. Small Business Britain is calling for a Help To Grow style scheme for sole traders, recognising the individual needs and requirements of this group of businesses. Story continues Whilst Help to Grow Management continues to have strong feedback from participating firms with five or more employees, a programme more tailored to the one-person-bands is needed to unlock the huge potential in the very smallest firms. Sole traders struggle to take time out of running their businesses, due to a lack of time and resource, said Ovens. And being at an earlier stage of growth, their route to scale will require different digital skills and tools, compared to other-sized businesses who have got to the point of taking on staff or outsourcing, or can finance more sophisticated technology. A Help To Grow for sole traders, which is delivered flexibly and digitally and deals with these unique challenges, could unlock massive growth opportunity for Great Britain. "Small Business Britain is calling on the private and public sector to make this happen and drive economic recovery from the grass roots of business up. Small Business Britain is the UKs leading champion of small businesses, supporting all 5.8 million small businesses in the UK no matter their location, their sector, or their ambition level. Through a series of reports, events and campaigns, Small Business Britain champions, inspires and accelerates small businesses in the UK to foster growth and increased confidence. LONDON (Reuters) - Canada is announcing new sanctions on 10 individuals close to the Russian leadership over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Monday. "Today Canada is announcing new sanctions on 10 individuals complicit in this unjustified invasion, this includes former and current senior government officials, oligarchs and supporters of the Russian leadership. The names of these individuals come from a list compiled by jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny," Trudeau told a news conference in London. (Reporting by Kate Holton and Elizabeth Piper; editing by James Davey) China's foreign minister on Monday referred to Russia as Beijing's "most important strategic partner" despite growing casualties amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Wang Yi specifically referred to China's ties with Russia as "one of the most crucial bilateral relationships in the world," The Associated Press reported. As the U.S., the European Union and much of the rest of the world which has imposed sanctions against Russia in response to the invasion, China has refused to condemn Russia's actions throughout the attack in Ukraine. Meanwhile, China claims that sanctions create other issues and jeopardize a political solution to the crisis. "No matter how perilous the international landscape, we will maintain our strategic focus and promote the development of a comprehensive China-Russia partnership in the new era," Wang said. Wang also had a call with Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Saturday, during which he said China did not want to "add fuel to the flames" in Ukraine. Instead, he called for negotiations to resolve the crisis, the AP added. Reuters noted that Wang also said China's Red Cross would provide aid to Ukraine "as soon as possible," marking the first announcement of such help from Beijing in the crisis. Wang did not provide further details of what that aid would entail. Russia's attack on Ukraine has prompted comparisons to China and Taiwan. But Wang said Taiwan was a "fundamentally different" issue from Ukraine because the island is "an inalienable part of China's territory," according to the wire service. Last month, Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin met in Beijing. Following that meeting, the leaders issued a joint statement, saying they had "strong mutual support for the protection of their core interests." Russia has voiced support of Taiwan as "inalienable part of China, and opposes any forms of independence of Taiwan," and China had supported Russia's opposition to enlarging NATO. As an FBI investigation and audits continue, state officials told legislators Monday that they are making wide-ranging improvements in the scandal-plagued school construction program that has been allocated more than $1 billion since 2018. Officials are hoping that an external auditor can complete an initial report in April so that the legislature could take action, if necessary, before the regular session ends on May 4. The programs internal auditors were also moved to an arms-length distance' from the school construction office and now have direct access to the commissioner. The first move was switching the program and its employees back to the nonpartisan Department of Administrative Services instead of the governors budget office, which is seen as more partisan. The changes have been made since Gov. Ned Lamont last year fired deputy budget director Kosta Diamantis, a former Democratic legislator who oversaw school construction, after questions were raised about how contracts were awarded for school construction. A red flag came when chief states attorney Richard Colangelo hired the daughter of Diamantis for a state job paying $99,000 per year as an executive assistant at the same time that Colangelo was seeking pay raises for fellow prosecutors and himself. After a joint meeting of the finance and education committees Monday that lasted 2 1/2 hours, Republicans said there were still many unanswered questions. Democrats, however, said those would be answered later by the various ongoing audits and investigation. Local officials around the state, including Tolland, Bristol, Groton, and New Britain, say they had been directed to hire certain contractors in recent years in order to speed their projects and receive state reimbursement of millions of dollars. The state has recently told local officials that they will not honor the higher reimbursement rates that had been promised by Diamantis for renovations in Stamford, as well as at Bulkeley High School in Hartford and Farmington High School. The difference that the communities would need to cover are $16 million in Hartford and more than $900,000 in Farmington. Story continues Lawmakers are already considering writing special legislation to help those communities to receive additional reimbursements that they had been promised. During Mondays forum, top officials said they have been working constantly over the past four months to reassure lawmakers and school boards that the program will be run strictly by the law. State employee Noel Petra, who serves as deputy commissioner overseeing the program, said employees have been working long hours to let local officials know they can have confidence in the program. We feel like we have made a big improvement in our policies and procedures,' Petra told lawmakers. Weve had meetings with dozens of districts, dozens of legislators ... to clarify, to help. Its a critical part of what the state does. Were working all week long, including weekends, to help.' But Rep. Holly Cheeseman, the ranking House Republican member of the tax-writing finance committee, said that legislators must talk about how this never happens again' and that taxpayers money is spent in an appropriate, above-board and transparent manner' in the future. Who is providing oversight?' Cheeseman asked. Its obvious there are failings here. During the hearing, she said she was frustrated that not enough information was being released. An audit of an audit is not filling me with a great deal of confidence,' Cheeseman said. Rep. Bobby Sanchez, a New Britain Democrat who co-chairs the education committee, said he wanted to make it clear that he was opposed in 2019 when the school construction program was moved to the governors budget office when Diamantis was appointed as deputy commissioner. Republicans were concerned about Mondays hearing, noting that it was overseen by two Democratic-controlled committees. Instead, Republicans said that a special committee should have been established in the same way as those that investigated former Gov. John G. Rowland and former Senate Republican leader Lou DeLuca, who both resigned during the investigations. Democrats, though, rejected the idea, saying that the existing committees have the proper jurisdiction over various aspects of school construction. Since various audits are still ongoing, state Sen. John Fonfara of Hartford said that Mondays forum could be seen as premature' with many questions still unanswered. Rep. Sean Scanlon, a Guilford Democrat who co-chairs the finance committee with Fonfara, said that the officials have spent months working to safeguard this program and preserve the integrity of it.' But Rep. Christopher Ziogas, a Bristol Democrat, said he wanted to remind legislators that no one has been arrested in the ongoing process. Some of the people who are making the statements about reform are the same people who were supposed to be in charge,' Ziogas said. Rep. Tammy Nuccio, a Tolland Republican, asked if there were any red flags raised by the department' when the school construction office was moved in 2019 to the governors budget office. At this point, I have absolutely zero confidence that the state is auditing itself,' Nuccio said. We need an outside, independent auditor. Im not comfortable with what the state is saying that this will not happen again.' Christopher Keating can be reached at ckeating@courant.com A private, off-the-record gathering of conservative leaders and wealthy donors will convene this week in Sea Island, Georgia, with appearances by a Biden White House official and several critics of former President Donald Trump. Trump was not invited to the exclusive event, which will be attended by some of the Republican Party's biggest donors, according to two people familiar with the event who were not authorized to discuss it. The conservative American Enterprise Institute's annual World Forum this year will be held at The Cloister, a high-end hotel complex in Sea Island, and feature invite-only discussions, meals and access to miles of private beach. The schedule for this year's forum was obtained by CBS News. The Center for Public Integrity, a nonprofit watchdog that focuses on corruption and abuses of power, has described the gathering as a "secretive" event "where industry titans and GOP megadonors [mingle] with mostly Republican power players at an exclusive, 'off-the-record' retreat." Past attendees have included billionaire executives from global manufacturing, energy, and financial companies. The makeup of this year's conference reflects AEI's drift in recent years. While the nonpartisan but historically conservative group has previously supported aspects of Trump's agenda, many of its scholars have become critics of the former president, particularly after he refused to concede defeat in the 2020 presidential election. This year's guest list also underscores how some leaders inside the establishment wing of the Republican Party and their allies on the right are increasingly eager to move on from Trump and loosen his grip on the conservative movement. One of the key speakers at this week's gathering will be Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who has been working behind the scenes to recruit candidates who come from a more traditional Republican mold, in terms of both policy positions and rhetoric, as he works to reclaim the Senate majority later this year in the midterm elections. Story continues Arizona Governor Doug Ducey, who Trump has harshly criticized for refusing to endorse his efforts to decertify President Joe Biden's 2020 win in the state, will also speak at the forum, according to the schedule. McConnell repeatedly attempted to recruit Ducey to jump into Arizona's Senate race, but the governor declined to do so. And instead of celebrating Trump, like the Conservative Political Action Conference in Orlando last month, this year's AEI World Forum will feature Democrats alongside congressional Republican officials and possible contenders for the party's 2024 presidential nomination. One of those Democrats is Brian Deese, Mr. Biden's top economic adviser. Deese is slated to appear in front of the World Forum audience on Friday, March 11, giving the White House a rare private platform in front of influential GOP donors and business leaders. Deese will be in conversation with AEI's James Pethokoukis for a breakfast discussion, "An Interview with the Director of the National Economic Council." White House National Economic Council Director Brian Deese talks to reporters during a news conference in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House on December 09, 2021 in Washington, D.C. / Credit: / Getty Images The two people familiar with the event noted that AEI has previously hosted Democrats at the World Forum, including economic officials from the Obama White House. Jesse Lee, a senior communications adviser to the National Economic Council, said Sunday in a statement, "The Biden White House has successfully found common ground on things like the bipartisan infrastructure law and competitiveness legislation by reaching out to stakeholders across the spectrum. We will continue to talk to anybody who has an interest in collaborating toward our goal of building long term growth that benefits all Americans." A spokesman for AEI declined to comment. A spokesperson for Trump did not respond to a request for comment. AEI is currently led by Robert Doar, a mild-mannered Republican policy expert on poverty who has worked for Republicans as well as for Michael Bloomberg, who is currently a Democrat but has in the past been a registered Republican and independent. Doar worked in the Bloomberg administration when Bloomberg was an independent and the mayor of New York. In 2019, the AEI World Forum drew attention when it was reported that then-Vice President Mike Pence was sharply questioned by former Vice President Dick Cheney about the Trump administration's foreign policy, highlighting how various players in AEI's orbit have long been uncomfortable with elements of Trump's populist and nationalist policies. It is unclear whether Pence was invited to the 2022 event. Vice President Mike Pence speaks on tax reform at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington in 2017. / Credit: Andrew Harnik / AP Conservative Trump critics will also be featured during various Sea Island sessions this week. AEI fellow and veteran columnist Jonah Goldberg, who recently departed Fox News, is listed several times on the schedule. Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, a vocal critic of Trump who has warned fellow Republicans against "whitewashing" last year's attack on the Capitol, will speak on Thursday. Hogan has expressed interest in running for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination. But Trump allies will be present as well. Representative Elise Stefanik of New York, who has been outspoken about her support for the former president, and Senator Rick Scott of Florida, who chairs the National Republican Senatorial Committee and has remained politically close to Trump, will both appear. Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, another potential 2024 presidential candidate, Senator Susan Collins of Maine, and retiring Senator Rob Portman of Ohio will also appear. The people familiar with the event cautioned that some scheduled speakers may drop out in the coming days due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, an ally of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, is scheduled to attend and speak, according to the schedule. But it is uncertain if she will end up making the event. Trump, meanwhile, is scheduled to hold a rally in Florence, South Carolina, about 250 miles to the north of Sea Island, on March 12. Anastasiia Yalanskaya killed while bringing food to dog shelter in Ukraine Jacob Smith: The legally blind 15-year-old freeride skier The state of the coronavirus pandemic Second from the bottom in the Eastern Conference standings, the Ottawa Senators are in the unique and regrettable position of being both non-competitive in terms of the postseason picture and without many trade chips to cash in at the NHL trade deadline. There are a few players heading into unrestricted free agency with which the Senators could part with. Zach Sanford could be of use to a contender, but the Senators just spent a first-round selection, albeit a struggling one, to acquire him. Chris Tierney checks off many boxes in a depth forward role, but he's injured at the moment. Nick Paul is also on an expiring clock, but one would have to imagine the Pierres that is, Dorion and McGuire would prefer to lock him up on an extension. On balance, the prospects are pretty grim when assessing the Senators' ability to be productive over the next two weeks in what has been an undeniably disappointing season. Ottawa Senators goalie Anton Forsberg has raised his stock ahead of the NHL trade deadline. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/NHLI via Getty Images) However, there is one player who may be able to single-handedly make up for the fact the Sens have little to barter with in the trade market. The once-readily-waived journeyman, Anton Forsberg, has been one of the NHL's single-best netminders this season. Starting 24 times with Matt Murray continuing to toggle between availability and absence, Forsberg has emerged as something of a rock for a Senators team which has found a multitude of reasons outside of goaltending to lose games. Forsberg has seen his raw save percentage rise to .920, or 11th overall, under some of the worst conditions as a netminder league wide. Only four starters or platoon options have had to deal with more shots and high-danger looks against on average than Forsberg, who's providing Ottawa with nearly 32 saves for every hour spent on the ice. The less-than-sheltered element has led to some tremendous underlying data points. Forsberg's average goals saved above average (GSAA), which is a stat that measures performance to a perceived league average, is eighth among qualified netminders, and superior to the likes of Andrei Vasilevskiy, Tristan Jarry and Thatcher Demko. Story continues What's maybe most impressive about Forsberg's season is that he continues to build more and more momentum. Forsberg has a .930 save percentage and total GSAA of only a shade under 15 goals since Dec. 1, and in eight starts since Feb. 1 Forsberg has a .934 save rate while exceeding the "average" performance by more than one goal per contest. So, the question needs to be asked: is there a future for Forsberg in Ottawa, or should the Senators look to send one of the top performers at the most important position on the ice to a contender as a rental? With Toronto, Edmonton, Washington and Minnesota among postseason-bound teams rumoured to be in the market for goaltending, Forsberg figures to be the most cost-effective option given that he's earning just $900K on a one-year deal that will carry him through to unrestricted free agency. Whether it's a toe dipped in the water or a genuine attempt to improve at the position, Forsberg can fill the need for just about any team looking for help at the position. While an unlikely candidate to do so, Forsberg might indeed be one of those players worth keeping around. Forsberg was only intended to be a depth stopgap. Murray is locked into his big-money contract as the primary starter, and has two years left at $6.25 million, while prospect Filip Gustavsson will be working on a one-way deal next season, which is likely enough for him to earn a permanent promotion for a team known to count pennies. This is definitely an opportunity to sell high on an asset who has previously moved from team-to-team freely through waivers. At some point though, the Senators have to keep and build around players managing to have a positive impact in their slow ascent back to relevance from the Erik Karlsson era. While an unlikely candidate to do so, Forsberg might indeed be one of those player worth keeping around. More from Yahoo Sports Mark Ryan Things can go bad with ones health at any time. It could be a heart attack or stroke. Or one of the many types of cancer. Or one of the many forms of dementia. Or a debilitating disease such as myasthenia gravis, Huntingtons disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (a.k.a. Lou Gehrigs Disease), or multiple sclerosis. If youre lucky, the grand finale will be short and sweet, with minimal pain but something is going to take you out. For my father, it was chronic kidney disease, which affects an estimated 15 percent of American adults or 37 million people. He was 87 when he passed away peacefully about four years ago. For my mother, it was idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. The lung condition, which affects at least 5 million people globally, snuck up on her. The doctors had initially attributed her shortness of breath and abnormal chest X-rays to pneumonia, but the antibiotics were not working. She died peacefully at age 88 in my sisters home in January. Mom was going strong right up until the last three months, working two jobs selling real estate and substitute teaching. She loved teaching Spanish and French. She liked to keep busy, and enjoyed the camaraderie she had with students, teachers, and real estate colleagues. People were always asking Mom why she wasnt retired. Dad, who had retired at a young age after more than 30 years of teaching mathematics, was frequently urging Mom to stop working. Chenkai Wu, one of the researchers who headed up a longitudinal Health and Retirement Study conducted by Oregon State University and Colorado State University, would not have shared the apparent majority retirement opinion for my mother. Wu was quoted by writer Nicole Torres for a Harvard Business Review story titled Youre Likely to Live Longer If You Retire After 65, as follows: Our theory is that a later retirement may actually delay when your physical and cognitive functioning starts to decline, because work keeps your mind and body active. If you stay active and socially engaged, it helps maintain your cognitive and physical abilities. Story continues Wus research included 2,956 people age 50 and over who began participating in the study in 1992 and retired by 2010. The findings for the study suggested a direct correlation between delayed retirement and longer life. A statistical analysis showed mortality rates dropping 11 percent for people who retired even one year later at age 66 instead of age 65. So extrapolating on Wus theory, Dad may have lived to 100 if he had kept working instead of spending so much time riding his bicycle in his retirement. But Mom may have checked out earlier if she had not been working. Maybe it was because they were opposites that they stayed happily married for 64 years. They were good parents and good people. I believe Dad is riding his bicycle in Heaven. And Mom is most likely riding her bicycle at Dads side - if she cant find work teaching an (upper level) French class. Mark Ryan, RN, live in Tallahassee. Never miss a story: Subscribe to the Tallahassee Democrat using the link at the top of the page. This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Do what makes you happy: Health issues can crop up at any age Susan Muaddi Darraj, associate professor of English at Harford Community College, has received the Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC) 2022 Independent Artist Award. Darraj is one of two state awardees who will receive a $25,000 grant in recognition of outstanding artistic achievement. This grant will help support continued artistic growth. This year, the arts council is awarding $264,000 to 69 Maryland artists who represent a wide range of artistic talents from across the state. Twelve artists who demonstrated notable artistic achievement each received an award of $10,000, and 57 artists who demonstrated promising work received an award of $2,000 each. Advertisement Darraj was one of two state awardees chosen from the $10,000 regional winners to receive an additional $15,000 for her outstanding work. Before winning this year, she was a former two-time recipient of the MSAC Individual Artist Awards. There were nearly 300 applicants, and a panel with a wide range of literary expertise from across the state reviewed and evaluated each eligible application. Advertisement Additionally, Darraj was recognized for her short story collection, A Curious Land: Stories from Home, which was named the winner of the Association of Writers and Writing Programs Grace Paley Prize for Short Fiction. This collection also won the 2016 Arab American Book Award, a 2016 American Book Award, and was shortlisted for a Palestine Book Award. In 2018, she was named a Ford Fellow by USA Artists and was awarded grants from the Greater Baltimore Cultural Alliance and from the Sustainable Arts Foundation. Darraj was a 2018 USA Ford Fellow. In 2020, Capstone Books launched her debut childrens chapter book series, Farah Rocks, about a Palestinian American girl named Farah Hajjar. Darraj has served as a lecturer in the Johns Hopkins Universitys Master of Arts in Writing program and as a faculty member in Fairfield Universitys Master of Fine Arts program. Bob Chapek (Gerardo Mora / Getty Images) Walt Disney Co. Chief Executive Bob Chapek on Monday sent a lengthy email to employees to address the concerns of LGBTQ+ staff over the company's public silence on legislation in Florida that would limit instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in schools. Disney has not issued any public statements condemning the Florida legislation, which states that "instruction by school personnel or third parties on sexual orientation or gender identity may not occur in kindergarten through grade 3 or in a manner that is not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards. Activists describe the legislation as Florida's "Don't Say Gay" bill. Florida's Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis has signaled his support of the bill, which has yet to be passed by the state senate. Some critics have taken issue with Disney's reticence, given the company's significant presence in the state and its past willingness to take a stand on legislation that would affect members of its staff. Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando employs tens of thousands of people. The company last year said it was moving 2,000 jobs from Southern California to Florida. Chapek said in his memo that he met on Friday with "a small group of Disney LGBTQ+ leaders" for a conversation in which employees expressed "disappointment" at the company's lack of a public statement. While he described the meeting as "meaningful, illuminating, and at times deeply moving," Chapek did not commit to taking an aggressive stance on the Florida bill. Instead, he sought to explain why the company had not waded into the battle, saying that corporate statements "do very little to change outcomes or minds" and instead are "often weaponized by one side or the other to further divide and inflame." "Simply put, they can be counterproductive and undermine more effective ways to achieve change," Chapek wrote, referring to Disney's movies and shows and its philanthropic support of LGBTQ+ organizations. Story continues Chapek also addressed internal worries about Disney's political contributions in Florida, where the company has donated to both Republicans and Democrats. He said Geoff Morrell, the entertainment giant's new chief corporate affairs officer, would be "reassessing our advocacy strategies around the world including political giving." This was not enough to stop multiple people who have worked for Disney from speaking out publicly about the company's reticence. In fact, the email appeared to inflame passions online. "I love working for you so much Disney, it's all I ever dreamed of and still all I want to keep doing," tweeted animation writer Benjamin Siemon, whose credits include "DuckTales," after posting a video on Sunday asking the company to take a stand. "But you really hurt the LGBTQ+ community today. We're in pain." Dana Terrace, creator of Disney's animated series "The Owl House," posted her own emotional video that criticized Chapek's letter for using "flowery and compassion words to shut you up" while continuing to donate to politicians who support anti-gay legislation. "I'm someone who had a hard time coming to terms with my queerness until my mid-20s because of stuff like this," Terrace said in the video, referring to the Florida bill. Disney weighed into political matters under prior CEO Bob Iger, who once toyed with the idea of running for president. Iger would occasionally take a vocal stance on legislation in Georgia, where many Marvel Studios movies are filmed. In 2019, Iger told Reuters it would be "very difficult" to continue filming movies in the Peach State if a restrictive anti-abortion bill became law. Years before that, Disney threatened to boycott Georgia over an anti-gay bill that sought to expand individuals and businesses rights to deny services to those whose way of life conflicts with their religious beliefs. That bill was vetoed by the governor. Chapek, who took over as CEO in February 2020, has been less inclined than his predecessor to take political stances. In one exception, Disney on Feb. 28 said the Burbank studio would be pausing the release of theatrical movies in Russia amid Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine. Disney is among a multitude of companies that have decided to pull business out of Russia. In his memo, Chapek said he believes Disney is more effective at creating social change through its movies and TV shows, citing releases including "Black Panther," "Encanto," "Pose," "Summer of Soul" and "Love, Victor." "These and all of our diverse stories are our corporate statements and they are more powerful than any tweet or lobbying effort," Chapek wrote. "I firmly believe that our ability to tell such stories and have them received with open eyes, ears, and hearts would be diminished if our company were to become a political football in any debate." Chapek's full memo: Team, Before getting to the heart of my message, I want to acknowledge all those impacted by the invasion of Ukraine, especially our team in Europe and our employees around the world who have family in the region. This is an unimaginably difficult time, and my thoughts are with you. I also want to thank the ABC News team covering the horrific events there. Their courage and dedication to informing the world during this crisis is exemplary. On Friday, I met with a small group of Disney LGBTQ+ leaders to discuss controversial legislation pending in Florida that would impact their communities. I want to thank them for a meaningful, illuminating, and at times deeply moving conversation. I told the group I would write to the entire company with my thoughts on the issues we discussed. I wish every one of our employees could have heard not just the passionate voices in the room, but the bravery, honesty, and pride those voices expressed. It is a conversation I will not forget. One common theme was disappointment that the company has not issued a public statement condemning the legislation. That disappointment was compounded by the fact that, while not perfect, our company has a long history of supporting the LGBTQ+ community and in fact, has played an important role in the personal journeys of so many of our employees. I want to be crystal clear: I and the entire leadership team unequivocally stand in support of our LGBTQ+ employees, their families, and their communities. And, we are committed to creating a more inclusive company and world. I understand that the very need to reiterate that commitment means we still have more work to do. I also believe you deserve an explanation for why we have not issued a statement. We are going to have a more fulsome conversation about this at the company-wide Reimagine Tomorrow Summit in April, but I will preview that discussion now as it is so timely. As we have seen time and again, corporate statements do very little to change outcomes or minds. Instead, they are often weaponized by one side or the other to further divide and inflame. Simply put, they can be counterproductive and undermine more effective ways to achieve change. I do not want anyone to mistake a lack of a statement for a lack of support. We all share the same goal of a more tolerant, respectful world. Where we may differ is in the tactics to get there. And because this struggle is much bigger than any one bill in any one state, I believe the best way for our company to bring about lasting change is through the inspiring content we produce, the welcoming culture we create, and the diverse community organizations we support. Theres a reason content is at the top of this list. For nearly a century, our companys stories have opened minds, inspired dreams, shown the world both as it is and how we wish it could be, and now more than ever before, represent the incredible diversity of our society. We are telling important stories, raising voices, and I believe, changing hearts and minds. Encanto, Black Panther, Pose, Reservation Dogs, Coco, Soul, Modern Family, Shang-Chi, Summer of Soul, Love, Victor. These and all of our diverse stories are our corporate statements and they are more powerful than any tweet or lobbying effort. I firmly believe that our ability to tell such stories and have them received with open eyes, ears, and hearts would be diminished if our company were to become a political football in any debate. Powerful content that changes hearts and minds only springs from inclusive cultures, which not only attract and retain the best and most diverse talent, but also give those employees the freedom to bring forth ideas that reflect their lives and experiences. We must work together to ensure Disney always remains such a place. In terms of our communities, we are and will continue to be a leader in supporting organizations that champion diversity. In 2021, we provided nearly $3 million to support the work of LGBTQ+ organizations. And, we have a long history of supporting important events like Pride parades, and for being there in times of need, just as we were following the Pulse shooting in Orlando. All this is why we have earned a 100% rating from the Human Rights Campaign for 16 years in a row. Finally, I want to address concerns about our political contributions in Florida. While we have not given money to any politician based on this issue, we have contributed to both Republican and Democrat legislators who have subsequently taken positions on both sides of the legislation. I can also share that Geoff Morrell, our new Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, will be reassessing our advocacy strategies around the world including political giving as he begins to integrate the communications, public policy, government relations and CSR teams. Our company has been a force for inclusion for a long time and that will not change on my watch. We all have a role to play in this effort from the Cast Members who make magical memories for fans and families of all kinds, to storytellers who take audiences on journeys to new storyworlds that illuminate our own, to everyone in between who is responsible for ensuring our culture lives up to our values. I hope we will all continue rowing in the direction of a better tomorrow. Bob For the record: 12:24 p.m. March 9, 2022: An earlier version of this post cited the original Florida bill that would have forbade schools from encouraging classroom discussion about sexual orientation and gender identity in primary grade levels. The bill was amended. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. By Dawn Chmielewski (Reuters) - Walt Disney Co Chief Executive Bob Chapek said on Monday in response to calls that the company take a public stand against a Florida bill that would prohibit classroom discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity that Disney's stories "are our corporate statements" in support of a diverse, inclusive world. In a memo to Disney staff, Chapek wrote that he met Friday with a group of Disney's LGBTQ+ leaders to discuss the legislation and its potential impact on their communities. He expressed the leadership team's support for Disney's employees and their families and the company's commitment to inclusion -- though Disney would not issue a statement. "As we have seen time and again, corporate statements do very little to change outcomes or minds," Chapek wrote. "Instead, they are often weaponized by one side or the other to further divide and inflame. Simply put, they can be counterproductive and undermine more effective ways to achieve change." Disney's Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, is the company's largest theme park. Its sprawling businesses also include movie studios, broadcast and cable television networks, streaming services, cruise lines and retail products. Floridas House of Representatives approved a Republican-backed bill last month that Democrats denounced as being anti-LGBTQ. The legislation, referred to by opponents as the dont say gay bill, has stirred national controversy as the debate over what schools should teach children about race and gender has grown increasingly partisan. Critics, including Abigail Disney, the granddaughter of company co-founder Roy O. Disney, tweeted Sunday that she is "deeply angered by Disney thinking it can look the other way for this hateful 'Don't Say Gay' bill." She also took issue with Disney's political contributions to the legislators who drafted the bill. Chapek wrote that Disney has not made political contributions "based on this issue," and has supported Republican and Democratic legislators who have taken positions on both sides of the measure. He said the company's new chief corporate affairs officer, Geoff Morrell, will reassess the company's advocacy strategies -- including political giving. (Reporting by Dawn Chmielewski in Los Angeles; Editing by Leslie Adler) In this article: STORY: Disneyland Paris celebrates its 30th anniversary Location: Chessy, France Work began in 1988 on what had been cereal and beetroot fields There was cooperation with the French state on a major scale The government sold the land to the Walt Disney Company and financed high speed train lines and a highway It was opened by then Walt Disney CEO Michael Eisner Date graphic: April 12, 1992 and was originally called the Euro Disney Resort Date: March 5, 2022 Celebrations are due to last over a month and include a nightly show where drones form the number 30 Illinois reported 735 new COVID cases and no related deaths Monday. Beth Dubber/Hulu When I hit play on The Dropout, the new Hulu drama documenting the rise and fall of Elizabeth Holmes, I thought I was prepared for the atrocities ahead. There would obviously be rampant fraud, as the CEOs team provided inaccurate blood test results to real-life people, including cancer patients. Id also braced for the uncomfortable romance between Holmes and Ramesh Sunny Balwaniwho was already an adult in his thirties when he met the rising college freshman while she was studying in Beijing. And of course, I was ready (extremely eager, in fact) to hear Amanda Seyfrieds take on The Voice. I had not, however, accounted for the amount of atrocious dancing wed see in this series. It starts with a covert scene in Holmes childhood bedroom, where the future Stanford dropout and tech visionary runs in place, leaps around, and jabs the air with her fists while listening to Alabamas Im in a Hurry (and Dont Know Why) and staring at a poster of Steve Jobs. Scenes like these punctuate the series, as Holmes awkwardly gyrates to songs like Missy Elliotts We Run This and Lil Waynes How to Lovelike a Girlboss Icarus boogieing her way straight toward a burning, blood-red sun. How Elizabeth Holmes Saga The Dropout Avoids Inventing Annas Silly Mistakes Its little touches like these that make The Dropout a refreshing delight. The 2022 streaming landscape is drowning in scammy stories like these: Netflix has Inventing Anna, Showtime has the Uber tell-all Super Pumped, Apple TV+ will soon debut its WeWork yarn, WeCrashed. As she crafted her take on Elizabeth Holmes, showrunner Elizabeth Meriwether was on the hunt for human details that could inform a deeper storyan angle that those of us who pored over the story in the news for months had not already seen before. One that jumped out immediately? The time a Theranos colleague caught Holmes getting her groove on to a hip-hop song in her car one morning. That really stuck in my head, because it felt like, Oh, thats something that she does when no one is looking, the New Girl creator told The Daily Beast during a recent interview. I kind of built on that one anecdote and tried to kind of make it a thing throughout the series. Story continues The Dropout is a departure for Meriwether, best known for her long-running Fox rom-com starring Zooey Deschanel. (None of the characters on New Girl have been convicted of fraud, she snarked with a laugh. It definitely was a new thing for me.) But her knack for balancing empathy and schadenfreude are a perfect match for the project, which adapts Rebecca Jarvis ABC News podcast of the same name into a full-blown character study. (That car anecdote, Meriwether noted, came up in the pod.) Elizabeth Meriwether attends a TCA Studio Day hosted by Twentieth Century Fox Television at Sunset Ranch Hollywood on July 28, 2019, in Los Angeles, California. David Livingston/Getty When Searchlight Television first approached her to work on the project, Meriwether admits she was a little skeptical. I was just like, What is the point of doing a limited series? she said. Why would we tell this story again? What would I bring to it? The solution, she decided, would be to engage with the story on a more human level. That started by recognizing an impostor-syndromey fragment of her own backstory that she shared with the convicted fraudster. I created New Girl when I was 29, and Id never worked in television before and was suddenly running a show managing 200 people, Meriwether said. I was very in over my head in the beginning of it. Heres How to Watch Amanda Seyfried as Elizabeth Holmes in The Dropout Online For Free The similarities pretty much end there; Meriwether never, say, slapped her name on patents for inventions she played no part in creating. But in Holmes biography, the showrunner said, she saw the story of a young woman in a position of power really kind of struggling with it and trying to figure out who she is in the middle of that. That felt like a story that hadnt been told as much on television, she said. You know, its not the kind of glossy girlboss, female empowerment version of a female CEO. The specter of the dreaded girlboss looms large over The Dropout. With each passing episode, one observes Seyfrieds character grappling with the way various (inevitably male) gatekeepers treat her as an ambitious female entrepreneur. Her skeezy neighbor (William H. Macy) cant stand the idea that she considers herself smarter than him, and most men she approaches in her early career seem incapable of speaking to her without invoking a tone that might as well be a verbal pat on the head. Over time, the shows Elizabeth figures out how to harness her industrys tokenization of women to her advantagea brilliant encapsulation of the way that women, too (especially white women), can perpetuate misogyny once they decide its to their advantage to do so. The Dropout spans decades, which presents some challenges. (Try as she might, even a performer as talented as Seyfried cannot convince viewers that she is a high school senior.) But the show also takes advantage of its longevity in another department: Music might not seem integral to the story of a tech start-up, but this shows soundtrack is among the best in recent memory. As Meriwether put it, The music was really important to me as a way of taking us through time. She pored over her own favorites from the shows various time periods and credits music supervisor Maggie Phillips for supplying nothing but bops. I was always trying for something that would take you back to that moment, but not something that youd heard so many times, she said. And while Seyfried might struggle as much as any actor would with the Dear Evan Hansen gambit required of her in the beginning of the series, its hard to imagine any other performer nailing the character with such ineffable strangeness. Its not just her impossibly wide eyes, which telegraph ambition and uncertainty in equal measure. The Mamma Mia! actress manages to work her characters psychological turmoil into every element of her physicalitystiff shoulders, a quivering mouth, and, yes, dancing that looks like shes fighting off an invisible swarm of bees. In Seyfrieds hands, Elizabeth Holmes seems painfully relatable one moment (like when shes embarrassing herself by dancing in the car or spilling coffee on her shirt ahead of a big meeting) and chillingly inhuman the next. Much like Elisabeth Moss unforgettable, furious up-to-camera stares in The Handmaids Tale, the image of Seyfrieds conflicted gaze into the camera against a white backdrop now feels permanently burned into my memory (along with the dancing). Among Seyfrieds greatest talents as an actress, Meriwether said, is her ability to hold space for the comedy and the drama at the same timea rare gift among actors. Elizabeth Holmes (Amanda Seyfried) and Sunny Balwani (Naveen Andrews) in The Dropout Beth Dubber/Hulu Seyfrieds co-star, Lost alum Naveen Andrews, matches her intensity as Sunny Balwaniwhose relationship with young Elizabeth feels uncomfortable from the start and only grows more troubling from there. Sayid Jarrah was among Losts gentler soulsbut as Sunny, Andrews embraces the opposite end of the emotional spectrum. His character is imposing, filled with repressed rage that he mostly expresses through the occasional violent outburst and, more often, lording over his paramour. (Something no one likely had on their bingo cards going into The Dropout: Elizabeth Holmes fraught relationship with green juice becomes a surprisingly efficient metaphor for the darkness underpinning her romantic life.) The romance between Balwani and Holmes was among the most creatively dramatized, Meriwether said, because the couple kept their private affairs so well hidden. Theres so little information about what that relationship actually waswhich, you know, was part of their relationship because they kept it secret for 12 years, she said. It felt like such a huge part of the story that we knew very little about. We learned more in her trial, and I think were going to learn even more in his trial, which is coming up. But its a really complex, toxic relationship. As much depth and versatility as Seyfried brings to her role, I did have to ask the inevitable superficial question before Meriwether and I hung up: How does a soprano drop her voice into Elizabeth Holmes fake baritone? We Are Living in a Golden Age of Actors Doing Wild Accents I dont know how she did The Voice, Meriwether replied with a laugh. She came to the rehearsal and sat down at the table and had The Voice. I was like, Whatever you did, this is amazing. It wasnt that important to me that it was, like, exactly right, Meriwether added. I think I was much more interested in her making it her own If the voice were really funny the whole time, I think it would really have taken away from the emotional stakes of the story. As told by The Dropout, Holmes is a story of an ambitious oddball whose dreams became an escape from uncomfortable realitiesfrom her familys apparent financial precariousness, from her social awkwardness, from a sexual assault she allegedly endured in college, and from countless other unknowable fears that mightve never made it into a news investigation or a podcast. Its fitting, then, that Meriwether shared just one more anecdote from Jarvis original podcast that stuck with her, a vignette that made it into the premiere: Holmes at 11 years old, running on the track even after it was clear shed already lost. Even though every other runner had already finished the race she just wont quit. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. (Getty Images) Peta Murgatroyd has opened up about her husband and Dancing With the Stars (DWTS) pro, Maksim Chmerkovskiy, returning home from Ukraine, amid Russias attack on the country. On 1 March, Chmerkovskiy, 42, made his way back to the United States, as he first stopped at Warsaw, Poland in the process. The following day, he landed in Los Angeles, California and was greeted by his wife, Murgatroyd, 35, at the airport. Murgatroyd discussed her reunion with her husband in a recent post shared to Instagram, emphasising how shes forever grateful for Chmerkovskiy to be home. I never thought our family would be directly affected by this in our lifetime, I never thought what we are seeing on our TVs was a reality in 2022, she wrote in the caption. I have never hugged him so tight. Shaking and forever grateful. Now its time to heal. We cannot go back to our normal, she added. Our lives are forever changed. We have a new normal, and thats ok. Murgatroyd noted that although Chmerkovskiy made it back to Los Angeles, theyre going to continue their efforts to provide assistance to Ukrainian refugees. We have big plans in store and our sole focus is on this war, she explained. A smaller plan is going up on my stories soon! The former DWTS pro went on to express that the one good thing to come out of attacks on Ukraine would be that the world is united against Russias president, Vladimir Putin. If there is one good thing to come of Putins War (and yes I am specifying this as HIS war, because I know he doesnt represent the entire russian nation as a whole)its that the world has united against this piece of s** Putin, she wrote. She concluded the caption by thanking her followers for their support and constant outpouring love. I see everything and I am forever thankful. Xo, she wrote. GLORY TO UKRAINE. Recently, Chmerkovskiy has discussed how hes felt since returning to his wife and five-year-old son, Shai. And while hes grateful to be with his family, hes said that hes still been struggling mentally. I feel guilty. I feel bad, I feel ashamed. I feel upset, he explained during an interview on 4 March on Good Morning America . Im a big boy, he added. I know for a fact that Im going through something mentally. I get into these crying moments. I cant control it. I cried on the way from the airport. I felt embarrassed the entire ride back because I was the only man on the train amongst all women and children. Carlos Barria/Reuters As delegations from Ukraine and Russia prepare for a third attempt at negotiations in the 12-day-old war, increased fighting has created scenes of chaos across the beleaguered nation. Russian tanks were spotted in the Kyiv suburb of Irpin where thousands of people are crammed into apartment high rises, vulnerable to Russian missile attacks. As shelling picked up pace on Monday, women, children and elderly men crammed onto trains out of the city headed west in what has become an increasingly desperate situation for those who still cant quite believe their country is being invaded. The United Nations predicts that at least 5 million Ukrainians will be displaced in the war. As bullets rained down over the port city of Mariupol, which has seen some of the deadliest clashes of the war so far, a ceasefire agreement meant to allow civilians to escape has again been breached after neither side reportedly put down their weapons. The director of the International Committee of the Red Cross told the BBC on Monday that even if the ceasefire is honored, the way out is extremely dangerous. Some of his staff were trying to leave town along a path designated safe only to find it had been laced with land mines. It is unclear who laid the mines, but both sides blamed the other. The road indicated to them was actually mined, Dominik Stillhart told BBC Monday. That is why it is so important that the two parties have a precise agreement for us then to be able to facilitate it on the ground. Carlos Barria/Reuters The escape routes that have been offered so far have proved to be a boobytrap with civilians fleeing the war bombed over the weekend. A spokesman for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told Reuters on Monday that civilians have been granted a safe route out of Kharkiv, but only heading straight to Russia or Belarus, which has aligned itself as Russias chief ally in this war. They are citizens of Ukraine, they should have the right to evacuate to the territory of Ukraine, he told Reuters, calling Russias invitation completely immoral accusing Russia of simply doing it for optics, to use people's suffering to create a television picture. Story continues British government minister James Cleverly called the corridor to Russia cynical beyond belief, telling BBC News: Providing evacuation into the arms of the country that is currently destroying yours is a nonsense. Meanwhile, fighting rages on across the country with air raid sirens ringing out in the port city of Odessa and Russian tanks now concentrating on southern cities. The Russian occupation forces command is shifting its focus to the South, trying to deprive Ukraine of access to the Black and Azov Seas, which, in their opinion, will create conditions for economic suppression of the Ukrainian Resistance, Ukraine National Security and Defense Council posted on Facebook. The enemy does not give up hopes to seize Kyiv and mounts resources to encircle Dnipro. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. A possibly transformative digital assets regulation draft is threatening to shake up the European crypto landscape. On Feb. 9, two major factions of the European Parliament submitted a policy blueprint that aims to apply existing regulations designed to counter money laundering and terrorism financing to all crypto transactions. The draft was spearheaded by Belgian parliament member (MEP) Assita Kanko (European Conservatives and Reformists) and Spanish MEP Ernest Urtasun (GreensEuropean Free Alliance). The current version of the "travel rule" obliges banks and payment companies to store information that "travels" between payers and recipients and make it available to authorities for several years. The policy only triggers when a transaction exceeds the threshold of 1,000 euros. Some have pointed out the regulation blueprint resembles the official advice of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) an intergovernmental organization founded by the G7 group of nations to combat money laundering and terrorism financing a little bit too closely. Is the FATF supposed to have such a strong influence on how European policy is shaped?" asked Thomas Spaas, a Belgian attorney specializing in crypto regulation. With such legislation, crypto exchanges will have to do even more of what they were already doing anyway: keeping records of their customers. This means yet more paperwork for crypto companies and another obstacle for new entrepreneurs to overcome. The regulation was introduced independently of FATF. Kanko and Urtasun propose to drop the threshold for crypto transactions, which would effectively force exchanges and wallet providers to record the "travel information" for every single transfer. European authorities would obtain the name of the sender and the recipient, the sender's home address, passport number and the wallet address of both the sender and recipient. Kanko and Urtasun argue in their draft that small transactions with cryptocurrencies are often used to fund terrorism or launder money. Such a loophole would enable the use of digital assets to fund and hide criminal activities, since illicit capital can anonymously move without any geographical limitations with a good chance of remaining undetected, the MEPs explain. This would justify the need to remove the 1,000 euro threshold for crypto transactions. Story continues The blueprint also mentions the curation of a white list for crypto exchanges that successfully implemented satisfactory KYC procedures for users. They could possibly be exempted from having to record every single transaction. Kanko specifically mentioned Binance as a crypto exchange that could possibly acquire a spot on the white list. Uneven playing field The regulation draft sparked debate within the European crypto industry. Key players in Europe are often receptive to and relaxed about regulations being drafted in Brussels. However, the hefty expansion of the "travel rule" has business owners worried about the possible risk of stifling the competitiveness of the region. A complete implementation of the travel rule will prove to be difficult, considering not every technology allows this particular information to be stored and transferred. It would be much easier to set up a global register of identified addresses, a procedure also used in banking, said Marc Toledo, managing director of Belgian crypto exchange Bit4You and director of the Blockchain Association of Belgium. According to Toledo, the EU shouldnt identify crypto as an enemy in their fight to combat financial crime. The enemy is and will always be anonymity and badly implemented KYC procedures. Regulators will have to coordinate closely with crypto exchanges to pinpoint solutions that increase security without hindering the future and competitiveness of the European crypto industry," he said. Olivier van Duijn, CEO of the Dutch crypto exchange LiteBit, also pointed to possible risks of weakening Europes crypto industry. Its always great to take further measures against money laundering and terrorist financing, but it is unfortunate that a traditional approach to managing risks in a new sector is being adopted. This policy will be implemented in certain countries or regions sooner than within others. That could create an uneven playing field," van Duijn said. Evan Rachel Wood and Marilyn Manson. E. Charbonneau / Getty Images Evan Rachel Wood says she had an abortion while in a relationship with Marilyn Manson. In the HBO documentary "Phoenix Rising," she said afterwards Manson told her "make me dinner." Wood also said in the documentary that after she broke up with Manson, she attempted suicide. Evan Rachel Wood opens up more about the alleged abuse she says she went through while in a relationship with Marilyn Manson in part two of the HBO documentary "Phoenix Rising." In the second half of the two-part documentary, which begins airing on March 15, Wood reveals that while making the 2011 HBO miniseries "Mildred Pierce," she was pregnant with Manson's child and ultimately had an abortion. "He flew out for the abortion. I was just so scared and sad," Wood says in the Amy Berg-directed documentary, which Insider has viewed. "I obviously believe in a woman's right to choose, but that doesn't mean it wasn't devastating." "The second it was over [he] was like, 'Make me dinner,'" the actress continues. "And I remember being like, 'I'm supposed to be resting my body has gone through this trauma, there's aftermath here.' And he didn't care." Wood and Manson made their relationship public in 2007 when she was 19 and he was 38. The two were briefly engaged before their relationship ended in 2010. Looking back on her relationship with Manson, Wood says in the documentary that Manson always had an issue with what birth control she used. "He refused to wear a condom, ever," Wood says. "And it was very much sex on demand and it was going to cause more problems if I said no. You don't have time to use birth control when somebody's just penetrating you while you're asleep or if they've given you a pill that made you blackout." Evan Rachel Wood. Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images Wood says in "Phoenix Rising" that after the abortion, she became suicidal. "I was worried that I was going to try to kill myself," she added. Story continues Wood tells her activist friend, Illma Gore, in a moment depicted in the documentary that she entered a mental health facility after attempting suicide. Although the "Westworld" actress did not specify in the documentary when she tried to commit suicide, she said it was after she and Manson had broken up in 2010, when she had finished being on a band's tour bus and had taken "a lot of drugs." "I got off the bus and it just hit me the second I got off the bus, I just said, 'I'm going to die tonight. I can't go any further,'" she tells Gore in the documentary. "I went into the bathroom and I took [a] glass and I shattered it on the floor and just started digging at my wrists as hard as I could," Wood continues. "I called my mom and I said, 'I just tried to kill myself, and I need to go to a hospital, like, immediately.'" Marilyn Manson. Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic In response to Wood's allegations that Manson, whose birth name is Brian Warner, told her to make him dinner following her abortion, Manson's lawyer Howard King gave Insider the following statement: "As we detailed in our lawsuit, nothing that Evan Rachel Wood, Illma Gore, or their hand-picked co-conspirators have said on this matter can be trusted. This is just more of the same. But, then again, what else would you expect from a group who have spread falsehood after falsehood about Brian and even went as far as to forge an FBI letter to further their phony claims?" On March 2, Manson filed a defamation lawsuit against Wood over her allegations that he sexually abused her, calling his ex-fiancee's accusations against him "a malicious falsehood that has derailed Warner's successful music, TV, and film career." The filing also alleges that Wood and Gore "impersonated an actual agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation by forging and distributing a fictitious letter from the agent, to create the false appearance that Warner's alleged 'victims' and their families were in danger, and that there was a federal criminal investigation of Warner ongoing." Video: R. Kelly found guilty of sex trafficking and racketeering charges Part one of the documentary, which airs on March 15, chronicles Woods' accusations that Manson "essentially raped her" when they filmed the music video for his 2007 song "Heart-Shaped Glasses (When the Heart Guides the Hand)" and that she has an "M" scar on her body, near her pelvic area, that Manson gave her during their relationship. Manson's attorney previously denied to Insider that the two had sex on set. "Brian did not have sex with Evan on that set, and she knows that is the truth," he said in a statement earlier this year. Wood has previously made other allegations of abuse against Manson, including that he groomed her and he "horrifically" abused her as a teenager. Manson has denied these allegations, calling them "horrible distortions of reality" in a February 2021 statement posted on Instagram. Read the original article on Insider Dialogue on addressing gender-biased sex selection It requires a stronger multi-sectoral cooperation among all parties concerned to challenge gender norms and stereotypes so as to address the issue of gender-biased sex selection (GBSS) in Vietnam. Central to this in terms of policy and programmatic interventions is to promote gender equality, increase the value of the girl child, and re-cast mens roles in social and family settings. Participants at the dialogue These recommendations were among the conclusions of the Dialogue, which was held in Hanoi today by UNFPA in collaboration with the Ministry of Health to call for stronger actions. The GBSS is considered to result from son preference, fertility limitation, and the availability of reproductive technology. Under the framework of the Project: Addressing Gender Biased Sex Selection and related harmful practices in Vietnam, which is funded by the Government of Norway for the period 2020-2022, the Dialogue shared international and innovative approaches to change socio-cultural norms leading to GBSS in Vietnam. Mens roles and participation in promotion for gender equality and to end GBSS, as well as the importance of strengthening the countrys coordination mechanisms for GBSS were also discussed. Joining the discussion were senior officials from the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, Vietnam Farmers Union, mass/social organisations, and research institutions. Representatives from provincial authorities of Ben Tre, Quang Ninh, Nghe An, Hung Yen, Vung Tau and Bac Giang also joined the session virtually. Addressing the Dialogue, Deputy Director General of the General Office of Population and Family Planning under the Ministry of Health, Pham Vu Hoang stressed that if sex imbalance at birth in Vietnam continued, it will unpredictably impact the countrys socio-economic development and even the political security as well as the countrys sustainable development. "Over the past years, Vietnam has implemented many policies and programmes to address this issue as well as other issues relating to population and development," he said. These policies and strategies aim to gradually address the increase in imbalances of sex ratio at birth, thus reaching the natural sex ratio at birth. Speaking at the events, Norwegian Ambassador in Vietnam, Grete Lchen, said that the Government of Norway was proud to partner with UNFPA and support the Government of Vietnam to stop gender-biased sex selection and achieve gender equality. "I am very pleased to work together with UNFPA and the government of Vietnam to address gender-biased sex selection in Vietnam," she noted. UNFPA Representative for Vietnam, Naomi Kitahara said: I want to appeal for more participation of men and boys in ending gender-biased sex selection. As we celebrate the International Womens Day on 8 March, it is important to recognise that women are often under pressure from their families to conceive a son rather than a daughter." Data from the 2019 Population and Housing Census estimates that among adults aged 1549 years, there will be 1.5 million excess males by 2034, which can further increase to almost 2.5 million by 2059 (9.5 per cent of the corresponding male population) if the current sex imbalance at birth does not decline. Vietnams unbalanced sex ratio at birth reached 111.5 male births for 100 female births in 2019 while the biologically natural or normal sex ratio is between 105 106 boys per 100 girls. Ukainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks to the press in the town of Bucha, northwest of the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, on April 4, 2022. (Ronaldo Schemidt/Getty-AFP) LVIV, Ukraine The humanitarian crisis in Ukraine deepened Monday as Russian forces intensified their shelling and food, water, heat and medicine grew increasingly scarce, in what the country condemned as a medieval-style siege by Moscow to batter it into submission. A third round of talks between the two sides ended with a top Ukrainian official saying there had been minor, unspecified progress toward establishing safe corridors that would allow civilians to escape the fighting. Russias chief negotiator said he expects those corridors to start operating Tuesday. Advertisement But that remained to be seen, given the failure of previous attempts to lead civilians to safety amid the biggest ground war in Europe since World War II. Well into the second week of the invasion, with Russian troops making significant advances in southern Ukraine but stalled in some other regions, a top U.S. official said multiple countries were discussing whether to provide the warplanes that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been pleading for. Advertisement A Ukrainian police officer runs while holding a child as the artillery echoes nearby, while fleeing Irpin on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, March 7, 2022. (Emilio Morenatti/AP) Russian President Vladimir Putins forces continued to pummel cities with rockets, and fierce fighting raged in places. In the face of the bombardments, Zelenskyy said Ukrainian forces were showing unprecedented courage. The problem is that for one soldier of Ukraine, we have 10 Russian soldiers, and for one Ukrainian tank, we have 50 Russian tanks, Zelenskyy told ABC News in an interview that aired Monday night. He noted that the gap in forces was diminishing and that even if Russian forces come into all our cities, they will be met with an insurgency. In one of the most desperate cities, the encircled southern port of Mariupol, an estimated 200,000 people nearly half the population of 430,000 were hoping to flee, and Red Cross officials waited to hear when a corridor would be established. The city is short on water, food and power, and cellphone networks are down. Stores have been looted as residents search for essential goods. Police moved through the city, advising people to remain in shelters until they heard official messages broadcast over loudspeakers to evacuate. Hospitals in Mariupol are facing severe shortages of antibiotics and painkillers, and doctors performed some emergency procedures without them. The lack of phone service left anxious citizens approaching strangers to ask if they knew relatives living in other parts of the city and whether they were safe. In the capital, Kyiv, soldiers and volunteers have built hundreds of checkpoints to protect the city of nearly 4 million, often using sandbags, stacked tires and spiked cables. Some barricades looked significant, with heavy concrete slabs and sandbags piled more than two stories high, while others appeared more haphazard, with hundreds of books used to weigh down stacks of tires. Advertisement Every house, every street, every checkpoint, we will fight to the death if necessary, said Mayor Vitali Klitschko. In Kharkiv, Ukraines second-largest city, with 1.4 million people, heavy shelling slammed into apartment buildings. I think it struck the fourth floor under us, Dmitry Sedorenko said from his Kharkiv hospital bed. Immediately, everything started burning and falling apart. When the floor collapsed beneath him, he crawled out through the third story, past the bodies of some of his neighbors. Klitschko reported that fierce battles continued in the Kyiv region, notably around Bucha, Hostomel, Vorzel and Irpin. In the Irpin area, which has been cut off from electricity, water and heat for three days, witnesses saw at least three tanks and said Russian soldiers were seizing houses and cars. A few miles away, in the small town of Horenka, where shelling reduced one area to ashes and shards of glass, rescuers and residents picked through the ruins as chickens pecked around them. Advertisement What are they doing? rescue worker Vasyl Oksak asked of the Russian attackers. There were two little kids and two elderly people living here. Come in and see what they have done. In the south, Russian forces also continued their offensive in Mykolaiv, opening fire on the Black Sea shipbuilding center of a half-million people, according to Ukraines military. Rescuers said they were putting out fires caused by rocket attacks in residential areas. At The Hague, Netherlands, Ukraine pleaded with the International Court of Justice to order a halt to Russias invasion, saying Moscow is committing widespread war crimes. Russia is resorting to tactics reminiscent of medieval siege warfare, encircling cities, cutting off escape routes and pounding the civilian population with heavy ordnance, said Jonathan Gimblett, a member of Ukraines legal team. Russia snubbed the court proceedings, leaving its seats in the Great Hall of Justice empty. Efforts to set up safe passage for civilians over the weekend fell apart amid continued Russian shelling. Before Mondays talks began, Russia announced a new plan, saying civilians would be allowed to leave Kyiv, Mariupol, Kharkiv and Sumy. Advertisement But many of the evacuation routes headed toward Russia or its ally Belarus, which has served as a launch pad for the invasion. Ukraine instead proposed eight routes allowing civilians to travel to western regions of the country where there is no shelling. People cross an improvised path under a destroyed bridge while fleeing the town of Irpin close to Kyiv, Ukraine, March 7, 2022. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP) Later, Russias U.N. Ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, told the U.N. Security Council that Russia would carry out a cease-fire Tuesday morning and appeared to suggest that humanitarian corridors leading away from Kyiv, Mariupol, Sumy and Chernigov could give people choice in where they want to go. The U.N. humanitarian chief, Undersecretary-General Martin Griffiths, addressed the Security Council and urged safe passage for people to go in the direction they choose. Zelenskyys office would not comment on the Russian proposal, saying only that Moscows plans can be believed only if a safe evacuation begins. The office said Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk planned to make a statement on the issue Tuesday morning. The battle for Mariupol is crucial because its capture could allow Moscow to establish a land corridor to Crimea, which Russia seized from Ukraine in 2014. The fighting has sent energy prices surging worldwide and stocks plummeting, and threatens t he food supply and livelihoods of people around the globe who rely on crops farmed in the fertile Black Sea region. Advertisement The U.N. human rights office reported 406 confirmed civilian deaths but said the real number is much higher. The invasion has also sent 1.7 million people fleeing Ukraine. On Monday, Moscow again announced a series of demands to stop the invasion, including that Ukraine recognize Crimea as part of Russia and recognize the eastern regions controlled by Moscow-supported separatist fighters as independent. It also insisted that Ukraine change its constitution to guarantee it wont join international bodies like NATO and the EU. Ukraine has already rejected those demands. Zelenskyy has called for more punitive measures against Russia, including a global boycott of its oil exports, which are key to its economy. If (Russia) doesnt want to abide by civilized rules, then they shouldnt receive goods and services from civilization, he said in a video address. Daily Top Stories Daily Get the day's top news, sports, opinion, features and local events. > He has also asked for more warplanes. Deputy U.S. Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said officials are trying to see whether this is possible and doable. While the West has been rushing weapons to Ukraine such as anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles, some officials fear that sending warplanes could be seen by Moscow as direct involvement in the war. Advertisement One possible scenario under discussion: Former Soviet bloc nations that are now NATO members could send Ukraine their own Soviet-era MiGs, which Ukrainian pilots are trained to fly, and the U.S. would then replace those countries aircraft with American-made F-16s. Russias invasion has nearby countries terrified the war could spread to them. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken began a lightning visit to the Baltic states of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, former Soviet republics that are NATO members. Blinken hoped to reassure them of the alliances protection. NATO has shown no interest in sending troops into the country and has rejected Zelenskyys pleas to establish a no-fly zone for fear of triggering a wider war. Associated Press reporters from around the world contributed to this report. Mikhail Khodorkovsky, the former Yukos oil company chairman who was charged with embezzlement and tax evasion, speaks to the media after his release from a Russian prison. Sean Gallup/Getty Images Mikhail Khodorkovsky was once Russia's richest man, before spending almost a decade in prison. He told CNN that the Ukraine war has "significantly reduced" Putin's ability to stay in power. "We are no longer thinking in terms of him being around another decade," he said in the interview. Mikhail Khodorkovsky an exiled oligarch who was once the richest man in Russia said on Friday that Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine has "significantly reduced" the longtime president's chances of remaining in power. "I'm convinced that Putin hasn't got much time left. Maybe a year, maybe three," he told CNN during an interview, adding later, "Today we are no longer thinking in terms of him being around another decade as we thought a week ago." Khodorkovsky is the former CEO of the Russian oil giant Yukos, a position that temporarily made him Russia's richest man in 2003 with a reported net worth of $15 billion. In 2001, he founded Open Russia, a diplomacy initiative that was later shut down by Russian authorities. After being charged with fraud and tax evasion, Khodorkovsky was sentenced to nine years in prison in 2005. He was later pardoned by Putin and released a year early in 2013. Detention Center No. 1, where Andrei Pivovarov the former head of the exiled Kremlin critic Mikhail Khodorkovsky's pro-democracy group Open Russia is being held after his 2021 arrest. KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP via Getty Images Khodorkovsky said his imprisonment was politically motivated. Putin's former prime minister testified that the Kremlin ordered Khodorkovsky's arrest due to his funding of the opposition party, according to a 2010 Reuters report. Now the exiled businessman lives in London and is known as one of Putin's most outspoken critics. In his interview with CNN, Khodorkovsky said Putin is his "personal enemy" but also "the enemy of humankind." A handful of Russian billionaires have spoken out over the past week to similarly denounce the invasion of Ukraine. His prediction that Russia's attack on Ukraine will eventually end Putin's rule has been echoed by experts at the Kennan Institute, a Russian research center in the US. "The attack on Ukraine was not just an absolute crime," Mikhail Minakov, the institute's senior advisor on Ukraine, wrote in a blog post last week. "It was an irreparable mistake that put into motion the end-game for Putin's regime in Russia." Read the original article on Business Insider When a Garfield fifth grader asked Jeff Wilson, his school principal, for a face mask on Monday, Wilson said, "You don't need to wear one if you don't want to." The student immediately pumped his fist high in the air. "Yes!" he shouted with glee. After a year and a half through the COVID-19 pandemic, the requirement that students and staff in K-12 schools and child care centers throughout New Jersey wear masks was lifted on Monday, generating smiles and joy. Relief was written on the faces of the children tumbling jubilantly onto the grassy patio outside Washington Irving Elementary School No. 4 in Garfield a few minutes before the bell rang at 8:30 a.m. and in schools through the state as Gov. Phil Murphy's executive order mandating masks on school property expired. "I. Feel. Great!" Garfield first grader Ethan Reynoso said with a grin. He emphasized every word and listed the unwritten COVID restrictions that masking brought on. "On hot days I didn't want to wear it. I don't like the mask because its harder to breathe. And I can't eat," said Reynoso, for whom breathing is important, but less so perhaps than the joy of talking freely outside class and in it. "No one can hear me. None of my friends can hear me in class," he said about what he disliked most, aside from sweating in the mask. Some 18 states and the District of Columbia issued school mask mandates during the pandemic. Like New Jersey, many of them, as well as New York City, also lifted their school mask requirements Monday, though children younger than 5 must continue wearing masks in New York City schools. There is still no approved vaccine for children 4 and younger. In New Jersey, Murphy said he lifted the mask mandate because of increased vaccinations, a plunge in the number of deaths caused by the omicron variant, and the improving weather, which will allow schools to open windows and doors to better ventilate their buildings. Story continues More than 70% of New Jerseyans are fully vaccinated, though the virus has caused more than 30,000 deaths since the first fatality occurred in early March of 2020. From New Jersey's oldest to its youngest students, a burden was undoubtedly lifted Monday. They could breathe freely now, said 17-year-olds and 6-year-olds alike. And communication channels their mouths, their voices and their expressions were finally unshrouded, though even normalcy could take getting used to after two years of the restrictions. Story continues below photo gallery At Garfield High School, junior Keiver Galvis broke into a disarming smile as he anticipated the benefits of the day's perfect spring weather and the change in masking requirements. He decided he was excited even though he had so far felt 50/50 about taking off his mask and not catching the virus. To Galvis, the moment signaled a return to social normalcy and all the thrills of high school life. Its like youre back to the old days. Like all of that that girl looked cute, you go up to them and talk to them yeah, I feel it's going to be like that, he said, as his friends smiled. Yeah hes going to party, joked senior Dylan Orlik, who also said it was a relief to take off the mask, though he wasnt sure his own social life would take the turn his friend predicted. I dont think the social aspect of it changes. I think it is just that people are feeling more safe to take the mask off. It [the pandemic] is starting to die down a little bit and turn back to normalcy. Some still masked Despite the excitement, some students did not shed their masks Monday. Some districts, including Newark, Hillside, Paterson, Plainfield, East Orange and Jersey City, have decided to maintain a mask requirement. And in Garfield, junior Zuriel Vargas and freshman Destiny Davis said they were keeping their masks on because of family members who have underlying medical issues. Vargas father has diabetes and Davis has a grandmother whose health is fragile. Wilson, the elementary school principal, said the staff had been preparing the students for a few weeks for the day when masks would come off, reminding them to be tolerant and understanding of children and teachers who keep them on. Its a decision for each individual child to make along with their parents, he said. I personally have gone around to every classroom and talked to the kids," Wilson said. "Weve all been in the situation where you walk into a room where youre the only one with a mask on. And you feel the need to take it off. We dont want any of our children feeling like that. He said he wants the students to be able to choose what makes them feel safe and comfortable. I feel a little bit safer, because theres a virus still going around, said fifth grader Valeria, who said she preferred to remain masked. She stood by herself outside the doors wearing a blue surgical mask and said her family was also continuing to wear masks around other people. For most of the students assembled in the high school auditorium, seeing each other without masks was a little disorienting but primarily a relief. Its weird. Weve been so stuck wearing these masks for so long, said senior Samantha Borrin. It was like my high school was cut off. A group of three freshmen said they didnt care for masks, but would rather have them than stay home and learn remotely. The clear spring weather matched the mood on Monday after nearly two years of lockdowns, hybrid school, and universal masking requirements in New Jerseys schools and buses that were issued based on guidelines from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Those guidelines changed when the CDC withdrew universal masking requirements on Feb 25. Im happy that theres no masks, because you cant really breathe [with them], said fifth grader Yoel Monegro, even though he could take his mask off during gym and lunch and when he was outdoors with his friends. Asked if he was worried about the pandemic and falling sick, Yoel shook his head. He said he felt better now than he did earlier about taking off his mask. I feel like at first school shouldnt have been open, when there were more cases out, but now theres less, he said. Monday was also the day when School No. 4 resumed its morning drop-off routines after a long break. Parents walked their children to school during the pandemic; now they could drive up, drop them off and be greeted. With swagger and flair, a group of excited fourth and fifth graders pulled on neon safety patrol belts and prepared to welcome schoolmates leaving their parents cars as they pulled up along the sidewalk in front of the school. Its been a long two years for us. It's an exciting day, said Wilson. A troop of 3- to 5-year-olds gathered with their parents outside the ramp leading to two classrooms in the preschool section of the school, as their teachers prepared for a first day without masks for most of the children. Today is very different because the students in this classroom are very young, said Janine Ilaria, an early childhood teacher. Teaching the youngest children was especially challenging when everyone wore masks, Ilaria said. She was removing hers, but her two assistants will keep theirs on. Ive had a very difficult time trying to teach expressions, letter sounds, and a lot of book reading has been very, very difficult," Ilaria said. "There are a lot of children in this program who are language learners, and trying to form letters and communicate effectively has been very difficult through the masks muffled sounds, you cant see the mouth movements. Its hindered a lot of the learning, so Im looking forward to the experience of at least having the kids see me." Circle time began, and Ilaria went through some of the COVID mitigation measures she was continuing to use in her classroom. There were air high-fives for children who sneezed and coughed into their elbows, and the hand sanitizer leader was ready to hop from child to child and give each one a drop of soap. Preschooler Alek said he didnt want to wear a mask. It was at the bottom of the blankets in his backpack, he said. But the real reason? I dont want to wear a mask because my friend isnt wearing it, he said. Mary Ann Koruth covers education for NorthJersey.com. To get unlimited access to the latest news about New Jersey's schools and how it affects your children, please subscribe or activate your digital account today. Email: koruthm@northjersey.com Twitter: @MaryAnnKoruth This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: What K-12 students said as NJ COVID mask mandate ends for most pupils Art historians Les and Sue Fox have this passion to right a wrong. Its about landscape artist Fern Coppedge. Her name doesnt tumble off the tongue when the subject of the New Hope Art School of the early 20th century comes up. Rather, you think Daniel Garber, Edward Redfield and 13 other icons of the Pennsylvania Impressionist movement. Yet Coppedge, the only female associate of the group, was a prolific artist known for impressionistic winter landscapes of Bucks Countys farms and villages. Her paintings sold well but didnt earn acceptance by the school based at Phillips Mill. This perceived gender bias convinced Les and Sue of Sarasota, Florida, to chronicle Ferns life through extensive research and interviews with all who knew her. Out of it has emerged Fern Isabel Coppedge: One Womans Struggle for Equality in the Art World, a 260-page biography and catalogue of her works published in December. Fern Isabel Coppedge, 1883 -1951 Alan Goldstein, guest curator at Doylestowns Michener Art Museum in 1990, lit the fuse. As he put it, Fern Coppedge was ignored and rejected by Bucks Countys established art community, which was seemingly bent on preserving their Impressionist purity and perhaps their status as a male-only club. In response she forged her own path, continuously evolving her painting, taking artistic chances, and avoiding superficially pretty effects. Wow! Heres what we know about Fern Isabel Kuns Coppedge. She was born in 1883 on the Kuns family farm in Cerro Gordo, Illinois. Her older sister Effa, an amateur watercolorist, introduced her to art when she was 14. However, she did not pursue it until after graduation from McPherson (Kansas) College and marriage to a student botany professor at the University of Kansas. More from Carl LaVO: On the hunt for 'Dripping Spring.' Is the one-time Doan Gang hideout lost to history? More on the New Hope art colony: Inside Morgan Colts 'magical' Gothic English village, home to New Hope's famous art colony Story continues Robert and Fern Coppedge moved to Topeka where he became a high school science teacher. After the school hired inspirational art instructor Iris Andrews, Robert convinced his wife to take lessons from her. She saw Ferns potential and urged her to enroll at Chicago Art Institute. There, she studied for two years while earning commissions. Supported enthusiastically by her husband, she joined the Art Students League of New York and attended the prestigious Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, the start of a remarkable career. In 1916, she and her husband began spending summers in Gloucester, Massachusetts. There she painted harbor scenes, one of which was exhibited at Wanamakers Department Store in Philadelphia. Out of 650 entries, the store singled out The Gloucester Fish Market for special praise. International Studio Magazine published the image, accelerating Coppedge as a rising talent. "A Gloucester Fish Market" won the top award in an exhibition at Wannamaker's Department Store in Philadelphia in 1916 and gained national attention. By then, she was experimenting with landscape impressionism taught by Daniel Garber at the academy and honed in New Hope. In 1920 Fern and Robert bought an old Quaker meeting house in Lumberville, a few miles west of New Hope on the Delaware River. The home became her studio across the street from Garbers cottage. Despite taking lessons from him, she never got an invite to exhibit with the New Hope artists though she painted with them. The collective participated in 13 national shows from 1916 to 1926, earning international recognition and sales. Fern as an outsider got none of that. As Les and Sue put it, Fern was not considered an equal in the New Hope School by her male colleagues during the peak of her career in the 1920s and 1930s. This at a time when newspapers, magazines and books referred to her as the only female member. "Mechanic Street" painted in 1936 in New Hope demonstrates Coppedge's Pennsylvania Impressionism learned from her New Hope teacher Daniel Garber. She never put up a fuss. Rather she forged ahead in 1922 with colleague Mary Elizabeth Price by joining the nationally known Philadelphia Ten, an all-female counterpoint to the New Hope School. Coppedges impressionistic landscapes led the way. With her success, Fern moved to New Hopes Main Street where she built a riverside residence and studio she called Boxwood. Buyers flocked there to buy her paintings. Her unique and eye-catching impressionism set her apart. She was among a very few who would venture out after a blizzard, set up an easel and start painting until cold drove her inside. Those landscapes placed her among elite artists of her generation. Fern, who passed away in 1951 after a 44-year marriage, left no diaries nor interviews on gender bias. She let her success tell her story. "Afterglow on the Delaware" painted in 1927 by Fern Coppedge at a time when she worked alongside other New Hope Art School icons. While Fern undoubtedly expressed her negative feelings toward unfair male people in private, she was not outwardly confrontational, author Les Fox told me. We have seen no record of any type of a public outburst or complaint. She was a success, and she tried to exhibit and associate with women artists as much as possible. Today Coppedge art commands rich prices. One oil found at a hot dog stand in 2011 was auctioned for $30,000. Others are far more valuable. For instance, her Village Hillside snow scene painted in 1930 is for sale in Lambertville for $431,250. Sources include Fern Isabel Coppedge: One Womans Struggle for Equality in the Art World by Les and Sue Fox published in 2021 by West Highland Publishing, LLC and Coppedge paintings and biographical information available at the Michener Art Museum in Doylestown. Carl LaVO can be reached at carllavo0@gmail.com This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Who is Fern Isabel Coppedge? What to know about New Hope School artist YouTube/Gov. Ron DeSantis In an unprecedented move, Florida health authorities are preparing to recommend against giving healthy children the COVID-19 vaccine. Joseph Ladapo, the states anti-mask, anti-vax surgeon general, made the announcement on Monday at a roundtable discussion with representatives from the Florida Department of Health and state politicians, including Gov. Ron DeSantis. The meeting, titled The Curtain Closes on Covid Theater, was organized by DeSantis to evaluate the efficacy of the states COVID-19 guidelines. After hearing from a slew of vax-skeptic experts handpicked by DeSantis, Ladapo declared, without elaborating, that Florida is going to be the first state to officially recommend against the COVID-19 vaccines for healthy children. #BREAKING: Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo announces the state is going to be the first to recommend against the COVID-19 vaccine for healthy kids. https://t.co/6WyvgYczS2 pic.twitter.com/gSxA2g2YOn WFLA NEWS (@WFLA) March 7, 2022 The states active discouragement of child vaccinations goes against the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which approved the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for kids aged 5 to 17, as well as the advice of the American Academy of Pediatrics. The Tampa Bay Times reports that, of the 804,000 Florida children under 16 who got COVID, 42 have died. About a fifth of the states children aged 5 to 11 have had at least one COVID vaccination shot. Peter J. Hotez, co-director of the Texas Childrens Center for Vaccine Development, described Ladapos comments on Monday as extremely reckless. Anti-vaccine rhetoric and sentiments coming from the medical community is especially pernicious because it has the imprimatur of being authoritative, Hotez, also a professor of pediatrics, molecular virology and microbiology at Baylor College of Medicine, told The Daily Beast. There will be kids who could develop long COVID as a consequence unnecessarily. Story continues About 1,000 kids have died from COVID-19 and most hospitalizations occurred during the recent Delta and Omicron waves, Hotez said. Studies have found that about one in seven children are developing long-haul COVID symptoms. So for all of these reasons, theres strong agreement in the medical community and by the Centers for Disease Control and the FDA to recommend vaccinating kids, he said. DeSantis Demented Doc Is About to Get the Grilling He Deserves Dr. Louis St. Petery, a Tallahassee pediatric cardiologist, described Ladapos announcement to the Sarasota Herald-Tribune as totally crazy. I understand the choice issue, but to recommend that no healthy children in this state should be vaccinated is off the wall, he said. Vaccines are the way you control viral illnesses and this pandemic has been one of the worst viral illnesses, certainly in my lifetime, he continued. [A] recommendation that healthy children dont get vaccinated is not based on any scientific knowledge and makes absolutely no sense. Hopefully the parents of the state of Florida will ignore it. Preaching pseudoscience and flouting CDC guidelines has been Ladapos modus operandi throughout the pandemic. In October, he came under fire for refusing to wear a mask while meeting with state Sen. Tina Polsky, despite Polsky requesting it because she was undergoing radiation treatment for breast cancer. In a statement, he defended himself by claiming masks inhibit his ability to communicate clearly, an excuse Polsky called shameful and an absurdity. DeSantis stood by his anti-mask, anti-vax ally arguing that it was Polskys fault for not cooperating with other communication accommodations Ladapo allegedly proposed. More recently, Ladapo claimed it was a lie that face masks mitigate the spread of COVID-19, adding that doctors who encourage mask-wearing are zombies. Last Thursday, he instead argued that losing those extra pounds and eating a nutritious diet were the best measures to stave off the lethal respiratory disease. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo. AP Photo/Chris O'Meara Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo announced Monday that his state would be breaking with recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and advising against COVID-19 vaccination for healthy children ages 5 and older, The Miami Herald and Politico report. The decision was announced during a roundtable with Ladapo, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), and "medical professionals who oppose much of the CDC's recommendations," Politico notes. Ladapo did not elaborate on the choice, though he did say his recommendation will be the first of its kind in the country, write Politico and the Herald. Per The Associated Press, it's not immediately clear when Florida might formalize the guidance. The Sunshine State's surgeon general has previously been "an outspoken critic of pandemic-era safety measures such as quarantines, wearing face masks, and vaccines," writes Politico. His approach and strategy toward the pandemic match that of DeSantis. University of Florida professor and former CDC infectious disease specialist Dr. Sonja Rasmussen told AP she's worried Ladapo's latest guidance might undermine recommendations from other health officials. "I'm really concerned that this is going to make parents question what they are hearing from every other source pediatricians, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the CDC,'' Rasmussen said. You may also like How cheap Chinese tires might explain Russia's 'stalled' 40-mile-long military convoy in Ukraine 'Laura Ingraham' and 'Tucker Carlson' raise money for Russian oligarchs in new SNL cold open The U.S. is not working toward regime change in Russia, Blinken says Defying guidance from the nation's top infectious disease and pediatric health experts, Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo announced Monday that the state will become the first in the nation to recommend that healthy kids not get vaccinated for COVID-19. Ladapo made the announcement at the end of a roundtable discussion in West Palm Beach that Gov. Ron DeSantis convened to discuss "failures" in the response to COVID-19. Florida is going to be the first state to officially recommend against the COVID-19 vaccine for healthy children, Ladapo said. The announcement came after multiple health experts picked by DeSantis to participate in the roundtable downplayed the importance of the vaccine for children, with some saying the benefits of vaccination do not outweigh the risks. Dr. Robert Malone, who has risen to prominence for contradicting the scientific consensus on COVID-19, claimed that "the consensus of over 17,000 physicians and medical scientists are that the risk-benefit ratio for children does not justify vaccination. Malone appeared to be referring to a declaration signed by medical professionals as part of the "Global COVID Summit" initiative. Such advice contradicts the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics. Both recommend the COVID-19 vaccine for all children age 5 or older. Vaccines for younger children have yet to be approved. "CDC recommends everyone ages 5 years and older get a COVID-19 vaccine to help protect against COVID-19," according to the agency's website. Dr. Sonja Rasmussen, a professor who teaches pediatric medicine and epidemiology at the University of Florida, noted that "although children are at lower risk than adults, they are certainly not at no risk from COVID-19." While older individuals are significantly more likely to get severely ill from COVID-19, the pandemic hasn't completely spared children. Story continues There are 42 children under the age of 16 who died of COVID-19 in Florida, according to state Department of Health statistics. Another 481 individuals ages 16 to 29 have died of COVID-19 in the state. "COVID-19 vaccines have been shown to be safe with a very low risk of adverse outcomes. The benefits of COVID-19 vaccines greatly outweigh the potential risks," added Rasmussen, before pointing out that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends the vaccine for children. Longtime Tallahassee pediatric cardiologist and childrens advocate Dr. Louis St. Petery called the surgeon general's announcement totally crazy. Vaccines are the way you control viral illnesses and this pandemic has been one of the worst viral illnesses, certainly in my lifetime a recommendation that healthy children don't get vaccinated is not based on any scientific knowledge and makes absolutely no sense," St. Petery said. "Hopefully the parents of the state of Florida will ignore it. St. Petery noted that vaccines have "totally eliminated" some diseases. They are profoundly beneficial and overwhelmingly safe. I understand the choice issue, but to recommend that no healthy children in this state should be vaccinated is off the wall," St. Petery said. "No vaccine has been tested more than the COVID vaccine and it was done in a much shorter timeframe than any previous vaccine." The vaccine announcement from Ladapo comes as DeSantis has amplified his efforts to push back against what he calls "COVID theater." Last week the governor attracted national attention after he was caught on video telling high school students to remove their masks during an event. Critics said he was bullying the children. The governor's re-election campaign responded with an ad declaring "Its curtain call for COVID theater." A press release from the governor's office promoting Monday's roundtable included a link to watch the event on Facebook, where it was billed as "The Curtain Close on COVID Theater." Weve seen a lot of politicization of science, the governor said Monday. The governor's approach to COVID-19 has many health experts concerned, though. Edwin Michael, an epidemiologist at the University of South Florida College of Public Health, said lower vaccination rates will prolong the pandemic. Just 22% of Florida children ages 5-11 had been at least partially vaccinated through March 3, health department records show, compared to 60% of adolescents 12-19. Vaccination rates increase with age; 95% of Florida residents 65 and older have received at least one dose. The youth immunization statistics already were concerningly low before Ladapos announcement Monday, Michael said. He advised the state to reconsider its new guidelines. Transmission is still persistent in Florida currently even if at lowered levels because of the remaining unvaccinated subsections of the population, Michael said. Continued transmission will prolong the tail of the pandemic in such a manner that infections will still be around when people lose immunity later on this year. While Florida in recent weeks has seen a plunge in new infections following Januarys record-high omicron surge, community transmission remains high or substantial in most counties, according to CDC data through March 5. Franklin and Liberty were the only counties to receive a low ranking in the four-tiered system. Ladapo's announcement also drew a harsh response from the governor's political opponents. Governor DeSantis and Dr. Lapado are once again confusing Floridians by promoting dangerous COVID-19 misinformation that goes against all mainstream medical guidance," said Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, a Democrat running for governor. "I urge all Floridians to continue to follow the COVID-19 guidance provided by their doctors, in addition to the FDA and the CDC, and not the anti-science conspiracy theories DeSantis and Ladapo are pushing. Follow Herald-Tribune Political Editor Zac Anderson on Twitter at @zacjanderson. This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Florida to recommend healthy kids not get COVID-19 vaccine To stay connected with our comprehensive coverage of COVID-19 in Florida, sign up for our Coronavirus Watch newsletter. As Florida enters "spring break season," the state has seen a decline in COVID cases. From No. 32 to No. 31 to No. 42: COVID cases are declining, with Florida reporting 13,823 cases and 1,207 newly recorded deaths, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. This week, the state dropped several spots to No. 42 on a list of states where coronavirus spreads the fastest. Also, this is the third time since the week of Dec. 19 that Florida reported fewer than 100,000 cases in one week. (More info on that below) Spring break in Florida: A guide to beaches, Orlando theme parks and where to wear masks Latest info here Florida reported far fewer coronavirus cases in the week ending Sunday, March 6, adding 13,823 new cases. That's down 45.8% from the previous week's tally of 25,523 new cases of the virus that causes COVID-19. Florida ranked 42nd among the states where coronavirus was spreading the fastest on a per-person basis, a USA TODAY Network analysis of Johns Hopkins University data shows. In the latest week coronavirus cases in the United States decreased 30.4% from the week before, with 323,600 cases reported. With 6.45% of the country's population, Florida had 4.27% of the country's cases in the last week. Across the country, five states had more cases in the latest week than they did in the week before. Long COVID: Why aren't my symptoms going away? Why did they come back? Am I a long-hauler? Continuing COVID coverage: It's one of 7 digital benefits of a USA TODAY Network newspaper subscription How did Florida do amid omicron variant? Here's a recap of the past three months: In the week ending March 6, Florida ranked No. 42 in the nation where the virus spreads fastest. The state reported 13,823 new COVID cases, a figure that was down 45.8% from the previous week's tally. Story continues In the week ending Feb. 27, Florida dropped one spot to rank No. 31 in the nation where the virus spreads fastest. The state department of health had added 25,523 new cases of coronavirus, and that figure was down 39.8% from the previous week's tally. In the week ending Sunday, Feb. 20, the state ranked No. 32 on that list, adding 42,373 cases. That was down 65.4% from the previous week. The state also had 1,330 deaths reported that week. In the week ending Feb. 13, Florida was back in the Top 10 list, ranking No. 8 in the nation where the virus spreads fastest. The state department of health had added 122,428 new cases of coronavirus, and that figure was down 7% from the previous week. The state hadn't been in the Top 10 list for about a month. In the week ending Feb. 6, Florida ranked No. 24 in the nation when the state department of health added 197,768 cases. That figure was down 30% from the previous week's tally. In the week ending Jan. 30, Florida ranked No. 37 and added 131,699 new cases. That was down 30% from the previous week's tally of 282,520 cases. In the week ending Jan. 23, Florida ranked No. 37 in the nation when the state department of health added 282,520 cases. That figure was down 30.9% from the previous week's tally. In the week ending Jan. 16, Florida was knocked out of the Top 10 list, ranking at No. 11, and reporting 408,841 cases, a 3.4% dip from the week before. In the week ending Jan. 9, Florida ranked fifth, reporting 423,150 cases, a 40% rise from the week before. In the week ending Jan. 2, the state ranked fourth when Florida Department of Health reported 302,179 cases, a 142% rise from the week before. In the week ending Dec. 26, the state ranked ninth, reporting 124,865 cases, a 332.9% rise from the week before that. In the week ending Dec. 19, the state had reported 28,841 cases of the virus that causes COVID-19, a 142% increase from mid-December. Interesting read: Florida and New York share an interstate, but their COVID cultures are worlds apart COVID cases and deaths in Florida counties Palm Beach County reported 926 cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 1,253 cases and 102 deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 366,129 cases and 4,843 deaths. Martin County reported minus 736 cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported zero cases and eight deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 30,332 cases and 588 deaths. Okeechobee County reported 39 cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 35 cases and one death. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 10,642 cases and 165 deaths. Do I still need to mask up? What the latest CDC COVID mask guidance means for Florida COVID cases decline in Florida counties Across Florida, cases fell in 64 counties, with the best declines in: Hillsborough County, with 851 cases from 2,976 a week earlier Miami-Dade County, with 2,121 cases from 3,209 Orange County, with 1,130 cases from 1,969 >> See how your community has fared with recent coronavirus cases What is the COVID vaccination rate for Florida? Florida ranked 19th among states in share of people receiving at least one shot, with 78.2% of its residents at least partially vaccinated. The national rate is 76.5%, a USA TODAY analysis of CDC data shows. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, which are the most used in the United States, require two doses administered a few weeks apart. In the week ending Sunday, Florida reported administering another 135,375 vaccine doses, including 39,771 first doses. In the previous week, the state administered 137,253 vaccine doses, including 40,561 first doses. In all, Florida reported it has administered 36,228,497 total doses. Where were the worst weekly outbreaks in Florida this week? Within Florida, the worst weekly outbreaks on a per-person basis were in: St. Lucie County with 168 cases per 100,000 per week Charlotte County with 129 Gilchrist County with 129 The Centers for Disease Control says high levels of community transmission begin at 100 cases per 100,000 per week. Adding the most new cases overall were: Miami-Dade County, with 2,121 cases Orange County, with 1,130 cases Broward County, with 1,095 Weekly case counts rose in three counties from the previous week. The worst increases from the prior week's pace were in St. Lucie, Gulf and Okeechobee counties. How many in Florida died from the coronavirus? In Florida, 1,207 people were reported dead of COVID-19 in the week ending Sunday, March 6. In the week before that, 888 people were reported dead. In total, 70,997 people have died from the disease since the pandemic began, Johns Hopkins University data shows. In the United States, 958,621 people have died since the pandemic began. How many people in Florida have tested positive from coronavirus? A total of 5,858,052 people in Florida have tested positive for the coronavirus since the pandemic began, Johns Hopkins University data shows. In the United States, a total of 79,271,466 people have tested positive. >> Track coronavirus cases across the United States Florida's COVID-19 hospital admissions falling USA TODAY analyzed federal hospital data as of Sunday, March 6. Likely COVID patients admitted in the state: Last week: 3,573 The week before that: 4,631 Four weeks ago: 10,144 Likely COVID patients admitted in the nation: Last week: 58,950 The week before that: 66,535 Four weeks ago: 131,215 Hospitals in one states reported more COVID-19 patients than a week earlier, while hospitals in three states had more COVID-19 patients in intensive-care beds. Hospitals in seven states admitted more COVID-19 patients in the latest week than a week prior, the USA TODAY analysis of U.S. Health and Human Services data shows. What is the best way to protect yourself from COVID-19? Vaccination is the best way to protect yourself and reduce the impact of COVID in your communities. The same precautions still apply: wash your hands social distance wash your hands frequently or use hand sanitizer to prevent the spread of germs avoid crowds in which you are unsure of vaccination status Please consider subscribing to a USA TODAY Network-Florida newspaper at offers.usatodaynetwork.com/network-regional-florida. The USA TODAY Network is publishing localized versions of this story on its news sites across the country, generated with data from Johns Hopkins University and the Centers for Disease Control. If you have questions about the data or the story, contact Mike Stucka at mstucka@gannett.com. Follow Stucka on Twitter: @mikestucka This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: COVID case decline in Florida: 13,823 cases; 1,207 deaths in one week Former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, who served under Donald Trump, criticised President Joe Biden on Sunday over reports that the president and his team had urged Chinas government behind the scenes to help persuade Moscow against going to war in Ukraine. Speaking on NBCs Meet the Press, the former South Carolina governor and potential 2024 GOP candidate said that she operated under the assumption that Chinas government shared most if not all intelligence with Russia. "You never ask an enemy for help with another enemy. I never told China anything I didn't want Russia to know, she told NBC. "I was mortified that Biden went so far as asking China for help with Russia," Ms Haley added. You cant trust Xi. You cant trust China, she reiterated, speaking of Chinas President Xi Jinping. The New York Times reported that senior US officials met with their Chinese counterparts a handful of times in seeking their help to avert the conflict. Ms Haley went on to say that the Biden administration should end US imports of Russian oil, which accounts for a small fraction of the USs oil usage. The former ambassadors call was in line with those made by a number of lawmakers on Capitol Hill this week as the Biden administration has largely avoided targeting Russias energy sector with economic punishments. We've got to make sure we sanction these energy companies, all of them. We've got to make sure that we pull them out of the international banking system, and we need to stop taking any Russian oil. The idea that we would give our money to an enemy is unthinkable, and it's absolute lunacy. We can't allow this to continue, she said on Sunday. US sanctions have targeted Gazprom, a major Russian natural gas company, and one hydroelectric company but has largely avoided hitting Russias oil production sector. Germany and some European nations also continue to purchase Russian energy on a significant scale, complicating efforts to isolate Moscow economically. Some of the focus has shifted away from economic means in recent days as Ukraines government has stepped up its request for aircraft or the instatement of a no-fly zone over the countrys airspace, the latter of which the Biden administration has warned would lead to direct warfare between Nato and Russia. The Biden administration has surged its assistance to Ukraine since the invasion began and weapons shipments have already arrived in the country as Ukraines outnumbered defenders have scored a number of early successes against the larger Russian invasion force. The landscape has changed in many ways since the Supreme Court's landmark Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion. Abortion numbers have been falling since a peak of more than 1 million in 1990. Declining U.S. pregnancy rates have contributed to the trend. Nearly all abortions occur at or before 13 weeks of pregnancy and women in their 20s make up the bulk of patients. Data suggest rates are highest in Black women and lowest in white women. Now, more than half of abortions are done with pills rather than medical procedures. more >> PARIS (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday said that he was not seeing for now any diplomatic breakthroughs in talks with Moscow that would allow the war in Ukraine to end. Asked by listeners at a campaign event close to Paris about the war, Macron said: "We will continue to talk to Russia, even though discussions with President Putin are difficult. "I don't think that in the coming days and weeks, there will be a real negotiated solution", said Macron, adding that France and the West should not interfere in bilateral talks about a potential ceasefire between Kyiv and Moscow. He earlier at the event said he was planning to hold a conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping jointly with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Tuesday to discuss the Ukraine crisis. Video: Macron urged Putin to end military operations in Ukraine (Reporting by Tassilo Hummel; editing by Jonathan Oatis, Benoit Van Overstraeten and Rosalba O'Brien) PARIS (Reuters) - France and Europe still have margin for manoeuvre to implement further sanctions against Russia for invading Ukraine, French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said on Monday. "Yes there are margins for manoeuvre. All options are on the table," Le Maire told BFM television and RMC Radio. The 27-nation European Union bloc has imposed three packages of sanctions on Moscow over its aggression on Ukraine, including freezing Russian central bank assets and disconnecting seven Russian banks from the SWIFT financial-messaging system. (Reporting by Dominique Vidalon) BERLIN (Reuters) - German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will attend a meeting of the security cabinet on Monday focused on the latest developments in the war in Ukraine, a government spokesperson said. The cabinet will meet at 2 p.m. (1300 GMT), said government spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit, who added that no news conference is planned for afterwards. (Reporting by Miranda Murray and Zuzanna Szymanska; Editing by Paul Carrel) Gigi Hadid has pledged to donate her earnings from the Fall 2022 fashion shows to aid those suffering from the war in Ukraine, as well as continuing to support those experiencing the same in Palestine. The 26-year-old model announced her decision on Sunday (6 March). 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, she wrote on social media. We dont have control over most of our work schedules, but we would like to walk for something. Hadid revealed that shes following in the footsteps of fellow model Mica ArganIaraz in donating her earnings to the two war-ridden nations. Last month, ArganIaraz urged all her model friends and colleagues to contribute a part of their fashion week pay to Ukraine. I have to say it feels very weird walking fashion shows knowing theres a war happening in the same continent, she said. I will be donating part of my earnings of this fashion week to help Ukrainian organisations. To my model friends and colleagues and whoever is also struggling with this feeling, perhaps this is something we could all contribute to, ArganIaraz said. Hadid added: 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. At the end of the day, innocent lives pay for [the] war, not leaders. Hands off Ukraine. Hands off Palestine. Peace. Peace. Peace. Hadids announcement came almost a week after her sister Bella supported ArganIarazs initiative. You said it @micaarganaraz, Bella wrote. We have many Ukrainian friends, colleagues, models, production, casting and to see the lack of communication/knowledge about a war...so close is very very sad. Its incredibly odd to be walking in fashion shows as our work, especially during a time like this, the 25-year-old model added. Story continues I compel the people of our industry to do their research and have open conversations about the hell that is happening next door. Bella, who has previously shown support for Ukrainians, encouraged everyone to ask your Ukrainian and Russian friends if they are okay. On Sunday (6 March), Bella also posted a list of humanitarian relief links where everyone can go and donate to people affected by the war in Ukraine. Follow the latest updates about the Russian invasion of Ukraine here. The Independent has a proud history of campaigning for the rights of the most vulnerable, and we first ran our Refugees Welcome campaign during the war in Syria in 2015. Now, as we renew our campaign and launch this petition in the wake of the unfolding Ukrainian crisis, we are calling on the government to go further and faster to ensure help is delivered. To find out more about our Refugees Welcome campaign, click here. To sign the petition click here. If you would like to donate then please click here for our GoFundMe page. Sumayya Safi was born Wednesday, Feb. 23, in a hospital in the mountains of western Ukraine, near where her Afghan family had been staying in the basement of a U.N. refugee agency. The next day, Russia invaded her country. Mir Safi and his family had fled Kabul, Afghanistan, in August as the Taliban took over. Mir had worked as a fixer for USA TODAY, helping our journalists covering the war. He was also a prosecutor in the Afghan government. USA TODAY helped 17 Afghans evacuate to Kyiv in the days after Kabul fell, those connected to journalism and their families. Now, six months later, all 17 had to flee again. Mir texted a USA TODAY colleague hours after Sumayya was born, saying: We are currently at war. And we have no way to escape. Shah Safi, 6, and Yasamin Safi, 4. The Safi family Mir and wife Kamila, a nephew, a sister, newborn Sumayya and children Shah, 6, Yasamin, 4, and Mirwais, 17 months headed for Slovakia the day after the invasion, two days after Kamila gave birth. That Friday and Saturday, they were turned away because they didnt have their original Afghan passports, which had been taken by immigration officers in Kyiv after they arrived. On Sunday, they took a seven-hour train ride to Lviv, Ukraine, about 50 miles from the Polish border. Tens of thousands of Ukrainians are flooding into the city every day. The train station, churches, government buildings heave with refugees. While the father tried to find a ride to the border, the family slept outside a shop, nestled under a canopy. Kamila and the four children were wrapped in blankets they had carried from their camp. In the morning, Mir found a car to take them to the border, where they got in line to cross. Kamila holding baby Sumayya, exhausted from the birth and the travel. The newborn was swaddled in a gold and green head scarf and coarse gray blanket. Sumayya is named after the first martyr of Islam, who Mir said "went through much suffering." Mir said if he knew just how much this baby was going to suffer, they wouldn't have picked that name for her. Story continues The first night on the border, they asked to sleep in a restaurant for warmth. The owner said no. Mir recalled him saying, "If you're going to die, die outside of my place." While Ukraine took in hundreds of Afghan refugees after the Taliban takeover of Kabul, not all in the country were welcoming. Until 1991, Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union, which fought against the mujahedeen, the Afghan resistance, during the Soviet-Afghan war from 1979 to1989. Some Ukrainians still hold resentment against Afghans from that time, Mir said. Cold and hungry, the family went to police, who directed them to a school. It had heat and food. The next day at the border, they were turned away twice by Ukrainian guards. Sumayya was considered a Ukrainian citizen. They wanted to see the original birth certificate, which was hundreds of miles away in the mountain hospital. They left and Mir arranged to get a copy of the certificate emailed to him and printed out. On the third attempt, Kamila and the three other children went first. This time, instead of getting in a line for foreigners, they got in a line for Ukrainians. They were allowed to cross. Then Mir approached the guard with Sumayya and the printout. He was hoping it would be enough. He was allowed to pass. Mir clutched the baby and her birth certificate and walked quickly 500 feet to the Polish border. The family was together. Safe. But the children kept asking, "Are the Ukrainian soldiers gonna come after us? Are they gonna come and take us back?" Sumayya Safi was born on Feb. 23, 2022, in western Ukraine. In Afghanistan, Mir thought he would be killed but his family would be safe. The artillery there was smaller, he said. And the fighting was more targeted. In Ukraine, he was afraid his entire family would be killed. Russians use large bombs; anyone could be hit. More than 1.5 million Ukrainians and other nationals have fled to neighboring countries such as Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Moldova and Romania, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Now the Safi family is in Berlin, not sure about the next leg of their journey. For now, they have a room in a shelter with spotty Wi-Fi, a cot for each of them and warm clothes and a white fuzzy hat for Sumayya. Sumayya Safi sleeps soundly in her car seat, now safe in Berlin. Shah and Yasamin run around while their dad is talking to me, looking into his cellphone camera. Mirwais is curled up asleep on a cot nearby. Sumayya sleeps tucked into her car seat. The older children jump in front of the camera from time to time to wave, blow kisses or just snuggle their dad. I asked Mir what he wants for his kids. "To have a safe life." "To get educated." "To work." And then, "To not worry about the bullet sounds, or the explosion sounds, or anything like that." Fatema Hosseini, center, and her mother, Masuma; father, Sayed Amin; and little sister Mobina visit a park in Kyiv, Ukraine, after they were reunited safely after fleeing Afghanistan. The other two Afghan families in Ukraine who USA TODAY helped evacuate from Kabul are now safe as well. Ismael Shahamat worked for the BBC in Kabul. He left in 2018 after being kidnapped and threatened because of his reporting. He was granted asylum in Switzerland. His wife and five children, now ages 21 to 7, couldn't get the documentation to come as well. When Kabul fell, USA TODAY helped his family evacuate from Kabul to Kyiv. When Russia invaded, daughter Somaia texted me, "There was no more safe place in Ukraine for us." When the "situation went bad," she said, they would head for an underground shelter. Her father was able to obtain Swiss visas for the family, and they took a bus to the border of Romania, where they were allowed to cross. The family arrived at the Zurich airport Thursday, the first time Shahamat had seen them in person in more than three years. "It was a very emotional moment," he said. "When the children saw me, they ran to me shouting, and while we were hugging each other they began crying." Fatema Hosseini is a freelancer for Newsquest and USA TODAY. She left Kabul for Kyiv on Aug. 20. Her family father Sayed Amin, mother Masuma, brother Sayed Abul Fazi, 18, and sister Mobina, 2 followed on Aug. 26. All three families the Safis, Shahamats and Hosseinis were on a Ukrainian military jet on the runway of the Afghanistan airport when a suicide bomber detonated nearby, killing at least 170 Afghan civilians and 13 U.S. service members. For a while, Fatema Hosseini and other family members didn't know whether their loved ones had made it out. This past week, she was in the same position again. In September, Hosseini was able to come to the United States. Her family was still in Kyiv. After Russia invaded, she was desperate to get them out. From Maryland, Hosseini worked to get her family a ride to the Kyiv train station and passage to Lviv. Ukraine map She got them to the station. But the trains in Kyiv were so full that people would fall out when the doors opened. Others pushed to get in. Her parents weren't sure they could do this. "I told my dad, 'You were in the war (in the Afghan military) directly being targeted by the Taliban, you survived that,'" Hosseini said. "'You are going to survive this, too.'" Her brother would call in tears, saying, "Mom is sick, Mom is going to die." She told him he had to be strong for all of them. She told him to carry Mobina, don't let their mother carry the baby, and keep telling their parents they were going to make it. They had to have faith. Her family got on a train to Turnopil, about 80 miles from Lviv. There, volunteers put them up for the night and drove them to Lviv the next morning, where they got a ride to the Polish border. Then they went silent. There was no Wi-Fi to communicate, and Hosseini didn't know if they'd made it through. She later learned more volunteers helped them cross and find a warm place to stay in Poland. Now they are on their way to Warsaw. Hosseini doesn't know any of those who stepped in to help. They were just strangers who showed up at the right time and did the right thing. "People are amazing," she says. And children are resilient. At 6 years old, Shah Safi has survived two wars. In six months, he has fled two countries. Still, in Berlin, he runs around the room, empty except for the cots and the family's belongings, like any kindergartner. He teases little sister Yasamin that he likes baby Sumayaa better. He hugs his dad and runs away. He said he made a friend who spoke Persian on the way to Berlin, but then the friend disappeared. He still misses his classmates in Kabul. I asked him what he wants to be when he grows up. What does he dream of doing? He says he wants to be president. "Shah" means "king," and he wants to be the same. Mir's plans are just to rest for a few days and then sort out the next step for his family. But first, sleep. For the Afghans, he wants the world to remember they need help. They are still in danger of being killed in their home country. Those who've escaped need support. For the Ukrainians, "I wish them and their children and their families to be in peace. To live in peace." For information on how to help the Safi family, go here. For the Hosseini family, go here. The Backstory: You can now read 200-plus e-edition newspapers nationwide with your USA TODAY subscription The Backstory: How'd they get that shot? Our photographers' favorite NFL photos of the season -- and the stories behind them Nicole Carroll is the editor-in-chief of USA TODAY. Reach her at EIC@usatoday.com or follow her on Twitter here. Thank you for supporting our journalism. You can subscribe here for two months free. If you'd like to get The Backstory in your inbox every week, sign up here. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Afghan refugees in Kyiv, Ukraine, escape two wars in six months Mar. 6LAS VEGAS That old adage about beating the same team three times in a row is about to get a major test this week. "It's hard to beat good ones, anyway," Gonzaga coach Lisa Fortier said as she contemplated another game with San Francisco. The Zags have taken a pair of nail biters from the USF in the regular season. Next up is a high-stakes encounter in the West Coast Conference semifinals Monday at 2 p.m. at the Orleans Arena. Win that and Gonzaga will probably get a third shot at regular-season champion BYU in Tuesday's game. The Cougars play Portland in the other semifinal, which tips off at noon. To get there, the Zags will need to beat an improved USF team that's only 17-14, but has won six of its last nine games. Two of those losses came against Gonzaga. The Zags took the first meeting with USF, 55-49 in Spokane on Feb. 7. Two weeks later in the Bay Area, the Zags rallied from five points down with 12 seconds left to win 83-82 on a buzzer-beating layup by Melody Kempton. "There was a lot of emotion in the locker room afterwards," junior forward Kennedy Dickie said Saturday night, after the Dons beat Santa Clara in the quarterfinals. "It just really hit close to home since we were that close, and I just think it's going to make it even more important for us to perform and get the win," said Dickie, who transferred to USF last summer after two years at Eastern Washington. Gonzaga also has plenty of motivation. The Zags are 24-6 overall and 27th in the NCAA NET rankings, but are considered a bubble team for an at-large bid. GU got some good news from other tournament conferences, as several other contenders failed to improve their position on Saturday. For ESPN bracketologist Charlie Creme, that was enough to move GU from his "Last Four In" category to "Last Four Byes," and send them to Iowa City, Iowa, as the lowest 11 seed. However on Sunday, one of Creme's "Last Four Out" teams, UMass, stole an automatic bid by knocking off Dayton in the Atlantic 10 title game. Story continues That may push GU back to the "Last Four In," category and raise the stakes for Monday. Bottom line: A loss to USF, currently 105th in NET would lead to six days of hand-wringing and possibly keep the Zags out of the tournament altogether. Asked about the NCAA scenarios, senior forward Melody Kempton said last week that she tries "not to keep up with those things." "We should make it anyway, but we don't really want to rely on that," Kempton said. The first step toward an automatic bid is beating USF. "We know how Gonzaga plays and those losses were really tough for us," Dons Coach Molly Goodenbour said Saturday after a 72-63 win over Santa Clara. "We'll be focused on Monday, and we believe that we can beat them," Goodenbour said. With the stakes so high, Fortier acknowledged the importance of playing with emotion, but not too much. "Sometimes it helps and sometimes it hurts," Fortier said. "We try to preach and teach that." The two earlier meetings played out quite differently. In low-scoring grind in the Kennel on Feb. 7, GU trailed by two points at halftime but controlled the boards and forced 17 turnovers. The Zags got 17 points and eight rebounds from forward Yvonne Ejim. They also held all-conference guard Ioanna Krimili to 12 points. In the rematch, Gonzaga trailed for most of the way, but won in miraculous fashion. Down five with 12 seconds left, Kempton rebounded a missed 3-pointer by Cierra Walker and made the layup. Five seconds later, Kempton drew a foul and made both free throws to get the Zags within one. With two seconds left, Kaylynne Truong drew an offensive from Krimili, setting up a last-second pass from Kayleigh Truong to Kempton for the game-winner. "They're a good offensive team but we have to stop them," Fortier said. Gonzaga has won the last 10 meetings since a 77-72 loss at USF in 2017. PANAMA CITY Gulf Coast Regional Medical Center has changed its name to HCA Florida Gulf Coast Hospital. The name change comes as HCA Florida Healthcare announced Thursday that more than 450 affiliated facilities across the state will unite under the shared brand. The change aims to create a leading collaborative health care network throughout the state, including hospitals, freestanding emergency rooms and physicians practices. Gulf Coast Regional Medical Center has changed its name to HCA Florida Gulf Coast Hospital. The name change comes as HCA Florida Healthcare announced Thursday that more than 450 affiliated facilities across the state will unite under the shared brand. HCA Florida Gulf Coast Hospital CEO Brad Griffin announced the change at the Bay County Chamber of Commerce's First Friday event, saying that HCA Florida is one of the largest health care networks in the state. He said the medical center has been a part of the network since the hospitals inception, but the name change gives patients a more collaborative and connected experience. Latest Hospital Update: Panama City hospitals see steady rise in COVID-19 patients in January, encourage vaccination Bay County revitalize mall: Bay County OKs plan to help spur revitalization of Panama City Mall As part of the leading national health care network, HCA Healthcare, we are connected to more resources, more solutions, and more possibilities for everyone who walks through our doors, Griffin said. We are always driven by a single mission above all else, we are committed to the care and improvement of human life. For former and current patients of HCA Florida Gulf Coast Hospital, Griffin said the upcoming transition will not affect operations within the hospital. Construction towers loom over Gulf Coast Regional Medical Center on June 28 during the hospital's $62 million tower project. You're going to see, obviously, changes in signage and materials throughout the hospital, but at the end of the day, it's still the same staff and same physicians that are delivering care and treating our patients like their own family, Griffin said. As the county sees rapid growth, Griffin said the hospital also is seeing that growth. We're doing expansion, adding beds, adding operating rooms, adding facilities to meet the growing need in our community, Griffin said. I think uniting under one brand demonstrates our scale, our size, the opportunity for patients to have a much larger experience in the area with our sister facilities across the Panhandle and throughout the state. Story continues The idea to unify under one brand was meant to demonstrate the size and capabilities across Florida, so that patients know wherever they go, they can get the same level of care and experience in HCA facilities, said Griffin. He said the brand unification of 50 hospitals is a huge moment for the hospital, as well as the state. Our hospital is going to continue to expand and meet the needs of the communities, both here in Bay County and the communities that surround us, Griffin said. So, we'll continue to evolve and add services and add space to our facility going forward as we grow to meet those needs. This article originally appeared on The News Herald: Panama City Florida's GCRMC is one of 50 hospitals joining HCA brand Amanda Seyfried as Elizabeth Holmes in "The Dropout" (left) and the real Elizabeth Holmes (right). Beth Dubber/Hulu; Karl Mondon/MediaNews Group/Bay Area News via Getty Images Hulu's "The Dropout" follows the rise and fall of Elizabeth Holmes, the disgraced founder of medical start-up Theranos. The new series is based on Rebecca Jarvis' podcast of the same name. Amanda Seyfried stars as Holmes alongside Naveen Andrews as Theranos COO Sunny Balwani. Amanda Seyfried stars in the lead role as Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes. Amanda Seyfried plays Elizabeth Holmes in Hulu's "The Dropout." Beth Dubber/Hulu; Drew Kelly/Sundance Institute On January 3, 2022, Holmes was found guilty of three counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Each count carries a requirement to pay victims restitution, a maximum 20-year prison sentence, and a $250,000 fine. Holmes is currently imprisoned and her sentencing hearing is set for September 26, the New York Times reported. The Hulu series focuses on the early days of Holmes' creation of Theranos after dropping out of Stanford University at age 19. Holmes claimed that Theranos used revolutionary blood-testing technology, utilizing just one drop of blood to deliver test results within 10 minutes. In 2015, Wall Street Journal reporter John Carreyrou published his investigation into Theranos and its misleading technology, which partially triggered the company's decline in reputation. "Lost" star Naveen Andrews plays Theranos president and COO Sunny Balwani. Naveen Andrews plays Theranos COO Sunny Balwani in "The Dropout." Beth Dubber/Hulu; Michael Short/Bloomberg via Getty Images Sunny Balwani is the former president and COO of Theranos who first met Holmes in Beijing when she was studying in Stanford's summer Mandarin program. Balwani, who was 20 years Holmes' senior, had a romantic relationship with Holmes during their time at Theranos. Their relationship, and the fact that they lived together, was never revealed to Theranos investors. During Holmes' fraud trial, prosecutors revealed text messages between the pair. In 2016, Balwani texted Holmes: "You live in my eyes. I see you everywhere. Pray we get time of joy and happiness and carefreeness like birds soon." Holmes has testified that Balwani was emotionally and physically abusive to her over the course of their relationship. Balwani has denied Holmes' allegations. Story continues Academy Award nominee Laurie Metcalf plays Stanford professor Dr. Phyllis Gardner. Laurie Metcalf plays Dr. Phyllis Gardner in "The Dropout." Beth Dubber/Hulu; ABC News As depicted on "The Dropout," Holmes visited Professor of Medicine Dr. Phyllis Gardner when she was a sophomore at Stanford University in 2002. Holmes proposed the possibility of testing patients using a small scale sample but Gardner dismissed the idea. "She came to me with [an idea for] a patch that would test for a microbe and then deliver antibiotics," Gardner told Refinery29 in 2019. "I said, 'Oh, that's a lovely idea, but it won't work.' It was so naive." Gardner continued to follow the rise and fall of Theranos and spoke to John Carreyrou as part of his Wall Street Journal report debunking the company's technology. Holmes and Gardner briefly served on the Harvard Medical School Board of Fellows together when the Theranos founder was invited to join. William H. Macy plays inventor and entrepreneur Dr. Richard Fuisz. William H. Macy plays Dr. Richard Fuisz in "The Dropout." Beth Dubber/Hulu; Richard Fuisz/Wikimedia Commons Dr. Richard Fuisz was a friend and neighbor of the Holmes family, and the Theranos founder knew him from childhood. Fuisz is a former patent attorney as well as a physician, inventor, and entrepreneur. Fuisz would later accuse Holmes and Theranos of stealing patented technology, and Fuisz served as a primary source for John Carreyrou's Wall Street Journal report. Dylan Minnette plays Theranos whistleblower Tyler Shultz. Dylan Minnette stars as Tyler Shultz in "The Dropout." Beth Dubber/Hulu; Deanne Fitzmaurice for NPR Played by "13 Reasons Why" star Dylan Minnette, Tyler Shultz was one of the most prominent Theranos whistleblowers. As the grandson of board member George Shultz, Tyler attempted to alert his grandfather to the company's misleading practices. However, despite his grandson's warnings, George Shultz continued to support Theranos and Holmes, and eventually Tyler Shultz contacted John Carreyrou to inform on the company. In an interview with CBS Mornings after the jury's guilty verdict was delivered, Shultz said he was "happy" that Holmes was found guilty. "I feel like I got my vindication from that, and I feel good about that," he added. Sam Waterston plays Theranos board director, and Tyler's grandfather, George Shultz. Sam Waterston stars as George Shultz in "The Dropout." Beth Dubber/Hulu; Claudine Gossett George Shultz had a prominent career as an economist and politician before joining Theranos' board of directors. He served as the secretary of labor and secretary of the treasury under President Richard Nixon before later becoming President Ronald Reagan's secretary of state, which allowed him to substantially influence US foreign policy. Shultz died in 2021 aged 100 and never reconciled with his grandson, Tyler. "That was extremely tough," Tyler told CBS Mornings. "This whole saga has taken a financial, emotional, and social toll on my relationships. The toll it took on my grandfather's relationship was probably the worst." "It is tough to explain. I had a few very honest conversations with him," he continued. Stephen Fry plays Theranos' chief scientist, Dr. Ian Gibbons. Stephen Fry plays Dr Ian Gibbons in Hulu's "The Dropout." Beth Dubber/Hulu; Ian Gibbons Dr. Ian Gibbons was hired as Theranos' chief scientist in 2005, becoming the company's first experienced scientist. Gibbons learned of Theranos' false promises and was at one point briefly fired by Holmes before being rehired after his colleagues protested. Gibbons died by suicide in May 2013. This came days after being subpoenaed to testify in a patent lawsuit between Theranos and Richard Fuisz. When Gibbons' widow, Rochelle Gibbons, informed Theranos of her husband's death, Holmes did not return a message of condolences, according to Rochelle. Instead, Vanity Fair stated that Rochelle "received a phone call from someone at Theranos demanding that she immediately return any and all confidential Theranos property." Read the original article on Insider Multiple hikers stumbled upon a mans body while walking through a forest reserve in New Jersey, according to a local prosecutors office. It was determined he was shot to death, the Essex County Prosecutors Office said in a March 5 news release. Now a homicide investigation is underway after the discovery of the mans body at Eagle Rock Reservation, which is over 400 acres large, on March 4, and authorities are seeking information on what happened, the release said. He remains unidentified, Katherine Carter, a spokesperson for the office, told McClatchy News in a statement. No suspects were specified in the news release. The reservation is in northern New Jersey in the towns of West Orange, Montclair and Verona. The body was found on the West Orange and Montclair border, according to the prosecutors office. In December 2016, a womans body was found in Eagle Rock Reservation in West Orange, and she was one of three victims of a convicted serial killer, the Essex County Prosecutors Office said in a Oct. 7 news release. The accused serial killer, Khalil Wheeler-Weaver, was sentenced to 160 years on Oct. 6 for killing the three women and attempting to kill another in 2016, the office said. Handyman arrested after missing woman found dead in her septic tank, Florida cops say Climber found dead after falling hundreds of feet in Colorado canyon, officials say This national park will close road on rainy nights so vulnerable critters can breed Man drowns, second found clinging to stump after strong wind sinks boat in Texas lake Mar. 7ASHLAND A director at Three Rivers Medical Center in Louisa pleaded guilty Tuesday to a federal wire fraud charge, according to court records. Lashea N. Hudnall, 37, of Louisa, was arrested in 2019 after Louisa Police Chief Greg Fugitt investigated her for stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical supplies from the hospital, according to media reports at the time. According to her federal guilty plea, Hudnall used her position as the director of materials management to purchase scalpels and shears, as well as office supplies such as printer cartridges, then turned around and sold them on eBay. Federal prosecutors estimate between 2014 and 2019, she stole and resold roughly $781,699 of medical and office supplies from the hospital. The feds were able to nail Hudnall on the wire fraud charge due to the money being deposited from PayPal into banks in Kentucky and West Virginia, as well as a $1,200 sale to a buyer in China, according to court records. Zip Recruiter, an online job board, estimates the average pay for a hospital materials manager is $63,000, with the low end being about $40,000 and the top end at around $100,000. Given the duration of the scheme, it appears Hudnall gave herself a $150,000 bonus each year, nearly five times the median income of a household in Lawrence County. Hudnall will appear in court on June 13 for sentencing. She could face up to 20 years in prison and pay not more than $250,000. The judge released her on supervision, with a condition of her bond being that she is not allowed to make purchases exceeding $500 without asking her probation officer for permission. (606) 326-2653 henry@dailyindependent.com BISMARCK- North Dakota Housing Finance Agency (NDHFA) has been awarded a $72,840 housing counseling grant by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The agency will split the grant between two affiliate organizations Community Action Opportunities of Minot and Southeastern North Dakota Community Action Agency of Fargo. The counseling grant supports services primarily for renters and households experiencing homelessness or who are at risk of homelessness, said David Flohr, NDHFA executive director. Assistance provided includes help finding affordable rental housing, pre-rental counseling, delinquency assistance and help with credit issues. Individuals and families in need of assistance are encouraged to reach out to one of the HUD-certified housing counseling agencies to understand their options. No fees are charged for the services. To receive help, contact Community Action Opportunities of Minot at (701) 839-7221 or Southeastern North Dakota Community Action Agency of Fargo at (701) 232-2452. NDHFA acts as an intermediary for the counseling dollars, applying to HUD on behalf of the local organizations. The agencys role is primarily to help improve the quality of the counseling services and enhance coordination among the providers. A self-supporting state agency, NDHFA is dedicated to making housing affordable for all North Dakotans. The North Dakota Industrial Commission, consisting of Governor Doug Burgum as chairman, Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring and Attorney General Drew H. Wrigley, oversees NDHFA. More information about the agency and the assistance it provides to North Dakotans is available online at www.ndhfa.org. This article originally appeared on Devils Lake Journal: Housing agency awarded grant to support counseling programs Hundreds of Minnesotans rallied at the steps of the state Capitol on Sunday in solidarity with Ukraine, which has been under Russian invasion for nearly two weeks. Though the blue and yellow of the Ukrainian flag permeated the scene, the flag waved alongside others from Lithuania, Belarus, Latvia, Puerto Rico, Georgia and Poland. "The Ukrainian people together with their president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, are writing the history of the world," said Yosyf Sabir, an activist with the Ukrainian American Community Center, which organized the event. "Decades from now they will be in textbooks and your great-great-grandchildren will be asking you, 'Where were you when this was happening?' And you'll be able to look them in the eyes and say, 'I was standing shoulder to shoulder with the Ukrainian people.'" Several speakers joined the community center in solidarity, including from the consulates of Sweden, Germany and Canada. Luda Anastazievsky, chair of the Minnesota Ukrainian American Advocacy Committee called on the state Legislature to divest from funds that might benefit Russia, similar to Gov. Tim Walz's March 4 executive order requiring state agencies to suspend contracts with Russian entities. Walz, who attended Sunday's rally, urged other U.S. leaders to do the same. "To our Ukrainian Minnesota communities, you are woven into the fabric of this state," he said. "Without Ukrainian Minnesotans there is no Minnesota, and today, we are all Ukrainians." "We need to, across this nation, as we did in Minnesota, divest from any Russian contracts," he added. "Vladimir Putin has made his choice, we'll make ours: We stand with Ukraine." According to the Ukrainian American Community Center, some 17,000 Ukrainians reside in Minnesota. That number includes recent immigrants and third-generation Ukrainian Americans. Anna Nolan, who emigrated from Lviv, Ukraine, 23 years ago, looked over the crowd gathered on the Capitol steps and was filled with pride. It was the first time since the invasion that she and her 11-year-old daughter had ventured out for a Ukrainian-solidarity demonstration. Story continues "It it feels so powerful to see that other nations support us as well and come here in this freezing weather to support all Ukrainians," she said, a Ukrainian flag draped over her shoulders. She and her daughter held up two signs they had made together, both with phrases written over the country's flag: "Shelter our sky" and "Stop bombing Ukraine." "I want her to learn that Ukraine is an independent country and nothing, nothing will stop Ukrainians," Nolan said of her daughter. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, who is of Ukrainian Jewish heritage, said he knows of the resilience of the Ukrainian people because of his own family's history. He said the stories his grandmother has told him of ancestors standing in solidarity with neighbors throughout the Holocaust and pogroms inspire him to resist anything similar ever happening again. "When a sovereign nation is threatened, each and every one of us stands up, fights back and does right by humanity and peace in this world," he said. "We cannot stand idly by; we all must do our parts." As retired school teacher Keith Mayer walked on the edges of the crowd, taking in the view before him, he grew emotional thinking about the impact of Russia's attack on the Ukrainian people. Mayer, 70, is not of Ukrainian heritage but throughout his career spent several summers teaching English there and supporting Ukrainian faith groups. When he speaks to his Ukraine-based friends, he said they express their plan to stay and provide aid rather than flee. "They're strong in faith but they're also strong in their hearts to care for their country and one another." SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - SEPTEMBER 06: Actor Im Si-Wan attends the ending party of OCN Drama 'Strangers from Hell' photo call at Heukdonga in Seoul, South Korea on September 06, 2019. (Photo by The Chosunilbo JNS/Imazins via Getty Images) Idol-turned-actor Im Siwan has joined the ranks of South Korean celebrities in their efforts to support the beleaguered citizens of Ukraine under siege from the Russian invasion. On 4 March, the former ZE:A idol group member posted a photo on his Instagram showing that he had booked a one month stay for a two-bedroom apartment in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv. Siwan wrote on his reservation, "Hello, I just booked your hotel for a month, and of course, I'm not gonna be visiting, hope you and the people in Kiev to be safe." Additionally, the Run On actor has donated 20 million won (about US$16,000) to the Ukrainian embassy in South Korea to aid Ukrainians in need. His kind gesture was appreciated by Ukrainian fans who thanked him for thinking about their welfare. Siwan joins the likes of other celebrities like Dae Jang Geum actress Lee Young-ae and idol group U-KISS who have also shown support for the war relief efforts by making direct donations of 100 million won and 10 million won respectively to the Ukrainian embassy in South Korea. Global donors help Ukrainians by booking Airbnbs This 'No Show' trend of buying an Airbnb lodging in Ukraine without the intention of staying has been a popular and indirect way of donating to the war-torn country and supporting its beleaguered citizens. Airbnb hosts all over Ukraine have been flooded with bookings from people around the world who had no intentions of ever staying. On 2 March and 3 March alone, 61,000 nights in Ukraine were booked by people from around the globe. The recipient hosts of this influx of donations intend to use the money to support their families and other citizens who are struggling from the ravages of the war. Related stories: Actress Lee Young-ae donates 100 million won in support of Ukrainian war victims Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds to match up to US$1 million in donations to support Ukraine U-KISS donates 10 million won in humanitarian aid to Ukraine (Reuters) - The Russian government plans to give to Iran an explanation of the guarantees it has requested from the United States in talks to revive the nuclear agreement with Iran, the Iranian semi-official news agency Tasnim on Monday quoted Russia's Ambassador to Tehran Levan Dzhagaryan as saying. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Saturday that Moscow wanted a written U.S. guarantee that Russia's trade, investment and military-technical cooperation with Iran would not be hindered by Western sanctions imposed since Russia invaded Ukraine. (Reporting by Dubai newsroom, writing by Maher Chmaytelli; Editing by Jon Boyle) DUBAI (Reuters) - Iranian officials said Russia's demands at talks on Iran's nuclear deal in Vienna are "not constructive", Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency reported on Monday, citing an article in The Guardian newspaper. The news agency published picked up a comment in the newspaper which said Russia's intervention was aimed at securing its own interests. Russia has demanded a U.S. guarantee that the sanctions it faces over the Ukraine conflict would not hurt its trade with Iran. The demand could be a stumbling block in the talks. Tasnim cited The Guardian saying by postponing the revival of the agreement between Iran and the Western powers, and delaying Iran's return to the oil market, Russia was seeking to raise crude prices and increase its own energy revenue. (This story corrects to make clear that Tasnim is citing Guardian newspaper) (Reporting by Dubai Newsroom; Editing by Christopher Cushing, Robert Birsel) PIERRE, S.D. Pete Larson has discovered thousands of fossils around the world, co-authored three books and led the team that unearthed the largest and most complete Tyrannosaurus rex ever found. But there's one black mark on his record: a federal conviction that landed him in prison almost 20 years ago. His name could soon be cleared because of a documentary released last year at the Sundance Film Festival, which has brought his legal blemish back into the public eye and spurred South Dakota residents and Larson himself to push for President Barack Obama to give him a pardon. Advertisement "Dinosaur 13" details the discovery of "Sue," a Tyrannosaurus rex that was more than 90 percent complete when it was discovered in 1990 in South Dakota. Federal agents seized the fossil in 1992, alleging that Larson's Black Hills Institute of Geological Research and its employees took it from federal trust land. < READ MICHAEL PHILLIPS' REVIEW OF 'DINOSAUR 13' Advertisement While those charges never stuck, the federal government investigated the institute and brought more than 150 unrelated charges against its employees. Only Larson and two others were found guilty, and the paleontologist was sentenced to two years in federal prison for lying on customs documents about thousands of dollars used for fossil deals in Peru and Japan and illegally taking fossils from a national forest in Montana. Larson's backers have argued for more than two decades that he was overzealously prosecuted. The movie's release has reignited that conversation, leading his supporters to push for the president to correct what they see as the government's mistake. The South Dakota Legislature overwhelmingly passed a resolution this session that's been sent to Obama requesting a pardon for Larson. And Larson is working with an attorney on a formal pardon request a move he hopes could clear his name and allow him to travel to Canada, where he said more fossil work is to be done. "It's something very special for me personally to have this piece of paper that says I'm pardoned for these offenses," Larson said. "It's an important mile marker to reach. Like climbing Mt. Everest, or finding your first T-rex or finding your 10th T-rex." But not everyone thinks Larson's name should be cleared or that the documentary, which portrays the paleontologists in the mid-1990s trial in a fairly sympathetic light, should prompt a pardon. The lone two lawmakers out of 105 who opposed the resolution said they personally know people who were involved in the investigation, believe Larson's crime was serious and that the conviction was justified. "It's possible that he was overzealously prosecuted but yet guilty of the crimes on which he was found guilty of," said Rep. Mark Mickelson, R-Sioux Falls. Neither he nor fellow Republican Rep. Lee Schoenbeck, of Watertown, has seen the film. Advertisement "Unless it had a detailed review of the criminal investigation file, I probably wouldn't spend my time watching it," Schoenbeck said. "There is no chance that any legislators knew the details of that criminal case that would warrant them for voting for that resolution." Rep. Mike Verchio, a Republican from Larson's home of Hill City, said he introduced the resolution after an outpouring of requests from constituents who had watched the documentary and thought Larson was unjustly imprisoned. The film aired worldwide and played in tiny theaters across South Dakota last summer, from Mitchell to Hill City, where the geological institute is headquartered. "There were people who really weren't aware of the background of the situation and how it happened and that seemed to be the catalyst right there," said Verchio, who has watched the film several times. "It built up a tremendous amount of support here." It's unclear how Larson's pardon request and the support from the state of South Dakota will be received by the president. A spokesman said the White House doesn't usually comment on individual cases. Associated Press Australia-set, Jamie Dornan-starring thriller series The Tourist has been widely licensed for broadcast in Europe and Asia. Dornan stars as a man who, after an epic car chase in the outback, wakes in hospital with no idea of who he is. He is forced on a brutal, and often funny journey of self-discovery, while trying to stay one step ahead of the people trying to kill him. With All3Media International handling rights sales, the show has been licensed to NPO for The Netherlands, VRT for Belgium, RTE for Ireland, Cosmote for Greece, and France Televisions (for its France 3 channel). France Televisions Outre Mer -1ere also acquired the rights in a multi territory deal covering French-speaking countries, while HBO Max acquired rights covering the Nordics, CEE, Iberia. Middle Eastern multinational DBS provider OSN also acquired the rights. More from Variety TVNZ acquired the series for New Zealand. BBC Studios signed a multi-territory deal covering Asia for BBC First, the corporations premium SVOD service. VOD platform, Series On by Naver Webtoon acquired the series for Korea, while Amazons Prime Video took it for Canada. Digital deals with iTunes and Google Ireland were also struck in the UK. The show is produced by Two Brothers Pictures and was commissioned by BBC One in association with Stan, the Australian streamer. HBO MAX was confirmed as the U.S. broadcaster and ZDF as the German broadcaster. The show was also pre-sold to Pumpkin Film for China. The first episode launched to 4.6 million viewers on BBC One, making it the best-performing original scripted show of the 2021 holiday period. Best of Variety Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. A judge warned the Justice Department on Monday that it might be seeking to pursue so many cases stemming from the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol Riot that some defendants rights were being trampled. U.S. Magistrate Judge Zia Faruqui delivered the stern rebuke to federal prosecutors at a hearing for a Texas man who the judge said was lost in the court system after being arrested in December and accused of assaulting police officers during the storming of the Capitol. You have been lost for months, Faruqui told Lucas Denney of Mansfield, Texas, during a hearing in a Washington courtroom. Theres no excuse to treat a human being like that. There is no circumstance under which any person should be forgotten. Faruqui said the mammoth nature of the federal investigation, which has led to charges against more than 750 people, was no justification for Denneys languishing in custody. The government has chosen to charge the largest case ever, said the magistrate judge, who noted he was formerly a federal prosecutor in the same U.S. Attorneys Office leading the investigation. If they do not have the resources to do it, they ought not do that. It feels like the government has bitten off more than it can chew here. I dont doubt that this is the largest case in the history of the Department of Justice, Faruqui said at another point during the hourlong session on Monday. Ultimately, that just does not matter to me. I hope to dear God that no one else has fallen through the cracks. Denney was arrested Dec. 13 on a criminal complaint charging that he grappled with police at the Capitol, swung a metal pole at an officer and threw projectiles at a line of police. He appeared in federal court in Del Rio, Texas, on Dec. 14 and Dec. 17. A magistrate judge there ordered Denney detained without bail and transferred to Washington, but court records show it took Denney more than six weeks, until Jan. 31, to reach a jail in Virginia where some Capitol Riot defendants are being held. Story continues However, no court appearance for Denney was scheduled for weeks after he arrived. Last week, his lawyers filed an emergency motion seeking his release and the dismissal of the charges It is outrageous and the court should not countenance it, said one of Denneys attorneys, William Shipley. Prosecutors provided the court with a timeline but no real explanation for the six-week delay in getting Denney to the Washington area, nor for the more than three weeks that elapsed before anyone contacted the D.C. court to get a hearing for Denney. I understand the concerns of the court, New Mexico-based Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Rozzoni said. Rozzoni had one announcement on Monday that complicated Denneys bid for freedom. She told the court that a grand jury had indicted Denney on Monday on a single count related to the Jan. 6 events. We did bring a case to the grand jury, Rozzoni said. A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorneys Office in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment for this article. Faruqui said he was inclined to release Denney on Monday, but the new indictment appeared to foreclose his ability to dismiss the case. I am utterly at a loss. I see a persons rights that have been trampled, the judge said. He said he was troubled by the legal precedents on the issue because they suggested there was no consequence for the governments mishandling of the case. We will just be doomed to repeat the same failures, Faruqui said. He ultimately ordered Denney to remain in custody but agreed to receive written arguments from both sides on any other steps he could consider. While Shipley and Rozzoni appeared via video, Denney appeared in person in front of Faruqui on Monday, accompanied by attorney John Pierce. Denney, who wore a dark blue Northern Neck Regional Jail jumpsuit and light blue surgical mask, told the judge he appreciated his concern about the unusual delay in his case. Thank you for taking this seriously and stuff like that, Denney told the judge. The defendant called himself a single father and broke down briefly as he described the impact of the case on his children. Theyve failed every grade in their school, he said. Its been hard on them. Faruqui, who was appointed as a magistrate in September 2020, profusely apologized to Denney and tried to assure him that the prosecutions handling of the case was inadvertent, not intentional. Theyre not trying to ruin your life, he said. This is not the norm. The magistrate judges apologies to Denney on Monday were not his first to Jan. 6 defendants. Almost a year ago, Faruqui complained about another defendant , Jonathan Mellis, taking three weeks to be moved from Virginia to D.C. Prosecutors attributed many delays to such factors as coronavirus precautions and bad weather. Faruqui used very similar language then, declaring himself very upset and describing the need to figure out what the hell is going on with the delays. The judge also announced that he was implementing a system to be sure that the situation wasnt repeated. The buck has got to stop somewhere and it stops with the judges, Faruqui said last March. Whatever little solace it is, we are going to figure out what happened and ensure it doesnt happen to somebody else. By Jan Wolfe WASHINGTON (Reuters) -A federal prosecutor accused a Texas man of being "a leader" of the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol by Donald Trump supporters as she wrapped up arguments on Monday in the first criminal trial of someone accused of joining the riot. Guy Reffitt of Texas, is the first of some 750 people charged with joining in the riot to face trial in Washington. "Every mob needs leaders, and this defendant was a leader that day," Justice Department lawyer Risa Berkower told jurors. "When the defendant stepped to the front of the crowd, he forced the Capitol Police into an impossible last stand to protect the people inside." Reffitt's lawyer, William Welch, argued that Reffitt is only guilty of entering a restricted area and should be cleared of more serious charges. "As soon as he was pepper-sprayed, that was the end of it," Welch said of his client, adding that Reffitt embellished his own role to seem important. "This case has been a rush to judgment, most of it based on bragging and a lot of hype," Welch told jurors. "Be the grown-ups in the courtroom. Separate the fact from the hype." The jury is scheduled to begin deliberating on Tuesday. Reffitt faces five felony charges, including bringing a gun onto the Capitol grounds and obstructing an official proceeding. Reffitt's estranged son Jackson, now 19, turned him into the FBI and testified against him last week. If convicted of the most serious charges against him, Reffitt faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, though defendants rarely receive maximum penalties. Thousands of people stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, after a fiery speech in which Trump falsely claimed his election defeat was the result of widespread fraud, an assertion rejected by multiple courts, state election officials and members of his own administration. Reffitt never entered the Capitol, but video showed him egging on the crowd and leading other rioters up some outdoor stairs. Story continues Reffitt, who wore a bulletproof vest and a helmet, persisted up the staircase even as police officers pelted him with pepper balls and doused him with chemical spray. In a video clip played for jurors, Reffitt repeatedly urged rioters to drag House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other lawmakers out of the Capitol. "I didn't come here to play I'm taking the Capitol," Reffitt said. "I just want to see Pelosi's head hitting every stair on the way out." Some 200 defendants have already pleaded guilty to charges relating to the attack, which sent lawmakers running for their lives. Reffitt's trial is an important test case as prosecutors attempt to secure convictions from the hundreds who have not taken plea deals. (Reporting by Jan WolfeEditing by Scott Malone, Bill Berkrot and Cynthia Osterman) Mar. 6MORGANTOWN They celebrated Saturday. On the court. In the stands with their fellow students. "It was just happiness, " WVU guard Taz Sherman said after the Mountaineers held off TCU for a 70-64 victory in front of 11, 324 fans inside the Coliseum. "I feel like when we win, everyone is happy. I saw Pauly (Paulicap) run over there, so I just went over there." For just a moment, as fleeting as it may have been, you forgot the disappointment that has come with this season. In that moment, you wouldn't have known the Mountaineers (15-16, 4-14 Big 12) had just ended a streak in which they lost 14 of 15 games. Rather, you would have thought WVU had just secured the No. 1 seed for next week's Big 12 tournament. Obviously, that's not the case. WVU is destined to enter Kansas City as the last-place team and the No. 9 seed. It will be forced to play Kansas State in the opening round at 7 p.m. Wednesday with the winner playing the No. 1 seed in the quarterfinals. "It's still special, " WVU guard Sean McNeil said about what may be his final game inside the Coliseum. "I kind of took it all in. Obviously we haven't had the season we all wanted, but the fact we still hadI don't know how many were in there todaybut it was awesome." If nothing else, what can be said positively about this WVU bunch is it never truly just gave up. "When you finally get a win after a long stretch without winning for the fans that are still there and in front of your family members, it was just amazing, " Sherman said. "I'm glad my team pulled off the win. We're resilient. A lot of teams could have just laid it down and just played out the last couple of games and never thought about anything. We're fighters still." They were fighters when so many believe there is nothing to fight for. In the world of ifs and buts, that didn't exactly have to be the story of this team. Story continues If Sherman doesn't get COVID-19 in January or get knocked cold in the final minutes on the road against Baylor. If WVU could have inbounded the ball late against Iowa State. If Malik Curry's last-second jumper had gone one more inch over the rim against Texas. None of those things went the Mountaineers' way. In truth, it almost happened again Saturday against the Horned Frogs (19-11, 8-10), who trailed 47-40 early in the second half, only to come back to take a 59-53 lead with 6:28 to go. "We almost did it today, " WVU head coach Bob Huggins said. "You can't throw the ball to the other team. That's what we talked about in the huddle, 'Let's not do this again.' Don't give it to them. If they beat us, make them beat us." That hasn't been the case for much of this season. Opponents didn't exactly go out and take it more than WVU making bad mistakes or simply playing really bad defense to hand other teams a bunch of wins. That story was not repeated this time. On Senior Day for seven seniors, it was the older guys who finally got this team over the hump. Gabe Osabuohien drew four offensive fouls and grabbed 10 rebounds. Kedrian Johnson, playing as hurt as one could be, came up with a crucial steal with 1:30 remaining to preserve WVU's 62-60 lead at the time. Sherman finished with 25 points. McNeil made critical free throws. Paulicap was a ball of energy and played very much like a big man, even though he is well undersized. "We talked about how close we've been and just haven't finished, " Huggins said. "That was their message today, that they were going to finish this one." Finished they did, if just for one day and then they celebrated. It was not the type of celebration that was once pictured for these guys, but truth be told, there are other examples out there of college basketball life being much worse. If this is truly as bad as it gets for WVU, then there is something to be said for that on another day. On this day, the WVU players were fighters. They were proud. They were winners. "I felt like the difference between this game and all of the other ones, when a team went on their run, we responded, " Sherman said. "That was a big difference. We got down, but we kept playing with a lot of energy." TWEET @bigjax3211 The Belgian inspired Manchester City to a thumping derby win over United (REUTERS) Kevin De Bruyne was happy to get the last laugh over his Manchester United-supporting mates after his devastating derby display on Sunday. The Manchester City playmaker scored twice as the Premier League leaders thrashed their neighbours 4-1 at the Etihad Stadium. The victory restored the champions six-point lead at the top and gave Belgium star De Bruyne extra reason to look forward to returning home, where he had been hosting visitors over the weekend. De Bruyne said: I had a load of friends come over from Belgium and three were United fans, so they were trying to keep me awake all night, so I wouldnt sleep the night before! Now I can go home and have a good laugh with them. Its banter but Im obviously very happy. De Bruyne fired City into a fifth-minute lead and then restored their advantage after Jadon Sancho equalised for United. City then stepped up a gear and eventually ran out comfortable winners with two more goals from Riyad Mahrez in a one-sided second half. Yet, despite the commanding win ensuring City remained in control of the title race, De Bruyne is well aware that second-placed Liverpool are refusing to give up the chase. The champions of 2020, who have won their last seven, have a game in hand and a trip to the Etihad Stadium to come next month. Hopefully in the end well win it, but theres still a long way to go Kevin De Bruyne Asked if that April 10 clash could be decisive, De Bruyne said: Yes, it could be, but its so far away theres a lot of important games in between. A lot can change between now and then. We can lose games or they can, so Im not necessarily watching out now for that game. It never stops does it? But its good. We push each other to be the best version we can be. All we can do as a team and as individuals is try to win every game. Hopefully in the end well win it, but theres still a long way to go. The title race has similarities to the thrilling contest between the two clubs in 2019, which City ultimately edged by 98 points to 97 on the final day after winning their last 14 matches. Id say it looks similar for the moment, said De Bruyne, who scored Citys equaliser when the sides drew 2-2 at Anfield in October. Both teams have been doing so well, but we push each other. Were both great teams. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) Sen. Chuck Grassley (Iowa), the top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, warned Democrats on Monday against trying to "rush" President Biden's Supreme Court nominee, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson. "Vetting a nominee for a lifetime appointment to the high court is serious business. The American people rightly expect a full and thorough vetting process. We should not sacrifice the integrity of our constitutional advice and consent responsibility to meet an arbitrary timeline," Grassley said in a statement. "The Court's next term doesn't begin until October, so there's absolutely no need to rush," he added. Grassley's office said that on average there have been 53 days before a hearing for Supreme Court nominees with previous government experience. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) announced last week that the hearing for Jackson's nomination to the Supreme Court, where she would be the first Black female justice, would begin on March 21 and last four days. Democrats have bristled over GOP grumbling about the time frame, noting that Republicans confirmed Justice Amy Coney Barrett with 30 days between her nomination and a floor vote. The timeline laid out by Durbin would give 24 days between nomination and the hearing, more than the amount of time Republicans allowed between nomination and hearing for Barrett. Democrats want to confirm Jackson by the time they leave for the two-week April recess on April 8. Democrats are expected to use more time than the 30 days Republicans used for Barrett. A Georgia family was on their way home from vacation when the driver of a Dodge Charger suddenly opened fire as they drove down a Tennessee interstate striking the father in the chest. His two children were in the backseat sleeping. I hear my husband screaming, Ive been shot, Ive been shot, check the kids make sure theyre okay, Ive been shot, Ashley King, who was driving, told WATE. The bullet came through the rear passenger door and struck her husbands lung as they drove down Interstate 75, King said in social media posts. He had to be airlifted to a hospital in Knoxville about three hours from their home in Calhoun, Georgia, according to a GoFundMe page set up to help the family cover medical bills. The Tennessee Highway Patrol said officials used a license plate reader to find the suspect, identified as 54-year-old Tyrome Ferguson, of Sweetwater, Tennessee. Law enforcement received a be on the lookout alert at 9:45 p.m. on Feb. 28 for a reddish, orange colored Dodge Challenger or Charger reportedly involved in a road-rage shooting near the 65 mile-marker on I-75 in Monroe County, Tennessee. Highway Patrol said the victim, later identified as Patrick King, had been shot in the chest with his wife and two children in the car. A trooper reportedly recalled seeing the suspects car on I-75 about 20 minutes before the shooting. Highway patrol said the trooper was able to scan his license plate reader system to find the car, run the tag and locate where it was registered. The trooper and a deputy from the Monroe County Sheriffs Office subsequently visited the address, where they found Ferguson. Upon interviewing Mr. Ferguson, he confirmed to being involved in the road rage incident in Sweetwater, Highway patrol said. He was taken into custody for further questioning by the Monroe County Sheriffs Office. Ferguson was later charged with four counts of aggravated assault, WBIR reported. Ashley King told WBIR they were driving home from a vacation in New York with their 1-year-old son and 8-year-old daughter when a car came up behind us, flashing his lights and honking his horn just driving really crazy. Story continues The driver then pulled around to pass them and a hail of gunfire erupted, the TV station reported. If my daughter had been sitting in the backseat, she would have been hit, Ashley King said, according to WBIR. But she was taking a nap in the third row. My 1-year-old son, he was in the backseat behind me while I was driving. She called it the scariest night of our lives in a Facebook post the following day. Ashley King described the familys ordeal in subsequent posts over the next week, saying her husband made it out of surgery but was having trouble sleeping because every time he closes his eyes he sees flashes from the gun. She called him an amazing father who was more concerned about the kids safety than his own well-being. Right after he was shot, his first reaction was for me to get to a stop and check the babies, King said on Facebook. After he knew the babies were OK, thats when he started throwing up and fell out of the car and was in and out of conscience from bleeding so much. She said their 8-year-old witnessed daddy shot and lying in a pool of blood and vomit. Patrick King said in a March 6 Facebook post that he is finally home. Now Ashley King says the family has a long road to recovery both physically and emotionally. Every time I see a Dodge driving around me, I panic, she said on Facebook. My daughter is dealing with so much anger because of what happened. Im grateful though that our son is so young he doesnt even remember anything. We will need help after this, I know. Intense therapy. This has affected my family in so many ways. Driver charged after violent road rage in McDonalds drive-thru, California cops say Woman shot in the back while driving in Texas, police say. She cant feel her legs Road rage clash over vaccinated sticker leads woman to flash gun, New Mexico cops say Dad, it hurt. 4-year-old critically injured in TN road rage shooting, family says Kirsten Larsen Schultz Age (as of Election Day) 47 Position sought (including ward or district number if applicable) North Hampton School Board, 2-year term Party Affiliation Republican Family Husband Shawn and daughter, third grade Does anyone in your family work in politics or government? No Education BA Communications, BA Russian, MBA with a concentration in Marketing Marketing Consultant, 26 years Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office NH State Rep, Somersworth, 2010-2012; Vice-Chair, North Hampton Economic Development Committee, 2017-2019 Campaign website larsenschultz.com Why are you seeking elective office? As a mom of a third-grader, I know firsthand how challenging the pandemic has been for our children. I seek to be a voice for North Hampton parents and the community to ensure academic excellence in an emotionally safe learning environment. Most importantly I hope to engage parents and the community through transparent communication in order to strengthen the heart of our community our school. The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it. Being an advocate for parents in our collaborative effort to create an emotionally safe learning environment where students can excel both personally and academically. What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post? First and foremost, I appreciate and respect any North Hampton resident that volunteers their time to be an active participant of our North Hampton Boards and Committees. The biggest difference in what I would bring to this position if elected, would be transparency and open dialogue within the community. I am an actively engaged member of the community and would look to find ways to use my knowledge and connections for the best interest of our parents and students. If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency) Story continues Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform. Academic Excellence, Parent Advocacy, Anti-Bullying What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job? Already a proven community advocate: A few highlights of my community involvement most related to serving on the School Board: Winnacunnet High School ELO Community partner since 2015, Partner of the Year 2017; offering informational interviews to full marketing internships to students interested in pursuing marketing. Winnacunnet High School Community Advisory Board since June 2017 North Hampton School PAL and in classroom volunteer including weekly participation in Forest Fridays, pre-Covid Pandemic Founder of North Hampton Talks, North Hampton Community Dialogue, and Parents Forum for SAU 21 Facebook Groups. All places where the community can come together to openly discuss topics that matter to them. Most recently founded a North Hampton based non-profit, Act Local, LLC with the mission of community coming together to help those in need in our North Hampton community The best advice ever shared with me was: Always be respectful of others even if you do not agree with them. What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions? I continually seek ways to foster open dialogue, transparency, and community engagement as well as ways to promote and serve our wonderful North Hampton community. My favorite quote: "The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members." Coretta Scott King This article originally appeared on the Hampton-North Hampton Patch It was a day of letdown at Kohl's virtual investor event, says the activist investor waging a campaign against the management team at the retailer. "I think investors were disappointed," said Macellum Capital Management CEO Jonathan Duskin on Yahoo Finance Live. "Shareholders voted with their feet [today]." Kohl's shares plunged more than 12% on Monday as the company's hotly anticipated investor day fell flat. The off-mall retailer said it aims to generate $2 billion in sales by opening 850 Sephora cosmetics shops inside of its stores. The company added it will shoot for opening 100 small format Kohl's stores over the next four years. As for long-term guidance, Kohl's sees low-single digit percentage sales growth and mid- to high-single digit EPS growth. Duskin who has been doing battle with the long-serving board of Kohl's (and some insiders would say, underperforming) since early 2021 has put forth 10 new nominees to Kohl's board. One of those nominees is Duskin. The ratcheting up in tensions between the pair comes after Kohl's rejected two reported buyout deals received in late January. Kohl's is said to have received a $9 billion take-private offer from Starboard Value, according to a person familiar with the matter. Retail investing powerhouse Sycamore Partners was also reportedly kicking the tires on Kohl's. The Kohls label is seen on a shopping cart in a Kohls department store in the Brooklyn borough of New York, U.S., January 25, 2022. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid Duskin told Yahoo Finance Live the company should take a deal. The company has enacted a "poison pill" though, a tactic generally used by companies being targeted for buyout to thwart or shutdown any overtures. Brian Sozzi is an editor-at-large and anchor at Yahoo Finance. Follow Sozzi on Twitter @BrianSozzi and on LinkedIn. Follow Yahoo Finance on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Flipboard, LinkedIn, YouTube, and reddit "We used to follow Muddy all around down South," Barrelhouse Chuck wrote. "We would wait in the parking lots for the van with Illinois plates to roll up. Pinetop Perkins and Willie Smith would recognize me and get me into their concerts. Then invited me backstage with Muddy and the band. Afterward, I'd go out to breakfast with them. I was just in awe." By Catherine Belton LONDON (Reuters) -Russia has told Ukraine it is ready to halt military operations "in a moment" if Kyiv meets a list of conditions, the Kremlin spokesman said on Monday. Dmitry Peskov said Moscow was demanding that Ukraine cease military action, change its constitution to enshrine neutrality, acknowledge Crimea as Russian territory, and recognise the separatist republics of Donetsk and Lugansk as independent states. It was the most explicit Russian statement so far of the terms it wants to impose on Ukraine to halt what it calls its "special military operation", now in its 12th day. Peskov told Reuters in a telephone interview that Ukraine was aware of the conditions. "And they were told that all this can be stopped in a moment." There was no immediate reaction from the Ukrainian side. Russia has attacked Ukraine from the north, east and south, pounding cities including Kyiv, Kharkiv and the port of Mariupol. The invasion launched on Feb. 24, has caused the worst refugee crisis in Europe since World War Two, provoked outrage across the world, and led to heavy sanctions on Moscow. But the Kremlin spokesman insisted Russia was not seeking to make any further territorial claims on Ukraine and said it was "not true" that it was demanding Kyiv be handed over. "We really are finishing the demilitarisation of Ukraine. We will finish it. But the main thing is that Ukraine ceases its military action. They should stop their military action and then no one will shoot," he said. On the issue of neutrality, Peskov said: "They should make amendments to the constitution according to which Ukraine would reject any aims to enter any bloc." He added: "We have also spoken about how they should recognise that Crimea is Russian territory and that they need to recognise that Donetsk and Lugansk are independent states. And thats it. It will stop in a moment." NEW TALKS Story continues The outlining of Russia's demands came as delegations from Russia and Ukraine prepared to meet on Monday for a third round of talks aimed at ending Russias war against Ukraine. It began soon after Putin recognised two breakaway regions of eastern Ukraine, where Russian-backed separatists have been fighting Ukrainian government forces since 2014, as independent - an action denounced as illegal by the West. "This is not us seizing Lugansk and Donetsk from Ukraine. Donetsk and Lugansk dont want to be part of Ukraine. But it doesnt mean they should be destroyed as a result," Peskov said. "For the rest. Ukraine is an independent state that will live as it wants, but under conditions of neutrality." He said all the demands have been formulated and handed over during the first two rounds of talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations, which took place last week. "We hope that all this will go OK and they will react in a suitable way," Peskov said. Russia had been forced into taking decisive actions to force the demilitarisation of Ukraine, he said, rather than just recognising the independence of the breakaway regions. This was in order to protect the 3 million Russian-speaking population in these republics, who he said were being threatened by 100,000 Ukrainian troops. "We couldnt just recognise them. What were we going to do with the 100,000 army that was standing at the border of Donetsk and Lugansk that could attack at any moment. They were being brought U.S. and British weapons all the time," he said. In the run-up to the Russian invasion, Ukraine repeatedly and emphatically denied Moscow's assertions that it was about to mount an offensive to take back the separatist regions by force. Peskov said the situation in Ukraine had posed a much greater threat to Russias security than it had in 2014, when Russia had also amassed 150,000 troops at its border with Ukraine, prompting fears of a Russian invasion, but had limited its action to the annexation of Crimea. "Since then the situation has worsened for us. In 2014, they began supplying weapons to Ukraine and preparing the army for NATO, bringing it in line with NATO standards," he said. "In the end what tipped the balance was the lives of these 3 million people in Donbass. We understood they would be attacked." Peskov said Russia had also had to act in the face of the threat it perceived from NATO, saying it was "only a matter of time" before the alliance placed missiles in Ukraine as it had in Poland and Romania. "We just understood we could not put up with this any more. We had to act," he said. (Reporting by Catherine Belton, editing by Mark Trevelyan, Gareth Jones and Angus MacSwan) By Natalie Thomas LVIV, Ukraine (Reuters) - At an animal shelter in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv, Natalia Horobets bid an emotional farewell to her beloved pet cat Charly on Monday. Horobets and her husband had fled their home in the eastern city of Kramatorsk as Ukrainian troops fought Russian invaders. But after a difficult journey west on a packed train they finally decided to let their pet go, concluding that setting up a new life hundreds of miles from home would be hard enough without a hyperactive cat to care for. "Our trip by train lasted for 40 hours," Natalia Horobets said in Lviv, which along with the rest of Ukraine's west has so far been largely untouched by the conflict. "There were many people and we were afraid that he would be trampled." Rasma Krecia, a Latvian volunteer, is the rescuer hoping to take Charly and dozens of other pets across the border into Poland until the war is over. "Were going to try to take as many animals as we can out, back to Latvia, back to Europe, back to safety," Krecia said at the Home for Rescued Animals in Lviv, where she was loading up three vans with the first batch of dogs and cats. She couldn't have remained in Latvia and done nothing, she told Reuters. "If I have an opportunity, if I have a large van, if I can bring food here and take some animals back to safety, I cant stay at home." The Lviv sanctuary previously dealt with wild animals and strays, but since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24 it has taken in more animals from people fleeing the violence. Now dogs, cats and even a pet rat jostle for attention alongside foxes and storks. While Reuters was at the centre, a Lviv resident brought in half a dozen puppies that her friend had found in a box at the train station three days before, where thousands of internally displaced people pass through on a daily basis. As Krecia prepared to fit cages to her vans, the Horobets family said their final farewells to their cat. Story continues Charly, my little one, you will come back home, but you need to stay in a different place for now, you will be good there, said Natalia Horobets. Her husband Volodymir said they did not know what their future held: "We hope that Ukraine will endure and win and we will come back home." (Reporting by Natalie Thomas in Lviv; editing by Stephen Farrell and Mark Heinrich) The recent 5.4% drop in The Law Debenture Corporation p.l.c.'s (LON:LWDB) stock could come as a blow to insiders who purchased UK112k worth of stock at an average buy price of UK7.47 over the past 12 months. Insiders invest with the hopes of seeing their money grow in value over time. However, as a result of recent losses, their initial investment is now only worth UK111k, which is not what they expected. Although we don't think shareholders should simply follow insider transactions, we would consider it foolish to ignore insider transactions altogether. View our latest analysis for Law Debenture The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Law Debenture Notably, that recent purchase by Mark Bridgeman is the biggest insider purchase of Law Debenture shares that we've seen in the last year. That means that even when the share price was higher than UK7.41 (the recent price), an insider wanted to purchase shares. It's very possible they regret the purchase, but it's more likely they are bullish about the company. To us, it's very important to consider the price insiders pay for shares. Generally speaking, it catches our eye when an insider has purchased shares at above current prices, as it suggests they believed the shares were worth buying, even at a higher price. The only individual insider to buy over the last year was Mark Bridgeman. You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last 12 months, below. By clicking on the graph below, you can see the precise details of each insider transaction! Law Debenture is not the only stock insiders are buying. So take a peek at this free list of growing companies with insider buying. Does Law Debenture Boast High Insider Ownership? I like to look at how many shares insiders own in a company, to help inform my view of how aligned they are with insiders. We usually like to see fairly high levels of insider ownership. From what we can see in our data, insiders own only about UK307k worth of Law Debenture shares. We might be missing something but that seems like very low insider ownership. Story continues What Might The Insider Transactions At Law Debenture Tell Us? It is good to see the recent insider purchase. And an analysis of the transactions over the last year also gives us confidence. On this analysis the only slight negative we see is the fairly low (overall) insider ownership; their transactions suggest that they are quite positive on Law Debenture stock. While we like knowing what's going on with the insider's ownership and transactions, we make sure to also consider what risks are facing a stock before making any investment decision. Case in point: We've spotted 1 warning sign for Law Debenture you should be aware of. Of course Law Debenture may not be the best stock to buy. So you may wish to see this free collection of high quality companies. For the purposes of this article, insiders are those individuals who report their transactions to the relevant regulatory body. We currently account for open market transactions and private dispositions, but not derivative transactions. 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. By Peter Hobson LONDON (Reuters) - The London Bullion Market Association (LBMA) said on Monday it had suspended its accreditation of six Russian precious metals refiners, meaning they will no longer be able to sell gold and silver in the London market, the world's largest. The LBMA did not give a reason for the suspension, but the association last week told Reuters it had asked the refiners if they have commercial links with sanctioned Russian entities. Governments including those of the United States and the European Union have imposed sanctions on numerous Russian individuals, companies, banks and the Russian central bank since the Kremlin sent troops into Ukraine on Feb. 24. Russia produces around 330 tonnes of gold a year worth around $20 billion at current prices, around 9% of the total mined worldwide, according to consultants Metals Focus. It produces around 1,350 tonnes of silver a year worth about $1 billion, around 5% of global mine supply. Most of that metal is bought by Russian commercial banks which send it to refiners before selling it abroad or to the Russian central bank, which said on Feb. 27 it would resume purchases of gold in the local market. Bankers and traders have said the removal of Russian refiners would have little impact on the market and Russian metal would still find buyers in places such as China and the Middle East. Gold and silver bars produced by the refineries while they were accredited remain valid to trade, according to LBMA rules, which state that refineries "are to comply with all relevant economic/trade sanctions lists." The six refineries suspended by the LBMA are JSC Krastsvetmet, JSC Novosibirsk Refinery, JSC Uralelectromed, Moscow Special Alloys Processing Plant, Prioksky Plant of Non-Ferrous Metals and Shyolkovsky Factory of Secondary Precious Metals. All of these were accredited to produce both gold and silver except Moscow Special Alloys Processing Plant, which was only accredited for gold. Story continues "These six refiners will no longer be accepted as Good Delivery by the London Bullion market until further notice," the LBMA said in a market notice. None of the refineries responded to requests for comment. (Reporting by Peter Hobson; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Mark Potter) The Dalian EX Future and Science Museum has an R&D section that displays bionic robots with silicon skin built to look as lifelike as possible The Dalian EX Future and Science Museum The Dalian EX Future and Science Museum has an array of customizable robots. It features technology that involves scanning and 3D printing one's facial features and limbs. The robots are made to look as lifelike as possible, down to their veins and the lines on their palms. A museum in China has taken a page out of science fiction and is creating lifelike robots with veins in their legs and goosebumps on their skin. The EX Future and Science Museum in the Chinese city of Dalian shows off advanced forms of robotic technology aimed at making robots as customizable and lifelike as possible. According to a tour of the museum's research and design center published by the Chinese state-linked media channel CGTN, the technicians at the museum can scan features and limbs to create dynamic 3D robots. In a clip posted on YouTube, a journalist has her facial features scanned to "customize an android of her own." Parts of her body are then 3D printed. The video shows her controlling the movements of a 3D printed robotic limb via a wearable glove. "The skin is made of medical-grade bionic silicone, and the goosebumps on the skin, the veins on the feet, and the palm lines they're all very realistic," the museum's vice president, Yang Jianguo, told CGTN. The robots at the museum have been designed to have goosebumps on their silicon "skin" (left) and lines on their palms and fingers (right). Screenshot/ CGTN YouTube The museum's robots have also ventured outside of its compound. In a video uploaded to Facebook in November, one of the museum's robots wears a face shield and guides people to COVID-19 test sites in Dalian. The museum, which opened in September 2021, also features robots modeled after Albert Einstein and Steve Jobs. The two robots are featured in a promotional clip for the exhibit uploaded in February, waving and wishing visitors a joyous Chinese New Year. China has in recent years taken steps forward in the artificial intelligence industry, even creating lifelike and wildly popular AI idols to helm marketing campaigns. The country also deployed a host of robots during the Beijing Games, with robotic chefs preparing meals and robotic "waiters" lowering food onto tables. In 2018, Guangdong-based sex doll makers WMDOLL developed an AI-driven sex doll equipped with a vocabulary database to answer basic questions. That same year, Chinese media outlet Sixth Tone reported that sex doll maker EXDOLL, a company also based in Dalian, was working on a "smart" sex doll that could do dishes and make small talk. Read the original article on Insider Diane Brown spent hours trying to find her way out of the New Mexico wilderness with her dog. She looked at her phone and realized its battery was nearly depleted. Brown and her dog Annie were about to be stranded in the Bisti Wilderness area on Feb. 27, the San Juan County Sheriffs Office in New Mexico said. That evening, as her phone battery was about to die, she sent her husband and friends a text with her coordinates and let them know she was in a wash and was starting a fire, deputies said. Brown told KOB 4 she wasnt planning to be gone very long when she left her home at about 9 a.m. That night, her phone battery was only at 4%, the news outlet reported. However, Brown was prepared with a survival kit to survive the night, the sheriffs office said. She made a fire to keep her and her dog warm overnight, KRQE reported. I heated rocks up in the fire and put them on the core of my stomach and on my feet and everything like that, Brown told KOB 4. I was more scared for the dog. In the morning, rescuers dispatched to Browns location. She saw a helicopter overhead and knew she needed to get to a higher location. Brown hiked to higher ground and waved a piece of clothing in the air for the helicopter crew to find her. Rescuers found her about an hour into their search, deputies said. The hiker told KOB 4 her knowledge of survival television shows helped keep her calm during the night. Ive seen a lot of survivals shows, she told the news station. I knew, dont panic, and you got to do this. Brown was flown to a nearby parking lot where she was checked by medics. She only complained of being cold and had no injuries. Deputies did not say if the dog was injured. Man walking outside safety railing falls to death at canyon overlook, AZ officials say Hiker finds body of 31-year-old man in woods of Ohio national park, officials say Man vanished from bike ride months ago in Colorado. His remains were just identified Louisville's Braden Smith takes an Eastern Kentucky punt to the end zone. Sept. 11, 2021 Louisville football wide receiver Braden Smith was arrested early Sunday on misdemeanor charges of fourth-degree assault and harassing communications, according to the University of Louisville police. The Louisville football program is aware of the situation. "Were aware of the incident involving Braden Smith over the weekend. Braden has been suspended indefinitely while we continue to gather more information," a spokesperson said in a statement. U of L's police report states officers received a call to Clubhouse Apartments on Crittenden Drive around 3:49 a.m. Sunday about a couple that was arguing. Upon arrival, officers were met at the door by the victim, who stated that she and Smith "were involved in a heated argument when he grabbed her, dragged her to the apartment door, and threw her out into the breezeway in her bra and shorts," the arrest report says. Louisville football news: Overlooked in high school, transfer Tyler Hudson working to make difference at Louisville The victim stated Smith, 23, caused cuts and abrasions to her forehead, face, back, arms and forearms. She told police she broke up with the perpetrator earlier in the week but he had been harassing her by leaving notes on her car and leaving lengthy voice messages on her phone. The woman claimed she repeatedly asked Smith to leave her alone and that she went to his apartment Sunday morning to tell him to leave her alone. That is when the discussion became physical and he assaulted her. The victim alleges Smith had been violent towards her in the past. UofL football: Who is the MVP? Impact transfer? Sleeper? Superlatives from Louisville's 2022 signing class Smith, a redshirt sophomore from Flowood, Mississippi, had his bond set at $1,500 during an arraignment hearing Monday morning in Jefferson District Court and was ordered to have no contact with the woman or her residence. He entered a not guilty plea and did not have an attorney immediately listed in online court records, with a preliminary hearing set for March 15. Story continues Smith sustained a season-ending injury against Florida State last season, tearing ligaments in his knee after being tackled around the knees in the second quarter of the 31-23 win and did not return. He was helped off the field, without putting weight on his leg, and then carted off before halftime. Smith was fourth on the team in receptions with 11 and has 68 receiving yards with one touchdown and was also a reliable punt returner for the Cardinals. The 5-foot-10 and 192-pound receiver caught every punt kicked his way, but also returned one for a touchdown against Eastern Kentucky. He averaged 15 yards per return last season. He has not participated in spring practice, yet, due to his season-ending injury. This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Louisville football wide receiver Braden Smith arrested Sunday morning Franklin County Sheriffs deputies secure the exterior of the county parking garage at 34 E. Fulton St. near South High Street on Monday morning following an altercation and shooting inside the garage on the seventh floor. The Ohio Bureau of Investigation has been asked to take over the investigation into a shooting that took place Monday morning in the Franklin County parking garage in downtown Columbus. Franklin County Sheriff's office Chief Deputy Rick Minerd said the incident occurred around 9:40 a.m. Monday on the seventh floor of the county parking garage at 34 E. Fulton St. near South High Street, where as many as 10,000 vehicles go in and out on weekdays. Minerd said three deputies with the Franklin County Drug Task Force and an officer with another member agency of the task force went to the seventh floor after a woman was heard screaming for help. The officers who responded were a mix of uniformed and plain-clothes officers. When they arrived, Minerd said, the law enforcement officers found a woman and two men engaged in an altercation. "The deputies came under attack as well," Minerd said. During the altercation, at least one gunshot was fired, but it was not immediately clear if an officer had fired the weapon or if it had been fired by one of the men at the scene. "We have reason to believe the officers did not fire," Minerd said. Minerd said one of the men had a gunshot wound and was taken to OhioHealth Grant Medical Center in critical condition. The woman was also taken to Grant for treatment of a facial injury that is not believed to be life-threatening, he said. None of the law enforcement personnel involved suffered any serious injuries, Minerd said. Franklin County Chief Deputy Sheriff Rick Minerd Jr. said a man was critically wounded and a woman sustained a facial injury during an altercation Monday morning on the seventh floor of the Franklin County parking garage at 34 E. Fulton St., located near South High Street in downtown Columbus. The two other men involved were detained for questioning by Ohio BCI, which was asked to investigate the incident to maintain transparency since law enforcement officers were involved, Minerd said. No further information about the identities of those involved in the altercation and shooting was immediately available. There are security cameras in the parking garage and the sheriff's office and BCI will review the footage to determine if the incident was captured on video. Story continues In a statement on the shooting issued early Monday afternoon, Fraternal Order of Police Capital City Lodge #9 commended Franklin County Sheriff's deputies for "taking immediate action to stop a life-threatening assault and wish the victim(s) a speedy recovery." bbruner@dispatch.com @bethany_bruner dnarciso@dispatch.com @DeanNarciso This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio BCI investigating shooting at Downtown parking garage Mar. 7Members of Manchester's superintendent search committee hope this week to finalize a job description for the vacant post. The Special Committee on the Superintendent Search is scheduled to meet Monday at 6 p.m. in the aldermanic chambers at City Hall. Assistant Superintendent of Schools Jennifer Gillis was chosen to serve as the interim head of the state's largest school district, and will serve until the school board selects a permanent replacement for John Goldhardt. Search committee members want to have a basic job description for the position and funding sources to advertise it identified in time for a vote by the full board on March 14. From there, resumes and responses would be compiled for 30 days, leaving the end of April and early May to engage with candidates. "The intent is to have a candidate to bring forward by June 1. It's an aggressive schedule, but we feel we can meet it, and we're not engaging a company to do a national search. We'll post the job as widely as we can and see who responds, and make our decision accordingly," Jim O'Connell, the search committee's chair, said. He said he feels there are already a number of highly qualified local candidates. "I'm satisfied that we'll be able to meet this timeline," O'Connell said. "My concern really is that we have stability, and we continue on the trajectory we're on and continue moving the district forward." The search committee consists of school board members Julie Turner, Karen Soule, Nicole Leapley, Peter Argeropoulos and O'Connell. Calls for more voices on the search committee have been raised recently by some in the community. Sue Hannan, president of the city's teachers union, said she would like to see educators more involved in the process. "For the last few superintendent searches, it's been 'well you can come to a public session,' and that doesn't really help the majority of your employees. So we're hoping that you will include hopefully leaders from every one of your education unions, but otherwise including educators to have a conversation with this board. We feel we have a lot to offer and a lot to let you know about what the needs of the educators are." Story continues School board member Ken Tassey said he would like to see a "broader spectrum" of the community represented on the committee. "That could include expanding the number of committee members, or discuss a sot of restructuring of the search committee to include a parent, a teacher, a senior student," said Tassey. "Then look at the filters by which we might screen those participating committee members geographically so that we are really representing the whole city." Search committee and school board member Soule agreed, but said any restructuring should be done at a later date. "I think the first step is we need to tackle the logistics," said Soule. "I think that's something we can do as a group, then moving forward that (committee membership) can be something we reconsider." "We really want to make this as transparent and have as much community involvement as possible," said Ageropoulos. "Everybody here wants to find the right person, someone who's in it to win it, so to speak." It was an uncharacteristically warm Monday morning in March as Najja Plowden walked his son Zayin, 5, to class at the Brooklyn Brownstone School. Like all other public school parents, Plowden faced a choice: On the day New York Citys school mask mandate was lifted, should his son keep his on or take it off in the classroom. 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. Im going to send him with it, but he can take it off if he wants to, said the father, explaining that the family has taken COVID seriously, but feels that K-12 masking cant go on forever. His son contracted the virus and recovered, which gives Plowden a level of confidence that Zayin will be OK, even if he chooses to bare his face. I just want him to have a normal school experience again, said the Brooklyn dad. Najja and Zayin Plowden on their way to school Monday. (Asher Lehrer-Small) On Friday, in an address held in Times Square, Mayor Eric Adams declared that the nations largest district would officially be doing away with its face-covering requirement and also rolling back proof-of-vaccination requirements in restaurants, gyms and movie theaters. Its a move that comes on the heels of a tremendous shift away from school mask mandates nationwide in recent weeks, with only 37 percent of the largest 500 districts now requiring that students cover up compared to 60 percent a month ago, according to data from Burbio, which has tracked school policy through the pandemic. In late February, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention changed its guidance, now allowing schools to go mask-optional in areas where transmission is moderate or low. Related: NYC Mayor: We Are Lifting the Indoor Mask Requirement for DOE Schools New York Citys quick pivot done with the support of the teachers union breaks from the pattern of other top districts, which have been slower to adjust. Chicago Public Schools will wait another week before going mask-optional March 14, the district announced Monday, in a move the Chicago Teachers Union said violates a safety agreement requiring masking through the end of the school year. A similar agreement to continue universal masking appears to still be in effect in Los Angeles Unified School District, even as the state plans to lift its mandate March 11. Story continues Related: Schools May Drop Masks When COVID Risk is Low or Medium, CDC Says The change in policy is dividing New Yorkers, many of whom believe its too early to roll back pandemic precautions while others are embracing the change. I dont think anyone is comfortable with it, said Ebonee Smith, a special education teacher at Restoration Academy in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. She entered school on Monday clad with her mask. It hasnt been a gradual release. Justin Spiro, a social worker in a Queens high school, chose to drop his mask on Monday. I feel very protected by my three shots, he said, adding that at times, masks have made his job more difficult. Counseling behind a mask is definitely challenging, he told The 74. We rely, subconsciously, on so many facial expressions for showing empathy and showing understanding and expressing emotion. Similarly, Park Slope dad Dan Kurfist, whose daughter is in kindergarten, said he was thrilled when the city lifted its mandate. As for his daughter, she ran into school screaming, No mask today, when he dropped her off Monday morning, Kurfist said, estimating that about three-quarters of students were unmasked. Special Educator Ebonee Smith will continue wearing her mask in school, she said. (Asher Lehrer-Small) Face coverings will still be required for NYC kids younger than 5 in pre-K and child care, the mayor stipulated on Friday. That age group is not yet eligible for vaccination and has been overrepresented among all pediatric hospitalizations, according to a recent study from the New York State Department of Health. About 75 people gathered in City Hall Park Monday demanding that the mask rules be lifted for 2- to 4-year-olds, holding signs that read #UnmaskOurToddlers. One parent, attorney Michael Chessa, said he planned to sue and to seek an injunction lifting the ongoing mask mandate for preschoolers. Renana Teplitsky and her son at the #UnmaskOurToddlers rally. (Asher Lehrer-Small) Im done with the mayor forcing my kid to wear a mask while he spends all day in preschool chewing on it anyway, said Renana Teplitsky. Mask mandates have been lifted everywhere else, so it doesnt make sense to punish kids 2 to 4, said Liz Bernstein. Were super pro-mask, the mother-of-two added, but because her 12-year-old child will now be exposed at school, she doesnt see the use of continuing to mask her toddler. Kids have siblings, she pointed out. Meanwhile, a group rallying under the hashtag #MaskingForAFriend gathered last week, imploring Adams pre-emptively to reconsider his plan to scrap the school mandate. Parents called for students to continue #MaskingForAFriend on the Tweed Courthouse steps on Wednesday. Lupe Hernandez stands front row in a maroon sweater. (Asher Lehrer-Small) To Lupe Hernandez, a Tribeca parent of two who is immunocompromised, the mask-optional policy makes her fear for her familys safety. She herself had COVID twice and is still suffering from long-term side effects, she said. Shes concerned that NYC schools serving low-income students of color tend to have lower student vaccination rates than whiter, more affluent schools. Citywide, just over half of students are fully vaccinated. I think this is way too early to drop masks, she told The 74. If it werent for the fact that her 8-year-old has a paraeducator who works with him at school, she would have considered keeping him home on Monday to avoid sitting next to unmasked classmates. The Department of Education reported that attendance was at 89 percent Monday. Masks havent prevented my child from developing, she added, saying her son learned to read while attending school wearing one. Adams on Friday acknowledged the wide-ranging viewpoints on how to navigate this current stage of the pandemic, joking that the city has 8.8 million people, 30 million opinions. I do not need a study to tell me that masking small children for over 2 yrs is going to harm them. I have my own children. All of these parents have their own children and they see the harm masks are doing.Our children deserve normalcy@daniela127 at #unmaskourtoddlers rally pic.twitter.com/iqmognQjYJ Asher Lehrer-Small (@small_asher) March 7, 2022 Its reasonable to consider removing masks at this time, said researcher John Giardina, who emphasized that vaccination continues to be an effective way to stave off severe coronavirus outcomes. In mid-February, the Harvard University Ph.D. student was the lead author on a peer-reviewed study spelling out exactly how many cases unmasking in school might trigger depending on factors like vaccine coverage and local transmission. There is no one-size-fits-all policy for a city as big as New York City, he cautioned, emphasizing that individual school leaders may want to look at the vaccination levels of their own community to determine the best public health decision. Related: With Masks Set to Drop in New York and California Schools, a Pair of Studies Lay Out the Number of Cases That Could Trigger The breakdown of parent opinions tends to fall along racial lines, Farah Despeignes has noticed. Despeignes is a Bronx mother of two and president of the Community Education Council in District 8. Herself a former educator, she decided to homeschool her children in September rather than send them back to the classroom amid a pandemic. In her experience, Black and Hispanic families, who were more likely to have lost loved ones to the virus, seem to be more cautious in their approach to school COVID mitigation measures. I understand that whiter populations may see it more as a question of freedom. But I can tell you, here, its not a question of freedom. Its a question of safety, she told The 74. A lot of these parents and children live in multi-generational homes. They have comorbidities that can be fatal. Still, many families fall somewhere in the middle. On Monday morning, Sonia Maynard dropped off her grandchildren all masked at P.S. 093 in Brooklyn. Were waiting to see how everything goes, she told The 74. Some of her grandchildrens classmates, Maynard knows, might not be covering up, and that doesnt bother her. After some days or weeks, its possible her grandchildren may join them Weve got to get back to some kind of normalcy, she said but not today. Related: Sign up for The 74s newsletter Ukainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks to the press in the town of Bucha, northwest of the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, on April 4, 2022. (Ronaldo Schemidt/Getty-AFP) LVIV, Ukraine The humanitarian crisis in Ukraine deepened Monday as Russian forces intensified their shelling and food, water, heat and medicine grew increasingly scarce, in what the country condemned as a medieval-style siege by Moscow to batter it into submission. A third round of talks between the two sides ended with a top Ukrainian official saying there had been minor, unspecified progress toward establishing safe corridors that would allow civilians to escape the fighting. Russias chief negotiator said he expects those corridors to start operating Tuesday. Advertisement But that remained to be seen, given the failure of previous attempts to lead civilians to safety amid the biggest ground war in Europe since World War II. Well into the second week of the invasion, with Russian troops making significant advances in southern Ukraine but stalled in some other regions, a top U.S. official said multiple countries were discussing whether to provide the warplanes that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been pleading for. Advertisement A Ukrainian police officer runs while holding a child as the artillery echoes nearby, while fleeing Irpin on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, March 7, 2022. (Emilio Morenatti/AP) Russian President Vladimir Putins forces continued to pummel cities with rockets, and fierce fighting raged in places. In the face of the bombardments, Zelenskyy said Ukrainian forces were showing unprecedented courage. The problem is that for one soldier of Ukraine, we have 10 Russian soldiers, and for one Ukrainian tank, we have 50 Russian tanks, Zelenskyy told ABC News in an interview that aired Monday night. He noted that the gap in forces was diminishing and that even if Russian forces come into all our cities, they will be met with an insurgency. In one of the most desperate cities, the encircled southern port of Mariupol, an estimated 200,000 people nearly half the population of 430,000 were hoping to flee, and Red Cross officials waited to hear when a corridor would be established. The city is short on water, food and power, and cellphone networks are down. Stores have been looted as residents search for essential goods. Police moved through the city, advising people to remain in shelters until they heard official messages broadcast over loudspeakers to evacuate. Hospitals in Mariupol are facing severe shortages of antibiotics and painkillers, and doctors performed some emergency procedures without them. The lack of phone service left anxious citizens approaching strangers to ask if they knew relatives living in other parts of the city and whether they were safe. In the capital, Kyiv, soldiers and volunteers have built hundreds of checkpoints to protect the city of nearly 4 million, often using sandbags, stacked tires and spiked cables. Some barricades looked significant, with heavy concrete slabs and sandbags piled more than two stories high, while others appeared more haphazard, with hundreds of books used to weigh down stacks of tires. Advertisement Every house, every street, every checkpoint, we will fight to the death if necessary, said Mayor Vitali Klitschko. In Kharkiv, Ukraines second-largest city, with 1.4 million people, heavy shelling slammed into apartment buildings. I think it struck the fourth floor under us, Dmitry Sedorenko said from his Kharkiv hospital bed. Immediately, everything started burning and falling apart. When the floor collapsed beneath him, he crawled out through the third story, past the bodies of some of his neighbors. Klitschko reported that fierce battles continued in the Kyiv region, notably around Bucha, Hostomel, Vorzel and Irpin. In the Irpin area, which has been cut off from electricity, water and heat for three days, witnesses saw at least three tanks and said Russian soldiers were seizing houses and cars. A few miles away, in the small town of Horenka, where shelling reduced one area to ashes and shards of glass, rescuers and residents picked through the ruins as chickens pecked around them. Advertisement What are they doing? rescue worker Vasyl Oksak asked of the Russian attackers. There were two little kids and two elderly people living here. Come in and see what they have done. In the south, Russian forces also continued their offensive in Mykolaiv, opening fire on the Black Sea shipbuilding center of a half-million people, according to Ukraines military. Rescuers said they were putting out fires caused by rocket attacks in residential areas. At The Hague, Netherlands, Ukraine pleaded with the International Court of Justice to order a halt to Russias invasion, saying Moscow is committing widespread war crimes. Russia is resorting to tactics reminiscent of medieval siege warfare, encircling cities, cutting off escape routes and pounding the civilian population with heavy ordnance, said Jonathan Gimblett, a member of Ukraines legal team. Russia snubbed the court proceedings, leaving its seats in the Great Hall of Justice empty. Efforts to set up safe passage for civilians over the weekend fell apart amid continued Russian shelling. Before Mondays talks began, Russia announced a new plan, saying civilians would be allowed to leave Kyiv, Mariupol, Kharkiv and Sumy. Advertisement But many of the evacuation routes headed toward Russia or its ally Belarus, which has served as a launch pad for the invasion. Ukraine instead proposed eight routes allowing civilians to travel to western regions of the country where there is no shelling. People cross an improvised path under a destroyed bridge while fleeing the town of Irpin close to Kyiv, Ukraine, March 7, 2022. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP) Later, Russias U.N. Ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, told the U.N. Security Council that Russia would carry out a cease-fire Tuesday morning and appeared to suggest that humanitarian corridors leading away from Kyiv, Mariupol, Sumy and Chernigov could give people choice in where they want to go. The U.N. humanitarian chief, Undersecretary-General Martin Griffiths, addressed the Security Council and urged safe passage for people to go in the direction they choose. Zelenskyys office would not comment on the Russian proposal, saying only that Moscows plans can be believed only if a safe evacuation begins. The office said Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk planned to make a statement on the issue Tuesday morning. The battle for Mariupol is crucial because its capture could allow Moscow to establish a land corridor to Crimea, which Russia seized from Ukraine in 2014. The fighting has sent energy prices surging worldwide and stocks plummeting, and threatens t he food supply and livelihoods of people around the globe who rely on crops farmed in the fertile Black Sea region. Advertisement The U.N. human rights office reported 406 confirmed civilian deaths but said the real number is much higher. The invasion has also sent 1.7 million people fleeing Ukraine. On Monday, Moscow again announced a series of demands to stop the invasion, including that Ukraine recognize Crimea as part of Russia and recognize the eastern regions controlled by Moscow-supported separatist fighters as independent. It also insisted that Ukraine change its constitution to guarantee it wont join international bodies like NATO and the EU. Ukraine has already rejected those demands. Zelenskyy has called for more punitive measures against Russia, including a global boycott of its oil exports, which are key to its economy. If (Russia) doesnt want to abide by civilized rules, then they shouldnt receive goods and services from civilization, he said in a video address. He has also asked for more warplanes. Deputy U.S. Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said officials are trying to see whether this is possible and doable. While the West has been rushing weapons to Ukraine such as anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles, some officials fear that sending warplanes could be seen by Moscow as direct involvement in the war. Advertisement One possible scenario under discussion: Former Soviet bloc nations that are now NATO members could send Ukraine their own Soviet-era MiGs, which Ukrainian pilots are trained to fly, and the U.S. would then replace those countries aircraft with American-made F-16s. Russias invasion has nearby countries terrified the war could spread to them. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken began a lightning visit to the Baltic states of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, former Soviet republics that are NATO members. Blinken hoped to reassure them of the alliances protection. NATO has shown no interest in sending troops into the country and has rejected Zelenskyys pleas to establish a no-fly zone for fear of triggering a wider war. Associated Press reporters from around the world contributed to this report. Active storm boundary brings rain, snow, freezing rain risk to Atlantic Canada Wintry weather will impact Atlantic Canada on Monday due to a low pressure system tracking through. The heaviest snowfall accumulations are possible in northern New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and eastern Nova Scotia, where 10-20 cm could fall through the day. ATLSNOW Some areas may see mixing or a complete changeover to freezing rain or ice pellets in the afternoon. The freezing rain may lead to significant ice accretion and hazardous travel conditions. Power outages are also possible. Visit our Complete Guide to Spring 2022 for an in-depth look at the Spring Forecast, tips to plan for it and much more! The system will also bring some rainfall amid the warmer temperatures. This wont be a washout by any means. Between 5 to 15 mm of rainfall is expected across the Maritimes, with the heaviest totals expected in northern and eastern Nova Scotia. Conditions are forecast to improve throughout the day, as the system departs the region, though sea-effect snow is possible for eastern Nova Scotia in the afternoon. QCATLICE Mild temperatures will persist across most of the Maritimes on Monday, with highs approaching the 10-degree mark in parts of Nova Scotia. NEWFOUNDLAND: ANOTHER ROUND OF SNOW FOR THE AVALON Snowfall will continue across the Gulf in Newfoundland and wind down during the afternoon hours. Overall, this shouldnt be an overly impactful system for the island, but travellers will feel the effects of the snow. The heaviest totals will fall in western and southern Newfoundland, where 10-15 cm is possible through Monday. St. John's may pick up 5-10 cm. ATLWed Conditions across Atlantic Canada will return to a calmer state once this latest system clears the region on Monday. The week should feature several days of near- to above-seasonal temperatures for the Maritimes, while seasonably cool conditions hang tight up in St. Johns. An active pattern could return to the Atlantic provinces by the end of the week, with eyes on a potential weather bomb for the weekend. It's set to track across the region as low pressure develops over the southern U.S., rapidly intensifying as it tracks northeast to near the Gulf of the St.Lawrence for Saturday. This will bring widespread strong winds, periods of rain and very mild temperatures into the low teens for the Maritimes and double digits throughout Newfoundland. Meanwhile, heavy snow and some ice is expected for parts of eastern Quebec and Labrador, though parts of this region could change to rain. A brief shot of colder weather will follow the storm, then turning milder and unsettled through mid-week next week. Stay tuned to The Weather Network for the latest on conditions across the East Coast. Update, 3/7/22: As of Monday morning, March 7, Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher have raised nearly $17 million of their $30 million goal. Kunis and Kutcher have been joined by other celebrities in pledging money to aid Ukrainians. Model Gigi Hadid pledged to donate all her earnings from Fashion Month "to aid those suffering from the war in Ukraine, as well as continuing to support those experiencing the same in Palestine." Hadid's father is Palestinian, and she has long been a vocal supporter of Palestinian causes. Actress Reese Witherspoon commented on Kutcher's Instgram posts about the fundraiser, writing, "Donating now! " and "Thank you for this incredible work!" Witherspoon also tweeted she's supporting Ukrainian refugees and their children through Choose Love's Ukraine Crisis Fundraiser. Original, 3/4/22: In 1991, Mila Kunis fled Ukraine. The actress was born in Chernivtsi, a city in southwestern Ukraine, and was just 7 years old when her Jewish family left what was then the Soviet Union. The Kunis family came to the U.S. on a religious refugee visa; as Mila told Glamour in 2017, "My parents went through hell and back. They came to America with suitcases and a family of seven and $250, and thats it." She started acting classes to learn English, and seven years after she arrived in America, she landed her breakout role in That 70s Show. Three decades after she and her family left their homeland as refugees, Kunis is teaming up with her husband, Ashton Kutcher, to help those fleeing from the current conflict in her native Ukraine. The United Nations estimates one million refugees have fled Ukraine in just one week. In a video posted to Kutcher's Instagram, Kunis shares, "I came to America in 1991 and I have always considered myself an American. A proud American. I love everything that this country has done for myself and my family. But today, I have never been more proud to be a Ukrainian." Kutcher adds, "and I've never been more proud to be married to a Ukrainian." Story continues "The events that have unfolded in Ukraine are devastating. There is no place in this world for this kind of unjust attack on humanity," Kunis continued, with Kutcher chiming in to say, "and while we witness the bravery of the people of the country she was born in, we are also witness to the needs of those who have chosen safety." The couple's fundraiser will "provide an immediate impact on refugee and humanitarian aid efforts," benefitting Flexport and Airbnb, two organizations on the ground providing immediate help. Kutcher and Kunis are matching up to $3 million, in an effort to raise $30 million. Their fundraiser is on GoFundMe. "The people of Ukraine are strong and brave," Kunis says, "but just being strong and brave doesn't mean you're not worthy of support." Kunis and Kutcher join a number of other celebrities who have announced their donations to aid Ukrainians. Notably, Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds will be matching up to $1 million in donations to the UN Refugee Agency, to help refugees fleeing in Ukraine. .@VancityReynolds & I are doubling every $donated to @UNRefugeeAgency up to $1,000,000 click below if you can join us @UNRefugeeAgency is on the ground providing lifesaving aid, & working with neighboring countries to ensure protection for the 50,000+ who were just forced to flee https://t.co/EbmrMTDzxh Blake Lively (@blakelively) February 26, 2022 And some celebrities are using their already-established nonprofits to help. Former Real Housewives of New York star Bethenny Frankels disaster relief organization, BStrong, has raised more than $5 million in new donations since the outbreak of war. Frankel stated her goal is to help refugees get out of the country, and the money is mainly going to relocation efforts. "To make it clear, the mandate is refugees out and aid inand that's of Ukraine," Frankel told Fox News, explaining that relocation efforts "are very organized in having travel partners to book [refugees] tickets by plane, by train and handle transportation for them to get these refugees to where they need to go." Frankel also cautioned her followers in blindly donating to relief efforts. "If youre going to donate somewhere, go look at the percentage that actually goes to the effort. Youll be surprised. A lot of celebrities post about different charities, but its important to know how much money goes to the effort," Frankel told Bustle. Like Frankel, celebrity chef Jose Andres mobilized his existing relief organization to help Ukraine. Andres's nonprofit World Central Kitchen is set up on the ground in Ukraine, including at the Ukraine-Poland border, to help feed Ukrainian refugees and show them "the respect they deserve." Andres has been sharing updates on World Central Kitchen's #ChefsForUkraine initiative on his social media feeds. Of the many foods we delivered today in Poland and inside @Ukraine nothing makes me prouder than 10k kilos of flour and other goods!We will keep food flowing in the day and nights! We will be there next to them! Ukraine you will never walk along! !!!! @WCKitchen #ChefsForUkraine pic.twitter.com/cbNnfCWRyy Jose Andres (@chefjoseandres) March 3, 2022 And while not your typical celebrity, Queen Elizabeth II made a "generous donation" to the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC)'s Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal to aid Ukrainians amid the Russian invasion. You Might Also Like Oil. Illustrated | iStock For Americans, the idealistic part of the Russo-Ukraine war is about to end. The U.S. appears to be closer to imposing a ban on Russian oil imports, part of an effort to cripple the country's funding for its invasion of Ukraine. That should be popular: A remarkable 80 percent of Americans support the move. But that ban will probably result in a closer embrace of countries and regimes that many of us rightly loathe. For example: Axios reports U.S. officials are considering a trip to Saudi Arabia to persuade that kingdom's rulers to start pumping more oil to replace the lost Russian production. Those are the same rulers who ordered the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018, and whom President Biden once promised to make a "pariah." Similarly, the Biden Administration is looking to start the oil flowing from Venezuela, a country under sanction since 2017 and whose leader, President Nicolas Maduro, is particularly detested by U.S. conservatives. "Rather than produce more American oil [Biden] wants to replace the oil we buy from one murderous dictator with oil from another murderous dictator," Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) grumbled Sunday about the Venezuela reports. (At least one major U.S. oil executive says ramping up domestic production wouldn't be quite that easy.) The best thing to happen, of course, would be to start a massive shift toward renewable energy, would be even slower. In the meantime, we need energy, and it's not clear Americans will tolerate paying more than $4 a gallon for gas without punishing our leaders. We have only bad choices. This is what happens in wartime: You make a deal with the devil in order to avert some greater evil. The United States allied with the Soviet Union to defeat Nazi Germany, then opened the doors to China on the cusp of its most violently repressive era to contain the Soviets. Conflict always means such brutal choices. There's no way to do this cleanly. Story continues "Let me put it this way," Emma Ashford, a senior fellow with the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security, wrote Monday on Twitter. "You can either have your democracy vs. autocracy frame, or you can have oil sanctions on Russia. Impossible without working with some authoritarian states, just as we did in the Cold War." It's right to embrace the underdog Ukrainians fighting a tyrant like Russia's Vladimir Putin. But for now, doing so effectively means linking up with regimes bad guys we don't necessarily like or find exemplary. It was ever thus. You may also like How cheap Chinese tires might explain Russia's 'stalled' 40-mile-long military convoy in Ukraine 'Laura Ingraham' and 'Tucker Carlson' raise money for Russian oligarchs in new SNL cold open The U.S. is not working toward regime change in Russia, Blinken says STORY: "No country would have a greater impact, right now, on Russia's violent aggression towards Ukraine, than China joining the rest of the world in denouncing Russia's aggression and applying the same sanctions we have," Morrison said. China has declined to call the Russian attack on Ukraine an "invasion" while asking Western countries to respect Russia's "legitimate security concerns." It has called for a solution to the crisis through negotiations. Russia calls the campaign it launched on February 24 a "special military operation," saying it has no plans to occupy Ukraine. Numerous tech companies are joining the growing list of tech brands that are suspending their operations in Russia amid its invasion of Ukraine. The latest batch of companies doing so includes several notable names, such as Netflix, PayPal, Mastercard, Visa and more. Over the weekend, Netflix said it's suspending its service in Russia, as first reported by Variety. The move, which Netflix confirmed to TechCrunch, comes after the company said last week it would not comply with a new Russian law that requires streaming companies to host 20 Russian propaganda channels. Netflix has also paused all future projects it had planned to produce in Russia. Adobe also announced that it will halt all new sales of Adobe products and services in Russia. The company says it believes it has a responsibility to ensure its products and services are "not used in support of this unlawful war." PayPal has said it's shutting down services in Russia, as first reported by Reuters on Saturday. In a tweet, Ukraine's Vice Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov shared a letter from PayPal CEO Dan Schulman confirming the move. We received a letter from @Dan_Schulman, CEO PayPal. So now its official: PayPal shuts down its services in Russia citing Ukraine aggression. Thank you @PayPal for your supporting! Hope that soon you will open it in for pic.twitter.com/RaJxEMSLQe Mykhailo Fedorov (@FedorovMykhailo) March 5, 2022 https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js PayPal wasn't the only payments company to pull out of the country. Mastercard announced on Saturday that it's suspending its network services in Russia, which means that cards issued by Russian banks will no longer be supported on the Mastercard network. In addition, all Mastercards issued outside of the country will not work at Russian merchants or ATMs. The company says it will restore operations when it is appropriate to do so. Story continues Similarly, Visa said on Saturday it has also suspended all operations in Russia. The company said it will work with its clients and partners within Russia to cease all Visa transactions. 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. Game companies have also now joined others in the tech industry in ending business within Russia. Epic Games announced Saturday that it is stopping commerce with Russia in its games. However, the publisher said it's "not blocking access for the same reason other communications tools remain online: the free world should keep all lines of dialogue open." 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 https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js Epic Games isn't the only game publisher to take a stance, as Activision Blizzard had announced Friday it will pause selling its games to Russian consumers. The company will also stop offering in-game purchases in Russia. Nintendo suspended digital sales in Russia, too, as 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." Ubisoft announced on Monday that it's decided to suspend sales in Russia. It says it will continue to adapt and reinforce its support as the situation evolves. Also on Monday, Take-Two told GamesIndustry.biz that it has stopped sales of games and ended marketing support in Russia and Belarus. Snapchat expanded the actions it was taking with a recent announcement that it's disabling the Snap Map's "heatmap" of public Snaps in Ukraine, as a safety precaution. The feature typically highlights places where people have shared numerous Snaps. The move comes as Snap previously announced that it was pausing ads in Russia. As a safety precaution we have temporarily disabled the Snap Maps "heatmap" of public Snaps in Ukraine. We will continue to offer curated Stories comprised of Snaps submitted in Ukraine. Snapchat Support (@snapchatsupport) March 5, 2022 https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js Also this weekend, TikTok announced it's suspending livestreaming and new content to its video service in response to Russias new fake news law. The law threatens prison time for anyone who publishes what the Kremlin deems to be false information about the countrys invasion of Ukraine. TikTok has decided to suspend operations in the country to maintain the safety of employees and users. Samsung Electronics said it will suspend shipments of all products to Russia due to the current geopolitical developments." The products that have been suspended include smartphones, semiconductors and consumer electronics. Its move followed similar announcements from device makers Apple and Dell, chipmaker Intel and software giant Microsoft. GrubHub said it's ending a partnership with Russian tech giant Yandex, as first reported by Reuters. The multi-year partnership was for driverless robots that deliver food to college students. GrubHub is a unit of Just Eat Takeaway.com, which is Europe's largest meal delivery company. On Wednesday, Sony was the latest company to pull business out of Russia in light of the countrys invasion of neighboring Ukraine. The company announced that it would cut off hardware shipments and software launches in Russia in light of the Russian governments escalating hostilities. This latest batch of companies taking a stance against Russia is joining the likes of Apple, Google and others. Last week, Apple confirmed that it halted product sales in Russia. The hardware giant also pulled Sputnik and RT News from the App Store and disabled some Apple Pay services in the country. Google followed Apples lead and removed the apps of Russia Today (RT) and Sputnik from its mobile app store. Google also paused its ads sales in Russia. A Newark man was flown to a Columbus area hospital on Saturday morning after he was shot during an argument, police say. According to Newark Police Sgt. Chuck Wilhelm, around 12:43 a.m. Saturday, Newark police were called to an apartment complex in the first block of North 40th Street for a reported shooting. Upon arrival, Wilhelm said they found 39-year-old Brandon Luft, of Newark, outside an apartment suffering from a gunshot wound to the area of his left rib cage. He was taken to Licking Memorial Hospital, where he was flown to OhioHealth Grant Medical Center. Wilhelm said the suspect had fled the scene. The following day, Wilhelm said police arrested Nathan Helmondollar, 39, of Heath, and charged him with one count of felonious assault, a second-degree felony. Wilhelm said a witness reported hearing one of the individuals involved saying the other owed him during an argument. A grand jury will review the case for possible indictment and possible additional charges. If convicted, Helmondollar faces up to eight years in prison and up to a $15,000 fine. This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Newark man Brandon Luft flown to Columbus hospital after shooting NEW YORK CITY Theres no vaccine for hate. New York has seen much progress in the battle against COVID-19 since it first began its spread two years ago. But with the virus came another pandemic that the city has shown little promise in curtailing hate crime targeting Asian New Yorkers. We are at a breaking point right now, Jo-Ann Yoo, executive director for the Asian American Federation, told Patch. Everyone is horrified. New York City has seen nearly 200 anti-Asian hate crimes over the course of the pandemic, with 144 reported in 2020, 33 in 2021 and 10 in 2022. The hate crime spike saw anti-Asian incidents increase 125 percent last month, according to NYPD data. Among recent crimes is one mans attack of seven Asian women in roughly two hours, the fatal stabbing of Christina Lee by a man who followed her into her home and the death of Michelle Go, who was shoved onto subway tracks. "I cant tell you how many calls I get, Yoo said. "Theres a lot of anxiety right now." The influx of anxiety is just one reason why advocates believe the data does not fully capture the scope of the problem, Yoo said. NYPD data likely under-represents anti-Asian hate crimes by between 70 and 90 percent, according to Yoo, who said language barriers, immigration status and fear of retaliation prevent many Asian New Yorkers from reporting attacks. Yoo whose organization advocates for about 1.7 million Asian New Yorkers said the community feels both dangerously conspicuous and invisible. This dichotomy of fear began with initial reports of novel coronaviruss appearance in Wuhan, China, in 2019 the virus's arrival in New York City has since been traced to Europe and a U.S. president who called it Kung Flu. Whenever he did that we would actually see an uptick in the attacks, Yoo said. "We were told what we were going through globally, that we were responsible. NYPD data and local media coverage support this link between anti-Asian hate crime and the pandemic. Story continues There was just one confirmed incident of anti-Asian hate in in 2019 but the NYPD recorded 15 anti-Asian in March 2020 month and has since reported an average of about eight per month, data show. In March 2020, Patch reported four separate anti-Asian hate crimes in just two days. On March 11 ten days after New York City confirmed its first COVID-19 case Patch reported that an Asian woman and her baby had been spat at by a man who yelled, Chinese virus. On March 12, Patch reported three cases in single day: An Asian man was kicked by a man who screamed, "F--- you, Chinese coronavirus. A Long Island commuter was spat at in Penn Station by a man who said, "I hope you die by the coronavirus." A Queens dad was threatened while taking his kid to school by a man who shouted, "Where is your f---ing mask?" The violence has only mounted. In May 2020, an unmasked man grabbed an Asian subway rider, shouted, "you're infected," and tried to shove him off a train. "Coronavirus Asian," a man told a woman on the Upper East Side in April 2021, "I should punch you." In a March 2021 daylight attack in Hell's Kitchen, a man punched, kicked and stomped on a woman outside a hotel lobby and told her, "F--- you, you don't belong here. The Hells Kitchen attack was one of 35 confirmed anti-Asian hate crimes that March, which broke the grim record for the most recorded in a single month, according to data. The crime wave has spurred task forces and an uncountable number of calls for an end of what former Mayor Bill de Blasio called the "second pandemic." The NYPD formed an Asian hate crime task force in October 2020, and last February de Blasio rallied city agencies to bring support to Asian community groups. The New York State also established a $10 million fund in April 2021 to battle anti-Asian hate, but organizations told THE CITY in September the cash had yet to come. And Queens Rep. Grace Meng introduced the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, which created a Department of Justice program to review local police forces COVID-19-related hate crimes, and was signed by President Joe Biden last April. But despite government action and the social media support of Hollywood actress Olivia Munn the city continues to mourn lives lost to anti-Asian hate. Among them, Yao Pan Ma, Lee, Go and Guiying Ma, who died after a man struck her on the head with a rock and triggered a months-long coma, police reported earlier this month. She was 61. My heart aches for her family, Meng said at the time. So many in the Asian American community continue to live in fear. According to Yoo, the fear is not just of attacks, but of people who allow them to happen. These New Yorkers include the building staff outside the Hells Kitchen hotel lobby, whom Patch reported stood by and did nothing and a police officer who told the Long Island commuter, who was spat at in Penn Station, not to bother reporting it. More recently, several people have told Yoo about anti-Asian attacks that unfolded on crowded subway trains where nobody stepped up to help, she said. But Yoo also noted the reverse is true proven anecdotally last week when two librarians helped police arrest the man suspected of beating seven Asian women that some New Yorkers who aren't Asian are stepping up. Yoo told Patch the second pandemic wont end without their support. All of this anti-Asian hate doesnt get solved by Asians alone, Yoo said. The thing I ask my fellow New Yorkers is please, everybody look out for each other. This article originally appeared on the New York City Patch Chicago Public Schools announced Monday masks will be optional for staff and students at schools and on school buses beginning March 14, setting up another showdown with the Chicago Teachers Union over COVID-19 safety protocols. The union filed an unfair labor practice charge with the state labor board Monday, asking for the CPS mask mandate to continue until CTUs complaint is resolved. Universal masking is one of the tenets of the COVID-19 safety agreement the teachers union forged with CPS in January after an acrimonious battle led to five days of canceled classes during the omicron surge. In a letter Friday to Mayor Lori Lightfoot, CTU President Jesse Sharkey warned that moving to a mask-optional policy would be a clear violation of the agreement. Advertisement CTU is asking the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board to compel CPS to engage in good faith bargaining prior to implementing unilateral changes in the terms and conditions of employment which affect the health and safety of the employees represented by the union. In its complaint, CTU further accused CPS of not holding up its end of the safety deal by withholding information such as the number of KN95 masks distributed to schools; school-level data on COVID-19 tests conducted through the districts free weekly program; and confirmation of the creation of school-based contact-tracing teams. Advertisement Students leave Back of the Yards College Preparatory High School in Chicago at the end of the school day on March 7, 2022. Earlier in the day, it was announced that Chicago Public Schools plans to end its COVID-19 mask mandate on March 14, 2022. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune) CTU said its leaders met with CPS CEO Pedro Martinez on Feb. 28 and specifically requested the opportunity to discuss whether to reopen the safety agreement to renegotiate the masking provision. The union said CPS gave Sharkey 13 minutes notice of the masking policy change before the district issued its news release Monday. In response to questions about CTUs unfair labor complaint, CPS spokeswoman Mary Fergus released a statement noting the enormous change in circumstances since the CTU agreement was reached at the height of the omicron surge. ... Since that time, every local, state and federal public health agency has recommended that masking become optional. We believe this is in everyones best interest including our partners in labor. CPS is committed to continuing to bargain with CTU to reach a workable solution, Fergus said. Rather than wait to have this decision thrust upon us by people outside of CPS and in ways that might ignore CPS unique circumstances, the CEO acted swiftly so that his autonomy to make prudent health decisions based on whats happening in CPS communities would not be affected going forward. The news comes three days before a court date for CPS and downstate attorney Tom DeVore, who has been trying to halt the districts mask and exclusion mandates. CPS parents who participated in DeVores litigation challenging Gov. J.B. Pritzkers COVID-19 school policies argued the districts mask rule violates their students due process rights. I am in receipt of the CPS announcement that effective Monday, March 14, 2022, the district will drop its unlawful mask mandate. Its unfortunate CPS had to be faced with the imminent issuance of a restraining order before finding the courage to take a stand against the teachers union unlawful bargaining provisions, DeVore said in a statement. Im excited for the parents of CPS students who will now be free to exercise their right to choose whats best for their children instead of being dictated to by overreaching bureaucracies. The rule of law exists to protect everyone in this state including all children who attend CPS. I will not stop until we are certain these unlawful mandates are never forced upon any child of this state again. In a letter to Sharkey released Monday evening, Lightfoot acknowledged the litigation the district faces and said she agrees with him that we must maintain our authority and autonomy in deciding what happens in our schools. ... An injunction directed against CPS, even if temporary, would undermine measures that CPS has in place, and could tie CPS hands in the future. Because this is a significant change, we must work together to prepare. Students leave Back of the Yards College Preparatory High School in Chicago at the end of the school day on Monday. Chicago Public Schools plans to end its COVID-19 mask mandate on March 14. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune) Most school districts across the country have transitioned to a mask-optional model. Chicago removed the mask requirements for most public spaces on Feb. 28 to align with the state of Illinois. Advertisement At the Feb. 23 Chicago Board of Education meeting, board members said the CPS mask mandate would remain because student vaccination rates vary between schools. On Monday, the district said 49% of age-eligible CPS students and more than 91% of CPS staff members are fully vaccinated. CPS was one of the first to require universal masking in schools, and we would not be moving to a mask-optional model unless the data and our public health experts indicated that it is safe for our school communities, Martinez said in a statement. We will support our staff and students as we enter this new phase in the pandemic and continue to move forward together. CPS promised to share more information with families and staff about the districts evolving COVID-19 protocols before March 14. The district said Monday its still encouraging masking for students and adults and will continue contact tracing and COVID-19 testing through its in-school program. In a statement Monday, CTU called on CPS to allow greater access to its Virtual Academy for students with certain medical conditions and to provide additional accommodations to staff with medical vulnerabilities. The union wants CPS to share the metric that will determine when the mask mandate would return if COVID-19 conditions worsen. Todays move by Mayor Lightfoot and CPS not only violates the unions agreement with the district, it ignores the impact that COVID-19 has on communities of color, the union said in its statement. The mayor has instead prioritized the wishes of Tom DeVore an opportunistic, right-wing extremist hundreds of miles away from Chicago over the wishes of the people of our city. Universal masking was part of the safety agreement CTU reached with CPS in February 2021 that paved the way for schools to reopen in waves. There was not a safety deal in place for this school year, until the union voted in early January to refuse in-person work as COVID-19 case numbers rose in Chicago. Advertisement Pritzker, meanwhile, pointed to vast improvement in COVID-19 hospitalizations and transmission when he lifted the states school exclusion requirements Friday. The Illinois Department of Public Health strongly recommends students and staff members stay home when they have a confirmed case of COVID-19. The states school mask mandate ended last month. CPS policy is that people who contract COVID-19 and unvaccinated people who come in close contact with an infected person stay home for five days, in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance. Sixty-nine CPS staff members and nearly 800 students were in isolation or quarantine as of Friday, according to district data. Tribunes Gregory Pratt contributed. tswartz@tribpub.com HOBOKEN, NJ Next week will mark two years since Hoboken schools, playgrounds, and other facilities closed to stop the spread of COVID-19, and some people have barely had a chance to reflect on the biggest losses and changes from the pandemic. But now that most of Hoboken's adults are fully vaccinated and case transmission has waned, the city is marking the end of an era. Mayor Ravi Bhalla announced Monday the end of the city of Hobokens COVID-19 State of Emergency, following the decline of confirmed positive COVID-19 cases in the city and region. Hoboken was among the first cities in the country to start shutting facilities as COVID reached the United States in March 2020. Several times, the state of New Jersey announced similar precautionary measures to Hoboken's a few days after Hoboken announced theirs. Hobokens Office of Emergency Management (OEM) had first declared a State of Emergency on March 12, 2020. OEM signed an Executive Order rescinding the State of Emergency on March 7, 2022. Among other changes, Mayor Ravi Bhalla's spokesperson said Monday that City Council meetings will go back to being in person starting in April. After two long, hard years, we are finally at a time where it is no longer necessary to remain under a State of Emergency, Bhalla said in a release on Monday. This is a credit to everyone who has chosen to get vaccinated and boosted, which has helped get us through the hard times of the past year. We will continue to be guided by science as the pandemic becomes an endemic, utilizing the tools we know will protect our residents. The city said last month that 98 percent of residents 12 and over, and 99 percent of residents 30 and over, had gotten a shot of the COVID vaccine. READ MORE: City Updates Vaccination Status Lockdown And Losses: March 2020 And After Hoboken first became aware of a resident testing positive for the virus on March 13, 2020, and Hoboken parks and day cares were closed on March 16, 2020. Story continues The mile-square city, directly across the river from midtown Manhattan, lost 31 residents to COVID through May 2020, then didn't lose another resident until that December. The city rescinded an indoor mask mandate last month, and the Hoboken public schools which stayed open nearly every day through the current and past school year went mask-optional as of Monday. Patch asked the city if any other policy changes were coming this week because of the lifting of the state of emergency. "As has been the case throughout the past year, City Hall continues to remain open to all members of the public with appointments preferred," city spokesperson Marilyn Baer said Monday. "The city has made a substantial investment to our website to make city services more accessible online. City Hall also no longer requires visitors to have their temperatures checked or sign-in and face coverings are now optional." She noted, "Per City Council leadership, council meetings are scheduled to be held in person starting in April." (The fact that council meetings are still virtual has sparked controversy.) The mayor planned to deliver a virtual State of the City Address Monday night (use the links here). Below is the order rescinding the State of Emergency: WHEREAS, the City of Hoboken declared a State of Emergency on March 12, 2020, before the very first case of COVID-19 was reported in Hoboken; and WHEREAS, the City of Hoboken took proactive measures to help curb the spread of COVID-19 during the early stages of the virus; and WHEREAS, rates of COVID-19 have substantially decreased across New Jersey and Hudson County, with a .95 infection rate and a positive test rate of 1.3% as of March 7, 2022; and WHEREAS, Hoboken has a high level of vaccination rates, with 85% of the entire population having received at least one vaccine dose, and nearly 100% of residents ages 65 and over having received both doses; and WHEREAS, Face masks are no longer required in in schools and child care centers in New Jersey, given low positivity rates and a substantial decrease in positive COVID-19 cases; and WHEREAS, The State of New Jersey has lifted the COVID-19 public health emergency as of March 7, 2022; NOW, THEREFORE, I, Sgt. William Montanez, Emergency Management Coordinator for the City of Hoboken, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the statutes of the State of New Jersey and the laws of the City of Hoboken, do hereby lift the State of Emergency declared for the City of Hoboken related to the COVID-19 pandemic. READ MORE: Hoboken Closes Playgrounds, Day Cares (March 2020) Hoboken has lost 63 residents to COVID. In America, more than 951,000 people have died of COVID since the start of the pandemic. The daily death rate is highest right now in these states. Sign up for a free 6 a.m. Patch email newsletter for Hoboken or your town here. Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site. Sign up for a daily 6 a.m. newsletter with news in your town, or for breaking news alerts: https://patch.com/subscribe This article originally appeared on the Hoboken Patch Kell Brook celebrates winning against Amir Khan (Action Images via Reuters) Eddie Hearn has warned Amir Khan not on your f***ing nelly after an approach to strike a deal for step-aside money to pave the way for Conor Benn to fight Kell Brook. Khan was knocked out by Brook in their grudge match last month, Khan included a rematch clause in the deal, but the manner of the defeat likely pushes him towards retirement, despite his contractual power over his former rival, Weve been approached to pay Amir Khan step-aside money so Conor Benn can fight Kell Brook, Hearn told IFL TV. No thank you, you aint going to fight Kell Brook anyway. So why should we pay you step-aside? By the way, Kell Brook wont even fight Conor Benn at the moment, so the whole thing is about people nicking a few quid. Well announce our fight with Conor Benn early next week. Hell fight 16 April. Hell go on to fight for the welterweight world title. If it involves Kell Brook or Amir Khan, no problem, but if not, well do our own thing. Youre paying step-aside money so he doesnt exercise the rematch clause, he might exercise the rematch clause, but we know he wont get in the ring. What hes trying to do is say, Im going to exercise the rematch clause and Im going to fight Kell Brook, but I wont do it if you give me a few quid. And the answer to that is, not on your f***ing nelly. The New York Times on Monday published at the top of its front page a chilling photo of four Ukrainian civilians, including two children, who were killed by Russian mortar fire as they were attempting to flee. According to Lynsey Addario, the New York Times photographer who took the photo, the image shows Ukrainian soldiers trying to save a man, who is lying on the pavement moments after being hit by a mortar while trying to evacuate the town of Irpin, just west of the capital, Kyiv, on Sunday. Three other people a woman, her teenage son and her daughter lie dead behind him. The man later died. Their luggage was left scattered about, along with a green carrying case for a small dog that was barking, Addario reported. We witnessed the Russian military bracket their mortars directly onto the civilian pedestrian path, where men, women, children, the elderly, ill and handicapped streamed out of Irpin, Addario added in a post on Instagram. Ive witnessed many horrors in the past twenty years of covering war, but the intentional targeting of children and women is pure evil. A portion of the New York Times front page on March 7, 2022 with Lynsey Addario's photo. People in Irpin have been using a battered bridge, which had been intentionally blown up by Ukrainian forces to slow the Russian advance, to cross into the relative safety of Kyiv. According to the Times, only a dozen or so Ukrainian soldiers were in the immediate area of the bridge on Sunday. They were not fighting but instead helping carry civilians luggage and children. Irpin Mayor Oleksandr Markushin said that at least eight civilians were killed along the route over the weekend. He said Russian forces were intentionally targeting civilians. This is not an army. These are animals, Markushin said on CNN. They are killing civilians. They are shelling our city, our residential buildings. They are firing on ambulances. This is just a. Monstrosity. They are animals. They are not people. Other photographers in the area captured similar scenes of panicked Ukrainians desperately trying to escape heavy Russian shelling along the evacuation route. Story continues Residents look for cover as they try to escape from the town of Irpin, Ukraine, on Sunday after heavy shelling on the only escape route used by locals. (Carlos Barria/Reuters) In other cities, Ukrainian officials said Russian artillery fire and airstrikes had prevented residents from making agreed-to evacuations. Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Ukraine of sabotaging the effort. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that he was aware of the reports of Russians targeting Ukrainian civilians, and that the United States is monitoring Russians for possible war crimes. Weve seen very credible reports of deliberate attacks on civilians, which would constitute a war crime, Blinken said on CNN's "State of the Union" Sunday. Theyre very credible. And were documenting everything. Alex Potemkin / iStock.com Americas worst fears about gasoline prices have come true ahead of the spring and summer travel seasons, as prices at the pump surged above $4 a gallon over the weekend and continued to rise Monday morning. Gas Prices: What the 9/10 Appendage Means and How It Impacts Your Wallet Find Out: How Much You Can Save Annually by Becoming a One-Car Family The average price of regular gasoline was $4.065 a gallon as of Monday morning, according to AAA. Thats the highest price in more than a decade. Prices first breached $4 on Sunday, at an average of $4.009 a gallon. The latest price is up from $3.610 a week ago, $3.441 a month ago and $2.768 a year ago. As those figures show, gasoline prices have been rising steadily over the last year amid global supply-chain disruptions and a refusal on the part of leading oil producers such as OPEC to release more reserves. Russias invasion of Ukraine has put even more pressure on global oil markets. American and (European Union) sanctions are having a severe impact on Russias ability to sell crude oil, thus crude prices have skyrocketed, Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at fuel-savings app GasBuddy, told USA Today. DeHaan said in a tweet that the national gasoline average could hit $4.10 a gallon by Tuesday, which would put it close to the record high of $4.11 set in July 2008, USA Today reported. The price spike probably wont end there, either. GasBuddy projects that the average price will reach $4.25 a gallon by May and probably stay above $4 until at least November. The current national average is a bargain compared to what consumers in some states pay particularly those on the West Coast. Californias average was $5.343 a gallon early Monday, according to AAA. In Hawaii the average was $4.699, and in Nevada it was $4.590. Oregon, Washington and Alaska also had average prices of $4.40 or higher. The cheapest prices at $3.750 a gallon or lower were largely concentrated in the Midwest and prairie states. Story continues See: White House Considers Federal Gas Tax Holiday as Oil Prices Approach $100 a Barrel Read: How Filling Up on Specific Days Could Save You $100 Annually Gas prices have shot higher even after the International Energy Agency, which includes the United States and other major economies, recently said it will deploy 60 million barrels of oil stockpiles to help ease oil prices that have surged above $100 a barrel. More From GOBankingRates This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Pain at the Pump: Gas Prices Breach $4 Mark and Continue To Rise JERUSALEM (AP) A Palestinian stabbed two police officers in Jerusalem's Old City on Monday before he was shot and killed by police, the second such incident in as many days. The Magen David Adom emergency service said it was treating two men in their 20s the two officers who were in moderate condition. The police said the attacker was critically wounded and later died. On Sunday, police shot and killed a 19-year-old Palestinian after he stabbed an officer in the Old City. The officer was lightly injured. Palestinians have carried out dozens of stabbing, shooting and car-ramming attacks targeting Israeli civilians and security personnel in recent years. Most of the attacks were carried out by individuals with no known links to armed groups. Palestinians and rights groups have accused Israel of using excessive force in some instances and of killing attackers who could have been arrested. Israel captured east Jerusalem, including the Old City and its Christian, Muslim and Jewish holy sites, along with the West Bank and Gaza Strip in the 1967 Mideast war. It later annexed east Jerusalem in a move not recognized by most of the international community. The Palestinians seek the occupied West Bank and Gaza for a future independent state, with east Jerusalem as its capital. Israel considers all of Jerusalem to be its capital. Erie police continued their investigation on Monday into a Saturday night car-pedestrian accident on the city's west side that led to the death of a 79-year-old city man. The accident was reported on Saturday at 7:08 p.m. in the 1900 block of West Eighth Street, between Delaware Avenue and Ohio Street. Woman killed in Girard Twp. crash: Lake City woman walking to mailbox killed in pedestrian crash in Girard Township The man, whose name was not released pending notification of family, was taken to UPMC Hamot and was pronounced dead there on Saturday at 8 p.m., Erie County Coroner Lyell Cook said Monday. Investigators believe the man was crossing West Eighth Street from south to north in the middle of the block when he was hit by a Honda Civic that was traveling east on West Eighth Street, said Sgt. Thomas Dunmire, an Erie Bureau of Police accident investigator. The man was then dragged by a Chevrolet Aveo that was also traveling east on West Eighth Street and was behind the Honda Civic, Dunmire said. Dunmire said the drivers of both vehicles stopped after the accident and are cooperating with investigators. Women plead to charges in fatal crashes: Women plead to summary charges in pair of accidents that killed pedestrians in Erie He said investigators will collect data including the vehicle's speed from the Honda Civic and are checking the area of the crash for surveillance video. Anyone with information that could assist in the investigation is asked to call Dunmire at 814-870-1171. Other pedestrian fatalities Saturday's accident was the fourth fatal car-pedestrian crash in Erie County and the third in the city in the past six months. A 51-year-old Erie woman pleaded guilty in January to summary counts of careless driving-unintentional death and speeding in a Sept. 19 crash at West 12th and Raspberry streets that killed pedestrian Trina Pope, 57. Erie police continue to investigate an Oct. 29 crash at Third and State streets that caused the death of pedestrian Barbara Best, 79, of North East. Story continues Woman going to mailbox killed in crash: Lake City woman walking to mailbox killed in pedestrian crash in Girard Township The Pennsylvania State Police continue to investigate a Feb. 10 crash on Middle Road in Girard Township that caused the death of 85-year-old Nancy Adams. Troopers said Adams was hit by a vehicle while crossing the road after retrieving her mail. Contact Tim Hahn at thahn@timesnews.com. Follow him on Twitter @ETNhahn. This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Erie county traffic crashes: Man dies after hit by car in west Erie The Defense Department filed an emergency request to the Supreme Court on Monday asking the justices to restore the department's authority over the deployment of unvaccinated Navy SEALs. The request follows a January ruling by a federal judge in Texas who temporarily blocked the department from halting the deployment of SEALs who refuse to comply with the military's COVID-19 vaccination mandate, and after an appeals court last month declined to put the judge's order on hold. According to the Biden administration's filing, the lower court rulings have tied commanders' hands and already have eroded health and safety protocols for the armed forces, including by forcing the Navy to deploy an unvaccinated SEAL to Hawaii "for duty on a submarine against its military judgment." "The Navy has an extraordinarily compelling interest in ensuring that the servicemembers who perform those missions are as physically and medically prepared as possible," read the Biden administration's court filing. "That includes vaccinating them against COVID-19, which is the least restrictive means of achieving that interest." The dispute arose after roughly three dozen service members assigned to the Naval Special Warfare Command, including 26 Navy SEALs, challenged the Pentagon's coronavirus vaccine mandate on religious grounds. In January, Texas-based U.S. District Judge Reed O'Connor, a George W. Bush appointee, temporarily blocked the military from taking any "adverse action" against the legal challengers, including making changes to training or deployment based on their unvaccinated status. Last month, a unanimous three-judge panel on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit declined to grant the Defense Department's request to halt O'Connor's order. Within an hour of receiving the department's emergency request, the Supreme Court asked the challengers to file a response by next Monday. Updated: 2:30 p.m. A former first lady of Ukraine with deep roots in Chicago called on the international community to take stronger action against Moscow, as Russias brutal invasion threatens her nations independence and potentially global order and security. Kateryna Yushchenko, who was born in the Humboldt Park area and served as first lady of Ukraine from 2005 to 2010, thanked supporters in Chicago and all over the world for their protests, donations and messages of solidarity with Ukrainians. Advertisement But Yushchenko, a former White House and State Department official, has been very distressed the West isnt doing enough, she told the Tribune in a recent telephone interview from an undisclosed location amid security concerns for her and her family. She urged ally nations to impose more severe sanctions against Russian President Vladimir Putin and others in power, as well as increase provisions and weapons for Ukrainian troops. Advertisement Kateryna Yushchenko, wife of then-Ukrainian President Viktor Yuschenko, attends a small gathering at the University of Chicago's Graduate School of Business at the Gleacher Center on April 4, 2005. (Chicago Tribune) She added that more international companies should fully cut ties with Russia, warning that Ukrainians are not only fighting for their survival but for freedom, peace and democracy in Europe. The world cannot just stand by and watch, she said. If the world does not stop Putin here, you will have to fight him in your own country. Her husband, Viktor Yushchenko, served as Ukraines third president, surviving an apparent assassination attempt during a tumultuous campaign against a Russian-backed candidate, which spurred a wave of protests and civil unrest known as the nations Orange Revolution. Now that hard-earned and often perilous quest for Ukrainian sovereignty is at risk. Kateryna Yushchenko said millions of Ukrainians are sheltering in basements and subways, fearing for their lives and the future of their nation. The Russian army is aiming missiles at schools, hospitals, apartment buildings, ambulances, orphanages, she said. The army is shooting at buses and people on the street. These are war crimes and I truly believe that Putins goal is to destroy the free and democratic world that weve built since World War II, and destroy the rule of law that has given us peace and prosperity. Return to Ukraine Kateryna Yushchenkos parents came to Chicago as refugees sponsored by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in 1956. She was born here in 1961, and later moved to northwest suburban Mount Prospect, where she graduated from Prospect High School. In the 1970s, Yushchenko twice visited Ukraine while it was under Soviet rule. Meeting her extended family and seeing her ancestral homeland made a strong impression, she recalled. Advertisement It made me dream about coming back to Ukraine, she said. Kateryna Yushchenko, wife of then-Ukrainian President Viktor Yuschenko, attends a small gathering at the University of Chicago on April 4, 2005. (Chicago Tribune) After earning her masters degree in business administration at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business in 1986, Yushchenko held a series of positions in Washington, D.C., including serving as an adviser on Eastern European ethnic affairs in the Reagan White House and in the human rights office of the State Department. She went on to co-found the nonprofit U.S.-Ukraine Foundation and moved to Kyiv as the Soviet Union began to crumble, just before Ukraine declared its independence in August 1991. I can say that maybe other than giving birth to my children, this was the happiest day of my life, she said. When Ukraine became independent, things changed so quickly and that was earth shattering for many people. Because suddenly there were opportunities. People could now travel. They could choose their jobs. They could choose where they spent their vacation. They could read anything they wanted. They could watch any kind of films or television that they wanted. It was almost like a century of change that happened in a few years. Amid this whirlwind of change and breakneck reform, she met her husband Viktor Yushchenko, who was then head of the central bank. They married in 1998 and have three children together; he has two children from a previous marriage. Her husband went on to serve as prime minister and then president of Ukraine, winning a turbulent election that nearly proved fatal for him. Advertisement Poison, revolution In his bid for president, Viktor Yushchenko faced a Russian-backed candidate, then-Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych. Following a dinner with Ukrainian officials in Kyiv in September 2004, Viktor Yushchenko fell mysteriously ill. When they kissed, his wife noticed a strange taste on his lips, something medicinal and unpleasant, the Tribune reported in December 2004. I asked him what that could be, Kateryna Yushchenko told the Tribune at the time. And he said, Oh, maybe it was a little wine or cognac that I had. I said, No, it had much more a metallic taste to it. He was transported to Austria for medical treatment, and testing later determined he suffered from dioxin poisoning, indicating he had ingested poison. He suffered severe gastrointestinal problems, and his face was disfigured and jaundiced, but he survived what was widely believed to be an assassination attempt. Larissa Hotra and a laughing Adrienne Kovalsky are part of a quartet of supporters welcoming then-Ukrainian President Viktor Yuschenko and his wife, Kateryna, to Chicago at Pioneer Court on April 4, 2005. (Chicago Tribune) In a runoff election between the two candidates, Yanukovych was declared the winner amid accusations of election fraud, igniting mass protests that were known as the nations Orange Revolution. Advertisement Ukraines Supreme Court ruled the election invalid and ordered a new runoff, which Yushchenko won. He was sworn in as president in January 2005. I am particularly happy that the Ukrainian nation has risen from its knees, he told a crowd of Chicago-area supporters during an April 2005 appearance at the Palmer House Hilton. We also rose from our knees because you were by us. His opponent, Yanukovych, went on to serve as president of Ukraine from 2010 until 2014, when he was ousted from office and exiled to Russia. His refusal to sign a European Union agreement was seen as caving to Russia and ignited a wave of 2013 and 2014 protests at the Maidan, Kyivs Independence Square, which culminated in the nations 2014 Revolution of Dignity. In 2019, a Ukrainian court found Yanukovych guilty of treason. But various international media have recently reported that Putin is hoping to reinstate Yanukovych as Ukraines next president. We will be independent Ultimately, the former first lady believes that Ukraine will persevere and remain a sovereign nation, in part because every single Ukrainian is going to fight to the death. Advertisement I am absolutely certain that Ukraine will win, that we will be independent, Kateryna Yushchenko said. Ukraine will never ever be subservient or subject to Russia again. I just fear that theres going to be a terrible loss of blood destruction of our cities, of our monuments and mass murder of our people before that happens. She described Kyiv as a beautiful city, similar in some ways to Chicago. Both are about the same size in population; and Chicago and Kyiv became Sister Cities in 1991. Very often that I thought that Kyiv did remind me of Chicago, she said. Its a beautiful city. Its a warm city. People are very warm and welcoming just the way they are in Chicago. Russias Feb. 24 full-scale invasion of Ukraine has sparked protests and demonstrations in Chicago. Various local politicians have condemned Putins war. The blue and yellow Ukrainian flag was recently raised over the Illinois State Capitol, in solidarity. When we win and when Ukraine opens up, I invite everyone from Chicago from America, from the world to visit us, our beautiful country and our amazing people, Kateryna Yushchenko said. To see us and help us build our country again. eleventis@chicagotribune.com Peoria police shot and killed a man near Liberty High School on Sunday night. Officers responded to a domestic-violence call around 8:30 p.m. near Lake Pleasant and Beardsley roads, and when they arrived they saw a man get in a vehicle and speed off. Police determined the man had damaged items in the home and was arguing with the woman before leaving, police said in a statement on Monday afternoon. Another officer saw the vehicle and thought the driver may have been impaired, so the officer tried to stop the vehicle but the man hit a curb and kept driving, according to police. Officers found the vehicle stopped with a flat tire near Williams Road and 95th Avenue and surrounded the vehicle. "The suspect got out of the vehicle and started yelling at the officers that he had a gun, didnt want to live and that they were going to have to shoot him or he was going to shoot himself," according to the Peoria police statement. Police said the man did not obey commands. "At one point the suspect reached into the vehicle and emerged from the vehicle in a manner that led officers to believe that he was armed," at least one officer shot him around 9:20 p.m. The man, later identified as 33-year-old Jerry Lott of Peoria, died. No one else was injured. Police did not say as of Monday afternoon whether officers recovered a gun from the man's body or vehicle. The Buckeye Police Department is investigating the shooting, as West Valley police departments have an agreement to investigate each other after officer-involved shootings. Police in Arizona last year shot at least 80 people, which was four less than in 2020, according to data tracked and analyzed by The Arizona Republic. The slightly lower number, however, was still higher than the yearly average for Arizona since 2011, which is about 75 shootings per year. The state's highest number of police shootings, with more than 100 statewide, happened in 2018. Services for Arizonans in crisis include: Story continues Dial 2-1-1 at any time to reach the free 2-1-1 Arizona information and referral service and connect with free resources available locally throughout the state. Solari Crisis & Human Services offers free crisis lines 24/7/365 dial 800-631-1314 for Maricopa County and 877-756-4090 for Northern Arizona. Help is also available via text message 2-10 p.m Mon.-Fri. and 8 a.m. - 2 p.m. Sat.-Sun. by texting hope to 4HOPE. The National Suicide Prevention Line is available 24/7 at 1-800-273-8255 in English and 1-888-628-9454 in Spanish. It's free and confidential for those in distress who need prevention or crisis resources for themselves or loved ones. Reach breaking news editor Kaila White at kaila.white@arizonarepublic.com or on Twitter @kailawhite. Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Peoria police shot, killed man near Williams Road, 96th Avenue Popular US products are sold in many UK supermarkets. Grace Dean/Insider Some UK grocers sell US products ranging from Pop-Tarts and Twinkies to hot dogs and A&W Root Beer. But in the UK they cost much more. A 10 pack of Twinkies cost $7.38 in the UK and $3.12 in the US. Insider visited multiple Tesco and Sainsbury's stores to see what they sell and how much for. Supermarket aisles around the world are lined with big-name American brands, from Coca-Cola and Monster to Oreo and Heinz. Grace Dean/Insider But though these products are easily available at almost every British grocery store, other American brands are a bit harder to find. Grace Dean/Insider Not many UK grocery stores have aisles dedicated solely to American food but some do. They sell harder-to-find products at dramatically hiked-up prices. Grace Dean/Insider Insider scouted out some locations of the British grocery chains Sainsbury's and Tesco that had American sections, to check out which products they stocked. Grace Dean/Insider The aisles focused largely on candy, with each aisle Insider visited stocking Twinkies and Nerd sweets. Grace Dean/Insider Hershey's and Reese's were popular, too. Grace Dean/Insider Pop-Tarts were available at a lot of the stores, though each only had a few flavors on offer. This Sainsbury's had S'mores and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Pop-Tarts ... Grace Dean/Insider ... while another Sainsbury's store was also selling Strawberry Sensation ones. Grace Dean/Insider The stores sold US cereal, too, though the products changed between stores. This Sainsbury's had large boxes of Hershey's Kisses cereal and Froot Loops Marshmallows cereal, as well as individual portions of Lucky Charms ... Grace Dean/Insider ... while a Tesco I went to sold Reese's Puffs and Unicorn Froot Loops. The Reese's Puffs cost 5 ($6.70) for an 11.5oz pack at Tesco, while Walmart is selling packs of the same size for $3.98. Grace Dean/Insider This Sainsbury's store I visited priced 10-packs of Twinkies at 5.50 ($7.38) and eight-packs of Pop-Tarts at 3.30 ($4.43). At Walmart, they would cost around $3.12 and $2 respectively. Grace Dean/Insider Source: Walmart A Tesco store I visited had discounted its Twinkies but it didn't seem like a very good offer. Story continues Grace Dean/Insider The choice of savory items was much more limited. Both the Tesco and Sainsbury's stores offered some products made by Dino's, a brand which I had never heard of before. These included gherkins, hot dogs, and fried onions. Grace Dean/Insider The stores didn't have much choice of drinks in the US aisles, though I did spot Virgil's and A&W root beer, Gatorade, and sugar-free Cherry 7Up. Grace Dean/Insider The limited choice may have been because large swathes of the beverage aisle were already dedicated to American brands made by Coca-Cola and PepsiCo. Grace Dean/Insider One Asda store I went to didn't have a dedicated American food section but did have a whole stand of Reese's products. Grace Dean/Insider I was also slightly surprised to see a stand in a Co-op store dedicated to instant mashed potatoes made by Idahoan, with signage that focused on "100% Idaho potatoes." Grace Dean/Insider Overall, the US grocery aisles sold a lot of big-name brands that are generally widely recognizable in the UK. Many items cost twice as much as in the US, however. I can't imagine many people buying these products regularly, considering you can order multipacks online at much lower prices. This is especially true for American ex-pats who would notice the huge price difference. Grace Dean/Insider Instead, it's likely that most people buy Pop-Tarts and Froot Loops from UK grocery stores as a one-off as a novelty particularly given that they can buy other cereals made by parent company Kellogg's for a fraction of the price. Kellogg's Pop tarts Geri Lavrov/Contributor/Getty Images Read the original article on Business Insider MIGUEL MEDINA/AFP/GettyImages The royals spent several months in the run-up to Prince Andrew settling with Virginia Giuffre insisting that Andrew would have to clear up his own mess and pay his own settlement. So why is it so strangely unsurprising to read allegations in the Sun that Prince Andrews settlement is going to be funded with the help of a chunky loan from Charles and the queen after all? Andrew-loans and regular loans are not, of course, always exactly the same thing. A few months ago, it was revealed that Andrew, having borrowed $2 million from a private bank operated by a friendthe Conservative party donor David Rowlandhe paid the money back with a personal gift fromDavid Rowland. The British public seems to be being softened up for something similar here. In this case, British newspaper the Sun says, if Andrew does not pay back the money (from the sale of his Swiss ski chalet) it will be taken out of any bequest left to him by his mommy in her will. A cynic might wonder whether an indulgent mother might simply, therefore, leave a wayward but favoured son an extra pile of money so that he could ultimately pay Charles back for the loan. As the palace is refusing to offer any guidance or information about how Andrew is settling his liabilities, apart from insisting the matter is private, this might never be known. Royal wills are typically kept secret; witness most recently the decision to sequester Prince Philips will for ninety years from the prying eyes of the public. The Sun says that Charles is to pay, most of the agreed settlement, which has to be paid in full ten days from now and is variously reported to be between $10 million and $14 million. The queen is also, chipping in, but the Sun says no public money is involved in the settlement. Andrew will supposedly then repay his brother and his mother with the proceeds of sale of his Swiss chalet. The Sun confidently says this will sell for around $17 million, but this ignores the fact that it is a matter of public record that Andrew has hefty debts on the property. Some calculations suggest that he only has around $4 million of equity in the property, which he owns with his ex-wife. Story continues And although Andrews side have confidently been saying the sale is on the point of closing for weeks now, the reality is that the war in Ukraine has upended high-end property sales all over Europe. Russian buyers have long been vital in propping up the top end of the European property market. It wouldnt be entirely surprising if the terms offered to a disgraced prince were being reconsidered. The Sun says that if Andrew fails to pay back his brother, the money, which includes a donation to Giuffres charity for sex trafficking victims, will be docked from the will of his mother when she dies. While this may go someway to satisfying Charles own sense of propriety, it is unlikely to quell public irritation at royalif not publicmoney being used to make Andrews legal woes go away. Speaking on the decision to loan Andrew the money, a source said: There were family discussions about how to take a little from here and a little from there. Once [money from the chalet] hits his bank account, he can pay back his brother and whoever else has lent him money. But that payment [to Virginia] has to be paid on time. He cant rely on selling the chalet. Too many things can go wrong and the court wont wait for property queries. A friend of Andrew added: He has no income or money to repay a bank loan so the family is the only way to guarantee the payment. Andrew of course, famously said that he had, no recollection of ever meeting Giuffre and accused her of being a liar when she alleged that she had sex with him. Andrew backed himself into a corner with his claims he had never met Giuffre, with sources on Giuffres side telling The Daily Beast they were left with little more to prove than that the two had ever met. This was a relatively simple task, made considerably simpler by the widely circulated photograph of Prince Andrew with his arm hooked around Virginia Giuffres midriff. Andrews side tried to claim the picture was fake, and The Daily Beast revealed the original had been lost, but there was never any realistic prospect that Andrew would be able to overturn the compelling narrative put forward by the photograph that he had encountered Giuffre. Epstein Victim Virginia Roberts Giuffre Lost Her Famous Photo of Prince Andrew The offices of Prince Andrew and the queen declined to comment to The Daily Beast. Prince Charles has been approached for comment. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. LONDON (AP) Queen Elizabeth II met with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday, smiling and greeting him in front of a large bouquet of blue and yellow flowers, the colors of the Ukrainian flag. The audience was the queen's first in-person engagement since she tested positive for COVID-19 on Feb. 20. Buckingham Palace declined to comment on the flower arrangement, but royal watchers say the queen and her family leave little to chance when making public appearances. Trudeau was in the UK for talks on the Ukraine war with Prime Minister Boris Johnson and their Dutch counterpart, Mark Rutte. Elizabeth, who is also the Queen of Canada, has visited the North American nation more than 20 times during her 70-year reign. She met with Trudeau at Windsor Castle, where she has spent most of her time since the outbreak of the pandemic. The pair have known each other for some time. Trudeau, 50, met the monarch several times as a child because his father, Pierre Elliott Trudeau, was one of Canadas longest-serving prime ministers. Pictures from the engagement show Trudeau warmly clasping Elizabeth's hand in both of his, with the vase of blue and yellow flowers directly in the background. They both smile warmly. Trudeau said he had had the privilege of knowing the queen for about 45 years, and I can tell you that in my conversation with her this morning she was as insightful and perspicacious as ever. The palaces Feb. 20 announcement that Elizabeth had tested positive test prompted concern about the 95-year-old monarch. The palace has declined to offer day-to day commentary on the monarchs health, citing her right to privacy. But palace officials have said that Elizabeth has been fully vaccinated and has had a booster shot. The Queen shakes hands with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Windsor Castles Oak Room (PA) The Queen has held her first in-person engagement since recovering from Covid-19, welcoming Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at Windsor Castle. The royal, who celebrated 70 years on the throne in February, was pictured in the castles Oak Room wearing a blue patterned dress and smiling as she shook hands with Trudeau on Monday. She was not carrying the walking stick she has been using of late. Trudeau is visiting the UK to discuss Russias war on Ukraine with Boris Johnson and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte. Last week, the Disaster Emergency Committee revealed that the Queen, alongside Prince Charles and Prince William had made a generous donation to its appeal to help those displaced by Vladimir Putins invasion of Ukraine. The DEC did not disclose how much the Queen had donated when approached for comment by the Independent. The meeting with Trudeau marks the first time the monarch, who is also Queen of Canada, has been seen in public since testing positive for Covid-19 on 20 February. At the time, Buckingham Palace said she had mild, cold-like symptoms and would be carrying out light duties with virtual audiences. Concerns for the Queens health have risen in recent months after she spent a night in hospital in October 2021. Following the hospital stay, in November she pulled out of attending the Cop26 climate summit, the Festival of Remembrance and the Remembrance Sunday Cenotaph service due to a sprained back. She also missed the Church of Englands General Synod. Her Majesty acknowledged the downward shift in her physical health during a meeting with Defence Services Secretary Major General Eldon Millar, and his predecessor, Rear Admiral James Macleod, at Windsor Castle last month. When asked how she felt by Macleod, the Queen replied: Well as you can see, I cant move. The Queen is due to celebrate her Platinum Jubilee with a long weekend of festivities in June. The four-day spectacle, from 2-5 June, is set to include a Platinum Jubilee Pageant through London, a party at Buckingham Palace and the Queens birthday parade, Trooping the Colour. No longer are there many teams within striking distance of securing a No. 1 seed in the men's NCAA basketball tournament. Only six realistic contenders are left after Duke and Wisconsin both suffered unexpected home losses this past weekend. In the best position appears to be Gonzaga, who likely needs only to win the WCC tournament to assure the No. 1 overall seed. Behind the Zags, Baylor, Arizona, Auburn, Kansas and Kentucky all still have work left to do this week to seize one of the other three spots on the NCAA tournaments top seed line. How safe is Gonzaga? Does Arizona have any hope of catching the Zags for the West Regions No. 1 seed? Could either the Big 12 or SEC land two No. 1 seeds? Heres a look at where the race stands with less than a week remaining until Selection Sunday: 1. Gonzaga (24-3, 13-1, NET: 1, KenPom: 1) Q1 record: 8-3 Q2 record: 2-0 Q3 or Q4 losses: 0 Best wins: Texas Tech, UCLA, Texas, Saint Marys Losses: Duke, Alabama, Saint Marys Path to a No. 1 seed: When the selection committee revealed its in-season top 16 a little over two weeks ago, chairman Tom Burnett explained that Gonzagas non-league wins separated the Zags from other No. 1 overall seed contenders. "They beat Texas Tech. They beat UCLA. They beat Texas," Burnett said. Gonzaga has since dropped a game at 24-win Saint Marys, but with every other top team taking at least one loss too, that alone probably wont be enough to jeopardize the Zags standing. If Gonzaga wins the WCC tournament Tuesday night, the Zags will likely be the NCAA tournaments No. 1 overall seed. If they lose, they probably remain on the No. 1 line but open the door for Arizona to wrest away the top seed in the geographically friendly West Region. Gonzaga center Chet Holmgren jams one in against St. Mary's on Feb. 12. 2. Baylor (26-5, 14-4, NET: 4, KenPom: 4) Q1 record: 11-4 Q2 record: 7-1 Q3 or Q4 losses: 0 Best wins: Kansas, Villanova, Michigan State, Texas (2) Losses: at Kansas, at Alabama, Texas Tech (2), Oklahoma State Path to a No. 1 seed: Even after losing four starters from last years national championship team and enduring a couple of crippling late-season injuries, head coach Scott Drew has piloted Baylor to the cusp of another No. 1 seed. The Big 12 co-champs enter the postseason with a national-best 11 quadrant 1 victories and only one loss against a team outside the current AP Top 25. The only way Baylor could be in jeopardy of dropping to the No. 2 line is if it crashes out of the Big 12 tournament against middling Oklahoma in the quarterfinals Thursday. That could leave the Bears vulnerable to be leapfrogged if, say, Kansas wins the Big 12 tournament and Auburn or Kentucky wins the SEC tournament. Story continues 3. Arizona (28-3, 18-2, NET: 2, KenPom: 2) Q1 record: 5-3 Q2 record: 9-0 Q3 or Q4 losses: 0 Best wins: at Illinois, UCLA, USC (2), Michigan Losses: at Tennessee, at UCLA, at Colorado Path to a No. 1 seed: It didnt take Tommy Lloyd long to prove that he was the correct choice as head coach to lead Arizona back to prominence. The longtime Gonzaga associate head coach has molded the Wildcats into the Pac-12s best team and a national title threat. With only three losses and none outside Quadrant 1, Arizonas case for a No. 1 seed is nearly unassailable if the Wildcats reach Saturdays Pac-12 title game, let alone win it. That probably wont be enough for Arizona to overtake Gonzaga as the No. 1 seed in the West, but it would keep the Wildcats from being the No. 2 seed in the Zags region. 4. Auburn (27-4, 15-3, NET: 10, KenPom: 7) Q1 record: 8-4 Q2 record: 6-0 Q3 or Q4 losses: 0 Best wins: Kentucky, Alabama (2), LSU, Murray State Losses: at UConn, at Arkansas, at Florida, at Tennessee Path to a No. 1 seed: Auburn has looked shaky since snatching a No. 1 seed during the committees in-season bracket reveal 16 days ago. The Tigers dropped games at Florida and at Tennessee, and needed overtime to survive Mississippi States upset bid. Where that leaves Bruce Pearls outright SEC champs is with work left to do to ensure a No. 1 seed. Win the SEC tournament, and the Tigers would leave no doubt. Fall short, and someone could bypass them. Kentucky would have a strong argument if it wins the SEC tournament, especially if it has to go through Auburn to do it. Same with Kansas if it makes a deep Big 12 tournament run. 5. Kansas (25-6, 14-4, NET: 7, KenPom: 9) Q1 record: 10-5 Q2 record: 7-1 Q3 or Q4 losses: 0 Best wins: Baylor, Texas Tech, Texas, Michigan State Losses: Dayton, at Texas Tech, Kentucky, at Texas, at Baylor, at TCU Path to a No. 1 seed: Eight times in Bill Selfs tenure, Kansas has claimed a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. The Jayhawks might not be a No. 1 if this years tournament started today, but they have a potential path if they can win the Big 12 tournament. Three wins in three days in Kansas City might be enough for Kansas to overtake co-Big 12 champ Baylor or to capitalize if either Arizona or Auburn lose early in their respective conference tournaments. The other issue for the Jayhawks is the head-to-head beatdown they endured at home against Kentucky earlier this season. The committee is likely to take that outcome into consideration if its Kentucky vs. Kansas for the final No. 1 seed and both resumes are remotely similar. 6. Kentucky (25-6, 14-4, NET: 5, KenPom: 3) Q1 record: 8-6 Q2 record: 4-0 Q3 or Q4 losses: 0 Best wins: at Kansas, Tennessee, Alabama (2), LSU Losses: Duke, at Notre Dame, at Auburn, at LSU, at Tennessee, at Arkansas Path to a No. 1 seed: For a team that is likely on the outside of the No. 1 seed picture entering conference tournament play, Kentucky has a relatively clear path to changing that. The Wildcats would be difficult to overlook if they win the SEC tournament, especially if that meant going through Alabama, Tennessee and Auburn to do it. Three wins in Tampa Bay would very likely be enough to overcome the razor-thin advantage that Auburn currently holds over Kentucky. And it would also probably be enough to narrow any gap with Kansas, making it more likely that the committee would take Kentuckys 20-point rout at Allen Fieldhouse into account. Oscar Tshiebwe (34) and Kentucky scored a big victory in January at Kansas, one of the Wildcats' most impressive wins this season. (Photo by Kyle Rivas/Getty Images) 7. Duke (26-5, 16-4, NET: 9, KenPom: 6) Q1 record: 5-1 Q2 record: 5-3 Q3 or Q4 losses: 1 (at Florida State) Best wins: Kentucky, Gonzaga, Wake Forest (2), North Carolina Losses: at Ohio State, Miami, at Florida State, at Virginia, North Carolina Path to a No. 1 seed: North Carolinas stunning victory Saturday didnt just spoil Mike Krzyzewskis retirement party. The Tar Heels also may have snuffed out Dukes faint hopes of ascending to the NCAA tournaments top seed line. While Dukes two marquee non-league wins over Kentucky and Gonzaga serve as a reminder of this teams potential, the rest of the Blue Devils resume is pretty empty. Their next best win is at North Carolina? Or at Wake Forest? Theyve also dropped a pair of games to teams who arent NCAA tournament contenders. The weakness of the rest of the ACC doesnt give Duke much chance to help itself this week. Would beating North Carolina in the ACC title game be cathartic? Heck, yes. Would it vault the Blue Devils past some of the teams above them in the race for the final No. 1 seed? Probably not. Rada Electronics Industries Ltd. (NASDAQ:RADA) is an Israel-based niche defense, aerospace and homeland security contractor specializing in electronic technologies. Combat-proven products include avionic systems, high-definition digital video, audio and recording devices for training craft, fighter jets, drones and land-based, tactical, multi-mission radars. Radar products are compact and secured to lightweight platforms. It can mount them to land vehicles and ships to detect and track aerial and ground threats from high-speed and slow-moving drones, vehicles, ships and boats and even people on foot. Positives Rada is a tiny, profitable, young and growing player in the hot defense industry. Aerospace and defense stocks have risen for four consecutive years. The SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF's (XAR) shares are up 63% from $77 to $122. Rada shares were $3.05 at the beginning of 2018 and closed this past week over $13. The 12-month target price is $15.50 and the stock is forecasted to hit a high of at least $17. The stock deserves its outperform rating. Events igniting these stocks include Russias years-long Crimea campaign, military moves in Syria and Iraq and the invasion of Ukraine. Adding to the momentum are Turkeys cross-border incursions and bellicose threats, Americas Middle East wars and the simmering feuds between the U.S. and China that are not easing, as well as Irans neighborhood forays and obsession to build nuclear weapons. Terrorism and 80 million migrants streaming across borders on six continents has also heightened homeland security investments. The common denominator is military dependency on electronic technologies. Second, Rada makes products useful in all these conditions. Its revenue is skyrocketing on orders for its counter-UAV systems, the drone detection and surveillance system, short-range air defense and counter-fire systems. The latest Israel-Gaza conflict was all technology-driven with nary a rifle shot or boots on the ground crossing borders. Story continues Rada CEO Dov Sella enthusiastically reported last month that 2021 was RADAs best year ever with top line growth of 54%, higher margins across the board (41% up from 39% in Q4 20), and our adjusted Ebitda almost tripled.We expect strong revenue growth to continueto organically reach ($140 million in Fiscal Year 2022) $250 million in three to four years (from a record $177 million in Fiscal Year 2021). The gross profit was 40.55% and the net income topped 21%. Earnings per share forecasts call for about a 15% increase in 2022 and 25% growth in 2023. The company ended the quarter holding nearly $80 million in cash and equivalents and with absolutely no debt, according to Sella. The third positive for investors is Radas market cap is up to $656.56 million while the price-earnings ratio is down to 22.7. There is talk about a potential sale of the company. The board retained an investment bank, but the company has no comment in the meantime. Regardless, the stock deserves the very bullish rating it gets from this analyst and others. The few articles that appear about this small company are 100% bullish. Rada Electronics: A Potential Value Opportunity Fourth, Rada's product innovations are increasingly important to Israels preparedness in thwarting existential threats. The company's growth adds to the nations economic success. The companys prosperity creates jobs, international goodwill and exports that garner income from global trade. Sales are mostly in the U S. The Abraham Accords are opening markets to Rada. The company expects to do much more business with India. Another positive factor is that institutions own 66% of the shares. This suggests Rada has gravitas among professional investors. Insiders own nearly 2%. The CEO owns possibly close to 1%. Insiders are also confident in the companys operations and potential. Shares have a levered beta rating of 0.93, meaning the stock is less volatile than the stock market. Downsides and risks On the downside, there is scant if any public information about insider trading. The company does not pay a dividend and there is no talk about stock buybacks. Short interest moved up to 1.93%. The share price hovered at about $9 for a long time, then popped to over $13 in the last few weeks. Talk of a sale coupled with timely reports about strong financials may be the culprit. The share price might be ripe for a dip on no news. The Israeli government might pressure the stakeholders to not sell to a foreign-owned company; that might suppress any sale opportunities. Takeaway Rada Electronics is an essential industry. It carved a niche for itself with innovative products. Products are tested in real time and proven effective. The company contributes to Israels security economy and the relationship provides stability to the company place in the economy. Radas drone business is cutting-edge technology for which there are military, commercial and civilian markets. The company has high growth potential, is profitable with high margins and suffers few risks to its growth and share price. Any dip presents a buying opportunity for retail value investors. This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Ukrainian-born Halyna Stetsyuk is comforted by her brother Vasyl Stetsyuk as hundreds of people gather in Daley Plaza to protest the violent invasion of Ukraine by Russia They have been in Chicago for 10 years. Marina Lebedima, also Ukrainian, stands at right. (Erin Hooley/Chicago Tribune) Roughly 1,000 protesters, most of them donning blue and yellow, stood in Daley Plaza to rally against Russias invasion of Ukraine on Sunday afternoon. Children held up handcrafted signs that said I stand with Ukraine while adults held up signs saying Close the sky and No fly zone. Advertisement Protesters are pushing for NATO to make the airspace over Ukraine a no-fly zone for Russian aircraft. The event was what Ukrainian native Olexanderia Kolenskyj called a cry for humanity. Advertisement People hold a large Ukrainian flag on March 6, 2022, as hundreds of people gather in Daley Plaza to protest the violent invasion of Ukraine by Russia. (Erin Hooley/Chicago Tribune) Ukrainian-born Halyna Stetsyuk is comforted by her brother Vasyl Stetsyuk as hundreds of people gather in Daley Plaza to protest the violent invasion of Ukraine by Russia. They have been in Chicago for 10 years. Marina Lebedima, also Ukrainian, stands at right. (Erin Hooley/Chicago Tribune) I am shocked about this war because it started suddenly, Kolenskyj said. I came from Ukraine just three months ago and everything was fine. Kolenskyj described Ukraine as a beautiful, developed country full of people and lots of tourists. And now its ruined, Kolenskyj said. Its very difficult to accept. Kolenskyj, who is from west Ukraine, said that although she was in her native land not too long ago, she cant imagine what its like now. Today, 38 children were killed and 67 were wounded, Kolenskyj said. Intelligent people in Ukraine (who dont) like to fight were bombed, killed and pressed to move from their home over the border to Poland, Germany, somewhere, with one bag and children in their hands. Kolenskyj said each day that passes gets scarier for her because she worries about her loved ones. I have relatives out there, my brother lives out there, Kolenskyj said tearfully. Every day (Russias military) is getting closer and closer. Advertisement Oleksandr Bytsko, who is from Ukraines capital, Kyiv, went to the rally with his son, Marko, and new wife, Julia Poliakova. Oleksandr Bytsko, center, puts his arm around his wife, Julia Poliakova, as they stand with his son Marko, left, as hundreds of people gather in Daley Plaza to protest the violent invasion of Ukraine by Russia. The couple are newlyweds. They had a church wedding in Kyiv in February and were on honeymoon in Egypt when the war started and were unable to return home. They arrived in Chicago three days ago. Bytsko plans to return to Ukraine in a week to fight for his country. (Erin Hooley/Chicago Tribune) We are here to ask people of the world to try and close the sky, Bytsko said. This war has to stop. Bytsko landed in Chicago with his family on March 3. Its a trip they did not plan to take. On Feb. 22, Bytsko and Poliakova got married at a church in Kyiv. On Feb. 23, the couple flew to Egypt for their honeymoon. And on Feb. 24, the war began. There was no possibility for us to come back to Ukraine, Bytsko said. But Bytsko said he wants to make his way back in one week. Advertisement I think my wife will stay here and I will go back to Ukraine to fight for my country, Bytsko said. An 11-year-old refugee has been hailed a hero after he travelled more than 600 miles alone from Ukraine to Slovakia to escape Putins forces. The young boy from Zaporizhzhia - the site of the nuclear power plant which captured by Russian forces last week - crossed the border to Slovakia all alone with just a backpack, a plastic bag, a passport and a phone number written on his hand. The boys mother sent him on the journey by train to live safely with relatives, while she stayed behind in Ukraine to take care of her sick mother. Slovakian authorities praised the boy and said volunteers looked after him when he arrived, giving him food and drinks. In a statement posted on the Slovakian ministrys Facebook page, the Slovak Minister of Interior said: [The boy] gained all of them with his smile, fearlessness and determination, worthy to be a true hero. The statement added that the boy was reunited with his relatives in Bratislava thanks to the phone number written on his hand, and a piece of paper in his passport. The boy travelled more than 600 miles to Slovakia from the city of Zaporizhzhia (ministerstvovnutraSR) He had a phone number of a relative written on his hand (ministerstvovnutraSR) In a video message, the boys mother, Yulia Volodymyrivna Pisecka, said she is a widow and mum to several children. She thanked the Slovakian police and government for taking care of her son and said the custom officers took him by the hand and helped him cross the border in Slovakia. She added: I am grateful you saved my sons life. The custom officers at the border helped him to cross into Slovakia (ministerstvovnutraSR) It comes as more than 1.7 million refugees have fled Ukraine as a result of Russias invasion, according to the United Nations (UN). As well as Slovakia, Ukrainians who have left the country are fleeing to neighbours such as Poland, Romania, Hungary and Moldova. UN figures show that Poland has taken in the largest number of refugees with 1,027,603 Ukrainians crossing the border. Follow our live coverage of Russia-Ukraine news here. The Independent has a proud history of campaigning for the rights of the most vulnerable, and we first ran our Refugees Welcome campaign during the war in Syria in 2015. Now, as we renew our campaign and launch this petition in the wake of the unfolding Ukrainian crisis, we are calling on the government to go further and faster to ensure help is delivered. To find out more about our Refugees Welcome campaign, click here. To sign the petition click here. If you would like to donate then please click here for our GoFundMe page. After a more than three-decade career at the forefront of greater Hartfords dining out scene, Richard Rosenthal the entrepreneurial force behind the Max restaurants is retiring from the company he founded in 1986, selling his share to his partners. Rosenthals flagship restaurant Max Downtown has been a Hartford landmark since the mid-1990s and the Max name also became well established in Avon, Glastonbury, West Hartford and just over the state line in Massachusetts. As the restaurants developed and partners opened each one, I needed them to be thinking, entrepreneurial managing partners, and they really were, Rosenthal said Monday. It made me feel this restaurant group could go on very strongly without me, with my limited guidance as a consultant. Rosenthal, who will turn 65 this month, said he also considered his age and the long, exhausting slog through a pandemic that is now heading into its third year. The pandemic has been a punch in everyones gut, Rosenthal said. Scott Smith, who joined the company in the early 1990s and long has served as chief operating officer, will succeed Rosenthal as chief executive of a company that now employs 900. Everyone can have the confidence that we are going to continue on and run the type of company that everyone has been accustomed to, Smith said Monday. People shouldnt expect a huge change. Smith said the company is still recovering from the downturn touched off by the pandemic. Were still picking up the pieces from Covid, Smith said. Weve always had low turnover and so, even though we still have a lot of veterans working for us, we probably have 10-15 people in each restaurant that are relatively new and getting them established and getting them to understand our standards our Never Say No attitude is a trick. The name of the company will change from Max Restaurant Group to Max Hospitality, recognizing that that great food and service are part of a larger experience of hospitality, Smith said. Story continues Smith said the company is looking at other potential locations for new restaurants. But Smith said the immediate goal is to build the Max restaurants back up and further respond to changes in the industry, including stepping up online ordering, that emerged in force during the pandemic and is most likely here to stay. In an interview from Florida Monday, Rosenthal said he started seriously thinking about stepping away from day-to-day responsibilities about a year ago when there was an offer to buy the restaurant company. It was a strategy to take Maxs and turn it into a bigger number, Rosenthal said. We never ran this business as a business to sell. We opened a restaurant and our goal was to be great, not what our next deal was. And this guy was going to be about the next deal, the next phase, which private equity company was going to buy us, that kind of thing, Rosenthal said. It was going to change the culture drastically. Rosenthal first staked out turf in Hartford in 1986, opening up Max-on-Main, which quickly became a place to see and be seen in the city. Reservations often were booked out for weeks. As an entrepreneur, Rosenthal also saw opportunities in the suburbs, opening up Max A Mia in Avon and Max Amore in Glastonbury. A decade after opening Max-on-Main, Rosenthal doubled the size of his downtown space, closing Max-on-Main and launching Max Downtown on the ground floor of CityPlace. Rosenthal partnered on the venture with Steven Abrams, his college roommate, who will also now assume the role of chief operating officer for Max Hospitality. Smith credits the success of the restaurant group, each restaurant with a distinctive identity, to Rosenthals being patient and waiting for the right location. Wed gone five years without opening a restaurant and then, Max Burger came about in a week, Smith said. Kenneth R. Gosselin can be reached at kgosselin@courant.com. SUCEAVA, Romania (AP) As Olga Okhrimenko walked into a bustling ballroom-turned-refugee shelter at a four-star Romanian hotel, her corgi, Knolly, strained at the leash anxiously seeking the warmth inside. It had taken them three days to flee Ukraine by car, bus and taxi in the bitter cold. The 34-year-old Ukrainian marketing manager could hardly contain her emotions, and a simple are you OK? filled her eyes with tears she thought she no longer had. The first refugees began arriving more than a week ago at the Mandachi Hotel and Spa in Suceava in Romania, where the owner decided to make the lavish, 850-square-meter ballroom available to them. Since then, more than 2,000 people and 100 pets have taken shelter here, with row upon row of numbered mattresses under an incongruous glittering disco ball. They are part of the swiftest refugee exodus so far this century, in which more than 1.7 million people have fled Ukraine in just 10 days, according to the United Nations Refugee Agency. Since the war started on Feb. 24, more than 227,000 Ukrainians have crossed into neighboring Romania, according to local authorities. Like Okhrimenko, some of the refugees at the Mandachi have fled cities on the front lines of the war. Whenever somebody asks me where I am from, and I say Kharkiv, their expression, its like I arrived from Hiroshima, Okhrimenko told The Associated Press from mattress number 60. Then, I remember everything going on there and I break down. After five days of shelling, she decided to flee Kharkiv on March 1 with Knolly, a couple of friends and their two cats. Their car passed by the citys central Freedom Square just 20 minutes before it was engulfed by a giant ball of fire in a Russian military strike. It was difficult for me before to say Im a great patriot of my land, she said. But on Feb. 24, I became one 100%. As she spoke, volunteers on megaphones interrupted several times to announce buses leaving for Italy, Germany, Bulgaria and other European nations. The room was chaotic, filled mostly with women and children, as men stayed in Ukraine to fight. Some spoke Russian, underlining the sense of a war on family. Story continues The majority of the refugees were Ukrainian, but there were also Nigerians, Moroccans, Italians, Chinese and Iranians. Toddlers cried in the arms of exhausted mothers, who took deep breaths to calm their children and themselves. Cats and dogs of all sizes shared beds with their owners, and one stressed Chihuahua with bulging eyes bit anyone who attempted to pet it. Some 300 volunteers, translators and social workers take turns to help here. In the mornings, they change the mismatched sheets on vacated mattresses, placing a reserved or free handwritten sign over them. In the reception area, the two bars display not alcohol but an array of diapers, toothbrushes, snacks and even surgical masks and disinfectant gel. At the opposite end of the King Salon, at mattress number 82 near stacks of red velvet chairs, 85-year-old Nellya Nahorna sat in silence combing her gray hair with her fingers. It was the second time this Ukrainian grandmother had fled war. In 1941, when she was just 4 years old, Nahorna was injured by shrapnel in Nazi Germanys invasion of Ukraine, she said. The first night of the war, my mother grabbed me from my cradle and ran to take the last car that carried the wounded to the border, Nahorna recalled in a soft, low voice. Now, more than 80 years later, it was her daughter, 57-year-old Olena Yefanova, who grabbed her on the first day of the war and crossed the border. They came from the town of Zaporizhzhia, where Europes largest nuclear power plant was hit by Russian shelling last week. This war is different, Nahorna said in Russian. In World War II, the enemies were German fascists, she said. But now, she was fleeing from her brothers. They had to make stops along the way to get her a Ukrainian passport. I would like to tell the Russian mothers .... help by keeping your sons right next to yourselves and dont let them fight and attack other countries, Nahorna said. In an astonishing accomplishment, the same grandmother who leaned on a cane to make it from her mattress to a table a few steps away had walked the last 5 km (3 miles) to Romania by foot. At one point, Nahornas heart seemed like it was giving up, and a doctor gave her some pills so she could continue, her daughter said. My mother clenched her will into a fist and left, Yefanova said proudly. She understood that this is going to be hard but she took it steadfastly. Yefanova had left her husband and one son behind, enlisted to fight the Russians. She wept as she showed a photo of them on her phone screensaver. Our kids play a game called little tanks - (Russian President Vladimir Putin) is playing his own version of this game, she said. And he is (using) his people in this game. A row behind Yefanova on mattress 34, Anna Karpenko thought of her partner as their 6-year-old son played with a yellow balloon. Before she left him at their home in Chornomorsk, on the outskirts of Ukraines biggest port city of Odesa, he promised they would get married after the war. But when we said goodbye, it felt like it was forever, Karpenko said, wiping tears from her eyes. Normally, she said, shes an optimistic person. Now she and her son both cry every day. Russian ships have made repeated attempts to fire on the Black Sea port of Odesa, according to Ukrainian officials. Karpenko said people in her town had gathered on beaches to fill bags with sand. Originally from Crimea, Karpenko speaks Russian, worked for a Russian language school and has relatives in Donetsk, one of two Russian-backed separatist regions in eastern Ukraine. The war in Ukraine has divided her family, with her Donetsk relatives supporting Putin. They think that all of their problems are caused by Ukraine, she explained in frustration. They worship (Putin) as if he was a God. Shes given up trying to tell them it was Russian strikes she was fleeing. By the next morning, Okhrimenko and her corgi had left. Her husband, who had moved to Germany only a few months ago, drove down to pick them up. She had planned to join him eventually, but never thought she would suddenly be chased out by sirens and explosions. We just took a deep sigh of relief together and hugged each other so strong, Okhrimenko told AP by text message from the road to Germany. Karpenko, her son and her mother boarded a bus also bound for Germany. On the same bus were Yefanova and Nahorna, the 85-year-old grandmother. Thirty hours after leaving the makeshift shelter, they were still on the road. The longest journey in my life, Karpenko texted AP from a gas station in Austria. As one bus left, others arrived at the Hotel Mandachi, full of freezing refugees carrying their children and their belongings. With no end to the war in sight, the wedding parties that once took place in the ballroom have been postponed indefinitely. __ Follow the APs coverage of the Ukraine crisis at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine The damage caused by shelling in Kharkiv pictured on 2 March (Getty) Russia may be targeting Ukrainian communications to cut off civilians internet and access to news as their invasion continues, the MoD has said. Vladimir Putin's attack on Ukraine has now stretched into its 12th day, with his forces indiscriminately bombing civilian areas, showing little signs of stopping. Putin has so far made limited progress in taking Ukraine, and intelligence has suggested he is trying to cut off communications to the outside world in an effort to move forward. It was reported on Sunday that a TV tower in the city of Kharkiv was hit, suspending the broadcast signal. The attack follows a similar incident on 1 March, in which Russian forces struck the TV tower in Kyiv and a nearby Holocaust memorial. At least five people were killed in the attack. A tweet from the MoD said: "Russia is probably targeting Ukraines communications infrastructure in order to reduce Ukrainian citizens access to reliable news and information. Watch: Zelenskyy warns of 'day of judgement' after evacuation routes are targeted "Russia reportedly struck a TV tower in Kharkiv yesterday, suspending broadcasting output. This follows a similar strike on a TV tower in Kyiv on 01 March 2022. "Ukrainian internet access is also highly likely being disrupted as a result of collateral damage from Russian strikes on infrastructure. Over the past week, internet outages have been reported in Mariupol, Sumy, Kyiv and Kharkiv." Head of Kharkiv Regional Military Administration, Oleh Syniohubov, confirmed the TV tower had been damaged in the attack, the Interfax News Agency reported. "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. Siniohubov added: "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." Story continues Russia has continued its assault on Ukraine over the weekend. The burnt out remains of a building destroyed by Russian army shelling in Kharkiv on Sunday (Getty) Despite calling a ceasefire, Russia was accused of continuing to shell an area which was established as a humanitarian corridor on Saturday. The MoD said the move likely a ploy to distract attention away from Russia resetting forces for a renewed attack. A second attempt to evacuate the city of Mariupol was called off on Sunday, with Ukrainian authorities saying the Russians had not adhered to an agreement to suspend hostilities until the evening. The city council said they had planned to evacuate 200,000 people from the area - half the population. A third attempt at a humanitarian corridor has been agreed for 7am UK time on Monday for people to evacuate out of surrounded cities including Mariupol, Kharkiv, Sumy and Kyiv. The humanitarian corridors are being opened at the request of French President Emmanuel Macron, according to the Interfax news agency. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy vowed Ukraine will "not forget" the killing of civilians.(Getty) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy vowed Ukraine will "not forget" the killing of civilians. Speaking in a late-night Sunday address to mark the Orthodox Christian holiday of "Forgiveness Sunday", Zelenskyy spoke of a family of four who were among eight killed while trying to flee the city of Irpin on Sunday. He told Ukrainians: "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 in Ukraine, our people, our children. "We will not forgive the shooting of unarmed people. Destruction of our infrastructure. "We cannot forgive the hundreds upon hundreds of victims. Nor the thousands upon thousands who have suffered. "God will not forgive. Not today. Not tomorrow. Never. "And instead of forgiveness, there will be a day of judgement." More to follow... Ukrainian volunteers remove a civilian body as Russian forces continue to besiege the residential neighborhood of Irpin on March 7, 2022. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) A dozen days into a devastating war and a burgeoning refugee crisis, Russian forces on Monday launched withering new attacks on civilian areas and strategic centers in Ukraine, seeking to cripple the country's defenses and establish supremacy over its vital Black Sea coast. Amid a deepening humanitarian catastrophe in besieged Ukrainian cities and towns, representatives for the two sides held a third round of talks Monday, but reported no political progress toward ending Europe's biggest ground war in decades. A Ukrainian negotiator reported some "small positive shifts" on logistical arrangements for setting up humanitarian corridors as soon as Tuesday. Earlier Monday, for the third time since the weekend, Russia announced a new cease-fire to allow civilians to escape four beleaguered Ukrainian cities, but there was little sign that its forces would honor that pledge. In some cities and towns, food, water and power dwindled and then ran out. Shelling attacks drew closer to the outskirts of the capital, Kyiv, even as a massive Russian convoy remained at a near-standstill less than 20 miles to the north. The city bristled with makeshift defenses sandbags, old tires, tree branches as its mayor, Vitali Klitschko, vowed that defenders would fight to the death at "every house, every street, every checkpoint." Although the scale of suffering grows daily, Russian President Vladimir Putins apparent aim to swiftly bludgeon Ukraine into submission appears to be foundering, even if he ultimately brings its leadership to heel. Western military analysts and officials have cited a plethora of factors, including Russian forces supply problems, low troop morale and tactical blunders in combination with a furious Ukrainian defense, by regular and irregular fighters, which clearly surpassed Kremlin expectations. Late Monday, the Ukrainian military said it shot down two Russian warplanes over Kyiv. In another sign that Moscow might be worried about underperformance, there were indications that Russia was looking to recruit Syrians to aid in its Ukraine military effort, a senior U.S. defense official told reporters on Monday. Story continues But the Russians are bringing vastly superior firepower to the fight, notably in their onslaught in the south. A senior Pentagon official who briefed reporters Monday said nearly 100% of the Russian troops pre-positioned by Putin outside Ukraine were now involved. Moreover, if Russian forces compensate for being bogged down in some areas with tactics such as bombardment and airstrikes, civilians will continue to bear the brunt. The Biden administration, meanwhile, has sought to bolster European allies, especially those on NATO's eastern flank. The Pentagon said Monday that it had deployed 500 additional troops to Europe in support roles such as refueling. As the Russian offensive has widened, hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians remain trapped in their homes; some have died while trying to flee, including an entire family killed on a suburban Kyiv road that President Volodymyr Zelensky likened to a shooting gallery for invading troops. Russia has proposed corridors of evacuation that would funnel refugees to Russia and to its ally Belarus, from which Russian troops rolled into northern Ukraine. That drew scathing rejoinders from Ukrainian and Western officials. This is an unacceptable option for opening humanitarian corridors, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Irina Vereshchuk said at a news briefing. The Ukrainian government has proposed alternative routes. Providing evacuation routes into the arms of the country that is currently destroying yours is a nonsense, said James Cleverly, Britain's minister for Europe. French President Emmanuel Macron deemed the Russian offer "political and moral cynicism." Almost all of the more than 1.7 million people who have escaped Ukraine in the last two weeks have gone west, to countries such as Poland and Hungary, in what the United Nations' refugee agency chief called the fastest-growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War II. The exodus amounts to almost 4% of Ukraine's entire population akin to about 12.7 million Americans fleeing the United States. Another southern Ukrainian city, Mykolaiv, awoke to renewed shelling Monday, Mayor Oleksandr Senkevich wrote on Facebook a pounding that continued long into the day. But the regional governor said, after a day that included pitched fighting on the city's outskirts, that defenders had held off a Russian assault. "They are running away," the governor, Vitaliy Kim, wrote on Facebook. Taking over Mykolaiv has been a Russian objective for several days, as the city could serve as a key staging ground for a large-scale offensive against Odesa, which lies about 75 miles to the southwest and is Ukraines most vital access point to the Black Sea. Evacuees prepare to board buses Sunday after the Ukrainian town of Irpin, outside Kyiv, was bombarded by Russian artillery. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) Senkevich accused Russian forces of deliberately targeting civilian apartment buildings, saying that attacks overnight had left wide swaths of Mykolaiv without heat. He posted a video showing what looked like a residential building, its center blackened by a blazing fire presumably caused by a shell. Emergency crews were at work restoring service, he said. But he warned that there was a lot of unexploded ordnance around the city and that residents should keep their distance until authorities could remove them. Reflecting the desperate circumstances facing civilians in suburbs northwest of Kyiv, authorities in Bucha, a town recently taken over by the Russian army, told residents to not try to escape on their own. The town's mayor was wounded during the attempt to set up a safe corridor, Ukraine's Foreign Ministry reported. We emphasize and warn that if you try to evacuate yourself, the chances of survival are 50/50, said a post on the Bucha City Councils official Facebook page. DO NOT evacuate on your own! Both the two failed cease-fires had included the southern port city of Mariupol, where officials say Russian pummeling has taken a grievous toll in human life and on key infrastructure, cutting off water, electricity and food and medical supplies. Nearly half the citys 430,000 residents are trying to flee, according to one estimate, but only a small fraction have succeeded. In Kharkiv, the nation's second-largest city, authorities said Monday that 209 people there, more than half of them civilians, have been killed since the invasion began. Ukrainian refugees gather at the main train station in Przemysl, Poland, on Sunday. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) Putin has repeatedly insisted that he would end hostilities only if Kyiv capitulates to all his demands, which include accepting the loss of Crimea, which Russia seized in 2014, Ukraine's "demilitarization" and a renunciation of any intention to try to join NATO. For his part, Zelensky has implored NATO to establish a no-fly zone over Ukraine and grown increasingly angry over its rebuff of his request, which the transatlantic alliance says could lead to a larger, even more catastrophic armed confrontation between the West and Russia. Russian forces have been seeking to home in on Ukrainian airstrips and airfields; Zelensky said the airport at Vinnytsia, about 120 miles southwest of Kyiv, had been "completely destroyed." In a video address Monday, the Ukrainian president also called for an international boycott of Russian oil, one of Moscows most important sources of revenue. On Sunday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) said U.S. lawmakers were exploring such a ban. Heavy Western sanctions have already delivered a blow to Russias economy, with the ruble plunging in value, multinational companies pulling out and the Moscow stock exchange all but frozen, and some U.S. officials have called for more. Were raising the cost on the Kremlin and all who aid and enable it for continuing this war of choice, Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken said Monday during a visit to Lithuania, adding: We want this to come to a stop as quickly as possible, which is why well continue to increase pressure on Russia, continue to support Ukraine. Putin warned over the weekend that the Wests economic crackdown was close to a declaration of war. He launched the incursion baselessly claiming that Ukraines democratically elected leadership was a neo-Nazi cabal bent on wiping out ethnic Russians in the countrys east. On Monday, a spokesman for the Russian Defense Ministry told reporters that 2,396 military infrastructure facilities had been destroyed in Ukraine since the start of the special operation Russias term for the invasion of its neighbor. The information the spokesman provided could not be independently verified. Putin has ignored international condemnation of the invasion, and in keeping with that pattern, Russian representatives were a no-show at a hearing Monday at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, where Kyiv accused Moscow of war crimes. Although there is little reason to think the Kremlin would heed a call by the court to desist, Ukraine's representative, Anton Korynevych, appealed to the judges to order Russia to halt its attacks. Putin has also sought to keep a tight lid on information about the conflict's costs. Moscow has acknowledged the deaths of nearly 500 Russian soldiers. But Ukraines Defense Ministry said Monday that the Russian army has lost more than 11,000 service personnel, more than 1,000 tanks and armored vehicles, and more than 100 aircraft and helicopters. The figures could not be independently verified. The Biden administration has accused Russian troops of targeting civilians, an allegation Putin denies, although Russian forces and their proxies leveled cities during conflicts in Chechnya and Syria at the cost of thousands of lives. With the Kremlin in effect banning independent reporting in Russia on the war, many in the country have accepted the government line on the invasion. But the war has not been without domestic opposition: Protests around the country on Sunday, from Siberia to St. Petersburg, resulted in the arrests of more than 4,600 people, according to the rights group OVD-Info. Bulos reported from Kyiv, King from Washington and Chu from London. Times staff writer Tracy Wilkinson, Anumita Kaur and Eli Stokols in Washington contributed to this report. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Russia is reportedly hiring Syrians adept in urban combat to fight in Ukraine, as the invasion ordered by Moscow focuses on key cities and major urban centres including the capital Kyiv. Moscow has been recruiting fighters who were operating from inside Syria since 2015, The Wall Street Journal reported citing four US officials. Though it is unclear how many fighters will be recruited, some were said to already be in Russia readying themselves to participate in the ongoing invasion. Details on the deployment of these Syrian fighters to Ukraine, their status and precise scale of the effort is also not yet clear, according to the WSJ report. The Syrian forces could be asked to work in a support role, said Jennifer Cafarella, national security fellow at the Institute of the Study of War. They could help Russia with the urban warfare front, on which they have spent nearly a decade, she said, adding that the stand-off could soon become a new centre of gravity for foreign fighters. Experts have said this could lead to a potential escalation in the violence brewing in Ukraine, which has for 12 days now been subject to a deadly invasion, in which key cities, buildings and power plants have come under attack. Russia is paying the Middle-Eastern countrys volunteers between $200 and $300 (151 and 227) to go to Ukraine and operate as guards for six months at a time, according to a report from the Syrian city of Deir Ezzor. Chechen forces have also been deployed to Ukraine, said Ramzan Kadyrov, the leader of the Chechen Republic, a Russian ally. Meanwhile, at least 16,000 foreigners have signed up as volunteers to fight for Ukraine after president Volodymyr Zelensky opened the countrys roads for an international legion. Ukraine remains in a quagmire of war, with attacks being launched from air and on ground by Russian troops, aided by ally Belarus in some pockets as Vladimir Putin tries to thwart the existing Ukrainian administration and include a collapsed country into the Russian fold. Story continues Continuous bombing, shelling and missile strikes have forced 1.5 million people to flee Ukraine since the invasion the biggest conflict Europe has seen since the Second World War began. More than 350 people have died and 759 have been wounded, according to the United Nations. However, Russian troops have encountered unanticipated difficulties while trying to invade Ukraine, including the stuttering progress of a miles-long military convoy. Western nations have increased pressure on Russia with economic sanctions, while several organisations, financial platforms and major brands have also exited Moscow seeking an end to the invasion. The Independent has a proud history of campaigning for the rights of the most vulnerable, and we first ran our Refugees Welcome campaign during the war in Syria in 2015. Now, as we renew our campaign and launch this petition in the wake of the unfolding Ukrainian crisis, we are calling on the government to go further and faster to ensure help is delivered. To find out more about our Refugees Welcome campaign, click here. To sign the petition click here. If you would like to donate then please click here for our GoFundMe page. Joe Kotoch knows what sells houses, and its not cracked linoleum, Brady Bunch-era kitchen appliances and stained ceilings. When Kotoch, 40, makes an overture to a homeowner or, in the case of estate sales, to heirs, he includes an estimate as to how much money and work it will likely take to polish a deflated and scuffed house into buyer-ready condition. Sometimes, sellers look at his plans for updating the structure, systems and finishes, and tell him they could do it themselves and reap the same profit. Advertisement Sure, you can do some of the work, but youre not going to get the premium you think youre going to get, said Kotoch, an investor and realty agent who has been flipping Chicago houses since 2015 and turned six projects in 2021. Investors of all sizes wield more power than ever in the single-family home market. They arrive on sellers doorsteps armed with truckloads of cash and wielding formulas for extracting return, by renting or reselling. Even seasoned homeowners might be taken aback when investors show interest in their just-listed houses. Investors offer deals that individual buyers cant, and also a different set of considerations. For most sellers, investors offer a packaged trade-off of efficiency versus top dollar. Advertisement Increasingly, investors are a force in the single-family housing market. National realty brokerage Redfin estimates that in the third quarter of 2021, 18% of all houses were purchased by investors. In Chicago, 8.5% of houses sold to investors during the third quarter of 2021, up from 7% in the year-before period. Nationally, 30.3% of all houses were purchased with cash in 2021, reported ATTOM, a real estate data firm, compared with 22.8% in 2020. Joe Kotoch stands inside a rehabbed Lakeview two-flat on Feb. 15, 2022. Sure, you can do some of the work, but youre not going to get the premium you think youre going to get, Kotoch said. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune) In the past decade, the category of single-family home investment has geared up and now, investors from Wall Street to Main Street can take advantage of new modes of financing, renovating and renting that amplify their returns, say investors and realty brokerages. Still, the investment machinery depends on a steady stream of homeowners willing to sell to investors rather than the appealing young family hoping to land their first house. Redfin experts note that investors are so hungry for deals that they are reaching into pricier neighborhoods. That means that almost any home seller could find themselves fielding short-deadline offers from investors. The most important factor for sorting out an investor offer is understanding your own goals for the sale, said Bob Schneider, a certified financial planner with Johnson Financial Group in Milwaukee. Is your goal to get as much as possible for the house, or is your goal a stress-free transition of the house? he asked. Schneider faced a variation of this decision recently himself, when he negotiated with an acquaintance to buy a new house before it went on the open market. Having just sold his first house, Schneider was in position to offer a handsome price and swift close similar to the terms offered by investors. But, he also had to persuade the seller that the convenience was worth forgoing a potential bonus driven by listing the house and inviting competitive bids. Part of Schneiders persuasive pitch was to explain his intentions for the house he hoped to buy; sellers considering an investors pitch should do the same, he said. What are their plans for the house? They dont have to tell you, but you can do some research to see what theyve done with other houses theyve purchased, he said. Do they rent or do they resell, and if so, for how much? Do they put any work into their houses? And, Schneider and realty agents stress that its important to have an agent on your own side who can provide context for any offer from any party, investor or individual. Its essential to understand how an investor arrived at the offer price, said Jessica Lautz, vice president of demographics and behavioral insights for the National Association of Realtors. Advertisement NAR research indicates that last year, 35% of houses and condos sold for above the list price: 28% captured 101% to 110% more, and 7% pulled in a premium of more than 110% of what the sellers initially asked. That incremental amount over list is straight into your pocket, Lautz said. That becomes your down payment or renovations for your next house. A Lakeview two-flat rehabbed by Joe Kotoch. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune) Institutional investors said they use combinations of algorithm-driven valuation models to estimate the likely price a house would fetch on the open market, and make their offers accordingly. But, they also factor in their cost to complete light to moderate updates and a healthy profit margin. Offerpad, an Arizona company that renovates and resells single-family homes in 15 states, uses a combination of analytics and local agent assessments to arrive at the price it presents to buyers, explained co-founder and CEO Brian Bair. We know consumers wont accept a low offer, he said. Part of the packaged deal, though, is a streamlined process. The sellers wont have to spiff up their houses, worry about an appraisal that doesnt support an individuals high offer or endure the annoyances of complying with a home inspectors list of flaws that must be addressed. Kotoch said he approaches likely sellers when he detects properties being sold by heirs, who tend to prioritize expedience over top dollar, and who attach little sentimental value to the houses. He opens the conversation by explaining that he is backed by his own investors Renovo Financial, a finance company that backs small-scale investors which means he has cash at the ready. It gives me a little more cachet, he punned. As I present an offer, I also provide them justification as to why the price is the price. I usually explain that given supply chain and labor issues, thats why were coming at this number. Weve evaluated this and we can close in two or three weeks. And, Kotoch doesnt apologize for composing his offers with a 20% profit for himself and his partners. Some potential sellers balk The biggest disconnect is that sellers are unrealistic about the scope of work and the cost associated with it, Kotoch said. They all think you can slap a coat of paint on something and thats rehabbing. Now, particularly with the supply and labor shortage, it can take three to five months just to get a bid from a contractor. We evaluate it and say, heres our offer and we can close in two or three weeks. Advertisement Join our Chicago Dream Homes Facebook group for more luxury listings and real estate news. Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, with Igor Sechin. AP A Russian oligarch told the captain of his yacht to sail from France to Turkey ASAP, per the WSJ. Igor Sechin's yacht was docked in France when he was sanctioned after Russia invaded Ukraine. French authorities tied the yacht down so it couldn't leave, a customs officer told The Journal. Igor Sechin, a Russian billionaire and oligarch, told the captain of his now-seized superyacht to leave a French port and sail to Turkey as fast as possible after he was hit with sanctions, The Wall Street Journal reported Saturday. The US and the European Union put Sechin, who is said to be a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, on their sanctions lists shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine. Sechin is also known as Russia's "Darth Vader." The report on Sechin's orders offers a glimpse into how the wealthiest Russians who were targeted by sanctions sought to move their yachts and private jets across the world after the invasion of Ukraine in order to protect their assets. Eric Salles, a lead officer on the seizure operation, said in an interview with The Journal that French customs officers found out last week that the yacht was preparing to leave the French town of La Ciotat despite having repair work scheduled. Customs officers also heard the yacht was owned by Sechin, CEO of Russian state-controlled oil giant Rosneft, Salles added. The customs officers went to the yacht and questioned the captain, Salles said in the interview. The captain told officers that he had orders to leave the French port and "sail to Turkey as quickly as possible," Salles told The Journal. After hearing this information, French authorities tied the yacht to the quay with steel-rope slings so it couldn't leave, Salles told The Journal. Officers proceeded to check documents, further question the captain and crew, and surveil the vessel 24/7, Salles added. Sechin's yacht was officially seized by the authorities on Wednesday night, according to a press release tweeted by French finance minister Bruno Le Maire. The yacht's captain still on board the vessel with other crew members wasn't arrested, Salles told The Journal. Story continues Sechin is among several high-profile Russian business executives who have been sanctioned by the EU, US, UK, and others because of their ties to Putin. Gennady Timchenko, a Putin confidant, and Alexei Mordashov, reportedly the wealthiest man in Russia, had their superyachts seized by officials in Italy, The Associated Press reported on Friday. Read the original article on Business Insider CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story listed an incorrect date for this event. FARMINGTON An event designed to help veterans and unmarried surviving spouses of veterans file for property tax exemptions will be held this week at the San Juan County assessor's office. The in-office service day will be held from 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 10, at the assessor's office at the San Juan County Administration Building, 100 S. Oliver Drive, Suite 400, in Aztec. Staff members from the assessor's office and the New Mexico Department of Veterans Services will be available to help people apply for the property tax exemptions, which will be granted on the spot to qualified applicants, according to a flier for the event. According to a press release from the New Mexico Department of Veterans Services, the exemption is good for a $4,000 reduction off the taxable value of a veteran's primary residence. More: San Juan College increases tuition rates starting fall semester 2022 Eligibility for an exemption that would allow recipients to waive their entire tax bill is available for veterans who are rated as service-related, 100% permanently and totally disabled by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, according to the press release. The exemptions will be provided after New Mexico residency is verified for the veteran or surviving unmarried spouse and veteran status is confirmed. To qualify for the exemption, applicants need to bring a copy of the one of the following forms to show their veteran status DD-214, National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration form 56-16 or Public Health Service form 1867. More: Litigation on hold in New Mexico's case against EPA over Gold King Mine spill If the applicant is filing for a disabled veteran tax waiver, a Veterans Administration award letter declaring 100% permanent and total service-connected disability is required. To establish proof of New Mexico residency, applicants must bring with them a current New Mexico driver's license, a voter registration card or their latest New Mexico income tax return. Story continues The application process also can be completed by mail. For assistance with that process, call Beverly Charley, Department of Veterans Services tribal and pueblo liaison, at 575-241-3322 or email her at beverly.charley@state.nm.us. Questions also can be directed to San Juan County Assessor Jimmy Voita at 505-334-6157. For more information about Thursday's event, visit sjcassessor.com. Support local journalism with a digital subscription. This article originally appeared on Farmington Daily Times: Event set for Thursday, March 10 at San Juan County assessor's office TORONTO --News Direct-- Scotiabank TORONTO, March 7, 2022 /3BL Media/ - Scotiabank announced today that the bank has made a donation of $200,000 to the Red Cross' Ukraine Humanitarian Crisis Appeal, to support relief efforts for those affected by recent events in Ukraine and surrounding countries. "The recent invasion of Ukraine is causing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis with serious and far-reaching implications for people everywhere, and requires a coordinated global response," said Brian Porter, President and Chief Executive Officer for Scotiabank. "Scotiabank stands with the people of Ukraine and the surrounding regions, and with our large and vibrant Ukrainian community right across Canada. We will continue to support our communities in times like these, of real and urgent need." Canadians wishing to make a donation to the Ukraine Humanitarian Crisis Appeal can do so at www.redcross.ca or at any Scotiabank branch in Canada. The Government of Canada will match every donation made by individual Canadians to the Canadian Red Cross between February 24, 2022, and March 18, 2022, up to a maximum of $10 million. About Scotiabank Scotiabank is a leading bank in the Americas. Guided by our purpose: "for every future," we help our customers, their families and their communities achieve success through a broad range of advice, products and services, including personal and commercial banking, wealth management and private banking, corporate and investment banking, and capital markets. With a team of approximately 90,000 employees and assets of approximately $1.2 trillion (as at October 31, 2021), Scotiabank trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: BNS) and New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: BNS). For more information, please visit http://www.scotiabank.com and follow us on Twitter @ScotiabankViews. SOURCE Scotiabank For media enquiries only: Clancy Zeifman, clancy.zeifman@scotiabank.com View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Scotiabank on 3blmedia.com View source version on newsdirect.com: https://newsdirect.com/news/scotiabank-stands-in-support-of-the-people-of-the-ukraine-with-a-200-000-donation-to-the-red-cross-614279002 Poland asked to provide support and temporary shelter for Vietnamese citizens Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son has suggested that Poland provide support and temporary shelter for roughly 1,000 Vietnamese citizens who are arriving in Poland from neighbouring Ukraine. Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son (R) hosts Maciej Duszynski, Charge d'Affaires of the Polish Embassy in Hanoi Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son hosted a reception for Charge d'Affaires of the Polish Embassy in Hanoi Maciej Duszynski on March 7 in Hanoi, during which he thanked the Polish Government for supporting and facilitating the evacuation of approximately 2,000 Vietnamese from Ukraine to Poland. Indeed, they have provided these citizens with suitable accommodation, medicine, and essential necessities. The Minister emphasized that this noble and respectful gesture being carried out by the Government and people of Poland, along with the recent donation of 1.4 million Astra Zeneca vaccine doses, eight tonnes of medical equipment and supplies valued at US$4 million is living proof of the traditional ties of friendship. This sentiment between the two peoples of Vietnam and Poland has continued over the past seven decades. Minister Son told his guest that on March 9 the country will carry out its first evacuation flight aimed at bringing home nearly 300 Vietnamese citizens and their families from Ukraine who are currently present in Poland. This will continue with the another flight organized over the coming days. The Minister suggested that the Polish side facilitate arrangements for repatriation flights, including the swift issuance of flight permits and support for exit procedures, while simultaneously considering allowing Vietnamese people with long-term residence in Ukraine to continue to stay in Poland until they can return safely. During the meeting, the Vietnamese diplomat handed over a letter to his Polish counterpart Minister Zbigniew Rau asking for co-ordination and support in citizen protection for Vietnamese citizens evacuated to Poland from Ukraine. He also invited the Polish Foreign Minister to visit the country soon to discuss measures aimed at further promoting ties of traditional friendship and co-operation between both sides. In response, Duszynski hailed the efforts of the Vietnamese Government in protecting Vietnamese citizens who are currently taking refuge in Poland, including organizing its first flight to bring citizens home as soon as possible. Furthermore, Duszynski was also appreciative of the citizen protection efforts by the Vietnamese Embassy in Poland. He emphasized that the Polish Government has been creating favourable conditions for citizens of other countries, including Vietnamese citizens, to arrive in Poland from Ukraine. Upon doing so, it will provide maximum support for procedures related to flights to evacuate Vietnamese citizens from Poland. On February 28, 2022, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi had a phone conversation with Somali Foreign Minister Abdisaid Muse Ali at the latter's request. Wang Yi said that China and Somalia enjoy a traditional and long-lasting friendship. We have supported each other in protecting our people's health and safety since the onset of COVID-19. China attaches great importance to China-Somalia relations and firmly supports Somalia in safeguarding its national sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity. China is willing to take the opportunity of Belt and Road cooperation and the implementation of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC)'s outcomes to elevate bilateral relations to a new level. Wang Yi said that China will continue to assist Somalia's reconstruction and development, work with Somalia to implement the FOCAC's nine programs, draw up the list of priority areas of cooperation, provide much needed humanitarian supplies, discuss the implementation of livelihood improvement projects in safer regions and strengthen practical cooperation in agriculture, fishing, public health, and other areas. China will provide Somalia with a batch of emergency food aid and more vaccines to help it combat drought and the pandemic. Wang Yi said that we appreciate Somalia's active support for the "Initiative of Peaceful Development in the Horn of Africa" proposed by China. All regional countries are good friends with China. China will continue to abide by the principle of non-interference in internal affairs and assist the countries in the Horn of Africa to better address the triple challenges of security, development, and governance. A special envoy for the Horn of Africa Affairs of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has assumed office and will arrive in the region for work. China looks forward to the early convening of a conference on peace in the Horn of Africa among regional countries through consultation. Abdisaid welcomed China's appointment of a special envoy for the Horn of Africa Affairs under current circumstances and introduced the fight against pirates in Somali waters and the situation of the African Union Mission in Somalia. Abdisaid said that Somalia has always attached great importance to developing its relations with China and will firmly support China on issues concerning China's core interests and major concerns. Somalia strongly opposes the collusion between Taiwan and Somaliland which violates the sovereignty of Somalia, and will continue its strategic and practical cooperation with China. Somalia thanked China for its support and assistance for its reconstruction and the fight against the pandemic and severe drought. Somalia is ready to advance high-quality Belt and Road cooperation with China, deepen cooperation in infrastructure, agriculture, education, livelihood and other areas, and push Somalia-China relations to a higher level. The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has prohibited transactions involving digital assets such as cryptocurrencies and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) in its sanctions against Russian banks and entities, the central bank said in a statement. See related article: USDT-RUB volume outpaces Bitcoin pair as Russia sanctions pile Fast facts Following Russias invasion of Ukraine, MAS will impose export controls on items that can be directly used as weapons to inflict harm on Ukrainians, as well as items that can contribute to offensive cyber operations. Singapore has advised its financial institutions to freeze assets and funds of VTB Bank, Vnesheconombank, Promsvyazbank, and Bank Rossiya. Russias central bank has been taking unprecedented measures to stabilize its economy and the ruble, as Russias financial health continues to suffer blows from mounting sanctions targeting its banks, oil refineries and military exports. MAS has specifically restricted digital payment token service providers from facilitating transactions that could aid circumvention of the financial measures. These measures apply to all financial institutions in Singapore. See related article: Crypto sector faces tougher enforcement over sanctions-busting, report says Alla Kureninova stood in front of a crowd of 50 on Sunday afternoon in the parking lot of the First Congregational Church and told them about the 11 days of war her mother has experienced in Ukraine. "When I told my mom that we're getting together here in Sioux Falls halfway across the world, my mom said, 'I'm crying from how much our pain hurts everyone else,'" Kureninova said during a vigil, organized by South Dakota Voices for Peace, to show support for the Sioux Falls Ukrainian community. "It's everyone's pain right now, and we're not gonna stop getting together and talking about it until it's over," she said, a single tear gathering in her eye. The vigil was a stark reminder of the war currently happening in Ukraine after Russia invaded the eastern European county on Feb. 24. Since then, more than 1.5 million Ukrainians have become refugees, according to the United Nations Refugee Agency. People gathered to show support for the Ukrainian community in the parking lot of the First Congregational Church on Sunday, March 6, 2022. At least 364 civilians have been killed and over 750 have been injured, according to the UN. Earlier: Sen. John Thune calls for sending arms to Ukraine as South Dakota politicians react to Russian invasion On Sunday afternoon, outside of Kyiv during civilian evacuations, a Russian force fired mortar shells on a bridge, leaving at least three dead, including a mother and her two children, according to a New York Times photographer who witnessed the shelling. During the vigil, Kureninova described what her family in Sumy, a town in northeastern Ukraine, is experiencing from gunfire to the persistent threat of air raids. "They sleep in shifts," she said. "That's what they do to keep their families safe and to keep themselves safe." Ukraine: This Ukrainian refugee escaped to Sioux Falls in 1990. Now his family is facing Russia's invasion. Some supporters said it felt like they and the rest of Ukraine have been shouting for international support. "We try to support how we can, but we have to scream at the whole world, beneath the whole sky for Ukraine," said Mariya Zapirka, who also grew up in Ukraine. "It's not going to stop." Story continues Zapirka compared what's happening in Ukraine to September 11. "I never ever think it can be happening in my county," she said. For Denisa Aratovic, who came to the United States from Bosnia in 1997, the war in Ukraine reminds her of the 1992 Bosnian war. "It's just unbelievable that this could happen again to somebody else like what happened to us 30 years ago," she said. The Sioux Falls community showed support for Ukraine during a vigil held at the First Congregational Church on Sunday, March 6, 2022. Crowd members wore blue and yellow hats and jackets while two Ukrainian flags and one Bosnian flag fluttered in the breeze. "I don't think yellow and blue has meant more for me than it does right now," Kureninova said. How you can support Ukraine Below is a list of ways to donate to Ukraine and help civilians get items they may need. Razom for Ukraine: Founded in 2014, the group has been dedicated to getting various items on the ground for Ukrainians. Right now, they're taking donations that will be used to purchase medical supplies. The International Committee of the Red Cross: Donations will help provide clean drinking water and medicinal supplies to those affected by the war. The Kyiv Independent: An independent English-language newspaper based in Kyiv is covering the war. The paper's mission is, "It is crucial to bring credible news from Ukraine to the world. Especially when Russian forces are working hard to distort the perception of Ukraine abroad." A separate GoFundMe for journalists across Ukraine has also been set up. Voices of Children: Provides help for children impacted by the war including therapy services. Follow Annie Todd on Twitter @AnnieTodd96. Reach out to her with tips, questions and other community news at atodd@argusleader.com or give her a call at 605-215-3757. This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Dozens gather in Sioux Falls for vigil to show support for Ukraine Fans at Punk Rock Karaoke at Gallagher's Pub in Huntington Beach in June 2021. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) After more than a year of vaccine card checks, rapid antigen testing and ever-evolving mask rules, L.A. County Department of Public Health has done away with most of its restrictions around COVID-19 for music clubs and venues. The County of Los Angeles continues to experience consistent declines in COVID-19 cases, test positivity rates, and related hospitalizations, the order said Thursday. The consistency in the decline of these important metrics in the County and across the State allow for a significant revision of required community-level infection control strategies. That means for L.A. County, "Pre-entry vaccination or recent negative test verification for attendees is recommended, but not required" for gatherings at outdoor festivals, bars and nightclubs. In L.A. County, which covers everything between Ventura, Riverside, San Bernardino and Orange counties, cases are down more than 60% over the last two weeks. Heres what may be different about going to concerts in L.A. County and what to expect when you arrive at a show. Whats changed with masks? As of March 4, the L.A. County Department of Public Health will no longer require most indoor and outdoor events to mandate masks, regardless of vaccination status. "The time is absolutely right, and things are getting looser," said Kobi Danan of Hollywood's Sound nightclub. "You can feel it in the energy around you. The people inside the club feel more comfortable being around other people." L.A. County says that masks like N95 and KN95 are still strongly recommended indoors, and individual venue operators and hosts may choose to require masking, regardless of vaccination status, by patrons, visitors, attendees, and workers. "We're aligned with the county on masks, which is that they're recommended but not required," said Mitch Edelson, who runs Mid-City's Catch One and Silver Lake's Los Globos. "We're still requiring proof of vaccination." Story continues The touring artists themselves can also mandate proof of vaccine. If you want to see blues legend Buddy Guy play at Agoura Hills' Canyon on March 10, you'll need to show your vaccination card or a recent negative test at entry. But a week later, at the same venue, you can see the tribute act Hollywood U2 without flashing any proof of vaccination. To celebrate the great unmasking, I scored tickets for Nick Cave at the Shrine on Wednesday and Lily Meola at the Troubadour on Saturday. I can leave my vaccine card at home, right? Not so fast. In the cities of West Hollywood (the Troubadour) or L.A. (the smaller, central part of L.A. County, where the Shrine is located), you won't have to wear a mask indoors, but only if you're fully vaccinated. So the Shrine still requires a vaccine card or negative test for entry, while the Troubadour needs to see proof of vaccination. But yes, you can watch the shows unmasked. What about April's Charli XCX show at the Greek? No mask requirement, but you'll still need a vaccine card or negative test at the door that's the city of L.A.'s rules for outdoor venues over 5,000 capacity. OK, how about Justin Bieber at the Crypto.com Arena this week? Proof of vaccine or a negative test is still required for indoor events of more than 1,000 people; that's a state of California rule. Masks, however, are just "strongly encouraged." This is confusing. Are vaccines or masks mandatory for shows in L.A. or not? The short version: On Friday, L.A. County did away with most of its mask and vaccine requirements. The city of L.A. has mostly done away with mask rules for concerts but still requires vaccines or tests for indoor concerts and for bigger outdoor ones. And artists and promoters can override the newly relaxed county rules. It's still an evolving situation, so respect your fellow concertgoers. And tip your bartenders generously. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. JJ Gouin / Getty Images/iStockphoto In the summer of 2021, the IRS issued warnings about a new wave of stimulus scams, this one coinciding with the completion of the third round of payments that came from the American Rescue Plan. Fraudsters were sending out texts and emails telling their marks that they were eligible for a stimulus payment and all they had to do to collect was click a link with a sketchy URL and offer up some personal information. In reality, it was nothing new. Beware: Student Loan Forgiveness Scams on the Rise Avoid Being a Victim of FraudSocial Security Scams: 3 Common Requests and How To Report Them Some variation of that swindle had been going on since the CARES Act delivered the first round of payments in 2020. But the American Rescue Plan Act was the biggest spending bill in history irresistible to thieves and as the size of the pot grew, so, too, did the number of scammers looking to rob every penny of it. Now that its time to settle up with the IRS for 2021, its important to be extra vigilant as cybercrooks launch a new round of attacks that blend traditional IRS scams with new-school stimulus fraud. For Scammers, the Last Two Years Have Been a Gold Mine The last two years have seen an unprecedented transfer of wealth from the government to the people and countless scammers positioned themselves in the middle to siphon off every possible dollar for themselves. By the time 2021 was winding down, scammers had stolen more than a half-billion dollars $586 million, to be exact since the beginning of the pandemic, according to CNBC. The typical victim lost $392. While pandemic scams have steadily declined, the arrival of tax season has breathed new life into the criminal elements lurking in the cyber shadows with plans to steal your identity, your money and your benefits but they start by stealing your trust. These are the scams to watch out for. Text Message Scams Are Especially Common In early February, the IRS updated its warnings about the scams taxpayers were most likely to encounter during tax season, and the most common of them all come via text message. Criminals are currently targeting smartphones with texts that mention either COVID-19, stimulus payments or both. The texts commonly include a bogus link that claims to be an IRS URL. Story continues Old-Fashioned Phone Scams Are Bilking Taxpayers, Too The IRS also warned people to be on the lookout for incoming calls that spoof IRS phone numbers on the victims caller ID. The caller purports to be an IRS agent and leaves an aggressive or threatening message demanding immediate payment for an outstanding tax bill or improperly received stimulus payment. They sometimes even threaten arrest. Phone scammers have also been posing as representatives from local sheriffs departments, your states department of motor vehicles or a federal agency. Email Scams Run the Gamut but Include Common Elements Throughout the pandemic, fraudsters launched email phishing campaigns purporting to come from the IRS or other agencies regarding COVID-19 stimulus payments. The language and pretext of the message varied, but the common traits of these scams include an urgent tone, an attempt to convince targets that they owe money or are owed money and must act now, and a link claiming to be from the IRS or another familiar agency. Unemployment Scammers Claim Benefits on Your Behalf The expanded unemployment payments that were part of the COVID-19-relief programs from the beginning of the pandemic proved to be an especially juicy target for scammers. The IRS warns workers this year to be on the lookout for Form 1099-G documents outlining unemployment payments that they didnt apply for or receive. Unemployment scams are especially harmful because jobless payments count as taxable income. If identity thieves fraudulently apply for and receive benefits on your behalf, youll get stuck paying taxes on the money they stole. Social Security Scammers Want Your Most Valuable Number Another common tax-time warning comes from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) the Social Security number scam. In this ruse, fraudsters might use text messages, emails, phone calls or some version of all three, but the purpose is always the same to get you to give up your Social Security number. In many cases, theyll say your Social Security number has been used in a crime and they need it to keep you safe, or that they need your Social Security number to help you get stimulus money that youre entitled to collect. More From GOBankingRates This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Stimulus Payment Scams To Watch Out For Bill Cosby Michael Abbott/Getty Images The Supreme Court won't be taking the Bill Cosby case. On Monday, the Supreme Court rejected a request by prosecutors in Pennsylvania to step in and review the case after the disgraced comedian's sexual assault conviction was overturned last year. Cosby was convicted in 2018 of sexually assaulting Andrea Constand. But the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in June 2021 overturned his conviction, finding that he shouldn't have been charged in the first place because of a deal he had with a previous prosecutor. Cosby was subsequently released from prison. In November, prosecutors asked the Supreme Court to review the case and answer the question, "Where a prosecutor publicly announces that he will not file criminal charges based on lack of evidence, does the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment transform that announcement into a binding promise that no charges will ever be filed, a promise that the target may rely on as if it were a grant of immunity?" Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele said the prior prosecutor's agreement shouldn't have prevented Cosby from facing charges, arguing, "This decision as it stands will have far-reaching negative consequences beyond Montgomery County and Pennsylvania. The U.S. Supreme Court can right what we believe is a grievous wrong." But on Monday, the Supreme Court declined the appeal request, meaning the decision to overturn Cosby's conviction will remain in place. A spokesperson for Cosby previously criticized prosecutors over the appeal, arguing they were asking the Supreme Court to "throw the Constitution out the window" and that "there is no merit to the DA's request which centers on the unique facts of the Cosby case and has no impact on important federal questions of law." Cosby's spokesperson on Monday praised the Supreme Court for declining to take up the case, saying the justices were "following the rules of law and protecting the constitutional rights of ALL American citizens." Story continues You may also like How cheap Chinese tires might explain Russia's 'stalled' 40-mile-long military convoy in Ukraine 'Laura Ingraham' and 'Tucker Carlson' raise money for Russian oligarchs in new SNL cold open The U.S. is not working toward regime change in Russia, Blinken says The Supreme Court will not review the sexual assault case against Bill Cosby, leaving in place a decision by Pennsylvanias highest court that vacated the comedian's 2018 indecent assault conviction and freed him from prison in June. The high court on Monday declined a request from prosecutors to hear the case and reinstate the conviction. Andrew Wyatt, a spokesperson for Bill Cosby, called the decision a victory. On behalf of Mr. & Mrs. Cosby and the Cosby family, we would like to offer our sincere gratitude to the justices of the United States Supreme Court for following the rules of law and protecting the Constitutional Rights of ALL American Citizens of these United States, he said. This is truly a victory for Mr. Cosby but it shows that cheating will never get you far in life and the corruption that lies within Montgomery County Districts Attorney Office has been brought to the center stage of the world. Thank you very much, he continued. Cosby was convicted on three felony counts of aggravated indecent assault in 2018 of drugging and assaulting Andrea Constand in 2004. He had served nearly three years of a three- to 10-year sentence when his conviction was tossed over a violation of his due process rights. A former Montgomery County district attorney said he would not prosecute Cosby in 2005 in return for his testimony. However, that testimony was later used against him at trial. The prosecution of Cosby, now 84, was one of the first major milestones of the #MeToo movement, in which women came forward with claims of unwanted sexual advances and harassment in the workplace, particularly against powerful men. When Cosby was released from prison, he tweeted a statement maintaining his innocence. I have never changed my stance nor my story. I have always maintained my innocence. Thank you to all my fans, supporters and friends who stood by me through this ordeal. Special thanks to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court for upholding the rule of law, he said at the time. Story continues Constands lawyers, Dolores M. Troiani and Bebe H. Kivitz, said in a statement, This is an unfortunate outcome for everyone, especially survivors of sexual assault. Not only does the Pennsylvania Supreme Courts decision stand to bind other courts based simply on an early press release by a prosecutor announcing a declination of prosecution at the time (before evidence to proceed is developed and vetted), but it assumes there was a valid agreement not to prosecute, which was vigorously disputed in the Habeas proceedings, and determined by the trial judge not to exist, the statement continued. Gloria Allred, who represented 33 Cosby accusers, said in a statement she is not surprised by the Supreme Court's decision. While many accusers will no doubt be disappointed that the decision of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court will stand and that Cosby will not be sent back to prison in that case, they should also know that Mr. Cosby may still face other consequences in the justice system, the attorney said, noting that a civil trial against Cosby is slated to start in May in Los Angeles County Superior Court. That case stems from a lawsuit filed by Judy Huth, who accused Cosby of sexually assaulting her at the Playboy Mansion when she was 15 in 1974. Cosbys lawyers previously responded to the claim as an attempt to extort him. Although Mr. Cosby will not testify at our civil trial, our case will still proceed and our brave client and other witnesses will testify, Allred said. We look forward to our client finally having her day in court and being afforded all of her rights in a California court of law. The journey to justice continues. Lisa Bloom, an attorney for three Cosby accusers, said in a statement, Todays ruling says more about our legal systems utter inability to deliver justice to victims than it does about Bill Cosby, who has not been exonerated and never will be. He was released simply because a friendly prosecutor years ago didnt have the courage Cosbys victims had, to prosecute him, Bloom continued. Courts decisions to uphold that promise in no way negates the excruciating truth of his many accusers stories, which will always be his ugly legacy. Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele said Monday his decision to appeal was the right thing to do, but obviously there was only a small chance that the High Court would be able to hear the case. We appreciate the Courts consideration. "My appreciation also goes to Andrea Constand," Steele said. "All crime victims deserve to be heard, treated with respect and be supported through their day in court. I wish her the best as she moves forward in her life. The Supreme Court should take another look at whether federal law grants social media sites like Facebook broad legal immunity when they are used to commit crimes, Justice Clarence Thomas said Monday. The court declined to take up an appeal from a Texas woman who was friended when she was 15 years old by a man on Facebook who turned out to be a sex trafficker. After the then-teenager told him she had had an argument with her mother, he told her she could make enough money as a model to have an apartment of her own, according to her lawsuit. He persuaded her to let him pick her up, and within hours she was raped, beaten, photographed and forced into sex trafficking. Facebook should have realized he was a criminal, her lawsuit contended, because his posting was full of photos and other content that were clear signs of human trafficking. After she was rescued by law enforcement, she sued Facebook, but the Texas Supreme Court said a provision of a federal law, known as Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, gives social media sites and other internet providers immunity from lawsuits that arise from something posted by a user. Thomas said that interpretation of the law is too broad and goes beyond what the statute actually says. Such an expansive reading, he said, results in courts dismissing claims against internet companies for failing to warn consumers about product defects or failing to take reasonable steps to protect users from the malicious activities of other users. Thomas said it is hard to see why the law should protect Facebook from liability for its own acts and omissions. The Supreme Court declined to take up the Texas womans appeal Monday, citing technical obstacles that prevented the court from having jurisdiction, and Thomas agreed that the court should not have taken her specific case. But he said it should address the proper scope of immunity in an appropriate case. Thomas has made similar comments in past cases and has also said social media companies should not be immune from lawsuits that argue that they improperly restrict conservative viewpoints. Story continues Annie McAdams, a lawyer representing the Texas woman, said she was disappointed the court did not take up the case. She said she agreed with Thomas that the court should clarify the scope of the law. "Section 230 does not protect Facebook from liability for its own acts and omissions," McAdams said in a statement. Facebook urged the court not to take the Texas case. In the 25 years since Congress enacted the law, federal courts of appeals and state supreme courts have uniformly held that section 230 bars claims seeking to impose liability on interactive computer service providers for third-party content, the company said. Taron Egerton is letting fans know he is OK after passing out on stage Saturday night. The Rocketman star is currently across the pond performing his new play, Cock, at Londons Ambassadors Theatre. During the first showing, Egerton fainted on stage. On Sunday, March 6, he wrote on his Instagram story, As some of you may have heard, I passed out during the first performance of COCK last night. Despite the scary moment, Egerton, 32, assured his followers that he is completely fine. Slightly sore neck and a bruised ego but Im fine, he quipped. He then joked, Ive 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 couldnt handle it and checked out. The actor said the audience should expect to see him on stage the following night. He also specifically thanked his understudy, Joel Harper-Jackson, who finished the rest of the production when he couldnt continue. According to Deadline, Egerton was halfway through the show when he collapsed and the play paused. The curtain came down and a doctor from the crowd treated Egerton. Marianne Elliott, the plays director, spoke to the audience before Harper-Jackson and the cast resumed the show. Cock, which was written by Mike Bartlett and first debuted in 2009, tells the story of John played by Bridgertons Jonathan Bailey who questions his sexuality after falling for a woman despite previously identifying as gay. Egerton plays Johns long-term boyfriend. Deadline reports that previews for this revival will continue until Monday and then the play will have a 12-week run. Prior to the inaugural performance, Egerton shared how much he has enjoyed working on the production. Three weeks into rehearsing for @cocktheplayldn and having the best time, he wrote on Instagram last month. I knew it would be hard work preparing for COCK but I had no idea COCK would be so much fun. After his time on stage, Egerton will next appear in the drama Tetris and the Apple Series In With the Devil. He is best known for portraying Elton John in the 2019 biopic "Rocketman," later snagging the Golden Globe for best actor in comedy or musical. Karla Guevara, 17, listens during a history class Wednesday at Sotomayor Arts and Sciences Magnet in Los Angeles. The class was focused on the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) In Ricardo Martinez's sophomore English classes, one question keeps coming up among his students as the Russian invasion of Ukraine gets bloodier and more destructive: Am I going to get drafted to go to war? While some of his students at Sotomayor Arts and Sciences Magnet in Glassell Park have been disengaged from the current news cycle, with its images of rumbling tanks and bombed-out buildings, others have expressed fear about what the war might mean for them. Martinez surveyed his students to find out what they thought about the crisis, and he found out they had questions about what the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is, if the nation would be plunged into the next Great Depression, if World War III was coming. Teenage boys in his classes at the Los Angeles school more than 6,000 miles from Kyiv, Ukraine, worried that they would be sent abroad to fight. "I thought they were joking around, because the kids who were asking were not the most serious students," Martinez said. But when he realized they were distressed, he carved out time to explain that the U.S. does not currently have a draft, that former President Nixon ended it in 1973, but that it also could be reinstated. Pivoting briefly away from the essays he'd assigned about short stories they'd read in class, Martinez showed his students political cartoons to help them understand Russia's actions and the history of the Soviet Union. They discussed the invasion and the possibility of escalation. To ease their anxiety, he urged them to find Ukrainian groups to support. Anibal Hernandez teaches a history class on the Russian invasion of Ukraine at Sotomayor Arts and Sciences Magnet in Los Angeles. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) "Its a teachable moment, and its an opportunity for them to learn about a part of the world theyre not exposed to," Martinez said. As the news of Russia invading Ukraine dominates news cycles, teachers throughout the country are helping students navigate the wave of emotions that comes with devastating world events. They're providing much needed historical and political context. And they are doubling down on media literacy practices amid the flood of misinformation online. Story continues With current events colliding in the classroom, they are crafting new lessons to address the questions they know will arise. But teaching about the invasion of Ukraine can be tricky. The situation changes daily. Ukrainian or Russian students may be personally affected by the violence thousands of miles away. And some students may be struggling with pandemic fatigue or other stressors. At Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Eastvale, a city 15 miles west of Riverside, Kathryn Greene spent evenings during the invasion's first week putting together a timeline of historical events to give her sophomore students important context. Many came to class believing they were watching the war play out in TikTok videos including one supposedly showing a Ukraine fighter jet shooting down Russian aircraft. The Ukrainian pilot was nicknamed "The Ghost of Kyiv." It is at a whole new level this year with social media, Greene said. Students come in with 10 to 15 minutes' worth of questions, and it's everything from real, legitimate questions to conspiracy theories. Greene teaches world history and Advanced Placement world history. Media literacy has long been a part of her curriculum. So, along with putting together lesson plans on the history of Ukraine and its fight for independence, she also spoke to her students about steps they can take to spot misinformation: reading beyond headlines, considering the source, and asking an expert, such as a teacher or librarian, to confirm or dispute the facts. "I'm making sure they are heard and feel valued, and [also] making sure they don't get caught in misinformation memes," she said. Iren Stanfield, 17, left, and Eduardo Sotelo, 18, participate Wednesday during a history class at Sotomayor Arts and Sciences Magnet in Los Angeles. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) Students in Anibal Hernandez's class at Sotomayor Arts and Sciences Magnet were fired up after seeing the viral video of "The Ghost of Kyiv." They came to Hernandez with several questions about the war when it broke out. Hernandez, who is in his first year of teaching, used their enthusiasm to explain historical terms, such as "the Soviet Union," "NATO" and "Cold War." On Wednesday, Hernandez showed a condensed version of President Biden's State of the Union address, the part about sanctions against Russia and escalating punishments. Some students leaned forward as Biden's words were broadcast from a ceiling projector. Others slouched in their seats or rested their heads on their desk. Afterward, Hernandez brought up their previous discussions. "What do you remember from last week?" he asked. "Ukraine shot down five jets," one student said, referencing "The Ghost" as others nodded along. "The interesting thing about that though remember last week we talked about when things are starting to come out, about 'the Ghost of Kyiv'?" Hernandez said. "Is that story true?" "Its at issue right now," said Iren Stanfield, a senior. "Supposedly its been confirmed, but nobody really knows, people are just posting it. "Right," Hernandez said. "The former president [of Ukraine, Petro] Poroshenko, said this guy exists, but thats a complex part of this war. We dont know entirely what could be true, what could be false. Some people are using video games to pass them off as whats happening in Russia and Ukraine." In fact, the video claiming to show "the Ghost of Kyiv" was fact-checked by news organizations. It's actually a video simulation. Atiana Pineda Rodriguez, a junior, found the context of the invasion helpful. When Hernandez asked his students if they wanted to continue following the war during class, the 16-year-old nodded. The war was a daily topic in her family, she said, often over dinner. She said she was eager to explain NATO to her father. "Its really unfair that the Ukrainian people are getting attacked," Atiana said. "I really do wish the U.S. could help out ... so this could all be over." Social studies teachers also responded to the grim news by adjusting lesson plans and gathering online resources. It was a drop everything moment, said CherylAnne Amendola, who teaches history at Montclair Kimberley Academy in New Jersey. Students arent going to learn anything about the Declaration of Independence when they hear news that a nuclear power has started war with another country. In River Forest, a suburb 11 miles west of Chicago, Samantha Stearns begins classes with 15 minutes of Q&A with her eighth-graders. They had just finished a unit on the formation of the Soviet Union, so they discussed "the consequences of historical decisions and the tension that had long existed in Eastern Europe. Stearns, who has taught for 12 years, had her students analyze viral videos and discern whether they were real, manipulated or from a movie. One student followed up with her afterward to show her how a manipulated video had garnered millions more views than when they had first viewed it. "When you give them the space to be part of the conversation, it gives them feelings of empowerment," Stearns said. "They will go out and find these videos, critique them and then come back and tell me that they showed their parents. It's a good exercise of them being critical thinkers." In Daniel Jocz's class at Sherman Oaks Center for Enriched Studies, a magnet school, his own students are helping set the facts straight. In one of his classes, a student lauded Russian President Vladimir Putin for helping people in eastern Ukraine, but another student, who is Russian, pushed back. "Thats the propaganda machine. I know because we always see this in state media," the Russian student said. His comment led to a discussion about condemning the actions of the Russian government instead of the Russian people, not all of whom share Putin's views. Another student brought up the alleged poisoning of opposition leader Alexei Navalny by Russian operatives, which many students had not known about. "Theyre seeing each other as resources that they can learn from, versus just classmates," Jocz said. Andrew Swan, an eighth-grade social studies teacher in Massachusetts, said presidential elections and major events, such as the U.S. Capitol riot, are times when teachers have reached out about what other educators are reading and teaching. Were generally trying to teach kids the same thing, which is to understand the world better, Swan said. On Monday, after his eighth-graders came back from a weeklong break, many were confused and peppered him with questions: Why is Putin invading Ukraine? What's the point of invading a country that doesn't want you? Will this really become World War III? Swan came prepared with a lesson plan about the conflict. He also took a few minutes to show them a 10-second clip of a crying soldier apparently Russian to discuss the information war happening online. The best part of the grim lesson that day? His students understood that the person in the video clip may not actually be a Russian soldier. They needed more information, he said, before they made up their minds. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. The Red Detachment of Women, China's first original ballet production by the National Ballet of China which premiered in Beijing in 1964, will be staged at Beijing's Tianqiao Theater on March 8, International Women's Day. Based on the film of the same name, it tells the story of a rural woman, Wu Qionghua, who escapes a life of slavery and joins an all-female Communist Party army battalion led by Commander Hong Changqing on Hainan Island during the civil war in the early 1930s. The classic ballet has been staged worldwide thousands of times and is still popular today. From March to May, the ballet piece will be staged in several Chinese cities including Guangzhou and Shenzhen, both in Guangdong province, and Nantong, Jiangsu province. It will also kick off the National Ballet of China's nationwide tour, which will feature classic ballet works such as Giselle and Onegin, as well as the company's contemporary works, including Dunhuang and The Crane Calling. The company's annual creative workshop, which brings together young choreographers, will be held at the Tianqiao Theater on April 12 and 13. Besides ballet works, the company's symphony orchestra will perform three concerts on April 9, May 8 and May 23 at the National Center for the Performing Arts and Beijing Concert Hall. Let me be very clear, Brittney Griner is a United States citizen. She was a guest in Russia I will be demanding her release, said the congresswoman. Texas Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee has called on the Russian government to release WNBA star Brittney Griner from custody. The 72-year-old congresswoman represents Griners hometown of Houston and over the weekend, she reacted to Griner being detained by Russia for almost a month after authorities there reportedly confiscated hash oil in her luggage at an airport near Moscow. Speaking at a press conference aired by FOX 26 Houston Lee said Russia has no right to hold Ms. Griner, period. Texas Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee and Brittney Griner Getty Let me be very clear, Brittney Griner is a United States citizen. She was a guest in Russia I will be demanding her release, Lee told the crowd at Saturdays press conference. Griner is a member of the Russian basketball UMMC Ekaterinburg. She has reportedly been in custody for over three weeks and her arrest came shortly before Russias invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24. As reported by PEOPLE, the two-time Olympic basketball champion has been charged with smuggling narcotic drugs into the country. If convicted, she faces up to 10 years in prison. Lee said she contacted the U.S. State Department to try and get them to focus on her circumstances. The 18th district representative noted that Moscow prisons is no place for her. Please, allow Miss Griner to leave. Allow her legal representation to handle her matters, the Texas lawmaker said before calling on Russia to release all foreign prisoners currently being detained. The one thing about Russian prisoners, when they are foreign [or] from foreign countries, the treatment is horrific, Lee said Saturday. Their lives are in jeopardy. Their health is in jeopardy. We dont know whether theyll make it. Their healthcare is not provided. Theyre not eating right. I know that first-hand from the prisoners and the families that Ive talked to whose loved ones are still in Russia today, she continued, noting her hope that the U.S. can demand the release of their citizens now and at least demand that they are protected, their health is protected, and that they are not having these enormous sentences. Story continues During her plea for Griners release, Lee described Russian President Vladimir Putin as a harasser, a terrorist, [and] a killer. Meanwhile, Cherelle Griner, the wife of the Phoenix Mercury center, thanked the basketball stars supporters in an Instagram post of a photo featuring the couple sitting on a beach. Thank you to everyone who has reached out to me regarding my wifes safe return from Russia. Your prayers and support are greatly appreciated, she wrote in the caption. I love my wife wholeheartedly, so this message comes during one of the weakest moments of my life. Cherelle added, I understand that many of you have grown to love BG over the years and have concerns and want details. Please honor our privacy as we continue to work on getting my wife home safely. Thank you! TheGrio is FREE on your TV via Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku, and Android TV. Please download theGrio mobile apps today! The post Texas Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee calls for Russia to release WNBA star Brittney Griner appeared first on TheGrio. On April 23, Michael Politte is set to walk out of prison, three months after winning parole and nearly 24 years after he was locked away for murdering his mother. Like many people across the U.S. released after serving their sentences, Politte, from the small Missouri town of Hopewell, will be in a legal limbo: out of prison but not exonerated. "He's not home free by any means," said his attorney, Megan Crane of the MacArthur Justice Center, adding, "The main event for him was never parole." Politte has maintained for decades that he was wrongly accused and convicted of his mother's murder. He plans to continue his fight when he gets out of prison. The USA TODAY Network reached out to innocence projects around the country, requesting examples of paroled people who, though freed from prison, still are fighting for exoneration. Lawyers offered up dozens of cases. They ranged from 18-year sentences for gas station robberies to life and sometimes death sentences for rape and murder. In all of the cases taken up by innocence projects,attorneys had found something amiss about the arrests, charging and prosecution of their clients, or other factors that point to their innocence. It is unclear how many more people may be out of prison but still seeking to clear their records. The National Registry of Exonerations counts nearly 3,000 exonerations since 1989, with the wrongfully convicted having collectively spent some 26,500 years locked up before they were declared innocent. But there is no good data on how many others are on parole, hoping to one day be cleared. Experts believe from 2% to 10% of the 2.1 million incarcerated Americans are innocent, but many never take up the intense fight for exoneration, according to National Registry of Exonerations senior researcher Maurice Possley. "You see how long it takes to win one of these battles," he said. "And once you're free, it takes some real determination and perseverance to try to get rid of all the handcuffs that still exist post-release or even post-parole." Story continues More: At 14, he found his mother murdered. Police suspected him because he was 'acting normal.' His case gets a new look. Politte told the USA Today Network in a phone interview from the Jefferson City Correctional Center that he will continue to fight for his exoneration once he's outside the prison walls. I have changed the narrative of what happened to my mother through determination and grit, he said. Unless the United States Supreme Court says I cant help you, its going to be a fight. Here is his story and those of two other people seeking to clear their names. Convicted when he was 14 years old, Michael Politte is still fighting at 37 Politte, now 37, was 14 when he was charged with setting his mother, Rita Politte, ablaze and watching her die in December 1998. The main physical evidence against him at the 2002 trial, that gasoline was the accelerant, was faulty something Missouri officials now acknowledge. The only other evidence against him was testimony about official impressions that Politte, just a teenager, didnt seem remorseful when confronted about the fire. Michael Politte, who will be paroled this year, is still looking for exoneration from his mother's murder. The Missouri Attorney General's Office has made a procedural argument that state law doesn't allow the Missouri Supreme Court to review Politte's claims. The office also alleges that he was a troubled child and known firebug who confessed to the killing. But the state Supreme Court did not summarily deny Politte's appeal seeking his exoneration last October, as the state was seeking. The non-denial was a win for Politte, and a ruling on whether to take the case could, at the earliest, come from the court sometime in March. If the court does take the case, three scenarios could play out for the now-37-year-old: The court could accept his arguments and vacate the conviction which is very rare. The court could begin a series of hearings in which the case would be effectively argued anew, this time allowing evidence that the supposed gasoline found on Politte's shoes the morning of the fire was actually residue of chemicals from the sneaker manufacturer. The court could simply deny the petition, which Politte would then appeal in federal court. More: At 14, he found his mother murdered. Police suspected him because he was 'acting normal.' His case gets a new look. Paroled after a U.S. Supreme Court decision but Derrick Shields feels like he's 'not free' In 2012, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Miller v. Alabama and Jackson v. Hobbs that a mandatory life sentence without parole, even for homicide, was an unconstitutionally cruel and unusual punishment for a minor. Derrick Shields was 14 when he was charged along with two cousins, Travis Booker, 15, and Kuntrell Jackson, also 14 and the namesake of Supreme Court case, in the 1999 killing of video store clerk Laurie Troup. Seven years after the court's decisions, Shields got a parole hearing because of the ruling. He was paroled after being locked away for 18 years and went home to Blytheville, Arkansas the town of 15,000 where the murder occurred. Still, even now that he's been paroled, Shields said he remains haunted by the high court's 2012 ruling. Instead of clearing him, the court wrote: "When Troup threatened to call the police, Shields shot and killed her." "It is very frustrating, it's hard," Shields, now 36, told the USA TODAY Network. "I feel like I can't do anything. I feel like I'm not free. They see me as I'm not free. You see, with a case like mine, it's like everybody knows, you stand out." More: Supreme Court considers reprieve for kids who kill According to court records, the killing occurred after the three boys chatted at the Chickasaw Courts housing project in Blytheville about committing a robbery, then drove around looking for a target. Shields allegedly had a sawed-off shotgun tucked in his coat when the boys pulled up to video store Movie Magic. They confronted Troup, the 28-year-old clerk, and demanded money, according to court records. When Troup threatened to call police, the records allege, Shields shot her in the face. Not a dime was taken. Derrick Shields, front, getting his driver's license after being released from prison. A short time later, Shields was picked up on another charge. When police asked Shields about the crime during several interrogations, he ultimately confessed after police promised him leniency and threatened to give Shields' brother with the death penalty, his lawyers said. Shields told investigators that Jackson was the shooter. But when police arrested Jackson, he identified Shields as the shooter. Shields' attorney, Steven Drizin, maintains Shields' statement to police never fit the facts of the case and that Shields was the only one with a tight alibi: that he was having a phone meeting with a parole officer at the time of the murder. Drizin, co-director of the Center on Wrongful Convictions at Northwestern University, whose team includes Crane, said they got statements from Booker that, if investigators compared them with Shields', would reveal inconsistencies that show Shields was not involved in the killing. Another frustration for Drizin is what happened before the trial in 2003: Jackson's mother walked into the local police station and declared Shields had nothing to do with Troup's killing. This statement, documented in initial police reports, has never been heard in a court, Drizin and Crane said. I've never been involved in a case in my life where, before trial, a co-defendants mother gets up, walks into a police station and says, My son, who's on trial for his life, told me that Derrick is innocent'and that fact never sees the light of day, is never used in court," Drizin said. "It's never acted on by the prosecution. It's never acted on by the police department. And as a result, we believe the wrong person was convicted of this crime. "Think aboutthe heroism of that mother,' he said. "And nothing happened as a result." An appeal failed in federal district court because Shields' previous attorney didn't notify him he only had 60 days to file a post-conviction motion to revisit the case, as required under Arkansas law. "Derrick's legal team is now seeking the Hail Mary option of an application for a certificate of appealability," Crane said that is, asking another court to hear Shields' appeal because it was wrongfully denied. "(Shields) is stuck in this legal limbo," Drizin said, "having to try to navigate a world that believes him guilty and is ready to crush him the first sign he makes a mistake." More: Should police be allowed to lie to minors to get confessions? Some states are banning the practice. Johnetta Carr went from a 16-year-old high school graduate to a convicted murderer A whiz in school, according to her attorneys, Johnetta Carr graduated from high school at 16 in 2006 and was to Sullivan University in Louisville, Kentucky, to become a paralegal. But before she got to college she was arrested, convicted and sentenced, along with two other teenagers, for tying up, stabbing, and strangling a 36-year-old cab driver, Planes Adolphe, with whom Carr had a romantic relationship. There were early red flags in the case, said Suzanne Hopf of the Kentucky Innocence Project and Amy Staples, a lawyer with Loevy & Loevy. Hopf is fighting for Carrs exoneration while Staples is suing Louisville and Jefferson County authorities in federal court for misconduct. "There were so many facts that didn't fit," Hopf said. Consider the interrogation, Carr said in an interview. "I'm 16 years old, and my interrogation went 11 1/2 hours with no parents, guardian or counsel," said Carr, now 33 and out of prison. "It's been like a living a death penalty. It's been a nightmare I feel like I cannot wake up from, with the lack of accountability. Police, the city and the county argue the federal cases, which allege Carr was framed, should be dismissed. Johnetta Carr was convicted of murder she said she did not commit when she was 16 years old. Carr's was not among DNA found on the shipping tape used to bind Adolphe and television cord used to strangle him. And Hopf said the theory of the case that Adolphe "had been carried down several flights of stairs and left to die in the parking lot" "made absolutely no sense that these three kids did this." Carr and her attorneys said that at the time of the trial, she was unaware of the DNA or other evidence that might have cleared her. While in custody, investigators threatened her co-defendant with the death penalty if Carr didnt take a plea, according to her appeal and complaint in federal court. Her attorneys say a prison snitch who put the murder on Carr later recanted the statement, which her attorneys argue was fabricated by investigators to frame Carr while ignoring other potential suspects. More: Woman pardoned by former Gov. Matt Bevin says Louisville police framed her in murder Faced with a potential death sentence for her co-defendant, Carr accepted an Alford plea, in which she acknowledged there was enough evidence to result in her conviction on the charges but did not admit guilt. She was sentenced to 20 years. "Johnetta was coerced into taking that plea," Staples said. "This was part of the misconduct. Carr, whose attorneys say she was a model inmate, was paroled in 2009. Ten years later, in 2019, she won a pardon from then-Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin. Bevin wrote of Carr: God clearly has His hand on her. Still, she's not entirely free. "The problem is, until her record is expunged, you're not cleared," Hopf said. "And you can't go back to court and do an expungement for five years in Kentucky." Indeed, the defense argues in the civil case that, in Kentucky, a pardon does not invalidate a conviction. Working to rebuild their lives as post-prison felons amid long fight with innocence project When an innocence project takes a case, its just the start of a long process that may never bring a ruling of actual innocence. And without exoneration, restrictions follow those convicted even after they're paroled, complicating efforts to get a job, vote, find housing and reintegrate in society. "The hardships are incredible. You have no employment. What do you do, especially in an information-age economy?" Hopf said, adding that some have been locked up so long that they "don't even know how to use a cellphone." All three Pollitte, Shields and Carr have an advantage: their cases caught the attention of Innocence projects. Many more people convicted in flawed cases may be in the same situation, but without the benefit of free legal representation in their quest to be cleared. Still fighting his conviction, Politte is planning to live with a sister after his release, and maybe get into sales. But he also cherishes working with his hands, something he has done in a furniture factory while in prison, working for the Missouri Department of Labor in a furniture factory. Politte said he will not harbor resentments but rather look to honor his mother by fighting for his innocence and that of others. I feel like my mom didnt die in vain, he said. If this is what it had to be for me to affect the world in a positive way, then my mom didnt die for nothing. I think shell be proud. Nor will Carr give up on her dreams of becoming a paralegal and fixing a broken criminal justice system. Ill be a voice, she said, not only to help people that have already been wrongfully convicted, but to get the issues underlying it corrected. We know itll keep happening. Shields wants to make his son, just five months old, proud. But Shields also said the truth must come out for the Troup family. I need to prove I didnt do this, he said, so her family knows Im innocent. Its the victims. Thats really important. More: These men are serving time for murders Missouri prosecutors say they didn't commit. Why are they still behind bars? Eric Ferkenhoff is the Midwest Criminal Justice Reporter for USA Today Network. He's on Twitter @EricFerk. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY NETWORK: While out of U.S. prisons, many still fight for freedom, innocence The organizer of the "People's Convoy" protest against COVID-19 restrictions and mandates urged demonstrators on Monday not to drive into Washington, D.C., The Daily Wire reports. The convoy, which includes approximately 1,000 vehicles and is using Hagerstown, Maryland, as a home base, slowed traffic on the Capital Beltway on Sunday and plans to continue circling the road at the minimum legal speed every day. It will not, however, enter D.C. proper, organizers claim. "I am fearful [myself] and the organizers are fearful of them trying to do to us what they did to those involved in Jan. 6," organizer Brian Brase said. "It is our belief that they will try to do that." US trucker convoy leader @brianbrase84: I am fearful of them trying to do to us what they did to those involved in Jan 6. It is our belief that they WILL try to do that.that means at this time, meaning today, tomorrow, we are not and will not go into DC proper. pic.twitter.com/oDPdIy8F7l Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) March 7, 2022 Another protester claimed the Jan. 6 Capitol riot was "a set-up" to justify a crackdown on conservatives and that it "would be a set-up now," if the convoy drove into D.C. proper. This view has become widespread on the right. Fox News host Tucker Carlson produced the documentary Patriot Purge, which alleged that the government has seized on the events of Jan. 6 as a pretext for a "domestic War on Terror" targeting "half the country." Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) has suggested that undercover FBI agents may have played a role in inciting the mob to storm the Capitol. The Week's Damon Linker described Patriot Purge as "conspiracy-laden," while The Dallas Morning News said Cruz was "peddling" a "baseless conspiracy theory." Story continues Despite Base's warnings, some protesters insist they won't be satisfied until they've reached Capitol Hill. "[T]hat flag on the back of my truck will go down to Constitution Avenue between the White House and the Washington Monument," one man told Reuters. You may also like How cheap Chinese tires might explain Russia's 'stalled' 40-mile-long military convoy in Ukraine 'Laura Ingraham' and 'Tucker Carlson' raise money for Russian oligarchs in new SNL cold open The U.S. is not working toward regime change in Russia, Blinken says Former president Donald Trump has taken aim at ex-attorney general William Barr and the veteran attorneys new tell-all book in a bizarre, rambling letter to the NBC News anchor who interviewed Mr Barr last week. Mr Barr, who served as Mr Trumps attorney general from February 2019 to December 2020, spoke to NBCs Lester Holt last week to promote the forthcoming memoir, One Damn Thing After Another, which covers both his tenure under Mr Trump and his first stint as attorney general during the George HW Bush administration. The grievance-laden, three-page missive printed on stationary marking it as sent from Mr Trumps government-funded post-presidential office is dated 2 March, roughly when NBC News began releasing excerpts from the former attorney generals sit down with Holt. Mr Trump began the letter by claiming the former AG who in a February 2020 speech attacked mainstream journalists as remarkably monolithic in viewpoint and accused them of see[ing] themselves less as objective reporters of the facts and more as agents of change was more interested in being accepted by the corrupt Washington Media and Elite than in serving the American people and called him slow and lethargic. Without evidence, the former president accused Mr Barr of having been broken by calls for his impeachment issued by prominent Democrats in the days after he ordered police and national guard soldiers to violently clear streets around the White House so Mr Trump could hold up a Bible outside a church that had been vandalised during racial justice protests. He became virtually worthless to Law and Order and Election Integrity. They broke him just like a trainer breaks a horse, said Mr Trump, who proceeded to launch into a diatribe about Mr Barrs refusal to legitimise the false claims of election fraud propagated by many of his allies in the days following his 2020 election loss to Joe Biden. Mr Trump also lashed out at his ex-attorney general for not endorsing his desire to use federal troops to put down racial justice protests across the country during the summer of 2020. Story continues At the time, the president wanted to invoke the Insurrection Act, a rarely-used federal law last employed during Mr Barrs first stint atop the Justice Department following the 1992 Los Angeles riots. According to the New York Times, Mr Barr was just one of several top Trump administration officials who talked the then-president out of signing an order, and Mr Trump has previously said reports that he wanted to use the military to stop Americans from protesting were absolutely not true. But in his letter to Holt, Mr Trump accused Mr Barr of being too lazy and cowardly to endorse using military violence against Americans exercising their right to protest. He didnt want to stand up to the Radical Left Democrats because he thought the repercussions to him personally, in the form of their threatened impeachment, would be too severe. In other words, Bill Barr was a coward! Mr Trump said, adding later that the troops he wanted to use against the largely Democratic protesters had been ready to go. The ex-president also denied that he told Mr Barr: You must hate Trump after the veteran Republican attorney told the Associated Press there was no evidence that the then-presidents loss to Mr Biden had been caused by fraud. The man making statements in this fake book, or in the interview with NBC News, is not the same man who asked for the job of Attorney General, he added. President Biden participates in a video call with European leaders on Monday. He is weighing a ban on Russian oil. (Adam Schultz / Associated Press) President Biden is considering a ban on imports of Russian oil while weighing actions that would boost energy production by autocracies in the hopes of mitigating the effects on American consumers and global energy markets, U.S. officials said. "What the president is most focused on is ensuring we are continuing to take steps to deliver punishing economic consequences on [Russian President Vladimir] Putin while taking all action necessary to limit the impact to prices at the gas pump," White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Monday. Until now, the economic strangulation of Russia by the West over its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine has avoided its robust energy sector, with administration officials suggesting that such a move could weaken the global economy. But as Russia increases its unrelenting bombardment of Ukrainian cities, political pressure on the West has grown to do more to put pressure on Putin to stop the onslaught. U.S. officials said the Biden administration is considering easing restrictions on imports of oil from Venezuela to alleviate the void left by Russian oil bans, a politically problematic step. It has also sought to convince Saudi Arabia, which has been under fire from U.S. and European officials over its human rights record, to boost oil production. Biden spoke Monday for more than an hour with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, although the official White House readout of the conversation did not explicitly state that they discussed a ban on Russian energy. According to the White House, "the leaders affirmed their determination to continue raising the costs on Russia for its unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine. They also underscored their commitment to continue providing security, economic and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine." Psaki said administration officials were also discussing whether the U.S. would send military aircraft to Poland should its leaders provide Soviet-era bombers to support Ukraine, but noted that the White House was not "preventing or blocking or discouraging" officials in Warsaw. "They are a sovereign country. They make their own decisions, but it is not as easy as just moving planes around," she said. Story continues The U.S. has been reluctant to get ahead of European allies in responding to Putin's aggression. And while an oil embargo from Washington would have some effect, doing so in concert with Europe would deliver a far greater impact. Europe imports 4 million barrels of Russian oil a day, compared with 700,000 barrels imported daily by the U.S. U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken said Sunday during an interview with CNN that the administration was indeed exploring the "prospect" of an energy ban "in a coordinated way" with allies, although he did not rule out the possibility that Washington could act on its own to bar Russian oil. The administration may not have much of a choice. Members of both political parties have introduced bills in both houses of Congress to block such imports. We may have to pay more at the pump because of this attack and our bipartisan response, but it is worth it to ensure that Putin pays the price for his paranoid adventurism and his attack on a peaceful democracy, Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-Carmel Valley), who has co-sponsored a bill to ban Russian oil, said in a statement. Rep. Lou Correa (D-Santa Ana), who supports the measure, said a Russian oil ban may only have limited success if the U.S. cannot persuade other countries to join the effort. I dont believe Europe and some of the other countries are ready to say no to Russian energy, so thats the challenge right now, Correa said in an interview. Not only does Russia have nukes, but also people have to buy their energy from the Russians. Congress is weighing an oil ban as it pushes to pass a measure to send Ukraine billions of dollars in emergency assistance. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Monday called for passage of a $12-billion aid package this week, saying it "will provide both humanitarian and military assistance for Ukraine: funding for refugees, medical supplies, emergency food supplies, as well as funding to support weapons transfers into Ukraine, and help for our eastern flank NATO allies." In a letter to House Democrats on Sunday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) said Congress intended to pass $10 billion in emergency aid for Ukraine as part of a larger government funding measure. The House is also exploring legislation that would "further isolate" Russia from the world economy, Pelosi said. Banning Russian oil imports would probably lead to higher prices at the pump in the U.S. and globally. Gas is averaging $4 a gallon nationwide, up from $2.77 a year ago, according to AAA. The average price of gas in California during that same period has risen from $3.75 to $5.34. In a clear signal of how seriously the Biden administration is considering a Russian oil ban, U.S. officials traveled over the weekend to Caracas, Venezuela, for talks about potentially easing sanctions imposed on the South American nation by the Trump administration in 2019. President Trump took that step after declaring President Nicolas Maduro's election victory a sham and recognizing another politician, Juan Guaido, as the country's rightful leader, a position Biden has affirmed. Those measures built upon similar sanctions imposed by President Obama, signaling the long history of trouble Washington has had with Caracas and its socialist leaders. The Venezuela economy is reeling, despite sitting on some of the world's largest oil reserves, and Maduro is likely eager to be free of the sanctions. However, his economy and many of his government agencies are deeply intertwined with Russian assets and advisors. Any lenience by the White House toward Maduro, even if it's driven by a desire to crack down on Putin, could undercut Biden's messaging about the existential threat that autocracies present to democracies. Psaki on Monday batted away questions about a potential rapprochement with Caracas, telling reporters that any easing of sanctions was "leaping several stages ahead" of where talks currently stand. Complicating matters has been Venezuela's decision to imprison six executives from the Citgo oil company for the last four years. Five are U.S. citizens and the sixth a U.S. permanent resident. They were convicted in show trials on trumped-up embezzlement charges and other crimes, according to their families and human rights activists. Psaki said discussions about the release of the men and sanctions relief were taking place "in different channels," and not tied together. Republicans, who have seized on the potential energy crisis to call for stepping up domestic fossil fuel production, have already made clear that they will hit the White House hard should it look to offset any ban on Russian oil by looking to foreign suppliers. Florida Sen. Marco Rubio criticized Biden in a tweet Sunday, saying: "Rather than produce more American oil, he wants to replace the oil we buy from one murderous dictator with oil from another murderous dictator." This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. By Ismael Lopez MANAGUA (Reuters) - The U.N. human rights chief urged the government of Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega on Monday to re-establish fair elections and said she was "concerned" about the country's lack of accountability for repeated human rights violations. U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet, in a report read aloud at the Human Rights Council, asked Ortega for a "credible, fair and transparent electoral process" in municipal elections planned for the end of the year. Bachelet, who was president of Chile from 2014 to 2018, also called on Ortega to hold talks with opposition groups, something that Ortega said in January could happen after the municipal elections end. "The dialogue should be inclusive of all views, and should aim to ensure a peaceful and democratic solution to the political, social and human rights crisis that continues to profoundly affect the country," Bachelet said. International human rights organizations have urged Ortega to hold the so-called "national dialogue" and to free those people that opposition groups call political prisoners. In her report, Bachelet said her office documented four cases of human rights defenders arbitrarily detained in the country and close to four dozen others imprisoned without due process "in the context of the 2021 elections." In a response, the Nicaraguan government said in a statement: "These types of reports are intended to continue disqualifying and denigrating our national authorities and institutions, as well as the legal system that supports the Nicaraguan State, based on false and totally biased information, with the aim of interfering in our affairs, disrespecting our sovereignty and independence." Nicaragua has been suffering a deep political crisis since 2018, when a proposed social security reform backed by Ortega sparked nation-wide protests. More than 300 protestors were killed, largely at the hands of government-aligned forces, Bachelet's office said in a 2018 report. (Reporting by Ismael Lopez, writing by Kylie Madry, editing by Richard Pullin) 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. Story continues 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 By Andrew Chung (Reuters) -Bill Cosby avoided renewed legal jeopardy on Monday when the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear a bid by prosecutors to undo last year's ruling in Pennsylvania that overturned the 84-year-old actor and comedian's 2018 sexual assault conviction. The justices let stand the decision by a divided Pennsylvania Supreme Court that Cosby should never have faced the charges because a previous local district attorney had publicly promised in 2005 not to prosecute him, turning away an appeal by prosecutors. The state court's ruling freed Cosby after he spent nearly three years in state prison, angering sexual assault victims and their advocates. Cosby was sentenced to three to 10 years in prison following his conviction on three counts of aggravated indecent assault for drugging and molesting Andrea Constand, a former employee of his alma mater Temple University, at his home in 2004. He was the first celebrity to be convicted of sexual abuse since the #MeToo movement began exposing sexual misconduct among powerful men in Hollywood and beyond. Cosby is best known for his role as the lovable husband and father in the classic 1980s television comedy series "The Cosby Show." He also was an influential stand-up comedian. His family-friendly reputation was shattered after more than 50 women accused him of sexual assaults spanning nearly five decades. Constand's allegations were the only ones against Cosby that were not too old to allow for criminal charges. His lawyers argued on appeal that Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele should not have charged Cosby in 2015 in the Constand case because Bruce Castor, who previously held the job, had declined to file criminal charges and issued a press release announcing his decision. Steele on Monday said appealing to the Supreme Court in a bid to reinstate the conviction was the right thing to do, and expressed his appreciation to Constand. Story continues "All crime victims deserve to be heard, treated with respect and be supported through their day in court. I wish her the best as she moves forward in her life," Steele said. Cosby's attorney Jennifer Bonjean told Reuters: "Although we are relieved to have this saga behind us, it is not the least bit surprising" that the Supreme Court denied the district attorney's appeal, calling it "patently frivolous." The earlier refusal to prosecute meant Cosby could not avoid testifying in a civil case Constand had brought against him, which led to a multimillion-dollar settlement. That testimony, in which Cosby acknowledged giving sedatives to women, played a role in Steele's criminal case against Cosby. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court in June 2021 ruled that the prosecution was fundamentally unfair because Cosby had relied on Castor's promise to his detriment, in violation of Cosby's right to due process of law under the U.S. Constitution. In appealing to the U.S. Supreme Court, Steele said the state court's "dangerous precedent" wrongly transformed a bare press release into an effective immunity that has "paved the road for thousands of other defendants to raise this issue and to seek similar windfalls." Cosby's first trial ended with a hung jury in 2017, when jurors could not reach a unanimous decision on his culpability. He was convicted at a second trial after the judge let prosecutors call as witnesses five prior accusers - four more than in the first trial. Prosecutors argued that Cosby's assault of Constand was a well-rehearsed offense he had honed over decades: befriending younger women and acting as a mentor, only to sexually assault them, often with the assistance of drugs. (Reporting by Andrew Chung in New York; Additional reporting by Joseph Ax; Editing by Will Dunham) By Lawrence Hurley WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear Alphabet Inc's attempt to nix a lawsuit by shareholders accusing the Google parent company of fraudulently concealing a security glitch that left private user data exposed. The justices left in place a lower court's ruling that revived the lawsuit brought over the 2018 incident that the company was slow to disclose, turning away Alphabet's appeal. The lawsuit, led by the state of Rhode Island, was filed after the Wall Street Journal published an article in October 2018 that said Google concealed the exposure of private data for nearly 500,000 users of Google+ - a social network owned by Google - because it feared regulatory scrutiny and reputational harm. The lawsuit accused the company of making false or misleading statements in violation of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act. Alphabet's share price fell after the disclosure, reducing the Mountain View, California-based company's market value by more than $50 billion. Google ultimately admitted it had discovered the data exposure in March 2018, though there was no evidence of misuse, and decided to shut down the consumer version of Google+. U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White in San Francisco dismissed the lawsuit in February 2020, prompting the plaintiffs to appeal. The San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in June 2021 decided that the lawsuit raised a "strong inference" that Alphabet's then-Chief Executive Larry Page and his successor, Sundar Pichai, knew about the problem and an internal memo on security matters but intentionally concealed the information from investors. The 9th Circuit credited the plaintiff's argument that Alphabet stayed silent to "buy time" and avoid the spotlight that Meta Platform's Facebook Inc was then under because Britain's Cambridge Analytica had harvested data from tens of millions of its users. (Reporting by Lawrence Hurley; Additional reporting by Jonathan Stempel; Editing by Will Dunham) In this article: LONDON (Reuters) - British foreign minister Liz Truss said on Monday Britain's ambassador to Ukraine had left the country because of the "serious security situation" after Russia invaded. "Our ambassador has left Ukraine because of the serious security situation," Truss told a parliamentary committee. (Reporting by Muvija M, writing by Elizabeth Piper, editing by William James) You are here: Business 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). British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss in Australia on January 21, 2022. Bianca De Marchi-Pool / Getty Images UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss accused a Labour MP of supporting amendments to a 2018 bill. Truss said Chris Bryant had backed changes to legislation to make sanctions harder to bring in. Truss later apologised after Bryant cited Parliamentary records showing that he hadn't. Liz Truss, the British Foreign Secretary, apologised to a Labour MP on the House of Commons's Foreign Affairs Committee after incorrectly accusing him of supporting amendments to legislation that she said made it harder to bring in sanctions. Truss apologised later in the session to Chris Bryant, who also chairs the Commons Standards Committee. Bryant told Insider that Truss was "about as well prepared" for the Foreign Affairs select committee hearing "as she was for (Sergei) Lavrov". Truss claimed Bryant supported "cumbersome amendments" introduced by "lawyers and peers" in the House of Lords that "put a very high bar on our lawyers being able to look at this stuff [introducing sanctions]." She said that Bryant had "warmly welcomed" the amendments to the bill in a debate. "We have a very cumbersome sanctions process because all of those amendments had been added," she said. "You're on the record, Chris, for supporting those amendments," she added. Bryant has called for sanctions to be brought in faster and against more Russian oligarchs with links to the Putin regime, as UK government officials work on drafting the paperwork and building the case against individuals to be sanctioned. He has proposed using Parliamentary privilege to expedite the process. But Bryant told Truss he had not spoken in that debate and had not supported those amendments. "I didn't say - I supported the amendments to introduce the Magnitsky sanctions, I was one of the people who had been arguing for them for many, many years. What you've just read out is not in Hansard [the record of Parliamentary debates and votes], so I hope you'll correct the record. I didn't speak in the third reading debate," he said. Story continues "Well, we can. I've been told you did. So I can get the details," Truss replied. Bryant reiterated that he did not speak in the debate. "I'll get my officials to check up on that," Truss said, before apologising 25 minutes later in the session. "I have now heard from my officials that Mr Bryant did welcome the bill but not the amendments, so I want to correct the record on that subject. I am sorry, it was wrong in my notes, Mr Bryant. I apologise. I will ... it was written wrongly in my notes, I do apologise." Bryant later thanked Truss for her apology, and noted his speech of May 1 2018 was "remarkably good". "On that day, there was an amendment to that bill, which was to create a register of ownership of overseas entities, which you voted against then. But I'm glad that you will be voting in favour of it today", Bryant said, referring to legislation going through Parliament on Monday to bring in a register of overseas entities. Insider spoke with Joseph Powell at the Open Government Partnership about the legislation on Friday. Read the original article on Business Insider A Conservative politician has warned the growing list of sanctions on Russia risks plunging the UK into "dystopian economic collapse". (Getty Images) A Conservative politician has warned the UK faces economic collapse as a result of Western sanctions against Russia following its invasion of Ukraine. Sir Alan Duncan - former deputy at the foreign office under Boris Johnson - warned that sanctions and a worsening economic relationship with Russia risks having a catastrophic impact on gas costs. There is this auction of indignation, which all of us totally understand, against anything to do with Russia," Sir Alan said. So they ban this, ban that and ban everything, but in the end, were going to end up banning our own supplies. He indicated Western countries should avoid any further significant punitive measures that would impact its ability to continue buying Russian gas. "We, of course, want to disadvantage Russia as an essential tool of war. But we dont want to disadvantage ourselves so that we fall into some kind of dystopian economic collapse. We are on the edge of that. Now, for instance, there are subsidiary companies of Gazprom, which are not sanctioned, which are not incorporated in Russia, which are incorporated in one case in the UK, which are essential to the smooth flowing of gas. Natural gas exported from Russia, 2022 (US Energy Information Administration/Reuters) While the UK only relies on Russia for around 3% of its gas, Russia accounts for up to 40% of Europe's meaning any disruption to supply will have a major impact on the wholesale cost of gas and oil that Britain imports and thereby make it more expensive for consumers. There are also fears Vladimir Putin could retaliate to harsh rhetoric or sanctions from the West by pushing up whole sale gas and oil prices or interfering with supplies. Watch: Gas, oil and tech how Russia's invasion will impact the UK Read more: Three major changes that may affect your energy bills In a sign Europe is trying to reduce its reliance on Russia for energy in response to the invasion of Ukraine, Germany halted the Nord Stream 2 gas pipe line in February. Boris Johnson has previously cautioned against Europe's over-reliance on Moscow for its energy supplies. "What I think all European countries need to do now is get Nord Stream out of the bloodstream," he said in February. Story continues "Yank out that that hypodermic drip feed of Russian hydrocarbons that is keeping so many European economies going. We need to find alternative sources of energy and get ready to impose some very, very severe economic consequences on Russia. A small proportion of the UK's gas imports come from Russia. (Department for business, energy, and industrial strategy) Read more: Ukraine crisis: Energy bills could soar by hundreds of pounds as gas prices spike after invasion On Monday, MPs will fast-track the Economic Crime Bill through the Commons as part of the UKs approach to sanctions levelled against Russia. It will enable the UK to tackle the swathes of Russian money thought to be in the UK, often buried in property. Punishing sanctions are meaningless until properly implemented, and these changes will allow us to pursue Putins allies in the UK with the full backing of the law, beyond doubt or legal challenge," said Johnson. On Saturday, the Independent reported the UK this week could look at sanctions focused on the Russian energy sector, a significant part of the Russian economy. Sir Alan's warnings about gas prices comes just weeks after Ofgem announced the energy price will rise by nearly 693 in April, up 54% meaning the UK household's annual energy bill will rise to 1,971 on 1 April. And modelling from independent energy market analysts Cornwall Insights on Wednesday warned that the UK's typical annual energy bill could soar to 2,497 in October when the energy price cap is reviewed. In February, Investec said last week annual energy costs in the UK could climb as high as 3,000. There are growing calls for the West to reduce its reliance on Russian gas. (Getty Images) Fuel prices hit a record high again on Sunday, with figures from data firm Experian Catalist showing the average price of UK forecourts was 155.62p - up from 155.05p on Saturday. The average cost of a litre of diesel also reached a new high of 161.28p. On Monday, the prime minister said a boycott of Russian oil and gas was very much on the table. "I dont think Tony Blinken [US secretary of state] was wrong in the sense that we are all together now moving very, very fast and seeing that something that, perhaps three or four weeks ago, we would never have considered is now very much on the table," Johnson said at a Downing Street press conference. We have to consider how we can all move away as fast as possible from dependence, reliance, on Russian hydrocarbons, Russian oil and gas. Everybody is doing that, everybody is on the same journey. Some countries will find it faster and easier than others, thats all." Over the weekend, US secretary of state Antony Blinken said Washington was in very active discussions with countries in Europe over banning imports of Russian oil. However, in a sign of competing views on the issue, German chancellor Olaf Scholz rejected calls for sanctions on Russian gas and oil on Monday - claiming the imports were "essential" for the daily lives of Europeans. Watch: Zelensky calls for new sanctions on Russia's oil exports LVIV, Ukraine (Reuters) - Ukrainian negotiator Mykhailo Podolyak urged Russia to halt attacks on civilians on Monday as he prepared to start a third round of talks with Russian officials on Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. "In a few minutes, we will start talking to representatives of a country that seriously believes large-scale violence against civilians is an argument. Prove that this is not the case," he said on Twitter. (Reporting by Natalia Zinets, Writing by Alessandra Prentice, Editing by Timothy Heritage) By Jonathan Saul and Ruma Paul LONDON/DHAKA (Reuters) - Bangladeshi seafarer Asiful Islam recalls the moment when a missile struck his cargo ship last week off the Ukrainian port of Olvia, killing his crew mate. "I was just 15 feet away when it hit our ship. Our third engineer, Hadisur Rahman, who was killed, was standing just two feet away," Islam told Reuters from Romania after the remaining crew members were evacuated over the weekend. "All we could do was pray out loud. It was the worst night of my life. I had never been to war zone in my life." Many shipping firms have suspended sailings to affected Black Sea ports and other terminals in Ukraine. Insurance premiums for voyages have soared since Russia's invasion on Feb. 24, an action Moscow calls a "special operation". Merchant shipping crew members of several nations are also among the 1.7 million people the United Nations says who have fled or been evacuated from Ukraine since the invasion. Before the explosion on the night of March 2-3, Islam's vessel, the Bangladesh-flagged Banglar Samriddhi, had been stuck in Olvia since Feb. 24 after Ukraine closed its ports. Ukraine accused the Russian military of targeting the port facilities in a missile strike, while Russias embassy in Dhaka said last week the circumstances of the incident were "being established". Russia denies deliberately targeting civilians. Islam said the Olvia port authority reached the vessel with three tugboats and it took two hours to put out the fire. "We were hiding in the control room (engine room) the whole night," he said. "We heard air bombing many times a few kilometers away from our ship." Hours later, an Estonian-owned cargo ship sank off Ukraine's Black Sea port of Odessa after an explosion. At least three other ships were hit by projectiles before those incidents. SEAFARERS STUCK The U.N. shipping agency will convene a special meeting this week to discuss the risks to seafarers and ships in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov as dangers to merchant shipping escalate. Story continues NATO had warned civilian shipping to exercise caution and be on high alert in the area. Ukraine's navy said on Monday that their forces defending the Odessa region had hit a Russian vessel in the Black Sea with gunfire. Ukraines Maritime Administration has said there are around 100 foreign flagged vessels with hundreds of seafarers still stuck in Ukrainian ports unable to sail or leave partly due to the fighting but also due to control of the waterways by Russia. Viktor Vyshnov, deputy head of the administration, told Reuters efforts were under way to evacuate other foreign seafarers stuck in Ukrainian ports. In recent days up to 100 mariners had managed to reach neighbouring Moldova from Ukraine before heading to their home nations, he said. Vyshnov said the ability of authorities to evacuate more seafarers would depend on the situation in various port areas, adding that there was heavy fighting in Mykolaiv, with Mariupol further east encircled by Russia forces. Greece foreign ministry said earlier on Monday that seafarers from the Philippines who worked for a Greek operated ship were among a group of 34 people evacuated from Odessa to Moldova on Monday, without providing further details. In Bangladesh, Golam Mawla, 21, was hoping the body of his brother Hadisur Rahman, 28, would be repatriated after the strike on the Banglar Samriddhi. Bangladeshi officials said they were still trying to get Rahman's body back home. All our dreams are shattered. He was the sole breadwinner of our family," Mawla said. "My brother often called us from the ship but he never told us anything about the situation. He told us everything was fine so that we would not worry. But later we heard from his friends that he was really worried and wanted to leave Ukraine as soon as possible." (Reporting by Jonathan Saul in London and Ruma Paul in Dhaka; Additional reporting by Karolina Tagaris in Athens; Editing by Alison Williams) 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. People cross an improvised path under a destroyed bridge while fleeing the town of Irpin, Ukraine As over 1.7 million Ukrainian refugees have fled their country in the wake of the Russian invasion, many have sought to rescue their pets and animals, sometimes at the risk of their own lives. Prior to the invasion, husband-wife duo Tonya Trofimchuk and Bogdan Leseyko typically managed 30 to 60 pets per month and cared for dozens of strays in Kyiv, as well through their organization Adopt Don't Stop. But when the Russian attack began just under two weeks ago, Trofimchuk and Maria Lapshina, an administrator of one of the animal shelters, spent their nights in a metro station that served as a bomb shelter. By day, the women ran out to an animal shelter to care for the 14 rescues that remained there, according to a daily update from a group of Ukrainian journalists working inside and outside Ukraine. Since then, the women have transported the animals to safer regions in western parts of the country, using a car provided by strangers they connected with on social media. Other Ukrainian evacuees were forced to leave their pets behind as they fled their homes, hopeful that they could return to them after the violence subsided. "Most [owners] left pets with food and water supply for about ten days. People hoped they'll come back by that time," Dmitry Revnyuk, who co-founded a veterinary magazine, told the Ukrainian journalist group. Yulya Balaeva was forced to leave 15 cats behind when she left her home in Irpin, a city that came under heavy attacks that killed at least two small children. "We got under fire when we were crossing the bombarded bridge. Our dog was scared of the explosions and ran away," Balaeva said in a Facebook post, the Ukrainian journalist group reported. "We couldn't catch her since there was a threat of another attack. A Russian drone followed us. Soon, there were two explosions. We were on the evac bus already. The blast almost blew out the bus windows. We were all on the floor." The Russian invasion of Ukraine has killed at least 406 civilians and left 801 others injured since the war began on Feb. 24, according to the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights. But the U.N. noted that the "real figures are considerably higher." Ukraine's emergency service has estimated the civilian death toll at more than 2,000. LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's Europe minister James Cleverly defended the country's record on welcoming Ukrainian refugees on Monday, saying a new scheme had only just launched following criticism that it was far too restrictive. "We have processes in place whereby people with family here in the UK and indeed those without family in the UK can come to the UK," he said. "I would remind you that the process has only just started and the vast majority of people are physically still in the countries neighbouring Ukraine." (Reporting by Kate Holton; editing by James Davey) On Monday, the Supreme Court sided with Bill Cosby by upholding a Pennsylvania courts decision to toss out the iconic comedians conviction on sex assault charges. The nations highest court declined prosecutors request to hear the case and reinstate Cosbys 2018 conviction for drugging and attacking a woman. A Cosby spokesperson expressed sincere gratitude to the justices for the ruling on behalf of Cosby and his family and said he was the victim of a reprehensible bait and switch by the prosecutor and trial judge in the case. The office of Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele, in Philadelphias suburbs, did not have an immediate comment. Accuser Andrea Constand planned to issue a statement later in the day. The Supreme Court did not explain its reasoning for not hearing the case, as is customary in such situations. The 84-year-old Cosby was convicted by a jury in 2018 of drugging and molesting a Temple University employee in 2004. Cosby was sentenced to up to 10 years in prison and spent nearly three years behind bars before Pennsylvanias high court ordered his release because his due process rights had been violated. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled that a former Montgomery County district attorneys decision to not prosecute Cosby in 2005 in return for his deposition in a civil case was binding and barred his subsequent prosecution. Cosbys defense lawyers said the comic could have invoked his Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination if he had known he faced criminal peril from the civil case. Cosby was among the first major celebrities to face criminal charges stemming from the #MeToo movement that raised prominent figures awareness of sexual harassment and assault. If you can't wait to travel in space, NASA is offering the public the chance to send their names on the agency's next mission as they prepare to send humans back on the moon. Later this year, NASA will launch their their Artemis I mission at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, part of the agency's commitment to "build a long-term human presence at the Moon for decades to come." To commemorate the mission, NASA will allow anyone, at no cost, to put their name on a flash drive that will be on the Orion capsule. "Were getting ready for Artemis I and we want to take you with us," NASA said in a tweet. Were getting ready for #Artemis I and we want to take you with us. Add your name to the upcoming mission and it will be flown aboard the @NASA_Orion spacecraft as it orbits the Moon: https://t.co/DBmI3axfyH pic.twitter.com/KnoQaiyJcj NASA Artemis (@NASAArtemis) March 2, 2022 Signing up is simple. First, visit the Artemis I website here. After clicking on the "Get boarding pass" button, it will direct users to fill out their first and last name, alongside a 4- to 7-digit pin code. After the form is submitted, NASA will send a QR code to allow those who sign up to virtually join future NASA launches. To access their "boarding pass," users need to remember their PIN code. There is no date set for the launch, because NASA has delayed it for safety checks. The agency hopes to launch the spacecraft in May 2022. An illustration depicts NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) that will send astronauts to the moon on the Artemis missions. The unique opportunity will come as the Orion spacecraft will launch "on the most powerful rocket in the world" and will fly farther "than any spacecraft built for humans has ever flown," NASA says. Orion will fly 62 miles above the moon's surface for about six days, as the spacecraft will spend an estimated month in space. Story continues The goal of the mission is to give astronomers a basis for how their spacecraft, which is built for humans, will perform in deep-space exploration. Moon crash: Space junk crashes into far side of moon. It will take some time before we see the damage. What's everyone talking about?: Sign up for our trending newsletter to get the latest news of the day "This is a mission that truly will do what hasnt been done and learn what isnt known," Artemis I mission manager Mike Sarafin said in a release. "It will blaze a trail that people will follow on the next Orion flight, pushing the edges of the envelope to prepare for that mission." After Artemis I, NASA plans to launch Artemis II in May 2024, with the goal of taking astronauts on a flight around the moon. In 2025, NASA plans to launch Artemis III to send astronauts on the moon, including the first woman and first person of color on the moon. Follow Jordan Mendoza on Twitter: @jordan_mendoza5. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NASA allowing anyone to send their name around the moon for free WASHINGTON The White House and Pentagon on Monday downplayed the likelihood of a three-way deal for Poland to give MiG-29 aircraft to Ukraine and for the U.S. to backfill the Polish fleet with American F-16 fighters. The cautious remarks from U.S. officials on Monday, with signals from Warsaw there would be no deal, are a blow to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenksky, who pleaded with U.S. lawmakers in a Zoom call Saturday for more military planes and support as his country fights a Russian invasion. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters Monday the administration is not opposing such a deal, but said there are significant logistical challenges, such as sending F-16s to Poland and then replacing them in the U.S. There are a number of challenging practical questions, including how the planes would actually be transferred from Poland to Ukraine, right? So, are they going to fly? Where will they depart from? Where will they land? Those are all very important questions here, she said, adding: Procuring new planes and transferring serious weapon systems often take years to do from the United States. Pentagon spokesman John Kirby sought to temper expectations as well, telling reporters were very early on in a discussion here about what the possibility could be and that its not a done deal at this point. Its unclear how many U.S. aircraft would be involved or how they would be transported, he said. Its just a discussion about the possibility of should there be a nation that would want to give aircraft and would ask for a backfill from the United States, Kirby said in describing the talks. Should that happen, what would that look like, how would we do that? We dont have all the answers right now. On Saturday, the Polish government labeled claims it had or will provide its MiGs to Ukraine as fake news. A Polish Armed Forces General Command tweet replied to one claim, saying, All the Polish Air Force #MiG29 aircraft remain at their home bases. Story continues The chancellery of the Polish prime minister said in a tweet: Poland wont send its fighter jets to #Ukraine as well as allow [it] to use its airports. We significantly help in many other areas. No, EU countries arent sending fighter jets to Ukraine Earlier in the day, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the U.S. would give the green light to NATO countries if they choose to provide fighter jets to Ukraine. He noted talks with Poland were underway. Multiple U.S. lawmakers have pressed the administration to facilitate the aircraft deal, with Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Robert Menendez, D-N.J., saying he would support efforts in the Senate to ... compensate our allies that provide their aircraft for Ukraines defense. I understand this is not an easy decision for these countries to make, Menendez said in a statement. Asking them to provide their own aircraft, especially as Russias military aggression edges closer to their own borders, would be unthinkable except in the direst circumstances. Unfortunately, that is the situation the world faces. Extraordinary times require extraordinary measures and sacrifices. Polands 94 combat-capable aircraft include 48 F-16 fighters it began to acquire from the U.S. in 2006 and 28 MiG-29s it acquired earlier that are decades older. How ready the Polish MiG-29s are at present could impact a potential deal, said aviation expert Richard Aboulafia, the managing director of AeroDynamic Advisory. Those are very old planes, and the Polish air force has been prioritizing F-16s for years, Aboulafia said. Beyond the question of whether Polands older MiG-29s need fixing, it could take time to strip sensitive NATO-linked electronics and avionics from them, if theyre to be transferred to Ukraine, said William Alberque, a former NATO arms control official now with the International Institute for Strategic Studies. Youre either taking a fighter they dont need and doing an overhaul, which takes time and the replacement of parts, or youre taking a frontline aircraft thats needed for different purposes, Alberque said. No Polish military [official] or politician will want to say Were giving a bunch of planes to Ukraine and were a little less safe now, but if they can leverage it, Id rather have a refurbished F-16 than a MiG-29 any day of the week. 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. James Tupper, Chloe Coleman and Zoe Kravitz in "Big Little Lies." HBO Zoe Kravitz said she felt "uncomfortable" in the area "Big Little Lies" was filmed in. She told The Observer that the location in California had "weird racist people in bars." Kravitz was one of the few actors of color in the series. Zoe Kravitz told The Observer that she felt "uncomfortable" filming the HBO hit series "Big Little Lies" in California. The HBO drama follows a group of wealthy mothers whose lives begin to spiral as they get involved in a murder investigation. Kravitz starred as Bonnie Carlson, one of the mothers in the group. In a new interview with The Observer, Kravitz said that she did not like the area where the show was filmed which was predominantly done in Monterey, California. "There were a few moments where I felt a little uncomfortable because it is such a white area," She said. "The Batman" star added: "Just weird racist people in bars and things like that." In the past, critics have said one of the big problems with "Big Little Lies" was the lack of diversity within it. Kravitz was one of the few actors of color in the whole cast and she told The Observer that her character was also "originally written for a white person." Zoe Kravitz arrives at the 2021 InStyle Awards at The Getty Center on Monday, Nov. 15, 2021 in Los Angeles. Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP While in the past Kravitz praised the series for not making her character's ethnicity "a thing," Refinery29 journalist Kathleen Newman-Bremang wrote that by not acknowledging her race, it made her character inauthentic. Kravitz most recently stars as Catwoman in "The Batman," but it wasn't the first time she'd auditioned to play the feline thief. She told The Guardian that she auditioned for the role in Christopher Nolan's iteration of Batman, "The Dark Knight Rises," but was told she was too "urban" for the role. "I don't know if it came directly from Chris Nolan," the 33-year-old actress said. "I think it was probably a casting director of some kind, or a casting director's assistant" Story continues Kravitz continued: "Being a woman of color and being an actor and being told at that time that I wasn't able to read because of the color of my skin, and the word urban being thrown around like that, that was what was really hard about that moment." "The Batman" is out in theatres now. Read the original article on Insider The Nelson County School Board met with Virginia School Boards Association Executive Director Gina Patterson on March 4 to review applications for the open superintendent position. According to a statement from VSBA, the board received 20 full applications. Of the those applicants,14 are men and 6 are women. Fifteen of the applicants reside in Virginia and remaining applications came from West Virginia, New Jersey, Tennessee, North Carolina and Pennsylvania. The candidate pool is made up of five current or former superintendents; four assistant, associate or deputy superintendents; six central office administrators; and five principals or building level administrators. Patterson said the board at the meeting discussed dates to start interviews. She said 20 applications was good in light of the pandemic. Twenty-five years ago you may have had 50 applicants, but that trend has changed, Patterson said. She added candidates have become more selective about their applications. At the end of the day its about quality over quantity, Patterson said. The board is seeking a successor to Martha Eagle, the first woman to serve in the role, who is retiring June 30 after four years steering the school system. Emma Martin Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. After a standoff with police, a Lynchburg man was arrested Monday in connection with the fatal shooting Sunday of another city man, police said. Keri Leon Sharpe, 33, faces charges of second-degree murder, use of a firearm in commission of a felony and possession of a firearm by a felon in connection with the shooting death of Jared Jacob Davis, 47, the Lynchburg Police Department said in a news release. Officers responded at 5:10 p.m. to the 1100 block of 15th Street for a report of a man who had been shot, LPD said. LPD and the Lynchburg Fire Department began life-saving measures but were unsuccessful, and the man died at the scene, police said. Witnesses said the suspect fled to a home on 15th Street just after the shooting, but police said Sharpe was not found at that home. Shortly before 5 a.m. Monday, police received a call that Sharpe was in a house in the 600 block of Jackson Street. "Officers responded to the scene and the suspect refused to exit the residence," LPD said in a news release. "Members of the LPD Crisis Negotiations Team spoke with the suspect for several hours before he was taken into custody after peacefully exiting the residence." LPD thanked Virginia State Police for their assistance. Police ask anyone with information about this incident to contact Detective Campbell at (434) 455-7267 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 798-5900. Enter a tip online at http://p3tips.com or use the P3 app on a mobile device. From staff reports Council Bluffs public and private schools cancelled classes Monday, while others started late because of an inch or so of snow that fell on a layer of ice Sunday night. And more snow is possible later in the week. Lewis Central Community School District is on spring break all week. Around southwest Iowa, Missouri Valley, Logan-Magnolia and Red Oak Community School Districts closed for the day, while others started two hours late. Students and staff will be wondering whether this will affect when the school year ends -- especially since forecasts call for more snow Wednesday night into Thursday. According to the National Weather Service, there's an 30% chance of snow on Wednesday, 80% chance Wednesday night and 80% chance on Thursday. "We will see our best chance for accumulating snow Wednesday through Thursday," the weather service said in its forecast discussion, noting its model projections are divided on if the snow will stay to the north or move south into southwest Iowa. "While the overall trend appears to be edging south, we`ll be keeping a close eye on this period of potentially impactful weather. (And) while there is still disagreement about where the heaviest snow will set up, the various model solutions do agree that much colder air will filter in behind this system. Highs on Thursday will only reach the 20s. Wind chills for Friday morning could be in the -5 to -15 range, with even colder wind chills approaching -20 Friday night and Saturday morning." In between, expect a high around 37 today, with a gradual clearing of clouds in the afternoon. Tonight's low is around 20. The high on Tuesday is around 50, with sunny skies, which will hopefully melt the snow and ice before more rolls in. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Two Banner County officials and a county employee face charges after allegedly engaging in sexual acts and drinking alcohol at the Banner County Courthouse. Harrisburg residents Monty Stoddard, 58; Bernice Huffman, 47; and Caily Reece, 32, each have been charged with public indecency, a Class II misdemeanor, and consuming alcohol on public property, a Class IV misdemeanor. Stoddard and Huffman are both elected officials with Stoddard serving as the county treasurer and Huffman as the county assessor. According to the complaints, each has been accused with incidents that occurred on Dec. 28, 2021. On the public indecency charge, the complaint indicates the defendants did perform, procure or assist any other person, in a public place and where the conduct may reasonably be expected to be viewed by members of the public, an act of sexual penetration or a lewd fondling or caressing of the body of another person of the same or opposite sex. The alcohol consumption charge alleges the incidents occurred at the Banner County Courthouse. Probable cause affidavits werent filed in any of the three cases. The attorney generals director of communications, Suzanne Gage, said the office would not comment. Stoddard, Huffman and Reece all appeared for arraignment on the charges Wednesday. Attorneys for each of the defendants indicated that they were requesting a jury trial, and Doug Warner, assistant attorney general for the Nebraska Attorney Generals Office, already had provided discovery materials at the Wednesday hearing. Reece, represented by attorney Stacy Bach, is scheduled to appear in court on April 4. Huffman, represented by attorney Jonas Longoria, and Stoddard, represented by attorney Sterling Huff, are both scheduled to appear April 5. The Star-Herald reviewed agendas and minutes from Banner County commission meetings for any discussion, whether in open or executive session, on the alleged incidents by the county commissioners. It has not been a topic in any meeting in January, February or the March 1 meeting. Banner County Clerk Lisa Cross advised that there have been no emergency meetings of commissioners officially called between Dec. 28 and the regular March 1 meeting. Any meeting of the three commissioners to consider county business or action would need to be advertised or posted. The county has a personnel committee, of which Huffman and Reece are both members, that has not been convened since the alleged incident. Stoddard and Huffman are unchallenged in the upcoming election. No other candidates filed to be considered for the two posts by the March 1 filing deadline. We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. You are here: China President Xi Jinping on Monday afternoon attended a plenary meeting of the delegation of the People's Liberation Army and People's Armed Police Force, at the fifth session of the 13th National People's Congress, China's top legislature. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivered an important speech at the meeting. Click the photo to write a caption and have a chance to win a free subscription to the Norfolk Daily News. The city of Dakhla will host, this March 8 and 9, the Morocco-United States Investment Forum, meant to strengthen bilateral economic ties, highlight the investment assets in the Moroccan southern provinces and promote the region through the presentation of its potential and investment opportunities to American investors and operators. Initiated by the Council of the Dakhla-Oued Eddahab region, in partnership with the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the forum aims to consolidate bilateral cooperation and promote new American direct investments in the fields of agriculture, tourism or even mining and renewable energies, the organizers said in a press release. This economic event will be marked by the presence of more than twenty leading businessmen in the sectors of agri-food, renewable energies, finance and medical technologies. The forum features sectoral panels to be attended by professionals from the public and semi-public sector that will emphasize the regions thriving business climate and its development potential, as part of the Kingdoms overall investment strategy. These panels will focus on trade and industry, tourism and crafts, the Atlantic port and logistics, agriculture and fishing, renewable energies and mining. This event will provide an opportunity for networking between Moroccan and US businessmen and visits to flagship projects in the region. The visit by the US delegation reflects Washingtons position on Moroccos territorial integrity and sovereignty over its southern provinces. The US recognized Moroccos sovereignty over the region in December 2020, and the Biden administration has repeatedly signaled it upholds the decision. In this connection, the US State Department and the official websites of many US government-affiliated institutions have adopted a full map of Morocco in recent months. Besides, US delegations visit to the region of Dakhla is the second in less than a month. Last February, a delegation from the US Embassy in Rabat visited both Laayoune and Dakhla to inspect American-sponsored programs in the region. The delegation held meetings with beneficiaries of US-supported economic development projects, including the DakhlaConnect and LaayouneConnect digital platforms, two hubs in charge of attracting local and international investment to the region. The $7 billion arms deal the Algerian military regime sealed last year with the Kremlin has hit a serious snag after the European Union, the US, the UK and their allies have banned Russian Banks from SWIFT system in response to Russias invasion of Ukraine. The move of unplugging almost all Russian banks from the international financial and payment system aims to block their access to funds via SWIFT, which is a key tool for the smooth money transactions worldwide. The unprecedented global economic and financial sanctions imposed on Moscow will affect Russias clients and importers of Russian weapons such as Algeria which will no longer be able to wire money through the US-EU led payment channels. The Algerian military junta is thus caught in a predicament as it risks American and European retribution if it chooses to ignore the international sanctions deployed against Russia, adult children of top Russian officials and businessmen close to President Vladimir Putin. Washington and its partners have announced sweeping sanctions targeting Moscows banking, technology, aerospace sectors They have also decided to freeze assets in Western banks, impose equity restrictions on critical mining, transportation and logistics firms. Last July, Algerias army chief Said Chengriha visited Moscow for talks with Russian officials for the purchase of the advanced Sukhoi 57 and Sukhoi 34 fighters to beef up Algerian fleet made of various versions of Sukhoi and Mig jets. However, as the Russian military advance continues in Ukraine, the West is expanding the sanctions against Moscow making the $7 billion Algerian arms deal unlikely to go through. It is a big disappointment for Chengriha and top brass, engaged in a frenzy arms race in a bid to catch up with Moroccos military superiority. Despite debates on effectiveness of the Western sanctions, Russias currency sank to a record low Monday as traders struggled to get access to the ruble. The ruble fell to 137 to a dollar, a decline of more than 10% from Fridays close, as traders say that the ability to buy and sell the Russian currency has become more limited as fewer banks want to settle transactions against it in the offshore market. Last week, Russian markets were shut to contain the fallout from sweeping Western sanctions. The US says that the world is acting in unison against Russia and is dispatching envoys to Europe, Asia, Middle-East and North Africa to get support for the economic and financial sanctions imposed against Moscow. Frances army said Monday that its anti-jihadist force in Mali had killed a senior Algerian member of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), Yahia Djouadi, who was responsible for finance and logistics. Djouadi, also known as Abu Ammar al-Jazairi, was killed overnight from February 25 to 26. On the night of February 25-26, the Barkhane force conducted an operation targeting a historic senior AQIM cadre about 100 km north of Malis Timbuktu. This operation led to the neutralization of the Algerian jihadist Yahia Djouadi, alias Abu Ammar al Jazairi, the French military said in a statement. Abu Ammar al Jazairi, who has been formally identified, was killed by ground forces supported by a Tiger attack helicopter and two drones, in an area known to be a refuge for groups belonging to AQIM, said the army. His death once again weakens Al-Qaedas governance in Mali, it added, calling him a major link in northern Mali and especially the Timbuktu area to the Qaeda-aligned GSIM group. For the French military, his death deepens the isolation of the Emir of the Support Group for Islam and Muslims (JNIM, for: Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin), Iyad ag Ghali, who is witnessing the loss of an increasing number of experienced figures in his entourage. A former emir of Al-Qaedas Libyan operations, Djouadi fled to Mali in 2019 and settled in the Timbuktu region, helping organize the group and coordinating supplies, financing and logistics, the army said. The European Union Foreign Policy Chief, Josep Borrell, has reiterated the EUs non-recognition of the so-called Sahrawi Republic. None of the member states of the European Union recognizes the SADR, Borrell wrote in a response to an MEP, stressing that its participation in the [EU-AU] Summit does not change the position of the European Union and its member states. It has no impact on the position of the European Union. The position of the EU with regard to the question of the Sahara is well known and remains unchanged, insisted Josep Borell in his response published on the website of the European Parliament. The EU, he added, strongly supports the efforts of the UN Secretary-General and his Personal Envoy Staffan de Mistura to continue the political process aimed at achieving a just, realistic, pragmatic, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution to the Sahara issue [] on the basis of compromise and in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions, in particular Resolution 2602 of October 29, 2021. In a question, which was addressed to Borrell on the eve of the European Union-African Union summit held on 17 and 18 February in Brussels, MEP Tomas Zdechovsky had stressed that the presence of the polisario was contrary to the values and principles of Europe on human rights and democracy. He had recalled, in this regard, that the situation in the Algeria-controlled Tindouf camps is notorious by many human rights violations, and that these camps have become a breeding ground for young people recruitment by organized crime and jihadist networks operating in the Sahel-Saharan region. This situation, the Czech MEP had warned, aggravates the instability of this strategic region for the EU. He also wondered how the EU could welcome the leaders of the separatist group, supported and armed by Algeria, some of whom, in addition to the embezzlement of European funds, are prosecuted in an EU Member State for heinous crimes such as rape, kidnapping, torture, execution and impersonation. 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 on 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 lands. 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 then stopped at Brandons farm, where Boro got to lead a steer around and drove the 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 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. Writer Beer & Society There is nothing that cannot be discussed and worked out over a beer. Join me as I explore local beer, breweries and how they can civilize us. SINGAPORE, March 07, 2022--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Operating losses relating to medical insurance products covering COVID-19 infections have put considerable strain on the operating performance and balance sheets of several Thailand insurers, according to a new AM Best commentary. In its Bests Commentary, titled, "COVID-19 Claims Put Thailand Insurers Under Pressure," AM Best notes that according to the Thailand General Insurance Association (TGIA), most of the COVID-19 claims in the country have come from a short-term policy that pays a sizable lump sum when a policyholder contracts COVID-19. This payment is fixed and does not relate to medical costs incurred by the policyholder. Although the market stopped writing these policies in June 2021, a high volume of risks remains in force through the first half of 2022. Total losses in 2021 related to the lump-sum policies have been estimated at THB 34 billion (USD 1.1 billion), or approximately 19% of the capital and surplus of the industry as of September 2021. The mounting claims have forced four companies to cease operating, and more recently, Thai Insurance and Southeast Insuranceone of the countrys top 10 insurersapplied for regulatory approval to be liquidated in early 2022. "Some insurers have managed to mitigate COVID-19 exposures through reinsurance; however, the lump-sum policies have had a severe negative impact on the industry and pushed it to an underwriting loss," said Trung Tran, senior financial analyst, AM Best. The combined ratio of health and personal accidents insurance segments surged to 183% during 2021, from 66% during the same first nine months of 2020. At the same time, the markets net profit fell to a net loss of THB 3.5 billion from THB 11.0 billion. AM Best expects COVID-19 claims to continue placing pressure on the credit quality of the Thailand insurers that are exposed to the lump-sum policies. Companies with strong balance sheets and other profitable insurance and investment activities are better insulated against these losses. However, some other companies may face liquidity or solvency pressure that could result in the need for capital raising or other corrective measures. Story continues To access the full copy of this commentary, please visit http://www3.ambest.com/bestweek/purchase.asp?record_code=318027. AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specialising in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com. Copyright 2022 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220306005034/en/ Contacts Trung Tran Senior Financial Analyst +65 6303 5019 trung.tran@ambest.com Kanika Thukral Senior Financial Analyst +65 6303 5025 kanika.thukral@ambest.com Michael Dunckley, CFA Director, Analytics +65 6303 5020 michael.dunckley@ambest.com Christopher Sharkey Manager, Public Relations +1 908 439 2200, ext. 5159 christopher.sharkey@ambest.com Jim Peavy Director, Communications +1 908 439 2200, ext. 5644 james.peavy@ambest.com Switzerland has joined the EU in imposing sanctions on Russia. (Source: Getty) Around $15.6 billion in Russian assets will be frozen after Switzerland broke its stance on neutrality to impose sanctions on Russia amid the ongoing war in Ukraine. This the first time Switzerland has broken its policy of political isolation since the 1815 Congress of Vienna formally recognised the nation's neutrality. Switzerland holds around $15.6 billion in Russian assets, according to Swiss National Bank data in 2020. The country, which is known as being a safe haven for storing and, at times hiding, money declared it would be joining the rest of Europe in imposing sanctions. "We are in an extraordinary situation where extraordinary measures could be decided," President and Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis told a news conference in Bern on Monday. Switzerlands fascinating history of financial secrecy Switzerland is known as the grandfather of the worlds tax havens and is one of the world's largest offshore financial centres, according to the Financial Secrecy Index . The reason for this is the nation's famed secrecy laws. In 1713, before Switzerland even existed as a federal state, the Great Council of Geneva adopted regulations prohibiting bankers from revealing details about their clients. It was these laws that made Geneva banks the go-to destination for Catholic French kings - which were among the earliest-known clients. Before the official banking secrecy law of 1934 was adopted, client confidentiality rules applied in Switzerland - much like the confidentiality between a doctor and patient. This meant that a banker revealing any information about their client would have been a civil offence. Nowadays, it is a criminal one. How much money does Putin keep offshore? It is hard to say how much money the Russian President actually has, but the 2016 leak of the Panama Papers revealed a string of offshore accounts and loans worth around $2 billion allegedly linked to the Russian leader. Story continues According to a Washington Post report on official figures from the Russian Government, Putin makes around $155,000 a year as president. However, many experts predict his wealth is far greater than that with Hermitage Capital Management CEO Bill Browder telling CNBC he believed Putins net worth to be around $200 billion. Follow Yahoo Finance on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter, and subscribe to the free Fully Briefed daily newsletter. For most of the 20th century, English speakers referred to the Ukraine, following Soviet practice. But Ukraines official name in English does not include the, and for good reason. Washington, PA (15301) Today Thunderstorms. Potential for severe thunderstorms. Low near 60F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight Thunderstorms. Potential for severe thunderstorms. Low near 60F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Staff Writer Brad Hundt came to the Observer-Reporter in 1998 after stints at newspapers in Georgia and Michigan. He serves as editorial page editor, and has covered the arts and entertainment and worked as a municipal beat reporter. Canadas oil could replace American imports of Russian crude, the top officials of the oil-producing province Alberta said this weekend. As talks about banning Russian oil imports in the United States and its European allies intensify, reports have started to emerge that the U.S. Administration could be looking to persuade Saudi Arabia to pump more oil or lift some sanctions on Venezuela to help fill the gap that a Russian oil embargo would open. On Sunday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the United States and its European allies were in very active discussions about banning the import of Russian oil over Putins war in Ukraine. Even without sanctions on Russian oil, some of the biggest U.S. importers of Russian crude oil have started suspending their purchases of the commodity. Canada has long pitched its crude as one that is not produced in rogue government regimes such as Venezuela, Iran, or Russia, and Albertas top officials now say that its crude could be the answer to more supply from allied nations to the United States. Retweeting Elon Musks comments that we need to increase oil & gas output immediately, Albertas Energy Minister Sonya Savage said on Saturday: Agreed. And it should come from Alberta, home of the 3rd largest oil reserves. Alberta is the answer to US Energy security. Real emissions reductions, reliable, right next door. Albertas Premier Jason Kenney said that he and Savage would be attending the CERAWeek conference in Houston this week, where We will be meeting with decision-makers to secure access to markets, attract job-creating investment to our province, and argue for Canadian energy to displace Russian conflict oil. Kenney also said that Alberta would be delighted to welcome a visit from U.S. President Joe Biden, as one reportedly being considered to Saudi Arabia. Kenney noted that in a visit by President Biden to Alberta We could discuss how to ship nearly 1 million barrels of day of responsibly produced energy every day from the USAs closest friend and ally! All it would take is his approval for Keystone XL. Easy. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Advisers to U.S. President Joe Biden are considering a possible visit to Saudi Arabia to plead with the worlds largest oil exporter to boost its oil production as prices surge amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Axios reported on Sunday. The United States is considering a ban on imports of Russian oil and is scrambling to secure more global oil supply in the meantime. Unlike his predecessor Donald Trump, President Biden has criticized Saudi Arabia over its human rights track record and the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi. Since oil prices started rising to above $80 a barrel, the U.S. Administration has pleaded several times with the OPEC+ group, led by Saudi Arabia and Russia, to increase supply faster than the current timetable of 400,000 bpd increases per month. Last week, OPEC+ decided to rubberstamp another 400,000 bpd increase in its collective oil production in April, despite soaring oil prices after a key member of the pact, Russia, invaded Ukraine. The issue with ramping up production more than plannedeven if OPEC+ wanted tois that only Saudi Arabia and the UAE actually have the capacity to do so, but a major bump in production from those two influential OPEC members would mean critically thin spare production capacity globally. Asked to comment on the report of a possible visit to Saudi Arabia, a spokesperson from the White House told Axios, We dont have any international travel to announce at this time, and a lot of this is premature speculation. The U.S. is also reportedly talking to Venezuela while it considers a ban on Russian oil. Amid those reports of Washington approaching Saudi Arabia and Venezuela, Albertas top officials said on Sunday that Canadian oil could be the alternative the U.S. is seeking for its supply. Albertas Premier Jason Kenney said that Canadas oil-producing province would be delighted to welcome a visit from President Biden, as the one reportedly being considered to Saudi Arabia. Kenney noted that in a visit by President Biden to Alberta, We could discuss how to ship nearly 1 million barrels of day of responsibly produced energy every day from the USAs closest friend and ally! All it would take is his approval for Keystone XL. Easy. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Russias invasion of Ukraine has not only reignited geopolitical tensions in Europe but has also pushed Russia towards China and ensured the entrenchment of a new Eurasian bloc. China has, in recent years, become increasingly isolated on the global stage and was considered a major foreign policy concern for the United States and its allies. Russias war with Ukraine has, for the time being, saved the Communist Party of China (CPC) and therefore the Peoples Republic of China (PRC). The isolation of Russia as part of the US-led global information warfare campaign has completed the process of driving Russia back into the arms of Beijing. This was occurring at a time when the economy of the PRC was imploding and the CPC, under General-Secretary Xi Jinping, was attempting to retain global power while essentially ring-fencing its economy from outside influence. The situation does not guarantee the PRCs revival as a wealthy power, but, even though it now becomes more dependent on Russia, it does at least allow the Communist Party of China to survive. The PRC, as the worlds largest importer of food and energy, and now with diminishing foreign currency reserves, sees that Russia has nowhere else to go except to elevate the PRC to the position of Moscows most important trading and security partner. And because this is literally an issue that could save a declining PRC, Beijings assessment of the ongoing conflict between Russia and the West over Ukraine has to be along far more pragmatic lines than Western assessments, which tend to be either based around irrational fear or euphoric optimism. General Secretary Xi and his team are, as a result, evaluating ongoing lessons from the current Russian military conflict against Ukraine, and the new phase of the Russian strategic war with the US. Their assessments cannot follow the unrealistic views being promulgated by Western analysts. Beijings views on how to seriously confront the world galvanized, essentially, in the 1990s. The wake-up call for Beijing came with the May 7, 1999, accidental strike by US aircraft, using direct attack munitions (DAM) on the Embassy of the Peoples Republic of China in Belgrade, during US/NATO Operation Allied Force. The strike did far more than just anger the PRC public and Government; it served to trigger a sober internal assessment of the state of the PRCs Peoples Liberation Army (PLA). The incident a direct and deliberate provocation had a similar impact on strategic planners on the Russian General Staff and in Pres. Vladimir Putins office. This may have been the single most important act of self-inflicted damage that the US perpetrated on itself since US Pres. Jimmy Carter withdrew the US from control of the Panama Canal in 1977. From that point, both Beijing and Moscow began examining ways to leapfrog US technological leadership and operational doctrine in the military sphere, creating, as a result, capabilities which have overtaken the US in many areas. It was not surprising that the CPC accepted, in 1999, the findings of a study that could have been overlooked a year or two earlier: the study by two PLA Senior Colonels entitled Unrestricted Warfare. It defined new approaches to the conduct of warfare which were to prove powerful, and which were subsequently to be incorporated even into Russian strategic doctrine. The watershed of the 2022 Russian direct action against Ukraine has stimulated the next phase of Beijings evaluation of the prospects of conflict and competition over the coming decade. Watershed One was the 1999 Belgrade attack. Watershed Two was the start of Russian hostilities (and subsequent Western reactions) in late February 2022. What, then, are some of Beijings conclusions being considered by early March 2022? 1. Moscow Now Dominates the Eurasian Balance: CPC leadership, which is not subject to mainstream media pressures, takes a far less pessimistic view of Russias military success rate in the early days of the Ukraine conflict than does the Western media or Western politicians. Beijing recognizes that, however the conflict settles down, Moscow emerges stronger from the conflict, both militarily and strategically, even if it is isolated from Western markets and capital. This is not necessarily seen as a universally positive development for Beijing overall, but something that does give the PRC short-term comfort. In other words: short-term relief; long-term uncertainty. Beijing, on this basis, now understands that Russia dominates the Sino-Russian relationship in the way that, during much of the Cold War, the USSR dominated the Sino-Soviet relationship. That had changed with the massive post-Cold War growth of the PRC economy, making a weak post-Soviet Moscow a supplicant to seek trade and support from Beijing. At that point, up until perhaps 2012, Russia was forced to sell its crown jewels its latest military and space technology, in particular to the PRC, and to tolerate the PRC theft of Russian intellectual property to attempt to build its own defense, aerospace, and high-tech industries. However, the PRCs economic difficulties since about 2012 gradually gave Moscow more opportunity to regain dominance over the relationship. This then moved to a tipping point switch to Moscow dominance following the US withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021. Russia moved rapidly in late 2021 to re-consolidate influence in Central Asia; the PRC gained far less than it had hoped from that event, both in Central Asia and with regard to Iran and Afghanistan. The January 2022 Kazakhstan staged attempted coup consolidated Russias ability to dominate Central Asia. The PRC assessment of the Russian approach to the intervention in Ukraine, therefore, was far less emotional than Western assessments. It became, in a sense, an existential event for the CPC. Furthermore, it confirmed Russias longstanding commitment to resisting encroachments on its borders, including the unresolved Sino-Russian borders. Russian isolation from the Western world offers profound relief for Beijing, including the prospect that Russias significant strength in global grain markets could be turned to providing food support for the PRC, which is the largest net importer of food in the world. Similarly, the creation of an internal Eurasian market could ensure that more Russian energy finds a home in PRC markets. All of this pre-supposes that Beijing will, in the coming years, be able to afford to pay for it. But Beijing, at least, has recognized that Russia has in recent years become a massive net exporter of food, a factor that has seemingly been ignored by the West. There has been, for several years, a great impetus to create an internal marketplace between the PRC, Russia, and several smaller states, such as (particularly) Iran, with some interchange with the more independent Central Asian states and other states in Africa and the Americas. Indeed, to a substantial extent, the neutral position of the Central Asian states could provide the buffer for the import and export of goods to and from Russia, and also to and from the PRC. 2. Ukraine Offers Few Parallels for Beijings Hope to Conquer Taiwan: There are few military parallels between the Russian military operation in Ukraine and a proposed amphibious operation by the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) to conquer Taiwan, other than to assess the merits of various weapons systems, particularly air defenses. However, Ukraines piecemeal evolution of an air defense capability, heavily based on Soviet-built weapons, in no way mirrors the complex air defense capability of the Republic of China (ROC) Armed Forces on Taiwan. The real tactical and military focus for the PLA would be on the success and challenges of the Russia-Ukraine cyber warfare, but it would be clear to Beijing that Russia had, by early March 2022, scarcely deployed anything like its full cyber (or even its military) capability. What was interesting, possibly, was the level of success that Ukraines own cyber capabilities may have achieved in impacting Russian tactical and strategic capabilities, if at all, and how much US/NATO cyber support may have entered the conflict. Of far greater importance to Beijing would be the extent to which the Ukraine crisis gave an indicator of US, Western, and global political galvanization in resisting Russia, and whether this would give an indication of a possible global response to a PRC attack on Taiwan. Russias portrayal of the historical relationship of Ukraine and Moscow, along with the promises toward the end of the Cold War by US Pres. Ronald Reagan and UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher to refrain from NATO expansion, will be key to Beijings search for parallels applicable to Taiwan. Beijing is paying particular attention to the use, or maneuver, of Russian strategic forces essentially nuclear and hypersonic capabilities in order to compel US/NATO onto the sidelines of the Ukraine dispute. Russian Pres. Vladimir Putin has used the re-positioning of strategic assets very, very carefully to highlight Russian determination without hinting at an inevitable escalation to nuclear conflict. Beijing should be expected to raise the nuclear deterrence aspect with regard to the ROC. Not deterrence of others from directly undertaking a nuclear first strike against the PRC, but to intimidate foreign forces away from supporting the ROC; to create, in psycho-political terms, paralysis in its opponents. Significantly, Beijing cannot claim that Taiwan more specifically the ROC as a sovereign entity is a defecting part of China. The Republic of China (ROC), now based in Taiwan, can, however, claim that the Peoples Republic of China (PRC), created only in 1949, is an illegal defector from the Republic of China. That profound difference is locked into US and Japanese history, with the US maintaining a chain of recognition and responsibility with regard to Taiwan, even if it today recognizes the PRC as the representative of the geographic entity of China. Nonetheless, Beijing attempts to portray the Taiwan issue as an internal dispute, and this will continue to be promoted and expanded as a means of keeping foreigners out. Indeed, the real issue for the CPC will be to determine whether Ukraine conflict exhaustion could be married, through psychological operations, to dampen US (in particular) enthusiasm to resist a PLA Taiwan operation. Alternately, the CPC must consider whether the Wests reluctance to commit more to the defense of Ukraine means that it merely continues to keep its powder dry in readiness for a PRC break-out. In any event, Beijings key consideration for a Taiwan operation relies more on the independent responses of India and Japan. It also considers whether the PRCs quiescence on the Kazakhstan issue in January 2022 and its tacit and diplomatic support for Moscow over Ukraine, would earn it some direct military and political support from Russia in the event that Beijing attempted the Taiwan operation. [Having said that, even Xi Jinpings consolidated strength within the CPC is almost certainly insufficient to counter his Party and PLA opponents argument that an invasion of Taiwan would be a reckless, unnecessary, and possibly unsuccessful even suicidal gamble.] In the purely military assessment by Beijing of the Russian operations in Ukraine, the CPC is more aware than any other power of what is actually occurring. This includes the realization of Russian goals, which do not include an ongoing occupation of Ukraine. It almost certainly recognizes that Russia has a series of phased, or alternative, acceptable outcomes, but of overriding importance would be the creation of a post-conflict neutral buffer state out of what remains of Ukraine. It would also include an absolute guarantee of its position in Crimea and almost certainly the full establishment of the Donbas new republics, Luhansk and Donetsk, as part of the buffer system protecting Russias control of the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea. This would help consolidate for Russia a range of geographic buffer zones. How Russia will deal with Turkey, post-Ukraine, remains to be seen, but the newly-emerging Eurasian bloc dominated by Russia, the PRC, and Iran could well offer some salvation to Turkish Pres. Recep Tayyip Erdo?an, whose economy has entered a final downward spiral. The European Union (EU) is unlikely to offer any political or economic solace to Turkey as long as Erdo?an remains in power, and potential trading partners such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have already indicated that they could be a link into the Russian-dominated new bloc. So, for all that Pres. Erdo?an had pinned some hopes on punishing Russia over Ukraine and seeing Ukraine as a possible revival avenue for Turkey in Europe, Moscow might once again be the only means of saving the embattled Turkish President. And Mr. Erdo?an has already made it clear he would value an improved economic relationship with Beijing. In any event, Beijing is aware that the correlation of forces, despite the anticipated sanctions, works in favor of a strategically strong Eurasian bloc under Russia. Beijing is keenly aware that the Russian military action was nowhere near a full invasion of Ukraine, and that Moscow has considerable theater-level escalation capability. Moscow has been judicious in its use of precision-guided munitions and yet has still been able to achieve air dominance in the campaign. It has also, by acting with great deliberation and an avoidance of mass tactics, been able to overmatch Ukrainian ground force capabilities, regardless of the qualities of many individual Ukrainian combatants. 3. Common Cause to Minimize Sino-Russian Competition: Beijing is aware that the Ukraine conflict, more than any other action since the end of the Cold War, has driven Moscow into the arms of Beijing. Moscow, while it may emerge as the stronger of the two in the alliance, will be a different player on the world stage than the one it wished to be after the collapse of the USSR. A new economic framework will be needed for the new Eurasian bloc and its global affiliates, and this has been considered for some time. The fact that Russia was able to counter the loss of access to the SWIFT financial transfer system by March 1, 2022, indicated that Moscow had been preparing for some years for the final rupture of what it had hoped would be a Russian integration into the Western-dominated trading system. The introduction of the Financial Message Transfer System of the Bank of Russia (SPFS) some six years earlier, was well thought out, and has already been perfected in operational use by banks in Belarus, Armenia, and the Kyrgyz Republic. It already had 399 users by March 2022, and the PRC was negotiating to join the system. The SPFS system was conducting more than two-million messages a month in 2020, some 20.6 percent more than SWIFT. SWIFT, however, has the advantage of widespread global use, which the SPFS does not. Certainly, this does not compensate for the degradation of Russian and PRC currencies vis-a-vis the US dollar, sterling, and the euro, but what it means is that the new Eurasian bloc is merely divided from the Western trading system. But Russia (and, to a lesser extent, the PRC) has high reserves of gold to provide a solid underpinning of its currency, and this will eventually begin to tell as Western debt levels begin to erode confidence in the US dollar and the euro. It also explains why Russia and the PRC focus efforts on developing good relations with gold-producing states (ie: Mali and South Africa). The world has, in any event, been moving gradually back to a greater bilateralization of trade since the end of the Cold War, and this lends itself to barter and counter-trade which will again feature heavily for Moscow and Beijing. 4. Forcing the US/West to Focus on the Euro-Atlantic Theater Rather than the Indo-Pacific: Beijing is looking at the US/NATO/Australia response to the Ukraine crisis and has recognized that this contributes significantly to leveling the power balance in the Indo-Pacific. Beijing has for some time attempted to find Euro-Atlantic distractions which would force the US and UK (in particular) to diminish their Indo-Pacific focus. The Ukraine conflict, then, has been a major success for Beijing. The correlation of forces it faces in the Indo-Pacific have been altered, at least for some time, by a US political need to re-focus on NATO. This will make it more difficult for the nascent AUKUS bloc of Australia, the United Kingdom, and the US, to gain priority traction in Washington. Even within the loose Quad (quadrilateral) alliance of India, Japan, the US, and Australia, India is now in an ambiguous position with Russia, which had long been a major national security partner of New Delhi. The changes initiated by the August 2021 withdrawal by the US from Afghanistan opened the way for the resumption of the Great Game, allowing India to compete against Moscow and Beijing for influence in the Central Asian states in a way not possible since the late 19th Century. But India, now, may find itself having to find a new modus vivendi with a consolidated Eurasian power bloc, which may dampen the Indian ability to directly challenge the PRC on the Tibetan Plateau, or over Pakistani-occupied Kashmir, as easily as might have been the case when Russia was less intimately linked to the PRC. This, in turn, positions Pakistan in a new light. It might now once again be seen as a stable link for the PRC into the Indian Ocean. Everything has, once again, become ambiguous, and this works well for Beijing. Its certain decline has been given a safety net. In Conclusion The bottom line is that while Beijing may feel a certain sadness that it has slipped into a subordinate position again, with regard to Russia, the reality is that the Ukraine war has stabilized the position of the CPC and PRC as Xi Jinping moves toward consolidating his domestic position in history at the XXth CPC Party Congress in October 2022. Xis position in PRC domestic power struggles was, after all, made even more ambiguous because of the clear failure of the February 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics to restore prestige and credibility to an increasingly isolated PRC. To be sure, that poor investment in staging the Winter Olympics would not be enough to derail Xis bid for re-election at the XXth Party Congress, but it hardly helped him. What ultimately emerges for the CPC is something that was imagined during the Cold War: a harmonious (if expedient) Sino-Russian bloc that could build a global position of allies and partners. What helped end the Cold War was the Wests move to exacerbate the Sino-Soviet rift, and that process also included the promises by Reagan and Thatcher to Russia and US Pres. Richard Nixons promises to Beijing. But the West is not in a position to use those same tools so easily in the future. By Gregory R. Copley, Editor, GIS/Defense & Foreign Affairs. More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The national average price for a gallon of gasoline has topped $4 as the federal government struggles to rein in the price of crude oil. According to AAA, the national average as of Sunday stood $4.009 per gallon of regular. This compares with $3.922 per gallon a day earlier and $3.604 per gallon a week earlier. A month ago, a gallon of regular cost $3.439 on average. CNBC noted in a report on gas price movements that this is the highest since 2008 and cited Andrew Lipow from Lipow and Associates as saying prices had higher to go. Oil buyers are reducing their purchases of refined products from Russia, causing Russian refineries to shut down, Lipow told CNBC. Dockworkers are refusing to unload vessels carrying oil and gas. Insurance rates are skyrocketing, causing vessel owners to cancel ship bookings loading in Russia, and this is also impacting on the ability of Kazakhstan to sell their oil. In response to these developments, the United States has so far negotiated a release of 60 million barrels from several countries, coordinated by the International Energy Agency. It has also sent envoys to Riyadh, but it seems that OPECs de facto leader is not too willing to boost oil production without getting anything in exchange, per an interview with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Meanwhile, the U.S. is discussing an official ban on Russian oil imports with its allies in Europe. With traders already shunning Russian oil cargos because of Western sanctions and ports refusing to accept Russian vessels, the official move to sanction Russian oil would be a continuation of a process already set in motion by previous sanctions. The U.S. is looking for alternatives, it seems, sending a group of officials to Caracas for talks with the Maduro government. According to reports, the talks, which focused on the possibility of easing U.S. sanctions on the countrys oil industry, ended with no agreement between the sides. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The United States has confirmed that it is in talks with European allies to potentially sanction Russian crude oil in response to Moscow's ongoing aggression in Ukraine, sending oil prices briefly above $130. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken noted on Sunday during the NBC talk show Meet the Press on Sunday, 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." The latest considerations follow a stream of sanctions that have already had a significant impact on the Russian economy but have not yet been able to halt Putin's advance into Ukraine. European Commission President Ursula von Der Leyen has yet not fully supported the idea as of yet, though she has expressed that one of their primary goals in the sanctions that have been levied thus far is to cut Putin's funding streams. The European Commission President noted on CNN, The goal is to isolate Russia and to make it impossible for Putin to finance his wars, adding For us, there is a strong strategy now to say we have to get rid of the dependency of fossil fuels from Russia. The move, if agreed upon, has long been considered the "nuclear option" as a ban on Russian oil could weigh on global supply in an already tight market. Bank of America analysts noted that if Russia's oil is cut off, the market could face a 5 million barrel shortfall which could push oil prices to $200 per barrel. The situation is compacted by stalling talks with Iran over a potential new nuclear deal. Amrita Sen, the co-founder of Energy Aspects, a think tank, explained, "Iran was the only real bearish factor hanging over the market but if now the Iranian deal gets delayed, we could get to tank bottoms a lot quicker especially if Russian barrels remain off the market for long." By Michael Kern for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: While Russias invasion of Ukraine may be front and center of todays media coverage, the ongoing JCPOA discussions with Iran in Vienna need to be watched carefully. Under pressure from a growing military conflict in the heart of Europe and steep energy and commodity prices, it now seems that Tehrans rulers are going to get what they have wanted for so long. While the specifics have not yet been divulged to the public, insiders appear very optimistic that a deal will be reached soon. Some insiders have indicated that an agreement would see Iran quickly return to international markets. The underlying reasons for the recent rapid progress in negotiations, however, hint at the potential of diplomatic and geopolitical miscalculations. Some analysts are warning that the US Midterms and European elections are partly influencing the decisions being made at the negotiating table. High energy and commodity prices are threatening the electoral success of Biden and other European leaders. Perceived domestic pressure to do something about higher gasoline prices or power bills could have forced Western politicians to be much more flexible to Irans extremist regime than would have otherwise been the case. Strategic decisions appear to be being pushed through based on misconceptions about the impact that Irans vast oil and gas reserves could have on energy prices. At the same time, the ongoing military build-up and regional aggression of the Raisi regime are being largely ignored. The main underlying political failure here appears to be a failure to recognize that the removal of US sanctions, which were put in place by US President Donald Trump, will not stabilize the Middle East at all. To open up the global financial sector and commodity markets to Iran will be a major mistake, as it gives the extremist regime a new lease on life, while hydrocarbon revenues will be pushed not only into the Iranian economy but also to military procurement, development of ballistic missile systems, drones, and the financing of Iranian proxies in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Gaza, and Yemen. The financial gains of the Iranian government will not lead to a push for democratization or strengthen the public interests of Iranians. Related: Oil Prices Break $130 As EU And U.S. Allies Consider Ban On Russian Crude At the same time, Irans connection to and support of Russia is apparently being ignored. Russia has been using Tehrans forces in the battle for control of Syria. Moscow clearly understands that the use of Iran in the Middle East has not only pushed Western powers out of the region but can be used as a bargaining chip with major Arab powers, such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and even Egypt. Washington and Brussels will understand that any action they take with Iran will need to be justified to Israel and its Arab allies. Russia is clearly using Iran to maintain its foothold in the Middle East and to make sure Israel is wary of getting involved in Ukraine. Israeli tech would significantly strengthen Ukraines position if the country was to get more involved. The obvious reason, according to most analysts, for appeasing Iran is to bring additional volumes of crude oil, condensates, and natural gas onto the market. The optimism about Irans capabilities in regards to this, however, is misplaced. There will be no Tsunami of new Iranian oil hitting the market. Even under US sanctions, Iran has been exporting vast volumes, almost all heading to Asian clients, such as China. To expect an additional 1-2 million bpd of Iranian oil, partly to counter the possible removal of Russian Urals under sanctions, is completely unrealistic. The vast floating storage volumes, as has been reported by some already, are not the products, crude, or quality the market will be looking for. If an agreement includes lifting the oil sanctions on Iran, it will take more than 2 months for exports to reach markets worldwide. No doubt Iran will try to increase and revamp its production levels, but that will all take time as well. In the most optimistic analysis, Iran could increase production within months by 1 million bpd, reaching around 3.7 million bpd in 2023. That would be if sanctions are totally lifted, investments are poured in, and technology is available. The tricky part of it all, especially in light of Russias invasion of Ukraine and new financial regulations and reporting requirements, is the financing of trade and the transfer of cash to Iran. A new agreement could include the transfer of billions of dollars held in escrow accounts around the world. To check and verify those flows would require changes to the parties that are currently on sanctions lists, such as IRGC and others. Dealing with the Iranian oil sector is dealing with Irans military arm of extremist IRGC groups, the ones currently fighting in Syria, Iraq, and supporting Hezbollah. To sacrifice security worldwide, to expand Irans power projections in the Middle East, and to increase the power of Raisi is the cost of a nuclear deal right now. The benefit of such a deal would likely be a short-lived 1 percent boost in the global oil supply. Western politicians and leaders are known for their short-term visions, but Ukraine is an example of how other players on the world stage appear to be considering much longer timelines. Short-term gains of around $8 per barrel are expected, but this price increase could lead to a much higher mid-term price spike if the Middle East, already facing the prospect of food shortages, is destabilized by a revived Iranian regime. By Cyril Widdershoven for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: One day after we reported that Germany had warned against a ban on energy imports from Russia, quoting Germany's Economy Minister Robert Habeck who said "I would not advocate an embargo on Russian imports of fossil fuels. I would even oppose it," adding that "we need these energy supplies to maintain the price stability and energy security in Germany," and warning that "a shortage in supply could threaten social cohesion in Germany", moments ago Bloomberg reported that Germany now openly opposes the push to stop Russian oil, gas imports. Im not ruling out anything for the further development of this year, German Finance Minister Christian Lindner tells reporters in Berlin when asked about the next steps against Russia. At the current time, however, there is no new decision to be made. The government insists that we do not take the initiative to end our imports of oil, gas and coal to Germany This option is of course on the table, but at the moment it doesnt seem advisable to take this step ourselves in order to ensure the sustainability of the sanctions against Vladimir Putin and that we dont hand long-term strategic advantages to Mr. Putin. We must recognize that accepting negative economic effects is also our contribution to solidarity with Ukraine Germany's Chancellor Scholz echoed the view, saying that Europe has deliberately exempted energy supplies from Russia sanctions as, at the moment, Europe's supply of energy cannot be secured in any other way. The German position may explain why late on Sunday Bloomberg reported that the Biden administration is now considering whether to prohibit Russian oil imports into the U.S. without the participation of allies in Europe, which is likely aimed at isolating Germany's blocking position. And while the administration has yet to decide on a U.S. import ban "with the timing and scope of any move still fluid" buyer of Russian oil are already largely boycotting Russian energy, having self-imposed restrictions on purchases of Russian seaborne Brent which failed to find any buyers until it was offered at a $28.50 discount to dated Brent, when Shell emerged as a buyer only to issue a statement on Saturday explaining why it did so following global condemnation and vowing to donate all profits. Meanwhile, the news that Germany is blocking a comprehensive Western embargo - coupled with some favorable news out of Libya which said that it was resuming oil production at its biggest oil field, Sharara, to the tune of 270-300bkpd - have helped push oil sharply lower from its overnight session highs of $139, with WTI trading at $119.1, up around $3.44 on the session, after being $15 higher earlier. By Zerohedge.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Russias Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak on Monday has said that Russia could cut natural gas supplies to Germany via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline. In connection with unfounded accusations against Russia regarding the energy crisis in Europe and the imposition of a ban on Nord Stream 2, we have every right to take a matching decision and impose an embargo on gas pumping through the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline, Novak said in a state television broadcast on Monday, adding that so far, we are not taking such a decision. Russia has long maintained that it was not using natural gas as a weapon, but that hasnt stopped the United States and others from warning Europe that being beholden to Russia for a significant share of its natural gas supplies could allow Russia to weaponize the flow of that gas. Today, those warnings seem well-founded, although Russia has yet to make good on its new threat. U.S. lawmakers have long maintained that Russias Nord Stream 2 pipelinewhich is now complete but not flowing gaswould further put Europe in Russias grip with energy security. Germany, already reliant on Russia for much of its natural gas needs, ruled last October that the Nord Stream 2 pipeline posed no security-of-supply threat. But Germany itself asked the economy ministry to withdraw a binding opinion stating that it posed no threat, so the country could shelve the pipeline after Russias invasion of Ukraine. Europe gets 40% of its natural gas supply from Russia. If Russia does cut off the flow of Nord Stream 1, natural gas prices in Europe will climb even higher. Natural gas prices are already at a record high, up 42% from Fridays close to $293 per MwH on Monday. By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The United States government has sent a group of officials to Caracas amid discussions of a ban on Russian oil imports. According to a Reuters report, the trip was also part of Washington's efforts to isolate Russia internationally, with Venezuela being a known ally of Moscow in South America. According to an unnamed source, the two sides held talks on Saturday, but the subject of the talks remained undisclosed. An agreement was not reached, according to the Reuters source. The Financial Times also cited anonymous sources confirming the meeting, saying it involved Washington's top Latin America official, Juan Gonzalez. The United States broke off diplomatic relations with Venezuela in 2019 after national elections that cemented Nicolas Maduro as president. Sanctions followed, targeting specifically Venezuela's oil industrythe lifeblood of the regime. However, Washington could not completely stop Venezuelan oil exports despite deepening sanctions, with China and Russia coming to the rescue. Venezuela continues to export most of its oil to China. Related: Oil Ends Wildest Week Ever As Russian War In Ukraine Rattles Market But now that the Biden administration is discussing a ban on Russian oil imports with the European Union, it may reasonably be expected to look to Venezuela to replace the Russian barrels, even though most of what the U.S. has been importing from Russia has been refined oil products. "I think it's expectable, even predictable, that the Biden administration would try to smooth things over with Venezuela and Iran given the crisis in energy supply caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine," Francisco Rodriguez, a Council for Foreign Relations fellow and critic of the Venezuelan sanctions, told the FT. Meanwhile, White House press secretary Jen Psaki told media last Friday that "We are looking at ways to reduce the import of Russian oil while also making sure that we are maintaining the global supply needs out there." "The idea was not to sanction oil and gas because of their essential nature, but oil is getting sanctioned by private actors not wanting to pick it up or ports not wanting to receive it and the longer this goes on the more supply chains are going to buckle," IHS Markit's Daniel Yergin explained, as quoted by Reuters. Such a development makes official sanctions a more likely move, it seems. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: For Candy Schott, there was no question of whether to hoist the Ukrainian flag during Sundays Womens March in Omaha. They are fighting for their basic freedoms and that ties into what we are marching for, said Schott, who attended the rally with her daughters Cami and Maci. Womens rights are human rights. Several hundred people bundled up against a biting winters wind Sunday afternoon to participate in the 2022 march and rally at Turner Park, which is adjacent to Midtown Crossing. Jo Giles, executive director of the Womens Fund of Omaha, was among the speakers calling on people to remain engaged. Today in Nebraska our basic rights are under attack, Giles told the crowd. Without full access to health care, reproductive services, equal pay and other benefits afforded by society, Nebraska is not a safe and welcoming place for women to raise their families, she said. I know you are tired, Im tired, too, Giles said. But lets rest up and get to work. That message resonated in the crowd. Marguerite Kramer, also of Omaha, said she came to the rally with her partner, Naomy Lopez, and her mother, Gloria Borgstahl, because its important to show up. Kramer said she, too, is worn out by the divisive battles and setbacks of the last several years, but she said she wont let fatigue win. It starts with us being able to speak for ourselves, she said. We have to make an effort to go forward. For many in the crowd, looming restrictions on access to abortion were among their motivations. One hundred percent, Kramer said. Barb Briskey-Weber and Melody Sheldon, both of Omaha, carried signs supporting safe access to legal abortions. Briskey-Weber said women forced to carry to term babies that are the result of rape or incest face a lifetime of trauma. Sheldon said the march was a much-needed outlet in the face of attacks on a range of issues, from the education system to womens rights to their bodies. This gives me the feeling of actively doing something, she said. Every time I get up, its What fresh horror awaits me today? Standing next to her, Briskey-Weber responded with the saying, What would Jesus do? Love thy neighbor, she said, answering the question. Your neighbors are everyone. Omaha World-Herald: Afternoon Update The latest headlines sent at 4:45 p.m. daily. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Long-stressed Nebraska hospitals are seeing more relief as COVID-19 continues its weeks-long retreat. Sunday, 191 Nebraskans were hospitalized with COVID-19, down 29% from a week before. Sunday also marked the first time that tally has been below 200 since Aug. 8, exactly seven months ago. Sundays total also was down 75% from the peak of 767 Nebraskans hospitalized on Jan. 28. Cory Shaw, chief operating officer at Nebraska Medicine, said Monday that the last two weeks have really been a collective sigh of relief among the health systems staff members. But Jeremy Nordquist, president of the Nebraska Hospital Association, said health systems still face a mountain of backlogged procedures delayed by the pandemic as well as ongoing staffing challenges. Its going to take months and months to work our way out of that again, he said. Hospitals are slowly getting back up to speed. Shaw said Nebraska Medicine is a week away from returning to conventional operations. The health system in January went into the first stage of its crisis plan and the Nebraska Medical Center then was limited by a state directive from performing some nonemergency procedures. Dr. Cary Ward, chief medical officer for CHI Health, said that health system decreased inpatient procedures, particularly those requiring an overnight stay, by hundreds. At the same time, it increased outpatient procedures by thousands. Many procedures, such as joint replacements, used to require a hospital stay that could last several days. For the right patient, with the right resources at home and the right health, Ward said, it turns out doing them the same day, getting them home, has been a wonderful evolution from all this. Because it has 14 hospitals, he said, CHI Health has not had the backlog that some health systems have had. But staffing remains a challenge. CHI continues to rely on traveling nurses, but to a lesser extent. Ward said hes confident nurses will start coming back and wanting to work in a hospital setting. Dr. John Trapp, chief medical officer for Bryan Health, said the Lincoln-based system had to delay 1,200 procedures between March 2020 and fall 2021. Some became more urgent and had to be done. Others, like those at CHI, were shifted to outpatient procedures. I think weve learned a lot about how we can manage patients, Trapp said, particularly for those who are relatively well. Trapp said he anticipates the health system will return to full operations by the beginning of April. But he said the hospital likely will see an increase in patients accessing the hospital for delayed procedures for weeks, even months. Both Trapp and Ward said their hospitals now are able to accept patients from smaller hospitals, which they had to limit during the surge. Shaw said that staff at smaller hospitals have become more comfortable taking care of patients they once would have transferred, allowing patients and families to stay closer to home. Meanwhile, COVID cases in Nebraska appear to remain in the midst of a steep six-week decline, although last weeks state figures from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention were muddled by the delayed reporting of thousands of new cases. Last week, the CDC added 22,000 new cases to the states total. All but about 200 of them appear to be cases from previous weeks. Dr. Anne OKeefe, senior epidemiologist with the Douglas County Health Department, said the CDC is adding reinfections to its official case tallies. Previously, the case counts did not include additional infections for people who have been infected more than once. Reinfections are defined as a new positive test more than 90 days after a previous positive test. After 90 days, OKeefe said, any new positive test is considered a new case rather than lingering virus from a previous infection. The reinfections being counted are those occurring after Sept. 1, OKeefe said. Many of the cases being added involve the omicron variant. It gives you a more realistic view of how much disease happened at each point in time, she said. The state and county eventually will sort the added cases and place them under the dates they occurred, OKeefe said. The state is working to update and clean up its data. The County Health Department probably will announce the changes to its dashboard when they are made. Getting a booster dose, OKeefe said, can prevent people from getting reinfected. Without those cases, it appears the state total for the week ending Thursday would have been about 700, down slightly from the 968 the previous week. In a single week in late January, the state saw 29,000 cases. Nebraskas case rate also appears to remain among the lowest per-capita in the nation, a status it has held for several weeks. The state reported 57 new COVID-19 deaths last week, bringing the total number of confirmed and probable deaths in the state during the pandemic to 4,013. As of Thursday, more than 476,000 confirmed and probable cases had been reported in Nebraska. Under the CDCs new community recommendations, most of the eastern third of Nebraska now is considered a medium level, meaning masking indoors no longer widely recommended. Hospital officials said, however, that they are continuing to require masks for the time being to protect vulnerable patients as well as staff and visitors. <&rule> Omaha World-Herald: Afternoon Update The latest headlines sent at 4:45 p.m. daily. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Julie Anderson Julie Anderson is a medical reporter for The World-Herald. She covers health care and health care trends and developments, including hospitals, research and treatments. Follow her on Twitter @JulieAnderson41. Phone: 402-444-1066. Follow Julie Anderson 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 Hold on to those memories of last weeks warm weather because the National Weather Service forecast calls for winter to strike back over the next several days. We will actually be dipping well below the normal highs, which are typically in the mid- to upper 40s this time of year, said meteorologist Becky Kern of the weather service office in Valley. The lows are going to drop as well as we return to a wintry mix. Monday will see light snow falling mostly in northeast Kansas and northwest Missouri, Kern said. Omahas forecast calls for a high in the 30s with from a trace of snow up to half an inch expected, she said. A brief warmup is predicted for Tuesday with highs in the upper 40s or even reaching 50, Kern said. But arctic air is expected to drop into eastern Nebraska and western Iowa early Wednesday. The cold front will produce highs in the 20s with lows in the single digits, Kern said. It will be very frigid Wednesday and Thursday with more chances of snow starting Wednesday afternoon. It does look like we could have some pockets of significant snow. By Thursday morning, low temperatures are forecast to dip into the teens with highs that day, reaching only the upper 20s. Thursday night through Friday morning looks even colder, with lows in the single digits above and even below zero. The colder air lingers through Friday night, before a slow warming trend returns next weekend. March is our transitional season and can be quite active and stormy, Kern said. We shouldnt see the kind of storms that we had (Saturday), though. Those storms did bring some much-needed precipitation to the Omaha area, she said. Eppley Airfield recorded just under an inch of precipitation, 0.8 inches, falling from Friday through Saturday. It was nice to get some rain, Kern said. It wasnt a drought buster by any means. Omaha World-Herald: Afternoon Update The latest headlines sent at 4:45 p.m. daily. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Hefty pay increases for state corrections workers have already reduced staff vacancies by half and should soon cut into forced overtime for prison guards and required weekend lockdowns for many prisoners, state officials said Monday. Overall, the raises of up to 40% announced in November have helped the state attract more than 1,000 new applicants and make 267 new hires, said Nebraska Department of Correctional Services Director Scott Frakes. The new pay is so attractive, he said, that 50 of the new hires are staffers who previously left and are now returning to the agency, and 118 are coming from out of state. We are very pleased with that agreement and the impact it has had on our staffing, said Gov. Pete Ricketts, who joined Frakes at a press conference Monday. The State Corrections Department has been dogged by chronic staffing shortages for years. Late last year, about a third of the agencys protective services positions corrections corporals, sergeants and caseworkers were vacant. The sparse staffing has spurred myriad problems, including record overtime costs, limits on inmates activities and safety issues. At the state prison in Tecumseh and the states prisoner intake facility in Lincoln, inmates have been on weekend lockdowns, where they are largely restricted to their cells from Friday through Sunday and not able to see visitors. The state doesnt have the staffing to safely facilitate movement within the facilities. Frakes has previously described the pay package negotiated with the state union of correctional workers as a game-changer. Starting wages for corrections corporals and prison caseworkers are rising from $20 an hour to $28 an hour. That equates to a bump from an annual salary of about $42,000 to $58,000. Overall, the new hires have reduced current department vacancies from 427 to 206, Ricketts said. And Frakes said those numbers should continue to come down as the new hires go through the departments training academy. The state graduated a class of 50 in February, will graduate 69 more next Monday, and have a new class of 78 set to start that same day. Frakes said the new hires are already limiting the amount of forced overtime the department is requiring. Due to increased overtime pay under the new agreement, many staff members are choosing to work overtime voluntarily. He declined to put a timeline on when the two facilities that are on weekend lockdowns will return to normal activity levels. Such changes will likely be phased in, he said. Another factor in improved staffing levels has been reduced turnover. Last year, more than 400 people resigned from the department. Over the first two months this year, there were a total of 22 resignations. You can bring on all the people in the world, but if you dont retain those people, you dont make any headway, Frakes said. He said the large number of new hires returning to the department or coming from out of state are due to the pay increases as well as hiring bonuses and the payment of moving expenses. The 118 out-of-state hires are coming from 33 states, he said. Thats 118 people and their families now coming to be a part of Nebraska, Frakes said. Ricketts said the progress has been made despite a challenging hiring environment, with Nebraska in recent months recording the lowest unemployment rates the nation has ever seen. Frakes and the governor also touted a corrections leadership training and apprenticeship program that has been created at Peru State College. The program, which Frakes said is the first of its kind nationally, allows prospective future corrections workers to apprentice in the department while getting four-year degrees in criminal justice. The program now has its first 18 students, and Frakes envisions them to be future leaders in the Corrections Department. Frakes and the governor also lauded the workers who have stuck with the department through the staffing issues and pandemic. The women and men who serve the state of Nebraska in the Department of Corrections really are heroes, Ricketts said. On another prison matter, Ricketts was asked about Nebraskas elevated levels of incarceration for people of color. Nebraska incarcerates people of color at rates well above the national average, even as the states White incarceration rate is below the U.S. average. Those disparities were the subject of a story in The World-Herald on Sunday. Nebraska is also the only state in the country to increase its Black incarceration rate since 2006. Nationally, Black incarceration is down more than a third in that time. Ricketts noted the efforts he has made to boost jobs and opportunity in North Omaha the center of the states Black community including the opening of a state economic development office there. He said the unemployment rate for Black Nebraskans in 2020 was well below the national Black average, though it remained more than double the overall state rate. We obviously have more work to do, but we want to continue to create those opportunities, he said. Because as was pointed out in the article, that is one of the ways to mitigate the incarceration of African-Americans. Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Nelson Mandela: The Official Exhibition opened at the Durham Museum Saturday, making Omaha only the third location in the U.S. to host the exhibit. Wintry weather closed a stretch of Interstate 80 in Wyoming and the Nebraska Panhandle on Sunday. Additionally, icy weather closed Kansas City International Airport on Sunday. Westbound I-80 and U.S. 30 were closed at Big Springs, Nebraska, according to a tweet from the State Patrol, because of snowy weather in Wyoming. Snow was also expected to cause travel problems across southeast Nebraska on Sunday night into Monday, according to the National Weather Service. Snow returns to the area Wednesday night into Thursday, according to the weather service.The Kansas City Airport closed to all flights Sunday evening due to fast-accumulating ice, according to a tweet by the airport authority. People were asked to check FlyKCI.com or their airlines website for flight status. On Saturday, a Nebraska State Patrol officer sustained minor injuries after being hit while aiding drivers in bad weather. Troopers responded to dozens of weather-related incidents Saturday and Sunday morning, including 23 crashes. The trooper who was struck was assisting a vehicle that had slid off the Interstate near Maxwell, Nebraska. The incident occurred about 10:40 p.m. as the trooper sat in his cruiser with his emergency lights operating. A vehicle that was unable to stop struck the cruiser from behind. No one was seriously hurt. On Saturday, the stormy weather spawned a tornado in Madison County, Iowa, that killed six and injured four, according to the Associated Press. Local Weather Get the daily forecast and severe weather alerts in your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Voices heard Several prominent local politicians, including Charles Cunningham and Dan Crenshaw, secured their respective nominations in the March 1 primary election. Crenshaw ran for reelection on the Republican ballot for Texass 2nd Congressional District against challengers Jameson Ellis, Martin Etwop and Milam Langella. Crenshaw declared victory after securing 75 percent of the ballots cast. Ellis was the lone material challenger, receiving 15 percent of the total vote. He ran his platform to the right of Crenshaw, arguing that Crenshaw was not as conservative as he ought to be for his district. Following the nights results, the former Navy SEAL tweeted, Big election victory. Thank you for your continued support TX-02. Tara and I are blessed to represent you. Crenshaw will face lone Democratic challenger Robin Fulford in the November election. Fulford secured her partys nomination running unopposed. Following Dan Hubertys announcement that he is not running again for the Texas House of Representatives, Cunningham, who is an Humble City Council member, declared his intent to fill Hubertys seat for Texas House District 127. He ran on the Republican ticket against primary challenger Deanna Robertson, winning 79 percent of the ballots cast. Since there was no challenger on the primary ticket for either the Democratic, Green or Libertarian party (Huberty faced a Libertarian challenger in the prior election), Cunningham will run unopposed in the general election. Humble ISD Trustee Martina Lemond Dixon ran on the Republican ticket for Harris County judge, a position that Republicans are hoping to reclaim following Lina Hidalgos shocking upset of Ed Emmet four years ago. She fell short of the runoff election, which will occur May 24. With nearly all the votes tallied, Alex Mealer lead with 30 percent of the vote, Vidal Martinez is second with 26 percent of the vote. Dixon received 15 percent of the ballots cast. Mealer and Martinez are headed for a runoff election, since none of the candidates reached the required 50 percent threshold to secure the nomination. For a comprehensive list of Harris County election results, visit harrisvotes.org. 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. Flash 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. Humble City Council discusses senior center progress On Feb. 24, the Humble City Council met at the civic center to discuss progress on the Humble Senior Center and approve details regarding the S. Bender Avenue reconstruction project. A group of seniors recently hopped on a bus to The Hilltop at Eagle Pointe in Mont Belvieu with the goal of seeing a recently-built facility in the area for features. That is, the group set out with excitement to see what might be possible to include in the Humble Senior Center facility. This facility offers a full schedule of activities, including group exercise classes, arts and crafts classes, a full gym, a game room (two pool tables, dartboard, and Scrabble game wallboard), a library and reading lounge, coffee bar, area for quilting and sewing, and a lot more. Additionally, the council approved the agreement for services between the City of Humble and the ARKK Engineering, Inc. firm for engineering services associated with the S. Bender Avenue reconstruction project. This project was brought up in previous council meetings. It is a single phase of a total project. This phase is expected to total $182,000 of the total $1.8M total revenue. City Manager Jason Stuebe added, This is a project extending from West Main Street to Township. Each time it rains, the waters drain to Bender Avenue. There is a six-month design phase expected with the construction to take place over the summer months. To round out the meeting, council member David Pierce read community announcements. On March 12, we have the All Out Classic Car Show at the civic center at noon. Then, on April 2 at 9 a.m., we have the Living Well Farmers Market at Schott Park. This is sure to be a crowd favorite. For additional details. Refer to humblecc.com/event-calendar/ for details. Then, April 3, also at noon, we have the Houston BBQ Festival at the civic center. This is a tasting event that is sure to also be popular. We have so much going on in our city. The next listing of events is for the Charles Bender Performing Arts Center, added Pierce. On March 4-13, we have a stage play called, Educating Rita presented by Texas Repertory Theatre Co. To purchase tickets for this exclusive event, refer to buy.ticketstothecity.com/venue.php? org_id=128. Pierce added, Then, April 23, the Charles Bender Performing Arts Center hosts the Vitacca Ballet World Premier. For tickets, refer to humblepac.com/events/vitacca-ballet-world-premiere/. This event is set to take place at 7 p.m. The next meeting of the city council is set for March 10 at 6:30 p.m. at the City Council Chambers of City Hall. NORMAL The Normal Fire Department said it was investigating the cause of a fire that displaced occupants of three apartments at Lincoln Square Apartments late Sunday. No one was injured in the incident, the department said in a statement. Crews responded around 9:15 p.m. to numerous 911 calls about a fire at 1700 N. School St., the department said. Callers reported visible fire and smoke, and residents were evacuating from the building. The first engine on the scene reported heavy fire out the front and back of apartment 22. Firefighters began an "aggressive attack" on the fire and issued a greater alarm, a measure that calls off-duty firefighters to staff stations and requests an engine company and battalion chief from the Bloomington Fire Department. Crews extinguished the main body of the fire in about 15 minutes, the department said, but spent another hour working to ventilate the structure and check for hot spots and for fire spread in the walls, attic and adjoining apartments. Paramedics evaluated the occupant of apartment 33, which sustained heavy fire damage throughout the first floor and heavy smoke and water damage throughout the entire apartment. Apartments 32 and 34 had minor smoke damage and damage from firefighters checking for fire spread in the walls, the department said. The American Red Cross was assisting the displaced residents. The department said investigators were still at the scene trying to determine the origin and cause of the fire as of 11:40 p.m. Sunday. Calls seeking an update on the status of the investigation Monday were not returned. Lincoln Square Apartments did not respond to a request for comment Monday. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 BLOOMINGTON Friends and community leaders on Sunday reacted with sadness to the death of Willie Brown, a former State Farm executive who played a leadership role in many community service and charitable projects. The 74-year-old Bloomington man died of natural causes early Saturday at OSF St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria, according to the Kibler Brady Ruestman Memorial Home. Brown worked his way up during a 38-year career at State Farm, retiring as executive vice president in 2009. He started in 1971 as a third-shift data processor, an entry level position, because he wanted a steady income and benefits, he told attendees at a 2012 event in Bloomington. I have never had a job I didnt like, Brown said at the time. And I think thats because I never had a job I didnt need. I just made it fun. I challenged myself to make sure that the waitresses always had clean plates ready to go, no matter what. "Dad obviously was a tremendous father and a great man," said his son, Michael Brown, on Sunday, adding he was a leader in his industry and his community. Michael said nothing was more important to his father than mentorship, and "using his position to reach down and pull others up to greater opportunity and exposure." "He believed in that very much." And, he said his father loved the Bloomington-Normal community, and being part of it. Michael Brown said his dad felt immense joy giving back in ways like buying bicycles for the Boys & Girls Club of Bloomington-Normal. "We'll miss him greatly as a father and I believe Bloomington-Normal will miss him greatly as a community leader," said Michael Brown. Michael Jones, retired vice president with State Farm, told The Pantagraph he lived in the same neighborhood as Brown when they were youngsters, and they became longtime friends. They met at Western Avenue Community Center, where Jones now serves as board president. Jones said Brown was the kind of person who grew up and realized he had an opportunity to give back to his community. That's also a lesson Jones learned from Brown for himself. "I don't know if I will ever do it as good as Willie, but I'm going to give it my best shot," he said. Jones, four years junior to Brown, said Brown always made the younger kids feel comfortable in group settings. He admired and looked up to Brown early on. Several years after college, the two reconnected while working at State Farm together. Jones said they always stayed in touch, despite working in different departments. Jones also likes to think Brown had a photographic memory: He recalled names, people he met and specific situations, because "he was such a people person." "He just had that ability to really encircle people with positive influences," Jones said. He wants Brown to be remembered as someone who always carried a friendly smile, and who mentored others when called upon for help. "I'm going to miss a dear friend, that's for sure," said Jones. McLean County State's Attorney Don Knapp also said Brown was a great man who had a good reputation at State Farm, where they had many encounters when Knapp worked as a lawyer there. "Just a kind soul taken too early," Knapp said. He added that Brown's death is a tremendous loss for the community, but a tremendous gain for heaven. Brown was the recipient of numerous awards for his community work, most recently Heartland Community College President's Medallion Award in 2021. He served numerous community groups, including the United Way of McLean County Board of Directors and the Achievement Gap Task Force, an effort to improve academic performance in local schools. He served on The Pantagraph editorial board as a community member in the early 2000s. Jones said area nonprofits had much respect for Brown, particularly United Way. Brown could rally people around campaigns year in and year out, he said. Another community project he helped lead was the Promise Council, which creates a network of caring adults in the community to help fulfill needs of schoolchildren. Linda Bowman, a previous vice president and president of the nonprofit, said Brown helped bring her up to speed for her to take over the organization. When she got word of his passing, Bowman said she immediately became sad. "He is such a good man, had such a great heart, and he was so generous with our community," she said. To her, Brown is irreplaceable but his essence ought to inspire others to give back. "When we lose someone like him, it behooves the rest of us to step up and do a little bit more," Bowman said, "and I think that would be a great legacy for Willie Brown, that the rest of us would do a bit more to help others." Tony Morstatter, CEO of the local Boys and Girls Club, said Brown could bring people together and make an important impact. He added having him as friend and as a family member of the club was "a tremendous honor." Brown told The Pantagraph in 2009 that his drive stemmed from his mother, Addie Mae Brown-Johnson, and his old boss at the now-defunct Colonial Pancake House in Normal, where he worked growing up. The one lesson I learned (there) was that (you) never ask anyone to do anything you wouldnt do yourself. I didnt know I was learning that lesson at the time, Brown said. Three years after his retirement, Brown told a group of young people that he still enjoyed volunteering for several community organizations and speaking with groups about his experiences in the corporate world. The thing I learned is that you have to treat everyone with respect and dignity no matter what, he said. You earn respect by being accessible and talking with people, no matter how high or low they were in the corporation. If you do that, people will notice you and they will know they can count on you. Funeral arrangements are pending with Kibler Brady Ruestman Memorial Home of Bloomington. Contact Brendan Denison at (309) 820-3238. Follow Brendan Denison on Twitter: @BrendanDenison Love 4 Funny 1 Wow 1 Sad 14 Angry 4 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. CHICAGO 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. The Madigan Enterprise: Inside the federal indictment of the states former speaker In a 106-page, 22-count indictment, federal prosecutors painted a picture of former House Speaker Michael Madigan as the leader, along with a longtime confidante, of a sweeping criminal enterprise that influenced legislation for personal power and financial gain. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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 had 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. 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. 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. Smith said 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. Ill bet you a sandwich Madigan never hits the stand, he said. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 A former first lady of Ukraine with deep roots in Chicago called on the international community to take stronger action against Moscow, as Russias brutal invasion threatens her nations independence and potentially global order and security. Kateryna Yushchenko, who was born in the Humboldt Park area and served as first lady of Ukraine from 2005 to 2010, thanked supporters in Chicago and all over the world for their protests, donations and messages of solidarity with Ukrainians. But Yushchenko, a former White House and State Department official, has been very distressed the West isnt doing enough, she told the Tribune in a recent telephone interview from an undisclosed location amid security concerns for her and her family. She urged ally nations to impose more severe sanctions against Russian President Vladimir Putin and others in power, as well as increase provisions and weapons for Ukrainian troops. She added that more international companies should fully cut ties with Russia, warning that Ukrainians are not only fighting for their survival but for freedom, peace and democracy in Europe. The world cannot just stand by and watch, she said. If the world does not stop Putin here, you will have to fight him in your own country. Her husband, Viktor Yushchenko, served as Ukraines third president, surviving an apparent assassination attempt during a tumultuous campaign against a Russian-backed candidate, which spurred a wave of protests and civil unrest known as the nations Orange Revolution. Now that hard-earned and often perilous quest for Ukrainian sovereignty is at risk. Kateryna Yushchenko said millions of Ukrainians are sheltering in basements and subways, fearing for their lives and the future of their nation. The Russian army is aiming missiles at schools, hospitals, apartment buildings, ambulances, orphanages, she said. The army is shooting at buses and people on the street. These are war crimes and I truly believe that Putins goal is to destroy the free and democratic world that weve built since World War II, and destroy the rule of law that has given us peace and prosperity. Return to Ukraine Kateryna Yushchenkos parents came to Chicago as refugees sponsored by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in 1956. She was born here in 1961, and later moved to northwest suburban Mount Prospect, where she graduated from Prospect High School. In the 1970s, Yushchenko twice visited Ukraine while it was under Soviet rule. Meeting her extended family and seeing her ancestral homeland made a strong impression, she recalled. It made me dream about coming back to Ukraine, she said. After earning her masters degree in business administration at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business in 1986, Yushchenko held a series of positions in Washington, D.C., including serving as an adviser on Eastern European ethnic affairs in the Reagan White House and in the human rights office of the State Department. She went on to co-found the nonprofit U.S.-Ukraine Foundation and moved to Kyiv as the Soviet Union began to crumble, just before Ukraine declared its independence in August 1991. I can say that maybe other than giving birth to my children, this was the happiest day of my life, she said. When Ukraine became independent, things changed so quickly and that was earth shattering for many people. Because suddenly there were opportunities. People could now travel. They could choose their jobs. They could choose where they spent their vacation. They could read anything they wanted. They could watch any kind of films or television that they wanted. It was almost like a century of change that happened in a few years. Amid this whirlwind of change and breakneck reform, she met her husband Viktor Yushchenko, who was then head of the central bank. They married in 1998 and have three children together; he has two children from a previous marriage. Her husband went on to serve as prime minister and then president of Ukraine, winning a turbulent election that nearly proved fatal for him. Poison, revolution In his bid for president, Viktor Yushchenko faced a Russian-backed candidate, then-Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych. Following a dinner with Ukrainian officials in Kyiv in September 2004, Viktor Yushchenko fell mysteriously ill. When they kissed, his wife noticed a strange taste on his lips, something medicinal and unpleasant, the Tribune reported in December 2004. I asked him what that could be, Kateryna Yushchenko told the Tribune at the time. And he said, Oh, maybe it was a little wine or cognac that I had. I said, No, it had much more a metallic taste to it. He was transported to Austria for medical treatment, and testing later determined he suffered from dioxin poisoning, indicating he had ingested poison. He suffered severe gastrointestinal problems, and his face was disfigured and jaundiced, but he survived what was widely believed to be an assassination attempt. In a runoff election between the two candidates, Yanukovych was declared the winner amid accusations of election fraud, igniting mass protests that were known as the nations Orange Revolution. Ukraines Supreme Court ruled the election invalid and ordered a new runoff, which Yushchenko won. He was sworn in as president in January 2005. I am particularly happy that the Ukrainian nation has risen from its knees, he told a crowd of Chicago-area supporters during an April 2005 appearance at the Palmer House Hilton. We also rose from our knees because you were by us. His opponent, Yanukovych, went on to serve as president of Ukraine from 2010 until 2014, when he was ousted from office and exiled to Russia. His refusal to sign a European Union agreement was seen as caving to Russia and ignited a wave of 2013 and 2014 protests at the Maidan, Kyivs Independence Square, which culminated in the nations 2014 Revolution of Dignity. In 2019, a Ukrainian court found Yanukovych guilty of treason. But various international media have recently reported that Putin is hoping to reinstate Yanukovych as Ukraines next president. We will be independent Ultimately, the former first lady believes that Ukraine will persevere and remain a sovereign nation, in part because every single Ukrainian is going to fight to the death. I am absolutely certain that Ukraine will win, that we will be independent, Kateryna Yushchenko said. Ukraine will never ever be subservient or subject to Russia again. I just fear that theres going to be a terrible loss of blood destruction of our cities, of our monuments and mass murder of our people before that happens. She described Kyiv as a beautiful city, similar in some ways to Chicago. Both are about the same size in population; and Chicago and Kyiv became Sister Cities in 1991. Very often that I thought that Kyiv did remind me of Chicago, she said. Its a beautiful city. Its a warm city. People are very warm and welcoming just the way they are in Chicago. Russias Feb. 24 full-scale invasion of Ukraine has sparked protests and demonstrations in Chicago. Various local politicians have condemned Putins war. The blue and yellow Ukrainian flag was recently raised over the Illinois State Capitol, in solidarity. When we win and when Ukraine opens up, I invite everyone from Chicago from America, from the world to visit us, our beautiful country and our amazing people, Kateryna Yushchenko said. To see us and help us build our country again. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 SPRINGFIELD A $4 million federal grant program is available to pay for Illinois teachers to earn a state license to teach the English language. The Illinois State Board of Education announced the program Friday. State education officials hope it will increase the number of bilingual education teachers in the state. According to the board, Illinois school districts reported 98 vacancies for teachers to lead bilingual education classrooms. State Superintendent of Education Dr. Carmen Ayala said her own experience as a school district's director of bilingual services showed her the importance of those teachers to children learning English. "Their ability to flourish in school in any subject depends wholly on getting effective services to support their language development," Ayala said. School districts that participate can pay for teachers' tuition to earn credentials for bilingual licenses or shorter-term endorsements. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 100 years ago March 7, 1922: Decatur authorities are holding a doctor in the death of a Bloomington woman. He is charged with murder and abortion. The woman entered a Decatur hospital in a bad shape a few days ago, and made a dying statement to authorities. Her father swore out an arrest warrant. 75 years ago March 7, 1947: The virus shows no sign of abating yet. At the telephone company, seventeen operators are out sick. They are needed to complete all long distance calls. Absenteeism is at 25 percent at Clinton Community High School; 185 students were out in the Lincoln schools. 50 years ago March 7, 1972: It was Reitan over Riss in a photo finish in the Normal mayors race. Carol Reitan, 41, will become Normals first woman mayor. She defeated City Councilman Hal Riss. Jr. by 48 votes in the unofficial count. It was Normals closest mayoral election since 1960. 25 years ago March 7, 1997: A coalition of Protestant churches plans to open a school in Bloomington next year. Anchored by Eastview Christian Church, the new school will be governed by a board of representatives of several churches. A permanent site may be at Eastviews new campus. Compiled by Jack Keefe; jkeefe@coldwellhomes.com. Madam Faustina Amissah, the District Chief Executive of Obuasi East, has reiterated the call on Ghanaians to honour their tax obligations to accelerate the countrys development. She said for the economy to bounce back from the shackles of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was the need for every Ghanaian to exercise patriotic responsibility by paying their taxes promptly to generate the needed revenue for development. Madam Amissah made the call when she delivered the keynote address at the 65th Independence Day anniversary celebrations held at Boete in the Obuasi East District. This years anniversary was held on the theme: Working Together, Bouncing Back Better. Madam Amissah said when the people changed their mindset and accepted tax payment as a responsible civic obligation, it would go a long way to cushion the national coffers. It would be recalled that the Finance Minister Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, at a town Hall meeting at Sekondi, appealed to citizens to honour their tax obligations required by the State. One of such taxes is the E-levy, which according to the Minister, would help mobilize the requisite revenue needed for development and hence the need for citizens to rally behind its implementation. Madam Amissah called on the people in the area to eschew divisive tendencies and unite to speed up the development of the area. He also called on the people to register for the national identification card since it was going to be the only document to transact any business in the country from July this year. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Western Regional Minister Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah has called for resilience among the populace to help in remolding the economy after the coronavirus insurgence. He noted that despite the economic challenges imposed by the pandemic on the global economy, there was an urgent need to bounce back rapidly and strategically to fill vacuums and restore hope to the Ghanaian people. The Minister said: Let us be encouraged to practice and maintain proper hygiene in our various homes, workplaces and surroundingsI am glad to announce that agenda 111 and other economic interventions would yield results in the near future. The Minister was speaking at the Regional Celebration of the 65th Independence parade at Gyandu parki in Sekondi in the Western Region under the theme: Working Together Bouncing Back Better. The parade saw school children and the various Security Agencies marching to remind Ghanaians of the significant contribution the forebears of the country underwent to secure independence and sovereignty for the country and the need for the present generation to dedicate themselves to the growth and advancement of the country. As a Region, we are also creating opportunities for indigenous companies to win and operate vessels to support the oil and gas industry. The Minister also talked about initiatives to improve upon the agricultural sector, mining and oil and gas avenues to advance jobs for the locals. School Children who excelled in the BECE from both public and private schools were presented with awards. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Africa's largest airline and one of the few international airlines to have serviced the Kotoka International Airport, Accra for about six decades, has announced special fares to commemorate Ghana's 65th Independence anniversary. The cost of flights to Athens, Geneva, Milan, Paris and Rome starts from US$599 in the month of March. Flights to Rome/Milan costs US$649, Geneva US$675, Paris US$640, Athens US$599 and London US$625. Additionally, fares to popular destinations from Ghana such as New York, Newark, London, Nairobi, Dubai, Johannesburg, Cape Town and Beirut have been heavily discounted. Fares to Johannesburg is US$545, Dubai US$620, Beirut US$475, Nairobi US$655, and New York / Newark US$799 for the month of March. This means families, groups and individuals can take advantage of this offer and explore these beautiful destinations in this 'Ghana Month of March. This special Ethiopian Airlines offer for the Ghanaian market is to make it possible for Ghanaian travellers to explore the world, as they celebrate 65 years of self-rule. Area Manager of Ethiopian Airlines, Yemesrach Alemayehu, said there is a "long-standing bilateral relations between the two countries. She added that Ethiopian Airlines will continue to offer the Ghanaian market unmatched passenger and cargo services in the years ahead. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Flash 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 Member of Parliament for North Tongu constituency, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has commended the Church of Pentecost for supporting Ghanaian students in Ukraine escape to Romania. Speaking in an interview on Peace FM's Midday news, the Ranking Member on the Foreign Affairs Committee in Parliament said: "The Church of Pentecost supported with buses which transported the studentswhen you have such crises government cant do it alone so anyone who wants to assist in the rescue efforts needs to be encouragedAll who are helping including Romania citizens very encouraging" The MP visited the Ghanaian students in Romania to get first-hand information and to "assess their (students) conditions and to better understand from their unique perspective how our nation can be more helpful to them as I engage them directly". Listen to him in the video below Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video 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, leading 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, 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. Raising money for development Dr Samuel Owusu 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. 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 Kufuor, the late John Evans Atta 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, wont he donate same to help the country? If some individuals can build houses, prison facilities and others, cant 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. 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. Source: 3news.com|Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video 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. Read Full Story .... dailymail.co.uk >>> : Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Ankwansu Anglican Child and Youth Development Centre has climaxed their Child Protection Awareness Campaign with a float through the streets of the Ankwansu Community in the Eastern Region. The centre is a frontline church partner of the Akuapem Cluster under the supervision and funding of Compassion International - Ghana - an international Christian non-governmental organisation with the aim of releasing children from poverty. The campaign which took place last Saturday (March 5) was aimed at sensitising and educating caregivers, community folks and beneficiaries on the need to protect children from abuse at all times, as well as, reporting abuse cases when they happen. The float The float began from Aboabo through to Ankwansu and Obosono community in the Akuapem South of the Eastern Region. It attracted a lot of dignitaries such as traditional leaders, religious leaders as well as other youth leaders in the community. They held placards with inscriptions such as Childhood is not motherhood, Children are too small to earn, If a child says Im scared adults should believe it, Give children a voice to be that voice, among many others. During the processing, some of the members also moved into homes to educate parents and guardians on the adverse impact of child abuse. Rise in abuses cases Speaking to the Daily Graphic after the exercise, the CPC Chairperson, Mr. Daniel Adu Gyedu, highlighted how successful the campaign has been. As a result of the campaign, he said caregivers and community folks would now understand that issues of early marriages and child labour were all abuse cases and would begin to desist from such acts. Mr. Gyedu further expressed discontent on how abuse cases had been on the rise across the country and how it was impeding child progress. He, therefore, called on government and other related agencies to enforce laws affecting child protection, indicating that that was the only solution to slow down the rushing cases of abuse. The Project Director, Barbara Osei-Bonsu also highlighted how impactful the campaign had been. She indicated that the campaign was timely as figures in abuses cases continue to rise, particularly during the era of the COVID-19 pandemic. UNICEF statistics Rapid assessments conducted by United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and partners in 2020 indicated that violence and abuse at home may be on the rise in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. 32 per cent of adolescents and young people reported having observed increased abusive behaviour within their families including financial abuse (34 per cent), emotional abuse (32 per cent), physical abuse (17 per cent), sexual abuse (10 per cent) and mental/psychological abuse (7 per cent). Evidence also shows that there is a strong increase in child abuse cases and a decline in violence prevention programming (77 per cent decline) in the Greater Accra and Ashanti regions. @ a glance The Ankwansu Anglican Child and Youth Development Centre has embarked Child Protection Awareness Campaign to help reduce abuse against children. Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Office of the Speaker of Parliament has described as mischievous and an exaggeration, publications focusing on the travels of Alban Bagbin to Dubai for medical review. According to a statement from the Speakers Office on Monday, March 7, contrary to claims in the publications, the Speaker did not travel to Dubai with his children and has never included his children in any of his trips. It says Travel expenses for Mr. Speaker's trip to Dubai is in accordance with what is prescribed for the Speaker of Parliament long before Rt. Hon Bagbin became Speaker, and also for analogous members of government such as the President, Vice President and the Chief Justice. The figures quoted in the story as per diem are false. The Speaker has no hand in the computation of his per diem and it is available as part of the official records of the State. It is part of the mischief that the publication is aimed at. What is intriguing is the focus on Mr. Speaker's travel and the efforts at exaggerating the cost. Meanwhile, there is complete silence on the travels of other members of government, the frequency of which is far higher than that of Mr. Speaker. Even within the hierarchy of Parliament, there are members of the leadership whose frequency of travel is far higher than that of Mr. Speaker. It is also on record that Rt. Hon. Bagbin, in his 14 months as Speaker, is the least travelled of all previous Speakers of Parliament within the same time frame. The public is advised to see in such publications the political mischief that is intended and ignore such publications with the contempt they deserve, the statement urged. Your browser does not support iframes. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Russian President Vladimir Putin has congratulated President Nana Akufo-Addo and the people of good as the West African country marks her 65th Independence anniversary on Sunday, 6 March 2022. Please accept my sincere congratulations on the occasion of the national holiday of the Republic of Ghana for Independence Day, a statement from Mr Putin released by the Russian Embassy in Ghana said. The relations between Russia and Ghana is, traditionally, of a friendly nature. I am convinced that the further development of a constructive bilateral dialogue and partnership meets the interest of our peoples, contributing to the peace and security on the African continent, the statement noted. I wish you good health and every success as well as happiness and prosperity to all your compatriots, Mr Putin added. Source: Daily Graphic Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Office of the Speaker of Parliament has denied reports that the Speaker travelled to Dubai with his children. The office said it has taken note of the publications in both the new and traditional media with respect to the travel of Mr Alban Bagbin to Dubai for medical review. A statement issued on Monday March 7 said also that the figures being quoted in the reports as per diem are false and should be ignored. We want to place the following on record: The Rt. Hon. Speaker did not travel to Dubai with his children as is being alleged. Indeed, Mr. Speaker has never included his children in any of his trips. Travel expenses for Mr. Speakers trip to Dubai is in accordance with what is prescribed for the Speaker of Parliament long before Rt. Hon Bagbin became Speaker, and also for analogous members of government such as the President, Vice President and the Chief Justice. The figures quoted in the story as per diem are false. The Speaker has no hand in the computation of his per diem and it is available as part of the official records of the State. It is part of the mischief that the publication is aimed at. For purposes of clarity, Mr. Speaker traveled with the medical doctor in charge of Parliament Medical Centre. his spouse as career and two other officials of Parliament as the least in practice. There is no advance party. no children , and certainly no other member on his entourage. What is intriguing is the focus on Mr. Speakers travel and the efforts at exaggerating the cost. Meanwhile, there is complete silence on the travels of other members of government, the frequency of which is far higher than that of Mr. Speaker. Even within the hierarchy of Parliament, there are members of the leadership whose frequency of travel is far higher than that of Mr. Speaker. It is also on record that Rt. Hon. Bagbin, in his 14 months as Speaker, is the least travelled of all previous Speakers of Parliament within the same time frame The public is advised to see in such publications the political mischief that is intended and ignore such publications with the contempt they deserve, the statement said. Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video " " Sand artist Manas Sahoo gives the finishing touches to his International Women's Day sand sculpture at the Bay of Bengal Seas Puri beach in India, Mar. 7, 2022. The International Women's Day 2022 campaign theme is #BreakTheBias. STR/NurPhoto/Getty Images Today is March 8, International Women's Day, a day that has been celebrated around the world for more than a century. This year's theme is a call to action for every man, woman and child in the world to stand together to "Break the Bias" against women in all circumstances and in all walks of life. Celebrating women's achievements and increasing visibility, while calling out inequality, is key. According to the International Women's Day website, some of the most important missions to help forge a gender equal world in 2022 include: Building workplaces where women thrive Elevating visibility of women creatives Improving equality for women in tech Forging women's empowerment worldwide Celebrating the women forging change Empowering women's choices in health Advertisement More Than 100 Years of History The first International Women's Day (IWD) gathering took place in 1911, but the event had been brewing for a few years. In 1908, 15,000 women marched through New York City, demanding shorter work hours, better pay and voting rights (the last of which they wouldn't get for another 12 years). One year later, on Feb. 28, 1909, women across the U.S. began commemorating National Woman's Day (NWD), and in 1910, female representatives from around the globe united in Copenhagen at the second International Conference of Working Women to make things more official. Clara Zetkin, leader of the "Women's Office" for the Social Democratic Party in Germany, proposed to the 100 attendees from 17 countries that women all over the world should unite in global solidarity each year on the same day to push for equality. The next year, International Women's Day celebrations took place for the first time in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland on March 18, with more than a million women and men attending rallies, and demanding equal rights. Less than a week after the hopeful events, however, a historic tragedy took place in New York City. The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire in New York City killed more than 140 working women, most of whom were young Italian and Jewish immigrants. The devastating event served as a harsh reality check of current labor conditions for women, and it became a focal point of subsequent IWD events in the coming years. As World War I tore through Europe three years later, women banded together, using the IWD movement as a means to protest for peace. Russia's first IWD observance took place on the last Sunday of February that year, and the celebration spread to other countries in Europe the following year. " " Several hundred swimmers took a sunrise dip in the North Sea at Portobello Beach, for the International Womens Day Swimrise Mar. 8, 2022 in Edinburgh, Scotland. Women from all backgrounds, abilities and ages came together in aid of Edinburgh Womens Aid, Edinburgh Rape Crisis and Held in Our Hearts. #BreaktheBias Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images Russian women were at the forefront of turning IWD into a political platform; on the first day of the Russian Revolution in 1917, tens of thousands of women took to the streets of the capital, in response to the death of more than 2 million soldiers. Participants flooded public spaces for four days, calling for change and rallying against food shortages the overwhelming movement forced the czar to abdicate, and pushed the provisional government to grant women the right to vote. The strike began on Feb. 24, according to the Julian calendar, which Russia used at the time. But according to the Gregorian calendar, which most of the world relies on today, those historic events kicked off on March 8. Advertisement A United Nations Proclamation Fast-forward several decades, and IWD hit another major milestone. In 1975, the event was celebrated for the first time by the United Nations, and two years later, the General Assembly adopted a resolution "proclaiming a United Nations Day for Women's Rights and International Peace to be observed on any day of the year by Member States, in accordance with their historical and national traditions." In 1996, the U.N. began assigning an annual theme to each IWD, starting off with "Celebrating the past, Planning for the Future." As the world moved into a new millenium, IWD went digital in 2001 with the launch of internationalwomensday.com, which continues to partner with corporations and organizations to promote and offer education around gender equality. To mark IWD's 100th birthday in 2011, President Barack Obama proclaimed March 2011 to be "Women's History Month," and called on Americans to reflect on "the extraordinary accomplishments of women" who helped shape the country's history. So where does that leave us today? Sure, many are still misinformed about the origins of IWD and the massive impact it's had on social justice, politics, labor, wages and more, but many more recognize its unparalleled importance. According to internationalwomensday.com, IWD is considered an official holiday in numerous countries, including Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, China (for women only), Cuba, Georgia, Guinea-Bissau, Eritrea, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Madagascar (for women only), Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Nepal (for women only), Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and Zambia. In some countries, it's considered the equivalent of Mother's Day, and in others, women and men are still silently and secretly honoring its significance. Wherever you are, consider dedicating the day to the powerful lineage of women who made modern life possible and those who continue to push for change. Advertisement International Women's Day 2022: #BreakTheBias And in 2022, the #BreakTheBias theme calls for action. If you want to participate this year, here is the call to action from the International Women's Day website: Whether deliberate or unconscious, bias makes it difficult for women to move ahead. Knowing that bias exists isnt enough, action is needed to level the playing field. Are you in? Will you actively call out gender bias, discrimination and stereotyping each time you see it? Will you help break the bias? Cross your arms to show solidarity. Strike the IWD 2022 pose and share your #BreakTheBias image, video, resources, presentation or articles on social media using #IWD2022 #BreakTheBias to encourage further people to commit to helping forge an inclusive world. Make sure you have registered in the IWD Community here to access IWD resources. Advertisement Originally Published: Mar 6, 2019 " " Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting of big businesses at the Kremlin in Moscow Feb. 24, 2022. Putin has kept most oligarchs at a distance literally and figuratively. ALEXEY NIKOLSKY/SPUTNIK/AFP via Getty Images U.S. President Joe Biden and other world leaders are setting their sights on Russia's oligarchs as they seek new ways to punish Vladimir Putin and those who have enabled him and profited from his reign for waging war in Ukraine. Biden singled out wealthy oligarchs in his State of the Union address March 1, 2022, promising to "seize your yachts, your luxury apartments, your private jets." "We are coming for your ill-begotten gains," he said. And in the U.K., two more rich Russians were added to the 11 other oligarchs who have been personally sanctioned over the invasion. Yet who are these oligarchs, and what is their relationship with Putin? And more importantly, will eroding their wealth do anything to end the war in Ukraine? Advertisement The Oligarchs Come to Power As a scholar of emerging markets, corporate strategy and the post-Soviet political economy, I have studied the oligarchs in-depth. Oligarchs, in the Russian context, are the ultrawealthy business elites with disproportionate political power. They emerged in two distinct waves. The first group emerged out of the privatization of Russia the 1990s, particularly the all-cash sales of the largest state-owned enterprises after 1995. This process was marred by significant corruption, culminating in the infamous "loans for shares" scheme, which transferred stakes in 12 large natural resource companies from the government to select tycoons in exchange for loans intended to shore up the federal budget. The government intentionally defaulted on its loans, allowing its creditors the oligarchs-to-be to auction off the stakes in giant companies such as Yukos, Lukoil and Norilsk Nickel, typically to themselves. In essence, then-President Boris Yeltsin's administration appeared to enrich a small group of tycoons by selling off the most valuable parts of the Soviet economy at a hefty discount. After Putin came to power in 2000, he facilitated the second wave of oligarchs via state contracts. Private suppliers in many sectors such as infrastructure, defense and health care would overcharge the government at prices many times the market rate, offering kickbacks to the state officials involved. Thus, Putin enriched a new legion of oligarchs who owed their enormous fortunes to him. Advertisement Oligarchs Lose Their Grip, Keep Their Wealth In the 1990s, the oligarchs had the upper hand with the Kremlin and could even dictate policy at times. Under Yeltsin, multiple oligarchs assumed formal positions in the government, and anecdotes abounded describing coffers of cash being carried into the Kremlin in exchange for political favors. But since the 2000s Putin has been calling the shots. Essentially, Putin proposed a deal: The oligarchs would stay out of politics, and the Kremlin would stay out of their businesses and leave their often illegitimate gains alone. Furthermore, popular disappointment with the privatization of the 1990s facilitated its partial rollback in the 2000s. Putin's Kremlin applied political pressure on oligarchs in strategic industries like media and natural resources to sell controlling stakes back to the state. Putin also passed laws that gave preferential treatment to the so-called state corporations. These moves secured the Kremlin's control over the economy and over the oligarchs. " " Russian President Vladimir Putin (left) is seen here with Rosneft oil company CEO and chairman Igor Sechin during a meeting in 2021. Sechin is considered by some to be the second-most powerful person in Russia after Putin. Mikhail Klimentyev/Mikhail Klimentyev/TASS Advertisement The Three Shades of Oligarchy Today, three types of oligarchs stand out in terms of their proximity to power. First come Putin's friends, who are personally connected to the president. Many of Putin's close friends particularly those from his St. Petersburg and KGB days have experienced a meteoric rise to extreme wealth. A few of Putin's closest oligarch friends from St. Petersburg are Yuri Kovalchuk, often referred to as Putin's "personal banker"; Gennady Timchenko, whose key asset is the energy trading firm Gunvor; and the brothers Arkady and Boris Rotenberg, who own assets in construction, electricity and pipelines. All these individuals have been sanctioned. The second group includes leaders of Russia's security services, the police and the military known as "siloviki" who have also leveraged their networks to amass extreme personal wealth. Some of these so-called "silovarchs" are former KGB, and now FSB, intelligence officers who had eyed the Yeltsin-era oligarchs' power and wealth jealously and obtained both under Putin. The man reputed to be the informal leader of the siloviki is Igor Sechin, chairman of oil giant Rosneft, widely seen as the second-most powerful person in Russia. Finally, the largest number of Russian oligarchs are outsiders without personal connections to Putin, the military or the FSB. Indeed, some current outsiders are the 1990s-era oligarchs. While Putin selectively crushed politically inconvenient or obstreperous oligarchs after coming to power, he did not seek to systematically "eliminate oligarchs as a class," as he had promised during his initial election campaign. For example, oligarchs such as Vladimir Potanin and Oleg Deripaska, who accumulated their wealth in the 1990s, regularly feature in the lists of richest Russians today. Advertisement Putin's Enablers Make no mistake: Regardless of their type, the oligarchs have helped Putin stay in power through their political quiescence and economic support of the Kremlin's domestic initiatives. Furthermore, my research highlights instances in which oligarchs used their wealth in terms of jobs, loans or donations to influence politicians in other countries. For example, in 2014 the Russian bank FCRB lent 9.4 million euros ($10.3 million) to the populist anti-EU party of Marine Le Pen in France, creating a political debt to Russia. And in 2016, Lukoil, Russia's second-largest oil company, paid a $1.4 million government fine for Martin Nejedly, a key adviser to the Czech president in 2016, which allowed Nejedly to keep his influential position. This helped make Czech President Milos Zema "one of the Kremlin's most ardent sympathizers among European leaders." Some oligarchs appear to initiate such geopolitically significant transactions voluntarily to create rapport with the Kremlin. While it is difficult to establish direct causal links between what I dub the oligarchs' "geopolitical volunteering" and their beneficiaries' pro-Kremlin policies, there is strong anecdotal evidence that oligarchs' financing facilitates the adoption of pro-Putin positions in countries outside Russia. Furthermore, my research on the concealment of corporate political activity suggests that using ostensibly nonpolitical intermediaries such as private companies is a key strategy through which organizations like the Kremlin can hide their political activity. " " Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu (right) seen here with chief of the general staff Valery Gerasimov in Moscow Feb. 27, 2022 during a meeting with Vladimir Putin, never served in the KGB, but his current role makes him as much a technocrat as a silovik. ALEXEY NIKOLSKY/SPUTNIK/AFP via Getty Images Advertisement Putin's Hostages This brings us to the most important question on many people's minds: As the sanctions decimate oligarchs' wealth, could that prompt them to abandon Putin or change the course of the war? Some oligarchs are already speaking out against the war, such as Alfa Group Chairman Mikhail Fridman and metals magnate Oleg Deripaska both of whom have been sanctioned by the West. Lukoil also called for the war's end. Although Lukoil is not currently under direct sanctions, oil traders are already shunning its products in anticipation. I believe we will see increasingly vocal opposition to the war from the oligarchs. At the very least, their willingness to do the Kremlin's dirty work by trying to influence Western politicians will likely subside significantly. But there are two crucial limits to their influence and ability to affect Putin's behavior. For one thing, the oligarchs do not work well together. In Russia's "piranhacapitalism," these billionaires have mostly sought to outcompete their rivals for government largesse. Individual survival with a view to the Kremlin, not the defense of common interests such as sanctions' removal, has been the oligarchs' modus operandi. The Kremlin, for its part, has promised state support to sanctioned companies, especially in the banking sector. More importantly, it is the guns, not the money, that speak loudest in the Kremlin today. As long as Putin retains his control over the siloviki the current and former military and intelligence officers close to Putin the other oligarchs, in my view, will remain hostages to his regime. The generals are more likely to sway Putin than the oligarchs and an economic collapse may be even more convincing still. Stanislav Markus is an associate professor of international business at the Darla Moore School of Business, University of South Carolina. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. You can find the original article here. Molecular simulations of the coronavirus spike protein enable the first visualizations of the region of the spike that anchors to human host cells (called the fusion region). Multiple angled views of the spike protein (green) are superimposed, illustrating the dynamic nature of the fusion region (bulb shaped region towards bottom), overlaid with experimental data determined from cryogenic electron microscopy (shown in cyan). Red sections are glycan molecules. Credit: Los Alamos National Laboratory New computer models and simulations from Los Alamos National Laboratory are showing researchers how the virus that causes COVID-19 manages to use its spike protein to fuse with and infect human cells. To be presented at the March meeting of the American Physical Society, the atomistic-level imagery is highly consistent with cryo-electron microscopy data, despite the severe challenges of imaging at such high resolution. "Better understanding of COVID-19 virus entry and structure of the spike protein will help clarify the mechanism of COVID-19 infection, the effect of variants, help with vaccine optimization, and help with drug design for treatment," said Karissa Sanbonmatsu, a Los Alamos structural biologist on the project. Developing a digital twin of the extremely tiny but important structures allows researchers to explore potential techniques for blocking the infection at the source. Why choose this tiny piece of the spike to study? COVID-19 infections require the virus to enter human host cells, and the spike protein plays a key role in this process, said Sanbonmatsu. In fact, the many variants of the coronavirus, including Delta and Omicron, have multiple mutations in the spike protein. One step of virus entry is called virus-cell fusion, where the coronavirus actually fuses with the human host cell. This is not well understood, especially the region of the virus's spike protein called the fusion peptide region. The fusion region is thought to be highly dynamic and is difficult to image at high resolution with conventional techniques such as cryo-electron microscopy and X-ray crystallography. "Because the fusion region of the spike protein mediates virus-cell fusion and aids in virus entry into the cell," said Chang-Shung Tung, a partner on the research, "this study provides basic mechanistic data that may be useful for understanding variants and improving vaccines and treatments." Using the Chicoma computing platform, one of the supercomputers at Los Alamos, Los Alamos researcher Tung created 3D structural models of this region, and Sanbonmatsu performed molecular simulations, creating an ensemble of 3D structures highly consistent with cryo-electron microscopy data, providing some of the first 3D images of the fusion region in atomistic detail. "The spike protein undergoes many twists and turns during viral entry, making it difficult to visualize," said Tung. "Building on data from other viruses, we used 3D modeling to capture regions of the spike people haven't seen before." The paper is forthcoming, after a presentation at the March American Physical Society meeting. Explore further CryoEM unlocks understanding of COVID-19 evolution You are here: World Flash 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. An exploded view of the Antikythera mechanism. Credit: Model by UCL Antikythera Research Team, Tony Freeth In the spring of 1900, a group of Greek sponge divers, blown off course by a storm in the Aegean, stumbled upon the wreck of an ancient Roman ship loaded with treasure that had sunk more than 2,000 years earlier off the remote Greek island of Antikythera. Returning the following year to retrieve its precious cargo, the divers were forced to end their mission when one died of the bends and two were paralyzedbut not before they succeeded in bringing to the surface a spectacular haul of antiquities. Among them were bronze and marble statues, fine jewelry and glassware, andmost exciting of alla startlingly complex cosmological calculator: the Antikythera mechanism. The world's oldest analog computer and one of the most remarkable scientific objects of antiquity ever found, the mechanical model of the solar system is thought to date to between the third and first centuries B.C. Now fractured into 82 known fragments, there is surviving evidence of 30 bronze gears. However, researchers believe this highly sophisticated device originally included at least 69 intricately engineered meshing gears that enabled the ancient Greeks to track the phases of the moon and the positions of the planets, and even to predict the timing of lunar eclipses decades in advance. But if the Antikythera mechanism can be considered a stunning embodiment of the ancient Greeks' impressive grasp of astronomy, it drew heavily upon the learning of a much earlier civilization in its use of the 19-year lunisolar cycle. "The device exemplifies a terrific achievement of synthesis in incorporating complex bodies of observational and theoretical knowledge, much of it deriving ultimately from the Babylonian tradition, and long preceding Greek interests in astronomy," says USC Dornsife's Lucas Herchenroeder, associate professor (teaching) of classics. Considered the world's first-known astronomers, the ancient Babylonians were avid stargazers. Some 6,000 years ago, they erected watch towers to scan the night sky, mapped the stars and visible planets and recorded their observations on clay tablets. Their meticulously compiled data provided the foundation to create the first calendars, used to organize the growing and harvesting of crops and the timing of religious ceremonies. Although their vision of the universe was based on mythological beliefs, the Babylonians' astronomical observations and predictions were astoundingly accurate. They were the first-known people to predict eclipses. They could track and predict the relative movements of the sun, the moon, Mercury and Venus. Andlike the ancient Egyptiansthey successfully calculated the length of a year. How did ancient civilizations accomplish these feats of knowledge without the benefit of telescopes, satellites or computer technology? The old-fashioned way: through careful observation, generational record-keeping, pattern recognition and early mathematics. Here we explore what they got rightand wrongabout the cosmos. The world was their oyster If the Babylonians' astronomical calculations were remarkably precise by modern standards, their understanding of the cosmos was very far removed from our own. As Arthur Koestler explains in his seminal history of Western cosmology, The Sleepwalkers, the first ancient civilizationsthe Babylonians, Egyptians and Hebrewsconceived of their universe as an oyster surrounded by water. The Babylonian sky was a solid dome through which moisture sometimes seeped as rain, Koestler writes, while the waters below burst to the surface in the form of natural springs, and each day the sun, moon and stars performed a slow, ritual dance across its ceiling, entering from the east and exiting to the west. As for the ancient Egyptian universe, it was more rectangular and box-like. At first, they conceived of their sky as a cow, one foot planted squarely at each corner of the Earth, or alternatively as a woman resting on her hands and knees. Later, they likened it to a vaulted metal lid. The sun and moon gods, they believed, sailed along a river that flowed upon an elevated gallery around the box's inner walls. Early Greek cosmology followed similar concepts: Homer's world resembles a floating disk surrounded by Oceanusthe great mythical river, that encircled the world. But as time unfolded, the tremendous advances made by the ancient Greeks in figuring out how the universe is structured propelled them to become the driving force behind the development of Western astronomy and science. Illustration of the Ptolemaic conception of the universe from Cosmographia, by Bartolomeu Velho, 1568. Credit: Cosmographia by Bartolomeu Velho Heliocentric versus geocentric Considered one of the greatest astronomers of antiquity, Aristarchus of Samos (310 B.C. to 230 B.C.) was responsible for the earliest-known heliocentric theory of the solar system, placing the sun at the center of the known universe, with the Earth revolving around the sun once a year and rotating about its axis once a day. Describing the sun as the "central fire" of the cosmos, he succeeded in correctly mapping all the then-known planets in order of distance around it. Unfortunately for Aristarchus and the evolution of astronomical knowledge, Aristotle and most of the ancient Greek thinkers rejected his heliocentric theory. Instead, the Earth-centered model of the universe developed by Claudius Ptolemy of Alexandria in A.D. 140 prevailed, dominating Western thinking for nearly 1,400 years until it was finally toppled in the 16th century by Renaissance astronomer and polymath Nicolaus Copernicus. Apart from its longevity, Ptolemy's geocentric model frankly didn't have much going for it, being not only incorrect but also mind-bogglingly complex. Indeed, it was so convoluted that, after having it explained to him, Alfonso X, the 13th-century King of Castile, was famously reported to have remarked, "If the Lord Almighty had consulted me before embarking upon Creation, I should have recommended something simpler." Getting it rightsometimes While Hipparchus of Nicaea (190 B.C. to 120 B.C.) is credited with discovering and measuring the Earth's precession and the compilation of the first comprehensive star catalog of the Western world, Aristarchus made the earliest-known attempted calculations of the relative sizes of the sun and the moon and their distances from Earth. He reasoned that the sun, Earth and moon would form a right-angled triangle when the moon is in its first or third quarter. Using the theorem developed a few centuries earlier by Pythagorasthe earliest proponent of the then-radical idea that the Earth was roundAristarchus calculated (wrongly, it turns out) that the distance from Earth to the sun was between 18 and 20 times the distance to the moon. (The actual ratio is 389:1.) Based on careful timing of lunar eclipses, he also estimated that the size of the moon was approximately one-third that of Earth. There he was surprisingly accuratethe moon's diameter measures 0.27 times that of the Earth. The Greeks even came close to correctly calculating Earth's circumference, thanks to Eratosthenes (276 B.C. to 195 B.C.), chief librarian at the Great Library of Alexandria in Egypt. Aristarchus had shown that the sun is sufficiently far from Earth that its rays are effectively parallel by the time they reach us. Eratosthenes used varying lengths of shadows, cast by poles stuck vertically into the ground at different latitudes and measured at midday on the summer solstice, to estimate the Earth's circumference as approximately 250,000 stades. "As the length of stadia varied regionally, the exact length of the unit used by Eratosthenes is uncertain. But his estimate fell within a range of error of roughly 1% to 17% of today's accepted value of 24,901 milesstill an impressive achievement," Herchenroeder says. Using science to overcome superstition This deep fascination with the ability to make astronomical calculations is manifested in the Antikythera mechanism, Herchenroeder notes. "The mechanism's focus on predicting celestial motion demonstrates awareness of the possibilities of demystifying knowledge of the cosmos many regarded as divine in nature, and hence beyond the normal scope of human understanding," he says. "We have interesting accounts of prediction of lunar eclipses, for exampleone of the things this object presumably was able to do." One such account relates how on the eve of the Battle of Pydna between Rome and Macedon in 168 B.C., both armies were rattled by a lunar eclipse, considering it a bad omen. Cicero recounts how a Roman officer familiar with astronomy explained that an eclipse is a natural event, not a sign of divine disfavor, thus dispelling "empty superstition and fear." The Romans went on to win the battlea major milestone in their conquest of the Aegean world. Finding meaning in the stars Diagram of the moon, Earth and sun (from top to bottom) in a 1572 edition of Aristarchus On the Sizes and Distances of the Sun and Moon. Credit: Library of Congress Many other ancient civilizations also developed sophisticated systems for observing and interpreting the cosmos, using this knowledge to enhance their lives. Ancient Polynesians learned to use the stars to navigate thousands of miles across the Pacific Ocean, enabling them to colonize distant islands, including the Hawaiian Islands. The ancient Egyptians carefully tracked the rising time of the bright star Sirius, whose yearly cycle corresponded with the flooding of the River Nile which they relied upon to sustain their crops. Ancient European megalithic sites aligned to solstices and equinoxes and going back to Neolithic societies stretch up the Atlantic Coast. Two of the best known, Stonehenge in England and Newgrange in Ireland, were already ancient when the pyramids were built and were the largest human-made structures anywhere in the world. Tok Thompson, professor (teaching) of anthropology at USC Dornsife, disagrees with speculation that megalithic sites like Stonehenge were giant observatories, built so that ancient civilizations could figure out the movements and cycles of the planets, the sun and the moon. "These monuments were ritual enactments, monumentalizing what they already knew," he says. They also helped societies keep track of time. "Before there were widespread calendars to connect people, how do you keep a civilization together?" Thompson asks. "Having large festival gatherings at these ritualistically important spots that were anchored in the cosmos, which probably gave them sacred meaning, was one way to do this. It allowed people to memorialize their culture andmost importantlygave them a place in the cosmos. "'Why am I here? What happens when I die?" Our focus on the stars has societal implications, but I think it also has personal implications. It's about giving our lives meaning." The Venus detectives Probably the best-known of the classical civilizations of Mesoamerica, the Maya developed a sophisticated calendar based on their astronomical observations. "Indigenous people all across the Americas were incredible observers of their universe. They had a very astute understanding of natural processes and the world, the movement of time, stars and calendrics," says Eric Heller, lecturer in anthropology at USC Dornsife and an expert on Maya cosmology and ideology. The Maya may have originated on the Pacific Coasts of what are today southern Mexico and Guatemala, as well as the Yucatan, around 2600 B.C. and rose to prominence between 200 B.C. and A.D. 900. The Maya cosmos consisted of three distinct realms, Heller explains. Beneath their feet lay the underworld, Xibalba, a dark and watery place. Above them were the 13 levels of the upper world, the realm of celestial bodiesgods and deceased ancestors responsible for the operation of the universe. In between, the terrestrial realm was divided into four corners, roughly corresponding to our cardinal directions and marked by the movement of the sun across the horizon throughout the year, from solstice to equinox and back again. While the Maya, like many ancient peoples, lived their lives in accordance with the cycles and rhythms of the universe, they also placed tremendous emphasis on the correlation between time and space, believing that the purpose of humanity was to count the days of creation and maintain the sacred calendars of the cycles of time. A navigational chart from the Marshall Islands made of wood, sennit fiber and cowrie shells. Credit: Jim Heaphy The most outstanding evidence for this is the 11th- or 12th-century Dresden Codex. Opening accordion-style to extend 12 feet, its pages are tightly packed with Maya hieroglyphs recording accurate astronomical tables thought to be based on thousands of years of observational knowledge. "The Maya tracked Venus, which has an incredibly complex motion across the horizon, over generations so they could predict when it would appear in the sky because they considered it a dangerous omen that could herald war, illness or death," Heller says. The Codex also contains remarkably accurate tables enabling solar eclipses across Earth to be predicted within a three-day window, and indefinitely into the future. In 1991, two noted Maya scholars, Harvey and Victoria Bricker, used the Dresden Codex to predict a solar eclipse to the dayat least 800 years after the tables were compiled. An animist view Most American Indigenous cultures understood their world from the perspective of animism, and the Maya were no exception. Looking up, they saw a world of stars, planets and clouds that lived and moved through the sky and were manifestations of their ancestors, who they believed were playing a major role in the operation of their universe. "These civilizations felt a connection between stars, the sun and the moon, the clouds in the sky," Heller says. "Everything they saw around them, even the things they touched and used every day, they felt kinship with on some levelsomething often lost in our modern, post-Enlightenment world." Heller acknowledges that the Maya's unique way of knowing and representing the world appears strange to us. But in fact, he argues, when we dig deep to unpack and understand these metaphorical representations of natural processes and the cosmos itself, we find a tremendous amount of knowledge. "It's expressed in radically different ontology but in fact it's the product of deep observational knowledgethe kind of stuff that we might think of as quite scientific in a sense," he says. One example is the ancient Mesoamerican metaphor for the Earth: a crocodile floating upon a watery underworld whose breath, flowing in and out of cave mouths, brought rain. "At first glance, I think a lot of people would say, "Well, the Earth's not a crocodile; this doesn't make sense,'" Heller says. "But, in fact, there's a tremendous amount of water beneath Mesoamerica. And the Earth-crocodile's exhalations bringing rain essentially describes changes in barometric pressure and the arrival of rain-bringing weather systems." Measuring up So, how does the Maya's knowledge about the universe measure up to our own? "The Maya got a tremendous amount right about what was around them," Heller says. "They understood how their universe worked, and they had a tremendously effective set of metaphors for expressing the operation of the world processes that dictated in many ways the successes and failures of their lives." Cavan Concannon, associate professor of religion, agrees, noting that ancient peoples developed ways of navigating their place in the universe with what they had available to them. "I think in some ways they were also writing themselves into the story of the cosmos. Part of knowing your place is also knowing who you are and why you are in a universe the way it is," Concannon says. "And so, I'm not certain that it's a question of whether they got it right or wrong. Contemporary science is, itself, a constantly evolving conversation and at some point, everything that we thought we knew about the universe is going to change. The ancients made their way through the universe in a way that made sense to them and lived their lives in that context. I think we're still doing that." Explore further Experts recreate a mechanical Cosmos for the world's first computer This illustration shows a pulsar with its magnetic field lines shown in blue. The beams emitting from the poles are what washes over our detectors as the dead star spins. Credit: NASA Astronomers discovered the first exoplanets in 1992. They found a pair of them orbiting the pulsar PSR B1257+12 about 2,300 light-years from the Sun. Two years later they discovered the third planet in the system. Now a team of astronomers are trying to duplicate that feat by searching 800 known pulsars for exoplanets. The team of astronomers is from the Jodrell Bank Center for Astrophysics at the University of Manchester. Jodrell Bank has a group that works on Pulsars and time-domain astrophysics. Pulsars are objects of interest for a number of different reasons, and Jodrell Bank monitors 800 pulsars as part of their work. The team is presenting their results in a paper titled "A search for planetary companions around 800 pulsars from the Jodrell Bank pulsar timing programme." The paper's first author is Iuliana Nitu and the paper will be published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. Jocelyn Bell Burnell, an astrophysicist from Northern Ireland, discovered the first pulsar in 1967. It took a while for her and another astrophysicist to figure out what they were. There was the usual speculation about alien sources, but once other pulsars were discovered and studied, it became clear they were naturally occurring objects. Pulsars are rapidly rotating neutron stars that are highly magnetized and emit beams of electromagnetic radiation from their poles. When one of the poles is pointed at Earth, we can see it, kind of like a lighthouse. Pulsars are known to emit in radio, visible light, X-rays, and even gamma rays. As a pulsar rotates the beam is visible then invisible in intervals as small as several milliseconds. The intervals are very precisemore accurate than an atomic clockand that makes pulsars useful tools for astronomers. Their precise intervals make them ideal for searching for planets around them. Even a slight variation in their timing means the pulsar is moving back and forth. That means one or more planets could be tugging on it. Looking for exoplanets around pulsars is called the pulsar timing method. The transit method is the more common method of looking for exoplanets. That involves watching the light from a star and looking for regular dips in its light. A dip in the starlight could signal the presence of a planet transiting in front of the star, and if the dip is repeated regularly, it's evidence of an orbit. Scientists find most exoplanets with this method, although follow-up measurements with other methods are often used to help confirm a planet's presence. One problem with the transit method is its inherent selection bias. It's much easier to detect large planets because they block more starlight. It's also easier to find planets orbiting close to their stars because they orbit more quickly and cause dips in starlight more frequently. Credit: NASA But pulsar timing is different. Because pulsar timing is so precise, even small planets can tug on pulsars enough to signal their presence. The planets detected around PSR B1257+12 in the early 1990s were smaller than most exoplanets found with the transit method. The smallest of the three was only 0.002 Earth masses. As of 2019, the smallest exoplanet ever found with the transit method was 80% of Earth's size. This new effort to find exoplanets around 800 pulsars is different than other planet-hunting efforts. This effort isn't a new survey or monitoring program. Instead, it's based on searching the existing data on pulsars at the Jodrell Bank Center. "The dataset used in this work is composed of observations of approximately 800 pulsars from the Jodrell Bank pulsar timing database," the authors explain. But what is the likelihood of finding more exoplanets around pulsars? Pulsars are extreme objects with long histories punctuated by episodic catastrophes. "The apparent rarity of systems like that of PSR B1257+12 may well be a consequence of the extreme conditions in which pulsars form," the authors write. Pulsars are neutron stars, and neutron stars have calamitous origins. They start out as massive stars between about 10 to 25 solar masses. At the end of their lives of regular fusion, these stars explode as supernovae and then collapse into ultra-dense neutron stars made of neutron degenerate matter. It's highly unlikely that any planet could survive all of that. Could planets form after the supernova? Maybe. The authors explain one feasible scenario where a planet forms around a binary pair of stars and then is captured by the neutron star after a collision between the two stars. The planet could have also " survived the subsequent evolution of the initial system towards a neutron star system." "The resulting system would consist of a normal pulsar with planetary companions in eccentric orbits," they write, although these types of planets would be very rare. It would require a very fine-tuned environment for planets to survive. A second scenario might be more likely. In this case, the supernova expels an enormous amount of material when it explodes, blasting it out into space at high velocity. But some of the matter might not escape the remaining neutron star's gravity. Instead, it forms a protoplanetary disk and planets form via accretion. In this case, " a normal pulsar, surrounded by relatively small mass planets in circular orbits, is expected," the authors say. A third scenario is possible, too. In this case, a planet is actually a remnant of a neutron star in a binary pair of neutron stars. One of the neutron stars disrupts the other or causes the other to partially evaporate. The remnant core is now a planet, made almost entirely of diamonds. Those are just three of the planet-forming possibilities around pulsars. One of the motivations behind finding more pulsar planets is to narrow down these possibilities into a better-understood framework. "Overall, there are a large number of proposed formation paths of planets around pulsars, and therefore large-scale searches of planetary-mass companions and their orbital parameters are crucial to constraining and determining the feasibility of various models," the authors explain. Artists impression of a supernova. Credit: NASA Despite the precision of pulsar timing, there are still some problems. A type of noise can creep into the measurements. " the detectability of planets around pulsars is also limited by the presence of so-called "timing noise" that manifests as a long-term red noise process in the rotation of the pulsar. This presents a further challenge in searching for planetary companions, as it can not only mask binary signatures but also mimic them," the authors write. Before the team could get their results they had to model the effect a planet has on a pulsar. A pulsar/planet combination is best modeled as a binary pair. "When a pulsar is part of a binary system (either with a star or a planet), it revolves around the center of mass of the system, moving with respect to the observer on Earth," they explain. That movement creates a slight delay in the signal reaching Earth. That delay is called a Rmer delay. The team of researchers used these factors and many others to develop their analytic method. There are necessary limits in work like this, and the most important one involves exoplanet masses. "We put limits on the projected masses of any planetary companions, which reach as low as 1/100th of the mass of the moon (about 10-4 Earth masses)." Even though that's a limit, it's an extraordinarily small planet to be able to detect. The researchers summarized their overall approach by saying that "This approach is well-suited for a systematic search of planets around pulsars, for placing limits on the mass of any orbiting celestial bodies, and therefore for inferring statistically significant properties of the population of these planets." So what did they find? "We find that two-thirds of our pulsars are highly unlikely to host any companions above 2 ~ 8 Earth masses," the team says. "Our results imply that fewer than 0.5% of pulsars could host terrestrial planets as large as those known to orbit PSR B1257+12 (about 4 Earth masses)." PSR B1257+12 is the first pulsar around which planets were found in 1992. It serves as a sort of benchmark for pulsar planet systems. There's at least one caveat to these results though, and it pertains to low-mass planets. " however, the smaller planet in this system (about 0.02 Earth masses) would be undetectable in 95% of our sample, hidden by both instrumental and intrinsic noise processes" The team also points out that it's not clear if tiny planets like that could exist in isolation. 15 of the pulsars in the sample did display some irregularities, but they weren't necessarily planets. The team explains that the severe magnetosphere around pulsars can cause irregular periodicities. "We detect significant periodicities in 15 pulsars, however, we find that intrinsic quasi-periodic magnetospheric effects can mimic the influence of a planet, and for the majority of these cases, we believe this to be the origin of the detected periodicity." In their final analysis, it appears that pulsar planets are very rare. Only a single pulsar in the 800 is a likely candidate to host planets. "We believe the most plausible candidate for planetary companions in our sample is PSR J2007+3120." This is an illustration of the binary pulsar J0737-3039. Most binary pulsars are pulsars paired with a planet or a neutron star, but J0737-3039 is a pair of pulsars. Credit: Michael Kramer (Jodrell Bank Observatory, University of Manchester), Attribution: https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=827204 PSR J2007+3120 might host a pair of planets. "Our initial analysis of PSR J2007+3120 revealed an oscillation consistent with a planetary companion of orbital period 723(8) days," the authors write. The evidence for the second planet isn't as strong and could be just noise. " there is not a strong preference between a red noise component and the second planet," they explain. In the end, the team didn't find many planets. Only one of the 800 pulsars shows strong evidence of planets, and the evidence for the second planet around PSR J2007+3120 isn't very robust. What does this tell us about pulsars and planets? For one thing, it shows how unusual the PSR B1257+12 system is, with three planets. "We confirm that PSR B1257+12 must have an unusual formation mechanism, placing an upper bound of 0.5% of pulsars exhibiting similar planets." The team also says they can rule out a population of more massive pulsar planets. "We rule out a population of undetected planetary companions greater than about 10 Earth masses," they write in the conclusion. But they aren't able to rule out a population of much smaller planets. Some of those planets could be hidden in the noise. "The timing noise present in most pulsars means that we cannot rule out a substantial population of tiny (< 0.1 Earth mass) planets, though it is not clear if such planets would exist in isolation." If these planets formed from a disk of material around pulsars, then the same mechanism should also produce more massive planets. "We, therefore, confirm the hypothesis that the formation of planets around pulsars is rare, and PSR B1257+12 is a special case," they conclude. For now, it remains the only pulsar to host Earth-size planets. As technology improves astronomers might have more effective ways of finding smaller planets around pulsars, and of removing the noise in the signal. This effort won't be the final word on pulsar planets. As for habitability, that's extremely unlikely. The region around pulsars is extremely harsh. Powerful magnetic fields could wreak havoc on any planets in the vicinity. And pulsars are neutron stars so there's no fusion taking place. They're little more than cinders, though they can still be extremely hot. Some of the planets that are around pulsars are no more than the blasted remnants of a pulsar's stellar companion and may be made of pure diamond. Others are captured objects. But this study was never about habitability. It's meant to probe some of the most unusual objects in the Universe. Could these extremely dense end-state stars made of degenerate neutron matter, stars that spin rapidly and generate extreme magnetic fields, host planets? Not very often. Explore further Video: How to kick a pulsar out of the galaxy More information: Iuliana C. Nitu et al, A search for planetary companions around 800 pulsars from the Jodrell Bank pulsar timing programme. arXiv:2203.01136v1 [astro-ph.EP], Journal information: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society Iuliana C. Nitu et al, A search for planetary companions around 800 pulsars from the Jodrell Bank pulsar timing programme. arXiv:2203.01136v1 [astro-ph.EP], doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2203.01136 Bacteria react on stress factors like nutrient deficiency or heat by adapting their metabolism. Credit: Max-Planck-Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology/Geisel When exposed to stress, bacteria allow their metabolism to take a break during which they suppress, for example, the incorporation of proteins into membranes. Scientists from Marburg, Freiburg and Munich have discovered this by biochemically investigating the stress response of microorganisms. The research group led by Marburg biochemist Gert Bange has reported their findings in Nature Communications. Bacteria respond to stress such as nutrient deficiency or heat with an adaptation of their metabolism, known as the stringent response. "Second messengers or alarm hormones play a central role in this process," Bange explains. Alarm hormones, for example, act on processes involving the signal recognition particle SRP. "SRP is essential for the formation of membrane proteins and protein secretion," explains Bange's collaborator Dr. Laura Czech, a lead author of the paper. The particle ensures that proteins reach their proper destination in the cell's membranes. "So far, it was not known to what regulatory mechanisms the signal-recognition particle is subjected to," says co-author Christopher-Nils Mais, a doctoral researcher in Bange's lab. The research team conducted molecular biological, biochemical as well as structural biological experiments to determine how the alarm hormones interact with the signal recognition particle. In particular, the researchers produced electron micrographs at very low temperatures showing how SRP binds to the protein production machinery. Apparently, the alarm hormones prevent the signal-recognition particle from forming a complex with other molecules, which prevents it from performing its task of incorporating proteins into the membrane. "Under harsh environmental conditions, bacterial cells can use shutting down important metabolic processes as a pause mechanism," Gert Bange explains. This break allows the microorganisms to slow down their cellular processes and metabolism so they can recover as soon as conditions become more favorable, the authors hypothesize. "Inhibiting the metabolic pathway leading via the signal recognition particle could be an additional level of cellular control and pausing to survive during stressful times," Gert Bange concludes. Explore further Overseers of cell death play wider role in protein quality control than believed, shows new study More information: Laura Czech et al, Inhibition of SRP-dependent protein secretion by the bacterial alarmone (p)ppGpp, Nature Communications (2022). Journal information: Nature Communications Laura Czech et al, Inhibition of SRP-dependent protein secretion by the bacterial alarmone (p)ppGpp,(2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28675-0 Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain You've probably seen the videoor at least heard some chirpings about it. Footage from a security camera in Cuauhtemoc, a city in Chihuahua, Mexico, shows a massive flock of migratory birds swooping down like a cloud of black smoke and crashing onto pavement and the roof of a house. While many of the yellow-headed blackbirds recovered, about 100 died. Ever since the mass crash, on Feb. 7, viewers of the viral video have sought to explain what happened. Suggestions from scientists and anyone with a Twitter account have included: the birds were reacting to a predator, inhaled toxic fumes, were zapped by a power line, or became victims of electromagnetic interference. Some sleuths have floated 5G technology as the culprit. Harvard ornithologist Scott V. Edwards, Alexander Agassiz Professor of Organismal and Evolutionary Biology, and Flavia Termignoni Garcia, a postdoctoral researcher from his lab who studies bird behavior, believe the truth lies in flock dynamics. They say that when migratory birds fly in large flocks, they follow the leader. One bird sets the pace and direction, the others just go along with what everyone else is doing. "They're not looking very distant; they're actually following their closest neighbor in the flock so basically taking cues on where to move based on their closest neighbor," Edwards said. Yellow-headed blackbirds, which live primarily in the northern U.S. and Canada but winter in Mexico, have ben known to travel in groups of 3,000, so it's easy to see how one mistake could lead many to their doom. "Maybe the leader of the flock somehow didn't know they were close to the ground," Edwards said. "If that's the case, then most of the birds in the flock wouldn't know they're close to the ground. Maybe some sort of stochastic event caused the leader of the flock to dodge somethingmaybe it was dodging the wires or maybe it just made a mistake. The point is, most of the birds would follow rather than be aware of where they actually were in 3D space." Termignoni Garcia focused on the laminated roofs of the houses. From above, these roofs reflect light the same way a body of water does, so the birds might have been looking for a quick drink. By the time they realized they were wrong, there was no turning back. "They were too close." Migratory birds are known to make fatal mistakes, often involving reflective glass. Last year, hundreds of songbirds crashed into skyscrapers in New York. "These phenomena are caused by the constant process of urbanization and they will be more frequent as our cities grow," said Termignoni Garcia. The researchers were skeptical of the many internet theories about the birds of Cuauhtemoc. First, it's clear in the video that they weren't disoriented but were flying extremely fast. If they had inhaled poisonous gases or been shocked, the physics of their movement would have been entirely different. (There's also the fact that toxic fumes would have affected other wildlife in the area.) As for 5G interference, Edwards and Termignoni Garcia shook their heads. The bird-loving scientists hope the survivors make it to where they were headed without further incident. "I was watching the ones that were still on the ground and hoping they would get up and fly," Edwards said. Explore further Federal agency: Bird flu detected in backyard Michigan flock This story is published courtesy of the Harvard Gazette, Harvard University's official newspaper. For additional university news, visit Harvard.edu. Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain After Black Lives Matter formed in 2013, in response to the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the killing of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, new ways of talking about race gained traction. And with protests sparked by subsequent police killings, such as those of Eric Garner, Philando Castile and George Floyd, the use of and online search for anti-racist terms skyrocketed, indicating a growing common anti-racist lexicon and generating renewed attention to racial justice that continues today. The growing use of these terms, according to new research, shows how Black Lives Matter has shifted the conversation around racism, raising awareness of issues and laying the foundation for social change. The research, led by Indiana University and the University of Washington, published March 3 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. "When protest happens, it changes the way people talk," said lead author Zackary Dunivin, a doctoral student in sociology and complex systems at Indiana University. "Black Lives Matter got people to pay attention when people weren't paying attention. The protests got people to care, and that has changed the way people are talking and thinking about race." In the paper, Dunivin and co-author Jelani Ince, an assistant professor of sociology at the UW, show that how people talk about an issue and how often they talk about it can create momentum and bring attention to a cause. They point to civil rights marches, which led to changes in voting and housing rights, and to anti-Vietnam War protests, which helped shift public opinion and led to Congressional hearings. To evaluate the impact of Black Lives Matter protest, the researchers turned to social media, news coverage and online search engines. They set out to determine how these protests shifted public interest and conversation by examining attention to and use of related terms and topics. The researchers chose four different publicly available data sources: Google search, Twitter mentions, national news mentions and Wikipedia page visits. They created a list of more than three dozen terms to search for, such as "systemic racism," "prison abolition" and others that are associated with Black Lives Matter's themes and the concept of anti-racism. The study found that during Black Lives Matter protests, people search for these terms up to 100 times more than they did in the weeks prior to the protests. Over time, these "spikes" in searches for terms related to Black Lives Matter have expanded to include other ideas: In the early years of the study period, searches for "police shootings" and the names of victims of police homicide were common; in 2020, searches included topics like "prison abolition" and "redlining." In addition, the study noted the staying power of ideas: Six months after the George Floyd protests in 2020, social media attention to anti-racist ideas was significantly higher than it was before the protests. Daily visits to Wikipedia pages for "Black Lives Matter," for example, were around 10 times greater; for "systemic racism," 5.5 times greater; and for "prison abolition," 1.6 times greater, from August through December 2020, compared to the same period the year before. "As social scientists, we know that change is not an inevitability, but requires persistence from actors over time. This shift in discourse is a reflection of change in the political terrain," Ince said. "It shows that the movement is evolving. It's not just a moment, it's an accumulation." Of course, not every search or use of the designated terms indicates support, the researchers said. Data measuring page visits, for example, doesn't capture why someone visited a pageit just tracks the visit. Along the same lines, use of a hashtag doesn't necessarily prove a user's intent to support a movement. Further data-driven research could pursue those questions, the study points out, and specifically the role of countermovements and rhetoric in association with the use of anti-racist terms. But what online searches, media coverage and tweets do show, Ince and Dunivin said, is how the issues and terms raised by Black Lives Matter have grown in public awareness over time. And the terms themselves have expanded beyond their connection to specific incidents of police homicide to broader issues of inequality. While the study didn't link these terms to social change such as votes or policies, it does show how a current movement is building toward that change, the authors said. "Black Lives Matter is providing an alternative route to the social problems society has created," Ince said. "These protests aren't just trying to make noise, but to reimagine what community can do. This is an attempt to do what should have been done decades ago." Explore further Structural racism and anti-LGBTQ policies can impact suicide risk More information: Zackary Okun Dunivin et al, Black Lives Matter protests shift public discourse, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2022). Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Zackary Okun Dunivin et al, Black Lives Matter protests shift public discourse,(2022). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2117320119 Prof Praveen Linga (left) and his NUS team demonstrated the first-ever experimental evidence of the stability of CO2 hydrates in oceanic sediments. Credit: National University of Singapore Climate change is one of the most pressing challenges facing humanity. To combat its potentially catastrophic effects, scientists are searching for new technologies that could help the world reach carbon neutrality. One potential solution that is drawing growing attention is to capture and store carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions in the form of hydrates under ocean floor sediments, kept in place by the natural pressure created by the weight of the seawater above. A major question, however, has been how stable this stored CO2would be for the extended periods of storage required to keep the carbon in place and out of the atmosphere. Now researchers from the National University of Singapore's Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, have demonstrated the first-ever experimental evidence of the stability of CO 2 hydrates in oceanic sedimentsan essential step in making this carbon storage technology a viable reality. "It's the first of its kind experimental evidence that we hope is going to spur further activity on this technology development," said Professor Praveen Linga, the lead researcher of the study. The team's findingspart of a project funded through the Singapore Energy Centrewere first published in scientific journal Chemical Engineering Journal. Using a specially designed laboratory reactor the NUS team showed that CO 2 hydrates can remain stable in oceanic sediments for a period of up to 30 days. Going forward, the team says, the same process can be used to validate the stability of CO 2 hydrates for much longer periods. Trapped in ice-like substances At low-temperature and under high-pressure conditions created by the ocean, CO 2 can be trapped within water molecules, forming an ice-like substance. These CO 2 hydrates form at a temperature just above the freezing point of water and can store as much as 184 cubic meters of CO 2 in one cubic meter of hydrates. The presence of huge volumes of methane hydrates in similar locations around the world and their safe existence presents a natural analogy to support the belief that CO 2 hydrates will remain stable and safe if stored in deep-oceanic sediments. The research team says that this technology could eventually be developed into a commercial-scale process, allowing countries like Singapore to efficiently sequester more than two million tons of CO 2 annually as hydrates to meet emission reduction targets. Ocean floor conditions Working with specially designed equipment, Prof Linga and his team recreated the conditions of the deep ocean floor, where temperatures range between 2C to 6C and pressures are 100 times higher than what we experience at sea level. Creating a macro-scale reactor that could maintain such conditions was challenging and is one of the reasons why experiments to test the stability of CO 2 hydrates were previously not possible. The NUS team overcame this challenge using an in-house designed pressurized vessel, lined with a silica sand bed, which imitated ocean sediments. The team was able to form solid hydrates on top and within the silica sand bed and transitioned the pressurized vessel to mimic oceanic conditions to observe the stability of the formed solid CO 2 hydrates in sediments. Under pressurized conditions, the hydrates were observed for 14 to 30 days and were found to show a high degree of stability. This hydrate technology would allow nations to sequester large volumes of carbon emissions in deep-ocean geological formations in addition to how it is currently stored in depleted oil and gas reserves and saline aquifer formations. For countries like Singapore, which has set a target to become carbon neutral by 2050, the technology could be a significant tool for reducing CO 2 emissions. "In order to achieve carbon-neutrality targets, we have to look at new options that provide scale and speed to sequester CO 2 . Deep-ocean sequestration in sediments as CO 2 hydrates is a promising solution," said Prof Linga. The next step for the team will be to scale up the experiment's volume and timescale. "From an experimental standpoint, we are planning to scale up by 10 times along with further innovations to develop quantifiable tools and methods for the technology," said Prof Linga. Moving forward, he said, the team aimed soon to demonstrate six months stability for the CO 2 hydrates. The team's recently announced funding under the Low-Carbon Energy Research Funding Initiative from the Singapore government to develop cutting-edge low-carbon energy technology solutions will greatly support the development of this storage technology. With the planned future experiments, the team hopes to develop and validate models that can predict the stability of CO 2 hydrates thousands of years into the future. Explore further Metals supercharge a promising method to bury harmful carbon dioxide under the sea More information: M Fahed Qureshi et al, Laboratory demonstration of the stability of CO2 hydrates in deep-oceanic sediments, Chemical Engineering Journal (2021). M Fahed Qureshi et al, Laboratory demonstration of the stability of CO2 hydrates in deep-oceanic sediments,(2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.cej.2021.134290 Credit: CC0 Public Domain Whether rising seas played a role in the collapse of the doomed Surfside condominium is unclearand perhaps, unlikelybut the new research from Florida International University provides the data for what regular passersby have witnessed in the now-empty parking garage floor: Water rises and falls not just with rain but with the tides. It's made the site of the tragedy a curious little observation tank, a window to watch how groundwater levels shift up and down at the site, and likely along the entire barrier island. To keep the empty garage relatively dry as federal and other inspectors continue to piece together the puzzle of the collapse, the cost of temporary pumps and workers to run them runs a staggering $60,000 a month. In the FIU study, Randall Parkinson, a professor of hydrogeology, compared the elevation of the garage floor with sea levels from monitoring stations in Miami Beach. He found water levels were higher than the garage floor about 244 times a year between 1994 and 2006. From 2007 to 2020, that number nearly tripled to 636 times a year. That means that in the most recent decade, sea level was above the Champlain garage floor nearly every day at both high tide events. Add in groundwater, freshwater that floats on top of saltwater that has pushed in along the coast, and the potential for flooding virtually doubles. "It's pretty mind-boggling," Parkinson said. In a December hearing, the court-appointed receiver for the condo site said he spends about $60,000 a month holding the water back so that the specialists investigating what caused the collapse can do their work. That's three times the monthly cost of hiring security guards to patrol the fenced-off site. "There's definitely tidal factors affecting the amount of water," Michael Goldberg, the receiver, told the Miami Herald. Flooding in the garage was already a problem before the collapse. Residents complained that the garage constantly flooded, and a pool repairman told the Miami Herald the underground pool maintenance room burned through a water pump every two years trying to keep the water at bay. Compounding the effects of rising seas is the fact that the building didn't stay in the same place as when it was built 40 years back. It actually sunk a little, research from FIU Professor Shimon Wdowinski showed. In a 2020 paper that analyzed which parts of Miami Beach lost elevation in recent years, a process known as subsidence, Wdowinski found that the Champlain building sunk a little more than most of the buildings on the islandabout 2 millimeters a year between 1993 and 1999. In a newer analysis, he and his team looked at their data again (plus some new data) and found something even more specific. They found that the pool side of the building, where experts told the Miami Herald they believe the collapse was initially triggered, sunk at a slightly faster rate than the road side of the building from 1980 to 2000. Wdowinski found the beachfront side of the building sunk a total of 4 centimeters in those 20 years, "which means the eastern part of the building subsided about 1 centimeter more than the western side of the building," he said. However, they did not observe any additional sinking from 2016 to 2021. It's unclear how the one-two punch of repeated flooding and minor sinking may have affected the structural stability of Champlain Towers, or if they played any role in the collapse. The initial theory that underground water movement created a sinkhole that destabilized the building has effectively been ruled out, but experts say it's worth paying attention whenever the conditions a building was built in change. "We make assumptions about how the soil is supporting the design, but if the water is changing the soil and the structure of it then that's always a concern," said Dawn Lehman, a professor of structural engineering at the University of Washington and consultant to the Miami Herald. And when floodwaters are repeatedly soaking the base of a building, it can lead to a weakening process in the concrete and steel called corrosion. Corrosion is a widespread issue in coastal buildings, and they regularly need to be inspected and repaired from the damage done by salt air and waves. But as sea levels creep up and flooding becomes more common, Lehman said she worries it could be doing more harm to buildings than researchers or builders even know. "What assumptions were made in the design and what's the condition of the building now?" she said. "We need to be able to consider all these possible scenarios and likely with older structures they weren't considered." Explore further Seas are now rising higher than some buildings' underground garages 2022 Miami Herald. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Credit: CC0 Public Domain To get rid of student loan debt through bankruptcy, you must prove to the court that paying back your student loans would cause an "undue hardship." But in our peer-reviewed study of nearly 700 student loan discharge cases spanning 1985 to 2020, we found that judges' decisions to dismiss student loans are often influenced by personal factors, such as your gender. To determine whether repaying the student loan debt is causing the debtor to experience an undue hardship, most courts apply three criteria outlined in a case known as "Brunner." Under Brunner, to prove they are experiencing an undue hardship, debtors must first demonstrate that repaying their student loans would not allow them to maintain a minimal standard of living. In other words, repaying the debt would prevent them from meeting their basic needs, including food, clothing and shelter. Second, debtors must show that additional circumstances exist that indicate their finances are unlikely to improve. These additional circumstances could include having a medical condition or caring for dependents. Third, debtors must show that they have made good-faith efforts to repay their loans. This includes efforts to make payments on the loans or attempts to consolidate their debt. Meeting these three criteria is tough. Our data shows that about 38% of the debtors in the cases that we studied received a full or partial discharge of their student loans. But we also discovered other factors regularly come into play in the court's decisions. Here are three factors that stood out in our research. 1. Being a single mom helps, but not being a single dad In student loan discharge decisions, judges regularly consider the expenses associated with a debtor's children. Our research team found it also sometimes matters to the court whether the debtor is a single parent. Being a single parent more than doubled the chances of obtaining a discharge, but only for mothers. Single fathers did not experience any notable benefit from being a single parent. We're not certain about why courts view single moms as more deserving of a discharge than single dads. It could have something to do with stereotypes about mothers being the "caregivers" in a family, whereas men are the "breadwinners." A mother's plea to help fulfill her role as a caregiver may be seen as more persuasive than a father's plea to be relieved of his financial obligations. 2. Disclosing a medical condition helps men, but not women When assessing a debtor's ability to repay a debt, case law suggeststhat judges must consider any difficulties a person has in trying to find a decent-paying job. Such struggles are captured by the "additional circumstances" mentioned in the second Brunner criterion. Those additional circumstances include medical conditions. However, judges appear to give medical conditions more consideration for men than they do for women. Our research found that men reporting a medical condition are 93% more likely to obtain a student loan discharge than men who did not report a medical condition. We did not find this same effect for women. This gender gap is highly relevant, given that female debtors outnumbered male debtors in our analysis almost 2 to 1. Women's medical concerns seem to be dismissed or overlooked in multiple arenasfrom courts to hospitals. Psychologists theorize this may arise from stereotypes that suggest women may dramatize medical conditions and exaggerate their pain. 3. Not having an attorney hurts your cause Thanks to ubiquitous crime dramas, it is widely known that those who cannot afford an attorney can have one appointed. Lesser known is that this constitutional right applies only to criminal proceedings. In most civil trials, like bankruptcy proceedings, there is no right to an attorney. When debtors cannot afford an attorney, they often must represent themselves. In student loan bankruptcy proceedings, 33% of debtors represent themselves, often to their detriment. We found that debtors who retained an attorney improved their chances of getting their student loans discharged by at least 60%. This was true whether the debtor was male or female. The benefit of having an attorney in court is well-supported by research. Attorneys who specialize in bankruptcy are likely to be aware of the factors upon which judges rely and can build a strong case for discharge. Without an attorney, it can be difficult to know which details to disclose and how to present them. Potential solutions Getting student loan debt discharged can be difficult and emotionally draining. If you are thinking about seeking relief from student loan debt, the following suggestions may help. Develop a strategy that takes your gender into account: For single fathers, it might be advantageous to emphasize your "breadwinning" role, show the court that you have made efforts toward repaying the loans or have tried very hard to get a decent-paying job. For women with medical conditions, provide as much evidence as you can in the form of hospital visits, attempts to declare disability and the like. Regardless of gender, remember that having an attorney matters: Familiarize yourself with legal aid organizations in your area, which can offer free legal services. Also, be sure to search for other free legal information that can be found on court websites and similar venues. None of this advice matters if you fail to file a separate case to get your student loans dischargedas is the case with most student loan debtors who file a bankruptcy case. Without the separate proceeding, students loans cannot be discharged. Around 241,000 people with student loan debt filed for bankruptcy in the U.S. in 2017, but only 447 of those also filed a separate case to get rid of their student loans. Consult the free legal resources to learn how to file this separate case. Explore further Study: Gender bias may impact student loan bankruptcy decisions This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Schematic drawing showing the general body size pattern of the iconic extinct megatooth shark, Otodus megalodon, using hypothetical silhouettes. Note the increase in body size towards cooler waters at higher latitudes. Credit: DePaul University/Kenshu Shimada A new study reveals that the iconic extinct Megalodon or megatooth shark grew to larger sizes in cooler environments than in warmer areas. DePaul University paleobiology professor Kenshu Shimada and coauthors take a renewed look through time and space at the body size patterns of Otodus megalodon, the fossil shark that lived nearly worldwide roughly 15 to 3.6 million years ago. The new study appears in the international journal Historical Biology. Otodus megalodon is commonly portrayed as a gigantic, monstrous shark in novels and films, such as the 2018 sci-fi thriller "The Meg." In reality, this species is only known from teeth and vertebrae in the fossil record, although it is generally accepted scientifically that the species was indeed quite gigantic, growing to at least 50 feet (15 meters) and possibly as much as 65 feet (20 meters). The new study re-examined published records of geographic occurrences of Megalodon teeth along with their estimated total body lengths. "Our findings suggest a previously unrecognized body size pattern for the fossil shark, notably following a geography-driven ecological pattern known as Bergmann's rule," said Shimada. Introduced by a German biologist Carl Bergmann in the mid-1800s, Bergmann's rule is a broad generalization explaining that larger animals thrive in cooler climates because their size helps them retain heat more efficiently compared to animals with smaller bodies. "Scientists constantly search for rules of life that help us predict natural patterns, and it seems that Bergmann's rule applied to Otodus megalodon," noted coauthor Victor Perez, a paleontologist at the Calvert Marine Museum in Maryland. Some Megalodon sites were previously identified as possible nursery areas of the fossil shark because those sites yield smaller Megalodon teeth on average relative to other Megalodon localities. However, the new study found that the previously identified nursery areas for Megalodon are located near the equator, where water is warmer. "It is still possible that O. megalodon could have utilized nursery areas to raise young sharks. But our study shows that fossil localities consisting of smaller Megalodon teeth may instead be a product of individual sharks attaining smaller overall body sizes simply as a result of warmer water," said coauthor Harry Maisch, a faculty member at Bergen Community College and Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey. "The idea of this new study originated from casual conversation that took place during a recent fishing trip to the Florida Keys by the lead author, his family and me, stemming from a basic question: where do large fish live?" said coauthor Martin Becker, a professor of environmental science at William Paterson University in New Jersey. Despite being initiated by this simple question, "the results of this study have important implications for understanding how modern climate change is rapidly accelerating marine habitat shifts to more polar latitudes in apex predators such as sharks," noted coauthor Michael Griffiths and another professor of environmental science at William Paterson University. "The main conclusion of this study is that not all geographically different Megalodon individuals grew to gigantic sizes equally. The common notion that the species reached 1820 m TL should be applied primarily to populations that inhabited cooler environments," said Shimada. Explore further Body size of the extinct megalodon indeed off the charts in the shark world More information: Revisiting body size trends and nursery areas of the Neogene megatooth shark, Otodus megalodon (Lamniformes: Otodontidae) reveals Bergmann's rule possibly enhanced its gigantism in cooler waters, Historical Biology, DOI: 10.1080/08912963.2022.2032024 , www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/1 8912963.2022.2032024 Revisiting body size trends and nursery areas of the Neogene megatooth shark, Otodus megalodon (Lamniformes: Otodontidae) reveals Bergmann's rule possibly enhanced its gigantism in cooler waters, The researchers who detected the trend warn that crop yields could fall. Credit: Roosewelt Pinheiro/Agencia Brasil Deforestation for agribusiness expansion in Brazil, in conjunction with climate change, has worsened the already severe drought suffered in the last decade by the transition zone between the eastern Amazon and the Cerrado, the vast tropical savanna ecoregion in central and western Brazil. This combination of trends endangers the stability of the biomes concerned and constitutes a risk to food production in the region known as MaToPiBa, a portmanteau of Maranhao, Tocantins, Piaui and Bahia, parts of which form Brazil's agricultural frontier. The region accounts for almost 12% of the nation's soybean crop, for example. The warning comes from an article published in the journal Scientific Reports by a group of scientists affiliated with research institutions in Brazil, Spain and France. "Current conditions already show that this transition zone between the Amazon and the Cerrado is suffering the impact of land-use change for agribusiness expansion, as well as the impact of climate change. These processes could become more intense in future, impacting the biomes and adversely affecting harvests in MaToPiBa, especially of soybeans," Jose Marengo, CEMADEN's head of research, principal investigator for INCT-MC, and first author of the article, told Agencia FAPESP. The researchers used meteorological and satellite data to analyze changes in hydrology and weather in tropical South America in the last four decades. They identified regions that have undergone long-term warming or drought since 1981 by scrutinizing spatial patterns for a range of radioactive, atmospheric and hydrological variables. In particular, they found that average temperatures in the Amazon-Cerrado transition zone rise significantly as the dry season gives way to the wet season (July-October), delaying the arrival of seasonal rainfall and worsening the already severe drought conditions in the last decade. "Our results evidence a rise in temperatures, a growing vapor pressure deficit, increasingly frequent dry days, and a decrease in precipitation, humidity, and evaporation," Marengo said. "They also point to a delay in the onset of the wet season, heightening the risk of fire during the dry-to-wet season transition." Croplands more than doubled in area from 1.2 million hectares to 2.5 million hectares between 2003 and 2013, with 74% of new croplands replacing previously intact Cerrado vegetation. "The study provides observational evidence of the growing climate pressure in this area, which is important to global food security, and the need to reconcile agricultural expansion with protection of natural tropical biomes," Marengo said. Adaptation plan Drought in the Amazon and the adjacent Cerrado is usually associated with El Nino events and/or warmer than usual sea surface temperatures in the tropical northern Atlantic, Marengo explained. Warmer ocean temperatures favor the occurrence of warmer land temperatures, with anomalous regional water deficits and intense fire seasons, all of which threaten to limit soybean output in the MaToPiBa region. Soybean yields fell during the 2015-16 El Nino, when output totaled 95.4 million metric tons, compared to 96.2 million metric tons in 2014-15. "In [the] future, events like the 2015-16 El Nino could be more intense, and it's important to start implementing adaptation measures to mitigate the impact of climate change in the region, including a reduction in deforestation in the Amazon and land-use change in the MaToPiBa region. If nothing is done, agricultural production will fall because it depends closely on the climate," Marengo said. Explore further Researchers identify the causes of the extreme drought that affected the Pantanal More information: Jose A. Marengo et al, Increased climate pressure on the agricultural frontier in the Eastern AmazoniaCerrado transition zone, Scientific Reports (2022). Journal information: Scientific Reports Jose A. Marengo et al, Increased climate pressure on the agricultural frontier in the Eastern AmazoniaCerrado transition zone,(2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-04241-4 You are here: World Flash A civilian was killed and 23 others, including a policeman, were wounded Sunday in a grenade attack in restive Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said. The grenade was hurled reportedly at government force personnel at Amira Kadal market in Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir. Police said the grenade exploded with a bang on road, wounding two dozen people, one of whom died later. "A grenade attack took place in a busy market near Amira Kadal bridge. In this attack, 24 people, including a policeman, were wounded," a police official said. "An elderly man later succumbed to his wounds while a girl is in critical condition." The condition of other wounded victims undergoing treatment at the hospital was stable. The attack triggered panic in the market and people were seen running away from the spot for safety, eyewitnesses said. Soon after the attack, police contingents rushed to the spot and launched a manhunt to nab the attackers. "In light of the grenade throwing in busy Sunday market near Amira Kadal bridge today, all civilians are required to be vigilant and report any suspected activity," reads a statement issued by police on social media. A guerilla war has been going on between militants and Indian troopers stationed in the region since 1989. The militants often target government force personnel with grenade attacks or resort to shooting. Enditem Life reconstruction of the pleistocene false killer whale Rododelphis stamatiadisi preying upon blue whiting fish in deep waters off the coast of greece. Credit: Rossella Falen A study published March 7 in Current Biology, may hold vital clues to the history of the orca. In 2020, the remains of an ancient dolphin unknown to science were found on the Greek island of Rhodes, providing the first clear fossil evidence for the origins of the false killer whale. Geisler, Bianucci, and several other colleagues from the University of Pisa named the species Rododelphis stamatiadisi, after the island where the fossil was found and the paleontologist who made the discovery (Polychronis Stamatiadis). Based on the layer of earth that contained Rododelphis, it is estimated that the dolphin lived 1.5 million years ago, during the Pleistocene epoch. To better understand Rododelphis, the researchers compared its anatomy to today's false killer whales and orcas, as well as Orcinus citoniensis, the orca's only known fossil relative. Based on the width of its skull, Rododelphis was roughly the same size as modern false killer whales, measuring 13 feet long and weighing approximately 1,200 pounds. Surprisingly, next to the fossil were remnants of its last meal: fish bones. Much like modern orcas, Orcinus had very powerful jaw muscles and sharp interlocking teeth. However, these teeth were smaller than those of today's orcas, and there were more of them. Interestingly, the teeth of both Orcinus and Rododelphis lacked the rough scratches and chipping commonly caused by eating limbed prey, such as mammals. Instead, their teeth had fine scratches and little chipping, suggesting that both species ate fish. Graphic of Rododelphis's skeleton shows the extinct dolphin's head, jaw, ribs, and backbone. Rododelphis was roughly the same size as modern false killer whales, measuring 13 feet long and weighing approximately 1,200 pounds. Credit: Giovanni Bianucci The study's findings also contradict the popular theory that large whales, including the blue whale, evolved giant bodies to avoid predation. While the first giant whales emerged 3.6 million years ago, Geisler and Bianucci's findings suggest that ancient dolphins began preying on other marine mammals, including whales, well after this. The researchers believe that this behavior began in orcas within the last three million years, with false killer whales adapting this behavior within the last 1.5 million years. "The diversification of the oceanic dolphin family occurred within the last five million years, but fossil evidence from the Pleistocene epoch is exceedingly rare," said Geisler, who is an expert in marine mammal evolution. "With Rododelphis, we're now beginning to fill this gap and better understand the repeated evolution of feeding adaptations in oceanic dolphinsin other words, how both orcas and false killer whales separately evolved similar cranial anatomy and the behavior of feeding on other marine mammals." While the findings provide the first fossil data for determining when these feeding adaptations began, narrowing the timeline further will require more fossils and additional research. Given this, the researchers call for future investigations in areas like Greece and Italy, some of the few regions where Pleistocene marine sediments are extensively exposed. Explore further Killer whales teach each other how to steal fish from human fisheries More information: Giovanni Bianucci et al, The origins of the killer whale ecomorph, Current Biology (2022). Journal information: Current Biology Giovanni Bianucci et al, The origins of the killer whale ecomorph,(2022). DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.02.041 Credit: Shutterstock At the time Australia was colonized by Europeans, an estimated 180 mammal species lived in the continent's northern savannas. The landscape teemed with animals, from microbats to rock-wallabies and northern quolls. Many of these mammals were found nowhere else on Earth. An unidentified account from the Normanton district of Northwest Queensland, dating back to 1897, told of the abundance: "There were thousands of millions of those rats (Rattus villosissimus), and as most Gulf identities may remember, after them came a plague of native cats (the Northern Quoll). These extended from 18 miles west of the Flinders (River) to within 40 miles of Normanton, and they cleaned up all our tucker." But tragically, in the years since, many of these mammals have disappeared. Four species have become extinct and nine face the same fate in the next two decades. And we know relatively little about this homegrown crisis. Monitoring of these species has been lacking for many decadesand as mammal numbers have declined, the knowledge gaps have become worse. A precipitous decline Northern Australia savanna comprises the top half of Queensland and the Northern Territory and the top quarter of Western Australia. It covers 1.9 million square kilometers, or 26% of the Australian landmass. Species already extinct in Northern Australia are: burrowing bettong Victoria River district nabarlek (possibly extinct) Capricornian rabbit-rat Bramble Cay melomys. The Northern Australia species identified at risk of becoming extinct within 20 years are: northern hopping-mouse Carpentarian rock-rat black-footed tree rat (Kimberley and Top End) Top End nabarlek Kimberley brush-tailed phascogale brush-tailed rabbit-rat (Kimberley and Top End) northern brush-tailed phascogale Tiwi Islands brush-tail rabbit-rat northern bettong. Many other mammal species have been added to the endangered list in recent years, including koalas, the northern spotted-tailed quoll and spectacled flying foxes. So what's driving the decline? For some animals, we don't know the exact reasons. But for others they include global warming, pest species, changed fire regimes, grazing by introduced herbivores and diseases. Monitoring is crucial There's no doubt some mammal species in Northern Australia are heading towards extinction. But information is limited because monitoring of these populations and their ecosystems is severely lacking. Monitoring is crucial to species conservation. It enables scientists to protect an animal's habitat, and understand the rate of decline and what processes are driving it. Our research found most of Northern Australia lacks monitoring of species or ecosystems. Monitoring mostly comprises long-term projects in three national parks in the Northern Territory. The trends for mammals across the region must be estimated from these few sites. More recent monitoring sites have been established in Western Australia's Kimberley. Very few fauna monitoring programs exist in Queensland savannas. The Bramble Cay melomys was declared extinct in 2016. Credit: Queensland Government The lack of monitoring hampers conservation efforts. For example, researchers don't know the status of the Queensland subspecies of blackfooted treerat because the species is not monitored at all. Research and monitoring efforts have declined significantly over the past couple of decades. Reasons for this include, but are not limited to: a massive reduction in federal environment funding since 2013 and substantial reductions in some state and territory environment funding reduced capacity of government-unded institutions devoted to ecosystem and species research the existence of only two universities in northern Australia with an ecological research focus a reliance on remote sensing and vegetation condition monitoring, which does not detect animal trends. The lesson of the Bramble Cay Melomys An avalanche of research shows increasing rates of decline in animal populations and extinctions. Australia has the worst mammal extinction rate of any country. Yet governments in Australia have largely sat on their heels as the biodiversity crisis worsens. A Senate committee was in 2018 charged with investigating Australia's faunal extinctions. It has not yet produced its final report. In September last year, the federal environment department announced 100 "priority species" would be selected to help focus recovery actions. But more than 1,800 species are listed as threatened in Australia. Prioritizing just 100 is unlikely to help the rest. The lack of threatened species monitoring in Australia creates a policy blindfold that prevents actions vital to preventing extinctions. Nowhere is this more true than in the case of the Bramble Cay melomys. The nocturnal rodent was confirmed extinct in 2016 due to flooding of its island home in the Torres Strait, caused by global warming. The species had previously been acknowledged as one of the rarest mammals on Earthyet a plan to recover its numbers was never properly implemented. A crisis on our watch Conservation scientists and recovery teams are working across Northern Australia to help species and ecosystems recover. But they need resources, policies and long-term commitment from governments. Indigenous custodians who work on the land can provide significant skills and resources to save species. If Traditional Owners could combine forces with nonIndigenous researchers and conservation managersand with adequate support and incentiveswe could make substantial ground. Indigenous Protected Areas, national parks and private conservation areas provide some protection, but this network needs expansion. We propose establishing a network of monitoring sites by prioritizing particular bioregionslarge, geographically distinct areas of land with common characteristics. Building a network of monitoring sites would not just help prevent extinctions, it would also support livelihoods in remote Northern Australia. Policies determining research and monitoring investment need to be reset, and new approaches implemented urgently. Crucially, funding must be adequate for the task. Without these measures, more species will become extinct on our watch. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain This week, tensions between the fowl and one U.S. Postal Service worker reached a violent climax when the carrier killed a turkey while on duty, officials said, prompting an investigation by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. "On Monday, one of the mail carriers actually had some kind of a stick or something in his vehicle," said Capt. Patrick Foy, a spokesman for the department's Law Enforcement Division. "And when one of the particularly aggressive male turkeys attacked him, he smacked it and killed it." Foy declined to say what kind of violation could be involved but said the department had not issued a citation as of Thursday evening. "Our job is to determine what exactly happened and then we fill out a report," he said. "We might send it to the district attorney and the district attorney decides whether or not a crime has been committed." The postal service said it is investigating the incident, noting in a statement that employees "have had several altercations with aggressive turkeys in the area, including a recent attack on a letter carrier." "We have been working with the Department of Fish and Wildlife to mitigate the issue," the USPS said. "However, this allegation is alarming, and if true, is inexcusable and does not reflect the efforts of our more than 650,000 employees who faithfully serve and deliver for America every day." So far, the Department of Fish and Wildlife's investigation into the incident has revealed strange details about the area's turkeys and their behavior and treatment. Investigators found that some residents had been feeding the turkeys "copious quantities of food", which is prohibited in California and could be a factor in the birds' aggressiveness. "It probably contributed to the massive size of the turkey in question because it was eating just an unlimited amount of food every day from this particular household," Foy said. "We are addressing that issue as a major contributing factor to this overall problem." The turkeys seem to have been targeting delivery workers in the neighborhood since October, when the postal service began reporting the situation to wildlife officials. Foy said the attacks had also disrupted deliveries from FedEx, UPS and other carriers. Turkey attacks on humans are rare, Foy said, but are most often attributed to mating season, which occurs in Aprilso it "didn't really make sense that they would be so aggressive back in October." A wildlife officer and a biologist sent to look into the reports saw a group of four turkeys attack a mail carrier. "He was swinging his mailbag at them, trying to fend them off," Foy said. Foy said the department informed mail carriers that they were allowed to defend themselves and suggested the use of pepper spray, which postal service workers are allowed to carry. "They said, 'Yes, we've been pepper-spraying them. We have been swinging our mailbags at them. We've been kicking them and they still continue the attack,'" Foy said. Wildlife officials then tried and failed to capture the most aggressive of the birds. After a temporary reprieve, the birds renewed their attacks in the last few weeks, and the postal service again reached out to wildlife officials. Foy said the turkey that was killed Monday was by far the heaviest he had ever lifted. "I've been around about 25 years, so I kind of know turkeys," he said. "And I just I looked at it, and I'm like, 'Oh, this is the biggest turkey I've ever seen.' " Even more odd was the fact that the birds seem to spare the neighborhood's residents and non-delivery personnel from their wrath. "I can't explain it, but the aggressive turkeys do not appear to be worried at all about the residents of this community," Foy said. "I watched it myself. "I walked up to the turkeys myself, and they didn't want anything to do with me," he said. "But when that mail carrier pulled up, they immediately went on the offensive." 2022 Los Angeles Times. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. A new study recommends a fungicide combination to protect red clover from two major plant diseases. Credit: Dandy1022 (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Red_clover_(Trifolium_pratense).jpg, CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en) Red clover, an important forage crop for grazing cattle, can be protected against two major fungal diseases by a newly developed integrated pest management strategy. Published in Crop Protection, the study says that three fungicidescarbendazim, wettable sulfur and hexaconazolealong with the biocontrol agent Trichoderma viride, were found effective in controlling powdery mildew and crown rot that attacks red clover or Trifolium pratense L. Both diseases severely affect the seed yield of red clover, a leguminous plant important as forage in temperate regions throughout the world including the Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand states of northern India. "Results from a five-year study indicate that seed treatment with carbendazim followed by three foliar sprays of hexaconazole and seed treatment with carbendazim followed by one foliar spray each of Trichoderma viride, wettable sulfur and hexaconazole at 10 days interval can effectively control powdery mildew and crown rot diseases," the study said. Devinder Kumar Banyal, an author of the study and professor at the C.S.K. Himachal Pradesh Agricultural University, Palampur, told SciDev.Net that applications of these treatments in different combinations showed significant superiority over other methods in reducing disease severity and in ensuring higher seed yield. "There are no reports for comprehensive management of crown rot and powdery mildew," Banyal said. "The development of resistant varieties is the most efficient and ecological way of controlling these diseases in leguminous forage crops but resistant varieties are not available in India and this necessitated the development of an alternate management strategy." Research studies to evaluate the use of red clover by lactating dairy cows, conducted at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, indicate that red clover is an excellent feed for many classes of livestock including dry dairy cows and cattle reared for beef. Powdery mildew symptoms appear as small patches of fine, white to pale gray powdery covering on the stems and leaf surfaces, the study says. The infected leaves become yellow and wither, which decreases the quality of the fresh forage, hay and survival of the plants. Crown rot, one of the most destructive diseases of red clover in temperate regions with snow cover, covers the entire plant with white mycelium, eventually killing the plant. Mycelium can also spread from plant to plant when there is physical contact so that entire patches of dead plants are often seen in a field of red clover. Anoop Kuttiyil, researcher in plant pathology and assistant professor at Zamorin's Guruvayurappan College, Kozhikode, says that scientists have been exploring alternate chemical and biological methods to control crown rot and powdery mildew in red clover caused by the Sclerotinia trifoliorum and Erysiphetrifoliorum fungi respectively with little success. "Different species of these two fungi are notable for causing heavy damage to many agriculturally important crops," Kuttiyil told SciDev.Net. "S. trifoliorum produces bodies called sclerotia that survives several years while E.trifoliorum produces sexual fruiting bodies called chasmothecia. Both structures contain large number of spores capable of reinfecting the host, making management of these diseases difficult." According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, red clover is an important fodder in pastoral livestock farming systems because of its high yield, protein content, nutritional value, medicinal properties and its ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen in the soil. Red clover is well adapted to poorly drained soils with varieties of it known to have higher forage yields than alfalfa, according to the studies at the University of Wisconsin. Explore further A climate model for mildew control More information: Nitish Rattan Bhardwaj et al, Integrated management of crown rot and powdery mildew diseases affecting red clover (Trifolium pratense L.), Crop Protection (2022). Nitish Rattan Bhardwaj et al, Integrated management of crown rot and powdery mildew diseases affecting red clover (Trifolium pratense L.),(2022). DOI: 10.1016/j.cropro.2022.105943 Provided by SciDev.Net Solon and Steckel venture into a giant, frozen maze of icy, stalagmite-like spikes called penitentes. Credit: Amanda Steckel, University of Colorado at Boulder A harsh sun shines down through a cloudless sky, across a vast and unforgiving landscape. It's covered in gray rock, giant ice sculptures and expansive fields of spiky, yellow and orange bushes. In the distance, intimidating mountain peaks dominate the desolate scene, many miles from the nearest town. Yet alpacas roam freely and flamingos seek out scarce water, both unexpected sights in this wild world. The extreme environment resembles something from a sci-fi film or another planet, but it's right here on Earth, on the flanks of the world's highest active volcano, 22,615-foot Ojos del Salado. Here, on the border of Argentina and Chile, a team of CU Boulder scientists seek to discover how tiny organisms persist at one of the driest and highest points on the planet. This first-of-its-kind project may ultimately help inform the search for existing and extinct life on other planets. "There's been almost no scientific studies on this volcano. So it's a new frontier in terms of geology, microbiology and the environment itself," said project lead Brian Hynek, professor of geological sciences and research associate at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP). For three weeks in December, Hynek was joined by Adam Solon, graduate student in ecology and evolutionary biology, and Amanda Steckel, graduate student in geological sciences and LASP, as the first researchers to ever explore and survey this high up on the Argentinian side of the mountain. Project co-leader Steve Schmidt, professor of ecology and evolutionary biology, and Nick Dragone, graduate student in ecology and evolutionary biology, are now hard at work analyzing the samples they brought back. And a second trip is in the works. The team's previous research on neighboring volcanoes suggests this trip will provide valuable insights about the microbiology and flow of chemical elements through this habitat, which mimics those of the past on neighboring planet Mars and possibly the present of Jupiter's smallest moon, Europa. Training for great heights While they didn't plan to spend much time at the summit, the team had to prepare for a base camp at 19,000 feet and to conduct research at 21,000 feetthe highest any of them have ever climbed. That high up, oxygen is scarce. So in the months leading up to the trip, they often hiked and camped near Leadville, Coloradothe highest incorporated city in North America, at over 10,000 feetto acclimate and break in their mountaineering boots. Next, getting to Ojos del Salado was its own challenge, taking them two days and multiple flights to get to Northern Argentina, two days drive from the jungle to the high desert, and a day-and-a-half journey on a rough four-wheel-drive road to the base of the volcano at 19,000 feet. From there, the team climbed through the frigid night to over 21,000 feet, where they conducted their research. From life on Ojos to life on Mars Once settled in high above the Atacama Desert, the team set out to conduct research in an environment that closely mimics that of ancient Mars. Extremely dry conditions, high levels of ultraviolet radiation, large day-to-night temperature swings and limited water are all elements that make Ojos del Salado an ideal analog to the red planet. "Going to places on Earth that mimic either the chemistry or the physics or volcanic conditions of early Mars can help us understand it better," said Hynek, a National Geographic explorer. "In the past, Mars probably was a lot like Ojos, and not as extreme as it is now. So by studying this, we can get a good glimpse at habitability on past Mars." Hynek, a planetary geologist, was eager to examine the hydrothermal systems, steam vents, fumaroles and hot springs on the volcano. These are places where water and fluids interact with rocks, create minerals and can support microbial life from the energy involved in these chemical reactions. Today, Mars is riddled with remnant minerals from these interactions. By documenting under what temperatures, pressures and chemistries these minerals are created here in Earth's extremes, Hynek can apply that information to what remains on Mars today. So when a rover or an orbiter discovers particular minerals on Mars, he and fellow scientists can deduce what historical conditions in those places must have been like to produce themand if they could have also supported life. "The ultimate question is whether this is a good place where life could have come about," said Hynek. "Because life on Earth probably started in hydrothermal systems, it's probably where it would have started on Mars. These are key targets for looking for life on our neighbor." Otherworldly ice fields Solon and Steckel ventured into a giant, frozen maze of icy, stalagmite-like spikes called penitentes to conduct their research. Ranging from a few inches tall to 6 feet high, these snowy marvels exist not only in spite of, but as a result of the extreme conditions, providing a rare opportunity to understand how life can thrive there. They have only been sampled on two other volcanoes in the region, on expeditions lead by Schmidt. Solon collected ice samples with tiny microbes living in them and the soil around them, and collaborators on the project are currently sequencing their DNA back in a lab in Argentina. "Even as extreme an environment as it is, it might be surprising how many different types of microbes are actually here. There can be a whole food web that is developed, even with these very limited resources," said Solon. These persistent creatures may hold clues for the types of life which could exist on Jupiter's moon, Europa, as the conditions in these fields closely resemble those of the icy moon. The sixth-largest moon in the solar system, Europa's icy crust covering a global ocean make it a promising place to look for life. Alongside Solon in the ice fields, Steckel used sensors to capture the light bouncing around and inside the cone shapespart of what hollows them out into their unique designs. She nailed sensors into the ice at different heights to measure the intensity of the light at varying heights. Where Solon's samples assess the microbial diversity, Steckel's measurements will track radiation levels throughout the ice fields, illuminating what microbes have done to adapt to the intense UV conditions. "I wanted to capture the uniqueness of this environment," said Steckel. Steckel's measurements are also the first data collected at this altitude, providing valuable insights into real-life conditions under extreme UV. Her preliminary numbers will also inform a more detailed study, when she or others from her team are able to return to the volcano. Hynek is already plotting the trippotentially yet again this yearas they didn't make it to the summit and over to Chile, due to 70 mph winds. "There will definitely be several studies that come out of the data, and also further understanding of this region, which has had a limited amount of study," said Solon. "This would be a pretty good expedition to build off of." Explore further Microbes living in a toxic volcanic lake could hold clues to life on Mars Amit K. Singh (left) and Danny Ducat discuss cyanobacteria. Credit: Kara Headley, MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory A new study from the Michigan State University-DOE Plant Research Laboratory (PRL) brings fresh insight on the source/sink balance of cyanobacteria and paves the way for further advancements in photosynthetic microbes for potential applications. The research, conducted in the lab of MSU biochemist Danny Ducat, was recently published in Plant Physiology. In photosynthesis, source/sink balance refers to how the organism equalizes the light it absorbs (source) with its capacity to use this energy (sink). This balance is well-studied in plants, but research on it in photosynthetic microbes remains under-developed. This study sheds new light on source/sink regulation in cyanobacteria. "We started this study with a big question: How do photosynthetic microbes balance source/sink?" said Amit K. Singh, a postdoc in the Ducat lab and lead author of the study. "As metabolic engineers, it is even more important to know the regulatory process involved in balancing mechanisms, for example, when we engineer in pathways for production of biofuels or other bioproducts, we think those new energy needs can throw source/sink out of balance. Hence, the findings of this study will help us in fine tuning the cellular metabolism toward improved production of bio-based materials." Using a genetically modified cyanobacterium developed in the Ducat lab, the researchers tested the impact of influx and efflux of sucrose (sugar) on the physiology and biochemistry of cyanobacterium. "One thing that we were particularly surprised to see is the degree to which rubisco activity was a dominant component altered due to the changes in sugar availability we induced," said Ducat, an associate professor in the PRL and the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and study co-author. "Rather than a more systemic change in the expression levels of many proteins, rubisco appears to be the key lynchpin in this response." With an improved understanding of how cyanobacteria regulate photosynthesis, these organisms can be genetically engineered to be better at it. This is important in order to use cyanobacteria as a base for engineering environmentally friendly biomaterials. "A deeper understanding of the mechanisms that regulate source/sink balance in cyanobacteria is likely to have biotechnological implications given the potential for cyanobacteria as a 'carbon neutral' production platform to combat anthropogenic climate change," Amit said. There is still much to learn in future studies about source/sink balance in cyanobacteria. "It is curious that we find similar outputs regulated by source/sink signaling in cyanobacteria to those in plants, yet the central genes required in plants are not found in cyanobacteria," Ducat said. "This raises the possibility that these pathways are functionally conserved, despite a lack of evolutionary conservation of the key players." Explore further Genetic sequence allows photosynthetic organisms to stably produce ethylene More information: Amit K Singh et al, Rubisco regulation in response to altered carbon status in the cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942, Plant Physiology (2022). Amit K Singh et al, Rubisco regulation in response to altered carbon status in the cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942,(2022). DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiac065 Caption:Primary school in the state of Haryana, India. Credit: Blair Read Doctoral student Blair Read links rise of private education in India to local political competition, signaling potential erosion of public services. "When I began graduate school, the issue of states losing control over their central functions piqued my interest," says Blair Read, a sixth-year doctoral candidate in political science. To tackle such a broad agenda, she zeroed in on the case of private schooling. "It has exploded worldwide, especially in lower- and middle-income countries, and I'm trying to explain the phenomenonthe politics behind what is happening and how it might change the political landscape," she says. With survey and field work skills sharpened by on-the-ground research in East Africa, Read has fashioned an ambitious dissertation project investigating the expansion of private schools in India, a trend spurred by the jockeying of politicians. One intriguing finding: places with more competitive elections have more private providers. The shift from public to private schooling "follows a consistent political logic, and helps us understand the politics of education in a context where inequality, intolerance, and incohesion have increased in tandem with the explosion of private providers," Read notes. With the help of public datasets and interviews with government officials and school leaders across India, Read's research is revealing how in India, and by extension, other nations of the Global South, "education is a political project as much as it is a human capital project." New schools as political projects The Indian education system "varies a ton based on where you are," says Read. Both the central and state governments are involved in building and supporting government schools. There are also many private schools, some collecting tuition, and others funded by benefactors. In states such as Kerala in the south, 50 percent of students attend private schools. In regions where government schools lack the budgets for maintenance, or even basic educational programs, private schools are proliferatingoften with the support of influence-seeking politicians. "India is a country with a lot of bureaucracy and red tape, and you need the help of someone on the inside to open a school, or help parents pay fees," says Read. "These are politicians who want to make a show of being the big guy to help you get things done, who can work with the private sector on funding, and expand education without necessarily having to engage the bureaucracy." By combing through a census of 1.2 million primary schools, and by examining electoral data from the last 50 years of state-level elections, Read has discovered that "when electoral competition increases, and elections become won by smaller margins, there is a greater expansion of private schools," she says. Read hypothesizes that "increased competition means that politicians face much more pressure to provide services." Seeking leverage among constituents, politicians can relatively swiftly subsidize or find capital to build infrastructure, add teachers, or reduce family tuition burdensall highly visible activities with great appeal to parents and other citizens. Political behavior Through interviews conducted in the field pre-COVID and more recently via WhatsApp, Read is trying to understand how these politicians operate. "One private school manager described a politician approaching him with platitudes about supporting education," recounts Read. "It was clear to this manager that the politician was looking to use school contributions to establish himself in the community, and gain recognition." Read's thesis will document these interactions in fine-grained detail, "I want to know how (and when) these politicians use their influence to expand services, and how they deal with the pressure of elections," she says. "I want to get the big picture of their varied motivations and incentives." The rapid expansion of private schools in India and other developing nations matters for several reasons, Read says. One is the issue of equity. "The people who go to private schools are generally more affluent, less likely to be from lower castes, and more likely to be sons than daughters," she says. Another reason: "School is how states distribute ideology, and it is fundamental to how states operate." Read notes that "there is systematic and anecdotal evidence that a lot of private schools are run by Hindu nationalist activists, as an effective way to bring people into the Hindu fold," she says. Read is concerned that this ceding of education and other services from public to private hands may over time result in a loss of faith in government. "There's research suggesting people have developed a perpetual bias against public services, assuming they are lower quality than privateeven when they are not," she says. "States can't do much without citizen buy-in, and if government services don't seem valuable, it can affect the state's ability to function." From citizen to politician Read confesses she is surprised to have landed in an area of research investigating "why politicians do things in certain ways," she says. She went to Tufts University with the idea of majoring in international relations, but after a course in comparative politics immediately decided on a political science major, with a particular focus on problems in labor and gender. Her first foray into field work was in Indonesia, where she conducted field interviews that led to a senior thesis on household bargaining power and political preferences. After Tufts, she worked in MIT's political science department as a research support associate, and began the quantitative classes required for graduate study. "I was putting a toe in the water, and realizing that I could see myself in academia." After she was accepted into the political science doctoral program, she deferred a year, working for MIT GOV/LAB. Read spent 10 months in Tanzania and Uganda designing research about electoral participation during those countries' general elections. "When I began my coursework, I was focused on citizens and holding governments accountable," she says. "Now I'm focused on the politicians' side and their strategies." Read hopes that her examination of political influence-building and the rise of private schools in India will spark discussion about the potential erosion of faith in government services. She is excitedly planning a return to India, after a prolonged pandemic interruption, where she intends to continue documenting the expansion of different types of schools and the role of politicians in this expansion. "It's a long game," she says. "My goal is to use social science to improve policy implementation, working on questions of small-scale interventions that could make government work better." This story is republished courtesy of MIT News (web.mit.edu/newsoffice/), a popular site that covers news about MIT research, innovation and teaching. A view from the "Kimberley" formation on Mars taken by NASA's Curiosity rover. The strata in the foreground dip towards the base of Mount Sharp, indicating flow of water toward a basin that existed before the larger bulk of the mountain formed. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS The dusty faces of the moon and Mars conceal unseen hazards for future explorers. Areas of highly oxidizing material could be sufficiently reactive that they would produce chemical burns on astronauts' unprotected skin or lungs. Taking inspiration from a pioneering search for Martian life, a Greek team is developing a device to detect these 'reactive oxygen species'as well as harvest sufficient oxygen from them to keep astronauts breathing indefinitely. The US Viking landers that touched down on Mars in 1976 carried experiments looking for Martian life whose results are still debated more than four decades later. Viking's "Labeled Release" experiment applied micro-nutrient liquid to a Martian soil sample, which released copious amounts of oxygen in response. Some authorities interpreted this result as evidence of microbial life on Marsexcept that even after the sample was sterilized with 160C heat this oxygen production continued. Meanwhile other Viking experiments found no traces of organic chemicals. "The leading interpretation today is that the results were due to an abiotic chemical reaction," notes Prof. Elias Chatzitheodoridis of the Geological Sciences Department of the National Technical University of Athens. "The oxygen production was caused by a reactive oxygen species reacting with water in the nutrient liquid," notes Prof. Christos Georgiou of the Biology Department at the University of Patras. "Such reactive species may originate from metal salts of superoxides, peroxides or perchloratesthe latter of which was indeed detected by NASA's Mars Phoenix lander in the Martian Arctic in 2008. NASAs Mars Phoenix lander detected perchlorate salts in the Martian Arctic in 2008. Credit: NASA "Charting such highly reactive species will be important for Martian and lunar settlers, not only because their presence will be inimical to human settlement and crop growth but also because they will erase any trace of possible Martian bio-fossils, so these areas can be ruled out of the search for life on Mars." The Biology Department of the University of Patras has already performed soil experiments on the generation of reactive oxygen species in soil samples from the arid, Mars-like Mojave and Atacama Deserts, as well as from perchlorate salts exposed to radiation. "These reactive oxygen species are created by intense ultraviolet irradiation of the surface, especially of fractured minerals broken up by temperature extremes and micrometeorites, resulting in a surface with a lot of free chemical bonds," explains Prof. Georgiou. The combined university teams realized that the Viking liquid micro-nutrient experiment would be a workable model for a detector of these reactive oxygen species. Soil samples would be placed in a microfluidic device, producing detectable oxygen through wetting with water plus the action of catalysts. They proposed the idea to ESA through the Open Space Innovation Platform, seeking out promising ideas for research and development. ESA's reactive oxygen species detection project, supported through ESAs Technology Development Element, will include the initial design of a large scale reactor device to periodically extract oxygen from soil, termed oxygen farming. Solar UV irradiation will then replenish their oxygen supply within a matter of hours. The estimate is that a 1.2 hectare (3 acre) area would yield enough oxygen to keep a single astronaut alive. Credit: National Technical University of Athens / University of Patras "The exciting aspect is that this technique can be used for more than just superoxide detection," explains ESA materials and processes engineer Malgorzata Holynska. "The project, supported through ESA's Technology Development Element, will include the initial design of a large scale reactor device to periodically extract oxygen from soil, what we term 'oxygen farming.' Solar UV irradiation will then replenish their oxygen supply within a matter of hours. The estimate is that a 1.2 hectare (3 acre) area would yield enough oxygen to keep a single astronaut alive." "Commercially available moon and Mars regolith, chemically altered by contact with Earth's oxygen-rich atmosphere, is not suitable for testing, says Prof. Chatzitheodoridis. "Accordingly the project team is looking into creating their own simulants in controlled environments. We will additionally use lunar and Martian meteorites to test the instrument, but also plan to apply to NASA for actual lunar samples for testing." "The aim is that the prospecting detector should be smaller than a paperback book," says Dr. Ioannis Markopoulos, heading the 01 Mechatronics company, planning to produce a prototype detector. "It is likely that astronauts would find it useful across the entire span of any mission to the moon and Mars." H 2 O-wetting of soil samples by the detector, causes dissolution of metal superoxides (O 2 ) and peroxides (O22, converted toH2O2 after hydrolysis) and release of O 2 in sequential steps 1 and 2 ("oxygen farming" concept). OxR detector's O 2 -electrode records the respective plateau reaching released O 2 values A and B (corresponding to the released O 2 moles, shown in red and blue bold italics to designate their origin from respective reactions 1 and 3). Values A and B are converted to yH2O2 and xO2 moles by insertion to math equations derived from the stoichiometries of reactions 1 and 3. Hydroxyl radicals (OH), which are generated upon soil H 2 O-wetting, are measured by the fluorescence of 2-OH-TPA (at ex/em 310/420 nm), the product of OH specific reaction with its non-fluorescent trap terephthalate (TPA). Credit: National Technical University of Athens / University of Patras "Reactive oxygen species are produced in our own bodies, hence our bodies produce antioxidants in response," adds Prof. Georgiou. "They can also be produced through radiation-exposed arid terrestrial soils and during mining activities. In space they will be produced by cosmic radiation interacting with metal surfaces, such as on water and food tanks, and the cabin oxygen, so such a detector will certainly be useful to monitor the spacecraft environment." Dr. Markopoulos adds: "We certainly see the potential for a terrestrial spin-off as well; with these harmful reactive oxygen species widespread on Earth, the potential is there for a very good tool for commercialization." Credit: University of Alaska Fairbanks A NASA Black Brant IX sounding rocket soared high out of Poker Flat Research Range north of Fairbanks at 2:27 a.m. Saturday to learn more about pulsating aurora. The Loss through Auroral Microburst Pulsations, or LAMP, experiment seeks to determine whether the pulsating aurora is connected to another phenomenon called microbursts, higher-energy electrons from the Earth's magnetosphere driven toward Earth in bursts that last about one-tenth of a second. That is faster than the pulsating aurora but similar to the flickering inside the pulsations. A pulsating aurora looks patchy and occurs within minutes or sometimes hours after the conclusion of a discrete aurora, the familiar curtain-like type of aurora. The launch had been repeatedly postponed since the Feb. 24 opening of the launch window because scientists needed the right combination of active aurora and good weather at a camera site in Venetie, which is located more than 130 miles north of the range. Weather and aurora activity improved in recent days. Alexa Halford, space physics researcher at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center and the experiment's lead investigator, detected pulsating aurora over Venetie early Saturday and determined that launch conditions were favorable. "This was an amazing launch," Halford said. "We couldn't have asked for anything better, and it was all due to the science team, the NASA Wallops Flight Facility and Poker Flat Research Range people as well as the support and help from the communities of Venetie and Fort Yukon. Without them we wouldn't have had everything we needed, especially the ground stations." Good data was received from all instruments aboard the sounding rocket. "The rocket flew as true as one could hope for and into an aurora event that was better than anything we could have asked for," she said. "We are still all riding high and can't wait to start working on the data." The launch was the first at Poker Flat since January 2020. The University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute owns Poker Flat, located at Mile 30 Steese Highway, and operates it under a contract with NASA's Wallops Flight Facility, which is part of the Goddard Space Flight Center. Explore further NASA rocket team to chase pulsating aurora The data set contains information on fish behavior and movement as they swim through dams. Credit: Melanie Hess | Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Scientists at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) have released a unique data set containing more than 5 million raw data points on the movement, behavior, and location of juvenile Chinook salmon as they traveled down the Columbia River through hydroelectric dams on their way to the Pacific Ocean. PNNL decided to share the data with the larger scientific community in hopes that it will broaden understanding of how fish behave near dams. "We believe that this unique data set can be very useful to the scientific community for objectives beyond what we have done so far," said Daniel Deng, a mechanical engineer at PNNL. "It can be used to develop hypotheses about biological behavior models of fish as they pass through dams." New discoveries could lead to the design of more fish-friendly dams and better survival outcomes for dwindling populations of salmon and other species. The data file can be downloaded from the journal Scientific Data. The data were collected using the Juvenile Salmon Acoustic Telemetry System (JSATS), an innovative system of collecting information about the movement of tagged fish developed by PNNL. JSATS uses a tiny injectable acoustic transmitter no bigger than the length of two grains of ricethe smallest commercially available fish tagging technology. The size of the transmitter and implantation method is what makes this data set especially valuable, said Jayson Martinez, a mechanical engineer at PNNL. Image of JSATS tag. Credit: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory It's the only one of its kind that can be implanted through injection or a small incision that does not require surgical sutures. JSATS acoustic telemetry data can prove valuable for salmon recovery Up until the creation of the JSATS in 2006, the size of available tags limited the minimum size of fish that could be successfully studiedmaking data on smaller or younger fish relatively scarce. Since then, JSATS technology has improved while tags have become increasingly smaller, allowing for the study of even smaller fish. JSATS was initially developed for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to study the behavior and survival of juvenile salmon migrating past dams. It has since been used to study numerous fish species worldwide. It can detect and track a fish's location within a meter accuracy. "You can study the movement of the fish prior to their going through the dam," explained Martinez. "You can find out whether it swims straight through the dam or along the banks trying to find its way around, or whether it spends most of its time on one side of the dam or the other. You can see how deep, or shallow the fish swim, or how long they get delayed trying to go through the dam." The tag is currently commercially available from Advanced Telemetry Systems. Visualizing fish passage in 3D using HBET The data were collected in 2015 as part of a field study to evaluate the effect of the newly miniaturized JSATS on the fish. Nearly 700 subyearling Chinook salmon were tagged with the injectable transmitter and released upstream of Little Goose Dam on the Snake River in Washington State. Schematic showing the key JSATS components of cabled acoustic receivers, autonomous acoustic receivers, and acoustic transmitters. Credit: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Then, PNNL deployed JSATS cabled acoustic receiver arrays at Little Goose Dam and Lower Monumental Dam to allow for 3D tracking, which facilitates assignment of the passage route through the dam for each of the tagged fish. In addition to the cabled receiver arrays, several JSATS autonomous receiver arrays were deployed in free-flowing sections of the Snake and Columbia Rivers to estimate the survival rate of the juvenile salmon as they migrate toward the Pacific Ocean. "It would be challenging for others to generate this kind of data without incurring a large cost," said Martinez. But that's not the only thing that makes these data valuable, says Hongfei Hong, a software engineer at PNNL. More than 5 million detections were imported into the Hydropower Biological Evaluation Toolset (HBET) to generate more than 400,000 3D positions of tagged fish. HBET was originally created to analyze data collected by Sensor Fish, a small autonomous device that uses multiple sensors to measure the physical stressors, such as acceleration, pressure, rotational velocity, and orientation, fish experience when passing through and around dams. In 2019, HBET was expanded to include acoustic telemetry capabilities, so researchers can correlate the physical environment with the biological behavior of the fish. As part of the data set release, the team also included the source code required to visualize data in HBET. Explore further New technology serves as fish body double More information: Jayson Martinez et al, A large dataset of detection and submeter-accurate 3-D trajectories of juvenile Chinook salmon, Scientific Data (2021). Jayson Martinez et al, A large dataset of detection and submeter-accurate 3-D trajectories of juvenile Chinook salmon,(2021). DOI: 10.1038/s41597-021-00992-x Forecast evolution of the second east coast low to hit the NSW in the space of a few days. Credit: BOM It was Western Sydney's turn for a drenching this week, as the region was hit by an east coast lowthe infamous storm systems that periodically bring heavy rainfall to the New South Wales coast. This east coast low was created by the same persistent band of low atmospheric pressure that generated a series of thunderstorms that soaked Brisbane and Lismore during the preceding days, delivering daily rainfall totals greater than 250 millimeters to Southeast Queensland and the NSW Northern Rivers. The east coast low then formed on Tuesday, dumping more than 100mm of rain on western Sydney and the nearby ranges. And this low pressure trough isn't done yet. It's forecast to create a second east coast low that will develop over the weekend and affect the NSW south coast, bringing rain that could once again extend to the greater Sydney area and also to to the Hunter region. The remarkable persistence and geographical spread of these rain systems prompts several questions. Why did the first east coast low form, even after so much rain had already fallen on Brisbane and Lismore? Why is a second east coast low poised to form further to the south? And why are these systems, more commonly thought of as a winter phenomenon, happening at the tail end of summer? How and when do east coast lows form? East coast lows typically form one at a time. But it's not that unusual for a particularly large area of low atmospheric pressure to spawn several of these storm systems, either one after another, or sometimes even simultaneously. As we've already described, the precursor to the formation of an east coast low is typically a low pressure trough, similar to the one that has been positioned near Brisbane and northern NSW for more than a week. A low pressure trough is an elongated region of low atmospheric pressure, and on Australia's east they typically run alongside the coast. They are often an indicator of coming clouds, showers or, given enough atmospheric moisture, very heavy showers or thunderstorms. Combined with the high moisture content in the atmosphere over coastal eastern Australia, due partly to the influence of La Nina this summer, the resulting flood rainfall was focused close to the trough. The fact that the trough has remained almost stationary for an extended period of time has meant continuous rainfall for Southeast Queensland and the NSW Northern Rivers. Eventually, the low pressure trough moved east on Tuesday and a weak low pressure center developed well to the east of Brisbane, over the Tasman Sea. As the low pressure center developed and moved slowly towards the NSW coast on Wednesday, the moist, southeast winds on the southern side of the low concentrated the rain onto the eastern side of the Great Dividing Range, north of Sydney. The low pressure center finally weakened on Thursday. But a second east coast low is forecast to form during Sunday near the southern half of the New South Wales coast, resulting in more coastal rain spreading as far north as the Hunter region. Do they eventually move on? These low pressure systems tend to dissipate in a matter of a day or two, unless other nearby atmospheric conditions prolong their survival. At this time of year, they need to be reinforced by cold fronts moving from west to east, immediately to Australia's south. Such frontal systems have been absent in recent months, enabling the very moist air to remain in place over most of eastern Australia. A contrasting sequence of the persistent easterly airflow has been its impact on southwestern Australia. The easterly winds have shed their moisture during their passage over southern Australia. Hence, they reach southwestern Australia as a hot, dry air mass. It's no coincidence that Perth has just smashed its record for the number of days above 40 in a summer. Is this normal for this time of year? East coast lows can form in any month of the year, although they tend to happen mostly in the cooler months of April to September. Some devastating east coast lows have formed during warmer months, including the one that hit the Sydney to Hobart Race in December 1998, claiming six lives and sinking five yachts. It is hard to assess whether climate change has had an influence on the frequency of warm-season east coast lows. However, rising average sea surface temperatures could conceivably be a contributing factor to any change in their frequency. For the more common cool-season east coast lows, however, we already know their development has shifted further south and east since the 1990s. This is consistent with the predictions of climate models that global warming will push mid-latitude westerly winds further towards the poles. As this process continues, those east coast lows that develop in a westerly wind regime are likely to shift further poleward or become less frequent if conditions become less conducive to their formation, as suggested by recent research. But these ferocious weather systems will nevertheless continue to be a threat to Australia's east coast. Even if the rain doesn't make landfall, east coast lows can generate large waves that disrupt otherwise benign sea conditions, such as in January 2021, when three people were tragically killed at Port Kembla. Explore further Stalled weather: How stuck air pressure systems drive floods and heatwaves This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Credit: CC0 Public Domain A research team has concluded that when it comes to health literacy, people with migration background should not be categorically labeled as a vulnerable group, but instead viewed with greater nuance. First survey specifically on individuals with a migration background and their health literacy Researchers at Bielefeld University have been regularly collecting data on the status of health literacy among residents of Germany. The new study, entitled "Health literacy among people with migration background in Germany" (HLS-MIG), has a new focus. "With this study, we have, for the first time, been able to collect detailed data on the extent, causes, and consequences of health literacy among people with a migration background in Germany," explains Bielefeld University's Professor Dr. Doris Schaeffer, who heads the study together with Dr. Eva-Maria Berens, also of Bielefeld University. The study surveyed the two largest migrant groups in Germany: individuals with a migration background in Turkey and in the states of the former Soviet Union. Together, these two groups represent 30 percent of all individuals with a migration background in Germany. Few differences to the general population The study, which was funded by the Robert Bosch Stiftung, demonstrates that more than half (52 percent) of individuals with a Turkish or former Soviet migration background have low health literacy; the other half (48 percent), however, have high health literacy. Levels of health literacy in people with a migration background are thus similarly aligned to those of the general population. The researchers explain this finding with the fact that many migrants have lived in Germany for a long time: "the group of 'people with a migration background' includes both those who have migrated to Germany in the first generation, but also their children. They have often been living in Germany for decades," says Eva-Maria Berens. One important point to keep in mind, as Berens notes, is that health literacy among people with a migration background is unevenly distributed in social terms. In the study, low educational attainment, low socioeconomic status, older age, and chronic disease were all factors found to be associated with lower health literacysimilar to the situation in the general population. Their own migrant experience and limited German language skills can also impact health literacy. "The study's findings suggest that migration status, unlike socioeconomic status or low educational attainment, is not closely correlated with health literacy. This is good news for our multicultural society and underscores the importance of developing interventions," says Dr. Ingrid Wunning Tschol, who serves as the director of the division of health at the Robert Bosch Stiftung GmbH. Widespread use of health information in foreign languages According to the study, people with a migration background have a great deal of interest in health information. A large share of the individuals surveyed rely on health information in multiple languages. More than half (64 percent) of those surveyed with a migration background in the former Soviet states obtain health information partially or exclusively in Russian. 45 percent of the survey respondents with a Turkish migration background also get their health information in Turkish. "First-generation migrants and those with limited German skills in particular are the ones who frequently turn to health information in the language of their country of origin. But even second-generation survey respondents with strong German language skills also make use of multilingual resources," says Eva-Maria Berens. Being listened to is not a given at the doctor's office One significant difference to the general population that the researchers were able to ascertain deals with communicating with doctors. The study demonstrated that people with a migration background find it especially difficult to get doctors to listen to them without being interrupted. Approximately one third of the survey respondents from both the former Soviet states and Turkey found this to be challengingand this rate is considerably higher than in the general population. Specialized health terminology is another challenge. The researchers see this as an urgent call to action in both policy and public life. "As a society, we need to invest more in the promotion of health literacy among the entire population," says Doris Schaeffer. "In addition to this, the general image of people with a migration background as a homogenous category needs to be revisedthis group must be viewed in a more differentiated manner." According to the researchers, different approaches could be used to facilitate and promote health literacy. Improving the quality and accessibility of health information is essential, along with placing a greater focus on low health literacy and diversity. Specific measures aimed at target groups to strengthen health literacy are also very important. Background of the Study This study was conceptualized based on the model set forth in "Health Literacy Survey Germany" (HLS-GER), a representative study conducted in 2014 and 2020 to determine health literacy of the general German population. For this survey, questionnaires were modified with respect to the special characteristics of individuals with a migration background. Some 1,000 interviews were carried out and analyzed. The project, which will run through September 2022, has been provided with 650,000 Euro in funding from the Robert Bosch Stiftung. Health literacy encompasses the ability to locate, understand, evaluate, and apply information on health topics. Previous studies have shown that the lower a person's health literacy, the more likely they are to go to the doctor or hospital, and use emergency medical services. The research was published by Interdisziplinares Zentrum fur Gesundheitskompetenzforschung. Explore further Study: People with migration background are as health literate as the general population More information: Eva-Maria Berens et al, Gesundheitskompetenz von Menschen mit Migrationshintergrund in Deutschland: Ergebnisse des HLS-MI, Interdisziplinares Zentrum fur Gesundheitskompetenzforschung (2022). Eva-Maria Berens et al, Gesundheitskompetenz von Menschen mit Migrationshintergrund in Deutschland: Ergebnisse des HLS-MI,(2022). DOI: 10.4119/unibi/2960131 Members of the Guatemalan army patrol the northeastern indigenous municipality El Estor, in October 2021, following protests against the Guatemalan Nickel Company, a subsidiary of Solway Investment Group. Two subsidiaries of Swiss mining company Solway Investment Group hid reports of pollution in an indigenous area of northeastern Guatemala, an international consortium of media companies said Sunday. The "Mining Secrets" investigationin which 65 journalists from 15 countries participatedalso accused Solway subsidiaries Guatemalan Nickel Company (CGN) and PRONICO of intimidation and influence peddling. The investigation run by the Forbidden Stories NGO "reveals the strategies that Solway has used to hide, in collusion with authorities, any element that could infer its responsibility in serious cases of environmental pollution." Solway has rejected the accusations, telling AFP in a statement it had reviewed the research in the investigation and found it to be "false." According to the investigation, one of those cases was the appearance of a large red slick in Lake Izabal, the largest in Guatemala and which adjoins the company's nickel processing plant in Izabal department. Both the company and the state blamed algae for the patch. That sparked a protest from local fishermen, who blamed the miner for the slick. One protester, Carlos Maaz, was shot dead during a clash with police. But investigators said documents and emails obtained by Guatemalan hackers "disprove official statements and confirm the fishermen's intuition." According to the investigation, an internal PRONICO communication acknowledged that some mining deposits reached the lake "following heavy rainfall." The consortium of journalists, including some from Spain's El Pais and Le Monde in France, said they had evidence that reporters were spied on, local community leaders were intimidated and manipulated, and the company had relations with a judge and "paid the police to end the protests." In October, a group of indigenous people blocked off the town of El Estor, where the processing plant is located, for several days, alleging that the company was failing to comply with a court ruling to cease mining. The government and the company both insisted that the court ruling only prevented PRONICO from extracting from its Fenix mine but not from continuing to process minerals mined from other plants. Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei sent military personnel to the area, while police used tear gas to clear protesters. Local activists accused security forces of intimidation and carrying out raids. 2022 AFP LLNL physicist James Mitrani sets up scintillator detectors to measure neutrons on the University of Washingtons Fusion Z-Pinch Experiment (FuZE) device. Credit: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory In findings that could help advance another "viable pathway" to fusion energy, research led by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) physicists has proven the existence of neutrons produced through thermonuclear reactions from a sheared-flow stabilized Z-pinch device. The researchers used advanced computer modeling techniques and diagnostic measurement devices honed at LLNL to solve a decades-old problem of distinguishing neutrons produced by thermonuclear reactions from ones produced by ion beam-driven instabilities for plasmas in the magneto-inertial fusion regime. While the team's previous research showed neutrons measured from sheared-flow stabilized Z-pinch devices were "consistent with thermonuclear production, we hadn't completely proven it yet," said LLNL physicist Drew Higginson, one of the co-authors of a paper recently published in Physics of Plasmas. "This is direct proof that thermonuclear fusion produces these neutrons and not ions driven by beam instabilities," said Higginson, principal investigator of the Portable and Adaptable Neutron Diagnostics (PANDA) team that is doing research under a Department of Energy Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) cooperative agreement. "It's not proven they're going to get energy gain, but it is a promising result that suggests they are on a favorable path." LLNL physicist James Mitrani was the lead author on the paper, which demonstrates how the lab's broad range of research is benefiting the larger fusion community beyond the major advancements made by LLNL's National Ignition Facility (NIF), the world's most energetic laser system. "The research only focused on this one device," Mitrani said, "but the general techniques and concepts are applicable to a lot of fusion devices in this intermediate magneto-inertial fusion regime." He noted that regime operates in the area between laser fusion facilities, such as NIF and the Omega Laser Facility at the University of Rochester, and fusion devices that confine plasmas in the purely magnetic regime, like ITER (a multinational project in southern France), SPARC (under construction near Boston) or other tokamak devices. Since August, NIF has generated buzz throughout the global scientific community because an inertial confinement fusion (ICF) experiment yielded a record 1.35 megajoules (MJ) of energy. That milestone brought researchers to the threshold of ignitiondefined by the National Academy of Sciences and the National Nuclear Security Administration as when a NIF implosion produces more fusion energy than the amount of laser energy delivered to the target. That shot was preceded by progress LLNL researchers made in achieving a burning plasma state in laboratory experiments. Fusion is the energy source found in the sun, stars and thermonuclear weapons. NIF's ICF experiments focus 192 laser beams on a small target to compress and heat partially frozen hydrogen isotopes inside a fuel capsule, creating an implosion replicating the conditions of pressure and temperature found only in the cores of stars and giant planets and in exploding nuclear weapons. Z-pinch machines accomplish fusion using a powerful magnetic field to confine and "pinch" the plasma. The Z-pinch concept is a relatively simple design that has existed as a theoretical model since the 1930s. But Higginson noted it had a long history of "terrible instabilities" that hindered the ability to generate the conditions needed to attain a net fusion energy gain. In the 1990s, LLNL scientists began working with University of Washington (UW) researchers to advance another promising path toward ignition, the sheared-flow stabilized Z-pinch concept. Instead of powerful stabilizing magnets used in other Z-pinch devices, sheared-flow stabilized Z-pinch devices use pulsed electrical current to generate a magnetic field flowing through a column of plasma to reduce fusion-disrupting instabilities. "The problem with instabilities is that they don't create a viable path to energy production, whereas thermonuclear fusion does," Higginson said. "It's always been tricky to diagnose this difference, especially in a Z-pinch." In 2015, LLNL and UW researchers were awarded a $5.28 million ARPA-E cooperative agreement to test the physics of pinch stabilization at higher energies and pinch current under the university's Fusion Z-Pinch Experiment (FuZE) project. Under a subsequent ARPA-E "capability team" cooperative agreement, LLNL researchers focused on diagnostics that measured the neutron emissions produced during the fusion process, including the spatial locations and time profiles of those emissions. Combining the plasma diagnostic expertise of national laboratories and the agile operation of private companies draws on each of their individual strengths and is a key objective of the ARPA-E fusion capability team program. As the radius of the FuZE cylinder narrowed to increase compression, it also would create dips in the plasma that generated much stronger magnetic fields that would cause the plasma to pinch inwards more in certain spots than in others. Like the pinched ends of a popular tubular minced meat, those undesired "sausage" instabilities would create beams of faster ions that produced neutrons that could be confused with desired thermonuclear-produced neutrons. LLNL researchers placed two plastic scintillator detectors outside of the device to measure traces of neutrons as they emerged in just a few microseconds from different points and angles outside the Z-pinch chamber. "We showed that emitted neutron energies were equal at different points around this device, which is indicative of thermonuclear fusion reactions," Mitrani said. The analysis included creating histograms of the neutron pulses detected by the two scintillators and comparing them using methods such as Monte Carlo computerized simulations that examine all possible outcomes. The diagnostics aren't new, Higginson said, but "the idea of using histograms of individual neutron pulse energies to measure the anisotropythe difference in energies when you look in different directionsis a new technique and is something we thought of, developed and implemented here. In addition, we have been working with UC Berkeley, which has helped us to develop the modeling capability to iron out the uncertainties in the measurements and completely understand the data we're seeing. We're not just looking through raw data." The paper, "Thermonuclear neutron emission from a sheared-flow stabilized Z-pinch," was published in November and stemmed from an invited talk Mitrani presented at the American Physical Society-Division of Plasma Physics annual meeting in 2020. Mitrani and Higginson were joined by LLNL colleague Harry McLean; Joshua Brown and Thibault Laplace of UC Berkeley; Bethany Goldblum of UC Berkeley and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory; and Elliot Claveau, Zack Draper, Eleanor Forbes, Ray Golingo, Brian Nelson, Uri Shumlak, Anton Stepanov, Tobin Weber and Yue Zhang of the University of Washington. The research spun off a privately funded Seattle startup named Zap Energy in 2017. Research is continuing under new grants, with more detailed measurements taken by 16 detectors as Zap Energy continues experiments. "We want to be involved because we don't know what surprises might arise," Higginson said. "It could turn out that as you go to a higher current, all of a sudden you start driving instabilities again. We want to be able to prove as the current goes up that it is possible to maintain a high quality and stable pinch." Explore further Unveiling the steady progress toward fusion energy gain More information: James M. Mitrani et al, Thermonuclear neutron emission from a sheared-flow stabilized Z-pinch, Physics of Plasmas (2021). Journal information: Physics of Plasmas James M. Mitrani et al, Thermonuclear neutron emission from a sheared-flow stabilized Z-pinch,(2021). DOI: 10.1063/5.0066257 A new study from MIT cognitive scientists has determined just why legal documents such as contracts or deeds are often so impenetrable. Credit: MIT News Legal documents, such as contracts or deeds, are notoriously difficult for nonlawyers to understand. A new study from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) cognitive scientists has determined just why these documents are often so impenetrable. After analyzing thousands of legal contracts and comparing them to other types of texts, the researchers found that lawyers have a habit of frequently inserting long definitions in the middle of sentences. Linguists have previously demonstrated that this type of structure, known as "center-embedding," makes text much more difficult to understand. While center-embedding had the most significant effect on comprehension difficulty, the MIT study found that the use of unnecessary jargon also contributes. "It's not a secret that legal language is very hard to understand. It's borderline incomprehensible a lot of the time," says Edward Gibson, an MIT professor of brain and cognitive sciences and the senior author of the new paper. "In this study, we're documenting in detail what the problem is." The researchers hope that their findings will lead to greater awareness of this issue and stimulate efforts to make legal documents more accessible to the general public. "Making legal language more straightforward would help people understand their rights and obligations better, and therefore be less susceptible to being unnecessarily punished or not being able to benefit from their entitled rights," says Eric Martinez, a recent law school graduate and licensed attorney who is now a graduate student in brain and cognitive sciences at MIT. Martinez is the lead author of the study, which appears in the journal Cognition. Frank Mollica, a former visiting researcher at MIT who is now a lecturer in computational cognitive science at the University of Edinburgh, is also an author of the paper. Translating legalese While a student at Harvard Law School, Martinez became interested in how lawyers and judges use language to communicate. He cross-registered for an MIT linguistics class taught by Gibson, and after he finished his law degree, he joined Gibson's lab as a grad student. In their new study, Martinez, Mollica, and Gibson set out to figure out just why legal documentssuch as terms of service agreements, mortgage documents, and other kinds of contractsare so hard to understand. First, they compared a large selection of legal contracts (totaling about 3.5 million words) to other types of writing, including movie scripts, newspaper articles, and academic papers. Using a text analysis tool that can identify patterns in large volumes of text, the researchers identified several features that occur much more commonly in legal documents than in other kinds of writing. As one example, they found that legal documents include many instances of nonstandard capitalization, such as using all caps. This is legally required in some types of legal documents to make certain provisions more conspicuous. Legal writing also features much more use of the passive voice, the researchers found. When the researchers asked nonlawyers to read either legal documents or documents in which certain features of the text were altered without changing the meaning, they found that the passive voice and nonstandard capitalization did not make the documents more difficult to understand. The biggest culprit, they found, was center-embedding. In this type of construction, a writer introduces the subject of a sentence, then inserts a definition of the subject, and then continues on with the sentence. In their paper, the researchers included this sentence, with a lengthy definition in parentheses, as an example: "In the event that any payment or benefit by the Company (all such payments and benefits, including the payments and benefits under Section 3(a) hereof, being hereinafter referred to as the "Total Payments'), would be subject to excise tax, then the cash severance payments shall be reduced." The paper offers this as a more understandable alternative, with the definition separated out: "In the event that any payment or benefit by the Company would be subject to excise tax, then the cash severance payments shall be reduced. All payments and benefits by the Company shall hereinafter be referred to as the "Total Payments." This includes the payments and benefits under Section 3(a) hereof." The researchers found that when they tested people on their ability to understand and recall the meaning of a legal text, their performance improved the most when center-embedded structures were replaced with more straightforward sentences, with terms defined separately. "Using center-embedded clauses is standard writing practice in legal documents, and it makes the text very difficult to understand. It's memory-intensive for anyone, including lawyers," Gibson says. "This is something you could change and not affect the meaning in any way, but improve the transmission of the meaning." Another feature that contributed to the incomprehensibility of legal documents was the use of uncommon words such as "lessee" and "lessor." The researchers found that replacing these words with more common alternatives such as "tenant" and "landlord" improved readers' ability to understand and recall the meaning of what they had read. "We found more words that could have been simplified in legal text than in any other genre that we looked at, including academic text," Martinez says. A plea for plainer language One argument that legal theorists have put forth for why legal documents are written the way they are is that the language needs to be complex in order to unambiguously convey the meaning of complicated related concepts. However, the MIT researchers believe that is not true, because they found that many of the jargon terms used in legal documents can be replaced with more common words without changing the meaning, and the center-embedded clauses can also be replaced by nonembedded clauses to give rise to the same meaning. Another possibility that the MIT researchers raise is that lawyers may not want to change the way they write, either because it's what they're used to or because they want their documents to look "professional" and be taken more seriously by their colleagues and clients. Efforts to write legal documents in plainer language date to at least the 1970s, when President Richard Nixon declared that federal regulations should be written in "layman's terms." However, another study by Martinez, Mollica, and Gibson, not yet published, suggests that legal language has changed very little since that time. The researchers hope that their Cognition study, which points out specific aspects of legal language that make it more difficult to understand, will help inspire those who write legal documents to make a greater effort to improve the clarity of their documents. "This is the first time someone has been able to say, 'Here's what makes legal language difficult to understand.' Before, they just speculated, and maybe that's why it hasn't changed," Gibson says. "If people know what makes it hard to understand, then maybe they can work on fixing it." Making legal documents easier to understand could help anyone who needs to read such documents, but would have the most benefit for people who are unable to hire lawyers to help them, the researchers say. "This is something that is especially important for those who are not able to afford legal counsel to help them understand the law," Martinez says. "If you can't afford to hire an attorney, then being able to read the documents on your own will better equip you to understand your rights." Explore further It is time to create contracts all users can understand More information: Eric Martinez et al, Poor writing, not specialized concepts, drives processing difficulty in legal language, Cognition (2022). Journal information: Cognition Eric Martinez et al, Poor writing, not specialized concepts, drives processing difficulty in legal language,(2022). DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2022.105070 The world's first demonstration device for 1,000 tons/year production of gasoline from carbon dioxide hydrogenation has completed its trial operation and technology assessment on March 4. Credit: DICP The world's first demonstration device for 1,000 tons/year production of gasoline from carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) hydrogenation located in Zoucheng Industrial Park, Shandong province, China has completed its trial operation and technology assessment on March 4. The project was jointly developed by the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and Zhuhai Futian Energy Technology Co., Ltd. Hydrogenation of CO 2 into liquid fuels and chemicals can not only realize the resource utilization of CO 2 , but also facilitate the storage and transportation of renewable energy. However, the activation and selective conversion of CO 2 are challenging. A technology that can selectively produce value-added hydrocarbon fuels with high energy density will provide a new route for promoting clean and low-carbon energy revolution. The technology of carbon dioxide hydrogenation to gasoline was proposed by Sun Jian, GE Qingjie and WEI Jian from DICP in 2017, with a paper published in Nature Communications. The demonstration device has been completed in Zoucheng Industrial Park, in 2020. In October 2021, the device passed the continuous 72-hour on-site assessment organized by China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation (CPCIF). It could realize both CO 2 and H 2 conversion of 95%, gasoline selectivity of 85% in all carbon-based products, with reduced consumption of the raw material of CO 2 and H 2 . The world's first demonstration device for 1,000 tons/year production of gasoline from carbon dioxide hydrogenation has completed its trial operation and technology assessment on March 4. Credit: DICP It produced clean and green gasoline product with octane number more than 90 conforming to the Chinese national VI standard, accompanied by low energy consumption of the whole process. "This technology marks a new stage of CO 2 resource utilization technology in the world, and provides a new strategy for realizing the goal of carbon neutral," said Prof. Sun. Explore further Researchers synthesize light aromatics from carbon dioxide hydrogenation More information: Jian Wei et al, Directly converting CO 2 into a gasoline fuel, Nature Communications (2017). Journal information: Nature Communications Jian Wei et al, Directly converting COinto a gasoline fuel,(2017). DOI: 10.1038/ncomms15174 Warren County Health Services and the Washington County Department of Public Health do not update COVID data on Sundays. Statewide Gov. Kathy Hochul reported the lowest statewide positivity percentage since July 18, on Sunday. The percent of the states population with COVID is down to 1.4%. While the governor still encouraged New Yorkers to get the COVID vaccine, she praised the states progress in a news release. Time and time again, New Yorkers have shown that in the face of hardship they will always do whats necessary to keep themselves and their communities safe and well, Hochul said. Hochul also reported only 12 COVID-related deaths were recorded statewide on Saturday. On Sunday, 1,566 new positive cases were recorded from the 115,466 test results reported in New York. The seven-day rolling positivity rate was at 1.6% and has been under 2% for 10 consecutive days. Saratoga County The Saratoga County Department of Public Health Services last updated its COVID data on Thursday, reporting a total of 118 active cases. The county had reported 238 new cases in the seven days prior to the report. The last report from the county indicated 16 residents were currently hospitalized. Saratoga County has recorded a total of 45,140 COVID cases with a total of 44,704 recoveries. Of the 318 deaths in the county, 246 involved unvaccinated individuals. Jana DeCamilla is a staff writer who covers Moreau, Queensbury, and Lake George. She can be reached at 518-742-3272 or jdecamilla@poststar.com. Love 0 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Want your four-legged canine friend to live a few years longer? Researchers are working to make that happen with a pill. The Dog Aging Project out of the University of Washington is on a mission to find the inner workings of the aging process in dogs and learn how to slow it down. The initiative combines the efforts of dog owners, veterinarians and researchers to tackle one of dog owners greatest grievances the short life span of mans best friend, according to its website. The Dog Aging Project established in 2018 is moving forward with its second phase of research by completing enrollment for dogs, according to a February news release. Since dogs age roughly seven times the rate of humans, the window for understanding how dogs age and develop disease is significantly smaller, according to the study published on Feb. 2 in Nature. The study also includes researchers at the Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. The next phase of the project will introduce a clinical trial of a drug that might help slow down age-related ailments in dogs, helping them live longer, according to the project. Rapamycin (is) an immunosuppressive medication that has been used in humans for decades, the news release said. At lower doses, rapamycin has been shown to increase lifespan, improve heart and cognitive function, and reduce age-related disease incidence in laboratory species. Now, researchers think it may benefit dogs, too. So theyre putting it to the test. The project examining a dogs aging process and how rapamycin may impact it will last at least 10 years, according to the release. More than 32,000 dogs have been enrolled so far. If an owner consents to participate in the clinical trial, their dog will be given either a placebo or the rapamycin to take over time and will have their data recorded annually. Relatively little is known about what constitutes normative aging in dogs, Dr. Kate Creevy, lead author and Dog Aging Project chief veterinary officer, said in the news release. Our data will give veterinarians and scientists the tools to assess how well a specific dog is aging and set the stage for studies on the determinants of normative aging. The drug trial wont be the only part of the study, according to the release. Veterinarians who participate will submit fur, fecal, urine and blood samples of select, enrolled participants to help the team find aging milestones in dogs. Dog owners can visit the projects website for more information on the study, or how to enroll dogs. Dog owners must fill out a survey and take cheek swabs of their pets for DNA sampling. MAYS LANDING A man wanted in connection to a nearly three-decade-old homicide in Atlantic County was returned to the area from Mexico City on Friday, the Atlantic County Sheriffs Office announced Monday. Francisco Martinez is charged with murder and unlawful possession of a weapon for the killing that happened in the Landisville section of Buena in February 1994. Martinez has been the homicides primary suspect since a warrant was issued for his arrest in June of that year, Sheriffs Office spokesperson Jaime Costello said. Martinez was arrested in Mazatlan, Sinaloa, Mexico, in October 2021. He was taken to the Atlantic County jail upon his arrival to New Jersey, the Sheriffs Office said. Several agencies, including the Atlantic County Prosecutors Office and Department of Homeland Security, collaborated to locate Martinez and extradite him, the Sheriffs Office added. Thanks to all the incredible work done by this joint operation, we were able to bring this case to justice, Atlantic County Sheriff Eric Scheffler said in a statement Monday. Martinez was also featured on an episode of Americas Most Wanted for the murder. The Atlantic County Prosecutors Office, in particular Kathleen Johnson, the Atlantic County Sheriffs Office, U.S. Marshalls Service, Detective Branca, U.S. DOJ, and Mexican authorities worked tirelessly to secure the suspects apprehension, said Prosecutors Office Capt. Pat Snyder. This is an example of many law enforcement organizations working in a relentless fashion to ensure justice. During the early morning hours of Feb. 25, 1994, police responded to an address on Harding Highway in the borough for a reported stabbing, Atlantic County Prosecutors Office spokesperson Donna Weaver said. Upon arrival the Buena Borough Police located the victim, Patricia Boney, suffering from stab wounds. Boney was treated and transported to the emergency room at Cooper University Hospital, where she later was pronounced dead, Weaver said. An investigation revealed Martinez, then 24, fled the location in Boneys vehicle, Weaver said. Martinez and the stolen vehicle were the subject of a massive manhunt. The vehicle was found by police in Houston on March 8, 1994. Martinez was then indicted for the charges by an Atlantic County grand jury, Weaver said. Contact Eric Conklin: 609-272-7261 econklin@pressofac.com Twitter @ACPressConklin Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Atlantic City and Pleasantville will now be in two separate county commissioner districts, after an appointed tie-breaker on the county redistricting commission picked the map proposed by Democrats. Retired Superior Court Judge Georgina Curio released her decision Monday morning, substantially changing the boundaries of four of the five county voting districts to expand minority influence. She had heard arguments from each side at a meeting Wednesday night. Voting districts at all levels are refigured after each U.S. Census, to reflect population and demographic changes. In her decision, Curio said requirements of the federal Voting Rights Act trumped other considerations, as the Democratic map will give minority voters a greater chance to participate in the political process together with white voters while maintaining a minority-majority district in District 1. I have every confidence in the willingness and ability of those shifted to different districts to overcome the disruption, confusion, inconvenience and disappointment, Curio said. While I dont for a minute dismiss or diminish the (towns) deeply held and long-standing connections ... those considerations must yield. Democratic District 1 Commissioner Ernest Coursey, who is African American, will run for reelection in November in a new District 1 that will now include Atlantic City and the Downbeach communities of Ventnor, Margate and Longport, plus a small section of Egg Harbor Township. Coursey, along with Pleasantville Mayor Judy Ward, Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small Sr. and other minority officials, supported the Democratic map this year. But during the last redistricting process in 2011, Coursey and other African American leaders argued Pleasantville and Atlantic City should be kept in one district to preserve the minority-majority district. The decision also pairs Pleasantville with the mainland communities of Northfield, Linwood and Somers Point and with Absecon, as well as a section of Egg Harbor Township. We now have a fair, representative and legal map for all 275,000 residents of Atlantic County, Atlantic County Democratic Chair Michael Suleiman said on Monday. I am particularly grateful for the support we received from minority communities. Atlantic County GOP Chairman Keith Davis, on the other hand, accused Democrats of embracing a destructive woke ideology that seeks to divide Americans based upon race. This process has demonstrated how much Atlantic County Democrats are consumed with hate, Davis said Monday. They repeatedly attached the plan we offered as racist and segregationist even though African American leaders endorsed the very same plan 10 years ago and 20 years ago. What has changed? For decades Atlantic City and Pleasantville were together in District 1 with the West Atlantic City section of Egg Harbor Township; and the Downbeach and Mainland towns were together in District 2. Curio said she agreed with the Democratic argument that District 1 will remain a majority-minority district under the Democratic plan, and the new District 2 would provide more chance for minority participation. Under the Democratic map, then, the majority-minority district is maintained and minority voter influence is expanded, satisfying the Voting Rights Act standard, Curio said. The Republican map maintains the existing majority-minority district so may be seen as technically satisfying that aspect of the VRA standard, Curio said. But because it packs minority voters into one district it can be accused of diluting their countywide influence, she said. Currently two of nine county commissioners are African American Coursey and Republican Andrew Parker of District 3 and no commissioner is Hispanic or from one of the Asian communities that have grown in Atlantic City. Curio stated in her decision she considered the Democratic and Republican maps to be roughly equal for preserving communities of interest, contiguity and compactness, and municipal boundaries. She gave a slight edge to the Republican map on population equality and continuity of representation. Curio also gave a slight advantage to the Democratic map for partisan fairness, which she said allowed for more competitiveness. But she said those standards were given minimal or moderate weight in her decision, which was largely based on Voting Rights Act considerations. This is so not only because it is a federal statute ... but because it is supported by significant numbers of the public and because it is the right result, Curio said. At the Wednesday night hearing, a Republican consultant had argued the Downbeach and mainland communities should stay together, as should Pleasantville and Atlantic City, in part because they share similar income levels and real estate values. The public reaction to the consultants words was swift, it was intense and it overwhelmingly conveyed a sense of outrage and a desire to move beyond separateness and otherness and social, economic and racial dichotomies to move toward inclusion, Curio said, although she also said such economic considerations are allowed under the law in redistricting. Davis predicted the new map will not be as favorable to Democrats as they think. Republican County Executive Dennis Levinson won in (Commissioner Ernest) Courseys newly approved district by over 500 votes, Davis said. Commissioner Coursey has flown under the radar his entire political career in safe Democrat districts. That ends this year. Davis said theres a good chance Republicans will have a 9-0 majority on the board soon. Suleiman, on the other hand, said District 1 will remain a safe district for Coursey. Murphy lost the county as a whole by 11 points, Suleiman said of the November 2021 election. He won the four towns on Absecon Island by 14 pts. It (the new District 1) is clearly a solid Democratic district. REPORTER: Michelle Brunetti Post 609-841-2895 mpost@pressofac.com Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Today, New Jersey school districts will be free to adopt their own mask policies, with most schools in South Jersey taking the opportunity to do away with the breathing shields. That means New Jersey students, who have either been forced to learn remotely or attend school under a state mask mandate since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020, will take another step toward what was considered normal before the virus spread across the world. On Monday, Gov. Phil Murphy told reporters that school district's can also drop mask mandates on school buses, if they feel comfortable doing so, according to reports. The reaction from many has been a gasp of relief. Unmask the kids! said one commenter on a Press of Atlantic City Facebook post. School districts retain the right to impose local mask mandates for their students, staff and faculty if they so choose. Schools that do not implement such mandates are being asked by the state to revise their pandemic policies to use masking or other interventions to reduce spread in certain conditions. The Press reached out to several schools throughout South Jersey to ask whether they would adopt masking policies in light of the end of the state mandate. All said they would dispense with their own mandates and make masks optional. The Barnegat School District will lift the mask mandate for all students, staff and faculty March 7, Stephen Nichol, district director of personnel and operations, said in an email. A memo was sent out alerting parents and guardians to the coming change in policy, and that families had the opportunity to express any concerns to district administrators. Students and staff will still be required to wear masks on buses, and all of its other pandemic protection measures remain in place. Atlantic Christian School in Egg Harbor Township made the decision to drop its mask mandate based on a decision from its Board of Directors, who in turn made its decision based on feedback from administrators, faculty and parents. According to Chief School Administrator Karen Oblen in an email sent to The Press, the school will still keep in place regular checks on staff and students and weekly coronavirus screenings for school employees. Egg Harbor Township schools are not requiring masks either, according to a Feb. 17 letter from Superintendent Kimberly Gruccio posted on the district website. Desk shields will also be removed from classrooms and cafeterias, although students and staff can ask to continue to have theirs. The district came to the decision after its School Pandemic Teams deliberated for two weeks. Gruccio urged parents to teach their children not to harass students for their choice of whether to wear a mask. (A Feb. 7 news release from the state says districts are expected to discipline students who are bullied for choosing to wear a mask.) Hamilton Township Superintendent Jeffery Zito, in a letter to parents, came to a similar conclusion. The district is dropping the mask mandate but promising to continue monitoring updated state guidance, as well as guidance and mandates from other local and federal agencies. Overwhelming feedback from students, staff and parents also led the Buena Regional School District to drop its mask mandate, Superintendent David Cappuccio Jr. said. In Cape May County, 93% of staff and 83% of families at the Avalon-Stone Harbor Schools supported ending the mandate. Superintendent Kathleen Fox said the school would continue to practice social distancing and circulate fresh air whenever possible. Other districts are still soliciting community feedback, including Pleasantville Public Schools, which still has a link to a parent mask survey on its website. The Ocean City School District was committed from the outset to ending its mask mandate as soon as the state permitted it to do so, according to interim Superintendent Thomas Baruffi. Cases of COVID-19 will still be monitored, and the district will follow the precautionary quarantine measures. Commercial Township Superintendent Kristin Schell said the district has consulted with its Pandemic Response Team and as a result is dropping its mask mandate. Other preventive measures in the schools Safe Return to In-Person plan remain in place. Schell added that the district will not tolerate bullying on the basis of mask use. The district, on the advice of its Pandemic Response Team, stopped contact tracing in its schools. Hamilton Township schools to remove mask mandate March 7 HAMILTON TOWNSHIP Township schools will go mask optional March 7, when Gov. Phil Murphys Katherine Hart, of Medford Lakes, Burlington County, who teaches special education classes for English and language arts, told The Press she was concerned that masks inhibited students ability to learn. She said her son is nonverbal, and he has not been in school because the district will not grant him a dispensation to not wear a mask. She also was skeptical of the efficacy of masks in general. Other readers commenting online also reveled in the end of the mandate. Some emphasized the importance of individual choice, as well as the use of other prevention measures. I personally think its up to each parent to decide. It seems difficult for children to be masked up for hours while trying to study, Valeria Jean Marcus said on Facebook. However, maybe distancing and smaller classrooms might help. Lets hope the pandemic will end very very soon! Still some, while happy to see the masks go, said they appreciated the role they played in preventing coronavirus spread. My grandson lives with me and my husband. We are all vaccinated and boosted. However, my best and long time friend in home hospice is immunocompromised. If I get sick I will not be able to care for her and support her husband, one commenter said. Murphy reaffirmed in his pandemic news conference Wednesday his commitment to ending the mask mandate March 7. He is, however, encouraging schools to pay attention to the regional COVID-19 Activity Level Index, which may imply the need for a district to return to masking amid a COVID outbreak. Contact Chris Doyle cdoyle@pressofac.com Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. BRIGANTINE From pro surfers to baby groms, and from island to island, surf culture at the Jersey Shore may change, but one thing seems universal: surf shops are like a second home for surfers. So, whether youre in Brigantine, Ventnor, Ocean City or Cape May, stores like Brig Surf Shop and Heritage Surf and Sport are chill spots for surfers, when theyre on land. Surfers like to stop in their local surf shops. Its like what we call home, said Bob McClay, a realtor in Brigantine for nearly a decade. The island of Brigantine has evolved into a popular spot for surfing by visitors and locals alike. We have great surf and an incredible surf community. From the youngest to the oldest, Brigantine is a really neat surf community. The island itself creates it, said McClay, who has been a Brigantine resident since 1974. McClay went to the Brig Surf Shop on a recent Saturday morning to support his friend, Mike Freihofer, during the Brig Surf Shops grand opening extravaganza, after ripping some waves at the islands jetty. I think its going to be a great addition to the island and give people more choices for their surf lifestyle, said McClay about Big Surf Shop, which in the weeks since its opening over Presidents Day weekend is already becoming a meeting spot here. Opening up his first surf shop on an island where surfing is as common as breathing was a no-brainer for Freihofer, 56, of Northfield, whos been working in the surf industry for over 40 years. I cant think of another beach community that likes their community and their beaches as much as Brigantine. The surf culture is so different here in the way they embrace the beach, said Freihofer. Its really hard to quantify, but everyone from Brigantine loves the beach here. I mean, they really love the beach. Kind of like Ocean City with their Boardwalk. Freihofer, who has been an avid surfer since high school, said he wanted his shop to enhance the islands distinctive surf culture by offering surfers a warm, welcoming environment with a spacious, no-pressure atmosphere. They even have a lounge area for guests to hang out, read surfing magazines or just enjoy the shops positive vibes. Freihofer learned lessons in hospitality to always take care of people and welcome everybody from his mentor, George Gerlach, the founder of Surfer Supplies in Ocean City. Gerlach got Freihofer into surf retail when he was 16. A picture of Gerlach hangs in an adorned frame inside the Brig Surf Shop as homage to his teacher. Gerlach passed away in 2011, but Greg Beck, co-owner of Surfer Supplies in Ocean City along with his business partner Andrew Funk are preserving what George built, according to the stores website. George was a very special man to a lot of people and helped pioneer the surfing scene here in this area, said Beck, 56, a resident from Ocean City. Gerlach founded Surfer Supplies in 1962, after bringing his homemade wooden surfboard to the Ocean City beach and generating a large crowd of onlookers as he rode the waves. This sparked the interest of surfing in Ocean City around the time surfings popularity surged in the United States in the 1960s. Gerlach became known as an honest and knowledgeable surfer/entrepreneur in the region, which is one of the reasons why Beck said the shop has been in business for so long and people keep coming. George was always keen on an individuals needs and enjoying his interactions with customers. The relationships you create with people and customers is a lot of fun, said Beck, who used to work at Surfer Supplies with Funk before buying it in 2006. Beck said people visit the shop because the shop continues to be homey, organic and very welcoming. A lot of people like to hang out here. They share the stoke of a great surf session. Perhaps theyll come in after surfing and say how beautiful it was out there, the dolphins were swimming, you know, just sharing the positive energy among other interactions, but thats just one of the things people do when they come here. Theyre going to share, Beck said. Randy Young, the owner of Heritage Surf & Shop in Margate, said besides providing surfers with two floors worth of surfboards, surf gear, clothing, shoes, sunglasses, in-shop repairs, and other surfer related products/services, the shop hosts different events to stay connected to the community. That includes events where a professional surfer comes out to narrate and talk about a movie they surfed in, and free movie nights with drinks and snacks in the shops courtyard. The shop also created a club for surfers of all ages and skills that offers lessons, competitions, camps and trips. The groms, a term to describe younger surfers, like to hang out in the shop and look at things, Young said. That hasnt changed for surf aficionados since Young was a kid. Young said the new generations also visit the shop often to watch movies or try a new demo product. The shop is also affiliated with Staceys Surf and Paddle, which gives the shops customers, especially new surfers or those interested in surfing, the opportunity to take Staceys Surf Camp, private surf lessons and group surf lessons in the area. All seemed to agree that depending on where people go to surf, the surfing beaches can vary from how many there are to how crowded they are, but surfers always bond by surfing together. Its like a family down here. People surf together and become friends, said Young about the surf culture in the area. A lot of times, people have different personalities, but if they surf together they become friends. Contact Selena Vazquez: 609-272-7225 svazquez@pressofac.com Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. WASHINGTON Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) has suspended its operations in Russia after local tax authorities initiated bankruptcy proceedings against RFE/RLs Russian entity on March 4 and police intensified pressure on its journalists. These Kremlin attacks on RFE/RLs ability to operate in Russia are the culmination of a years-long pressure campaign against RFE/RL, which has maintained a physical presence in Russia since 1991 when it established its Moscow bureau at the invitation of then-President Boris Yeltsin. Also on March 4, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law that could subject any journalist who deviates from the Kremlins talking points on the Ukraine war to a 15-year prison sentence. Because RFE/RL journalists continue to tell the truth about Russias catastrophic invasion of its neighbor, the company plans to report about these developments from outside of Russia. Said RFE/RL President & CEO Jamie Fly, It is with the deepest regret that I announce the suspension of our physical operations in Moscow today. 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 regimes assault on the truth. Following years of threats, intimidation and harassment of our journalists, the Kremlin, desperate to prevent Russian citizens from knowing the truth about its illegal war in Ukraine, is now branding honest journalists as traitors to the Russian state. 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. Despite this bleak moment, we know from our organizations 70-year history that one day, perhaps sooner than many think, we will be able to reopen a bureau in Russia. Time is on the side of liberty, even in Vladimir Putins Russia. Over the last week, nine of RFE/RLs Russian language websites were blocked after RFE/RL refused to comply with the Russian governments demands to delete information about Russias invasion of Ukraine. Overnight on March 3-4, Russian authorities blocked access within Russia to websites run by RFE/RLs Russian, Tatar-Bashkir, and North Caucasus services, including the Russian-language North.Realities, Siberia.Realities, Idel.Realities, and Caucasus.Realities sites. On February 28, Russia blocked access to two other RFE/RL websites, including Current Time, the 24/7 digital and TV network led by RFE/RL in cooperation with VOA. Since invading Ukraine, Russia has blocked a number of Russian-language websites producing news content from abroad, including Meduza, BBC, Deutsche Welle and Voice of America. The Kremlin has also blocked access to Facebook and Twitter. The technical cause of the bankruptcy of RFE/RLs Russian entity is its longstanding refusal to comply with Russias unlawful demand that every piece of RFE/RLs Russian-language contentevery video, every article, every tweetbe accompanied by a state-mandated warning that RFE/RL is a foreign agent. In the past year, Russias media regulator Roskomnadzor has issued 1,040 violations against RFE/RL that will result in fines of more than $13.4 million for its refusal to submit to this content-labeling regime. In addition, 18 RFE/RL journalists have been designated as individual foreign agents. On February 9, RFE/RL filed its final written submission with the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), asking for a hearing to consider the merits of the legal case it filed in May 2021 challenging Russias foreign agent laws. RFE/RL has been broadcasting to Russian audiences since March 1, 1953, when the first programs of Radio Liberation were directed at audiences in the Soviet Union. Between November 1988 and August 1991, as Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachevs glasnost policies took hold, the Russian Service built up a network of as many as 400 people across the U.S.S.R. and over 40 people in Moscow. On August 27, 1991, Russian Federation President Boris Yeltsin issued a decree giving RFE/RL accreditation and allowing it to open a bureau in Moscow; the decree was revoked by Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2002. RFE/RLs Russian Service is a multiplatform alternative to Russian state-controlled media, providing audiences in the Russian Federation with informed and accurate news, analysis, and opinion. The Russian Services websites, including its regional reporting units Siberia.Realities and Northern.Realities, earned a monthly average of 12.7 million visits and 20.6 million page views in 2021, while 297 million Russian Service videos were viewed on YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram. RFE/RL's Tatar-Bashkir Service is the only major international news provider reporting in the Tatar and Bashkir languages to audiences in the Russian Federations multiethnic, Muslim-majority Volga-Ural region. Since 1953, the Service, known locally as Radio Azatliq, and its Russian-language reporting unit Idel.Realities, have provided an important and innovative alternative to government-controlled media. RFE/RL's North Caucasus Service is one of the few independent media outlets reporting in this predominantly Muslim region of the Russian Federation. Producing content in Chechen and Russian via its Caucasus.Realities unit, the service reports the news in one of the most violent and dangerous regions in the world. Current Time is a 24/7 Russian-language digital and TV network led by RFE/RL in cooperation with VOA. In addition to reporting uncensored news, it is the largest provider of independent, Russian-language films to its audiences. Despite rising pressure on Current Time from the Russian government, Current Time videos were viewed over 1.3 billion times on YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram/IGTV in FY2021. About RFE/RL RFE/RL relies on its networks of local reporters to provide accurate news and information to more than 37 million people every week in 27 languages and 23 countries where media freedom is restricted, or where a professional press has not fully developed. Its videos were viewed 7 billion times on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram/IGTV in FY2021. RFE/RL is an editorially independent media company funded by a grant from the U.S. Congress through the U.S. Agency for Global Media. --- FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Martins Zvaners in Washington (zvanersm@rferl.org, +1.202.457.6948) Karin Maree in Prague (mareek@rferl.org, +420.221.122.074) The Easter Bunny was representing the prosecution in several hundred Polk County criminal cases.At least thats what Iowa Courts Online, the court systems official, statewide web-based repository of court records, indicated for most of April.On April 4, the online docket sheets for hundreds of Polk County cases primarily misdemeanors and drunken-driving cases were revised to indicate the prosecution of those cases had been transferred from one particular assistant county attorney, Kailey Gray, to another prosecutor in the county attorneys office by the name of Easter Santa Bunny.And thats where the cases remained as of Thursday morning.Bret Lucas, an assistant county attorney, said Thursday the situation stemmed from a recent realignment of cases within the county attorneys office. Gray took over a colleagues cases, and Iowa Courts Online accurately reflects the transfer of those cases. But Grays old cases, he said, were transferred to the Easter Bunny until all of the work on the digital case transfer could be completed.We had contacted the Judicial Branch and they worked with their information technology department to facilitate the mass transfer of cases, Lucas said. Apparently, the Judicial Branch and the IT department decided to put that placeholder in there because, obviously, no one else would have that name. So they were all aware of that, and it sounds like they must still be in the middle of that transfer process.Stacy Curtis, a supervisor for the criminal division of the Polk County Clerk of Courts Office, said the references to the Easter Bunny should not be visible to the public either through a name search or in the docket sheets for the individual cases. She said the office took extra steps to make sure members of the public didnt see any reference to the Easter Bunny and only clerks, lawyers, judges and others with higher security clearance could see it. It appears that the opposite may have occurred, as the Easter Bunny references could be seen by members of the public who werent even logged into the site.This has been a nightmare for me, Curtis said. We moved everything from Kaylie to the Easter Bunny, and those should have all been cleaned up so you wouldnt be able to see that.Many of the cases that were publicly assigned to the Easter Bunny are open, active cases, but hundreds of others are dormant, though not technically closed because of probationary sentences that have yet to be completed or fines that have yet to be paid.The only practical effect of the Easter Bunny designation is that some defendants may see that information online and not know who to contact at the county attorneys office about their case.After being contacted by the Iowa Capital Dispatch on Thursday, court officials were working to erase from the website any mention of the Easter Bunny, and by late afternoon it appeared they had succeeded.Santa bailed out by RudolphThe Easter Bunny cases are not the only criminal matters listed on the court systems official website to have featured nonexistent lawyers or defendants. In what appear to be training exercises for clerical staff, fictitious test cases are sometimes created and then posted to the public website but never removed.For example, a December 1997 case shows Santa Claus being convicted of felony burglary and kidnapping, with a charge of assault on a peace officer dismissed by the court. The court records indicate a sentence of 999 years in prison was imposed.As part of that same test case, the court imposed a no-contact order prohibiting Santa from having any contact with Mickey Mouse. Santas bail listed as one million bucks in a possible punning reference to Santas reindeer is stated to have been posted by Rudolph.In 2014, Santa Claus was charged with second-degree robbery in Scott County, according to the Iowa Courts Online site. Although theres no record of a conviction in that case, Claus right to carry a gun was revoked.The court systems website also shows that in 2014, Mickey Mouse filed a small claims case against Donald Duck in Marion County.For more information, visit iowacapitaldispatch.com. The Iowa Governor's STEM Advisory Council announced that Bettendorf High School was one of 38 school districts to receive the STEM BEST (Businesses Engaging Students and Teachers) H.D. Program award for 2021. BHS received the award for the health academy program that is designed to prepare students for the workforce through a curriculum focused on skills needed in job sectors such as computer science/information technology, health care professions and advanced manufacturing. Bettendorf Community Schools is embarking on a new adventure in the development of this health sciences program of study. The problem-solving and exploration that students experience in the health sciences classrooms will fuel successes in high need careers in the future. The goal is to give students the opportunity to explore health care careers and give them a jump start on the coursework required for a chosen career through dual credit courses. Training to become a Certified Nursing Assistant directly after completing the state test also is an option. The CNAs will not only fill a large community need but also can provide an opportunity for students to obtain patient care hours for pre-medicine, pre-occupational therapy, pre-physician assistant, pre-chiropractic and complete prerequisites for nursing programs. The STEM Council Executive Committee reviewed and approved of 38 new or expanded partnerships supported by up to $40,000 each. The awards can be used for facility upgrades, equipment, time for program planning with partners, travel needs or integrating curriculum into existing courses. For more information, visit www.iowastem.org/besthd. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Aaron Hodges smile grew wider as he walked into a newly furnished apartment his apartment and spotted a framed photo of his 31-year-old daughter. Karen VanDeCasteele, founder of a small nonprofit that furnishes homes for people making a fresh start in the Quad-Cities, had asked to see a photo of her. Unbeknownst to Hodges, she printed one and set it on display in a donated frame. And thats my baby right there Hodges said. Its a personal touch that VanDeCasteele tries to incorporate in the houses, apartments, townhomes, she, her husband and a network of roughly 30 volunteers furnish. Hodges, 56, came to the Quad-Cities from Chicago to escape violence in his neighborhood with what he could carry. He stayed with Rock Islands Christian Care shelter and found housing with help from Valor, an organization that helps veterans on their feet. Thats when Humble Dwellings, the 501-c-3 nonprofit, entered the picture. Its a small, all-volunteer troupe that is steadily getting more and more calls to fill a need that can sometimes be an afterthought once a housing hurdle is met: adding furniture to make a living space feel warm, comfortable and inviting a home. The whole purpose is to make a house a home for those in need, VanDeCasteele said. That's our mission. If you don't have that it makes life pretty hard, especially for some of those folks who are struggling to live from paycheck to paycheck or have gone through an abusive situation. We all need the comfort of a comfortable home and a safe space to live. Heading out Friday morning, Hodges left in his apartment an uncomfortable mattress, a one-channel TV on a cart, two donated grey mismatched sectionals, an empty kitchen and blank walls. Then, VanDeCasteele and four other volunteers quickly got to work unloading a cherry-red couch, end tables, lamps, dresser, a refurbished retro kitchen table and decorations theyd picked out from their donated furniture-holding storage unit in Park View. Sitting in his newly furnished living room, Hodges said he hopes now that hes situated, his daughter and grandkid can come visit him. They call regularly, but he hasnt seen her in more than a decade and hasnt yet met his grandchild in person. Its gonna be a moment, he said. Trust me, believe me, its gonna be a moment. Hodges added: I want to thank God for all the people in my life that guided me to put me in this position. Im so grateful. Im so grateful. VanDeCasteele and another volunteer, Rita Smith, had met with Hodges in his apartment once they took him on as a client. Humble Dwellings takes on clients by referral, and Hodges came to them through Goodwill of the Heartland Helping Vets. They took photos, measured and asked about what he needed and what his interests and hobbies were to make the space more personable. He (Hodges) said he liked to read, so we got him some books, VanDeCasteele said. He said he liked dogs, so we put the pictures of dogs on the wall. He said that he liked red and black. So we were able to provide him with those colors. It doesn't always happen, but it just depends on what we have on hand. They then do a survey of donated gently-used furniture and decor in a storage unit the nonprofit rents (which VanDeCasteele notes they are close to outgrowing), and purchase certain items they dont have enough of (usually vacuums, mops, or small kitchen appliances like toasters). VanDeCasteele estimates she and Humble Dwellings volunteers furnish close to 30 households a year. Social service organizations refer clients who are settling in the Quad-Cities long-term and are starting with close to nothing. Quad-Citians donate gently-used furniture and decorations or with monetary donations, volunteers purchase furnishings from Goodwill, the Restore and Humilty Homes, and in rare occasions: new. "Humble Dwellings would not be where it is if it weren't for the people who donate furnishings, make financial donations, the wonderful community support and our incredible Humble Dwellings team ... who donate so much of their time," VanDeCasteele said. Households that Humble Dwellings has furnished include a refugee family fleeing war and persecution in Afghanistan, a mom and her two kids who fled domestic violence, an autistic young woman who needed a home and a single dad who overcame a drug addiction and reunited with his children. In recent months, Humble Dwellings has been much busier, furnishing 30 homes about a years worth just since November. The organization works with World Relief and Tapestry Farms to furnish homes for resettled refugees, especially Afghan families after U.S. troops pulled out of the country this past fall and the Taliban toppled the U.S.-backed government, propelling an influx of refugees. As Humble Dwellings took on more clients in the last seven years, VanDeCasteele said she often joked that God asked her to do more than she bargained for, running a nonprofit almost full time, but she always keeps returning to the work that sprung up organically. The nonprofit started with an ask to decorate an office. Knowing VanDeCasteele liked to decorate, a friend volunteered her to spruce up the office of local nonprofit Safe Families for Children of the Quad-Cities. A few months later, the organization asked her if shed like to help find furniture for a client who was a dad with two little girls to make their bare house feel more like a home. So we went to garage sales, and we sent out a little email saying, Do have a bed? Do you have kitchen table? Does anybody have little-girl decorations? So, a few friends of mine and I went garage sale-ing and found about everything, VanDeCasteele said. We put it all in my garage, and I think my family, my husband and son whoever we could find, delivered it to this dad. We loved what we did, and they were so happy. And thats just how it started out. VanDeCasteele said at the time shed been looking for a new purpose, something more to do. Her stay-at-home mom duties had ended with her kids out of the house. And her husband, Jeff, had retired from Deere & Co. I just kept wondering and reading and praying about it and I read a book called What on Earth am I here for? by Rick Warren, and I think it was page 56 it said really all we are here on this Earth to do is to love one another and it was like just light-bulb moment. Well, how simple is that? She knew she loved decorating and rearranging spaces. So, she says, it all fell into place. I just love it. And I don't care if I get frustrated sometimes or I work long hours or you know it's just it's not all glory, but I tell you what. It has also helped me immensely, she said. Humble Dwellings is always looking for monetary donations and certain furniture. Right now they are especially short of end tables, dressers, twin sheets, flat-screen TVs and vacuums. You can visit the website or Facebook page at humbledwellingsqca.weebly.com to learn more and to donate. VanDeCasteele followed up later in a message: You asked about situations that keep us going ... When a child looks up at you and says are you going to bring us a bed? When a man or woman looks you in the eyes and says thank you for all youve done for my family. When families move in who do not speak English but can (say) thank you in our own Universal language. Hugs, tears and praying or singing in their own language. Love 6 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Quad-City residents can expect to awaken Monday to a winter landscape as a storm system is expected to drop 1 to 3 inches of snow, and possibly up to 4 inches, beginning in the early morning hours, Peter Speck of the National Weather Service, Davenport, said Sunday. With daytime high temperatures climbing back into the 40s Tuesday and Wednesday, the snow from this system will not be around long, Speck said. It is quite a contrast from the weather barely 24 hours earlier when the Quad-Cities set a record-high temperature for the day of 70 degrees before storms developed in the evening with two tornadoes in Scott County. This is typical spring in the Midwest, Speck said. Were in that time of year where if were getting snow its around for a day or two and then its gone. Snow was expected to be falling by 4-6 a.m. Monday, Speck said. The high temperature for the day should reach the freezing mark with a northwest wind blowing 10-15 mph with gusts as high as 25 mph. Clouds will clear out Monday night into Tuesday with a low of around 18 degrees. The record snowfall for March 7 is 16.2 inches set in 1965, according to National Weather Service, Davenport, statistics. The high temperature Tuesday and Wednesday is expected to be in the lower 40s under sunny or mostly sunny skies. The next chance of snow is Thursday and Friday when a cold front moves through the region, he said. Speck said two tornadoes touched down Saturday in Scott County as a storm system quickly blew through the Quad-City region ahead of a cold front. One of the tornadoes was classified as an EF1 and touched down at 8:37 p.m. and ended at 8:41 p.m., Speck said. Its maximum width was 300 yards with a path length of 4.16 miles to the northeast. Estimated peak winds were about 100 mph. The tornado touched down near 160th Street northwest of West Lake Park and proceeded northeast. Speck said the most significant damage occurred at a farm on 160th Street east of 100th Avenue where several outbuildings were damaged or destroyed, and trees were damaged or snapped. Boards also were impaled into the roof and walls of a barn. There also was damage to several outbuildings at a farm on Utah Avenue north of Duck Creek. There was primarily intermittent tree damage along the rest of the tornados track. The other tornado was classified as an EF0 with estimated peak winds of 65 mph. Its maximum width was 25 yards and was on the ground for one-tenth of a mile, touching down at 8:37 p.m. before dissipating at 8:38 p.m. That tornado touched down east of 90th Avenue and just south of 160th Street. The tornado moved northeast across 160th Street. There was some damage to a shed and some trees, Speck said. There were no reports of injuries. However, in central Iowa tornadoes caused the deaths of seven people, including two children, the Associated Press reported. 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 5 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 the person who died was in an RV at a campground at Red Haw State Park in Chariton, Iowa. According to MidAmerican Energy, 1,806 customers in Des Moines were still without power Sunday night. (The Associated Press contributed to this story.) Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. As the world watches Ukrainians battle the Russian army, the current war evokes memories of Casimir Pulaski's struggle against Russians in Poland about 250 years ago. That's the view of the leader of the Polish Museum of America in Chicago, where an annual Casimir Pulaski Day ceremony will take place on Monday to honor Pulaski, who died in 1779 while fighting for America in the Revolutionary War and is considered by historians as the "Father of the American Cavalry." Before Pulaski joined the American fight for independence, he fought in Poland in an "uprising" against Russians, said Richard Owsiany, who has served as president of the Polish Museum of America for eight years. "History constantly repeats itself in Eastern Europe," Owsiany said. "Throughout our 1,000-year history, we've had many, many skirmishes, battles and fights with Russia and Ukraine has gone through the same thing," Owsiany said of Poland. What is Casimir Pulaski Day in Illinois? It's a day when some schools and government offices are closed in honor of Pulaski. It's scheduled for the first Monday of each March because Pulaski was born on March 6, 1745, in Poland. The 2022 holiday was celebrated on Monday, March 7. Gov. Jim Thompson signed a bill that established the Pulaski holiday in March 1986. The bill called for schools to close. State offices were not closed but municipalities could choose to close. This bill was preceded by a statewide proclamation in the 1970s that said the first Monday in March would be a commemorative day in honor of Pulaski. How have the Pulaski holiday closings changed over the years? After Thompson signed the Pulaski Day bill, schools across the state were closed for the holiday beginning in 1986. But in 1995, state lawmakers gave school districts the opportunity to waive the holiday. In 2012, Chicago Public Schools stopped scheduling the holiday. This year, 295 districts, or 35%, of the state's 852 districts scheduled the holiday for students, according to the Illinois State Board of Education. However, some of the districts that scheduled the holiday have changed their school calendar and will hold classes on Monday as a make-up day for snow days last month. Check with your local district to see if your child has to go to school on Monday. Why do we celebrate Casimir Pulaski day in Illinois? The late state Sen. LeRoy Lemke, D-Chicago, sponsored the bill that established the first official Pulaski holiday in 1986. The Associated Press reported in 1986 that Lemke had lobbied for the bill for 13 years after he saw "derogatory" treatment of Polish candidates in the 1972 election. "This holiday shows the contribution Polish-Slavic Americans have made to this country," he told The AP. "It is a symbol of those who fought and died for liberty." WBEZ, Chicago's NPR radio station, has reported on the passage of the Pulaski holiday bill and noted the city's large Polish population was a key factor in lawmakers deciding to honor Pulaski. "For Poles and Polish Americans, it's a recognition for our contributions to the fight for American freedom during the Revolutionary War," said Owsiany of the Polish Museum of America. "Pulaski gave the ultimate sacrifice. He's a hero who gave his life for this country." How can I celebrate the holiday? The Polish Museum of America in Chicago will host a virtual ceremony at 10 a.m. Monday in honor of Pulaski. Speakers scheduled for the event include Polish Ambassador to the United States Marek Magierowski, Consul General of Ukraine in Chicago Serhiy Koledov and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot. The event will be livestreamed on the museum's website at www.PolishMuseumOfAmerica.org. What did Casimir Pulaski accomplish? Here are some highlights of Pulaski's life and his legacy: After battling the Russians in Poland, Pulaski made his way to Paris, where he met Benjamin Franklin in 1776. Franklin gave him a letter of recommendation to Gen. George Washington and Pulaski sailed to America. Franklin wrote that Pulaski was "renowned throughout Europe for the courage and bravery he displayed in defense of his country's freedom." Pulaski wrote to Washington that he was committed to the American cause: "I came here, where freedom is being defended, to serve it, and to live or die for it." Pulaski is credited with helping save Washington's life during the Battle of Brandywine on Sept. 11, 1777, in Pennsylvania. "His courageous charge in this engagement averted a disastrous defeat," according to a 2009 resolution that named Pulaski an honorary U.S. citizen posthumously. With Washington's support, Pulaski was given the rank of brigadier general and made the first commander of the American cavalry. Pulaski formed the Pulaski Cavalry Legion, which fought the British in February 1779 in Charleston, South Carolina. Pulaski was wounded on Oct. 9, 1779, during the battle against the British in Savannah, Georgia and died a short time later. He was 34. There are conflicting reports about which day he died and where his body was buried. In 2009, President Barack Obama signed the joint resolution of the Senate and the House that made Pulaski an honorary U.S. citizen posthumously. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 At last, Congress appears poised to designate lynching as a federal hate crime punishable with enhanced penalties. The House last month passed the Emmett Till Antilynching Act with just three no votes. Thats three too many, but the potential for unanimous passage in the Senate could still send a strong message of zero tolerance for this form of domestic terrorism. During the hundred years from the end of the Civil War to the peak of the civil rights movement, thousands of Americans, most of them Black, were lynched by groups or mobs of fellow Americans driven primarily by racial hatred. Among the victims was Till, 14, of Chicago, who was abducted, beaten and shot to death while visiting relatives in Mississippi in 1955 after false allegations he had accosted a white woman. Tills mother insisted that his mutilated body be displayed in an open casket to show the world the brutality hed suffered, which helped spur the civil rights movement. The legislation in Tills name, now on the cusp of passage, would define lynching, in the words of lead sponsor Rep. Bobby Rush, D-Ill., as a conspiracy to commit a hate crime [that] results in death or serious bodily injury. It would be punishable by up to 30 years in prison, in addition to any sentencing for other federal crimes. To say this has been too long in coming doesnt begin to describe the distressing reality of it. The Post-Dispatch Editorial Board almost a century ago decried what it called our annual lynching bee; by the early 1940s, the newspaper was calling for confronting it with federal intervention in the state legal systems of the South (not exactly a popular idea at the time). Since 1900, there have been roughly 200 attempts in Congress to pass a comprehensive federal anti-lynching law. Yet all until now have failed. The most recent attempt, an earlier version of the current bill, failed in 2020 after Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., held it up, saying he wanted more specific language. Paul has signed on as a co-sponsor of the current measure, making it likely the Senate will be able to pass it by unanimous consent. While its true that lynching is far less common today than it was in the past, it still happens. The 2020 murder of Ahmaud Arbery by three men as he jogged in Georgia might well have fit the legal definition had this law been on the books already. In addition to providing a powerful new tool for prosecutors in such cases, passage of this bill (especially if its passed unanimously in a deeply divided Senate) could provide some degree of healing for a nation that still hasnt fully come to terms with the violent racism of its past and its present. This editorial is from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 2022 STLtoday.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0 The Hot Springs Save the VA Committee said in a press release Monday that the announcement to reduce services at Hot Springs and Fort Meade feels like a betrayal to veterans in rural areas of South Dakota, Nebraska, Wyoming, Montana and North Dakota. Regional Veterans Affairs officials met Friday with Hot Springs and Fort Meade employees and informed them about a recommendation to reduce services at both sites and move them to a new facility in Rapid City. Services could also be outsourced to other hospitals in the area. The recommendation will be made public on March 14. According to the release, the committee believes the recommendation will result in the eventual closure of both the Hot Springs and Fort Meade campuses, which is seen "as a betrayal of the assurances the Hot Springs VA Medical Center would remain open and increase services to our nation's heroes." The committee said it worked with South Dakota, Wyoming and Nebraska congressional delegations for more than 11 years to keep the VA facility open in Hot Springs. Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie announced in September 2020 that the 113-year-old Battle Mountain Sanitarium would remain open in Hot Springs, rescinding a 2017 record of decision to close it. The committee said veterans, their families and taxpayers should plan to attend town hall meetings conducted by the review commission, which will happen over the next year. Recommendations will be sent to President Joe Biden in January 2023 to consider. Contact Siandhara Bonnet at siandhara.bonnet@rapidcityjournal.com You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0 Two Richmond police officers fatally shot a man who Police Chief Gerald Smith said was pointing a gun at them Sunday night in the Fulton Hill neighborhood. Authorities say the officers were responding to reports of an armed man on the porch of a home in 1200 block of Garber Street. It took officers about 20 minutes to arrive after the homeowner called 911 because resources were tied up elsewhere in the East End where two men were shot and killed, Smith said at a news conference at RPD headquarters on Monday. One resident on Garber Street said he called 911 after hearing gunfire and that the phone rang about 25 times with no answer and no callback. The woman who lives in the home where the man was shot by police declined on Monday to discuss many details of the incident, which she described as terrifying. The man who was shot the woman described him as a stranger before declining to answer more questions stayed on her porch for the entire 20 minutes until officers arrived at 10:43 p.m., Smith said. His aggression went up upon the officers arrival, Smith said. Within a minute of their arrival, he said, the man made a threatening and aggressive move toward the responding officers. Smith said the man pointed his gun at the officers after they commanded him to drop it. In response, both officers fired their weapons. We believe he attempted to fire his weapon, Smith said at Mondays news conference. He said he cannot confirm whether the mans gun misfired or malfunctioned until after the departments crime lab examines the weapon, which he described as a handgun. He did point it at the officers. The man was then taken to a hospital, where he later died. In a news release, police described the man only as white and an adult. His identity is being withheld until police notify his next of kin. Several residents of Garber Street reported hearing gunshots and seeing police descend on their street on Sunday night. Tracy Foard, president of the Greater Fulton Civic Association, lives next door to the home where police shot the man. Foard said she was sitting on her front porch from about 10:20 p.m. until 10:30 and did not hear or see anything out of the ordinary. But she now believes the man was hiding on her next-door neighbors porch during those 10 minutes. About 15 to 20 minutes later, from inside her house, Foard said she heard an initial gunshot followed by six to seven more shots in rapid succession. It was like somebody had emptied a magazine, she said. Police would not say how many shots were fired by the officers, or how many times the man was struck. Another neighbor, who had just arrived home Sunday night, said she heard a woman yell at someone to get away from her door and then heard a door slam. About three or four minutes later, she said she heard about five gunshots. Immediately after the gunfire erupted, Foards husband, Chuck DAprix, called 911. It rang and rang it probably rang about 25 times and no one called back, DAprix said in an interview Monday. Im very concerned about the lack of response from 911. The Department of Emergency Communications did not respond to questions on Monday. As more police arrived and blue lights illuminated Garber Street, Foard said she felt comfortable walking out on her porch again. She saw someone in a white T-shirt lying in the front yard of her next-door neighbors house. Rescue personnel carried the person down the steps to the sidewalk and the person was put on a stretcher and into an ambulance. Foard said she heard a police officer say: The weapon misfired, thank goodness. She also heard an officer say that a bullet struck a column on the front of her next-door neighbors house. On Monday, a hole could be seen on one of the columns. Foard said other bullet holes can be found in the roof of the porch and along front windows. Foards next-door neighbor was inside her home when the bullets struck it, Foard said. The officers involved in the shooting, Richard Redford, who has been with the department since 2011, and Shannon McGarva, an officer since 2017, have been placed on administrative leave. The department is conducting an internal investigation and reviewing the officers body-worn camera footage and surveillance video from the home where the shooting occurred. Police declined to release the footage on Monday. The department hasnt publicly released body-camera footage of an officer-involved shooting since Marcus-David Peters was killed in 2018. Smith on Monday told reporters that the response to the initial call to Garber Street was delayed because the fatal shootings of two men in the Mosby area had occupied officers in the 1st Precinct, which covers Richmonds East End. So officers were called from the 3rd Precinct, which covers portions of Richmonds west and south sides. This is the departments first officer-involved shooting since Dec. 31, 2020, when officer Ja-Ontay Wilson shot Orlando Carter three times. Carter was charged with eluding and possession of a firearm by a felon, and he entered a plea deal, which was deferred until later this year. Earlier that year, Waseem A. Hackett shot and seriously wounded officers Rashad Martin and Jason Scott. Scott returned fire, striking Hackett once. Hackett was recently sentenced to 25 years in prison. Richmond Public Schools will send William Fox Elementary students to First Baptist Church starting March 21 after a fire devastated the school last month. The approximately 350 students at the school have been continuing their classwork virtually since the fire. The School Board voted unanimously to support the temporary move to the church. About a dozen parents in a public hearing before the vote Monday called on the governing board to accept the temporary move to the church until the district can open another school building for the Fox community. There is no doubt returning to in-person should be our priority, said Holly Blanton, a parent of a fourth-grade student and a rising kindergartner. We are all doing the best we can with an unfortunate circumstance, but virtual is not best for our students. Its a Band-Aid. The tentative move to First Baptist Church is a slight change of plans, as the school division has been working to open the shuttered Clark Springs Elementary as a new temporary home for Fox. School Board member Mariah White, who represents the district where Fox is located, and other board members shared their appreciation for the church, which had already been hosting about 64 Fox students for virtual learning since the fire. They are angel sent, White said. The church, according to the school division, is requesting a total of $5,000 from RPS if it plans to keep students there through June. Division officials said the money would cover custodial and management costs, but that the church may also ask for additional payments if utility bills rise. In a statement over the weekend, the schools parent-teacher association called on the school division to send students back to class in-person as soon as possible. Our children need to be together and they need to be with their teachers, the statement read. Virtual learning is a barrier to day-to-day life that we need the board to correct for. Parents need to return to work, and our students need a full, in-person school day for their academic advancement. With the fire, established routines have been disrupted, creating instability for our families. We need a return to stability and being back in the classroom provides this. The association also raised concerns about child care before and after school hours, and called on RPS to work with the city administration to develop transportation and child care solutions. A recent school division survey found that most Fox parents support returning to in-person instruction before the end of the school year. Out of 173 respondents, 80% said they would prefer moving to a temporary location before Clark Springs is ready. School division officials also asked Fox staff if they would support staying virtual until Clark Springs is ready, even if it takes more than six weeks to open. The 40 respondents were almost evenly split. A narrow majority answered no. Superintendent Jason Kamras said Monday that the division is planning to have Clark Springs ready for occupancy by April 19, but that the school system could choose to remain at First Baptist for the remainder of the school year if the Fox community wishes to. Kamras said the division will conduct another survey early next month. JAMAICA, Va. They arrived later than planned but when the convoy of big-rig trucks, RVs and cars turned into the parking lot of Virginia Motor Speedway off U.S. 17 early Sunday afternoon, they drew cheers, whoops and hollers from several hundred people who turned out to show their support for the Freedom Convoy movement bound for Washington, D.C. The truckers, in turn, blasted their horns in recognition as they rolled into two lines and stopped. The messages adorning their trucks were unmistakable: End all mandates; Awake but not woke; My body my choice; Im for constitutional correctness; and Think while its still legal. There also were dozens of American flags, and a few Canadian ones as well, as the truckers and the supporters who greeted them voiced a common theme: End COVID-19 mandates of all types, including vaccine and mask requirements. Aside from issues tied to the fading pandemic, the participants some of whom brought their kids and dogs said they were speaking out for good, old-fashioned American freedom. A few pro-Trump and anti-Biden banners were flying, but the event for the most part wasnt overtly political. There were no angry demonstrations, and a law enforcement presence seemed nonexistent. Were mandating freedom, said Bill Berger, who helped coordinate Sundays event that included a live band on a makeshift stage and food souvenir vendors. We arent against the vaccine. We arent against the mask if you want to wear them, thats your choice. We just dont want to be told we have to. And we dont ever want it to happen again to our kids and our grandkids because its been a horrible two years. Several convoy groups led by American truckers are making their way to the nations capital, and the one that stopped at the speedway Sunday called the American Freedom Convoy was led by Alan Baguley of Dennard, Ark. The convoy made its way up from Lee-Hi Travel Plaza in Lexington, where it stopped Saturday night. This convoy started March 1 in Dallas, went up to Oklahoma and then to Little Rock, where they picked me up, Baguley said. Were going to D.C., but were not going on federal property. Were going to be peaceful protesters. Were everybodys voice out here, Baguley added. Theres a tremendous amount of support on the highways, with cars passing us all day long with thumbs-up, and doing nothing but honking [in favor of the movement]. I have not seen this much patriotic response since what happened on 9/11 Americans coming together. News reports indicate there are several individual convoy groups heading to D.C., and they are following the lead of the Canadian Freedom Convoy protesters who in late January spent three weeks demonstrating against COVID mandates, paralyzing three U.S. border crossings and downtown Ottawa. Were here to support freedom and get away from these mandates, especially the vaccine mandates, said Jason Friedlan, who arrived hours before the convoy arrived at the speedway. A malfunctioning water pump on one of the trucks was apparently to blame for the delay. Everybody I work with [took] the vaccine and theyve all had COVID since they got it. I had COVID; I was sick for a day. We just believe people should be free to do what they want to do without the government interfering with us, he added. What the truckers have done up in Canada, fighting up there and what theyre doing here is really incredible. Friedlans friend, who declined to provide her name because she feared shed be penalized by her employer, said she was given an ultimatum: Get the vaccine, or be fired. She complied, because I wasnt in a position to fight back. I just feel very, very, very violated to be told youre going to be fired if you dont get jabbed, she said. Thats why Im here. Thats what this convoy is about. Brian Tidball, a former Chesterfield County resident who now lives in Middlesex County, said hes pro-vaccine but very anti-mandate, and he showed up Sunday because Im supporting freedom of speech, freedom of expression. Bill Bohannon, who drove his semi-tractor to the event apart from the convoy, said he believes the convoys represent a wake-up call. People that are here, they dont believe the government, he said. Because the government has been lying to them for how many years. Its a constant. I just cant believe some of the [stuff] I read. Its just a bizarre time ... right now to be alive. But I think its going to reverse. After leaving the speedway, the truckers plan to eventually arrive in the D.C. area, where representatives plan to meet with members of Congress this week, Berger said. We need to stay off federal property, Baguley said. They need to come to us, because were peaceful protesters. We need to all come together on neutral territory come together as one people. Catawba Hospital went under lockdown Sunday afternoon after staff received a bomb threat. Virginia State Police Sgt. Richard Garletts said the hospital received a phone call from an unknown, male caller who said that a bomb had been placed in one of the buildings at the hospital. Staff members contacted the Virginia State Police immediately after receiving the threat around 1 p.m. The state police and the Roanoke, Roanoke County and Blacksburg police departments responded with explosive detection K-9s to search the hospital grounds. Police first investigated the patient floors, which were cleared by about 3 p.m, and the rest of the hospital was cleared by 5 p.m., said Meghan Wedd McGuire, chief public relations officer for the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services. Garletts said there were no explosives located. Catawba Hospital is considered a civil defense shelter, so patients and staff were able to safely shelter in place, McGuire said. The hospital has since resumed normal operations. Garletts said the state police will continue to investigate the incident to determine the origin of the call and the identity of the caller. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Dozens of Roanoke residents bellowed We shall overcome, as they marched across the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Bridge on Sunday, marking the anniversary of the civil rights marches in Selma, Alabama. On March 7, 1965, hundreds of activists marched east from Selma toward the Edmund Pettus Bridge. Once they crossed the bridge, police officers attacked them with nightsticks and tear gas. Seventeen activists were hospitalized and dozens more were injured. The day became known as Bloody Sunday. In the days and weeks after, Martin Luther King Jr. held a symbolic march to the bridge and activists secured court protection for a full-scale march from Selma to Montgomery that brought out nearly 25,000 people. President Lyndon Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act of 1965 less than five months later. Members of the Roanoke chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference organized Sundays memorial march to honor the legacy of those who protested that day 57 years ago and helped usher in equal voting rights for Black citizens. Participants started at the bridges base on Salem Avenue and crossed the railroad tracks to the top of the bridge, where they gathered beneath a statue of King. The Patrick Henry and William Fleming high schools combined gospel choir sang songs, and speakers shared the history of the event and ways to continue its legacy. The Rev. James Jordan, a board member of the local Southern Christian Leadership Conference chapter, said he marched because he wants to see every race come together to build a better future. This is not just a march to celebrate, but to honor each and every individual, Jordan said. We stood for something back then and were still fighting. Jordan said the march is continuing a tradition and movement that he hopes will continue with younger generations. David Points, president of Mahon Communications, spoke to the gathered crowd at the base of Kings statue atop the bridge. He said the activists who marched that day in Selma did so for the communitys betterment. Points told the crowd to continue fighting for equal rights and voting access. To help push the community forward, he encouraged everyone to vote, support Black-owned businesses and subscribe to the Roanoke Tribune, the citys Black-owned newspaper. It was a life-changing event that affects us all, he said. They sacrificed their todays for our tomorrows. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. RICHMOND Dave Burhop had bad news for the clerks who run the two chambers of the General Assembly as they prepared in December for a legislative session that would begin in less than a month. Malware had been discovered the previous evening in the computer system that runs much of the legislative branch of government the bill drafting system, file services, regulatory and budget systems and the assembly's voice mail. The attacker left a ransom note, but without a set financial demand. "Currently the bad guys have most of our critical systems locked up," Burhop, director of the division of legislative automated systems, told Senate Clerk Susan Schaar and then-House Clerk Suzette Denslow in an early morning email on Dec. 13. The "extremely sophisticated malware" temporarily crippled legislative agencies, but never spread to the rest of state government. The legislative IT agency didn't pay a ransom to restore the system but found ways to work around the malicious malware to run the assembly on backup networks to ensure the "continuity of government" in case of disaster. But the attack made clear the stakes for Virginia lawmakers and newly inaugurated Gov. Glenn Youngkin. They are looking to make big investments in cybersecurity in the face of threats that were mounting before Russia invaded Ukraine, with cyber-attack a weapon that U.S. lawmakers fear will hit close to home. The House made a big splash in its version of the state budget, proposing $150 million for cybersecurity initiatives the next two years, although most of that spending already was in the two-year budget that then-Gov. Ralph Northam proposed in December, four days after discovery of the ransomware attack. "I think people recognize that priority," Youngkin said recently. Burhop certainly does. He said he can't comment on an ongoing State Police investigation into the attack on the legislative IT system or the extent of the damage. "But I will say that the increase in 'bad actors,' the availability and readiness of ransomware 'services,' the levels of sophistication and the lucrative nature of it all, pose a tremendous challenge for many organizations," he said in an email. Burhop welcomed a legislative debate over investments in the state budget that "will help strengthen the defenses that protect the assets the public entrusts to us." The Virginia Information Technologies Agency estimates that the state experienced more than 66 million attempted cyber-attacks last year and its undermanned security teams blocked more than 50,000 pieces of malware. VITA, as it is known, provides IT services to 65 executive branch agencies and more than 55,000 state employees. Many attacks in Virginia are not reported. The House and Senate have passed legislation to require all public bodies to report cyber-attacks to the Virginia Fusion Center for intelligence gathering within 24 hours. The U.S. Senate adopted legislation last week that would require private companies responsible for critical infrastructure to report all cyber-attacks to the federal government. "At a time when we are facing significant threats of Russian cyber-attacks against our institutions and our allies, it's more important than ever that the government have an idea what those threats are," said Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee. It doesn't help that VITA has lost its top two leaders in the past month. Phil Wittmer, former chief information officer in Kansas, left as CIO less than a month after Youngkin appointed him to replace Nelson Moe as the state's top IT officer. Jon Ozovek resigned a few weeks later as chief operating officer. Michael Watson, the agency's chief information security officer, is serving as acting CIO, Youngkin spokesperson Macaulay Porter confirmed. Demetrias Rodgers, the deputy chief operating officer, is acting as COO. "Cybersecurity needs continue to change and evolve," Porter said in an email Friday. "This administration is committed to ensuring the commonwealth has the capabilities, staff and the latest innovation to remain competitive and address ongoing needs." Youngkin asked the General Assembly budget committees to dedicate $40 million over the next two years to new Secretary of Administration Margaret "Lyn" McDermid, who previously had served as chief information officer at Dominion Energy and the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, two of the top cyber targets in Virginia. The governor didn't get that much the House of Delegates included $20 million over two years and the Senate provided $10 million the first year but the competing budgets that the two bodies will try to reconcile this week make cybersecurity a priority as McDermid analyzes the state's options. "I do have some confidence in her analysis, but I have not yet seen a final product," said Sen. Adam Ebbin, D-Alexandria, a member of the Senate Finance & Appropriations Committee. VITA asked last fall for almost $70 million over two years, including money to hire more staff and more than $25 million for "cyber resilience and recovery capacity." About half of the $150 million for cybersecurity initiatives in the House budget would come from state tax dollars, with the rest coming from outside sources, including federal grants that Virginia hopes to receive through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that President Joe Biden signed last fall. Both budgets include about $5 million for the state to use in conjunction with $21.4 million expected from the federal government for a new program to issue cybersecurity grants for local and state governments, with 80% devoted to localities. They also propose to bolster Burhop's legislative IT system with more than $1 million this year and between $2.6 million and $3.2 million over the next two years. The House spending plan also includes about $3 million to hire 11 additional security staff at VITA, on top of the 11 positions included in Northam's parting budget. Front-line security staff is an issue at VITA, especially in its Commonwealth Security and Risk Management Group, which currently employs 36 full-time workers and three contractors. The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission said the VITA security group is understaffed to handle the heavier workload that accompanied the transition in 2018 from Northrop Grumman as a single supplier of IT services to eight different companies with different roles to play. The JLARC report, issued three months before the ransomware attack on legislative agencies, also warned that the state is "facing increasingly complex cybersecurity threats, which further increases the workload for the security group." It cited the 2020 attack on the SolarWinds IT company that it said affected at least a dozen federal and state agencies, including the Virginia State Corporation Commission. "The lack of sufficient staffing in [Commonwealth Security and Risk Management Group] increases the risk of a cybersecurity break of a state IT system," JLARC said. VITA responded with a staffing plan in December that acknowledged the expanding scope and risks in managing the state's IT system. "Due to the increasing threats from malicious parties, Virginia is at a critical juncture for the cybersecurity system," the agency said. "Successful attacks on public bodies and critical infrastructure impact both the function of state government and the lives of citizens." "Additional staff is necessary for prevention of and response to the constant cyber-attacks on the commonwealth's IT environment," it added. "Absent adequate staffing, further preventable compromises can be expected." VIRGINIA BEACH Heather Wilson lost her daughter and nearly her life the first time she gave birth. The Virginia Beach resident developed a potentially fatal condition and her blood pressure skyrocketed during labor. During her second pregnancy, she sought out a doctor specializing in high-risk cases, thinking it would ensure she received the best care. But Wilson said the staff skipped crucial steps, such as testing for the condition that led to her firstborns death, and it routinely dismissed her questions and concerns. They just didnt take me seriously and I think it had everything to do with the color of my skin, said Wilson, a Black woman. Maternal death rates continue to rise across the country and far more Black women are dying during childbirth than white women, according to the latest figures. A freshman lawmaker from Portsmouth tried to do something about it, but his bill was put aside until next year. This issue has been ongoing for generations, Del. Nadarius Clark, D-Portsmouth, said this week. Clarks bill would have directed the Virginia Board of Health to require hospitals maternity staff to complete implicit bias training. Implicit biases are the beliefs or attitudes that may unconsciously affect someones actions and decisions toward a specific group of people. Implicit bias training helps individuals recognize and counteract these tendencies. Sometimes people have a bias that they might not even be aware of, but they could still be acting on it, Clark said. Everything starts with education and once we know better, hopefully we will do better. Clarks bill and two others that would have required all medical practitioners to undergo bias training were carried over to 2023. Clark said he will resume pushing for it next year. Im going to work to make the legislation stronger this summer, get all the stakeholders at the table and then bring it back to the committee, he said. Compared with other developed nations, the United States routinely ranks in the bottom for maternal health and new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows the problem is getting worse. The CDC found 861 women died of maternal causes in 2020, up from 754 in 2019 and 658 in 2018. Black women are at the highest risk, dying at about three times the rate of white women. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says the maternal death rates are unacceptable, and the racial disparities are even more concerning. Differences in outcomes result from many factors, including racism and bias in access to and delivery of quality health care, the organization states on its website. In Virginia, pregnant Black women are more likely to receive a delayed diagnosis, or lack thereof, or an inadequate assessment about their risk factors, according to Melanie Rouse, manager of the Virginia Maternal Mortality Review Team. The VMMRT is a group within the Virginia Department of Health that examines and works to prevent maternal deaths. Rouse believes bias training would be beneficial. Its important to understand how the language that we use or the way that we speak to patients can impact the care and their receptiveness to that care, she said. Macaulay Porter, spokesperson for Gov. Glenn Youngkin, said his administration is committed to supporting mothers. Mothers shouldnt have to fear for their life when bringing a child into the world, Porter wrote in an email. ... The governor remains committed to improving Virginias maternal health and reducing death rates, especially among minority women in Virginia. Erica McAfee, a former Chesapeake resident who resides in northern Virginia, runs a podcast called Sisters in Loss that shares Black womens stories about pregnancy and infant loss. She said many Black women tell her they had medical concerns that were dismissed, or pain that was minimalized, while others werent given information about their health care options or conditions. Akilah White, a doula and childbirth educator in Virginia Beach, said many Black women seek her services because they are afraid theyll be overlooked in the delivery room. Some even opted for home births when hospitals banned doulas due to the COVID-19 pandemic. White, who works with clients of all races and socioeconomic backgrounds, said she has noticed Black women tend to be treated differently in the delivery room and it doesnt seem to matter about their social class. Wilson now works to raise awareness and help other women. She shared her story last year with Vice President Kamala Harris during a roundtable discussion about Black maternal health care. She also runs Kennedys Angel Gowns, a nonprofit that supports families experiencing miscarriages or infant loss. I hope change is coming, she said. It should never be the case where the color of your skin is the reason you werent heard. The final day of February was a very special night in Roanoke showcasing some of the best the Star City has to offer. At the Taubman Museum of Art, the Roanoke City Council gathered to present a Key to the City to Academy Award-winning artist Ruth E. Carter, whose spectacular traveling exhibition Afrofuturism in Costume Design remains on display at the museum for one more month. Across the railroad tracks, at the Dumas Center, Ryan Bell, founder of the Black Father Family Initiative, presided over A Fathers Hands, a program in which longtime Roanoke Valley luminaries like the Rev. Bill Lee, founder of New Horizons Health Care, and Peter Lewis, founder of Apple Ridge Farm, shared moving tales of what it can mean to be both a father and a community father figure. The only complaint one could possibly conceive about either occasion was that they overlapped. Even though a brisk 15 minute walk separates the Taubman, crown jewel of the Roanoke Valley arts scene, from the Dumas, historically a vital center of Black American arts and culture not just locally, but nationally it was just about impossible to attend both events without missing part of at least one. During the small gathering on the museums third floor, museum Executive Director Cindy Petersen shared a new project the Taubman has undertaken in collaboration with Carter. The museum has shot a video in which Carter speaks about the exhibition and answers questions sent in from all over the country by students at historically Black colleges and universities. The video will be shared with those institutions and with regional high schools and the project serves as a pilot for future Taubman undertakings along these lines. Carters Key to the City followed hard on the heels of a landmark accomplishment. On Feb. 25, during the NAACP Image Award ceremony, she became the first ever recipient of the Vanguard Award for Costume Design. What you have done is amazing, and we are just truly grateful. You just dont know how grateful we are to have you here, said Roanoke Vice Mayor Trish White-Boyd as she prepared to present Carter with the key. Carter, who has family ties to the region, spoke of how honored she was to be able to present her work in a solo show, rather than being part of the huge ensemble listed in a movies credit scroll. HBCUs, she said, were built on possibilities, because we had no possibilities. At one time, we didnt dare to dream to be a costume designer, even though Black Americans were tasked with making clothes for the likes of abolitionists and presidents. I stand on the shoulders of the people who are doing all that sewing. Her familys own sewing machine is part of the Afrofuturism exhibition, and it represents all the people who made it possible for me to be standing here. So thank you, thank you so much for helping me present possibilities to the next generation. One prominent member of of the Roanoke Valleys next generation, activist and historian Jordan Bell, chairman of Gainsboro Revisited, gave opening remarks at the Dumas presentation organized by his older brother. The evening, he said, would center on Black fatherhood and how important and vital it is to raising strong and productive communities. As we all are aware we have many, many young people, including myself who grew up without a father, said Roanoke Circuit Judge Onzlee Ware. Then youve got your models, who take up the slack. Black Father Family operates under the umbrella of the United Way of Roanoke Valley. Ware called the initiatives efforts a golden opportunity to retrain young people on how they think and how important it is that the African American or Black male survive, because so goes his community. Ryan Bell led a panel comprised of Lewis and Lee, asking them to talk about the importance of not only fathering the kids in your household, but fathering those that come along your lifes journey. Intriguingly, Lee balked at being held up as a role model, suggesting that idolizing a figure as someone others should aspire to be can defeat efforts to support struggling parents who need help and guidance. I dont want to be the picture on the box, Lee said. Young fathers he has counseled try to do it as best they can with what they have to work with. I see a lot of young men in some tough situations, and its important to set expectations that are within their reach. I think we need to let them be the best fathers they can be in their context. Society shouldnt be so quick to judge those who live in more difficult circumstances, Lee said. All of us live in dysfunctionality. Lewis supported Lees take, sharing an anecdote where some youngsters heeded his advice about smoking because I wasnt accusatory and finger pointing. Lewis son, John Lewis, took over as director of the Apple Ridge Farm summer camp program for four years, and pursued a career dedicated to addressing food security issues before his unexpected, tragic death last year at age 37. His father shared a moving story of driving toward Montvale with his son. That night it appeared that the moon was sitting right on my hood. The moon, the real moon. It was that big. right in our faces. We enjoyed it so much, I said, We got to see the moon again. We came back. We made two round trips. Now, when he hugs his grandchildren tight, Lewis tells them, when hugging you. Ill be hugging your daddy. And they know about the moon. When theyre walking together on Rolling Hill and his grandchildren see the moon, they say, Hi, Daddy. Before Roanoke was known as the Star City, it had a different monikerMagic Cityand the events of that evening prove that magic is still here in Roanoke. 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." A 19-year-old Florida college student who tracked Elon Musks private jet trips, then expanded to Russian oligarch flights, is now drawing a bead on Russian billionaires mega-yachts. Jack Sweeney, a freshman at the University of Central Florida, has started out by posting a list of some of the yachts on Twitter, and noted that the tracking isnt automated yet. Wealthy Kremlin-supporting Russians are trying to hide their superyachts amid sanctions from the U.S. and other allies in the wake of Russias invasion of Ukraine. President Joe Biden specifically named yachts when he warned oligarchs backing Russian President Vladimir Putin that sanctions were coming for them. We are joining with our European allies to find and seize your yachts, your luxury apartments, your private jets, Biden during his State of the Union last week, addressing the oligarchs. We are coming for your ill-begotten gains. Now I've set up @RussiaYachts not automated yet but we'll be keeping watch and posting updates. https://t.co/QdciPnHofh Jack Sweeney (@JxckSweeney) March 6, 2022 Sweeneys yacht tracking comes at a critical time. The Associated Press reported Saturday that it was tracing the movements of some 56 super-yachts (over 79 feet long) believed to be owned by Kremlin-aligned Russian oligarchs. Using online tracking services VesselFinder and MarineTraffic, AP discovered that more than a dozen of the vessels were heading to or had arrived at remote ports in small nations, possibly beyond the reach of Western sanctions. A few others had mysteriously gone dark. Some massive yachts have been seized, however. French authorities, for example, took the $120 million, 289-foot super-yacht Amore Vero last week in the Mediterranean resort town of La Ciotat, even as the crew was scrambling to make a quick departure, the AP reported. Story continues The yacht is believed to belong to Igor Sechin, a Putin ally who runs Russian oil giant Rosneft. New yacht-tracker Sweeney first drew widespread attention in January when he was profiled in tech publication Protocol for tracking Musks flights and posting what he found on his Twitter account @ElonJet. When Musk asked him in a tweet to stop it because it was a security risk, Sweeney responded that he had every right to track Musks flights because he was using publicly available data. He later said he would stop if Musk paid him $50,000 (Musk had reportedly offered $5,000). Sweeneys account is still tracking Musks flights. Sweeney then began tracking the private jets of Russian oligarchs in response to several requests to do so after the invasion of Ukraine. Sweeney discovered that the jets appeared to be traveling on a daily basis, despite financial sanctions and airspace travel restrictions imposed on Russia by the U.S. and other Ukraine allies. Sweeney tracks the flights using public data from the ADS-B Exchange. Its not yet clear what hell use to hunt down the oligarchs yachts. This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated. Related... Naomi Judd died Saturday at age 76. Here are some of the entertainers, leaders, athletes and other notable people we've lost so far this year. SIOUX CITY -- An actor can use motion to convey an appropriate sentiment to an audience. But a person reciting a poem can't act out a scene with her body. Instead, she must rely on vocal reflection and the emotions that register on her face. In other words, acting is showing and telling. Poetry recitations requires more telling than showing. At least, that's what Grace Powell, a Dakota Valley High School sophomore, discovered while competing at the Northwest Iowa regional leg of the National Poetry Out Loud competition, which was held Feb. 20 at the Betty Strong Encounter Center. "I'm used to performing instead of reciting," Powell, an actor in countless LAMB Arts Regional Theatre productions and a Poetry Out Loud newcomer, explained. "Reading a poem, conveying its meaning with your voice is very challenging." Apparently, she scored a hit with the judges. Powell will be advancing to the South Dakota Poetry Out Loud competition, taking place in Sioux Falls on Saturday. "Because she lives in Dakota Dunes, Grace will become the first LAMB School of Theatre and Music student to qualify for the South Dakota state contest," LAMB executive director Diana Wooley said. "In all of the years that LAMB has sponsored the Northwest Iowa Poetry Out Loud competitions, our contestants have all been Iowans." Indeed, Bishop Heelan Catholic High School senior Mara Aesoph, North High School senior Jami Denne and Sacred Heart eighth grader Ruby Lamoreux will be among the LAMB students who are advancing to this year's Iowa Poetry Out Loud competition. So is Trinity Brunsting, a Le Mars Community High School junior and a Poetry Out Loud first-timer. Due to COVID concerns, the Iowa Poetry Out Loud competition, which was slated to take place on Sunday, March 6, became a virtual event. "We had to record our poetry recitations for the judges," Brunsting said. "That made it a bit easier because I could start over if I messed up." It was also a bit more difficult since Brunsting, who has acted in productions at the Sioux City Community Theatre and the Le Mars Community Theatre, enjoys working in front of an audience. "There is such a thing as good nervousness," she said. "You can use your nerves to bring energy to your performance." Powell agrees. A musician as well as an actor, she used her stage experience when reciting Gwendolyn Brooks' "A Song in the Front Yard" for Poetry Out Loud judges. "In poems, you're trying to be convincing even if the words you're using aren't common," Powell said. "For instance, one of my poems used the word 'chanticleer,' which is something I never heard of before." (Chanticleer is an old-timey name given to a rooster.) Powell enjoys learning new vocabulary, which is a key Poetry Out Loud component. A collaboration between the National Endowment for the Arts and Poetry Foundation, Poetry Out Loud helps high school students master public speaking skills, build self confidence and about learn literary history. Since the program started in 2005, more than 4.1 million students and 68,000 teachers from 17,000 schools across American participate in Poetry Out Loud. Statewide or jurisdictional winners will advance to the National contest, which will be held virtually. All 55 state and jurisdictional finalists will participate in the national semifinals, which will stream online on May 1, with the top nine students advancing to the national finals, that will stream on June 5. Poetry Out Loud offers more than $100,000 in prizes and school stipends each year. If Powell advances beyond the South Dakota State Poetry Out Loud contests, her school will receive funds to purchase poetry books for their library. "I'm really starting to like poetry," she said. "This will encourage more teenagers to read poetry." Despite that, poetry will never take the place of movies, which is an obsession of Powell's. "I love my rom-coms too much," she said, noting that the 2013 Rachel McAdams vehicle "About Time" is a personal favorite. Reciting the August Segrest poem "Across the Street" inside LAMB's Black Box Theatre, Brunsting said the performing arts has helped her in school. "Memorizations, whether in a script or a poem, can be applied in any subject," she said. It has also given Brunsting the confidence to pursue her dreams. "When I go off to college, I'd love to either study acting or become an attorney," she said. "I owe a lot of that to being comfortable in front of people." Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. PRIMGHAR, Iowa -- A Calumet, Iowa, man has pleaded not guilty of attempted murder during a domestic disturbance. Paul Long, 41, entered his written plea Friday in O'Brien County District Court to charges of attempted murder and three counts of domestic abuse assault. According to court documents, Long struck his wife in the head with the butt of a 12-gauge shotgun, then fired a shot at her as she ran from the house in the 200 block of South Morse Avenue in Calumet during the Feb. 13 incident. Long was involved with a short standoff with authorities who responded to the incident, making statements about "wanting to shoot it out with police." The standoff ended when Long exited the home and was taken into custody. According to court documents, in addition to striking his wife with the gun, Long also choked her three times with his hands during the alleged assault. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 2 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. SPIRIT LAKE, Iowa -- A Minnesota man has pleaded not guilty of fatally shooting a woman outside her Milford, Iowa, workplace. Christian Goyne-Yarns, 25, of Jackson, Minnesota, entered his written plea Monday in Dickinson County District Court to first-degree murder. His trial was scheduled for May 3. Goyne-Yarns is accused of shooting Shelby Woizeschke at least twice in the parking lot at GrapeTree Medical Staffing in Milford on Feb. 3. She died Feb. 6 at a Sioux Falls hospital. Woizeschke called 911 after being shot and identified Goyne-Yarns as the shooter. He was arrested about an hour and a half after the shooting, court documents said. Woizeschke, 24, of Spencer, Iowa, had two sons, ages 5 and 3, from a previous relationship with Goyne-Yarns. If found guilty as charged, Goyne-Yarns would face a mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole. He remains in the Dickinson County Jail on a $1 million bond. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. SIOUX CITY -- Pork producer Seaboard Triumph Foods has paid more than $331,000 to hundreds of workers at its Sioux City plant after federal regulators found the meatpacker did not pay them for tasks such as cleaning and knife sharpening. An investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division found that Seaboard Triumph did not pay 413 workers for work completed before and after their shifts. Seaboard Triumph has paid $331,807 in back wages to the affected employees at the Sioux City pork plant. Investigators determined that from Sept. 3, 2018, through Sept. 2, 2020, the company did not pay employees for all hours worked during setup, cleanup and knife sharpening and did not pay overtime at a rate of time and a half of their hourly rate of pay when workers exceeded 40 hours per week. Seaboard Triumph also did not maintain accurate payroll records. All actions violated the Fair Labor Standards Act. Seaboard Triumph took voluntary steps to pay employees for any of this possible prior work performed and has put additional processes in place to ensure no future concerns arise. The company is committed to following all laws and compensating employees fairly and fully for their work, Frank Koekkoek, Seaboard Triumph vice president and general manager, said in a statement. "Seaboard Triumph Foods strives to make our company the best and safest employer in the Siouxland area," Koekkoek said. "Recently, the Department of Labor raised an issue from four years ago surrounding a concern about certain compensable time in 2018. STF carefully reviewed this issue and discovered some employees had clocked into the facility outside of their scheduled hours without their supervisors being made aware. STF compensates employees for work completed before and after shifts and believed all employees were properly compensated for all time worked." Seaboard Triumph, a venture between Guymon, Oklahoma-based Seaboard Foods and St. Joseph, Missouri-based Triumph Foods, employs about 2,000 workers at its Sioux City plant, which opened in September 2017. The plant operates three shifts per day, two for production and a third for maintenance and cleaning. The 1 million-square-foot plant has the capacity to slaughter more than 20,000 hogs per day. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The pursuit began in Sioux Center, Iowa, where Wilifredo Martin Martin refused to stop for officers, the Iowa State Patrol said. A pursuit ensued, and Martin Martin drove south to Le Mars, where he crashed at about 5:27 a.m., when he failed to negotiate a curve on Business U.S. Highway 75 near Fifth Avenue SW and lost control of the Chrysler Town and Country minivan he was driving. The minivan left the street, went over the railroad tracks and came to rest near the intersection of Fifth Avenue SW and Sixth Street SW. An agent who previously represented both Depp and Heard said in response to her breakup with Elon Musk, "You told me a thousand times you were just filling space." Get that news and more here. PHOENIX State senators will decide whether to make it legal for business owners and their employees to kill people who are damaging or defacing their property. Legislation set for a roll-call vote Monday afternoon would expand existing laws that allow people to use deadly physical force. For now, that legal right is limited to actions such as preventing murder, rape, child molestation and arson of an occupied structure. But Sen. Michelle Ugenti-Rita, R-Scottsdale, said that list needs to be expanded to any situation where property is being damaged and the culprit is armed in some way. Sadly, we have become all too familiar with the looting and smash-and-grab thefts that have occurred across the country and has resulted in violence and property damage, she told the Senate Judiciary Committee, which already approved the measure on a 5-3 party-line vote, with all Republicans in favor. I believe we need to strengthen our laws so that business owners will have a legal justification for using physical force or even deadly force when defending their property, Ugenti-Rita said. But Sen. Martin Quezada, D-Glendale, urged colleagues to consider the message they are sending. This is a bill that puts the value of property above the value of human life, he said. Regardless, if somebody is committing criminal damage or not, no property is worth more than human life. Sen. Warren Petersen, R-Gilbert, said the question of whether property is equivalent to life is not that simple. It depends, he said. If you have somebody whos spent their entire life they saved everything, their whole life, their whole little life was put into buying the things they have, and then you destroy it or steal that from them, youve literally taken their life away from them. Ugenti-Rita said her Senate Bill 1650 would not provide an unrestricted license to kill. She said it requires that the person against whom force is used is knowingly defacing or damaging property of another person. That could mean someone spray painting graffiti, she said. More significantly, she said, her measure would allow business owners to use deadly force only if the other person possess a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument. But Rep. Lupe Contreras, D-Avondale, said that hardly curbs the power of business owners to kill. Existing state law defines a dangerous instrument as anything that under the circumstances in which it is used is readily capable of causing death or serious physical injury. Contreras, to prove his point as the committee was debating the bill, held up a pen. You can kill somebody with this pen if you stab them in the right place, he said. Any little thing you have in your hands, a blunt object that you can just pick up off the floor, you hit somebody in their temple and you can kill them, he continued. So where do we draw the line? Ugenti-Rita, however, said she did not want to make the language in her bill too specific nor too broad. I guess if you do it just right, you could stab a Q-tip into someones eye and do permanent damage, she told Contreras. Is that a dangerous weapon? The question aside of what is a weapon, Ugenti-Rita said she sees the issue from a different perspective. Im sorry, but its a serious, violent crime thats occurring, she said of intentional damage to property. And I think the owner, the owners representatives should be able to consider that if they feel its necessary. K.M. Bell, representing the American Civil Liberties Union, urged lawmakers to quash the measure. She said the conditions Ugenti-Rita put in the language dont really limit its scope. The courts have made it very clear that a dangerous instrument can include a pocket knife in your pocket, she said. It even can include a prosthetic limb, Bell told lawmakers. Its a very broad term in the law, she said. Bell said it also doesnt meet the standards in law for imposition of the death penalty, one that she said requires a showing of reckless indifference to human life. This would, in effect, allow members of the public to impose the death penalty for the spraying of graffiti, she said. Katie Gipson McLean, a defense attorney, also questioned the breadth of the measure, saying it would amount to being a reason for them to possibly die over something thats even less than $250 worth of value. Ugenti-Rita was unconvinced, saying the conditions in her bill preclude just anyone from killing a person committing property damage. She said the situation also has to be seen through the eyes of the business owner. Your ability to earn a living and take care of yourself and your family is inextricably tied to your ability to have employment and, in this case, own a business, Ugenti-Rita said. The vast majority of businesses are small businesses, under 100 employees. She said the use of deadly physical force has to be an option for those who have exhausted other options. You should have the right to defend your property like you defend yourself, Ugenti-Rita said. The unintended consequences that can come from someone damaging your property are severe to your livelihood, to you and your family. Nothing in her bill, however, makes the legality of using deadly physical force contingent on exhausting other options. Ugenti-Rita, who is running for secretary of state, said her decision to propose this law isnt just about what she said is an uptick in property damage. You couple that with the defund the police movement, you couple that with municipalities and elected officials not supporting our law enforcement, she said. Ugenti-Rita said police may not be able to answer calls from business owners because they simply dont have enough resources. Sen. Sonny Borrelli, R-Lake Havasu City, agreed that it has to be seen through the eyes of business owners. He spoke of being in the Marines and being deployed to Los Angeles to help the police department during the riots in 1992 after four police officers were acquitted in the beating death of Rodney King. Total property damage from the multi-day incident was close to $1 billion. Those Korean neighborhoods, those business owners, small business owners, had their entire life savings, their entire livelihood is resting on protecting their property, Borrelli said. He also said the police are minutes away in urban areas, longer in rural areas. A lot of things can happen in three or four minutes, Borrelli said. Most firefights in combat last less than a minute. If the measure clears the Senate, it then would go to the House for a new set of hearings. Howard Fischer is a veteran journalist who has been reporting since 1970 and covering state politics and the Legislature since 1982. Follow him on Twitter at "@azcapmedia" or email azcapmedia@gmail.com. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 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. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 2 Sad 1 Angry 2 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. Reach the writer at 402-473-7120 or cdunker@journalstar.com. On Twitter @ChrisDunkerLJS Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The female mountain lion was wearing a radio collar, and her behavior in northwest Nebraska in 2018 was telling a story. State biologists tracking her movements and watching her repeatedly returning to the same area could tell she was building a den, that she was expecting. And that August, in the Pine Ridge area near Chadron, they found her two kittens. They collected DNA samples and because the animals were too small to be collared they attached yellow ear tags. The kitten wearing tag NE 78 grew up and, like most young males, set off, searching for a mate and his own territory. Mountain lions leaving northwest Nebraska and the Niobrara River Valley often make the news when they head south and east, and are tracked in Norfolk, hit by cars near Fullerton and Arlington, or captured by trail cams and shot by poachers on the edges of Lincoln all of which happened in the past six months. But not all of them go south and east. They can go in any direction, said Sam Wilson, furbearer and carnivore manager for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. They all dont go in the same direction. Barbed-wire fences dont stop Nebraska cats from crossing the borders into South Dakota and Wyoming, and lions from those states visit Nebraska, Wilson said. Its likely always been the case that males born in Nebraska travel hundreds of miles and that might take them out of state. We get lots of back and forth. NE 78 headed north at some point, and he kept going. He crossed Interstate 90 and put the Black Hills behind him. He walked more than 250 miles, ending up near Ekalaka, Montana, in that states southeast corner. Wilson knows this because his office was contacted last month by a biologist at the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks. NE 78 had been killed during Montanas hunting season, and officials there could tell by its ear tag that it was a Nebraska native. That was a first for Nebraska its mountain lions have been killed in neighboring states, but never in one more than a state away, Wilson said. Still, its life and death don't add much to what his office knows about mountain lions. Without a radio collar, it has no idea how the 3-year-old ended up near Ekalaka, no path of its travels. We have one piece of data, where the kitten was tagged, and they have one piece of data, where it was harvested. And thats the only thing we can learn from it. 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 thats important, she said, because it maintains biodiversity in the population. Its good to see that lions are coming in. Reach the writer at 402-473-7254 or psalter@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LJSPeterSalter Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Nebraskans have always considered the Sandhills one of the states jewels. Now a study by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln has underscored how significant that jewel is. Work by UNL researchers Dirac Twidwell and Rheinhardt Scholtz has concluded that the Sandhills are Earths largest remaining intact, temperate grassland. Thats probably a surprise to some because the Sandhills arent well-known outside the state, Twidwell said. While the Sandhills are recognized here, they havent gained the recognition internationally of other grasslands, he said. The duos research found that the Sandhills are among seven large-scale grasslands of any type that remain mostly intact. Another is in the Wyoming Basin, two others in Asia and one each in Africa, South America and Australia. Of these, the Sandhills are the only region that doesnt have an internationally focused conservation strategy, he said. That may be because the region lies wholly within one state and one country and doesnt straddle borders requiring international cooperation. The Sandhills, in northwest and north-central Nebraska, cover about a quarter of the state, and more than 90% of the land is privately owned. One of the groups already working to protect the area is the rancher-led nonprofit Sandhills Task Force. The organizations goal is to promote profitable ranching hand-in-hand with conservation, said Shelly Kelly, executive director. Kelly said the key to success in the Sandhills is collaboration between ranchers and conservation organizations. Because we are ranchers, we have trust and credibility, she said. Weve built partnerships. Her group and the UNL researchers identified the same major threat to the Sandhills: invasive eastern red cedar trees. Its our number one threat, Kelly said. The seedy evergreens, often planted as windbreaks, spread rapidly. Eradicating them takes a major, year-after-year effort, Kelly said. The UNL research distinguishes between types of grassland-like regions based on climate and vegetation. Africas Serengeti, for example, is larger than the Sandhills, but its a savannah, not a grassland, Twidwell said. The Serengeti naturally supports trees, but trees are not a natural part of the Sandhills landscape. Likewise, there are shrubby desert grasslands that are more intact than the Sandhills, but they arent found in a temperate climate, Twidwell said. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Xi stresses ensuring key agricultural products supply, building stronger social security network Xinhua) 08:07, March 07, 2022 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) (Web editor: Peng yukai, Liang Jun) I just took my sister to MercyOne Siouxland Medical Center. I want to tell the people of this area that our experience was good. Everyone was Its time to banish the phrase no-fly zone. Dropping it would clarify the debate about whether to impose one in the skies over Ukraine. The term makes doing such a thing sound so easy, purely protective, almost passive, like a safety patrol guard holding a stop sign at a crosswalk. A more accurate termone that better describes its scope and stakesis air combat operation, which, under these circumstances, translates as going to war against Russia. Would 74 percent of Americansthe number who say they support a no-fly zoneback that? Advertisement At this point, much of Washington seems to recognize that mounting a no-fly zone above Ukraine in an effort to frustrate Vladimir Putins invasion would be a catastrophically bad idea. The White House has waved away the suggestion, and theres been little pushback even from many Republicans looking for new reasons to oppose President Joe Biden. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Subscribe to the Slatest Newsletter A daily email update of the stories you need to read right now. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again. Please enable javascript to use form. Email address: Send me updates about Slate special offers. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms Sign Up Thanks for signing up! You can manage your newsletter subscriptions at any time. Yet a debate persists. It was the hottest topic during this Sundays political talk shows, and on Meet the Press, Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia said he believed that the option shouldnt be taken off the table. The main reason the notion hasnt disappeared is that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyquite rightly the most admired political leader in the worldcontinues to ask for one. It seems almost churlish to dismiss his request out of hand. Advertisement Advertisement To impose a no-fly zone means just thatto prevent any airplanes, other than our own, from flying in a defined area of space. In the past few decades, the U.S. has done this over Iraq, Libya, and Serbia, to protect civilians from attacks by tyrannical regimes. But protection requires attacking the attackersshooting down airplanes that come into the zone and bombing air-defense weapons that threaten our own airplanes. These zones are elaborate, complex undertakings. In the decade between our two wars in Iraq, when the U.S. and United Kingdom imposed no-fly zones in the south (to protect Shiites) and the north (to protect Kurds), American combat planes flew over 200,000 sorties and dropped more than 1,000 bombs on more than 240 targets. In a two-day campaign in 1996 to destroy Iraqi surface-to-air missiles, they launched 44 cruise missiles. Advertisement Advertisement In 1999, during the Serbian war, U.S. and NATO combat jets took 78 days to establish a no-fly zone over an area about the size of Connecticut. And the planes fired 743 advanced air-to-ground missiles in order to destroy 44 Serbian surface-to-air missile sites and a smattering of anti-air guns. (Establishing a no-fly zone requires the military to obliterate ground weapons that could target its own planes.) Even so, two of those jets were shot down, and the U.S. never established air supremacyfull control of the air and the elimination of all threats from the ground. Advertisement Advertisement Ukraine is 50 percent larger than all of Iraq and eight times the size of Serbia. And while a no-fly zone wouldnt have to cover the entire country, it would have to protect the areas around Kyiv, Kharkiv, Odessa, and the humanitarian corridors to Lviv and further west. Also, compared with the armies of Saddam Hussein and Slobodan Milosevic, the Russian military in Ukraine has moreand longer-rangeairplanes and air-defense systems. Advertisement Advertisement This would be a much more extensive, complex, andmore to the pointdeadly operation. In other words, the United States and NATO would be at war with Russia. They would damage a lot of Russian military gear and kill a number of Russian troops, even if they refrained from bombarding Russian tanks, vehicles, and supply linesand, once in the fight, there would be pressure to do that as well. Vladimir Putin might reasonably think that was the next step. In the fog of war, he might think the NATO planes were doing that alreadyand might respond accordingly. Advertisement Advertisement A no-fly zone might not even be a very effective way of protecting the Ukrainian civilians who are coming under attack. Most of them have been wounded or killed by Russian artillery, not by Russian airplanes. Advertisement There are also other, better ways to counter Russian forces from the air. In recent days, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that NATO now has a green light to send Ukraine fighter planes, including Russian-built MiGs, which Ukrainian pilots know how to fly. They could be used to bust up Russian armored convoys, supply lines, and other concentrations of military power. For NATO to send airplanes would be a continuation, writ large, of the other types of weapons that it has been sending Ukraine for several daysa practice that Putin doesnt seem to regard as direct intervention, at least for now. Advertisement When he began the invasion, Putin said any attempt by the West to interfere would unleash consequences you have never seen. Many interpreted the remark as a threat to use nuclear weapons. If the U.S. and other NATO nations did directly intervene in the war, they could grind the Russian offensive to a haltand probably defeat the Russian military outrightin a matter of days. But then, Putin would face a choice: to surrender in utter humiliationor to fire a few tactical nuclear missiles at key targets in Ukraine, or perhaps at air bases in NATO countries, in an attempt to regain some leverage in cease-fire negotiations. Its because Russia has nuclear weapons that Biden has stressed from the beginning that neither the U.S. nor NATO would intervene in the fight directly. Putins nukes are also why NATOs leaders quickly dismissed Zelenskys request for a no-fly zone. To set one up would mean intervening in the fight directly, and that indeed could trigger World War III. Defending Ukraine is important. It is worth much trouble and sacrifice. But it isnt worth that. In Myanmar, as Lighthouse Reports note, being tracked can be a matter of life and death. Since the military junta took power in a coup on Feb. 1, 2021, it has used military-grade surveillance technology, such as surveillance drones, phone cracking, and computer hacking software, to track citizens and steal data. Some of these technologies came from Western companies, despite restrictions on their export and use. The result has not only been the curbing of basic freedoms, but an enhanced architecture for state violence. In the post-coup crackdown, hundreds of protesters have been killed. The regime has been accused of terrorizing the population through premeditated and systematic attacksincluding the use of heavy weaponryagainst civilian demonstrators. All of this comes on the back of a campaign of violence against the Rohingya minority that is alleged to include the most serious crimes under international law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Efforts to counter the harmful spread of surveillance technology are complicated by its dual-use features. While the tech can have legitimate civilian uses, it can also have alternative, military applications, allowing regimes to direct it against their own people. One of the most common proposals to deal with the negative use of surveillance tech is the regulation of export licenses, which can help to stem its flow across borders, especially to regimes that abuse human rights. However, right now, countries and trading blocs are essentially free to grant export licenses based on standards of their own choosing. And while the EU is taking important steps to improve how member states deal in dual-use technologies, in general, countries are not bound by dedicated international rules to stop domestic companies from selling this kind of tech to repressive regimes. Advertisement Advertisement The lack of international regulations on surveillance technology is a serious problem, as without clear rulesand international coordination on their implementationit is likely that abusive governments will continue to acquire the technology. Myanmar is just one case that shows how surveillance tech can enhance state capacities for mass violence. The threat of similar tragedies is very real. China, whose extensive system of domestic surveillance has been implicated in grievous abuses in its Xinjiang region, has accelerated its export of the technology. It has been reported that Chinese tech companies are exporting artificial intelligence surveillance tech to dozens of countries, fueling digital authoritarianism. Advertisement However, the trend is more complex than pinning China as the only culprit. For decades, China has brought in surveillance tech from abroad. Its growth within this sector is, in part, related to the global tech market and trade ties with Europe and North America. And Myanmars devastating surveillance infrastructure includes technology purchased from U.S., European, and Israeli companies. Again, this is not an isolated story, as Western suppliers have helped to bolster the surveillance capacities of abusive governments for years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A key backdrop to all this is the global competition for tech dominance, mainly between the United States and China. CIA Director William Burns has dubbed tech the main arena for competition and rivalry between the two powers. In recent years, U.S.-China relations have been widely viewed through the prism of great power competition, a term that gained prominence during the Cold War. However, this approach risks treating increased tensions and policy clashes as unavoidable. That could prove disastrous to efforts to manage the spread of harmful surveillance technologies for a number of reasons. One is that any ethical concerns surrounding the export of technologies to third-party states may be superseded by concerns to outdo a geopolitical adversary. Another is that those same third-party states may feel less constrained in their own domestic applications of tech, as the worlds two great powers prioritize allies and interests over ethics. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To make meaningful inroads into the problem, we need cooperation, including between the U.S. and China. The truth is that U.S.-China relations involve major trade and business partnerships, defying ill-founded and unhelpful comparisons to the Cold War era. In coming years, a key policy priority should be to manage and de-escalate the U.S.-China rivalry and for the international community to find ways to combat negative applications of surveillance tech, in particular its use in large-scale state violence. If hostile competition is the norm, it is difficult to see how meaningful steps to curb the spread of harmful technology can happen. What might those steps look like? A growing policy strategy, favored by the EU among others, is to impose trade controls on cybersurveillance items that would allow governments to monitor, extract, and analyze data from private citizens. For instance, one technology that may be affected by these moves is Pegasus Spyware, created by the Israel-based company NSO Group. In many ways, Pegasus encapsulates the perils of dual-use tech. While it has been used around the world by intelligence agencies to combat terrorism and criminality, it has also been widely implicated in the hacking of devices owned by human rights activists and political dissidents. In late 2021, the U.S. government, which itself has purchased Pegasus, decided to blacklist the NSO Group for knowingly providing spyware to repressive governments to target journalists, dissidents, and other civil society figures. Dozens of human rights organizations have urged the EU to take action against the company, which has supplied a number of EU member states. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the Summit for Democracy in December, President Joe Biden reiterated his support for stricter controls, advancing an Export Controls and Human Rights Initiative. However, the proposals were tentative, including a voluntary code of conduct to guide states in creating their own export licensing rules. Previous efforts at regulating technology in this way have had limited success. And even where some legal mechanisms were in place, the results have been mixed. In Myanmar, dual-use tech from Western companies has been reportedly in use there despite bans on exports to Myanmar being imposed by the originating countries. Lighthouse Reports identified 40 Western companies involved in surveillance and digital forensic tech whose products were listed in leaked government budget documents. In fact, debates over the necessity for more stringent export controls have been long-standing. Advertisement One positive step would therefore be to create more robust export controls. A voluntary and nonbinding code of conductwhile it may be a step forwardis simply inadequate. In reality, what this means is that, before the code of conduct is even created, participants are effectively being told they can ignore it if they wish. For a start, the U.S. and its partners should swap these voluntary guidelines for legal regulationsas we are seeing within the EUwith tangible consequences for breaches, such as financial penalties. This must involve alignment on legal regulations across countries, as well as methods of oversight and punishment for those acting illegally under a new, unified agreement. Put simply, transfers of dual-use technologies to regimes where they are likely to be used to violate human rights should be prohibited globally. Crucially, governments also need to look at the re-exporting and transit of tech. This is where a country may purchase and sell on a technology to a third-party state or allow passage of tech through its territory to a state that is likely to abuse it. Policymakers must therefore cast an eye not only to the state importing surveillance tech directly, but to where the tech may ultimately end up. One model to look toboth in terms of international agreement and domestic legislative changescould be the export control systems in the landmark 2014 arms trade treaty, which contains specific provisions against the sale of weapons when they may be used in the commission of atrocities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While export controls are important, they can tend to be reactive. We need more proactive and ambitious measures, too. The proliferation of surveillance technology and the threat of mass violence are global problems, so the countermeasures must also be global in scale. That is why managing global competition, especially the U.S.-China rivalry, is of key importance. Collaboration between the world powers on an international regulation regime, one that also monitors the development phase of surveillance techincluding screening for the potential harms of artificial intelligence in targeting vulnerable groupswould make a huge difference. An added benefit of this cooperationas difficult as it might be to securewould be the building of unified norms around the appropriate domains for, and ethical use of, surveillance tech. Changed international standards, and developing systems of accountability, will be vital to halting the spread of violent digital authoritarianism. Of course, to credibly build these norms, we need to see a significant adjustment in the domestic and international practices of the worlds tech superpowers. Right now, there are few incentives to make these adjustments unilaterally. Choosing cooperation on surveillance, over increased tensions in the tech space, could prove vital to tackling the kind of mass violence we have witnessed in Myanmar. Absent that, the threat of tech-enabled atrocities in the future remains very real. Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society. This article is from Full Stack Economics, a newsletter about the economy, technology, and public policy. You can click here to subscribeits free. Last week I set out to visit a particular house about four miles north of the White House. Thanks to an unusual confluence of streets, it sat by itself on a tiny, triangular block. That made it an easy way to check the work of the Census Bureau. The agency has published data from the 2020 Census down to the level of individual blocks, most of which have dozens of homes. This block had only one. Advertisement According to census data, this blockand hence this househad 14 residents in 2020: one Hispanic person, seven white people, three biracial people (white and black), two multi-racial people (white, black, and American Indian), and one person of some other race. There were supposedly eight adults and six children living in the house. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I wanted to find out if these figures were accurate, but a sign on the gate said no soliciting. So I left a note asking the homeowner to call me. A few hours later, she did. She told me that her household currently has five peopleand didnt have more than that in 2020. Were all just white people, she added with a chuckle. Advertisement When I asked a Census Bureau spokeswoman about this, she pointed me to the agencys website. A document there describes how the agency randomly adds fake people to some blocks and subtracts real people from others. The goal of this odd-sounding exercise is to protect Americans privacy by making it difficult to guess any individuals response to the 2020 Census. To be fair to the Census Bureau, a one-home block is the worst-case scenario for this privacy scheme. In percentage terms, the agency adds the most noise to the smallest blocks. This block-level statistical noise is designed to largely cancel out as data is aggregated into larger geographical units. Still, block-level data for 2020 will be less accurate than it was for 2010. And that will make it harderperhaps even impossibleto do certain types of research. This has triggered a backlash among users of census data who argue that the more limited privacy measures taken in 2010 worked fine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I dont even understand the threat, said University of Arizona legal scholar Jane Bambauer in a phone interview. To her, the new privacy protections seem like a solution in search of a problem. One reason social scientists are up in arms about this is that the Census Bureau is planning to extend the new privacy approach to surveys and datasets beyond the 2020 Census. That includes the widely used American Community Survey, which asks Americans about everything from their incomes to their commuting patterns. Because the ACS includes anonymized data about individualsmicrodata, in statistics jargonit will be difficult to release in a way that satisfies the Census Bureaus new, more stringent privacy standards. This means the ACS could soon become a lot less accurate, and hence a lot less useful to researchers and policymakers trying to understand the American economy. Why the Census Is Worried About Its Data The Census Bureaus new approach is rooted in computer science research showing that it can be surprisingly easy to unmask individuals in supposedly anonymous data sets. In the 1990s, computer scientist Latanya Sweeney figured out how to identify individuals in a supposedly anonymized data set of Massachusetts hospital records. In a theatrical flourish, she figured out which records belonged to then-governor William Weld and sent them to his office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Then in 2006, computer scientist Arvind Narayanan demonstrated he could identify individuals in a supposedly anonymized database of private Netflix ratings. While most movie ratings are innocuous, Narayanan pointed out that some could offer clues about sensitive topics like a users political and religious views or sexual orientation. What happened in the computer science community over time is that people became more and more suspicious of intuitive arguments for the privacy of statistical data sets, computer scientist Ed Felten told me in a February interview. Computer scientists also started to worry about the privacy implications of publishing summary statistics about groups of individuals. If I tell you the average height of five people is 69 inches, that doesnt reveal the height of any individual. But suppose I also tell you there are four men and one woman, and that the men have an average height of 70 inches. Then the womans height must be 65 inches. This is known as a database reconstruction attack, and it can be done on a much larger scale than this toy example. The more summary statistics published about a dataset, the more potential there is to reverse-engineer the individual data points. Advertisement Advertisement The Census Bureau has published billions of statistics derived from the 2010 census. A few years ago, agency officials started to worry that someone with vast computing power and sophisticated algorithms might be able to reveal the answers millions of individuals gave on census forms. That would be a big problem because the confidentiality of census records is protected by law. People Are Pretty Damn Safeor Are They? Lets think again about the house I mentioned at the start of the article. The Census Bureau reported that it had 14 residents in 2020 when it actually had five or fewer. Thats a big, rather clumsy change to the data to safeguard the privacy of the respondents. Advertisement Advertisement In 2010, the agency would have taken a less drastic approach. Steven Ruggles, a demographer and historian at the University of Minnesota, explained the old privacy method to me in a recent video call. Advertisement When theres tiny blocks like that they swap them with someone from a nearby block with generally similar characteristics, Ruggles said. The agency didnt necessarily swap everyone on a small blockjust enough that theres uncertainty about what anyone actually wrote on their census form. Advertisement Advertisement Many social scientists prefer this old approach because it was less distortionary. Swapping left the number of people in a block unchanged, and it only slightly disturbed the distribution of people by age and race. And folks like Ruggles argue the old method was sufficient to protect the confidentiality of census responses. With swapping, people are pretty damn safe, Ruggles told me. But privacy advocates worried that even with data swapping, someone might be able to reconstruct a significant amount of confidential data. To find out how realistic this threat was, the agency conducted a wargaming exercise. John Abowd, the Census Bureaus chief scientist and a driving force behind its new privacy strategy, described the results as conclusive, indisputable, and alarming. Advertisement In a court filing last April, Abowd wrote that our simulated attack showed that a conservative attack scenario using just 6 billion of the over 150 billion statistics released in 2010 would allow an attacker to accurately re-identify at least 52 million 2010 Census respondents (17% of the population) and the attacker would have a high degree of confidence in their results with minimal additional verification or field work. That does sound alarming! A lot of commentators have taken Abowds characterization at face value, treating it as an established fact that the 2010 privacy approach was inadequate and a new strategy was needed. But Abowds summary of the experiment was misleading. A 62 Percent Error Rate The experiment started with summary statistics like this block had 13 non-Hispanic white people or this block had 37 people under the age of 18. Using commercial linear programming software, the Census Bureau produced what amounted to a giant spreadsheet listing age, sex, race, and ethnicity for all 308 million people who were in the United States in 2010. For example, a row might indicate that Block 1004 of Census Tract 11 had a 42-year old non-hispanic white man. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, most rows in the reconstructed data54 percentdidnt match anybody in the real world. The data also didnt include anyones name or address. To make it useful, it needed to be re-identified. So the Census Bureau cross-referenced it with commercial marketing databases, looking for matches based on age and sex. When the researchers did this, they found that 62 percent of re-identified records were wrong. Either the name and address in the commercial database didnt match the underlying census record, or else the reconstructed data had the wrong race or ethnicity. And without access to confidential census data, a hypothetical private party wouldnt have an easy way to determine which reconstructed records were the correct ones. Theyd just be stuck with a database that was only 38 percent accurate. Advertisement Census Bureau officials have repeatedly portrayed this experiment as demonstrating the real-world threat of re-identification attacks. For example, Michael Hawes, a senior advisor for privacy, has described the reconstructed data as highly accurate despite the fact that a majority of records were not, in fact, accurate. Earlier I quoted the Census Bureaus John Abowd arguing that an attacker could have a high degree of confidence in their results with minimal additional verification or field work. The field work he has in mind seems to be contacting millions of people to ask for their race and ethnicity. But thats the same work youd have to do if you were constructing the database from scratch. So its not clear how this reconstruction technique would be useful to someone trying to obtain confidential census data. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This debate isnt over. The Census Bureau told me that it is preparing to release additional details about its reconstruction experiments. These details may demonstrate that particular populations are at heightened risk of re-identification. But the data the agency has released so far isnt very convincing. The War Between Computer Scientists and Social Scientists Privacy advocates like Abowd believe its a mistake to fixate on the practicalities of any specific re-identification strategy. They believe the Census Bureaus experiment demonstrated that Census data was vulnerable to a database reconstruction attackat least in theoryand that it is only a matter of time before someone figures out a practical way to exploit the vulnerability. Advertisement Advertisement And I think this is where you see a major cleavage between privacy advocates (including a lot of computer scientists who study privacy) and social scientists. The first group views privacy as paramount and sees the usefulness of census data as a secondary concern. They favor proactively guarding privacy even against theoretical re-identification threats that havent been demonstrated or even invented yet. Advertisement Privacy research is littered with people who were pretty sure they understood the risk and turned out to be wrong, said computer scientist Frank McSherry in a recent phone interview. If you release information and then realize that was too much, you cant call it back. Advertisement The gold standard for privacy advocates is a methodology called differential privacy. It was co-invented by McSherry and serves as the foundation for the Census Bureaus new privacy scheme. Differential privacy offers a mathematically rigorous way to quantify how much privacy is lost when new information is released. The framework includes a parameter called epsilon that lets a data publisher fine-tune the tradeoff between privacy and utility. A higher epsilon means more accurate data but a greater risk of exposing an individual response. Advertisement But critics argue that differential privacy is too rigid for applications like the decennial census. The definition and measure of privacy embedded in Differential Privacy is poorly matched to actual risk of disclosure, wrote Jane Bambauer in a legal brief last year. Because privacy is defined in a manner that is insensitive to context, including which types of data are most vulnerable to attack, Differential Privacy compels data producers to make bad and unnecessary tradeoffs between utility and privacy. Reidentification attacks that are much more feasible, and thus much more likely to occur, are treated exactly the same as absurdly unlikely attacks. In a sense, this is why privacy advocates like differential privacy. They believe no one can predict which attacks are absurdly unlikely, so the only safe course of action is to protect against every conceivable attack. That might dramatically reduce the usefulness of the published data, but privacy advocates care about this much less than social scientists do. Ruggles, the demographer, has been trying for years to convince privacy advocates that differential privacy isnt a good fit for census data. In 2019, he traveled to the University of California at Berkeley to meet with several prominent experts on differential privacy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They were very nice, Ruggles said. But they didnt believe me. They said, you know we just have to do this. It will be all right. They seemed kind of arrogant, he added. Particularly since they cant document a single case where anybody has ever been identified from the census. There Might Not Be a Real Threat The question I kept coming back to in conversations with computer scientists and the Census Bureau was: what would a real-world privacy harm look like? McSherry suggested a scenario involving banks or insurance companies using reconstructed data to discriminate on the basis of racial or ethnic categories. An organization could do this even if it only had the kind of noisy, probabilistic data produced by the Censuss reconstruction attack. Advertisement But discrimination on the basis of race or ethnicity is illegal, so it seems unlikely that a bank or insurance company would launch a formal program to do this. More importantly, its not obvious that noisy data about race is helpful to someone who wants to discriminate on the basis of race. Because pretty good proxies for race are readily available. For example, many cities in the United States are racially segregated. Certain blocks are overwhelmingly white, while others are predominantly black. An organization that wanted to discriminate against black people could assume that everyone on a majority-black block is black. This strategy wouldnt be perfect, but it could easily be more effective than using the noisy data from the Census Bureaus reconstruction attack. Advertisement Advertisement Felten, the computer scientist, argues that public perception is a major concern for the Census Bureau. If people dont trust the confidentiality of census data, response rates will fall and future census data will be less accurate. I think thats a valid point, but once again I struggle to translate this abstract concern into a concrete threat. Obviously, if someone hacked Census Bureau servers and obtained scanned PDFs of peoples actual census forms, that would damage public trust in the Census Bureau. But a reconstructed database with a 38 percent accuracy rate isnt going to move the needle. Advertisement Even if computer scientists dramatically improved on the Census Bureaus methodology in the next few years, enabling them to predict someones race with 60 or 80 or 90 percent certainty, Im still not sure people would care. These would still just be guesses, and anyone who considered their race a sensitive subject would retain plausible deniability. Advertisement The Census Bureau, for its part, argues that it has no alternative. The law prohibits publishing data from which any individuals responses can be identified. The agency argues that its database reconstruction experiment proved that individual responses can, in fact, be identified from data published in 2010. Advertisement Advertisement Im not so sure. Someone who produces a reconstructed database thats 38 percent accurate hasnt identified anyones census responsestheyre just guessing. The threat of re-identification seems to be most serious for the smallest blocks. For blocks with fewer than 10 people, the Census Bureau found that its re-identified matches were correct 72 percent of the time. And the agency estimates that using better commercial data could have pushed this as high as 96 percent. That really is worrying. But theres a simple solution to this that even skeptics like Ruggles support: get rid of the smallest blocks. For the 2030 Census, the Census Bureau can and should merge the 1-house block at the start of this story with one of its neighbors. They should do the same thing for other blocks with single-digit populations. This would make it much harder to pinpoint their individual responseswithout needing to add any fake people to census results. Henkels business service centre in Bratislava has developed into a global operation. Christian Schulz, President of Henkel Slovensko and Head of Global Business Solutions+ Bratislava (Source: Courtesy, of Henkel Slovensko) Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Business service centres in Slovakia are gradually transforming from unfulfilling, transactional roles to activities requiring special skills and expertise. The story of Henkels business service centre in Bratislava follows this trend. In 15 years, it has developed into a centre that provides advantageous activities for the whole corporation. The Slovak Spectator spoke with Christian Schulz, President of Henkel Slovensko and Head of Global Business Solutions+ Bratislava, about the impacts of the pandemic and the changing workforce needs of the centre he leads. What have you and your centre learned during the pandemic? We were able to maintain a very stable performance and a flawless continuation of our services thanks to three factors. First, weve had an established home office culture for years. When we asked everybody to work from home in March 2020, we were all prepared for it. Secondly, we have a robust infrastructure in terms of hardware and software. Of course, we also sought acceleration of software like many others. The third factor that helped us a lot to maintain operations and keep our employees engaged is that our teams very quickly adapted all processes that previously required onsite presence to a virtual setup. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Other key lessons were in maintaining team spirit and the digital upscaling of the entire group. I think the pandemic served as a kind of accelerator for the latter. In some cases, its even better to collaborate in a virtual meeting; the big advantage of virtual collaboration is that its very democratic. Everybody is in the same position during a remote meeting. Related article Related article Recognition lags behind the economic power of the BSC sector Read more Mental health was a challenge too.We focused on this area a lot even before the pandemic and we continue to run several initiatives for our employees wellbeing. At Henkel, shared service centres have changed to global business solutions+. What does this change mean for Bratislava? Slovaks are making their president proud, but how long will it last? Refugees from Ukraine on the border crossing in Vysne Nemecke. (Source: Dana Freyerova for SME) Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Welcome to your weekly commentary and overview of news from Slovakia. Tens of thousands of people have crossed the Slovak-Ukrainian border over the past week. What does that mean for the country? We also sum up the latest news on how the war in Ukraine is affecting life in Slovakia, its economy, and its public opinion. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Refugees welcome, for now I am a proud president of the Slovak Republic, Zuzana Caputova stated when she visited a border crossing in the eastern-Slovak municipality of Ubla to see for herself the people fleeing Ukraine to save themselves and their families from war and the people greeting them on the Slovak side with offers of help. That was three days after Vladimir Putin ordered his troops to invade Slovakias immediate neighbour. At that point, there was a steady trickle of refugees from Ukraine into its southern and western neighbours, including Slovakia. Since then, the pressure on the border crossings has intensified, with Russian forces conducting relentless rocket, artillery and airstrikes on civilians in many Ukrainian cities, and battles continuing across the northern, eastern and southern part of that country. Slovakia finds itself in a position it has never been in before: its eastern border is the doorstep of what the UN High Commissioner for Refugees has called the fastest growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War II''. Of the one-and-a-half million people who had fled Ukraine as of Sunday, the Slovak authorities report that some 128,000 crossed the border into Slovakia. The support for coalition parties did not change much either, the recent Focus poll suggests. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled It seems that the preferences of the opposition party Smer stopped growing in the second half of February. Until then, the party led by former three-time prime minister Robert Fico benefited, for example, from its rejection of the Defence Cooperation Agreement between Slovakia and the United States, among other things. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Yet, the recent poll carried out by the Focus agency for the Na Telo political talk show broadcast by private TV Markiza suggests that it dropped. Reversal of fortune: Robert Fico is on course to lead the most popular party again Read more Still, Smer would remain the second most popular party, supported by 15.6 percent of the vote (down from 16.3 percent in January). The only party gaining more votes would be Peter Pellegrini's Hlas, with 18.5 percent (up from 17.8 percent in January). The poll was carried out between February 22 and March 1 on 1,003 respondents, so it did not take the effects of the Russian invasion of Ukraine (which started on February 24) into consideration. As the Sme daily pointed out, these might be seen in the future. Slovakia marks two years of the pandemic. The country has three gold medals from the Paralympic Games. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Good evening. Welcome to the Monday, March 7, 2022 edition of Today in Slovakia with the main news of the day in less than five minutes. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Slovaks remain split over NATO troops' arrival The Slovak public is split over the presence of NATO troops in Slovakia. While 50 percent of those recently polled by the Focus polling agency said they agreed with NATO's presence in the country, 45 percent said they were against it. The remaining 5 percent declined to give an opinion. The poll was conducted for the private broadcaster TV Markiza between February 22 and March 1 on a representative sample of 1,003 respondents, meaning that it was partly conducted before the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, on February 24. On the same day, Defence Minister Jaroslav Nad confirmed that NATO was going to create an enhanced forward defence in Slovakia, consisting of hundreds of NATO troops. Public opinion, however, is negative when US soldiers are considered: only 29 percent of those polled by the Focus agency said they were in favour of their presence in Slovakia, while 67 percent said they were against it. Four percent of respondents declined to give their opinion. The poll has also shown that 61 percent of Slovakia's inhabitants support NATO membership, while 36 percent of those polled were against it and 3 percent did not answer the question. Meanwhile, PM Eduard Heger (OLaNO) said over the weekend that NATO troops should arrive in Slovakia with technology worth about a billion euros. Under normal circumstances, it would take Slovakia years to procure this technology, he added. Heger confirmed the plans that the government had announced earlier: NATO will set up an enhanced forward defence unit in Slovakia, with about 1,200 troops from Germany, the Netherlands, Czechia, Poland, and Slovenia. The German and Dutch soldiers are to arrive with the Patriot anti-missile system, while the Czech soldiers will help Slovakia with cyber security. If the US provides its Sentinel air and missile defence radar system, American troops would be part of the NATO presence in the country. The exact date of the allies' arrival is not clear for now. It will depend on agreements within NATO. Heger also spoke about the possibility of a no-fly zone over Ukraine, which the Ukrainian government has been calling for. The Slovak prime minister said that "everything is on the table," but stressed that a no-fly zone is one step before the last. President Zuzana Caputova also commented on a no-fly zone on weekend political talk shows, saying that such a step might result in World War III. More on war in Ukraine Refugees from Ukraine in Vysne Nemecke. (Source: TASR) Altogether 128,170 people from Ukraine crossed the Slovak-Ukrainian border as of Monday morning; 6,078 have asked for temporary protection and 153 for asylum. The waiting time at the Ubla crossing is currently about 10 hours, while people at the border crossings in Vysne Nemecke and Velke Slemence are being processed without waiting on the Slovak side, according to the Interior Ministry. as of Monday morning; 6,078 have asked for temporary protection and 153 for asylum. The waiting time at the Ubla crossing is currently about 10 hours, while people at the border crossings in Vysne Nemecke and Velke Slemence are being processed without waiting on the Slovak side, according to the Interior Ministry. A group of Slovak MPs filed a criminal complaint against Russian officials with President Vladimir Putin at the helm, in connection with the invasion of Ukraine on March 4. On Monday, two OLaNO MPs submitted a criminal complaint against several politicians for their statements concerning war in Ukraine, in which they mostly spread Russian propaganda and defend the steps of the Russians. with President Vladimir Putin at the helm, in connection with the invasion of Ukraine on March 4. On Monday, for their statements concerning war in Ukraine, in which they mostly spread Russian propaganda and defend the steps of the Russians. The state will only pay out a financial contribution for accommodation to people who lodge refugees with temporary protection status , Finance Minister Igor Matovic (OLaNO) has said. To avoid potential frauds, limits for the number of refugees accommodated in one unit should be set. to people who , Finance Minister Igor Matovic (OLaNO) has said. To avoid potential frauds, limits for the number of refugees accommodated in one unit should be set. The Slovak cabinet has approved the arrival of 50 soldiers and technology from the Czech Republic , who will come to help with the inflow of refugees from Ukraine. They will build a camp with capacity of 400 people near Liptovsky Mikulas. (TASR) , who will come to help with the inflow of refugees from Ukraine. They will build a camp with capacity of 400 people near Liptovsky Mikulas. (TASR) During the weekend the police and several media outlets reported a story of an 11-year-old boy from the Zaporizhzhia region who crossed the border alone, carrying a plastic bag, his passport and phone number written on his hand, as his parents had to stay in Ukraine. He was treated by the volunteers, before they called his relatives who later picked him up at the border. Altogether 69 unaccompanied children crossed the border as of Monday, the Sme daily reported. For a deeper insight into current affairs, check out our Last Week in Slovakia piece published earlier today. You can sign up for the newsletter here. Two years of living with the pandemic Illustrative stock photo (Source: TASR) Yesterday, Slovakia marked two years since the first Covid case was confirmed on its territory, on March 6, 2020. Even though the situation is improving, and it is possible that the Omicron wave is already on its descent, it is necessary to be careful and protect oneself, chief hygienist Jan Mikas has said. Pandemic fatigue, the improving situation as well as new threats encourage one to lose wariness, Mikas said. But its extremely important to aid the positive trend by adhering to the basic rules of personal protection: covering ones mouth and nose, washing one's hands and maintaining social distancing. He went on to say that the situation is still serious, as the number of new Covid cases revealed by PCR tests still exceeds 10,000 (especially during weekdays) and the rate of positive tests in the total number of tests is higher than 50 percent. More on coronavirus and vaccination 3,419 people were newly diagnosed as Covid positive out of 6,564 PCR tests performed on March 6. The number of people in hospitals is 2,547 ; and 17 more deaths were reported on Sunday. The vaccination rate is at 51.23 percent , and 2,817,824 people have received the first dose of the vaccine. More stats on Covid-19 in Slovakia here. out of 6,564 PCR tests performed on March 6. The number of ; and were reported on Sunday. The vaccination rate is at , and 2,817,824 people have received the first dose of the vaccine. More stats on Covid-19 in Slovakia here. The hospitals in Trnava and Banska Bystrica will start administering the Nuvaxovid coronavirus vaccine by Novavax on March 10; a day later, it will be administered in the vaccination centre in the Presov hospital and from March 14 in altogether 46 vaccination centres. The vaccine is suitable for those who had contraindications for the previously approved vaccines, according to the Health Ministry. If you like what we are doing and want to support good journalism, buy our online subscription. Thank you. Until the end of March 7, you can subscribe to spectator.sk for less than 10 cents a day (33.90)! Picture of the day Ukrainian refugees who found refuge at the Inovecka Chata chalet in Trencin Region cooked borscht as a thank you for the help. 22 women and children have been accommodated in the chalet. Feature story for today Business service centres in Slovakia are gradually transforming from unfulfilling, transactional roles to activities requiring special skills and expertise. The story of Henkels business service centre in Bratislava follows this trend. In 15 years, it has developed into a centre that provides advantageous activities for the whole corporation. The Slovak Spectator spoke with Christian Schulz, President of Henkel Slovensko and Head of Global Business Solutions+ Bratislava, about the impacts of the pandemic and the changing workforce needs of the centre he leads. Qualified foreign workers safeguard jobs in Slovakia in the long run Read more In other news The rise of the opposition Smer party seems to have stopped. The party remains the second most supported in Slovakia, after Hlas, but it dropped compared to January, as stems from the February poll carried out by the Focus agency for the private broadcaster TV Markiza. The party remains the second most supported in Slovakia, after Hlas, but it dropped compared to January, as stems from the February poll carried out by the Focus agency for the private broadcaster TV Markiza. The appellate proceeding with Marian Kotleba , chair of the far-right Peoples Party Our Slovakia (LSNS), in the case of controversial cheques worth 1,488, will not take place tomorrow, as originally planned . The reason is Kotlebas request to learn more about the new evidence submitted by the Special Prosecutors Office. Kotleba was sentenced to four years and four months in prison in October 2020, but he appealed. , chair of the far-right Peoples Party Our Slovakia (LSNS), in the case of controversial cheques worth 1,488, . The reason is Kotlebas request to learn more about the new evidence submitted by the Special Prosecutors Office. Kotleba was sentenced to four years and four months in prison in October 2020, but he appealed. The secondary school leaving exam, known as maturita in Slovak, will be held as planned, but will take distance education into consideration. One of the changes for this year is that both the external (test) and internal (composition) part of the exam, scheduled for March 15-18, will be 15 minutes longer, Education Minister Branislav Grohling (SaS) said. The ministry has issued a handbook, prepared by an association of secondary school students. but will take distance education into consideration. One of the changes for this year is that both the external (test) and internal (composition) part of the exam, scheduled for March 15-18, will be 15 minutes longer, Education Minister Branislav Grohling (SaS) said. The ministry has issued a handbook, prepared by an association of secondary school students. The Interior Ministry will purchase technical equipment and information-communication systems for the Ukrainian border worth more than 817,000 from the companies Technopol International, Microcomp Computersystem and eGroup Solutions. Given the emergency situation, the ministry is using the direct negotiated procedure for the purchase. from the companies Technopol International, Microcomp Computersystem and eGroup Solutions. Given the emergency situation, the ministry is using the direct negotiated procedure for the purchase. The number of personal bankruptcies in Slovakia amounted to 732 in February , up by 9.42 percent year-on-year. In monthly terms, it dropped by 0.27 percent, according to the data of the CRIF SK company. , up by 9.42 percent year-on-year. In monthly terms, it dropped by 0.27 percent, according to the data of the CRIF SK company. Slovakia has already won three gold medals at the 2022 Winter Paralympic Games in Beijing. Two were won by para-skier Henrieta Farkasova (women's downhill and super combined) and one by para-skier Alexandra Rexova (Super-G). Para-skier Henrieta Farkasova (r) and her guide Martin Motyka after winning the gold medal in women's downhill on March 5. (Source: Roman Benicky, Slovak Paralympic Committee (via SITA)) More on Spectator.sk: Bratislava to set up large-capacity aid centre for Ukrainian refugees Read more Nitra's best places to take a nice photo Read more Two eagles named Zoom and Nixon have become video makers Read more If you have suggestions on how this news overview can be improved, you can reach us at editorial@spectator.sk. https://sputniknews.com/20220306/netflix-files-appeal-to-federal-govt-to-block-cuties-child-pornography-case---report-1093643115.html Netflix Files Appeal to Federal Gov't to Block Cuties Child Pornography Case - Report Netflix Files Appeal to Federal Gov't to Block Cuties Child Pornography Case - Report The Netflix Cuties, which focuses on a group of 11-year-old French schoolgirls who explore their femininity by dancing and twerking, has come under fire... 06.03.2022, Sputnik International 2022-03-06T22:57+0000 2022-03-06T22:57+0000 2022-03-06T22:57+0000 netflix child abuse us texas lawsuit /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/03/03/1082242438_0:160:3073:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_49a4dea4b5e3cd10d6d73bea32d2d45a.jpg The controversy escalated to the legal level after child pornography charges were brought by a Texas district attorney, and last week, the media company appealed to the federal court, seeking to dismiss the case, filed by Tyler County District Attorney Lucas Babin, according to Fox News.Netflix brings this complaint to enjoin Tyler County District Attorney Lucas Babin from abusing his office and infringing Netflix, Inc.s constitutional rights, the 23-page federal complaint says, as cited by Fox News, adding that Babin has indicted Netflix not just once but five times, and each indictment violates the United States Constitution and comes in retaliation against Netflixs exercising its First Amendment rights to free speech and to petition the government for redress.Without the courts intervention, Netflix will suffer irreparable harm by being forced to continue playing Babins game in state court and defending itself against even more baseless charges. The court has jurisdiction over this case and should grant Netflix the preliminary and permanent injunctive relief Netflix needs to vindicate its rights for all of the reasons shown further below, the federal complaint adds.The first wave of backlash came before the release, when Netflix was criticized because of a poster promoting the drama. The streaming service was accused of objectification, as the characters were depicted in what was considered to be sexual poses. Some viewers also noticed that the poster differed from the one presented at the Sundance Film Festival. In the initial version, the girls had less parts of their bodies exposed.Netflix had to apologize not only for the image, but also for its description of the Cuties. In particular, the synopsis emphasized that 11-year-old Amy, who was praised for denouncing her familys Muslim values by hoping to become a member of the twerk dance team, rapidly grows aware of her burgeoning femininity.In October, after a Texas grand jury brought criminal felony charges against Netflix, Attorney Babin announced in a statement that Netflix had been indicted for "promotion of lewd visual material depicting a child."In September last year, several senators, including Ted Cruz (R-TX), also requested the Justice Department to investigate the company for potential violations of federal laws against the production and distribution of child pornography. texas Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Alexandra Kashirina Alexandra Kashirina News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Alexandra Kashirina netflix, child abuse, us, texas, lawsuit https://sputniknews.com/20220306/ukraine-says-nearly-20000-mercenaries-en-route--but-just-who-are-they-1093643491.html Ukraine Says Nearly 20,000 Mercenaries En Route But Just Who Are They? Ukraine Says Nearly 20,000 Mercenaries En Route But Just Who Are They? Many nations have reacted with alarm as the Ukrainian regime seeks their citizens for an international legion of mercenaries in its fight against Russian... 06.03.2022, Sputnik International 2022-03-06T23:23+0000 2022-03-06T23:23+0000 2022-03-06T23:27+0000 mercenaries ukraine foreign fighters russia poland antony blinken us fighter jets /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/03/04/1093575379_0:186:3072:1914_1920x0_80_0_0_d2052e7d70519c5cc1adc86c48715e59.jpg Nearly 20,000 foreign mercenaries are looking to fight alongside the rapidly-diminishing ranks of Ukraines crippled military, according to Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba. On Sunday, the Ukrainian regime announced the opening of a website for mercenaries hoping to help Ukraine, the latest move in a growing campaign to turn to foreign fighters for what they frame as the defense of the motherland.Its unclear how many, if any, of the hired guns have entered the country, but on Friday Russias Foriegn Intelligence Service warned in a statement that the US and UK intelligence services in recent weeks have de facto turned Polish territory into a 'logistical hub' used to supply weapons and smuggle fighters-- including Daesh* terrorists from Syria reportedly trained at the Al-Tanf military base.Poland has emerged as one of the foremost logistical hubs for weapons being shipped by European nations to what remains of the Ukrainian regimes military after a week and a half of punishing losses inflicted by the Russian armed forces. But the full implications of the flow of mercenaries into the conflict have not yet become clear. Its a new phenomenonone encouraged by Ukraines suspension of visa requirements for foreign fightersand only time will tell what could come of certain countries apparent willingness to be used as a staging ground for hostilities with Russia.Just hours after Russian defense spokesman Igor Konashenkov explained that any decision by neighboring countries to offer Ukraine the use of their airfields (or otherwise facilitate a so-called No-Fly Zone) may be regarded as the involvement of these states in an armed conflict, the Polish Foreign Ministry threw water on the possibility, condemning as fake news a tweet by Nexta, anti-Russian outlet allegedly funded by the US and founded by a Belarussian blogger who reportedly once fought alongside Ukraines notorious neo-Nazi Azov batallion.Unfortunately, they explained, Nexta is spreading misinformation.We significantly help in many other areas, they added.But Poland isnt the only country facilitating the influx of soldiers of fortune into the war-torn region. A number of foreign fighters jumped at the chance to help cobble together the so-called International Legion of mercenaries that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called for, with recruits from the US, Canada, and Japan apparently jumping at the chance to fight for what some outlets have said is a $60,000/month check.But not everybody has been pleased with the Ukrainian regimes efforts to involve their citizens in a highly-politicized global conflict. Algeria ordered the Ukrainian embassy to remove from its Facebook page an advertisement exhorting "foreign nationals" to contact the embassy and "join the resistance to the Russian occupiers and protect world security. A source with Algerias Foreign Ministry reportedly told Algerian news website TSA that the post "violated the provisions of the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations between states.Senegal was forced to take a similar stance after the Ukrainian embassy relayed the call for mercenaries, demanding the request be "immediately withdrawn and insisting that any procedure for enlisting people of Senegalese or foreign nationality" cease without delay.And even the UKone of the Ukrainian regimes most vocal supporters on the international stagehad to walk back Foreign Secretary Liz Truss efforts to cajole British nationals into joining the fray. On Sunday, UK armed forces head Admiral Tony Radakin said it was unlawful and unhelpful for Britons to fight against Russia in Ukraine.*Daesh (ISIL/ISIS/Islamic State) is a terrorist group banned in Russia and many other countries. https://sputniknews.com/20220303/16000-foreign-mercenaries-are-going-to-fight-for-ukraine-zelensky-claims-1093543054.html ukraine russia poland us Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Wyatt Reed Wyatt Reed News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Wyatt Reed mercenaries, ukraine, foreign fighters, russia, poland, antony blinken, us, fighter jets https://sputniknews.com/20220307/delegates-deliver-press-statements-after-third-round-of-russia-ukraine-talks-1093662901.html Delegates Deliver Press Statements After Third Round of Russia-Ukraine Talks Delegates Deliver Press Statements After Third Round of Russia-Ukraine Talks The third round of Russian-Ukrainian negotiations played out in the same place where the second round was held the Hunter's House in Brest Region, Belarus. 07.03.2022, Sputnik International 2022-03-07T18:09+0000 2022-03-07T18:09+0000 2022-03-07T18:09+0000 situation in ukraine ukraine russia world /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/03/07/1093666732_0:252:3111:2001_1920x0_80_0_0_87a4d1ff795ea9b789b196215d512371.jpg Russian and Ukrainian delegations are giving statements to the press after the third round of peace negotiations in Belarus.The first two rounds of negotiations were held in Belarus on 28 February and 3 March. During the second round, the parties reached an understanding on the joint provision of humanitarian corridors for the evacuation of citizens and the delivery of food and medicine.On 24 February, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine after the Donetsk and Lugansk Peoples Republics (DPR and LPR) appealed for help in defending themselves against the Ukrainian forces.Follow Sputnik's Live Feed to Find Out More! ukraine russia Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Press statements following third round of Russia-Ukraine negotiations in Belarus Press statements following third round of Russia-Ukraine negotiations in Belarus 2022-03-07T18:09+0000 true PT1S 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 ukraine, russia, world, https://sputniknews.com/20220307/egypt-might-have-condemned-russia-over-ukraine-op-but-that-wont-harm-ties-says-professor-1093651724.html Egypt Might Have Condemned Russia Over Ukraine Op But That Won't Harm Ties, Says Professor Egypt Might Have Condemned Russia Over Ukraine Op But That Won't Harm Ties, Says Professor Moscow has become one of the most reliable Egyptian partners and supplies the North African country with wheat and weapons while playing a pivotal role in the... 07.03.2022, Sputnik International 2022-03-07T09:52+0000 2022-03-07T09:52+0000 2022-03-07T09:52+0000 world egypt russia ukraine /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/104642/61/1046426160_0:131:3072:1859_1920x0_80_0_0_5710483878ed8f0defe4739f2bdfdba5.jpg When Russia launched its special military operation in Ukraine on 24 February, Egypt tried to remain neutral.It issued a statement about the situation but failed to mention Russia. It urged the two sides to maintain a dialogue and convened an emergency meeting of the Arab League to discuss the issue.Good Ties with EveryoneDr. Said Sadik, a professor of political sociology at the American University in Cairo, explains this stance by the close relations Egypt has with both sides of the conflict.But their cooperation goes far beyond that. In 2014, when A-Sisi just came to power, he aimed to stabilise Egypt's security that had been ripped apart by various radical groups.In order to fight extremists, he turned to the United States and asked to provide it with ten Apache helicopters but Washington torpedoed the request, citing potential human rights violations.A-Sisi has since vowed to stem Ciaro's reliance on American arms, buying weapons from France and Germany instead. Russia has also provided the North African nation with fighter jets, attack helicopters, and other military equipment. The two nations have also conducted a number of joint military drills. They coordinated many of their actions on the situation in Syria and Libya, and Moscow has played a pivotal role in the construction of Egypt's nuclear power plant.Mounting PressureThis is why risking that cooperation by siding with the Americans on the Ukrainian issue is out of the question but Sadik says the pressure applied on Cairo was too intense."They warned that Russia was trying to destabilise the international order and that it will have repercussions for the Middle East and Africa, including Egypt," he added.Egypt has been receiving generous economic and military assistance from the US since 1979, when it signed a peace deal with Israel. Although that money constitutes only a small fraction of the country's GDP, the North African nation does not want to lose it. This is the reason why America's pressure has finally yielded results.On 2 March Egypt voted in favour of condemning Russia at the United Nations General Assembly. It also called on Moscow to withdraw its forces from Ukraine.At the same time, Cairo has so far declined any attempts to drag it into sanctioning Russia, but Sadik suggests his country is now not afraid of the potential backlash.However, if Washington's pressure does not change Cairo's position on sanctions, public pressure might still do the trick, just as it did in many countries around the globe.Since the launch of Russias special military operation, Arabic-language social media has been largely divided. Some have supported the West and the Ukrainians, while others argue they instigated the conflict. However, Sadik says the discourse is unlikely to influence Egypt's decision-makers."Public opinion has no influence [over A-Sisi]. The President has built his legitimacy and popular support by emphasizing economic progress. So [the President] is cautious not to entangle the country in any conflict and avoids to be dragged into this conflict." https://sputniknews.com/20220207/as-us-withholds-millions-in-aid-from-egypt-local-expert-says-it-wont-bring-cairo-to-its-knees-1092809515.html egypt ukraine Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Elizabeth Blade Elizabeth Blade News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Elizabeth Blade world, egypt, russia, ukraine https://sputniknews.com/20220307/jk-rowling-slams-scotlands-proposed-gender-recognition-law-as-harming-most-vulnerable-women-1093653543.html J.K. Rowling Slams Scotland's Proposed Gender Recognition Law as Harming 'Most Vulnerable Women' J.K. Rowling Slams Scotland's Proposed Gender Recognition Law as Harming 'Most Vulnerable Women' World-famous author J.K.Rowling was accused of "transphobia", with a movement to "cancel" her launched in 2018 after the Harry Potter writer liked a tweet that... 07.03.2022, Sputnik International 2022-03-07T09:18+0000 2022-03-07T09:18+0000 2022-03-07T09:18+0000 jk rowling harry potter /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/07/14/1083419237_0:0:2845:1600_1920x0_80_0_0_6402e6d3698cd2d18760d5cc156d190e.jpg J.K. Rowling has lambasted Scotland's recently published Gender Recognition Reform Bill, claiming it will harm the most vulnerable women if passed. Scotlands Gender Recognition Reform Bill is set to amend the 2004 Gender Recognition Act, introducing new criteria for applicants wishing to obtain legal recognition via a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC). The proposed legislation would simplify how people legally change the sex on their birth certificate. For example, there would be no need for those wishing to change gender to provide medical and psychiatric reports. It would also lower the age at which people can apply to change their gender from 18 to 16, with the individual required to have lived permanently in their chosen gender for three months, instead of the current mandatory two years. Rowling, 56, tweeted that the law that the devolved government of First Minister of Scotland and Leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) Nicola Sturgeon was trying to pass would harm the most vulnerable women in society: those seeking help after male violence/rape and incarcerated women.She added that statistics already demonstrated that imprisoned women were far more likely to have been previously abused. The acclaimed author slammed Social Justice Secretary Shona Robison, who expounded on the bill in Scotlands parliament last week. Cabinet Secretary Robison had told MSPs there was no evidence that predatory and abusive men have ever had to pretend to be anything else to carry out abusive and predatory behavior. Rowling voiced her support for author and journalist Susan Dalgety for her most searing, heartfelt and courageous response yet to Miss Robison's astounding claim. Dalgety, herself the victim of sexual abuse as a child, branded the statement by Robinson crass. Writing in The Scotsman, Dalgety lashed out as what she called a cynical attempt to justify the governments Gender Recognition Reform Bill, set to allow men to change their legal sex simply by affirmation.Previously, J.K.Rowling has been accused of "transphobia" since publishing an essay on her website in July 2020. In it, she had argued that biological sex was real. She had also liked a post on Twitter that referred to trans women as men in dresses," and received flack for mocking an article online that used the words "people who menstruate" instead of "women". Rowling also blasted the decision by Police Scotland to log in male rapists as women if they identify themselves as such. In response to her opinions, the author revealed earlier that hundreds of trans activists have threatened to beat, rape, assassinate and bomb me. Self-Identification Without Gatekeeping While changes to the Bill have been hailed as a way to streamline the process of transgender individuals legally changing the sex on their birth certificate, critics argue the self-identification will fundamentally alter who can access women-only services. They underscore that the mulled changes are already prompting a policy shift, for example in single-sex wards. Speaking on behalf of one of the most active critical groups, Susan Smith of For Women Scotland, was cited by The Guardian as saying: Polling by Savanta ComRes for the BBC showed that while 57% were in favour of making the process of obtaining a certificate easier, certain specific proposals enjoyed less support. Thus, 40% were in favour of self-identification, and 38% against it. Another 44% opposed reducing the amount of time spent living in the acquired gender, as compared with 37% in favour https://sputniknews.com/20211229/another-harry-potter-star-weighs-in-on-criticism-of-jkrowling-over-trans-views-1091881381.html https://sputniknews.com/20220202/whoopi-and-the-others-what-celebrities-got-in-trouble-for-public-statements-1092679555.html Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Svetlana Ekimenko Svetlana Ekimenko News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Svetlana Ekimenko jk rowling, harry potter https://sputniknews.com/20220307/no-fly-zone-over-ukraine-will-trigger-direct-russia-nato-conflict---warsaw-1093661326.html No-Fly Zone Over Ukraine Will Trigger Direct Russia-NATO Conflict - Warsaw No-Fly Zone Over Ukraine Will Trigger Direct Russia-NATO Conflict - Warsaw WARSAW (Sputnik) - Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Szymon Szynkowski vel Sek said on Monday that NATO's decision to establish a no-fly zone over Ukraine would... 07.03.2022, Sputnik International 2022-03-07T13:27+0000 2022-03-07T13:27+0000 2022-03-07T13:27+0000 situation in ukraine no-fly-zone ukraine world /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/01/0d/1092235033_0:325:2790:1894_1920x0_80_0_0_517a418036defa434fe0d803f5fa3dc7.jpg "It is evident that there is no such opportunity [to establish a no-fly zone over Ukraine]. Today we can see that many member countries are being skeptical of the matter. The implementation of the decision should follow the decision itself, the making of this decision. In practice, this would mean a large-scale military operation beyond the North Atlantic Alliance's borders. It is difficult to imagine today. It is difficult to imagine that the North Atlantic Alliance would have any legal basis for conducting active actions beyond its borders," the diplomat told Polskie Radio.He added that this sort of decision is impossible without the consent of all NATO member countries.Earlier, Volodymyr Zelensky in a video address heavily criticized NATO's reluctance to announce a no-fly zone over Ukraine and refusal to deliver fighter jets to the Ukrainian military.On Saturday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the establishment of a no-fly zone over Ukraine will be considered a direct participation in the conflict.The United States has repeatedly stressed that a no-fly zone over Ukraine would provoke a direct military confrontation with Russia. On Thursday, White House Spokeswoman Jen Psaki said that "it would require, essentially, the US military shooting down Russian planes and prompting a potential direct war with Russia." On Sunday, US State Secretary Antony Blinken said that US President Joe Biden "has been very clear about one thing all along as well, which is we're not going to put the United States in direct conflict with Russia, not have, you know, American planes flying against Russian planes or our soldiers on the ground in Ukraine."On 24 February, Russia began a special operation to demilitarize and "denazify" Ukraine, responding to calls for help from the Donetsk and Luhansk 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. ukraine Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 no-fly-zone, ukraine, world https://sputniknews.com/20220307/no-way-to-leave-everyone-is-shot-refugee-says-ukrainian-forces-using-violence-against-civilians-1093659916.html No Way to Leave, Everyone is Shot: Refugee Says Ukrainian Forces Using Violence Against Civilians No Way to Leave, Everyone is Shot: Refugee Says Ukrainian Forces Using Violence Against Civilians The southeast Ukrainian city of Mariupol contains a major concentration of Azov Regiment troops an openly neo-Nazi volunteer unit of the Ukrainian National... 07.03.2022, Sputnik International 2022-03-07T12:50+0000 2022-03-07T12:50+0000 2022-03-07T14:48+0000 ukraine mariupol evacuation ceasefire situation in ukraine /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/03/07/1093659872_0:160:3073:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_e99b7e5174a99f22550f1425c754f859.jpg Ukrainian forces are shooting down civilians attempting to flee Mariupol, a resident who managed to escape the city has told Russian media.The woman said she experienced no problems in traveling through areas controlled by Russian and Donetsk Peoples Republic forces. We approached them and asked can we leave? They said, yes. We drove to Donskoye, where we took some things. We told grandmothers that we were going, from there we went to the next settlement, we were allowed to pass everywhere, she indicated.The Russian military announced a ceasefire Monday morning and opened a humanitarian corridor for civilians from the cities of Mariupol, Kiev, Kharkov and Sumy after receiving an urgent request from French President Emmanuel Macron.Mariupol was completely surrounded by Russian and DPR forces last week after troops met up north of the city, reducing Ukrainian control to a narrow strip along the coast of the Sea of Azov.Earlier Monday, Russian MoD spokesman Igor Konashenkov said Ukrainian nationalist units in Mariupol had used over 150 civilians as a literal human shield after coming into contact with DPR forces probing defences along the citys Victory Avenue.On Sunday, the DPR Peoples Militia said Azov militants had shot at a column of civilians trying to leave the city along the humanitarian corridor along the M23 highway in the direction of Novoazovsk. Two civilians were killed and four were injured in that incident, the Peoples Militia said. Another 150 civilians were said to have been provided safe exit by DPR and Russian forces.The Russian military has accused nationalist forces of preventing the evacuation of the civilian population from warzones throughout the ongoing campaign in Ukraine, saying locals have been threatened with violence and citing reports of exits from settlements being mined. The MoD has also charged Ukraines military and nationalists with deliberately deploying artillery in built up areas in a bid to provoke Russian forces into counterattacks striking civilian areas and infrastructure.Ukrainian Defence Minister Alexei Reznikov promised Monday that Kiev authorities would do everything possible to ensure the opening of a humanitarian corridor in Mariupol. However, Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk expressed opposition to humanitarian corridors if they meant people would be seeking refuge in Russia.Russia began a military operation aimed at demilitarizing Ukraine on 24 February after granting recognition to the Donetsk and Lugansk Peoples Republics, and following months of escalating shelling, sniper and sabotage attacks by Ukrainian forces on the Donbass. The operation is the culmination of a crisis which began in 2014 when a Western-backed coup in Kiev sparked an uprising in eastern Ukraine, and was followed by a 7+ year civil war which led to the deaths of over 13,000 people. https://sputniknews.com/20220307/russian-mod-ukrainian-nationalists-used-150-civilians-in-mariupol-as-human-shields-1093652877.html https://sputniknews.com/20220305/kievs-security-service-reportedly-kills-member-of-ukrainian-team-at-talks-with-russia-1093618620.html ukraine mariupol Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Ilya Tsukanov Ilya Tsukanov News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Ilya Tsukanov ukraine, mariupol, evacuation, ceasefire https://sputniknews.com/20220307/oil-prices-surge-as-us-pushes-for-global-ban-on-russian-fuel-1093645601.html Oil Prices Surge As US Pushes For Global Ban on Russian Fuel Oil Prices Surge As US Pushes For Global Ban on Russian Fuel The Biden administration is looking to erstwhile enemies to plug the gap as Western sanctions hit Western consumers hard too. 07.03.2022, Sputnik International 2022-03-07T02:58+0000 2022-03-07T02:58+0000 2022-03-07T02:58+0000 joe biden saudi arabia oil prices russia us ban /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/06/16/1083213869_0:160:3073:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_c61fa10617ecd6e8e12f24a9890c6684.jpg Oil prices jumped 10% Sunday as US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken publicly mused about the possibility of slamming Russia with an all-out oil embargo. Efforts to go about banning the import of Russian oil while making sure that there is still an appropriate supply of oil on world markets, are very active, Blinken told CNNs Jake Tapper. Indeed, just a day prior, the US announced a surprise visit to Venezuela, in an apparent effort to both drive a wedge between the administration of President Nicalos Maduro and the Russian Federation and secure an alternate source of oil as Washington looks to isolate Russians from the global economy.And now, Axios reports that advisers of US President Joe Biden are mulling a trip to Saudi Arabia, the gulf state theocracy which Biden promised to turn into a global pariah during his campaign for the US presidency. Those remarks came during a 2019 presidential debate after a US intelligence report assessed that Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman approved an operation to kill or capture Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.But as Western sanctions continue to drive fuel prices through the roof, it seems theres little that cant be swept under the rug in the name of ostracizing Russia. The news that President Biden is considering efforts to close the distance between his administration and the Saudi regime came the day after Bin Salman openly declared that he does not care what Biden thinks of him and floated the prospect of prioritizing ties with China over the US in what was reportedly his first interview with a non-Saudi outlet in two years.With efforts underway to eliminate Russian oil from the worlds supply, its a moment rife with opportunity for a number of other oil-producing nations. And with all eyes in Washington now on Russia, a number of the US governments previous targets are enjoying newfound breathing room. In ongoing talks over the revival of the Iranian nuclear deal, Iran got much more than it could expect, much more, according to the head of the Russian delegation, Ambassador Mikhail Ulyanov. Realistically speaking, Iran got more than frankly, I expected or others expected.But for working people here in the US, efforts to ban the supply of Russian oil are unlikely to have any such upside. The average price of gas topped $4 per gallon Sunday, the first time fuel costs have reached that level since July of 2008. But politicians from energy-rich stateslike Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski and West Virginia Senator Joe Manchinhave already seemingly found a way to turn lemons into lemonade. If their so-called Ban Russian Energy Imports Act becomes law, US fossil fuel companies (on which their campaign coffers are heavily based) are likely to see record profits in the coming years. https://sputniknews.com/20220307/congress-to-approve-more-aid-for-kiev-exploring-possibility-of-russian-oil-ban-pelosi-says-1093645234.html saudi arabia russia Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 joe biden, saudi arabia, oil prices, russia, us, ban https://sputniknews.com/20220307/photos-of-ukrainian-military-posing-with-uk-weapons-at-kindergarten-emerge-online-1093671041.html Photos of Ukrainian Military Posing With UK Weapons at Kindergarten Emerge Online Photos of Ukrainian Military Posing With UK Weapons at Kindergarten Emerge Online Soldiers from the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics regularly report that Ukrainian militant formations are using human shield tactics by deploying... 07.03.2022, Sputnik International 2022-03-07T22:01+0000 2022-03-07T22:01+0000 2022-03-08T00:21+0000 military nationalists ukraine kindergarten civilians human shields situation in ukraine /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/103502/10/1035021006_0:0:3049:1716_1920x0_80_0_0_03add8135f24419b305a81b676de59c4.jpg Social media have been circulating reports, which appeared on Monday, claiming that two soldiers were posing with British weapons in what was said to be a kindergarten. According to the photos, the men are wearing Ukrainian uniforms and standing in front of a wall decorated with painted cartoons.One of the depicted weapons appears to be a Javelin, a British man-portable surface-to-air missile formerly used by the British and Canadian armies. The other is presumably a modified M240 gas-operated medium machine gun, used by the United States Armed Forces.Previously, numerous reports have said that the Armed Forces of Ukraine are placing their combat positions in civilian facilities, such as hospitals and schools. According to Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, multiple rocket launchers, guns, large-caliber mortars are placed in the courtyards of residential buildings, near schools and kindergartens.He added that the Russian army is taking all measures to protect civilians, hitting only military targets and using high-precision weapons.In addition to that, none of the humanitarian corridors for civilians evacuating from cities where fighting is active have been fully operational, despite the agreements reached during the previous round of talks with Ukraine, according to Russian chief negotiator Vladimir Medinsky.The Russian side was ready to open these corridors immediately the next day, he noted, stressing that the ceasefire was also on at that time. Unfortunately, almost none of them fully worked.The implementation of the cease fire was hampered by nationalist groups that are also engaged in combat in certain areas, but do not follow orders from Kiev, according to Medinsky.Earlier on Monday, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said that on Sunday in Mariupol, DPR servicemen clashed with armed detachments of Ukrainian who drove more than 150 civilians ahead of them, hiding behind them as a human shield.After discovering the DPR fighters, the Ukrainian nationalists opened fire on them from behind the backs of civilians. As a result of the firing by the Ukrainian Nazis, 4 civilians were killed and 5 wounded. The fighters of the DPR People's Militia took the freed civilians through the Vinogradnoye district from Mariupol to territory under their control, he said.Ahead of the Monday negotiations, Medinsky said the Russian side would continue insisting on compliance with agreements concerning the humanitarian corridors and ceasefire. After the negotiations, concluded late on the same day, Ukrainian negotiator Mikhail Podolyak confirmed that there are small positive developments in improving the logistics of humanitarian corridors.Lets stay in touch no matter what. Follow our Telegram channel to get all the latest news: https://t.me/sputniknewsus ukraine Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Alexandra Kashirina Alexandra Kashirina News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Alexandra Kashirina military, nationalists, ukraine, kindergarten, civilians, human shields https://sputniknews.com/20220307/political-battle-in-indias-uttar-pradesh-nears-end-with-polling-underway-for-last-phase-1093649680.html Political Battle in India's Uttar Pradesh Nears End With Polling Underway for Last Phase Political Battle in India's Uttar Pradesh Nears End With Polling Underway for Last Phase The crucial state assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh began on 10 February with the first phase of polling in the western part of the state. The results will... 07.03.2022, Sputnik International 2022-03-07T07:18+0000 2022-03-07T07:18+0000 2022-03-07T07:18+0000 india india uttar pradesh bharatiya janata party (bjp) narendra modi narendra modi yogi adityanath politics politics politics /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/03/07/1093651552_0:320:3072:2048_1920x0_80_0_0_0345490d0a52e39f508d23bf5ecab10f.jpg Voting for the seventh and final phase of the state assembly elections in Indias Uttar Pradesh, covering 54 seats, including Prime Minister Narendra Modis parliamentary constituency Varanasi, commenced at 7 a.m. on Monday. The voting will last until 6 p.m. (IST).The last phase of the voting will also mark the end of the almost month-long voting process in the politically crucial state of Uttar Pradesh that began on 10 February after the announcement of the election in mid-January.Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged the voters to create a new voting record.Uttar Pradesh State Chief and BJP politician Yogi Adityanath also urged the voters to exercise their franchise. In a tweet in Hindi, he said: Today is the last phase of Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly Election-2022. All respected voters must vote for the victory of nationalism, development and good governance. Your one vote will save your state from mafias, rioters and dynasts.The states main opposition party -- Samajwadi Party (SP) -- through various tweets stated that there were problems reported in some polling stations.Responding to the tweets, the office of Chief Electoral Officer of the state, however, said that the polling in all the polling stations is going on smoothly.It said in a tweet in Hindi: Voting in all the polling stations is going on smoothly during the seventh phase of Uttar Pradesh state assembly elections 2022. Model booths have been set up for the convenience of persons with different abilities, elderly, and others.Some of the prominent politicians contesting in this phase are Dara Singh Chauhan, who had resigned from the Yogi Adityanath cabinet and joined the SP, Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) president Om Prakash Rajbhar, Abbas Ansari, the son of mafia-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari, and others. india uttar pradesh Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Rahul Trivedi https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/05/12/1082926121_0:-1:627:627_100x100_80_0_0_d882e1a63f627c25b7a534fb8b8234d7.jpg Rahul Trivedi https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/05/12/1082926121_0:-1:627:627_100x100_80_0_0_d882e1a63f627c25b7a534fb8b8234d7.jpg News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Rahul Trivedi https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/05/12/1082926121_0:-1:627:627_100x100_80_0_0_d882e1a63f627c25b7a534fb8b8234d7.jpg india, india, uttar pradesh, bharatiya janata party (bjp), narendra modi, narendra modi, yogi adityanath, politics, politics, politics, politics, elections, elections, elections, voting, polling, polling station, polling station https://sputniknews.com/20220307/prince-charles-to-reportedly-loan-brother-andrew-chunk-of-megabucks-sex-abuse-payout-to-giuffre-1093651062.html Prince Charles to Reportedly Loan Brother Andrew Chunk of Megabucks Sex Abuse Payout to Giuffre Prince Charles to Reportedly Loan Brother Andrew Chunk of Megabucks Sex Abuse Payout to Giuffre After Prince Andrew settled a sex abuse civil lawsuit filed by Virginia Giuffre, British MPs fumed over being barred from probing whether public money was... 07.03.2022, Sputnik International 2022-03-07T06:56+0000 2022-03-07T06:56+0000 2022-03-07T06:56+0000 uk prince andrew prince charles virginia roberts giuffre jeffrey epstein ghislaine maxwell sex abuse queen elizabeth ii /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/08/0c/1083585752_0:249:2539:1677_1920x0_80_0_0_6ce4dca340ab3096ae740a0d9dc673fb.jpg Charles, Prince of Wales, the heir apparent of the British throne, is providing a greater part of the estimated 12 million ($16.3 million) in the sex abuse deal agreed upon between Prince Andrew and his accuser, Virginia Giuffre, reported The Sun. Queen Elizabeth II is also purportedly to be chipping in to cover the out-of-court settlement, with no public cash being used. There were family discussions about how to take a little from here and a little from there, a source was cited as saying regarding the decision to loan Prince Andrew the money. The source added: Last month Prince Andrews legal team had settled out of court on Giuffres civil claim that the late convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein and his madam and lover Ghislaine 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 has strongly denied her claims and any wrongdoing. Prince Andrew accepts in the settlement that Giuffre is a victim of abuse, and contrary to his car crash Newsnight interview on 16 November 2019, regrets his association with billionaire Epstein. However, there is no admission of liability or statement of innocence regarding the Giuffres allegations. The amount of the settlement itself, the donation the royal has promised to Giuffres charity in support of victims rights are all confidential.The Duke of York, 62, who has since stepped down from official duties and been stripped of his military roles and royal patronages, has ten days to deposit the money so that his accuser will drop her sex abuse claim. It is claimed that the Queens second son will pay back his brother, Prince Charles and the 95-year old monarch when he receives the proceeds from the purportedly 17 million sale of his ski chalet in Verbier, Switzerland, which could take two months. Furthermore, if he fails to repay the debt, Prince Andrew will lose money from the Queens will, writes the outlet. Queen Elizabeth is also believed to have funded her sons legal battle with his accuser. Earlier, British MPs deplored the fact they could not probe whether public money was funneled into Prince Andrews settlement due to an ancient custom barring the discussion of royals in Parliament, reported the publication. It was Prince Charles who urged his embattled brother to settle with his accuser last month after lawyers revealed the Duke of York would have to give a witness statement in the civil case in New York, writes The Sun. The outcome, coming in the year of the Queens platinum jubilee, is seen as the best possible for the royal family, as Buckingham Palace reportedly feared a repeat of Prince Andrews Newsnight interview. At the time, the royal attempted to explain his relationship with the convicted pedophile financier Epstein, who died behind bars in 2019 while held on sex trafficking charges. The Duke of York had said he had no recollection of ever meeting Giuffre. There has been no comment from Prince Andrews spokesman regarding the report in The Sun, not has there been any statement from the spokespersons for the Queen and Prince Charles. https://sputniknews.com/20220306/prince-andrew-sex-abuse-accuser-giuffre-likely-to-want-to-make-a-statement-at-maxwell-sentencing-1093631586.html https://sputniknews.com/20220228/a-step-too-far-mps-seek-confirmation-if-taxpayers-funds-used-for-prince-andrew-sex-abuse-deal-1093443289.html Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Svetlana Ekimenko Svetlana Ekimenko News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Svetlana Ekimenko uk, prince andrew, prince charles, virginia roberts giuffre, jeffrey epstein, ghislaine maxwell, sex abuse, queen elizabeth ii https://sputniknews.com/20220307/putin-says-tasks-in-ukraine-solved-only-by-professional-military-1093670207.html Putin Says Tasks in Ukraine Solved Only by Professional Military Putin Says Tasks in Ukraine Solved Only by Professional Military Moscow announced a special military operation in Ukraine on February 24, after people of Donbas requested to defend them from intensified aggression by Kiev... 07.03.2022, Sputnik International 2022-03-07T21:11+0000 2022-03-07T21:11+0000 2022-03-09T19:31+0000 putin situation in ukraine russia ukraine special operation donbas conflict military /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/03/04/1093579389_0:152:2857:1760_1920x0_80_0_0_0b00691334ad5c611d72fa63ad04ba97.jpg Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday that the task of carrying out the special military operation in Ukraine will involve only professional military servicemembers. Conscript soldiers are not participating in the operation and will not be in the future, he said.In his congratulations on International Women's Day, March 8, Putin addressed the relatives of servicemen who are now participating in the special military operation. "The tasks set are solved only by professional servicemen. I am convinced they will reliably ensure security and peace for the people of Russia," Putin said.Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine on February 24 whose main purpose, according to President Putin, is to protect "people who have been subjected to discrimination and genocide by the Kiev regime for eight years." The operation was started to "demilitarize and denazificate Ukraine" and bring to justice all war criminals responsible for "bloody crimes against civilians" in Donbas. According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, the Armed Forces target only the military infrastructure as well as Ukrainian troops, and do not threaten civilians. With the support of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, the DPR and LPR militia groups are also participating in combat. President Putin said that Russia does not need the territory of Ukraine and does not seek to occupy the country.Lets stay in touch no matter what. Follow our Telegram channel to get all the latest news: https://t.me/sputniknewsus https://sputniknews.com/20220306/putin-tells-erdogan-halt-in-russias-ukraine-op-possible-if-kiev-halts-fighting-implements-demands-1093633995.html russia ukraine Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Alexandra Kashirina Alexandra Kashirina News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Alexandra Kashirina putin, russia, ukraine, special operation, donbas conflict, military https://sputniknews.com/20220307/russian-delegation-holds-press-briefing-ahead-of-third-round-of-ukraine-talks-1093655026.html Russian Delegation Holds Press Briefing Ahead of Third Round of Ukraine Talks Russian Delegation Holds Press Briefing Ahead of Third Round of Ukraine Talks Belarus has already hosted the two previous rounds of the Moscow-Kiev talks on 28 February and 2 March respectively. During the second round of negotiations... 07.03.2022, Sputnik International 2022-03-07T12:59+0000 2022-03-07T12:59+0000 2022-03-07T12:59+0000 situation in ukraine world russia ukraine /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/02/1c/1093447814_0:48:3471:2000_1920x0_80_0_0_eaff534688fdcc59091b3985cd1da96c.jpg The Russian delegation holds a press briefing ahead of the third round of Russia-Ukraine peace negotiations in Belarus on 7 March. The Russian delegation has already arrived in the city of Brest, with the tals expected to kick off at 14:00 GMT. The first two rounds of negotiations were held in Belarus on 28 February and 3 March. During the second round, the parties reached an understanding on the joint provision of humanitarian corridors for the evacuation of citizens, the delivery of food and medicine. In the early hours of 24 February, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine after the Donetsk and Lugansk Peoples Republics (DPR and LPR) appealed for help in defending themselves against the Kiev forces. Moscow said that the aim of its special operation is to demilitarize and "de-Nazify" Ukraine, and that only military infrastructure is being targeted. Follow Sputnik's Live Feed to Find Out More! russia ukraine Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Russian Delegation Holds Press Briefing Ahead of Third Round of Ukraine Talks Russian Delegation Holds Press Briefing Ahead of Third Round of Ukraine Talks 2022-03-07T12:59+0000 true PT1S 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 world, russia, ukraine, https://sputniknews.com/20220307/russian-diplomat-warns-german-weapons-meant-for-ukraine-may-fall-into-hands-of-terrorists-1093650731.html Russian Diplomat Warns German Weapons Meant for Ukraine May Fall Into Hands of Terrorists Russian Diplomat Warns German Weapons Meant for Ukraine May Fall Into Hands of Terrorists MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Moscow is disappointed with Berlin's decision to supply weapons to Ukraine and concerned that these weapons may fall into the hands of... 07.03.2022, Sputnik International 2022-03-07T06:39+0000 2022-03-07T06:39+0000 2022-03-07T06:39+0000 germany russia ukraine weapons /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/102559/56/1025595686_0:179:3000:1867_1920x0_80_0_0_f6c4fcc2f2b085a8fbbe7bf42fa801ff.jpg "We are deeply disappointed that the German government, in violation of its own national legislation and legal restrictions at the EU level, has deviated from its previously balanced course on this issue, which was due, among other things, to considerations of historical responsibility on the part of Germany towards the peoples of the former USSR," Tyapkin said.Berlin has fully agreed with the anti-Russian position of the West, blocking the channels of dialogue with Moscow, he pointed out."So far, we are forced to state that the German government, despite the assurances that it is still committed to the process of historical reconciliation between the peoples of Germany and Russia, has fully agreed with the anti-Russian position of the West and is purposefully blocking the existing channels of cooperation and profile dialogue in all areas," Tyapkin said.Moscow hopes that Berlin will understand the futility of "burning bridges," the diplomat said, noting that peace and prosperity on the continent will depend on relations between the two countries.In late February, the German government announced its plans to supply Ukraine with weapons, approving the transfer of 400 German-made anti-tank guns, nine D-30 howitzers and ammunition to Kiev.At the time, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova warned that German lethal weapons will again be directed against the Russians. She also said that the weapons supplied by Germany to Ukraine could fall into the hands of neo-Nazis, terrorists and looters.For his part, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Moscow was astonished by comments of top German politicians regarding the situation in Ukraine and deliveries of weapons there."I listen with astonishment to the comments of European, especially German, politicians. My colleague Annalena Baerbock said that, given the historical responsibility which Germany is aware of, her country is simply obligated to supply weapons to Ukraine. What is it supposed to mean? That historical guilt and awareness of historical guilt requires Germany to support neo-Nazis? This creates strange connotations," he said in an interview with the Al Jazeera broadcaster on 2 March/ https://sputniknews.com/20220224/germany-says-launch-of-nord-stream-2-impossible-in-short--and-medium-term-1093325621.html germany ukraine Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 germany, russia, ukraine, weapons https://sputniknews.com/20220307/russian-nasal-vaccine-against-covid-19-expected-to-be-registered-early-1093644632.html Russian Nasal Vaccine Against COVID-19 Expected to Be Registered Early Russian Nasal Vaccine Against COVID-19 Expected to Be Registered Early MOSCOW (Sputnik) - A Russian nasal vaccine against COVID-19 is expected to be officially registered in the country in the near future, Alexander Gintsburg, the... 07.03.2022, Sputnik International 2022-03-07T01:11+0000 2022-03-07T01:11+0000 2022-03-07T01:11+0000 covid-19 omicron strain russia /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/03/07/1093644606_0:0:3073:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_7719bb280dc2a56e456b4da2e33f56e6.jpg "The Ministry of Health has set a deadline for us on March 17. So, the number of people that we are able to vaccinate intranasally until March 17, based on these results, we will write a report, and based on the results of this report, the Ministry of Health will decide whether to register or not. Looks like they'll register early," Gintsburg explained.He added that the new intranasal vaccine has already been administered to over 100 people who showed no negative side effects.The Russian health ministry authorized clinical trials of the new vaccine in October 2021. In November, Russian President Vladimir Putin offered to become a volunteer in the testing of the nasal vaccine against COVID-19 and said that he felt no side effects after getting the procedure. Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 covid-19, omicron strain, russia https://sputniknews.com/20220307/taiwan-will-eventually-return-to-embrace-of-the-motherland-chinese-fm-says-1093657504.html Taiwan Will 'Eventually Return to Embrace of the Motherland', Chinese FM Says Taiwan Will 'Eventually Return to Embrace of the Motherland', Chinese FM Says Amid Russia's military operation to demilitarize and de-Nazify Ukraine, there have been speculations, pushed by a host of Western politicians, that China... 07.03.2022, Sputnik International 2022-03-07T11:55+0000 2022-03-07T11:55+0000 2022-03-07T11:55+0000 china taiwan ukraine russia president xijinping joe biden mike pompeo /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/0a/0b/1089828528_0:279:2948:1937_1920x0_80_0_0_25043da799fc5cb3e61c7aec9c65f5ea.jpg Beijing has reiterated its stance that Taiwan, officially called the Republic of China, is an inalienable part of Chinese territory. Weighing in on rampant speculations regarding the future of the island that Beijing views as its province, Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi said on Monday that Taiwan will eventually return to the embrace of the motherland. Wang was speaking at a press conference on the sidelines of the 13th National Peoples Congress in Beijing. Taiwan has been governed independently from the mainland since the civil war that resulted in the Communist Party taking control in 1949. The island has its own elected government, and maintains that it is an autonomous country and has political and economic relations with several nations that recognise its sovereignty. Reacting to parallels drawn by some Western politicians and observers between Russias ongoing military operation to demilitarise and de-Nazify Ukraine and Chinas official policy, envisioning a peaceful unification of Taiwan with Mainland China, Wang rejected that comparison, saying the Taiwan question and the Ukraine issue are different in nature and are not comparable at all.Wang slammed the double standards wielded by those who raise a hue and cry over sovereignty in regards to the Ukraine issue, while undermining China's sovereignty and territorial integrity in terms of the Taiwan question. Since Russia launched its special military operation in Ukraine on 24 February, speculation has increased that China could make a similar move against Taiwan. Former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday urged the Biden administration to take the "long-overdue" step of granting "diplomatic recognition" of Taiwan and declaring it a "free and sovereign country". On a visit to the self-governed East Asian island between 2 and 5 March, Pompeo, in a series of tweets, said that the reality was that there's no need for Taiwan to declare independence because it's already an independent country." Pompeo's visit follows a trip by a senior US delegation sent by President Joe Biden and led by former Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral (retired) Michael Mullen to "reassure" Taipei of Washington's support for the island. On 3 March, the head of the US Pacific Air Forces on said that his surveillance assets were watching Chinese President Xi Jinping like a hawk for signs that the Peoples Liberation Army might be gearing up to invade Taiwan. Earlier in March, echoing the trend, former US President Donald Trump claimed that Taiwan is next in an interview with the host of Fox Business Mornings With Maria. While the US ended formal recognition of Taiwan when it established diplomatic relations with mainland China's Communist government in 1979, Washington has continued to openly funnel military aid to Taiwan. US President Joe Biden reaffirmed Washington's commitment to the "One-China policy, guided by the Taiwan Relations Act, the three Joint Communiques, and the Six Assurances" during a virtual meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in November 2021. In response, Xi had cautioned Biden that supporting Taiwan's "independence" was akin to "playing with fire". https://sputniknews.com/20220304/mike-pompeo-calls-for-diplomatic-recognition-of-taiwan-as-free-and-sovereign-country-1093572675.html https://sputniknews.com/20220307/trump-jokes-us-should-put-chinese-flags-on-f-22-fighter-jets-bomb-the-s-out-of-russia-1093648379.html china Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Svetlana Ekimenko Svetlana Ekimenko News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Svetlana Ekimenko china, taiwan, ukraine, russia, president xijinping, joe biden, mike pompeo https://sputniknews.com/20220307/trashed-by-trump-as-slow-lazy-and-cowardly-bill-barr-says-he-may-still-vote-for-him-in-2024-1093668234.html Trashed by Trump as Slow, Lazy and Cowardly, Bill Barr Says He May Still Vote for Him in 2024 Trashed by Trump as Slow, Lazy and Cowardly, Bill Barr Says He May Still Vote for Him in 2024 Donald Trump has blamed Barr and other senior officials in his administration for failing to address what Trump claimed to have been widespread fraud in the... 07.03.2022, Sputnik International 2022-03-07T19:06+0000 2022-03-07T19:06+0000 2022-03-07T21:07+0000 donald trump bill barr /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/107834/56/1078345658_0:160:3073:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_70e9c80973a718d02593dad1e779921b.jpg Former US attorney general Bill Barr has said that he would not rule out voting for his former boss Donald Trump if the latter was the GOP candidate in 2024.The former attorney general made the comments after being mercilessly trashed by Trump over his new book One Damn Thing After Another, in which he accused the former president of lying about the 2020 election and charged him with responsibility for the 6 January 2021 Capitol riots.Trump issued a three-page long statement blasting Barr as slow, lethargic, lazy and cowardly, and suggesting that he never had what it takes to make a great Attorney General. Trump then took to Telegram to further attack his former AG, saying the official wouldnt know voter fraud if it was staring him in the face, calling him weak and ineffective, and suggesting that he was broken by the Democrats in an attempt to save his own hide.Barr dismissed Trumps electoral fraud claims in his Today interview. There was no stealing of the election through fraud, which means you know that people who are not qualified to vote or didnt exist, their votes were counted, or that good votes were subtracted. The vote reflected the decision of the people, he said.The ex-attorney general also dismissed Trumps personal insults, calling them par for the course.Trump has burned his bridges with a large number of his former officials and foreign allies after leaving office. Trump previously accused his former vice president Mike Pence of cowardice and called Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell stupid. Late last year, Trump raged at former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over his recognition of Bidens victory, telling an interviewer F*** him.After being defeated by Democratic candidate Joe Biden in 2020, Trump spent months claiming (and continues to claim) that his loss was the result of massive vote fraud using rigged voting machines, mail-in ballot dumps, and other manipulations. To date, no court has heard the Republics claims, and in December 2020, the Supreme Court threw out an appeal by the State of Texas to challenge results in several swing states.Lets stay in touch no matter what. Follow our Telegram channel to get all the latest news: https://t.me/sputniknewsus https://sputniknews.com/20220306/trump-slams-weak-ex-ag-barr-for-not-battling-alleged-election-fraud-in-2020-1093624049.html https://sputniknews.com/20220213/wisconsin-50000-phantom-votes-cast-in-state-in-2020-twice-bidens-victory-margin--report-1092993988.html https://sputniknews.com/20220103/texas-2020-election-audit-found-about-12000-potential-non-citizens-suspected-of-registering-to-vote-1091998554.html Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Ilya Tsukanov Ilya Tsukanov News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Ilya Tsukanov donald trump, bill barr https://sputniknews.com/20220307/trucker-convoy-protesting-covid-19-measures-gets-to-dc-area-slows-down-beltway---reports-1093645981.html Trucker Convoy Protesting COVID-19 Measures Gets to DC Area, Slows Down Beltway - Reports Trucker Convoy Protesting COVID-19 Measures Gets to DC Area, Slows Down Beltway - Reports In protest of the US government's COVID-19-related restrictions, the protest group is replicating the "Freedom Convoy," which saw truckers in Canada block the... 07.03.2022, Sputnik International 2022-03-07T03:46+0000 2022-03-07T03:46+0000 2022-03-07T03:57+0000 us covid-19 truckers protest social protest washington, dc /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/03/07/1093646088_0:73:3071:1800_1920x0_80_0_0_b16c0b9cb85860d4294975b4267b3401.jpg The "People's Convoy," a group of American truckers and other vehicles, slowed traffic on Sunday as they drove around the Capital Beltway, a roadway that encircles Washington, D.According to reports, the convoy is made up of hundreds of trucks, cars, and recreational vehicles and spans more than two miles, or over three kilometers. The convoy has reportedly slowed traffic but not brought it to a complete stop.The Washington Post noted that the demonstrators' vehicles were significantly fewer in number and far more spaced out by the time they finished their second lap around the District. The traffic surrounding them moved normally for the majority of their journey.However, their presence on a weekday, when Beltway traffic is already heavy with commuters, might cause considerably more havoc, the outlet underscored.According to a statement on their Facebook page, the convoy expects to circle the Beltway twice before returning to Hagerstown, Maryland, where it began its Sunday route after spending a night, roughly 73 miles (117 km) from the capital.The US convoy left Southern California and began its journey across the country last week.Similar trucker protests erupted across Europe in response to the Canadian convoy, particularly in the Netherlands and France. And the Canadian truckers have caused a lot of stress to the country's government, including forcing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to take the unprecedented step of declaring a national public order emergency to put an end to what has turned into an anti-government rally. However, the emergency did not last long, as Trudeau decided to back down on his decision. washington, dc Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Kirill Kurevlev Kirill Kurevlev News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Kirill Kurevlev us, covid-19, truckers, protest, social protest, washington, dc https://sputniknews.com/20220307/unhcrs-angelina-jolie-urges-yemenis-deserve-same-compassion-as-ukrainian-refugees-1093668712.html UNHCRs Angelina Jolie Urges Yemenis Deserve Same Compassion as Ukrainian Refugees UNHCRs Angelina Jolie Urges Yemenis Deserve Same Compassion as Ukrainian Refugees The office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) announced on Sunday that its special envoy, actress Angelina Jolie, had arrived in the... 07.03.2022, Sputnik International 2022-03-07T19:34+0000 2022-03-07T19:34+0000 2022-03-07T21:07+0000 yemen angelina jolie un refugee agency (unhcr) saudi-led coalition /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/107687/73/1076877361_0:137:2048:1288_1920x0_80_0_0_8426e5fef25834ca7f9b099d4822131a.jpg She will be visiting Yemeni families, including displaced families and refugees, to hear directly from them how the conflict has ripped their lives apart, the UNHCR statement said.As we continue to watch the horrors unfolding in Ukraine, and call for an immediate end to the conflict and humanitarian access, Im here in Yemen to support people who also desperately need peace, Jolie posted on her Instagram account on Sunday.The situation here is one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world, with one civilian killed or injured every hour in 2022. An economy devastated by war, and over 20 million Yemenis depending on humanitarian assistance to survive, Jolie wrote, adding: If we learn anything from this shocking situation, it is that we cannot be selective about who deserves support and whose rights we defend. Everyone deserves the same compassion. The lives of civilian victims of conflict everywhere are of equal value. After seven years of war, the people of Yemen also need protection, support, and above all, peace."However, the pace of that bombing has increased sharply in recent weeks as the Houthis launch strikes deep into Saudi Arabia and its ally, the United Arab Emirates. While the Houthi missiles have largely been intercepted with minimal casualties, the Saudi coalition enjoys almost total command of Yemeni airspace and its strikes have been devastating, killing hundreds this year.However, Western media coverage of the attack, or of others such as the US bombing of Somalia and Israeli airstrikes against Syria, have been few and far between, being lost in a sea of stories about Russias special military operation in Ukraine that began on February 24.How the Western corporate media has covered the situation in Ukraine is also a part of that: numerous television reporters and correspondents from the BBC to CNN and other outlets have remarked about Ukrainian refugees in ways that betray their bias against refugees from the Middle East and other non-European peoples.It just occurred to me that this is the first major war between civilized nations in my lifetime, Daily Wire journalist Michael Knowles wrote on Twitter on February 26.The Arab and Middle Eastern Journalists Association issued a statement condemning such framing, writing that This type of commentary reflects the pervasive mentality in Western journalism of normalizing tragedy in parts of the world such as the Middle East, Africa, South Asia, and Latin America. It dehumanizes and renders their experience with war as somehow normal and expected.Newsrooms must not make comparisons that weigh the significance or imply justification of one conflict over another - civilian casualties and displacement in other countries are equally as abhorrent as they are in Ukraine, the group added.Lets stay in touch no matter what. Follow our Telegram channel to get all the latest news: https://t.me/sputniknewsus yemen Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 yemen, angelina jolie, un refugee agency (unhcr), saudi-led coalition https://sputniknews.com/20220307/us-officials-reportedly-make-scant-progress-gauging-venezuela-as-alternative-oil-supply-1093661446.html US Officials Reportedly Make Scant Progress Gauging Venezuela as Alternative Oil Supply US Officials Reportedly Make Scant Progress Gauging Venezuela as Alternative Oil Supply Venezuela last week rejected the US and European position on the Russian military operation to demilitarize and de-Nazify Ukraine, with President Nicolas... 07.03.2022, Sputnik International 2022-03-07T13:45+0000 2022-03-07T13:45+0000 2022-03-07T13:45+0000 venezuela us sanctions on venezuela russia ukraine nicolas maduro pdvsa antony blinken /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/03/1f/1082496490_0:164:3059:1884_1920x0_80_0_0_8913d01b7a45a921d7fb9ca0872c17c0.jpg A high-level US delegation met with top government officials in Caracas, Venezuela, on Saturday, for the first such high-level bilateral talks in years, reported Reuters. The delegation, that comprised Juan Gonzalez, the top White House official on Latin America, the US Ambassador to Venezuela, James Story, and Roger Carstens, the special presidential envoy for hostage affairs, had met at the Miraflores palace with President Nicolas Maduro and his Vice President, Delcy Rodriguez, according to sources cited by the outlet. The US group purportedly made the case to the Venezuela government for the release of American citizens and dual nationals held there, including six oil executives from Houston-based CITGO, a subsidiary of PDVSA, who had been detained on corruption charges.However, the delegation is said to have been tasked with gauging the chances of Venezuela, one of Russia's closest Latin American allies, being prepared to distance itself from Moscow due to the ongoing Ukraine crisis.Russia launched an operation to demilitarise and de-Nazify the neighbouring country on 24 February after the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics, officially recognised by Moscow earlier, requested assistance in defending themselves against Ukrainian forces. With the Kremlin slapped by Washington, the EU and a plethora of allies with sweeping sanctions over what they branded an invasion, involving airspace closures, restrictive measures targeting Russian officials, media and financial institutions, the US is supposedly searching for alternative oil supplies in the event of a boycott of Moscow's energy industry. However, scant progress was reportedly made, as sources claimed that both sides presented "maximalist" demands. Washington is described as having angled for guarantees of free presidential elections in Venezuela, broad reforms of the countrys oil industry and the government's public condemnation of Russias actions in Ukraine. In return, the US side was ready to offer a spate of concessions, such as temporarily allowing Venezuela to use the SWIFT system, sources were cited as saying. However, Maduro purportedly demanded a total lifting of sanctions targeting Venezuela's oil exports, as well as the restrictions slapped by Washington on him, personally, as well as other Venezuelan officials, and the return to the state's control of PDVSA's US subsidiary Citgo Petroleum. US officials are believed to have agreed to a follow-up meeting.The White House, the US State Department and Venezuela's Information ministry have not offered any confirmation or comment on the reported meeting. However, at a time when there are no commercial flights from the US to Venezuela, data from flight-tracking website ADS-B Exchange showed a Gulfstream jet leaving a Washington airport and flying to Caracas via Miami on Saturday. Washington and Caracas have had no formal diplomatic relations since January 2019, when the US attempted to overthrow the government of President Nicolas Maduro and slapped crushing sanctions on the Latin American nation.Not Seduced by Lies Last week, Venezuela rejected the US and European stance on the Russian military operation in Ukraine, redirecting the blame for the crisis on Washington and NATO. The report comes as Western sanctions have been driving fuel prices through the roof. Oil surged 10% on Sunday, topping $110 per barrel of WTI crude, and $115 a barrel for Brent crude. This came after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Joe Bidens administration was in very active discussions with European partners to ban imports of Russian oil. Venezuela, boasting the worlds largest oil reserves, used to be a major exporter until its production collapsed from an estimated three million barrels per day to less than a million amid the tough sanctions regime and mismanagement. https://sputniknews.com/20220306/senior-us-officials-visit-venezuela-to-try-to-split-russia-off-from-latin-american-allies-report-1093640999.html https://sputniknews.com/20220307/oil-prices-surge-as-us-pushes-for-global-ban-on-russian-fuel-1093645601.html https://sputniknews.com/20220307/congress-to-approve-more-aid-for-kiev-exploring-possibility-of-russian-oil-ban-pelosi-says-1093645234.html venezuela Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Svetlana Ekimenko Svetlana Ekimenko News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Svetlana Ekimenko venezuela, us sanctions on venezuela, russia, ukraine, nicolas maduro, pdvsa, antony blinken https://sputniknews.com/20220307/us-senators-fear-setting-up-no-fly-zone-over-ukraine-could-spark-world-war-iii-1093663413.html US Senators Fear Setting Up No-Fly Zone Over Ukraine Could Spark World War III US Senators Fear Setting Up No-Fly Zone Over Ukraine Could Spark World War III On Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky repeated his call to Washington to approve the creation of a no-fly zone over Ukraine. Russian President... 07.03.2022, Sputnik International 2022-03-07T14:58+0000 2022-03-07T14:58+0000 2022-03-07T14:59+0000 no-fly-zone russia ukraine us lawmakers /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/06/08/1083100657_0:18:3581:2032_1920x0_80_0_0_d6867f0437dc7c78fd77e788c2956f78.png US lawmakers from both the Republican and Democratic parties have shied away from Kievs request to establish a no-fly zone over the country, citing the danger of a direct military confrontation with Russia.One thing is certainly true: shooting down Russian planes would require a declaration of war from Congress which isnt happening, Murphy later tweeted.And I dont think thats in the best interest of NATO, our partners and allies and friends. But what we can do is provide all the defensive mechanisms for President Zelensky and his armed services to provide their own protected airspace. And that starts, of course, with providing air platforms to President Zelensky, making sure that those pilots are able to protect their own airspace, she said.The Biden White House has repeatedly eschewed the idea of a US or NATO-enforced no-fly zone over Ukraine.Senator Joe Manchin the West Virginia Democrat known for taking stances opposed to Bidens, told Meet the Press he would take nothing off the table when it comes to the crisis in Ukraine. But I would let be very clear that were going to support the Ukrainian people, the Ukrainian president and his government in every way humanely possible, Manchin said.Russian President Vladimir Putin warned Saturday that Moscow would treat any aircraft or other military assets seeking to impose a no-fly zone as a military target.We are hearing voices that a no-fly zone should be imposed over Ukraine. It is impossible to do this in Ukraine. It can only be done from the territory of neighbouring states. However, we will consider any move in this direction as participation in the armed conflict of the country from whose territory a threat to our servicemen is created. We will consider them participants in hostilities that very second. Their membership in any organization will not matter. So I hope the understanding of this is there and it will not come to this, Putin said.Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Szymon Szynkowski vel Sek indicated Monday that a decision by NATO to set up a no-fly zone over Ukraine would mean a large-scale military operation beyond the North Atlantic Alliances borders, and be outside the bounds of legality.US and NATO-instituted no-fly zones were implemented against Iraq, Bosnia and Libya at various points between 1991 and 2019, with the Libya no-fly zone used as a justification for NATO forces to bomb Muammar Gaddafi loyalist forces in 2011. The operation ended with Gaddafis overthrow, and Libya was turned into a failed state.The civil aviation organizations of the US and other countries prohibit or advise against flights in a number of other nations or regions, including eastern Ukraine and Crimea, North Korea, Syria, Iran, Afghanistan, Egypts northern Sinai, northern Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya, Mali and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. https://sputniknews.com/20220306/russia-has-info-some-ukrainian-fighter-jets-flying-into-romania-and-other-countries-mod-says-1093637566.html https://sputniknews.com/20220307/no-fly-zone-over-ukraine-will-trigger-direct-russia-nato-conflict---warsaw-1093661326.html ukraine Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Ilya Tsukanov Ilya Tsukanov News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Ilya Tsukanov no-fly-zone, russia, ukraine, us lawmakers https://sputniknews.com/20220307/zelensky-has-encrypted-telecoms-gear-allowing-him-to-get-in-touch-with-biden-report-1093661854.html Zelensky Has Encrypted Telecoms Gear Allowing Him to Get in Touch With Biden: Report Zelensky Has Encrypted Telecoms Gear Allowing Him to Get in Touch With Biden: Report Along with Western weaponry, Ukraine is believed to have been equipped with a range of US and NATO telecommunications gear in recent years. On Sunday, Donetsk... 07.03.2022, Sputnik International 2022-03-07T13:44+0000 2022-03-07T13:44+0000 2022-03-07T13:45+0000 ukraine volodymyr zelensky joe biden /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/09/0a/1080418153_0:238:2795:1810_1920x0_80_0_0_9a5fd042cd62474552c92435525b1e1e.jpg Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has access to mobile encrypted communications equipment which travels with him at all times and allows him to dial up US President Joe Biden at a moments notice, the New York Times has reported, citing sources said to be familiar with the situation.The equipment was reportedly used by Zelensky Saturday for a 35-minute call with Biden.The telecommunications equipment is just a fraction of the aid the US and its NATO allies have given Ukraine in recent days. Other assistance has included over 17,000 anti-tank missiles and hundreds of millions of dollars worth of military equipment.Military intelligence officials in the US and Germany are also gathering satellite intelligence on the movement of Russian forces and sending it to the Ukrainian military after stripping the data of any hints of how they were gathered, according to NYT. This is reportedly done as a precaution amid fears that Ukraines military and intelligence services are overrun with Russian spies.The extent of US and NATO assistance to Ukraine in the field of telecommunications was partially uncovered Sunday, when DPR leader Denis Pushilin reported that a NATO IT Asset laptop containing intelligence had been found at an abandoned headquarters of the neo-Nazi Right Sector paramilitary group. Pushilin said the laptop included a detailed map of the area of operations, including the locations of DPR units. This, he suggested, was an indication that the militants have a special level of security clearance from the North Atlantic Alliance.Along with his customized encrypted telecoms equipment, Zelensky reportedly has access to an elite force of US and British commandos on standby in Lithuania ready to take whisk him out of the country in an emergency.In a Zoom call Saturday, Zelensky warned US lawmakers that they may not see him alive again after asking them to send more weapons and to impose a no-fly zone. On Sunday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken assured that Kiev has a contingency plan in place in case Zelensky was killed.Ukrainian opposition lawmaker Ilya Kiva claimed Friday that Zelensky had already left Ukraine and taken refuge in the US Embassy in Warsaw, Poland. The Ukrainian presidents office denied the claims, saying Zelensky has no choice but to stay in his country. The office refused to provide details on the presidents current whereabouts, citing security concerns.* The Right Sector is an extremist group whose activities are banned in Russia. https://sputniknews.com/20220306/nato-labelled-laptop-with-intelligence-found-at-ukrainian-nationalists-hq-dpr-head-says--1093639199.html https://sputniknews.com/20220307/blinken-claims-kiev-ready-to-ensure-continuity-of-govt-in-case-of-zelenskys-death-1093644090.html ukraine Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Ilya Tsukanov Ilya Tsukanov News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Ilya Tsukanov ukraine, volodymyr zelensky, joe biden Keith Linton Stakes champion Sunshine Boy was back in action on Sunday afternoon (March 6) at Fraser Downs and the speedy four-year-old pacer headlined the $12,000 Open for trainer/driver Brandon Campbell. Tiempo Hanover (David Kelly), who won three Opens already this year, flashed his early gate speed from the outside to take command over insider starters Armycaptin Hanover (Scott Knight) and Waitin Ona River (Kevin Anderson), but his lead was short-lived as stablemate Sunshine Boy circled the compact field of four at the :27.4 quarter pole. He opened up a loose lead through middle splits of :55.3 and 1:23.1 and cruised home an easy 2-3/4-length winner in 1:51.3 -- just a tick off his lifetime mark and the current Canadian season's record he set last time out in the Keith Linton on February 20. Tiempo Hanover edged out Armycaptin Hanover in a photo for place to give the Campbell stable the 1-2 finish. Sunshine Boy was the heavy 1-5 favourite among the field shortened to four with the scratch of Cenalta Express sick. He returned $3.10 to win and $2.10 to place. There was no show wagering. The Sunshine Beach son, who opened his 2022 campaign with a victory in the Western Canada Pacing Derby, now boasts four wins from six starts and a pair of top three finishes to add $78,080 to his bankroll. A career winner of a dozen races and nearly $170,000, Sunshine Boy is owned by Alberta residents Jodi Loftus, Dana Shore and George Rogers. To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Fraser Downs Marielle Enberg is in it to win it. When the starter car picks up speed around 7:50 p.m. on Monday night (March 7) at Woodbine Mohawk Park, the soft-spoken Swedish-born horsewoman will have her game face on as the field of 10 pacers are sent on their way in Woodbines International Womens Day Race, an event that puts 10 women drivers in the Standardbred spotlight on International Womens Day. I think it will be a lot of fun, said Enberg, of the race that features the drivers teaming with a field of older pacing mares in an $18,000 overnight event, carded as Race 3 in the program. When I get to the racetrack, thats when I start to get into that competitive mindset. Most of the girls, we are friends. Its a different game once you get on the track, but we are friends again once the race is over. Enberg, who has 12 career driving wins and 12 lifetime training triumphs to her name, will partner Chanel Beach in the race. Although she hasnt driven the four-year-old daughter of American Ideal before, Enberg has been doing her homework ahead of the dash. It looks like she has some speed. She made some breaks, but it doesnt seem like she does that a lot. Thats really not like her. She raced well in the States, so hopefully, she can have another good race on Monday night." Sitting in the sulky isnt Enbergs only association with Standardbreds. She is also an accomplished participant in Racing Under Saddle (RUS), a Standardbred trotting race where the horse is ridden, not driven, having competed across the world, including her native Sweden. In 2013, she represented Canada in a RUS series in New Jersey, which featured two legs worth $10,000 on July 19 and 26, and a $25,000 final on August 3. I really enjoy being able to do both things, said Enberg, who currently has four horses in her barn, including her pet, Azucar, a 10-year-old trotting son of Crazed. Its nice to have the chance to work with the horses in different ways, to help them be as successful as they can be. Enberg first arrived in Canada in 2010 after working for trainers in the U.S. She worked a handful of years for Jonas Czerynson and then with Bjorn Noren, who sent her to Canada 12 years ago with a few of his horses to compete in the Ontario Sires Stakes. After that experience, Enberg headed back to Sweden, unsure of what she wanted to do next. A call from Luc Ouellette, asking her to help with his band of pacers and trotters, brought her back to Canada. Now, she will look to add another win to her resume at Woodbine Mohawk Park, on an evening that also showcases an all-female crew for its simulcast and race-calling coverage. Shell have one of her biggest supporters cheering her on. Im proud of my mom because shes my mom, and she loves me, and shes good at racing, said Enbergs seven-year-old son Erik. Enberg is also good at making her mark at Woodbine Mohawk Park. In 2012, she partnered Ive Got It All to a win in an Under Saddle Exhibition Trot event on Canada Day, a picture-perfect Monday night at the Milton oval. Shell happily take a repeat performance tonight. I want to win this race, for sure, said Enberg. International Women's Day Race Post Horse Driver Trainer Morning Line Odds 1 Stargazing Cruiser Marie Claude Auger Nick Boyd 10-1 2 Rhythm Seelster Julie Walker Carmen Auciello 9-2 3 Blackcreek Rosebud Pam Forgie Mark McCormack 15-1 4 Fern Hill Bella Kayla Chappell Richard Moreau 10-1 5 Blink And Gone Jesse Turenne Richard Moreau 7-2 6 Mach My Kiss (L) Natasha Day Robert Fellows 3-1 7 Chanel Beach Marielle Enberg Gerard Demers 8-1 8 Elm Grove Mistress Anita Ouellette Terry Gallant 6-1 9 Two Tone Terror Samara Johnson Nathan Sobey 15-1 10 Artistic Meadow Maggie Jones Mark McCormack 4-1 To view Monday's harness racing entries, click on the following link: Monday Entries - Woodbine Mohawk Park. (Woodbine) Country United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of Burkina Faso Burundi, 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Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe For the third year, state Sen. Vickie Sawyer is showcasing works by area artists by taking them to Raleigh and decorating the walls of her office to recognize the artists and, as she said when she first began this special project, to both honor my grandmother, who was an artist, and to highlight the works of the local art community. Her new selections, which will grace the walls of her office for several months, are works from Sandie Bell, Anne Gallaher, Mary Louise Biasotti Hooper, Pat McCabe, Ellen Patterson and Kathy Weiss. Sawyer said that she is grateful for the support from the art community and surprised every three months we just get a flowing of new artists that are willing to give their work up to be shown in Raleigh, but grateful they have this partnership with the Mooresville Artists Guild. Bell, a member of Mooresville Arts, often exhibits her work there as well as at other locations and participates in the Lakeside Artists Studio Tour. She has two paintings that were selected, The Other Side and Twilight Heron. She was born in Alabama and grew up in a military family in several locations around the country. I was awarded a scholarship and attended Columbus College of Art and Design in Ohio. I have continued my art education by regularly participating in workshops and classes, Bell said. Her work has earned many awards in shows and competitions and has been accepted into invitational and juried shows. She has had several solo exhibitions and is represented in private collections throughout the country. My work has been published in several books and magazines, she said. Since 1993, she, her husband and their cats have lived in Mooresville. Since my retirement several years ago, I have had the opportunity to work on my art as much as I would like, she said. Inspiration comes from things around her. Living in the Carolinas provides daily inspiration, from the breathtaking colors of sunrises and sunsets to the ever-changing views of Lake Norman, the fascinating flora and fauna around our home, and the beautiful mountains and beaches, she said. I also enjoy painting still life and the occasional abstract just for the fun of it. Experimenting and working with many different media and different styles is exciting. Im currently working mainly in acrylics and mixed media, but also enjoy pastels, alcohol ink, collage and watercolor, and Im always open to try something new. Gallagher is a member of the Palette and Chisel Academy of Fine Arts in Chicago, and she trained under internationally and recognized painters. Her paintings regularly appear in juried shows and at galleries and museums, and she enjoys participating in plein air painting events. One of Gallaghers oil paintings that was selected for Sawyers office was done as a plein air work. Lake Norman Morning was painted at Lake Norman State Park. You get a sense of immediacy with plein air that you dont get by sitting in a studio by yourself, she said. You are actually out there in nature with the light. Her second painting selected, Rare Lake Norman Snow, came about after that rare snowfall we had, she said. It was just so beautiful, sparkling and the fascinating thing to me is that snow is not white, Gallagher said. Its anything but white. I saw all the different colors. It was fun. When asked what it meant to have her work on display in Raleigh, Gallaher said: Its thrilling because my art is all about sharing, sharing my sense of wonder over our beautiful world. I try to express that in my artwork and to be able to share it with others so that they can say oh, wow like I do when I see some beauty. For Hooper, she said that it is a wonderful honor to have my work taken there. This is the first time Ive had the pleasure of showing it in Sen. Sawyers office, and Im delighted. I teach here (at Mooresville Arts), so its an honor to be in that office. Her two works taken to Raleigh are titled Hibiscus and The Seal Tank in Central Park in New York City. Hooper is a national and international professional artist whose prize-winning oils and watercolors are inspired by her own photographs. Shes a Fulbright Scholar to Italy and is life-juried in Biennale Internazioale DellArte Contemporane in Florence, Italy. A retired professor, she runs hooperart.com and is a master teacher at Mooresville Arts. McCabe said that she grew up in the Chicago suburbs and retired with my husband to beautiful North Carolina where I find much inspiration in the areas natural beauty. Now that I have the time, I love to paint scenes of places Ive visited or people Ive met, she said. Her work that is hanging in Raleigh, an oil painting, is titled Somethings Brewing. This painting was inspired by a photo I took while visiting Harpers Ferry, she said. Having her work shown in Raleigh, McCabe said, is a wonderful opportunity for exposure. Im very honored. Patterson, whose oil painting Poppies was selected, said that she was very thrilled and honored that she liked my oil painting, which is a medium I very seldom use. During the past years, she has worked mostly with water media painting. I have studied watercolor and mix media with artists of national and international reputation, Patterson said. Many of my works are in private, corporate and business collections. Patterson is a past board member of the Watercolor Society of North Carolina and member of Mooresville Arts. She also has chaired the American Watercolor Society Travel Exhibits, which have been featured at Mooresville Arts three times, and the Watercolor Society of North Carolinas annual convention at Mooresville. Weiss noted that she came from an artistic family with her father being an art director and her mother, a sculptor and copy writer. Creativity in all forms was nurtured on the familys hundred-acre farm in upstate New York. Although drawing and writing were a favorite pastime, she pursued a business degree. After moving to Charlotte 10 years ago, she said she intensified her artistic endeavors in watercolor and acrylic and continues to evolve, exploring a variety of genres from realism, impressionism and abstract. Weiss likewise said that she was thrilled to have her work, titled Carolina Dunes, taken to Raleigh. It is a watercolor work on paper behind glass. Speaking of watercolor, Weiss said that its a wonderful media thats very organic, so its mixing pigment with water and letting it flow onto the paper. Im just thrilled to be part of the installation that will be at the senators office, she said. Im happy that its something that reflects the Carolinas. Mine is very coastal. Im thrilled to be here. More than 30 years ago, Statesvilles Joe Sinclair spent a harrowing couple of weeks behind the Iron Curtain while chaperoning a group of high school students for choral performances. With the situation in the Ukraine, Sinclair, who served as Iredell-Statesville Schools superintendent, sees parallels to the things he and the others on that trip experienced. Sinclair was superintendent of the Burlington City Schools in 1989 when the show choir from Cummings High School was invited to represent the U.S. at a Communist youth festival in the Soviet Union, the first westerners ever to perform at the festival in Sochi, Sinclair said. After several meetings with parents and school officials, and with support from the Burlington community, Sinclair said, 20 students, Sinclair and four other adult chaperones, left for New York in October 1989. Their first stop was Prague, Czechoslovakia, for a performance. Then they were scheduled to be onto Moscow for the next performance. Getting out of Prague, Sinclair said, proved to be more difficult than expected. At the airport in Prague, he said, the group was informed that four of the seats for the group had been claimed by others. That meant four of us could not go on to Moscow, he said, adding that was the last flight out of Prague that night. Sinclair said anyone of the group that stayed in Prague past midnight would spend that night in jail. As he was trying to resolve the impasse, Sinclair said he told the students and one chaperone to plan to board the flight, and he and the other three adults would go to the U.S. Embassy for help. After the alternate plans were in place, the interpreter accompanying the group rushed up to Sinclair. Suddenly those four seats had been found, he said. Sinclair said he believed the incident was centered on harassing U.S. citizens whenever possible. After breathing a sigh of relief and preparing to board the plane, Sinclair found himself a target of the Czech guards because he was carrying a camcorder. The camcorder, much larger than those of today, had been approved so that Sinclair could tape the performances for parents and others back in Burlington. As he walked toward the airplane, two guards rushed up to him. They grabbed me and took the camcorder and threw me against the wall, he said. The interpreter accompanying the group stepped in and, after a heated exchange in Russian, Sinclair was given the camcorder and released. The frightening experiences were not over, Sinclair said. Thirty minutes into the flight to Moscow, the plane began to descend. We knew we were not yet in Moscow and had no idea what was happening, he said. Later, he said, they learned the plane had been ordered to land in Bratislova. We were ordered off the plane and told not to take any luggage, he said. The entire group was held in what appeared to be a warehouse for more than an hour. To this day, I dont know why the plane was ordered to land, he said. After being detained, the group was allowed back on the plane and continued the flight to Moscow without further incident. It was early October, and the group was greeted by snow when it arrived in Moscow. I couldnt believe it was only Oct. 5 and we were experiencing snow, he said. After an overnight stay, the group left the cold and snow of Moscow for the warmer climate in Sochi. There they were assigned quarters in an old high-rise building. The elevator didnt work, so the group climbed stairs to get to their quarters. I remember to this day, we climbed 428 steps to reach our rooms, he said. Most of the rest of the trip was uneventful, and the students and chaperones formed friendships with other international students that are still in place today. The Burlington show choir performed brilliantly, he said. With the trip nearing its end, the group decided to travel to the Georgia, a republic in the Soviet Union, to visit the mountains. They had been told not to take pictures. One student, he said, tried to snap a photo of one of the Communist guards. We heard screams and rushed to find that the guard had a bayonet pointed at her stomach, he said. Again, the interpreter intervened and a terrible situation was averted. Before they could head home, however, the interpreter said a television report said that there had been a nuclear disaster in North Carolina. They said it was in chaos, he said. We were all very concerned. After checking around as best they could behind the Iron Curtain, they learned the disaster was a small grass fire near a nuclear plant in Wilmington. We were able to tell the students we were OK, he said. They returned to the New York after that excursion, and as they approached the airport, the students began singing God Bless America, he said. It was after arriving back home, Sinclair said, they learned that there was significant upheaval going on in the Communist bloc countries they had visited. The Berlin Wall would fall in the coming weeks, and the students and chaperones had witnessed a part of history. The problems that arose during the trip, Sinclair said, strictly came from government officials, not from the people of the countries. The people were so warm and welcoming, he said. Watching the reports from the Ukraine, Sinclair said, brought back the memories, good and bad, of that trip. Because of the pleasant reception their group received from those in Russia, he said, he watches with anxiety for the average citizen in both Russia and the Ukraine. That (1989) was one of the most turbulent times in our history, and now were seeing it again, he said. More than 30 years later, Sinclair said, he looks back on that time fondly. It was a great trip, he said. For his decades in law enforcement, Sheriff Chip Shuler isnt easily surprised by law breaking, but he described himself as shocked by the number of people speeding through school zones. Shuler wasnt alone. When presented with some of the statistics, county leaders began considering action that would place enforcement cameras in those zones. For five days in December, Blue Line Solutions, a Tennessee company, performed speed studies at several of the countys schools. Those studies monitored vehicles and their speeds from 7:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. Any vehicle traveling at more than 10 mph over the specified school zone limit was considered to be speeding. At Atkins Elementary, which sits alongside U.S. 11, nearly 60% of the drivers who passed the school in the morning hours of 7:30-10 a.m. were speeding. Over the course of the five days, 12,012 vehicles came through the zone with 3,340 of them speeding. At Chilhowie Elementary, which is also just off U.S. 11, more than 18,490 vehicles passed by the school during the same five days. In that case, mornings were again the worst time for speeding, but the rate was lower with 21.6% of the drivers exceeding the school zone limit. Overall, 1,688 drivers were found to be speeding over the course of the study. At Rich Valley Elementary and Northwood Middle schools, on the far less traveled Long Hollow Road, more speeding occurred in the afternoon hours of 3-4 p.m. when 23.7% of drivers were exceeding the speed limit. During the study, 1,752 vehicles came through the school zone with 150 of them speeding. At Saltville Elementary on Rt. 91, speeding rates were about the same during school-opening and school-closing hours, 17% and 15.6%, respectively. During the study, 792 vehicles were speeding out of 8,586. Sugar Grove Elementary, which is on the well-traveled Sugar Grove Highway, also experienced nearly equal numbers of speeders near the start and end of the school day, 39.4% and 38.7%. In this area, 1,322 drivers out of 4,985 were speeding. Reflecting on the reports, Shuler said, The number of vehicles passing through them was amazing, and then the number of those vehicles speeding was even more shocking. I am always concerned about the safety of our children and will look at any resource to keep them safe whether that be inside or outside of our schools. After seeing these speed studies (conducted only during days and times the school speed signs are flashing), I cannot ignore the potential danger. Board of Supervisors Vice Chair Lori Deel concurred. During a February board meeting, she described the number of vehicles speeding through the school zones as staggering. Mark Hutchinson, founder and CEO of Blue Line Solutions, presented the information to the boards Public Safety Committee in early February, promoting his companys services and hoping to win a contract with the county. Hutchinson also spoke to the Wythe County Board of Supervisors about the situation there. In his proposals, Hutchinson explained how his company can set up speed enforcement cameras at no cost to the county. BLS will monitor the cameras that photograph the license plates of speeders, and then bill the drivers, collect the money and mail the county a check every month. Hutchinson, a former police officer with experience in highway safety, said he started the company in 2010 and that his company is not like other companies in the photo speed enforcement business. We are very different, he told the Wythe supervisors. Every other company wants to write tickets and cash checks. Its a cash-and-grab. BLS, however, is safety-focused with the goal of driving down the number of speeders in school zones, which reduces the number of citations and tickets. Before the company mails out citations, it works to educate drivers about the cameras and when the cameras will start clicking. First, it takes speed surveys in the areas under consideration for a camera as it did at multiple Smyth schools. The surveys let law enforcement know if there is a speeding problem in the area and the degree of the problem. Next, it notifies drivers and sends out survey results to the school system and the community to highlight the issue and inform the public about the cameras. Next, it gives drivers a 30-day warning period. During that period, anyone going more than 10 miles over the posted speed limit will be given a warning ticket. During the first week of the 30-day period, another survey is taken to measure the programs effectiveness. Up to that point, no tickets are written, and BLS usually sees about a 60% reduction in speeding in the school zone. Another survey is taken after five weeks. Even with the reduction in speeding, according to a Smyth County Public Safety Committee report, Hutchinson estimates the county will take in between $150,000 and $160,000 a month. Hutchinson said the company is seeking a two-year contract because thats how long it takes to recoup the cost of the equipment used in the county. The company would collect data during the entire two-year contract period so supervisors will be able to determine the programs effectiveness. The company would send out citations only after an officer from the sheriffs department has validated and approved each citation. The officer will see four photos of each vehicle to verify that the registration matches the car in question. The company provides all information so the process is said to only take a couple of seconds for each citation. We will do nothing without the approval of the sheriffs office or the county administrator, Hutchinson said. The company makes money by charging a $15 processing fee for each citation. The maximum fine amount is $100 per citation. The companys fee is included in the fine amount. Hutchinson said the county will never write a check or be invoiced, even if the processing fees outweigh the amount collected for the month. There will never be a cost to the county; we will eat that, Hutchinson said to the Wythe supervisors. There is close to zero risk for the county. The citations will not go against a persons drivers license like it would if an officer stopped and ticketed the driver. The amount is just enough to modify driving behavior but does not penalize the person as much, Hutchinson said. The addition of such cameras is now possible following the Virginia General Assembly 2021 adoption of a law that allows cameras in school and construction zones. After their presentations, supervisors in both counties voted to have County Attorney Scot Farthing draft an ordinance required to implement photo enforcement. State code requires localities to adopt an ordinance to authorize the use of the photo enforcement. Smyth County supervisors will hold a public hearing on the proposed ordinance allowing photo speed enforcement during their March 10 meeting at about 5 p.m. The Smyth supervisors have also approved issuing a request for proposals from vendors of these services. Shuler concluded, I'm sure that parents, teachers, and bus drivers who travel into our school zones each day will appreciate any efforts that make it safer for the children. Editors note: Information is provided by the Cowlitz County Corrections Department and local law enforcement agencies. Each individual named in this report is presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Eluding Washington State Patrol Saturday arrested Samuel James Pasillas, 36, of Vancouver, on suspicion of eluding a police vehicle. Child rape Longview police Friday arrested a 32-year-old Longview man on suspicion of second-degree child rape and first-degree incest. (Editors note: The Daily News does not name arrestees of sex crimes until suspects are charged to ensure alleged victims arent identified before the suspect has been formally accused of a crime.) Assault Longview police Friday arrested Preston Anthony Perry, 47, of Longview, on suspicion of second-degree assault. Possession of a stolen vehicle Longview police Friday arrested Christopher Dean Wright, 23, of Kalama, on suspicion of possession of a stolen vehicle. Robbery Longview police Saturday arrested Noah Daniel Custer, 24, of Kelso, on suspicion of second-degree robbery. Failure to register Cowlitz County sheriffs deputies Saturday arrested Skyler Lee Goldwater, 23, of unknown residence, on suspicion of failure to register as a sex offender. Harassment Longview police Saturday arrested Michael Lee Hallsworth, 23, of Longview, on suspicion of felony harassment, unlawful possession of a firearm and aiming/discharging a firearm. Violating protection order Longview police Sunday arrested Danial Aaron Oscar Jones, 22, of Kelso, on suspicion of violating a protection order. Assault, burglary Longview police Sunday arrested Shellie Jean Schumann, 60, of Longview, on suspicion of violating a no harassment order, fourth-degree assault and second-degree burglary. Robbery Longview police Saturday arrested Rebecca Joanne Whistleman, 28, of Kelso, on suspicion of second-degree robbery. Possession of a stolen vehicle, drugs Woodland police Sunday arrested Gabriel Marcus Jackson, 29, of Woodland, on suspicion of possession of a stolen vehicle and a felony drug offense. Cyberstalking Kalama police Monday arrested Christopher Charles Jensen, 51, of Oregon City, Ore., on suspicion of possession of a stolen vehicle, cyberstalking and misdemeanor telephone harassment. Robbery Longview police Sunday arrested Rebecca Mark Kenneth Laurila Jr., 30, of Castle Rock, on suspicion of second-degree robbery and second-degree malicious mischief. Attempt to elude Kelso police Sunday arrested Kye William Madison, 30, of Kelso, on suspicion of attempt to elude. Assault Longview police Sunday arrested Leeann Renee Sanders, 32, of Winlock, on suspicion of third-degree assault of a police officer. Arson 600 block of Triangle Center, Longview. Friday. Occurred overnight, on video. 600 block of Triangle Center, Longview. Saturday. Someone lit a garbage can on fire and it burned the business wall. Burglaries 4500 block of Ocean Beach Highway, Longview. Saturday. Business burglarized at about 4:15 a.m., value of theft estimated at $5,000. 6800 block of Old Pacific Highway, Kalama. Sunday. Multiple storage units broken into. 500 block of 28th Avenue, Longview. Sunday. House door kicked in. 1000 block of 20th Avenue, Longview. Sunday. Tools taken. Stolen vehicles 100 block of Haussler Road, Kelso. Saturday. Light blue 2004 Chrysler Pacifica. Washington AIJ2209. Dent in the front panel above the tire on the passenger side. 30th Avenue and Hudson Street, Longview. Saturday. White 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan. Washington AZF5516. Black front bumper. 500 block of Bozarth Avenue, Woodland. Saturday. White 1996 Honda. Washington ASC7531. Taken from parking lot overnight. 800 block of Maple Street, Longview. Sunday. Green 2000 Honda Civic. Washington BHN8229. Black rims, windshield cracked. Thefts 100 block of Sauer Road, Kalama. Friday. Resident has suspect information. 100 block of Crawford Street, Kelso. Friday. Medications taken by known suspect. 1000 block of Second Avenue, Kelso. Saturday. Three crab pots, blue nets with buoys attached taken. 300 block of Nevada Drive, Longview. Sunday. Someone taking scrap metal from the property. Vandalism/malicious mischief 400 block of Catlin Street, Kelso. Friday. Van damaged. 300 block of Allen Street, Kelso. Sunday. Drive thru window damaged. 1200 block of 15th Avenue, Longview. Sunday. Vehicle fuel line cut. Nichols Boulevard and Washington Way, Longview. Sunday. Boyfriend slammed the car door so hard the window broke. Vehicle prowl 400 block of Alder Street, Kelso. Sunday. Man in the alley got into neighbors car. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 4 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Exit Poll 2022 Results LIVE TV Streaming: Know when, where and how to watch Exit Polls online for UP, Punjab, Goa, Uttarakhand, Manipur. The Assembly elections will conclude today, March 7 by 6:00 PM with the voting for the 7th and final phase of the Uttar Pradesh polls. The final results of the election will be declared on March 10 while the exit poll results will be out today. Now all eyes are focused on the results of Assembly elections in five states where polls have been held that is Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Goa, Uttarakhand and Manipur. Also, according to the Election Commission of India (ECI), the exit polls can be released only after the conclusion of voting in all the states, that is after 6:30 pm on March 7. Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Samajwadi Party (SP) and a number of other regional parties are in the fray. So, today is the day and you can watch Exit Poll 2022 LIVE for UP, Punjab, Goa, Uttarakhand, Manipur and here is how: It can be known that polls have been conducted for 403 seats in UP in seven phases. Polling for 349 seats concluded in six phases on February 10, 14, 20, 23, 27, March 3 respectively. While the voting for last and the 7th phase covering 54 seats is happening today. Coming to the other four states, Polls for Goa (40 seats) and Uttarakhand (70 seats) were held on February 14 in a single phase followed by voting in Punjab (117 seats) on February 20. The people of Manipur (60 seats) voted in two phases on February 28 and March 5. Here is all you need to know about the Exit Poll Results 2022 Exit Poll Results 2022: Date and Time: According to the ECI guidelines the Exit Poll results can be released after 6.30PM today, March 7 once the voting concludes in UP. Exit Poll Results 2022: When and where to watch: There are several news channels that will broadcast the exit polls. The channels include ABP Network, Times Now, India Today, Aaj Tak, Zee News, TV9 Bharatvarsh, among others. Exit Poll Results 2022: Live Streaming Online If you cannot watch it on television, then there is nothing to worry as you can also watch the exit polls online on your smartphones or laptops. You simply need to open YouTube and check the live streaming of the news channels. You can also watch Exit Poll Results 2022 live streaming on several apps. Most of these apps will provide Live TV streaming online to your smartphone. For example if you use Jio, then you can download Jio TV app on your smartphone and can watch live exit polls by accessing news channels. Here is hot to change iPhone browser if you are not happy with its default web browser. Each smartphone comes with its own default web browser. This browser may well be of the company that manufactured the phone. However, in case you want to use your favourite web browser and not the one set as default in your phone by the manufacturer, then here is what you need to do - know how to change iPhone browser. It will make your Internet experience that much more richer. Generally, on an Android device, you will find Google Chrome set as the default web browser. Apple iPhone users have their own Safari browser to search and access the Internet. Though you have options to download additional web browsers for your smartphone to access the internet, the default browser will still stick to your primary searches. While opening any links shared by your family and friends on Gmail or while chatting on social media apps such as WhatsApp, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, these links will open in the default web browser. So, if you are not comfortable using the default web browser, you can change it on an Apple iPhone as well as on Android. Heres how to change default web browser on iPhone and Android. How to change iPhone browser Well, Apple iPhones come with their own default web browser Safari, but if you still want to change the primary browser of your iOS enabled devices such as iPhone then follow these steps: Step 1: Open the Settings app on your iPhone Step 2: Then scroll down to your preferred web browser from Chrome, Opera, Microsoft Edge, or more. Step 3: Select your browser to open the settings of the application. Step 4: This will allow you to switch over your default browser from Safari to the preferred one. Step 5: Then tap and choose the browser of your preference. And its done! The option will become available in late 2021, with a Google Play services update. Google will let Android mobile software users opt out of being tracked by advertisers on their smartphone applications, following an earlier move by rival Apple Inc. to bolster privacy on iPhones. The option will become available in late 2021, with a Google Play services update, the Alphabet Inc. unit said on a support website. Developers will no longer be able to see a users unique advertising ID if that person has declined to receive personalized ads. Unlike Apples feature, users wont be opted out of ad tracking by default. Looking for a smartphone? To check mobile finder click here. Also read: For months, Google has been mulling a way to give Android users more control over ad tracking with a less stringent approach than Apples, Bloomberg reported. In May, Google said it would create a safety section in its Play Store in 2022 so Android users can see what data developers collect about them and share, plus give access to additional privacy and security information. Apple roiled the mobile advertising industry in April when it debuted its App Tracking Transparency feature, which requires users to opt in to being tracked by apps for personalized advertising. Developers expect to lose revenue from the change because most consumers likely wont agree to have their data collected. Google said the Play services rollout will affect apps running on Android 12 devices starting in late 2021 and migrate to other devices with Google Play in early 2022. Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain The transition towards electric vehicles (EVs) is moving apace, mainly being driven by the need to remove polluting vehicles from our towns and cities and to curb our carbon emissions by switching from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. As more and more drivers switch to EVs, there is a pressing need to ensure that the rechargeable batteries on which they rely are running under optimal and safe conditions. Research in the International Journal of Energy Technology and Policy considers the design and implementation of a new type of battery-management system for the lithium-ion batteries commonly used in EVs. Jishna Ramakrishnan, Aji Joy, and Sithara Jeyaraj of the Electronics and Communication Engineering Department at Mar Athanasius College of Engineering in Kothamangalam, Kerala, India, explain that lithium-ion batteries are currently the most advanced option for powering EVs. Lithium-ion batteries have several advantages over lead-acid and nickel-metal hydride batteries. Lithium is the lowest density metal and thus has considerable potential for greater energy capacity by weight. Lithium-ion batteries also require little maintenance when compared to some alternatives. However, catastrophic failure can occur with this kind of battery if they are not used within the safety parameters associated with charging and discharging, operating temperature and other such factors. And, even if they do not fail catastrophically, lifespan can be limited by over-charging or complete depletion. The team has developed a system that can monitor and take into account the various parameters to ensure optimal and safe use of EV lithium-ion batteries. "The proposed system performs measurement of cell voltage, current, temperature, state of charge, state of health, remaining useful life determination, monitoring and controlling the charge and discharge characteristics and cell balancing," the team writes. Explore further Reactive electrolyte additives improve lithium metal battery performance More information: Jishna Ramakrishnan et al, Design and implementation of a battery management system for lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles, International Journal of Energy Technology and Policy (2022). Jishna Ramakrishnan et al, Design and implementation of a battery management system for lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles,(2022). DOI: 10.1504/IJETP.2021.121162 Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain As bombs and missiles tragically rain on Ukrainian cities, so do another kind of armament: cyber weapons. This new generation of weaponry replaces explosives with destructive software (malware) and missile launchers with network vulnerabilities. Cyber weapons break into adversary country's essential networks, establish remote control, and wreak havoc by erasing computers, leaking data and causing other dangerous disruptions to essential services and critical infrastructures. But cyber weapons are different to traditional "kinetic" weapons in a key way: they are often less targetable. In other words, when a country releases a cyber weapon on another, it may hit other targets than its makers intend. As the malware moves inside a target's network, it can inadvertently spill into others. Researchers call this a "spillover' effect. As Russia wages its war against Ukraine with cyber weapons, the risk of spillover to European countries and firms all over the world continues to increase. Microsoft has detected many Ukrainian computers affected by "wiper" malware that erases their contents in a difficult-to-recover way. In recent days, Microsoft also detected a new malware (named "FoxBlade") focused on stealing health, insurance, and transportation data from Ukrainian essential services. Ongoing technical analysis will determine how likely these malwares are to spillover from outside Ukraine. But given past examples of malware spillover from Ukraine to other countries, governments around the world are issuing warnings about possible spillover risk. There are also emerging suspiciously timed disruptions to European systems, that may turn out to be spillover. Isolating ourselves from kinetic warfare no longer means we are safe from the effects of the war itself. What 'security' must mean for this moment in history How should Europe prepare and respond to collateral damage of cyber war? Beyond technological defense and interventions, we must more broadly define our concept of "security" and our approaches to achieving it. Traditionally, the concept of security developed along with the notions of threat and force, primarily in the military. The related object and the existential threats have been related to physical domains, until the end of the last century. In February 1998, while the US was preparing the bombing attack on Iraq, someone breached into military computer networks. It turned out it was not a state, but some teenagers out of California. This event, known as Solar Sunrise, shed light on the cyber domain. It raised the policy debate about the assets, vulnerabilities, and capabilities governments have to govern to protect their objects and their stakeholders in the cyberspace. Drafting a national cybersecurity strategy requires: Defining the principles, priorities, and assets to govern (ranging from economic to social pillars) Understanding the technical security issues in terms of objects to govern (confidentiality, availability, and integrity of data) and how the attackers may compromise a computer system (by manipulating the threads of control, namely the instructions on what to run next on a computer); Identifying and developing capabilities to defend against specific threats to the state's principles and priorities; Deploying those capabilities as a projection of broader state power. A national cybersecurity strategy requires an approach that cuts across agencies and sectors, defines goals, and plans actions designed to improve the security and resilience of national infrastructures and services. Cybersecurity as a public good Security in cyberspace must go from being a technical concern to a broader public good, developed by many societal actors. IT experts, lawmakers, regulators, social scientists, civil society groups and institutions need to cooperate. Governments must no longer be solely responsible for maintaining security and stability within their borders; other actors must become deeply involved. Ukrainians and their allies have already begun to demonstrate this broader approach with: Ongoing, deep information sharing between private companies and relevant governments about cyber weapons in use Use of varied and changing information channels (not just official websites) to demonstrate the Ukrainian government's persistence and stability, despite attacks on their infrastructure Twitter-based public diplomacy to bring a private organization's alternative infrastructure to Ukraine Collaboration between civil and military groups to form cyber defense brigades and volunteer forces Amid the ongoing catastrophe of war in Ukraine, European countries can and should prepare themselves for the cyber spillover by building a broader coalition of different stakeholders. The next cyber war will not just be a technology problem; it will be everyone's problem. Provided by Bocconi University Alex Bates, front, and John Hewson, Sandia National Laboratories engineers, examine a lithium-ion battery in front of a specially designed battery testing chamber. They compared the heat released by a traditional lithium-ion battery to the heat released by a solid-state battery and a solid-state battery with a little liquid electrolyte. They found in many cases solid-state batteries with a little liquid electrolyte were safer than their lithium-ion counterparts. Credit: Rebecca Gustaf/Sandia National Laboratories Solid-state batteries, currently used in small electronic devices like smart watches, have the potential to be safer and more powerful than lithium-ion batteries for things such as electric cars and storing energy from solar panels for later use. However, several technical challenges remain before solid-state batteries can become widespread. A Sandia National Laboratories-led study, published on March 7 in the scientific journal Joule, tackled one of these challengesa long-held assumption that adding some liquid electrolyte to improve performance would make solid-state batteries unsafe. Instead, the research team found that in many cases solid-state batteries with a little liquid electrolyte were safer than their lithium-ion counterparts. They also found, if the battery were to short-circuit, releasing all its stored energy, the theoretically super-safe, all-solid-state battery could put out a dangerous amount of heat. "Solid-state batteries have the potential to be safer, and they have the potential for higher energy density," said Alex Bates, a Sandia postdoctoral researcher who led the study for the paper. "This means, for electric vehicles, you could go farther in between charges, or need fewer batteries for grid-scale energy storage. The addition of liquid electrolyte may help bridge the gap to commercialization, without sacrificing safety." Better batteries through chemistry Solid-state batteries are somewhat like lithium-ion batteries. In both, lithium ions move from one side of the battery to the other, while electrons flow through a circuit to power the device. One big difference is that throughout a lithium-ion battery, there is a substance that helps the lithium ions move quickly: the liquid electrolyte. Loraine Torres-Castro, a battery safety expert in Sandia's Battery Abuse Testing Laboratory who is involved in the project, compares liquid electrolyte to a fleet of cars pulling into driveways: It shuttles lithium ions directly where they need to go. However, current liquid electrolytes are flammable and can cause a battery explosion or fire, especially when the battery is damaged. In a solid-state battery, the liquid electrolyte is replaced by a solid material, called a solid electrolyte, that also helps the lithium ions move quickly. One technical challenge is that while the lithium ions can move quickly within the solid electrolyte, they have a hard time moving from the solid electrolyte to the electrodes and vice versa, Bates said. The solid electrolyte could be compared to a cadre of trains, also quickly shuttling the lithium ions to the station, but then the passengers still have to travel a bit farther to get home. One way scientists have sped up this "direct shuttling"and thus battery charging speeds and performanceis by adding a little bit of liquid electrolyte to the positive side of the battery. However, Yuliya Preger, a Sandia battery reliability expert on the project, said, "There has been a lot of controversy in the solid-state battery research community about the safety of including liquid electrolyte to 'grease the wheels.' Some scientists say that any amount of liquid electrolyte is unsafe. So, we did the calculations to see what the impacts of liquid electrolyte could be, instead of just accepting the 'party line.'" Steve Harris, a battery scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and Katie Harrison, a Sandia battery scientist, first questioned the 'party line' that led to the study. Both were involved in the study. A video of different ways batteries can fail, as illustrated by Sandia National Laboratories Battery Abuse Testing Laboratory. Credit: Sandia National Laboratories How safe are solid-state batteries? In order to figure out just how safe a solid-state battery with a little liquid electrolyte would be, the research team started by calculating how much heat could be released in a lithium-ion battery, an all solid-state battery and solid-state batteries with varying amounts of liquid electrolyte. All batteries tested had equivalent amounts of stored energy. Then, they looked at three different bad things that could happen to the batteries, and the heat that would be released due to each type of failure. "We started by determining just how much chemical energy is in the three kinds of batteries," said John Hewson, a Sandia heat-release calculation expert on the project. "There's only so much energy you can release, which will heat up the battery a certain amount, if a chemical reaction does occur." The first bad thing that could happen is if the batteries caught on firefrom either a neighboring battery or a surrounding buildingTorres-Castro said. In these cases, the researchers found that the solid-state battery with a little liquid electrolyte in it produced about one-fifth of the heat of a comparable lithium-ion batterydepending on how much liquid electrolyte it had. The solid-state battery without liquid electrolyte didn't produce any heat under this scenario. The second bad thing that could happen to the batteries is if repeated charging and discharging caused the lithium metal to form a "spike" called a dendrite. This dendrite can puncture a hole through the separator that keeps the two sides distinct and causes a short-circuit, Preger said. This is a known issue with all batteries that have lithium metal on one side. In this case, all three batteries produced similar amounts of heat, which depended on how much lithium metal was in the batteries. The third bad thing that could happen to a solid-state battery is the solid electrolyte could break. This could happen if the battery was crushed or punctured or due to built-up pressure during operation, which would allow oxygen from one side of the battery to react with the lithium metal on the other side, Torres-Castro said. In these cases, the solid-state battery without liquid electrolyte could reach temperatures near that of the lithium-ion battery, which the team found surprising. From safety calculations to laboratory experiments "One of the promises of solid-state batteries is that they are safe because the solid electrolyte is firm and unlikely to break. But if it does break, the temperature rise could be about as much as when lithium-ion batteries fail," Preger said. "This study highlighted the importance of engineering the heck out of that separator so that it does not fail." The next steps for the project include conducting similar calculations with other solid electrolyte materials and conducting experiments to validate the new and original calculations, Bates said. "We found if the solid-state battery has lithium metal, it has the potential to be dangerous, regardless of if it has liquid electrolyte or not," he said. "What we were trying to point out in this paper is that there's a definite trade-off between performance and safety, but adding a bit of liquid may greatly increase performance while only having a small impact on safety." Understanding this trade-off may help speed up commercialization, Torres-Castro added. "Having the clarity and the confidence that knowing a small amount of liquid electrolyte will not create huge safety issues may help the development of commercial solid-state batteries. Adding liquid electrolyte could fix one of their main problems, the solid electrolyte interface." Explore further Reactive electrolyte additives improve lithium metal battery performance More information: Alex M. Bates, Are Solid-State Batteries Safer Than Lithium-ion Batteries?, Joule (2022). www.cell.com/joule/fulltext/S2542-4351(22)00088-5 Journal information: Joule Alex M. Bates, Are Solid-State Batteries Safer Than Lithium-ion Batteries?,(2022). DOI: 10.1016/j.joule.2022.02.007 Getting data on how peoples' eyes move while watching TV or reading books is an arduous processone that metaverse app developers can now skip thanks to Duke Engineering's virtual eyes.. Credit: Maria Gorlatova, Duke University Computer engineers at Duke University have developed virtual eyes that simulate how humans look at the world accurately enough for companies to train virtual reality and augmented reality programs. Called EyeSyn for short, the program will help developers create applications for the rapidly expanding metaverse while protecting user data. The results have been accepted and will be presented at the International Conference on Information Processing in Sensor Networks (IPSN), May 4-6, 2022, a leading annual forum on research in networked sensing and control. "If you're interested in detecting whether a person is reading a comic book or advanced literature by looking at their eyes alone, you can do that," said Maria Gorlatova, the Nortel Networks Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Duke. "But training that kind of algorithm requires data from hundreds of people wearing headsets for hours at a time," Gorlatova added. "We wanted to develop software that not only reduces the privacy concerns that come with gathering this sort of data, but also allows smaller companies who don't have those levels of resources to get into the metaverse game." The poetic insight describing eyes as the windows to the soul has been repeated since at least Biblical times for good reason: The tiny movements of how our eyes move and pupils dilate provide a surprising amount of information. Human eyes can reveal if we're bored or excited, where concentration is focused, whether or not we're expert or novice at a given task, or even if we're fluent in a specific language. "Where you're prioritizing your vision says a lot about you as a person, too," Gorlatova said. "It can inadvertently reveal sexual and racial biases, interests that we don't want others to know about, and information that we may not even know about ourselves." Eye movement data is invaluable to companies building platforms and software in the metaverse. For example, reading a user's eyes allows developers to tailor content to engagement responses or reduce resolution in their peripheral vision to save computational power. With this wide range of complexity, creating virtual eyes that mimic how an average human responds to a wide variety of stimuli sounds like a tall task. To climb the mountain, Gorlatova and her teamincluding former postdoctoral associate Guohao Lan, who is now an assistant professor at the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, and current Ph.D. student Tim Scargilldove into the cognitive science literature that explores how humans see the world and process visual information. Rather than collecting actual eye movement data, as seen here, Duke engineers have developed a set of virtual eyes that simulate the data well enough to train new metaverse applications. Credit: Maria Gorlatova, Duke University For example, when a person is watching someone talk, their eyes alternate between the person's eyes, nose and mouth for various amounts of time. When developing EyeSyn, the researchers created a model that extracts where those features are on a speaker and programmed their virtual eyes to statistically emulate the time spent focusing on each region. "If you give EyeSyn a lot of different inputs and run it enough times, you'll create a data set of synthetic eye movements that is large enough to train a (machine learning) classifier for a new program," Gorlatova said. To test the accuracy of their synthetic eyes, the researchers turned to publicly available data. They first had the eyes "watch" videos of Dr. Anthony Fauci addressing the media during press conferences and compared it to data from the eye movements of actual viewers. They also compared a virtual dataset of their synthetic eyes looking at art with actual datasets collected from people browsing a virtual art museum. The results showed that EyeSyn was able to closely match the distinct patterns of actual gaze signals and simulate the different ways different people's eyes react. According to Gorlatova, this level of performance is good enough for companies to use it as a baseline to train new metaverse platforms and software. With a basic level of competency, commercial software can then achieve even better results by personalizing its algorithms after interacting with specific users. "The synthetic data alone isn't perfect, but it's a good starting point," Gorlatova said. "Smaller companies can use it rather than spending the time and money of trying to build their own real-world datasets (with human subjects). And because the personalization of the algorithms can be done on local systems, people don't have to worry about their private eye movement data becoming part of a large database." Explore further What is the metaverse? A tech CEO who is helping build it explains Former Sen. David Perdue and his wife Bonnie didnt have to wait long in line Monday to cast their ballots for the May 24 primary, which will determine who will receive the Republican nomination for the race to serve as Georgias next governor. About 40 volunteers helped high school students choose a free prom dress over the weekend at the Grand Island YWCA. The dresses were handed out Saturday and Sunday as part of the YWCAs mYnight Boutique event. Young ladies visited the YWCAs multi-purpose room from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. each day. Ten volunteers helped set up for the event Friday night, said Marissa Cornelius, the YWCAs empowerment programs coordinator. About 30 students came looking for a prom dress Saturday, Cornelius said. As of about 1 p.m., six girls had visited Sunday. The dresses went to students who are eligible for free or reduced lunch, or whose families have a financial hardship. Cornelius said its important for girls to have a normal high school experience. Students whose families have some sort of hardship that prevents them from buying a prom dress either dont go to the prom or get a dress that leaves them feeling not as good as the other girls, she said. Getting a dress from mYnight Boutique makes those girls feel as normal and happy as any other student, she said. Cornelius said the event went smoothly. It helps that Ive had so many volunteers. I definitely could not have done this alone. She was also pleased with the number of prom dresses that were donated. Girls had 700 or 800 dresses from which to choose. About 600 of those dresses were donated by a business in Denver. A couple of boxes of dresses came from The Bridal Collection in Grand Island. Trying on dresses can be fun. On Saturday, one girl spent about an hour giving various dresses a try. A couple of girls left with two dresses because they plan to go to two proms. The Y received more than prom dresses. Some people donated handbags, jewelry and shoes. In addition to Grand Island, some of the students came from Central City and Aurora. To publicize the project, Cornelius contacted people in Hall, Howard, Hamilton and Merrick counties. She started working on the event in late December. The dresses that werent taken over the weekend will be stored until next year. The YWCA could use more dresses that are size 16 and up. YWCA Executive Director Amy Bennett wanted to do the prom dress project in 2020, but the pandemic got in the way, Cornelius said. Cornelius hoped the turnout would be bigger than it was over the weekend. But this was the first year, she noted. She hopes that next year itll be a hit. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. HASTINGS The Hastings College Department of Languages and Literature is hosting a book signing for author and adjunct professor Marshall Highet on Wednesday from 6-7:30 p.m. in Hazelrigg Student Union Room C. The event, which is free and open to the public, celebrates the release of Highets new book, Blue-Eyed Slave, which was co-authored with Bird Jones. During the event, Highet will read from the new book and share the co-writing process she and Jones use in their writing. In addition to Blue-Eyed Slave, the two co-wrote Hold Fast, a swashbuckling adventure based on historical fact. Blue-Eyed Slave takes place in 1764 in Charles Town, South Carolina, where Harrys school for enslaved children has been in full swing for 20 years. An enslaved person himself, Harry finds an unlikely ally in Hannah, a young Jewish girl from town who tutors Bintu, a recent acquisition of the prominent Reverend and Mistress Harte. Harrys school begins to feel the pressure as political winds shift and the Stamp Act causes revolt, uproar and armed protests. Caught in the crossfire of impending revolution and increased animosity towards an educated enslaved population, Harry and ultimately the two girls will find their faith and integrity sorely tested. With relentless attention to historical accuracy, Blue-Eyed Slave levels an unflinching gaze at the cruelties of enslavement and shows that although human cruelty may be universal, the same is true for kindness and bravery. The book was released Feb. 22 from Koehler Books. Highet is a writer and adjunct faculty member in the Department of Languages and Literatures. She has also published Spare Parts, a young adult sci-fi novel with an educational bent in 2014; and Hold Fast, co-written with Bird Jones, in 2019. 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 then a pandemic kept them away. They are buoyed by the half-million dollars in advertising the Nebraska Tourism Commission is spending to attract tourists from cities like 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 cornfields, 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 on 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 non-profits to close visitors centers and cancel or severely limit tours to view cranes on river roosts, education programs, fund-raising 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 graveled 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 percent. 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 on 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 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 Rowe 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 fund-raiser 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. Former Mayor Eric Gregg still carries with him a piece of paper with the names of the eight victims who died in the Leap Day tornado in 2012. If youve ever caught a catfish in any body of water managed by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, there is a fair chance that fish was born and raised at Little Grassy Fish Hatchery. CHICAGO A 24-year-old man who allegedly shot and injured two Chicago police officers at an outdoor hot dog stand has been charged with attempted murder, authorities said. Kailo Harris-Caldwell was taken into custody shortly after the shooting early Friday morning. He was charged Saturday with two counts of attempted murder, one felony count of possession of a controlled substance and a misdemeanor count of possession of cannabis. Harris-Caldwell is scheduled to appear in bond court on Sunday, police said. It's unclear if he has an attorney. The two police officers' injuries were not life-threatening, Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown said. Brown said one of the officers was waiting in line along with the gunman around 3:30 a.m. Friday at the Original Maxwell Street hot dog stand on the city's West Side. He said a gun fell from the man's waistband when he reached into his pocket to pay for his order. The officer noticed the gun but before he could do anything, the man picked it up and began firing, Brown said. He said the shots struck the officer, who was standing near the suspect, while the officer's partner, who had been sitting inside a police car, also was struck when the suspect fired at least three times into the vehicle. A video camera captured what happened, authorities said. Officers nearby heard the shots and chased the suspect and captured him a short time later, police said. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 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. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 There is no greater love than to lay down ones life for ones friends. These timeless words from scripture embody the bravery and service of the men and women in our military. Whether they are deployed to assist their fellow Americans, sent overseas to fight for our liberty, or have paid the ultimate sacrifice on our behalf, they lay it all on the line for us every day. We can never repay them, but we must do our best to take care of them. I am honored to be a member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, which gives me a seat at the table to enact change in support of our nations veterans. Oftentimes, taking care of veterans families means providing them with closure after their veterans have passed away. Some of these men and women are buried in National Cemeteries administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), while others choose to be buried in state veteran cemeteries. It is a high honor to rest in either. The North Dakota Veterans Cemetery in Mandan is no less hallowed ground than its federal counterpart in Fargo because both are founded upon the respect of a grateful nation. However, many of our guard and reservists are currently barred from internment in state veterans cemeteries. The VA has chosen to withhold funding from states if those interred do not meet wrongheaded federal standards. North Dakotas National Guard operates our state cemetery, but under current parameters, the VA is penalizing it for choosing to bury some of its own. States should be given the flexibility to determine which veterans can be buried in their cemeteries as long as their service was terminated under other than dishonorable conditions. Im working to make this happen by passing the bipartisan Burial Equity for Guards and Reserves Act, bipartisan legislation I cosponsored with Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), John Hoeven (R-ND), and Maggie Hassan (D-NH). This bill ensures members of reserve components are eligible to be buried in state veterans cemeteries if the state so chooses and prohibits the federal government from withholding grants to states based on their decision. This bill has received near-unanimous support in Congress and the Executive Branch. During a Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs hearing on Dec. 1, 2021, VA Secretary Denis McDonough issued his support for the bill. He responded to a question of mine stating, You all raised this to my attention and we dug into it, and very transparently and straight-forwardly our staffs and teams working together came to a good outcome. Im really proud of that work. Why should we ever condone Washington holding funding hostage when it comes to states deciding how they honor our nations heroes? Reservists always stand ready to defend our nation. In fact, they are crucial for preparing America for the worst-case scenario. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, 49 states and territories have requested assistance from the National Guard on COVID response efforts. These men and women answered the call. They were deployed to distribute test kits and personal protective equipment, aid frontline medical workers, and teach at public schools. The National Guard has also stepped up in defending our homeland. Last year, following the Jan. 6 attack at the U.S. Capitol, troops were deployed to our temple of liberty. The National Guard has been called to the southern border to help with the influx of illegal immigration. In fact, troops from every state step up when Mother Nature strikes, providing relief and shelter to those in need. There is no doubt about it: our guard and reservists selflessly fight and fill the gap whenever and wherever Americans need them. Despite this, some in Congress want to maintain the status quo of federalizing state cemeteries by withholding funding unless they acquiesce to Washingtons standards. They have gone even further and proposed state cemeteries be segregated so guard and reservists are buried apart from the veterans they prefer. This is wrong and it is insulting. In the military there are rules and levels of superiority to maintain organization, but at the end of the day, each and every member is crucial to the cause. They all take the same oath regardless of the job they are given. And when they live their last day, a state ought to have the autonomy to choose how they honor their veterans final wishes, without the looming threat of the federal governments financial retaliation. The bipartisan Burial Equity for Guards and Reserves Act passed through the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee unanimously last year with the support of the administration. Its time to get this bill done. Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND) is a member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 From the very beginning of his presidency, Joe Biden has pledged to make sure communities hit hardest by Covid-19 will receive sound information about the virus and access to vaccinations. "Equity (and) equality" remain "at the heart" of the government's responsibility, Biden said at a White House briefing last summer. "We need to go to community by community, neighborhood by neighborhood, and oftentimes, door to door -- literally knocking on doors." But some of the small groups representing communities of color that were contracted as part of a National Institutes of Health Covid-19 outreach project tell CNN they have not been paid properly. "We lost trust in the system," said Venus Gines, president of Dia de la Mujer Latina, who said the NIH effort has been "poorly managed from the beginning" and "poorly executed." "It's a very lousy system, not set up for community engagement, but no matter how much we talk about it and there are apologies for it, there is no attempt to reform it," said Ysabel Duron, executive director of the Latino Cancer Institute in California. "For me, the system has to change." Under that system, community groups such as Dia de la Mujer Latina and the Latino Cancer Institute front money for their NIH projects and get paid back later. Gines said participating in the NIH program cost her organization $64,000 in unreimbursed invoices, which the NIH denies. She said other costs were reimbursed many months late. Duron and the leader of a third community group also said it took months to reimburse tens of thousands of dollars in expenditures, which put a huge stress on their small operating budgets. Dr. George Mensah, an NIH official, told CNN that many community organizations have been involved with his agency's effort, called the Community Engagement Alliance Against COVID-19 Disparities or CEAL, and he has heard directly about problems with only one of them, Dia de la Mujer Latina. He said NIH's "strategic partnerships" with community-based organizations -- the "boots on the ground" -- play a "critical role" in "building confidence in the vaccine [and] conveying essential messages around prevention, so we take them very, very seriously." Mensah said NIH is "committed to resolving" the challenges small community-based organizations have had with CEAL and is "fully, fully committed" to making sure that the community groups are compensated "promptly" and "fairly." At the center of the issue is the reimbursement model NIH used for the contracts with the community groups. Several of these groups told CNN that while they were aware they wouldn't be paid up front, it has been a huge financial strain to spend tens of thousands of dollars of their own money and then wait -- sometimes for many months -- to get paid back. Mensah said NIH recognizes that small community groups are not like large academic centers and "are not able to go out and do the work and wait to be paid later." People involved with CEAL say they told NIH in the first half of 2021 there were problems with this payment system, but that NIH did not explain until last month that faster payment methods were possible. Birth of an unprecedented NIH effort In the spring and summer of 2020, federal officials realized they needed to work on two Covid-19 problems in communities of color -- and fast. First, the virus was hitting these communities hard, with disproportionately more hospitalizations and deaths than White people. Second, NIH and the pharmaceutical company Moderna were having trouble recruiting people of color into clinical trials for the Covid-19 vaccine. Typically, when the NIH sets out to address a health problem, it works with large organizations such as universities or pharmaceutical companies. But in 2020, agency officials spoke often about the need to do something different -- they needed to engage trusted messengers in small grassroots groups. That's how CEAL was born in September 2020. Since then, more than $48 million has been spent on the program, according to NIH. "Never before has NIH been involved in a community engagement effort of this magnitude," Mensah, director of the Center for Translation Research and Implementation Science at the NIH's National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute told CNN, noting that "the size, the scale, scope and speed with which we've responded [to] communities in greatest need has been unprecedented." NIH at that time reached out to universities in 11 states and asked them to seek out grassroots, community-based groups to work on the project. One of those universities, the University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth, reached out to Dia de la Mujer Latina, the health advocacy group that Gines, a breast cancer survivor, started 25 years ago in Texas. While the group is small, with just two full-time employees, it's well-known, and Gines was honored for her work at a White House event in 2009. Gines said her group was approved for a $230,000 budget for a CEAL project, which included expanding a telephone hotline where bilingual promotores de salud, or community health workers, answer questions about Covid-19, logging thousands of calls a month. "COVID-19 Hotline Beats Misinformation One Call at a Time," proclaimed a headline on a May 2021 article on NIH's CEAL website. Gines says while the NIH was touting the hotline's success, her invoices to CEAL to pay the promotores were not being reimbursed. NIH is accustomed to working with large organizations that have financial and government contracts departments experienced at working out the nitty-gritty details of complicated NIH contracts and accounting requirements. But Dia de la Mujer Latina doesn't have anything close to that kind of staffing -- the only full-time employees are Gines and an administrator. When Gines asked the university for reimbursement for her work on CEAL, she says she spent months submitting and resubmitting invoices and waiting for payments. While other community leaders told CNN they believe bureaucratic issues are at the root of CEAL's reimbursement issues, Gines said for her, the entire experience adds up to "systemic racism." "Universities create metrics that are inherently biased when allocating budget funding to community partners," Gines wrote to CNN in an email. "These practices are rooted in upholding systemic barriers that privilege larger institutions over smaller, grassroots ones. We call this a subtle form of structural racism and discrimination." The "COVID-19 pandemic exposed a deep-rooted under-investment and under-valuing of community- based organizations (CBOs) especially Community Health Workers/Promotores who are the footsoldiers combating COVID-19, vaccine hesitancy, and misinformation," she added. When asked about that charge, Mensah said NIH valued its partnerships with community groups and that "remunerating them (is) very, very important to us." Jamboor Vishwanatha, the principal researcher for the Texas CEAL program, said he valued the "tremendous contribution" made by Dia de la Mujer Latina to CEAL. The university and Dia de la Mujer Latina communicated "in an effort to detail invoicing instructions, outline the required Subrecipient Monitoring Form, and a request for [Dia de la Mujer Latina] to update its budget to be in compliance with the NIH Uniform Guidance. This back and forth continued over several months," Laken Rapier wrote in an email to CNN in January, when she was associate vice president at the University of North Texas Health Science Center. Gines says she felt frustrated with both the university and NIH as she struggled to pay the promotores who were working the hotline phones. "We felt that the government really spoke from both sides of their mouth," Gines said, meaning that the NIH emphasized the value of engaging with community groups, but did not ensure these groups were paid promptly for their work. To form the CEAL team, NIH has contracted with universities in 21 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia, which in turn have made subcontracts with community organizations. Luis Torres-Hostos, a CEAL project lead at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, said the community groups he's worked with on CEAL "live paycheck to paycheck" and have had to "wait and wait and wait" to get their payments. "The community-based organizations are critical. We can't do this work without them, so we've got to figure out a way to get money to them faster," Torres-Hostos said. "There's going to be another health crisis, and if we don't learn lessons from this [CEAL] project, we're going to be in deep trouble next time." A researcher at a university in Arizona that's participating in CEAL told CNN that the community groups he subcontracted with email "constantly" to ask when they will be paid. The researcher asked to be anonymous because they were not authorized to speak to the media about sensitive internal matters. "This is not an environment that's good for these small community organizations to work in. They can't wait six or seven months to get paid," the researcher said, adding that the community groups "understand the needs of the community and their voice is essential in projects like these, but if we can't get them paid in time, then going forward, they're not going to trust us enough to partner with us anymore." NIH referred specific questions about CEAL community-based organizations to universities. "NIH's awards management relationship is with the primary recipient of NIH funding, not with the recipient of subawards made by the prime awardee," NIH spokeswoman Hillary Wicai Archer wrote to CNN. "Given the nature of government funding, NIH can only speak to the funding that its administrative center awarded to principal investigators of the 21 CEAL teams at their academic institutions." 'We're depending on the big guy to pay us' In addition to Dia de la Mujer Latina, other community-based organizations involved with CEAL also said they struggled, waiting months to get reimbursed for tens of thousands of dollars in expenses for the work they did. Duron, director of the Latino Cancer Institute in San Jose, California, said her group fronted about $16,200 for CEAL work starting in October 2020, doing media cultural sensitivity training seminars related to Covid-19, and didn't receive a reimbursement for six months. She said other reimbursements also took months. "We're depending on the big guy to pay us," she said, adding that it created a "snowball problem" as she sometimes couldn't pay her workers on time or had to use money from other grants to pay her workers. She said her small organization -- she's the only full-time employee -- struggled to keep up with the complicated requirements to get reimbursed. "They were throwing paperwork at me like I was a multimillion dollar vending company," she added. "We don't have huge financial offices. We don't have multi millions of dollars in business with you. If you want the community to be able to work with you, you have to make adjustments." Duron received her CEAL contract through UCLA. "The Latino Cancer Institute has been paid in full, consistent with our agreement. We understand the concern and apologize for the inconvenience related to timing," according to a statement from the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. "While we received the first invoice from the Latino Cancer Institute in December 2020, we were unable to disperse payment until the contract was completed and signed in March 2021. Two subsequent invoices were paid promptly after receipt of invoices. We thank the Latino Cancer Institute for the thoughtful and valuable services provided." The leader of a community group in another state said when they started working on a CEAL project to do Covid-19 outreach and education, they were not allowed to submit invoices for three months. While a three-month wait might not be much of an issue for a large company or a university, it was a major financial problem for this small community organization, the leader said, asking to speak anonymously "to avoid any possible retaliation or retribution." "I literally just wanted to help," the leader said, but "[the university officials] were fierce." She said once the three months were over, her small organization -- it has no full-time employees -- submitted and resubmitted invoices only to have them sent back to her because they failed to follow some rule or another. She said for one invoice to be paid, it took nearly 30 emails between her and about five different people. "At one point they basically said, 'If [you] can't figure it out, we can't accept the invoice." Torres-Hostos, a professor and founding dean of the school of social work at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, said he worked out payment issues with this community leader and thought it was resolved. "We made sure that the right people met with her and explained the process and the forms and how to fill them out, and once that was done, it was smooth sailing," he said. The community leader said the process was not smooth, but after about four months, her group was paid in full. Complaints to federal officials These problems came to a head in June of 2021, when Gines sent an email to Mensah at the NIH. She wrote that CEAL had "missed opportunities" for universities "to fully support community stakeholders who often execute the lion's share of the important work of reaching and intervening with distressed populations to bring about improved health outcomes and health responses in communities." Mensah said he took Gines' complaints "very seriously" and called her within an hour of receiving her email. He receives a lot of email, "but an email like that we act on immediately," he told CNN. Gines told CNN that in that conversation, she asked Mensah to allow payments to be made in advance to community groups, instead of using the reimbursement model. The day after Gines sent her email, another NIH official, Erynn Hunt, wrote to her that "we are distressed to hear that members of the CEAL coalition of community-based organizations and health workers are not receiving payments and are working to better understand the issues." Mensah said as far as he knew, the issue with Gines had since been resolved. But Gines told CNN that CEAL did not compensate her for $64,000 of what she spent on her CEAL work. Vishwanatha, the principal investigator on the UNT CEAL grant, disputed this, and said Gines overspent her budget for the first six months of the project. Two months later, after speaking with Gines, the leader of a nonprofit group reached out to a White House official. "How are we to expect community orgs to jump through hoops such as this while they have been called upon during a global emergency to educate and facilitate vaccination among our most vulnerable populations?" Amy Pisani, CEO of Vaccinate Your Family, wrote to Dr. Bechara Choucair, then the White House Covid-19 vaccinations coordinator. A source involved with the situation said Choucair sent a response the next day and forwarded Pisani's email to officials at the US Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees NIH, for follow up. The source asked to be anonymous because they were not authorized to speak to the media about internal department communications. 'In our community, it's all about trust' Community groups weren't the only ones complaining last year to NIH officials about the payment structure to community groups. Vishwanatha, the principal investigator for the Texas CEAL team, said a few months after the program started in September 2020, CEAL researchers and NIH officials started discussing the difficulties during regular weekly calls and asked whether there were alternative ways to pay the community groups. "All of us -- all the CEAL teams -- we are all in agreement that something needs to be done," he said, referring to CEAL contractors at other universities. "There's no question about that." But Mensah, the NIH official, told CNN last month he was unaware that universities had asked about alternative payment methods. Vishwanatha, a molecular geneticist and director of the Texas Center for Health Disparities, told CNN it was his understanding from discussions with NIH officials that the agency required that the contracts be made on a reimbursement basis, and payments could not be made up front. "This is a contractual mechanism where you do the work, you get paid. There is no down payment here," he said. "The governmental procedures -- there's not much you can do. You have to go through all of these rules and requirements." Torres-Hostos, the researcher at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, said he had the same understanding. "I didn't even think it was possible" to pay community groups up front, he said. But it turns out that for months, CEAL teams in several other states had been making payments up front. Lisa Hamilton Jones, who runs a community group in Florida, said the University of Miami approached her in the fall of 2020 about a CEAL contract to do Covid-19 community education. But she said when she found out it would be on a reimbursement basis, she declined, and the university then agreed to make some of the money available in advance. Jones said she had no financial issues with her CEAL contract, worth about $45,000. "I ended up having the opposite experience as other community organizations," said Jones, the co-president of the Florida Community Health Workers Coalition. CNN first approached the NIH about this story last fall. Last month, an agency spokeswoman informed CNN that it was possible for universities to have prepayment arrangements, and included a list of several CEAL teams with such arrangements. "Through preliminary data recently obtained through the CEAL review process which began last summer, we have learned that several of the CEAL funded universities have alternative approaches to ensure timely payment to community-based organizations," Archer, the NIH spokeswoman, wrote to CNN. "CEAL is currently engaged in sharing these alternative payment models and processes with all 21 teams so that they can learn from each other's promising practices." She added that "NIH is committed to ensuring that (community-based organizations), critically important partners in the fight against COVID-19, are paid on time" and that "NIH is committed to providing resources to its prime awardees to assist them in ensuring their subawardees (community-based organizations) are appropriately remunerated. When any challenge has come to NIH's attention, our business office has stepped in when appropriate and worked with awardees to ensure full payment." Archer added that "it's important to remember that we are in the middle of a pandemic" and NIH is a "learning organization" that is "taking the time to review processes, understand what is working, [and] identify and address challenges." Rapier, the official at the University of North Texas, said her university did not learn about these alternative payment possibilities until a meeting on February 18. Vishwanatha said that for the next year of funding, he proposed to NIH paying the community organizations 20% of their money up front. The community leaders interviewed by CNN questioned why the NIH hadn't mentioned the possibility of using alternative payment approaches when the program started a year and a half ago. "What happened with the money -- it's like a symbol -- you want my participation, but it feels like every step of the way you guys don't want to make it easy to participate," said Duron, the community leader in California. Said Gines of Dia de la Mujer Latina, "They lost my trust. And in our community, it's all about trust." The-CNN-Wire & 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Send us your news, photos, and videos and let us know what's going on! Submit Here This subscription will allow existing subscribers of The World to access all of our online content, including the E-Editions area. NOTE: To claim your access to the site, you will need to enter the Last Name and First Name that is tied to your subscription in this format: SMITH, JOHN If you need help with exactly how your specific name needs be entered, please email us at admin@countrymedia.net or call us at 1-541 266 6047. A bill that would punish pregnant women for using drugs passed the Senate Judiciary Committee on Friday after multiple parties testified in opposition to it. House Bill 85, sponsored by Rep. Ember Oakley, R-Riverton, would require women who are caught using some illegal drugs excluding marijuana to go to substance abuse treatment on their first offense. On the second offense, a woman found guilty of child endangerment could be punished by no more than five years in prison, a fine of not more than $5,000 or both. This is a way we can hold women accountable, Oakley said. Wyoming is one of eight states without a law on the books to address the issue of pregnant women using drugs, according to the American Civil Liberties Union, but the advocacy group and others dont see Oakleys bill as the right vehicle to address the issue. Opponents of the bill have argued throughout the budget session that enacting the law would make women less likely to seek treatment for their addiction. We are strongly against this, said Elizabeth Dole-Izzo, executive director for the Wyoming chapter of the National Association of Social Workers. Treatment works, punishment does not. Erin McKinney, clinical director for women and children services at Cheyenne Regional Medical Center, told lawmakers criminal penalties for pregnant women can have negative effects. McKinney said she was speaking only to provide information and not to take a position on the bill. All of the evidence has shown that when women are criminalized this does not change or help them, she said. It actually decreases their likelihood of receiving prenatal care. Oakley said she brought the in part because she believes theres a hole in the law when it comes to the issue. A person testifying on behalf of the Northern Arapaho Business Council said that women on the Wind River Reservation already struggle to get to prenatal and postnatal appointments, and that this bill could exacerbate these issues. Additionally, representatives from the Wyoming Counseling Association, the Wyoming Association of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers and the Wyoming Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault all testified in opposition to the bill. Typically, after the last member of the public is done giving public testimony, the sponsor of the bill is welcomed back up to speak. As Chairwoman Sen. Tara Nethercott, R-Cheyenne, invited Oakley up, she said, Good luck, with a giggle, seemingly acknowledging the amount of opposition to Oakleys proposed legislation. Oakley said she agrees that treatment should be the first step. Very infrequently is somebody going to go to prison for this, she said. House Bill 85 must now pass three readings in the Senate and be signed by the governor to become law. If the bill does not clear those hurdles, Nethercott who voted against the measure was open to seeing the matter become an interim topic for the Joint Judiciary Committee to discuss. Oakley did not seem as keen on that proposal. I dont think further discussion will change anybodys mind, she said. The bill currently does not have a mandatory reporting requirement, which Oakley says she agrees with. Last year, the Department of Family Services received 115 reports of children born while suffering from drug withdrawal, said Korin Schmidt, director of the department. Thirty-seven of those were taken into protective custody. Schmidt seemed to indicate there was little more data on the topic. Follow state politics reporter Victoria Eavis on Twitter @Victoria_Eavis Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. 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. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 BILLINGS With cash grain prices at record highs and Russias war on Ukraine likely to push them higher still, one might assume that farm trucks would be lining up a mile deep at grain elevators hoping to cash in as theyve done before. Not so, says Mitch Konen. The Fairfield, Montana, wheat farmer said many farmers, himself included, were hit so hard by the 2021 drought that it took everything they could harvest just to fill contracts that were supposed to be just 30% of what they would cut in a normal year. You see $10 cash prices, now. Thats only good if youve got it in the bin, said Konen, past president of Montana Grain Growers Association. There are probably not a lot of people who have grain in the bin to sell because they already sold it. Montanas 2021 wheat harvest of 100.85 million bushels, was just 49% of the 10-year average, according to USDAs National Agricultural Statistics Service. The last time wheat prices were in this territory was 2008, the start of the Great Recession, a time when positive Montana grain sales buoyed a state economy that was being rocked by a collapse in the housing industry. It marked the first time state wheat sales were valued at $1 billion or more. This round of robust prices might not produce the same outcome, as Montana farmers enter the second year of an extended drought with little wheat in reserves and farmers concerned about whether spring moisture will turn things around. Prices were already trending upward before Russia invaded Ukraine, casting doubts of whether one of the biggest wheat-exporting regions in the world would be shipping grain in 2022 or selling at a price damaged by sanctions. Ukraine accounts for 20 million to 29 million metric tons of the worlds wheat exports, depending on the weather. Thats 10% to 15% of world exports, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. If Ukraine wheat doesnt ship, or planted acres are down, it will influence export prices, said Vincent Smith, economist at the Montana State Universitys Department of Agricultural Economics and Economics. Exports, from all countries, all exporting countries, are getting close to 200 million metric tons, depending on the year, the weather, Smith said. So, were looking at a significant share of world exports. Farmers need to be thinking about crop insurance for the coming year and whether it makes sense to lock in contracts for fall delivery, Smith said. Market prices are tempting. At local elevators a farmer with ordinary hard red winter wheat to sell could get $10.95 a bushel at Golden Triangle elevators, Tuesday, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In Great Falls, the cash price was $10.89. Billings was a little lower at $10.35. Those prices are double what ordinary wheat was selling for during the same period last year. Ordinary wheat is typically the lowest priced variety, selling for less than wheat graded for higher protein. Tuesday, September futures for hard red winter wheat on the Kansas City Board of Trade were at $9.97 a bushel. Hard red spring wheat September contracts finished at $10.10 on the Minnesota Grain Exchange, December contracts finished $10.09. One thing Smith cautions consumers against is over associating bread prices with a beneficial increase in what farmers are paid for wheat. From the point of view of the price of a loaf of bread, folks need to understand that currently, for every dollar they spend on a loaf of bread, 94 cents of that is covering the cost of getting the wheat to the miller, to the baker, to the supermarket, Smith said. Only six cents of that, on average, is involved with purchasing the bushel of wheat from which the flour comes. The issue, probably for all food prices, as well as every other price, is actually the impact of the Ukrainian crisis on the price of oil, diesel and the price of gas. But thats the problem common to every commodity being produced, whether its a new Ford Escape, or a loaf of bread. There are factors other than the war pushing up the price of wheat, which was trending upward strongly before the invasion, said Cassidy Marn, Montana Wheat and Barley Committee executive vice president. Its Marn who works directly with foreign buyers of Montana wheat. Much like Ukraine, Montana exports up to 80% of the wheat it grows. The state ranks third nationally in wheat production. Drought is a big concern this year for U.S. wheat, not just in Montana. We also had some new drought monitor information come out, and its pretty bleak across the U.S., Marn said. Montanas certainly the worst. But its a pretty bad situation, were kind of getting into a pretty critical time for the Southern Plains, where theyre looking to harvest not too far out. The weather could turn around in the Southern Plains and the drought pressure on the U.S. wheat crop would diminish, Marn said. Another impactful turnaround would be a quick end to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Montana farmers arent strangers to mercurial shifts in grain production in the Black Sea region. In 2010, Montana grain prices jumped 60% in a little more than a month after drought-stricken Russia announced that its wheat production would be down 15 million metric tons. There had been a 23-million-ton surplus of wheat before the announcement by Russia. Suddenly, buyers that usually trade with Russia, namely Egypt and parts of Africa, were in the market for U.S. wheat. Similarly in 2012, Ukraine announced that because of drought it wouldnt be exporting as much grain in November. Montana benefited. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 JACKSON As Russian forces continue their unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, many American citizens are watching helplessly from afar, wishing for some way to help. Inez Brunsons friends felt that way until the 24-year-old Jackson resident shared her familys story. Like so many others, Brunsons cousin, his wife and their two young children were sheltered in Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital now under siege. They were taking refuge in the unfinished basement of their apartment building, with candles and camp chairs, as missiles flew overhead. On social media Brunson shared images of her familys desperation and asked her followers to give anything they could. Within hours, friends she hadnt spoken to in years were sending hundreds of dollars through Venmo. Once Brunson wired the funds through an international bank, her cousins wife and their children were able to book a rental car and escape to Poland. Her cousin wasnt allowed to leave the country because of Ukraines new policy requiring all male citizens, ages 18 to 60, to stay and fight. Brunson checks in on him and six other close family members constantly. She hasnt slept in five days, she said. Vadym, who asked the Jackson Hole News&Guide to use only his first name for safety reasons, hasnt been sleeping well either. Both of his parents are hiding in a city east of Kyiv, with soldiers holding a line just blocks from their temporary residence. Vadym said theyve gone out to that line each day with food and words of encouragement. It isnt the first time theyve seen their country invaded. Vadyms parents were living in Luhansk, a city right near Ukraines eastern border, when Russian separatists took over in 2014. They fled west, and Vadym, who happened to be visiting the U.S. at the time, stayed in Jackson. I had no home to go back to, he said. Like other Ukrainians living in Jackson, Vadym, 28, owns a taxi company. At the start he was sending money home to his mother and father, but they had no major expenses, unwilling to buy more than could fit in a car for a quick escape. Their insecurity has been a reality for the past eight years. This isnt something that started three days ago, Vadym said, frustrated that global leaders allowed the conflict to rise to the level of war. Now, when he sees U.S. citizens wishing to support the country, Vadym wishes not for funds but for guns. Its too late for the money thats just a piece of paper you can light the Molotov with, he said. The Ukrainian president has made a similar point. When the U.S. offered evacuation, Volodymyr Zelensky replied: I need ammunition, not a ride. Even as Russias attack on Ukrainian cities intensifies, Ukrainian resistance is winning praise from an increasingly allied host of nations. Many have praised President Zelensky in particular for appearing on the front lines of the fight, rallying his nation against what seem like impossible odds. Im not sure how much longer they can fight them, honestly. But for the last five days, (Ukrainians) have proved to the whole world that they can kick ass, said Jackson resident Tatiana Breus, who preferred to use her maiden, Ukrainian last name. She was joined Feb. 28 by dozens of demonstrators on the Jackson Town Square who came to celebrate Ukraines defiance and to denounce Russian President Vladimir Putin. The rallys organizer, Alina DiDonato, said waving the Ukrainian flag in solidarity is an important gesture, even in an isolated community like Jackson Hole. Its easy to feel disconnected from global reality living in a mountain town, she said, fearful that authoritarian aggression could have very real ramifications beyond her native country, which she fled as a political refugee during 1980s communism. DiDonatos son, a senior at Jackson Hole High School, came out with his classmates to show support for his ancestral home, a country he hasnt been able to visit because of its political instability. Even knowing that history, Alexei DiDonato said he never thought war was possible. I thought it was all just a bluff, he said. The brutalities of war seemed even more surreal for 10-year-old Stan Mosynets, who was drafting a prayer for peace in bold sharpie lettering onto a bit of poster board propped against the antler arch when he asked innocently: How do you spell Ukraine? Fortunately there were plenty of other signs to refer to. Stans parents, Christina and Denys, both have parents and extended family sheltered near the Belorussian border. Were in conversation with my dad saying, F-ck, because they have to run down to the bomb shelter, Denys Mosynets said. He also worries for his 84-year-old grandmother, who sat in bomb shelters during World War II. She made it through that war, Dennis said, and shell make it through this one. That confidence is becoming increasingly difficult to sustain as Russians mount increasingly lethal attacks in crowded urban settings. Vadym said his parents still put on a brave face for their calls. They try to calm me down, but they are hearing explosions, he said. As he spoke with the News&Guide on Saturday, Vadym got a text from a friend, a volunteer soldier stationed in southern Ukraine. Yo, I have survived, and we stopped them, the message read. Those little updates, small victories, are sustaining hope for now. They are also why Vadym thinks all monetary donations should be routed to the military, before supporting humanitarian aid. For him and his wife Maria, who attended Mondays rally, Russian victory is not a foregone conclusion. Brunson, who helped her cousins family escape, was at Mondays rally too, holding back tears as passersby honked their support. By her side, sporting the Ukrainian flag on his back, was Tipper, an Australian shepherd/heeler mix, who has fulfilled a crucial role during this heart-wrenching time. Hes been cuddling his emotionally unstable mom for days, Brunson said. Yesterday was like the first day I didnt cry since it all started. For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, Jackson Hole (Wyo.) News And Guide. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0 NIDCO (the National Infrastructure Development Company) says it has not initiated any tender or award of contract process with regard to the Toco Port. In a news release, the company said the issuance of any letters of award or contracts relating to the Toco Port project is fraudulent and not authorised by Nidco. Many people are struggling during this Covid-19 pandemic as prices increase, while many are Those with authority over others often become wolves because the people under their charge Watermark Retirement Communities: Watermark Retirement Communities executive Bryan Schachter raised $105,570 for Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Tucsons Light the Night fundraising event in 2021. His efforts in the 2021 campaign make him the eighth biggest fundraiser in the country for the nonprofit organization and first in Tucson and in the three-city Desert Region, which includes Tucson, Phoenix and Las Vegas. This is the second year Schachter has raised significant funds to support LLS. His expenditure of time, talent, enthusiasm and stem cells led the organization to recognize him as a hero against these diseases. Watermark was also honored with the Impact Award. Unidas/Buffalo Exchange: Unidas, an after-school teen program run by the Womens Foundation for the State of Arizona, is accepting applications from organizations working to improve the quality of life for women and girls in Arizona. The application window is open through March 31 for the spring grant round, sponsored for the second year by Buffalo Exchange. The grant of $5,000 will be awarded after Unidas participants, ranging in age from 14-18, navigate a selection process that includes community dialogue and interviews that guide their philanthropic decision. Unidas empowers young women to gain leadership skills and connects them with social issues, local nonprofits and like-minded peers. Rusing Lopez & Lizardi, PLLC: Arizona business law firm Rusing Lopez & Lizardi, PLLC has contributed $50,000 to the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law in support of the colleges A New Day in Court initiative to transform its advocacy program. The firms gift will go toward remodeling University of Arizona Laws existing courtrooms to create two modern, flexible, dual-purpose practice courtrooms and classrooms, one of which will house the Rusing Lopez & Lizardi Judges Bench. The Rusing Lopez & Lizardi gift brings the total amount raised for A New Day in Court to $2.25 million. Submit items about charitable donations by business or nonprofits to business@tucson.com. Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. Nova Scotia sisters Cassie and Maggie MacDonald are coming back to Tucson on Wednesday, March 16, for their first live concert since last fall and their first Tucson show in nearly five years. We cant wait to be back in Tucson, Cassie McDonald said in an email interview. Its been a long, cold Canadian winter up here, so a little sunshine will be really welcome. Wednesdays concert breaks the sisters longest streak of inactivity since they started playing together a dozen years ago and it comes as they are wrapping up the follow-up to their 2016 critically-acclaimed album The Willow Collection. Gold and Coal, like the Willow album, is built on a theme this time of coal and gold mining. Theres such a rich history of music surrounding the gold rush era, especially in the American West, MacDonald said. Its been a really interesting project and we cant wait to share it with everyone. MacDonald also talked about the first time she and Maggie performed live after the pandemic lockdowns, returning to the States and chronicling their journeys through food. Food-agraphic memory: Maggie often jokes that I have a food-agraphic memory and I have to say, I had some of my favorite meals of all time while we were in Tucson. We had never had Mexican cuisine before and, boy, we hit the jackpot when we arrived in town. Getting back on stage: Its a lot of mixed emotions, honestly, after so much time of uncertainty, just making it to the stage in the first place feels like the end of the journey, but then the show starts and its like no time has passed at all. I think when youre a musician onstage, youre really hoping to create a little world where the audience can relate to the music and see some element of themselves in the stories and the songs. Now that weve all been through this global event together, it feels a little easier to create that sense of community somehow. Back in the U.S.: Its kind of full circle for us to be kicking off our spring tour back in the States. Our last show before the pandemic was in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on March 16, 2020, so here we are exactly two years later back in America to perform. Wednesdays performance, presented by In Concert, begins at 7:30 p.m. at the Berger Performing Arts Center, 1200 W. Speedway, on the campus of the Arizona Schools for the Deaf and Blind. Tickets are $22 and $24 through inconcerttucson.com. Contact reporter Cathalena E. Burch at cburch@tucson.com. On Twitter @Starburch Stay up-to-date on what's happening Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. PHOENIX First Lady Jill Biden will be in Arizona this week to highlight job training and cancer treatment programs, two policy priorities mentioned by President Joe Biden in his State of the Union address last week, the White House announced Sunday. The First Lady and Xavier Becerra, secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, will be in Tucson on Tuesday afternoon to hear about the cancer program and services at the San Xavier Health Center on the Tohono Oodham Nation. Biden is scheduled to arrive in Phoenix at 12:30 p.m. Monday and will first visit Intel Corp.s Ocotillo campus in Chandler. The First Lady will be joined by Angela Hanks, the acting assistant secretary for the Employment and Training Administration at the U.S. Department of Labor. The two women are expected to talk about Intels investment in community colleges to strengthen the workforce. Biden is later scheduled to speak at a finance event for the Democratic National Committee in Chandler before heading to Tucson on Monday evening. On Wednesday, Jill Biden and Hanks will be in Nevada to visit with students at Truckee Meadows Community College in Reno before the First Lady heads to Kentucky. Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. Laborers work at the construction site of a China-funded sewage treatment plant in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Feb. 24, 2022. (Xinhua) DHAKA, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Sharmin Akter Sharmi, a local resident of Dhaka, was excited to move to the beautiful Aftab Nagar area, a newly developed eastern side of the Bangladeshi capital. But her excitement vanished soon after she discovered a grim reality. Raw sewage smells were filling the air beyond tolerance, and contaminated drinking water made their life miserable. "Usually I return home after night shift duty when it smells too bad," said Sharmin. "But now we're hopeful (about a good environment) as a new sewage water treatment plant has been launched. It is treating wastewater we're using every day and that is being cleaned and given to the river." For millions of Dhaka dwellers like Sharmin, it is like a dream come true with the construction of a China-funded sewage treatment plant, the largest in South Asia, nears completion with a test running from last December. It took HydroChina Corporation, the contractor, less than four years to almost complete the project. "With the implementation of this project, it will be possible to provide modern sewerage service to about 5 million people of Gulshan, Banani, Baridhara, Bashundhara, parliament and adjoining areas including Hatirjheel of the city," Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said while declaring the groundbreaking of the project in August, 2018. "We've taken initiatives to ensure environment-friendly water management by reducing the dependence on groundwater and soon the citizens will get the benefit of it," she said. Engineer Md Mohosain Ali Miah with Dhaka WASA (Water Supply and Sewage Authority), the executing agency of the project funded by the Export-Import Bank of China, told Xinhua recently that the project includes sewage treatment plants, pumping stations and a sewage pipe network with a sewage treatment capacity of 500,000 cubic meters of sewage a day. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Hydrochina Corporation did hard work here, and the project is almost completed under their efforts, he added. "The wastewater is coming from a sewage lifting station at Rampura, and after treatment the clean water is being discharged into the Gojaria Canal, so the project is an environmentally friendly project in Bangladesh," he said. Morshed Mahbub, a businessman who lives in Banasree area, said downpour always causes waterlogging in his area when roads get damaged. "There are various problems with the sewage smell," he said. He expressed hope that this project will help them immensely get rid of the environmental problems in eastern Dhaka. Abdur Rahman, another local resident from Aftab Nagar area in eastern Dhaka said they are already enjoying the benefits of the project. Road conditions have improved considerably since the arrival of the Chinese workers for the implementation of this project, he said. "The Chinese have built this road. I think it is the best road in Dhaka city. They also made two bridges of high quality," said the Dhaka dweller. He Li, design manager from Powerchina Chengdu Engineering Corporation Limited, the design institute for the project, said the design for Dasherkandi Sewage Treatment Plant was based on China's discharge standard. "The process is Pretreatment + AAO + secondary sedimentation tank + UV disinfection," he said. After the wastewater is treated at the sewage treatment plant, the reclaimed water is discharged into the river for reusage, helping to create a good environment for the local ecosystem, he added. The four primary sedimentation tanks have been put into operation, Chengbo Zhang, project manager from HydroChina International Engineering Co., Ltd, told Xinhua on the spot. According to him, Dasherkandi Sewage Treatment Plant started commissioning on Dec. 17, 2021, and its treatment capacity during the dry season is estimated at about 350,000 m3/day. "And up to now, we think the treatment capacity can meet the demand of 4 million people in Dhaka, which is a very good model project and beneficial to Bangladesh." Photo taken on Feb. 24, 2022 shows a view of a China-funded sewage treatment plant in Dhaka, Bangladesh. (Xinhua) Laborers work at the construction site of a China-funded sewage treatment plant in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Feb. 24, 2022. (Xinhua) Staff members work at a China-funded sewage treatment plant in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Feb. 24, 2022. (Xinhua) Staff members work at a China-funded sewage treatment plant in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Feb. 24, 2022. (Xinhua) TAIPEI, Taiwan Growing up in Taiwan, Huang Yu-lin has become accustomed to chatter about potential military conflict with mainland China. But it wasn't until Russia invaded Ukraine that she started to seriously consider what she would do in such a scenario. "Hearing it so often, it was a bit like crying wolf," the 32-year-old energy policy researcher said. Now, with a war raging in Europe and deteriorating cross-strait relations, she's begun looking into medical training and browsing war survival manuals. "I've become more and more worried. This is something that needs to be taken seriously," she said. The world has been captivated by the invasion of Ukraine, as Russian President Vladimir Putin has sought control of the former Soviet republic's capital, Kyiv, and ordinary citizens have taken up arms to defend their country. In Taiwan, the apprehension comes with added anxiety over its own precarious geopolitical standing, under the shadow of an aggressive neighbor pushing a territorial claim. Chinese President Xi Jinping is determined to eventually bring the democratically ruled island back into the Communist Party's fold. While Beijing has called for peaceful reunification, record incursions by Chinese warplanes into Taiwan's air defense identification zone are a regular reminder that Xi hasn't ruled out the use of force. "We feel totally related because of the Chinese Communist Party's threats to Taiwan every day," said Chen Kuan-ting, chief executive of Taiwan NextGen Foundation, a think tank politically aligned with the governing Democratic Progressive Party. "We need to invest more in our own national defense, and that is the only way to deter aggression." Officials and defense specialists in Taiwan have pointed to Ukraine as a potent warning to step up military training and preparation at home. At the same time, leaders have sought to allay concerns about any imminent threats from China, as well as the island's defense capabilities. "Our military is committed to defending our homeland and continues to improve its ability to do so, and our global partners are contributing to the security of our region, giving us strong confidence in Taiwan's security," Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen said in a statement condemning Russia's attack on Ukraine. Experts point to several differences that diminish the likelihood of an imminent attack on Taiwan, an island of about 23 million people. One key factor is the Taiwan Strait, which acts as a natural geographical buffer against mainland forces. Strong diplomatic ties with other democratic governments such as Japan and the U.S., along with Taiwan's vital role in the global economy and supply chain in semiconductor production, could also help deter aggression. To help preserve the status quo, the U.S. does not formally recognize Taiwan as an independent nation and has been intentionally ambiguous about how much military support it might provide if China attacked the island. As younger generations of Taiwanese develop a stronger sense of identity that sets the island apart from China, some worry that a more defiant stance against unification or an explicit declaration of support from the U.S. could provoke Beijing into action. Beijing has also stressed the differences between Ukraine and Taiwan, in particular arguing that the latter has always been a part of China. "It is unwise of certain people of the Taiwan authorities to latch on to and exploit the Ukraine issue to their advantage," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said in a briefing transcript. "'Taiwan independence' only leads to a dead end." While many have brushed off fears of confrontation, to others the visceral violence in Ukraine has suddenly made China's threats more tangible. "A lot of scenarios now happening in Ukraine, those were not imaginable for a lot of people," said T.H. Schee, 44, a tech and policy worker who hosts lectures in Taiwan on civil defense. Schee's events have traditionally focused on natural disaster response, but many recent participants have been drawn to the seminars because of Ukraine. Among the questions he's received from concerned Taiwanese are whether they can learn to hack computers or shoot rifles, Schee said, despite Taiwan's strict laws on gun ownership. "It's like the Wild West. People have just got no idea what will happen, or what other resources you need," he said. Chiang Chia-hung, a master's student in international relations at National Taiwan University, was pleasantly surprised to find less politically minded friends and family also closely following the news in Ukraine. Even the local shopkeeper raised the issue with him while he was out buying tofu and sausages, during a weekend trip home to the central city of Taichung. Chiang, who spent two out of his four months of conscription in the Matsu Islands about 10 miles from China's coast, said he hopes this kind of attention will lead Taiwanese people to take the possibility of outside aggression more seriously. "There, the risk of China was always present," he said of his time in Matsu. "Add on these developments, and I feel like it's made me more aware that you really can't underestimate the danger of China." Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. "I was once a farmer" Xinhua) 08:10, March 07, 2022 BEIJING, March 6 (Xinhua) -- In 1969, a young man, not quite 16 years old, left Beijing and settled in a poor village some 1,000 km away in northwest China, where he spent the next seven years working as a farmer. More than five decades later, the memories of toiling on the Loess Plateau are still engraved in his mind. Like seeds in fertile soil, those experiences have grown into an enduring sense of concern for the welfare of farmers. The man is Xi Jinping, now China's top leader. "I was a farmer... and knew what villagers wanted the most!" President Xi recalled during a foreign trip in 2015. "One thing I wished most at the time was to make it possible for the villagers to have meat and have it often," he said, referring to his past experiences. Today, food is no longer a problem for Chinese farmers. But Xi's bond with the rural people has remained strong. On Sunday, Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, visited national political advisors from the sectors of agriculture and welfare and social security, who are attending the annual session of the top political advisory body. He stressed the importance of ensuring grain supply, showing great concern for farmers and the agricultural sector. 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) The question of farmers' livelihoods has been an important issue for Xi. In December 2012, about one month after taking the helm of the Party, Xi braved the winter cold and brought cooking oil, flour, quilts and coats to families in Hebei's Fuping County, one of China's most impoverished regions then. Xi's visit brought not only hope and belief, but also concrete measures to boost local development. "The general secretary said during his tour to our village that he would like us to get rid of poverty and become better off as soon as possible. Today, I want to let him know that we've made it," said Gu Chenghu, a villager in Fuping five years after Xi's visit. After taking the Party's top post, Xi waged a nationwide anti-poverty campaign. In February 2021, he announced that China has eliminated absolute poverty, scoring a "complete victory" in the fight. In just eight years, China lifted 98.99 million poor rural residents over the poverty line. This historic victory does not mean that Xi feels less concerned about agriculture, rural areas and farmers. He has shifted the strategy to the next target: rural revitalization. It was proposed as a key move for the development of a modernized economy at the 19th CPC National Congress in 2017. According to the roadmap, "decisive" progress will have been made by 2035, with the basic modernization of agriculture and rural areas achieved. By 2050, rural areas should have robust agriculture, beautiful landscapes and prosperous farmers. In the recently published "No. 1 central document" for 2022, the first policy statement released by China's central authorities each year, the key tasks to comprehensively push forward rural revitalization were outlined. "We must firmly hold the bottom lines of guaranteeing China's grain security and ensuring no large-scale return to poverty," it noted. In August 2021, more than eight years after his trip to Fuping, Hebei, Xi returned to the province and inspected progress on rural revitalization. He dropped by the home of villager Huo Jin and chatted with the family. He stressed that, even when China's urbanization has reached a high level, there will still be hundreds of millions of people working and living in rural areas. Prosperity must be achieved in both urban and rural areas, Xi said, calling for building a new socialist countryside that is more beautiful and has better living conditions. (Web editor: Peng yukai, Liang Jun) BEIJING, March 7 (Xinhua) -- China is preparing for the third foreign ministers meeting among the neighboring countries of Afghanistan, and is willing to contribute to the durable stability and security of Afghanistan, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Monday. The United States has walked away irresponsibly from Afghanistan, leaving the Afghan people in a serious humanitarian crisis and creating enormous security challenges to regional stability, Wang said at a press conference. The immediate priorities are to race against time to provide humanitarian aid, Wang said, urging the United States to immediately lift the freeze on Afghanistan's assets in the United States and various unilateral sanctions. The United States must return unconditionally the assets that belong to the Afghan people to avoid causing "secondary damage" to the people, according to Wang. WASHINGTON The already challenging path to bringing home Americans jailed in Russia and Ukraine is 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. The families of Reed and Whelan have long held out hope for a 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 led to punishing economic sanctions on Russia 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 from 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." The father 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," 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, 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 added. 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, his father said. Reed 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 she hopes the U.S. can 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 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. After the State Department said last month that it was evacuating almost all of its staff from the embassy in Kyiv and would maintain a small consular presence elsewhere, Kristi Magnusson, Groszhan's sister, said there is "no longer any way" for U.S. officials there to check on him. Magnusson said in a statement provided to AP 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 currently designated Groszhans as a wrongful detainee. It is unclear if that will change. Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. BUDAPEST, Hungary To Olena, it feels like Vladimir Putin has been chasing her for years. Fed up with Putin's government, the Russian citizen left her native country six years ago and moved to Ukraine, where she helped raise funds for women and children whose homes had been destroyed in years of fighting between Ukrainian forces and Russian-backed separatists in the Donbas region. Then, last week, she was on the move again fleeing her adopted home of Kyiv ahead of Putin's invaders. "It looks like I'm a double refugee now because first I fled from Russia because I was against Putin," said Olena, who spoke on condition that she be identified only by her first name for fear of reprisals against her or her family. "I fled from Russia, and then Russia came to Ukraine." Olena and five colleagues left Kyiv after three nights in a bomb shelter, the thuds of explosions reverberating. They arrived in Hungary on March 3 after a harrowing, three-day flight. Seated on a train in the Hungarian border town of Zahony before departing for the capital of Budapest, Olena said she had participated in anti-Putin protests in Russia, but came to realize that "Putin will just rule for as long as he lives. So I chose to vote with my legs and leave." She moved to Ukraine, she said, because she was inspired by the Maidan revolution of 2014, when sustained protests forced the ouster of Ukraine's Moscow-backed president, Viktor Yanukovych. "As long as Putin is in power, I will never go back," she said. But now, Ukraine was no longer an option, either for her or for the hundreds of other refugees who boarded the train for the five-hour journey from the border to Budapest. Dozens of volunteers greeted them, offering food, transportation and accommodation. Olena was grateful to be in friendly territory, but the future looked uncertain. "I have no home, I don't know what I'm gonna do. I just have to hope," she said. She lost access to her money after Ukraine blocked the bank accounts of Russian citizens, fearing they would be used to finance Russia's assault on the country. "I understand their reasons, because they are afraid that Russians will use this money to fight. But I'm just a civilian. I just lost all my income, I lost all my source of money, and I lost my bank account, just because of this Russian passport," she said. That passport, she said, caused her problems on the journey from Kyiv. Some Ukrainians expressed hostility, associating her with the enemy. But she stressed that many Russians, at home and abroad, oppose the war, and she hopes "people would separate the government from common people that don't want to fight." "Ukrainians are like a brother people," she said. "We can't fight amongst each other. Putin is the real enemy. When Putin came to power, I didn't like him but I didn't realize the whole scale of his insanity." Olena and her colleagues were given a place to stay in a leafy suburb of Budapest. It is a welcome respite. "We don't hear explosions anymore. We don't hear sirens every two hours, when we have to pack our things and rush to the bomb shelter," she said. "When we crossed the border it was such a relief that we are alive and we are safe." Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. The following is the opinion and analysis of the writer: Although there is a clear line between childhood and adulthood, that line gets blurry during the college years. Most of my students are living away from home for the first time, learning more about themselves and the world than ever before. Yet right at the same time, my students are now expected to vote, to pay taxes, and to sign up for the draft. Most of my students hold down hourly jobs to help chip away at the debt and living expenses they are accruing. All of a sudden and without much warning society expects that much more from those on the cusp of adulthood. Confronted with this new reality for the first time, most begin to take a big picture view of the world they are inheriting for better or for worse. Not so long ago, the entry into college was an exciting time brimming with all of the possible futures one could imagine and work toward. But recent events have cast a dark pall over these futures. Most notably, the specter of climate change has become an urgent reality, and one which my students on all sides of the political spectrum acknowledge as fact. They want to know: Where are the adults in the room? Why is everyone content to let their future burn? As many in Arizona already know, climate change has contributed to extreme heat, the single most deadly weather-related risk today. We also face prolonged drought, as our farmers see up close and personal every day of the year scientists have measured it as the worst drought humans have faced in the American West in 1,200 years. The Colorado River the same river that carved out the Grand Canyon is drying up to the point where mandatory usage cuts were made for the first time ever in 2021. This suggests Arizona needs to start looking for other sources of precious water. Our abundance of sun should be a good thing. If we can tap into all the clean solar energy we receive year-round, not only would we have a great new revenue stream for the state government coupled with thousands of new well-paying jobs, but we would be able to greatly reduce the massive amounts of carbon we are pumping into the atmosphere nonstop. Just think of all the air pollution we produce from running our air conditioning and other cooling systems each day. Can we make that carbon neutral from producing solar energy? Dare to dream. But this is where the federal government and the Biden administration need to step in and lead. Right now, as the Presidents Build Back Better plan dangles on the Senate vine, my students are losing hope and confidence in the future. BBB includes some $300 billion in tax incentives for renewable energy, cleaner transportation and domestic manufacturing. These incentives have the potential to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon energy, expand economic opportunity and make a positive contribution to human and environmental health. Sen. Mark Kelly supports Build Back Better. But Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, while stating that the climate provisions in the bill that could truly transform Arizona for the better are among the most important, has been less clear in whether she will actually fight for our childrens future. Arizona is my home, our home. My students and I dont want to watch it burn as the Senate fiddles. Dr. Jonathan Jae-an Crisman is Assistant Professor of Public & Applied Humanities at the University of Arizona. Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. Tom Gilbert Chief Photographer I joined the Tulsa World in 1988 after graduating from the University of Central Oklahoma. I lived in Saudi Arabia before graduating from Broken Arrow High School. I'm married to Karen Gilbert and have three grown children. Phone: 918-581-8349 Follow Tom Gilbert 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 Broken Arrow Brewing Co.'s building at 333 W. Dallas St. was once an ice-making facility and a power plant. Could it be fate that a brewery would eventually brew beer in the former Ice building that was built in 1907? BABCO's beer for Beer of the Week is a Belgian quad ale named Father Dominic. Father Dominic is said to have traveled to Oklahoma and visited monasteries and taught the art of brewing to the monks in Indian territory and Oklahoma. "Father Dominic came to the Broken Arrow area, also to Shawnee and Ada, and he was the first brewer in our state. Obviously, at the time, it was still Indian territory. The cool thing about our brewery is we are Indian-owned and operated and that's our connection, not just with our own history but also with this beer. So it's a big cheers to Father Dominic being the first guy to brew beer in our area," said Tyler Palmer of Broken Arrow Brewing. Father Dominic (the beer) hasn't been brewed in a few years, but the customer demand is back and some variations are planned. "The weekend of the 19th, we will have five different variations of this beer that we've done from oak-aged Belgian quad to a blueberry Belgian quad, and a few others that'll also be released through that weekend," said Palmer. The 9.5% ABV beer is strong hence it being a quad or quadruple. The taste is malty with complex flavors like a darker beer. The beer uses Belgian malts and Belgian yeast which creates a sweet, fruity taste that changes as it ages. It is also a great beer to barrel-age. The beer originated as Trappists monks brewed to create funds for monasteries and their communities. It was also a source of potable water. "It's going to have a sweeter molasses, raisiny bread kind of flavoring. It's multi-based, but it's not thick. So this is something that most everybody will be able to enjoy," said Palmer. "Father Dominic came to the Broken Arrow area, also Shawnee and Ada, and he was the first brewer in our state. Obviously, at the time, it was still Indian territory. The cool thing about our brewery is we are Indian-owned and operated and that's our connection, not just with our own history but also with this beer. So it's a big cheers to father Dominic being the first guy to brew beer in our area," said Palmer. With a building built in 1907, BABCO is housed in one of the oldest buildings in the state. The historic building once was a power plant for Broken Arrow and was an ice manufacturer. The railroad tracks that run beside the building head toward Tulsa. When in production, ice was loaded and shipped into Tulsa. "Before we bought this building, it had trees growing through it and had been abandoned for several decades. The city of Broken Arrow was super helpful in giving us the ability to get this building, bring it back to life and put it to excellent use of making beer for our community. We're two blocks off Main street. So that gives us the ability to not only be historical, but also be helpful for all the new things that are happening in Broken Arrow. We've got cool, awesome restaurants. We've got a rooftop bar down the road. We've also got an Andolini's as well as In the Raw. We love being able to partner with those and serve our beer there and they also help us by providing food for our taproom," said Palmer. BABCO has two outdoor patios with a fireplace and a taproom that typically has 12 beers on tap. There are also windows to the brewhouse from the taproom that allows you to watch as the brewing process takes place. "We would be happy to walk you through the process and show you how it gets made. We're here to educate people, but also we don't wanna be too boring. We like to have a beer and have a good time, too," he said. BABCO will be pouring at Shamrock the Rose District in downtown Broken Arrow on March 12. Hours at the brewery are: closed on Mondays, Tuesday - Thursday 4 - 10 P.M., Friday-Saturday 12 P.M. - 12 A.M., Sunday 12 - 10 P.M. Past Beers of the Week: Tom Gilbert 918-581-8349 tom.gilbert@tulsaworld.com Stay up-to-date on what's happening Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Dinner time: With Spring Break scheduled for March 14-18, Tulsa Public Schools will serve one weeks worth of snacks and suppers on Friday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the former Grimes Elementary School, located at 3213 E. 56th St. Any child aged 18 and younger may receive food. Voter registration deadline: Friday is the last day to register to vote for the April 5 election. Along with a school bond election in Owasso, the April 5 ballot includes board of education elections for Bixby, Catoosa, Jenks, Mounds, Owasso, Sand Springs, Tulsa Public Schools, Tulsa Technology Center and Union. Learning to fly: Officials with Bartlesville Public Schools announced Wednesday that Bartlesville High School will be adding aviation and aerospace courses to its STEM programming starting in fall 2022. The two new courses will be made possible through a two-year grant from the Oklahoma Aeronautics Association to help cover the costs of curriculum, professional development, a drone and participation in Oklahoma State Universitys Student Pilot Day. The district also received a flight simulator from the Corporate Aircraft Association. Calendar change: Originally slated to be a district-wide distance learning day, Broken Arrow Public Schools will instead have in-person classes on Monday. Going virtual: The Muscogee Nation is moving its annual Challenge Bowl competition to a virtual format due to COVID-19 concerns. Originally scheduled to be held in person in February, the event is now scheduled for March 31, April 7 and April 14. The quiz bowl style competition for elementary, middle school and high school teams focuses on Muscogee language, history and culture. COVID-19 by the numbers: Multiple area school districts published COVID-19 case counts on Friday. Tulsa Public Schools had two reported cases among its students and one among its employees. Bartlesville Public Schools reported no positive cases among its employees and one among its students. The district has an additional four students in quarantine due to close contact exposure. Berryhill Public Schools did not have any reported cases among its staff and students. Bixby Public Schools reported one active case among its students and none among its students. Broken Arrow Public Schools reported 12 cases among its students and two among its employees. The district does not differentiate among campuses in its public facing reporting. Collinsville Public Schools had one reported case among its students and one reported case among its employees. Jenks Public Schools had no reported cases among its employees and one among its students. Owasso Public Schools reported one case among its students and none among its staff. OPS does not differentiate among sites in its public-facing reporting. Sand Springs Public Schools reported two cases among its staff and students, both of which were at the campus shared by the districts Sixth Grade Center and Clyde Boyd Middle School. Skiatook Public Schools reported one case among its students and none among its staff. Glenpool and Sapulpa did not publish updated case counts by the close of business Friday. Union Public Schools is now publishing updated case counts on Mondays rather than daily. School board calendar: The boards of education for Broken Arrow, Coweta, Inola, Jenks, Mounds, Sand Springs, Sapulpa, Sperry, Tulsa and Union all have meetings scheduled for Monday. The Jenks board of education has a special meeting Tuesday morning. The board of education for Epic One-on-One and Epic Blended is scheduled to meet Wednesday in Oklahoma City. The boards of education for Berryhill, Bixby, Claremore and Collinsville have meetings scheduled for Thursday. Want to see more like this? Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Saul Servin sells Mexican candy and party planning services in Oklahoma City. He remembers families weighing the cost of a childs birthday against the need to save in case one parent got deported. We were all feeling a lot of anxiety because we didnt know what was going to happen, Servin said about his community. We didnt know if we, as immigrants, were going to be able to stay in this country. That was three years ago when the Trump administration encouraged local law enforcement to identify, flag and hold undocumented immigrants in local jails. Flagged individuals faced increased prospects of deportation. Recent immigration data, however, shows Hispanic immigrants may now have less cause for concern as fewer people are being flagged for immigration detention. The majority of those detained in Oklahoma stand accused of serious crimes. The number of people arrested locally and flagged for questionable immigration status fell 45% nationally and 38% in Oklahoma as of June 2020, according to data by Syracuse Universitys Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse. The Syracuse organization which bills itself as an independent and nonpartisan source of federal enforcement, staffing and spending information obtains the data through litigation and public records requests. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainees in Oklahoma, Tulsa, Canadian, and Okmulgee counties have also decreased since the second half of 2020, the data shows. Okmulgee County Jail, for example, averaged 208 ICE detainees a day in late 2019. As of January 2022, that number dropped 87.5% to a daily average of 26. Immigration advocates, legal professionals and local law officials attribute the declines to two main factors: the COVID-19 pandemic and the Biden administrations immigration enforcement priorities. Former President Donald Trumps January 2017 executive order required U.S. immigration officers to cross-deputize local jail officers as immigration agents and allow them to perform federal enforcement duties. Among those duties: identifying undocumented immigrants and flagging them for potential deportation. Under these 287(g) agreements, local agencies were also mandated to report the number of ICE detainer requests they honored after flagging someone. Those failing to report were barred from receiving some federal grants. ICE detainer requests reached their peak under the Obama administration in 2011 nationally and in 2012 in Oklahoma. After reaching a monthly low of 85 in July 2016 a presidential election year they spiked to 321 in March 2017. Immigration advocates say the 287(g) agreements allow local law enforcement to racially profile people in Hispanic communities and unconstitutionally detain flagged individuals. A Tennessee woman filed a federal lawsuit against the Knox County Sheriffs Office, which detained her four months after she dialed 911 seeking rescue from her violent boyfriend. Latino community leaders and immigration attorneys say 287(g) agreements erode trust in law enforcement within immigrant communities. They are still waiting for President Joe Biden to keep a campaign promise to end the agreements, which 146 sheriffs nationally maintain. Among them are three Oklahoma sheriff departments Canadian, Okmulgee and Tulsa counties. Multiple calls to the Okmulgee County Sheriffs office were not returned. Unsuccessful efforts to seek comment from the Canadian County Sheriffs office included multiple phone calls and an in-person visit. Until late 2020, Tulsa County Sheriffs office was also engaged in a beds-for-dollars contract with ICE to hold people in federal custody. Coupled with 287(g), the agreements allowed Tulsa County to identify someone undocumented, flag them for ICE and hold them in federal custody until they faced immigration court. Vic Regalado, the son of Mexican immigrants and Tulsa Countys sheriff since 2016, said Bidens policies on immigration enforcement have caused him to revise his ICE agreements. With fewer people flagged for possible deportation, allocating beds at the Tulsa County jail for ICE detainees was less economically feasible, Regalado said. Individuals held in the jail for ICE are now transferred upon entering federal custody. Regalado said that while its true fewer people are being flagged, held and deported, the Biden administrations latest immigration enforcement guidelines have also led to more serious criminals being released on bail in recent years. In the past, we had detention officers that had been trained through ICE to be able to access their (computer) programs and determine whether an individual was here illegally or not, Regalado said. The jail now must wait for ICE officials in Washington, D.C., to decide whether they will assume custody, he said. Regalado gave an example of Tulsa County sheriffs 2021 arrest of a drug runner who shot at an officer and missed. We brought him to the jail for shooting with intent to kill, drug trafficking, and some other civil charges, Regalado said, He bonded out, and within three hours he disappeared. Who knows where he is now. After his 2016 election, Regalado faced criticism for continuing the 287(g) agreement. Misinformation surrounded this program like Ive never seen any other program surrounded before, Regalado said. We had individuals who were publicly telling people that we were holding individuals here who had simply run a stop sign or had a traffic warrant. The Tulsa County Sheriffs Office has never enabled the deportation of someone who wasnt already requested by ICE or charged with serious crimes, Regalado said. Pressure from immigrant advocates prompted him to compile a roster of Tulsa County jail detainees held under 287(g) showing the reason they were arrested. That data shows that between March 2019 and December 2021, 70 people were flagged by one of the six designated immigration officers and detained. None have been flagged in 2022. A March 1 spot check of Tulsa County jails roster showed 58 people with an ICE hold designation. Regalado said those are people facing local charges who have been flagged by ICE. They will be released on bail or after they face the local judicial system unless ICE decides to assume custody of them. Its just a request (from ICE) to say, Hey call us before release in the event we want to process them, he said, explaining that once someone is transferred into federal custody, Tulsa County loses track of the person. They are taken to a federal usually privately owned detention facility. Once someone is released from a local jail to ICE, they become hard to track, said Susan Long, director of the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse research center at Syracuse. Those detainees tend to be mixed with immigration detainees from different parts of the country. This makes for discrepancies between people flagged in jails like Tulsas and the number of detainees ICE reports in a facility located nearby. Its a really messy situation, Long said, and local police are sort of caught in the middle. Theyre responsible for the public safety of the community, and if youve got a large immigrant community, its often mixed in legal status. Chris Shoaf, a Tulsa resident and member of the End 287(g) Coalition, has been tracking ICE hold designations at the Tulsa County jail since he learned about 287(g) contracts in 2016. His 2020 data shows that of the 329 people on ICE hold at David L. Moss Criminal Justice Center, half of them were charged with nonviolent crimes. Of those, 70% were charged with driving under the influence. I think I could give a compelling argument why multiple DUIs is something you shouldnt be doing if youre here in this country illegally, Regalado said. But whats never reported is that we let multiple people go because they were brought in for things like traffic violations. That narrative never gets pushed out. Shoaf said his data shows fewer people are being flagged and immediately transferred to federal custody. In 2021, 45 of 58 nonviolent immigration detainees faced charges of driving under the influence. Three had more than one offense. Tulsa County has consistently been second to Oklahoma County for the most honored immigration detention requests despite Oklahoma Countys having no ICE agreements. Instead, the Oklahoma County jail, which has been run by a trust since July 2020, relies on a state law passed in 2021 requiring local jails to honor all requests by ICE to hold persons arrested locally and allow immigration agents reasonable access to jail rosters. Cynthia Garcia said the relationship between ICE and Oklahoma County is stronger than Tulsas because Oklahoma County allows ICE agents based in Dallas access to the jail and roster. Its one of the biggest concerns here locally, she said. Multiple calls to the ICE field office in Dallas went unanswered. Saul Servin has owned his south Oklahoma City candy store for eight years but has lived as a permanent resident in the state for 17. He said after reporting suspicious shoppers and being involved in a few car accidents, hes never experienced profiling or discrimination from the local police. The fluctuating level of fear is predicated by statements from the White House because people dont take the time to learn where their rights stop and end as immigrants, he said. There was a time when we were afraid to call the police for help because we would think of what Trump was saying, Servin said, not about what the officer was going to do when he arrived at the scene. BEIJING, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday called on Japan to make due contribution to regional peace, stability and development. Vietnamese State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc has urged relevant ministries to pay special attention to the protection of Vietnamese citizens in Ukraine and ensure their safety during evacuation. President Phuc chaired a meeting with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other authorities on Sunday to listen to reports on the citizen protection process in Ukraine in the context of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine military conflict, which started on February 24. The meeting was attended by Deputy PM Pham Binh Minh and leaders of the Government Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Public Security, and the Ministry of Health, the Vietnam News Agency reported. According to Vietnamese Ambassador to Ukraine Nguyen Hong Thach, who joined the meeting virtually, the embassy has coordinated with relevant agencies to support and evacuate many Vietnamese citizens from conflict zones upon their request. Others wished to remain in Kharkiv and Odessa to watch over their assets, Thach added. President Phuc praised the foreign ministry and relevant agencies for their efforts to protect Vietnamese expatriates in Ukraine and assist them in returning to Vietnam. Special attention must be paid to the citizen protection process, he continued, adding that the citizens must not be left hungry or cold during their evacuation. The president applauded the government's plan to conduct free flights bringing Vietnamese citizens in difficult circumstances in Ukraine back home, with priority given to women, children, and the elderly. Those who stay in the European country must be safely evacuated out of war zones. President Phuc tasked the Embassy of Vietnam in Ukraine with ensuring the lives and properties of Vietnamese citizens there. About 7,000 Vietnamese people live in Ukraine, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. As of 5:00 pm on Sunday, more than 2,500 of them had moved out of conflict zones to Poland, Hungary, Romania, and Slovakia. Vietnamese representative agencies have been assisting the citizens in completing the necessary procedures for their entry and transit. They have coordinated with local authorities and Vietnamese people associations in the host countries to provide temporary accommodations and essential items for the evacuated citizens. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A group of Vietnamese doctors, who are serving the Vietnamese level-2 field hospital No. 3 under the United Nations peacekeeping mission in South Sudan, have organized an event to instruct South Sudanese women to keep female hygiene ahead of International Womens Day (March 8). The aim of the activity is to raise awareness of the importance of daily vaginal hygiene practices among local women in South Sudan. The Vietnamese doctors carefully prepared educational materials with the help of an interpreter. They gave the materials, along with gifts, and advice to South Sudanese women at the event in order to help the females have the best health possible by following simple hygiene practices in the context of a lack of clean water for daily life and increasing risks of infection. In addition, the doctors gave presents to pregnant women at Bentiu Hospitals obstetrics department. A Vietnamese doctor, who is serving Vietnamese level-2 field hospital No. 3 under the United Nations peacekeeping mission in South Sudan, shows a South Sudanese woman how to use a hygiene product. Photo: Vietnamese level-2 field hospital No. 3 Most women in South Sudan neither consider keeping vaginal hygiene important nor understand that vaginal diseases can affect a females fertility and overall health, according to Dr. Tong Van Anh. After this health education session, I hope that South Sudanese women will have a clearer view and are more concerned about their own health, especially vaginal health, Dr. Anh said. Based on that, the awareness of the role of women will also gradually increase. I also hope that South Sudan will develop faster so that people here have better and happier living conditions. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Screen Australia yesterday fronted a session at the Australian International Documentary Conference introducing new members of the Documentary / Factual team. It was AIDC 2020 when COVID was just impacting on Australia. This conference marks one of the first times so many producers have come face to face in a two year period. CEO Graeme Mason opened by telling delegates, I do want to say how amazing it is to see you all and be here in person. It has been such a long time. Obviously, I know, its been incredibly tough for everybody. And I want to just make sure that we all give ourselves a moment that whilst its going back to some sort of normal now, theres going to be collateral damage for a lot of us for a long time as we work through this. So I think the most important thing I really hope that we get out of these days, is literally an experience of just seeing people and beginning to reestablish those bonds and connections to make us work as collaboratively as possible. Mason acknowledged the struggles experienced by independent producers during the pandemic, but also explained the large-scale impact that had been felt by his own team. None of us understand how tough it has been for you trying to make payroll and keep your companies going. We dont have that, were really lucky we get paid. But I guess what some of you maybe dont understand is that we deal with 300 people or 500 people. So we have 500 of you coming to us going Oh my god, my companys in trouble. my productions in trouble. So just the damage, I think to some of our side of the desk has been intense. Because what these people (on the panel) are all trying to do is help you make stuff. And so theyve got your best interests at heart. Mason added, Congratulations, all of you. Its extraordinary how many of you have made stuff, great stuff, during this time. It just shows the kind of creative spirit youve got, the resilience youve got, and your adaptability. Dating shows with parents and kids are now the latest trend in TV formats. ITV Studios Australia is casting for new dating show with single parents aged 40 60, and their 18+ kids, who want another chance at finding love. 18+ year olds can also nominate a parent. Applicants must be able to participate for a minimum of 2 consecutive weeks tentatively in July 2022. The format sound similar to My Mom, Your Dad which was created by Greg Daniels (The Office, King of the Hill, Parks & Recreation) and his daughter Haley Daniels. In the version on HBO Max a group of single parents nominated by their college-age children move into a house called Second Chance Retreat together with the hopes of finding love. Unbeknownst to the parents, their kids are all staying together in another house right down the street, watching and manipulating their dating adventures with the help of a host and various hidden cameras. You can apply here. Producer Joanna Werner, Minister for Creative Industries Danny Pearson, VicScreen CEO Caroline Pitcher, and Videogame Developer Liam Esler on the set of the ABC series Crazy Fun Park. Film Victoria has rebranded as VicScreen today, designed to recognise Victorias growth in screen content, including Film, Television, Online and Digital Games. VicScreen CEO Caroline Pitcher said, Today Film Victoria builds on its rich legacy of screen industry support and evolves into VicScreen, better representing the entire screen ecosystem and promoting Victoria as a world-leading centre for screen. Victoria is an epicentre for games development in our region, in fact our agency has invested in digital games for more than 25 years. Im excited that our name now fully represents such important sectors of our industry. As part of the relaunch is a new Victorian Production Fund, a $40 million program to increase support for television, digital games and online content. The fund is expected to inject $130.5 million into the Victorian economy every year, as well as creating the equivalent of 3,700 full time jobs over four years. Minister for Creative Industries Danny Pearson said, Were backing Victorian-led productions that will support thousands of creative jobs and drive Victorias continued development as a global screen powerhouse. A new $2.06 million Specialist Placement Program has also been established to grow the local talent pool including production accountants, location managers, script editors, post-production supervisors and games marketers. Both programs are supported as part of the Victorian Governments $191.5 million VicScreen strategy, which is investing in new talent, skills, businesses and events to grow the states screen industry. Werner Film Productions Producer Joanna Werner added, From The Newsreader, Clickbait, Surviving Summer and Crazy Fun Park Im really proud to produce Victorian-led series that are loved by both Australian and international audiences. The rise in demand for fantastic content and the amazing storytellers we have here in Victoria coupled with our states world-class talent, crew and facilities makes this such an exciting time to be a part of our industry. vicscreen.vic.gov.au Celebrated producer Bob Campbell, who co-founded Screentime, has been honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award by Screen Producers Australia. Bob is undoubtedly one of Australias most prolific and successful producers. Throughout his career, he has been instrumental in bringing some of Australias most celebrated TV franchises and stories to screens globally. Bob has mentored and supported countless screen industry professionals, offering critical steppingstones during their careers. Bobs tenacity and savvy leadership during his time at Screentime helped create an industry powerhouse, and we at SPA acknowledge and thank Bob for his contributions to Australias screen industry as a whole, said SPA CEO, Matthew Deaner. Campbell held senior management positions with Network 10, and as Managing Director and CEO of the Seven Network from 1987 until 1995. After his departure from the Seven Network, Campbell, alongside Des Monaghan, formed Screentime, where he served as the Executive Chairman for 23 years. During that time Screentime produced the hit Underbelly and PopStars franchises, sixteen seasons of RBT plus Pine Gap, Wolf Creek, Cloudstreet, Janet King, ANZAC Girls, Anhs Brush with Fame, SAS Australia, Sydneys Crazy Rich Asians, The Hundred with Andy Lee, and Hughesy We Have a Problem. Campbell is a long-time contributor to Screen Producers Australia, serving as Vice President and contributing to negotiations for agreements for writers, cast and crew and influencing and guiding policy outcomes with measured and thoughtful engagement. He is also a former Chairman of both The Film Finance Corporation and the Sydney Dance Company and Non-Executive Chairman of Adcorp, a former Director of the Sydney Swans, The Australian Film Radio & Television School, the Australian Film Commission and member of the Film and Television Industry Advisory Committee for Screen NSW. In a statement SPA noted Campbells legacy and influence as a statesman for the sector and mentor to many as well as his extraordinary achievements have left an indelible mark and have been key to building the success of the Australian Screen Industry. Screentime recently merged with Endemol Shine Australia, with Campbell retiring in 2020. The SPA Awards ceremony will take place at The Star Gold Coast on Wednesday 30 March, as part of Screen Forever. Pioneering producer and journalist Brian Davies, who produced Australias first television breakfast news program, and helped set up Imparja, has died aged 86. The Age reports his health had been failing in recent months, and he had spent much of January in hospital. Davies joined the ABC as a news cadet, aged 18, working in the ABCs newsroom in Kings Cross. He covered general news and politics for ABC Radio, saw the birth of television from the newsroom floor, and was posted to London as a foreign correspondent. Soon after his return from London, Davies joined Channel Seven as an on-camera news reporter before shifting to Seven Days, the then Fairfax-owned networks answer to the ABCs Four Corners, later becoming chief reporter, presenter and executive producer of the show. He later worked at Patrician Films, producing childrens shows and documentaries, including Lens on Lilliput, and Australias first animated cartoons for TV, including Howard the Mild Colonial Boy about a nervous bushranger. Davies returned to Channel Seven, producing Sydney Today, the countrys first television breakfast news program but the 4am starts were exhausting with a young family. He rejoined the ABC, working at This Day Tonight before joining Four Corners, where he rose to become executive producer by 1977. During his leadership, the program won a Logie and a UN Peace Prize, among other awards. At the request of Bruce Gyngell, Davies joined SBS in 1982 and produced various programs including Issues, a weekly panel show hosted by Margaret Throsby. He later helped set up Imparja, the broadcaster for Indigenous Australians and produced Newsworld a revolutionary late evening news bulletin with irascible host Clive Robertson for Seven. He also wrote the 1981 book Those Fabulous TV Years. Over his career, Davies collaborated with many of the most celebrated journalists and broadcasters including George Negus, Mike Carlton, Caroline Jones, Peter Luck, Paul Lyneham, Andrew Olle, Peter Ross and the Britains David Frost. After retirement, Davies also fought for the rights of refugees and detained migrants, working with the Manly parish social justice group and visiting Villawood every Tuesday for many years. Photo: The Age Hearings in the case of accusing Russia of genocide against Ukraine are starting in the UN International Court of Justice, at the same time, hearings in the case of the downed MH17 will continue in Schiphol. In particular, the hearings in the case of Ukraine v. Russia, which will be held on March 7-8 at the Peace Palace in The Hague, are devoted to the request to determine the interim measures requested by Ukraine. The hearings on the current COVID-19 pandemic will be held in a hybrid format: some members of the Court will personally attend the oral hearings in the Great Hall of Justice, some via video. Representatives of the parties to the case will take part in person or by video link. On the first day of the hearing, word will be given to the Ukrainian side, on the second day, to the Russian side. On the eve of the hearings, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky by his decree determined the composition of the Ukrainian delegation, which included the Permanent Representative of the President to the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, Agent of Ukraine Anton Korynevych; Director of the Department of International Law of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Deputy Head of Delegation, Deputy Agent of Ukraine Oksana Zolotareva, Ambassador Olena Zerkal, Deputy Minister of Economy of Ukraine, Trade Representative of Ukraine Taras Kachka. On the same day, hearings in the case of the downed Malaysia Airlines airliner on flight MH17 resumed at the Schiphol court complex. It is expected that one of the accused Oleg Pulatov will defend himself in this bloc. The last hearing in the trial took place on December 22 last year, during which the prosecutor demanded that all four defendants - Igor Girkin, Sergei Dubinsky, Oleg Pulatov and Leonid Kharchenko - be sentenced to life imprisonment. Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 flying MH17 Amsterdam (Netherlands) - Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) was shot down in the sky over Donetsk region on July 17, 2014. All 298 people on board died. Two thirds of the passengers are Dutch nationals. The cause of the disaster is being investigated by the International Investigation Team, which includes representatives of law enforcement agencies from Ukraine, the Netherlands, Belgium, Australia and Malaysia. In September 2016, the group published conclusions that the liner was shot down by a missile launched from the Buk surface-to-air missile, and a year ago announced that Buk belonged to Russia's 53rd Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade stationed in Kursk. Maiella Hollander is the Administrative and Budget Coordinator for the Center of International Programs at the University of Dayton. She previously served at the Womens Center of the University of Dayton and at the Multi-ethnic Education and Engagement Center (MEC). She immigrated to the United States from the Philippines in 2016. Tell us a little bit about your childhood and background. Reflect upon some intercultural experiences that influenced or helped to shape you over the years. I had a carefree childhood. Our house was a very happy one. I remember playing outside, decorating, digging up flowers and running around in the open air. We always had to ask permission from our parents to play outside. Filipino culture is one that deeply respects elders and this made us quite sheltered. Elders and parents made many of the decisions for us. In the Philippines there is a real mixture of cultures and influences: Chinese, Spanish and Latin and US culture. We were Catholic and my brothers and l went to Catholic schools and universities. We prayed novenas and rosaries as a show of faith. We threw parties or fiestas, and celebrated days of different saints such as San Juan, where we would throw buckets of water on people. Christmas lasted from September through Three Kings Day in January. Our childhood also revolved around delicious food both on regular days and particular foods on the holidays. Our Catholicism was deeply influenced by Spain as we were colonized by them, but we would also listen to Latin music such as cha cha cha, merengue and even salsa. Chinese immigrants are abundant in the Philippines so we would also celebrate the Lunar New Year, practice Tai Chi and think about feng shui. US Influences also played a big role in culture, television, music and consumer goods. The Philippines is really a mix of influences that are local, from the US, Spain, Latin America, China and even other countries in Asia. However, traveling to the US and settling here was a game-changer. I had made quick visits in the past to Hong Kong, Singapore and Indonesia, but none of these experiences were the same as living in a completely different culture. I learned a great deal about many different immigrant cultures in the United States and how US culture differs from what we experienced in the Philippines. Moving to Ohio has been a gratifying and meaningful experience all around. What does International Womens Day mean to you? Has your identity as a woman helped to shape your life, work and connections with global learning? International Womens Day is immensely important. Women accomplish and contribute so much to the world, but we may often not take the time to give them credit for these contributions. I feel that women often do not seek out the limelight and are quietly fabulous. and this is why we need occasions such as International Womens Day to celebrate women and bring awareness to what they do every day and how they make life better for those around them. In Filipino culture, women are considered ilaw ng tahanan, a phrase in the Tagalog language, that loosely translates to light of the home. What it means is that women are the backbone of family and the home. Women manage the household, take care of the children, but beyond housework, in the Philippines, women are often expected to work and help manage finances. It is not uncommon for men to surrender their salaries to their wives to be managed in a central joint account between them. Women have equal decision making powers as the men when it comes to financial matters and either one can make minor financial decisions without consulting the other. It is common to have joint accounts between spouses. Why is this important? Because women both have power and are under great pressure to take on leadership in families and in the home without always being recognized. They are powerful, but they are also sometimes forced to juggle too much. This can take a toll on their well-being and it is challenging to maintain your sanity with so many responsibilities on your shoulders. Women dont expect to be celebrated or praised, but I think they deserve the recognition. International Womens Day is an opportunity for reflection and change to how these systems work. Dorothy Mensah-Aggrey is Curriculum Design and Adult Catechesis Coordinator at the Institute for Pastoral Initiatives at the University of Dayton. What sparked your interest or passion for global learning? Are there ways that you facilitate global learning for our students? How so? I was born and raised in Ghana, West Africa. Faith and education were very important in my family. I started kindergarten a year early, loved to read, and have never looked back. But especially important to my intercultural development was how we traveled across the country because of my fathers job. This meant that I was exposed to Ghanas different ethnic groups and cultures, and its different languages and dialects at a very young age. In Ghana alone, over 52 different dialects are spoken. In addition to English, I can read French, some basic German and Spanish, and I am fluent in three dialects from Ghana. My love of languages and travel goes back to a very young age. Global learning teaches us the value of collaboration and cooperation to understand the world around us. Being openminded, a good listener and observer is essential to understanding different cultures. In the Akan language we have a proverb, etsir ko nko egyina, which loosely translates as One head does not go alone to counsel or as the saying goes in English two heads are better than one. We do not know better as one person what a larger collective of people need. Saviorism in relation to the African continent is one example of a lack of cultural awareness and humility. This proverb is an important message that keeps me grounded. Today, as a curriculum design specialist at the Institute for Pastoral Initiatives, I facilitate global learning by introducing our students to resources from around the world. These include but are not limited to images, documents, pastoral letters, celebration of liturgies, basically impressing upon students that there are other ways of being church, an enriching gesture to embrace the true diversity within religions as well as between them. What is one aspect of your culture that you continue to embrace today? Extended family is a cultural value that I firmly hold on to for a number of reasons. I have four sisters here in the United States; their children are my children and mine are theirs. We call each other every night to pray and talk about our news of the day. We have WhatsApp family groups to keep us connected with our families across continents as we learn from one another and share our collective wisdom. Raising children takes a village beyond the nuclear family. This reminds me of a story from my mothers wisdom. My fathers work was such that we had transportation and drivers readily available to us. One day we needed to go to the market but had no driver around to assist us so we had to take a taxi. Upon returning home, my mother thanked the taxi driver profusely after paying him. At my young age, I was puzzled by my mothers action of expressing such profound gratitude to the taxi driver, after all, he had rendered a service. I asked my mother why she profusely thanked the driver, after all, she had paid him, I thought. My mother took out a bill of money, asked me to take a good look at it, and said, The next time there is no driver and you need to go out, sit on the money, and try to get where you need to go. I quickly got the message, which taught me about the dimension of gratitude we owe to service workers including taxi drivers, custodians, stockers at grocery stores, janitors, cooks and more who work tirelessly so that our lives can go on more smoothly. What has been a culturally unique travel experience that you have had that shifted or gave you a new perspective? Are there regions of the world you have a particular interest in that you havent had a chance to explore further? Two travel experiences in particular stand out to me: a 2016 trip to Mauritius and a 2019 trip to the United Arab Emirates where I visited Abu Dhabi and Dubai. In 2016, I visited Mauritius and was struck by the peaceful nature of this multi-ethnic society. I was informed that in the past, clashes had not been uncommon between the different ethnic groups, but that a new prime minister had managed to bring together the different segments of the society and smooth out the conflict. I found the people in Mauritius to be incredibly warm. When I visited the UAE in 2019, more specifically Abu Dhabi and Dubai, I was really surprised by the very large Catholic community there. There was a mosque right next to the Cathedral, and the Cathedral was packed to the brim with about 500 people, more than I have found in any U.S. parish. If you wished to attend even a weekday Mass you had to arrive early to find a seat. Muslims and Catholics cohabited very peacefully in a dynamic religious atmosphere. I really loved this. A place I would love to visit is Australia. I would love to both get to know the diverse communities in Australia and explore its natural beauty. As I have learned through my pastoral work, the dioceses in Australia are very active; they began the synodal process before the rest of the world embarked on theirs. After the privilege of interacting with them from a distance, I would love the opportunity to further explore their faith communities over there. Rafael Grossi, director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), briefs the press at the agency's headquarters in Vienna, Austria, March 4, 2022. (Xinhua/Guo Chen) TEHRAN, March 6 (Xinhua) -- A senior Iranian diplomat said on Sunday the new Iran report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) includes some positive changes, including the removal of a location, alleged to indicate the possible presence in the past of a uranium metal disc, from the agency's list. 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. (Iranian Foreign Ministry/Handout via Xinhua) Mohammad Reza Ghaebi, head of Iran's permanent mission to international organizations in Vienna, made the remarks in response to IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi's report on the agency's Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) safeguards agreement with the Islamic republic after his visit to Iran, according to Iran's official news agency IRNA. The latest report, which contains the agency's normal updates for presentation to the IAEA Board of Governors meeting to be held on Monday, nevertheless, repeats the presence of certain unresolved technical issues between the two sides, Ghaebi said. He noted that the report has some positive changes and reflects both sides' willingness to make progress toward resolving their differences and solving the remaining safeguards issues. Iran and the IAEA on Saturday agreed on a roadmap to resolve Iran's nuclear safeguards issues by June, according to a joint statement by Grossi and Mohammad Eslami, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, after their meeting in Tehran early Saturday. Professor Shuang-Ye Wu is a professor of Geoscience at University of Dayton who is also chair of the Department of Geology and Environmental Geosciences. She focuses on the area of climatology. Tell us about your background and professional trajectory. How did you end up at UD? I had two parents who were engineers, and I was born in the 70s in China, at the tail end of the Cultural Revolution, thankfully. By the time I reached school age, schooling had returned back to normal so I missed no years of formal schooling. However, my father was imprisoned as counter-revolutionary for 3 years and I was born during this time. We did not have much growing up. Four of us lived in one room: my grandma, my parents and me. But in this time and in my environment, this was seen as normal, so I would say I had a mostly happy childhood. I never felt deprived or poor in spite of the material scarcity. This was also a time the communist government pushed for womens advancement, with a popular slogan: women can hold up half of the sky: or (Fu niu neng ding ban bian tian). While women did advance in Chinese society, they continued to face discrimination in spaces of power. For example, I was interested in physics but was told girls cant do physics. Discrimination remained rampant in spite of the changes the Communist Party instituted. I ended up studying English literature for my Bachelors Degree and also got an M.A. in Linguistics. But when I became an interpreter and translator for Chinas Environmental Protection Agency or EPA, I became interested in environmental issues and Geosciences and went to Cambridge in the UK. I received an M.Phil. and Ph.D there in geography, with a particular interest in climate and water issues. After a 3-year postdoc at Penn State, and a 1-year teaching at Gettysburg College, I applied to UD, was accepted, and never looked back. At the time I didn't even know what Marianist was and had to look it up in a dictionary. I had grown up in a non-religious environment in China. Yet here I am 18 years later. What experiences have impacted you in your career? One experience that particularly marked me was working as an interpreter for a Chinese delegation to Kenya. I was a high-level delegate for a UN conference and managed to travel around Kenya for one month, visiting small towns and villages in addition to Nairobi. When visiting the Serengeti, it hit me: human beings are far from the only species on earth. So many animals were present in their natural habitat, not behind the bars of a cage. There are so few places that remain like this on earth. It may seem to be a simple realization. But we humans ought not be so anthropocentric. As I traveled through Kenya, I translated documents about conservation and wildlife while witnessing this amazing environment and I reflected on how humans navigate the world and it made me feel thankful that wild animals in their natural habitat still exist in the Serengeti and how important it is to preserve this wildlife. What about your research area has been fulfilling and brought you the most satisfaction? As a climatologist, my scientific work is very politically charged. I have been invited to do interviews on the radio, for newspapers and the TV news. But the most rewarding component about my research area is community outreach, such as giving public talks in spaces like public libraries. I love engaging with both students and community members about the science of climate change. While the scientific nitty gritty of climate change is complex and nuanced, these inherent nuances to the research are used as a manipulative tool to deny climate change. Climate change itself is not in dispute or uncertain at all. What I like to do is to talk about the practical steps ahead to address climate change, especially considering that the IPCC published a new report that climate change is advancing more quickly than we are able to respond. So much is changing so rapidly that outreach to community leaders, activists and others is essential and very rewarding. Sky News A so-called flash crash in European stock markets on Monday was caused by a single sell order trade that was made in "error", a major US bank has admitted. While the FTSE 100 was closed in London for the Bank Holiday, other European stock markets endured plunging values with Sweden's OMX 30 falling the most - by 8% - in a matter of minutes. Citigroup said on Monday night that it had acted swiftly to correct the blunder by one of its traders, who was reported by Bloomberg to have been based in London. Despite being perhaps two of the most famous people on the plant, Prince William and Kate Middleton do a pretty good job of keeping their private life just that. It came as a real treat then, that last week the Duke of Cambridge made a rare, personal comment about his wife in front of royal fans. The heartwarming moment happened during the couple's joint trip to Wales to mark St. David's Day, where the pair braved the cold to enjoy a countryside walk with the locals. Speaking to royal onlookers, Prince William acknowledged the chill in the air, per HELLO!, saying: "[Kate] has the coldest hands ever." He went on, "They say: 'cold hands, warm heart'." How sweet! Photo credit: Getty Images Elsewhere on the visit, the Cambridges revealed that their eldest son, Prince George, is a fan of farming hinting he'd be pretty upset to miss out on their trip with Prince William pointing out the eight-year-old's chores. "That was George's job at half term moving feed," he said, per People, after seeing a sweeper on the farm that's used to move feed. Sharing an insight into their visit on social media, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge posted a series of videos and photos on Twitter. "Seeing first-hand the benefits that local businesses receive through their communities at this lovely family-run farm, promoting local produce and sustainable practices," they wrote. "Learning about the importance of the agricultural industry to people in rural communities here in Wales this #StDavidsDay," the couple added, alongside a photo of them petting some very adorable farm animals. "Working with local businesses, promoting local produce and sustainable practices you can really see how farms like this are the lifeblood of the community." Learning about the importance of the agricultural industry to people in rural communities here in Wales this #StDavidsDay. Working with local businesses, promoting local produce and sustainable practices you can really see how farms like this are the lifeblood of the community. pic.twitter.com/qYEuT9ADyE The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) March 1, 2022 Luckily, for Kate's cold hands, the Cambridge's next official visit will be to much warmer climes, as the pair will be jetting off to Belize, Jamaica and the Bahamas later this month to mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee. "We are so excited to visit Belize, Jamaica and the Bahamas next month as we mark The Queens Platinum Jubilee," they wrote on their Instagram Story at the end of February. Story continues "We cant wait to meet people in all three countries, celebrate local cultures and understand more about innovative work being done across communities." Any chance we can score an invite on that trip, please? You Might Also Like About 60 University of North Georgia (UNG) cadets had a chance to ask questions and learn from the experiences of three World War II veterans during a March 4 breakfast. The veterans were part of the group that inspired the documentary "They Volunteered for This: Merrill's Marauders," a film which premiered on March 3 at UNG and will air later this year on PBS. "It was absolutely sacred. As time passes, there are only so many opportunities to learn from soldiers who are in the generations before us," cadet Col. Ryan Jones, a senior from Richmond, Virginia, pursuing a degree in strategic and security studies, said. Jones is the Corps of Cadets brigade commander. Retired Col. Joseph Matthews, UNG commandant of cadets, wrote a research paper on Merrill's Marauders when he was an Army captain. The Marauders were a top-secret, commando unit of soldiers who fought in Burma under the legendary Gen. Frank D. Merrill in 1944. "The jungle warfare techniques of long-range reconnaissance behind enemy lines showed the courage and the leadership of the Marauders," Matthews said. "They faced amazing challenges against the Japanese military and the jungle environment. It taught me to lead with courage." The Marauders who took questions from cadets were current oldest Army Ranger Gabriel Kinney, 101, from Alabama; Gilbert Howland, 98, a triple Combat Infantryman Badge recipient from New Jersey; and Bob Passanisi, 97, from New York. Cadet Capt. Benjamin Yetman, a senior from Kennesaw, Georgia, pursuing a degree in history, gained valuable insight from the Marauders. 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 7 (Xinhua) -- Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), president of the People's Republic of China and chairman of the Central Military Commission, on Sunday visited national political advisors from the sectors of agriculture, 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. Xi stressed that the supply of major agricultural products, the supply of grain in particular, must be secured as the top priority, and upgrading the comprehensive capacity for agricultural production must be placed in an even more prominent position. The agricultural production strategy based on farmland management and application of technology must be carried out to the letter. Continued efforts must be made to promote the high-quality development of social security, and a better social safety net must be further developed to secure the wellbeing of the people. International Women's Day is around the corner. On behalf of the CPC Central Committee, Xi sent sincere greetings and best wishes to female deputies to the 13th National People's Congress and female members of the 13th CPPCC National Committee as well as women workers at the two sessions and to women of all ethnic groups in all walks of life on the Chinese mainland, in Hong Kong, Macao and in Taiwan and also to all women compatriots overseas. Wang Yang, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, and chairman of the 13th CPPCC National Committee, participated in the visit and the meeting. Members Yang Fengji, Wang Jing, Tang Junjie, Mo Rong, Yeshe Dawa, Wan Jianmin and Wang Haijing gave their opinions and suggestions on topics concerning the development of industries in rural areas, and reinforcement of the foundation for securing the quality of agricultural products. They also talked about how efforts should be made to promote innovation in the development of the seed industry, to address the deficiency of social security system, to advance the sustainable development of social welfare, to promote the modernization of agriculture and rural areas and to mobilize all social forces to strive for prosperity for all. Having listened to their opinions and suggestions, Xi delivered an important speech. Xi said that he was happy to visit CPPCC members in the sectors of agriculture, welfare and social security and participate in the joint group meeting. On behalf of the CPC Central Committee, Xi gave sincere regards to all CPPCC members present, to all CPPCC members elsewhere, and to all those working in the sectors of agriculture, welfare and social security. In the past year, Xi noted, faced with a grim and complex international situation and formidable tasks of advancing reform and development while maintaining stability, particularly under the grave impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the CPC Central Committee has united and led the whole Party and the Chinese people of all ethnic groups to rise to the challenges and fight tenaciously and have accomplished many endeavors. We solemnly celebrated the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Party, and won the critical battle against poverty and completed the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects on schedule. China has embarked on a new journey toward the second centenary goal of fully building a modern socialist country, attained major achievements in the pursuit of the cause of the Party and the country, and got the 14th Five-Year Plan off to a good start. These hard-won achievements were the result of the tenacity of the entire Party and the Chinese people of all ethnic groups, as well as the concerted efforts of all CPPCC members, he said. Xi stressed that at present, the state of global affairs is continuing to go through profound and complex changes. The world is experiencing the combined impact of major changes and a pandemic both unseen in a century, as competition among major countries is increasingly intense, and economic globalization is facing headwinds. The world has entered a new period of turbulence and transformation, while domestically, the tasks related to reform, development and stability remain arduous. However, we need to take note of the strategically favorable conditions for China's development. First of all, the strong leadership of the CPC. By exercising overall leadership and coordinating work in all areas, the Party's leadership has provided fundamental political guarantee for responding to the various major risks calmly. Second, the marked institutional strengths of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Through practices such as responding to COVID-19 and winning the battle against poverty, the strengths of China's political and governance systems have become more evident. Order in China stands in stark contrast with disorder in the West. Third, the solid foundation laid by China's sustained and rapid development. With significant improvements being made to its economic, scientific, defense and comprehensive strengths, China is now a large economy with a massive domestic market and ample room for adjustments. The country enjoys strong resilience and vitality, and the fundamentals sustaining its long-term economic growth remain unchanged. Fourth, the long-term social stability. The Chinese people have gained a much stronger sense of fulfillment, happiness and security. Notable advancement has been made in China's capacity of social governance, and its miracle of long-term social stability has continued. Fifth, the spirit of self-confidence and self-reliance. The enthusiasm, initiative and creativity of the Chinese people have been further unleashed, and they are more proud, confident, and assured than ever before. The whole Party, the armed forces, and all Chinese people are high-spirited. We should face the difficulties squarely while remaining confident, give full play to the historical initiative, rise to the challenges, have the courage to fight, and keep striving forward boldly to embrace the convening of the 20th National Congress of the CPC with concrete action, said Xi. Food security is among a country's most fundamental interests, Xi said. Of all things, eating matters most, and food is the most basic necessity of the people. Through enormous efforts, China is capable of feeding one fifth of the global population with nine percent of the world's arable land and six percent of the freshwater resources. Seven decades ago, the country had an underfed population of 400 million, but today its 1.4 billion people are eating well with a great range of choices. This is a powerful answer to the question "Who will feed China?" Stressing that the hard-won results should be consolidated and expanded, Xi urged against slacking off on the food security issue. Despite China's industrialization, food supply should never be considered an insignificant issue, and we cannot rely solely on the international market to solve it. China should be well-prepared, remain vigilant on food security, and adhere to the principle of self-sufficiency based on domestic grain production, guaranteed production capacity, moderate food imports and technological support. Xi stressed that the mechanism under which responsibilities for food security are assigned equally to both Party committees and governments should be fully enforced, that the assessment of responsibility system for food security should be strict, and that major agricultural production and sales areas as well as areas where agricultural production and sales are balanced should work together to ensure food supply and take responsibilities. The overall arrangement should be optimized by stabilizing the production of grain and corn while expanding the planting of soybean and oil seed crops, so as to ensure that the annual grain output remains above 650 million metric tons and that domestic grains play a main role in ensuring the food supply for the Chinese people. The farmers' enthusiasm to grow crops should be protected, and appropriately scaled agricultural operations should be developed, so that farmers will be able to gain increasing benefits. Stopping food waste in the catering industry is a long-term task, and we must make persistent efforts and work to build a resource-conserving society. Xi pointed out that farmland is the lifeline of grain production and the foundation of the sustainable development of the Chinese nation. Farmland is for farming and can only be used to grow crops, especially grain crops. The strictest possible system for the protection of farmland must be implemented, the regulation over the use of farmland should be strengthened, cultivated land used for other purposes should be offset in a regulated way, how transferred land rights are used should be placed under strict supervision, idle land should be put into better use, and any attempt to use the farmland for purposes other than agriculture and specifically grain production should be resolutely stopped. All of the farmland must remain fertile. Agricultural belts for national food security will be established, farmland irrigation and water conservancy will be further improved, projects conserving chernozem soil will be implemented, and saline-alkali land will be transformed on a categorized basis, so as to develop about 66.7 million hectares of high-quality farmland. Measures to protect farmland must have teeth. Local party committees and governments at all levels should be held strictly accountable for farmland protection. The central authorities will make all the local authorities pledge themselves to protect farmland, assessment on officials must be strict, and anyone who ever breaks farmland protection rules will be held accountable throughout their lifetime, so as to ensure that China's total of 120 million hectares of farmland is a reliable figure. Xi stressed that science and technology are key to food security. The security of germplasm resources is related to national security, meaning we must be determined to develop our country's seed industry so as to increase self-reliance in seed technology and ensure that the country's seed resources are self-supporting and under better control. We should take advantage of our institutional strengths, allocate advantageous resources in a down-to-earth manner, promote the establishment of a major innovation platform at national level for the seed industry, accelerate basic and frontline research, strengthen the collection, protection, development and use of seed resources, and speed up the industrialization of bio-breeding. The reform of the agricultural scientific mechanism should be furthered, the principal role of enterprises in innovation should be strengthened, and the systems for identifying seed varieties and protecting intellectual property rights should be upgraded to promote the high-quality development of our country's seed industry based on innovation chains. Xi pointed out, we should adopt a "Greater Food" approach, and, with the aim of better satisfying the people's needs for a better life, grasp the changes in people's food structure. While ensuring grain supply, we must also guarantee an effective supply of various foods including meat, vegetables, fruits and aquatic products. None of them should be lacking. While protecting the ecology and environment, we should shift our focus from farmland only to the whole country's land resources to develop, in line with their specific conditions, grain production, agribusiness, animal husbandry, fishing or forestry. As a result, we could put in place the production structure and regional layout for modern agriculture that are commensurate with market demands and the bearing capacities of resources and the environment. We can harvest food from forests, from rivers, lakes and seas, and from protected agriculture. Apart from traditional crops and livestock and poultry resources, we should exploit biological resources. By developing biological science and technology and bio-industries, we can obtain calories and protein from plants, animals and microorganisms. We should proactively advance the supply-side structural reform in agriculture, employ multiple means to develop food resources in all respects and produce a rich variety of food items so that we can achieve food supply-and-demand balance and better meet the increasingly diverse food consumption needs of the people. Xi stressed that in advancing rural revitalization we should not just focus on economic development. We must also make efforts to build stronger primary-level Party organizations in rural areas, and attach high importance to raising farmers' intellectual and moral standards. We must pay special attention to promoting the rule of law in rural areas, improve rural governance, and enhance self-governance by villagers. We should give full play to village rules, code of conduct for villagers and family values to foster civility and pass on fine family traditions among rural people. We should improve the regularized mechanism for combating organized crime and rooting out local gangs in rural areas, and continuously crack down on organized and clan criminals. We should punish, in accordance with law, pornography, gambling, and drug-related crimes and illegal and criminal offenses against women and children in rural areas. Xi noted that the largest social safety net of the world has been set up in China. It is important to make continued efforts to promote high-quality development of social security, maintain overall institutional integrity and standards, and develop a multi-tiered, multi-pillar old-age insurance system to put more people under our social safety net. We should refine the social security system for people in flexible employment, and expand the coverage of unemployment insurance, workers' compensation and maternity insurance, to ensure more equitable institutional arrangements, a full coverage, and a solid bedrock of the people's wellbeing. We should also improve the supervision system for social security funds, and crack down hard on all types of fraud, embezzlement, misappropriation and other illegal activities related to social insurance funds. Every cent of our people's retirement money and lifeline fund must be well-protected. When it comes to the wellbeing of the public, there is no such thing as a trivial matter, Xi stressed. We must give extra attention and care to the people in difficulty, to help them resolve problems. We should further reform the social assistance system, and work for a comprehensive, effective, multi-tiered and multi-category social assistance framework centered on basic living assistance, special assistance and emergency assistance. The framework is also supplemented by non-government resources. Targeted measures will be adopted to meet specific features and requirements of people with extreme difficulties, all assistance payments will be made on time and in full, and temporary assistance will be strengthened, to ensure that the basic needs of all those in need are satisfied. We should shore up weak links in social welfare in rural areas, and give particular attention and care to disadvantaged groups such as elderly people and children, especially elderly people, children, and women left behind in rural areas. We should also provide greater assistance and support to people hit hard by epidemic or natural disasters, ensure rehabilitation, education, and employment for people with disabilities, guarantee the safety and basic living needs of vagrants and beggars, ensure support and care for people with mental illness, and take resolute steps to stop mistreatment of women, children, elderly people and people with disabilities. Ding Xuexiang, Zhang Qingli, Li Bin, Wang Yongqing and Gu Shengzu also participated in the meeting. 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) BEIJING, March 7 (Xinhua) -- China's relations with five Central Asian countries, which are now at a golden age of 30, enjoy a bright prospect of vibrant growth, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Monday. "A growing, prosperous, stable and dynamic Central Asia is in the common interest of China and other countries in the region," Wang told a press conference. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and the five Central Asian nations of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. China will continue to follow the principles of mutual respect, good-neighborly friendship, solidarity in trying times and mutual benefit as it works with Central Asian countries to forge a strategic partnership featuring rich substance, fruitful results and enduring friendship and build a China-Central Asia community with a shared future, said Wang. To usher in another three decades of great achievements for China-Central Asia relations, China is willing to expand cooperation with the five countries in the fields of COVID-19 pandemic response, production capacity, energy, agriculture, humanity, digital economy and green development, according to Wang. Is it safe to go back to the city? After years of fleeing urban crowds for bucolic settings, TV detective series seem ready to share the streets with the teeming masses. The revived version of NBCs Law & Order returns to a vastly changed New York, a place Lennie Briscoe might not recognize. The place is bristling with cameras, creating a wilderness of mirrors and mutual surveillance. Every store, street corner and subway station has a means of surveilling customers and pedestrians, putting a time stamp on their movements and corroborating or exploding their stories and alibis. Beyond the official cameras are smartphones wielded by both sides of every police interaction. Privacy rights advocates have long complained about the creeping Orwellian nature of the surveillance state. But the 1984 analogy was punctured as long ago as 1991, when a civilian used his humble camcorder to capture California cops beating Rodney King. The real question for the writers of Law & Order and other series is how to make use of all of this new evidence in ways that add to dramatic tension. For decades, movies and films were filled with nail-biting suspense that hinged on characters ability to find a pay phone. It took a while to replace that trope, but creators found a way. A public life deprived of privacy may expose what characters did, but the why of the matter and workings of the human mind and heart still offer detectives, prosecutors and juries plenty to chew upon. Streaming on Acorn, The Chelsea Detective also returns viewers to the city beat. In this case, the crime unfolds not in Londons gritty streets, but in one of its posher locales. But as every mystery reader knows, just because somebodys got money doesnt mean he doesnt want more and might not be willing to kill to get it. As in so many mysteries, most notably Wallander, the story revolves around a dyspeptic detective. Detective Inspector Max Arnold (Adrian Scarborough) is thoroughly miserable, recently separated from his wife and a bit soured on the whole human condition. Good thing hes accompanied by Detective Sergeant Priya Shamsie (Sonita Henry), a bright woman whose ethnicity and accent put her on the receiving end of social snobbery. When not ferreting out murderers and uncovering the low, dishonest underpinnings of Londons high life, Arnold retreats to his home on a houseboat, the perfect place to wallow in his melancholic loneliness. Scarborough should be familiar to viewers of Killing Eve (8 p.m., AMC, TV-14) and films dating back to The Kings Speech and The Madness of King George. Other highlights Auditions continue on Americas Got Talent: Extreme (7 p.m., NBC, TV-PG). When a brilliant breadmaker starts churning out lousy loaves, he turns to his muse and childhood sweetheart in the 2021 romance The Bakers Son (7 p.m., Hallmark, TV-G). A bloody homecoming on 9-1-1: Lone Star (7 p.m., Fox, TV-14). A risky border crossing on The Cleaning Lady (8 p.m., Fox, TV-14). Georges court case may scuttle Mrs. Russells social plans on The Gilded Age (8 p.m., HBO, TV-MA). A deranged ex stalks a YouTube star on Web of Lies: Fatal Follower (8 p.m., ID, TV-14). A sailing trip turns deadly on NCIS: Hawaii (9 p.m., CBS, TV-14). A local news anchor negotiates with a hostage taker on The Endgame (9 p.m., NBC, TV-PG). Vocal cord surgery on a pop star puts the team in the spotlight on The Good Doctor (9 p.m., ABC, TV-14). The Independent Lens (9 p.m., PBS, r, TV-PG) documentary The Interpreters follows the fate of Afghans who helped Americans during a 20-year war. Elena frets as Pietro travels to Naples to see the family on My Brilliant Friend (9 p.m., HBO, TV-MA). Cult choice A social outcast befriends a pale girl who happens to be a vampire in the 2008 shocker Let the Right One In (7 p.m., Showcase), a clever Swedish-language film that sandblasted most of the gothic cobwebs from the well-worn genre. Series notes Little League sparks big battles on The Neighborhood (7 p.m., CBS, TV-PG) ... The Bachelor (7 p.m., ABC, TV-PG) ... Summer practice sessions on All American (7 p.m., CW, TV-PG) ... Christinas new job inspires envy on Bob Hearts Abishola (7:30 p.m., CBS, TV-PG) ... Turning to a rookie on NCIS (8 p.m., CBS, TV-14) ... Good intentions on All American: Homecoming (8 p.m., CW, TV-PG). Police have arrested a Waco man on a murder charge in the shooting death of a Waco man Saturday morning on Austin Avenue. Waco police arrested Ryan Trejo, 24, on Saturday morning in the death of Jose Martinez-Medina, 30, another Waco resident, according to a police press release. The shooting occurred at about 1:45 a.m. in the 700 block of Austin Avenue after a fight that started in The Warehouse bar. The fight moved outside, and at least one person fired a gun, according to the press release. Martinez-Medina, who was not involved in the initial fight, was killed, and at least one other man was injured, police reported. The other man was taken to a local hospital, but Martinez-Medina was pronounced dead at the scene. The investigation of the shooting is ongoing. This story has been updated to correct the timing of the arrest and details of the incident reported by police. Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Denizens of the Cedar Valley are well aware of how quickly Iowa weather can change. In the last week weve seen snow flurries one day, thunderstorms the next. Saturdays deadly tornadoes in central Iowa illustrate the importance of keeping your eye on whats happening meteorologically. With that in mind, beginning today The Courier is proud to begin offering Monday through Friday video weather forecasts on our website wcfcourier.com and on our Facebook platform and via email alerts. The video forecasts will hit all of our platforms at 6:50 a.m. each weekday and will be available to view throughout the day. Our weekday forecasts will encompass the expected weather for that specific day. The Friday forecast look at the weather for that day and a look ahead at the weekend. Were using the latest technology from the IBM subsidiary Weather Company, blending proprietary digital and graphic technology available to provide a broadcast-quality weather forecast relevant to Cedar Valley residents. It is the same software that powers the Weather Channel. Readers also will begin seeing Meteorologist Matt Holiner weighing in on breaking weather news and patterns, via columns he writes and interviews he gives to Courier reporters. In the future, Holiner will sometimes break in live on the digital sites, via streaming video and through news articles to address urgent weather news and patterns and how they affect the readers. Holiner is a veteran meteorologist who joined our local news teams in late 2021. He most recently worked as a television broadcast meteorologist for the ABC affiliate in the Rio Grande Valley in Texas. He has extensive experience creating forecasts and covering weather and climate for websites, apps, newspapers, television, and radio. Holiner has the National Weather Association Seal of Approval. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. WATERLOO Authorities recovered a homemade bomb while investigating a break-in and fire at a Waterloo car wash last week. The Waterloo Police Departments bomb squad was called in Friday after officers spotted a suspicious object at the Awesome Car Wash, 2180 Logan Ave., following a morning fire at the business. The object was determined to be an improvised incendiary device, and police stabilized it and removed it from the building for disposal, said Capt. David Mohlis with the Waterloo Police Department. Waterloo firefighters were sent to the area around 5 a.m. Friday to investigate heavy smoke, and crews tracked it to the car wash. The fire was extinguished, and authorities determined someone had entered the office area, removed items and then lit a fire, according to the police report. No arrests have been made in connection with the fire. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. CEDAR FALLS A man was arrested Sunday after allegedly firing a gun during an assault of his fiancee. Cedar Falls police responded at 3:41 p.m. to the report of an assault in progress at 712 Main St. Officers met with the victim who advised that Randal Lee Maifeld, her fiance and the father of her child, physically assaulted her, a news release said. According to court records, Maifeld, 21, allegedly knocked her to the floor, grabbed her by the neck while he was holding a gun and shoved her out the back door. He then allegedly fired a single shot into a wall while his 7-month-old child was in the next room, records state. After that, he allegedly pointed the gun at others in the home and then left, records state. Officers later found him at a relatives home in Hudson and detained him. He was arrested for intimidation with a weapon and domestic abuse assault with strangulation as well as a serious misdemeanor for domestic abuse assault. In addition, he was charged with aggravated misdemeanors for reckless use of a firearm and child endangerment. Cedar Falls Police were assisted by officers from the Hudson Police Department and the Black Hawk County Sheriffs Office. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. GRUNDY CENTER Trial for a Grundy Center man accused of killing an Iowa state trooper during a 2021 standoff has been moved to Webster City. Attorneys for 42-year-old Michael Thomas Lang had asked the court for a change of venue saying it would difficult to have an impartial trial in Grundy County because of Langs status in the community, Sgt. Jim Smiths status as a law enforcement officer and pretrial publicity surrounding the incident. Last week, Judge Joel Dalrymple issued an order moving Langs trial to the Hamilton County Courthouse in Webster City. Trial is scheduled for May 9. Authorities allege Lang struggled with a police officer April 9, and then went home. Smith was shot with a shotgun when he and other officers entered Langs home to detain him, according to investigators. A standoff followed, and Lang allegedly exchanged gunfire with officers and was shot when a State Patrol tactical team moved on the house. Prosecutors didnt challenge the defense request to move the trial. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The economic downturn of 2008 was felt almost immediately throughout the country, and in some places the effects linger, including in the American collegiate system. According to data from the Iowa Department of Education, theres been a growth rate of just 3.5% in the population between 2011 and 2020. Jared Seliger, president of Allen College in Waterloo, says the impact of slow population growth is already being felt at that institution in the form of enrollments, but he warns even greater problems are on the near horizon. Great Recession Starting in 2008, there was a decline in births with the arrival of the Great Recession, as financially burdened couples put off starting families while they weathered the economic troubles. And as the 18th anniversary of the recession approaches, institutions of higher learning will face what is being called the enrollment cliff. That is, the students who would otherwise be going to college in 2025-26 were never born, resulting in a drop in enrollments. Seliger explained that as a result, institutions are going to get more and more competitive as they seek to draw as many students possible from the diminished pool. Theres just a fewer number of students out there, so colleges and universities are really going to get aggressive in terms of their recruitment and marketing tools, he said. However, while the staff at Allen College is concerned about the loss of students, they and other schools dedicated to professional training do have some insulation. As a school for training nurses and other health care workers, Allen can rely on there always being a demand from students looking for the niche form of education theyre offering, as opposed to multiple universities with similar programs and the same degrees. Cause for concern At liberal arts schools, the impending cliff is a cause for significant concern. This is especially the case in states in the Upper Midwest like Iowa. Rick Willis, vice president for student recruitment at Wartburg College in Waverly, says his school and others have had to think outside the box to draw more people in. Tactics have included expanding their geographic markets to attract more students from outside their area. There are some states, not very many probably maybe a half-dozen states in the country that actually appear to have increasing numbers of potential college-bound students, Willis said. So obviously some schools and maybe Wartburg would be trying to establish a better market presence in some of those areas. Changes and additions to the curriculum have been another tactic, expanding their pools by recruiting from new demographics. New degrees in areas like exercise science have been established at Wartburg, and it has announced womens wrestling and e-sports programs to potentially draw more people in. Adding masters programs in different subjects also gives colleges like Wartburg a greater ability to enroll older students. Also, lower enrollment can be at least partially offset by high retention. I think the bottom line is no matter what strategy or combination of strategies we try to utilize, theyre all going to require that we are continually proving our value property, Willis said. So doing things that will improve the quality and outcomes for students that come here to allow us to compete in an increasingly competitive marketplace. Reaching out to an older demographic is something thats being heavily utilized, as more people find themselves going back to college or starting later in life. According to the Lumina Foundation, approximately 38% of undergraduate students are adult learners over the age of 25. Despite the shrinking overall number of younger students enrolling in higher learning, not all marketing and recruitment has been cutthroat. In one example, Seliger says Allen College has developed a relationship with Hawkeye Community College that serves to benefit both. There will still be students who want access the nursing program, but they first need to pass general education. In order to meet that threshold, Seliger and his team have been directing prospects to places like Hawkeye so they can later qualify for Allen. We all work together. This is such a great network of all the colleges in the state, and really the Midwest, Seliger said. And yes, we compete with one another for students, or whatever, but in the same regards, I can call and have a conversation with them about ways that we can collaborate. The enrollment cliff is a cause for anxiety, but Seliger, Willis and others remain hopeful that creativity and resourcefulness will help them weather the impending storm. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Want to see more like this? Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. ELMA This town is all about building bridges even though you wont find an expanse of water much wider than Mead Creek on the northwest edge of town. Theres one covered bridge, an old rail head viaduct over Main Street that is now part of a recreational trail. It has become a community symbol, a motif of what this Howard County community of a little more than 500 is trying to accomplish. In fact, the name of the towns nonprofit community betterment organization is The Bridge Inc. Its a coalition of people that have put together a community complex project now underway in a closed elementary school building. Elma is one of a handful of Iowa communities involved in Shrink Smart, an Iowa State University research project begun in 2017 that examines how towns with decreasing populations keep their quality of life. Elma really is, I would say, a communitywide effort, Iowa State professor of sociology David Peters said. Old school One element of Elmas school building project, a new public library, is anticipated to be completed this summer. An addition, a child day care center is also in play. As of mid-February almost $1.1 million had been raised toward the community complex project. It is now estimated to cost $1.4 million after rising materials costs added $200,000 to the price tag. We were worried we wouldnt have the money to keep things going. Moneys been coming in just fine. We need to get the materials in here, said Bruce Weigel, a banker by trade and treasurer of The Bridge Inc. and its economic development committee. But I think well still get it done by late spring, early summer, is our hope, Weigel said. Peters and his fellow ISU researchers are helping a team of upperclassmen students from various backgrounds will work with city leaders to gather ideas for art and design work this spring under Jennifer Drinkwater, an ISU professor and community art specialist with ISU Extension. Theyve created this ethic of involving everybody, getting broad-based support, really making these bridging linkages to all segments of the community to get, really, everyone on board, Peters said. Elma has been successful in fundraising efforts ranging from small local donations, to events like a chili cook-off, to a grant from the Roy J. Carver Trust in Muscatine, to state grants, including some available through COVID relief. They even brought American Idol winner and recording artist Maddie Poppe of Clarksville, just 45 miles away, to town for a benefit concert last fall. It was a birthday gift from resident Joe Whitinger to his wife, Kathy, but grew into a fundraiser for the project, to which the couple are donors. Rural growth While the city saw its population drop by 23 to 505 in the 2020 census, a 4.33% decrease from 546 residents in 2010, the outlying Mennonite communities have been growing. David Oberholtzer, a Groffdale Conference Mennonite, who operates the popular Farmland Hardware store west of Elma, said the overall Mennonite population, made up of different faith traditions, has grown over the past 20 to 30 years, to roughly 250 families. Some are horse-and-buggy Mennonites while others use more modern conveniences like automobiles to varying degrees. He came to the area from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, in 1999. There are several churches around and outside of Elma, which Oberholtzer said is on the eastern edge of the area where most of the Mennonites have settled. Leaders here are relying on inclusion to revitalize their community, to maintain basic services, including a new health clinic, staffed by Regional Health Services of Howard County in Cresco. There was some donated labor. Some Mennonites helped the contractor in charge, Oberholtzer said. It is complete with a parking space in the back for the rural Mennonite neighbors to hitch their horse and buggies but an admonishment for those good neighbors to police their horses waste, and to leave nothing but hoof prints. The Mennonites were a huge influence on getting the medical clinic here, said Erin Ludwig, also a banker and a volunteer on the Elma Community Complex who heads up volunteer efforts on the Serving Our Community committee of The Bridge Inc. Oberholtzer said the conservative rural Mennonites, while not involved in public events, do business in town and use services there. Its definitely a team approach, Ludwig said. There are multiple entities working for the community betterment. Ludwig said the complex project is an example. The school closed in 2015 and the building was given to the city. The goal was to match what the city did with it to the needs of the community. Youre trying to provide the service that they need; day care, for one, Ludwig said. If were going to have young families, they have to have a place to take their kids. Even things to do, City Clerk Shannon Gebel said, like a splash pad in the city park. Especially after COVID hit and you couldnt go swimming anywhere and theres nothing to do. Thats when people really wanted that, right across the street from the community complex in the park. Ludwig said identifying needs came first. The day care and library were tops. Both are being expanded. To be next door to the day care would be huge, said Renee Burke, library director since 2013. An engineer was hired to make sense of the finances, Ludwig said. A library consultant also held a community meeting to gather ideas; a decision was made to renovate the school gym into a new library and multipurpose community room. There were challenges; the medical clinic had to be built further away from the day care/library complex than was originally hoped because of revisions to state flood maps. To get momentum, the leaders sought large donations, sent mailers outside the community, and applied for every grant that had an angle with the clinic, library and day care. They knew who we were in Des Moines, because we invited the governor to stop by, Weigel added. Gov. Kim Reynolds visited in September 2020. A steep hill You know, when you start out saying youre going to raise ($1.4 million), and the largest project ever in the city probably would have been $250,000 eight to 10 years ago, there were a ton of people who werent necessarily against the project, but (said), Youre never going to raise that kind of money. And gee, look what were doing now, Gebel said. Other projects followed, for the splash pad and a community-based ambulance project. New clinic Collaboration with the Mennonite community centered on the clinic after the flood construction limits came up. The $250,000 building went up fast, which was important to keep Regional Health Services of Howard County interested. It opened in January 2021. Its heavily used, and its hours and staffing have been expanded. Weigel said the clinic has been something Elma had sought for 20 years, and the now-growing rural population of Mennonites was a selling point to bringing health services to town. They reside in an area bordered by U.S. Highways 63 on the east; 218 on the south and west and 18 on the north. The quality of farmland and the comparative remoteness from major highways attracted the Mennonites, Weigel and Oberholtzer said. When we say our population is declining, it is in town, Weigel said, But if you drew a 10-mile circle around Elma, Id be willing to bet we have twice as many people living in that area as we had 20 years ago. It probably tripled within the Mennonite population, Oberholtzer said. At least more than doubled in the past 20 years. The proliferation of Mennonite schools outside of Elma is one indication of rural population growth. Theres 13 of them, Oberholtzer said. It started with just one in 1993. The Mennonites built dairy facilities and new houses, adding to the tax base of Howard County, That includes some commercial businesses, I was one of them,: Oberholtzer said of his hardware store. We opened in 2000. We expanded three times. Theres a produce auction site that during the growing season attracts major commercial clients, including grocery chains. Elma attracts drive-through business in town from auction goers. Public school choice is both a selling point and a challenge. As soon as the school closed, we started promoting that you can live in Elma and go to (any of) three school districts if you want, Weigel said, under open enrollment. We tried to spin it as best we could. One issue in Elma, however, which other towns share, is school transportation, with multiple school districts close by, but the city only in one. Elma is in the Howard-Winneshiek school district; the school is in Cresco, 27 miles away. Theres technically three or four school districts that are closer, the Riceville one being only 19 miles away, Weigel said. New Hampton is 19 miles away, and Osage is 22 miles away. When they closed the school, that caused a lot of parents to decide to send their kids elsewhere, depending on the city they work in. But public-school buses from outlying districts arent allowed in Elma, so parents who send kids to the other districts must arrange for private transportation. A private service takes students from Elma to Riceville. Elma also is juxtaposed in the middle of multiple county-seat communities. Elma sits 20-25 miles from the edge of all four county seats, Weigel said New Hampton, Cresco, Osage and Charles City. Thats a curse and blessing. Weve been able to find ways to make the blessings stronger than the curses. Elma is also an hour from the larger cities of Mason City, Rochester, Minn. and Waterloo-Cedar Falls. We have a lot of people who work in those communities and live here, for the low cost of living and quality of life, Ludwig said. A clinic. Expanded library. New day care. Connections to a growing Mennonite community. Lots of bridges. ISU sociology professor Peter said, Little Elma, I dont know how theyve done this, but theyve created this ethic of involving everybody. They provide a lot of social identity. This concept of community is going to persist. This story was produced by the Iowa Center for Public Affairs Journalism-IowaWatch, a non-profit, online news website that collaborates with news organizations to produce explanatory and investigative reporting. Read more at www.IowaWatch.org. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The Iowa Legislature has passed a historic tax reform measure. Going into the 2022 legislative session Gov. Kim Reynolds and the Republican-led Legislature made tax reform a priority. The tax relief bill passed by both chambers phases in a 3.9% flat rate for individual income tax by 2026, a major reduction from todays top marginal rate of 8.53%. Beginning next year, Iowans will no longer pay taxes on retirement income. And the reforms will also pare down Iowas corporate tax credits while lowering our top corporate tax rate of 9.8% to a flat 5.5%. All taxpayers in Iowa will see tax relief; Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver estimates this will save Iowans an average of $1,326 on their taxes on an annual basis. An ITR Foundation poll released this week shows 57% of Iowans support a new, low flat tax, while only 24% of Iowans oppose the change. States with low, or even no income taxes, are gaining population and creating more economic growth. Conversely, states with high tax rates and a penchant for government spending are losing population and seeing poor economic growth. A brief examination of Iowas income tax history will demonstrate the magnitude of this victory for taxpayers. In 1934, the first income tax (and sales tax, for that matter) was levied in Iowa to provide property tax relief. The rates in 1934 ranged from 1% to 5%, spread over five tax brackets. The corporate tax was introduced at 2% that same year, and eventually grew to become the highest corporate tax rate in the nation at 12%. Individual income tax rates continued to increase until they reached a high point of 9.98% in 1987. In 1998 a 10% across-the-board rate cut brought the top rate down to 8.98% with nine tax brackets. During her first year in office (2018), Reynolds made tax reform a priority and the Legislature responded by passing, at the time, the largest tax cut in Iowa history. The individual income tax still had nine brackets, but the top rate was lowered to 8.53%, with additional cuts planned, subject to future revenue triggers. Iowas 12% corporate income tax rate was reduced to 9.8% in 2021 as part of those changes, along with a modernization of Iowas sales and use tax. In 2021, the Legislature passed another tax reform measure, which not only phased-out the inheritance tax but also repealed the revenue triggers established in the 2018 law to guide further individual income tax rate reductions. By repealing the triggers in 2021 the top rate would be lowered to 6.5% in 2023. While the reforms passed in 2018 and 2021 were great steps in the right direction, this years set of income tax reforms dwarfs them. Under the new tax reform measure passed by the legislature this week, individual income tax rates will be reduced as follows: 6% (2023). 5.7% (2024). 4.82% (2025). 3.9% (2026). In 2026 the individual reforms will be complete with all Iowans paying a flat, 3.9% income tax. And of course, the aforementioned exemption on retirement income begins next year. The path to corporate rate reduction is slightly different. In addition to reducing the amount of tax credits that can be refunded to a corporate taxpayer, the top rate corporations pay will be reduced as corporate tax revenues grow. This ratcheting down will be complete once a flat rate of 5.5% is reached. The reason Reynolds and the Legislature have been able to enact meaningful pro-growth tax reform since 2018 is because they have adhered to prudent budgeting. By practicing fiscal conservatism and keeping spending growth restrained, tax reform was made possible. So how did we get there? We stuck to conservative budgeting practices, Reynolds said in addressing a room full of Iowans for Tax Relief and NFIB members last week. There is nothing more vital than seizing the opportunity to return taxpayer dollars back to Iowans. In addition to being an example of how conservative leadership works, Iowa is becoming a national leader on state tax policy. Our states progress is a story worth sharing. John Hendrickson is policy director for Iowans for Tax Relief Foundation. Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi attends a press conference on China's foreign policy and foreign relations via video link on the sidelines of the fifth session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Chen Zhonghao) BEIJING, March 7 (Xinhua) -- China's State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday stressed that the Taiwan question differs in nature from the Ukraine issue and the two are not comparable at all. The biggest difference lies in the fact that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory and the Taiwan question is entirely China's internal affairs while the Ukraine issue arose from contention between two countries, namely Russia and Ukraine, Wang said at a press conference. It is a blatant act of double standards that some people, while being vocal about the principle of sovereignty on the Ukraine issue, have kept undermining China's sovereignty and territorial integrity on the Taiwan question, he said. The current cross-Strait tension was caused by Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authority who denied the one-China principle and attempted to change the status quo that both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to one and the same China, he said, warning that these moves will ruin Taiwan's future. Meanwhile, some forces in the United States have abetted the growth of separatist forces for "Taiwan independence" and tried to challenge and hollow out the one-China principle, he said, adding that such actions will not only push Taiwan into a precarious situation, but also bring unbearable consequences for the U.S. side. The future of Taiwan lies in the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations and the country's reunification, rather than "empty promises" made by external forces, he said. "Seeking foreign support to gain dependence is a dead end. The scheme to use Taiwan to contain China is doomed to fail," he said. By Russian_Village A survivor of six heart attacks and a brain tumor, a grumpy bear of a man, whom has declared Russia as his new and wonderful home. His wife is a true Russian Sweet Pea of a girl and she puts up with this bear of a guy and keeps him in line. Thank God for my Sweet Pea and Russia. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close Broker Briefing Webinar Brisbane, Mar 7, 2022 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Copper producer Austral Resources Australia Ltd ( ASX:AR1 ) is pleased to advise shareholders and investors that the Company will be presenting as part of the free Broker Briefing Investor Webinar on Thursday 10 March 2022.Date: 10 March 2022Time: 11:30am AEDT / 8:30am AWSTPresenter: Executive Director, Dan Jauncey, presenting at 12:30pm AEDT / 9:30am AWSTThe Company invites shareholders, investors, and media to participate in this digital event by registering online via the link below:Participants will be able to submit questions via the panel throughout the presentation.About Austral Resources Australia Ltd Austral Resources Australia Ltd (ASX:AR1) is a copper cathode producer operating in the Mt Isa region, Queensland, Australia. Its Mt Kelly copper oxide heap leach and solvent extraction/electrowinning (SXEW) plant has a nameplate capacity of 30,000tpa of copper cathode. Austral is developing its Anthill oxide copper mine which has an Ore Reserve of 5.06Mt at 0.94% Cu. The Company expects to produce 40,000t of copper cathode over a four-year period from mid-2022. Austral owns a significant copper inventory with a JORC compliant Mineral Resource Estimate of 60Mt at 0.7% Cu and 1,940km2 of highly prospective exploration tenure in the heart of the Mt Isa district, a world class copper and base metals province. The Company is implementing an intensive exploration and development programme designed to extend the life of mine and increase then review options to commercialise its copper resources. Bouldercombe Battery Project Webinar and Presentation Sydney, Mar 7, 2022 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Genex Power Limited ( ASX:GNX ) is pleased to invite retail shareholders and investors to attend a virtual group briefing. During the briefing, the Company's Chief Executive Officer James Harding, Chief Financial Officer Craig Francis and Non-Executive Director Simon Kidston will discuss recent key developments in relation to the 50MW/100MWh Bouldercombe Battery Project and provide an update on its expanding renewable energy generation and storage portfolio.The presentation will be followed by a Q&A session.The online briefing will be held on Tuesday March 8th at 2pm Sydney time (AEDT).Participants will need to pre-register ahead of time via the following link:Once the registration form is completed, participants will receive a confirmation email with the detail on how to access the briefing.To view the Presentation, please visit:About Genex Power Ltd Genex Power Limited (ASX:GNX) is focused on developing a portfolio of renewable energy generation and storage projects across Australia. The Company's flagship Kidston Clean Energy Hub, located in north Queensland, will integrate large-scale solar generation with pumped storage hydro. The Kidston Clean Energy Hub is comprised of the operating 50MW stage 1 Solar Project (KS1) and the 250MW Kidston Pumped Storage Hydro Project (K2-Hydro) with potential for further multi-stage wind and solar projects. The 50MW Jemalong Solar Project (JSP) is located in NSW and provides geographical diversification to the Genex Power Limited portfolio. JSP was energised in early December 2020 and commissioning is now underway. Genex is further developing its energy storage portfolio via the early stage development of a 50MW/75MWh standalone battery energy storage system at Bouldercombe in Queensland. With over 400MW of renewable energy and storage projects in development, Genex is well placed as Australia's leading renewable energy and storage company. BEIRUT, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese President Michel Aoun said on Monday that since Lebanon is in dire need of loans but the conditions to unlock funds by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) are very complicated, the country needs to reform its political system. President Aoun attributed the delay in implementing reforms proposed by the IMF to the institutional paralysis in Lebanon, which hinders decision-making in the country. "The Lebanese system is paralyzed and needs to be changed by adopting decentralization to facilitate the decision-making process ... Reform of the ruling system is very essential," he said. Aoun's remarks came during his meeting at Baabda Palace with a delegation from the European People's Party (EPP) headed by French politician Franck Proust. Proust said his visit aims to follow up on Lebanon's negotiations with the IMF and the reforms made by the country for the speedy implementation of the recovery plan. On Jan. 24, Lebanon kicked off the first round of official talks with the IMF, seeking to unlock aid for the crisis-hit country. Further High-Grade Gold Results - Morning Star Gold Mine Ballarat, Mar 7, 2022 AEST (ABN Newswire) - White Rock Minerals Limited ( ASX:WRM ) ( OTCMKTS:WRMCF ) is pleased to provide an update on underground drilling and further assay results from the Kenny's target area at the Morning Star underground Gold Mine in Victoria. The Kenny's target area includes multiple high-grade gold structures including the Whitelaw Reef, the Upper and Lower Burns Reefs, and the Upper and Lower Campbell Reefs. This target area is located between 6 Level and 9 Level, at the northern end of the dyke where existing development provides access to the Whitelaw Reef and the immediate "high-grade" target area that is currently being assessed for its future mining potential.During 2022 an underground drilling program comprising 6 holes for 526 metres was completed from 9 Level to provide infill definition of the Whitelaw "high-grade" target area along the eastern edge of the dyke. This program was a follow-up to an earlier program in 2021 where 27 holes for 1,002 metres were completed from 7 Level. Together with previous historic drilling and underground face sampling of minor stoping, a "high-grade" gold target area of some 100 metres strike length and up to 30 metres acrossstrike width has been defined on the Whitelaw Reef. The Whitelaw Reef target area, which contains numerous high-grade drill intercepts (Figure 1 and Table 1*), will now undergo a detailed assessment of its mining potential before being included in any production restart forecasts that include multiple "highgrade" gold target areas that continue to be assessed through the ongoing underground and surface drilling campaign.The underground drill rig has now moved to the southern end of the mine, still on 9 Level, where it is completing definition drilling on extensions to the recently mined McNally Reef with a view to recommencing mining in the near term (Figure 2*). The underground drill rig will then resume drill testing the highly prospective Gap Zone between 10 Level and 14 Level in conjunction with continuing to drill nearer-term production targets above 9 Level as it progresses through different drill sites along 9 Level.While the McNally Reef is being drilled, White Rock will undertake a mining assessment of the Whitelaw Reef to determine whether it can be included in future development and production plans or requires additional drilling to reach a decision point.In addition to the McNally and Whitelaw Reefs as potential future mining areas for high-grade gold, the surface drill rig has been completing drill holes that will assist in the assessment of near-term development and production potential for a further two working areas close to the Main Shaft; the Age of Progress and Stacpoole Reefs, accessed via 2 Level, and infill drilling on the Dickenson Reef that can be accessed via 4 Level (Figure 2*).These current drill programs potentially deliver four working areas for future mining, dependent on the outcome of an assessment of drilling results for each, providing White Rock with a pathway to recommence mining at:1. McNally Reef extensions where development is in place to commence mining immediately;2. Dickenson Reef where sufficient development is in place to commence mining in the short term;3. Stacpoole / Age of Progress Reefs where development is in place and minor infrastructure requirements will allow mining to commence in the short term; and4. Whitelaw Reef where minor development is required and more substantial infrastructure is needed to enable mining to commence in the mid-term.While drilling at the Kenny's target area focused on the Whitelaw Reef, the target area also includes the Upper and Lower Burns Reefs, and the Upper and Lower Campbell Reefs. Each of these reefs had some historical exploitation. Drilling has targeted the extensions of these reefs down plunge to the north from areas of historic production, especially along the eastern edge of the dyke where the reefs come closer together.Assay results have now been received for all holes except the last drill hole 22KPL9006. All drill assays >1g/t gold are provided in Table 3* below.*To view tables and figures, please visit:About White Rock Minerals Ltd White Rock Minerals Ltd (ASX:WRM) (OTCMKTS:WRMCF) is a diversified explorer and near-stage producer, headquartered in Ballarat, Victoria. The Company's flagship exploration project is Red Mountain in central Alaska. At Red Mountain, there are already two high grade zinc - silver - gold - lead VMS deposits, with an Inferred Mineral Resource of 9.1 million tonnes @ 609g/t AgEq / 13% ZnEq. The Company is also exploring its recently discovered large intrusion related gold anomaly at Last Chance, also located in the Tintina gold belt of Alaska, home to multi-million gold ounce deposits like Pogo, Fort Knox and the Donlin Project. The Company also has the Mt Carrington project, located near Drake, in Northern NSW, which is a near-production precious metals asset with a resource of 341,000 ounces of gold and 23.2 million ounces of silver on an approved mining lease, and with a Gold First PFS and JORC Reserve. Awarded Grant of up to $7.5 Million under the Beetaloo Cooperative Drilling Program Sydney, Mar 7, 2022 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Tamboran Resources Limited ( ASX:TBN ) has been awarded a grant of up to $7.5 million through the Commonwealth Government's Beetaloo Cooperative Drilling Program.The funding will support the drilling of the Maverick 1H ("M1H") well within Tamboran's 100 per cent owned and operated EP 136 permit, located within the 'Core' Beetaloo Sub-basin during calendar year 2022.Subject to the delivery of commercial flow rates from the M1H well, which is planned to spud in mid-calendar year 2022, Tamboran intends to accelerate the Maverick Pilot Development with a target of delivering gas to the Australian domestic market by the end of calendar year 2025.Tamboran Resources Limited ( ASX:TBN ) Managing Director and CEO, Joel Riddle, said:"We are pleased to announce that Sweetpea, a wholly owned subsidiary of Tamboran, has received an approved grant for up to $7.5 million through the Beetaloo Cooperative Drilling Program initiative provided by the Commonwealth Government of Australia."The funding is intended to support up to 25 per cent of the costs of drilling, fracture stimulation and flow testing of the M1H well, limited to $7.5 million, in EP 136, our 100 per cent owned and operated permit in the 'Core' Beetaloo Sub-basin. Subject to the delivery of commercial flow rates from the M1H well, Tamboran plans to expedite the proposed Maverick Pilot Development within EP 136, which could target first gas deliveries to the Australian domestic market by the end of calendar year 2025."The award of the grant reflects the support and ongoing commitment of the Commonwealth Government to the development of the Beetaloo Sub-basin as a new source of low carbon dioxide natural gas for Australia to promote jobs, manufacturing and, importantly, national energy security."Santos, our joint venture partner and operator of EP 161, successfully drilled the Tanumbirini 2H and 3H wells, which are currently undergoing extended flow testing. These wells have already provided valuable information and learnings that has validated our Mid-Velkerri "B" shale model and details for the design and execution of our drilling program on EP 136 during calendar year 2022."About the Beetaloo Cooperative Drilling ProgramThe Beetaloo Cooperative Drilling Program is a key initiative of "Unlocking the Beetaloo: The Beetaloo Strategic Basin Plan" (the "Plan") initiated in January 2021 by the Hon Keith Pitt MP, the Commonwealth's Minister for Resources and Water, to encourage the industry to accelerate resource exploration and appraisal. According to the Plan, "The Beetaloo Sub-basin's resource potential is a significant opportunity for the economic recovery of the Northern Territory and Australia. Industry analysis projects that the Beetaloo development has the potential to create up to 6,000 jobs by 2040. Economic activity could increase between $18.0 billion and $36.8 billion over the same period. This investment has the potential to create long-term benefits such as local jobs, generate revenue and provide a springboard for many downstream industries in the Northern Territory."The Hon Keith Pitt MP released a media statement in relation to the approval of the grant to Sweetpea under the Beetaloo Cooperative Drilling Program and can be found in Appendix A*.*To view tables and figures, please visit:About Tamboran Resources Limited Tamboran Resources Ltd (ASX:TBN) is a natural gas company that intends to play a constructive role in the global energy transition towards a lower carbon future by developing low CO2 unconventional natural gas resources in the Beetaloo Sub-basin within the Greater McArthur Basin in the Northern Territory of Australia. Tamboran's key assets are a 25% working interest in EP 161 and a 100% working interest in EP 136, EP 143 and EP(A) 197 which are located in the Beetaloo Sub-basin. Since the beginning of Gov. Michelle Lujan Grishams administration, New Mexicos education agencies and the Indian Affairs Department have built meaningful relations and worked with tribes and pueblos to meet the needs of Indigenous students, educators and communities. Making sure tribal consultation and community participation are key parts of everything state education agencies do has allowed us to build on the strengths of Native American students; adequately reflect Indigenous history, knowledge and language in the classroom; and recruit and retain qualified educators with academic and cultural knowledge. Working with the governor and in consultation and partnership with tribal communities, our agencies are joining forces to address challenges facing Native American students and educators across early childhood, K-12 and higher education. The Early Childhood Education and Care Department will establish a first-of-its-kind Early Childhood Tribal Advisory Coalition this year to inform strategies for supporting children in tribal communities. ECECDs earlier work with local indigenous knowledge experts from the Navajo Nation and Zuni Pueblo created the Sowing Seeds Project, a digital workshop that empowers tribal communities to create instructional content infused with values, culture and knowledge from their own knowledge system. This work will expand and is included in ECECDs fiscal 2023 budget request. In collaboration with the Pueblo of Tesuque, ECECD will fund a culturally and linguistically-relevant Pre-K program and awarded over $700,000 to nearly 500 teachers and support professionals working in tribal communities. This year, we will invest $1.4 million in the partnership with 23 sovereign nations and support the expansion of culturally and linguistically relevant early childhood programs in all tribal communities, like home visiting, Family Infant and Toddler early intervention and Pre-K. Improving educational outcomes for Native American students continues to be a priority, and increasing funding for initiatives under the Indian Education Act from $5.25 million to $20 million will go a long way toward ensuring tribal education departments and schools, Native language programs, and Native American Educator Pathways receive sustained support. The Public Education Department is working with other state education agencies and higher education partners to build a teacher pipeline for Indigenous language instructors statewide and is recommending $1.25 million this year to ensure teachers with Pre-K through grade 12 Native American Language and Culture certifications are paid the same as other licensed teachers with the same level of experience. The Higher Education Department continues its work with tribal colleges and policymakers to improve college enrollment and graduation rates of Native American students. Over $4.4 million in state funds were awarded to Native American students enrolled at public and tribal colleges in New Mexico last year, and a comprehensive free college package this year means more students can pursue degrees and certificates tuition-free. We are also investing over $2.4 million this year into initiatives at tribal and public higher education institutions that support Native American students, faculty and communities and recommending $11.1 million to construct new instructional facilities at those institutions. Continuing on this path of partnership will bring forward a truly representative education system. We will not stop until every student and community succeeds. CAIRO Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie on Sunday visited war-wrecked Yemen to show solidarity with displaced families in hopes of mobilizing support for an incoming fundraising conference, the United Nations said. Jolie, who is special envoy for the U.N. on refugee issues, landed in the southern coastal city of Aden to meet with families and refugees there. Aden is the seat of the internationally recognized government. The U.N. refugee agency said it hopes that Jolies visit would draw attention to growing humanitarian needs in Yemen, the Arab Worlds poorest country, ahead of the annual High Level Pledging Conference for Yemen on March 16. As we continue to watch the horrors unfolding in Ukraine and call for an immediate end to the conflict and humanitarian access, I am here in Yemen to support people who also desperately need peace. The situation here is one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world, Jolie said in a post on her Instagram account. Yemen has been convulsed by civil war since 2014, when the Iran-backed Houthi rebels took control of the capital, Sanaa, and much of the countrys north, forcing the government to flee to the south, then to Saudi Arabia. A Saudi-led coalition, backed at the time by the United States, entered the war in 2015 to try to restore Yemens government to power. The conflict has since become a regional proxy war that has killed more than 150,000 people, including over 14.500 civilians, according to 2022 data from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Project. It also created the worlds worst humanitarian crisis. According to the U.N. refugee agency, about 66% of Yemens 30 million people rely on humanitarian assistance for their daily survival, including over 4.2 million displaced people and 102,000 refugees and asylum-seekers. The head of the World Food Program, David Beasley, told The Associated Press last month that around 13 million people were heading toward starvation in Yemen due to the protracted conflict and lack of funding. The U.N. humanitarian office has reported that its 2021 humanitarian plan for Yemen received $2.27 billion out of its $3.85 billion requirement, the lowest funding level since 2015. WASHINGTON Russias 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. Thats where many have families, they can work and then return home if that is possible at some point. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told CNNs 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. 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 wont 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. DALLAS A man charged with killing 18 older women in the Dallas area over a two-year span said in a newspaper interview that he is innocent and will be acquitted in the case. Billy Chemirmir remains in the Dallas County Jail as he awaits an April 25 retrial after the first jury to hear a murder case against him deadlocked. In November, his murder trial in the death of 81-year-old Lu Thi Harris ended in a mistrial. During a phone interview from jail last week, Chemirmir denied all the charges against him and told The Dallas Morning News that he is 100% sure I will not go to prison. I am not a killer, Chemirmir told the newspaper. Im not at all what theyre saying I am. I am a very innocent person. I was not brought (up) that way. I was brought (up) in a good family. I didnt have any problems all my life. Chemirmir was arrested in March 2018 after 91-year-old Mary Annis Bartel said a man forced his way into her apartment at an independent living community for seniors in the Dallas suburb of Plano. When police tracked Chemirmir to his nearby apartment following the attack on Bartel, he was holding jewelry and cash. Documents in a large red jewelry box police say he had just thrown away led them to a Dallas home where Harris was found dead in her bedroom, lipstick smeared on her pillow. Police allege that Chemirmir used his work as a caregiver to stalk luxury senior living communities in Dallas and Collin counties, posing as a worker to get into the apartments of elderly women before smothering them with a pillow and stealing their valuables. Chemirmir told the newspaper he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. He said that other family members, who have declined to the speak to the newspaper, operate other senior living homes in the Dallas area where no suspicious deaths have been reported. If I was a killer, I couldve killed all those ladies, he said. Nobody has been killed there. Chemirmir told the newspaper he was born and raised in Kenyas Rift Valley and that hes the son of a wealthy farmer. Chemirmir said he began working as a caregiver in Kenya and he moved in 2003 to the U.S., where he sold cars and began working as a senior caregiver in Dallas. Cheryl Pangburn, whose mother, Marilyn Bixler, was killed in 2017 and is suspected of being one of Chemirmirs alleged victims, said she was disappointed that he was reaching out to journalists to try and sway public opinion toward him. You hope that he feels some kind of remorse, and the fact is he feels nothing, Pangburn said. I cannot comprehend that the human mind can work that way. KINGMAN, Ariz. One person has died and another remains hospitalized with severe burn after a house fire in Kingman, authorities said Sunday. Mohave County Sheriffs officials said fire crews responded to the fire about 9:30 p.m. Saturday and found two victims at the scene with one pronounced dead at the scene. That persons name hasnt been released yet. Authorities said the second victim was treated at the scene and then transported to a Kingman hospital before being flown to a Las Vegas, Nevada hospital for treatment of severe burn injuries. Sheriffs officials and Kingman Fire Department investigators are trying to determine the cause of the fire. HOUSTON The nations largest pediatric hospital has announced it has stopped gender-affirming therapies after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott ordered the states child welfare agency to investigate reports of gender-confirming care for kids as abuse. Texas Childrens Hospital, located in Houston, announced that its decision to stop such hormone-related prescription therapies was made after it reviewed Abbotts order, which came when Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton last month released a nonbinding legal opinion that labeled certain gender-confirming treatments as child abuse. The mission of Texas Childrens Hospital is to create a healthier future for all children, including transgender children, within the bounds of the law This step was taken to safeguard our health care professionals and impacted families from potential criminal legal ramifications, the hospital wrote in a statement released Friday. After the hospitals announcement, Paxton tweeted Friday, Glad to hear that today Texas Childrens Hospital halted their child-abuse procedures. Civil rights and medical groups as well as parents of transgender children have been highly critical of Abbott and Paxton over the order, calling it cruel and an attempt to tear families apart. The Republican governors directive and Paxtons opinion go against the nations largest medical groups, including the American Medical Association, which have opposed Republican-backed restrictions on transgender people filed in statehouses nationwide. Last week, a judge issued a temporary order halting the investigation by the Department of Family and Protective Services into the parents of a 16-year-old transgender girl. The American Civil Liberties Union and Lambda Legal, which advocates for LGBTQ civil rights, sued the state on behalf of the teen. Paxtons office is appealing the ruling. The appeal stays a hearing District Judge Amy Clark Meachum had scheduled for March 11 on whether to issue a broader temporary order blocking enforcement of Abbotts directive. President Joe Biden on Wednesday condemned Abbotts directive and announced steps his administration was taking to protect transgender youth and their families in the state. GLENDALE, Ariz. A man has died and three other people have been injured after a shooting in Glendale, authorities said Sunday. Glendale police said one of the injured is a juvenile boy who was dropped off at a hospital by friends and he has life-threatening injuries. Police said the shooting occurred about 10 p.m. Saturday. Arriving police officers found three victims and one man was pronounced dead at the scene. His name wasnt immediately released. Police said the two other men who were shot were taken to a hospital with injuries not considered life threatening. The shooting remains under investigation, according to police. Copyright 2022 Albuquerque Journal Shots rang out at a Northeast Albuquerque home shortly before midnight Saturday, leaving one man dead and another man shot in the leg and facing a murder charge. Albuquerque police were called to a home on the 8000 block of Krim NE, south of Paseo Del Norte and Louisiana, after two 911 calls reported multiple gunshots in the area. Police arrived at the home and found Devlin Rubi, 23, shot to death in the drivers seat of a still-running vehicle, according to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court. According to the complaint, David Padilla, 43, shot and killed Rubi after a confrontation inside the home. A witness told police that a group of people were at the home and ultimately the homeowner, Kellie Shugart, who was driving around with Padilla, got mad at a woman inside. Justin and Kellie Shugart are listed as the homeowners of the property where the shooting occurred, according to the county assessors website. The group of people was hiding in a bathroom when Kellie Shugart and Padilla arrived. There was a verbal confrontation and shots were fired. Another volley of gunfire happened outside the residence a short time later, according to the complaint. Shugart and Padilla left in a vehicle after the shooting. Padilla was treated at University of New Mexico Hospital for a gunshot wound to the knee. Police interviewed Padilla at APD headquarters early Sunday morning. Padilla said he broke a screen door at the home and Rubi got mad at Padilla and shot him in the leg. Padilla said that the victim left the house and dropped his gun. Padilla told police he picked up the gun and shot the victim multiple times as he was sitting in a vehicle. Surveillance footage from a neighbor shows that as the vehicle is backing up, Padilla approached and can be heard saying, Dont ever (expletive) with me. That was followed by 13 gunshots, and Padilla can then be heard on the footage saying, you like that, (expletive). Padilla was arrested Sunday on suspicion of murder and being a felon in possession of a firearm. UNITED NATIONS, March 7 (Xinhua) -- The immediate challenge in offloading 1 million barrels of oil from a rusting tanker off Yemen and averting a catastrophe is funding, a UN spokesman said on Monday. "The biggest and most important step will be the funding that we will need which will be determined by the operational plan," said Stephane Dujarric, the chief spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. The cost is not yet known, The world body and the rebel Houthi militia over the weekend reached a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on offloading the dangerous cargo, Dujarric said. The MOU includes a short-term solution to eliminate the immediate threat (of leakage) and a long-term solution not immediately spelled out. He said that Yemen's internationally recognized government in Sanaa also is committed to facilitating the project. The Netherlands is lending its maritime expertise to the project. "The Netherlands is an important stakeholder in this UN-coordinated proposal," the spokesman said. "When ready, the operational plan will he shared with all members states" of the world organization. The UN resident and humanitarian coordinator, David Gressly, worked out the MOU with the Houthis, Dujarric told a regular briefing. "The mission confirmed that the risk of imminent catastrophe is very real indeed." The spokesman said the special coordinator for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, started a series of consultations with more than 100 Yemeni men and women from political parties, the security and economic sectors and civil society taking place over the next few weeks. "We are going to work on this as quickly as possible," Dujarric said. "We're fully aware of the urgency of the matter, but it will also require putting bids out on the open market for facilities and tools that the United Nations doesn't keep." For seven years, the derelict Safer sat off the port city of Hodeidah, now controlled by the Houthis. The militia had previously obstructed UN efforts to send inspectors to assess the tanker's condition or offload it. The world body has repeatedly warned the Safer was in imminent danger of leaking and fouling the waters and shoreline of the Red Sea. The suspected shooter in a an April 2021 fatal shooting in Albuquerque was arrested in West Texas. Domminick Muller, 21, was arrested Sunday in Seminole, Texas, about 30 miles east of Hobbs, on a warrant in connection with the fatal shooting Ryan Saavedra Jr., 18. Five people have been charged in connection with the fatal shooting. According to police, Arianna Hawkins, 19, is accused set up a drug purchase on social media with intent of robbing Saavedra and his girlfriend at a West Side park. During the transaction, Ajole Guzman, 19, allegedly sprayed Saavedra in the face with mace. Muller allegedly shot into the vehicle and killed Saavedra, who was in the passenger seat of the car. Guzman and Muller have both been charged with an open count of murder. Hawkins is also facing charges in connection with the case. PHOENIX First Lady Jill Biden will be in Arizona this week to highlight job training and cancer treatment programs, two policy priorities mentioned by President Joe Biden in his State of the Union address last week, the White House announced Sunday. She is scheduled to arrive in Phoenix at 12:30 p.m. Monday and will first visit Intel Corp.s Ocotillo campus in Chandler. The First Lady will be joined by Angela Hanks, the acting assistant secretary for the Employment and Training Administration at the U.S. Department of Labor. The two women are expected to talk about Intels investment in community colleges to strengthen the workforce. Jill Biden is later scheduled to speak at a finance event for the Democratic National Committee in Chandler before heading to Tucson on Monday evening. The First Lady and Xavier Becerra, secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, will be in Tucson on Tuesday afternoon to hear about the cancer program and services at the San Xavier Health Center on the Tohono Oodham Nation. On Wednesday, Jill Biden and Hanks will be in Nevada to visit with students at Truckee Meadows Community College in Reno before the First Lady heads to Kentucky. WILLOW, Alaska The 50th running of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race started Sunday with 49 mushers setting their sights on Alaskas western coast. The race will take the mushers across Alaskas untamed and unforgiving terrain, including two mountain ranges, the frozen Yukon River and the unpredictable Bering Sea ice. The winner is expected to cross the finish line in the western Alaska coastal community of Nome about nine days after the start. For the first time ever in 2021, the race did not finish in Nome because of the pandemic. Instead, the race started in Willow, went to the ghost town of Iditarod and then doubled back to Willow. Dallas Seavey won the 2021 race, matching musher Rick Swenson for the most wins ever with five apiece. Swenson, 71, last won in 1991 and hasnt raced the Iditarod since 2012. Seavey is looking to make history by becoming the first musher to hold six titles. Seavey has said he will likely take a break after this years race to spend time with his daughter. There are two four-time champions in the race with Martin Buser and Jeff King. Buser is running in his 39th Iditarod, and King stepped in just days before the race started to run musher Nic Petits team after Petit said on Facebook he contracted COVID-19. Also in the race are 2018 winner Joar Leifseth Ulsom and 2019 winner Pete Kaiser. Fifteen mushers signed up but withdrew from the race before it started, including Petit and the 2020 winner Thomas Waerner of Norway, who wasnt able to secure travel documents to the U.S. Copyright 2022 Albuquerque Journal A program intended to steer low-level offenders away from criminal prosecution saw participation soar in 2021 but remains a point of friction between the District Attorneys Office and public defenders. District Attorney Raul Torrez says the pre-prosecution diversion program, or PPD, remains underutilized because defendants represented by public defenders dont accept enough diversion offers from his office. Public defenders respond that they have accepted an increasing number of PPD offers since the 2nd Judicial District Attorneys Office removed barriers to participation, such as a requirement that drug offenders admit guilt. The PPD program is intended to remove nonviolent low-level offenders from the criminal justice system and into services, such as mental health and drug treatment, housing and other programs. The program, operated by the DAs Office, is offered as an alternative to prosecution for people charged with drug possession, shoplifting and other low-level crimes. A recurring argument made by mostly members of the Public Defenders Office is that the emphasis should be on helping on the root causes of problems on addiction, on mental health issues, Torrez said in a meeting with the Journal editorial board. I dont know how you can make that argument in good faith and accept 15% of diversion offers, he said. Data released by Torrezs office shows that participation in pre-prosecution diversion increased sharply in 2021. The number of PPD offers made by the DAs Office to public defenders more than tripled from 219 in 2020 to 698 in 2021 a 219% increase. In the same period, the number of PPD offers accepted by clients of public defenders in Bernalillo County increased more than threefold, from 35 in 2020 to 112 in 2021 a 220% increase. But the rate at which those represented by public defenders in Bernalillo County accepted PPD offers remained at 16% in both 2020 and 2021, the data shows. Acceptance rates varied widely from month to month in 2021, from a low of 7% in August to 29% in November. PPD has been underutilized a long time, said Adolfo Mendez, chief of policy and planning in the 2nd Judicial District Attorneys Office. The increased participation in 2021 is a function of us just making more and more and more offers, Mendez said. Well continue to do so because were not seeing the acceptance rate go up. Bennett Baur, chief public defender for the Law Offices of the Public Defender, said the trend toward more offers and acceptances shows the broad support PPD has among both prosecutors and public defenders. The prosecutors and the public defenders on the ground are cooperating to make this program work for as many of our clients as possible, Baur said. But I think the district attorneys rhetoric over this undermines that very real progress thats been made. Public defender clients often have good reasons for rejecting diversion offers, Baur said. There would certainly be cases where we would think that, for instance, the evidence isnt strong enough, or that there was an unconstitutional search, Baur said. Many cases are dismissed before charges are filed, he said. In some cases, investigators didnt talk to certain witnesses who can show that the person actually wasnt guilty, Baur said. Julpa Dave, managing attorney of the felony division of the Law Offices of the Public Defenders, said defense attorneys and their clients have many factors to consider before deciding whether to accept a PPD offer. Maybe its better to actually try to fight the case because there are constitutional issues, she said. Public defenders often represent homeless people, making it difficult to discuss options with clients in time to meet deadlines for accepting PPD offers, Dave said. Prosecutors and public defenders agree that key barriers to participation in the diversion program have been removed. The DAs Office eliminated a requirement that people charged with drug possession admit guilt before they are eligible for a diversion offer. But accounts differ about when the change took effect. The DAs Office said it dropped the admission of guilt requirement two years ago. Public defenders say it only took effect in July. The DAs Office also has eliminated some fees, such as drug testing costs, once required for participation in a diversion program. Mendez said prosecutors are disappointed that the removal of barriers hasnt resulted in a higher acceptance rate. We would love to see the acceptance rate go up given all of the steps weve taken to try to address the barriers that have been articulated to us about why people arent accepting, Mendez said. Public defenders responded that eliminating the admission-of-guilt requirement has increased PPD acceptances. Defendants represented by public defenders accepted 29% of PPD offers in November and 23% in December, according to data provided by the DAs Office. Public defenders also note that the admission-of-guilt requirement remains in effect for low-level offenders other than those charged with drug possession. Dave said that if a defendant is kicked out of the PPD program for any reason, the DA can use the defendants admission of guilt to help secure a conviction. Torrez also said that defendants represented by private attorneys are significantly more likely to accept PPD offers than those represented by public defenders. In 2021, defendants represented by private attorneys accepted 63% of PPD offers, compared to the public defenders acceptance rate of 16%. But the number of PPD offers accepted by defendants represented by private attorneys declined from 40 in 2020 to 34 in 2021 a 15% decline. Public defenders respond that the comparison is misleading because private attorneys represent only a small fraction of people accused of criminal offenses. In 2021, prosecutors made 698 PPD offers to public defenders compared with just 52 offers made to private attorneys, according to DAs Office data. LVIV, Ukraine Russian forces stepped up shelling of cities in Ukraines center, north and south, a Ukrainian official said, as a second attempt to evacuate besieged civilians collapsed. With the Ukrainian leader urging his people to take to the streets and fight, Russian President Vladimir Putin shifted blame for the war to Ukraine, saying Moscows invasion 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 intense 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. The 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. 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, though that idea is complicated by questions about which countries would provide the aircraft and how those countries would replace the planes. 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. 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. 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 in the country. The official said Russian forces continue to advance and attempt to isolate Kyiv, Kharkhiv and Chernihiv, and 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. Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron spoke 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. 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 to try to end the conflict. In Ukraine, rivers of blood and tears are flowing, the pontiff said in his traditional Sunday blessing. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. A few hours later, TikTok said Russian users would not be able to post new videos or see videos shared from elsewhere in the world. Copyright 2022 Albuquerque Journal A teenage pregnancy ended in multiple rape charges for a 22-year-old man in Albuquerque. Joseph Cruz is charged with two counts each of criminal sexual penetration and criminal sexual contact of a minor in the incidents, which allegedly happened around August. Cruz was booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center on Feb. 25. His attorney did not return a call for comment on the case. Prosecutors have filed a motion to detain Cruz until trial, saying he values his own sexual gratification over the safety of others, including children. A defense attorney for Cruz argued against the motion, saying his client had learning issues, strong ties to the community and release conditions could be fashioned to keep the community safe. A judge denied the motion to detain Cruz on Friday. The Bernalillo County Sheriffs Office opened an investigation after a referral from the New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department. A BCSO detective traveled to Juarez to collect the product of conception for DNA testing after the 14-year-old went to Mexico to have an abortion in September. Those results are not back, according to BCSO spokeswoman Jayme Fuller. Unfortunately, DNA results take a long time to get back to investigators. The case agent on this does not expect to have those results back anytime soon, it could be a few months at the earliest, Fuller said in an email Friday. According to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court: On Sept. 9 a social worker at Robert F. Kennedy Charter School reported that a student, who was nine weeks pregnant at the time, was moving to Mexico to have an abortion. A detective worked with authorities in Chihuahua to collect the fetus at the border. In December, the teen told the detective she was still living in Mexico when she began talking with Cruz over Snapchat. She said Cruz told her he was 16 and the pair met in August after she moved to Albuquerque. The girl told deputies she tried to resist before Cruz raped her inside a bathroom of an apartment. She said, a few days later, he raped her inside of a truck at a park on the West Side. The girl told deputies she learned she was pregnant after going to get an STD test a few weeks later. The girl said she and a cousin went to Cruzs house to confront him and he told her to abort the baby. The girl told deputies Cruzs mother told her he was actually 22 and Cruz started to get nervous and stutter. She said Cruzs mother said her son has a mental issue where he believes he is a teenager and had an underage girlfriend who was 13 when they started dating. Detectives found Snapchat messages from Cruz talking about the two having sex and telling the girl she doesnt know who the father is and just trying to blame him. HOW MANY CARS FAIL EMISSIONS? That question comes in an email from John, who says Ive had many vehicles emissions-tested in Albuquerque over the past 20 years. No vehicle has ever failed, some just two years old and one now over 20 years old. And so he asks whats the ratio of vehicles tested divided into vehicles failing emission test? A more interesting statistic would be the emission failure rate by age of vehicle or vehicle odometer mileage. If failure rates are very low, whats the purpose of testing other than to provide a steady flow of business to emissions-test facilities? First, the purpose of testing is to address metro-area violations of the national ambient air quality standard for carbon monoxide and comply with the Federal Clean Air Act of 1977. Emissions testing has been done steadily on vehicles registered in Bernalillo County since 1989 (before that New Mexico was one of just eight states to be sanctioned by the EPA and lose federal highway funding for not operating a required vehicle inspection and maintenance program). All 1987-and-newer vehicles under 10,001 pounds, including hybrids, must pass an emissions test. Vehicles exempt from emissions testing are new ones purchased from a dealer or manufacturer (they get a pass for four years), and dedicated electric, diesel, those used only for legally sanctioned competition, those not operated on public street or highways, farm equipment and those weighing more than 10,001 pounds or more. To Johns question, in 2021, the more than 130 Air Care Stations across Albuquerque and Bernalillo County tested 259,183 vehicles; 9%, or 23,326 of them, failed, according to data from the citys Environmental Health Department. While the highest failure rate was in 1987 models (30% of 381, or 114), vehicles from every single model year failed, including 2022. The model years 2007 and older all had double-digit failure rates. In 2007, 10% of the 12,726 vehicles tested, 1,272, flunked emissions. In 2016 models, 4% of the 21,220 tested, 848, failed. And of the 2022 models tested (required if you bought from a private party and not the dealer/manufacturer), 1% of the 76 vehicles flunked. A list of Air Care Stations is available at CABQ.gov. The Vehicle Pollution Management Department offers one free retest for vehicles within 90 days of the failed test date. Once you have addressed the reason your vehicle failed (we once had one fail for a bad gas cap lose the seal and you flunk), you should take the vehicle and failed test to VPMD at 1500 Broadway NE for a free retest. Email vpm@cabq.gov or call 505-764-1110 for more information. VANITY PLATES SHED SPECIAL CHARACTERS: Steve Suttle says In the entire history of N.M. vanity plates from 1967 on, the customer was able to get a dash, a space, a tilde really or the Zia sun symbol on the plate. Meanwhile, the Zia has been on every regular-issue plate since 1927. Now, for reasons unexplained, those symbols are no longer available on vanity plates. Does anyone know why? Yes, and its a law enforcement issue. Charlie Moore of the state Taxation and Revenue Department, parent to the Motor Vehicle Division, explains it looks like the change happened in 2017, and people who already had vanity plates with some of the discontinued characters were allowed to keep using them. We removed their availability mainly due to safety issues. Law enforcements NLETS system doesnt support the lookup of any special characters. So, if they look up Scooby-1 or Scooby1 it will bring up multiple vehicles and owners. This also can happen with automated toll booths. The other problem is that when customers try to renew online or through the IVR (integrated voice response), typing or adding a tilde or a Zia symbol is very difficult, and most of these customers run into renewal problems because the system will bring up multiple records. As for the Zias on regular plates, those are OK if they are the small ones used as a standard character for separating letters and numbers. Moore says if its part of the plate design, theyll get that. They just cant order up an alpha-numeric combination including a Zia. Editorial page editor DVal Westphal tackles commuter issues for the metro area on Mondays. Reach her at 823-3858; dwestphal@abqjournal.com; or 7777 Jefferson NE, Albuquerque, NM, 87109. NICE, France While most of the world is shunning President Vladimir Putin over Russias invasion of Ukraine, one of the few leaders keeping an open line of communication is French President Emmanuel Macron. Macrons diplomatic efforts to prevent the war failed, but hes not giving up: the two men have spoken four times since Russian forces attacked Ukraine on Feb. 24, and 11 times over the past month. The French leader, whose country holds the European Unions rotating presidency, is now one of the few outsiders with a view into Putins mindset at the time of the largest military invasion in Europe since World War II. Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett is also becoming a mediator, meeting Putin on a surprise visit to Moscow on Saturday and speaking with him again by phone on Sunday. Macrons relentless push for dialogue reflects Frances post-World War II tradition of carving out its own geopolitical path and its refusal to blindly follow the United States. After Russian troops pushed deep into Ukraine, Macrons resolve to maintain communication channels with Putin is providing Western allies with insight into the Russian leaders state of mind, his intentions on the battlefield and at home in Russia as the Kremlin cracks down on opponents. He is keeping a diplomatic channel open for the West in case Putin might want to de-escalate and look for a way out of this crisis, said Benjamin Haddad, a senior director for Europe at the Atlantic Council in Paris and a member of Macrons party. The two leaders address each other through interpreters with the familiar French word for you tu rather than the formal vous, an Elysee presidential palace official said after one phone call. Macron has also spoken to Putin on behalf of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Haddad said, trying to extract some mercy from Putin: local cease-fires, safe passage for trapped civilians and access to humanitarian aid. Instead of mercy, the French president on Monday denounced Moscows cynicism after a new pledge for humanitarian corridors from some under-fire Ukrainian cities with most of the routes leading toward Russia or its ally Belarus, which served as a launching ground for the invasion. Saying that we are going to protect people by bringing them to Russia is hypocritical, Macron said in an interview on LCI television. During their most recent call on Sunday that came at Macrons request, the French leader and Putin focused for nearly two hours on the safety of Ukraines nuclear plants. Putin said he doesnt intend to attack them and agreed on the principle of dialogue between the International Atomic Energy Agency, Ukraine and Russia on the issue, according to a French official who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with the French presidencys practices. There is absolutely no illusion at the Elysee that Putin will keep his word on anything he promises, Haddad said, or that Putin will change his mind about the invasion. But Haddad said that its important that Macron keeps trying to engage Putin even as the West punishes Russia and strengthens Ukraines defenses. And breaking with the diplomatic norm of keeping such conversations secret, the French presidency has widely shared the content of Macrons talks with Putin. Macrons advisers and the president himself detailed the excruciating efforts to prevent the war and then laid bare Putins broken promises of peace. That helped Macron galvanize support for the toughest sanctions against Russia, uniting the notoriously divided 27-member EU and revive NATOs geopolitical role. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will go to Paris on Tuesday to hear from Macron directly about his latest conversations with Putin. But U.S. officials remain unconvinced that Macrons efforts or any other leaders have had any significant impact on Putins decison-making process. The French president has been clear from the start: Putin alone is to blame for the death and destruction in Ukraine and the major consequences of the war for France and Europe. But on the other hand if Putin wants to talk, he will listen. Putin called on Thursday. The number of refugees fleeing Ukraine had already topped 1 million and several towns in the east were in ruins. Macron picked up and they talked for 90 minutes. An official in the French presidency rushed to brief reporters on the conversation. Putin told Macron the military operation in Ukraine is going according to plan and he will continue until the end, the official said on customary condition of anonymity. Putin claimed that war crimes were being committed by Ukrainians. He called them Nazis, the official said. Theres no need to negotiate, Putin said. He will achieve the neutralization and disarmament of Ukraine with his army. Macron spoke the truth to Putin, the official said, and explained how his war on Ukraine is perceived by the West. I asked him to stop attacks on Ukraine. At this point, he refuses, Macron tweeted. He said dialogue will continue. We must prevent the worst from happening. Since he was elected president in 2017, Macron has shown a keen interest in forging personal relationships with world leaders. Macron stands out among European Union leaders with his willingness to be in the spotlight, to drive foreign policy and push things ahead, said Silvia Colombo, an expert on EU foreign relations at the International Institute in Rome. There is no other foreign leader that Macron has tried to bring closer to his corner than Putin. Macron was confident that a mixture of personal charm and the splendor of Frances past would convince Putin to keep Russia within the European security habitat. Macron first hosted Putin in the Place of Versailles in 2017. Two years later they discussed stalled Ukraine peace talks in Macrons summer residence on the French Riviera as Macron tried to build on European diplomacy that had helped ease hostilities in the past. Its become clear over the past several weeks that Putin was on the war path even as he denied it, sitting across from Macron at a very long table during his last visit to Moscow. Macron wanted to believe him, Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said after critics claimed the French president has fallen into the old European trap of appeasing Putins Russia. The president is not naive, Le Drian said on the eve of Russias invasion. He knows the methods, the character and the cynical nature of Putin. ___ Sylvie Corbet and Elaine Ganley contributed to this report from Paris. ___ Follow the APs coverage of Russias war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine THE HAGUE, Netherlands Ukraine pleaded with the United Nations top court Monday to order Russia to halt its devastating invasion, saying Moscow is already committing widespread war crimes and resorting to tactics reminiscent of medieval siege warfare in its 12-day-old military onslaught. Russia snubbed the International Court of Justice hearings and its seats in the Great Hall of Justice remained empty. On a lawn outside the courts headquarters, the Peace Palace in The Hague, a protester placed colored candles spelling out the words: Putin Come out. A small group of protesters holding Ukrainian flags chanted antiwar slogans outside the buildings gates. Ukrainian representative Anton Korynevych told judges at the International Court of Justice: Russia must be stopped and the court has a role to play in stopping it. Ukraine has asked the court to order Russia to immediately suspend the military operations launched Feb. 24 that have as their stated purpose and objective the prevention and punishment of a claimed genocide in the separatist eastern regions of Luhansk and Donetsk. Lawyers for Kyiv dismissed the Russian claim. Ukraine comes to this court because of a grotesque lie and to seek protection from the devastating consequences of that lie, David Zionts told the court. The lie is the Russian Federations claim of genocide in Ukraine. The consequences are unprovoked aggression, cities under siege, civilians under fire, humanitarian catastrophe and refugees fleeing for their lives. A decision on Ukraines request is expected within days. The courts president, American judge Joan E. Donoghue, said the judges would issue a decision as soon as possible. If the court were to order a halt to fighting as Ukraine requested, I think the chance of that happening is zero, said Terry Gill, a professor of military law at the University of Amsterdam. He noted that if a nation does not abide by the courts order, judges could seek action from the United Nations Security Council, where Russia holds a veto. Donoghue said Russias ambassador to the Netherlands, Alexander Shulgin, informed judges that his government did not intend to participate in the oral proceedings. Because of Russias refusal to participate in the hearings, Moscows turn to present legal arguments on Tuesday was canceled. Korynevych condemned Moscows snub. The fact that Russian seats are empty speaks loudly, he said. They are not here in this court of law. They are on a battlefield waging aggressive war against my country. The request for so-called provisional measures is linked to a case Ukraine has filed based on the Genocide Convention. Both countries have ratified the 1948 treaty, which has a clause allowing nations to take disputes based on its provisions to the Hague-based court. Ukraine emphatically denies that any such genocide has occurred, and that the Russian Federation has any lawful basis to take action in and against Ukraine for the purpose of preventing and punishing genocide, the country said in its claim to the court. Even before the hearing, Donoghue sent a message to Russias foreign minister on March 1 pressing home the necessity to act in such a way as will enable any order the Court may make on the request for provisional measures to have its appropriate effects. Jonathan Gimblett, a member of Ukraines legal team, highlighted the urgency of Ukraines case, saying Moscows military aggression could have resulted in a new nuclear catastrophe affecting not only Ukraine or Russia, but potentially a vast surrounding area. He added that Russia, today is resorting to tactics reminiscent of medieval siege warfare, encircling cities, cutting off escape routes and pounding the civilian population with heavy ordnance. The success of Ukraines request will depend on whether the court accepts it has prima facie jurisdiction in the case, which is not a guarantee that the court ultimately would proceed with the suit. Cases at the International Court of Justice typically take years to complete. Regardless of the outcome of the hearings, they give Ukraine another platform to air grievances about Moscows invasion. Its part of, I think, an overall diplomatic strategy to try to put maximum pressure on Russia, said Gill. Ukrainian representative Oksana Zolotaryova emotionally underscored the high stakes as the hearing closed. As I am speaking, the Russian Federation continues its relentless assaults on our cities, on our towns, on our villages, on our people, she told judges. She added: We dont know yet the true number of Ukrainians that Russia has murdered in the past eleven days. We can only guess how many more will be murdered in the next eleven days if this senseless aggression does not stop. ___ Follow the APs coverage of the Ukraine crisis at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine PHOENIX The nearly 28,000 Arizona residents who have died of COVID-19 will be honored with a public ceremony. A first ever COVID-19 Victims and Survivors Memorial Day will be held Monday afternoon at the Arizona Heritage Center in Tempe. The Arizona Historical Society and nonprofit Marked By COVID are coordinating the event. The outdoor memorial will include a display of photos of people killed by the virus, a COVID-19 memorial quilt and remarks from people in the public health field. Embry Health will offer free COVID-19 testing on site. Marked By COVID was founded by Kristin Urquiza, whose father died of the virus in Phoenix in June 2020. So far, Arizona has seen 27,708 deaths from the virus. As the pandemic enters a third year, the death toll globally has surpassed 6 million. Several cities in the U.S. are holding COVID-19 memorial days this month. LAGOS, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Twelve people were killed and 12 others injured in a collision between a car and a bus in Nigeria's northeastern state of Yobe, local authorities said Monday. The car driver's speeding and reckless driving caused the head-on collision Sunday afternoon near Potiskum, a town in Yobe state, Rotimi Adeleye, a zonal commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps in Yobe, told reporters in Damaturu, the state capital. Adeleye urged drivers to observe speed limits, saying most of road accidents in the country are speed-related. Deadly road accidents are frequently reported in Nigeria, some also blamed on bad roads and reckless driving. The latest developments on the Russia-Ukraine war: TOKYO Japanese automaker Nissan is planning to halt production at its plant in Russia because of logistical challenges. Nissan Motor Co. did not provide a specific date but said Tuesday production will stop soon. Its plant in St. Petersburg produced 45,000 vehicles last year, including the X-Trail sport utility vehicle. The Yokohama-based manufacturer said the safety of its employees is its top priority. Nissan earlier stopped exports to Russia. __ LVIV, Ukraine Russian aircraft bombed cities in eastern and central Ukraine overnight, Ukrainian officials said. Shelling pounded suburbs of the capital, Kyiv. In Sumy and Okhtyrka, to the east of Kyiv near the Russian border, bombs fell on residential buildings and destroyed a power plant, regional leader Dmytro Zhivitsky said. He said there were dead and wounded but gave no figures. Bombs also hit oil depots in Zhytomyr and the neighboring town of Cherniakhiv, located west of Kyiv. In Bucha, a Kyiv suburb, the mayor reported heavy artillery fire. We cant even gather up the bodies because the shelling from heavy weapons doesnt stop day or night, Mayor Anatol Fedoruk said. Dogs are pulling apart the bodies on the city streets. Its a nightmare. The Ukrainian government is demanding the opening of humanitarian corridors to allow people to safely leave Sumy, Zhytomyr, Kharkiv, Mariupol and suburbs of Kyiv, including Bucha. __ LVIV, Ukraine The mayor of Lviv said the city in far western Ukraine is struggling to feed and house the tens of thousands of people who have fled here from war-torn regions of the country. We really need support, Mayor Andriy Sadovyi said. More than 200,000 Ukrainians displaced from their homes are now in Lviv, filling up sport halls, schools, hospitals and church buildings. The historical city once popular with tourists had a population of 700,000 before the war. The mayor said the city needs big tents equipped with kitchens so food can be prepared. Hundreds of thousands more people could arrive if humanitarian corridors are opened up from cities now under siege from Russian troops. The embassies of the U.S. and EU countries also moved to Lviv from Kyiv before the invasion. Lviv is the main transit point for those fleeing just across the border to Poland. Many of the 1.7 million Ukrainians now abroad passed through the city. The United Nations has called the situation the fastest growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War II. __ LVIV, Russia A Russian general was killed in the fighting around Kharkiv, Ukraines second-largest city, which Russian forces have been trying to seize since the invasion began, the Ukrainian military intelligence agency said. It identified him as Maj. Gen. Vitaly Gerasimov, 45, and said he had fought with Russian forces in Syria and Chechnya and had taken part in the seizure of Crimea in 2014. It was not possible to confirm the death independently. Russia has not commented. Another Russian general was killed earlier in the fighting. A local officers organization in Russia confirmed the death in Ukraine of Maj. Gen. Andrei Sukhovetsky, the commanding general of the Russian 7th Airborne Division. Sukhovetsky also took part in Russias military campaign in Syria. __ CANBERRA, Australia The Australian government says it is placing sanctions on Moscows propagandists and purveyors of disinformation who legitimatize Russias invasion as the de-Nazification of Ukraine. Foreign Minister Marise Payne said in a statement on Tuesday her government was sanctioning 10 people of strategic interest to Russia for their role in encouraging hostility toward Ukraine. This includes driving and disseminating false narratives about the de-Nazification of Ukraine, making erroneous allegations of genocide against ethnic Russians in eastern Ukraine, and promoting the recognition of the so-called Donetsk Peoples Republic and Luhansk Peoples Republic as independent, Payne said, referring to separatist regions of Ukraine. Russias invasion of Ukraine had been accompanied by a widespread disinformation campaign, both within Russia and internationally, she said. Tragically for Russia, President (Vladimir) Putin has shut down independent voices and locked everyday Russians into a world characterized by lies and disinformation, Payne said. ____ UNITED NATIONS Ukraines U.N. ambassador says 12 days of an all-out invasion by Russia has brought Ukraine to the brink of humanitarian catastrophe of potentially global nature. Sergiy Kyslytsya, speaking Monday at a U.N. Security Council meeting on the crisis, accused Russia of blocking numerous attempts by Ukrainian authorities to evacuate civilians through humanitarian corridors. He said Russians shelled depots with evacuation buses near Mariupol and blew up the railway near Irpin in the Kyiv region to prevent evacuation by train. He said Russia bombed and launched missiles at those cities and others like Kharkiv on Monday. Kyslytsya said Russia must stop violating cease-fire arrangements and allow safe passage through humanitarian corridors, end disinformation, and implement the U.N. General Assemblys resolution calling for an immediate stop to fighting. Ukraine as a major wheat producer has been one of the guarantors of global food security but this has been challenged by the war and the implications at the global level will be catastrophic, he said. Kyslytsya said Russian shelling had destroyed schools and hospitals and killed and wounded doctors. He said and the country was running low on critical medical supplies. He urged U.N. humanitarian agencies to respond quickly. ____ LVIV, Ukraine Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba says when he meets with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Turkey on Thursday he will propose direct talks between the Ukrainian and Russian presidents. We want talks between the president of Ukraine and Vladimir Putin since he is the one who makes the final decisions, Kuleba said early Tuesday on Ukrainian television. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy often proposed direct talks with Putin in the runup to the war and said he called the Kremlin on the eve of the Russian invasion but got no reply. Putin has agreed to speak only with Western leaders. Kuleba spoke after a conversation late Monday with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Grateful to the U.S. for standing by Ukraine, Kuleba said on Twitter. We are coordinating intensively on crucial further steps to increase pressure on Russia. ____ PROVIDENCE, R.I. Rhode Island U.S. Rep. David Cicilline said Monday it was haunting to see Ukrainians fleeing from their country in fear when he visited the border of Ukraine and Poland. Cicilline told The Associated Press Monday night, about an hour after returning to the U.S., that he saw young children crying and mothers just literally running from their country because they were attacked, and lines of people waiting for help in the freezing cold with no heavy coats. Its just horrible, the suffering that is being caused because of this brutality by (Russian President) Vladimir Putin, he said. Its hard to describe. Its hard to get it out of your head. Its some of the worst stuff Ive seen. Cicilline was part of a bipartisan delegation to the border led by U.S. Rep. Gregory Meeks, chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Rep. Michael McCaul, the ranking Republican on the committee. They got there Saturday morning. ____ UNITED NATIONS Russias U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia says Russia will carry out a cease-fire on Tuesday morning at 10 a.m. Moscow time and open humanitarian corridors to evacuate citizens from Kiev, Chernigov, Sumy and Mariupol. He took the floor at the end of a U.N. Security Council meeting on the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine on Monday to make the announcement. This proposal doesnt have any demands about the citizens being sent necessarily to Russia, into Russian territory, he said. Theres also evacuation offered towards Ukrainian cities to the west of Kyiv, and ultimately it will be the choice of the people themselves where they want to be evacuated to, Nebenzia said. ____ LVIV, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said instead of an agreement on humanitarian corridors, what Ukraine got on Monday was Russian tanks, Russian Grad rockets, Russian mines. They even mined the roads that were the agreed routes for taking food and medicine to the people, to the children, of Mariupol, Zelenskyy said in what has become a daily video address close to midnight. On Monday night he spoke from behind the ornate desk in his official office, visual proof that he remains in Kyiv. During talks on Monday, the Russians proposed evacuation routes leading to Russia and its ally Belarus, rather than to areas of western Ukraine that remain peaceful. Its just cynicism, Zelenskyy said. By opening a small corridor to Russia, he said, Moscow is looking only for a propaganda victory. He said that on the 12th day of the war, the Ukrainian army is counter attacking and inflicting extremely painful losses on the enemy. Battles are underway in the center, in the north and in the south of country Mariupol and Kharkiv, Chernihiv and Sumy, Odesa and Kyiv, Mykolaiv and Zhytomyr. ____ UNITED NATIONS The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations is calling on Russia to honor Ukraines proposals for time-bound humanitarian safe passage in specific, agreed upon locations and unequivocally commit to immediate humanitarian access in the country. At a U.N. Security Council meeting on the escalating humanitarian crisis in the country, Linda Thomas-Greenfield also called for the establishment of a system on the ground to facilitate the safe movement of aid convoys and flights so food, medicine and other supplies can get into Ukraine to reach those most in need. The U.S. envoy urged countries that have pledged over $1.5 billion in humanitarian support for Ukraine to quickly turn the pledges into funds, saying as long as Russia pursues its relentless and brutal campaign, the need for assistance will only increase. Thomas-Greenfield said Russian President Vladimir Putin has a plan to brutalize Ukraine and the last two weeks have shown that the Ukrainian people are not going to give up. Thomas-Greenfield said the United States will continue to stand with the Ukrainian people, but president Putin is clearly willing to sacrifice the lives of thousands of Russian soldiers to achieve his personal ambition. ____ WASHINGTON Top officials in the U.S. Congress reached agreement Monday on legislation that would ban Russian oil imports to the U.S. and end Russias permanent normal trade relations status in response to the intensifying war in Ukraine. Thats according to a Senate aide granted anonymity to discuss the private deliberations in Congress. Voting could come swiftly but no schedule has been set. The White House has been reluctant to ban Russian oil imports as gas prices at the pump spike for Americans, but has not ruled out the option. Ending the normal trade relations status could result in steep tariffs on other Russian imports. AP congressional correspondent Lisa Mascaro contributed to this report. ____ UNITED NATIONS Calling whats happening to the 7.5 million children of Ukraine a moral outrage, the head of the U.N. childrens agency urged the U.N. Security Council to remind all parties of their legal obligation to protect youngsters and spare them from attack. UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell told a council meeting Monday that at least 27 children have been killed and 42 injured since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, according to the U.N. human rights office, and countless more have been severely traumatized. With the escalation of the conflict, she said, homes, schools, orphanages and hospitals have come under attack as well as water and sanitation facilities, which provide key civilian needs. She also expressed deep concern at the safety and well-being of nearly 100,000 children, half of them with disabilities, who live in Ukrainian institutions and boarding schools. She called on the parties to refrain from fighting near these facilities and to avoid the use of explosive weapons in populated areas. Russell said children must be protected from the brutality of war, saying the image of a mother, her two children and a friend trying to flee to safety lying dead on a street after being hit by a mortar must shock the conscience of the world. For children fleeing Ukraine, she said, UNICEF has started operating Blue Dot safe places at border crossings where youngsters are first registered and which provide a one-stop safe space for children and their families. ____ UNITED NATIONS The United Nations is unable to meet the needs of millions of civilians caught in conflict in Ukraine today and is urging safe passage for people to go in the direction they choose and for humanitarian supplies to get to areas of hostilities, according to the U.N. humanitarian chief. Undersecretary-General Martin Griffiths told a U.N. Security Council meeting Monday that his office has sent a team to Moscow to coordinate with the Russian military to try to scale-up the delivery of humanitarian aid to the level needed. He said this followed a phone call Friday between U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Russias Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. The first U.N.-Russia meeting has been held, he said, welcoming cooperation by both sides and expressing hope of further progress in the hours ahead. Griffiths said the U.N. and its partners have already provided food to hundreds of thousands of people and the World Food Program is setting up supply chain operations to deliver immediate food and cash assistance to 3-5 million people inside Ukraine, and the Ukrainian Red Cross has distributed hygiene and food kits, warm clothing and medicine to thousands of people. The U.N. humanitarian chief also expressed deep worry at the consequences of this unnecessary conflict on vulnerable people living half a world away affected by spiking food prices and uncertain supplies and record-level prices. People in the Sahel, Yemen, the Horn of Africa, Afghanistan, Madagascar, and beyond already face profound food inseucirty, Griffiths said, and high gas prices means life becomes harder still in places like Lebanon. ____ BERLIN The U.N. nuclear watchdog says Ukraine has informed it that a new research facility producing radioisotopes for medical and industrial uses has been damaged by shelling in Kharkiv. The International Atomic Energy Agency said the Ukrainian regulator told it that Sundays incident didnt cause any increase in radiation levels at the site. It said the nuclear material at the facility is always subcritical and there is a very low stock of it, so the IAEAs assessment is that the reported damage would have no radiological consequence. However, it adds to a string of concerns the Vienna-based IAEA has over nuclear facilities and material in Ukraine. It reported another worrying development Monday at the Zaporizhzhia power plant, Ukraines biggest, which was seized last week by Russian forces. The IAEA said the Ukrainian regulator has informed it that its not currently possible to deliver spare parts or medicine to the plant. The IAEA reiterated that having operating staff subject to the authority of the Russian military commander contravenes an indispensable pillar of nuclear safety. The Ukrainian regulator said eight of the countrys 15 reactors were operating, including two at Zaporizhzhia. ____ NEW YORK Stoli Group is renaming its Stolichnaya vodka brand as part of a broader effort to distance itself from Russia. In a news release, Luxembourg-based Stoli Group said the vodka will now be sold and marketed as Stoli. Russian billionaire Yuri Shefler, a critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, founded Stoli Group in 1997 but was exiled from Russia four years later and moved production to Latvia. More than anything, I wish for Stoli to represent peace in Europe and solidarity with Ukraine, Shefler said in a statement. Stoli Group said a state-owned company in Russia continues to make a vodka called Stolichnaya which is sold in a limited number of markets. But Stoli Group owns the trademark rights to the Stolichnaya name in 150 countries, including the U.S. Stolichnaya means from the capital city in Russian. ____ PARIS French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday that he does not expect a negotiated end to the war in Ukraine for weeks. He said that he has told the Russian leader that a cease-fire must come before any real dialogue, but that President Vladimir Putin has refused, making their regular talks difficult. I dont think that in the days and weeks to come there will be a true negotiated solution, Macron said at a forum in Poissy, a southwest suburb of Paris, while campaigning for the first time to renew his mandate in April presidential elections. He said that Putin is making a historic fault with his war pitted against Ukrainians, brothers. Macron stressed the need to respect the people of all countries and ensure that no nation, no people be humiliated. Macron said that Russia, too, must be respected as a country and people because There is no durable peace if Russia is not (part of) a grand architecture of peace on our continent. Because History and geography are stubborn. ____ ROME Italy is looking to house those fleeing war in Ukraine in residences confiscated from organized crime syndicates. Interior Minister Luciana Lamorgese on Monday said that the national agency which keeps track of hundreds of seized and confiscated properties over the years are quickly checking to determine those suitable for refugees. Some 14,000 refugees have arrived in Italy from Ukraine. Many of them have relatives or friends living in Italy, and it isnt immediately clear how many have no one to host them. Ministry officials will be pinpointing real estate that has been confiscated, but not yet assigned for use by municipalities or charities. After judicial authorities determine that property was bought with illicit revenues from organized crime like drug trafficking or extortion, it is seized and eventually made available for use by charities or other non-profit groups. Lamorgese said using the properties to house refugees, even on a temporary basis, can give concrete responses to those fleeing from war and above all to the most fragile persons, such as women and children. ____ TIRANA, Albania Albania on Monday strongly denounced the shelling of its consulate in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv and called on Russia to stop aggression against Ukraine. The Albanian Foreign Ministry tweeted photos of the building in Kharkiv where its consulate is seen destroyed after being shelled. Albania strongly condemns the #Russian aggression which led to the destruction of the Honorary Consulate of Albania in Kharkiv, it tweeted, adding that, Perpetrators must be held accountable! #StopRussianAggression #StandWithUkraine. Albania has joined the European Union in the hard-hitting sanctions against Russian top officials and institutions. Last week Albania and the United States initiated a resolution at the United Nations Security Council denouncing the Russian invasion. ____ LVIV, Ukraine Both Russia and Ukraine say theyve made a little progress during a third round of talks and Russias top negotiator says the corridors are expected to start functioning Tuesday. Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said without elaboration Monday that there were some small positive shifts regarding logistics of humanitarian corridors to allow civilians to flee some besieged Ukrainian cities. He said that consultations will continue on ways to negotiate an end to hostilities. Russias top negotiator Vladimir Medinsky, said he expects that humanitarian corridors in Ukraine will finally start functioning Tuesday. He said no progress has been made on a political settlement, but voiced hope that the next round could be more productive. Our expectations from the talks have failed, but we hope that we would be able to make a more significant step forward next time, Medinsky said. The talks will continue. Efforts to set up safe passage for civilians over the weekend fell apart amid continued shelling. But the Russian Defense Ministry announced a new push Monday, saying civilians would be allowed to leave the capital of Kyiv, Mariupol and the cities of Kharkiv and Sumy. ____ MADRID U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman says that getting military materiel for Ukrainians to fight a Russian invasion is set to become more difficult for the U.S. and its allies. I think that the international community has been tremendously responsive and have found ways to get the materiel in. That may become harder in the coming days, and well have to find other ways to manage this, Sherman said Monday during a visit to the Spanish capital for meetings with officials. The Biden administration is considering how to fulfill Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyys request for warplanes, the official said, considering that Ukrainians would only be able to operate soviet-era warplanes provided by Poland. People are trying to see whether this is possible and doable, she said, adding that the warplanes should not be regarded by Moscow as direct involvement in the conflict: We would expect that this delivery would be seen as all the deliveries have been seen as a right for Ukraine to defend itself. Sherman met in Madrid with Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares and other officials. She arrived from Turkey and was on her way to Morocco, Algeria and Egypt for a week of intense diplomatic contacts amid the war in Ukraine. ____ PARIS French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian criticized Russias offer of humanitarian corridors for Ukrainian civilians as a trap that could possibly lead to more bombing in Ukraine. Le Drian referred to Russias tactic of bombing and then offering humanitarian corridors in the past, citing Aleppo in Syria and Grozny, in Chechnya. He said in such cases Russias proposal of establishing humanitarian corridors actually led to more bombings after negotiations failed. We must not fall into traps, Le Drian said Monday in Frances southern city of Montpellier after a meeting of European ministers. Im even wondering if in Russian military schools there are classes to explain: bombing, corridor, negotiations, breach (of negotiations), we start it all again. Its quite tragic but unfortunately it sends shivers down your spine, he said. ____ TIRANA, Albania Albanias capital Tirana on Monday named a street Free Ukraine to express solidarity with Ukraines resistance to the Russian invasion. Tiranas city hall council, or parliament, voted unanimously to rename a downtown street in the capital where the Ukrainian, Russian, Serbian and Kosovar embassies are located. The two conflicts: Serbia against Kosovo and Russian Against Ukraine are two marking points for the generations and memories of a modern Europe, said Mayor Erion Veliaj. Albania has joined the European Union in the hard-hitting sanctions against Russian top officials and institutions. Last week, Albania joined the United States in initiating a resolution at the United Nations Security Council denouncing the Russian invasion. We have always aligned on the fair and glorious side of the worlds history, like we did once with the Hebrews, yesterday with the Afghans and today with the Ukrainians, said Veliaj, adding that 1,500 families have offered shelter for the Ukrainian refugees if they come to the country. Albania was the only country during World War II to have more Jews in the end compared to the start offering them shelter from Nazi persecution. Last year, Albania was the first country to offer shelter to the Afghans fleeing their country after the Taliban regime came to power. ____ NEW YORK All four of the so-called Big Four accounting firms are now cutting ties with Russia over its war in Ukraine. Deloitte on Monday was the last of the four to say it will no longer operate in Russia, joining Ernst & Young, Pricewaterhousecoopers and KPMG in making similar announcements. Deloitte said it is also cutting its ties to Russia-allied Belarus. The company said it is separating its global network of member firms from the firms based in Russia and Belarus. Deloitte Global CEO Punit Renjen said in a statement we know this is the right decision but it will have an impact on Deloittes 3,000 employees in Russia and Belarus who have no voice in the actions of their government. Pricewaterhousecoopers and KPMG announced they were pulling out of Russia on Sunday, and Ernst & Young earlier on Monday. ____ LONDON British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has defended his governments treatment of Ukrainians fleeing war, after France accused U.K. authorities of inhumane behavior towards the refugees. Johnson said Britain was being very, very generous, but would not have a system where people can come into the U.K. without any checks or any controls at all. Britain says it expects to take in as many as 200,000 displaced Ukrainians. Very few have managed to reach Britain so far. The Home Office said around 50 visas had been granted by Sunday. French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said Sunday that hundreds of Ukrainian refugees in the English Channel port of Calais had been turned away and told by British authorities that they must obtain visas at U.K. embassies in Paris or Brussels. Calling that a bit inhumane, Darmanin urged Britain to stop the technocratic nit-picking. U.K. Home Secretary Priti Patel denied Britain was turning anyone away. The British government confirmed Monday that it did not have a visa center in Calais. ____ BUDAPEST Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban signed a decree on Monday allowing for NATO troops to station on Hungarian territory in response to the Russian invasion of neighboring Ukraine. The government decree reaffirmed Orbans earlier insistence that Hungary would not allow troops or lethal weapons to be delivered across its borders into Ukraine, but allowed for the transit of NATO forces across its territory into other NATO member countries. Non-lethal aid, such as personal protective equipment, first aid and medical supplies and humanitarian materials, are permitted to cross into Ukraine from Hungary, according to the decree. ____ ROME Italian Premier Mario Draghi said Russia appears determined to carry on with its war in Ukraine until it can install a government friendly to Moscow. Draghi was asked by reporters in Brussels on Monday if he thought there was still room for diplomacy. Look, up till now, (diplomacy) hasnt yielded any fruits. Up till now, the determination of Russia is very clear, Draghi replied. Russia will proceed until the country has surrendered, (and it) probably installs a friendly government and defeats the resistance, the Italian leader said. Thats what the facts demonstrate. ____ BRUSSELS European Commission spokesman for foreign affairs Peter Stano said the EU would like to see China play a mediation role and convince Russia to stop its war in Ukraine. China has the potential to reach out to Moscow because of their relationship obviously and we would like China to use its influence to press for a cease-fire and to make Russia to stop the brutal unprecedented shelling and killing of civilians in Ukraine. Movie The psychological drama, which marks Gyllenhaal's feature directorial debut, earns three awards including Best Feature, while 'Reservation Dogs' tops the TV winner list. Mar 7, 2022 AceShowbiz - "The Lost Daughter" continues to find its place among some of the best films of 2021. The movie, which marks Maggie Gyllenhaal's feature directorial debut, was the biggest winner at the recently concluded 37th Independent Spirit Awards. The psychological drama won the coveted Best Feature prize, edging out fellow nominees "A Chiara", "C'mon C'mon", "The Novice" and "Zola". It also helped Gyllenhaal earn two awards, for Best Director and Best Screenplay. Not going home empty handed, "Zola" nabbed two awards, including Best Female Lead for Taylour Paige and Best Editing for Joi McMillon. Paige became emotional when accepting the award, talking about the "impossible circumstances" of being human. Admitting that she was "in shock," the first-time winner shared, "The day that I got nominated for this award, my grandmother passed away." The actress said her late grandmother always encouraged her to be in the moment. "Thank you so much for this and thank you, grandma. What a journey this life is," she added. The Best Male Lead went to Simon Rex of "Red Rocket", while "Passing" actress Ruth Negga and "CODA" actor Troy Kotsur grabbed the acting prizes in best supporting categories. "Passing" bagged its second Spirit Award in Best Cinematography category for Edu Grau. "Drive My Car" was named Best International Film, while "7 Days" picked up Best First Feature. At the ceremony, Film Independent also handed out several awards in TV categories. "Reservation Dogs" came out as the biggest TV winner with two, namely Best New Scripted Series and Best Ensemble Cast in a New Scripted Series. Thuso Mbedu of "The Underground Railroad" and "Squid Game" star Lee Jung-jae, meanwhile, snatched the acting awards. The 2022 Spirit Awards was held on Sunday afternoon, March 6 and took place on the beach in Santa Monica. During their monologue, hosts Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally criticized Vladimir Putin over Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Full Movie and TV Winner List at the 2022 Independent Spirit Awards Instagram Celebrity After announcing that she returns to Sin City for the first time since her years-long residency ended in 2017, the 'Toxic' hitmaker vows never to stop until her family gets punished for what they did to her. Mar 7, 2022 AceShowbiz - Britney Spears has taken a walk down memory lane. In a new social media post, the "Toxic" hitmaker detailed how her family "harmed" her after she returned to Las Vegas for the first time since her years-long residency ended in 2017. Making use of Instagram on Sunday, March 6, the pop star shared how she "worked" for her family for "13 f**king years." She wrote, "In a world where it's okay to lock your daughter up and make her work 7 days a week 8:00 am to 6:00 pm no days off 105 people are in and out of a small trailer home weekly No private baths seen naked when changing drugged can't even speak or talk," before adding, "I gave my all when I worked only to be literally thrown away I was nothing more than a puppet to my family yet to the public." "I just performed on stage and did what I was told to do but it was worse than that because it was accepted and approved by the people I loved the most," Britney continued. "After 13 years damn straight I should go !!! I was treated less than, demoralized and embarrassed nobody should ever be treated the way I was The reason I bring this up is because ending the conservatorship is a huge deal but come on THAT'S IT ???" Britney, whose conservatorship legally ended last November, went on pointing out that her family "all got away with it !!!" The "Sometimes" songstress further stressed that she's "not done," adding, "I want justice and won't stop until something is done to those who harmed me and YES I was harmed !!! This is a message to all who have been threatened for their life You are NOT ALONE !!!!" Her post came after she expressed her excitement over her return to Las Vegas for the first time since she wrapped up her "Piece of Me" show that had run for four years. "Wow !!!! Being a guest in Las Vegas is way better than being me," she told her Instagram followers. "Or waitis it because my family got to be the stars when I worked in Vegas???" "I mean damn they were given star treatmentspasalcoholthe whole 9 yardsbut guess what !!! This was my first time !!!" Britney added. She then gushed, "It was absolutely lovely being treated like an equal in Las Vegas for the first time in 13 years huge difference !!!" Britney went on saying, "Moments like this all I do look up and say, 'REALLY GOD ??? ALL THIS TIME ???' " The 40-year-old pop star continued, "Then I rewind put some heels on and realize I don't have to entertain my family anymore and be their puppet." "I'm here to say one thing and one thing only KISS MY MOTHER F**KING A**," Britney wrote, adding a blowing kiss emoji, "But you know not really say it just reflect it with a smile and a drink in my hand !!!" She then concluded her post as saying, "Stay classy people and don't forget to say your prayers !!!" WENN/Avalon Celebrity Also bringing styles to the annual event is Oscar-nominated actress Kristen Stewart, who looks chic while gracing the red carpet in a white sequined top and pants from Chanel. Mar 7, 2022 AceShowbiz - Celebrities flocked on the red carpet for the 2022 Film Independent Spirit Awards. Taking place at the Barker Hanger in Santa Monica on Sunday, March 6, the award-giving event saw stars, including Julia Fox, Kristen Stewart, Andrew Garfield and Michelle Yeoh, serving looks while gracing the red carpet. For the event, Julia turned heads while donning an edgy black dress with a bra top. Further oozing sexiness, the "Uncut Gems" star's ensemble featured a huge hip cut-out. She completed her fierce look with a winged slick back of black eyeshadow and a silver snake bracelet. Meanwhile, Kristen, who served as the honorary chair as well as a presenter for the event, looked chic in a white sequined top and pants from Chanel. The "Spencer" actress' top featured a black racing stripes down the sides and a black belt. Also gracing the red carpet was Andrew. The "Tick Tick...BOOM!" actor arrived in impeccable style as he looked dapper in a purple blazer from Valentino. He matched the look with a pair of brown cut-out trousers. As for Daveed Diggs, he brought colors to the red carpet as he donned a bright colorful suit by Moschino. Other stars showing their best styles at the event were Daisy Edgar-Jones, Michelle Yeoh and Lily James. The "Fresh" star was stunning in a sexy, strappy black gown from Nensi Dojaka with a tulip shaped bust and a breezy semi-sheer skirt. As for Michelle, she opted for a chic look in a silver embroidery ensemble. Lily donned a pink top featuring beautiful embroidery that she paired with high-waist black pants from Del Core Fall 2022 collection. Rosario Dawson was also one of the celebrities who hit the red carpet in style. The "Dopesick" actress wore a unique LBD with cool sculptural details and pops of neon green. She completed the look with black tights, pointed-toe pumps and dazzling diamonds from Chopard. Hosted by Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman, the 37th Independent Spirit Awards saw Maggie Gyllenhaal-directed "The Lost Daughter" winning big after nabbing the coveted Best Feature prize. See the full winners here. Instagram Celebrity When announcing that she pledges to donate her fashion month earnings on her social media platform, the supermodel says that 'our eyes and hearts must be open to all human injustice.' Mar 7, 2022 AceShowbiz - Gigi Hadid has extended a helping hand to Ukrainian people who have been affected by Russia's invasion. The supermodel announced that she pledges to donate her earnings from 2022 fashion shows to Ukraine. On Sunday, March 6, the 26-year-old catwalk beauty took to her Instagram page to share the news. "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," she began. "We don't have control over most of our work schedules, but we would like to walk 'for' something." "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," Gigi vowed. The former Victoria's Secret Angel went on to add that she'll donate her earnings to "support those experiencing the same in Palestine" as well. Gigi further asked people to open their eyes and hearts to "all human injustice." The model then wrote, "May we all see each other as brothers and sisters, beyond politics, beyond race, beyond religion," before pointing out, "At the end of the day, innocent lives pay for war- not leaders." She concluded her message as saying, "HANDS OFF UKRAINE. HANDS OFF PALESTINE. PEACE. PEACE. PEACE." Gigi previously shared a statement regarding the conflict in Ukraine via Instagram Story last month. At the time, she noted that she was upset about Russia's invasion. "My heart is hurting for Ukraine and all those affected by this unimaginable reality," she penned. Gigi then called out Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom she saw as the main aggressor in the conflict. "Putin's actions are a threat to every Democratic country in the world, and must be stopped," she continued, before finishing her post by encouraging her fans and followers to raise awareness for the ongoing crisis, "I pray that the support other countries provide can give Ukrainians what they have voted for and deserve." Aside from Gigi, Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher donated $3 million to Ukrainian people amid the "unimaginable" unrest. On March 3, the couple also announced that they launched a GoFundMe page. "The events that have unfolded in Ukraine are devastating. There is no place in this world for this kind of unjust attack on humanity," said Mila. "Through GoFundMe, this fundraiser will provide an immediate impact on refugee and humanitarian aid efforts." The "Friends with Benefits" actress then explained, "The fund will benefit Flexport.org and Airbnb.org, two organizations who are actively on the ground providing immediate help to those who need it most." She added, "Ashton and I have decided to match up to $3 million worth of donations to Airbnb.org and Flexport.org through GoFundMe.org in an effort to raise $30 million." Instagram Celebrity Upon catching wind of the post, some of the Lavender Brown depicter's famous friends and 'Harry Potter' co-stars show their support in the comment section. Mar 7, 2022 AceShowbiz - Jessie Cave's fourth pregnancy might not be an easy journey for the actress. Taking to her Instagram account, the "Harry Potter" actress shared that she has been hospitalized after contracting COVID-19. "Triage, once again Anyone else had covid in 3rd trimester & had it hit them like a tonne of bricks for weeks?" the English native wrote in the Saturday, Marchh 5. The Lavender Brown depicter also posted a picture taken at the hospital. Upon catching wind of the post, some of Jessie's famous friends and "Harry Potter" co-stars showed their support in the comment section. "Jessie, I'm so sorry you're going through this now hoping for a speedy recovery," Devon Murray, who portrayed Seamus Finnegan in the successful franchise, wrote in the comment. British actress/comedian Sara Pascoe said, "Oh Jessie I'm so sorry this is rotten. Xxx." Some fans also sent Jessie well wishes. "Oh no.....no personal experience but I am pregnant now with our 4th also and I sympathize! Hang in there, everything will be okay," one person said. One follower revealed that she experienced the same thing, saying, "Yes! Me with my fourth. Due around the same time as you. It was hellish. I'm so sorry, but I promise you'll feel better soon." Jessie announced that she and her partner Alfie Brown are expecting their fourth child together late last year. "Can't hide this new baby anymore," she wrote at the time. Back in December 2020, her youngest son Tennessee, who was 3 months at the time, was diagnosed with COVID. "I watched the news about lockdown from an isolated room in hospital," Cave shared on Instagram. "Poor baby is COVID positive. He's OK and doing well but they are being vigilant and cautious, thankfully." "This strain is super powerful and contagious. Really didn't want this to be the start of my family's new year. Really didn't want to be back in a hospital so soon after his traumatic birth. Once again I'm in awe of nurses and doctors," she continued. "Please wish baby a speedy recovery. He's 9lbs 7 [ounces] now so he's a stronger and bigger boy than he was when we were last in a hospital room (and the needle went into his hand with louder more powerful screams.)" Her baby boy, thankfully, was able to return home less than one month later. "Thank you for all the well wishes and messages of support," the "We Can't Talk About That Right Now" podcast host shared in a January 2021 Instagram post. "Be safe everybody. Amazing care from everybody at Chelsea and Westminster." Instagram TV The Vida Tequila CEO, however, vehemently denies Whitney's accusation as she exclaims during a reunion special of 'The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City' season 2, 'I did not, I did not, I did not!' Mar 7, 2022 AceShowbiz - In the second part of "The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City" season 2 reunion, the ladies were discussing Lisa Barlow's controversial hot mic rant against ex-best friend Meredith Marks. That was when Whitney Rose dropped a bombshell claim regarding the feuding stars. Whitney told host Andy Cohen that Lisa called Meredith a "w***e" who "f**ked half of New York" even before the hot mic rant. "Since I'm a pot stirrer - if the shoe fits, wear it - she's told people before this even filmed exactly that," Whitney shared. Meredith chimed in, "I'm sure she did." Meanwhile, Lisa vehemently denied Whitney's accusation. "I did not, I did not, I did not!" the Vida Tequila CEO exclaimed. Addressing Meredith, she added, "I have never talked about your marriage. I have never talked about you before that rant and I'm sorry it was caught on audio." Later in the episode, Meredith said that she found Lisa's outburst appalling. "The venom and the hatred that the delivery it came with is what resonated. I couldn't even sit and watch it. I'd stop it," she said. "It took me about an hour to get through it. I was sick, utterly sick." Meanwhile, Lisa clarified that she doesn't really believe Meredith "f**ked half of New York." She said, "Do I think you've f**ked 4.2 million people? No," prompting Meredith to clap back, "I've slept with fewer people than I have fingers, OK? So there you go. New York City is pretty large." Throughout the episode, Lisa repeatedly apologized to Meredith. "I am beyond sorry," she said. "Somebody had just told me that you were making fun of my renovation and stuff and I was just like upset You said I live in a s**tty house." Meredith, meanwhile, insisted that she "didn't talk about" Lisa's house at all. Even if she did, she didn't think it was enough to make Lisa "rip [her] character to shreds." During the rant, Lisa could be heard saying, "Fake Meredith is a piece of s**t f**k you! That f**king piece of s**t garbage w***e. I f**king hate her. She's a w***e." Instagram Celebrity Alongside a picture of her sitting on the bathroom floor as she tries to calm herself down, the model daughter of Alec Baldwin writes in the caption, 'It's anxiety attack time.' Mar 7, 2022 AceShowbiz - Ireland Baldwin further detailed her mental health after suffering from an anxiety attack. In an Instagram post on Saturday, March 5, the daughter of actor Alec Baldwin shared photos of herself when she suffered from an anxiety attack. Alongside a picture of her sitting on the bathroom floor as she tried to calm herself down, Ireland wrote in the caption, "It's anxiety attack time." She added, "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," the 26-year-old model went on to say. "I usually sit here like this or lay in fetal position until I can't cry or throw up anymore." In the post, Ireland also revealed that "coffee is [a] major esophageal irritator and reflux trigger for me which leads to anxiety." She warned others who also had the same struggle with her, "If you are an anxiety sufferer like myself, coffee isn't your friend." The model then confessed to being "a silly goose" by drinking the beverage and encouraged her fans to open up if they have endured similar issues. "Writing this and being open with y'all about my struggles helps it pass. If coffee makes you s**t your pants and makes you experience this, please share below," she wrote. Her father showed love to her in a comment which read, "I love you." Meanwhile, Brittany Furlan Lee wrote, "Oh honey. No caffeine for us. You got this. Ice ur chest if you can." In 2015, she revealed she suffered from anxiety and has "relearned what it truly means and what it feels like to be truly present." She said at the time, "There are so many moments I have taken for granted in this life due to my lack of presence." "I have overlooked countless blessings and opportunities to start fresh, and I have neglected, manipulated, and lied to the people I hold dear to my heart, but more importantly, to myself For the longest time, I lost compassion towards almost everything I previously cared for and I was so lost in darkness, that I could hardly hold a real conversation with another human being long enough before I was due to have an anxiety attack and find my way out of it," she noted. WASHINGTON, March 7, 2022 The American Chemical Society (ACS) Kids Zones are events that feature science activities conducted by ACS members to teach the public about the importance of chemistry. In San Diego, in conjunction with the ACS Spring 2022 meeting, two events are planned one for kids of all ages and one for high schoolers. Both events will take place at the Fleet Science Center. For All Ages: ACS Kids Zone Saturday, March 19 2 to 5 p.m. ET (11 a.m. to 2 p.m. PT) Join us for a short talk by 2021 Nobel laureate David MacMillan, Ph.D., and then engage in hands-on science activities and receive educational giveaways. Activities include coloring with bugs, connecting with slime and inflating a balloon with chemistry. For High School Students: A Conversation with 2021 Nobel Laureate David MacMillan Saturday, March 19 5:30 to 7 p.m. ET (2:30 to 4 p.m. PT) MacMillan will present a longer talk about his research, and then he will answer questions from participating high school students. Both programs are ACS Presidential Outreach Events held as part of ACS Spring 2022, a meeting of chemists being held March 20-24 in San Diego. Registration is required for both events, and they will also be live streamed. For more information and to register for the ACS Kids Zone events, visit www.acs.org/kidszone. ACS Spring 2022 will be a vaccination-required and mask-recommended meeting for ALL attendees, exhibitors, vendors, and ACS staff who plan to attend the in-person meeting in San Diego, CA. All individuals will need to be fully vaccinated by March 6, 2022, 14 days from the start of ACS Spring 2022. Acceptable proof of vaccination will be required. All attendees are expected to fully comply with all health and safety guidelines. Failure to adhere to the requirements could lead to removal from the venue or other disciplinary action. For additional information about the vaccine requirements, the definition for fully vaccinated as provided by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, and all ACS on-site safety measures, please visit the Attendee Safety Plan and Health & Safety Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) pages of the ACS website. Instructions on how to submit proof of vaccination are included in the FAQs. Japanese major agency, ADK, today announces the acquisition of Rage Communications, an independent agency that specialises in digital experience design and eCommerce solutions. The partnership will combine both organisations capabilities in digital marketing, web design and development, analytics, data-driven insights, and content narratives to drive integrated end-to-end performance and brand campaigns for clients. Headquartered in Chennai, Rage is a digital pioneer that offers a full stack of solutions across CX, CRM, UI/UX and performance marketing solutions for clients around the world. Through its offices in India, Australia (Sydney) and Singapore, Rage provides services to marquee brands and companies such as AMP, Citibank, IIT Madras, IIM Ahmedabad, JLL, Mastercard, Sephora, Sterling Holidays, Tata Motors, Tata Croma and Unilever. These will join ADKs global roster of clients. The acquisition will see ADK becoming the major shareholder, while Rages founders, JRK Rao and Karthik Kumar remain as minority shareholders. As part of the agreement, Rage will be rebranded as ADK Rage. JRK will continue to lead as Chief Executive Officer of ADK Rage; and he, along with Kumar, will be working closely with ADK global team to offer integrated solutions to clients. This partnership marks our milestone entry into the India and Australia markets two of the fastest-growing digital markets in the APAC region, said Yasuyuki Katagi, Chief Executive Officer, ADK Global Operations. With Rage, we will immediately gain traction at a brand consultancy level, providing a strong starting point for the further growth in these key markets. We are also extremely excited at the collaboration opportunities to supercharge growth for our clients together. The new ADK Rage will offer clients with differentiated industry expertise, unparalleled partnerships, unique intellectual property, a full-service digital innovation offering and compelling scale. The founders of Rage, JRK Rao and Karthik Kumar said, This partnership with ADK is a significant moment in the growth of Rage as it opens new horizons in a rapidly changing global economy. Our two companies share the same vision in the digital transformation of businesses and their interactions with consumers. It is our hope that our combined strengths will add greater value to our existing clients and reach out to the larger marketing community around the world. This also represents substantial opportunities for our respective staffs to work together in an increasingly technology led multicultural world. ADKs acquisition of Rage follows strategic investments by the agency to bolster its position as a leading digital consultancy. The company recently launched its Integrated Performance Platform (IPP), a data-driven marketing intelligence technology for brands and agencies in October. The IPP is designed to centralise the connection of all ad accounts for Ad Platforms and demand side platforms (DSPs) in one place, enabling advertisers to scale their campaigns across multiple platforms efficiently, while gaining complete control and transparency of all digital media channels and regional teams at the same time. NAIROBI, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta on Monday witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Nairobi and Moderna to establish the first mRNA manufacturing facility in the country, the first such facility in Africa, to produce messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines. Kenyatta said in a statement issued in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, that the mRNA is expected to produce up to 500 million doses of vaccines each year. Kenyatta said the setting up of the mRNA manufacturing facility will be a game changer especially for Kenya who has had a vision to produce vaccines. Moderna anticipates investing up to 57 billion shillings (500 million U.S. dollars) in the new facility, which will focus on drug substance manufacturing on the continent. Kenyatta who has been in the front championing for the African continent to manufacture its own COVID-19 vaccines in order to meet the demand of its population reiterated the challenges faced by the African continent during the COVID-19 pandemic. This, he said, was not because of lack of finances to buy the vaccines but because the vaccines were not available for them for purchase. "We all know the challenges that Kenya and the entire continent of Africa went through in the earlier stages of this pandemic that resulted in Africa being left behind. Not because of want but because of lack and Moderna has come to fill that space," Kenyatta said. The Kenyan leader said the new facility will go a long way in enabling African countries tackle any emerging future pandemics. Moderna's CEO Stephane Bancel said his company is committed to partnering to provide a health solution, saying the investment the company is making in Kenya is crucial as it is part of the solution to ensuring global health equity. Leading French fashion brand, Celio Future Fashion Pvt. Ltd. has appointed Digitas India as its Agency of Record for building the brand on digital. The mandate includes digital communications including media. Digitas India won the business after a multi-agency pitch and will play a significant role in promoting the brand ethos and product offerings of the fashion entity as it seeks to gain rapid foothold across the Indian market. Speaking about the partnership, Suparna Bose, Sr. Marketing Manager, Celio Future Fashion Ltd. said: With the transition to the new normal on its way, internationally acclaimed French menswear brand Celio, renowned for its avant-garde and sartorial fashion trends for men has to be the first stop for every au courant man. With digital led creative communication being the key focus area for Celio, were delighted to partner with Digitas to further elevate the brands digital presence and forge a deeper connection with discerning consumers. The agencys creative thought process resonates with Celios ideology and together, were confident of scaling up the brands media footprint using clutter-breaking strategy in this competitive industry. On winning the mandate and the opportunities it presents, Sonia Khurana, COO, Digitas India said: As the second largest e-commerce category in India, fashion retail is a highly competitive category. To thrive in this context means threading consumer engagement, innovation, and commerce together and we hope to do just that for Celio. We are very excited to partner with Suparna and her team to grow the brand and its community of customers. Established in 1985, Celio is among the leading men's ready-to-wear brand in France and around the world. Since its inception, the brand is today present in more than 50 countries with more than 1100 stores. The brand offers fashionable and stylish urban fashion through its integrated style, responding to every desire and every moment of life. In India, Celio now has over 700 points of sale across tier I and tier II cities through stand-alone stores, shop-in-shops like Shoppers Stop, Central, Lifestyle, Pantaloons and other regional multi-brand outlets. Apart from offline stores, Celio has an established omni-channel presence through its own website and marketplace like Myntra, Amazon, Ajio, Nykaa, Flipkart and Limeroad. Digitas India is the Connected Marketing Agency, built on the principle that there are better ways for brands to connect with people and people with each other. Leveraging comprehensive data, technology, creative, media and strategy capabilities and proprietary planning processes, Digitas delivers ambitious outcomes via connected practices that include Creative + Media Campaigns, Brand Experiences, CRM & Loyalty and Marketing Transformation. Digitas serves the worlds leading brands from 30 countries and 50 offices. Digitas India, with a team of over 500 people, including a 250 member technology & engineering team works with brands like Nestle, HP, Unilever, Nivea, boAt, digibank by DBS, Goodknight to name a few. For more information visit www.digitas.com Luke Nathans, the former CEO of APAC, has taken up a new role as the CMO at Kingfisher. Last year he left Iris in order to initiate his own consultancy firm. Based out of Singapore, the B2B firm works with mobile service providers developing products that allow the customers to opt for up-gradation of their mobile phones according to their likings. It has team members in Hongkong and around the world and currently works with Telstra in Australia. It is planning to launch in Europe and the US. Kingfisher refers to itself as the 'next-gen mobile experience company, offering a service plan called Flip for mobile carrier customers. Under Flip, if a customer gets a new device from their phone provider but does not like it for whatever reasons and wants a newer model, he can avail the service of 'Flip'. Kingfisher then takes the old phone, repurposing it through Nexus, its secondhand device reseller. Nexus is the supplier of the latest second-hand devices in the industry. Nathans new role will have both B2B and B2C elements, which are essential to start with the service. What works for telcos is an increase in subscriber base from legacy products, lesser chances of customer churning, and an overall better experience differentiating from competitors. Nathans work will be with carriers articulating how the product works for the customers, by positioning the benefits of flexibility and freedom with a message of sustainability as well, all devices being repurposed. The challenges are the past records of big telcos of not being able to enable change easily and implement ideas quickly. What attracts Nathans to B2B after serving years in agency life is the opportunity to work directly with companies helping them to make real changes and shifts in their business offerings and services, instead of jumping midway to contribute on the communication side. Nathans says: My career has been based on creating participation brands, actually making a significant difference. These brands make people want to busily lean in and engage with them and their products. With several discussions about the purpose of the brand going on, it was plain direct with Kingfisher that there was a vision behind our undertakings. We had to just be more coherent with it surrounding the need for pliability and emancipation in the industry. What I can bring to the table is articulating about the brands purpose and product in a better way, besides ensuring that whatever we are doing is pertinent and apposite in the lives of the people In the run up to Womens Day, Meta today announced two initiatives to reiterate its commitment to support those whore empowering women, and enabling women entrepreneurship. She Champions Her on Instagram will celebrate women-led communities, and the second edition of Pragati, Metas CSR initiative, will incubate and accelerate women-led nonprofits that are working to support women entrepreneurs in India. Meta ensures that its community has access to inclusive platforms to express itself and that everyones voice is valued. The commitment especially towards women users and entrepreneurs, using Facebook and Instagram, is underscored by the continuous work on its products, programs and policies that enable safe expression and equitable opportunities. Rajiv Aggarwal, Director and Head of Public Policy, Facebook India (Meta), shared more context, At Meta, we are making efforts to bring gender parity to the internet by not only giving access to more women but also giving growth opportunities and platforms to women change-makers and women-led businesses. She Champions Her and Pragati will further our efforts in this direction and hopefully will be a movement that inspires change amongst others too, both as an ally in the enablement of women, as also serve as a paradigm of women-led successful businesses. She Champions Her campaign from Instagram She Champions Her from Instagram, is launching in partnership with Yuvaa, which is a youth media and insights company. The campaign is rooted in the insight that safety enables free expression, and several women have pursued their interests to help other women, by being change agents on topics such as bullying, body positivity and even entrepreneurship. The campaign will celebrate such women through a month-long content series on @weareyuvaa, featuring 10 women changemakers such as Avanti Nagral, an international pop artist and content creator, Manasi Chaudhari, founder and CEO of Pink Legal, a platform dedicated to women's rights and women's law, Mansi Zaveri, founder of the parenting community Kidsstoppress, and Navya Naveli Nanda, Co-founder of Aara Health and Founder of Project Naveli. The She Champions Her movement will be taken further through open-mic events in 5 cities across India - Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Kolkata. These open mic events will be safe spaces where young people can share their journeys and aspirations as they focus on creating similar communities and spaces online and offline for women. Follow #SheChampionsHer to be updated about the campaign. The second edition of Pragati, Metas CSR initiative Launched in 2020, Pragati is an initiative to boost women empowerment by supporting women entrepreneurship, in partnership with N/Core (The/Nudge Centre for Social Innovation). In this edition, six organizations have been selected from over 1,000 applications received from nonprofits all across India. These organizations are women-led, early-stage nonprofits, working in the area of women empowerment, specifically on entrepreneurship, digital inclusion, health and upskilling. The six nonprofits selected are Foundation for Mother & Child Health (FMCH), Esther, Sajhe Sapne, Svatanya India Foundation, Tisser Artisan Trust and Ekibeki. FMCH works across the slum areas in Mumbai to curb the issues of malnutrition and stunted growth for pregnant women works across the slum areas in Mumbai to curb the issues of malnutrition and stunted growth for pregnant women Esther offers a five-month program to put women on an accelerated trajectory to be workforce ready offers a five-month program to put women on an accelerated trajectory to be workforce ready Sajhe Sapne works with women in peri-urban areas to provide year-long career certification courses and training for viable employment opportunities works with women in peri-urban areas to provide year-long career certification courses and training for viable employment opportunities Svatanya India Foundation works with women from slums in Delhi by empowering them through skilling and training by using recycled raw material in creating crafts works with women from slums in Delhi by empowering them through skilling and training by using recycled raw material in creating crafts Tisser Artisan Trust supports women in artisan clusters, like Varli in Maharashtra and Madhubani in Bihar by training them in developing better crafts and skills supports women in artisan clusters, like Varli in Maharashtra and Madhubani in Bihar by training them in developing better crafts and skills Ekibeki identifies traditional Indian crafts which are at the risk of extinction, focusses on reviving them through design, skills and market interventions and builds self-sustaining artisan clusters. With four key components such as grant support, fundraising support, organizational capacity building and strategic mentoring, the program will assist each selected nonprofit in driving awareness and adoption of technology among women in India at the last mile. As part of Pragati initiative, each organization will receive monetary grants of upto INR 50 lakhs. Of the selected organizations, FMCH is under the 12-month accelerator program to receive mentoring and networking support from industry experts. Other five organizations are part of the nine-month incubation program and will receive mentoring from industry-experts and networking support from Meta and the/Nudge Foundation. The first edition of Pragati incubated four women-led nonprofit organizations to receive grants, mentorship and network support which further enabled them to positively impact more than 16 million lives. These nonprofits also helped in digital capacity building for over 700 nonprofits. The One Club for Creativity condemns in the strongest terms the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and the humanitarian crisis it has inflicted on the country. We support the courageous citizens of Ukraine, the global efforts to preserve the nations sovereignty and democracy by combating this unspeakable and unprovoked war, and the rights of people everywhere to live in peace. Our nonprofit mission for nearly 50 years has been to support the global creative community. Starting today, that will include: Refunds of fees for all entries to The One Show 2022, ADC 101st Annual Awards and Young Ones Student Awards submitted from Ukraine. Providing all of the clubs networking resources and other support programming at no cost to the Ukrainian creative community. Making a sizable donation to Come Back Alive to help support relief efforts. We recognize these actions are small in the face of the tragic situation in the Ukraine, but we are committed to doing all we can to help with these and other initiatives to come. Our support for the entire global creative community extends to agencies and creatives in Russia who stand against the war and oppression, and have nothing to do with the horrific actions of their state leaders. We firmly believe positive change can only come through dialogue and the exchange of ideas, and raising these voices rather than excluding them should be our goal. Our sincere thoughts are with the people of Ukraine, and we hope for a swift end to the invasion and peaceful resolution to this horrendous crisis. The One Club for Creativity, producer of The One Show, ADC Annual Awards, Type Directors Club Communication Design and Typeface Design awards, Young Guns and Creative Week, is the world's foremost non-profit organization whose mission is to support and celebrate the global creative community. The One Show is a top global awards show for advertising, design and digital marketing, focusing on the creativity of ideas and quality of execution. Established in 1921, the global ADC Annual Awards is the worlds longest continuously running creative award for advertising and design, honoring excellence in craft, design and innovation. Creative Week takes place in May, and is the preeminent festival celebrating the intersection of advertising and the arts. Times Internet's CEO Gautam Sinha has decided to step down from his position, according to media reports. Puneet Gupt, who is the COO at Times Internet, will serve as the interim head of the company. This will come into effect from April 1, 2022. Sinha joined the company as Chief Operating Officer/Chief Technology Officer in June 2007 and has been serving as the CEO of Times Internet since April 2016. Before Times Internet, he was the COO at CashEdge Inc, where he worked since 2001, building and leading the company from being startup to a profitable venture. Prior to CashEdge, he held senior management positions at Sevant, Aspect Communications, at the Neural Applications Corporation, and at the Ministry of Defense in India (DRDO). Federal Department of Foreign Affairs Bern, 07.03.2022 - A fourth consignment of relief supplies to meet people's daily needs is departing from Switzerland today (Monday) by rail for Poland and the Ukrainian border. Swiss Humanitarian Aid has set up a hub for relief supplies in the Polish city of Lublin in order to coordinate its support for the Ukrainian population. The Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit has dispatched an additional rapid response team to Moldova. During this first phase of the relief operation, Swiss Humanitarian Aid's support package is initially set at 8 million Swiss francs. In consultation with the Polish authorities, an 11-member team of Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit (SHA) specialists has set up a logistics hub for Swiss relief supplies in the eastern Polish city of Lublin. The objective is to transport urgently needed medical supplies and winter-proof emergency shelters to Ukraine as swiftly as possible. The first consignment, which arrived in Poland last week, was delivered at the Ukrainian border to Caritas Ukraine, which is transporting the supplies to the interior of the country and distributing them to those in need. With support of the Polish authorities, the City of Warsaw and the Polish and Ukrainian state railways, Switzerland also dispatched urgently needed medicines and medical supplies by rail from the Polish-Ukrainian border to Kyiv. The consignment arrived on Sunday evening and was received by the local authorities. This is the second large consignment to have reached the war zone. A further consignment of Swiss relief supplies for the Ukrainian population is leaving Switzerland on Monday, 7 March, containing hygiene articles for daily use such as nappies, wet wipes, sanitary towels, tampons, toothpaste and baby food. These supplies, worth CHF 1 million, were donated by the Swiss supermarket chains Migros and Coop. SBB Cargo has agreed to bear the rail transport costs. Four relief consignments in seven days and a second team in Moldova Today's rail consignment is the fourth delivery of relief supplies to the Ukrainian population in the space of one week. A further convoy of ten lorries left Switzerland on Friday. The lorries are delivering 90 tonnes of supplies, including hospital beds, medical protective suits, disinfectants, burn dressings, sleeping bags, mattresses and woollen blankets to the Ukrainian border, from where they will be transported inland in cooperation with partner organisations. The supplies for this consignment and for the convoy of lorries that left Switzerland last Wednesday were provided by the Armed Forces Pharmacy of the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport. Swiss Humanitarian Aid, which is part of the FDFA, will decide on and organise further deliveries of humanitarian aid in the coming days based on requests for assistance and capacity. In addition to the team of Swiss specialists who are currently deployed in Poland, a second SHA team will be dispatched to Moldova today (Monday). Additional relief supplies, including medicines and winter-proof family tents, will also be sent to Moldova during the course of this week. Further secondments of SHA personnel to international organisations are continuously being explored. Financial support for humanitarian organisations Switzerland is providing the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Ukraine with half a million Swiss francs and the UN with a quarter of a million. It is contributing a further 6.5 million to the UN and other international organisations. The following contributions have been decided to date: 2.5 million to the ICRC in Ukraine and 2 million to the UN emergency appeal for Ukraine, which will be used to support the activities of UNICEF (water and sanitation) and the WHO (health) in particular. A further 2 million is earmarked for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees' regional appeal to support Ukrainian refugees in neighbouring countries. Switzerland will also support local organisations that are particularly active on the ground and already providing humanitarian aid. Financial resources from the existing 8 million budget have been earmarked for the first phase of Switzerland's humanitarian aid support package. Images for free use (Copyright: EDA/ Alex Kuhni) https://sfgbbch-my.sharepoint.com/:f:/g/personal/a_kuehni_sfgb-b_ch/ErbTRKFZDOJGl6mYmp3WQ6sBugJVoG1OFCHl4CdWaOLGPQ?e=jpJuL9 Address for enquiries FDFA Communication Federal Palace West Wing CH-3003 Bern, Switzerland Tel. Communication service: +41 58 462 31 53 Tel. Press service: +41 58 460 55 55 E-mail: kommunikation@eda.admin.ch Twitter: @SwissMFA Publisher Federal Department of Foreign Affairs https://www.eda.admin.ch/eda/en/home.html I wanted to update readers on your generosity at work. Heres a photo of some of the supplies we've sent to Dr. Theresa Cianciolo in Vermont for Ukrainian orphans and families with special needs children. Thank you! The Amazon wish list seems to work well, if you ignore the constant emails for other folks' joining and departure activity. You can visit Theresa's website here. ScottandTheresa4UK 1) Click Amazon Ukraine List 2)Sign into the list 3) Add items to cart 4) Check out 5) Ship to SCOTT CIANCIOLO'S GIFT REGISTRY Irasburg VT 6) Pay Here is an update from Theresa: We need your help. We are making a team to help individuals first of all get to a safe border, help to fill out visas (this is extremely important as we have many children who are medically fragile and have special needs). We need those individuals who have time to one on one get with a parent (most of the time Moms as Dads are fighting) and build a relationship, pray with them assist them with paperwork. What a wonderful opportunity to build those relationships. We continue to collect resources and I have so many to be thankful for some I have never met future plans are for Scott and I to go out to Poland and Romania within the next 5 weeks (where we are supporting ministries taking children with special needs and their families) bringing those supplies and resources right to them. We also have items that we can get through the border of Poland directly to our ministry leaders who use their gifts to get them to military hospitals and for their communities as their currently are not pharmacies that are stocked. Email me at AutismAges@gmail.com. Thank you. Kim BLACKWELL, Wis. Each year folks in the north look forward to early spring when sap rises in the forest trees. The smell of wood smoke wafts Chinese FM to meet press on foreign policy, relations Xinhua) 08:15, March 07, 2022 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. (Web editor: Peng yukai, Liang Jun) ABUJA, March 7 (Xinhua) -- At least 17 members of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and Boko Haram groups were killed following an operation by troops in Nigeria's northeast region, the army said on Monday. Three other Boko Haram/ISWAP militants were arrested on Sunday as the troops raided the town of Damasak in the Mobbar local government area of the northern state of Borno, said Christopher Musa, the army commander in that part of the country. Musa told reporters in Maiduguri, the state capital of Borno that the troops had engaged the militants in a long gunfight as they attempted to flee through the confluence of the Yobe River and Komadugu Gana River, connecting the border with the Niger Republic. The troops also recovered motorcycles and other assorted weapons from the encounter, the army commander said, explaining that the militants withdrew from the gunfight due to the superior firepower of the troops. According to him, the troops were supported by the air force. The leadership of the army has charged the troops to be more decisive and "ensure the total annihilation of the insurgents," he added. Boko Haram has been trying to establish an Islamist state in northeastern Nigeria since 2009. The group has also extended its attacks to other countries in the Lake Chad Basin. The war in Ukraine doesnt have as much of a direct impact on the soybean market as it does for corn and wheat, but there is potentially an indirect impact that the market should be aware of as things progress. Ukraine isnt much of a player when it comes to soybeans. Theyre a non-player in the soybean market, said Betsy Jensen, Northland Farm Business Management and a producer/marketer from Stephen, Minn. But I want farmers to recognize who is a big player in the soybean market and thats China. And right now China and Russia are allies in this war. We saw what happened when we started a tariff war with China, what happened to our soybean market, so Im a little more cautious about this Ukraine situation with soybeans because we really do need to be on good terms with China, she continued. We need China to continue to buy our soybeans and, so far, there hasnt been any impactChina remains our largest buyer of soybeans. But it is causing me a little bit of stress to think about getting into an argument with China. Jensen pointed out that while corn basis is staying strong and theres good cash demand for corn, soybean basis is really starting to weaken Our basis on soybeans has really started to weaken already, she said. The good news for farmers is there is a good harvest basis. We should be able to deliver 2022 soybeans with a good strong basis. They want our beans as soon as we harvest them. If you have old crop beans in the bin, your basis is starting to weaken significantly, so keep an eye on that, she added. We just dont have the buyers for our old crop. Weve already kind of started to slow down on those export sales. There was a good deal of volatility in the soybean market in the early days of March with futures hovering close to $17 one day, and then falling back 50 cents or more the next. At one local elevator in west central Minnesota regularly followed in this column, as of March 2, cash soybean prices for March delivery were posted at $16.25 and basis was -50 cents under. May 2022 soybean futures prices were listed at $16.63 and basis was -27 cents under. The day before the futures price was close to $17. Who knows? Right now were almost to the $17 mark in May soybeans, she said on March 1. This is just an incredible opportunity to have. Jensen noted theres been a lot of talk about option strategies and she cautioned farmers about buying one/selling one. Those are good strategies, but you have to understand the risks that go with them. This market is very volatile. You will be making your margin callsso if you are thinking of option strategies, make sure you fully understand them because there are a lot of risks that go with them, she said. Demand for U.S. soybeans has been okay lately as this time of year is typically when South America, which is in the midst of soybean harvest, becomes the main source for world buyers. The U.S., Jensen noted, is shipping out fewer bushels than a year ago as was anticipated. We are on track to meet USDAs projection which is 200 million bushels less than a year ago. But theres not the strong demand right now. Theres not the rush to get beans to our ports, she said. South America is taking over a lot of the world export sales, which is what we expect to happen this time of year, and that is exactly what is happening. As of early March, the South American soybean harvest was ahead of schedule. However, there are some concerns about the second crop, that it may have gotten too much rain and thats causing some debate about yield potential. They were dry earlier this crop year, and then the second crop got too much rain. South America is not going to have a bumper crop, she said. But, so far, harvest is ahead of schedule and theyre doing well. Theyre close to half harvested and they should be about a third harvested, so theyre moving along pretty good. Looking ahead to spring planting, which is just weeks away, Jensen feels that soybean acres are probably going to be going down in the U.S. this year. I just dont see them competing real well with corn, she said. Last year corn and soybean acres took a big jump higher because of those higher prices. I just dont see soybeans doing as well as corn at this point. Everyone's a little more optimistic about corn. Last year U.S. farmers planted 87.2 million acres of soybeans, which was up from 83 million the year before, an increase of about 4 million, and up from around 77 million the year before that. Weve jumped 9 million acres in two years. I really find it hard to imagine acres would be above last years total, Jensen said. Now, if guys dont have fertilizer purchased, that may be a limiting factor, but just about everybody buys their fertilizer in the fall or theyve already booked it for this spring. Perhaps the availability of fertilizer would change things. Your fertilizer contracts, they do have an Act of God line in them if you look closely, so, just because you bought your fertilizer doesnt mean you necessarily have it on hand. Thats something to keep an eye on going into the spring, she concluded. Farm & Ranch Guide Weekly Update Get the latest agriculture news delivered to your inbox from Farm & Ranch Guide. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Sometimes timing is everything. Last weeks annual USDA Outlook conference was held just hours after Russian troops invaded Ukraine. While Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and USDA Chief Economist Seth Meyer both mentioned the event, neither offered many comments on how the events overseas could impact agriculture in the United States in the coming months. Instead, Vilsack focused on what he sees as a generally bright outlook for agriculture. Describing it as bright and strong and positive, he said there are challenges but they surmountable. Vilsack talked about a variety of programs implemented by the Biden administration aimed at helping farmers or addressing climate issues. On the issue of climate, Vilsack said were serious about this, and added that the goal would be to finance pilot projects that help set a base for future efforts. Industry is willing to pay for climate improvements in agriculture if agriculture is able to quantify those improvements. This is an exciting opportunity, he said. He also said renewable fuels are a part of that plan, especially as the industry develops things such as drop-in aviation fuel. We see a bright, positive future for renewable fuel, he told the online audience for this years event. And Vilsack talked about the importance of trade and about how nations around the world are starting to do more in-person trade missions as the COVID-19 pandemic starts to wane. Overall, Meyer said the economic outlook for agriculture in 2022 is good, though probably not quite as good as it was in 2021, thanks to higher input costs. And those input costs certainly could be impacted by the recent Russian invasion of Ukraine. Russia, for example, is an exporter of fertilizer. But the focus of the outlook conference was more on subjects such as supply and demand, climate or China than on the events of the day. Meyer said the prospects for crops are generally good, thanks to solid domestic demand and continued strong exports. The livestock outlook is supported by the same trends, but farm income will likely slip a little bit due to rising input costs. Russias incursions into Ukraine remain a key uncertainty, Meyer said, but he added that weather conditions will likely still be the most important factor in 2022. Nathan Kauffman, vice president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, said 2020 was a year that saw dramatic swings in farmer profitability due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and 2021 was a very good year for farmers. Looking forward is where the picture gets blurrier, he said. But Kauffman said U.S. households enter 2022 in good shape and there is reason to be optimistic about both the general economy and the farm economy. CropWatch Weekly Update Get the Iowa and Illinois CropWatchers report delivered to your inbox. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Mercer County, Missouri, farmer Gary Porter is serving as co-chair for this years Commodity Classic, scheduled for March 10-12 in New Orleans. Porter and his family farm in several counties in northern Missouri and southern Iowa. They have a Century Farm in Mercer County, and Porter is the fifth generation to farm that land. He raises corn, soybeans and cattle with his sons, nephew and brother. Porter serves on the National Corn Growers Association board, and he has also served on the Missouri Corn Growers Association board, including as president of the MCGA. After a virtual Commodity Classic last year, Porter says he is looking forward to a return to an in-person event, and seeing farmers from around the country. MFT: How did you get the co-chair role for this years Commodity Classic? PORTER: A couple of years ago, they approached me to be the chair, and it would be 2022 when Id be the chair. It was an eye-opening experience about what all goes into it. Theyve got dates booked out for 10 years in advance. Its not just one person, its a team of professionals. It takes the equipment manufacturers, the convention center. It takes the hotels and restaurants and people working the event. MFT: What are the benefits for farmers of attending the Commodity Classic? PORTER: A long time ago, I started attending the Commodity Classic and talking with people there. (Farmers) go down there and meet with professionals, professional farmers. Also, there are the learning sessions, all free learning sessions. Thats where I learned how to grow 100-bushel soybeans. I took information I learned there, went home, and put it to use with my family. MFT: What are you most looking forward to about this years event? PORTER: Getting back together with everyone. Were just so excited about getting everyone back together, seeing smiles and seeing everybodys face in person. Its got the feeling everythings getting back to normal. I went to the National Farm Machinery Show and the national Grains Council meeting, and just seeing everyone was so good. MFT: What is your outlook for this growing season? PORTER: The way we started the year off, we were worried about our high input costs. But the price of corn and soybeans is staying up there. Were going to have a really good guarantee on our crop insurance. Were looking forward to it, and wanting to grow a good crop. Not to be a downer, but if these prices start tumbling, a guy really needs to be on his toes. That could be a catastrophe, if youre paying the input cost and not getting these prices. You have to know your input costs and be ready to make a move when you need to. These are just things that I think farmers need to be prepared for and watch. Were going to try to pull the trigger and make a profit (when the opportunity is there). MFT: Whats your outlook heading into the Commodity Classic? PORTER: Were so excited to get back together and see the friends that we usually see. Its been two years. I have a friend in Michigan who comes to this event, and Im excited to share a smile and see each other face-to-face. We have a lot of good things planned for this year. AgUpdate Daily Headlines Get the latest agriculture news delivered to your inbox. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The Montana Farm Bureau Foundation is pleased to announce their annual Youth Speech Contest will once again take place in person for 2022. Open to any Montana student in grades 7-9, the Montana Farm Bureau Foundation Youth Speech Contest is just one more way Montana Farm Bureau Federation (MFBF) works to support and encourage young leaders in agriculture. One of the things we think is really important for leadership development, especially in our youth, is the ability to communicate and speak in public, said Scott Kulbeck, director of membership development for MFBF. With that in mind, the Youth Speech Contest is set up so youth can learn about a relevant and current agriculture issue while also gaining poise and confidence along the way. To compete in the contest, youth must write a speech that is 2.5-4 minutes in length. The manuscripts must be written and turned in no later than March 15. A panel of judges will evaluate the manuscripts and the top 20 will be asked to deliver their speech during a contest to be held in conjunction with the Montana State FFA Convention. This years convention will be March 30 through April 2 in Bozeman, Mont. We are very thankful to Montana FFA for letting us do this contest at their convention. Our contest is open to grades 7-9 only because those grades are too young to compete in extemporaneous or prepared speaking in FFA. It is a great time to get those kids introduced to public speaking and researching topics, Kulbeck added. Every year the Montana Farm Bureau Foundations works to come up with a topic that is not only relevant to the times but will also resonate with the youth competing and help to spark insightful thinking. The prompt for this years contest is: Supply chain problems and labor shortages have shined a spotlight on the need for and importance of careers in agriculture, food processing, freight transportation and vocational trades. Why is there currently such a shortage of people working towards a career in those areas and what can be done to address this issue? When writing their speech, students are encouraged to consider the following points: Do public opinions toward vocational trades have a negative impact on the educational and career choices for high school students? What are the advantages of choosing to attend a vocational trade school or to pursue a trade apprenticeship over a college degree? What can high school teachers and guidance counselors do to provide students with a broad view of options for their future that includes vocational trades alongside university education options? One thing we are hearing so much about now is the worker shortage and there is such a need for people to go into the trades. So this topic just jumped out at us this year, Kulbeck explained. While this contest is really aimed toward personal enrichment, there are some pretty incredible cash prizes on the line for the winning speeches. First place wins $400; second place, $300; third place, $200; fourth place, $100; and fifth place, $50. Over the years, there have been many instances where winners have used their prize money to do things like purchase livestock and give back to their community. Kulbeck acknowledges that public speaking can be intimidating, but he encourages all eligible youth to apply. The more practice you get at public speaking, the better you will get, he concluded. For more information on the Montana Farm Bureau Foundation Youth Speech Contest, please contact Scott Kulbeck at scottk@mfbf.org or 406-587-3153. The Prairie Star Weekly Update Get the latest agriculture news delivered to your inbox from The Prairie Star. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Grantee Profile Michelle Chui, Pharm.D., Ph.D. Professor, and Director of Sonderegger Research Center for Improved Medication Use University of Wisconsin Madison Michelle Chui, Pharm.D., Ph.D. With funding from AHRQ, I have been able to look at medication safety from a systems perspective and develop tools that community pharmacists can use to reduce patient harm. Older adults, who take many prescription and over-the-counter medications, are required to self-manage their complex medication regimen. As a result, adverse drug events (ADEs) are frequent, costly, and potentially life-threatening, according to Michelle Chui, Pharm.D., Ph.D., a professor at the University of Wisconsin (UW) Madison, School of Pharmacy and director of UW-Madisons Sonderegger Research Center for Improved Medication Use. Dr. Chui aims to prevent ADEs in seniors by providing community pharmacists with interventions to improve medication safety in the outpatient setting. With funding from AHRQ, she designed and implemented a medication information resource for pharmacists, called a Senior Section, to use specifically with older adults. Dr. Chui also has evaluated health information technology applications for their ability to promote effective communication and help coordinate care. These efforts are helping pharmacists reduce harm from both prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medication use in older adults. Dr. Chui was awarded her first AHRQ grant in 2016 to study whether her Senior Section for OTC medications in pharmacies could improve communication between pharmacy staff and patients aged 65 and over, who are particularly vulnerable to ADEs. The Section features a curated supply of safer OTC medications, cautionary signage, and tools to support OTC selection. Dr. Chui hypothesized that making older adults aware of high-risk OTC medications would facilitate their communication with a pharmacist who could help them make informed decisions, leading to safer over-the-counter use. Dr. Chui and her team tested the Senior Section in three pharmacies and found that it prompted more frequent, effective, and efficient engagements between pharmacy staff and patients. In 2018, Dr. Chui received a second AHRQ grant to measure the impact of CancelRx, an e-prescribing tool developed by the National Council for Prescription Drug Programs that can reduce medication discrepancies between the electronic health record (EHR) and pharmacy dispensing software. The tool automatically sends a message from the clinic's EHR to the outpatient pharmacy's software when a patients physician stops a medication, reducing ADEs caused by continuing to refill a discontinued medication. Dr. Chui and her team tested the tools reliability for 12 months prior and 12 months after CancelRx implementation at an academic health system. They found that CancelRx had a marked benefit in reconciling old and new medication lists and illustrated how health IT can be used to improve medication safety. Dr. Chuis current AHRQ project, which ends in 2023, builds on her previous Senior Section study. The transdisciplinary team is collaborating with Advocate Aurora Health (AAH), a not-for-profit health system, to adapt, implement, and evaluate this intervention in 63 AAH pharmacies to enhance patients awareness of and attention to risks inherent in OTC medications. As co-director of UW-Madisons Institute for Clinical and Translational Research T1 Program, Dr. Chui mentors junior faculty, pre-doctorate graduate students, and post-doctoral fellows, helping them to develop federal grant proposals. She also is a member of the AcademyHealth Science of Dissemination and Implementation group, the American Pharmacists Association, and the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society. Related AHRQ Resources Principal Investigator: Michelle Chui, Pharm.D., Ph.D. Institution: University of Wisconsin Madison Grantee Since: 2016 Type of Grant: Various Consistent with its mission, AHRQ provides a broad range of extramural research grants and contracts, research training, conference grants, and intramural research activities. AHRQ is committed to fostering the next generation of health services researchers who can focus on some of the most important challenges facing our Nation's health care system. To learn more about AHRQ's Research Education and Training Programs, please visit https://www.ahrq.gov/training. Return to AHRQ Grantee Profiles Images Sorry, there are no recent results for popular images. Chinese Ambassador to Egypt Liao Liqiang (2nd R) poses for a group photo with three Egyptian children, Joumana Mohamed Mostafa (1st L), Rana Ahmed Abdelwahab (2nd L) and Sajed Mohamed (4th L), who win the Young Cultural Ambassador to China Award in Cairo, Egypt, March 3, 2022. The three children won the award for their outstanding works about the Beijing Winter Olympic Games in an international competition held in China. (Xinhua/Sui Xiankai) CAIRO, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Ambassador to Egypt Liao Liqiang honored a 14-year-old boy Sajed Mohamed for winning the Young Cultural Ambassador to China title, according to a press release by the embassy on Sunday. Liao awarded the winner certificates recently to Sajed and two other girls Joumana Mohamed Mostafa and Rana Ahmed Abdelwahab, whose works about the Beijing Winter Olympic Games have stood out in an international competition in China. "We look forward to Egyptian youth and friends continuing to support the Beijing Winter Paralympics," said the Chinese ambassador, noting that in recent years the cultural exchanges between China and Egypt have flourished, and the traditional friendship has become stronger as time goes by. He expressed hopes that the young generation can play an active role in building Egypt when they grow up and to provide more contribution in promoting the cultural exchange and developing the old civilizations of China and Egypt. Sajed, who was discovered by the State Prize of the Young Innovator, which is organized by the Egyptian Ministry of Culture, took part in the Young Cultural Ambassador to China Award with a poem in Chinese language and ranked high place after strong competition with 209 children from more than thirty countries. Joumana Mohamed Mostafa, Sajed Mohamed and Rana Ahmed Abdelwahab (L to R) show their winner certificates of the Young Cultural Ambassador to China Award, in Cairo, Egypt, March 3, 2022. The three children won the award for their outstanding works about the Beijing Winter Olympic Games in an international competition held in China. (Xinhua/Sui Xiankai) Laptop from Hell: Hunter Biden, Big Tech, and the Dirty Secrets the President Tried to Hide by Miranda Devine 224 pp Kindle 14.99 Hardcopy 24.33, ISBN978-1-63758-105-6 A Liberatio Protocol Book Imprint of Post Hill Press New York 2021 It is hard to find words to describe the debauched and sleazy satyr that is Hunter Biden and how he used his family name and his fathers status as an important American politician to become an extraordinary international grifter involved in multi-million dollar -- sometimes billion dollar -- deals with international entities that included corrupt criminal enterprises such as Burisma Holdings of Ukraine and the government- and military-controlled companies of Russia and China, international enemies of the United States. His business activities and lifestyle were revealed on the laptop he left in a Wilmington, Delaware Mac computer repair shop owned by a Mr. Isaac, who took possession after Hunter failed to pick it up after 90 days. Mr. Isaac had already fixed the water damage and looked at the contents, found discussions about Burisma (the Ukrainian oil and gas company) so he arranged through his father, a retired Air Force Colonel, to turn the laptop over to the FBI in Arizona. Mr. Isaac kept a hard drive copy to protect himself. Then he made some inquiries after the FBI failed to do anything. The inquiry that was most productive was to Rudy Giuliani, who was Trumps personal attorney and very interested in the Burisma matter. Mr. G had an old DOJ colleague named Costello from his federal prosecutor days who was an IT expert, and the hard drive was analyzed. Then, in October, it was presented to the New York Post for the bombshell it was -- proof of Hunters grifting and also proof that Joe Biden lied when he claimed he didnt know anything about Hunters international machinations involving corrupt Ukrainians and nefarious Chinese and Russian autocrats/plutocrats. The plot thickened as the Post did its due diligence. A full-court press was initiated to suppress and censor the Post's publication of the laptop materials in October of 2020, the run-up to the election and the interval in the debates being held between Trump and Biden. Biden denied Trumps accusations about corruption and influence peddling. Former CIA director John Brennan organized a letter by deep state intelligence doyens who claimed it was just Russian disinformation and the major social media banned the Post and anyone who quoted Post stories about the laptop. The scandal of a lifetime -- son of a president selling his name and living a despoiled life of excess -- sidling up to Russian and Chinese on deals involving millions -- while living the life of a depraved sex fiend and cocaine/alcohol abuser. My opinion is that if Hunters choice of drugs had leaned more to opiates he would be dead. But instead, the presidents scion lived the manic life of a cocaine addict bouncing in and out of rehab and even prompting repeat inquiries from his father about his situation, with the implication that Joe Biden was hesitant to run for president if Hunter was on the streets of the world hustling foreign investment deals, whoring, drinking, throwing money around and smoking crack cocaine. Is that a mouthful -- Joe Biden, head of a corrupt enterprise -- proof of Joes sharing of Hunter's ill-gotten gains, trying to keep Hunter from blowing up his presidential ambitions? Imagine, a presidential candidate involved in an intervention of his addict son who was traveling the world selling the family name with his fathers support and approval. At one point the Chinese patron Hunter was taking money from and working on investments with even offered Hunter a side/back door deal of 10 million dollars just for introductions and access, certainly nothing more than selling the Biden name as a door opener. The book revealing the details of the decadent life and dirty deals has been written by the New York Posts journalist Miranda Devine about one year after Joe Biden was supposedly elected president of the United States. Here we are, and like the people trying to expose the election fraud, Ms. Devine is working uphill against a media and political army intent on burying the scandal and censoring the journalists who would expose the vile degenerate corrupt wickedness of Hunter and the enabling and complicit behavior of so many in the familys close political circle of important and not so important players, Laptop From Hell covers the life of the Biden family and focuses on the life of Hunter during the period of time exposed in the laptop: 2005 to 2020. Robert Hunter Biden was the third child of Joe Biden, born in 1970. In 1972 when Hunter was almost 3 his mother and younger sister were killed in a truck car crash when his mother ran a stop sign -- they were not struck by a drunk driver as Joe Biden has claimed so many times. Hunter and Beau, his older brother, were injured, Hunter with a head injury, and Joe Biden was sworn in as a newly elected and very young US Senator in the hospital room where the boys were recuperating. The death of his mother and elective office of his father aside, Hunter had an unremarkable childhood, graduated from Georgetown with a history degree, and did religious volunteer work for a year before entering Georgetown Law after failing to get admission to Yale. He was advised a transfer would be available after Georgetown and was accepted and graduated Yale Law in 1996, becoming an attorney for a bank and credit card company in Delaware, MBNA. Delaware is and was the most corporate and bank/credit card company-friendly state in the nation. MBNA has been a major contributor to the Joe Biden campaigns. In two years, he was executive vice president then he went to the Clinton administration Dept. of Commerce until Bush became president and then he became a lobbyist but quit lobbying when his father was elected Vice President. From 2006 forward, Hunter was active in investment banking with a focus on natural resource extraction and technology. A sequence of investment entities was formed, first with Uncle James, then with Devon Archer (now in prison for fraud) and Chris Heinz (yes, Ketchup heir Chris, who dropped out because of concern about the appearance of influence peddling). Hunters China connections started with a discounted stake in a China investment company, and that was followed with multiple Chinese generated arrangements built on his fathers status as Vice President, Air Force Two and other visits with Chinese asset managers that were always connected to the Bank of China and Chicom political and military leaders/autocrats. The lifestyle depicted from the laptop shows that a lot of big money flowed to Hunter during those years, from China and other sources, like Burisma, that paid him $83 K a month to be on the board until Joe Biden stepped down after the 2016 election and then Burisma reduced the monthly to $40 K plus. Laptop from Hell puts on display the personal life of a sociopath -- whoring, partying, blowing gigantic amounts of money on expensive hotels, toys, clothes, cars, homes -- excesses that can only be marveled at along with mistreatment of friends, associates, family, involvement in criminal and immoral nihilistic behavior. Hunter is a monument to bad parenting -- so he is Exhibit One for the case that Joe and Jill Biden are their own form of sociopath -- sociopathic behavior runs in families for a reason. When you read the book, a very good story of vile and vicious degeneracy and decadence for sure, consider this description from Psychology Today: Antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) describes an ingrained pattern of behavior in which individuals consistently disregard and violate the rights of others around them. Individuals with antisocial personality disorder may behave violently, recklessly, or impulsively, often with little regard for the wants and needs of others. The disorder is best understood within the context of the broader category of personality disorders. A personality disorder is an enduring pattern of personal experience and behavior that deviates noticeably from the expectations of the individual's culture, is pervasive and inflexible, has an onset in adolescence or early adulthood, is stable over time, and leads to personal distress or impairment. The symptoms of antisocial personality disorder can vary in severity, and consequences can include imprisonment, drug abuse, and alcoholism. The more egregious, harmful, or dangerous behavior patterns are often colloquially referred to as sociopathic or psychopathic. Although neither sociopathy nor psychopathy are official diagnostic terms in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), . . . the constructs are thought to be closely related. People with antisocial personality disorder may seem charming on the surface, but they are likely to be irritable and aggressive as well as irresponsible. Due to their manipulative tendencies, it may be difficult to tell whether they are lying or telling the truth. The diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder is not given to individuals under the age of 18. However, ASPD symptoms will first appear in childhood or adolescence and may garner a diagnosis of conduct disorder during that time. Antisocial personality disorder is much more common in males than in females. The highest prevalence of antisocial personality disorder is found among males who abuse alcohol or drugs or who are in prisons or other forensic settings In history, sociopaths have played important destructive roles because they have no moral compass and no commitment to virtuous conduct. A republic cannot stand without a virtuous people. "[V]irtue or morality is a necessary spring of popular government." George Washington "Public virtue cannot exist in a nation without private, and public virtue is the only foundation of republics." John Adams John Dale Dunn MD JD is a retired emergency physician, inactive attorney and consultant JAKARTA, March 7 (Xinhua) -- International travelers who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 are allowed to visit the Indonesian resort island of Bali without any quarantine process starting Monday, a senior official said. International visitors are only required to show proofs of hotel bookings for a minimum of four days and certificates showing negative results of COVID-19, besides having health insurance upon their arrivals on the holiday island, according to Coordinating Minister for Maritime and Investment Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan. "International travelers have to undergo PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests upon entry. After getting negative results, they can be free to do their activities under health protocols," Pandjaitan told a virtual press conference, adding that on the third day of international tourists' arrivals, they need to take additional PCR tests at their respective hotels. If the implementation of this measure is successful in Bali, the quarantine-free policy will be carried out throughout Indonesia starting April 1, he said. Currently, the number of COVID-19 transmissions in this Southeast Asian country is showing a downward trend, except for five provinces, namely Aceh, East Nusa Tenggara, Central Sulawesi, Gorontalo, and North Kalimantan. COVID vaccines were developed in record time, one might say at warp speed, the name of the operation instituted by President Trump in 2020. We were assured by those in whom we place trust that these vaccines were safe and effective. In August 2021, President Biden told us, After a strict process, the FDA has reaffirmed its findings that the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective, and the FDA has given its full and final approval. The CDC said the same, and confirmed just days ago that, COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective. Dr. Anthony Fauci received his first dose of the Moderna vaccine a few days before Christmas in 2020, the same time I received my first dose of the same vaccine. YouTube screen grab According to ABC News, The event was shown live on national television as part of an effort to reassure Americans that the vaccine was safe and effective. Dr. Fauci felt extreme confidence in the vaccine science and wanted to get vaccinated publicly as a symbolic gesture for the rest of the country. Major medical institutions such as Johns Hopkins University echoed Dr. Fauci and the CDC saying, The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are strongly recommended as safe and effective at preventing serious illness or death from COVID-19. How are vaccines developed? The College of Physicians of Philadelphia explains, Vaccine development is a long, complex process, often lasting 10-15 years and involving a combination of public and private involvement. Johns Hopkins agrees, A typical vaccine development timeline takes 5 to 10 years, and sometimes longer, to assess whether the vaccine is safe and efficacious in clinical trials, complete the regulatory approval processes, and manufacture sufficient quantity of vaccine doses for widespread distribution. Normally, its a step-wise process, Each clinical trial phase follows completion of the prior phase Can take a long time to accumulate cases to assess vaccine efficacy outside pandemic Manufacturing capacity is scaled-up after phase III trial and regulatory approval But this may be accelerated during a pandemic: Some clinical trial phases are combined Cases accumulate rapidly to assess vaccine efficacy because of the pandemic Manufacturing capacity is scaled up during the clinical trials but at financial risk For COVID, this process was definitely accelerated. It was in March 2020 that COVID went from an interesting news item to a battering ram pounding the entire world. And just 9 months later, not 5 to 10 years later, Dr. Fauci, myself, and many others received their first vaccine doses. The mission of the FDA is to protect public health by, ensuring the safety, efficacy, and security of human and veterinary drugs, biological products, and medical devices, and vaccines certainly fall into this category. Many bemoan the process when it is slow. How often do patients suffering from currently untreatable or inadequately treatable diseases wish the approval process was faster, hoping they dont die waiting for the next wonder drug to be approved? How has this played out with the COVID vaccines? I must add the standard and necessary disclaimer that I am not anti-vaccine, having been personally fully vaccinated. Nor am I offering medical advice, only an analysis of where we are with COVID vaccines now two years into this current pandemic. Any vaccine decisions should be between you and your physician based on a thoughtful analysis of risks and benefits, as is standard for any medical intervention. Several reports are worthy of analysis regarding the safe and effective assertions made by regulatory authorities and leaders. Start with safety. Last week, as reported by Yahoo! Finance, the FDA released, under orders from a U.S. District Judge, 55,000 pages of clinical trial documents which Pfizer submitted to the FDA as part of the approval process. Originally the FDA wanted to suppress this data for 75 years as they had limited resources to prepare this data for release, yet they took approximately 75 days to review and analyze this same data before granting approval. In the appendix is a List of adverse events of special interest, noting 1,291 different adverse events post-vaccination, running 9 pages. There is always the issue of association versus causation, but the fact that Pfizer submitted this data to the FDA and the FDA fought to prevent its release raises red flags. Aside from the FDA submission, there is the VAERS database that specially tracks vaccine-related adverse effects. As Yahoo! Finance reported: The U.S. Department of Defense also reported, Sharp spikes in miscarriages, myocarditis, cancer diagnoses, Bell's palsy, female infertility post-vaccination. Yet this is deemed unnewsworthy and the medias so-called fact checkers are always trying to add context rather than encourage further analysis and discussion. Then there is efficacy. British independent new site, The Expose, reported last week: The latest data published by the UK Health Security Agency confirms deaths are rising dramatically among the triple vaccinated population whilst declining steadily among the not-vaccinated population in England. With the most recent figures showing the fully vaccinated accounted for 9 in every 10 Covid-19 deaths over the past month; and the triple vaccinated accounted for 4 in every 5 of them. The data are from an official government website which reports 70 percent of individuals in England receiving at least one vaccine dose, 65 percent getting two doses, and 50 percent boosted, meaning three doses. They also found vaccine effectiveness for the AstraZeneca vaccine dropping to almost no effect from 20 weeks after the second dose. For Pfizer and Moderna, the effectiveness dropped to around 10% by 25 weeks after the second dose. They note that booster efficacy also quickly wanes, Vaccine effectiveness estimates for the booster dose are very similar, irrespective of the primary course received. This is just one bit of data and as the U.K. government points out, This raw data should not be used to estimate vaccine effectiveness. But its also noteworthy, as are similar reports from other countries. NPR reported last summer, Highly vaccinated Israel is seeing a dramatic surge in new COVID cases. These reports raise questions of both safety and efficacy of the COVID vaccines. This does not require a knee-jerk response of no vaccines for anyone or the opposite of how-dare-you-question the vaccines. Instead, why not a middle ground of asking questions, analyzing, and honestly reporting the data? CDC Director Rochelle Walensky last admitted that the CDC dropped the ball on honesty saying, the CDC mislead the public about long-term effectiveness with too little caution and too much optimism. She went further, Nobody said waning when this vaccine is going to work, oh, maybe it will wear off or not be as potent against the new variant. By necessity, we as a society need to have a basic level of trust in our medical and government institutions, regulatory or leadership. We are told one thing repeatedly, and threatened, shamed, or chastised if we ask questions or challenge the narrative. Then when news or data are released that contradicts the narrative, trust in our institutions diminishes. We have seen this numerous times with COVID, over subjects like natural immunity, off-label therapeutics, lockdowns, mask mandates, and social distancing, where discussion or disagreement is not allowed. Going further, many political issues became verboten to question or discuss, including Trump-Russia collusion, Hunter Bidens laptop, election integrity, and so on. Those who dared question the establishment narrative were banned from social media and polite society. Businesses and lives were ruined by COVID and the resulting restrictions and mandates. Given the worlds collective sacrifice, arent we entitled to honesty and transparency from those who create these rules and hold the fates of so many individuals in their hands? Or has everything about COVID been simply a means to an end, replacing freedom and liberty with top-down control? Brian C. Joondeph, M.D., is a physician and writer. On Twitter as @retinaldoctor. Geographers tell us the truth that geography often dominates world affairs. For more than a century, until the invention of nuclear weapons, America could rely on our oceans and navy to prevent serious invasion from foreign armies. We could devote ourselves to the benefits of peace. Conversely, the wide-open steppes of Central Asia provided the gateway to repeated invasions of Eastern Europe, South Asia, and the Middle East. The peoples of those regions were perpetually insecure and their cultures reflected this insecurity. Mountains provide barriers. Rivers, too, are barriers. Valleys, plains, and passes through the mountains provide roadways that funnel invasion. Such are the facts that, for millennia, have determined military and political strategy. In the view of many of todays analysts, these still are the governing factors. You hear echoes of this perspective each evening during discussions of the current war in Ukraine and the future for NATO. From this conventional analysis, I beg to differ. While the nature of war hasnt changed during all of recorded history -- and far beyond, as the Neolithic walls of Jericho and the constructions of Catalhoyuk testify -- technology has. The technology of war has changed continuously. And it is the evolution of technology that actually determines what happens not only on the battlefield but also in war and political strategy. Today, technology is perhaps more important than geography once was in determining national strategy. I have no experience of the battlefield. Therefore, I cannot comment, except from a distance, on the true nature, and experience, of war. But I am a military engineer with a half-century as a professional in the technology of war and its applications. I know what can, and cannot, happen with the modern instruments of war. It is from that perspective, rather than from geography that I speculate on what might be in our future. Putin has been shocked and his behavior shows it. His vast armies are not doing what was expected. For a surprisingly long time, Ukrainians have been able to hold their own. They have currently stalled much of the Russian invasion and even defeated parts of it. There is good reason for this. What is going on? Oddly enough, even though the Russian air force has free access to all of Ukraines territory, and has overwhelming superiority in numbers of aircraft, it is the Ukrainians that actually dominate the air. They dominate, but not in the usual way -- not with fighter planes. Perhaps the greatest advantage of aircraft is their mobility. Aircraft can go anywhere, anytime. Air defenses are designed to constrain and defeat this mobility. Without this mobility, aircraft cannot deliver their weapons. And it is the effective delivery of weapons to designated targets that counts. Conversely, ground forces are greatly restricted in mobility. Geography is one impediment. Necessarily slow movement over the ground is even more important. Ground forces simply cant zip around the map as aircraft can. Why then, have the Ukrainians, being almost entirely ground forces, been able to dominate in a way similar to what is possible with air forces? The answer lies in recent advances in ground-based weapons technology. The Ukrainians are now showing the Icon of Mary Magdalene cradling a Javelin missile. St. Magdalene is now St. Javelin. It is the Javelin, a weapon carried by foot soldiers, that has given the Ukrainians air superiority in ground attacks. Paired with man-portable Stinger missiles for antiaircraft defense, the foot soldier is at least at parity with most Russian military aviation and may actually be in the ascendant. What makes this capability important is the lack of the most modern technology in the Russian air forces. The evidence is that the Russians simply do not have an air force that is suitably equipped to deliver precision-guided munitions from high altitudes. This means that in order to be effective in ground attack they have to fly low, slow, and in daylight. Aircraft in this environment are sitting ducks for Stingers. In addition, Russian pilots apparently have little training in support of, ground forces so they can easily fall victim to friendly fire. Pilots are not likely to risk that. So close air support of ground forces is pretty much off the table. It is different with the Javelin teams available to the Ukrainians. Javelins are launched from the ground, and their quite substantial range is restricted to line of sight, but they are, nevertheless, weapons that attack from the air. They are substitutes for aircraft which carry precision-guided munitions. It is for this reason that I have said that the Ukrainians dominate in the air. In effect, the Ukrainian ground troops have their own integrated close air support and are, in this way, superior to Russian forces. The European theater armies of the Second World War learned the basics of, and the essential need for, combined arms operation. Tanks and other armored vehicles are powerful supporters of infantry on the attack and defense, but they are terribly vulnerable to enemy foot soldiers who get too close. Therefore, tanks need a screen of dismounted infantry to ward off enemy soldiers. This is combined arms on the small scale. The advantage Ukrainian soldiers have with the Javelin is that they can attack vehicles from miles away and from hidden sites. Infantry screening of vehicles is impossible without a nearly infinite number of infantry. Patton trained his 3rd Army for tank-infantry combined arms, but he also innovated air-ground combined arms. The 19th Tactical Air Command under Gen. Elwood Pete Quesada provided coverage against German attacks on his flanks as he raced across France. Patton and Quesada thus invented combined arms on the large scale. Tanks, and other vehicles, were almost completely helpless against attack from the air. They do better today, but not much better against the latest technology. The rule is whoever has air dominance, and modern aviation equipment, wins every time -- and quickly -- against conventional armored ground forces. Saddam learned this bitter lesson during the last 100 hours of the First Gulf War. Geographically Russia is wide open to attack. It has been invaded many times from the East by powerful steppe armies. It has also been invaded from the West by Germans, Swedes, Poles, and French. Its culture reflects these traumas with instilled genetic paranoia. We may understand how Russia must feel, but we also must recognize that Russias paranoia offers danger to the West. Thus the need for NATO. Putins decisions are partly based on his love for Russia and his knowledge of its bloodstained past. But he also is a megalomaniac. And there is the real danger. Some analysts speculate that Putin wants Ukraine as much to protect his south as to reunite the area with Mother Russia. According to this reasoning, Putin is next going to want geographically sensible buffers to the west. This means absorbing the Baltic States, part of Romania up to the Carpathian Mountains, and eastern Poland to the Vistula River. While this may make sense from a geographical perspective it also means invasion of NATO territory. And, at least a conventional Third World War. Putin is a gambler but does not seem to be a fool. Knowing what he now knows, he has to recognize that a military campaign against NATO would, within a few days, utterly destroy his invading army and much of it that remains in Russia. (Remember Saddam.) It is a matter of technology. NATO would instantly have air dominance. This means that NATO would be safe to attack and kill all Russian ground forces and their logistics. Precision-guided missiles from high-altitude stealthy aircraft make this possible. The only limiting factor on how long the combat would last depends on the sortie rate of NATOs air forces. Would Putin gamble? Probably not. He knows that within days the Russian army would disintegrate and he would likely be dead. Alternatively, a Mad Russian Putin might, like Hitler in his bunker, decide to pull the world down with him. Then the Deluge! Image: Max Pixel Whatever the outcome of the Ukrainian War for Independence is, the folkloric actions of its leaders are already cementing themselves as legend in the next pages of history. The epicenter of what actual adult leadership looks like has coalesced around Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy who, whatever his vices were prior to the invasion, has shown his true character by standing, in the literal sense, shoulder to shoulder with his fellow citizens in the battle-scarred streets of Kyiv. When offered a cowards evacuation by the American architects of our unconditional surrender in Afghanistan, Zelenskyy famously replied, I need ammunition, not a ride. Meanwhile, on our socially distanced shores, it was Applesauce Hour at the White House, where Joe Biden was led meanderingly from the activity hall bingo tournament to a microphone to address a roomful of sycophants we still quaintly refer to as journalists. There, he promised to hit Russia with the roughest toughest sanctions yall have ever seen, man. He then took the opportunity, during the biggest foreign policy crisis in decades, to spend the weekendmeeting with intelligence officials? Strategizing with NATO allies? Nope, he was whisked away to Delaware, where he was allowed to play in the tub with his favorite bath toy Duckie. Back in Ukraine, Zelenskyy is far from alone in his devotion to duty. Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko has also chosen to stay and fight for his city and country. Were ready to fight and ready to die, he recently told Anderson Cooper, who couldnt muster the discipline to at least nod along in feigned comprehension rather than maintain his scowl of half-confusion, half-contempt for a concept so antiquated as patriotism. Does any American honestly believe that Washington, D.C. mayor Muriel Bowser would exhibit courage like this if Russian tanks were rolling through? Or Ted Wheeler? Or Jacob Frey? Members of Ukraines parliament are also staying behind, arming themselves with weapons and joining the fight. Theyre fighting with AK-47s against battalions of tanks, artillery, and missiles. Compare their courage to the security detail-surrounded flight of our congresspeople and senators during the January 6th insurrection. When confronted with a trespassing bunch of rowdy, selfie-taking morons, every single one of which was unarmed, the tapeworms weve elected couldnt find wheelchair-bound invalids old enough to avoid trampling in their stampede for the nuclear bunkers until the insurrection was quelled and the city delivered. The Praetorian Guard manned the Capitol fences for nearly a year thereafter, and the January 6th anniversary brought a mixture of solemn reflection and media-driven Do you remember where you were when scripted artificiality that Ed Wood would have dismissed as too unbelievable. Ukrainian celebrities dont hide behind hashtags. Former Miss Ukraine Anastasia Lenna has armed herself and joined the front lines, posting, Everyone who crosses the Ukrainian border with the intent to invade will be killed! Ukrainian champion boxer Vasiliy Lomachenko has likewise taken up arms against the invaders. Guitarist Andriy Khlyvnyuk from the Ukrainian band Boombox did so as well, stating, Now its not time for playing guitars Its time to take the rifles. I would never expect Beyonce or the middle-aged children of Green Day to exhibit this type of dedication to anything other than themselves. Still, Im a bit surprised that Hollywood hasnt even bothered with the obligatory Imagine sing-a-long. Rather, Joy Behar whines that all this Ukraine claptrap is putting a dent in her vacation plans for Italy. Brave Ukrainians are being joined by brave Russians, thousands of whom face years in jail for peacefully protesting against the war. In an act of defiance against the Russian government's increasingly draconian crackdown on media outlets who don't tow the party line, every staffer publicly walked off the set of the Russian news station Dozhd. Meanwhile, our own "news" organizations obediently run interference for Biden with tough, uncomfortable questions about ice cream preferences, while behind the scenes the Zuckerbergs and Dorseys are only too happy to outright censor anti-establishment criticisms. They're aided not grudgingly, but eagerly, by cubicle row upon cubicle row of petty, resentful little tyrants masquerading as "fact checkers". Ukrainian social media influencer Nastya Tuman posts videos on how to commandeer abandoned armored vehicles. What are American social media influencers posting videos about? How does turpentine enhance the flavor of Tide-pods? The crack reporters at CBS worry about how the war will affect not Ukrainian children, but rather transgender adults. Fiction writer Nikole Hannah-Jones-Raggedy-Ann bemoans the racialized coverage of the war in Ukraine. And John Kerry limped, dead last in the Obscurity Olympics, across the finish line with a groveling plea to Putin that, as he pounds Ukraine to rubble, to please make it a priority to stay on track with respect to what we need to do for the climate. Were witnessing Ukraines leaders, parliamentarians, celebrities, outgunned soldiers, and scores of civilian men and women take up arms to defend their country. Ukrainian fathers are sending their sobbing children away on trains, while they themselves stay back to defend their homes with their bare hands. Ukrainian women fight alongside them and are living examples to our sanctimonious Handmaids Tale cosplayers as to what real feminism looks like. Oh, and theyre doing it without N95 face diapers. Im not suggesting here that Americans wouldnt act heroically in the face of foreign military invasion. I also dont think such bravery would be limited to conservative Americans, and Im willing to wager that traditionally liberal (not Left) Americans would join the fight in larger numbers than wed give them credit for. But we continue to suffer from the self-inflicted wounds of horrible leadership, which in turn can only exist in a culture that has been thoroughly corrupted beforehand. A recent Pew Research poll showed that only 68% of Americans have confidence in our military (read: military leadership, not the rank-and-file soldiery). After the Afghan humiliation and our generals obsession with wokeness, Im surprised the number is that high. After General Hundred Medals Milley handed the Taliban $80 billion in weaponry, thirteen American corpses, and a propaganda victory too valuable to price, he was publicly criticized by one military officer. One. The same poll shows that levels of trust continue to fall for our medical institutions, our public schools, our media, and, of course, our politicians. These once-noble institutions are now unabashed mouthpieces for the Groupthink Left, as is evident by their despicable responses to the Ukraine crisis. I dont know all the reasons why Ukrainians muster the national resolve that we cant. Maybe its because the constant threat of a looming Russia gave them a common purpose. Maybe its because Ukraine is a smaller country. Whatever the reasons, there was a time when America felt the same level of devotion and loyalty from her citizenry that Ukraine does now. But not anymore. We dont have to let our self-proclaimed elite dictate our culture to us. We can shape that ourselves and force the slow trickle of change upward. But we have to live it, not just preach it. We American conservatives like to talk a big game about how many scalps wed take in the event of either a foreign invasion or a civil war. That's great, but right now America doesn't need battlefield heroics. America needs living examples of patriotic, religious citizens, doing the day in, day out, decades-long thankless work of reclaiming our culture through the examples we set in living our lives, raising our children, and interacting with our communities. And in the event that we ever need to rise as one nation against enemies foreign or domestic, we can proudly follow in the footsteps the Ukrainians are now walking. Photo credit: Instagram via New York Post Voices urging caution over the experimental mRNA shots that were relentlessly promoted throughout the media (and by the medical establishment) were confined to independent media like American Thinker until quite recently when the evidence of adverse effects and lack of efficacy became almost impossible to ignore. How did such media uniformity, encompassing all ideological stripes from Fox News and Newsmax to MSNBC and the Washington Post, come about? According to reports by Chris Pandolfo in Blaze Media and Emerald Robinson at Substack, taxpayers financed an unprecedented advertising campaign in virtually every major national media outlet that resulted in uniformly positive coverage of the vaccines rushed to market to combat COVID. Not just the ads themselves, but the news coverage offered by these outlets positively covered the jabs and suppressed questions about them from skeptics. If these charges are true, they amount to an abdication of independent journalism and membership in a propaganda machine on the part of outlets that claim that advertising does not affect their editorial stances. Pandolfo writes: In response to a FOIA request filed by TheBlaze, HHS revealed that it purchased advertising from major news networks including ABC, CBS, and NBC, as well as cable TV news stations Fox News, CNN, and MSNBC, legacy media publications including the New York Post, the Los Angeles Times, and the Washington Post, digital media companies like BuzzFeed News and Newsmax, and hundreds of local newspapers and TV stations. These outlets were collectively responsible for publishing countless articles and video segments regarding the vaccine that were nearly uniformly positive about the vaccine in terms of both its efficacy and safety. Hundreds of news organizations were paid by the federal government to advertise for the vaccines as part of a "comprehensive media campaign," according to documents TheBlaze obtained from the Department of Health and Human Services. The Biden administration purchased ads on TV, radio, in print, and on social media to build vaccine confidence, timing this effort with the increasing availability of the vaccines. The government also relied on earned media featuring "influencers" from "communities hit hard by COVID-19" and "experts" like White House chief medical adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci and other academics to be interviewed and promote vaccination in the news. (snip) Congress appropriated $1 billion in fiscal year 2021 for the secretary of health to spend on activities to "strengthen vaccine confidence in the United States." Federal law authorizes HHS to act through the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other agencies to award contracts to public and private entities to "carry out a national, evidence-based campaign to increase awareness and knowledge of the safety and effectiveness of vaccines for the prevention and control of diseases, combat misinformation about vaccines, and disseminate scientific and evidence-based vaccine-related information, with the goal of increasing rates of vaccination across all ages ... to reduce and eliminate vaccine-preventable diseases." The money didn't just create ads: The COVID-19 Public Education Campaign by HHS also used earned media outreach word of mouth marketing with the goal of having "trusted messengers and influencers" speak to news organizations to "provide factual, timely information and steps people can take to protect themselves, their families, and their communities." As a result of that effort, various government officials have frequently been quoted by reporters covering the COVID-19 pandemic, offering factual information on vaccine efficacy and safety. Even more disturbing is what Robinson reports from anonymous sources at Newsmax, from which she was let go a few months ago. A sage voice from 2014 offers a road map for dealing with Putin's invasion of Ukraine in a stunningly prescient essay, written in the wake of Putin's seizure of Crimea and the downing of a Malaysia Airlines jetliner over Ukraine. That voice belonged to Herbert E. Meyer. The late Herbert E. Meyer was a largely unsung hero of the Cold War victory of the United States. Serving as special assistant to the director of Central Intelligence and vice chairman of the CIA's National Intelligence Council during the Reagan administration, he led the effort to change the U.S.'s and CIA's strategy from detente to victory in the Cold War, managing production of the U.S. National Intelligence Estimates and other top-secret projections. He later was awarded the U.S. National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal, which is the Intelligence Community's highest honor. Herbert E. Meyer. American Thinker almost never reprints material, but the following essay from seven and a half years ago is as relevant today as it was then. How to Solve the Putin Problem Especially when dealing with Russians, subtlety gets you nowhere; you must tell them, bluntly, what you want to happen. For example, when someone asked President Reagan to explain the objective of his Cold War strategy he replied: We win, they lose. As President Reagan might have put it: Well, here we go again.... Last months shoot down of Malaysia Air Flight 17 over Ukraine has made clear to just about everyone -- certainly to President Obama and even to some of Western Europes most feckless leaders -- what should have been obvious a long time ago: Russian President Vladimir Putin is a serious threat to world peace. Belatedly, but now with considerable precision and skill, the president and his European counterparts have begun to impose a range of financial sanctions against Russian energy companies, banks, and even against some of those individual Russian billionaires known as oligarchs. Imposing sanctions is the right strategy; what they havent got right is the objective of these sanctions. Based on statements from the president, from administration officials and from European leaders including British Prime Minister David Cameron and Germanys Angela Merkel, the purpose of these sanctions is to punish Putin and make him see the error of his ways. More precisely, theyd like him to be satisfied with Russias seizure of the Crimea and to not gobble up the rest of Ukraine. Above all, they want him to not go beyond Ukraine -- to not threaten the independence of any other countries in Europe, for instance Latvia or Estonia. Fat chance. If there is any lesson to be learned from studying European history -- or from growing up in a Brooklyn school yard as opposed to, say, attending the most exclusive prep school in Hawaii -- its that thugs like Putin dont stop because theyve been punished or because they see the error of their ways. Thugs have a high tolerance for pain, and they are incapable of changing their behavior. They keep going until someone takes them out -- permanently -- with a knockout punch. Thats why the objective of our sanctions strategy should be to get the Russians whove been keeping Putin in power, or tolerating Putin in power, to throw that knockout punch. Theyd Rather Take Over Kaiser Aluminum than Kiev The key to forcing these Russians to act, and thus to making the sanctions strategy succeed, will be to rapidly widen the gap that already exists between their financial interests and Putins political ambitions. Russias corporate business leaders dont really care about Ukraine, or about Putins lunatic dream of re-creating the old Romanov Empire. They fight in boardrooms, not on battlefields; they would rather launch a hostile takeover bid for Kaiser Aluminum than for Kiev. Russias oligarchs are among the most pushy, self-indulgent, thoroughly unpleasant bunch of billionaires in history; the old phrase nouveau riche doesnt come close to evoking their ostentatious behavior. All they care about are their yachts, their private jets, and the blonde-bombshell-shopoholic mistresses they stash at their multi-million-dollar condos in London, New York, and on the Riviera, and like to flash around at swishy restaurants. Are they really willing to give up all this for -- Donetsk? Or for Riga, or Tallinn? Are you kidding? Thats why the sanctions will work if the president and his European counterparts will keep tightening the screws; if they keep making commerce more difficult for Russias serious business executives, for instance by blocking their access to capital, and if they keep making life more miserable for Russias playboy oligarchs, for instance by canceling their credit cards and denying landing rights to their private jets. And if the president and European leaders keep telling these Russians -- bluntly and publicly -- that all this will end the moment Vladimir Putin leaves the Kremlin for good. Russia after Putin may not be a Western-style democracy -- at least, not for a while -- but without Putin in power Russia wont be a threat to world peace. Thats because todays Russia is less like the old Soviet Union and more like a 1950s-style Latin American dictatorship. The old Soviet Union was a top-to-bottom police state in which the Communist Party, led by the Politburo, dominated every aspect of public and personal life throughout the country. Not much changed when one General Secretary of the Communist Party replaced another. The new Russia is more of a one-man show; although Putin likes to think of himself as another Joseph Stalin, hes more like Argentinas Juan Peron (well, Juan Peron with nuclear bombs) and its highly unlikely than any successor would pick up where Putin left off by continuing to go after Ukraine or otherwise threatening Europes political stability. Putins immediate successor may not be one of Russias emerging democracy-minded superstars like Gary Kasparov, the former chess champion. But hes more likely to focus on keeping Russias economy afloat than on recreating the old Romanov Empire. Putins Their Problem, Not Ours Simply put, we should make clear to the Russian business executives and oligarchs who are the target of Western sanctions that Putin is their problem, not ours. These people may lack the spark of political genius or the high-minded patriotism that drove our countrys Founding Fathers -- but they arent stupid. It wont be long before a bunch of them get together for a quiet conversation -- perhaps in a Moscow board room, more likely on a yacht anchored off the Cote dAzur -- to, um, decide what might be best for Russias future. Since subtlety doesnt work with Russians, the president and his European counterparts should also make absolutely clear that we have no interest whatever in how these people solve their Putin problem. If they can talk good old Vladimir into leaving the Kremlin with full military honors and a 21-gun salute -- that would be fine with us. If Putin is too too stubborn to acknowledge that his career is over, and the only way to get him out of the Kremlin is feet-first, with a bullet hole in the back of his head -- that would also be okay with us. Nor would we object to a bit of poetic justice.... For instance, if the next time Putins flying back to Moscow from yet another visit with his good friends in Cuba, or Venezuela, or Iran, his airplane gets blasted out of the sky by some murky para-military group that somehow, inexplicably, got its hands on a surface-to-air missile. Herbert E. Meyer served during the Reagan Administration as Special Assistant to the Director of Central Intelligence and Vice Chairman of the CIAs National Intelligence Council. He is author of How to Analyze Information and The Cure for Poverty. As bad as Joe Biden and his wretched allies in Europe are, they aren't anywhere near the level of trouble that Vladimir Putin is, as the latter's war on Ukraine drags on with no results. Not only has Putin has not won his war, but he is now in hock to China, as another Chinese puppet-string actor, which is a wretched booby prize. China's help is likely to provide some comfort to Putin's economy in Russia for now, but it leaves Putin in roughly the same position as Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela, who stays in power only due to Russia's patronage. Richard Fernandez, via Twitter, has some observations: What am I getting wrong? By starting the war Putin lost the gas sale of the century, ruined this year's wheat harvest and is in hock to China. Where's he making it back? wretchardthecat (@wretchardthecat) March 6, 2022 It seems inescapable that, by going to war, Putin has undermined the system of oligarchs and strongmen of which he occupies the apex. From now on, the Chinese ambassador is the second most important man in Moscow. The longer the war the bigger he gets. wretchardthecat (@wretchardthecat) March 6, 2022 As every bum knows, when you have to cadge drinks and mooch meals, you can pretend to be the big man but who are you kidding? wretchardthecat (@wretchardthecat) March 6, 2022 Putin's the bum in that one because he's bumming favors off China finance, wheat-buying, oil- and coal-buying, internet, help on bank and financial transactions. Putin threw it all on the table when he opted to invade Ukraine, and he's losing his shirt. Russia's economy is ruined when it could have been so good what with all those gas sales. And even with scorched-earth warfare, redolent of how he flattened Chechnya, he still doesn't have Ukraine in his pocket. He made a bad bet and won't be able to unwind it without some stunning fumbling from the West or Ukraine, which could happen but most likely won't, given that the Europeans are getting pretty canny about how to move. Worse still, the oligarchs who are the most important people in Putin's inner circle are starting to turn on him. Oligarchs are being targeted with sanctions across the board from Europe and the U.S., and now some have begun speaking out against the war. Here is one list of them: On Sunday, Oleg Anisimov, the head of a Russian climate delegation, apologized for the war at a major UN conference, Agence France-Presse reported. On Wednesday, Kremlin advisor Andrey Kortunov said he was "shocked" by the invasion and could not understand Putin's logic. On Thursday, Oleg Deripaska, founder of the Russian aluminum group Rusal whom the US sanctioned in 2018, said: "I've been asked not to say this, but I'm for peace," Russia's Dozhd network reported. The same day, Lukoil, Russia's largest private oil company run by the Russian-Azerbaijani oligarch Vagit Alekperov, called for a cease-fire. And here is another: "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," wrote [Evgeny] Lebedev, who is the son of oligarch and former KGB agent Alexander Lebedev. ... Three other Russian business tycoons metals magnate Oleg Deripaska, Alfa Bank founder Mikhail Fridman and banker Oleg Tinkov also urged an end to the war. Deripaska, who founded the Rusal aluminum company and is considered an ally of Putin, wrote on the Telegram messaging service that "peace is very important" and talks to end the war should begin "as soon as possible." Tinkov, founder of Tinkoff Bank, on Monday posted on Instagram: "Innocent people are dying in Ukraine now, every day, this is unthinkable and unacceptable." They still aren't ready to criticize Putin, but there's a desire there to get the war halted, quite possibly on any terms. That alone creates a rift between themselves and Putin. Putin's clearly losing the support of this boyar-like business overclass that has dominated the country over the past 20 years in a second wave, following the 2003 jailing of rebel-oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky and the exile (and later mysterious death) of Boris Berezovsky, which shook out the first wave of them. These characters, described by Herbert Meyer in his must-read 2014 essay here, are used to being at the apex of power, conditioned only on the requirement that they say "yes" to whatever Putin wants and don't criticize him. But now that Putin doesn't look all that all-powerful anymore, what with the China hockery, and they themselves are being impoverished by sanctions, they can see that Putin is now just second-best in Russia. That should provoke bitterness among this protected business elite, who are loathed by average Russians for their vulgar, lavish, grotesque lifestyles, described by Meyer. Meyer noted in his essay that getting Putin separated from his oligarchs is key to getting Putin out of power: If there is any lesson to be learned from studying European history or from growing up in a Brooklyn school yard as opposed to, say, attending the most exclusive prep school in Hawaii it's that thugs like Putin don't stop because they've been punished or because they see the error of their ways. Thugs have a high tolerance for pain, and they are incapable of changing their behavior. They keep going until someone takes them out permanently with a knockout punch. That's why the objective of our sanctions strategy should be to get the Russians who've been keeping Putin in power, or tolerating Putin in power, to throw that knockout punch. The key to forcing these Russians to act, and thus to making the sanctions strategy succeed, will be to rapidly widen the gap that already exists between their financial interests and Putin's political ambitions. Russia's corporate business leaders don't really care about Ukraine, or about Putin's lunatic dream of re-creating the old Romanov Empire. They fight in boardrooms, not on battlefields; they would rather launch a hostile takeover bid for Kaiser Aluminum than for Kiev. It doesn't help that the oligarchs aren't just some Davos-style elite, but clearly have the support of the average Russians who don't want this war, either. Over the weekend, Russian police announced that some 5,000 protesters across Russia were arrested for demonstrating against the war. That may look like a small number, but note that these protesters risked prison, including forced labor camps in the Siberian north, just for protesting and they did it anyway. More than 7,000 have been arrested for other protests in the days earlier. That looks like big trouble for Putin when the three factors are added up. The oligarchs hate him. The people hate him. The Chinese rule him. And everyone can see that he's starting to look like the naked emperor. Meyer suggests that the West talk straight with these characters and lay down what they want to see happen: Simply put, we should make clear to the Russian business executives and oligarchs who are the target of Western sanctions that Putin is their problem, not ours. These people may lack the spark of political genius or the high-minded patriotism that drove our country's Founding Fathers but they aren't stupid. It won't be long before a bunch of them get together for a quiet conversation perhaps in a Moscow board room, more likely on a yacht anchored off the Cote d'Azur to, um, decide what might be best for Russia's future. Since subtlety doesn't work with Russians, the president and his European counterparts should also make absolutely clear that we have no interest whatever in how these people solve their Putin problem. If they can talk good old Vladimir into leaving the Kremlin with full military honors and a 21-gun salute that would be fine with us. If Putin is too too stubborn to acknowledge that his career is over, and the only way to get him out of the Kremlin is feet-first, with a bullet hole in the back of his head that would also be okay with us. That would definitely concentrate Putin's mind if he got wind of it. The hard fact remains: Putin is starting to look trapped. What does he have for all this trouble? Nothing certainly not Ukraine. News reports out there say he's going to get meaner and flatten everything he can find, but already the signs are mounting that he doesn't have the personnel to do it Russia is reportedly recruiting Syrians for the dirty work since the locals won't do it. Russian tanks are reportedly punching holes in their fuel tanks so they don't have to finish the job of destroying Ukraine. It's also significant that the kinds of Russians being captured by Ukrainian troops are green recruits from the Muslim south, not the main centers of Russia, with less emotional attachment to the region, suggesting that the Russians don't have the crack personnel they boast of. All in all, Putin is starting to look trapped like he's in a Chinese finger trap and can't get out. All signs are out there that this could end very badly for him. Hat tip: Instapundit. Image: Pixabay, Pixabay License. A funny thing happened in Joe Biden's first State of the Union address. Biden extolled the courage of the Ukrainian people, saying their fight against Russia "inspires the world." He censured Russia's invasion of Ukraine, boasting of the many sanctions the United States would impose upon Russia. He spoke scornfully about Vladimir Putin, giving the impression that he stands with the people of Ukraine against a Russian dictator bent on destroying their country. Here's the funny part, or perhaps ironical is the more appropriate word. At a time when Russia's economy is reeling from international sanctions, the United States is buying 650,000 barrels of oil a day. It's hard to take Biden seriously about standing with Ukraine when the United States is helping to prop up the Russian economy. I thought we were supposed to be sanctioning the Russians to make them get out of Ukraine, not paying for the Russian war on Ukraine. I am not the only person confused by the administration's stance. Jonathan Karl of ABC News said it was "extraordinary" that Biden was sanctioning everything from Russia except the one thing that is keeping its economy going. Former New Jersey governor Chris Christie quoted the late John McCain, who "used to say that Russia was a gas station masquerading as a country." Even Nancy Pelosi said she was in favor of banning Russian oil. In 2018, the United States led Russia and Saudi Arabia in the production of petroleum and natural gas. In 2022, gas prices are the highest they've been since 2008. I don't pretend to be an energy expert or to be able to speak knowledgeably on the complex subject of international finance. I can only say that since Russia invaded Ukraine, I have seen gas prices going up day by day. It's very hard to hear the president of the United States say that he stands with Ukraine while my fellow Americans and I are shelling out our hard earned money for administrative policies that are helping to pay for the war on Ukraine. Image: Internet meme. Source unknown. Pandra Selivanov is the author of Future Slave, a story about a 21st-century black teenager who goes back in time and becomes a slave in the Old South. Vladimir Putin is making menacing noises. If we interfere with his conquest of Ukraine, he tells us, there will be "consequences." If we establish a no-fly zone, he warns us, we will be considered an "active participant" in the conflict. He is putting his nuclear forces in a "high state of readiness." Our foreign policy experts gravely avow that the situation must be handled with the utmost delicacy. We have to offer Volodya an off-ramp. Above all, we must not risk a nuclear confrontation. Nonsense! Can't you see that Putin is using our fear of nuclear war to scare us into acquiescence and appeasement? His military chieftains are deeply conflicted over the invasion of Ukraine. His citizenry has denounced it. His troops are performing poorly. Volunteers from around the world have enlisted in the Ukrainian cause. Putin's not insane. He's not a madman. He's not going to ignite a nuclear conflagration over his own bungled offensive, nor would his inner circle allow him to. This is an emperor practically walking around in his underwear. He knows he miscalculated. He told his minions it would be a cakewalk. He never expected the Ukrainians to put up a resistance so determined that it inspires the world. He didn't anticipate sanctions as severe as have been imposed. He never thought Western Europe would come together as it has. Image: Bomb blast by pxfuel (edited). He overreached. He got himself into a jam, and he thinks the specter of the finger on the button can get him out of it. If only we had a president with spine. If only one world leader would stand up and say: You want to talk about the neutrality of Ukraine? Fine. You want to talk about security guarantees? We'll talk about it. Let's be clear: we do not want one square inch of Russian soil. We do not seek regime change. If the Russian people are willing to suffer you as their dictator, it's no business of ours. But in the name of civilization, we will not allow you to ravage a peaceful country that did not in the least provoke your aggression. We insist that you immediately withdraw your troops to within your own borders, or we will force you out. Not just the United States, not just Western Europe, not just NATO, but every country in the world willing to uphold the rights of free men and women and strike back against naked barbarism will unite to drive you out. We will not be threatened, we will not be intimidated, and Ukraine will not perish. What's your reaction as you read this? Are you shocked? Are you thinking, "Oh, my God! We're all going to die!"? Look, you and I know that Volodya will rely on the same "finger on the button" gambit when he advances on his next target, be it Georgia, Kazakhstan, Moldova, or Lithuania. So will his tag-team partner, Xi Jinping. We each have an eventual appointment to keep with an Intensive Care Unit. Nothing can change that. But the choice is not between mutual annihilation and peace in our time. The choice is dealing with the little Napoleon on a relatively limited front right now or on a wider front later. Bad actors don't stop themselves. They must be stopped. Sheldon Bart is a trustee of the Foundation to Illuminate America's Heroes, www.illuminateamericasheroes.com. Taiwan is a democratic country in Asia, but the United States and most of the nations of the world do not recognize it as a sovereign nation. Why? Because recognizing Taiwan would offend the nearby communist plantation called China that claims Taiwan is a rebel province. China, a nation of slaves led by a dictator called Xi Jinping, claims that Taiwan is a part of China and threatens other nations not to recognize Taiwan as a sovereign nation even though 100 miles of water separate Taiwan from China. From the mainland of China, the communists proclaim a "One China" policy to defend their claims to Taiwan. I call bullgeschichte on that. Today, there are only 15 nations that recognize Taiwan as a sovereign nation. I tip my hat to the bravery of these countries. Other nations, including the USA, kowtow to the Goliath of Asia (Communist China) while we still quietly root for David and blow unofficial kisses to Taiwan. China has demanded this awkward arrangement since the 1970s, when President Nixon began triangulating the USA between Communist Russia and Communist China. The communists in China promised to "play ball" with us if we would diplomatically disavow Taiwan. How has that worked out for us? Image: David and Goliath by Ilya Repin (1915). Public domain. Our great leaders told us that working with China would lead the Chinese to become more Western and democratic. Hard as I look, I don't see many signs of that. What I do see is a belligerent bully. Didn't the government violently put down students demanding democracy in 1989 in Tiananmen Square? Aren't the Chinese stealing Western technology and making us "play by their rules"? Didn't the latest pandemic come from the Communist Plantation of China? If we had any self-respect, we would stand up for democracy in Taiwan and remind the slave masters in China that we abolished slavery in 1865. We would immediately recognize Taiwan as a sovereign nation and as a brother in democracy. I'm not sure, but I imagine that standing up for democracy and against slavery would inspire other freedom-loving nations to follow our lead. I imagine that freedom-seeking people now enslaved on Xi Jinping's plantation would welcome our recognizing Taiwan. I think I know what former great leaders of democracy like Reagan and Churchill would do if they were here, but, alas, Xi Jinping owns Joe Biden and many of our current leaders in Washington. Many of our tech giants, corporations, and LeBron James have cozy relations with the slave masters that would be jeopardized if we stood up for democracy. Americans would rejoice to see our leaders standing up once more for freedom, David, and Taiwan. We stood up for democracy in 1776. We said "no" to slavery in 1865. Can't we do it again? It might be the joy felt 'round the world. I started reading Doonesbury comics in 1971 or so, as soon as the syndicated cartoon first hit the San Francisco Chronicle. I read those strips religiously for years. In many ways, they provided my political education. That's probably still true for generations of people, no matter their age, who turn to the comics first when they get the paper. That's why it matters greatly that, in yesterday's Sunday comics, Garry Trudeau told a blatant lie about the newly enacted election laws in Georgia. He needs to be taken to task, and I've volunteered for the job. Trudeau's cartoon shaped my political views (along with growing up in San Francisco and attending U.C. Berkeley). I had the greatest disdain for Reagan, not because I understood anything about him, but because Trudeau had such disdain for him. I have no idea whether Trudeau originated the phrase or not, but I still remember getting a huge laugh from one of his strips explaining that you could "wade through Reagan's deepest thoughts without getting your ankles wet." Looking back, I regret the "education" I got through the Doonesbury comics because they prevented me from understanding just how deep Reagan's thoughts really were and what an extraordinary presidency I was blessed (unaware) to live through. I stopped reading Doonesbury sometime in the mid-1980s. Trudeau took a hiatus from 1983 through 1984, and by the time the strip returned, I was very busy and no longer interested in reading comics. I assume that Trudeau was nasty for the remainder of Reagan's presidency, and then alternately hostile to Republican presidencies, and happy as a pig in mud for the Democrats. Life must be good in Doonesbury land now that Biden's in office. After my decades of ignoring him, Trudeau intruded once again on my thoughts because I was stupid enough to buy a cheap, year-long Sunday subscription to my local paper. The paper is a rag that exists to propound climate change; BLM; LGBTQ; and Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity (DIE) garbage to its readers. But it does have a comic section. So, before I consign the paper to the fireplace pile (it makes great tinder), I find myself falling back into my childhood habit of reading the comics. Image: Drinking from a water bottle by wayhomestudio (Freepik license). That explains how, on Sunday, I discovered that Garry Trudeau is selling the big water bottle lie about the new Georgia election laws. The new law bans anyone from campaigning within specified distances from a polling place or voters in line at the polling place. Campaigning includes offering food or drink as a way to solicit votes. The law explicitly holds that it does not prohibit poll officers from making self-service water available: (a) No person shall solicit votes in any manner or by any means or method, nor shall any person distribute or display any campaign material, nor shall any person give, offer to give, or participate in the giving of any money or gifts, including, but not limited to, food and drink, to an elector, nor shall any person solicit signatures for any petition, nor shall any person, other than election officials discharging their duties, establish or set up any tables or booths on any day in which ballots are being cast [within specified distances from polling places and voters]. [snip] (e) This Code section shall not be construed to prohibit a poll officer ... from making available self-service water from an unattended receptacle to an elector waiting in line to vote. Biden has already lied about this law. Last March, he told reporters that Georgia "passed a law saying you can't provide water for people standing in line while they're waiting to vote." False. Of course, it's debatable how many people listen to Biden, so maybe the damage from the lie is limited. However, lots of people read the comics, and Trudeau has now told exactly the same lie. Mike Doonesbury's daughter, Alex, is busy trying to charter a bus. Doonesbury overhears the conversation, including her asking the bus owner, "Why would the bus be fire-bombed?" When Doonesbury asks what the bus is for, Alex explains. See if you can spot the lie: Alex: A bunch of us are going to Atlanta this fall. Doonesbury: Atlanta? What for? Alex: To pass out water to voters waiting in line. It's against the law in Georgia. And if we get hauled off to jail like Dr. King, so be it! The whole world will be watching. If the State of Georgia were a person, I would tell it to sue Trudeau for such a grossly defamatory lie. That Trudeau sells a leftist line is his right in a free country. That he uses his bully pulpit to lie is despicable and damaging. If you subscribe to a paper that carries Doonesbury, you might want to inform the paper that it's peddling gross misinformation. KUALA LUMPUR, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Malaysian women entrepreneurs are overcoming the economic disruptions and limitations of brick-and-mortar venues with the help of Alibaba Group's e-commerce platform Taobao. This has helped them not only recover during difficult times but also to prosper, generating a more equitable society in which women are able to have their slice of the economic pie through tapping into the potential of e-commerce. In cooperation with Malaysia's Selangor state government, Taobao is fostering a diverse and inclusive environment, where technology is used for the good of businesses and communities that have yet to benefit from access to the digital economy, Jess Lew, country manager for Alibaba Tmall Taobao World, Malaysia, told Xinhua in a recent interview. Building upon the success of its recent Chinese New Year campaign, Lew said the e-commerce giant decided to extend this collaboration to shine the spotlight specifically on female entrepreneurs and drive more women participation in e-commerce in celebration of International Women's Day. "Women are our mothers, sisters, wives and co-workers. They play an important role in our lives from birth to caring for us throughout our journey to adulthood and in the workforce. Their contribution to the economy is huge as they act as the chief purchasing officer at home," she said. Lew said while women have no shortage of enthusiasm for participating in economic activities and entrepreneurship, they faced significantly more challenges than men and Taobao through its March 8 sale aims to level the playing field. "According to the World Bank Group's International Finance Corporation, in many developing economies, women are starting businesses at a faster rate than men, significantly contributing to economic growth," she said. "Yet women face greater obstacles, compared with men, in almost all spheres of economic activity, from access to finance and assets to technology and peer-to-peer networks. On average, women have just three-fourths of the legal rights afforded to men," she added. In celebration of this year's International Women's Day, Taobao announced its March 8 sale featuring traditional Malaysian flavors from women-focused New Village micro-businesses, in addition to a range of special deals available from March 4 to 8. An extension of Taobao's collaboration with the Selangor state government since this Chinese New Year, this joint initiative aims to bring more New Village brands onto the Taobao platform to promote the cultural assets of Malaysia, especially among the younger generation. It also seeks to enhance the ability of underserved New Village communities to achieve economic growth by harnessing digital channels, along with effective and sustainable product marketing and brand management. On Taobao Malaysia itself, Lew said there is an increasing number of women entrepreneurs joining the platform, a positive sign that more and more women are harnessing e-commerce to promote their products and build recovery through digital channels. "We are proud of our local women entrepreneurs, which is part of the reason we are bringing the featured women-focused New Village brands to the Taobao March 8 Sale," she said. "We hope to help more women entrepreneurs expand into the digital sphere and achieve business success through targeted campaigns such as this New Village initiative in addition to other Taobao shopping events such as June 18 and Nov. 11," she said. Among those taking advantage of digitalization is "Wei Tian Fang," a dessert brand which started in January last year following disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Chen Mun Kei, who is the director of sales & marketing, said she is very excited that Taobao is interested in their products and hopes to reach a much wider customer base through the platform. "It amazes us that Taobao is interested in our product and let us be one of them. We hope that we can work on a long-term cooperative relationship with Taobao not only this time but also in the future," she said. "Online sales is a very common rapidly growing element for many businesses. Over 75 percent of females prefer online shopping. E-commerce platforms can help create more useful videos to educate on the importance of the product, especially with more special promotions for females, which can grow more sales," she explained. For another participating product Jin La Xiang garlic chili sauce, its maker Chan Chee Kuen said they experienced a huge boost in business during the Chinese New Year sale and are eager to be a part of the March 8 sale. "Today, women have made great strides toward financial independence. Modern technologies play an important role in entrepreneurship in order for women to build their own businesses. Women who earn an income can participate in contributing to the everyday expenses of the household," she said. "I think the e-commerce platform can really change the female living style because women can take care of their families and own businesses with flexible working hours. In addition, any unnecessary expenses can be reduced," she added. Retired Army lieutenant colonel Alexander Vindman, a former member of the NSC staff and "star" impeachment witness against President Donald Trump, is calling on the United States to institute a "Lend-Lease" program to help Ukraine defeat Russia. This is the same Alexander Vindman who blames Trump for Russia's invasion of Ukraine even though Russian aggression against that country occurred during the Obama administration in 2014 and the Biden administration in 2022. There was no Russian aggression during Donald Trump's presidency. Vindman is just the latest member of the foreign policy establishment to urge the United States to effectively become a belligerent in the current Russia-Ukraine War. His "Lend-Lease" proposal appears on the Foreign Affairs website, co-authored by Dominic Cruz Bustillos, a research associate at the Lawfare Institute. He joins Senator Lindsey Graham (who called for Putin's assassination), Senator Roger Wicker (who advocates a no-fly zone over Ukraine), and other American and European observers (and an increasingly jingoistic media) who insist that the United States and its allies "must" stop Putin, or we will face another "Munich" and the loss of "dominoes" in Europe. The original Lend-Lease program was President Franklin Roosevelt's method of supplying military aid and hardware to Great Britain, the Soviet Union, and China in the lead-up to the Second World War. Vindman misstates history by calling the Soviet Union a "bulwark in the fight against fascism" in World War II, perhaps forgetting that it was the Soviet Union that joined with Hitler in starting the European phase of the war. Vindman's "bulwark against fascism" annexed the Baltic States and eastern Poland as part of Stalin's deal with Hitler, the Nazi-Soviet Pact. Vindman calls Russia the new "fascist threat" and writes that Ukraine is "leading the charge to defend Europe a fight that the world cannot afford to let the Ukrainians lose." Vindman's Lend-Lease program, he explains, "would expedite the transfer of much-needed lethal aid and equipment to Ukrainian defenders." Vindman appears to concede that establishing a no-fly zone over Ukraine "may be too provocative," so instead, he advocates supplying Ukraine "with the tools it needs to control the skies itself," including the wherewithal to "strike Russian warehouses or staging areas holding aircraft, ballistic missiles, and cruise missiles beyond Ukraine's borders." In other words, Vindman is advocating that the United States and its European allies provide the weapon systems that would enable Ukrainian forces to strike targets within Russia. Lend-Lease is necessary, he writes, because Ukraine is waging "an existential fight for democracy." But if this truly is an "existential fight for democracy," why shy away from a no-fly zone? Why not advise the president to ask Congress to declare war on Russia? That is the "logic" of Vindman's position. Instead, Vindman advocates winning this existential war on the cheap. Lend-Lease to Ukraine, he writes, will make less likely the emergence of a NATO-Russian war. Vindman applauds "the monumental surge in transatlantic unity" and "the renewed interest from Finland and Sweden in NATO membership," as if the series of NATO expansions since 1999, which pushed the alliance closer and closer to Russia's borders, had nothing to do with Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Of course, if Vindman is wrong, Lend-Lease will be a preliminary step to America's full belligerency in another European war, just as it was in the lead-up to U.S. involvement in World War II (and World War I, where we provided assistance to Britain and France before entering the conflict as a full belligerent). Vindman sounds like one of those European statesmen and military leaders on the eve of the First World War described so memorably by Barbara Tuchman in The Guns of August who in their desire to mobilize on behalf of allies engaged in a regional war in the Balkans set in motion events that led to what George Kennan rightly called the "seminal catastrophe" of the 20th century. Image: Mykola Lazarenko, The Presidential Administration of Ukraine. I confess that I am not an expert regarding military affairs or on the war in Ukraine. But commonsense observation of the events leads one to question all the pundit experts pushing "no-fly zones" (which would be a direct act of war) or NATO's direct involvement. On the other hand, the appeasers and soft-pedaling Putin apologists (left and right) are also wrong. Some Western leaders refuse to learn any historical lessons. The failure to stop Hitler prior to unleashing his war machine helped lead to the death of 50,000,000 people in WWII. For this, former British prime minister Neville Chamberlain remains a guilty party. This round of European destruction is dependent upon the Ukrainian resistance for the prevention of WWIII. The situation is far more complex than the pundits imply. When Senator Graham (R-S.C.) opined that Putin's inner circle should eliminate him, he was roundly attacked. He is correct but should have kept his mouth shut. Our leadership class and pundits spend far too much time talking, giving the enemy something to think about, and creating political problems for our leaders to order secret activities. If Adolf Hitler had been assassinated, possibly the war could have ended sooner in Europe. But there were likely up to 40 unsuccessful attempts. Few will get close enough to Putin to stop him. Yet we should encourage privately! those close to him to try. It is likely that many of the Russian elite leadership support Putin's attempt to restore the Russian empire. Ukraine declared its independence after the Russian revolution of 1917. At the end of WWI, the nation was divided between Poland and Bolshevik Russia via the Peace of Riga. In 1922, the nation became part of the new Soviet Union. During the Soviet famine of 193233, an estimated 68 million Ukrainians were killed by Stalin's policies. Then came the attack by Hitler in 1941 upon the Soviet Union. As a result, in addition to the regular army, an underground resistance formed against Hitler and Stalin. Then, in 1991, Ukraine declared its independence as the Soviet empire was dissolving. Too much speculation about Vladimir Putin's mental state is foolish. Just look at his life. He is a risk-taker. But his inner circle must also agree with him. He is 69 years old and learned lessons at an early age. Stories describe his observation of cornered rat behavior. He studied judo to sharpen his skills. He studied law as an entry to the KGB. With his knowledge of German, he was stationed in East Germany. The fall of the Soviet empire forced him to find another field (or not). He became an assistant to the mayor of St. Petersburg. When reformer Anatoly Sobchak lost re-election, Putin took a job in Moscow in 1996 at the Presidential Property Management Department. Soon he was on President Boris Yeltsin's staff. By 1998, he had become the director of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB). In 1999, he became prime minister and then acting president when Yeltsin resigned. Undoubtedly, he was elevated by Yeltsin, who sought to protect himself from prosecution due to the corruption of his administration and family. But few realize (because they think Yeltsin was a democrat) that Yeltsin was in favor of a restored traditional Russian empire. Putin was likely a supporter, hiding his ambitions until a stronger military and economy would allow such plans. Further, he assured the oligarchs around Yeltsin that he would continue their protection, for a price. National pride was damaged by Gorbachev's failure to keep the empire together. The expansion of NATO into former Soviet sphere nations was seen as a direct threat by Russian leadership, much as we feared the placement of nuclear weapons in Cuba by Khrushchev. Putin's propagandists use this fear as a way of galvanizing anti-Western sentiment in Russia among his middle-aged supporters, who desire a strong leader. The nation has never had real democratic life and ended feudalistic serfdom in the 1880s. Putin is only the latest in a line of tyrannical strongmen from the tsars to the communists. The paranoia that the media attribute to Putin extends to many in the nation. Russia is geographically a part of Europe and Asia. The population of Russia has been steady at under 146,000,000 for several years, having declined from 148,500,000 in 1993. Russia's European population is about 115,000,000 (15% of the 745 million total), and the landmass is the largest in Europe. The royal family of Russia had relatives in Germany and England following historical efforts to maintain friendly relations with competitive nations. In the 20th and 21st centuries, this did not protect against warfare, as Russia was drawn into two world wars and many regional fights. Putin, like Hitler, was open about his plans. Yet our State Department and intelligence officers failed to convince President Biden to assume a more aggressive posture regarding Russia. Putin has murdered opponents and attacked Georgia, Chechnya, and Ukraine in the past. How could any analyst not expect how the placement of almost 200,000 troops around Ukraine would be used? The awful withdrawal from Afghanistan emboldened Putin and his military. We did not give enough weapons to the Ukrainians during the past six months to repel any attack, making the cost too great for Putin. Putin sees this as weakness, the signal to attack. Putin misjudged the reaction of NATO nations. Eight years ago, when he took Crimea, France, England and Germany had different leaders. The German chancellor, Olaf Scholtz, recognizes the error of trusting and depending upon Russia for oil and gas as a strategic blunder by Angela Merkel. They will now move to fund NATO at 2% (as Trump had wanted). Now that Finland and Sweden ponder NATO membership, Putin's gambit has fallen short. But Moldova is probably next should Putin succeed. We know now that Putin has financed some of the green movement in Europe and in the USA, diminishing national security. Putin threatens the use of nuclear weapons. Rarely does someone make this threat prior to its application. We did not respond by threatening to use our deterrent, a failure. As Putin's military is degraded fighting the Ukrainians, his ability to successfully attack NATO nations is reduced. Now almost two weeks into the war, we are thinking of lending Polish MIG planes to the Ukrainians, despite Putin's threat to widen the war. It is unlikely that he would strike us, but the cornered rat is aggressive. We will probably play a greater role as pictures of destruction are distributed. The ongoing destruction of the major cities and strategic regions by Putin's air campaign and artillery fire demonstrates his sociopathic behavior. This medieval siege mentality is shocking to us, but it is the stuff of Russian autocrats, especially when hard-pressed. A Ukrainian insurgency to Russia is the likely condition for weeks, months, or longer. Only then will the Russian people determine that Putin must go. Ukraine's President Zelensky must outlast him as a symbol that binds Ukrainian unity that can forestall WWIII. Image: Vladimir Putin via Flickr, CC BY 3.0. (Image source from: Twitter.com/ReutersWorld) Ukraine War: Russia steps into more Cities:- Despite warnings from several top nations, Russia continued war on Ukraine and their troops reached several cities. Lakhs of people fled from the country to save their lives. The forces of Russia seized Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine on Friday. They have now restricted communications with the outside world as per the reports from the United Nations. Ukraine confirmed that 364 civilians got killed after Russia started a war against the country on February 24th. More than 760 people are wounded or injured in the country and the numbers may go higher. Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday announced that the operation will be halted if their demands are met. Russia attempted a ceasefire on the port city of Mariupol. More than 1.5 million people left Ukraine in the past ten days and this is called as the fastest-growing refugee crisis ever since Second World War. There are also reports that 11,000 Russian troops are killed after the war started. Ukraine did not reveal about the loss of their army. The USA and some of the European countries are in plans to ban the imports of Russian oil. Europe depends on Russia for crude oil and natural gas. Netflix suspended its service in Russia and the projects related to Russia are kept on hold temporarily. North Andover, MA (01845) Today Considerable cloudiness. Occasional rain showers after midnight. Low around 45F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Considerable cloudiness. Occasional rain showers after midnight. Low around 45F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%. Android 12 started rolling out months ago, and some companies are still adding it onto their phones. Sony, the company that makes high-quality cameras with phones attached, just started rolling Android 12 out to its Xperia 5 II. The Xperia 5 II is getting Android 12 Sonys phones are nowhere near the mainstream, nowadays. Theyre targeted at professional photographers, and thus, they are rather expensive. People mostly give Apple and Samsung a hard time for selling their phones for over $1000, but Sonys phones live in that price range. While they dont appeal to everyone, Sony still supports these phones. The company recently released the Android 12 update to some of its other phones, but for specific variants. Now, according to XDA Developers, Android 12 is now rolling out to the Xperia 5 II. This is the stable version of the version, so its recommended for everyday use. Advertisement The update comes in at just over 1GB, so youll need to make sure you have the room for it. This version has the model number 58.2.A.0.899, and it will bring all the standard changes that came with Android 12. If you own one of these phones, you wont need to wait long for the proper update. Prepare for some caveats, however While the update is great, there will be some things to keep in mind, For starters, this update comes with an out-of-date security patch. The update comes with the January security patch, which isnt great. Were on the February security patch, and the March patch is going to be coming out soon. Also, Sony released its Android 12 updates to a limited selection of its phones over the past week. Right now, the update is live for the US, European and Russian, and Asian models. If youre outside of those markets, youll need to wait longer for the update to hit your phone. Advertisement How to check for the update Chances are, your update is still making it to your phone. The update may take a few days to actually hit your phone. However, if you want to check to see if you have the update, its an easy process. Firstly, go to your settings. Scroll down to the Software Update section. There, you will see the option to manually check for an update. Your phone will check and, if you have the update, you can install it. Samsung has suspended sales of its products in Russia following the countrys invasion of Ukraine. In an emailed statement to Bloomberg, the Korean behemoth said its actively monitoring the complex geopolitical situation and is halting all exports to Russia, including smartphones, semiconductor chips, and consumer electronics, effective immediately. Several other global companies have also recently made similar announcements. 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 statement from Samsung read. The company is donating $6 million to humanitarian efforts in Ukraine. This includes $1 million worth of consumer electronics products. Samsung also suspends product sales in Russia The EU, US, and the UK have announced several sanctions against Russia following its invasion of Ukraine last month. These sanctions, which include a transaction ban with the countrys central bank, look to isolate it financially, economically, and technologically from the rest of the world. Soon after the sanctions were imposed, several sea and air cargo operators suspended their operations in the country, effectively choking supply chains. Russian currency Ruble has also seen a precipitous decline over the past couple of weeks. Advertisement All these developments have made it difficult for international businesses to continue their operations in Russia. Of course, theres also a humanitarian reason to suspend business in Russia. The countrys unprovoked military aggression in Ukraine has taken several innocent lives. Ukrainian Vice Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov has been uring global companies to cease sales of their products and services in Russia as well. Either way, several biggies have announced the suspension of their business operations in Russia in recent days. Apple has stopped selling iPhones in the country and has also limited or halted other services such as Apple Pay. HP, which is the largest PC supplier to Russia, has stopped exports to the country as well. Microsoft and Intel too. While the said sanctions exempted South Korean smartphone exports to Russia, Samsung has now taken a similar position as well. This is a big business decision from the company since it accounts for more than 30 percent of the countrys smartphone market. Thats much higher than Apples 13 percent share. Russia contributed to four percent of the Korean behemoths global revenues from smartphones. Advertisement Samsung also has a TV manufacturing facility in the city of Kaluga in western Russia. Its unclear whether it has stopped production at this facility. Posted on: March 7, 2022 12:57 PM Chair of the Anglican Communion UN Reference Group, Archbishop Maimbo, has welcomed UN call for peace in the Ukraine. The Primate of Tanzania, Archbishop Maimbo Mndolwa, has welcomed calls by the UN General Assembly and UN Human Rights Council for an end to hostilities in Ukraine. In addition to being Primate of the Anglican Church of Tanzania, Archbishop Maimbo chairs the new Anglican Communion UN Reference Group, which helps to steer the work of the Anglican Communions Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Mr Jack Palmer-White. Archbishop Maimbo said: As the world watches the terrible situation unfolding in Ukraine, I welcome the action taken at both the UN General Assembly and the UN Human Rights Council last week. Both bodies have spoken unequivocally of the need to end hostilities now with an urgent ceasefire, support the immediate needs of those affected by the conflict, and work together to supporting the resolution of the conflict. I am particularly concerned that urgent action must be taken to support the more than one million people who have been displaced from their homes, particularly children, the elderly and those most vulnerable. I urge all UN Member States to do what they can to support the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in their vital work caring for those forced to flee. As Christians, we find comfort in the words of Jesus in Johns Gospel when he says: Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. May each of us do what we can to live out this call to be people of peace and to share the Peace of Christ with our neighbours. Jack Palmer-White added: The Anglican Communion is present in Kyiv and elsewhere in Ukraine; as well as many of the countries which border it. The Church of Englands Diocese in Europe has joined forces with the Anglican Mission agency USPG to launch an emergency appeal to support Christian charities and churches carrying out humanitarian work both in Ukraine and responding to the arrival of refugees in neighbouring countries. The Diocese in Europe and USPG have partners on the ground providing food, medicine, shelter, care for children and people internally displaced in Ukraine. With refugees they are supplying care at the border and beyond, including attention to those from Africa and Asia as well as Ukrainians who are fleeing the war. Launching the appeal, the Church of Englands Bishop in Europe, the Right Revd Robert Innes, said: War is horrible. It injures, destroys and kills in an often indiscriminate and uncontrollable way. And now, we face war in Europe. The people of our little church, Christ Church Kyiv, find themselves in the midst of this crisis. They are typical of so many others. Some have fled the city whilst others are still there; praying for their safety and for peace as they shelter as best they can. These people are our brothers and sisters. Those still in Ukraine and those who have fled need our help. People wishing to support the appeal can do so online at uspg.org.uk/ukraine. PLEASE NOTE: ALL ONLINE PURCHASES ARE AUTOMATIC RENEWALS UNLESS YOU EMAIL JPAYNE@ANNISTONSTAR.COM OR CONTACT CUSTOMER SERVICE @ 256-235-9253.... Purchase an online subscription to our website for $7.99 a month with automatic renewal. Each online subscription gives you full access to all of our newspaper websites and mobile applications. To cancel you may contact Customer Service @ 256-235-9253 or email JPAYNE@ANNISTONSTAR.COM *NEW SUBSCRIBERS ONLY join with a NEW ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION is just $59.99 for the first year. Existing customers do not qualify for the specials! AMEX is not accepted through this site. After the first year, well automatically renew your subscription to continue your access at the regular price of $69.99 per year. Please note *Your Subscription will Automatically Renew unless you contact Customer Service To Cancel* (ANSA) - ROME, MAR 7 - Italian police on Monday seized 10.8 million euros in assets from a criminal lawyer in Bari who is accused of bribing a judge for favourable sentences. The lawyer, Giancarlo Chiariello, allegedly also failed to declare income between 2014 and 2019. Chiariello is on trial in Lecce on charges of committing several cases of corruption with a preliminary investigations judge (GIP). When he was arrested about a year ago police found three backpacks containing 1.1 million euros in cash in his son's house. The son is also on trial in Lecce. The lawyer is accused of declaring income far below what police informants said he had earned. Informants said he had a 'tariff sheet' listing how much it would cost criminals to be released and/or acquitted. The cash he allegedly illicitly obtained was vacuum-wrapped in order to be more easily hidden, police said. (ANSA). ANKARA, March 7 (Xinhua) -- The foreign ministers of Russia and Ukraine will meet in Turkey's southern province of Antalya on Thursday, on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomatic Forum, said Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Monday. During a press conference, the diplomat noted that the meeting would be held in a tripartite format, as part of Turkey's "intense effort" to bring both sides together. "Russian Foreign Minister (Sergei) Lavrov said that he was ready to attend the Antalya Diplomacy Forum. Ukrainian Foreign Minister (Dmytro) Kuleba also announced that he will attend," Cavusoglu said, hoping that the meeting "will be a turning point." Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova on Monday confirmed that Lavrov and Kuleba are planning "a contact" in Antalya, and the meeting was agreed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin during their recent phone conversation. Erdogan was quoted in a statement by the Turkish presidency as saying that Turkey is ready to contribute to resolving the Ukraine crisis by peaceful means as soon as possible. Meanwhile, according to the Ukrainian UNIAN news agency, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Oleg Nikolenko said that Kiev is exploring the possibility of such a meeting in Turkey. Scholars, politicians and representatives of international organizations are expected to join in this year's diplomatic forum from Friday to Sunday, ahead of which Turkey will also host the 8th Istanbul Mediation Conference in Antalya on Thursday. (ANSA) - ROME, MAR 7 - Italy is one of the countries on Moscow's list of "hostile countries" who have applied sanctions on Russia for the war in Ukraine, TASS said Monday. The list, approved by the Russian government Monday, includes the US, EU members, UK, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, and Switzerland, as well as Ukraine itself. According to a Russian government decree, any States, businesses and citizens who are indebted to foreign creditors on the blacklist will be able to pay their debts in rubles. (ANSA). (ANSA) - ROME, MAR 7 - Another 3,000 or so Ukrainian refugees have arrived in Italy in hr last 24 hours and there are now over 17,000 in Italy, the interior ministry said Monday. Some 17,286 are now here, including 8,608 women, 1,682 men and 6,996 minors, the ministry said. The main destinations are Rome, Milan, Bologna and Naples, where the refugees have joined relatives or acquaintances already present in Italy. (ANSA). TUNIS - Dozens of Tunisian civil society organizations and NGOs for the protection of human rights called for the immediate release of former Tunisian Bar Association president Abderrazek Kilani, who was arrested on March 2 by order of the military court. In a joint statement, the various associations said the charges against Kilani are vague. Referring to the military court's pre-trial detention order, they rejected the military court's prosecution of civilians and the violation of public liberties. The order charged Kilani with "participation in a group that disturbs public order with the intention of opposing the application of the law, and threatening a public official in the performance of his duties, with verbal threats and lies to prevent an individual or group from working". Kilani is a member of the legal defense team for Noureddine Bhiri, deputy president of the Islamic Ennhadha party. Bhiri has been under house arrest for over two months on charges of suspected terrorist offenses, and is currently hospitalized at the Bougatfa Hospital in Bizerte. On the day that police transferred Kilani's client Bhiri to the hospital, Kilani had asked police officers to respect citizens' human rights and freedoms, and invited them to refuse to obey orders, which resulted in an altercation with the police. Local sources said Kilani and other members of the defense team had gone to a police station on that day, asking to know where Bhiri was, in order to visit him. The signatories of the declaration emphasised the need to stop the creeping dictatorship threatening the democratic achievements of Tunisians, organisations, political parties and the judiciary. They also called for blocking the return of dictatorship and unilateral power. Signatories to the declaration include the Tunisian Journalists' Union (SNJT), the Tunisian League for Human Rights, the Organization Against Torture in Tunisia and the Committee for the Respect of Freedoms and Human Rights. Included among the 34 figures who signed the appeal are: Kamel Jendoubi, Bochra Belhaj Hmida, Naziha Rjiba (Om Zied), Bassem Trifi, Sihem Ben Sedrine and Habib Tlili. The Tunisian Bar Association denounced the arrest of its former president last Saturday, calling for his release. Concerns have been raised by some charities that aid shipments for Ukraine are being delayed from leaving the UK due to customs red tape. The post-Brexit rules for moving donations into the European Union are confusing and unclear, aid workers have said. The Lewisham Polish Centre, a charity based in south-east London, said three of its vans loaded with sleeping bags, nappies and sanitary items for refugees were stuck in Dover for two days due to paperwork issues. The drivers were on Friday turned away by port authorities who said they did not have the correct documentation, according to the charitys chair. Agnieszka Lokaj told the PA news agency: The guys had cover letters from us that this is humanitarian aid with all the information that this is going to be distributed for the refugees, its not for reselling; we listed all the items. Every item being transported to the EU from the UK has to be accounted for under post-Brexit legislation. Officials insisted the vehicles needed T1 documents, which Ms Lokaj said would have incurred costs too high for her small organisation. We are not clear on the rules because everybodys saying something else. Some vans were able to get through without the T1, she said, describing the situation as a waste of money, waste of time for busy volunteers. UPDATE: This was all the aid you have helped us collect a few hours ago. Stranded in Dover after two days, held back by paperwork and customs wrangles. But please do read on. pic.twitter.com/vZuMAm18LG LewishamPolishCentre (@lewpolishcentre) March 6, 2022 The vans finally got onto a ferry on Sunday with the help of Ciaran Donovan, a St Albans-based courier who transports goods across Europe for a living. He said: What they did in the end, which is absolutely mental, is they went on a tourist ticket, which youre not supposed to do. Its chaos, theres no law to it, theres no rule to it. Mr Donovan also said he knew of 13 other vans transporting medical equipment on behalf of charities that still havent left the UK after four days of trying to get customs paperwork. The new tickets were 170 per van, a cost that had to be covered by the Lewisham Polish Centre. The donations have now arrived in Przemysl, a Polish city on the border with Ukraine. The charity has four more tonnes of donated goods ready to be transported to the continent, but fears this will be complicated by further customs wrangles. Volunteers sort and pack donations to be transported to Polands border with Ukraine (Lewisham Polish Centre Handout/PA) Other aid organisations have appealed for financial contributions rather than specific donated items, partly because of complicated and costly transport. Government advice is to donate money through the Disasters Emergency Committee or other trusted charities. The Polish British Social Integration Club Wawel, a London-based community organisation, has closed its donation point and stopped shipments due to the border issues. Its chair Kasia Zimna told PA: When Lewisham gave us information that (their vans) were stuck, we didnt send anything else. Sometimes they allow you to go but this is not certain so it depends on the person on the border. And we just want to follow the rules. Its almost feeling that we need to be cheeky but we just want to deliver the stuff, people are dying from hunger. Its quite heart-breaking for us because we have resources, but the law isnt helping. #StandWithUkraine | Customs procedures in the Netherlands have been temporarily simplified for humanitarian aid to #Ukraine for goods arriving from the UK. Humanitarian relief goods are now treated as non-commercial goods, so that they can be transported without delay. pic.twitter.com/kRduCeHLEV Netherlands Embassy (@NLinUK) March 5, 2022 The organisations have urged the governments of the UK, France and the Netherlands to urgently clarify guidance for trucks carrying humanitarian goods across their borders. The Dutch Embassy in the UK said customs procedures in the Netherlands have been temporarily simplified for Ukraine aid arriving from the UK. Humanitarian relief goods are now treated as non-commercial goods, so that they can be transported without delay, it tweeted. Ellie Reeves, the Labour MP for Lewisham West and Penge, told the Lewisham Polish Centre she would raise the issue in Parliament. She tweeted: Very pleased that you got through and can now deliver the aid to those in desperate need. But it didnt need to be so difficult & slow and I hope to get the opportunity to raise this in Parliament tomorrow. HM Revenue & Customs said: Anyone requiring advice about transporting humanitarian aid to Ukrainian refugees can contact the free-to-use Export Support Service (ESS) or ESS helpline 0300 303 8955 which can be used by individuals, businesses or charities. The UK has committed a 120 million humanitarian aid package for Ukraine to help aid agencies respond to the deteriorating situation, creating a lifeline for Ukrainians with access to basic necessities and medical supplies. Our humanitarian aid takes the UKs overall aid support for Ukraine during the current crisis to 220 million, after a 100 million economic package for Ukraine was announced earlier this month. Residents of a high-rise building in east London said they had complained about the fire alarms and stay put policy before a major fire broke out. London Fire Brigade (LBF) was called to the Relay Building in Whitechapel High Street shortly before 4pm on Monday after a fire started in a 17th-floor flat. At least 20 fire engines and 125 firefighters tackled the blaze while footage showed bright orange flames pouring out of the building and debris falling off the side. LBF said a woman was trapped by the blaze and firefighters rescued her by using a fire escape hood. The brigade also took one patient to hospital and crews checked a small number of people at the scene. Emergency Service attend a fire which has broken out in a block of flats in east London. London Fire Brigade said they were called to Whitechapel High Street (Victoria Jones/PA) A number of residents told the PA news agency that they could not hear any fire alarms sounding on the floors of their flat during the incident and were alerted to the fire by word of mouth. Andrew Meikle, 58, who has lived in the 22-storey building for about five years, said the residents had complained several times about both the alarms and the stay put policy to the three different companies that manage the building John D Wood, Network Homes and Rendall and Rittner. He said: There have been complaints about fire alarms, the stay put policy and the high risk of fires on the wooden balconies, and guess what was burning today? The wooden balconies. Someone needs to go to jail for this, he added. He added that with three different companies managing different parts of the building, there was a scrambled chain of communication when it comes to their complaints. Mr Meikle said there had been previous small fires including one in December where the fire alarms were also not heard. When the stay put policy fails alarms should be put in to tell people to get out, he said. A fire which has broken out in a block of flats in east London (David Zambrana/PA) Why is someone running around banging on doors saying get out, get out get out or a WhatsApp group telling the residents that there is a fire, the evacuation process we had? Younus Hussein, 61, who lives on the seventh floor of the building, said he also did not hear any alarm. If I did not hear the persistent knocks of my neighbours, I would probably still be asleep, he said. On the building in general, he said: There are consistent problems with electricity, flooding, the alarms. For the last eight weeks I have had no electricity in my bathroom, Mr Hussein said, adding that he has been back and forth with Network Housing about how it is not simply a matter of changing the lightbulb. Im a widower, I live of my own, Im asthmatic. It is a f****** disaster. I had to lose work today, they are not going to pay me for the fire, he said. Emergency Service attend a fire which has broken out in a block of flats in east London (Victoria Jones/PA) Lynn Ling, a London School of Economics student from China who lives on the 20th floor with her husband Yuri, said the whole incident has been very scary. Ms Ling, who was wearing a silver security blanket because she forgot her coat in the scramble to evacuate, told the PA news agency that she was alerted to the fire by a friend who FaceTimed her from the street at about 4:30pm. She said: I did not hear an alarm. I think there was a fire alarm on the ground floor but I could not hear it clearly on the 20th. I went out of my door but I found there was smoke in the corridor so I went downstairs. I forgot to take my coat. It was very scary. She added that a fireman in the 19th floor was knocking on peoples doors to tell them to leave. He said: Dont be scared. They were trying to protect us. she added. Speaking to residents who had gathered at The Corner cafe on Whitechapel Road following the fire, Richard Tapp, borough commander at Tower Hamlets said the building was structurally sound. Emergency Service attend a fire which has broken out in a block of flats in east London (Victoria Jones/PA) He told the residents that the fire was all but extinguished but debris like glass was still unstable. London Ambulance Service spokesperson said: We were called at 4:07pm today to reports of a fire at a high-rise building on Whitechapel High Street. We sent an ambulance crew, an incident response officer, a team leader in a fast response car and members of our hazardous area response team. London mayor Sadiq Khan said he was in close contact with London Fire Brigades Commissioner Andy Roe. Network Homes, John D Wood and Rendall and Rittner have been contacted for comment. A Scottish charity appeal has raised around 10 million for Ukraine in less than four days. The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) in Scotland says thousands of people have donated since the appeal opened on Thursday. Across the UK, the DECs appeal stands at 100 million. More than 1.5 million people have fled Ukraine since the outbreak of the war on February 24, mostly women and children. The money is being used to meet the needs of people in Ukraine and those who have fled to neighbouring countries providing food, water, medical assistance, protection and trauma care. Marie Hayes is Scotland director of the Red Cross and chair of the DEC appeal in Scotland. More than 100 million has been raised across the UK (Jane Barlow/PA) She said: This amazing support for people fleeing the conflict has meant that we are able to start spending more money straight away to help more people. The British Red Cross, through our international networks are working inside Ukraine and on its borders helping with food, shelter as well as psychological support. The conflict shows no sign of letting up and our local experts are seeing more and more people having to flee their homes to keep themselves safe. Were expecting the numbers crossing the border to keep increasing in the coming days. We thank everyone who is helping us to support them in their moment of greatest need. The DEC has urged people to donate money rather than items, as they may be difficult to transport and not what is required. Boris Johnson is set to begin a week of intense diplomatic efforts with foreign leaders to build a united front against Vladimir Putin, beginning with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte at Downing Street today. It comes as ministers scramble to go faster and harder with sanctions levelled against the Kremlin. Mr Johnson is expected to put more pressure on international leaders to take further action to remove Russia from the Swift payment system, while pushing them to back his six-point plan to tackle Russian aggression. Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said amendments to the Economic Crime Bill which is set to be fast-tracked through all stages in the Commons on Monday would give us the chance to bring even more crippling sanctions against Putin and his regime. In Ukraine, a second temporary ceasefire designed to allow citizens to escape two cities failed to hold, as fresh photographs showed the desperation of those trying to escape the war. Russia became more isolated from the West as further companies severed ties with the state. On Sunday, Tiktok blocked its Russian users from posting new videos and Netflix said it was suspending its service in Russia. Earlier in the day, American Express said it would suspend services in the country, and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) is separating its firm in Russia which has a staff of around 3,700 from the rest of its global network as a result of the invasion of Ukraine. The UK Government said it would pump an extra 74 million into Ukraine to support the countrys indomitable people through the humanitarian crisis being faced on the ground. Russian advance on Kyiv The aid, provided through the World Bank, could go towards supporting public sector salaries, allowing vital state functions to keep operating, or supporting social safety nets and pensions for the Ukrainian people. Meanwhile, Home Secretary Priti Patel wrote to Interpol requesting the suspension of Russias access to its systems. Mr Johnson said: While only Putin can fully end the suffering in Ukraine, todays new funding will continue to help those facing the deteriorating humanitarian situation. However, the Government will likely come under criticism for the speed of moves made at home. The Home Office revealed on Sunday that only around 50 visas had been granted under the Ukraine Family Scheme as of 10am on Sunday. Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper tweeted: This is too slow. Too many hoops for desperate families to have to jump through. Home Office completely failing to understand urgency of crisis. Home Secretary Priti Patel greeting bishop Kenneth Nowakowski, the Eparchial Bishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of the Holy Family of London (Yui Mok/PA) But Ms Patel said the UK was doing everything possible to speed up efforts to grant visas to Ukrainians fleeing the conflict, and told The Sun she was examining a humanitarian route to allow all Ukrainian refugees who want to come to the UK to do so. In Parliament, Labour is set to put pressure on ministers to further reduce the time period before foreign-owned UK property needs to be registered under new plans. The party said Russian oligarchs still had a get out of London free card even though the grace period under the measures designed to tackle so-called dirty money have been cut from 18 months to six, the opposition was calling for this to be reduced further to just 28 days. Shadow business secretary Jonathan Reynolds said: The invasion of Ukraine and continued Russian aggression demands action now, not in six months time. But the Foreign Office insisted the new scheme would allow the Government to move faster and harder when sanctioning oligarchs and businesses associated with the Russian Government. The PM said: Punishing sanctions are meaningless until properly implemented, and these changes will allow us to pursue Putins allies in the UK with the full backing of the law, beyond doubt or legal challenge. Putin must fail and must be seen to fail in this act of aggression. We must come together under a six point plan of action to ensure Putin fails in his ambitions. The world is watching. It is not future historians but the people of Ukraine who will be our judge. pic.twitter.com/mHm0cKAc4H Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) March 6, 2022 It comes after Mr Johnson, in a nearly 1,300-word essay in the New York Times, said that the West had failed to learn the lessons of Russian behaviour that have led to the invasion of Ukraine, warning world leaders: We need to prepare now for even darker days ahead. A fundraising sale organised by a Ukrainian baker to help those caught up in the conflict in his homeland has raised at least 25,000. Hundreds of people queued around the block to buy cakes, buns and other baked treats from the Deanston Bakery in the Shawlands area of Glasgow on Sunday. Yuriy Kachak organised the fundraising initiative as he felt helpless when news of the Russian invasion unfolded and decided to use his skills to do what he could to help people affected. Some people queued for more than two hours on Sunday to buy treats such as cinnamon buns from a selection of goods baked by Mr Kachak and his team, alongside homebakes donated by local people. The sale drew crowds of customers (Lucinda Cameron/PA) Raffle tickets with prizes donated by local businesses were also on sale, and there was live music to entertain people as they waited. All proceeds raised on the day will go to help those affected by the war in Ukraine. The bakery team thanked everyone for their support in a post on Instagram on Sunday night, writing: So far . . . together, weve raised 25,000. Thank you so much to everyone who has supported us this last week and everyone who came along today. Yuriy Kachak runs the Deanston Bakery in Shawlands, Glasgow (Lucinda Cameron/PA) Earlier they said: What a day. Thank you so much to every single person who came along to support the bake sale today and for all the messages of support. The posts drew praise on social media with comments including Absolutely incredible. Just shows how important you guys are to our community and how we all stand with you and so heartwarming to see such an amazing turnout. Mr Kachak, who is from the Ivano-Frankivsk region in western Ukraine, has lived in the UK for 19 years and moved to Scotland four years ago. He runs the popular Deanston Bakery with his wife Svetlana, who is from Latvia, and his mother and brother also work there. Speaking earlier in the week, Mr Kachak told the PA news agency: I felt a bit helpless when it all started so I thought that theres a lot of things I cant do but this is a thing I can do, I can help people out. He added: All 100% of sales will be going to Ukraine. Its not about us as a business, its about people getting together and raising funds to help those who need it. A Ukrainian child sheltering in a bunker has received attention from Broadway star Idina Menzel and ITVs Holly Willoughby after a video of her singing Let It Go went viral on social media. The young girl, believed to be called Amelia, was captured singing the hit from the Disney film Frozen in her native tongue from an underground bunker in the capital Kyiv, as people gathered around to watch. The video, posted to Facebook by user Marta Smekhova, has garnered more than 86,000 likes and been watched 2.6 million times since it was posted to the platform on Thursday. Amelia was captured singing the Disney hit Let It Go in her native tongue in a bunker in Kyiv (Marta Smekhova/PA) Menzel, who voiced the lead role of Elsa in Disneys 2013 musical, showed her support for Amelia to her more than 680,000 followers on Twitter. The star reposted the video with yellow and a blue heart emojis and wrote: We see you. We really, really see you. We see you. We really, really see you. https://t.co/Vhln1MjXpX Idina Menzel (@idinamenzel) March 7, 2022 Alongside the original video posted on Facebook, Ms Smekhova wrote that she had spoken to the little girl after spotting her drawing bright pictures in the dim light of the shelter. Translated from Ukrainian to English by Google, her post reads: She told (me) that in addition to drawing she loves to sing and whispered her dream that she wants to sing on the big stage in front of an audience. I said do you see how many people are here? Here for them you will sing. Ms Smekhova wrote that she was initially worried that no-one would be able to hear Amelias singing, but continued: From the first word there was complete silence in the bomb shelter. Everyone put aside their work and listened to a song performed by this girl who just radiated light. Even the men couldnt hold back their tears. After getting permission from Amelias mother to share the video online, Ms Smekhova said she promised the family that she would make sure people worldwide would see it. Menzel was not the only celebrity to be moved by Amelias performance, as This Morning host Holly Willoughby was visibly emotional while introducing a clip of the video on the breakfast show on Monday. Journalist Camilla Tominey, who was speaking on the programme, said: I havent seen that before actually Shes the age of my youngest daughter, its awful. A tearful Willoughby replied: Its horrible its horrible, before co-host Phillip Schofield cut to an ad break. KIEV/MOSCOW, March 7 (Xinhua) -- The third round of negotiations between Russia and Ukraine will take place on Monday, according to both sides. The Ukrainian delegation will hold peace talks with Russia at 4 p.m. Kiev time (1400 GMT), Ukrainian Presidential Advisor Mykhailo Podolyak, also a member of the delegation, tweeted. Earlier in the day, Sputnik reported that Russia's delegation has left for Belarus to attend the negotiations. Ukraine and Russia held the previous two rounds of talks on Feb. 28 and March 3 respectively. Social Security is a lifeline for millions of retirees and other older Americans who are still in the workforce. Making sure you qualify for every dollar youve got coming to you is not a step you want to skip and believe it or not, Social Security is not guaranteed. In fact, there are more than a half-dozen ways that you could miss out on benefits that you were counting on and that you paid for with your tax dollars. Find Out: All You Need To Know About Collecting Social Security While Still Working Read More: The Biggest Problems Facing Social Security You Failed the Social Security Earnings Test Early claimers who are still working have to pass the Social Security earnings test in order to qualify for benefits. There is no such test once you reach full retirement age. In 2021, the Social Security Administration (SSA) temporarily withheld $1 in benefits for every $2 earned over $18,960, although theres a more forgiving monthly test for those entering the year of full retirement. You Came Up Short on Credits In order to receive Social Security payments, you have to first work for a certain amount of time, pay taxes into the system and build up enough credits to qualify for benefits. In 2021, you got one credit for every $1,470 in income earned, up to one credit per quarter or four credits per year. Most people must have 40 credits to receive Social Security benefits, which means you have to work for 10 years before youre eligible. You Have Debt That Qualifies For Garnishment Its hard for private lenders to snatch your Social Security payments, but your benefits can be garnished to satisfy certain kinds of other debts. Among them are alimony, child support and restitution, but the states determine what constitutes a valid order for garnishment. If your benefits have been garnished for any of these reasons, contact the appropriate state agency, not the SSA. If you guessed that tax debt is one of the other exceptions, you would be correct. The Department of the Treasury can garnish up to 15% of your Social Security benefits every month until your tax debt is paid. The Treasury Department can also garnish your benefits for nontax debt, including any federal student loans you might have defaulted on. Youre Covered Under the Civil Service Retirement System Instead of paying into Social Security, some federal employees hired before 1984 have instead been contributing to the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS). The CSRS was formed as part of the 1920 Civil Service Retirement Act and was replaced by the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) in 1987. CSRS recipients do not receive Social Security benefits unless theyre eligible through another job or through a spouse. Youre Covered By the Railroad Retirement Act Some railroad workers are also covered by a retirement system outside of Social Security and are ineligible for benefits. People who participate in the Railroad Retirement Act pay more of their salaries into the fund but receive higher payments when they retire particularly career employees with at least 30 years on the job. You Dont Qualify For a Divorced Spouses Benefits Some people are eligible to receive benefits on their former spouses records, but they have to meet certain qualifications first. You must have been married for 10 years or longer and you must not be remarried, although you can still qualify if your former spouse remarries. There are other requirements, too, so if you were planning on applying for benefits on a former spouses record, make sure you qualify first. You Moved Like, Far in Retirement In most cases, you can collect Social Security in another country if you live abroad in retirement, although you have to follow strict and specific rules from both the SSA and your host country. The SSA, however, is generally forbidden from sending payments to a handful of countries, but dont worry. None of them are exactly beacons for U.S. retirees. They include Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Some exceptions can be made for some eligible retirees in those countries, but you can never collect Social Security in Cuba and North Korea. More From GOBankingRates This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 7 Reasons You Might Not Receive Social Security Benefits Stella McCartney nods to Ukraine crisis with Lennon's anti-war song at winter show Stella McCartney Fall-Winter 2022/2023 collection at Paris Fashion Week By Mimosa Spencer PARIS (Reuters) - In a nod to the war in Ukraine, Stella McCartney closed her namesake labels winter catwalk show to the music of John Lennons anti-war ballad "Give Peace a Chance". Models wound around glass-encased corridors atop the Pompidou Center, parading sleek, bohemian-flavored dresses with pockets and slit balloon sleeves while the rhythmic music played, with sweeping views of Paris as a backdrop. "I believe very firmly in peace and love and obviously to use Johns song, who was my dads best friend...it just shows for me, its a personal song that reflects the whole world's thoughts, I hope, right now, McCartney told reporters after the show, referring to her father, Paul McCartney. Some fashion designers have spoken publicly about their struggle to find the right tone for their shows and make the decision to carry on with Paris Fashion Week events while the world is focused on the Ukraine crisis. The French capital hosts the final stretch of industry shows that also took place in New York, London and Milan, and wraps up on March 8. In Milan, Georgio Armani acknowledged the crisis by cutting music from his catwalk show. In Paris, Balenciaga creative director Demna Gvasalia spoke of his experience as a refugee from Georgia and offered guests Ukrainian flag T-shirts, while Isabel Marant took a bow for her label's show wearing a blue and yellow top. nL2N2V90CN Obviously Im anti-war...My heart goes out hugely to the people of Ukraine and its heartbreaking, its a traumatic experience to witness so one can only imagine what those poor people are going through, said McCartney. Her label is part of luxury group LVMH, which, along with Hermes, Gucci-owner Kering and Chanel, announced on Friday a suspension of operations in Russia. (Reporting by Mimosa Spencer; Editing by Mark Heinrich) As Russian forces continue to advance across Ukraine, the U.S. is accusing the Kremlin of "starving" besieged Ukrainian cities, in the words of Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who on Monday appealed directly to Russian leader Vladimir Putin to "end the war, end it now." Blinken even appealed to Putin's family history, comparing the Kremlin's siege of Ukrainian cities to Nazi Germany's siege of Russian cities during World War II, which killed Putin's one-year-old brother Viktor. But amid calls like his, the Ukrainian government, led by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, is urging U.S. and Western leaders to do more -- beyond condemnations and the historic amount of defensive aid and provide warplanes, missile defense systems, and a no-fly zone. PHOTO: A factory and a store burn after being bombarded in Irpin, on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, March 6, 2022. (Emilio Morenatti/AP) MORE: Where the Russia-Ukraine conflict goes from here U.S. allies in the Baltics are increasingly nervous about Putin's advances in Ukraine, with Lithuania's president warning Monday that the strongman leader "will not stop." Blinken's visit is meant to reassure these NATO allies that the U.S. will defend "every inch" of member states' territory, as he reiterated Monday -- stopping short of promising to make permanent any U.S. military deployments to the region. PHOTO: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, third from left, meets with Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, second from right, at the Presidentura Presidental Palace in Vilnius, Lithuania, March 7, 2022. (Olivier Douliery/Pool via AFP/Getty Images) Over 1.7 million Ukrainians have now fled the country from invading Russian forces, shelling and bombing cities across Ukraine and killing at least 406 civilians, according to the United Nations, which warned the actual figures are "much higher." After noting that huge spike in refugees, Blinken said alongside Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics, "Many more people are trying to flee, but they cannot get out of besieged areas. ... Women and children, the elderly, wounded civilians, people with disabilities are trying to escape cities where there's no heat, no electricity, and where they're running out of food and medicine and there continue to be reports of attacks by Russian forces on agreed-upon humanitarian corridors." Russia has denied that its forces have violated ceasefires over the weekend, but those claims were proven false by their continued shelling in cities like Mariupol in the south. MORE: Fears of a growing refugee crisis in Europe loom amid Russia's attack on Ukraine PHOTO: Secretary of State Antony Blinken, right, greets Latvia's Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics at the National Art Museum in Riga, Latvia, March 7, 2022. (Olivier Douliery/Pool via AP) These sieges echoed Nazi Germany's siege of Leningrad, Blinken said, where Nazi forces "systematically starved and intentionally destroyed" the city, leading to hundreds of thousands of deaths, Blinken said. "That siege affected millions of Russian families, including President Putin's, whose one-year-old brother was one of the many victims. Now, Russia is starving out cities like Mariupol. It is shameful. The world is saying to Russia stop these attacks immediately. Let the food and medicine in. Let the people out safely, and end this war of choice against Ukraine," he said. Putin's older brother Viktor died of diphtheria during the siege of Leningrad before Putin was born. Putin has claimed his "special military operation" in Ukraine is about "de-Nazifying" the country's government, a lie that Holocaust museums and memorials have denounced as warping history -- including the Babyn Yar memorial in Kyiv that was damaged by Russian shelling. PHOTO: Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting in Moscow, Russia, March 2, 2022. (Mikhail Klimentyev/Kremlin via Reuters) Blinken has previously invoked his own family history to condemn Putin's claim, as his stepfather was renowned writer and lawyer Samuel Pisar, who survived the Holocaust. The top U.S. diplomat's quick tour through the Baltic countries -- Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania -- is meant to reassure these nervous NATO allies right on the frontlines of the war that the U.S. will defend them in the face of Russian aggression. That anxiety is apparent. Standing with Blinken, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda made a strong appeal earlier on Monday. MORE: Why a Ukraine no-fly zone isn't an option: Experts "Antony, deterrence is no longer enough, and we need forward defense here in place because otherwise it will be too late here, Mr. Secretary. Putin will not stop in Ukraine. He will not stop. It is our collective duty and obligation to help Ukraine with all means available and when I say all, I mean all means available if we want to avoid the Third World War. The choice is in our hands," he said during a photo op with Blinken. That "forward defense" means permanent deployment of U.S. forces. Latvian Foreign Minister Rinkevics made a similar public request, saying his country "would like to have permanent solutions to this," but he smiled and said they ultimately defer to the U.S. Blinken made clear that no decision had been made yet on that, instead pointing repeatedly to the U.S. reinforcements that have arrived in recent weeks, including U.S. troops and the advanced F-35 fighter jets. PHOTO: A pedestrian walks amid debris in a street following a shelling in Ukraine's second-biggest city of Kharkiv, March 7, 2022. (Sergey Bobok/AFP via Getty Images) The Biden administration is "on a regular basis reviewing the global posture of our forces to include of course here in Europe and we have to factor in any developments, any changes in the threat, and we will do that," Blinken added. To those nervous smiles, Blinken also reiterated what Biden has said repeatedly: "We will defend every inch of NATO territory against aggression coming from anywhere at any time. Our commitment to Article 5 -- an attack on one is an attack on all -- is ironclad. The president has called it sacrosanct. And no one -- no one -- should have any doubt about that." But stopping that umbrella at protection at NATO's borders has been condemned by Zelenskyy and other Ukrainian leaders. "We believe that the rejection of the idea of the no-fly zone is based in the lack of confidence in the strength of NATO as an alliance," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, who met Blinken on Saturday at the Polish-Ukrainian border, told ABC's "Good Morning America" Monday. "The military might of NATO is incomparably bigger compared to Russia, so why would Russia dare to shoot down a NATO plane, knowing it is doomed, eventually doomed, if a war with NATO begins?" he added. MORE: US opposes no-fly zone over Ukraine, despite Zelenskyy pleas: UN Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield But that's precisely why, Blinken said, the Biden administration opposes a no-fly zone. "Our efforts are all in the direction of ending this war as quickly as possible, ending the suffering as quickly as possible, and what we don't want to do is to widen it and to widen it to our own countries, to our own territory... [That] is in no one's interest, including in the interest of the Ukrainian people," he said Monday in Riga. Blinken also met with Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid in Latvia's capital after Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's trip to Moscow over the weekend, saying the U.S. appreciate "all efforts by friends and allies to look for a diplomatic resolution." To that end, he has added a stop in Paris on Tuesday to meet French President Emmanuel Macron, who has also tried to play a mediating role. Blinken declined to comment on either country's efforts to reach out to Putin, but added, "There's certainly no change in our message to Moscow, to Russia, to President Putin: End the war. End it now." Blinken invokes Putin's dead brother in accusing Russia of 'starving' Ukraine's cities originally appeared on abcnews.go.com LONDON (Reuters) -Russia has told Ukraine it is ready to halt military operations "in a moment" if Kyiv meets a list of conditions, the Kremlin spokesman said on Monday. Dmitry Peskov said Moscow was demanding that Ukraine cease military action, change its constitution to enshrine neutrality, acknowledge Crimea as Russian territory, and recognise the separatist republics of Donetsk and Lugansk as independent states. It was the most explicit Russian statement so far of the terms it wants to impose on Ukraine to halt what it calls its "special military operation", now in its 12th day. Peskov told Reuters in a telephone interview that Ukraine was aware of the conditions. "And they were told that all this can be stopped in a moment." There was no immediate reaction from the Ukrainian side. Russia has attacked Ukraine from the north, east and south, pounding cities including Kyiv, Kharkiv and the port of Mariupol. The invasion launched on Feb. 24, has caused the worst refugee crisis in Europe since World War Two, provoked outrage across the world, and led to heavy sanctions on Moscow. But the Kremlin spokesman insisted Russia was not seeking to make any further territorial claims on Ukraine and said it was "not true" that it was demanding Kyiv be handed over. "We really are finishing the demilitarisation of Ukraine. We will finish it. But the main thing is that Ukraine ceases its military action. They should stop their military action and then no one will shoot," he said. On the issue of neutrality, Peskov said: "They should make amendments to the constitution according to which Ukraine would reject any aims to enter any bloc." Smoke rises as a service member of the Ukrainian armed forces stands by the only escape route used by locals to evacuate from the town of Irpin, after days of heavy shelling, while Russian troops advance towards the capital, in Irpin, near Kyiv, Ukraine March 7, 2022. (Reuters) He added: "We have also spoken about how they should recognise that Crimea is Russian territory and that they need to recognise that Donetsk and Lugansk are independent states. And thats it. It will stop in a moment." The outlining of Russia's demands came as delegations from Russia and Ukraine prepared to meet on Monday for a third round of talks aimed at ending Russias war against Ukraine. It began soon after Putin recognised two breakaway regions of eastern Ukraine, where Russian-backed separatists have been fighting Ukrainian government forces since 2014, as independent - an action denounced as illegal by the West. "This is not us seizing Lugansk and Donetsk from Ukraine. Donetsk and Lugansk dont want to be part of Ukraine. But it doesnt mean they should be destroyed as a result," Peskov said. "For the rest. Ukraine is an independent state that will live as it wants, but under conditions of neutrality." He said all the demands have been formulated and handed over during the first two rounds of talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations, which took place last week. "We hope that all this will go OK and they will react in a suitable way," Peskov said. Russia had been forced into taking decisive actions to force the demilitarisation of Ukraine, he said, rather than just recognising the independence of the breakaway regions. A man and a child escape from the town of Irpin, after heavy shelling on the only escape route used by locals, while Russian troops advance towards the capital of Kyiv, in Irpin, near Kyiv, Ukraine March 6, 2022. (Reuters) This was in order to protect the 3 million Russian-speaking population in these republics, who he said were being threatened by 100,000 Ukrainian troops. "We couldnt just recognise them. What were we going to do with the 100,000 army that was standing at the border of Donetsk and Lugansk that could attack at any moment. They were being brought U.S. and British weapons all the time," he said. In the run-up to the Russian invasion, Ukraine repeatedly and emphatically denied Moscow's assertions that it was about to mount an offensive to take back the separatist regions by force. Peskov said the situation in Ukraine had posed a much greater threat to Russias security than it had in 2014, when Russia had also amassed 150,000 troops at its border with Ukraine, prompting fears of a Russian invasion, but had limited its action to the annexation of Crimea. "Since then the situation has worsened for us. In 2014, they began supplying weapons to Ukraine and preparing the army for NATO, bringing it in line with NATO standards," he said. "In the end what tipped the balance was the lives of these 3 million people in Donbass. We understood they would be attacked." Peskov said Russia had also had to act in the face of the threat it perceived from NATO, saying it was "only a matter of time" before the alliance placed missiles in Ukraine as it had in Poland and Romania. "We just understood we could not put up with this any more. We had to act," he said. In this photo made on Friday, March 4, 2022, Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, center, visits with people attending a Democratic Party event for candidates to meet and collect signatures for ballot petitions for the upcoming Pennsylvania primary election, at the Steamfitters Technology Center in Harmony, Pa. Fetterman is running for the party nomination for the U.S. Senate. The irreverent, blunt, 6 feet 8, tattooed Fetterman faces the Pennsylvania's Democratic Party committee backed U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb and Malcolm Kenyatta, a second-term state representative from Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic) HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) John Fetterman was sitting, alone, in the corridor outside the hotel ballroom where Pennsylvania's Democratic Party committee members were gathered, looking every bit like someone who didn't belong there. Moments later, Fetterman Pennsylvanias sitting lieutenant governor got trounced by more than 2 to 1 by U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb in the endorsement vote in the partys primary race for U.S. Senate. In barely two months, Democrats will find out if the party's electorate feels differently about nominating Fetterman, a mold-breaking candidate much better known to Democrats than his rivals, to be its standard-bearer in a premier Senate contest. Not only did Fetterman come from the partys progressive wing, but he is irreverent, blunt and, well, something to see. At 6 feet 8, he is tattooed and goateed, his head is clean shaven, and he is most often seen wearing shorts even in winter and casual work shirts. Fetterman leads in campaign fundraising and is also the only one in the race to have won a statewide campaign, or even run statewide. He has campaigned around Pennsylvania numerous times now, as far back as 2008, when he stumped in the presidential primary for Barack Obama. But the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol stiffened the resolve among Democratic state committee members to vote for the candidate who is most electable in the November general election in this presidential battleground state, some Democrats say. For many, that means voting for Lamb, viewed as a more moderate, more conventional candidate with a resume that has more crossover appeal. Those of us in politics who are in the know, we want to win the Senate race, so we want to pick the most electable person statewide, and I think a lot of people agree that that person is Conor Lamb, said Christina Proctor, the Democratic Party chair in Washington County. The seat being vacated by retiring two-term Republican Sen. Pat Toomey is viewed nationally as up for grabs and among the few chances Democrats will have to pick up a seat in a daunting year when President Joe Biden and Democrats face a critical and pessimistic public, according to the February poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Republicans have a wide-open field, including three wealthy and well-connected transplants from out of state including Mehmet Oz, host of daytime TV's The Dr. Oz Show who are spending millions of dollars on TV ads. On the Democratic side, Lamb, 37, a clean-cut former federal prosecutor and ex-Marine, worked hard for months to win the party's endorsement, coming up just short of the required two-thirds vote threshold after months of courting state committee members. Fetterman's campaign dismissed the process as an inside game and maintained that his focus is on campaigning and expanding the map of friendly voters by finding new supporters in far-flung places where Democrats get trounced. John comes off as an outsider; thats been the case from Day One as far as the state party goes, said Aaron Stearns, the Democratic Party chair in sparsely populated Warren County. Fetterman doesn't fit into the box the party has built for its candidates, Stearns said, either on issues, such as Fettermans outspoken advocacy for legalizing marijuana, or on looks, such as Fetterman being anything but clean-cut and suit-wearing. Were still trapped in that whole cycle of Thats the only way you can get elected, Stearns said. When Fetterman visits Stearns' rural area, he is genuine and approachable, and he looks and dresses like us," Stearns said. Im not 6-8, but I think for everyday Democrats, its a bonus. Its not clear that Fetterman necessarily intended to run as an outsider or even views himself that way. Still, there was a strong undercurrent that Jan. 29's state party committee vote was more about which Democrat can win in November than it was about Lamb's outreach. There are some misgivings about Fetterman's electability, compared with Lamb's record of winning three nationally watched races for Congress on difficult turf for a Democrat, sticking to moderate messaging and showing no fear of taking on not only the right wing, but the left wing, too. There are questions about whether Fetterman is battle-tested, too liberal or too nonconformist. Of course, primary voters on May 17 may disagree. Its difficult to know what the electorate is going to do, said Greg Stewart, the Democratic Party chair in Centre County. There have been plenty of successful candidates in high-profile primaries that were not the No. 1 choice of state Democratic Party committee members: Tom Wolf for governor in 2014, Kathleen Kane for attorney general in 2012, Joe Sestak for Senate in 2010 and Ed Rendell for governor in 2002. All but Sestak went on to win the general election. This is Fetterman's third statewide campaign after arriving in the tiny, crumbling and poverty-battered steel town of Braddock in 2001 as an AmeriCorps volunteer and winning his first mayoral election in 2005. By the time he first ran for higher office, Fetterman, 52, was a media darling for his unconventional efforts to reinvigorate Braddock and a progressive hero in the Pittsburgh area for his bare-knuckled advocacy. In 2016's three-way primary race for U.S. Senate, he accused the party-endorsed Katie McGinty of taking campaign contributions from the oil and gas industry and endorsed U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, the insurgent Vermont independent who was challenging establishment Democrat Hillary Clinton for the presidential nomination. Fetterman finished third. In 2018, as the Sanders-endorsed candidate, Fetterman won a five-way primary race for lieutenant governor to become Wolfs running mate against four candidates who split the southeastern Pennsylvania vote. Then in the 2020 presidential campaign, Fetterman further boosted his profile as a savvy go-to Biden surrogate on national cable TV news shows in the critical battleground state of Pennsylvania. Democrats dont doubt that Fetterman, if elected, will be a strong backer of Bidens agenda after he forged a symbiotic relationship with Wolf on progressive issues. Many also struggle to decide whether Fetterman and Lamb would even vote differently in the Senate. Still, Fetterman has not won over a critical mass of party leaders or allies. Lamb has backing from the state partys Latino Caucus, the National Organization for Women and the vast majority of building trades unions, plus Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney and Rich Fitzgerald, the chief executive of Allegheny County, which includes Pittsburgh. Malcolm Kenyatta, a second-term state representative from Philadelphia who campaigned around the country for Biden in 2020, also has netted endorsements from top-tier party allies, including big public employee labor unions and progressive groups. Most party pillars Wolf, Sen. Bob Casey and state Attorney General Josh Shapiro have not taken sides. Neither has the Senate Democrats' national political arm, as it did against Sestak in 2010 and again for McGinty in 2016. Democrats attribute that to a strong field, and some say they are satisfied with it, if torn over the choice. Fetterman, himself, after making his pitch on stage to state party committee members that he has the strongest campaign, struck a magnanimous tone, saying that any of the candidates sharing the stage could win in November. I fundamentally, absolutely believe it to be true, Fetterman told the crowd. ___ Follow Marc Levy on Twitter at https://www.twitter.com/timelywriter. The families of Omagh bomb victims will return to court if the UK Government does not commit to a fresh investigation into the Real IRA atrocity, a campaigner has said. Michael Gallagher, who lost his 21-year-old son Aiden in the 1998 bombing, said the families have had no contact from either the British or Irish Governments since a High Court judge last year recommended that a new probe should take place. Michael Gallagher whose son Aiden was killed in the Omagh Bomb (Liam McBurney/PA) Mr Gallagher was speaking after meetings on Monday at Stormont with the leaders of the DUP and TUV, who committed their support to an Article 2 compliant investigation into Omagh. In a High Court judgment last October Mr Justice Horner directly recommended that the UK Government carry out a human rights-compliant investigation into alleged security failings in the lead-up to the August 1998 attack. His ruling came following a legal challenge against the UK Governments refusal to hold a public inquiry into the Real IRA atrocity, which killed 29 people, including a woman pregnant with twins. While having no jurisdiction to order the Irish Government to act on the matter, the judge also urged authorities there to establish their own probe in light of his findings. Speaking following a meeting with Omagh families, DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said: The judge recommended an Article 2 compliant investigation into the Omagh case. I have consulted within our party and we have come to the view that we support the families call and the recommendation. There should also be an investigation within the Irish Republic, where there are many questions to be answered. DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson (right) with his party colleague Edwin Poots, said the DUP supported the call for a new investigation into Omagh (Liam McBurney/PA) Mr Gallagher said: All of the parties in Northern Ireland are now on board with the call for an Article 2 compliant investigation into Omagh. We have already written to the Secretary of State (Brandon Lewis) informing him that if he is not willing to meet us and discuss the way forward, that we will end up back in court seeking another judicial review. Since the judgment was made on October 8 and shortly after that we wrote to the Secretary of State and to the Taoiseach (Micheal Martin) requesting a meeting to try and navigate a way forward. We have had absolutely no response from either Government. It seems that they need to be dragged kicking and screaming to the courthouse doors. A UK Government spokesperson said: The Omagh bomb was a terrible atrocity and caused untold damage to the families of the 29 people who were tragically killed and the 220 who were injured. The reverberations were felt not just in Northern Ireland, but across the world. We are taking time to consider the judgment and all its recommendations carefully before making a decision on next steps. 'In God We Trust' Gathering Announced NEWS PROVIDED BY Presidential Inaugural Prayer Breakfast March 7, 2022 WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., March 7, 2022 /Christian Newswire/ -- On today's date, the Rev. Merrie Turner, Chairperson of the "Presidential Inaugural Prayer Breakfast" Governing Board, announced the 2022 Prayer, Thanksgiving and Fellowship Convocation -- IN GOD WE TRUST. Slated to convene in West Palm Beach, Florida on November 19, 2022 , the upcoming landmark ecumenical event will herald the unifying theme from Psalm 7 of the Old Testament, IN GOD WE TRUST -- the universal motto inscribed on both the US National Seal and the Florida State Seal. During her announcement, the Rev. Turner noted that Conservative Leaders at the State and National level will gather with present and former Government Dignitaries, to pray for a new Spiritual Awakening across America and for a revitalized Office of the Presidency. Joined in prayer with the 45th President of the United States, Donald J. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump, distinguished National and International Leaders, as well as prominent luminaries and invited guests will reaffirm both an enduring faith in this Great Nation, as well as their commitment to uphold our cherished Constitution and the Republic for which it Stands. Psalm 33:12 Blessed is the Nation whose God is the LORD Further Information: www.presidentialinauguralprayer.org SOURCE Presidential Inaugural Prayer Breakfast CONTACT: M. Turner, 540-595-9196, contact.us@presidentialinauguralprayer.org The Queen has held her first in-person engagement since catching Covid, meeting Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau. The 95-year-old monarch received Mr Trudeau in an audience at Windsor Castle on Monday. Mr Trudeau is in the UK for talks on the war in Ukraine with Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte. The monarch, who is also Queen of Canada, was pictured in a patterned dress, standing and smiling warmly at Mr Trudeau as he held her right hand in both of his. The Queen chats with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (Steve Parsons/PA) Mr Trudeau was also seen laughing as the Queen gestured towards herself during the meeting in the Oak Room sitting room. On the table immediately behind them was a large bouquet of blue and yellow flowers the colours of the Ukrainian flag. The gesture will be seen as a symbol of the Queens support for the people of Ukraine. The monarch last week made a donation to the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) Ukraine appeal to help civilians affected by the conflict. The head of state was not pictured with the walking stick she has been using of late. The Queen has a strong bond with Canada. The Commonwealth realm has been her most frequent overseas destination. The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh on a tour of Canada (John Stillwell/PA) She has visited more than 20 times, including a trip as a princess, but a number of years ago she called time on her official overseas visits. As a young child in the 1970s, Mr Trudeau met the Queen several times through his father, Pierre Trudeau, who was one of Canadas longest-serving prime ministers. The Queen tested positive for Covid on February 20 and has spent the last two weeks carrying out only light duties including a handful of virtual audiences. Last Tuesday, the Prince of Wales said his mother was a lot better now, and the head of state was pictured holding her first virtual audiences since her coronavirus diagnosis. The Queen receives Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau during an audience at Windsor Castle (Steve Parsons/PA) The Queen has two high-profile events coming up the Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey on March 14, and then the Duke of Edinburghs memorial service, also at the Abbey, on March 29. The nations longest-reigning monarch, who reached her Platinum Jubilee milestone last month, recently spent more than three months resting, on doctors orders. Last autumn she pulled out of attending the Cop26 climate change summit, the Festival of Remembrance and then the Remembrance Sunday Cenotaph service due to a sprained back. She also missed the Church of Englands General Synod. The Queen remarked I cant move at an audience in February (Steve Parsons/PA) The Queen now regularly uses a walking stick and has been pictured looking frailer recently. She remarked during a Windsor Castle audience last month: Well, as you can see, I cant move. Mr Trudeau is joining Mr Johnson as part of intense diplomatic efforts with foreign leaders to build a united front against Vladimir Putin. One day after Russia revealed that it had detained seven-time WNBA All-Star Brittney Griner on drug charges, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was asked what the Biden administration planned to do to help her. Blinken, speaking Sunday from Moldova, was reluctant to comment specifically on Griner, citing privacy considerations. Answering generally, Blinken told reporters, Whenever an American is detained anywhere in the world, we of course stand ready to provide every possible assistance, and that includes in Russia. Griner was arrested at an airport near Moscow last month after Russian authorities searched her luggage and allegedly found vape cartridges containing hashish oil. The Russian Federal Customs Service issued a statement Saturday that it had opened a criminal investigation into the large-scale transportation of drugs, which in Russia can carry a prison sentence of up to 10 years. The timing of Griners detainment raises concerns that her fate could become entangled in the confrontation between Russia and the West over war in Ukraine. A former top Pentagon official told Yahoo Sports on Saturday that shes concerned Russia may view Griner as a high-profile hostage who could serve as a valuable bargaining chip. If so, freeing Griner quickly could prove challenging. William Partlett, an associate professor at Melbourne Law School and an expert on Russian politics, told Yahoo Sports that the decreasing connections and trust between the U.S. and Russia are an obstacle, as is the possibility that Russia could demand more than the U.S. is willing to offer. Maybe the U.S. has someone in custody who they could exchange? Partlett said. But the sanctions and aid to Ukraine will not be lessened in order to get her out. Its unclear exactly how long Griner has been in custody because Russian authorities have not specified when in February she was detained. At the time of her arrest, Griner had just flown from New York to Russia, where the two-time Olympic gold medalist plays for European basketball powerhouse UMMC Ekaterinburg during the WNBA offseason. In an Instagram post on Saturday night, Griners wife thanked everyone who has reached out with prayers and support. Cherelle Griner said she loves Brittney wholeheartedly and called this one of the weakest moments of her life. I understand that many of you have grown to love BG over the years and have concerns and want details, Cherelle Griner wrote. Please honor our privacy as we continue to work on getting my wife home safely. Brittney Griner of the Phoenix Mercury is currently detained in Russia. (Photo by Mike Mattina/Getty Images) Griner is not the first U.S. citizen Russia has held in custody as tensions between the two nations have escalated. The U.S. so far has been unable to negotiate the release of two former U.S. Marines that Russia has imprisoned. Trevor Reed was sentenced to nine years in a Russian prison in 2020 after he allegedly got into an altercation with Russian police. Paul Whelan was sentenced to 16 years in Russian prison in 2020 for alleged espionage. On Sunday, when responding to the question about Griner, Blinken brought up Whelan and Reed, and described both as unjustly detained. Blinken concluded, We have an embassy team thats working on the cases of other Americans who are detained in Russia. Were doing everything we can to see to it that their rights are upheld and respected. LGBTQ groups have expressed particular concern about the treatment of Griner given that she is an openly gay woman being detained in a country that has a history of restricting LGBTQ rights. Athlete Ally, an organization that advocates for LGBTQ rights in sports, tweeted Sunday, Thinking of the countless times @brittneygriner has spoken out for LGBTQ+ equality. We all must speak out for her now and call for her to be safely released back home to her family. Feature Your News Online $25.00 / for 30 days Highlight your business' news for just $25! We'll feature your content on our News From Local Business section & our Marketplace front page to give it maximum exposure for the next 30 days. CUMMING, Ga. Donald Trump Jr. joined David Perdue in Cumming March 7 to rally for the former senators campaign for Georgia governor. The rally, which drew more than 100 enthusiastic supporters, took place at Reid Barn on Majors Road, which was lined with Perdue campaign signs. Lieutenant gubernatorial candidate Burt Jones and U.S. House candidate Vernon Jones also attended. Attendees cheered often as Trump Jr. lauded Perdues campaign and derided President Joe Bidens administration, which he said has destroyed the country. Trump Jr. also took shots at those he called weak Republicans, including Gov. Brian Kemp. Perdue is running a tight primary race against Kemp, and has leaned heavily on former President Donald Trumps endorsement in recent weeks in an attempt to pull ahead of the incumbent. We are up against a trillion-dollar mainstream media, a trillion-dollar social media complex, Trump Jr. said. They love weak Republicans. Theyre useful idiots. Theyll love a Brian Kemp because they know that when it actually matters, Brian Kemp wont fight. Trump Jr. toed the line of calling the November 2020 election in Georgia fraudulent, saying that Kemp failed to address multiple statistical anomalies in the election. Perdue was more direct, saying that a judge had found compelling evidence of fraud in Fulton Countys election. Perdue filed suit against the county last year seeking to inspect absentee ballots used in the election. Claims of widespread voter fraud in Georgia have been largely debunked. Republicans like Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger have worked in their 2022 campaigns to dispel election fraud rumors. Trump Jr. said Democrats and mainstream Republicans in the federal government have pushed for war against Russia in defense of Ukraine. He also criticized the U.S. continuing to import oil from Russia instead of increasing domestic oil production. Its not the governments money, folks, Trump Jr. said. Everything is taxpayer funded. Theyre taking your money to give to Russia to fund the war that they say theyre against. Perdue and Trump Jr. emphasized that Georgias upcoming election could shape the future of the state and the country. Perdue said electing a conservative governor would be a precursor to the country electing a conservative president in 2024. Trump Jr. said it is important for voters to support Perdue, Burt Jones, Vernon Jones and other MAGA-endorsed candidates. In a short press conference after the event, Perdue said Georgia Republicans had lost confidence in the election process after 2020, and his aim was to get people out to vote this year to fix this. He pointed specifically to the election of Sens. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff. We realize now what can happen when we dont vote in Georgia, Perdue said. We see two very liberal representatives right now representing this conservative state. When Chamblee High School alumni recently shared their stories of going to the Department of Motor Vehicles at Chamblee Plaza, it made me curious about how the process of getting a drivers license may have changed through the years. According to history.com, Missouri and Massachusetts first issued drivers licenses in 1903. The first state to require a drivers exam and license was Rhode Island in 1919. By 1930, 24 states required a license, and 15 had drivers exams. Georgia was the 43rd state to enact a drivers license law. Gov. Eurith D. Rivers introduced the legislation for the drivers license in 1937, but only new drivers were required to take an examination. Governor Rivers received the first drivers license in the state. Application forms for a drivers license could be picked up at police stations, sheriffs offices, gas stations, and State Patrol offices. The cost was $1 for the head of the family, 50 cents for the next person and 25 cents for minors. (Atlanta Constitution, April 4, 1937, New state drivers license law to become effective on July 1) A November 1952 Atlanta Constitution article outlines the major issue with Georgia drivers. Two million people were licensed to drive. 500,000 of those people were licensed before the law was created in 1937 and had never taken a drivers examination. Due to the high number of car accidents, the National Highway Safety Act was enacted in 1966. Each state was required to develop a highway safety program by Dec. 31, 1968. The safety program would need approval by the Secretary of Commerce. Mrs. Jerry Peters, president of the Georgia Federation of Womens Clubs, started a campaign for a drivers license reexamination test in 1971. Her main concern was how much vision can change over the years. A driver reexamination law was passed in Georgia in 1970 but vetoed by Gov. Lester Maddox. When Jimmy Carter became governor, Mrs. Peters sent him a detailed report of her findings on how other states reexamined drivers. She visited those states and took their reexamination tests. Georgia did not require reexamination unless an individual let their license lapse, or it was suspended or revoked. The way Mrs. Peters saw it, This is as stupid as going to a doctor when you are 20 and just because you are told you are in excellent health, you never see a doctor again. (Atlanta Constitution, Oct. 21, 1971, Many people are driving blind) As a side note to this story, I would prefer to use Mrs. Peters full name rather than her married name, but this article appeared in 1971 and married women were always referred to in this manner. Sometimes I can discover a womans given name through resources such as census records, but not in Mrs. Peters case. YEREVAN, MARCH 7, ARMENPRESS. The Russian military announced it will hold fire starting 10:00 March 7 in Ukraine for the evacuation of civilians through humanitarian corridors. Russia's defense ministry said the routes are set up in the capital Kyiv, as well as Kharkiv, Mariupol and Sumy. It added that the Russian forces will conduct uninterrupted supervision of the evacuation process, including with the use of UAVs. His statue in Melbourne was covered in red paint but Captain James Cook has very little to do with us celebrating Australia Day on January 26. He landed in Botany Bay on April 28, 1770, and he didnt stay long. The First Fleet arrived in Botany Bay on January 18, 1788. Governor Phillip rejected Botany Bay as being suitable for a settlement due to its lack of fresh water and infertile soil, choosing instead to sail north into what he named Port Jackson, arriving there on January 26. Is this why we celebrate Australia Day on January 26? Wasnt it the so called Birth of a Nation? No, Not Really The 26th was chosen as Australia Day for a different reason; however, Captain Cooks landing was included in Australia Day celebrations as a reminder of a significant historical event. Since the bicentenary celebrations of 1988, when Sydneysiders decided Captain Cooks landing should become the focus of the Australia Day commemoration, the importance of this date for all Australians has been hijacked by the media and self-interest groups. The media, as usual, is happy to twist the truth for the sake of controversy it sells more papers. Our politicians have not been advertising the real reason for Australia Day and our educators have not been teaching our children the importance of January 26 to all Australians. It makes me wonder if they really know. The Real Reason On January 26, 1949, the Australian nationality came into existence when the Nationality and Citizenship Act 1948 was enacted. It was the day we were first called Australians and allowed to travel with Passports as Australians. Under the Nationality Act 1920, all Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders born after January 1, 1921, gained the status of British subjects. In 1949, therefore, they automatically became Australian citizens under the Nationality and Citizenship Act 1948. It was the day First Nations people were called Australians. Now, a generation later, the real reason for celebrating is all but lost. In recent years, the media has helped fan the flames of discontent among the Aboriginal community. Many are now so offended by what they see as a celebration of the beginning of the darkest days of Aboriginal history, they want the date changed. Various local Councils are seeking to remove themselves from Australia Day celebrations, even refusing to participate in citizenship ceremonies and calls are going out to have Australia Day on a different day. Why has the Government allowed this misconception to continue? We became our own people The reality is, Aborigines in this country suffered terribly at the hands of British colonialism. This is as much Australias history as the landing of the first fleet and both should be remembered, equally. Both should be taught, side by side, in our schools. Australians of today abhor what was done under British governance to the Aborigines. I am disgusted by the acts of violence, unpunished murder, rape, assaults and dispossession undertaken by the British after their arrival in the new colony. We abhor what was done under British governance to the Irish and many other cultures around the world (and not only by the British either). So, after the horrors of WWII, we decided to fix it. Before January 26, 1949, all people living in Australia, including Aborigines born after 1921, were called British Subjects and had to travel on British Passports and fight in British wars. We all became Australians on the same day! Therefore, we celebrate Australia Day on January 26! This is why January 26 is the day new Australians receive their citizenship. It is a day which celebrates the implementation of the Nationality and Citizenship Act of 1948 the Act which gave freedom and protection to the First Australians and gives all Australians, old and new, the right to live under the protection of Australian Law, united as one nation. We need to remember both the good and the bad in our history, but the emphasis must be the freedom and unity all Australians now have, because of what was done on January 26, 1949, to allow all of us to live without fear in a land of peace. Isnt it time all Australians were taught the real reason we celebrate Australia Day on January 26th? Australia was founded by Christians but became a brutal colony under British rule. Unfortunately, its history and we cant return to the past and stop the brutality. What we can do is acknowledge the history, accept it wasnt right and do all we can to unite Australians as one nation under God. YEREVAN, MARCH 7, ARMENPRESS. Member of Parliament of Armenia from the ruling Civil Contract faction Eduard Aghajanyan assures that all opportunities are created for all Armenian citizens in Ukraine to return to homeland via the countries bordering Ukraine. I am in contact with the Armenian Ambassador in Ukraine, our Embassy is working actively with the representatives of our community in order to ensure their safety. With the support of the Embassy, the representatives of Armenian community have been relocated inside Ukraine, he said at a parliamentary press briefing. The Embassy of Armenia moved to Lviv as the Ukrainian capital Kiev is one of the points of the military operations. For any representative of our community, who wishes to leave, all opportunities have been created for returning to Armenia via the countries bordering Ukraine from the west. And our Embassy in Ukraine does everything for this process to take place as easy as possible, the lawmaker said. As for Armenians, who are citizens of Ukraine, have no Armenian citizenship, the MP stated that its impossible to have clear information about them, clear information is possible to have about the citizens of Armenia living in Ukraine. He assured that all the problems and issues relating to all Armenian citizens living in Ukraine are being coordinated and solved through the Embassy. He added that all conditions exist in Armenia in order to provide respective support to those citizens who have suffered as a result of that process. YEREVAN, MARCH 7, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian Foreign Ministry issued a statement over the ceasefire violation by the Azerbaijani armed forces on the March 7, condemning the killing of a serviceman of the Armenian Armed Forces, emphasizing that such incidents, the regular violations of the ceasefire, further substantiate the simultaneous withdrawal of troops from the Armenia-Azerbaijan border and the need to deploy an observation mission, ARMENPRESS was informed from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. On March 7, Sergeant Hrach Manasaryan, a serviceman of the Armenian Armed Forces, was killed and another serviceman was wounded in a gross violation of the ceasefire by the Azerbaijani Armed Forces in the western part of the Armenian border. We express our deepest condolences and support to the family members and relatives of the killed soldier, and wish a speedy recovery to the wounded soldier. Although the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan has denied that a serviceman of the Armenian Armed Forces was killed as a result of the actions of their units, the official statement on the March 7 meeting at the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan is in line with the logic of increasing the aggressiveness of Azerbaijani units. Condemning the murder of a serviceman of the Armenian Armed Forces, we consider it necessary to emphasize that such incidents and regular violations of the ceasefire further substantiate the need for the simultaneous withdrawal of troops from the Armenia-Azerbaijan border and the deployment of an observation mission in the border area. We also consider it necessary for the international community to properly assess Azerbaijan's provocative actions and statements, reads the statement. YEREVAN, MARCH 7, ARMENPRESS. Delivering weapons to Ukraine can become more difficult in the coming days, ARMENPRESS reports, citing TASS, US First Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said on March 7. "It may become more difficult in the coming days and we will need to look for other ways," she told reporters during a visit to Spain. Sherman did not provide additional details. "It's very important that what we send is what Zelensky is asking for. He knows what his military needs," the U.S. Deputy Secretary of State added. In February, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that he had ordered to deliver up to $350 million in immediate military assistance to Ukraine. Petitioners, who had cleared the UPSC 2021 prelims exam, could not appear in all papers of the main exam after testing positive for COVID-19 New Delhi: The UPSC Monday told the Supreme Court that issue raised in a petition filed by three aspirants, who had cleared the UPSC 2021 prelims exam but could not appear in all papers of the main exam after testing positive for COVID-19 and are now seeking an extra attempt to appear in the exams, is very complicated. The petitioners have sought a direction to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) to extend them an additional attempt to appear in the exam or in the alternate make some arrangement to appear in rest of the papers which they could not give, before the publication of result. The counsel appearing for the UPSC told the apex court that he needs to take instructions and place on record all the aspects before any decision is taken on the issue. I think this is an issue which is very, very complicated. I think I need instructions and place on record all the aspects before your lordships, before any decision is taken, the UPSC's counsel told a bench of Justices A M Khanwilkar and C T Ravikumar. The bench posted the matter for hearing on March 21 and said that affidavits be filed by the parties before the next date. While two of the three petitioners had to leave the main exam, held from January 7 to 16, in-between after appearing in some initial papers, the third aspirant could not appear in any of the papers due to COVID. During the hearing on Monday, senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, who was appearing for the petitioners, told the bench that they had served the copy of the petition to the counsel for the respondents -- the Centre and UPSC. While seeking two weeks to take instructions in the matter, the counsel appearing for the commission told the bench that interviews are slated to start only in April. On February 28, the bench had asked the petitioners to serve the copy of the petition to the standing counsel for the concerned respondents. The petitioners, in their plea filed through advocate Shashank Singh, have said that they were tested positive for COVID-19 in the RTPCR test reports dated January 13, 14 and January 6. The plea has said the petitioners could not give the UPSC mains examination after testing positive for COVID-19 and owing to the restrictions imposed under the strict quarantine guidelines of the government. Also, there was absence of any kind of policy of UPSC which could provide arrangements for such petitioners who were COVID positive during the span of mains examination or before it, it said. The petitioners are approaching this court under Article 32 and seeking a direction to the Respondent/ UPSC to extend them an additional (extra) attempt to appear in the examination or in alternate, make some arrangement to appear in the rest of papers which the petitioners could not give before the publication of result of civil service mains examination 2021, the plea said. It claimed that absence of policy and no arrangement to accommodate COVID-19 positive petitioners to appear in the civil service mains examination 2021 have violated their rights, including that of under Article 14 (equality before law) of the Constitution of India. The grenade fell and exploded in the middle of the road, leaving 24 pedestrians and a policeman injured Srinagar: At least, one person was killed and 34 including 18 women and a cop injured in a grenade blast at a busy marketplace in heart of Jammu and Kashmir's summer capital Srinagar on Sunday evening. The police and witnesses said that unknown person tossed a hand grenade towards the security personnel at Amira Kadal - Hari Singh High Street axis here at around 4.20 pm. The grenade fell and exploded in the middle of the road, leaving 24 pedestrians and a policeman injured. They were quickly evacuated to nearby medical facilities but one of them identified as Abdus Salaam, a 70-year-old resident of Srinagar's Makhdoom Sahab, Nowhatta locality, succumbed to his injuries, the hospital sources said. Inspector General of Police (Kashmir range), Vijay Kumar, blamed the incident on separatist militants and said, "We're working hard to identify the person(s) involved in this gory act and smash this terrorist- criminal module also." He added, "In the light of this act of grenade throwing in the busy Sunday market near Amira Kadal bridge, the police urges all civilians to be vigilant and report any suspected activity to it to thwart the nefarious designs of terrorists". Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police (Central Kashmir), Sujit Kumar, while talking to reporters at the site of incident said, "We've got the CCTV footage and some vital clues have come forward. Though no outfit has claimed responsibility, so far, the police is working on leads to track the attackers". He said that the police will take steps to prevent such attacks at busy places in future. "We will not allow it to become a trend," he said, adding that security was a challenge in entire Kashmir Valley including Srinagar. The hospital sources, meanwhile, said that a young girl critically wounded in the grenade attack is battling for life at City's Sri Maharaja Hari Singh Hospital whereas the other injured are stable. According to the government, it has flown more than 13,000 students back home safely from Ukraine so far Indian students who were stranded in Ukraine amid Russia-Ukraine conflict, arrive at the IGI Airport in New Delhi, Sunday, March 6, 2022. (PTI Photo) Mumbai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has attributed the evacuation of Indian students from the war-hit Ukraine to Indias growing influence in the world. While other countries faced difficulties to rescue its citizens, we were able to carry out the evacuation. This proves the increasing influence of India in the world, Mr Modi said on Sunday while speaking at the Golden Jubilee programme of the Symbiosis University in Pune. The Centre has launched Operation Ganga, under which special flights were arranged to evacuate citizens stranded in Ukraine, which has been attacked by Russia. According to the government, it has flown more than 13,000 students back home safely from Ukraine so far. We are evacuating thousands of Indians safely from the war zone through Operation Ganga, said Mr Modi. The PM also inaugurated a metro project in Pune, a foundation stone of which was laid by him only on December 24, 2016. Before inaugurating the metro service, he unveiled a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in the premises of Pune civic body. However, the NCP and the Congress alleged that the project has been incomplete. Pune NCP president Prashant Jagtap said that Mr Modi was inaugurating the metro rail project which was incomplete, whereas Pune city Congress unit president Ramesh Bagwe said that the PM was cheating the people of Pune by inaugurating incomplete projects. NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday had said the work of the metro rail service to be inaugurated by the PM was incomplete. The NCP and Congress workers also staged protests against Mr Modi for insulting Maharashtra. They came out on roads carrying black flags and placards, with Go Back Modi written on them across the city. Modi had in Parliament insulted Maharashtra by suggesting that the state had encouraged the spread of Covid-19 to other states. We demand an apology from PM Modi, or else he should go back, said Mr Bagwe. Russian forces, for humanitarian purposes, are declaring a 'regime of silence' from 10:00 am on 7 March, the Russian defence ministry said A Ukrainian man rides his bicycle near to a factory and a store burning after been bombarded in Irpin, on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Sunday, March 6, 2022. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti) MOSCOW: Russia said Monday it will open humanitarian corridors to allow the evacuation of civilians from several Ukrainian cities experiencing heavy fighting, including the capital Kyiv and the besieged port city of Mariupol. "Russian forces, for humanitarian purposes, are declaring a 'regime of silence' from 10:00 am on 7 March and the opening of humanitarian corridors," the Russian defence ministry said in a statement. It listed evacuation routes from the capital Kyiv as well as Mariupol, Kharkiv and Sumy -- all of which have been under heavy Russian attacks in recent days. Moscow said the decision was taken after a "personal request" by French President Emmanuel Macron to Russia's Vladimir Putin. The pair spoke on Sunday in their fourth conversation since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24th. Moscow said it had informed the UN, the OSCE and other international organisations of the corridors and called on Ukraine to "strictly fulfil all the conditions" of the evacuations. "We expect concrete actions from the official Kyiv authorities, as well as from the leadership of the above cities mentioned," it said. The Russian army pummelled Ukrainian cities from the air, land and sea on Monday, with warnings they were preparing for an assault on the capital Kyiv. The relentless fire has pushed more than 1.5 million people across Ukraine's borders as refugees, though many others are displaced internally or trapped in cities being reduced to rubble by Russian bombardment. by Arundathie Abeysinghe The government follows the fighting, but has said it will remain neutral. Moscow is among the main buyers of Sri Lankan tea. Many medical students are stranded in Kyiv. Colombo (AsiaNews) - Sri Lanka has diplomatic and commercial relations with both Russia and Ukraine, so at the moment it has decided not to take sides in the ongoing conflict. Russia is one of the main buyers of Sri Lanka's "Ceylon tea", and by virtue of the relations between the two countries, Moscow has always supported Colombo in UN Human Rights Council resolutions regarding war responsibilities and post-war reconciliation on the island. At the same time, a large number of Sri Lankan medical students are stranded in Ukraine. As several political analysts have pointed out, the rapid escalation of the war between Russia and Ukraine could have a major impact on the Sri Lankan economy: Russia and Ukraine are important markets for Sri Lanka, a country already hit by a severe dollar crisis and declining revenues in the tourism sector. Due to the pandemic, Western visitors have almost completely disappeared, but Russian and Ukrainian visitors accounted for about a quarter of total arrivals. More than 1,000 Russian and Ukrainian tourists are currently stranded in Sri Lanka because of the conflict. The government has taken extra precautions to provide them with assistance. Sri Lanka imports about 45% of wheat from the two warring countries, from which it also obtains more than half of its national needs for oil, sunflower seeds and soya beans. It also imports asbestos, semi-finished iron and steel products. Sri Lankan government sources have told AsiaNews that they are "deeply concerned" about the recent escalation of violence. The governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, Ajith Nivard Cabraal, hopes "that the conflict will not escalate". A statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs called on "all parties concerned to exercise utmost restraint and work towards an immediate cessation of hostilities in order to maintain peace, security and stability in the region". Sri Lanka also stressed the need for 'all parties concerned to make efforts' to resolve this tragedy through 'diplomacy and sincere dialogue'. Cabinet spokesman Ramesh Pathirana says the clashes in Ukraine have 'seriously affected Sri Lanka's economy'. Oil prices could rise in the near future and some observers fear that the war could even bankrupt the country. Last week, a group of Ukrainian citizens protested in front of the Russian embassy against Russian President Vladimir Putin's military action in Ukraine. The measures concern the Hajj and the Umrah. The Saudis earn prestige and at least 11 billion euro a year from religious tourism. The obligation to have a swab at the entrance and quarantine for vaccinated people lifted. The requirement to wear a mask indoors in public places and mosques remains. Anticipation grows among Muslims around the world. Riyadh (AsiaNews) - After two years of closures imposed to contain the Covid-19 pandemic, Saudi Arabia is easing restrictions in the holy places of Mecca and Medina and (re)opening its doors to foreign pilgrims for the Hajj and the Umra, the major and minor pilgrimages. Riyadh has shelved the obligation to stay away from public places and the quarantine on arrival (for vaccinated travellers), factors that could encourage the arrival of Muslim believers and boost religious tourism. Moreover, in the coming weeks the government will decide on the quota of visas reserved for 2022 for the various countries for major pilgrimages. Yesterday, the official Saudi Press Agency confirmed the decision to suspend "social distancing measures in all outdoor and indoor places", including mosques. For the time being, only the obligation to wear protective masks inside buildings and public places remains. The new regulations will come into force on 12 March and should have positive implications both for pilgrimages and for the prayers and convivial evening gatherings associated with Ramadan. This year, the holy month of fasting and prayer is scheduled to run from April 2 to May 2, although deadlines may vary from country to country depending on when the new moon is seen, while the Hajj will be held between July 7 and 12 (dates to be confirmed). Also with regard to tourists and pilgrims with a full vaccination cycle, the Saudi kingdom will no longer ask for a molecular test or a rapid negative swab before entry and to carry out the quarantine period. These measures will encourage the return of pilgrims and help to boost the finances of the country, which has always made large profits from religious tourism. In fact, before the pandemic, the Hajj and the Umra generated an annual turnover of more than 11 billion euro. Moreover, hosting pilgrimages is a matter of prestige for the Saudis, who draw the most powerful source of their political legitimacy and legitimacy within the Muslim world from their custody of the two sacred sites of Islam. Among the first believers who are eagerly awaiting to enter shortly for the minor pilgrimage are the Muslims of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The 55-year-old Umm Fahah tells Khaleej Times that 'I used to travel every year for Umra [...], inshallah I will be there [in Mecca] in the last 10 days of Ramadan' at the end of April. Experts in the field predict that the number of visiting worshippers is expected to soon return to pre-pandemic levels, while the minimum age for entering the holy places is five, as set by the Saudi ministry for Hajj and Umra. On Twitter, the head of the ministry, Tawfiq Al-Rabiah, wrote: 'Two years ago Umra was suspended due to the pandemic, while now it is open to all. In 2021, the Covid-19 pandemic forced Saudi authorities to drastically scale back the major pilgrimage for the second year in a row, albeit with a few more permissions than the previous year. About 60,000 citizens and foreign residents in the kingdom participated in the Hajj, with a full vaccination cycle. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the country has recorded over 746,000 cases, 9,000 of which were fatal, in a population of about 34 million. by Nirmala Carvalho According to the local prosecutor, there is no evidence of forced conversions in the Varadara shelter run by the Sisters of Mother Teresa. The case began with National Commission for Protection of Child Rights inspecting the facility. The Sisters will continue our work to serve the poorest of the poor, one of the nuns said; however, the anti-Christian campaign by Hindu extremists continues. Mumbai (AsiaNews) In the Indian state of Gujarat, a local court dropped all legal proceedings against the Missionaries of Charity in Vadodara resulting from charges of forced conversions brought against them. The decision dismisses one of the most high-profile actions undertaken by Hindu nationalists in recent months in their anti-conversion campaign, involving the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), which has been increasingly used to legally harass Christian facilities. The story began on 9 December when the NCPCR inspected the Nirmala Shishu Bhavan, a shelter run by the Sisters of Mother Teresa housing 48 girls, 22 of whom are physically or mentally disabled. On 12 December, the NCPCR filed a complaint with the Makarpura police accusing the nuns of trying to convert the girls, thus violating the anti-conversion law in force in Gujarat since 2003. In its complaint, the NCPCT asked that the girls be removed from the nuns care and transferred to another facility. In the end, the accusations turned out to be so unfounded that the prosecutor acknowledged in writing that there was no serious basis to proceed against the Missionaries of Charity. God is with us, said Sr Clarissa, speaking to AsiaNews. Even though we had to go through this situation, we are grateful to God, who is with us, and to all the people who supported us, including people of other faiths who encourage us to continue our work to serve the poorest of the poor and the destitute. Bishop Stanislaus Fernandes, apostolic administrator of the local diocese of Baroda, also spoke to AsiaNews about the case. At the moment, the prosecution said that it was not proceeding with the case because they did not have the full details, the bishop explained. This has given some relief but we may go to the High Court to quash the case. If this affair seems to be over in Gujarat, the same unfortunately cannot be said about the anti-Christian campaign by Hindu extremists elsewhere in the country. The latest incident to be reported involves a Deli clergyman, Rev Kelom Tet, an evangelical pastor who lives in the Fatehpuri Berri area, who told police that he was beaten and humiliated by a group of strangers who accused him of conversion. They tried to take his Bible from him and forced him to chant a Hindu proclamation. In the state of Karnataka, thousands of Catholics created a silent human chain last Wednesday to protest against the anti-conversion legislation proposed by the State government. The bill is currently before the Legislative Assembly. This is Israels first military operation since the start of Russias invasion of Ukraine. Heavy material damage was reported. Israeli raids are carried out with the tacit agreement of Moscow, an ally of Syrian President Assad. Russia has a substantial military presence in Syria. Bennett met Putin. Damascus (AsiaNews) Israel launched an attack against sensitive targets near Damascus, the capital of Syria, the first since Russias invasion of Ukraine, Syrian state television reported. Early this morning, Israeli planes fired missiles that killed two civilians and caused material damage. Syrian air defences shot down most of the missiles but some scored a hit. Military installations on the outskirts of Damascus and nearby infrastructures suffered heavy damage. The attack began at 5 am, just over 24 hours after Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow to discuss Russias war against Ukraine, which has already caused thousands of deaths and over 1.5 million refugees. Talks centre on how to reach a ceasefire, something that still appears very remote. Russia is allied with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and has a large military presence in that country, but allows Israel to carry out operations against targets in Syria. This is why Israel has remained neutral in the Russia-Ukraine conflict and is trying to get the two sides to talk, steps deemed necessary to safeguard its relatively unrestricted access to Syrian airspace with Kremlins approval. According to SANA, Syria state news agency, Israeli fighters fired missiles from Lebanese airspace, killing two civilians and causing serious material damage near the capital. Nothing is known about the victims and their involvement in the military operation. Israel last hit Syria on 24 February, just hours before Moscow launched its assault on Ukraine. Three Syrian soldiers died on that occasion. Israel targets pro-Iranian armed groups and Iranian allies, particularly those deployed near the Golan Heights, as well as Shia-dominated Hezbollah and its armed wing. Last month, Israel also reportedly fired ground-to-ground missiles at an observation post and a finance building near the border town of Quneitra on the Syrian side of the Golan Heights. In the past, Israel has carried out numerous attacks on Syrian and Lebanese territory, usually after receiving the green light from the US and Russia. During his presidency, US President Donald Trump was a staunch ally of then Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In Syria alone, Israel carried out 50 operations against strategic objectives in 2020, this according to Israeli government sources; however, Israel rarely issues any official confirmation or denial. The situation has not changed since Democrat Joe Biden moved into the White House. So far, the latter has tolerated if not authorised Israeli military operations across the border, which the new Bennett government has continued after he took over from Netanyahu in June 2021. by Shafique Khokhar For it is in giving that we receive was the theme of a meeting organised by the archdiocese for catechism teachers, with a couple as an example of how to serve the marginalised. Karachi (AsiaNews) The Archdiocese of Karachi began Lent on Saturday with a message for catechism teachers working for the Karachi Catholic School Board of Education. For it is in giving that we receive was chosen as the inspiration for the meeting attended by 50 people, so that they may be motivated to open the eyes of children to the needs of the poor. Kashif Anthony, coordinator of the National Commission for Justice and Peace, called on catechists to do the same for those who need their support to lift their lives. These days of Lent and fast are very important for us all to surrender and give ourselves into the hands of Jesus so we may be blessed and filled with Gods blessings, he said. We must detach ourselves, be charitable and have a humble contrite heart and for this we must ponder on the suffering of Jesus on the Cross who gave all in order to save us, he said quoting the homily of Archbishop Benny Mario Travas of Karachi on Ash Wednesday. Anthony's wife Mariyam, a teacher at St Patrick's High School and a well-known activist for social and human rights in Karachi, echoed his words, stressing the importance of each teacher in building the countrys future and shaping the lives of students. To motivate teachers to introduce their students to the beauty of giving, she highlighted three activities. The first, Don't close your eyes is meant to encourage students to look at and respond to the needs of others; the second, the worlds tallest tree shows how even a small seed can become a giant plant; and finally, the half-eaten apple helps to reflect on what is our priority in giving. Hundreds of people can speak about worldly things but very few can raise the soul towards God, said Ms Shazia Yousuf, a teacher at St Luke's High School, one of the catechists who attended the meeting. by Steve Suwannarat A report by Thai police estimates that thousands of women and children are trafficked each year. Poor law enforcement by Japanese authorities against the sex trade weighs heavily on the matter. Thailand remains a major hub for international human trafficking. Bangkok (AsiaNews) Each year thousands of Thai women, often under age, arrive in Japan to join the local prostitution racket run by criminal gangs with the cooperation of established recruitment and handling networks. In Thailand, this racket was traditionally been underestimated and still enjoys support at various levels, encouraged by widespread and persistent corruption, this according to research by a Thai police team led by Lieutenant Colonel Pongnakorn Nakhonsantiphap. The police study estimates that each year 10,000 to 15,000 women and children are smuggled into Japan with fake papers to work in the local sex industry. Japan has strict laws that punish sexual exploitation but is very loose in enforcing them. In the case of illegal trafficking of women and children for prostitution, Japan has been the largest market for trafficked Thais in the last 10 years, the report said. At the same time, the study confirmed that Thailand remains a crossroads of regional and international human trafficking in its various forms, a situation ignored for far too long and often covered up by the authorities. This became clearly evident in 2015 with the discovery in southern Thailand of mass graves of Rohingya fleeing the genocide in Myanmar men, women and children who died in captivity or killed after families failed to pay the required ransom. Hundreds of Rohingya were picked up at sea by the Thai coast guard during the exodus only to be handed over to traffickers for exploitation in the country or abroad. Similarly, despite the newly raised awareness, Thailand has remained in the Tier 2 watch list[*] of the Trafficking in Persons Report by the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons of the US Department of State. Like other sources, the US report notes that the Southeast Asian country plays a central role in the trafficking of thousands of people bound for a life of abuse and exploitation. According to the aforementioned Thai police report, the latter include at least 30,000 unskilled Thai labourers trafficked abroad. [*] Tier 2 countries are those whose governments do not fully meet the minimum standards set by the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 but are making significant efforts to bring themselves into compliance with those standards. Today's headlines: trade between Russia and China grows 38.5% in January and February; the Orthodox patriarchs of Moscow and Alexandria clash; South Korean widens sanctions against Moscow; More than 100 Rohingya refugees found starving on an Indonesian beach; Iran criticises Russian interference in US nuclear deal negotiations; Indian wheat exports hit record levels. RUSSIA A large number of protest rallies against the war in Ukraine took place yesterday in several cities across the country. The authorities arrested more than 3,000 people. Among them was 80-year-old activist Svetlana Gannushkina, who was arrested near the Kremlin along with other members of the historic humanitarian organisation, Memorial. An Orthodox priest was also arrested in Karabanovo. CHINA-RUSSIA In the first two months of 2022, Sino-Russian trade grew almost 40% in one year to $ 26.4 billion. However, this figure does not yet take into account the effects of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. RUSSIA-EGYPT Patriarch Kirill of Moscow urged Patriarch Theodoros of Alexandria "to reconsider his decisions and stop supporting the schism in Ukraine". The head of the Russian Orthodox called for the withdrawal of the threat to reduce Leonid, the Russian exarch for Africa, to the lay state. Kirill also complained that "for eight years a massacre of people has been taking place in Donbass, but the world says nothing". SOUTH KOREA Seoul today imposed a ban on transactions with the Russian Central Bank and is preparing to adopt new sanctions against Moscow's aggression against Ukraine. The decision, say South Korean authorities, is in line with the punitive measures decided by the US and its allies. INDONESIA More than 100 Rohingya refugees have been found starving on a beach in the northwestern province of Aceh. Members of the ethnic group of Islamic faith tried to reach Indonesia by makeshift means. They left the Bangladeshi reception camps, where they arrived fleeing Myanmar to escape military repression. IRAN Tehran negotiators criticise Russian "interference" in talks to restore the nuclear deal between the Islamic Republic and world powers. While an understanding seems within reach, the Iranians consider Russian intervention "not constructive". Moscow demands a written guarantee that the US will not sanction its cooperation with Iran. INDIA Forecasts indicate that India will export seven million tonnes of wheat this year, a record amount for the world's second largest producer of the cereal. With rising prices of agricultural products due to the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, Delhi expects to capture new foreign market share. by Vladimir Rozanskij The invasion ordered by Putin has caused a generational split: young people criticise the regime, the elderly support the Russian president. According to Kremlin propaganda, Ukrainians are bombing their own homes. The conflict is destroying family units in Russia. Moscow (AsiaNews) - Among the many tragic aspects of the Russian invasion of Ukraine are the disruptive effects on families in Russia, due above all to the loss of so many young lives of the soldiers sent to the frontlines Officially, the Kremlin admits to very small numbers, a few hundred losses compared to the many thousands reported by the Ukrainians. The corpses are almost secretly repatriated, but the first "silent" funerals have already taken place in the Caucasian regions close to the war zones, such as Chechnya, Ingushetia, Kabardino-Balkaria, Astrakhan, North Ossetia, Krasnodar and Dagestan. From these territories, the mothers' lamentations also spread to the press, as documented by Kavkaz.Realii, one of the many agencies at risk of closure by the Russian authorities. Families all over Russia are living these hardships in dramatic conditions, not only because of the physical loss of young people sacrificed to the madness of war, but also because of ideological divisions over the very reasons for the 'special military operation', as the government calls it. Many children break ties with their parents and friends for these reasons. The 28-year-old Ekaterina, a fitness trainer from the Rostov region near the Donbass, tells of her mother, director of the local House of Culture, who has always supported the government even when its anti-democratic manoeuvres were evident, as in the electoral fraud she had to witness. Now the family is divided over the war: the taxi driver father firmly believes in Nato's threats and approves the invasion, blaming the USA. The mother doubts, but explains to her daughter that 'it was the Ukrainians who asked us for help, don't argue or I'll lose my nerve, it's not up to us anyway'. Ekaterina has stopped visiting her parents, and her husband is in the same situation with his, who are even older and more firmly Putin supporters. The argument became inevitable after a video shared on the family chat , denouncing the assault, and the mother-in-law lashed out at Ekaterina and her husband calling them 'traitors' and shouting that they had 'lived the last 30 years in vain' after the end of the USSR. The only one to remain silent is her father-in-law from Ukraine, who is obviously unable to speak out so as not to get divorced at almost 90 years old. According to Ekaterina, people who support Putin do so 'because their brains no longer work, or because they never had a conscience'. Another young woman interviewed lives on the border between the Rostov province and the Caucasus: 24-year-old Viktoria, a potrait artist and illustrator by profession. Her parents live far away, and until the war, her relationship with them was "tender and warm", but now it is hell. Her mother often repeats "you young people don't know what a disaster there was before Putin", expressing her total trust in the leader, supported more discreetly by her husband. "My parents buy all the propaganda on television, even though they could very well inform themselves elsewhere; they are not old, even my grandmother knows how to use TikTok," Viktoria explains. The young people hope that the older generations will open their eyes to the war, because security and relative prosperity is one thing, but death and destruction is quite another. Viktoria's mother is only 45 years old, yet she invokes the dustiest Soviet slogans against 'aggression by the West'. The 28-year-old manager Arkadij from Krasnodar considered himself apolitical, and became interested in these issues when the Naval'nyj group denounced Premier Medvedev's glitz in 2017. His 50-year-old mother is convinced by TV propaganda that it is Ukrainians who are throwing bombs at their own homes, and it is impossible to convince her otherwise: if you show her news from the internet, she replies "on TV they said it's all fake news". Arkadij concludes disconsolately that 'soon I will no longer be able to live and work among people who support the genocide of a brotherly people, starting with my mother'. The website reports many other similar testimonies, mostly disagreements between parents and children, but also between peers, relatives and acquaintances. If the war was also started to 'defend our values', it is certainly destroying not only many lives but also many families, one of the most important values proclaimed by the regime. CVT Through January 2022, both parties conducted audits totaling 27,731 tracks, after which they pursued investigation of the issue with the main supplier. Murfreesboro-based Adient determined that one of their operators may have invertedly removed the bolt during a limited reinstallation procedure, thus narrowing the scope of the potentially affected population of seat tracks.Nissan further determined that a missing bolt enables the seat track to move in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury. Alas, the Japanese automaker didnt have a choice but conduct a safety recall to remedy all of the potentially affected vehicles. A grand total of 21 vehicles, to be more precise, split between the 2022 Nissan Pathfinder and 2022 Infiniti QX60 Nissan isnt aware of any warranty claims attributed to this problem.The recalled vehicles were manufactured in Smyrna between November 3rd, 2021 and November 30th, 2021 based on production records. Known owners will be notified by first-class mail by April 4th according to Nissans Part 573 Safety Recall Report filed with the federal watchdog. Dealers have been instructed to inspect the second-row seat track for the missing bolt (part no. 88921 6TA2A) and if necessary install a new mounting bolt.Still based on the D platform of its predecessor, the 2022 model year Pathfinder is currently available from $33,880 excluding destination charge and optional extras. From a mechanical standpoint, the biggest change over the previous generation is the nine-speed automatic transmission from ZF Friedrichshafen that replaces the notoriously bad JATCO XtronicOver at Infiniti, the Pathfinders premium-oriented sibling is available from a princely $46,850 at press time. Both mid-size crossovers feature the VQ35DD naturally-aspirated V6 that belts out 295 horsepower and 270 pound-feet (366 Nm) at 4,800 revolutions per minute in the QX60's case. The whole story started last year, when 34-year old Jim Street purchased a 2017 Audi R8 V10 Spyder , with roughly 24,000 miles (38,625 km) on the odo, from a used car dealer. He paid 87,000 (~$115,000) for it, and not long after, he took it to Nottingham Audi for servicing and new tires, which set him back some 4,500 (almost $6,000).Subsequently, the man started hearing strange noises coming from his German exotic that would get louder the quicker he drove it, reports NottinghamHampost . As a result, he took it back to the dealer to find out what was wrong, and last month, he was charged 31,289.50 ($41,388) for the repair work. This included a new gearbox, which was around 29,000 ($38,360) after tax, with the owner stating that he was in disbelief at the bill that he calls extortionate.Thats enough for a deposit on a house, who has that kind of money to give out and say here you go, crack on?, Street said. Its a dream car for me and Im having to pay for it and have not got it, getting that bill was quite a shock, and Ive had to adjust to receiving such a bill. I ended up cancelling some engagements because of stress, it has made me feel low. I was expecting it to be somewhere between 5,000 and 10,000 ($6,600-$13,200), looking at the parts on a new car it should not be that much.The R8 owner says he wont pay the bill, accusing the dealership of trying to make him sell the car to them for much less, along with the astronomical bill. In response, the dealer says that the vehicle had been modified, which is something that Street had not been informed of, nor has he made any modifications to it, he claims. This is backed up by Audi UK, with the quoted website being told by a spokesperson that they agree with the findings, and can confirm that Nottingham Audi will be in touch with Mr. Street in a bid to try and resolve the matter. When a customer relies on the incorrect value for the maximum combined weight of occupants and cargo on the B-pillar label, there is a risk of overloading the vehicle, says Audi . Overloading a car, especially a sporty one like the RS 5, increases the risk of a crash. The company further states that curb weight had increased for the 2022 model year although the maximum combined weight of the occupants and cargo was not updated.This error goes against the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 110 for tire and loading information. As such, no fewer than 49 vehicles will receive corrected labels. Both owners and dealerships will be notified of the recall on or before April 22nd as per the German company.Slotted right above the five-cylinder RS 3 and TT RS, the six-pot RS 5 is available from $75,900 for the coupe and $76,200 for the Sportback five-door liftback. One trim level has to suffice, along with eight finishes for the exterior and the Audi exclusive special paint option that retails at $3,900.The interior of the RS 5 can be configured in black with red or gray stitching. Alternately, customers can pick Lunar Silver with Rock Gray.Even though its the sportiest grade of the A5 family, the RS 5 doesnt come standard with all the performance-oriented bells and whistles youd expect from a car offered at this price point. For instance, Audi charges $5,400 for the Dynamic plus package that raises the top speed to 174 miles per hour (280 kilometers per hour). Other goodies included in this package come in the guise of a carbon-fiber engine cover and carbon-ceramic front brakes.Shared with the RS 4 Avant, the 2.9-liter V6 of the RS 5 cranks out 444 horsepower and 442 pound-feet (600 Nm) of torque. In ideal conditions, the twin-turbo mill shoots to 60 miles per hour (97 kph) in just 3.7 seconds. The 200 (3.3-liter) installed on T-code Mustangs no longer generated 120 horsepower, as the output was decreased to 115 horsepower. The same for the standard 289 (4.7-liter) used on C-code models, with the power this time dropped from 200 to 195 horsepower.The more powerful options in 1968 included a 302 (4.9-liter) with 210 and 230 horsepower when equipped with 2-barrel and 4-barrel carburetors, respectively, as well as 390 (6.4-liter) and 428 (7.0-liter) V8s rated at a maximum of 335 horsepower.This Mustang was fitted from the factory with a 302, though at this point, the engine is currently in the course of being rebuilt, a process that was started by a previous owner.In fact, this buried-alive Mustang was supposed to be restored 15 years ago, but as you can easily figure out by simply checking out the photos in the gallery, the project is yet to be completed.Parked in a garage, it seems to come with the typical problems of a car sitting for so long, including occasional rust. The floors and the rockers are in good shape, eBay seller wrich3102 claims, but to better assess its condition, a potential buyer should go see the vehicle in person.This is one of the few Mustangs born in Venezuela. Between 1966 and 1968, the production of the vehicle took place at several Ford plants, including Michigan, California, New Jersey, Venezuela, Mexico, and Peru.As a work in progress, this Mustang isnt necessarily the most expensive, though its not affordable either. The owner expects to get no less than $5,900, and given this isnt an auction, this is exactly how much you need to pay if you want to be the one continuing the restoration of the car. EV ICE Back in the 1800s, when inventors decided to ditch horses and built motorized carts, they started by experimenting with steam, gas, and also electric propulsion. At the dawn of the 20th century, EVs were nearly as widespread as what we now perceive as conventional cars.In big cities like New York, there were charging stations every 10 blocks and many personal vehicles, trucks, or taxis employed electric motors rather than internal combustion engines. Although they were more expensive, people preferred them because they were far less noisy, easier to maintain, and last but not least, they didnt require hand cranking to start.The most successfulmanufacturer from this long-forgotten era was Detroit Electric, a Michigan-based brand that stemmed from the Anderson Carriage Company. In 1907, it introduced its first production EV and for the next three decades, it would go on to build around 13,000 more.One of them was the Model 82 Brougham that well get to know today. Initially released in 1920, it was the latest, most modern, and refined automobile that the company had ever produced.In terms of design, it looked just like any other car that roamed the roads back then. It was built to feature a faux radiator as well as a frontal engine compartment that housed seven out of the fourteen 6-volt batteries that fed electrons to the mid-mounted , 4.5-hp brushed DC motor.The other batteries were fitted inside the rear trunk section, which evenly distributed the weight on both axles yet limited the cargo space . But who needs cargo space in a 1920s EV? The notion of long-distance travel by car was nonexistent back then because the roads were awful, and the cars were extremely slow. The top speed of this particular model stood at 30 mph (48.2 kph) but maintaining it would have drained the batteries a lot faster. In addition, the precarious solid front axle and rear semi-elliptical suspension made for a shaky ride on backcountry roads, so the car was limited to city use.On a full charge, the Model 82 could cover around 80 miles (128.7 km), but this was not the pinnacle of driving range for EVs during the 1920s. On previous models, the company offered an optional Edison nickel-iron battery pack that doubled the range. These were no longer sold by Detroit Electric in 1921 but were still available from third-party retailers.Maybe the most intriguing feature of this century-old vehicle was the lack of a steering wheel. No, it wasnt autonomous but used a steering lever. When pushed away from the driver, the car turned left, while pulling the lever toward the driver would allow the car to turn right. Another short lever was used to control the power of the motor. It functioned as an automatic transmission and featured five forward levels (gears) and one for reverse. The car also featured three pedals, that combined driving brake and parking brake functions.The bodies were built by H&M Body Corporation of Racine, Wisconsin and each cabin could accommodate up to five people. The driver sat on the left side of the rear bench, while two passengers could use the unconventionally positioned (by todays standards) front seats.Previous Detroit Electric models were very successful, with Detroit Electric selling around 1000 to 2000 cars per year in the 1910s. However, the company only managed to sell between 90 and 100 Model 82 units.By the time it was released,-powered cars such as Fords Model T were increasingly cheaper. To put it into perspective, the latter could be had for around $300 ($4,712 today), while the Detroit Electric EV was priced at $2,100 ($32,984).Few of these fascinating vehicles have survived to this day. One of them is the example featured in this article, which was auctioned off through RM Sothebys in 2016, fetching $66.000. Originally delivered to a prominent Canadian automotive family, its one of the only surviving Model 82s that comes with a full ownership history. It underwent a comprehensive, concours-quality, nut-and-bolt restoration, so it now looks and runs as it did a century ago.While EVs have made a comeback in recent years thanks to the technological advancements of the 21st century, they all trace their roots back to amazing feats of engineering such as the Detroit Electric Model 82. Obviously, this would negatively affect Tesla, but sustainable energy solutions simply cannot react instantaneously to make up for Russian oil & gas exports. Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 5, 2022 The uncertainties caused by the war in Ukraine sent the gas and oil prices up to levels never seen since the 2008 economic boom just before the crisis hit. This reverberates throughout the economy since pretty much everything runs on fossil fuels today, both for production and for transportation. The shock led Elon Musk to make a rare call for an increase in gas and oil output immediately.Hate to say it, but we need to increase oil & gas output immediately. Extraordinary times demand extraordinary measures, wrote Musk on Twitter. Obviously, this would negatively affect Tesla, but sustainable energy solutions simply cannot react instantaneously to make up for Russian oil & gas exports. Musks tweets come at a time when the Biden administration weighs imposing a ban on U.S. imports of Russian crude oil. A similar idea was dismissed earlier, according to people familiar with the matter. Musks call is echoed by oil industry leaders that are also calling for support to boost production.This is strangely one time when Elon Musk and the big oil are on the same page regarding increasing oil and gas production. For so many times, Teslas boss advocated for the phasing out of fossil fuels and an accelerated switch to electricity, especially when produced from renewable sources. But, as Musk puts it, extraordinary times demand extraordinary measures and were glad Musk recognizes the extraordinary times we live in.Crude oil reached a peak of $139 a barrel (Brent) or $130 (West Texas Intermediate) for a short time on Sunday night. The highest price recorded in history was $147.02 on July 11, 2008, on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Regular gasoline price in the U.S. hit an average of $4 per gallon on Monday and is expected to reach $4.25 by Memorial Day. There arent too many historic ships on the market these days, so the ones that have made it through the decades should be treasured for their legacy. Even more rare are the vessels that combine a rich history with high-quality amenities that can rival those of younger luxury yachts. Stella Nova is one of them. Its beginnings date back to the 1960s when Swedish Count Lennart Berndotte drew up the original plans himself.Built by the German shipyard Schiffswerft Hameln in 1971, the 89-foot-long (27.4 meters) classic yacht became the Counts summer residence on water, cruising along the coasts of Sweden and Denmark. For over three decades, it played this noble role. The Stella Nova would be relaunched only in 2006, after an extensive overhaul had been commissioned three years earlier.The yacht with royal roots re-emerged with a full repaint, new engines, new electric systems, and a new interior. The complex renovation was carried out by Pampas Marina, together with Scania, Nautor Swan, and Retloffs Carpentry, and the result was worth it. The beautiful vessel with a bright white steel hull and aluminum superstructure boasted two Scania V8 (DI1643) engines and five stylish cabins that could accommodate up to ten guests.The sundeck and foredeck welcome guests to relax and enjoy the view from the cozy lounging areas. The bridge reveals a traditional large wooden steering wheel. Theres also a sauna, a kitchen, and an indoor dining area onboard the Stella Nova. In terms of performance, the renovated vessel can hit 18 knots (20.7 mph/33.3 kph).The irony is that a historic yacht thats half a century old can be purchased today with crypto. According to the listing at Superyachts Monaco , the asking price for the royal Stella Nova is $1.33 million (950,000) that can be paid in crypto as well a modern type of transaction for a timeless boat. Palestinian PM condemns killing of Palestinian child near Jerusalem Xinhua) 08:28, March 07, 2022 RAMALLAH, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Ishtaye condemned on Sunday the killing of a 14-year-old boy by Israeli soldiers in Abu Dis, a town southeast of Jerusalem, the official Palestinian news agency (WAFA) reported. Ishtaye warned of what he termed as "the dangerous repercussions of the escalation of killings and field executions committed by the Israeli forces in the Palestinian territories." According to Palestinian eyewitnesses, the boy named Yamen Jaffal was critically wounded by Israeli soldiers during clashes that broke out in the town with Palestinian protesters when an Israeli army force stormed the town to arrest Palestinian activists. The eyewitnesses added that the soldiers prevented Palestinian ambulances from reaching the boy and then arrested him while he was in critical condition. Jaffal later succumbed to his wounds, according to the health ministry. Meanwhile, an Israeli army spokesman said in a statement that an Israeli army force noticed two Palestinians throwing Molotov cocktails at an Israeli army post in the area, adding that the soldiers opened fire at them; one was injured, and the other ran away. Earlier on Sunday, a 19-year-old Palestinian was killed by Israeli police in the old city in East Jerusalem after he tried to stab two Israeli police officers, according to Israel Radio. (Web editor: Peng yukai, Liang Jun) FSD EV SUV HP Tesla's Full Self Driving feature is a controversial topic in the auto industry. For starters, after enabling theBeta package, themanufacturer requires users to consent having videos recorded during use. The feature will be on a subscription basis, and drivers might be accountable in case of an accident. Self-driving tech is the new frontier when it comes to electric vehicles. While EV consumers are more concerned about range and power, having an autonomous driving system offers leverage.The 2022 Cadillac Escalade might not be an EV but features Cadillac's Super Cruise semi-autonomous driving feature. The flagshipalso offers many tech features making it an attractive package in the luxury SUV segment.Underneath its its iconic massive boxy silhouette, the new Escalade comes with two engine variations. A grumpy 6.2-liter V8 making 420, and a fuel-efficient turbo-charged inline-six 3.0-liter diesel. Both engine versions are paired to a 10-speed automatic transmission.Based on Jakub and Yuri's experience, the Super Cruise feature works perfectly. However, the road needs to be clear and without imperfections.They also recommend finding out if your route exists on Cadillac's maps; otherwise, the autonomous driving system won't even turn on. The new Escalade's Super Cruise feature is also best for country roads and not back roads - it's an ultra-luxury SUV, after all.So, is the 2022 Cadillac Escalade Super Cruise any better than Tesla's FSD? It's probably not, it's a great system, but as the duo notes, too many variables need to line up for this feature to work. SUV EV Theottle used images of the Brazilian pickup truck also sold as RAM 700 to adapt to the pictures Stellantis disclosed of its electric compact. Apart from presenting the images, the automaker did not release more information about the vehicle, even if some believe it will be made over the e-CMP already used by the Peugeot e-2008 and Opel Mokka-e.That would make the Jeepa unibody vehicle just like the Jeep Renegade or the Compass. That also makes it a closer relative to the Fiat Strada than to a RAM 1500, for example. If it were also able to carry 1,433 lb (650 kg) like the Brazilian pickup truck, it would be way more capable than the GMC Hummer EV. Unfortunately, the battery pack weight will probably make it impossible to equate the same payload.The Jeep EV Ute ended up being pretty faithful to the vehicle Stellantis presented. Theottle was careful to use the same taillights and give the tiny electric pickup truck a bed that seems roomier seen from the front of the car than from the back. As an imagination exercise, we have no idea how big it could be.Another relative to the Fiat Strada could eventually make the bed bigger. Fiat used the SUSW platform Jeep developed to create the Renegade and the Compass to compete among larger pickup trucks with the Toro . With its diesel engine, it can carry a metric ton (2,205 lb) of cargo. In other words, an electric pickup truck carrying that much weight may not be far-fetched.With the recent success the Ford Maverick is having in the American market, a Jeep EV Ute could probably attract many customers if it was able to carry five adults comfortably. We would not be surprised if Jeep drew inspiration for a new product from Theottles work, especially in this case. Daniel Hernandez is known professionally as 6ix9ine and formerly as Tekashi69. Despite his ongoing legal drama, the rapper can still pride himself on an $8 million net worth, and he loves to flaunt his expensive lifestyle.With a lot of colorful wraps for his supercars , which are worth around $2 million, its a surprise to see him in the drivers seat of a very normal-colored car. The vehicle in question is a McLaren 720S and its painted black.The supercar was revealed in 2017 at the Geneva International Motor Show. The 720S is powered by a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine that sends 710 horsepower (720 ps) and a maximum torque of 568 lb-ft (770 Nm) to the rear axle via a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox.With figures like these, you can expect the British supercar to perform, and it does. The 720S is able to sprint from zero to 62 mph (0-100 kph) in just 2.9 seconds and it has a top speed of 212 mph (341 kph).The 25-year-old rapper was photographed by a fan while making a short stop at a shop in Lake Worth, Palm Beach County, Florida. This comes just a couple of days after the news broke out that a judge denied his request to end supervised release. In April 2020, Hernandez was able to get out of prison with a supervised release and community service work.In his garage, Tekashi 6ix9ine keeps a lot of expensive models, including a McLaren 570S, a paint-splattered Lamborghini Aventador SVJ, a red Rolls-Royce Wraith, a colorful Chevrolet Tahoe, and a Bentley Continental GTC. SUV EV AWD HP kWh Its hard to describe the 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 by just looking at it. Its a borderline hatchback-looking vehicle that fits perfectly in thesegment. Perhaps the most outstanding feature of this SUVis its stylish, futuristic look. A lot of people would agree it is the best-looking EV SUV with its long wheelbase, appealing front-end, widebody stance, and wheels to match.It has an equally vibrant interior with many tech features and eco-friendly trim finishes. You also get a smart park feature, augmented head-up display, and a cool 360 degrees camera.Due to its widebody structure and flat floor, the Ioniq 5 offers a roomy cabin for passengers and extra storage space at the back.One of its standout features is the driving range and super-quick charging speeds. Thevariant has two electric motors and makes 320and 605 Nm of torque, with a 77battery. The driving range varies between 219 to 300 miles (352 km to 483 km) depending on the variant.The 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 has a starting price of $44,895 in the U.S. and closely competes with the Chevy Bolt EV, Kia EV6, Ford Mustang Mach E, Tesla Model Y, and the Volkswagen ID.4.Behind the wheel, the Ioniq 5 has pretty decent power. Thanks to an improved suspension, its much more comfortable than rivals like the Mach E. It takes all the richness of the Genesis and wraps it in a funky-styled fun-to-drive EV.You also get driver-assist features, including the lane-assist function. However, Yuri confesses its not the best in the segment and feels a little shimmy and over-compensated.The 2022 Ioniq 5 makes a great second choice to the Model Y due to its impressive design, exclusive tech features, and super-quick charging speeds. He is now selling it to raise money for charity. Tom Hanks has listed his 1974 Polski Fiat 126p on Bring a Trailer , announcing that the funds will go entirely to the Elizabeth Dole Foundation and its Hidden Heroes Campaign. As of the moment of press, biding on the vehicle is sitting at a whopping $57,000, with one more day to go before the winner is announced.Thats some $56,000 more than what anyone has ever paid on a Fiat 126p, but even without the celebrity pedigree, its quite a (little) stunner. As Hanks explains in the video below, in 2016, he was traveling a lot through Europe and posing with all the old cars that he saw on the streets, pretending as if he was the owner and about to get behind the wheel. Some of these cars were old Fiats, which did not fail to register with Polish fan Monika Jaskolska.She rallied the people of Bielsko-Biala, where the Polski Fiat was made under license and raised money for a personalized birthday present. The restoration and customization were done with help from BB Oldtimer Garage and Carlex Design, and included custom leather and wood interior, personalized badges, and an all-white exterior. Hanks was presented with the car in 2017 and, according to the listing, only drove it 300 miles (483 km) in the time thats passed since.Features include a rear-mounted 594cc engine that once delivered a good 23 hp, mated to a four-speed manual gearbox, off-white 12 steel wheels with Debica Passio tires, three-point white seat belts, and specially-embroidered satchels on the back of the front seats. Theres also Bielsko-Biala for Tom Hanks badging on the trunk and inside the odometer, a dashboard plaque with a Forrest Gump quote, and another plaque that states this is a One-of-one vehicle. Tom Hanks signed his name on the inside of the drivers door, and theres a stuffed dog in the rear window.Even though done as a joke, this Fiat has more going for it than just the A-list celebrity pedigree. Hino Motors is Toyotas global producer of trucks and buses, but also makes the Land Cruiser (also known as Prado), the FJ Cruiser, and Dyna trucks. The company has factories in Japan and Thailand, but also in the U.S., where it manufactures parts only for Toyota. Its engines are also used in some Isuzu models.According to what company officials said in a press conference, there are almost 115,000 vehicles affected by this issue. For now, it looks like the problems are only at Japan plants. Employees were switching important exhaust systems parts to reach the desired results when it came to establishing emissions. Or, as the company President puts it, it was just a failure to handle the pressure to reach numerical targets and to strictly adhere to schedules.U.S. authorities notified the company in 2018 and told Hino that its trucks arent up to standard. After four years have passed, T oyota s subsidiary has decided to start recalls, stop sales temporarily, and work with authorities to solve all the issues that arise from this situation. This is extremely important, and it might mean financial troubles for the truck and bus maker, as it was asked in 2016 if it has any discoveries regarding falsified emissions data. Hino said "no" at the time. Surprisingly, it coincided with when Mitsubishi was under fire and was trying to solve the exact same issues that Hinos now facing.This is one of the latest emissions scandals after Dieselgate prompted checks all over the world and multiple carmakers were found guilty of cheating.Toyota has already submitted a public opinion on the matter and underlined that Hino must get to the bottom of the situation as soon as possible by taking preventive measures.The Japanese Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport said the falsified emissions data from Hino erodes the trust of automobile customers and shakes the very foundations of the certification system, in a press statement quoted by Nikkei Hino has a market share of over 30% in Japan, and its clients are doing business all over the world. It will be a hard mission to do the recalls properly and verify if other mistakes have happened. The company should have enough time, though. It took Hino six more years than Mitsubishi and U.S. warnings to achieve the same conclusion as others found guilty of misleading customers and authorities. Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. Warren Buffett moved big into one of the country's largest oil companies, Occidental Petroleum, just as Carl Icahn hit the exits. Why it matters: This comes as oil prices Monday hit a 14-year high, as both the U.S. and EU consider bans on Russian imports. Buying in: Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway on Friday disclosed that it bought 91.2 million Occidental shares, on top of existing warrants to buy another 83.9 million shares. If it were to exercise its warrants, Berkshire's stake would climb to 17% from 9%. Berkshire's warrants are exercisable at $59.62 a piece. Occidental shares opened last Monday at $38.53 and closed Friday at $56.15. They opened up higher this morning. Selling out: Carl Icahn fully exited what once was a 10% stake in Occidental, which he began building in 2019 as opposition to the company's highly-leveraged, $38 billion buyout of Anadarko Petroleum. His two board reps at Occidental also resigned. Icahn is estimated to have earned around $1 billion off his Occidental investment, but may regret not holding on for a few more days. And, just to square the circle, Berkshire got its aforementioned warrants by helping to finance the Anadarko deal that Icahn despised. Meanwhile, there are reports that Oasis Petroleum and Whiting Petroleum are nearing an all-stock merger that could value the combined North Dakota shale drillers at around $6 billion. The bottom line: Oil price volatility isn't tamping down on oil industry deal making. Top European leaders said Monday that they recognize the need to reduce the continent's dependence on Russian energy but stressed that an immediate embargo would not be feasible. Why it matters: Under pressure from Congress and the Ukrainian government, the Biden administration may move to ban Russian oil imports on a unilateral basis if the U.S. cannot immediately bring along its European allies. Driving the news: German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, whose country relies on Russia for two-thirds of its natural gas and more than a third of its oil, said Monday that the EU "has deliberately exempted energy supplies from Russia from sanctions." "At the moment, Europe's supply of energy for heat generation, mobility, power supply and industry cannot be secured in any other way," Scholz said, calling Russian imports of "essential importance" to Europe's economy. The chancellor said Germany and the EU are working on ways to reduce reliance on Russian energy but that this "cannot be done overnight." Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte echoed that sentiment at a press conference with U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, saying, "The painful reality is that we are still very much dependent on Russian gas and oil." Even Johnson, whose country consumes little Russian gas and has been a leader in calling for the toughest sanctions, told reporters, "You can't simply close down use of oil and gas overnight even from Russia it is not something every country around the world can do." What to watch: Amid speculation that the U.S. will soon announce an oil embargo, President Biden will speak with Scholz, Johnson and French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday morning. The big picture: The Biden administration is exploring ways to unlock more global oil supplies to ease the shock to gas prices, which have already reached an average of more than $4 per gallon in the U.S. That includes negotiating with the leadership of Saudi Arabia, which Biden had pledged to make a "pariah" after the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, as well as heavily sanctioned Venezuela. The U.S. is also expected to reach a new nuclear deal with Iran in the coming days, potentially giving another U.S. adversary the ability to ramp up its oil exports. Go deeper: Former Vice President Mike Pence's advocacy group plans to spend $10 million on TV ads targeting vulnerable House Democrats on energy policy and Ukraine, Axios has learned. Why it matters: Pence contrasted himself against Trump last week, slamming the GOPs "apologists" for Putin. Now hes using the Russian invasion to trash Democrats. Between the lines: The new ad buy from his group, Advancing American Freedom, shows Pence is working to shore up a political brand independent of the former President Trump. Pence has been raising his profile delicately but more directly drawing contrasts with Trump. Now, he's spending serious coin. The $10 million buy is the most expensive move by a 2024 GOP contender not named Donald Trump. What's happening: The ads begin airing Monday. They're targeting 16 House Democrats in competitive re-election fights this year. Pence's name, voice and image don't appear in the spot previewed by Axios. The narrator declares: "Joe Biden caved to the radical environmentalists and stopped Americas Keystone Pipeline and dramatically increased Americans dependence on Russian oil, endangering Americas security and helping Russia fund their invasion." Viewers are urged to call their member of Congress and "tell [the Democratic incumbent] to support Americas security instead of Russias terror." Between the lines: The ad is a twofer, hitting a pair of issues Ukraine and energy prices currently dominating headlines. It's also a space where Pence sees room to differentiate himself from fringier elements in his own party. In remarks at an RNC donor retreat on Friday, he knocked Republican "apologists for Putin," CNN reported. That came after a February speech to the Federalist Society in which Pence took on Trump directly, saying the former president "is wrong" to say Pence had the power to overturn the results of the 2020 election. What's next: The expenditure for the ad campaign could grow as events in Ukraine develop, a source familiar with the group's plans tells Axios. Vice President Kamala Harris traveled to Selma, Alabama, on Sunday to commemorate the 57th anniversary of "Bloody Sunday," a critical day in the history of the civil rights movement. Driving the news: Harris the nations first Black female vice president returned to where demonstrators in 1965 marched to demand an end to discrimination in the voting process to extol the current need to safeguard voting rights. Today, we stand on this bridge at a different time, Harris told those gathered at the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma. 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. What she's saying: "Thank you for your work, your sacrifice and your dedication," Harris said. "If we all continue to work together, to march together, to fight together we will secure the freedom to vote." "Selma, the future of our democracy is being decided now," the vice president said. "We will march on until victory is won." Vice President Kamala Harris, center, marches across the Edmund Pettus Bridge to commemorate the 57th anniversary of 'Bloody Sunday' in Selma, Alabama on March 6. Photo: Elijah Nouvelage/AFP via Getty Images The big picture: Though the Biden administration has called for an expansion of voting rights, federal legislation has stalled in Congress. "Today, were seeing states across the country propose or enact laws that make it harder to vote and have that vote counted an onslaught of deeply dangerous efforts to suppress the vote and subvert entire elections," President Biden said in a statement released on Sunday. propose or enact laws that make it harder to vote and have that vote counted an onslaught of deeply dangerous efforts to suppress the vote and subvert entire elections," President Biden said in a statement released on Sunday. "The battle for the soul of America has many fronts. The right to vote is the most fundamental," he added, vowing to continue fighting for voting rights legislation. While Republican state legislatures have introduced bills to restrict voting rights access, some Democrats have focused on bringing the fight to expand access to state races ahead of the midterms, Axios' Sophia Cai writes. Details: The vice president met with civil rights leaders, including Betty Boynton, the daughter-in-law of voting rights activist Amelia Boynton, and with the family of John Lewis before the program began, according to pool reports. Ukraine on Monday criticized the Kremlin's announcement of new humanitarian corridors to transport civilians to Russia and Belarus as an "immoral" stunt ahead of a third round of peace talks. The latest: The talks near the Belarus border concluded after about four hours, with no major breakthroughs but positive developments on improving the "logistics of humanitarian corridors," according to a Zelensky adviser. Negotiations on a potential ceasefire and broader political solution will continue. State of play: A senior U.S. defense official said Russia has now deployed "nearly 100%" of the combat power that it had massed on Ukraine's borders, and that Russia has launched over 625 missiles into Ukraine since the start of the invasion. The official said the Pentagon can confirm reports that Russia is recruiting Syrian mercenaries to fight in Ukraine, though they could not comment on the size or success of the effort. "We find it noteworthy that [Putin] believes he needs to rely on foreign fighters to supplement what is a very significant commitment of combat power inside Ukraine as it is," the official said. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered an additional 500 U.S. troops to deploy to Europe this weekend to shore up NATO's eastern flank, bringing the total number of U.S. service members stationed in Europe to approximately 100,000. The big picture: Just prior to the third round of talks, the Kremlin outlined the most explicit set of demands Moscow has given so far for ending the war. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Ukraine should amend its constitution to "reject any aims to enter any bloc," likely in reference to NATO and the European Union. Peskov also called for Ukraine to recognize Crimea as Russian and the pro-Moscow separatist republics in eastern Ukraine as independent but appeared to stop short of demanding regime change. "[T]hat's it," Peskov said. "It will stop in a moment." What to watch: Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will meet with Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba in Turkey on Thursday for the highest-level talks since the invasion began, according to Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu. Ukrainian (L) and Russian (R) delegations at the third round of peace talks on March 7. Photo: Maxim Guchek/Belta/AFP via Getty Images State of play: Russia's Defense Ministry said it had agreed to hold fire and open humanitarian corridors from Kyiv, Kharkiv, Sumy and Mariupol. But the apparent evacuation routes would take Ukrainians under siege to cities in Russia and Belarus. The move was quickly denounced by Ukrainian officials, who pointed to previous failed efforts to establish evacuation corridors. A spokesperson for President Volodymyr Zelensky told Reuters it is "completely immoral" and said Russia was trying to "use people's suffering to create a television picture." Russia said the apparent evacuation corridors came in response to French President Emmanuel Macron. Ukrainian officials have reported Russia's military breaching of such pledges before, resulting in the halting of civilian evacuations notably in the port city of Mariupol, where some 200,000 civilians were reported trapped over the weekend. Data: Institute for the Study of War with AEIs Critical Threats Project; Map: Jared Whalen/Axios Zoom in: Ukrainian officials reported attacks across Ukraine, including in the southern city of Mykolaiv on Monday morning. Ukraine's General Staff said in a statement on Monday morning that "Russia continues to carry out rocket, bomb and artillery strikes on the cities and settlements of Ukraine," per an AP translation. "The invaders continue to use the airfield network of Belarus to carry out air strikes on Ukraine," it added. Ukraine's State Emergency Service shared online images of razed homes that it said were shelled in the southern Ukrainian city of Mykolaiv on Monday morning. What they're saying: Zelensky said on Sunday that "God will not forgive" attacks on civilians, including a family of four "killed in Irpin as they were trying to leave the city" in northern Ukraine. Between the lines: The U.K. Ministry of Defense said on Monday that intelligence suggests Russia's military was attacking "targeting Ukraines communications infrastructure in order to reduce Ukrainian citizens' access to reliable news and information" noting the attack on a Kyiv TV tower last week and another strike on a Kharkiv TV tower Sunday. "Ukrainian internet access is also highly likely being disrupted as a result of collateral damage from Russian strikes on infrastructure," the Defense Ministry said in a statement. "Over the past week, internet outages have been reported in Mariupol, Sumy, Kyiv and Kharkiv." Yes, but: Russia's invasion plans appear to be stalling in the face of Ukrainian resistance, according to a Defense Ministry intelligence update late Sunday. " Over the past 24 hours, a high level of Russian air and artillery strikes have continued to hit military and civilian sites in Ukrainian cities. Recent strikes have targeted Kharkiv, Mykolaiv and Chernihiv, and been particularly heavy in Mariupol," the Defense Ministry said. Over the past 24 hours, a high level of Russian air and artillery strikes have continued to hit military and civilian sites in Ukrainian cities. Recent strikes have targeted Kharkiv, Mykolaiv and Chernihiv, and been particularly heavy in Mariupol," the Defense Ministry said. Despite this, "Russian forces probably made minimal ground advances over the weekend," the Defense Ministry said. "It is highly unlikely that Russia has successfully achieved its planned objectives to date." Zoom out: The United Nations' International Court of Justice was hearing submissions from Ukrainian officials on Monday calling for the world court to make an emergency ruling to end the invasion, accusing Russian forces of genocide. The ICC last week opened an investigation into allegations of war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide committed in Ukraine. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told CNN from Moldova on Sunday that U.S. officials had "seen very credible reports of deliberate attacks on civilians, which would constitute a war crime." Go deeper: The latest on the Russia-Ukraine crisis Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout. Police detained over 4,300 people across Russia on Sunday at protests against the Putin-ordered invasion of Ukraine, per OVD-Info, a Russia-based human rights monitoring group. The big picture: Russian authorities have arrested thousands of protesters since Russia's military launched a full-scale assault on Ukraine Feb. 24, but they have so far failed to stop the anti-war movement in the country. That's despite a massive crackdown on free speech that saw Facebook and Twitter restricted in Russia and the Putin-controlled parliament passing legislation threatening to imprison people for up to 15 years if they publish what Moscow deems "fake" information about Russia's invasion. Local independent outlets have closed and Western media giants, including Bloomberg and the BBC, announced they're temporarily suspending news operations in Russia as a result. What they're saying: "The screws are being fully tightened essentially we are witnessing military censorship," said OVID-Infor spokesperson Maria Kuznetsova to Reuters. "We are seeing rather big protests today, even in Siberian cities where we only rarely saw such numbers of arrests," Kuznetsova added. A freelance journalist who attended a protest in Moscow last week and requested anonymity for safety, told Axios' Alison Snyder that demonstrators typically don't carry banners or chant due to the threat of arrest. "It is basically a silent protest," she said, noting that, while thousands of people have protested, many others who are angry about the invasion are afraid to demonstrate. Go deeper: The latest on the Russia-Ukraine crisis Reps. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) and Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) have introduced a bipartisan bill permanently banning Russian oil imports. Why it matters: They join a growing chorus of lawmakers across the political spectrum calling for a ban to punish Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, despite concerns that such a move would raise gas prices for Americans. Driving the news: The bill is in addition to bipartisan legislation from House and Senate trade leaders that imposes a ban on Russian energy imports and suspend normal trade relations with Russia. The details: The Khanna and Mace bill goes a step further than legislation introduced by Sens. Joe. Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) by proposing a permanent ban. It also mandates a plan to replace those imports with alternative, clean sources of energy. Manchin and Murkowski's bill would implement a ban during a period of national emergency which could be terminated by the president or Congress. That bill has around two dozen co-sponsors ranging from Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) to Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.). What we're watching: It's striking how the issue has so quickly united an unlikely coalition. "[House Speaker Nancy] Pelosi is with us. Which made me wonder, 'What am I doing?'" Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) joked at press conference last week. "[Putin], you've done some good nobody else can." Pelosi told reporters on Thursday about a ban, "Im all for that ban it." Pelosi, in a Sunday letter to House Democratic colleagues, previewed legislation that would ban the import of Russian oil and energy products, repeal normal trade relations with Russia and Belarus, deny Russia access to the World Trade Organization, and empower President Biden to raise tariffs on Russian imports. Between the lines: President Biden has the authority to implement such a ban, but is struggling to balance punishment for Putin and pain for Americans at the gas pump. Top European leaders also stressed that an immediate embargo on Russian oil would not be feasible. That means the Biden administration may move to ban Russian oil imports on a unilateral basis if the U.S. cannot immediately bring along its European allies. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said at briefing Monday that there is an "active discussion" about banning Russian energy imports. Go deeper: The latest on the Russia-Ukraine crisis Satellite images collected over the past two decades show that more than 75% of the Amazon rainforest is likely struggling to recover from wildfires, droughts and human-caused disturbances, including logging, according to a study published Monday in the journal Nature Climate Change. Why it matters: Researchers behind the study warn that because parts the Amazon are increasingly losing resilience, they risk eventually transforming into dry savannah. The researchers derived these findings from a statistical analysis of satellite images of the rainforest's vegetation and said the resilience loss stems largely from deforestation for agricultural production and climate change. Previously it had been known that parts of the Amazon were transforming into other ecosystems, but the new findings show far larger impacts. The Amazon is a bastion of biodiversity that stores vast quantities of planet-warming carbon dioxide. What they're saying: Reduced resilience the ability to recover from perturbations like droughts or fires can mean an increased risk of dieback of the Amazon rainforest. That we see such a resilience loss in observations is worrying, said coauthor Niklas Boers, a professor of Earth system modeling at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, in a statement. As a scientist, I am not supposed to have anxiety. But after reading this paper, I am very, very anxious, Carlos Nobre, a climate scientist at the University of Sao Paulos Institute of Advanced Studies, who was not involved with the research, told the Washington Post. The paper did not determine precisely when the Amazon could begin losing more trees and vegetation than it can recover, eventually suffering an irreversible dieback. "When it will be observable, it would likely be too late to stop it," Boers said. The big picture: Deforestation in Brazil's Amazon rainforest recently reached a 15-year high after it soared 22% in the 12-month period from August 2020 to July 2021. Segments of the rainforest have been emitting more carbon dioxide than they can absorb because of human-caused disturbances, according to a study published in the journal Nature last year. Brazil was also one of the nations that promised to end and reverse deforestation by 2030 during the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland last year. Go deeper: Wildfire risk will jump 30% by 2050, UN says Andrew Freedman contributed to this story. The Supreme Court on Monday rejected an appeal of a Pennsylvania court ruling that overturned comedian Bill Cosby's sexual assault conviction. Why it matters: Cosby had been sentenced to 310 years in prison for drugging and molesting a woman in 2004 before his conviction was overturned by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Cosby was one of the first celebrities convicted of sexual assault in the #MeToo era. The big picture: The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled in June that an agreement he struck to provide testimony in a civil lawsuit in 2005 and 2006 should have given him immunity in the case. Cosby, who has been accused of sexual misconduct or rape by more than 60 women, was released from prison last year. Prosecutors asked the Supreme Court to review the ruling that led to Cosby's conviction being overturned and the origins of the testimonial agreement. The Supreme Court rejected the appeal and many others without commentary. Go deeper: Biden signs landmark #MeToo bill The Supreme Court on Monday rejected Republican-led challenges to court-ordered congressional maps in North Carolina and Pennsylvania. Why it matters: Republicans in both states had asked the Supreme Court to block lower court rulings that ordered the states to replace the redistricting maps drawn, which were deemed to give the GOP an unfair advantage. Monday's ruling could bolster Democrats' chances in retaining the House come November's midterm elections, Reuters notes. What they're saying: Justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch dissented from the decision to reject North Carolina's bid, arguing that the case reflects a key question involving the extent of a state court's authority. Though Justice Brett Kavanaugh agreed with the need to confront the case's underlying principle, he concurred with the majority because the Supreme Court has "repeatedly ruled that federal courts ordinarily should not alter state election laws in the period close to an election." The big picture: Party primaries in both states are slated for May 17. . Former President Trump rants against Bill Barr, his former attorney general, in a three-page letter to "NBC Nightly News" anchor Lester Holt, who interviewed Barr about his new book, "One Damn Thing After Another," out tomorrow. Why it matters: You have to read this letter, obtained exclusively by Axios, to fully appreciate Trumps mindset heading into 2024. Driving the news: Trump said he was attaching a report about supposed election corruption, as if Lester Holt would be super-interested in it. He said Barr is now groveling to the media, hoping to gain acceptance that he doesnt deserve. Context: Barr told Holt in an interview that Trump became "very angry" when the attorney general told him that there was no evidence the 2020 election was rigged "I told him that all this stuff was bulls--t ... about election fraud," Barr said. "It was wrong to be shoveling it out the way his team was. And he started asking me about different theories and ... I was able to tell him that 'this is wrong because of this.'" He added that Trump never really understood "the role of the Department of Justice [and] to some extent, you know, the president's role." What they're saying: "I would imagine that if the book is anything like him, it will be long, slow, and very boring," Trump wrote in his letter to Holt. Read the full letter. A dark money group with ties to Democratic Party heavyweights will spend millions this year to expose and try to disbar more than 100 lawyers who worked on Donald Trumps post-election lawsuits, people involved with the effort tell Axios. Why it matters: The 65 Project plans to begin filing complaints this week and will air ads in battleground states. It hopes to deter right-wing legal talent from signing on to any future GOP efforts to overturn elections including the midterms or 2024. The group takes its name from a count of lawsuits that sought to invalidate the 2020 results. Details: David Brock, who founded Media Matters for America and the super PAC American Bridge 21st Century and is a Hillary Clinton ally and prolific fundraiser for Democrats, is advising the group. Advisory board members include former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.); and Paul Rosenzweig, a conservative and member of the Federalist Society who was former senior counsel for Ken Starr's Clint0n-era Whitewater investigation and served in George W. Bush's Department of Homeland Security. Former Utah Supreme Court Chief Justice Christine Durham; and Roberta Ramo, the first woman to serve as president of the American Bar Association, are also members. The project was devised by Melissa Moss, a Democratic consultant and former senior Clinton administration official. The other side: Some of the lawyers targeted describe the tactics as naked political intimidation. "This move is nothing more than a desperate attempt by leftist hacks and mercenaries Paul Davis, a Texas attorney targeted for his presence at the Capitol on January 6, wrote in an email to Axios. He described an effort to neutralize anyone on the right with the ability to stand in the way of the left's efforts to hide malfeasance in the 2020 elections and to clear the path for a repeat of similar malfeasance in the 2022 mid-terms. How it works: The 65 Project is targeting 111 attorneys in 26 states who were involved to some degree in efforts to challenge or reverse 2020 election results. They include lawyers at large national law firms with many partners and clients and lawyers at smaller, regional firms. It will air ads in battleground states, including Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. It also will push the ABA and every state bar association to codify rules barring certain election challenges and adopt model language stating that "fraudulent and malicious lawsuits to overturn legitimate election results violate the ethical duties lawyers must abide by." It plans to spend about $2.5 million in its first year and will operate through an existing nonprofit called Law Works. Brock told Axios in an interview that the idea is to "not only bring the grievances in the bar complaints, but shame them and make them toxic in their communities and in their firms." "I think the littler fish are probably more vulnerable to what we're doing," Brock said. "You're threatening their livelihood. And, you know, they've got reputations in their local communities." What they're saying: "With great power comes great responsibility. Lawyers have a special role in and special obligation to society," Rosenzweig told Axios in an email. "It is all the worse, then, when they use their special position to attack the foundations of the rule of law. The group has three categories of targets, according to plans reviewed by Axios. Trump's legal inner circle, including lawyers such as campaign hands Jenna Ellis and Boris Epshteyn and post-election lawyers like Sidney Powell and Joe DiGenova. Lawyers who signed on as "alternate electors," who planned to submit their names to the Electoral College in lieu of legitimate elector slates if Trump-aligned legal challenges succeeded. Licensed attorneys who participated in or were present at the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Between the lines: Some of the attorney targets already have been hit with bar complaints. One going after Georgia attorney Brad Carver for his role as an alternate elector was dismissed for lack of evidence. Carver, in an email to Axios, reiterated his position that his involvement was legally appropriate. But The 65 Project is focused on starving any future efforts of legal talent as well as focusing on 2020. "This is mostly important for the deterrent effect that it can bring so that you can kill the pool of available legal talent going forward," according to a person involved with the effort, who asked to remain anonymous. Cleta Mitchell, who resigned from Foley & Lardner as she assisted the Trump campaign's post-election legal efforts, characterized The 65 Projects effort as hypocritical. "I'm betting Marc Elias isn't on the list," she said in a text message, linking to a story about the Democratic attorney's challenge to the results of a House race in Iowa last year and one about his claims of voting machine "irregularities" in another in New York. "Ok for Dem lawyers to file election challenges. Of course." John Eastman, who crafted a legal memo detailing Trump's options for overturning the election, already is facing a bar complaint in California. The U.S. is looking at ways that it can help facilitate the supply of fighter jets to Ukraine, Secretary of State Antony Blinken told CBS' "Face the Nation" on Sunday. Why it matters: In the absence of a no-fly zone, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has pleaded European countries to provide Ukraine with fighter jets to help fend off Russia's aerial assault. A proposed deal that would have seen former Eastern Bloc countries in the EU deliver Soviet-era fighter jets to Ukraine fell apart earlier this month. The big picture: U.S. officials said Saturday that they are exploring a deal with Poland in which the latter would supply Ukraine with the used Russian warplanes in exchange for American F-16 jet fighters, the Wall Street Journal reported. Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will meet with Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba in Turkey later this week, according to Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu. Why it matters: It will be the highest-level talks between Ukraine and Russia since the start of Moscow's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24. Cavusoglu said the talks would take place Thursday on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, per Reuters. The big picture: Ukrainian and Russian officials have held ongoing peace talks, though agreements brokered during them, such as humanitarian and evacuation corridors for besieged Ukrainian cities, largely have not held. Go deeper: Its important to point out that CSTO mechanisms are activated when a CSTO member states is attacked, said Vahagn Aleksanian of the ruling Civil Contract party. I dont think that the hostilities [in Ukraine] are likely to move to the territory of the Russian Federation, at least at this point. Eduard Aghajanian, another Civil Contract figure heading the Armenian parliament committee on foreign relations, dismissed speculation about possible CSTO involvement in the war in Ukraine as a hypothetical, non-existent agenda. Moscow has so far given no indications that it might seek a CSTO operation in Ukraine. Only one non-Russian member of the military alliance, Belarus, is involved in the war, having served as a launch pad for Russian troops advancing towards the Ukrainian capital Kyiv. The other CSTO member states -- Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan -- have refrained from publicly backing the Russian invasion. They all abstained last week from voting on a UN General Assembly resolution that demanded an immediate Russian withdrawal from Ukraine. As recently as in early January, Russia and its CSTO allies sent more than 2,000 troops to Kazakhstan after being called in to help stabilize the Central Asian nation rocked by deadly unrest. It was their first ever joint military operation. While agreeing to dispatch some 100 Armenian soldiers to Kazakhstan, Armenian leaders chided the bloc for not responding similarly to their request for military aid made after last years Azerbaijani incursions into Armenian territory. The Antalya Diplomacy Forum organized by the Turkish government and slated for March 11-13 will bring together politicians, diplomats and experts from around the world for three-day discussions on international security. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu announced in January that Mirzoyan is among foreign dignitaries invited to the forum. He revealed the invitation just days after special envoys of Armenia and Turkey held the first round of negotiations on normalizing relations between the two neighboring states. They described the talks held in Moscow as positive and constructive. The envoys met again in Vienna on February 24. Mirzoyan seemed satisfied with their second meeting when he spoke in the Armenian parliament last week. We inform that Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan of Armenia will participate in the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, Vahan Hunanian, the spokesman for the Armenian Foreign Ministry, said in a short statement issued on Monday. Hunanian did not say whether Mirzoyan will meet with Cavusoglu on the sidelines of the forum. It was confirmed, meanwhile, that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will also fly to the Turkish resort city for the gathering. Russia has welcomed the Turkish-Armenian dialogue as have the United States and the European Union. Lavrov and Mirzoyan spoke by phone on Friday. The Russian Foreign Ministry said they discussed coordination of Russias and Armenias approaches in the international arena. It's a lesson any executive can attest to: Success in business sometimes comes down to having a strong work ethic, a willingness to collaborat Bluefield, WV (24701) Today Scattered thunderstorms, especially during the evening. Low 61F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms, especially during the evening. Low 61F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%. Authorities have identified a Vidor man who died Sunday after an argument with his brother. Glenn Rollins, 76, was found dead with signs of trauma when Vidor Police Officers arrived at the 1800 block of Buffalo, according to the Vidor Police Department. Officers were responding to a call shortly after 8:40 a.m. for a welfare check. A man shot at another male with an AK-47 because the male wanted to get to know his on and off wife, according to Laredo police. Juan Carlos Rodriguez Jr., 18, was arrested and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and evading arrest. Bettmann/Bettmann Archive Womens History Month is celebrated in March of each year. The month is set aside to honor the contributions women have made to American history. Celebrating womens history began as a local celebration in Santa Rosa, California with Womens History Week in 1978, according to the National Womens History Museum. In February 1980, President Jimmy Carter issued a presidential proclamation declaring the week of March 8th, 1980 Womens History Week, coinciding with International Womens Day. NEW ORLEANS (AP) Stray bullets in separate shootings killed two people visiting New Orleans for the festivities leading up to Mardi Gras: a 15-year-old girl from Texas and a 33-year-old South Carolina man. Heaven Nettles, of Houston, was standing in line at a food truck blocks from a parade route Saturday when gunfire killed her and two men also standing in the line, local news reports said. The family comes down every year to visit family, friends and enjoy Carnival, her aunt Donna Nettles of New Orleans told WVUE-TV. Except (this time) Heaven is dead." The coroners office identified the two men killed with Nettles as Donald Roberts Jr., 39, and Marvin Pepp. Coroners spokesman Jason Melancon said he could not verify hometowns for any of the three. The coroners office has not released the name or home state of the man killed in a shooting Friday night. But relatives identified him as Brandon Bovain of Orangeburg, South Carolina, The Times-Picayune / The New Orleans Advocate reported. Detectives told the family Bouvain was in his vehicle in a hotel parking lot when people in two other vehicles began shooting at each other, said Anthony Brown, one of Bovain's brothers, speaking with the newspaper. Brandon was one of the happiest persons you could meet, and they took my heart away man, they took my world away, he said. All told, there were three shootings Friday in New Orleans, two on Saturday, and another on Monday and one early Wednesday, authorities said. None of the others was fatal. Investigators do not believe the Texas teen or the South Carolina man were intended victims in the fatal shootings, police said in emails Wednesday to The Associated Press. Bovain, a furniture deliverer, his girlfriend and one of his younger brothers had made a spur-of-the-moment decision to see Carnival, said another brother, James Bovain. He told the newspaper that the three apparently were checking in to their hotel at the time. WASHINGTON (AP) The son of a Texas man charged with storming the U.S. Capitol with a holstered gun testified Thursday that he secretly recorded his father proudly describing his role in the riot and gave the audio file to an FBI agent after his father, a militia member, threatened him and his sister. Jackson Reffitt, then 18, said he was terrified and pretty grossed out when his father, Guy Wesley Reffitt, told him and his 16-year-old sister that they would be traitors if they reported him to law enforcement after the Capitol attack on Jan. 6, 2021. And he told his children that traitors get shot, Jackson Reffitt recalled. I never thought our father would say that to us, Jackson Reffitt said on the second day of his fathers trial the first for any of the hundreds of people charged in the riot. Jackson Reffitt, a prosecution witness, said he felt a mix of fear and guilt after he met with an FBI agent five days after the riot. He said he told the agent about his father's threats earlier that day. He also turned over a cellphone recording of a family conversation at their home in Wylie, Texas, near Dallas. I dont regret it, he said in a quavering voice. I dont have words to really describe it. Guy Reffitt broke down in tears when prosecutors called his son to the stand, wiping his eyes as his face turned red, according to a pool reporter in the courtroom. Guy Reffitt, 49, is charged with bringing a gun onto Capitol grounds and interfering with police officers guarding the building. He also is charged with obstructing justice for the alleged threats against his children. Jackson Reffitt initially contacted the FBI on Christmas Eve, less than two weeks before the Capitol riot, to report concerns about his fathers behavior and increasingly worrisome rhetoric. For months, Guy Reffitt had spoke repeatedly about doing something big, his son recalled. In late December, he told his son he was going to Washington. Whats about to happen will shock the world, Reffitt said in a text message to his son on Christmas Eve. We are about to rise up the way the Constitution was written, he wrote in another text. Jackson Reffitt said he sent a tip about his father through the FBI's website that day but didn't get a response until Jan. 6. He said he didn't know his father had gone to Washington until after the riot erupted. On his way home to Texas, Guy Reffitt sent his family a link to a video clip from the Fox News website that showed him at the Capitol during the riot. A hero, his son replied. It was sarcasm, Jackson Reffitt explained during his trial testimony. The younger of Guy Reffitt's two daughters, Peyton, also is listed as a government witness for her father's trial. Prosecutors say they expect her to testify that she believed her father was trying to intimidate her and her brother so they wouldn't contact authorities. Reffitt is charged with four other counts besides obstructing justice: obstruction of an official proceeding, being unlawfully present on Capitol grounds while armed with a firearm, transporting firearms during a civil disorder and interfering with law enforcement officers during a civil disorder. Jurors heard attorneys' opening statements Wednesday. Prosecutors expect to rest their case Monday. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Nestler told jurors that Reffitt drove from Texas to Washington because he intended to storm the Capitol and try to stop Congress from certifying President Joe Bidens electoral victory. Reffitt lit the match that started the fire when a mob charged at police officers guarding the building and was the tip of this mobs spear, Nestler said. Defense attorney William Welch said the Justice Departments case against Reffitt is based on a lot of hype and a rush to judgment against a man who is prone to bragging, exaggerating and ranting. Welch disputed that Reffit had a gun at the Capitol and said there is no evidence that Reffitt damaged property, used force or physically harmed anybody. Reffitts trial could be a bellwether. A conviction would give prosecutors more leverage to cut plea deals with others facing the most serious charges. An acquittal could embolden other riot defendants to seek more favorable plea terms or gamble on trials of their own. More than 750 people have been charged with federal crimes related to the riot. Over 220 riot defendants have pleaded guilty, more than 100 have been sentenced and at least 90 others have trial dates. Reffitt was arrested in Texas less than a week after the riot and has remained jailed in Washington. On Jan. 6, Reffitt was armed with a holstered handgun, carrying zip-tie handcuffs and wearing body armor and a helmet adorned with a video camera when he and other rioters charged at police officers on the west side of the Capitol, according to prosecutors. Before they advanced, Reffitt used a megaphone to shout at police to step aside and to urge the mob to push forward and overtake officers, Nestler said. Reffitt wasnt one of the hundreds of rioters who entered the building. He retreated after an officer pepper-sprayed him in the face. Reffitt is a member of the Texas Three Percenters, a militia-style group, according to prosecutors. The Three Percenters militia movement refers to the myth that only 3% of American colonists fought against the British in the Revolutionary War. Jurors saw a recording of a Zoom meeting that Reffitt had with another militia member after the riot. Referring to conversations he had at then-President Donald Trump's Stop the Steal rally before the riot erupted, Reffitt recalled saying: Well, Im not done until we drag them out screaming and kicking. I dont care if (House Speaker Nancy) Pelosis head is hitting every step while I drag her by her ankles. Shes coming out. Getty Images file photo Elon Musk had a busy weekend. Social media praises a photo of the Space X founder and CEO enjoying a Sombrero Fest event in Brownsville during the same weekend he deployed his Starlink internet service satellites to Ukraine to help the country stay online during the war with Russia. On Facebook, Eden Ramirez wrote in his viral picture of Musk, "Imagine being this guy right here richest guy in the world, admiring and smiling at a Spiropapa while visiting Charro Days in Brownsville, and deploying your Starlink internet service satellites to help fight a war against Russian aggression, all in the same day." Alliance for Women in Media Foun/Getty Images for Alliance for Wo NBC journalist Morgan Radford quickly learned how much Texans love H-E-B while reporting on the Texas primary in McAllen on Tuesday, March 1. In her Instagram story, she mentioned how she previously called our beloved grocery store HEB (one word) instead of (H-E-B). Radford said her co-worker Aaron Franco, a Texas native and NBC field producer, corrected her pronunciation while she visited the store in McAllen. She added how everyone in the city was so nice to her. Russias outrageous invasion of Ukraine has prompted worldwide revulsion and sanctions, and the pushback is taking place in Texas too. Last week state comptroller Glenn Hegar instructed his staff to review every state contract in the Statewide Procurement Division and every payment made through the Texas Treasury for ties to Russian-owned businesses. The Texas Treasury Safekeeping Trust Company, which manages the Treasury Pool, Economic Stabilization Fund and other investments, is also working to identify any investments with Russia. Then, the states response will be simple. As Hegar put it, We will be acting as swiftly as possible to divest any holdings with ties to the Russian state or Russian nationals. Thats exactly what should be happening in Texas and the other 49 states as well. The United States and its allies cannot play a direct military role in Ukraines defense because it is not a member of NATO. But in addition to providing Ukraine with the military tools it needs to defend itself, there is also something very important that other nations can do to punish Russia for this brutal violation of international law. They can divest and distance themselves from the Russian economy as much as possible. Even the smallest entities should take part in this effort, but the response from Texas will be noticed. It is the worlds ninth largest economy and the nations top exporting state. Whatever commerce we have with Russia can be shut down until this nightmarish war and occupation are over. The Texas Railroad Commission, which regulates oil and natural gas in the state, is also doing its part. The three commissioners issued a statement noting that many major oil and gas companies, such as British Petroleum and Shell, have announced their divestment of ownership in Russian oil and gas companies such as Rosneft. The commissioners said they firmly support these actions and strongly encourage all Western oil and gas companies to also cut ties with any Russian oil and gas business. We also hope that the companies operating or planning major LNG terminals in Southeast Texas and Southwest Louisiana can do something that would help as well sell more LNG to Europe. Europe had been buying most of its natural gas from Russia before this crisis, and in fact really couldnt cut those connections completely when this war began. But most of that gas is used for heating, and the winter weather will be ending soon. By the time the next winter rolls around, we hope that many LNG tankers will be leaving from this region for European countries. We have the supply of natural gas, and they have the demand for. Both parties need to come together for their mutual benefit and to thwart a nation that thinks it can invade a neighboring country with impunity. More and more, Vladimir Putin is learning that he cant. The U.S. and its allies should keep up the economic pressure on him until Russian troops are back on their side of the Ukrainian border. The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services is investigating one of its own employees after Gov. Greg Abbott directed the agency to probe parents of transgender youth for possible child abuse. Last week, Abbott issued the controversial directive following a legal opinion issued by Attorney General Ken Paxton defining gender-affirming health care, including puberty blockers and sex change procedures, as child abuse when administered to minors. An employee of the state's protective services agency with a 16-year-old transgender child says she was placed on administrative leave last week and now faces termination, according to a lawsuit filed on Tuesday. The employee, who works on the review of reports of abuse and neglect, says she was visited by an investigator from DFPS seeking medical records related to her child, who is identified in court documents as Mary Doe. The state investigator told the employee, identified as Jane Doe, that the sole allegation against her and her husband, John Doe, is that their transgender daughter may have been provided with gender-affirming health care and was currently transitioning from male to female," according to the suit. Jane Doe has refused to turn over records requested by DFPS. Not providing Mary with the medically necessary health care that she needs is not an option for us," Jane Doe wrote in the suit. We are terrified for Marys health and well-being, and for our family. I feel betrayed by my state and the agency for whom I work. On Tuesday, the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas and Lambda Legal, a civil rights organization focused on the LGBTQ community, sued to block the inquiry. According to the filing, other investigations have also begun, some almost immediately after the directive was issued. The groups argue that Abbott and Paxton's directives were issued without proper authority, "in violation of the Texas Administrative Procedures Act, the separation of powers requirements of the Texas Constitution, and the constitutional rights of transgender youth and their parents." Dr. Megan Mooney, a licensed psychologist in Houston, is also a plaintiff in the suit. Mooney is required to report suspected child abuse under Texas law and has a practice that includes transgender patients, many of whom have been diagnosed with gender dysphoria, according to the suit. No family should have to fear being torn apart because they are supporting their trans child, said Adri Perez, the policy strategist at the ACLU of Texas, in a statement. A week before an election, Gov. Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton issued a partisan political attack that isnt rooted in the needs of families, the evidence from doctors and the expertise from child welfare professionals." As news of the lawsuits spread online, users took to social media to express their dismay. Charlotte Clymer, a writer and activist, warned that Abbott's directive could have potentially deadly consequences for transgender children. "What's happening in Texas will lead to higher rates of abuse, harassment, and ultimately suicides of trans children," Clymer tweeted Tuesday. "Greg Abbott is attempting to completely erase trans children from the public square, and trans kids will die because of it. Those are the stakes here." Other users called for Texans to consider the targeted attacks on transgender children when voting at the polls during the primary Tuesday. Abbott and Paxton are both up for reelection. "Its really happening," tweeted transgender activist and actress Jen Richards. "A parent was placed on leave and is being investigated for simply providing love and care to her trans child. Texas primaries are today. Please vote if you can. This is nauseating and terrifying." Chris Mosier, the first openly transgender athlete for Team USA, said trans kids in Texas and other states facing similar legislation, "deserve better." Texas Democratic gubernatorial candidate Beto O'Rourke also chimed in on the investigations, tweeting "The people of Texas are so much bigger than this hate. Together, we will overcome it and protect trans kids." Hours prior, the former El Paso congressman tweeted "Imagine what our kids could accomplish if they had a governor who invested in their success instead of obsessively attacking them." Bedford, PA (15522) Today Rain likely. Low 58F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.. Tonight Rain likely. Low 58F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch. Rohingya refugees rest in the compounds of a mosque following their arrival by boat in Bireuen, Aceh province, in Indonesia, on March 6, 2022. Indonesian authorities are investigating the possible role of a people smuggling ring in the weekend arrival of 114 Rohingya in the Aceh region after 25 days at sea, a police spokesman said Monday. Villagers in coastal Bireuen regency saw the group of 58 men, 21 women and 35 children disembark from a rickety wooden boat and helped them find shelter in the early hours of Sunday, police and officials said. The Rohingya were later moved to a neighborhood mosque, where they were given food and underwent medical checkups and tests. We are investigating [possible people smuggling] and are still collecting information from witnesses and evidence, said Senior Commissioner Winardy, a spokesman for Aceh police. The group was the second to arrive in this area since Dec. 27 when local fishermen rescued 120 Rohingya, including 51 children, off North Aceh after their boats engine failed. The Bireuen administration has provided food for this latest group of Rohingya, while locals set up a kitchen at the mosque where the Rohingya were staying, said a local community leader, Muslim A. Majid. He said the Rohingya were spotted by locals who were looking for crabs near the beach. When we found them, they had got off the boat and were sitting in the quiet part of the beach, he told BenarNews. Winardy, the police spokesman, said the Rohingya spent more than three weeks at sea with little food. We found that 74 of them had UNHCR cards, and 30 people had [COVID-19] vaccine cards, he said, referring to the United Nations refugee agency. A spokeswoman for UNHCR, Mitra Suryono, said it was not immediately clear where the Rohingya were traveling from or where they were headed. Right now, our focus is their health. They have undergone COVID tests and will have a period of quarantine, she said. As with previous arrivals, there were some who already had cards issued by the UNHCR in Bangladesh, because they had previously fled there and were registered as refugees there, she said. Since Burmese security forces launched a brutal crackdown in Myanmars Rakhine state against the Rohingya in 2017, refugees have paid traffickers to transport them to Thailand and Malaysia. The Rohingya hope to find work away from Myanmar or crowded refugee camps in neighboring Bangladesh. Since the 2017 crackdown, about 740,000 Rohingya who fled Myanmar settled in camps in and around Bangladeshs Coxs Bazar, now home to about 1 million of the refugees. Over the years, groups of Rohingya have packed into boats and sailed off in search of asylum in other countries, but have often been refused entry. A young refugee in the batch of new arrivals said he had left his mother behind at a refugee camp in Bangladesh and followed his uncle to start a new life, preferably in a majority-Muslim country such as Indonesia or Malaysia. We left Bangladesh because the Rohingya situation at the camp is not good, its getting very bad at the moment, 11-year-old Omar Faruk told an AFP journalist on Sunday in English, adding that his group had been at sea for 25 days. We left Bangladesh to this country to make a beautiful future ... I have no father, only one uncle and my mum is still in Bangladesh, he said. I came here because I want to improve my education. Muzakkar A. Gani, the chief of Bireuen regency, said he hoped that the Rohingya would be transferred to the city of Lhokseumawe in North Aceh regency under the supervision of the International Organization for Migration and UNHCR. The temporary shelter in Bireuen is not secure enough and there are concerns that the refugees will flee, Muzakar told reporters. At least 36 of the 120 Rohingya who arrived in December have fled their Lhokseumawe camp, prompting concerns that a human trafficking ring had smuggled them out of Indonesia, Muzakar said. I dont have evidence yet, but this appears to be systematic, so there is a strong suspicion that other parties are involved, Muzakar said. Local officials said they did not know exactly where the Rohingya had gone to, but suspect they had been taken to Malaysia, their original destination. As of October, at least 665 Rohingya have ended up stranded in Indonesia on their way to third countries including Malaysia and Australia, according to UNHCR. Indonesia is not a party to the U.N.s 1951 Refugee Convention or its 1967 Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees. It prohibits refugees from obtaining jobs and attending formal schools. Filipino women and children participate in a dance exercise in suburban Manila to draw attention to sexual abuse of children, Feb. 6, 2016. Child-rights advocates on Monday welcomed the Philippine presidents signing of a bill that raises the minimum age of sexual consent to 16 years old from 12, saying this would protect children from rape and other exploitation. For nearly a century until President Rodrigo Duterte put his signature on the new law, the majority-Catholic nation had one of the worlds lowest ages for consent. The law increases to 16 the age for determining statutory rape in most cases. On Friday, the president signed Republic Act (RA) No. 116481, which will take effect once it is published in the governments official gazette. Rape is committed by a person when the offended party is under 16 years of age or is demented, read portions of the new law released by the presidential palace on Monday. The Philippines representative for UNICEF congratulated the government for the legislative milestone, noting that the law fulfills childrens right to protection as enshrined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child, to which the Philippines is a signatory. Sexual violence results in severe physical, psychological and social harm for children. Victims experience an increased risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, pain, illness, unwanted pregnancy, social isolation and psychological trauma. Some victims may resort to risky behaviors like substance abuse to cope with trauma, Oyunsaikhan Dendevnorov said in a statement on Monday. UNICEF plans to monitor to ensure the stringent enactment of this new law as we continue our work toward the complete eradication of all forms of violence against children in the Philippines, she said. A line that adults cannot cross Those convicted for lascivious conduct with a minor younger than 16 will face a maximum prison sentence of 20 years. In cases where there is no more than three years age difference involving a child younger than 16, there will be no criminal liability if the act is consensual, non-abusive and non-exploitative. If the victim is 13 or younger, this provision would not apply. Juan Miguel Zubiri, the Senate majority leader who wrote and co-sponsored the law, said it would protect children from malicious people taking advantage of them. At 13 or 14, our kids cannot make informed decisions about sex yet, especially sex with adults. ... With this law, we will be definitively drawing a line that adults cannot cross. They cannot say a kid below 16 gave them consent. That is statutory rape, plain and simple, he said in a statement. Sen. Richard Gordon, chairman of the Senates Justice and Human Rights Committee, called Dutertes action a big step in childrens rights. We are thankful for the passage of this bill, which ends the stigma of the Philippines having the lowest age of sexual consent in Asia. It fortifies protection of childrens rights and criminalizes perverted minds, he said. The Senate passed its version of the bill in September 2021, after the House took similar action in December 2020. The two sides had to reconcile differences in language before sending the bill for Dutertes signature. According to a 2015 study published by UNICEF, one in every five children in the Philippines between the ages of 13 and 17 reported experiencing sexual violence, while one in 25 experienced forced consummated sex during childhood. Perpetrators often were family members and more boys than girls reported experiencing sexual violence, the study also found. 90-year-old law Human rights groups had argued for a change in the law because while statutory rape is a crime against children, it only covered children 12 and younger. The old law had been in effect in the predominantly Catholic Philippines for 90 years, according to Child Rights Network (CRN), a nationwide alliance of childrens rights groups. This development now effectively means that an adult engaging in sexual activity with a minor younger than 16 the new age of sexual consent will automatically be guilty of rape, it said. RA 116481 is the product of the genuine collaboration and unwavering efforts of legislators, policy makers, victim-survivors, young people, civil society advocates, child protection lawyers, social workers and other practitioners throughout the country, CRN official Romeo Dongeto told BenarNews. Despite everything thats been transpiring in the past months, our legislators worked tirelessly and selflessly to ensure the safety and well-being of the Filipino children from sexual violence through this measure, he said, referring to the current political season where many lawmakers are campaigning ahead of the May national and local elections. Dongeto said he believed the new law would encourage victims to come forward. This is a victory for the Filipino children. The road to ending child rape begins today. Advocates will work alongside the government to ensure that they can maximize the protection that the new law brings, and the public needs to fully understand the content of the law, Dongeto said. The main challenge is to ensure its full implementation, he said. We encourage everyone to be vigilant and proactive in reporting cases to the proper authorities as long as confidentiality is strictly observed and consent from the victim is secured, Dongeto said. Bennington, VT (05201) Today Rain showers early will evolve into a more steady rain overnight. Low around 50F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight Rain showers early will evolve into a more steady rain overnight. Low around 50F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%. A 14-year-old Enfield girl is dead and an Ellington driver is in police custody after the man who police said was texting while driving struck the teen in East Windsor Sunday. Jesse Robert Pincince, 37, was in custody early Monday on $350,000 bail after his arrest on more than a half-dozen charges, including second-degree manslaughter, misconduct with a motor vehicle and negligent homicide with a motor vehicle, police said. Later, during his arraignment in Superior Court in Hartford, his bail was reduced to $200,000, a court clerk said. Advertisement Neither police nor school officials had released the girls name by early Monday afternoon but said she was a student at Enfield High School. Christopher Drezek, superintendent of schools, said the girl was a freshman. A crisis team was at the school to provide counseling when fellow students arrived at 7 a.m. and theyll remain there for as long as students need them. Advertisement Police said Pincince stopped at the scene of the collision and admitted he had been texting. In addition, it appeared that he shouldnt have been driving because of a chronic medical condition, Lt. Matt Carl said. He didnt have details about the illness or any medication the driver might be on. According to police, 911 callers alerted state troopers to an erratic driver of a GMC pickup truck on I-91 about 3 p.m. Sunday. The male driver got off the highway in East Windsor, and a woman driving behind him reported him to police as well. She told the dispatcher she was stopped at a red light at the intersection of routes 5 and 140, and that the erratic driver had gone through the light. Breaking News As it happens Get the latest updates on Coronavirus and other breaking news events happening across Connecticut > When the light turned green, the woman proceeded east on Route 140 and came upon the scene of the collision, police said. The teenager had been walking on the side of the road with another girl, who is 12; there is no sidewalk there. The younger girl was not struck by the pickup, police said. Carl said Pincince cooperated with officers and admitted he had been texting at the time of the collision. A drug recognition expert from South Windsor said it appeared Pincince shouldnt have been driving because of his medical condition, he said. There was no evidence he was driving drunk. Besides manslaughter, misconduct and negligent homicide, Pincince was charged with a traffic signal violation, operating a motor vehicle while using an electronic device, reckless driving and failure to maintain lane. The teen was taken to Connecticut Childrens, where she died about 8 p.m., Carl said. He said Monday morning that police have not released her name at the familys request. Advertisement Christine Dempsey may be reached at cdempsey@courant.com. GAS PRICES Average gas prices leap to over $4 per gallon in Berkshire County and Massachusetts A city man who was arrested in Trenton, N.J., in a recent shooting in Pittsfield has waived extradition and will be transported back to Berkshire County for court. When Russia invaded Ukraine, a language class became partially about current events. "I would find the kids would come to class and they would immediately say, 'Can we pull up the news; can we see what's happening?'" teacher Jilly Lederman says. Adams Town Administrator Jay Green signed a contract, approved unanimously by the Select Board, that will keep him in town through 2025. Green says he wanted to stay to continue pursuing such goals as bringing more businesses to Adams, including in the states growing cannabis industry, and advancing big projects, such as the Greylock Glen Outdoor Center. Its just that we have a lot of good stuff and I want to see it through, he says. Scott Stafford has been a reporter, photographer, and editor at a variety of publications, including the Dallas Morning News and The Berkshire Eagle. A California lab has reached a settlement with the state and federal governments in which it agrees to pay $4.8 million to resolve allegations that it overcharged the Connecticut Medicaid program for some laboratory services. Santa Rosa-based Redwood Toxicology Laboratory provides urine drug testing services for substance abuse patients enrolled in the Connecticut Medicaid program. The government claims the lab violated a Connecticut regulation, known as the Most Favored Nation regulation, which guarantees that labs bill the state at the lowest price they charge other third party clients for similar tests. Advertisement The state and federal governments claimed that Redwood regularly accepted payments from Connecticut Medicaid for certain urine drug tests at the rate of $38 per test, while at the same time charging other third parties from $2 to $10.50 for the same or substantially similar urine drug tests. Redwood agreed to resolve the allegation by paying about $4.8 million to cover the period from January 2015, through and including February 2018. Advertisement We are committed to ensuring that public funds used for substance abuse treatment are properly spent, and clinical laboratories that charge government health care programs a higher price than they charge to other providers for the same or similar services will be held accountable, U.S. Attorney Leonard Attorney C. Boyle said. Connecticut Attorney General William Tong said, The state Most Favored Nation regulation exists to ensure fair prices for our taxpayer funded Medicaid program. In coordination with our federal and state partners, we will act aggressively to ensure public funds are protected and well spent. This matter was investigated by the Office of Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services. Spearfish, SD (57783) Today Partly cloudy and windy. High around 65F. Winds ESE at 20 to 30 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.. Tonight Cloudy with occasional showers overnight. Low 41F. Winds SE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 40%. BOISE - Idaho lawmakers want more control over building codes that regulate energy efficiency. The standards cover things like the efficiency of appliances and how windows are insulated in residential and commercial buildings, and are updated every three years. Legislators want to lock the 2018 codes into statute so that any changes must be approved by the House, Senate and governor. The construction industry has voiced support for the move, saying energy-efficiency requirements make homes more costly. But Jonathan Oppenheimer, the external relations director at the Idaho Conservation League, said it's important to keep up with standards. "They help reduce the cost every month to homeowners for utilities in their homes, and in their businesses," said Oppenheimer. "And by applying some of the modern technologies and best practices we can save homeowners and renters and business owners hundreds if not thousands of dollars every year." Oppenheimer said energy-efficiency codes also help reduce carbon emissions from a sector that is producing an increasing share of overall emissions. House Bill 660 passed the House and has moved on to the Senate. Another piece of legislation, House Bill 614, would similarly place lawmakers directly in charge of electrical, mechanical and plumbing codes. Oppenheimer said both bills would ultimately take control away from local governments. "We've often heard the refrain that 'government closest to the people governs best,'" said Oppenheimer. "But in this case what it is doing, it is saying that the Legislature knows best, and precluding local communities from adopting standards and codes that makes sense for their communities." Idaho Conservation League says HB 614 could affect ordinances in Boise and Ketchum that require newly constructed single-family homes to be set up for electric-vehicle charging. Oppenheimer said these ordinances will help reduce costs to retrofit homes as electric vehicles become more prevalent. HB 614 has also passed the House and is in the Senate. Once again it falls to me to defend Donald Trump, something I am not in business to do. But the ceaseless attacks on him are not grounded in honest analysis, at least most of them aren't. So, let's examine the latest Trump-Putin hysteria. The former President believes his strategy of personal detente with Putin, Xi of China, and the lunatic in North Korea successfully kept those dictators from harming America. And the record shows this is correct. Mr. Trump also believes that his strong persona discouraged misbehavior throughout the world and, he thinks, he has never been given credit for that. In addition, Donald Trump believes Joe Biden is weak and so, essentially, is the NATO alliance. As President, Trump had to threaten some NATO countries to live up to their commitments like paying dues. Therefore, it is not surprising that Trump sees Biden and NATO as weak, and Putin and Xi as strong because they can cause trouble at will. The problem is that Donald Trump does not fully explain himself when he says things like Putin is "smart." That gives the hate-Trump media an opening to portray Trump as a fellow traveler with the brutal dictator. The truth is that President Trump did not want conflict for America and largely kept the USA away from disasters like Ukraine. He did this by effective deal-making. But we live in a world of propaganda and that fact is now routinely ignored. However, Trump's international policies largely worked. And that is a historical fact. See you beginning at six eastern for the No Spin News. We'll continue to have the best Ukraine analysis. Hope you read my new column on the subject. On Monday's No Spin News Bill asked German-based human rights advocate Aaron Rhodes to describe the European view of Putin. Enhance your life become a Premium Member for complete access to the No Spin News and get a FREE COPY of Killing the Killers. Russia confirms war casualties in Ukraine, Covid subsides across the USA, latest polls show Americans more worried about the economy than the pandemic, adults report the highest level of dissatisfaction in fifty years. Plus, Bill's Message of the Day, listeners sound off! The initiative will help advance women in science, technology engineering and mathematics Indian Institute of Technology Madras has been selected by the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, to advance women in STEM (Science, Technology Engineering, and Mathematics). Called GATI or Gender Advancement for Transforming Institutions initiative, it seeks to develop and implement policies and address issues in a systematic and timely manner. IIT Madras is keen to contribute to DSTs vision to develop the countrys first National Assessment and Accreditation Model for S&T institutions, which is based on gender-sensitive practices. The Institute is proud to be selected as one of the 30 pilot institutions that will implement this quantitative methodology, to surface the specific gender-based issues. The DST partnered with British Educational Institutions to develop GATI, which aims to bring about tangible and positive changes in terms of the improvement of gender ratios. A Gender Equity Charter has also been developed for an India-specific context. Dr Pratibha Jolly, former Principal, Miranda House, Delhi, and her team have developed a methodology for evaluation and assessment of the institutional gender climate, with a uniquely Indian look. The plans for the immediate future include: A discarded mask lies on a Bushnell Park sidewalk near the state Capitol. As of Monday, no town or city in the state will have masking rules in place for the general public for the first time since the earliest days of the pandemic. Photograph by Mark Mirko | mmirko@courant.com (Mark Mirko/The Hartford Courant) As Connecticuts COVID-19 metrics improve following a devastating winter surge, the era of community-wide mask mandates in the state appears to have reached an end or at least a pause. On Monday, New Haven will officially lift its requirement that people in the Elm City wear masks in public, indoor settings. At that point, no municipality in Connecticut will have a mask mandate that applies to its broad population. Advertisement Cases are going down. ... Were going into warmer months. Hospitalizations are down, New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker said. So as we continue to see this trend, were in a much, much better place than we were many months ago, or even three weeks ago. New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker answers questions from a health care worker before being tested for COVID-19 at the CVS Health rapid result drive-thru testing site on Sargent Drive in New Haven in May 2020. (Courant file photo) (Kassi Jackson / Hartford Courant) Connecticut has not had a statewide mask mandate since spring 2021, but during the worst of the states delta and omicron variant surges, many towns and cities implemented requirements of their own. Gradually, in recent weeks, those local mandates have disappeared, with even the most cautious town officials moving on from universal masking. Advertisement [ Weekly coronavirus updates: Connecticuts COVID-19 trajectory optimistic ] Mansfield, for example, has been one of Connecticuts most COVID-conscious towns throughout the pandemic, implementing a mask mandate almost immediately after gaining the power to do so last summer. But with COVID-19 transmission dropping, Town Manager Ryan Aylesworth said, officials did not see a compelling public health basis to continue requiring masks. Now that the public health situation has gotten a lot better, we think its time to ... [promote] our local businesses and make sure our local businesses arent experiencing any unintended negative consequences as a result of perpetuating the mask mandate, Aylesworth said. In Hartford, where a citywide mask mandate expired at the end of January, Health Director Liany Arroyo said people who wish to continue wearing masks should feel free to do so but that current conditions no longer make it necessary. U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, left, listens to Liany Arroyo, the city of Hartford's health director (in operations vest), as Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin, second from left, and state Rep. Joshua Hall, right, listen in at a COVID-19 vaccination clinic at Dunkin' Donuts Park in Hartford. (Courant file photo) (Hartford Courant) Masking was never intended to be something that we did forever, Arroyo said. It is meant to be something that is used when needed. Of course, the end of citywide mask mandates doesnt mean the end of masking rules altogether. Many of Connecticuts largest school districts, including Hartford, have continued to require masks in classrooms even as the statewide mandate has expired. In Arroyos view, schools are different from grocery stores or restaurants in that people spend long periods of time there, in close proximity to each other. The schools right now are where you have many people for many, many hours all together, Arroyo said. That is a big difference. Advertisement In New Haven, masks remain required not only in schools but also in municipal buildings. Elicker said this is to protect high-risk residents who cant easily avoid those settings. For the vast majority of public spaces, people can choose to go there or not, Elicker said. But people have to go to school, and they have to go, in many cases, to our municipal buildings to access things that they need. Loosening guidance Both locally and nationally, public health authorities have softened their stances on masking as COVID-19 numbers have improved. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has changed the thresholds for its county-by-county mask guidance, classifying most of the country as having low transmission. Under the CDCs old guidance, every Connecticut county would currently qualify as having substantial COVID-19 spread, meaning people there would be recommended to wear masks. Under the new guidance, all eight of the states counties are in the low category, meaning masks are not necessary. Local experts, including those who have previously advocated for widespread masking, say Connecticuts numbers are now low enough to justify removing mandates. Breaking News As it happens Get the latest updates on Coronavirus and other breaking news events happening across Connecticut > Were seeing declining cases, declining hospitalizations, said Dr. David Banach, hospital epidemiologist at UConn Health. I think thats encouraging and supports pulling back on the broad public health measures that have been in place, including the masking. Advertisement David Banach Banach said he would still recommend individuals wear masks in certain situations, particularly if they are at a high risk of severe COVID-19 illness or if they are around people who are. Being mindful of those who Im around will probably guide my decisions about masking rather than a universal plan for masking in all public-facing situations, he said. Dr. Ulysses Wu, chief epidemiologist at Hartford HealthCare, said he still worries about COVID-19 spread at parties, concerts and other large indoor gatherings but that going mask-free at, say, a supermarket is totally fine. Even as mask mandates disappear, officials say they are open to bringing them back if cases rise again, perhaps in the event of a new COVID-19 variant. I dont think I can tell you no, we will never wear masks again, Arroyo said. Masks are always part of our toolkit. Alex Putterman can be reached at aputterman@courant.com. The Conversation Africa is an independent source of news and views from the academic and research community. Its aim is to promote better understanding of current affairs and complex issues, and allow for a better quality of public discourse and conversation.Go to: https://theconversation.com/africa Various civil society organisations, including Green Anglicans, WWF South Africa and Greenpeace Africa, and the minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Barbara Creecy have welcomed the adoption of the resolution to end plastic pollution with an international legally binding instrument. Landmark and significant decision to protect the environment Developing countries need to be involved in the implementation The resolution, titled, addresses the full lifecycle of plastic, including its production, design and disposal.It is based on three initial draft resolutions from various nations and establishes an Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC), which will begin its work in 2022, with the ambition of completing a draft global legally binding agreement by the end of 2024.Reacting to the historic resolution, minister Creecy said this represents an important landmark and significant decision to protect the environment and particularly our oceans that are important for food security, addressing climate change, improving health and promoting sustainable development and poverty eradication.Green Anglicanss Rev. Dr Rachel Mash welcomed the resolution, saying that it is very important that informal waste pickers have been recognised as key stakeholders in the process going forward, while Erastus Ooko from Greenpeace Africa also welcomed the resolution saying that our decision makers have made us proud, and our leaders are on the side of the people at last.Ooko added that the ball is now in the court of the International Negotiation Committee to see this through and deliver to the world a legally binding treaty to end the plastic pollution crisis.Peter Manyara, programme manager for coastal and ocean resilience at IUCN Esaro, said the sustained multi-year focus on plastics has laid the foundation for where we are today, importantly highlighting that the current global governance framework is broken to get us out of the current plastics crisis.Developing an instrument is great, but clearly outlining and ultimately operationalising means of implementation, monitoring and reporting is equally important, Manyara added.Dr Prabhat Upadhyaya, senior policy analyst on climate and plastics at the WWF South Africa said plastic pollution impacts individual species and entire ecosystems, threatening the wellbeing of societies and economies that are dependent on their health, hence the WWF welcomes resolution.In addition to being legally binding, the treaty also needs to build provisions for making financial, technological and capacity building support available and accessible to enable and strengthen effective implementation by developing countries, especially for Africa countries, Dr Upadhyaya said. In November 2021 the South African Medico-Legal Association joined with other leading healthcare organisations in South Africa in urging the government to review the culpable homicide law and its application in healthcare settings. Recent prosecutions Law reform The South African Medico-Legal Association represents medical and legal practitioners, many of whom also belong to the other healthcare bodies involved in this matter. They wrote to the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, suggesting that the South Africa Law Reform Commission should review this complex area of law. Such a review would benefit healthcare professionals as well as patients.The current law in South Africa to prove that healthcare practitioners are guilty of culpable homicide is set out in the common law and the National Health Act No. 61 of 2003 . It must be shown that they deviated from their duty of care, leading to the foreseeable death of a patient. In addition, the prosecutor needs to prove unlawfulness and negligence This is a low threshold for criminal culpability. Even if the healthcare practitioner acts in good faith, or the error of judgement is slight, it can be relatively easy for the prosecution to formulate charges and secure a criminal conviction Even if the healthcare practitioner is acquitted on the charge, he or she suffers a huge reputational risk. This can have an adverse affect on their practice.Practitioners fear arrests and being charged with culpable homicide even for minor mistakes, including slips and lapses. This may happen even to the best trained practitioners. And in the public sector , inadequate infrastructure, including obsolete medical equipment, and understaffing may increase the risk of healthcare practitioners making mistakes.Practitioners are also concerned that a culture of fear, where prosecutions appear to be indiscriminate, may result in an exodus of practitioners something South Africa cannot afford.We are seeking support from politicians to bring about law reform in South Africa.Until recently, prosecutions of healthcare practitioners were sparse in South Africa. But law enforcement agencies, including the South African Police Service and the National Prosecuting Authority, now appear to be more eager to proceed with such cases. In 2019 there were two separate cases in which the state showed its intent.The first case involved Dr Daniel van der Walt, an obstetrician and gynaecologist. He was convicted of culpable homicide and sentenced to five years in prison but successfully appealed to the Constitutional Court.The second case was that of Professor Peter Beale, a paediatric surgeon, and Dr Abdullah Munshi, an anaesthetist. They were charged with culpable homicide for the death of a patient. Munshi then died in what was perceived to be an assassination . The charge against Beale has since been changed to murder.These cases have highlighted to doctors the very real prospect of facing criminal charges when they have acted in good faith, in a complex and challenging environment.As members of the South African Medico-Legal Association, we are very concerned about the present law in assessing the criminal culpability of healthcare practitioners in South Africa. As a coalition, we cannot see who benefits from the current system. Doctors risk losing their careers and liberty. The fear of criminal charges also has a negative knock-on effect on patient care. Practitioners may resort to defensive medicine, referring patients to others for diagnosis (and adding to treatment costs). Surgeons may lose the confidence they need in difficult circumstances. And the health professions, already short of practitioners, may become less attractive as a career.The letter to the minister, Ronald Lamola, was signed by the Medical Protection Society, Association of Surgeons of South Africa, Federation of South African Surgeons, Radiological Society of South Africa, South African Medical Association, South African Medico-Legal Association, South African Private Practitioners Forum, South African Society of Anaesthesiologists and South African Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.The letter stresses the importance of achieving a long-term solution for healthcare professionals and patients alike.Our primary goal is to engage the South African Reform Commission. It must investigate the need for introducing legislation to stop the National Prosecuting Authority from instituting prosecutions against healthcare practitioners when complications occur despite best intentions and care. We believe the current measure to establish criminal culpability of healthcare practitioners is inappropriate.Let us be clear, practitioners whose intentional or reckless conduct causes the death of patients should be punished. But fatalities brought about by errors of judgement in complex healthcare environments should not be viewed as culpable. This can be achieved with a raised threshold that includes either recklessness or gross negligence. A clear intention to cause harm should also be added.We recommend a higher threshold as found in the Scottish law and in the New Zealand legal system.South Africa needs a system of greater openness, where practitioners are encouraged to report unintended and unexpected adverse events and apologise to the families of deceased patients. We should move away from a culture of blame and fear to a system of learning from mistakes.New Zealand has a programme aimed at learning from adverse events, minimising repeat behaviour and ultimately improving patient safety. Prosecutions of healthcare practitioners have become rare there.These changes can take place by developing South Africas common law or by legislative reform. The influence of the South African Law Reform Commission is vital. The commission researches the law on issues in need of reform to make recommendations to government. It relies heavily on the help of commentators who share their knowledge and experience.Besides leading to greater consistency and fairer outcomes, reform will replace a measure that is overly punitive.The South African Medico-Legal Associations collaboration on this important issue is anchored in its mission statement , which encourages the inter-relationship between medicine and law, fostering dialogue between member professions and beyond, to promote justice, ethical practice and constitutional values.This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article When it comes to invigorating the South African economy following the effects of the global pandemic, the return of live event trade shows and exhibitions will provide a much needed platform for buyers and sellers to connect face-to-face, business partnerships to develop, industries to come together and new products and services launched. One such exhibition is Propak Africa which is taking place from 8-11 March 2022 at the Expo Centre Nasrec in Johannesburg, together with co-located shows The GAPP Print Expo, Pro-Plas Expo, FoodPro and Pro-Label Expo. Acknowledged as Africas most progressive packaging, food processing, plastics, printing and labelling trade exhibition, the show takes place every three years and attracts local and international exhibitors and visitors.Over 200 packaging and related industries suppliers will be showcasing the very best that these industries offer. Its four days of unparalleled access to fresh new thinking and ideas that could take your business to the next level, says Mark Anderson, portfolio director at Specialised Exhibitions, organisers of the show.Industry front runners across these sectors will use this unique platform to introduce state-of-the-art technology, advanced equipment and new approaches to packaging, says Anderson. All the latest industry trends will be on view.Efficiency improvements, cost containment and targeting new market segments are also top of mind for visitors, to drive improved profitability and better returns. Spending time at Propak Africa will enable visitors to find products and solutions to address these priorities.The Seminar Theatre in Hall 5 will host industry leaders from packaging and related industries. Keynote speakers at the daily free-to-attend seminars will be sharing their insights about future developments of the industry and the challenges that these industries face.In addition to the seminars, the Institute of Packaging SAs Think Tank conference will run four important workshops on 8 and 9 March. The four workshop topics are Print Processes in Packaging, 'Packaging & Waste Management the Law & the Facts'; 'A Lean Six Sigma Approach to Quality Management'; and 'Plastic Packaging Unpacked'. Pre-booking and payment is required. Printing SA will also be hosting a conference on 10 March.Without compromising on the visitors ability to effectively interact with the exhibitors, measures will be in place to ensure that the exhibition complies with the governments regulations for safe social exchanges, explains Anderson. We are looking forward to the show!For further information and visitor registration, visit www.propakafrica.co.za Innovate Durban recently launched its third annual offering of its Innovation Publication. The publication provides information to all stakeholders, including innovators and investors, on the state of innovation in KZN. This year's edition introduces five new indicators, which sees the introduction of design patents, film copyrights, patent grants, companies registered, and companies expected to submit taxes (on a national level). This edition also expands its focus on providing information important to grassroot innovation. A number of the indicators in the publication also start to show the immediate impacts of Covid-19 on science and innovation in the country. In addition, a Covid-19 Impact Survey was conducted, which aims to provide reference for the overall impact of Covid-19 on innovators in KZN and South Africa.Over the past two years, the Innovation Publication has proven to be a vital tool for all stakeholders for keeping abreast of the latest thinking and trends within the provincial innovation space. The publication is also an opportunity to celebrate and showcase the success of innovators within our province, showcasing the profiles of five new innovators in this edition.In addition, the publication is hosted on the Innovate Durban Innovation Dashboard, as a living mechanism aimed at showcasing the data, celebrating innovation, connecting stakeholders, enabling collaboration, and creating new partnerships and possibilities.Innovate Durban is a collaborative platform between the public sector, private sector, academia, and civil society that meaningfully contributes towards building an inclusive and vibrant innovation ecosystem and culture in Durban, KwaZulu Natal. Aurelia Albert, CEO for Innovate Durban, expressed her excitement at the launch of the 3rd annual Innovation Publication, aimed at mapping innovation data for thought leaders, business, entrepreneurs, academia, designers, government, and all innovation stakeholders to explore the latest trends in innovation.Amy BennInnovation Co-Lab Lead Innovate Durban087 365 3131 |Social Media Handles:Web https://www.innovate.durban/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/innovatedurban Instagram https://www.instagram.com/innovatedurban/ LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/20142770/admin/ The Cannes Lions and The One Club for Creativity have both come out in support of Ukraine, while a number of brands, such as Accenture, Spotify and Volkwagen have exited Russia. Cannes Lions take action Despite our desire to celebrate creativity from wherever it comes, we have made the decision not to accept submissions or delegations from Russian organisations into Cannes Lions or its associated awards programmes. As an immediate action, Ascential and LIONS will make a significant donation to humanitarian charities working in the affected region. While we recognise that this is only a small gesture, we will welcome free of charge any and all Ukraine creatives who are able to attend Cannes Lions. Refunds on awards submissions for Ukraine agencies will also be honoured. Our thoughts go out to the affected members of the community at this extremely difficult time. Read on to see how were supporting the creative community here: https://t.co/wRlL4nRV8O pic.twitter.com/qyOQ70TAG4 LIONS | The Home of Creativity (@Cannes_Lions) March 4, 2022 The One Club condemns Russian invasion Refunds of fees for all entries to The One Show 2022, ADC 101st Annual Awards and Young Ones Student Awards submitted from Ukraine. Provide all of the clubs networking resources and other support programming at no cost to the Ukrainian creative community. Make a sizable donation to Come Back Alive to help support relief efforts. Accenture discontinues business in Russia Spotify services operational in Russia Both Awards have taken steps to support Ukriane and creatives in that country as well as put in place humanitarian assistance.The Cannes Lions' statement says: We stand together with our friends in Ukraine, and our many partners and community members in Russia who strongly oppose the actions of the Russian Government.In the statement they have detailed three decisions:The Cannes Lions also established a talent directory for affected members of the creative community on the Lions platform, and encourage the global community to commission and support these members during these troubled times.Our thoughts go out to the people of Ukraine and other affected members of the community at this extremely difficult time, says the statement.In a statement sent out The One Club for Creativity says it condemns in the strongest terms the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and the humanitarian crisis it has inflicted on the country.We support the courageous citizens of Ukraine, the global efforts to preserve the nations sovereignty and democracy by combating this unspeakable and unprovoked war, and the rights of people everywhere to live in peace.It also announced a number of initiatives:We recognise these actions are small in the face of the tragic situation in the Ukraine, but we are committed to doing all we can to help with these and other initiatives to come, say the One Club.Our support for the entire global creative community extends to agencies and creatives in Russia who stand against the war and oppression, and have nothing to do with the horrific actions of their state leaders, it adds.We firmly believe positive change can only come through dialogue and the exchange of ideas, and raising these voices rather than excluding them should be our goal. Our sincere thoughts are with the people of Ukraine, and we hope for a swift end to the invasion and peaceful resolution to this horrendous crisis, it further states.Accenture announced that it is discontinuing its business in Russia. Last year Accenture in South Africa acquired the creative agency, King James. Asked for comment the Accenture SA office sent the global statement as sent out by Accenture.Accenture stands with the people of Ukraine and the governments, companies and individuals around the world calling for the immediate end to the unlawful and horrific attack on the people of Ukraine and their freedom, says the press release on the Accenture website.The statement further thanks its nearly 2,300 colleagues in Russia for their dedication and service to Accenture over the years. Accentures marketing services division Accenture Interactive, which works with clients such as Unilever, Avianca and Radisson Hotels, is also based in Russia. We will be providing support to our Russian colleagues, says the statement.While Accenture does not have a business in Ukraine, the business consultancy says it continue its efforts to help its Ukrainian colleagues working around the globe at Accenture and their extended families as well as provide telehealth for those in Ukraine, and helping resettle family members who leave Ukraine.We are donating $5m to non-profit relief organisations working to help people in Ukraine and those who are being displaced into Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Hungary and the Czech Republic. We are also matching 100% of the donations from our people, says the statement. Adweek , which also reported on the press release.Adweek quotes Julie Sweet, chair and chief executive of Accenture, saying: Accenture is committed to supporting humanitarian aid to address the crisis and we stand with all in the global community who are calling for peace."Accenture joins Volkswagen and Spotify as the number of countries exiting Russia grows.The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that Spotify had closed its Russian office and that it has put restrictions on users being able to find shows by Russian state media.The WSJ quoted a Spotift spokesperson saying: Our first priority over the past week has been the safety of our employees and to ensure that Spotify continues to serve as an important source of global and regional news at a time when access to information is more important than ever.While Spotify reviewing thousands of pieces of content since the start of the conflict in Ukraine, it opted to restrict shows owned and operated by Russian state media. It also removed content from Russia's state-backed RT and Sputnik in the European Union, but its service is still available within Russia.We think its critically important to try to keep our service operational in Russia to allow for the global flow of information, said the spokesperson to the WSJ. Like many of our South African heritage brands, Enterprise had followed a rather stable and fairly predictable visual path - up until last year, that is. With a change in ownership came a change in tack, and a total packaging makeover. Like any new brief, we started with a thorough analysis of the category. Chilled processed meat brands in South Africa tend to look very similar to each other in terms of packaging (perhaps due to very little differentiation in intrinsic). This category also carries a bit of an unhealthy stigma. If we were going to successfully upgrade Enterprises visual language and maintain their market leader position, we would need to address the aforementioned, radically improve shelf standout / product navigation, AND redefine the category cues.The new packaging design solution embodies Enterprises new brand values: its pragmatic, transparent, authentic and approachable. We stripped away all superfluous elements and focused on one key claim per variant. Food imagery fell away entirely as it added to the visual confusion, instead of aiding in navigation as intended. We opted for a very simple segment and variant colour system, solving the challenge of shelf stand out and variant navigation.The end result is eye catching, easy to understand and even easier to navigate. But dont take our word for it the true test for any successful packaging design solution is how it compares on shelf.Want to read about insights, trends and other cool stuff?For over 20 years, Just Design has proven time and again that good thinking leads to great creative. With a national footprint and accounts across Africa, Middle East and Europe, they are the strategic packaging design and innovation partners for many blue-chip clients and global brands, and are one of South Africas leading packaging design agencies.For further information, please contact:Vanessa Bosman+27 (0) 11 234 4249 As part of its long-standing commitment to the music industry, South Africa's first cider brand, Hunter's, in partnership with Grey Advertising/WPP Liquid, donated R100,000 to the Music In Africa Foundation for its work in supporting the African music sector. As a way to create opportunities for local artists, the donation went towards the foundations pan-African music trade fair, ACCES, which was held in Johannesburg from 26 to 27 November 2021.The Hunters donation comes after Hunters held the #MusicNeedsYou concert in Johannesburg late last year, which saw top South African talent including Cassper Nyovest, Kabza de Small and DJ PH, among others, performing in Johannesburg. The concert was aimed at helping the South African music industry and its artists to kickstart live music events after 19 months of hard restrictions on public gatherings. #MusicNeedsYou was also held in solidarity with the national vaccination roll-out to curb the negative impact that the Covid-19 pandemic has had on the arts and entertainment sector.Being a proudly South African brand synonymous with music, Hunters chose to partner with Music in Africa , WPP Liquid creative lead Felix Kessel said. The donation went towards the ACCES initiative, a multifaceted developmental platform, because this brand is committed not only to music, but to the people who make it happen at every level.Alicia Reddy, brand manager Hunters & Esprit, adds, "Hunter's Premium Cider is a proudly South African brand, synonymous with music. We chose to partner with Music in Africa, knowing that our donation is being spent on the Africa Conference for Collaborations, Exchange and Showcase (ACCES) initiative, a multifaceted developmental platform.Music In Africa Foundation director Eddie Hatitye adds: The donation from Hunters came at a crucial time when the foundation was mobilising resources to support the music industry after tough months because of Covid-19. We would like to thank Hunters for the contribution, which benefited African music creators.Hunters has been supporting the music and eventing industries since 1988. It was the first cider brewed in South Africa, disrupting the fundamentally beer-oriented market.#HuntersRefreshes #StaySafeHunters Cider promotes responsible drinking. Not for persons under 18.Instagram: @huntersciderFacebook: @HuntersCider The threat to banks Source: Hadrian. SocGen is one of the banks considered most exposed. Beyond banks Source: Reuters. Companies like BP are offloading Russian interests, but at what cost? The sanctions include: removing some Russian banks from the Swift messaging system for international payments; freezing the assets of Russian companies and oligarchs in western countries; and restricting the Russian Central Bank from using its $630bn (473bn) of foreign reserves to undermine the sanctions.In response to these moves, several ratings agencies have either cut Russias credit rating to junk status or signalled that they may do so soon. In other words, they think the prospect of Russia defaulting on its debts is higher than before. According to a group of global banks, a default is extremely likely.With over $100bn of Russian debt in foreign banks, this raises questions about the risks to banks outside Russia and the potential for a default to kick off a 2008-style liquidity crisis , where banks panic about the state of other banks solvency and stop lending to one another.European banks are the most exposed financial institutions to Russias new sanctions, specifically those in Austria, France and Italy. Figures from the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) show that France and Italys banks each have outstanding claims of about $25bn on Russian debt, while Austrian banks had $17.5bn.Comparatively, US banks have been decreasing their exposure to the Russian economy since the Crimean sanctions in 2014. Nonetheless, Citigroup has a $10bn exposure , albeit this is a relatively small portion of the $2.3tn in assets the bank holds.There is also the question of exposure to a potential default by Ukraine on its debts. Ukraines circa $60bn of bond debt has also been downgraded to junk status, raising the risk of a default from a weak probability to a real danger.On top of debt exposure, many banks are going to be hit because they offer banking services in either Ukraine or Russia. According to ratings agency Fitch, the French banks BNP Paribas and Credit Agricole are the most exposed to Ukraine because of their local subsidiaries in the country. Societe Generale and UniCredit are the European banks with the largest operations in Russia, and both are also among the most exposed to Russian debts.In additional bad news for European banks, there has been a sharp rise in the cost of raising US dollar funding in the euro swaps market. Banks use this market to raise the dollars that are essential for most international trade, so higher rates will put additional pressure on their margins.So how serious are the risks to banks overall from defaults? US investment research firm Morning Star believes that the exposure of European banks, let alone US banks to Russia is ultimately insignificant regarding their solvency. Nonetheless it has been reported that European, US and Japanese banks could face serious losses, potentially to the tune of $150bn.Banks will also probably be affected in other ways. For example , Switzerland, Cyprus and the UK are the biggest destinations for Russian oligarchs seeking to store their cash overseas. Cyprus also attracts Russian wealth with golden passports. Financial institutions in these countries are all likely to lose business because of the sanctions. The share prices of UK banks Lloyds and NatWest are both down more than 10% since the start of the invasion, for example.Apart from banks, the war is going to lead to substantial losses for many businesses with interests in Russia. Any companies that are owed money by Russian businesses are going to struggle to get repaid, given that the ruble is down 30% and the Swift restrictions are going to make payments very difficult. For example, Reuters has reported that US companies have about $15bn of exposure to Russia. Many of these debts will potentially end up being written off, causing serious losses.Some oil companies like Shell and BP have said they are going to offload assets that they own in Russia. Others such as trading and mining group Glencore, which has significant stakes in two Russia-linked companies, Rosneft and En+ Group, has said it has put them under review. But if the value of these assets evaporates because there are no buyers at sensible prices, companies like these could be looking at substantial write-downs.One danger is that this leads to a panic sell-off in the shares of these companies that creates a domino effect across the market similar to what happened with banks in 2007 and 2008.Pension funds are also in the firing line. For example, the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) team wants to sell its Russian assets. The USS is the UKs biggest independent pension scheme with about 500,000 pension customers and 90bn in funds. Its Russian assets are worth over 450m. The decline in the value of these toxic assets is potentially going to be a nasty hit. More broadly, many investment funds also have money in Russian sovereign debt and also Russian company shares. They too are potentially looking at serious losses.In short, the ripple effects of this war are potentially enormous, and many more will probably become apparent in the coming days and weeks. With the global economy still recovering from the pandemic and already having to deal with substantial inflation, the markets have been highly volatile. Russias invasion of Ukraine has intensified this situation, and finance will be on high alert to see how things unfold.This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article As a leading South African household brand, Sasko celebrates over 90 years of serving communities daily with care and thus a collaboration with The Sound of the City, Gagasi FM, makes for a befitting and impactful partnership. Through the Geleza ne Gagasi initiative, Sasko and Gagasi FM, presented a sum of R50,000 to Dawede Primary School in Molweni Township, KwaZulu-Natal in February 2022. A further R25,000 donation was made to five students from the province of KwaZulu-Natal in higher education institutions.Gagasi FM started theinitiative in response to the financial pressure that families and communities experience for their educational needs and resources. Speaking at a handover ceremony at uShaka Marine World, the stations managing director, Minentle Dlamini said: It has been very exciting for us to work on this, as behind-the-scenes, we have marketers, creatives, researchers and finance managers based in KZN all working on this initiative. As a station, we also need this talent so that we can continue to grow so it only made sense for us as Gagasi FM to support students from KZN because we are all about talent and finding talent. We have found you (the students) because being intelligent is a talent. We need to hone that talent, and through this initiative, we would like to play our part in honing that talent, not just for ourselves but for KZN.To enter, the students had to submit their final academic results to the radio powerhouse along with a motivational letter. Prizes included school uniform vouchers, stationary vouchers and bursaries and much more. Saskos brand director, Zintle Botha spoke on the partnership with Gagasi FM, saying: Sasko is a caring brand. It is a brand that is about serving the community and making sure that we care for the communities that enjoy our products. It was therefore a natural fit for us to partner with Gagasi FM on this initiative because, to show care, you need to put your money where your mouth is. We know the issues that we face as South Africans, education is expensive and some students cannot afford the basic needs, yet alone to get an education. That is why we made the decision to join forces with Gagasi FM for Back to School, Back to Study and Adopt a School, which is a three-tiered programme to make sure that we really do help communities at all levels of education, said Botha.In line with the Adopt-A-School programme, where schools that are in need of assistance are nominated to receive assistance for a year, learners from Dawede Primary School were in for a treat when Sasko and the Gagasi FM team including some of their favourite on-air presenters spent the day with the learners. Activities included open dialogue with the on-air personalities, a performance by Khula hitmakers, Bello no Gallo as well as some take-home treats for the learners. Having written to Gagasi FM to enter, Grade R educator Gugu Mabaso expressed her excitement and gratitude I wrote to Gagasi FM () because we would like to renovate our library, so this initiative by Gagasi FM and Sasko will assist us to renovate our library and make it functional! We are very grateful to have been selected and we are looking forward to what is to come through the programme. Today has been overwhelming for everyone, including the children, said a cheerful Mabaso.The Sasko brand has a versatile range of quality products that are enjoyed all over the country, including communities such as Molweni where the school is located. Our biggest distribution is traditional trade which is eMakhaya (homelands) and eLokshini (townships) so it is imperative that we serve those communities. It is important for us to make our presence felt in those areas and this is part of an ongoing, long-term strategic plan to make sure that we are showing care to the areas that need us the most, added Botha.Sasko has a wide range of products on offer. From the Standard White and Brown, to the Premium White and Brown slices as well as the All in One White offering, inclusive of their speciality range. The range also includes the offering of buns and rolls. Therefore, staying true to the care that they give in diversifying their product range for people with different likes and needs.Sasko believes that care isnt what you take out of food, its what they at Sasko put in. Their products are specially crafted for the consumers enjoyment, ensuring that they Taste the Care. Visit sasko.co.za for more info. Firefighters work to extinguish a fire after an airstrike hit a tire shop in Lviv, Ukraine, Monday, April 18, 2022. Russian missiles hit the city of Lviv in western Ukraine on Monday, killing at least six people, Ukrainian officials said, as Moscow's troops stepped up strikes on infrastructure in preparation for an all-out assault on the east. (Mykola Tys/AP) LVIV, Ukraine Russian forces stepped up overnight 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. Advertisement 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 that heavy artillery was hitting residential areas. Arestovich said the city was fending off a Russian attack. Advertisement 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 Mariupo in the south and Volnovakha in the east because of the shelling. People cross an improvised path under a destroyed bridge while fleeing the town of Irpin, Ukraine on March 6, 2022. 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. (Oleksandr Ratushniak / AP) A second attempt to evacuate civilians from a besieged city in southern Ukraine collapsed Sunday during renewed Russian shelling, while Russian President Vladimir Putin shifted blame for the war to 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 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 occupied by Russians. Advertisement [ U.S. looking into possible Russian war crimes during invasion of Ukraine ] 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, though that idea is complicated by questions about which countries would provide the aircraft and how those countries would replace the planes. 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. 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 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. Advertisement 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 audacity of the aggressor is a clear signal to the West that the sanctions imposed on Russia are not sufficient. Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron spoke 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. Advertisement 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 to try to end the conflict. In Ukraine, rivers of blood and tears are flowing, the pontiff said in his traditional Sunday blessing. 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. 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. Advertisement 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. 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. Advertisement 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. Advertisement 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. News @3 Daily Catch up on the days top headlines sent directly to your inbox weekdays at 3 p.m > 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. Advertisement 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. A few hours later, TikTok said 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. Associated Press reporters from around the world contributed to this report. Since medicinal-cannabis cultivation was decriminalised in 2018, the planting and harvesting of the plant for commercial purposes has taken off en-masse, making this a lucrative market in which to invest.... Source: Supplied. Alan Glanse, chief executive of Juicy Fields. A lucrative emerging market With a strong expertise in farming and a trained agricultural workforce, South Africa has the potential to supply competitively priced medicinal cannabis products to the rest of the world.In Germany cannabis, with the active ingredient THC, has been legalised and prescribed by doctors for pain reduction and depression for the last five years. While growth metrics are in place securing the necessary funding for small and medium-sized farmers managing the transition from traditional farming to medicinal cannabis remains a challenge.Juicy Fields, German-founded eco-system enabler and main sponsor of the cannabis expo in South Africa is working hard on changing this by connecting growers with licensed producers and distributors.In order to start crowd growing, egrowers set up their account online on Juicy Fields, purchase one of four cannabis strains and pay in either Euro or a crypto currency of choice. The strains differ according to their growth cycle and revenue per harvest.Most egrowers start off by buying Juicyflash at 50 Euro per plant. After 100 days the plants are dried, packaged and sold at 1.50 Euro per gram with an expected harvest of 45 to 55g. There are several multi-lingual Telegram groups where the growing network of international egrowers collaborate and share their strategies.The legal cannabis market is expected to grow at approximately 20% per annum for the next 10 years. Egrowing is just one possible way to take part in this lucrative emerging industry. The upcoming cannabis expo in South Africa is the perfect platform for investors, job seekers, health professionals, agronomists, lifestyle brands and industry experts.The Cannabis Expo in Cape Town is held at Grand West in Cape Town from March 24 to March 27 2022, and later in the year in other majorbusiness hubs including Durban, Pretoria and Johannesburg. South Africa: R551 million job creation projects launched in KZN Employment and Labour Minister, Thulas Nxesi, has launched training programmes worth R551 million aimed at creating jobs, developing skills and supporting entrepreneurship. The programmes launched on Friday at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in Glenwood, Durban are aimed at creating jobs in the fibre optics, food handling and mixed farming sectors were as a result of the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF), entering into a partnership agreement with the Fuze Institute for Humanitarian Praxis. The department said the UIF, through its Labour Activation Programmes (LAP), has set aside R551 million for the three projects for 19 921 beneficiaries 70% of which are former UIF contributors who lost their jobs to undergo training in the following skills disciplines: 14 771 beneficiaries as chief food handlers 5000 beneficiaries in enterprise development (mixed farming) and 150 beneficiaries as fibre optic technicians. Addressing the launch Nxesi said all efforts to create employment in South Africa should be strongly welcomed considering the high levels of unemployment in the country. In light of the added Employment" mandate to our Department, we are urging the private sector and all potential stakeholders to partner with us to reduce and end unemployment in the country, partnerships are key to creating jobs. Therefore, all UIF training projects must be linked to employment creation because we do not want learners to idle at home upon completion of training, he said. Speaking at the launch, FUZE Chief Executive Officer, Thandi Ngcobo, revealed that 14 771 beneficiaries have been employed by the Department of Education in KwaZulu-Natal after completing their training. She said the Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs in KwaZulu-Natal has pledged to support the 5000 learners' co-operatives by purchasing their farming produce while Link Africa has committed to employing the 150 beneficiaries as fibre optic technicians upon completion of training. Ngcobo added that the mixed farming learners focus on poultry, piggery, vegetables, eggs and smoothies. The Director-General of Employment and Labour, Thobile Lamati, said the department is committed to playing its role in job creation. We are worried about the growing unemployment in the country. However, we pledge to play our role in projects such as this launch, which includes jobs, especially for young people. To the learners, I urge you not to waste this opportunity because it comes once in a while, Lamati said. Beneficiaries of the UIF training programmes also attended the launch and shared their experiences. Bayanda Zaca, one of the beneficiaries related that he often worked odd construction jobs before starting the UIF training. Today, I am head chef at a top restaurant in Durban after undergoing the UIF culinary training. I am also helping the new trainees at the food-processing centre in Ndwedwe. I am truly grateful to the UIF for turning my life around, he said. Lethabo Tsonope, who was funded by the UIF, revealed that she was a commercial pilot for FlySafair, flying a Boeing 783-800. I never thought in my wildest dreams that I would become a pilot because it was so expensive and affordability was a problem. I am grateful to be where I am today and urge young girls to put God first to succeed, she said. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2022-03-07. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Experts laud economic stability among priorities 08:28, March 07, 2022 By JAN YUMUL in Hong Kong and LIU HONGJIE in Beijing ( China Daily Aerial photo taken on Oct 15, 2019, shows a view of the Lujiazui area in Shanghai. [Photo/Xinhua] China's efforts to prioritize its economic stability are significant in many ways, experts said, as the nation's consistency and policies offer good prospects for benefits through shared development during the post-pandemic recovery. On March 5, Premier Li Keqiang delivered the Government Work Report to the fifth session of the 13th National People's Congress, in which he expounded on the "milestone" year 2021 and major tasks ahead. Gerald Mbanda, a Rwandan researcher and publisher on China and Africa, said the report was "impressive" as most of the socioeconomic development targets had been achieved and some exceeded their goals. China "has offered a great lesson that irrespective of political, economic and racial differences, the world community can enjoy the benefits of shared development, rather than competing in isolation," Mbanda said. He praised China's commitment to peaceful global development and promoting the shared values of all humanity, both of which have been central in global developmental projects like the Belt and Road Initiative, the mega infrastructure project. New targets The premier also announced a series of targets for China's development in 2022. These include GDP growth of about 5.5 percent, some 11 million new urban jobs, achieving stable macroeconomic performance, maintaining job security, expanding high-level opening-up and achieving peak carbon emissions and carbon neutrality. Muhammad Faisal, a research fellow at the China-Pakistan Study Centre at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad, said this year's NPC session was "significant in many ways for focusing on ... (national) economic recovery and growth after the pandemic". "Although the set target of economic growth of around 5.5 percent is the second-lowest target during the past three decades, it indicates that China's economy is rebounding after extensive pandemic-induced lockdowns," Faisal said. The scholar welcomed China prioritizing its economic stability in 2022which he called a "crucial year"by offering new measures like tax cuts for businesses and the construction sector. The premier announced a new package of tax refunds and cuts totaling 2.5 trillion yuan ($395.62 billion) this year to support enterprises. Dennis Munene, executive director of the China-Africa Center at the Africa Policy Institute, said the report clearly shows China's commitment to offering its citizens "strategic public goods" to spur economic growth and development in the post-COVID-19 era. Munene said the new package of tax-and-fee policies for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises is conducive to improving their cash flow, promoting consumption-driven investment, and further improving the system for refunding value-added tax creditscredits on a consumption tax levied on goods and services at each stage from production to sale. Faisal said as China seeks to return to a normal life and mode of production, this year could indicate the easing of restrictions and the adoption of targeted interventions against the pandemic. "Premier Li emphasized that local cases must be handled in a targeted manner and the normal order of work and life must be ensured. This is an important statement, considering the extensively enforced measures during the past 24 months," said Faisal. Glenn Wijaya, an adviser to the Center for Indonesia-China Studies, welcomed China's consistent efforts in prioritizing the green sector. "Green economy is something that is already ingrained (in China).Thus, this is something that is extremely constant throughout. Low carbon is a good illustration of this. It is something that is mandated by law," Wijaya said. China "will lead other major nations in reducing carbon emissions, because, unlike other countries, it is consistent throughout, from political pronouncements to laws and regulations that influence businesses," Wijaya said. "Although difficult challenges were met, the work report's great achievements give the Chinese people courage and strength to push forward with confidence in the leadership, for the commitment to improving the lives of the people, as well as giving hope that the country is steadily progressing toward realizing the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation," Mbanda said. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) The price of gas was well past $4 a gallon March 7 in Manchester. Connecticut Attorney General William Tong warned motorists Monday to be aware of price gouging as gasoline prices surge following Russias attack on Ukraine nearly two weeks ago. An abnormal market disruption in gasoline prices will trigger additional consumer protections against price gouging through April 2, he said. Advertisement [ After call with Ukraine president, Connecticut Congressional leaders express support for aid, sanctions and measures to tamp down gas prices ] During an abnormal market disruption, it is illegal to charge an unconscionably excessive price for energy resources that include gasoline, electricity and home heating oil. Such a price is charged in a gross disparity between the price during the market disruption and in the ordinary course of business immediately before the market disruption and the price is not due to additional costs, Tong said. State law requires the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection to monitor the wholesale price of gasoline in the Hartford and New Haven areas. When the wholesale price of gasoline is over $3 a gallon and the daily price change is over 15% when compared with any of the last 90 days, DEEP is required to notify the attorney general and Department of Consumer Protection of an abnormal market disruption. Advertisement DEEP reported on March 2 that the wholesale price of gasoline monitored in the New Haven area was $3.06, 36.6% more than the $2.24 wholesale price of gas as of Dec. 3, 2021. The price has since passed the $4 mark in Connecticut. The price reached $4.06 a gallon on average in the U.S., a first since July 2008, according to the AAA. Connecticut crossed the $4 threshold on Saturday, settling Monday at $4.28, an increase of 7 cents overnight, up 56 cents in the last week and 71 cents in the last month, AAA said. The price Monday is $1.49 higher than a year ago but is 11 cents short of the previous record high of $4.39 on July 9, 2008. The global supply chain is still recovering from the pandemic and continued driver shortages. Its now been affected by the Russian invasion of Ukraine that could likely add to surging costs, prolonged deliveries and other challenges, AAA said. Five Things You Need To Know Daily We're providing the latest coronavirus coverage in Connecticut each weekday morning. > DEEP has notified the attorney generals office of an abnormal market disruption that triggers additional consumer protections, Tong said. Overcharging consumers is unacceptable at any time and is illegal during an abnormal market disruption, he said. While consumers can expect gas prices to fluctuate more than usual at this time, any unconsciously high increase could be a sign of price gouging, which is illegal, said Consumer Protection Commissioner Michelle H. Seagull. Acting in coordination with the Department of Consumer Protection, the Office of the Attorney General may file suit against price gougers and seek appropriate relief, including injunctive terms, restraining orders, restitution and civil financial penalties. Gas prices fluctuate constantly, and price changes and price increases are normal, Tong said in a news release. But what we have seen this past week is not typical, and we can expect even more volatility due to the unprovoked and unconscionable Russian invasion of Ukraine. Advertisement Russia is a major energy exporter and its invasion of neighboring Ukraine rattled global markets. Oil surged overnight to $130 a barrel, the highest in 13 years, but later fell to $116. Anyone who suspects price gouging should file a complaint with the attorney general at https://www.dir.ct.gov/ag/complaint/. If consumers are unable to file a complaint online or via email, they can call the attorney generals office at 860-808-5318. Stephen Singer can be reached at ssinger@courant.com. Dr. Veronica Maria Pimentel, who specializes in obstetrics and gynecology at St. Francis Hospital in Hartford, recalls a patient who suffered a stroke soon after delivering her baby prematurely. The womans Medicaid eligibility ended just two months after she gave birth, despite the complications caused by her stroke and the babys premature birth. Although the womans medical coverage ended, Pimentel said, her needs didnt. She still needs physical therapy. She still needs occupational therapy. She still needs to be prepared for the rest of her life so she can care for her pre-term baby and herself, Pimentel said. Advertisement Experiences like the new mothers made Pimentel determined to advocate for changes to Medicaid coverage for women in Connecticut. Those changes will take effect April 1. Pimentel testified before lawmakers last year as the General Assembly considered a bill that would address the coverage gap. The measure was included in the biennial state budget and will take effect April 1, extending postpartum Medicaid coverage to one year. Currently, women whose labor and delivery are covered by Medicaid, but who do not qualify for full Medicaid coverage, are entitled to 60 days of postpartum care. Advertisement The extension means that women in a family of three earning between $37,000 and $60,000 will become eligible for a full year of postpartum coverage. The federal government estimates that represents about 4,000 women in Connecticut each year. Money to fund the Medicaid extension program for five years is included in the federal American Rescue Plan Act. Prenatal coverage for undocumented women under the states Childrens Health Insurance Program will also be expanded. Previously, undocumented women were ineligible because of their immigration status. I did my residency in Boston, where there was coverage for all pregnant people, Pimentel said. And then coming from Massachusetts, with that sort of universal coverage, and going to Connecticut, you notice that there is a difference. The eligibility rules for the new CHIP program will be in the same systems as the rest of our medical programs, and all of these folks will start through the Access Health CT door, like the vast majority of HUSKY Health recipients, said David Dearborn, a spokesperson for the state Department of Social Services. More changes are scheduled for next year, Dearborn said. For example, medical coverage for undocumented immigrant children up to the age of 8 will go into effect Jan. 1, 2023, and postpartum care for undocumented immigrant women will follow in April of 2023. Amy D. Gagliardi, director of the maternal and infant program for Community Health Center Inc., said data supports the need for extended coverage. Gagliardi is co-chair of the women and childrens health committee of the states Medical Assistance Program Oversight Council, which recommended the postpartum extension. She said some of the most dangerous pregnancy-related complicationspreeclampsia, blood clots and heart problems such as cardiomyopathymay not surface until weeks or months after delivery. The biggest reason women die nationally is cardiovascular disease, Gagliardi said. I think the average is over 5 months after birth, Gagliardi said. Advertisement Theres a lot of chronic diseases that present during pregnancy, she said. Women may have a predisposition to diabetes, but it will develop in pregnancy. She may have an existing diabetes or an existing hypertension, but it exacerbates during pregnancy. While chronic disease presents a threat, pregnancy-related deaths are relatively rare. In a 2021 report by the Connecticut Maternal Mortality Committee that reviewed state data from 2015 to 2019, there were 25 pregnancy-related deaths. Significantly, according to the report, 48% of pregnancy-related deaths occurred late postpartum, between 43 and 365 days after the end of the pregnancy. The extension of postpartum Medicaid coverage will also help address racial inequities in maternal health. According to the Connecticut report, Black women accounted for 13% of live births from 2015 to 2019 but 20% of pregnancy-related deaths. Women of all races who were covered by Medicaid accounted for 37% of live births but 60% of pregnancy-related deaths from 2015 to 2019. Infants born on Medicaid are guaranteed coverage through the first year of life. Advocates say aligning the mothers coverage is also important to ensure compliance with well-child visits. Tiffany Donelson, president and CEO of the Connecticut Health Foundation. That first year is critically important, said Tiffany Donelson, president and CEO of the Connecticut Health Foundation. Having coverage means that a woman has access to get treatment for a variety of things like postpartum depression, and that also impacts an infants health and well-being and development. Pimentel is glad she and her colleagues will no longer have to attempt to squeeze treatments for a new mother into the two-month Medicaid eligibility window. That gives us a lot more leeway trying to figure out how to help our patients take care of themselves. Advertisement Donelson cautions that the Medicaid changes are only a piece of the puzzle when addressing racial inequities in maternal health outcomes. National figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that Black women are more than three times as likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than white women, and the inequity cuts across socio-economic lines. Five Things You Need To Know Daily We're providing the latest coronavirus coverage in Connecticut each weekday morning. > A 2020 study by the CDCs National Center for Health Statistics found that maternal mortality in the U.S. increased from 20.1 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2019 to 23.8 in 2020, with mothers of color accounting for the increase. Maternal deaths among Black women rose from 44 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2019 to 55 in 2020. One-third of the pregnant women and new mothers who died in 2020 were Black. There is a huge disparity that we need to address within child-maternal health, Donelson said. The CDCs recommendations to reduce Black maternal mortality rates call on hospitals and health systems to address unconscious bias and standardize the coordination of care. This is one of the steps in really trying to address the inequities in maternal health outcomes, Donelson said of the Medicaid changes, and theres more that still needs to be done. Pimentel said another benefit to the Medicaid coverage extension is establishing a relationship of trust with medical providers. Advertisement Trust is super important. If a patient has found somebody that they trust, theyre more likely to go to their visits, she said. When patients know the providers name, they feel more satisfied with their care. This story was reported under a partnership with the Conn. Health I-Team (c-hit.org), a non-profit news organization dedicated to health reporting. Judge Jos A. Cabranes is a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and a member of the United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court. This is a press release photo of Judge Jose A. Cabranes from the American Bar Association. Judge Jos A. Cabranes is a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and a member of the United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court. This is a press release photo of Judge Jose A. Cabranes from the American Bar Association. (Wikimedia Commons/American Bar Association) When U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal recently notified the states lawyers that his office is again seeking candidates for yet another seat on the prestigious U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit, the reaction was almost universally: What? For decades, it has been assumed that Connecticut has two seats on the 13-judge federal appeals court with jurisdiction over New York, Connecticut and Vermont. How, lawyers wanted to know, did Connecticut get a third? More to the point, since senators control the appointments, did New Yorks influential senior U.S. senator, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, give away a patronage plum? Advertisement According to Blumenthal, the answer is simple although he said it required some effort to root out. He said Connecticut has had a third seat for decades. It apparently got misplaced in the politicking among the two states senators who, by custom and privilege, have been known to distribute the appointments to satisfy political constituencies. Blumenthal said he persuaded Schumer the seat belongs to Connecticut. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., says he convinced Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York that Judge Jose A. Cabranes' seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit belongs to Connecticut. (AP Photo/Amanda Andrade-Rhoades) (Amanda Andrade-Rhoades/AP) For Connecticut not to have a third seat would be absolutely unprecedented, Blumenthal said. We have reconstructed the history here. I regard it as a major achievement to sort of have dug into the intricacies of the 2nd Circuit judicial selection system. This seat has a history that would boggle your mind. Advertisement We discussed it with Sen. Schumer. And we had very gracious and amicable conversations and we sorted it out. Does Schumer get anything in return? I have no further comment except that well, I have no further comment, Blumenthal said. Let me just put it this way: We are all friends. When I say we are friends, you know the word friend is used so frequently down here that it has lost some of its meaning. But we are genuinely good friends. We like each other. We are loyal and we work together. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of N.Y., speaks as he sits down for a meeting with Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, March 2, 2022. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) (Susan Walsh/AP) While political horse trading between Connecticut and New York in years past may obscure who controls what seats on the court, no one questions the courts importance. It sits a few blocks above Wall Street, the center of global finance, and no other federal appeals court can match its influence over contracts, securities, anti-trust matters and other questions of commercial law. The court has sent three judges to the U.S. Supreme Court, and its judges appear routinely on short lists of prospective nominees, which explains why lawyers fight for appointments and why senators fight to protect their patronage in deciding who gets them. A senators recommendation to the White House, which nominates judges to the U.S. Senate, usually is accepted. University of Richmond law professor Carl Tobias, who tracks federal court nominations, said it is rare but not unheard of for a senator in one state to yield a patronage appointment to another state. Not very often, but occasionally I hear stories of that happening, he said. All of it is by way of custom. It can be adjusted by the home state senators if they think something is out of whack or they think there is some valid reason for it. But Im a little surprised because Schumer likes to keep all those prerogatives in New York. Blumenthal is bringing home the bacon to Connecticut. Thats good, at least in the short term. There could be a fight down the road, but Schumer will probably be out of it by then. I never would have predicted it, though. I always thought Schumer had a stranglehold on those seats and never would have given one up. Its part of the patronage, and patronage is what senators live for. Advertisement The seat that Blumenthal said he and Schumer now agree is Connecticuts third is held by Judge Jose A. Cabranes. He was born in Puerto Rico; raised and educated in New York; attended college and graduate school in New York, New Haven and London; and was employed, among other places, in New York, New Jersey and Washington, D.C., before moving to New Haven, where he was general counsel to Yale University. In 1979, on the recommendation of former U.S. Sen. Abraham Ribicoff, a Connecticut Democrat, Cabranes was appointed a U.S. District Court judge in Connecticut, the first Puerto Rican appointed to a federal district court in the country. He was elevated to the court of appeals in 1994 on the recommendation of then U.S. Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan, a New York Democrat. Cabranes is listed on court records as a Connecticut judge the eighth judge to be appointed to a seat that, since it was created in 1887, had been filled exclusively by New Yorkers. Cabranes lives in Connecticut. Although it was the assumption of a dozen of so lawyers interviewed for this article that Connecticut held two, 2nd Circuit seats, there have been times in the past were it has briefly held more, the result of movement among the judges from retirements or the pace in the Senate of confirming new members. There are three from Connecticut now two of whom are in the process of retiring. Cabranes and Judge Susan Carney have announced they are in the process of moving to senior, or semi-retired status. The third, William Nardini, was confirmed by the Senate two years ago. Nine judges have held Carneys seat, two from Connecticut and seven from New York. Nardinis is the only pure Connecticut seat, having been held by 11 Connecticut judges since 1892. Five Things You Need To Know Daily We're providing the latest coronavirus coverage in Connecticut each weekday morning. > For a period in the mid 1990s, Connecticut had four judges: Jon O. Newman, Guido Calabresi, Ralph Winter and Cabranes. Blumenthal had an opportunity to join the court in 1999 on the recommendation of U.S. Sen. Christopher Dodd, a Connecticut Democrat. Blumenthal said he decided to continue in office as state attorney general, and Moynihan arranged for a longtime assistant, a New Yorker, to fill the seat. Advertisement Most of the talk about the court during the first year of President Joe Bidens administration has been about diversifying the federal judiciary, specifically Bidens assertion that he is eager to nominate individuals who reflect the best of America, and who look like America. Even before taking office, the incoming administration urged senators to propose talented individuals who would bring to these critically important roles a wide range of life and professional experiences, including those based on their race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, veteran status and disability. Blumenthal and his fellow Democratic U.S. Sen. Christopher Murphy have taken up Bidens challenge, so far sending the White House two African Americans, a south Asian and a white woman who worked formerly as a public defender to fill the positions of U.S. attorney and three federal district judgeships. Blumenthal said the circuit courts geographic diversity is as important as its racial, ethnic and gender diversity. Most cases never reach the U.S. Supreme Court, Blumenthal said. Of the thousands that seek review, a fraction are taken. So the end of the line on the justice train so to speak is almost always the court of appeals, and it should reflect the people who are seeking justice, where they live and who they are, which is important to the credibility and respect that courts are accorded. Unlimited website access 24/7 Unlimited e-Edition access 24/7 The best local, regional and national news in sports, politics, business and more! With a Digital Only subscription, you'll receive unlimited access to our website and e-edition. Our digital products are available 24/7 and are accessible anywhere, anytime. Just ahead of the invasion it declared there were no limits to its friendship with Russia and the two countries signed long-term deals to deliver Russian energy and grains to China. While critical of the sanctions the West has imposed on Russia, Chinas banks, including its stated-owned banks, have been careful not to breach them and risk being shut out of the global financial system by the secondary sanctions that will be levied on sanctions busters. The target for Chinas GDP growth this year would have been ambitious even without the invasion of Ukraine and the impact it is having and will have on the global economy and markets. No bank with extra-territorial exposures can afford to be shut out of the SWIFT global messaging system that underpins the flow of global financial transactions. Neither Vladimir Putin nor Xi Jinping could have foreseen the unanimity of the West nor the severity of the sanctions they have imposed, including the effective freezing of much of Russias foreign exchange reserves. China is going to have to come to a conclusion about the extent to which it is prepared to risk damage to its own economy and institutions by supporting a new best friend whose miscalculations have left it bogged down in an increasingly nasty battle with the Ukrainian forces even as its economy is being assaulted by the unexpected strength of the sanctions. Loading At the moment the Chinese leadership appear to be sitting on their hands, unsure whether to help Russia circumvent the sanctions, particularly those that have cut it off from the US dollar-dominated international financial system, risking blowback from the West. The target for Chinas GDP growth this year would have been ambitious even without the invasion of Ukraine and the impact it is having and will have on the global economy and markets. The implosion of Chinas property development sector has yet to be stabilised. It has resulted in a significant slump in property and housing market activity and has impacted the local governments that are heavily reliant on land sales for their revenues. Within the budget released at the weekend there was an 18 per cent increase in transfers to local governments to prop up their finances and enable them to cut taxes and fees in line with the central governments plans to shore up growth through infrastructure investment, reduced taxes and efforts to stabilise the housing market and encourage construction and sales. The overall increase in spending envisaged by the budget 8.4 per cent --- is, along with some easing of monetary policy by the Peoples Bank of China already this year, aimed at stabilising the economy without over-heating it and adding to the risks posed by pervasive excessive levels of debt. Stability and national security might be Premier Lis top priorities (social welfare and education spending will increase about 10 per cent while military spending is budgeted to increase 7.1 per cent) but China does face some peculiar challenges, given that it is the worlds biggest buyer of many of the inputs to the growth and economic stability it is seeking. Chinas property development sector continues to teeter. Credit:AP The oil price is at $US118 a barrel. Thermal coal prices have blown past $US400 a tonne in recent weeks, more than doubling in a fortnight. Asian LNG prices soared more than 50 per cent in a week after Russia launched its assault on Ukraine. Wheat prices are up more than 50 per cent this year; soy beans about 25 per cent. Energy and food security are essential to economic and social stability in China. With the Communist Partys own five-yearly national congress looming later this year and Xi Jinping wanting to cement his place in Chinas history by maintaining the party leadership for an unprecedented third term, there will be a particular emphasis on stability, whatever it takes to achieve it. There are already suggestions that Xi is prioritising energy security over the decarbonisation goals he set for China, the worlds largest producer and consumer of coal, in 2020 peak emissions by 2030 and net zero by 2060 after China experienced power blackouts last year as generators tried to reduce their emissions. China isnt going to walk back its approach to the pandemic but there are reports it might fine tune it to try to reduce the severity of the economic effects of the lockdowns. Loading The vast increases in the prices of energy and key agricultural commodities, if sustained, will make growth targets even more challenging and will hit consumption -- already weakened by the chaos in the property sector and the confusion and losses of wealth generated by the crackdowns on tech companies -- unless the authorities do more to blunt their effects. The evacuation of civilians from at least two Ukrainian city has begun after plans for humanitarian corridors failed over the weekend and on Monday. So far, more than 150 people have been evacuated from Irpin, near Ukraines capital, Kyiv, the regions government Oleksiy Kuleba said on Tuesday morning, Kyiv time. Residents of Irpin fleeing heavy fighting via a destroyed bridge as Russian forces enter the city on Monday. Credit:Getty Images / Chris McGrath In Sumy, a convoy going to the Ukrainian city of Poltova would be followed by civilians in personal vehicles, Ukraines Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said. Russia said it would also open evacuation corridors for people in Kyiv, Chernihiv, Kharkiv and the besieged city of Mariupol, where about 200,000 people are waiting to leave. Over the weekend, evacuation attempts failed, with both sides blaming the other for failing to halt fighting. On Monday, an offer by the Russian government to evacuate Ukrainians into Russia and Belarus were rejected by Ukrainian officials. People being evacuated on Tuesday have been given the choice of going to other Ukrainian cities. More than 1.7 million refugees have left Ukraine between February 24, when the Russian invasion began, and March 6, according to the UN refugee agency. with Reuters First published in The Age on March 9, 1966 VIETNAM FORCE TO BE TREBLED Mr Holt announces increase to 4500 me by June Canberra Australia will have a self-contained military task force of 4500 men including more than 500 national servicemen in Vietnam by the middle of this year. The Prime Minister (Mr Holt) announced last night the Governments decision to treble the number of Australian servicemen in Vietnam. Vladimir Putin eventually might win the battle. But he is losing the war. The point of Putins war? To prevent any further expansion of Americas military alliance with 28 European nations and Canada, the NATO treaty, he claimed. If so, his relentless use of violence and intimidation is backfiring. A week of indiscriminate Russian killing has achieved what decades, even centuries, of European history could not. Public opinion in Finland and Sweden, countries that have been prepared to take their chances with Russia for centuries, has transformed. Russian President Vladimir Putin is pushing European nations towards NATO. Credit:AP For the first time, opinion in the two militarily non-aligned nations has moved emphatically in favour of joining NATO. Swedens former prime minister Carl Bildt remarked: The unthinkable might start to become thinkable. The Atlantic Councils Anna Wieslander, formerly an official in Swedens Defence Ministry, observes: Clearly, Russias unprovoked war is pushing the two countries closer to NATO membership than ever before. A former Queensland Public Trustee who resigned amid misconduct allegations has claimed if a report detailing the accusations made against him was made public, it would breach his human rights. Peter Carne was Public Trustee of Queensland in 2009-2014 and 2016-2020. The Public Trust Office manages the finances of incapacitated people and estates of deceased people across Queensland. Peter Carne, pictured in 2014 while speaking at the memorial service for former premier Wayne Goss. Credit:Michelle Smith The states anti-corruption watchdog, the Crime and Corruption Commission, compiled a report into alleged corruption by Mr Carne. It alleged there had been improper use of Public Trustee Office resources to fund personal study by Mr Carne. Gastro is back with a vengeance and Victorian health authorities are bracing for a wave of flu cases as a spate of viruses suppressed for the past two years by COVID-19 restrictions make a comeback. If you felt sick with sore throat, headache or runny nose in the past two years, chances were COVID-19 was the culprit. Rhonda Stuart, the head of infection control and prevention at Monash Health. Credit:Justin McManus But with public health measures being wound back and travel increasing, experts warn a variety of ordinary viruses and organisms that plummeted due to coronavirus shutdowns are now soaring. Victorian general practitioners are diagnosing rising numbers of patients with bugs, such as rhinovirus, which causes the common cold, along with bronchiolitis, an infection of the respiratory tract. A major fight is unfolding over whether Connecticut will become the second state with a law outlawing captive audience meetings, one of the weapons unions say is regularly deployed to thwart organizing campaigns at a time of worker unrest and union popularity. Hospitals, the insurance industry and other business interests are lobbying against a bill that has bubbled to the top of labors priority list after being eclipsed in recent years by other union initiatives, including COVID-19 protections, a $15 minimum wage and paid family and medical leave. Advertisement Backed by Senate President Pro Tempore Martin M. Looney, Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz and Speaker of the House Joe Aresimowicz, Gov. Ned Lamont speaks during his address to a joint session of the legislature. (Mark Mirko/Hartford Courant) Ive introduced this bill several times, and I believe this is the year we can get it across the finish line, Senate President Pro Tem Martin M. Looney, D-New Haven, recently told a labor audience. Businesses say the measure infringes on the ability of companies to freely communicate with employees and is preempted by federal law allowing them to lobby against unions as long as that expression contains no threat of reprisal or force or promise of benefit. Advertisement Unions say it only bars management from coercion by allowing employees to opt out of meetings. These are mandatory closed-door meetings during work hours, where workers are often threatened and harassed about joining the union, said Ed Hawthorne, the president of the Connecticut AFL-CIO. State AFL-CIO Executive Vice President Shellye Davis and President Ed Hawthorne. Two-thirds of Americans approved of unions in a Gallup poll last year, the highest point since 1965. But union membership fell to 10% of the workforce, a statistic labor leaders say is evidence of an unfair playing field produced by adverse laws, a hostile Supreme Court and sophisticated union-busting techniques. Connecticut is a labor-friendly state, but one with a decades-long history of anemic job growth that sometimes makes lawmakers wary of putting the state at the forefront of labor fights a concern that business is trying to exploit in fighting more than three dozen pending labor bills. Weve got a serious issue in this state in terms of getting people back into the workplace, said Eric Gjede, a lobbyist for the Connecticut Business and Industry Association. These guys keep focusing on other things, rather than this critical issue thats really stopping our ability to recover. And the captive audience bill is just one of those things. Gov. Ned Lamont, a Democrat and cable entrepreneur with a keen sensitivity as to how the states business climate is viewed nationally, supported passage of the $15 minimum wage and paid leave, but he has resisted labors calls for a more progressive tax structure. One of his prime talking points in last months State of the State address was that Connecticut has jumped 11 places to a middle-of-the-pack ranking of 24th in the CNBCs list of best places for business, and the state had the unfamiliar experience of an upgraded bond rating on Lamonts watch. [ Gov. Lamont unveils $64 million gun control package to help police, probation officers; Republicans not impressed ] His administration submitted no testimony on a captive-audience bill in 2019, his first year in office, or on Friday when the latest version was up for a public hearing before the legislatures Judiciary Committee. Hawthorne said talks are continuing with the administration. Advertisement Were hopeful the governors office is on board, he said. Wisconsin passed a captive audience bill in 2009 before rescinding it. Oregons bill has been the subject of a court fight, with the National Labor Relations Board arguing it is in conflict with federal labor law. When George Jepsen, a Democrat and former union lawyer, was attorney general, he issued a legal opinion warning that a proposed captive-audience law would be preempted by federal law. His successor, William Tong, also a Democrat, took a similar view in 2019 on one version but concluded that a narrower version could withstand a legal challenge. The bill reached the Senate floor but never came to a vote. State Attorney General William Tong indicated a proposed captive-audience law in 2019 would be preempted by federal law but concluded that a narrower version could withstand a legal challenge. (Courant file photo) (Cloe Poisson / Special to the Courant) CBIA, the Connecticut Hospital Association and the Insurance Association of Connecticut are opposed. John D. Blair, a CBIA lawyer, told the Judiciary Committee Friday that even the current version is intrusive. The practical impact of this bill is that employers will never be able to hold a meeting and have honest conversations with employees without the risk of people walking out, Blair said. For instance, an employer could not update employees regarding the law and regulations impacting their jobs, wages, benefits, FMLA, and corporate and community charitable giving and social activities. Advertisement Craig Becker, the general counsel for the AFL-CIO, said the bill is constitutional. The bill in no way prevents employers or anyone else from discussing religion, politics or any other subject, he said. The only thing the bill prohibits is threatening to discharge or discipline or actually discharging or disciplining employees who do not wish to listen to such speech. Versions of the bill have been proposed in Connecticut for two decades, a period in which the influence of unions waxed and waned at the General Assembly, tracking the strength of Democrats. Republicans slowly eclipsed Democratic power from 2010 to 2016, when the GOP won half the seats in the Senate and came within five of a majority in the House of Representatives. But Democrats, and labor, have since rebounded. Democrats currently hold majorities of 23-13 in the Senate and 97-54 in the House. Mark Pazniokas is a reporter for The Connecticut Mirror (https://ctmirror.org/ ). Copyright 2022 The Connecticut Mirror. Heads are spinning in South Australia where the long book bender otherwise known as the Adelaide Writers Week kicked off on Saturday. It started with a bang or should we say bash as former prime ministers Malcolm Turnbull and Kevin Rudd took the stage in an hour-long assault on News Corp and the Murdoch family. Malcolm Turnbull and Kevin Rudd took to the stage to discuss the pernicious power of [Rupert] Murdoch and the urgency of action on climate change. Credit:Illustration: John Shakespeare Officially, the double act an unlikely duo, according to organisers took to the stage for a discussion titled How Fast Things Fall: In the National Interest chaired by AWW director Jo Dyer, who herself is standing as an independent in the Liberal-held federal seat of Boothby. Officially, the subject was the pernicious power of [Rupert] Murdoch and the urgency of action on climate change. No surprises there, considering KRudds crusade for a Murdoch Royal Commission a lobbying effort he chairs alongside Victorian Trades Hall boss Luke Hilakari, while uber-campaigner Sally Rugg is national director. Turnbull is a strident supporter of the effort and memorably told a Senate inquiry into media diversity that News Corp was the most powerful political actor in Australia and its utterly unaccountable. Its controlled by an American family and their interests are no longer, if they ever were, coextensive with our own. As Katy Woods felt her throat close up, her thoughts darted to a man she had never met. Just a few months earlier, she had been reading about Preston father Nick Panagiotopoulos, who died after multiple calls to triple-zero from his family and neighbours went unanswered for about 15 minutes. Katy Woods had to wait for about 15 minutes to get connected to triple-zero. Credit:Chris Hopkins On a warm January night, Ms Woods wondered if she would die, too. She saw panic on the face of the receptionist of the Brighton hotel where she was staying, realising his triple-zero call for her had not connected to an operator. Im sort of half passed out, just trying to decrease every energy expenditure and looking at this poor receptionist whos just beyond disbelief that hes been trying to call emergency and speaking to a Telstra lady whose saying were trying to connect you we are trying to connect you. 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. A woman in her 40s, who the West Australian Department of Health says had underlying health conditions, has died after testing positive to COVID-19. There have been three deaths of people with the virus since February 11 in WA. As of 8pm on Sunday there were 36 people with COVID-19 in WA hospitals, but none were in intensive care. WA has also recorded more than 2000 cases for the fifth day in a row, with 2365 positive test results as the active caseload increased to 13,486 people. The states Chief Health Officer Andrew Robertson has previously warned there would be a two to three-week lag from an increase in community cases to when more patients would start appearing in hospital. A federal plan for a $10 billion nuclear submarine base on Australias east coast has sparked Labor claims that the move is a ploy to get a headline while others say Sydney would be a better location than the official options of Brisbane, Newcastle or Port Kembla. Labor has backed the plan to build a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines under the AUKUS alliance signed last year with the United Kingdom and United States but has demanded a briefing on the new base after being promised regular briefings last year. Defence Minister Peter Dutton said on Sunday the government would bring forward a decision on whether to choose British or American nuclear submarines for construction in Australia. Credit:AP Independent Senator Rex Patrick, a former submariner, also questioned the timing of the government move and said the Department of Defence had favoured Sydney in previous plans, questioning whether election factors had influenced the new proposal. Prime Minister Scott Morrison outlined the options for the new base in a speech to the Lowy Institute on Monday that said Defence had reviewed 19 potential sites and estimated a $10 billion cost for the base at one of the preferred east coast sites to add to an existing base near Perth. Superannuation will not be added to taxpayer-funded parental leave payments after the federal government rejected a plan from its own retirement income reviewer, leaving hundreds of thousands of Australian women to face being worse off in their savings if they have a child. Ministers were considering the measure as they canvassed options for womens economic security but ultimately decided it wouldnt have a big enough impact for the amount of money required. Social Services Minister Anne Ruston, who sits on cabinets expenditure review committee, did not support the proposal. The government has dropped a plan to pay superannuation on top of taxpayer-funded parental leave. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer Retirement Income Review chair Mike Callaghan had backed the idea, saying it would have only a small benefit but was worth doing. Analysis from Industry Super found 1.6 million women had taken up the government-funded paid parental leave scheme since it was introduced a decade ago but had missed out on $1.86 billion in super due to taking time out of the workforce. Former prime minister Tony Abbott took a policy to significantly expand paid parental leave to the 2010 and 2013 elections, only to dump the policy when his leadership was in jeopardy. On Tuesday, the Greens will announce they want to expand the government-funded scheme to mirror nearly what Mr Abbott originally promised. Westpacs human resources boss has called on corporate Australia to lead the way in protecting women in the workplace by embracing a positive duty to shield employees against sexual harassment regardless of federal government actions. Christine Parker, a group executive at the Big Four bank, said companies needed to move away from reactive, complaints-based systems and many already were as the government decides whether to legislate further protections recommended by Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins in her Respect@Work report. Westpac executive Christine Parker says corporate Australia can embrace a positive duty to protect against sexual discrimination without legislative change. Credit:Louise Kennerley If you rely on complaints youre going to get less than a third of whats happened in reality because people will be scared of the repercussions, Ms Parker said, adding the company had instituted a no-bystander rule that required those who witnessed sexual harassment to speak up. Ms Jenkins recommended in her landmark report the Sex Discrimination Act be amended to include a positive onus on employers to prevent workplace sexual harassment, as the existing duty in the workplace health and safety (WHS) laws was leading bosses to place a larger burden on employees to complain. The firefighters union has threatened to campaign against the Labor Party in 15 marginal state seats, in what could be a bitter fight as the anti-corruption commission finalises its two-year investigation into dealings between the union and the Andrews government. United Firefighters Union secretary Peter Marshall on Monday vowed to wage a prolonged battle before the November election if the government goes ahead with plans to change compensation legislation for firefighters who develop certain types of cancer. Peter Marshall addresses the media on Monday. He has vowed to campaign against the Labor Party if presumptive rights legislation expands to other workers. Credit:Chris Hopkins The government is planning to extend the firefighters presumptive workplace compensation scheme to include Country Fire Authority and Fire Rescue Victoria vehicle and equipment maintenance employees. The legislation which provides money to employees who develop cancers proven to be caused through firefighting is likely to pass the upper house this week, with the opposition indicating it does not oppose the changes. Torrential rain that sparked widespread flooding across south-east Queensland wont dampen the regions booming property market, experts say, with interstate and overseas buyer rates still on the rise. Despite some homes in Brisbanes flood-prone zones suffering complete inundation for the second time in 11 years, industry figures believe property prices are too resilient to falter, with historical data from the citys flood-hit suburbs revealing medians in some pockets more than doubled between 2011 and 2021. Recent floodwaters in Brisbane. Domain data showed severely impacted suburbs such as Graceville and St Lucia clocked a slight median house price drop of 1.5 and 3.7 per cent to $650,000 and $780,000 in the 12 months after the 2011 floods, only to climb 107.7 per cent to $1.35 million and 101.3 per cent to $1.57 million, respectively, by December 2021. House prices in West End, another of the citys hardest flood-hit suburbs, saw a 7.5 per cent price spike to $747,000 just a year after the 2011 floods a figure that far outperformed Brisbanes then overall 0.8 per cent annual rise to $439,395. By December 2021, West End house medians had soared by 87.4 per cent to $1.4 million. E-commerce giant Amazon has launched SheIsAmazon, a campaign to put the spotlight on employees, associates, and partners who have not only fought societal, cultural, disability, and economic barriers to achieve their dreams, but are also redefining the powerful role of a woman in the fast-paced e-commerce industry. The campaign is aligned with this years theme, Break the Bias. It has been launched on the occasion of International Womens Day. At Amazon, inclusion is at the heart of all our decision making, and we believe that its not only good for society but also for business. SheIsAmazon is a simple effort to recognize the stellar work done by many across Amazon India, said Swati Rustagi, Director, DE & I, International Markets, WW Consumer, Amazon. There are thousands of who are breaking bias every day and succeeding in unconventional roles and profiles. We are thankful to all these remarkable women for making what Amazon is, an inclusive and progressive workplace. said it has made significant efforts towards building diversity at the workplace with pioneering programs and inclusion initiatives such as Amazons rekindle programme. The programme provides opportunities and supports women to professionally re-integrate themselves and resume their corporate career after a break; structured on-boarding, focused mentoring, flexible work options, and on-the-job learning are key elements of the program. A specially designed program for women in tech, Amazon WoW helps engineering students build long-term careers in technology; they can interact with Amazon leaders, participate in workshops, connect with alumni on career experiences, and can apply for roles at Amazon. In addition to the Military Veterans Employment Program, which creates work opportunities for military veterans and their spouses, Amazon also has a Military Ambassador Program (MAP). It focuses on the specific development needs of veterans and provides tailored training experiences to support them in their transition and initiatives to hire people with disabilities. "I am so glad to be treated as an equal at my workplace, said Sindhu Mary, a proud trans-woman, and fulfilment centre associate. The financial stability and growth opportunities make me feel independent and worthy. Honestly, I want to tell all my community members that when the right platform is offered to you, grab the opportunity and give it your best. Amazon said it is driven by its commitment to creating a great place to work that fosters equity, empathy, respect for people, and an egalitarian work environment. Women have always led from the front when it comes to breaking bias. The firm said it takes courage, strength, and willpower to defy social norms and what women have been told to do for all these years. Honouring women for their courage and zeal is what we aim to do on this womens day, said the company. As a part of the campaign, Amazon is launching a coffee table book that gives you an insight into the professional and personal lives of these women and their journey of hope, struggle, and success. The foreword of the coffee table book is written by Aruna Sharma, IAS, former secretary to the Government of India, where she reiterates the need to accelerate womens participation in the workplace, to accomplish the vision of a truly self-reliant India. Ltd will hold meetings with its and creditors in April after the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) passed an order allowing Future Group to convene and conduct meetings of its and creditors to seek their approval for the scheme which allows Future Group to sell its retail, logistics and warehousing businesses to Reliance Industries for almost Rs 25,000 crore, a deal it signed in 2020. In a stock exchange filing, said that it will hold a meeting of members of the company on April 20 and a meeting with its secured and unsecured creditors of the company will take place on April 21. On February 15, Supreme Court granted Future Retail the option to seek from the Delhi High Court permission to continue proceedings at the on its deal with Reliance Industries. on Monday announced signing a power purchase agreement (PPA) with Haryana Power Purchase Centre (HPPC) for the supply of 240-megawatt . The agreement is valid for 35 years (with further extension at mutually agreed terms), and signed at a levelised ceiling tariff of Rs 4.50 per kWh (kilowatt-hour), said in statement. The JSW Group company said, "Its Kutehr project has signed a PPA with HPPC for supply of 240 MW . The PPA capacity was selected through competitive bidding under expression of interest invited by HPPC on July 3, 2018." through its wholly-owned step-down subsidiary JSW Energy Kutehr Ltd (JSWEKL) is currently constructing the 240 MW (3x80 MW) hydro-electric plant located in Kutehr, Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh. The project construction is progressing well ahead of its schedule, with 65 per cent tunnelling work completed by February 2022 and is expected to be commissioned by September 2024. Haryana Power Purchase Centre will purchase the power on behalf of Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (UHBVN) and Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN). With the board approval for corporate re-organisation in place, the renewable energy businesses, including hydro assets, is to be housed under a wholly-owned subsidiary 'JSW Neo Energy Limited, the company statement said. JSW Energy Joint MD and CEO Prashant Jain said, "Being the largest private sector operator of plants in India and having over two decades of experience of safely building and operating power projects, we continue to contribute meaningfully towards India's hydro power and COP-26 commitments." JSW Energy has set a target for 50 per cent reduction in carbon footprint by 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 by transitioning towards renewable energy. The company aims to reach 20 gigawatt (GW) capacity by 2030, with the share of renewable energy increasing to 85 per cent of total. Around 2.5 GW of renewable projects are currently under-construction: 2.2 GW wind and solar projects, tied with SECI and JSW Group, are expected be commissioned in the next 12 months, while the 240 MW Kutehr hydro project is expected to be commissioned in the next 30 months. With the commissioning of these projects, the company's total generation capacity will increase to seven GW, with renewable energy contributing to about 55 per cent. (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.) Tech giant on Monday unveiled its fourth in India. While the company did not disclose the investment or the exact size of the campus, said that the fourth DC at Telangana, will be one of the largest data center in India and will be operational by 2025. The company is making an investment of over Rs 15,000 crore over a period of 15 years The company is making an investment of over Rs 15,000 crore over a period of 15 years for the scaling up and development of the in Telangana. This is the second largest FDI investment in the State said KT Rama Rao, Minister Municipal Administration & Urban Development, Industries & Commerce, and Information Technology, Government of Telangana started its journey in India in 2015 and has data centers in Mumbai, Pune and Chennai. It will offer the entire Microsoft portfolio across the cloud, data solutions, artificial intelligence (AI), productivity tools, and customer relationship management (CRM) with advanced data security, for enterprises, start-ups, developers, education, and government institutions. The company stated that the data centre will add to the growing demand for Microsofts cloud services from both the private enterprises as well as the government sector. The cloud opportunity in India is around $10 billion over the next 2-3 years and is growing 20 per cent per annum. But more importantly the impact of data centre on job creation is immense. In India we have about 4.5 lakh Microsoft certified engineers and this centre will also amplify job creation, said Anant Maheshwari, president, Microsoft India. Customer demand for cloud as a platform for digital transformation, driving economic growth and societal progress across India, is increasing. According to IDC, Microsoft datacenter regions in India contributed $9.5 billion revenue to the economy between 2016 and 2020. Beyond GDP impact, the IDC report estimated 1.5 million jobs were added to the economy, including 169,000 new skilled IT jobs. Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Minister of State for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship and Electronics & Information Technology of India shared, Todays commitment to the people and businesses of India will position the country among the worlds digital leaders. A Microsoft datacenter region provides a competitive advantage to our digital economy and is a long-term investment in our countrys potential. The cloud is transforming every industry and sector. The investment in skilling will empower Indias workforce today and into the future. Business Standard had reported earlier that Microsoft is coming up with a large data centre in Telangana with an overall investment of Rs 15,000 crore. During the media conference, when asked about the investment, Maheshwari added, A public cloud data centre is not a one time investment, but a continuous investment. We will be adding more capabilities in this data centre as we grow. In the last two years due to pandemic and push for digital transformation we more than doubled our DC capacity. In terms of Microsofts own expansion plans the company stated that they are expanding their campus and the total campus is now spread over 2.5 mn Sq.ft area with 18,000 full time employees. The centre of Microsoft is the largest centre for the tech giant after Redmond. In India Microsoft has 14,000 partners and it serves around 340,000 in the country. The market regulator, the Securities & Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has asked the satellite television broadcaster, India to disclose the results of its meeting held in December last year within 24 hours. The regulator has also issued show cause notices to companys directors asking why the meeting results have not been disclosed so far despite repeated advisories from the regulator. India, in which promoter entities have only 6 per cent stake, did not disclose the annual general meeting results citing a pending case in the Bombay High Court. Industry sources said Indian lenders, who own 45 per cent stake in the company, have voted to oust the present directors and promoter, Jawahar Lal Goel. Yes Bank, which holds 25.63 per cent stake in after seizing promoters' pledged shares, has proposed another meeting of to appoint its nominees but the company has not complied with the bank's directive. In an order today, the asked the depositories to immediately freeze the demat accounts of the directors and the compliance officer till the time the voting results of the AGM held on December 30 last year are disclosed on the stock exchanges or till further orders. The market regulator found prima-facie failure on part of the independent directors to uphold high ethical standards; assist the company in implementing the best corporate governance practices; safeguard the interest of all stakeholders; balance the conflicting interest of the stakeholders; moderate and arbitrate in the interest of the company as a whole in situations of conflict between management and shareholders interest. The said the Bombay High Court, had in its order dated December 23, 2021, while rejecting any ad-interim relief, did not prohibit the company from disclosing the outcome of the AGM. However, the said DISH TV, by taking an erroneous plea that the matter is sub-judice, has been delaying the disclosure, knowing fully well that there is no such stay in operation, restraining the company from disclosing the outcome of the AGM. Subsequently, the Bombay High Court itself clarified that pendency of the Dish TV case will have no bearing on the disclosure requirements of the SEBI. As DISH TV did not disclose the results till date, the SEBI ordered it to immediately disclose the results. On September 26th last year, Yes Bank had asked the company to call an extraordinary general meeting of to appoint its nominees and remove current CEO and MD, Jawahar Lal Goel, and directors, Ashok Kurien, Rashmi Agarwal, Bhagwan Das Narang, and Shankar Agarwal from the board. Yes Bank had earlier said that the Dish TVs present board is acting on the behest of the promoters and approved a Rs 1,000 crore rights issue despite its objections. Yes Bank has said Indian lenders have 45 per cent stake in the company and is taking this step to protect the rights of all the shareholders. India and Saudi venture capital firm STV led a $54 million round for Tabby, the Middle Easts largest buy-now, pay-later provider, as demand fintech solutions booms. Existing investors Mubadala Investment Capital, Arbor Ventures, and Global Founders Capital also participated in the Series B capital raise, according to a statement. The firm has so far raised $180 million in debt and equity. We want to expand into markets where we see direct overlap either from a consumer or a merchant perspective, Chief Executive Officer Hosam Arab said in an interview. The firm, which currently operates in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, is also looking to expand its team to develop additional products and features, he said. Tabby is among that are flourishing in the fintech sector as the pandemic accelerated the shift toward online retail and digital payments. Buy-now, pay-later services allow customers to purchase goods and then pay for them in installments or after a certain period of time free of interest. The entire industry in the Middle East is extremely under-penetrated and there is still significant room for expansion and opportunities for growth just within our core product of buy-now, pay-later, Arab said. Tabby competes in the Middle East with firms such as Saudi Arabia-based Tamara, which raised $110 million last year in one of the regions largest startup investments to date. Thirty of the 36 disputed villages along the Meghalaya- border have been recommended by regional committees of the two states to remain in Meghalaya, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma informed the assembly on Monday. The 36 villages cover a 36.9 sq km area, while the 30 villages are spread over 18 sq km area, he said. The chief minister, addressing the House on the progress of the talks with the government to resolve the inter-state boundary dispute, said that both the states have agreed that no new areas of differences shall be added to the already identified 12 areas. "Of the 36 villages claimed by in 2011, a total of 30 have been recommended by regional committees of the two states to remain in . Ownership of land, however, will not be affected after demarcation of the boundary," he said. "All eight villages claimed by in Tarabari area will remain in the state. In Gizang, two of three claimed villages will remain with us. We will get 11 of 12 claimed villages in Hahim, one of two in Boklapara, five of six in Khanapara-Pillangkata, and three of five in Ratacherra," he said. Sangma said that discussions, visits and surveys were conducted by regional committees of the two states headed by cabinet ministers, and special technologies were used in the exercise. The areas will be more accurately determined by the Survey of India in the presence of representatives of both the states. The chief minister said that both the states have signed an MoU in January end on the resolution and conclusion of dialogue in six areas of difference and it was forwarded to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. (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.) Forty-two of the 43 students from have returned to India from war-torn Ukraine, while one chose to stay back in neighbouring Poland with his relatives, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said on Monday. He said one student from returned to India in the morning. "Out of 43 students, 42 have safely reached India 1 student landed this morning and the other resident decided to stay in Poland with his relatives," he tweeted. The chief minister thanked the Centre and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for their hard work and continued support. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) China and India have encountered "some setbacks" in recent years which do not serve the fundamental interests of the two countries, Chinese Foreign Minister said on Monday as he called for managing boundary differences through consultation, actively seeking a "fair and equitable" settlement. Addressing his annual press conference on the sidelines of the Chinese parliament, Wang also said that some forces have always sought to stoke tensions between China and India, in an apparent reference to the US. "China and India have encountered some setbacks in recent years which do not serve the fundamental interests of the two countries and the two peoples, Wang said in response to a question asked by PTI on the boundary issue and ties between the two neighbours. He stressed on managing boundary differences through consultation, actively seeking a "fair and equitable" settlement. China and India should be partners rather than rivals, said Wang, also is the State Councilor. Last month, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had said that India's relationship with China is right now going through a "very difficult phase" after Beijing violated agreements not to bring military forces to the border. Speaking at a panel discussion at the Munich Security Conference (MSC) 2022 in Germany, Jaishankar had said that India was having a problem with China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The eastern Ladakh border standoff between the Indian and Chinese militaries erupted following a violent clash in the Pangong lake areas and both sides gradually enhanced their deployment by rushing in tens of thousands of soldiers as well as heavy weaponry. The tension escalated following a deadly clash in the Galwan Valley on June 15, 2020. As a result of a series of military and diplomatic talks, the two sides completed the disengagement process in Gogra as well as in the north and south banks of the Pangong lake last year. India and China held the 14th round of Corps Commander-level meeting on January 12 during which the two sides agreed to maintain dialogue through military and diplomatic channels to work out a "mutually acceptable resolution" of the remaining issues of the standoff at eastern Ladakh. China has described as positive and constructive the latest round of military-level talks with India and said Beijing will work closely with New Delhi to "properly handle" the border issue, even as it refuted the US allegation of intimidating neighbours. (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 COVID-19 tally in rose to 10,40,172 on Monday with the addition of 117 cases, a health department official said. The death toll remains unchanged at 10,733 as no fatality due to COVID-19 was reported in the last 24 hours in the state, he said. The case positivity rate in MP stands at 0.2 per cent. It was 0.3 per cent the previous day, he said. The total number of recoveries in the state rose to 10,28,402 after 395 people were discharged during the day, he said. MP is now left with 1,037 active cases, the official said. Indore and Bhopal, the two worst coronavirus-hit cities of Madhya Pradesh, registered six and 12 cases, respectively, during the past 24 hours, he said. With 49,207 samples examined during the day, the number of tests conducted in MP so far went up to 2,82,08,263, the official said. A government release said 11,40,20,018 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered so far in the state, including 51,367 on Monday. figures in MP are as follows: Total cases 10,40,172, new cases 117, death toll 10,733, recoveries 10,28,402, active cases 1,037, number of tests so far 2,82,08,263. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India on Sunday continued its efforts to evacuate over 700 from the embattled northeastern Ukrainian city of Sumy but with little success as severe shelling and airstrikes continued. The Indian embassy in said a team from the mission has been stationed in Poltava city to coordinate the safe passage of the in Sumy to western borders via Poltava, and advised them to be ready to leave at short notice. 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. "Team from Embassy of India is stationed in Poltava City to coordinate the safe passage of 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," the Indian embassy in tweeted on Sunday night. 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 Ukraine will be responsible if anything happens to them. Following the video, the Indian embassy in Ukraine 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 evacuation from Pisochyn was nearing completion. The Indian embassy in Hungary suggested 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 Indians who are still stuck there to fill up an online 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. Be Safe Be Strong," it tweeted. The details sought 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. The embassy also said that a group of 44 Indians who began their trip from Pisochyn are on their way to the Polish border from Lviv. "Other group of 150+ have made their way to the Romanian border. Our efforts are ongoing. Be Safe Be Strong," it tweeted. Officials said over 21,000 Indians came out of Ukraine since the issuance of advisory weeks before the conflict began. Out of them, 19,920 Indians have already reached India. 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 12,435 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.) Indian student Harjot Singh, who was shot in Ukrainian capital Kyiv a few days ago, landed at the Hindon airbase here Monday evening, with his family heaving a sigh of relief after seeing him alive. The 31-year-old student, who had received four bullets, including one in chest, was immediately taken to the Army Hospital (Research And Referral) in an ambulance from the airport. His family members, who came to receive him at the Hindon airbase with bouquets, followed the ambulance in their car. Minister of State for Civil Aviation V K Singh, who was in Poland to facilitate the evacuation of Indian students, told reporters, "The Indian embassy in Ukraine evacuated Harjot and his condition is stable. Harjot has been sent to the Army Hospital (Research And Referral) as no one is better than Army in treating bullet wounds." In a tweet, he said, "I am happy to inform you that we have landed at Hindon Airforce Station. All 205 Indian students are back safe and sound. Harjot is under transfer to the Army Hospital (R&R). I thank the crew for taking care of us." At the airport, anxious family members of Harjot Singh heaved a sigh of relief after catching a glimpse of him. "We are happy and relieved. We cannot express how we are feeling in words. The entire family received him at the Hindon airbase. He has been shifted to R&R hospital. Our parents are very happy. We are thankful to the government for ensuring his safe return," Harjot's brother Prabhjot Singh told PTI. On February 27, Harjot, along with his two friends, boarded a cab for the western Ukrainian city of Lviv in a bid to escape Kyiv. He received four bullets. He contacted his family four days later. The Ministry of External Affairs on Friday announced that the government had decided to bear the medical expenses of Harjot Singh. The Indian embassy in Ukraine also lauded the driver who successfully transferred the student from over 700 km from Kyiv to Bodomierz border. "Kudos to Indian Embassy driver who successfully transferred Harjot over 700 km from Kyiv to Bodomierz border under dangers of shelling and constraints of fuel shortage, road blocks, detours and traffic jams," the embassy said in a tweet. Recounting the horrid moment, Harjot, a Delhi resident, had told PTI over phone from hospital in Kyiv, "We were in a cab to Lviv. We were stopped at a barricade and suddenly it was raining bullets. I thought this is the end. I am alive by God's grace." He is enrolled in a language course at International European University in Kyiv. The Ukrainian airspace has been shut since February 24 due to the Russian military offensive. Indian citizens stuck in Ukraine are being airlifted once they cross to neighbouring countries such as Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and Poland. The Indian Air Force (IAF) has been operating its evacuation flights from Ukraine's neighbouring countries using its C-17 military transport planes. A total of 1,314 Indians were airlifted by seven civilian flights from Ukraine's neighbouring countries on Monday, the Ministry of Civil Aviation said. "Tomorrow, two special civilian flights are expected to operate from Suceva, Romania to bring more than 400 Indians back home," the ministry's statement added. The final rites of former Chief of Staff General SF Rodrigues were held with full military honours in Panaji in on Monday. The last rites of the retired general, who died on March 4 after prolonged illness, were held in Moksha crematorium in St Inez here. A native of Goa, the general was born in Mumbai, and was commissioned in the Indian in 1952. In an illustrious career spanning over four decades, he went on to command a Division, a Corps, two Commands and was eventually Chief of Army Staff from July1, 1990 to June 30, 1993. The general officer took part in the 1962 India-China war, as well as conflicts with Pakistan in 1965 and 1971. He is survived by wife Jean Rodrigues, sons Captain Neal Rodrigues and Dr Mark Rodrigues and daughter Dr Susan Viswanathan. (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 India-US cooperation has played a crucial role in containing the COVID-19 pandemic, New Delhi's envoy here has said, underlining that there are immense opportunities for wider bilateral collaboration in the health sector and also to prepare for future public health threats. India's Ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, in an op-ed in The Houston Chronicle newspaper said that and the US, the two vibrant democracies, have played an especially crucial role in containing the pandemic. US institutions and Indian vaccine companies have been closely cooperating to develop reliable and affordable COVID-19 vaccines. Going forward, there are immense opportunities for wider India-US collaboration in the health sector to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and prepare for future public health threats, Sandhu wrote. Further cooperation can be achieved in areas such as infectious disease modelling, prediction and forecasting, as well as building institutional capacity for the management of biosafety, digital health and occupational health hazards. Guided by the ancient Indian philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam 'the world is one family' and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of 'One Earth, One Health,' is committed to working with the US and other partners in the international community to defeat this pandemic, Sandhu wrote. The op-ed has been widely welcomed by experts in the health sector. Many thanks to Ambassador Sandhu. We are deeply grateful for your collaboration and commitment to global health and a US- partnership, Prof Peter Hotez, a top vaccine scientist said in a tweet. The Baylor College of Medicine in Houston collaborated with India's Biological E on the Corbevax vaccine. Created by a team of scientists led by Peter Hotez and Maria Elena Bottazzi, Corbevax is cost-effective, patent-free and has been approved in India for emergency use. The Serum Institute of India and Maryland-based firm Novavax produced Covavax (which has received WHO approval). Merck's COVID-19 drug Molnupiravir is being produced by Indian companies for up to 35 times a lower cost, he wrote. Houston is home to the largest medical centre, leading medical research institutions that have linkages with India, multiple companies and corporations of this region are engaged with Indian companies in different modes including sharing of technologies, manufacturing and partnering in supply chains. India is amongst the largest producers of generic medicines globally and has the largest Food and Drug Administration compliant pharmaceutical plants. India has supplied 983.068 lakh doses of COVID-19 vaccine to 94 countries and two United Nations entities in the form of grant, commercial export or through COVAX till December 15 since the start of Vaccine Maitri programme in January, 2021. Total COVID-19 cases have reached 446,234,255 and the death toll stood at 5,997,994, according to the data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. (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 a phone call on Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modithanked Ukrainian President for extending support in the evacuation of Indian nationals from the war-torn nation, government sources here said. "During the 35 minute-long telephonic conversation, the two leaders discussed the evolving situation in Ukraine and Prime Minister Modi thanked President Zelensky for the help extended by the government of Ukraine in evacuation of Indian nationals from Ukraine," the sources said. This was Modi's second interaction with the Ukrainian leader since Russia began its military assault on Kiev on February 24. The first conversation took place on February 26. The Prime Minister is also likely to speak to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday during which he will to seek the latter's support for a safe passage to evacuate Indian nationals, mostly students, currently stranded in the Ukrainian cities of Sumy, Odessa, Kharkiv and Mariupo, said the sources. This will also be Modi and Putin's second conversation since the onset of the war. They earlier spoke on the evening of March 3. Meanwhile, India has continued sending relief material to the war-torn nation as part of humanitarian assistance via Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft which are deployed for the evacuations of stranded Indians. --IANS ams/ksk/ (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister on Monday spoke to Russian President during which he conveyed his "deep concern" over the safety and security of the Indian students stuck in Ukraine's Sumy city and sought their evacuation at the earliest. During the 50-minute telephonic conversation, Modi also suggested that a direct conversation between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy may greatly assist the ongoing peace efforts. Official sources said Modi stressed the importance of safe evacuation of Indian citizens from Sumy at the earliest and that Putin assured him of all possible cooperation to safely get them out of the northeastern Ukrainian city. Around 700 Indian students are stranded in Sumy amid intense fighting between Russian and Ukrainian troops. "Prime Minister Modi conveyed his deep concern for the safety and security of the Indian students still remaining in Sumy," the PMO said in a statement. It said Putin briefed the Prime Minister about the ongoing measures related to "humanitarian corridors" for facilitating the evacuation of civilians including Indian students. It was the third telephonic conversation between the two leaders after the military conflict began in Ukraine 11 days back. Earlier, Russian authorities said it would start a ceasefire on Monday and open "humanitarian corridors" in key Ukrainian cities including Kyiv, Kharkiv and Sumy. The statement said the two leaders discussed the evolving situation in Ukraine and Putin briefed Modi on the status of negotiations between the Ukrainian and Russian teams. "Prime Minister Modi welcomed the ongoing negotiations between Russia and Ukraine and expressed hope that they would lead to cessation of the conflict. He suggested that a direct conversation between President Putin and President Zelenskyy may greatly assist the ongoing peace efforts," it said. The sources said Modi appreciated the announcement of the ceasefire and establishment of humanitarian corridors in parts of Ukraine, including in Sumy. Earlier in the day, Modi spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and sought his continued support in the evacuation of the Indians stuck in Sumy city. During the conversation, Zelenskyy briefed the Prime Minister in detail about the "conflict situation" and the ongoing negotiations between Ukraine and Russia. In the last few days, India has been focusing on the evacuation of its students from Sumy. On Saturday morning, the Indian students posted a video saying they have decided to leave for the Russian border from Sumy and that the Indian government and the embassy in Ukraine will be responsible if anything happens to them. Following the video, the Indian embassy in Ukraine 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. The Indian embassy in Ukraine on Sunday said a team from the mission has been stationed in Poltava city to coordinate the safe passage of the Indian students in Sumy to Western borders via Poltava. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister on Monday spoke to Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and sought his "support" in evacuation of Indian students stuck in northeastern Ukraine's Sumy city. Around 700 Indian students are stranded in Sumy amid intense fighting between Russian and Ukrainian troops. In a phone conversation that lasted for around 35 minutes, Prime Minister Modi thanked President Zelenskyy for the help extended by the government of Ukraine in evacuation of Indian nationals from Ukraine, official sources said. "Prime Minister Modi sought continued support from the government of Ukraine in ongoing efforts for evacuation of Indian nationals from Sumy," a source said about the talks. The sources said the two leaders discussed the evolving situation in Ukraine. Modi appreciated the continuing direct dialogue between Russia and Ukraine, they said. It was the second telephonic conversation between Modi and Zelenskyy after the conflict began in Ukraine. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister will speak to Russian President on Monday afternoon, official sources said. The telephonic talks will follow Modi's scheduled conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Modi's interaction with the two leaders comes amid India's all out efforts to evacuate its nationals, mostly students, from Ukraine, facing attack from . Modi had spoken to Putin earlier too when the war began. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister will speak to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday, official sources said. Modi's expected talk with Zelenskyy comes amid India's all out efforts to evacuate its nationals, mostly students, from the country facing attack from Russia. This is the second time Modi will speak to Zelenskyy since the war began. The prime minister has also spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin after he launched an attack on Ukraine. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Rankings reflect sales for the week ended Saturday, Feb. 26, which were reported on a confidential basis by vendors offering a wide range of general interest titles. Picture Book rankings include hardcover sales only. Series rankings include all print and e-book sales. Every week, thousands of diverse selling locations report their actual sales on hundreds of thousands of individual titles. The panel of reporting retailers is comprehensive and reflects sales in stores of all sizes and demographics across the United States. An asterisk (*) indicates that a books sales were barely distinguishable from those of the book above. A (b) indicates that some bookstores reported receiving bulk orders. Advertisement The New York Times Best Sellers are compiled and archived by The Best-Seller Lists Desk of The New York Times News Department, and are separate from the Culture, Advertising and Business sides of The New York Times Co. More information on rankings and methodology: www.nytimes.com/books/best-sellers/methodology. ___ Advertisement PICTURE 1. HOW TO CATCH A LEPRECHAUN, by Adam Wallace. Illustrated by Andy Elkerton. (Sourcebooks Jabberwocky) This is the year youll finally catch a leprechaun. (Ages 4 to 10) 2. CHANGE SINGS, by Amanda Gorman. Illustrated by Loren Long. (Viking) A childrens anthem for change. (Ages 4 to 8) 3. THE ABCS OF BLACK HISTORY, by Rio Cortez. Illustrated by Lauren Semmer. (Workman) An informative ode to Black history. (Ages 5 and up) 4. HAIR LOVE, by Matthew A. Cherry. Illustrated by Vashti Harrison. (Kokila) A father and daughter work together on an extra-special hairstyle. (Ages 4 to 8) 5. DRAGONS LOVE TACOS, by Adam Rubin. Illustrated by Daniel Salmieri. (Dial) What to serve your dragon guests. (Ages 3 to 5) 6. THE WONDERFUL THINGS YOU WILL BE, by Emily Winfield Martin. (Random House) A celebration of future possibilities. (Ages 3 to 7) 7. THE 1619 PROJECT: BORN ON THE WATER, by Nikole Hannah-Jones and Renee Watson. Illustrated by Nikkolas Smith. (Kokila) A young Black girl traces her ancestry for a school assignment. (Ages 7 to 10) 8. PETE THE CAT: THE GREAT LEPRECHAUN CHASE, by James Dean. (HarperCollins) Pete opens a leprechaun catching business. (Ages 4 to 8) Advertisement 9. I AM ENOUGH, by Grace Byers. Illustrated by Keturah A. Bobo. (Balzer and Bray) A poetic affirmation of self-esteem. (Ages 4 to 8) 10. GOOD NIGHT, LITTLE BLUE TRUCK, by Alice Schertle and Jill McElmurry. (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) Blue and Toad offer shelter from a storm to other farm animals. (Ages 4 to 7) ___ MIDDLE GRADE HARDCOVER 1. THE ICE CREAM MACHINE, by Adam Rubin. (Putnam) Six short ice cream-themed tales. (Ages 8 to 12) 2. REFUGEE, by Alan Gratz. (Scholastic) Three children in three different conflicts look for safe haven. (Ages 9 to 12) 3. WONDER, by R.J. Palacio. (Knopf) A boy with a facial deformity starts school. (Ages 8 to 12) Advertisement 4. MAP OF FLAMES, by Lisa McMann. (Putnam) Five supernatural children journey to the world of Estero. (Ages 8 to 12) 5. LITTLE LEADERS, by Vashti Harrison. (Little, Brown) The biographies of 40 African American women who made a difference. (Ages 8 to 12) 6. DAUGHTER OF THE DEEP, by Rick Riordan. (Disney-Hyperion) Ana Dakkar faces the weekend trials at the Harding-Pencroft Academy. (Ages 9 to 12) 7. LITTLE LEGENDS: EXCEPTIONAL MEN IN BLACK HISTORY, by Vashti Harrison with Kwesi Johnson. (Little, Brown) Biographies of trailblazing Black men. (Ages 8 to 12) 8. STUNTBOY, IN THE MEANTIME, by Jason Reynolds. Illustrated by Raul the Third. (Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy) As a coping mechanism for his frets, a young boy creates a superhero alter ego. (Ages 7 to 12) 9. OUT OF MY HEART, by Sharon M. Draper. (Atheneum) In this sequel to Out of My Mind, Melody goes to summer camp. (Ages 10 and up) Advertisement 10. THE LAST CUENTISTA, by Donna Barba Higuera. (Levine Querido) Petra is one of the last people who have memories of the planet Earth. (Ages 10 to 14) ___ YOUNG ADULT HARDCOVER 1. ONE OF US IS LYING, by Karen M. McManus. (Delacorte) For five students, a detour into detention ends in murder. (Ages 14 and up) 2. THE GIRL WHO FELL BENEATH THE SEA, by Axie Oh. (Feiwel & Friends) A re-imagining of the Korean folktale The Tale of Shim Cheong. (Ages 13 to 18) 3. ANATOMY, by Dana Schwartz. (Wednesday) Hazel and Jack work together to solve a mystery in 19th-century Edinburgh. (Ages 13 to 18) 4. AINT BURNED ALL THE BRIGHT, by Jason Reynolds. Illustrated by Jason Griffin. (Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy) An emotional look into the life of a Black family living through 2020. (Ages 12 to 18) Advertisement 5. THE HATE U GIVE, by Angie Thomas. (Balzer and Bray) A 16-year-old girl sees a police officer kill her friend. (Ages 14 and up) 6. YOUVE REACHED SAM, by Dustin Thao. (Wednesday) After the death of her boyfriend, Sam, Julie can still reach him via cellphone. (Ages 12 to 18) 7. THESE VIOLENT DELIGHTS, by Chloe Gong. (Margaret K. McElderry) A re-imagining of Romeo and Juliet set in 1920s Shanghai. (Ages 14 to 18) 8. IRON WIDOW, by Xiran Jay Zhao. (Penguin Teen) Zetian becomes a Chrysalises pilot to battle the Hunduns but has an ulterior motive. (Ages 14 to 17) 9. THIS WOVEN KINGDOM, by Tahereh Mafi. (HarperCollins) A tale inspired by the Persian epic poem the Shahnameh. (Ages 13 and up) 10. I MUST BETRAY YOU, by Ruta Sepetys. (Philomel) In 1989, Cristian Florescu is an informant for the secret police in communist Romania. (Ages 12 to 17) Advertisement ___ SERIES 1. DIARY OF A WIMPY KID, written and illustrated by Jeff Kinney. (Amulet) The travails and challenges of adolescence. (Ages 9 to 12) 2. HARRY POTTER, by J.K. Rowling. (Scholastic) A wizard hones his conjuring skills in the service of fighting evil. (Ages 10 and up) 3. CRAVE, by Tracy Wolff. (Entangled Teen) Grace attends Katmere Academy among supernatural beings. (Ages 14 to 18) Daywatch Weekdays Start your morning with today's local news > 4. A GOOD GIRLS GUIDE TO MURDER, by Holly Jackson. (Delacorte) Pippa Fitz-Amobi solves murderous crimes. (Ages 14 and up) 5. PERCY JACKSON & THE OLYMPIANS, by Rick Riordan. (Disney-Hyperion) A boy battles mythological monsters. (Ages 9 to 12) Advertisement 6. WINGS OF FIRE, by Tui T. Sutherland. (Scholastic) Only the five dragonets of destiny can unite the seven warring dragon tribes. (Ages 9 to 12) 7. FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDYS: FAZBEAR FRIGHTS, by Scott Cawthon. (Scholastic) Short stories from the twisted, sinister world of Five Nights at Freddys. (Ages 12 to 18) 8. THE TWILIGHT SAGA, by Stephenie Meyer. (Little, Brown) Vampires and werewolves and their intrigues in high school. (Ages 12 and up) 9. WHO WAS/IS ...?, by Jim Gigliotti and others; various illustrators. (Penguin Workshop) Biographies unlock legendary lives. (Ages 8 to 11) 10. FOLK OF THE AIR, by Holly Black. (Little, Brown) Judes quest to become the first mortal queen of the High Court of Faerie. (Ages 14 to 17) As the Russia-Ukraine war entered its 12th day, Prime Minister on Monday spoke to Russian President and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and sought their support in the safe and quick evacuation of the Indian students stuck in Ukraine's embattled Sumy city. Noting that India has always stood for peaceful resolution of issues, Modi during his separate conversations with Putin and Zelenskyy suggested direct conversation between them, saying it may "greatly assist" the peace efforts. In the last few days, India has been particularly focusing on the evacuation of around 700 Indian students from Sumy, and also strongly pressed both the Russian and Ukrainian governments through multiple channels for an immediate ceasefire in the region for their safe exit from there. During his 50-minute phone conversation with Putin, Modi stressed the importance of safe evacuation of Indian citizens from Sumy "at the earliest" and the Russian President assured him of all possible cooperation to safely get them out of the city, official sources said. A Russian readout of the Modi-Putin talks said the Russian President informed the Indian leader about the decision of his armed forces to "establish a ceasefire and open humanitarian corridors today amid the worsening of the humanitarian situation". It said the Russian military is making every effort to ensure the evacuation of the Indian citizens from Sumy and that Modi expressed gratitude to the Russian side for the measures taken for their exit from the conflict zone. "Prime Minister Modi conveyed his deep concern for the safety and security of the Indian students remaining in Sumy. President Putin briefed the Prime Minister about the ongoing measures related to humanitarian corridors for facilitating the evacuation of civilians including Indian students," the PMO said. Welcoming the ongoing negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, the Prime Minister expressed hope that they would lead to the cessation of the conflict. "He (Modi) suggested that a direct conversation between President Putin and President Zelenskyy may greatly assist the ongoing peace efforts," the PMO said. Modi first spoke to Zelenskyy for around 35-minutes during which he sought the Ukrainian president's "support" in the evacuation of the Indians stuck there, official sources said. The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said Modi, during his talks with Zelenskyy, expressed "deep concern for safety and security of Indian students remaining in Ukraine and emphasised the need for their quick and safe evacuation." Modi also thanked Zelensky for the help extended by the Ukrainian authorities for the evacuation of Indian nationals. The Ukrainian President briefed Modi in detail about the "conflict situation" and the ongoing negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, the PMO said. "The Prime Minister reiterated his call for an immediate cessation of violence and noted that India has always stood for peaceful resolution of issues and direct dialogue between the two parties," it said. "The Prime Minister thanked Ukrainian authorities for their facilitation in evacuating more than 20,000 Indian citizens from Ukraine," the PMO said. In a tweet, Zelenskyy said he informed Modi about how Ukraine is "countering Russian aggression". "Informed Indian Prime Minister @narendramodi about Ukraine countering Russian aggression. India appreciates the assistance to its citizens during the war and Ukraine's commitment to direct peaceful dialogue at the highest level," the Ukrainian president said. "Grateful for the support to the Ukrainian people," he added. Modi's talks with Putin and Zelenskyy came on a day Russian authorities said they would start a ceasefire and open "humanitarian corridors" in key Ukrainian cities including Kyiv, Kharkiv and Sumy. On Modi-Putin talks, the PMO statement said the two leaders discussed the evolving situation in Ukraine and Putin briefed Modi on the status of negotiations between the Ukrainian and Russian teams. The Russian readout said Putin pointed out that the "Indian students held by the radicals in Kharkov (Kharkiv) managed to leave the city only after strong international pressure on the Kyiv authorities." Last week, the Russian President had claimed that a large number of Indian citizens were held hostage in Kharkiv, but India had rejected the claim. "Modi indicated his readiness to provide any possible assistance in order to resolve the conflict as soon as possible," the Russian government readout said. In the last few days, India has been focusing on the evacuation of its students from Sumy, which has been under heavy shelling. On Saturday morning, the Indian students posted a video saying they have decided to leave for the Russian border from Sumy and that the Indian government and the embassy in Ukraine will be responsible if anything happens to them. Following the video, the Indian embassy in Ukraine 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. The Indian embassy in Ukraine on Sunday said a team from the mission has been stationed in Poltava city to coordinate the safe passage of the Indian students in Sumy to Western borders via Poltava. (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.) Months after leader alleged that his followers on micro-blogging site were being restricted, the Opposition party on Monday said that subsequent gains in followers prove that the earlier freeze in the count "was guided by an external influence". "The followers of has touched the 20 Million mark. His letter to CEO and the rise in numbers of followers later proves that the freeze on the count was guided by an external influence on Twitter," Tweeted . In a letter addressed to Twitter's CEO Parag Agrawal on December 27, the Wayanad MP had said, "I believe Twitter's unwitting complicity in curbing free and fair speech in India." Stating that his following has virtually been frozen since August 2021, when his account was briefly locked, the leader had said that earlier he was gaining new followers at the rate of over 2.3 lakh per month, which had even gone up to 6.5 lakh in certain months. He had also shared an analysis of data from his Twitter account, showing that the number of followers, which then stood at 19.6 million, had barely increased for several months. The Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate had slammed the Central government over the issue by saying that "Rahul Gandhi's number of followers, which used to grow rapidly, has decreased. The dictator government is not even sparing the social media platform." However, replying to the allegations, Twitter spokesperson had said that the "follower counts are a visible feature and we want everyone to have confidence that numbers are meaningful and accurate. Twitter has a zero-tolerance approach to platform manipulation and spam. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister (PM) spoke to the President of Russia Vladimir Putin, as well as Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and while praising the ongoing dialogue between teams of leaders from the two countries to end the conflict, advised direct talks between the two presidents. Modi told Putin he was deeply worried about the remaining students in the strife-torn city of Sumy and Putin assured him that efforts were on to create a humanitarian corridor for the evacuation of civilians, including Indians. Modi spoke to Putin for nearly 50 minutes and for around 35 minutes with Zelenskyy. To both presidents, he relayed the same message: that there must be immediate cessation of violence and India has always stood for peaceful resolution of issues and direct dialogue between the two parties. In his conversation with Putin, the PM referred to the conflict as neither war nor invasion, but the evolving situation in Ukraine. In his talks with Zelenskyy, he referred to the current situation as a conflict. Modi thanked Zelenskyy for the help extended by the Government of Ukraine in the evacuation of Indian nationals from Ukraine. Zelenskyys response to the conversation with Modi was almost instant and passionate. Informed Prime Minister Modi about Ukraine countering Russian aggression. India appreciates the assistance to its citizens during the war and Ukraines commitment to direct peaceful dialogue at the highest level. Grateful for the support to the Ukrainian people. #StopRussia, Zelenskyy tweeted on Monday within minutes of the conversation. India has brought back most of its 20,000-plus citizens, most of whom are medical students, from Ukraine through neighbouring countries. Among hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians fleeing the war, Indian nationals, too, have been crossing over to countries, including Romania, Poland, and Moldova. Under Operation Ganga, the government has organised civil, as well as Indian Air Force aircraft, to repatriate stranded Indian nationals. The final leg of the operation is currently on. India has abstained in a motion against Russia in the United Nations Security Council and the General Assembly on the matter. It has, however, mentioned that it is deeply disturbed by the recent turn of events in Ukraine and has encouraged both sides to hold dialogue. This is the first time, however, that the PM has advised the two presidents to have direct talks. Russian President on Monday assured Prime Minister Narendra Modi that his forces are doing everything to evacuate the stranded Indian citizens, mostly students, from the war-torn eastern Ukrainian city of Sumy, according to his office. During the 50-minute telephonic conversation, Prime Minister Modi conveyed his "deep concern" over the safety and security of the Indian students stuck in Sumy city and sought their evacuation at the earliest. Around 700 Indian students are stranded in Sumy amid intense fighting between Russian and Ukrainian troops and India has been urging both sides to create a "humanitarian corridor" for their safe evacuation. President Putin, in the telephone conversation with Prime Minister Modi, said that Russian military personnel are doing everything to evacuate Indian citizens from Sumy, the state-owned TASS news agency reported, citing the Kremlin. "It has been noted that the Indian students who were held by the radicals in Kharkov managed to leave the city only as a result of strong international pressure on the Kiev authorities," the Kremlin alleged. "Russian military personnel are making every effort to ensure the evacuation of Indian citizens from the city of Sumy, it said. Modi thanked the Russian side "for the measures taken to ensure the return of his compatriots to their homeland, it added. On Saturday, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said in New Delhi that India's main focus is now on evacuating the students from Sumy, and that the safe exit of Indians from Kharkiv and Pisochyn is almost complete. "We are deeply concerned about Indian students in Sumy, Ukraine. Have strongly pressed Russian and Ukrainian governments through multiple channels for an immediate ceasefire to create a safe corridor for our students," Bagchi said. Bagchi also said the main challenge remains the ongoing shelling and violence in Sumy and lack of transportation. Last week, the Indian students in Sumy had posted videos saying they have decided to leave for the Russian border and that the Indian government and the embassy in Ukraine will be responsible if anything happens to them. Following the embassy's assurance, the students did not leave the eastern Ukrainian city that has seen intense fighting between Russian and Ukrainian troops. Putin told Modi that Ukrainian nationalists "continue to prevent the withdrawal of civilians from dangerous zones, the Kremlin said. " informed the Prime Minister of India that, given the aggravation of the humanitarian situation, the Russian Armed Forces announced the introduction of a regime of silence today and the opening of humanitarian corridors," it said. Asked about Putin's comments on Thursday that some Indians are being held hostage by Ukrainian forces, Bagchi had on Friday again rejected the claim, saying India does not have any such information or reports. On Thursday too, Bagchi rejected claims by both Russia and Ukraine that Indian students are being held hostage in Kharkiv. It was the third telephonic conversation between the two leaders after the military conflict began in Ukraine on February 24. India has brought back nearly 16,000 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 in New Delhi. 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 Ukraine for their exit to Romania, Hungary or Poland. Prime Minister Modi has expressed deep concern about the ongoing conflict and resultant humanitarian crisis and reiterated his call for immediate cessation of violence. (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 special flight, carrying 160 Indian evacuees from Ukraine, landed here on Monday from Budapest in Hungary. The Air Asia flight, which evacuated the citizens, evacuated the stranded students from Hungary and landed at the airport at around 4-4.30 am. Harishma, a student who is a Bengaluru resident, said, "It was really difficult. We travelled for three days through the metro tunnel. After we reached border, the Indian Embassy evacuated us and brought us back. They had made all the arrangements such as food and water. I am happy that I am back in the country." Gowardhan, another student, said, "After we crossed border, the Indian Embassy provided all the facilities. I am thankful to the embassy for evacuating us." The Indian Embassy in Kyiv on Saturday said that they will not leave any stone unturned to ensure the safe evacuation of from the Ukrainian city of Sumy and requested them to keep some more hours of strength. Over the past week, more than 10,000 have been evacuated from 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. (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.) CBI arrests former NSE CEO in co-location case The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Sunday night arrested former managing director (MD) and chief executive officer (CEO) of Stock Exchange in Delhi in the co-location case after her anticipatory bail plea was rejected by a Special CBI court on Saturday. She will be presented before a Delhi court on Monday morning, a CBI official said under condition of anonymity. Read more 81 high-impact infrastructure projects make it to Gati Shakti list The industry department has identified 81 high-impact projects under various infrastructure ministries for the governments Gati Shakti initiative. These projects will be closely monitored in 2022-23, according to officials. Major industrial corridors of Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (NICDC), key expressways and highways, such as Amritsar-Jamnagar expressway, Delhi-Mumbai expressway, others will be among the governments priority. Read more Investments via UAE to face more scrutiny after FATF grey list inclusion The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has become the latest addition to the grey list put out by the Financial Action Task Force, a global financial crime watchdog. The countrys inclusion may reduce its attractiveness as an investment hub for foreign inflows into India and raise the level of scrutiny by Indias financial regulators. Read more Ukraine crisis: Russian oil companies offer big discounts to India As stringent sanctions imposed by the European Union and US are crippling business and trade, desperate Russian oil companies are offering huge discounts to India, provided a payment mechanism to bypass the SWIFT ban is quickly approved by the government. According to sources familiar with the development, Russian oil firms are offering 25-27 per cent discount to the dated Brent crude prices. Read more Malaria to pneumonia vaccines: SII now betting on non-Covid shots The worlds largest vaccine maker, (SII), is working out plans on redeploying its installed capacity after the demand for Covid-19 vaccines wanes. Key pipeline vaccines like those against malaria, pneumonia, and HPV are likely to go into production within the next few months to a year or so, and that would take care of capacity utilisation. Read more busy with back-to-office drill as Covid-19 cases decline With a sharp decline in the rate of Covid-19 infections, companies across sectors that had switched to work from home, are now ready to welcome their employees back to office. However, there is a clear divide emerging amongst sectors between those that want 100 per cent of their employees to work from office, and those, led by the IT companies and startups, that are opting for a hybrid workplace model. Read more GST body finds more instances of tax fraud at fintech firm BharatPe The Directorate General of Goods and Services Tax Intelligence (DGGI) has found instances of fraud at BharatPe, and the tax probe body has recovered Rs 12.5 crore so far from the fintech firm, a person aware of the development said. The fintech firm at the centre of corporate governance lapses has agreed to having issued more invoices to non-existent vendors, and has additionally deposited Rs 1.5 crore with the tax authorities. Read more Commerce and Industry Minister on Monday said India was looking to advance a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with . is Indias fifth largest export destination. Addressing the inaugural session of India- stakeholders meet, Goyal said improving this connectivity further was imperative for expansion of the bilateral trade and realisation of the investment potential of Bangladesh and eastern India. Both countries should also explore potential areas of investments in textiles, jute products, leather and footwear, APIs for pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, agribusiness, among others, he said. There is also a need to give more impetus to joint production of defence equipment. Our defence cooperation has not progressed, though India offered a $500-million line of credit. Time has come to take it to the next level, the minister said, adding that both countries can also look at joint manufacturing of vaccines and other medicines. India and Bangladesh can become Pharmacy of the world: During Covid-19, vaccines produced in India Covaxin and Covishield created a niche for themselves as safe vaccines, he said. On Saturday, top government officials from the two countries held extensive discussions on a host of issues of mutual interest. They also decided to finalise the joint study on trade at the earliest. Two prominent policymakers finance secretary TV Somanathan and revenue secretary Tarun Bajaj said on Monday that the larger industry had a big role to play in reducing . There is a tendency in this country to not leave any loophole unexplored. That is the philosophy with which it is approached by the accounting profession. This advice is tendered at an expensive cost to the industry, said Somanathan at a post-Budget interaction with stakeholders and industry representatives in Bengaluru. The interaction was also attended by finance minister . Somanathan said while there are many genuine problems that the government needs to correct, there are also cases where industry seeks very deep loopholes on some very speculative interpretation. Bajaj added to his colleagues point and gave an example: Recently, some corporates have got a favourable ruling from a high court that cess is expenditure. The Supreme Court has held that cess is an income tax and not an expenditure. After the ruling, we found that in all the existing tax dispute cases one additional point was added by the lawyers saying that cess is an expenditure and not an item after profit before tax, he said. The Budget has proposed a retrospective amendment to the Income Tax Act from assessment year 2005-06 to stop companies from claiming cess and surcharge as business expenditure during tax calculations. Tax experts say this could lead to re-opening of past cases. We need to make laws simpler and take away unnecessary exemptions, but the larger industry also has a role to play, Bajaj said. Speaking at the interaction, Sitharaman said, This Budget stands more for continuity, to provide a tax predictable regime and also to make sure that we are planning for the next 20-25 years. It gives a vision and also some kind of roadmap through which we want to achieve fundamental infrastructure, which will help us to be proud of ourselves. Underlining that the country is still coming out of the effects of Covid-19, she said that the nation needs to have a support system particularly for health, which is completely stabilised and strengthened. She also stressed that there was a need for waking up for the children, who have lost out on two years of education and bridging the gaps. Sitharaman pointed out that the Budget is also about making sure that states have a participatory role in whatever the Centre is doing. Funds are being shared with them and they can actively engage in infrastructure building as well. Stating that each one of the investments doesnt stand alone in a silo, Sitharaman told the gathering that the Centre brought in the principle of PM Gati Shakti. This will be an umbrella-like scheme for several projects that are aimed for mutual benefit of the industry. Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance. We, however, have a request. As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed. Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard. Digital Editor As state polls come to end on Monday evening, the has started preparing for the next municipal and Assembly in several states. chief J.P. Nadda discussed the forthcoming civic polls in Delhi and Haryana, and the Assembly in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh with party national general secretaries. A day before the end of polling of in Uttar Pradesh, Nadda chaired a meeting of party national general secretaries at the headquarters here on Sunday evening. BJP national general secretary (organisation) B.L. Santhosh, general secretaries Arun Singh, Tarun Chugh, C.T. Ravi, Dusyant Gautam and others were present in the meeting. Sources said that along with the BJP's performance in the ongoing polls, upcoming civic and were also discussed. "Party performances in the in five states were discussed. Upcoming polls were also discussed. in Delhi and Haryana, and year end Assembly polls in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh were also discussed in the meeting. Now we start preparing for these upcoming polls," a party insider said. Local bodies' polls in Delhi and Haryana are scheduled for next month, while the Assembly polls in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh will be held November-December this year. A party insider said that as the Assembly polls in five states -- Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Punjab, Manipur and Uttarakhand -- end, the BJP will shift its focus on the and start preparations for the Assembly polls as well. "Preparation for the in Delhi has already started and senior leaders will start reviewing party activities soon after declaration of the Assembly polls result on March 10," he said. In the meeting on Sunday evening, top BJP leadership discussed internal assessment and feedback. "Our assessment shows that we are coming back to power in four states and improving performance in Punjab," another party leader said. Assembly polls will conclude with voting in 54 seats in nine districts of Uttar Pradesh on Monday and counting of votes will take place on March 10. --IANS ssb/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.) Among the outraged voices protesting Vladimir Putins invasion of Ukraine: bookish types, including PEN International and the American Booksellers Association. The ABA promised to amplify Ukrainian authors and books; offer support directly to Ukrainian booksellers; and promote organizations working to resist, inform, and offer aid. The Frankfurt Book Fair and the Bologna Childrens Book Fair have cut ties to Russian state-sponsored publishers. Particularly interesting is the opposition in Russia, where dissenting publicly can be fatal, and in former Soviet republics. From one letter, signed by several hundred people (translated): Advertisement We, Russian book publishers, booksellers, editors, translators, critics, illustrators, designers, typesetters, proofreaders, printers, librarians, and booksellers, protest against the war unleashed by the Russian authorities in Ukraine. The war must cease immediately, and the initiators and participants of the military aggression must be stripped of their ranks and titles and brought to justice. Books are one of the main forms of preserving and transmitting human experience. And all this experience accumulated over the centuries teaches us: war is a crime, and the value of human life is unconditional. Advertisement In Georgia the former Soviet republic attacked by Russia in 2008 the Publishers and Booksellers Association expressed its unconditional support for the fight of the Ukrainian people against Putins Russia. (At the 2008 Frankfurt Book Fair, the furious Georgians their booth across from Russias took books off the Russian stand, ripped out pages, and bombed the Russians with paper airplanes made from their own books.) (Shelf Awareness, Publishers Weekly) Recommended: The Gates of Europe, Serhii Plokhy (2015). A history of Ukraine across centuries, empires, independence struggles. (NYT) ___ Visiting: Oge Mora, childrens author and collage artist, March 12, Virginia Beach Central Library. Her picture book Thank You, Omu! was a 2019 Caldecott winner. Collage workshop (10:30 a.m.; few slots left). At 2 p.m., talk, Q&A and signing. Free, but register: workshop, tinyurl.com/VBcollage; talk, tinyurl.com/VBtalk. 4100 Virginia Beach Blvd., 757-385-0150. Daywatch Weekdays Start your morning with today's local news > Doris Kearns Goodwin: The Norfolk Forum has individual tickets for the presidential historian and the cookbook author Ina Garten. Goodwin: 7:30 p.m. March 15, Chrysler Hall; $50 plus fees. Garten, May 24, $75 plus fees. thenorfolkforum.org. ___ Advertisement New and recent Margaret Atwood, Burning Questions: Essays and Occasional Pieces, 2004-2021 (Doubleday, 496 pp.). Some smart pieces, but the speeches, printed verbatim, quickly capsize the boat, threatening to drown even the good material. (NYT) Bill Barr, One Damn Thing After Another: Memoirs of an Attorney General (William Morrow, 595 pp.). The Washington Post: Barr blasts Trump and Giuliani and ignores his own partisan excesses. Garrett M. Graff, Watergate: A New History (Avid Reader, 832 pp.). Lively, wide-ranging, detailed. Averse to speculation so its notable that he suggests the C.I.A. might have set up the voice-activated system that sank Nixons ship, writes Douglas Brinkley. (NYT) Regional titles: Bobby Raye Huntley, The Shaping of Our Future Generation: Putting a Plug in the School to Prison Pipeline! Reflections on 19 years working in Virginia Beach public schools, including 14 as director of the Gentlemens Club, a mentoring and character development group. (B. Raye Huntley Enterprises, 245 pp.) ... Charles Oldham, Ship of Blood: Mutiny and Slaughter Aboard the Harry A. Berwind, and the Quest for Justice. Based on the 1905 murder of the white captain and crewmen for which three Black crewmen were blamed. The trial was in Wilmington; the case reached the U.S. Supreme Court. (Beach Glass Books, 272 pp.) Erica Smith, erica.smith@pilotonline.com Even as majority of the gave the edge, with some even predicting a majority for the party in the 40-member Goa Assembly, Chief Minister appears to be more circumspect in his prediction of a likely post-poll scenario. While the had gone into the elections with its slogan '22 plus in 2022', Sawant said that even if the party is stuck at 17-18 seats, it would seek help from Independent MLAs to form government. "If we are stuck at 17-18, then I feel three to four seats will be won by Independents. Independents tend to support those who are in majority. I am confident of forming the government with Independents," Sawant said on Monday, a day when several predicted a good showing by the . The ABP C-Voter Exit Poll has predicted between 13 and 17 seats for the BJP, and between 12 and 16 seats for the Congress. The AAP is projected to win 1-5 seats. The India Ahead-ETG poll has predicted a near majority for the BJP with 20-22 seats, while the Congress and AAP are expected to get between 7-9 and 6-8 seats, respectively. According to the Republic-P Marq survey, the BJP is expected to win between 16 and 20 seats, the Congress 9-13 seats, the AAP between 4 and 8 seats while others expected to win between 1 and 5 seats. NewsX-Polstrat has also pegged 20-22 seats for the BJP, between 4 and 6 seats for the Congress, 5-7 for AAP and Independents bringing up the rear with 7-9 seats. The Times Now-VETO poll has slotted between 17 and 21 seats for the BJP, 4-6 for the Congress, between 8 and 11 for AAP and between 3 and 5 seats for others. The India News-Jan Ki Baat survey has also predicted 18-22 seats for BJP, 5-6 for Congress, 7-9 for AAP and between 5 and 8 for others. The India Today-Axis poll, however, has estimated that the Congress would win between 15 and 20 seats, while the BJP would win between 14 and 18 seats, with the Trinamool Congress-Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party alliance winning between 2 and 5 seats and others 0-4 seats. Goa Congress President Girish Chodankar also expressed confidence at winning the elections with 23-26 seats. "The magic figure has been decided by the people of Goa. It will come out in the open soon. We are confident that we will win between 23 and 26 seats," Chodankar said. Goa has 40 Assembly seats with a majority mark of 21. --IANS maya/arm (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.) After most of the predicted a clear majority for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Punjab, Swaraj India president congratulated Delhi Chief Minister on Monday and hoped that his party would live up to the "huge expectations" of the people of the state. Several forecast a clear majority for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Uttar Pradesh and for the AAP in Punjab, with some giving an edge to the saffron party in Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur. "The only firm conclusion that we can draw from so far is about Punjab. Clearly it's an AAP wave with a thumping majority. Congratulations to @AamAadmiParty and @ArvindKejriwal," Yadav, a former AAP leader and a noted psephologist, said in a tweet. "Really hope they live up to the huge expectations of the people of Punjab," he added. Yadav, who was once considered to be a close associate of AAP national convenor Kejriwal, had served as a member of the party's executive committee and political affairs committee, before he was expelled from the party in 2015. Most of the exit polls were unanimous in predicting a big win for the AAP in Punjab, with India Today-Axis projecting up to 76-90 seats in the 117-member Assembly. Some exit polls forecast a hung Assembly in Punjab, which is ruled by the Congress, while giving a clear edge to the AAP. News 24-Today's Chankaya predicted a wave in the AAP's favour in Punjab, giving it 100 seats. TV9 Bharatvarsh-Polstrat, however, predicted 56-61 seats for the Kejriwal-led party in Punjab, making it the frontrunner to form the government in the state. The Congress was mostly predicted to be securing the second spot in Punjab. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An average voter turnout of 46.40 per cent was recorded in the seventh and the final phase of the ongoing on Monday, according to the of India. Polling is underway on 54 Assembly seats spread over nine districts of the state. Chandauli recorded the highest voter turnout and became the only district to breach the 50 per cent turnout mark till 3 pm with 50.79 per cent. All the other districts recorded above 40 per cent voter turnout till this time. The second-highest voter turnout was recorded in Sonbhadra with 49.84 per cent followed by Bhadohi with 47.49 per cent. Jaunpur recorded a turnout of 47.14 per cent, Mau (46.88 per cent), Ghazipur (46.28 per cent), Azamgarh (45.28 per cent), Mirzapur (44.64 per cent). Varanasi recorded the lowest voter turnout with 43.76 per cent till 3 pm. The voting commenced at 7 am and will go on till 6 pm. The constituencies that are polling today are Atraulia, Gopalpur, Sagadi, Mubarakpur, Azamgarh, Nizamabad, Phulpur-Powai, Deedarganj, Lalganj (SC), Mehnagar (SC), Madhuban, Ghosi, Muhammadabad-Gohna (SC), Mau, Badlapur, Shahganj, Ghazipur, Jangipur, Zahurabad, Mohammedabad, Zamania, Mughalsarai, Sakaldiha, Saidaraja, Chakia (SC), Pindra, Ajgara (SC), Shivpur, Rohaniya, Varanasi North, Varanasi South, Varanasi Cantonment, Sevapuri, Bhadohi, Gyanpur, Aurai (SC), Chanbe (SC), Mirzapur, Majhawan, Chunar, Madihan, Ghorawal, Robertsganj, Obra (ST) and Duddhi (ST). Of these, 11 seats are reserved for scheduled castes and 2 for scheduled tribes. A total of 2.06 crore voters are eligible to cast their votes while 613 candidates are in the electoral fray in the 54 Assembly seats. The counting of votes will take place on March 10. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Over 54 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 5 pm in the seventh and last phase of the for 54 seats on Monday. started at 7 am. It ended at 4 pm in Chakia (Chandauli), Robertsganj and the Duddhi (Sonbhadra) seats, while in the rest of the segments, it continued till 6 pm. The districts where polls are underway in this phase are Azamgarh, Mau, Jaunpur, Ghazipur, Chandauli, Varanasi, Mirzapur, Bhadohi and Sonbhadra. The percentage till 5 pm was 54.18 per cent, according to the Election Commission's 'Voter Turnout' application. While Azamgarh witnessed 52.34 per cent voting, Bhadohi saw 54.26 per cent, Chandauli 59.59 per cent, Ghazipur 53.67 per cent, Jaunpur 53.55 per cent, Mau 55.04 per cent, Mirzapur 54.93 per cent, Sonbhadra 56.95 per cent and Varanasi 52.79 per cent, it showed. A total of 613 candidates are in the fray for the 54 seats, including those falling in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's parliamentary segment Varanasi. The fate of Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party president Om Prakash Rajbhar and several state ministers will be decided in this round, in which 2.06 crore people are eligible to vote. Besides state Tourism Minister Neelkanth Tiwari, who is contesting for the Varanasi South seat, other ministers in the fray in the last leg of the elections are Anil Rajbhar (Shivpur-Varanasi), Ravindra Jaiswal (Varanasi North), Girish Yadav (Jaunpur) and Ramashankar Singh Patel (Marihan-Mirzapur). Dara Singh Chauhan, who had resigned from the Yogi Adityanath cabinet and joined the Samajwadi Party (SP), is contesting from the Ghosi seat in Mau. Om Prakash Rajbhar (Zahoorabad), Dhananjay Singh (Malhani-Jaunpur) as the JD(U) candidate, and Abbas Ansari, the son of gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari, from Mau Sadar seat, are contesting in this phase. Campaigning in this phase reached its crescendo with Modi leading the BJP's poll blitzkrieg in Varanasi and its adjoining districts. The state has 403 Assembly seats and the results of the elections will be declared on March 10. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As Uttar Pradesh is going to vote for the last and seventh phase of Assembly polls on Monday, the direct fight is between (BJP) and (SP) for continuing its dominance in Varanasi and Azamgarh. While the hopes to continue its dominance in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home constituency Varanasi, SP has left no stone unturned to win its stronghold constituency Azamgarh. Of the 54 remaining assembly constituencies across nine districts, which are going to polls in this phase, the had won 29 seats in the 2017 assembly elections, and seven by its allies, while the SP bagged 11 seats and six were won by the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). Three seats were won by Congress and five by other smaller parties. With Varanasi being the home constituency of PM Modi, has exceptional influence in the district and were able to secure win all the eight assembly constituencies in the district in the 2017 elections namely Pindra, Ajagara, Shivpur, Rohaniya, Varanasi North, Varanasi South, Varanasi Cantt, and Sevapur. On the other hand, the Azamgarh district dominated by Yadavs and Muslims have traditionally been an SP stronghold and the party managed to bag 5 of 10 seats in 2017 in the district. Azamgarh was the biggest challenge for BJP in the 2017 election as it won only one seat. BJP has fielded Akhilesh Mishra against SP's Durga Prasad Yadav in Azamgarh. Akhilesh Yadav's Azamgarh has been held by Durga Prasad Yadav since 1985. While in Varanasi South, BJP has fielded state minister Neelkanth Tiwari against SP's Kishan Dixit. Dixit is the Mahant of Mahaamrtyunjay temple. Locals say that the two candidates hail from the Brahmin caste, pointing to a close contest. Two other ministers from the government have been fielded from other various seats, namely Anil Rajbhar in Shivpur and Ravindra Jaiswal in Varanasi North. Apart from Varanasi and Azamgarh, Mau Sadar assembly constituency will also be the interesting aspects in this phase as it will see gangster Mukhtar Ansari's son Abbas Ansari contesting from this seat on a Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) ticket against BJP's Ashok Singh, and BSP's Bheem Rajbhar. A total of 54 Assembly seats across nine districts including Azamgarh, Mau, Jaunpur, Ghazipur, Chandauli, Varanasi, Mirzapur, Bhadohi and Sonbhadra, will go to polls on March 7. The constituencies that go to polls are Atraulia, Gopalpur, Sagadi, Mubarakpur, Azamgarh, Nizamabad, Phulpur-Powai, Deedarganj, Lalganj (SC), Mehnagar (SC), Madhuban, Ghosi, Muhammadabad-Gohna (SC),Mau, Badlapur, Shahganj, Ghazipur, Jangipur, Zahurabad, Mohammedabad, Zamania, Mughalsarai, Sakaldiha, Saidaraja, Chakia (SC), Pindra, Ajgara (SC), Shivpur, Rohaniya, Varanasi North, Varanasi South, Varanasi Cantonment, Sevapuri, Bhadohi, Gyanpur, Aurai (SC), Chanbe (SC), Mirzapur, Majhawan, Chunar, Madihan, Ghorawal, Robertsganj, Obra (ST) and Duddhi (ST). Of these, 11 seats are reserved for scheduled castes and 2 for scheduled tribes. As many as 2.06 crore eligible voters will seal the fate of 613 candidates contesting for 54 seats. The counting of votes will take place on March 10. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) American Express on Sunday announced the suspension of its operations in and over the ongoing military operation in Ukraine. This comes a day after credit card and payment giants Mastercard and Visa announced that they were suspending operations in and that their cards issued by Russian banks will no longer work outside the country. "In light of Russia's ongoing, unjustified attack on the people of Ukraine, American Express is suspending all operations in . As a result, globally issued American Express cards will no longer work at merchants or ATMs in Russia," American Express said in a statement. "Additionally, cards issued locally in Russia by Russian banks will no longer work outside of the country on the American Express global network. We are also terminating all business operations in Belarus," the statement added. Al Kelly, chief executive officer of Visa, on Saturday said the ongoing threat to peace and stability demands that the company responds in line with its values. Mastercard also suspended network services in Russia over the latter's special military operation 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 a Saturday statement. Responding to the statement issued by the two companies, the Russian state-owned banking company said the suspension of Visa and Mastercard services in the country will not affect the use of cards issued by Russia's Sberbank within the 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.) As Russia's war on Kiev continues, Americans have provided Ukrainian President "encrypted communications equipment" which can "put him into a secure call" with his US counterpart Joe Biden, a media report has claimed. The New York Times report published on Sunday said thatin Washington and Germany, "intelligence officials race to merge satellite photographs with electronic intercepts of Russian military units, strip them of hints of how they were gathered, and beam them to Ukrainian military units within an hour or two". The report went on to say that as Zelensky "tries to stay out of the hands of Russian forces in Kiev", he "travels with encrypted communications equipment, provided by the Americans". According to The New York Times used the equipment on Saturday to make a 35-minute call to Biden. The call was focused on what more "the US can do in its effort to keep Ukraine alive without entering into direct combat on the ground, in the air or in cyberspace with Russian forces", the report added. Although Zelensky welcomed the help so far, he reiterated that the aid was "wildly insufficient" as Russia was advancing towards capital Kiev. The President's other demands include a no-fly zone over Ukraine, a shutdown of all Russian energy exports and a fresh supply of fighter jets. This report comes after White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said on March 3 that the US was sharing intelligence with Ukraine "in real time", reports the BBC. She however, did not provide any further details. --IANS ksk/ (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) NATO countries are not ready to discuss having Ukraine in the organisation and Kiev is now ready to discuss "some non-NATO models", an official said. "The response that we are getting from the NATO countries is that they are not ready to even discuss having us in NATO, not for the closest period of five or 10 years. We would not fight for the NATO applications, we would fight for the result, but not for the process," Xinhua news agency quoted David Arakhamia, member of the Ukrainian delegation for talks with Russia, as saying to Fox News on Sunday. "We are ready to discuss some non-NATO models... We are open to discuss such things in a broader circle, not only in bilateral discussions with Russia, but also with other partners," Arakhamia added. Amid the ongoing war, Ukraine and Russia held two rounds of talks on February 28 and March 3, and are expected to have the third round of negotations on Monday. --IANS ksk/ (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Australia's prime minister has described Russia and China's closer relationship as opportunistic rather than strategic. Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Monday labelled 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 criticised Beijing's failure to condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine and China's expansion of trade in Russian wheat while other countries are imposing sanctions. 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. - 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 US. Amid rising gasoline prices in the US, 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 Organisation. Pelosi says the House would also empower the Biden administration to raise tariffs on Russian imports. Congress intends to approve the Biden administration's request for $10 billion in humanitarian, military and economic support for Ukraine, Pelosi said, as part of omnibus government funding legislation this week. ___ Lviv: 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 legion. He did not say how many of the foreign volunteers have arrived in Ukraine. The whole world today is on Ukraine's side not only in words but in deeds, Kuleba said on Ukrainian television Sunday night. 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 Ukraine's membership in the European Union. ___ 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 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 didn't immediately return requests for comment Sunday. __ Lviv: 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 country's 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. __ Lviv: 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 Ministry's announcement that it would strike Ukraine's military-industrial complex, while telling employees of these defense plants not to go to work. I didn't 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 organising 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 Ukraine's 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. (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.) spiked to their highest levels since 2008 on Monday as the United States and European allies weighed a Russian oil import ban and delays in the potential return of Iranian crude to global markets fuelled supply fears. In the first few minutes of trade reached $139.13 and U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) hit $130.50, both benchmarks striking their highest levels since July 2008. By 1017 GMT, prices had lost some of those gains, with Brent up $6.60, or 5.6%, at $124.71 per barrel, and WTI up $6.67, or 5.8%, at $122.35. 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. Analysts at Bank of America said if most of Russia's oil exports are cut off, there could be a 5 million barrel per day (bpd) or larger shortfall, and that means could go as high as $200. JP Morgan analysts said oil could soar to $185 this year, and analysts at Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc (MUFG) said oil may rise to $180 and cause a global recession. "If the supply tightness does not ebb, oil may exceed way above its record high," Howie Lee, an economist at Singapore's OCBC bank, said. "In the worst case scenario of a complete sanction on Russiaas energy exports, I wonat be surprised to see Brent trading above $200," he added. Russia is the world's top exporter of crude and oil products combined, with exports at around 7 million bpd, or 7% of global supply. Some volumes of Kazakhstan's oil exports from Russian ports have also faced complications. The head of Japan's largest business lobby said the country's imports of Russian crude could not be replaced immediately. Russia is Japan's fifth-biggest supplier of crude oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG). Global have spiked more than 60% since the start of 2022, along with other commodities, raising concerns about world economic growth and stagflation. China, the world's No. 2 economy, is already targeting slower growth of 5.5% this year. Meanwhile, talks to revive Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers were mired in uncertainty on Sunday following Russia's demands for a U.S. guarantee that the sanctions it faces over the Ukraine conflict will not hurt its trade with Tehran. China has also raised new demands, according to sources. In response to Russia's demands, Blinken said on Sunday that the sanctions imposed on Russia over its Ukraine invasion have nothing to do with a potential nuclear deal with Iran. "Iran was the only real bearish factor hanging over the market but if now the Iranian deal gets delayed, we could get to tank bottoms a lot quicker especially if Russian barrels remain off the market for long," said Amrita Sen, co-founder of Energy Aspects, a think tank. Iran's top security official said on Monday the outlook for nuclear talks "remains unclear". Iran's foreign ministry spokesman said a deal can be reached quickly if Washington accepts points made by Tehran. Iran will take several months to restore oil flows even if it reaches a nuclear deal, analysts said. Separately, U.S. and Venezuelan officials discussed the possibility of easing oil sanctions on Venezuela but made scant progress toward a deal in their first high-level bilateral talks in years, five sources familiar with the matter said, as Washington seeks to separate Russia from one of its key allies. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) King William King William County has drawn up a redistricting proposal in the wake of the 2020 census that highlighted disproportionate growth across the county. Virginia law requires local districts have similar populations, resulting in the need for new voting district lines across the state. King William is a fast-growing county that has seen a double-digit population increase over the last decade. Advertisement Gene Campbell, chairman of the Redistricting Advisory Committee, presented the groups recommendation to the Board of Supervisors on Feb. 28. The supervisors raised no objections. We set out on our task January 27. We had three meetings, Campbell told the board. The 2020 census figures show King William has a population of 17,810, which is about an 11% increase from the last census in 2010. Advertisement Campbell said a perfect world solution would allocate 3,562 people to each of the countys five electoral districts. Thats not going to happen, but we have to get as close as we can to that number, he said. The current population of District 1, the West Point area, would remain at 3,414. District 2 (Court House) population would rise from 3,325 to 3,671. District 3 (Aylett) would fall from 3,743 to 3,600. District 4 (Manquin) would see its population reduced from 3,816 to 3,411. District 5s (Mangohick) population would rise from 3,512 to 3,714. The Redistricting Advisory Committee found that Districts 3 and 4 saw the biggest population increase over the last decade. The committee recommended the relocation of an area bordered by Jacks Creek Road to the east, Acquinton Church Road to the north and East River Road to the west from District 4 to District 2. An area to the west of West River Road moves from District 3 to District 2. A small area on the east of District 4 bordered by Dabneys Mill Road moves to District 5 under the proposal. We wanted to be precise and compact in our district lines, Campbell said. The committee recommended no changes to the West Point area. We thought that was a good fit and we liked it, Campbell said of the plan. This was the best option that we saw. The supervisors praised the proposed plan as the best option to reduce the size of the fastest-growing areas Districts 3 and 4. The recommendation will go to a public hearing and has to be formally adopted by the Board of Supervisors before being submitted to the State Attorney Generals office. Advertisement Separately, the board also supported a conditional-use permit for 120 townhouses in District 4 in the McCauley Park Subdivision. The subdivision previously approved the subdivision for 108 rented multi-family apartments. Sherry Graham, the countys director of planning, told the board the townhouses were better for the countys tax base than the original apartment plan. David Macaulay, davidmacaulayva@gmail.com Amid fears that could initiate military action in on the lines of Russia's offensive in Ukraine, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday asserted that the question differs in nature from the Ukraine issue and the two are not comparable. "The biggest difference lies in the fact that is an inalienable part of China's territory and the Taiwan question is entirely China's internal affair while the Ukraine issue arose from contention between two countries, namely Russia and Ukraine," Wang said in his annual press conference on the side-lines of the Parliament session. views Taiwan, a self-ruled island, as a rebel province that must be reunified with the mainland, even by force. Wang took a dig at the US saying that it is a blatant act of double standards that some people, while being vocal about the principle of sovereignty on the Ukraine issue, have kept undermining China's sovereignty and territorial integrity on the Taiwan question. The current cross-Strait tension was caused by Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authority who denied the one- principle and attempted to change the status quo that both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to one and the same China, he said, warning that these moves will ruin Taiwan's future. He accused some forces in the United States of abetting the growth of separatist forces for "Taiwan independence" and tried to challenge and hollow out the one-China principle. Such actions will not only push Taiwan into a precarious situation, but also bring unbearable consequences for the U.S. side. The future of Taiwan lies in the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations and the country's reunification, rather than "empty promises" made by external forces, he said. China had initiated aggressive military moves against Taiwan recently, causing concern in Washington. "Seeking foreign support to gain dependence is a dead end. The scheme to use Taiwan to contain China is doomed to fail," Wang said. In Taipei on Monday, Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu meanwhile said the island was closely watching events in Ukraine. Comparing the situation in Ukraine with that in Taiwan, he said Russia was seeking to expand its authoritarianism in Europe, while Chinese President Xi Jinping's ambition was to rejuvenate the nation and build up its military. That is a situation we need to watch carefully, Wu said. He added that he was concerned about Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin forming a no limits strategic partnership in February. So as we watch what is happening in Ukraine, we care and we want to help, Wu said. But at the same time we are watching carefully to see what China may do to Taiwan, Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported. He said there was a danger that the Chinese leadership could see the Western response to Russia's military aggression as weak and not coherent and that it is not having any impact. The Chinese might take that as a cue for possible action from them [on Taiwan]. But so far we see the Western countries, like-minded countries, are working together in unison, 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.) Sri Lanka's Water Supply Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara on Monday said he will boycott cabinet meetings to protest the sacking of his two colleagues by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa during a snap cabinet reshuffle last week, underlining the deep-rooted fissures within the ruling coalition government. On Thursday, Rajapaksa sacked two high-ranking cabinet ministers Udaya Gammanpila from the energy minister portfolio and Wimal Weerawansa, industries minister after they openly criticised his younger brother and Minister of Finance Basil Rajapaksa, accusing him of having a rigid working style that caused the island nation's ongoing economic woes. is reeling from a foreign exchange crisis with falling reserves. Saudi Arabias first movie chain plans landmark IPO A Saudi Arabian firm is weighing an initial public offering that will make it the first movie chain to list in the kingdom, people familiar with the matter said. Muvi Cinemas has hired the investment banking arm of Banque Saudi Fransi to manage a direct listing and expects to be valued at as much as $800 million, the people said, asking not to be identified as the information is private. The chain may list on the smaller Nomu market as soon as this month, they said. Muvi Cinemas and Fransi Capital declined to comment. Saudi Arabia removed a decades-long ban on public cinemas four years ago, as part plans to overhaul its economy. Founded in 2019, Muvi is Saudi Arabias first homegrown cinema brand. According to its website, the firm has operations in about 10 cities and about 200 screens. (Bloomberg) China defence budget rises 7.1%, fastest pace in three years China projected defence spending growth of 7.1 per cent this year, the fastest pace since 2019 as President Joe Biden moves to strengthen the USs position in the Indo-Pacific region. Military expenditure is expected to rise to 1.45 trillion yuan ($229 billion) in the coming year. The figure was released in the Ministry of Finances annual report. A Bloomberg calculation of the latest numbers shows spending for this year will actually rise 7 per cent. The boost in defence spending came after the US last month unveiled its long-awaited Indo-Pacific strategy to counter Chinas growing economic and military clout. (Bloomberg) Oz to build $7.4-bn base for N-subs The Australian government will spend at least A$10 billion ($7.4 billion) building a new base to house a future fleet of nuclear submarines, as PM Scott Morrison warns the Ukraine war will inevitably stretch to the Indo-Pacific. The Defence Department has selected three possible east coast locations for the submarine facility Newcastle and Port Kembla in the state of New South Wales and the Queensland capital of Brisbane. Australia is planning to build and begin operating a fleet of nuclear submarines in the coming decades with the assistance of the U.S. and the UK, under the landmark AUKUS agreement which was signed in September last year. (Bloomberg) (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Alphabet (Google's parent company) subsidiary DeepMind has shown that (ML) can predict the shape of protein machinery with unprecedented accuracy, paving the way for researchers to discover new antibodies, enzymes and foods. The shape of a protein provides very strong clues as to how the protein machinery can be used, but doesn't completely solve this question. "So we asked ourselves: can we predict what function a protein performs?" said Max Bileschi, staff software engineer, Research, Brain Team. In a Nature Biotechnology article, described how neural networks can reliably reveal the function of the "dark matter" of the protein universe, outperforming state-of-the-art methods. DeepMind worked closely with internationally recognised experts at the EMBL's European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI) to annotate 6.8 million more protein regions in the 'Pfam v34.0 database' release, a global repository for protein families and their function. These annotations exceed the expansion of the database over the last decade, and will enable the 2.5 million life-science researchers around the world to discover new antibodies, enzymes, foods and therapeutics. For about a third of all proteins that all organisms produce, we just don't know what they do. "It's kind of like we're in a factory where everything's buzzing, and we're surrounded by all these impressive tools, but we have only a vague idea of what's going on. Understanding how these tools operate, and how we can use them, is where we think can make a big difference," said Lucy Colwell, senior staff research scientist, Research, Brain Team. The Pfam database is a large collection of protein families and their sequences. "Our ML models helped annotate 6.8 million more protein regions in the database," said the researchers. The company has also launched an interactive scientific article where "you can play with our ML models -- getting results in real time, all in your web browser, with no setup required." According to researchers, combining deep models with existing methods significantly improves remote homology detection, suggesting that the deep models learn complementary information. This approach extends the coverage of Pfam by more than 9.5 per cent, exceeding additions made over the last decade, and predicts function for 360 human reference proteome proteins with no previous Pfam annotation. "The results suggest that deep learning models will be a core component of future protein annotation tools." --IANS na/sks/ksk/ (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Amid escalating tensions between and Russia, a team from the has been stationed in Poltava City to coordinate the safe passage of stranded in Sumy to Western borders. "Team from Embassy of India is stationed in Poltava City to coordinate the safe passage of stranded in Sumy to Western borders via Poltava. Confirmed time & date will be issued soon. advised to be ready to leave on short notice," tweeted the Embassy of India in Kyiv, . The Embassy also urged Indian nationals in 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 . 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. 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. (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.) Israeli Prime Minister said that his country will continue to mediate between and even if the prospects for success are slim amid the ongoing war. "We will continue to assist as needed," Xinhua news agency quoted the Prime Minister as saying ahead of a Cabinet meeting on Sunday. "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." Bennett's remarks came made a day after his 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 spoke on the phone with Ukraine's President . 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 and last week. --IANS ksk/ (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Russian Defence Ministry on Sunday said Ukraine has not fulfilled its commitments with regards to organizing humanitarian corridors to help people leave Mariupol. The ministry said that made another attempt to evacuate civilians from Mariupol on Sunday. " 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. 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. (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.) IT company on Monday said it will set up its fourth in at and expects to make it operational by 2025. The company will set-up the at Hyderabad, which comes in addition to the existing three facilities located in Pune, Mumbai, and Chennai. "It will be the largest that we will have in going forward. We are setting it up in . Typically it takes 24 months to create an infrastructure like that. The target date for the operationalisation of this data centre will be 2025," president Anant Maheshwari told reporters while sharing details of the data centre. He said that has doubled data centre capacity in India. "It is a continuous investment. It ( data centre) will not be largest from Day 1 but it will become largest over a period of time," Maheshwari said. Citing data from research firm IDC, he said Microsoft datacenters in India contributed USD 9.5 billion revenue to the economy between 2016 and 2020. Besides GDP impact, the IDC report estimated 1.5 million jobs were added to the economy, including 169,000 new skilled IT jobs. (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.) Nicosia [Cyprus] March 7 (ANI): As Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues unabated, many countries of the are seriously concerned about the inevitable shortage of grain as Russia and Ukraine together account for 30 per cent of global wheat exports. Russia is the world's largest exporter of wheat, with Ukraine in fourth place, while the two countries together account also for 19 per cent of corn exports. The war in Ukraine, if it continues for several weeks more, will also prevent Ukrainians from planting the wheat, while the sanctions imposed by the West will prevent Rusia from selling its produce. As a result, the prices of grain will continue to rise steeply, causing sharp rises in the prices of bread, milk, meat, and other products. According to data taken from the FAO's 2020 balance sheet, Lebanon buys 81 per cent of its national wheat consumption from Ukraine and 15 per cent from Russia. Egypt buys 60 per cent of the wheat it consumes from Russia and 25 per cent from Ukraine. Turkey has a similar proportion: 66 per cent of wheat imports come from Russia and 10 per cent from Ukraine. Several governments and especially those of Egypt, Lebanon, Libya, and Turkey will find it extremely difficult to pay for the increased prices of grain and may be forced to reduce or even abolish subsidies for bread, risking violent popular protests, which may topple some of them. Egypt is struggling desperately to find alternate sources of wheat after the Russian invasion of Ukraine has put supply to the country in jeopardy. As last year the country imported about 85 per cent of the wheat it needed from Russia and Ukraine, the government of Abdel Fattah al-Sisi will need to find urgently alternative sources of supply. Last week the Egyptian government had to cancel an tender for the supply of wheat from France, as only one tender was received, instead of a minimum of two offers required, and Cairo rushed to invite a new tender 48 hours later. But, in view of the fact that last week the price of wheat reached a 14-year high, there is no doubt that it would have to pay much more for the same quantities. The price of bread has been a politically explosive issue in Egypt as on several occasions in the past 50 years it triggered angry protests, to which the Police usually responded by firing shots over the heads of demonstrators. Particularly strong protests were staged in March 2017 in Alexandria, Giza and many other areas after the government cut the supply of subsidized bread amid an economic crisis. Also during the so-called "Bread Intifada" in January 1977 violent protests broke out and the Egyptian security forces killed 70 people and wounded more than 550 protesters, but in the end the government was forced to re-institute the subsidies. Bread subsidies are considered a red line among Egyptians and people in other countries in the Middle East, as they are a staple for every family in the region. Bread is sold at very low prices, for example, a subsidized flat loaf costs 0.05 Egyptian pounds, less than one US cent, which covers only a small part of the real cost of producing it and the government coffers cover the rest. Lebanon is facing a huge problem with grain supplies, as it imports more than 80 per cent of the grain it needs from the Black Sea and does not have a strategic stockpile of grains due to the enormous explosion in the port of Beirut in August 2020 which destroyed its only large grain silo. Furthermore, as its has been facing a large-scale, multi-dimensional crisis, including a banking collapse, a liquidity crisis, and sovereign default, it may not be able to pay the skyrocketing prices for the grain it needs. Turkey's has been faltering in the past three years, and the sharp devaluation of the Turkish lira has forced the majority of its estimated 81 million people to increase consumption of wheat-based products at the expense of the protein, increasing in this way the need for grain. Moreover, the approximately 5 million refugees hosted in Turkey have bread as their main food. All this is coupled with the fact that Turkey is a major producer of pasta, flour, biscuits and semolina. Turkey is now a key player in the wheat market, as its grain imports have increase to record levels. In 2021, Turkey imported 64.6 percent of its wheat from Russia and 13.4 per cent from Ukraine. Ankara would desperately need to find enough wheat to cover its needs. This year's Ukrainian harvest may be considered lost due to the war and the closing of its Black Sea and Sea of Azov ports, while Russia will find it extremely difficult to export its grain, as major shipping giants including Switzerland-based MSC, Denmark's Maersk and France's CMA CGM have announced last Tuesday that they would halt cargo bookings to and from Russia until further notice. Currently, the world grain markets are in a paralyzing state of uncertainty. Traders do not want to make deals that may be affected by the sanctions imposed on Russia and may find themselves in trouble either with the sanctions of the community or their clients. So, apart from the serious violation of international law and the big humanitarian crisis it created, Russia's invasion of Ukraine will have serious repercussions also on the international grain markets and will affect millions of people who due to steep price rises may be forced to reduce the consumption of bread and thus may be close to famine, as in the case of Yemen. In the end, everything will depend on how long this war will last. Russia could be able to maintain its grain production to the previous levels but would face great difficulties in exporting it, while Ukraine's grain production will disappear from the international markets at least for several months. (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.) Since Russia's war began 12 days ago, the number of Ukrainian fleeing the country to neighbouring has exceeded one million, the Polish Border Guard said. "Today at 8 p.m. the number of people who fled from to exceeded one million. This is a million human tragedies, a million people banished from their homes by the war," the Border Guard said in a tweet late Sunday night. "The million people after crossing the border, heard from Border Guard functinaries 'You are safe'," it added. On Sunday, UN High High Commissioner for Filippo Grandi said over 1.5 million people had fled to neighbouring countries since Russia's military invasion began on February 24. The EU has approved a mechanism Temporary Protection Directive to protect Ukrainian without the normally required lengthy asylum procedures. --IANS ksk/ (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) has introduced sanctions against the Russian leadership, including President and Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, with the total list amounting to some 100 Russians, the foreign ministry said on Monday. "Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Minister of Foreign Affairs Nanaia Mahuta announced the introduction of targeted travel bans against Russian Government officials and other individuals associated with the Russian invasion of Ukraine," the ministry said in a statement. The list also includes Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova among . (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.) Srinagar: A 19-year-old girl, who was injured in Sunday's grenade blast in Hari Singh High Street locality of Jammu and Kashmir's summer capital, succumbed to injuries on Monday, taking the death toll in the incident to two, officials said. Rafiya, a resident of Hazratbal area of the city, succumbed to the injuries at the SMHS hospital on Monday morning. "She had suffered injuries on her head and succumbed at around 8 am," the officials said. A 79-year-old man from Nowhatta area of the city here died on Sunday while 33 others, including a cop, were injured in the blast that took place in the busy market. The police and witnesses said that unknown person tossed a hand grenade towards the security personnel at Amira Kadal - Hari Singh High Street axis here at around 4.20 pm. The grenade fell and exploded in the middle of the road, leaving 24 pedestrians and a policeman injured. They were quickly evacuated to nearby medical facilities but one of them identified as Abdus Salaam, a 70-year-old resident of Srinagar's Makhdoom Sahab, Nowhatta locality, succumbed to his injuries, the hospital sources said. Inspector General of Police (Kashmir range), Vijay Kumar, blamed the incident on separatist militants and said, "We're working hard to identify the person(s) involved in this gory act and smash this terrorist- criminal module also." He added, "In the light of this act of grenade throwing in the busy Sunday market near Amira Kadal bridge, the police urges all civilians to be vigilant and report any suspected activity to it to thwart the nefarious designs of terrorists". Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police (Central Kashmir), Sujit Kumar, while talking to reporters at the site of incident said, "We've got the CCTV footage and some vital clues have come forward. Though no outfit has claimed responsibility, so far, the police is working on leads to track the attackers". He said that the police will take steps to prevent such attacks at busy places in future. "We will not allow it to become a trend," he said, adding that security was a challenge in entire Kashmir Valley including Srinagar. New Zealand's government said Monday it plans to rush through a new law that will allow it to impose economic sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. Unlike many countries that have already introduced sanctions, New Zealand's existing laws don't allow it to apply meaningful measures unless they're part of a broader United Nations effort. Because Russia has U.N. Security Council veto power, that has left hamstrung. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the new legislation would allow it to target people, companies and assets connected to those in Russia associated with the invasion, including oligarchs. It would allow to freeze assets and stop superyachts or planes from arriving. A bill of this nature has never been brought before our parliament, but it is essential given Russia's vetoing of sanctions through the U.N., Ardern said. The bill will be specific only to the Ukraine invasion but could allow to impose sanctions on countries seen to be helping Russia, such as Belarus. Ardern said there was currently only a small amount of Russian money invested in New Zealand but that without the new law, that could quickly change if Russian oligarchs began viewing New Zealand as a backdoor to avoid sanctions elsewhere. Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta said the bill will send a very clear signal that New Zealand will not be a safe haven for those wishing to move their investments here. The Russia Sanctions Bill is scheduled to be heard by lawmakers on Wednesday and could pass as quickly as the same day. Ardern said she's hoping it will be supported by lawmakers across all parties although an unanimous vote wasn't guaranteed. While the legislation is broad, it doesn't mean that someone who is Russian and wealthy will automatically be a target," Mahuta said. New Zealand has already banned exports to Russia's military and security forces. It has also banned more than 100 people from traveling to New Zealand in a list that was made public Monday. At the top of the list is Russian President . (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister discussed the Russia- war with European Council President Charles Michel on Monday, expressing outrage at the continued military conflict. Khan received a telephone call from the European Council president, the Prime Minster's Office said in a statement. "Discussing the latest situation in Ukraine, Prime Minister expressed deep concern over the continued military conflict and underscored that further escalation would have a hugely negative impact on the region and the world, the statement read. The prime minister stressed the urgent need for ceasefire and de-escalation in violence. Khan hoped the dispute would be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy. President Michel conveyed condolences over the loss of lives in the terrorist attack on a mosque in Peshawar on Friday, which killed 63 people and injured over 200 . (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister on Monday vowed "zero tolerance" for as he urged for quick persecution of the cases of terrorism in the courts, days after a suicide bomber killed 63 people and wounded more than 200 others in a Shia mosque in northwest . Khan chaired a meeting of the Apex Committee on National Action Plan (NAP), which was launched in 2015 to eliminate terrorism from the country. Army Chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa and several top ministers attended the meeting. According to a statement from the PM Office, Khan said that the Government has zero tolerance for and swift persecution is required to set an example out of terrorist elements. He emphasised that multi-pronged approach, full spectrum and vigorous implementation of NAP is required to thwart threat of terrorism. He also stressed upon taking proactive measures to tackle such incidents in future. Prime Minister Khan stated that nefarious designs to destabilise the country would never succeed as the entire nation is united to defeat the menace of terrorism. He stated that the public realises that elements are trying to create disharmony on the basis of sectarianism and hate speech, but the State will never allow such designs to succeed. The Apex Committee stressed upon the need to strengthen the role of National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) to coordinate measures essential for countering terrorism and capacity building of Counter Terrorism Departments. The meeting came days after an ISIS suicide bomber blew himself up inside a Shia mosque in Peshawar on Friday, killing 63 people and wounding over 200 others. The Apex Committee strongly condemned the Peshawar attack. The Secretary of the Interior Division presented a detailed briefing. The meeting was briefed on the implementation status of NAP including measures taken to choke terror financing, countering violent extremism, investigation and prosecution of terrorism cases, intolerance towards militancy, capacity building of law enforcement agencies, and registration of seminaries. The NAP was formulated after the deadly Peshawar School attack in 2014 that killed nearly 150 people, mostly students. The Apex Committee was set up to provide a mechanism to implement NAP and review its progress. (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 ongoing conflict, triggered through the invasion of in Ukraine, has brought the world into a divided approach between the west and the east. The NATO, US, UK and the (EU) are taking to global platforms like the (UNGA) to gather global support in condemning over its aggression in . Pakistan's stance on the matter has been neutral as it abstained from voting at the UNGA in favour of a resolution, tabled by the US, calling on global powers to condemn for waging a war in . But it seems that Pakistan's stance on the conflict, is irking the west as US and the EU has notified of the consequences, Islamabad's position may inflict at both regional and global level. In a recent statement by a group of 23 envoys, Pakistan's position on the conflict was termed as "undiplomatic", while the US stated that it has already communicated about the regional and global consequences, war in could have. "We have briefed the government of on the impact that Russia's unprovoked war against Ukraine could have on regional and global security," said a US State Department spokesperson. Prime Minister Imran Khan's recent response to the EU envoys' letter, demanding Islamabad to condemn Russia invasion of Ukraine, in which he slammed the regional bloc and countered their demand, questioning of where the same countries were when New Delhi broke law and annexed the state of Jammu and Kashmir, is also expected to have major consequences on the country, both diplomatically, politically and economically. "EU Ambassadors wrote a letter to Pakistan, asking us to issue an anti-Russia statement. I ask EU ambassadors, did you write that letter to India as well?" questioned Khan. He not only slammed the latest demand of EU, but also slammed the US for forcing Pakistan to join them and join the western bloc through its war on terror, which he said resulted in losing at least 80,000 of its citizens, displacement of at least 3.5 million people, and losing over $100 billion. "I ask the EU ambassadors, did you thank us? Did you say we helped you in your war? Did you appreciate us," the Prime Minister asked. This strong and rigid response by Khan has sent uncertain waves among the country's financial market as the stock market has already started to respond negatively due to confused and uncertain future of the country's relations with the western bloc. For many, Pakistan's refusal to side with the western bloc, reflects that it is siding with Russia, from who, Islamabad plans to import at least 2 million metric tons of wheat in the coming days. Experts are wary of Pakistan's eyeballing the western bloc and fear that consequences of which, may have a major impact on Pakistan's position, the future of the democratic ruling government of Khan and the country's efforts to gain diplomatic support from the west, in getting itself out of the FATF grey list. --IANS hamza/ksk/ (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a phone call that lasted for about 50 minutes, Prime Minister on Monday urged Russian President to hold direct talks with Ukraine's President amid the ongoing Moscow-Kiev war, according to sources. During the conversation, which is the second between Modi and Putin since Russia began its war on February 24, the President briefed the Prime Minister on the status of negotiations between the Ukrainian and Russian teams. Modi also appreciated the Russian military's announcement earlier in the day hold fire and open humanitarian corridors in the four Ukrainian cities of Kiev, Kharkov, Sumy and Mariupol. The Prime Minister further stressed on the importance of the safe evacuation of Indian citizens from Sumy at the earliest, to which Putin assured of all possible cooperation. Also on Monday, the Prime Minister spoke to Zelensky and expressed deep concern about the ongoing conflict and resultant humanitarian crisis, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office. "(The) Prime Minister reiterated his call for immediate cessation of violence and noted that India has always stood for peaceful resolution of issues and direct dialogue between the two parties," it said. According to the statement, Modi "thanked Ukrainian authorities for their facilitation in evacuating more than 20,000 Indian citizens from Ukraine", but also expressed deep concern for the safety and security of Indian students still remaining in the war-torn nation and emphasised the need for their quick and safe evacuation. The first time Modi and Zelensky spoke was on February 26, just two days after Russia launched its military invasion of Ukraine. --IANS miz/ksk/ (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday that he has informed Prime Minister about the need to counter the "Russian aggression" against his country and thanked India for its continued support for the people of Ukraine. "Informed Indian Prime Minister @narendramodi about Ukraine countering Russian aggression," President Zelenskyy tweeted after his telephonic conversation with Prime Minister Modi that lasted for around 35 minutes. "India appreciates the assistance to its citizens during the war and Ukraine's commitment to direct peaceful dialogue at the highest level. Grateful for the support to the Ukrainian people. #StopRussia, Zelenskyy added. It was the second telephonic conversation between Modi and Zelenskyy after the conflict began in Ukraine on February 24. Prime Minister Modi sought Zelenskyy's support for the evacuation of Indians stuck in northeastern Ukraine's Sumy city, while reiterating his call for an immediate cessation of violence to defuse the ongoing conflict in the eastern European nation. Around 700 Indian students are stranded in Sumy amid intense fighting between Russian and Ukrainian troops and India has been urging both sides to create a "humanitarian corridor" for their safe evacuation. India has brought back nearly 16,000 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 in New Delhi. 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 Ukraine for their exit to Romania, Hungary or Poland. Prime Minister Modi has expressed deep concern about the ongoing conflict and resultant humanitarian crisis and reiterated his call for immediate cessation of violence. The prime minister had spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin on March 2 after he launched an attack on Ukraine. He again spoke to President Putin on Monday and conveyed to him the importance of the safe evacuation of Indian citizens from war-torn Ukraine's Sumy at the earliest, official sources said in New Delhi as around 700 Indian students are stranded in Sumy amid intense fighting between Russian and Ukrainian troops. The prime minister also appreciated the announcement of ceasefire and establishment of humanitarian corridors in parts of Ukraine, including in Sumy, the sources 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.) The Ukraine events will result in a new quality of relations between Moscow and the United States, Europe, as well as NATO, the Russian Foreign Ministry's Third European Department Director Oleg Tyapkin told Sputnik. "We presume that as a result of the current events, our country will have a new quality of relations both with European countries and the EU as a whole, as well as with the and the North Atlantic Alliance guided by them," Tyapkin said. In the early hours of February 24, 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 Kyiv forces. 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 has been subjected to abuse, genocide by the Kyiv 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 numerous Russian officials and entities, media, and financial institutions. (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.) said on Monday it would not be dictated to by foreign interests, after appeared to link efforts to revive a deal over its nuclear programme to sanctions over Ukraine, which Moscow's envoy to Tehran called a misunderstanding. A deal over reviving Iran's 2015 pact with world powers seemed close, all parties to negotiations in Vienna said on Friday after months of indirect talks between Tehran and Washington. But Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov added uncertainty on Saturday, saying Moscow wanted a written U.S. guarantee that its trade, investment and military-technical cooperation with would not be hindered by Western sanctions imposed since it invaded Ukraine. Irans Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said Tehran would not allow "any foreign elements to undermine its national interests", Iran's state media reported, while the foreign ministry said it awaited an explanation from . The Iranian semi-official news agency Tasnim quoted Moscows Ambassador to Tehran Levan Dzhagaryan as saying that which France on Monday warned not to resort to blackmail over efforts to revive the deal planned to give an explanation of the guarantees it has requested from the United States. Asked about Lavrovs statement about linking Ukraine sanctions to the nuclear pact, Dzhagaryan told Tasnim there is a misunderstanding in this regard. He did not elaborate. Oil prices hit their highest since 2008 on Monday amid market supply fears as the US and European allies considered banning Russian oil imports. Ukraine's General Staff of the Armed Forces has said that is secretly mobilising more troops due to massive personnel losses in the ongoing war. In a statement released on Sunday night, it said: "Due to the significant losses suffered by the occupiers since the beginning of the war, in order to attract volunteers, the Krasnodar region began covert mobilisation and increased (the spread of) propaganda materials..." The General Staff of the Armed Forces went on to say that although Moscow's advancement have been unsuccessful, Russian troops have continued to conduct missile strikes on civilian and transport infrastructure of Ukraine, shelling and killing the general population in violation of humanitarian law. In the village of Liptsi in Kharkiv region, Russian troops confiscated the phones of local residents, forced them to wear white and red armbands, and to hang white flags on buildings, it said. At about 2 p.m. on Sunday, also fired a missile at the Vinnytsia airport, about 272 km away from Kiev. The shelling of the strategic port city of Mariupol and Irpin have also continued. "Certain units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces counter-attacked in the Mariupol direction and destroyed three tanks, four infantry fighting vehicles, two armoured 'Tiger' vehicles, while about 30 Russian troops and two servicemen were taken prisoner," the General Staff added. As shelling was also underway in all the districts of Chernihiv, authorities have asked residents of the northern Ukrainian city to remain in shelters. --IANS ksk/ (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The 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. --IANS san/ (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.) Putin, Macron discuss Ukraine issue over phone Xinhua) 08:38, March 07, 2022 MOSCOW/PARIS, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday held a phone conversation with his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, during which they discussed the situation in Ukraine. "Putin informed Macron in detail about the provocation staged by Ukrainian radicals in the area of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant with the involvement of a sabotage group. Attempts to blame the Russian military for this incident are part of a cynical propaganda campaign," the Kremlin said in a statement, adding that the physical and nuclear safety of the plant is well protected. Macron expressed to Putin his concerns over the nuclear safety, security and safeguards in Ukraine during Russia's military operation, French presidential palace the Elysee said in a press release after the phone conversation. On a proposal by the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to hold a trilateral (IAEA-Russia-Ukraine) meeting in the Chernobyl zone to work out a mechanism for ensuring safety of nuclear facilities in Ukraine, 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 two heads of state discussed the evacuation of civilians. Putin pointed out that Kiev has not yet implemented the negotiated agreements on such a pressing humanitarian issue. Macron was again invited to work actively with the Kiev authorities on the latter's compliance with international humanitarian law. Putin also informed the French president about the current state of the Russia-Ukraine talks, expressing readiness to "continue the dialogue under Kiev's unconditional compliance with Russia's known demands." "The most important thing is that the Ukrainian side should take a serious approach to reaching agreements, the implementation of which is important for the cessation of hostilities," said the statement. The two presidents agreed on further contacts at various levels. (Web editor: Peng yukai, Liang Jun) FILE | Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a bilateral meeting with President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, in Glasgow. (Photo: PTI) New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday spoke to Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and sought his "support' in evacuation of Indian students stuck in northeastern Ukraine's Sumy city. Around 700 Indian students are stranded in Sumy amid intense fighting between Russian and Ukrainian troops. In a phone conversation that lasted for around 35 minutes, Prime Minister Modi thanked President Zelenskyy for the help extended by the government of Ukraine in evacuation of Indian nationals, official sources said. "Prime Minister Modi sought continued support from the government of Ukraine in ongoing efforts for evacuation of Indian nationals from Sumy," said a source about the talks. An official statement said Modi expressed deep concern about the ongoing conflict and resultant humanitarian crisis and reiterated his call for immediate cessation of violence. It said Modi noted that India has always stood for peaceful resolution of issues and direct dialogue between the two parties. It was the second telephonic conversation between Modi and Zelenskyy after the conflict began in Ukraine. "President Zelenskyy briefed the prime minister in detail about the conflict situation and the ongoing negotiations between Ukraine and Russia," the statement said. "The prime minister expressed deep concern about the ongoing conflict and resultant humanitarian crisis," it said. It further said Modi "reiterated his call for immediate cessation of violence and noted that India has always stood for peaceful resolution of issues and direct dialogue between the two parties." According to the statement, the prime minister thanked Ukrainian authorities for their facilitation in evacuating more than 20,000 Indian citizens from Ukraine. "He expressed deep concern for safety and security of Indian students still remaining in Ukraine and emphasised the need for their quick and safe evacuation," it said. The sources said the two leaders discussed the evolving situation in Ukraine. They said Modi appreciated the continuing direct dialogue between Russia and Ukraine. As the Russia- crisis entered its eleventh day, eight rockets launched by destroyed Vinnytsia airport located in Central Ukraine, said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday. 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 requires aircraft, to make Ukrainian skies safe. Zelensky has warned that is preparing to bomb Odessa, a strategically important port city on Ukraine's Black Sea coast. "Russian people always used to come to Odessa and they only knew warmth and generosity and what's now? Artillery, bombs against Odessa. This will be a war crime. This will be historic crime", Zelensky said in a broadcast address on Facebook. Switching from speaking Ukrainian to Russian, Zelensky appealed to the Russian people to make a choice "between life and slavery." Furthermore, the evacuation of civilians with the help of the humanitarian corridor also seems to be hanging in balance. Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said that the second attempt to evacuate 200,000 civilians stranded in Mariupol in has failed and added that the parties involved in the ceasefire agreement need to agree not just in principle but also on the details of safe passages. "People are living in terror in Mariupol, desperate for safety. Today's 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," ICRC said in a tweet. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also acknowledged that the US has "very credible" reports of war crimes in Ukraine adding that the US along with its EU allies is looking into the possibility of banning Russian oil imports and putting pressure on . 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." The United States is in talks with Poland on a deal to provide fighter jets to Ukraine, a White House spokesperson confirmed. The spokesperson also said that they are figuring out the logistics as to how the aircraft would be transferred from Poland to Ukraine. US is determining what "capabilities we could provide to backfill Poland if it decided to transfer planes to Ukraine," added the spokesperson, reported CNN News. On the other hand Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a phone conversation with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Russia's military operation in Ukraine can be suspended only if Kyiv ceases military actions and fulfills Moscow's demands. Putin told French President Emmanuel Macron over the phone that he was not against a trilateral meeting among Russia, Ukraine and the Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in a third country or via teleconference, but not in Chernobyl in Ukraine, the Kremlin said. Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett met German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Germany, where both sides discussed several issues, including the situation between Ukraine and Russia. Bennett first arrived in Moscow on Saturday to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. After a stop in Moscow, he concluded his visit to Germany and headed back to Israel in the early hours of Sunday morning. Pope Francis 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. Moreover, Operation Ganga is undergoing under which 76 flights have brought back over 15,920 Indians including 2500 onboard 13 flights that landed in the last 24 hours. 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. (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.) Several Russian banks on Sunday announced plans to start issuing cards using the Chinese UnionPay card operator system. The step, which came shortly after and Visa pledged to cease operations in and disconnect all the country's banks from their payment systems, will enable the holders of new cards to use them for paying and withdrawing cash abroad, RT reported. On Saturday, financial service providers Visa and said they would suspend operations in within the next several days due to the latest Western sanctions related to Moscow's ongoing war in Ukraine. The drastic step makes the use of cards issued in outside the country implausible. Likewise, cards that were issued outside of Russia will stop working in Russia. Visa and are the latest brands taking harsh moves towards Russia over the Ukrainian conflict. Earlier, companies such as PayPal, Netflix, Intel, Inditex, Airbnb and Rolls Royce announced they were leaving the country's market. Russian banks, including Sberbank, Russia's biggest lender, as well as Alfa Bank and Tinkoff issued announcements regarding the switch to UnionPay due to the latest developments. Some of Russia's banks, like Pochta Bank, Gazprombank, Promsvyazbank, Sovcombank and several other minor banks had been previously working with the UnionPay card operator's system, RT reported. UnionPay, an payment system founded in 2002, received international status in 2005. Headquartered in Shanghai, the company reportedly operates in more than 180 countries across the globe, including Switzerland, Greece, Italy, Spain, Germany, Mexico, Cyprus, Thailand, India, Israel, Portugal, Croatia, Poland, Serbia, Hungary, and Austria. --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.) A top Ukrainian official has claimed that has amassed a large number of troops in villages and towns near Kiev, and is likely to stage an attempt to occupy the capital city in the next few days as Moscow's military advances continue. Speaking to the state-run Ukrainian TV on Sunday night, Vadym Denysenko, an adviser to the Minister of the Interior, said that a key battle is expected to take place within the next few days, Ukrayinska Pravda reported. "A fairly large amount of Russian (military) equipment and Russian troops are concentrated at the approaches to Kiev. We understand that the battle for Kiev is a key battle which will be fought in the coming days," the adviser added. Denysenko's remarks on Sunday came as has continued its invasion of Ukraine, with continued shelling and attacks across the country, including major cities. Earlier in the day, a mother and her three children were killed as mortar fire hit an evacuation route from the town of Irpin, about 26 km from Kiev, which has been under heavy bombardment, the BBC reported. In Kharkiv, the second largest city in Ukraine, one person was killed and five were injured as Russian air strikes hit a residential building, reports Ukrayinska Pravda. Mayor Ihor Terekhov said that Russian helicopters were hovering over Kharkiv. In his nightly address to the nation, President Volodymyr Zelensky in a stern warning to said that Ukrainian forces "will pursue any soldier that commits war crimes in Kiev's territory to the grave". "Today is Forgiveness Sunday. But 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," he said in the address posted on Facebook. "How many families like this 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. "There will be no quiet place on this earth for you, except for the grave. "It seems everything Russian servicemen have already done is still not enough for them. Not enough ruined destinies. Mutilated lives. They want to kill even more," he added. Zelensky also urged Western leaders to take firmer action against Moscow, telling them the "audacity of the aggressor is a clear signal to the West that sanctions against Russia are not enough". --IANS ksk/ (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) will ban exports of strategic items to 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 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 has been effectively supporting Russia's invasion of Ukraine, we have decided to implement the export ban on 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. --IANS int/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.) in will deploy a total of 68,786 personnel to provide at polling and counting stations across the nation during Wednesday's presidential election, officials said on Monday. The personnel will be deployed to 14,464 polling stations and 251 ballot counting stations as will go on higher alert on the election day for possible emergencies, Yonhap News Agency quoted the officials as saying. The also plan to set up hotlines between polling places and police stations to respond to possible contingencies, and patrol the voting stations once an hour until 6 p.m. and twice per hour between 6 p.m. and 7.30 p.m. when Covid-19 patients cast their votes. Armed police officers will also provide escort for National Election Commission officials transporting ballot boxes to the counting stations, the officials said. The upcoming election has shaped up to be a two-way race between former Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung of the ruling Democratic Party 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 40 per cent support 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 February 28, while sailors aboard ships cast their ballots from March 1-4. --IANS ksk/ (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The worlds five leading tech Google (now Alphabet), Apple, (now Meta), Amazon and have taken steps to impose significant and (mainly) voluntary sanctions on Russia, in response to its invasion of Ukraine. But the decisions didnt come unprompted. Ukraine has lobbied the major tech in the same way it sought assistance from the European Union, NATO and the US government. Facing the largest military action in Europe since the second world war, Ukraine appealed directly to big tech as though they were nation states. Its a reminder that in todays world, these giants are major players on the geopolitical stage. So what impact could the tech-related sanctions have? The Big 5s response Googles response to the crisis has come in two parts. The first has been finance-related. The company has limited the use of Google Pay in for customers or merchants that use a sanctioned bank. It has also stopped selling online advertising in across its services, and has removed the ability for Russian state media outlets Today (RT) and Sputnik to monetise content on YouTube (which is owned by Google). RT and Sputnik have also been blocked in Europe. Foxtel has removed RT in Australia, but its still available on YouTube, with ads in the livestream. That means RT can earn direct revenue from advertising in Australia, but no advertising revenue from YouTube. Google Search and Maps both remain available in Russia. Apple has gone several steps further than Google. The company has suspended all product sales in Russia, and Pay and other services have been limited. It has also blocked RT and Sputnik from the App Store everywhere outside of Russia. Meta has removed access to RT and Sputnik on both and Instagram (which it owns), and has removed the option for state media to monetise content on any of its platforms. It is also demoting posts that contain links to Russian state-controlled media websites on . Amazon has taken the path of supporting cybersecurity efforts in Ukraine and offering logistical support, as announced on Twitter by chief executive Andy Jassy. However, Amazon hasnt yet taken any action to reduce the revenue it receives from Russia. Microsoft has also helped on the cybersecurity front. It identified a potential Russian cyber attack in Ukraine on February 24, helping efforts to thwart it. In addition, it has banned all advertisements from RT and Sputnik across its ad network, and blocked access to both channels in the European Union. (Almost) no chips for Russia Two of the largest US semiconductor (microchip) manufacturers, Intel and AMD, have ceased supplies to Russia. Although the official US sanctions prohibit the export of dual use devices with both military and non-military purposes, Intel and AMD have gone a step further and halted all supplies at this stage. Perhaps more importantly, the major Taiwanese supplier TMSC has stopped supplies. TMSC makes chips for Russian manufacturers such as the Russian Scientific and Technical Centre Module, Baikal Electronics and Marvel Computer Solutions. There are no alternative semiconductor fabrication plants in Russia. Samsung Electronics, another major chip manufacturer, also announced on Saturday that it would suspend shipments. Samsung leads mobile phone supplies in Russia and, prior to the suspension on Saturday, would have stood to benefit from Apples decision to stop sales in the country. But not all tech companies have given in to political pressure. South Korean chip fabricator SK Hynix has not yet decided to limit supplies (as of when this article was written). It seems the South Korean government wants to continue supplying semiconductors to Russia, as it has sought exemptions from the US in respect to actions that could negatively impact its semiconductor industry. Other consequences Apart from the more directly imposed restrictions, Some Meta and Google services were also blocked after users subverted them for political messaging. For example, social media users across the globe began using Google reviews of restaurants in Moscow and St Petersburg to send information to Russian citizens. As a result, new reviews in Russia and Ukraine have now been restricted by Google. That is, Google has acted to avoid delivering potential disinformation from either side. And both Meta and Google have restricted some of their location-based services in Ukraine to limit potential military use. Whats the immediate impact? The actions of Meta and Google, and any loss of ad revenue they previously afforded, will have an immediate but relatively small impact on the Russian state much smaller than the impact from direct financial sanctions. And not being able to use Google Pay or Pay is still not as inconvenient for Russian citizens as being unable to use ATMs many of which have run out of notes. On the other hand, the loss of access to Apple hardware could have a much more lasting impact on Russian consumers. The overall effect of the various sanctions will be a slowing down of the Russian economy especially the digital economy which is reliant on semiconductors. However, this too will have a small immediate impact. Corporate decisions There was no legal or regulatory obligation for chip manufacturers and tech companies to limit the export of goods and services to Russia. Instead, the move seems to have been prompted by two key incidents. First was the very public and direct appeal by Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov to the tech companies, asking them to take action. Second was the need to meet stakeholders expectations. This can be characterised as corporate social responsibility, or as social licence. Both Apple and Google responded to calls for help from members of the Ukrainian government. Googles philanthropic arm and its employees are directly contributing US$15 million to relief efforts in Ukraine. While the US sanctions didnt demand for the tech companies to stop trading with Russia entirely, the signalling from both the US government and Ukrainian officials provided a persuasive context. It has raised the spectre of multinational tech companies deciding which side to support based on a stakeholder perspective, rather than a legislated one. It seems in the end, stakeholder views are still the chief driver of Big Techs response to ethical dilemmas. Rob Nicholls, Associate professor in regulation and governance, UNSW Sydney This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. UK Home Secretary Priti Patel says she has sent a letter to the Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) calling for an urgent decision on excluding from systems. "Alongside counterparts from US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, I have written today calling on INTERPOL_HQ and its Executive Committee to take a decision this week, in accordance with its rules, on the immediate suspension of Russia's access to its systems," Patel said on Twitter. She claimed that Russia's operation in Ukraine is a "direct threat" to law enforcement cooperation. On Monday, the home secretary said that the UK government would support Ukraine's request to have suspended from over the Ukraine crisis. In the early hours of February 24, 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 numerous Russian officials and entities, media, and financial institutions. (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.) British Prime Minister hosts Canadian Prime Minister and Dutch PM Mark Rutte at Downing Street in London on Monday, as the trio visit a Royal Air Force (RAF) base to meet members of the UK armed forces. Downing Street said it marks the start of a week of focussed engagement with world leaders to mobilise a global outcry at the atrocities of Russian aggression into practical support for Ukraine. The three prime ministers will convene for separate bilateral meetings and a joint trilateral meeting to discuss the next steps to counter attacks ordered by Russian President on Ukrainian cities. In the time since Russia's illegal and brutal assault we have seen the world stand up tall in solidarity with the indomitable people of Ukraine, said Johnson. UK aid is already reaching those who need it most, delivering essential supplies and medical support. While only Putin can fully end the suffering in Ukraine, today's new funding will continue to help those facing the deteriorating humanitarian situation, he said. It comes as the UK said it has allocated an additional USD 100 million directly to the Ukrainian government budget to mitigate financial pressures created by Russia's unprovoked and illegal invasion. This grant could be used to support public sector salaries, allowing critical state functions to keep operating, as well as to support social safety nets and pensions for the Ukrainian people. The grant will be provided through the World Bank Multi-Donor Trust Fund, established last week to support the Ukrainian government. It is said to be on top of the UK training 22,000 soldiers, supplying 2,000 anti-tank missiles, providing 100 million pounds for economic reform and energy independence, and providing 120 million pounds of humanitarian aid including 25 million pounds of match funding to the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) appeal. The move comes as the UK Parliament is for a vote on Monday on the government's amendments to the Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Bill, which fast-tracks action against Russian oligarchs close to the Kremlin and with UK assets. The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said that streamlining current legislation will allow the government to move faster and harder when sanctioning billionaires and businesses associated with the Russian government. These amendments give us the chance to bring even more crippling sanctions against Putin and his regime, said UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss. The UK has already led the way by bringing in the largest and strongest package of sanctions in history in response to illegal and unprovoked Russian aggression against Ukraine, she said. The UK has imposed what it brands as the largest sanctions package in history on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. Most recently, this included a full asset freeze and travel ban imposed against Alisher Usmanov and Igor Shuvalov, two of Russia's leading oligarchs with significant interests in the UK and close links to the Kremlin. The sanctions also cover Russian President Putin, Sergey Lavrov and more than 300 individuals and entities at the heart of Putin's regime, and Belarus. The amendments are designed to remove the test of appropriateness for designations, enabling the government to act more quickly and make changes to further facilitate the designations of groups of individuals. It will also remove similar requirements regarding the appropriateness of discretionary purposes of new regulations made under the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act, speeding up the new sanctions regimes. The changes are aimed at the UK being able to list all members of defined political bodies such as the Russian Duma and Federation Council. Meanwhile, the UK Home Office said 50 Ukranians have been granted visas under a scheme for refugees with family links to the UK. British Home Secretary Priti Patel said she was "doing everything possible" to speed up efforts to issue the travel permits. This is the first scheme in the world that's up and running in this short period of time This is an incredible scheme and we are doing everything possible, surging capacity across every single application centre across the European Union, she said. The UK has said that 200,000 Ukrainians would be eligible to travel to the UK under the scheme, formally launched last Friday. The United Nations (UN) estimates that over 1.3 million Ukrainians are fleeing the country amid the ongoing Russian 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.) UK Prime Minister in a joint press conference with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte on Monday said that London and other Western governments are seriously considering sanctions on Russian exports in response to the ongoing military operation in Ukraine. "Something that perhaps three or four weeks ago we would never have considered, is now very much on the table. We have to all consider how we can all move away ... from dependence, reliance on Russian hydrocarbons," Johnson told a press briefing alongside his Canadian and Dutch counterparts in response to a question regarding sanctions on Russian exports. On February 24, Russia launched a special operation in Ukraine in response to calls from the Donetsk and Luhansk people's republics to defend themselves against intensifying attacks by Ukrainian troops. The Russian Defense Ministry said the operation is targeting Ukrainian military infrastructure only and the civilian population is not in danger. "NATO allies. Commonwealth nations. Firm friends. Working together to ensure Russia's barbaric and illegal invasion of Ukraine ends in failure," tweeted Johnson. "The UK is working at pace with Netherlands & Canada and other partners to mobilise sustained support for Ukraine in the face of Putin's invasion," added the UK PM. However, Johnson said that Russian oil and gas deliveries cannot be shut down overnight and such a transition will require time to find appropriate substitute supplies. "You can't simply close down the use of oil and gas overnight, even from Russia. That's obviously not something that every country around the world can do," said Johnson. "Clearly, there is going to be a transitional period. We are going to have to look for supply, we are going have to look for substitute supplies from elsewhere," he said. "Today I am announcing a further 175 million pounds in humanitarian aid to Ukraine, bringing the total during the crisis to 400 million pounds. After 12 days it's clear that Putin has made a miscalculation. He has underestimated Ukrainians and their heroic resistance," said the British PM. Meanwhile, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced to impose sanctions on 10 individuals linked to Russia's ongoing military operation in Ukraine. "Today, Canada is announcing new sanctions on 10 individuals complicit in this unjustified invasion. This includes former and current senior government officials, oligarchs and supporters of the Russian leadership," said Trudeau. "Names of these individuals come from a list compiled by jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny. These sanctions put increased pressure on Russia's leadership including on Putin's inner circle. Canada has sent about a billion dollars' worth of financial assistance to Ukraine," added the Canadian PM. He said that Canada will continue to defend democracy and continue to make sure that Russian President Vladimir Putin is held accountable. "The individuals include former and current senior Russian government officials, oligarchs and supporters of the Russian leadership," said Trudeau. The Canadian leader said he hoped the sanctions and "massive tariffs" imposed on Russian and Belarusian imports would punish "Putin where it hurts most in particular financial systems and sanctioning their central bank so far." Further, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte also agreed about the importance of moving in steps. "We have got to do this "step by step", he said. Rutte said that sanctions must not create "unmanageable risks" to European supplies. "Over time, Europe must reduce its reliance on Russian energy," 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.) In response to the Russian cyber attacks that have accompanied its invasion of Ukraine, the Ukrainian government has begun recruiting what it calls an IT army. Perhaps a more accurate term would be a militia, given it will consist of civilian volunteers. In any case, it aims to repel Russian hackers attacks, and launching counterstrikes of its own. Ukrainian Vice Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who is also the countrys digital transformation minister, has called digital talents to join the resistance effort. Reports suggest more than 275,000 volunteers from around the world have already answered the call, although verifying an exact figure is impossible at the moment. A will to help but are we allowed? Russias war on Ukraine is half a world away from Australia. But many Australians recognise the importance of helping Ukraine, on both humanitarian grounds and because of the wider geopolitical ramifications. While countries such as the United Kingdom, Canada and Denmark have opened the door for their citizens to enlist in Ukraines international territorial defence legion, the Canberra government has so far advised Australians not to do so. But in an interconnected world, volunteers who are unwilling or unable to physically help Ukraine could potentially join its militia. However, theres one snag as far as Australians are concerned: Australias criminal law makes it illegal to engage in many of the activities that might be required of members of a foreign-organised cyber militia. Put simply, hacking is a crime. A proposed cyber militia bill The Australian government has not publicly expressed a view on whether Australians should be barred outright from joining Ukraines cyber fight. One way the government could address this would be to introduce specific legislation aimed at creating legal safeguards for genuine members of a foreign state-run cyber militia, within a narrowly defined set of circumstances. Such people would need protection from being held to have violated the hacking-related provisions of Australias criminal law. And they would also need legal safeguards against civil liability and against being extradited. This protection should apply unless the person has acted in violation of law. Of course, such legislation would need to be carefully designed, and its implications rigorously considered. Policing the cyber army One problem with cyber attacks is the issue of attribution. It can be hard to identify who is responsible for the attack with the level of confidence required under law. This means cyber attackers often have a crucial advantage over those seeking to defend against them. Non-state actors such as hacker groups might be willing to attack targets that are off-limits for state agents, such as hospitals or other civilian infrastructure. This can cause conflicts to escalate dangerously. Consequently, it is vital that any proposed legal protection for cyber combatants would be conditional on governmental oversight. In my proposal, this is achieved by the involvement of both the Australian government and that of the foreign power in direct control over the cyber militia. More specifically, this means the Australian government should have the discretion to designate that a specific countrys cyber militia (and not those of other countries) as being governed by the new rules. I suggest the government should consider exercising that discretion where: a foreign state has established the cyber militia; that foreign state has invited foreigners to join its cyber militia; and that foreign state is under armed attack by another state. Only members of such a designated cyber militia would be protected. That ensures Australia can prescribe the situations in which it deems it acceptable for Australian citizens to engage in cyber warfare as part of a foreign cyber militia. Further to this, participants should only enjoy legal safeguards where they have acted on specific orders issued by the foreign state in control of the militia. This is the second method of ensuring state control, and in the current situation, that control would be exercised by the Ukraine. Another important question is how to strike a balance between offensive and defensive activities. To minimise the risk of Australia being seen to violate law, I propose that only defensive activities - such as measures safeguarding vital computer systems in Ukraine - would be legalised for Australian members of a foreign cyber militia, and these defensive activities should be defined very carefully. A necessary step, but not the only one Clearly, this proposal is a response to the current invasion of Ukraine, and the Russian cyber aggression that has accompanied it. But given future wars are also likely to be fought in cyber space, this proposal will also be more broadly relevant. Sooner or later, Australia will have to reckon with the prospect of significant numbers of citizens becoming involved in foreign cyber warfare. And theres truly no time like the present. A version of my proposal could usefully be adopted by any nation that wants to support the defence of Ukraine. But in the meantime, there are still things concerned Australians can do to help the Ukrainians. Donations to carefully selected organisations is one option, but social media abounds with other possibilities too. One creative option is to counter Russian disinformation by posting verified information about the atrocities on any Russian site that allows user posts such as restaurant reviews, for example. Such posts are very likely to be removed, but if posted in sufficient numbers they may reach some of the Russian people. Dan Jerker B. Svantesson, Professor, Bond University This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. The court observed that it would order an independent probe to catch those who used fake medical certificates. (Photo: PTI) New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday warned against the misuse of its order to get ex-gratia compensation for COVID-19 death on the basis of fake medical certificate and observed that it would order an independent probe to catch those who indulged in such practice. A bench headed by Justice MR Shah expressed serious concerns at fake certificates being issued by doctors to enable undeserving people to claim the ex-gratia compensation for COVID-19 deaths. The apex court sought suggestion on a mechanism to curb fake COVID-19 death certificates, being issued to avail Rs. 50,000 ex gratia. Our orders should not be allowed to be misused, said the bench while observing that some doctors are preparing fake certificates to justify COVID-19 deaths. At the outset, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, mentioned the issue of fake COVID-19 certificates or fake claims and how the same can be curbed. He suggested to the bench that there has to be a definite time limit for filing the application and availing the benefit of ex-gratia compensation by next of kin of those who have succumbed to the deadly COVID-19. The Solicitor General submitted that a limitation period should now be prescribed as the process cannot go on indefinitely. "This court may direct that whoever applies gets the compensation, but there may be a direction that there should be a fixed date and it cannot be an endless proces," Mehta added. The bench also observed that the process of application cannot go on indefinitely. "There must be some time limit, otherwise the process will go endlessly, even for 5-6 years," said the apex court. "Please suggest how can we curb the issue of fake certificates being issued by Doctors. It may take away someone's real opportunity", Justice Shah told senior Advocate R Basant who was appearing for the State of Kerala. The bench posted the matter for hearing on March 14. The apex court was hearing a petition filed by lawyer-cum-petitioner, Gaurav Kumar Bansal, seeking an ex-gratia compensation for those family members, who died due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Earlier, the top court had approved the Centre's disaster management guidelines on payment of Rs 50,000 ex-gratia compensation to the next kin of those who died of Covid-19 and said the money should be disbursed within 30 days of applying. On the previous hearing, the top court had directed all the states governments and Union Territories to appoint dedicated nodal officer, not below the rank of Deputy Secretary in the Chief Minister's Secretariat, to coordinate with the member secretary of the State Legal Services Authority (SLSA) to facilitate payment of ex-gratia compensation to family members of COVID-19 victims. It had said the nodal officer should ensure all eligible claimants apply for ex-gratia compensation. 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 Ministry's announcement that it would strike Ukraine's military-industrial complex, while telling employees of these defense plants not to go to work. I didn't 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 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 Defence Ministry announced Sunday that its forces intend to strike Ukraine's 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. (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 has an unusual new partner in his campaign to defend his country Global Citizen, the nonprofit fighting extreme poverty. Zelenskyy and Global Citizen on Sunday released the first of what they hope will be daily calls to action for the nonprofit's millions of members, as well as its governmental, corporate and philanthropic partners. The video messages will feature Zelenskyy speaking about Ukraine's battle against paired with steps supporters can take to help, provided by Global Citizen. The Ukrainian president's first message sought the world's help in defending his country against what he said were terrorist acts from . In the video, Zelenskyy cited Russia's bombardment of Ukraine's cities and the firing on a nuclear power plant. Global Citizen said it hoped the unique partnership will encourage people to stay informed about the humanitarian crisis and how to respond. Though Zelenskyy's video statements continue to be covered by news organizations around the world, Global Citizen wanted to distribute his words in their entirety, the group's CEO Hugh Evans said. We think it's important for people to be able to hear directly from the leader who is inspiring people the most, Evans said. This is about creating a regular cadence and publishing it on all of the major tech platforms around the world simultaneously, so that the whole world can hear from the Ukrainian president directly. As he has in recent videos and interviews, Zelenskyy on Sunday asked NATO to establish a no-fly zone over and asked countries to provide his country with airpower so it can better defend itself, including fighter jets and anti-missile defense systems. Evans said Global Citizen will publish Zelenskyy's calls for military action, though it will support them with humanitarian requests. Sunday's message was accompanied with a call for Global Citizen members to ask governments to offer the United Nations funding for humanitarian support. Last week, the United Nations said the $1.7 billion would be needed to help with aid efforts, estimating that 12 million people in and 4 million refugees could need relief and protection in the coming months. As an anti-poverty organization, Global Citizen's actions will focus on the humanitarian response, not the military response, Evans said. We're calling on governments and businesses to support the United Nations' $1.7 billion emergency appeal. Evans' group has in the past organised high-profile events like the annual Global Citizen Live Festival that have yielded billions in aid from governments, corporations and philanthropists to fight poverty. Though Global Citizen doesn't have a previous relationship with Zelenskyy, it does have a working relationship with the Ukrainian government, donating to education programs there since 2014, including Education Cannot Wait, which Evans says is planning another grant this week. Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Global Citizen reached out to the government to see how it could help. We have been inspired by what President Zelenskyy has done to demonstrate his own courage and fortitude, Evans said. From Global Citizen's point of view, we've always had a clear mission of eradicating extreme poverty. And when there's such a huge humanitarian crisis, we always try to do everything we can. That includes throwing its support behind Zelenskyy. When the world is faced with such an existential choice challenge, like the invasion of Ukraine, I think what I've seen is this kind of collective consciousness all drawn towards his courage and fortitude," Evans said. He has created an environment of hope, where many people have felt completely helpless. Evans said the Ukraine- conflict raises plenty of thorny issues how NATO avoids direct conflict with a nuclear power, whether sanctions are the most effective way for the rest of the world to respond, how best to respond to the humanitarian crisis of 1.5 million refugees. There's no better person to speak to than the man leading the resistance Zelenskyy himself, Evans added. Evans said there is huge appetite among Global Citizen's members for actionable things they can do to help. We hope by appending specific actions to President Zelenskyy's daily call to action, we will be able to help citizens or corporate leaders, or in some cases, policymakers to be able to respond appropriately," he said. In his video call to action, Zelenskyy asked people around the world to consider how they would react if hospitals, schools or residential areas in their cities were attacked. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) UN Secretary General on Sunday said it is "absolutely essential" to pause the fighting in to allow for the safe passage of civilians caught in the conflict in areas like Kharkiv and Sumy. It is absolutely essential to establish a pause in the fighting in to allow for the safe passage of civilians from Mariupol, Kharkiv and Sumy, as well as all other places caught in conflict, and to ensure life-saving humanitarian supplies can move in for those who remain, Guterres said in a tweet as Russia's military offensive against intensified on Sunday. The UN chief's tweet came amid Russian allegations that Indian and other foreign nationals are being kept by force in these regions by Ukrainian nationalists. Russia's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told the UN Security Council on Friday that Ukraine nationals are keeping over 3,700 Indian citizens by force in Kharkiv and Sumy and buses from Russia are ready and waiting at crossing points to go to these Ukrainian cities to evacuate Indian students and other foreign nationals. During the meeting, India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador T S Tirumurti said while the UN Security Council discusses the nuclear dimension of an unfolding conflict, it must acknowledge that there is a pressing humanitarian crisis confronting us in Ukraine, where safety and security of innocent civilians including several thousand Indian nationals, in particular students are at stake. Ukraine's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya told the Russian envoy to please make an appeal to the armed forces [of Russia] to ensure a safe corridor to allow foreign students leave the areas of concern. Stop spreading the lies! You know it very well what is going on there if you are indeed in contact with your capital. On Sunday, the humanitarian response coordinating unit under Russia's National Defense Management Center alleged that Ukrainian nationalists threatened Indian citizens with physical violence for their refusal to evacuate via unsafe routes to Ukraine's western borders. During the evacuation of Indian citizens yesterday, nationalists threatened them with physical violence and the use of weapons for their refusal to be evacuated via unsafe routes toward Ukraine's western borders, Russia's state-run TASS news agency quoted the National Defense Management Center as saying. At a meeting with a group of women employees of Russian airlines, President Vladimir Putin on Saturday said Ukraine has held more than 6,000 foreign nationals hostage in Kharkiv. Asked about Putin's comments on Thursday that some Indians are being held hostage by Ukrainian forces, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi had on Friday again rejected the claim, saying India does not have any such information or reports. On Thursday too, Bagchi rejected claims by both Russia and Ukraine that Indian students are being held hostage in Kharkiv. 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 in New Delhi. (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 has condemned a suicide bombing that killed 62 people inside a Shia mosque in Peshawar for which the Islamic State Khorasan (IS-K) terror group has claimed responsibility. "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," Council President Lana Zaki Nusseibeh said in a press statement issued on Sunday on behalf of all the 15 members. IS-K said that an Afghan suicide bomber carried out the attack which took place on Friday. A Sunni group, IS-K and its parent organisation Islamic State, consider Shias enemies of the faith and target them frequently. "The members of the Security Council reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to peace and security," Nusseibeh said. She is the Permanent Representative of the United Arab Emirates, which holds the Council's presidency this month. The press statement expresses the unanimous sentiments of the members of the Council, which is sometimes arrived at through consultations without formal meetings and is less formal than a resolution. On Friday, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the attack and tweeted that "houses of worship should be havens, not targets". Nusseibeh said that the Council members "underlined the need to bring perpetrators, organisers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism to justice and urged all States, in accordance with their obligations under law and relevant Security Council resolutions, to cooperate actively with the Government of and all other relevant authorities in this regard". In October the IS-K bombed the Bibi Fatima Mosque and the Gozar-e-Sayed Abad Mosque in Kunduz, Afghanistan, killing about 50 people in each of the attacks a week apart. According to the US State Department's Report on Religious Freedom issued last year, other terrorist groups, including Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, and the Sipah-e-Sahaba staged attacks on Shia Muslims, including the predominantly Shia Hazara community in . (Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in and followed @arulouis) --IANS al/ksk/ (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The (UNSC) has condemned the terrorist attack in the Pakistani city of Peshawar that claimed the lives of more than 60 people. "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, 4 March 2022. The attack which was claimed by ISIL-K, resulted in the death of at least 62 people and injuries to dozens more," the Council President Lana Zaki Nusseibeh, said in a statement. The members of the Security Council expressed their condolences to the families of the victims. The members of the Security Council reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to peace and security. "The members of the Security Council underlined the need to bring perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism to justice and urged all States, in accordance with their obligations under law and relevant Security Council resolutions, to cooperate actively with the Government of and all other relevant authorities in this regard," the statement added. The members of the Security Council reiterated that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed. They reaffirmed the need for all States to combat threats to peace and security caused by terrorist acts. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) China on Monday launched a broadside against the US, focusing on its and AUKUS alliances, saying Washington is seeking to create an Asian to suppress Beijing's rise. "The US professes a desire to advance regional cooperation, but in reality, it is stoking geopolitical rivalry, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in his annual press conference on the sidelines of the annual Parliament session highlighting Beijing's concerns over fast-evolving Washington's Indo-Pacific strategy challenging China's influence in the strategically vital region. The US talks a lot about returning to multilateralism, but in reality, it is forming exclusive clubs. It claims to uphold rules, but in reality, it is setting and imposing rules that suit itself and its acolytes," he said. Wang said the US Indo-Pacific strategy is becoming a byword for "bloc politics'". Wang referred to the four nation grouping of the US, India, Australia and Japan. He also criticised the formation of the AUKUS military alliance between the US, the UK and Australia, amidst China's aggressive actions in the Indo-Pacific region. From strengthening the Five Eyes and peddling the to putting together the AUKUS security partnership and tightening bilateral military alliances, he said. The US is staging a 5 (Five eyes) 4 (Quad) 3 (AUKUS) 2 (bilateral military alliances) posture' in the Asia Pacific. It is by no means a blessing but a sinister move, he said. "The real goal for the Indo-Pacific strategy is to establish an Indo-Pacific version of These perverse actions run counter to common aspirations of the region and are doomed to fail," he said. The is still going to great lengths to engage in intense, zero-sum competition with China, Wang said, adding that it keeps "provoking China on issues concerning China's core interests, and is taking a string of actions to piece together small blocs to suppress China." These actions not only harm the overall bilateral relations, but also undermine peace and stability, he said. "This is not how a responsible power should act, or how a credible country does things." As an independent sovereign country, China has every right to do what is necessary to firmly defend its legitimate interests, Wang said. Wang said the purposes of the US are to maintain the America-led system of hegemony, undermine the ASEAN-centred regional cooperation architecture and compromise the overall and long-term interests of countries in the region. The still spares no effort to carry out the intense competition with China, constantly attacking and provoking trouble on issues regarding China's core interests, Wang said, adding that the US should return to the right track of rationality and pragmatism," he said. He also accused the US of disrupting China-European Union relations which nosedived over Beijing's assertive efforts to take punitive action against EU member Lithuania for permitting Taiwan trade office besides Brussels criticism of its alleged human rights violations in Xinjiang, Tibet, Hong Kong and as well as assertive actions over Taiwan. Some forces are unwilling to see the stable development of China-European Union relations so they fabricate a so-called China threat, play up competition with China and even provoke sanctions and confrontation, Wang said. "I hope both China and the EU could be highly alert to this," he said China hopes Europe could establish a more independent and objective understanding of China and practice a pragmatic China policy, 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.) Amid rising tensions with China, Australian Defence Minister Peter Dutton has indicated that his country may send weapons to in response to any future Chinese military aggression. Dutton's remarks drew a direct comparison to support currently being sent to Ukraine amid its conflict with Russia, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported. "I think we do whatever we can to deter from acts of aggression in our region," said Dutton in response to a question on . "Let's be very clear. We want peace to prevail in our region, but you don't have that peace if you are arguing from a position of weakness," Dutton said. Beijing claims full sovereignty over located off the southeastern coast of mainland China, despite the fact that the two sides have been governed separately for more than seven decades. Taipei, on the other hand, has countered the Chinese aggression by increasing strategic ties with democracies including the US, which has been repeatedly opposed by Beijing. has threatened that "Taiwan's independence" means war. Sino-Australian relations have been in a downward spiral since April 2020 when Canberra infuriated Beijing by proposing an independent inquiry into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic. Last September, the ties between the two countries went further downhill after announced a trilateral security pact with the United Kingdom, and the United States. Last month, Dutton had said Canberra and its allies will "lose the next decade" unless they stand up against Beijing in the South Sea. "I think we have lost a considerable period of time where China gave assurances about their activity in the South China Sea," The Sydney Morning Herald quoted Dutton as saying. "And the United States and others acquiesced and allowed the militarisation now to the point where China has 20 points of presence in the South China Sea, which does not help stability in the region," Dutton added. Stressing on the matter, the Minister had said: "If we continue on that trajectory, then I think we shall lose the next decade. And my sense is that we are better off being honest about that. (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.) Investors' wealth has tumbled by over Rs 11.28 lakh crore in four days, tracking a heavy decline in equities amid intensifying conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Sliding for the fourth straight day on Monday, the BSE benchmark Sensex plummeted 1,491.06 points or 2.74 per cent to settle at 52,842.75, weighed by weak global equities and elevated crude oil prices. During the session, the benchmark tanked 1,966.71 points or 3.61 per cent to 52,367.10. In tandem with the heavy sell-off in equities, the market capitalisation of BSE-listed companies plunged by Rs 11,28,214.05 crore in four days to stand at Rs 2,41,10,831.04 crore. In the four sessions, the BSE benchmark has shed 3,404.53 points or 6.05 per cent. " plunged sharply lower and lost over 2 per cent, tracking a continuous surge in crude and feeble global cues. are rattled with a sharp surge in crude amid fear of further sanctions on Russia. Besides, there's no sign of de-escalation of tension between the two nations. "In short, we expect volatility to remain high and suggest keeping a close watch on global for cues. On the domestic front, state elections exit polls and actual results on March 10 would be actively tracked," said Ajit Mishra, VP - Research, Religare Broking Ltd. International oil benchmark Brent crude surged 5.76 per cent to USD 124.7 a barrel. From the 30-share Sensex pack, IndusInd Bank, Axis Bank, Maruti Suzuki, Bajaj Finance, Bajaj Finserv, UltraTech Cement and Mahindra & Mahindra were the biggest drags, tumbling up to 7.63 per cent. In contrast, Bharti Airtel, HCL Technologies, Tata Steel and Infosys settled in the green. Among BSE sectoral indices, realty, bank, finance and auto finished with deep cuts. Foreign institutional continued their selling spree in Indian markets as they offloaded shares worth Rs 7,631.02 crore on a net basis on Friday, according to exchange data. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The benchmark indices are likely to start the new week on a sharply lower note as per trends indicated by the SGX Nifty futures, which were around 400 points lower on Monday morning as Brent Crude hit the $130/ barrel mark amid fears of severe supply shortage induced by US ban on Russian oil. Meanwhile, here are the out for in trade today: OMCs: Shares of oil companies will be on radar as brent crude has topped the $130 a barrel mark. Infrastructure: Capital goods and Infra shares may see some action as the industry department has identified 81 high-impact projects under various infrastructure ministries for the governments Gati Shakti initiative. These projects will be closely monitored in 2022-23, according to officials. Major industrial corridors of National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (NICDC), key expressways and highways and the worlds largest broadband project BharatNet will be among the governments priority. Vodafone Idea: The promoters of Vodafone Idea (Vi) have amended the shareholders agreement to protect their governing rights with the proposed issuance of equity to the central government. In January, the board of the telecom company decided to convert interest with a net present value of Rs 16,000 crore on deferred dues into equity for the government. Emami: FMCG major has acquired a 19 per cent equity stake in direct-to-consumer (D2C) nutrition firm Tru Native F&B Pvt Ltd. Tru Native F&B nutrition products under the brand TruNativ. did not reveal financial details of the deal. Coal India: Coal India's subsidiary BCCL has posted a record 61 per cent growth in its production to 3.24 million tonne (mt) in February this year over the corresponding month last fiscal. Bharat Coking Coal Ltd (BCCL) is a Dhanbad-based subsidiary of the Maharatna public sector undertaking. SBI: State Bank of India is in talks with Tata Motors finance arms to acquire the private firms automobile loan portfolio of up to Rs 14,500 crore. Separately, private sector banks have also expressed interest to buy part of the loan portfolios of Tata Motors Finance (TMFL) and Tata Motors Finance Solutions (TMFSL). Moreover, it has appointed former Ujjivan SFB CEO Nitin Chugh as head of digital banking. Chugh has been appointed as DMD for a period of 3 years. Airlines: Airlines have hiked fares by anything from 12 to 30 per cent, depending on routes. Improved travel sentiment, increase in aviation turbine fuel prices and reciprocal airspace ban due to the Russian attack on Ukraine are factors driving up the fares. RIL: Reliance Industries (RIL) announced the opening of the countrys largest business, commerce and cultural destination the Jio World Centre spread across 18.5 acres at Bandra Kurla Complex in Mumbai. FMCG: The fast-moving consumer goods category (FMCG) has recovered in just one month after the third wave of the pandemic compared to the full quarter it took to recover after the second wave in 2021 driven by strong off takes of packaged food products and commodity product (wheat flour, edible oil, grains etc) sales that have surpassed last year sales numbers. Dr Reddys: The Subject Expert Committee on COVID-19 of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation on Friday recommended giving permission for conducting a phase-3 clinical trial of the single-dose COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik Light as a booster dose. PNB Housing Finance: Companys board to take call on fundraising on Mar 9. J&K Cement: The company's board has approved entering into Paint business through a wholly owned subsidiary. The Board of Directors have approved an investment of up to Rs 600 Crore spread over the first 5 years. The subsidiary would undertake manufacturing, selling, trading, importing and exporting and otherwise dealing in all types of paints and allied products and services, the company said in a stock exchange filing. TVS Electronics : The Board of Directors have declared an Interim Dividend of Rs- 2 per Equity Share for the financial year ending 31st March 2022. The Interim Dividend will be paid on 23rd March 2022 ("Payment Date") to those shareholders whose names appear in the Register of Members and / or Depositories as on 16th March 2022, being the "Record Date" fixed by the company for this purpose. Shriram Transport Finance : Board of Directors of the Company have declared second interim dividend of Rs.12/- per equity share of Rs.10/- each fully paid up (120%) for the Financial Year 2021-22 to those members whose name appears in the Register of Members of the Company on Monday, March 14, 2022 being the Record Date for the purpose of the payment of second interim dividend. Hatsun Agro Product: The board will meet on Wednesday, the 09" March, 2022 for a proposal for the Sale of Assets of the RTE (Ready to Eat) business and its brand Oyalo to the prospective buyer at a Price mutually agreeable to the Company and the buyer and decide the modalities of agreement to be entered in to and treatment of Sale transaction. Dilip Buildcon: The company has executed the EPC agreement with the Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), Chandigarh on March 04,2022 for construction of tunnels TL4, TLs and T16, bridges and formation works from chainage 40+430 to 44+925, including slope protection works and allied works in connection with Bhanupali - Bilaspur - Beri new railway line in district Bilaspur of Himachal Pradesh State Pkg 5 Proiect for Rs 636.98 cr Rites: The Board of Directors will meet on Monday, March 14, 2022 inter- alia to declare third interim dividend, if any, on equity shares of the Company. Kirloskar Electric Company: The companys unit situated at Bhudihal (Unit-15) has partially laid off 15 workmen out of total 62 workmen till May 04, 2022. Jaypee Infratech: The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) will hear on March 7 and March 9 matters related to approval of the Suraksha group's bid to acquire debt-ridden realty firm Jaypee Infratech Ltd. In a regulatory filing, Jaypee Infratech Ltd (JIL) said the listing of the matter of resolution plan, along with related pleas, is listed for consideration before the NCLT's principal bench in New Delhi on March 7 and March 9. Coal India rose 1.22% to Rs 183.20 after the state-run coal major reported total coal supplies at 608.15 million tonnes (MTs) as of 4th March 2022. Coal India (CIL) said it has moved past the previous highest coal off-take of 608.14 MTs achieved in FY19. CIL chief Pramod Agrawal pointed out the "sustained efforts and inspired performance of CIL's subsidiaries and has written to them "to end FY22 on a sound note scaling even more highs." Almost all CIL subsidiaries are ahead in their respective coal off-take numbers over corresponding period last year, the company said in a statement. CIL said it is concentrating its efforts to increase its supplies further in a bid to touch 670 MTs off-take mark in FY22. CIL had pipped the 575 MT total coal despatch of FY21 on 16th February itself. Off-take ending FY20 was around 580 MTs. "CIL's current off-take is averaging a little over 2 MTs per day and is expected to go up higher as the month progresses. We are hopeful of reaching 670 MTs if the demand holds" said a senior executive of the company. On a consolidated basis, the PSU coal major's net profit jumped 47.7% to Rs 4556.54 crore on 19.7% increase in net sales to Rs 25,990.97 crore in Q3 FY22 over Q3 FY21. Coal India is a coal mining company engaged in the production and sale of coal. As of 31 December 2021, the Government of India held 66.13% stake while Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India held 11.01% stake in the company. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The much-awaited evacuation of 700 plus Indians stuck in war-torn Sumy on the 12 days was put on hold at the eleventh hour. (Representational photo: Twitter) Visakhapatnam: The much-awaited evacuation of 700 plus Indians stuck in war-torn Sumy on the 12 days was put on hold at the eleventh hour. Parents of the stranded students have urged the government to at least ensure their safe return on Tuesday. Sources said that the students were asked to go back to their hostels after they boarded four buses soon after receiving a call from the Embassy that the situation was not supportive. The sources further said that Ukraine vetoed Russia's call of a humanitarian corridor for Indians by implementing the ceasefire for some hours on Monday afternoon. "We were asked to board the bus, but later were informed to head back to the hostel as ceasefire violations were reported", an Indian student from Sumy said. The Indian embassy team has even been stationed at Poltava, through which the Embassy had hoped to coordinate the safe passage of the students. "The challenges the embassy is facing are shelling, violence and lack of transportation," said a parent Srinivasa Rao. JSW Energy's Kutehr project has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with Haryana Power Purchase Centre (HPPC) for supply of 240 MW hydro power. The PPA is valid for a period of 35 years (with further extension possible at mutually agreed terms), and signed at a Levelized ceiling tariff of Rs 4.50 per kWh. The PPA capacity was selected through competitive bidding under Expression of Interest invited by the HPPC on 3 July 2018. JSW Energy through its wholly-owned step-down subsidiary 'JSW Energy Kutehr Limited' (JSWEKL) is currently constructing the 240 MW (3x80 MW) hydroelectric plant located in Kutehr, Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh. The project construction is progressing well ahead of its schedule, with 65% tunnelling work completed by Feb'22 and is expected to be commissioned by September 2024. Haryana Power Purchase Centre will purchase the power on behalf of Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (UHBVN) and Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN). In Sep'2020, Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission (HERC) had granted its approval for above procurement of power and had directed the parties to finalise the PPA. The power purchased under the PPA will be utilised to meet the Hydro Power Purchase Obligation (HPPO) of the state discom utilities. With the board approval for corporate re-organisation in place, the renewable energy businesses (Green) including hydro assets are to be housed under a wholly owned subsidiary JSW Neo Energy. The total capacity of the Green business is 3.8GW including 2.5GW of under-construction projects, while the total Hydro assets are 1.6GW including 240 MW of under-construction project (Kutehr). The company has now signed PPA's for the entire 2.5 GW under-construction renewable projects, and the 225 MW solar plant (under group Captive) is nearing completion with commissioning scheduled in the next few weeks. JSW Energy is one of the leading private sector power producers in India and part of the $13 billion JSW Group. JSW Energy has established its presence across the value chains of power sector with diversified assets power generation, and transmission. The company's consolidated net profit surged 162.23% to Rs 323.93 crore on 17.69% increase in net sales to Rs 1,893.54 crore in Q3 December 2021 over Q3 December 2020. The scrip slumped 4.67% to currently trade at Rs 314.05 on the BSE. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) JSW Energy's Kutehr project has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with Haryana Power Purchase Centre (HPPC) for supply of 240 MW hydro power. The PPA is valid for a period of 35 years (with further extension possible at mutually agreed terms), and signed at a Levelized ceiling tariff of Rs 4.50/kWh (at ex bus-bar). The PPA capacity was selected through competitive bidding under Expression of Interest invited by the HPPC on 3 July 2018. JSW Energy through its wholly-owned step-down subsidiary, JSW Energy Kutehr (JSWEKL) is currently constructing the 240 MW (3x80 MW) hydroelectric plant located in Kutehr, Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh. The project construction is progressing well ahead of its schedule, with 65% tunnelling work completed by Feb'22 and is expected to be commissioned by September 2024. Haryana Power Purchase Centre will purchase the power on behalf of Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (UHBVN) and Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN). In September 2020, Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission (HERC) had granted its approval for above procurement of power and had directed the parties to finalise the PPA. The power purchased under the PPA will be utilised to meet the Hydro Power Purchase Obligation (HPPO) of the state discom utilities. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) SGX Nifty: Trading of Nifty 50 index futures on the Singapore stock exchange indicates that the Nifty could tumble 430 points at the opening bell. On the political front, the seventh and final phase of Uttar Pradesh elections 2022 will begin at 7 am and end at 6 pm today, bringing the curtains down on these fiercely contested polls held in five states. The results of exit polls for elections in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur will be broadcast from 7 pm today, after the end of polling. Votes will be counted on March 10. Global markets: Overseas, Asian stocks are trading lower on Monday trade as oil prices surged, with the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war continuing to weigh on investor sentiment globally. China lowered its GDP target to 5.5% for this year from last year's 6.1%. The new target for the second-largest economy was announced by Premier Li Keqiang in his work report presented to the National People's Congress (NPC), the country's parliament which opened its annual session in Beijing on March 5. Oil prices soared in the morning of Asia trading hours on Monday, with international benchmark Brent crude futures hovering near $128 per barrel. The sharp rise in oil prices, which already recently spiked, came after U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Sunday Washington and its allies are considering banning Russian oil and natural gas imports. Wall Street ended lower on Friday as the war in Ukraine overshadowed an acceleration in US jobs growth last month that pointed to strength in the economy. The International Monetary Fund on Saturday said the War in Ukraine will have 'severe impact' on global economy. "While the situation remains highly fluid and the outlook is subject to extraordinary uncertainty, the economic consequences are already very serious," the IMF said. Domestic markets: Back home, key equity benchmarks ended with deep losses on Friday, amid weak global cues. The barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, fell 768.87 points or 1.40% at 54,333.81. The Nifty 50 index shed 252.70 points or 1.53% at 16,245.35. Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) sold shares worth Rs 7,631.02 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs), were net buyers to the tune of Rs 4,738.99 crore in the Indian equity market on 4 March, provisional data showed. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tata Motors Ltd is quoting at Rs 394.05, down 5.56% on the day as on 13:24 IST on the NSE. The stock jumped 22.66% in last one year as compared to a 6.05% rally in NIFTY and a 9.95% fall in the Nifty Auto index. Tata Motors Ltd dropped for a fifth straight session today. The stock is quoting at Rs 394.05, down 5.56% on the day as on 13:24 IST on the NSE. The benchmark NIFTY is down around 2.36% on the day, quoting at 15861.35. The Sensex is at 52850.29, down 2.73%.Tata Motors Ltd has lost around 20.03% in last one month.Meanwhile, Nifty Auto index of which Tata Motors Ltd is a constituent, has eased around 17.22% in last one month and is currently quoting at 9896.65, down 4.4% on the day. The volume in the stock stood at 287.8 lakh shares today, compared to the daily average of 268.49 lakh shares in last one month. The benchmark March futures contract for the stock is quoting at Rs 390.35, down 6.35% on the day. Tata Motors Ltd jumped 22.66% in last one year as compared to a 6.05% rally in NIFTY and a 9.95% fall in the Nifty Auto index. The PE of the stock is 0 based on TTM earnings ending December 21. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Assembly on Monday took a dim view of MLA Jitu Patwari's tweet posted before the commencement of the budget session that he would boycott the Governor's address. After Governor Mangubhai C Patel's customary address, state Home and Parliametary Affairs Minister Narottam Mishra drew the attention of the House toward Patwari's Twitter post and said it was unacceptable as it lowered the dignity of the House. I want to give a point of information. I want to pray to you and want a direction from you, Mishra said looking at the Chair. Mishra said that the MLA's sct should be condemned. Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Kamal Nath also said such a post was against the dignity of the House. It was not our party's decision, the leader said. I got the information about the tweet an hour ago and I don't agree to it, he added. Speaker Girish Gautam said he was thankful to Mishra for raising the serious issue. The MLA's act was not good. "Such a tradition is not right," he said. MLA Laxman Singh said he agreed with the Speaker's view and that the "tradition of the House should be respected". He, however, also asked the government as to why details of the state budget were being leaked to newspapers. "Is this the tradition of the House?" he asked. "Honourable Speaker, give a direction. If the budget is leaked to newspapers before the start of the Assembly session, it amounts to contempt and disrespect of the House and democracy," he said. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan thanked Kamal Nath for his stance over Jitu Patwari's act. About Laxman Singh's concern, Chouhan said newspapers publish speculative stories, which sometimes turn right and at times are wrong. "This does not mean that someone has indulged in leaking (the budget)", he said. The CM said the state government was drawing the roadmap of a self-reliant and newspapers publish speculative stories on the government's priorities. The budget in confidential and will remain so. The respect of the House will never ever be compromised, Chouhan said as members of the House thumped their desks. (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.) Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) Youth Wing leader and former Union Minister Anbumani Ramadoss has urged Chief Minister, M.K. Stalin to convene an all-party meet with immediate effect to discuss the Mekedatu dam issue. This is following Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai's recent statement of his efforts to construct a dam at Mekedatu at a cost of Rs 1,000 crore. Ramadoss in a statement said that the Karnataka Chief Minister had already issued a statement that he was travelling to New Delhi to meet Union Water Resources Minister Gajendra Shekhawat in this regard and get approval for the project. Ramadoss said that the statements of Karnataka Chief Minister Bommai and that of Union Water Resources Minister in the past few days mean that some moves have been made regarding the Mekedatu dam. He also said that even as the Mekedatu Dam issue is under consideration of the Supreme Court of India, the statements of Karnataka Chief Minister and Union Water Resources Minister are not in the right spirit. He called upon the government to take cognizance of the matter. The former Union Minister also cited the example of Karnataka constructing a dam across 'Thenpennai river' even though they did not have the right to do so. The construction of a dam across Cauvery river at Mekedatu has been a bone of contention between and Karnataka with the former moving the Supreme Court against the proposed construction. An all-party delegation led by Tamil Nadu Water Resources minister, S. Duraimurugan had met Union Minister for Water Resources Gajendra Singh Shekhawat against the proposed dam. --IANS aal/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.) Congress leader Vadra arrived in Jaipur on Monday to discuss the post-poll scenario with Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, ahead of the Assembly poll results in five states on March 10. The Congress general secretary, who was accompanied by party leader Rajeev Shukla, was received by Gehlot, state Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasra and others at the airport here. Asked about speculation that the party might shift some of its leaders who would emerge victorious in the five state Assembly polls to Jaipur to prevent them from being "poached", Gandhi sought to downplay it, saying it is a matter of the future. During her brief interaction with reporters at the airport, she said people must have thought about whom to vote before exercising their franchise. "The public will make the right decision," the Congress leader said. On a question about post-poll alliances, she said everything will depend on the circumstances. Congress sources said Gandhi will discuss the post-poll scenario in the five states with Gehlot, a veteran party leader. Later in the day, the Congress general secretary attended a programme organised by an NGO at a hotel. Sources said select entrepreneurs attended the event in which Gehlot was also present. After the event, Gandhi went to the chief minister's residence for dinner. The results of the Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Manipur and Goa Assembly polls are scheduled to be announced on March 10. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Budget session of the Legislature got off to a noisy start here on Monday as the opposition (TDP) members raised slogans and disrupted Governor Biswa Bhusan Harichandan's customary address to the joint sitting of the two Houses. Storming into the Well of the House, the TDP legislators tore the Governor's speech copies and flung them in the air, but Harichandan went ahead with his address. The TDP members raised slogans Governor Go Back, alleging that he failed to safeguard the constitutional institutions. Midway through the Governor's address, however, the TDP members staged a walk out in protest. The principal opposition members later tried to squat in the Assembly lobbies but the House Marshals objected to it, leading to an argument. But the TDP members prevailed and sat on a protest in the lobbies, raising slogans against the Governor. At the end of his hour-long address, the Governor was safely escorted out of the legislature building after the Marshals ensured that the protesting TDP members did not cross the security cordon. This was the first time the Governor physically addressed the joint sitting of the AP Legislative Council and the Legislative Assembly as in the previous two years he completed the formality in virtual mode through a video link owing to Covid-19 outbreak. Later, when the Business Advisory Committee of the Assembly met to decide the session's agenda, Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy expressed serious displeasure over the TDP members' behaviour in the House. It's not right for you to insult an elderly person like the Governor. It never happened in the past, Reddy was said to have told TDP Legislature Party deputy leader K Atchannaidu. The Chief Minister remarked that the Governor did not belong to our party or your party and found fault with the opposition party's action. Subsequently, addressing a press conference, Atchannaidu said they had every respect for the institution of Governor. We had no choice today except to express our protest. The Governor has failed in upholding the Constitution and safeguarding the constitutional institutions when the Jagan regime has been brazenly attacking them. How could the Governor remain a mute spectator? the TDP leader asked. The Governor's address was full of falsehood, he alleged. Atchannaidu mocked the Chief Minister's remark on respecting the elders, saying it was the YSR Congress party that targeted even the family members of opposition leaders. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Chief Minister on Monday said the state will bring legislation exempting from the rule that bans older than 10 years from plying in NCR areas. The NGT has taken a stand that plying of diesel and petrol vehicles older than 10 and 15 years respectively will not be allowed in the Capital Region area, Khattar told the Assembly. "We have conveyed verbally as well as in writing that this (order) should not be implemented with strictness. But still I give assurance that we have taken exemption for earlier too, and we will bring legislation in this session to seek exemption for till 2025," he said, replying to the debate on the governor's address during the ongoing Budget session. A few days ago too, Khattar had said that tractors should not be included in the policy issued by the central government to ban diesel and petrol vehicles older than 10 and 15 years respectively from plying in the NCR. Touching on another issue, Khattar reiterated that the area within a radius of up to 100 km around Delhi should be kept in the Capital Region (NCR). He said that out of the 22 districts of Haryana, 14 are affected by NCR policies and nearly 57 per cent area of the state comes under the NCR. The government has received several representations from elected representatives and the people as well who have pointed out practical difficulties being faced by far-off districts due to various norms that are applicable to cities like Gurugram, Khattar said. Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda, however, suggested that in the long run, the districts which are part of the NCR are going to benefit. On students from who were stuck in Ukraine, Khattar said that out of nearly 1,800, 1,480 have returned and others too will be brought back safely. "We have also set up a cell at the Mumbai airport to facilitate the state residents returning from Ukraine," he added. With opposition parties often cornering the BJP-JJP government of the state over unemployment, citing Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) figures, Khattar said the CMIE figures are baseless. In December 2021, a CMIE report said there was 34 per cent unemployment in . In January, 2022, it said it is 25-26 per cent, Khattar added. "They are defaming the state." To this, Congress leader Hooda intervened and said the BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government quoted CMIE reports for their state in its advertisements. "There cannot be different yardsticks adopted by CMIE for different states," Hooda added. Khattar replied, "In 2017, in one of the months, CMIE had shown the unemployment rate of Haryana as two per cent... They may at some stage say even 100 per cent are unemployed here. They have no parameters to follow." Citing data from the state government's Parivar Pehchan Patra (family id), Khattar said eight lakh have accepted they are unemployed "which means around five-six per cent people in the state are unemployed". On the Anganwadi workers' strike, the chief minister said only 35 per cent of them were on a stir as some political leaders, especially people belonging to the Left parties, "are instigating these workers to sit on dharna". Haryana is giving the highest honorarium to Anganwadi workers and helpers, he asserted. During Khattar's reply, Congress members, including Hooda, countered the chief minister on the government reducing the earlier condition of 15 years for domicile to five years now. Khattar, however, pointed out that in Haryana in the year 1975, the domicile condition was three years, while at present, in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi it is three years, in Punjab and Madhya Pradesh, it is five years, and in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, it is six years. He said work done by the state government has ensured all-round development of Haryana in the last seven years. (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 much-awaited government order (GO) on cinema ticket rates was released by the state government on Monday. (Representational: AFP) VISAKHAPATNAM: The much-awaited government order (GO) on cinema ticket rates was released by the state government on Monday. Going by the opinions from a cross-section of people in the film fraternity, the GO seems to be a boon for small budget filmmakers and bane for the exhibitors and high-budget moviemakers. AP Chamber of Film Commerce vice-president Perla Sambamurthty said, "This GO will not be helpful for film exhibitors like me as the ticket prices set do not meet the expectations of common man. We will announce our action plan shortly." The lowest ticket price for a movie is Rs 40 in towns and Rs 70 in cities like Vizag. The highest is Rs 250. Vizag Film Society founder secretary Narava Prakasa Rao said the government should introduce a single take no objection certificate for filmmakers instead of making them go around departments like police, revenue, tourism etc for permission. Filmmakers would then show interest in shooting films in Andhra Pradesh. According to the GO, movies with a budget of more than Rs 100 crore of production cost (excluding cast and crew remunerations) will have special prices for 10 days only if 20 per cent of the movie is shot in Andhra Pradesh. Director Subbu, who helmed the Sai Dharam Tej starrer Solo Brathuke So Bettaru told this newspaper that 27 days of the 60-day shoot of his film were in Visakhapatnam. "Vizag is a beautiful city for filmmakers. The government's offer of film shoots in AP is awesome." Another director, R.V. Subramanyam, said, "This GO is somehow better than the previous ones issued by the AP government. It seems to have been a boon to low budget films." A fifth show is allowed for small budget movies within Rs 20 crore budget, including remunerations of actors. A film crew member of the Prabhas-starrer Radhe Shyam and RRR said this GO would definitely be a drawback for films shot in foreign locations with more investments. "Chiranjeevi praised the GO on Twitter. But we don't know the reason behind his tweet," the film crew member said. In his tweet, Chiranjeevi said, "Thank you CM YS Jagan for releasing the GO that benefits all people of the film industry. The fifth show for small budget movies is highly appreciated." New Delhi [India], March 7 (ANI/PNN): In a recent announcement, BMC Software and (http://www.robotex-india.in) Robotex India join hands to educate government school girls in Robotics, Coding and STEM. This is the first-of-its-kind initiative in the state of Maharashtra where girls from rural schools will learn Robotics, Coding and Artificial Intelligence. BMC Cares is an ongoing global engagement to inspire & empower BMC's workforce to invest In people and enrich communities across the Globe through digital literacy, interventions, and Accessibility to create An Autonomous Digital Enterprise. BMC Cares in collaboration with Robotex India are empowering over 250 girls from zilla parishad government schools in Pune On Future skills required to increase their employability and bridge gender divide in the STEM Ecosystem. With the unique initiative 'Girls Who Build Robots', BMC Software aims to address STEM and Gender gap education equality gap issues and empower government school students in future skills like coding, Robotics, STEM, enabling them to pursue future opportunities in the digitized World. Speaking about the initiative Wendy Rentschler, Head of Global CSR said "The UN reports that for India to maintain its position as a global growth leader, more concerted efforts at local and national levels, and by the private sector are needed to bring women to parity with men. Initiatives that support the UN's call to action, like BMC's partnership with Robotex India, are imperative to make this a reality" Chaula Diwanji, Global CSR Business Partner Said, "By fostering digital literacy and supporting groups like the Robotex India, and others striving to bridge the digital literacy gap, we all have the power to invest in the women who will become the technology and business professionals and leaders of tomorrow." This project for the state of Maharashtra, will be implemented by Robotex India along with its supporting partner Rotary club of Pune central charitable trust and CSR support from BMC Software. Commenting on the initiative more Ali Siddiqui - CPO said, 'As we build for the future at BMC, we are focused on increasing gender representation to support greater diversity of thought to drive innovation. The Autonomous Digital Enterprise includes everyone, our technology frees people to create the future." Payal Rajpal Director Robotex India states 'With 'Girls who build robots' initiative, Robotex India aims to train over 2 million girls by 2023 on the grounds of coding, robotics and AI employable skills. Robotex India has educated 25000 students from government schools in rural, tribal, urban India. It thus aims at bridging the gender gap in STEM and preparing students from marginalized communities from rural India for the jobs of future." This story is provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PNN) DISCLAIMER (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) New Delhi [India], March 7 (ANI/PRNewswire): Breakthrough India's three-day Pan-Asia Summit 'Reframe' concluded with a dialogue and recommendations from intersectional feminists across the globe to end Gender-based Violence. The summit was held from March 2-4, with the aim to co-create a future agenda in the Asian context, to end Gender-based Violence. Led by Sohini Bhattacharya, CEO, Breakthrough India, industry experts discussed the core problems acting against the prevention of Gender-based Violence in the region. Shanthi Dairiam, Founding Director, International Women's Rights Action Watch, Asia Pacific, Malaysia, initiated the discussion by saying, "There must be clarity on the concept of Gender-based Violence underpinning a policy and a plan to end GBV. Often, GBV is neutralized by saying that such violence takes place against men. The policy and strategy must establish that the inequality of women is the root cause of Gender-based Violence. Additionally, we should create a comprehensive programme to end it. This must look at several interrelated interventions from law enforcement, organizations for women, relief services, etc. and must be coordinated in all sectors through an effective institutional mechanism that coordinates, uses a common database, allocates budgets, and monitors enforcement and impact." While national level advocacy is important to move national level commitments aligned to SDG goal 5, regional coalitions and partnerships play a central role to align efforts and resources at a regional level. Further, it enables strengthening the roll-out and implementation of a multi-sectoral response to urgently address gender-based violence with a particular focus on women and girls across this diverse region. Ruby Kholifah, Director, Asian Muslim Action Network, Indonesia, said, "One of the biggest obstacles in the implementation of regulations for women is about the social support and people awareness because there are some obstacles in the community relating to religious interpretation around violence against women. Some use religion to protect the perpetrators by claiming that beating wives is for "education". In 2017, we realized, there needs to be a strong transformation in the way religious leaders are involved in the agenda of ending GBV. Religious leaders should first listen to the voices of the victims. Especially in Indonesia, Islamic religious texts should be interpreted in reference to supporting women's rights." Another challenge faced by women's rights organizations is resourcing. As per Association for Women's Rights Development (AWID), despite new funding commitments made, women's rights organizations receive only 0.13% of the total Official Development Assistance and 0.4% of all gender-related aid. Gopika Bashi, Manager, Resourcing Feminist Movements, AWID, India, said, "People working in the field of Gender-based Violence struggle for resources. The annual median budget for 48% feminist organizers last year was USD 30000 or less. Resources are even lower for organizations led by women, girls, non-binary individuals, who have faced intersectional discrimination. In terms of data from the donor ecosystem, only 1% is committed to gender equality initiatives. There is restricted space for resourcing and funding feminist movements in Asia, especially India. Even in the past 3 years, it has been difficult for organizations working to end gender-based violence to find funding, to continue activities without facing criminalization as well as regulation of funding flows. The role of the private sector in the co-opting language of feminist movements should also be assessed." Breakthrough has been working on violence against women and girls for over two decades by focusing on prevention by transforming norms and narratives. The summit shed more light on learnings, best practices, strategies and tools to address, prevent, and respond GBV across spaces including domestic, private, public, workspaces in both the online and on-ground spaces. Breakthrough works towards making violence and discrimination against women and girls unacceptable. We change gender norms by working with adolescents and youth, their families, and their communities, as well as by using media campaigns, the arts and popular culture to build a more equal world around us and create a more enabling environment. This story is provided by PRNewswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PRNewswire) DISCLAIMER (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) New Delhi [India], March 7 (ANI/Target Media): India is a country where homeopathy is considered to be a national medical system and the market is growing at a rate of 25 percent every year, with more than 100 million people relying completely on this form of therapy for their health care. One name that beholds utmost value due to his outstanding oratory skills and a talent for motivational speaking in the field of Homeopathy is Dr Ambrish Vijayakar, the Managing Director of Predictive Homoeopathy. He beholds a chain of 35 clinics and has excelled in the field of treating psychiatric and behavioral diseases, pediatrics, auto-immunity, cardiovascular and birth abnormalities, neurodevelopmental disorders, and many other critical conditions with a desire to disseminate hope and positivity among his patients. Dr Ambrish Vijayakar has treated a variety of ailments in Vile Parle and Khar during the last 15 years. Every year, more than 150 doctors were trained under him, and the number continues to grow. Over 150 Homeopathy Colleges have invited him to come rouse understudies and show them the true and logical route of homeopathy. The renowned doctor has created an impeccable aura among his students, having prepped more than 5000 students of Homoeopathy in the last five years. He has been approached by international schools in the United States, Germany, Switzerland, Brazil, Serbia, and Thailand to give courses on Predictive Homeopathy. As a result, his brand has made waves in the realm of homeopathic sciences. Sharing his perspective towards the practice of Homeopathy in the country, Dr Ambrish Vijayakar exclaimed, "The notion of 'like cures like,' often known as the 'law of similars,' underpins homeopathy. Because it shares some of the key characteristics of indigenous old medicine, homeopathy is included under the umbrella department that is primarily aimed to establish and sustain Indian health systems. It has been recognized as one of the National Systems of Medicine and plays an important role in providing health care to a large number of people because it has blended so well into the country's roots and traditions." Considering his work in the field of homeopathy, the award of Trendsetter 2022 will be conferred to Dr Ambrish at the hands of the honorable Governor of Maharashtra- Shri Bhagat Singh Koshyari on February 24, 2022, at Raj Bhavan, Mumbai. It is done to honor, appreciate, and applaud Dr Ambrish's success for his remarkable contribution to (https://homoeopathy.com) Homeopathy. This medical prodigy was born into a family of famous medical specialists, and he began his journey with the intention of carrying on his father's mission of reaching out and assisting the most underprivileged and diversely abled children. He wishes to help people who have mental retardation, autism, Down syndrome, physical retardation, cerebral palsy, and other disabilities. He was born on December 21st, 1980, and he has always wanted to learn about the marvelous science of homeopathy. He received his early education at Mumbai's Dadar Parsee Youth Assembly High School, and then went on to Kirti College of Sciences. Dr Ambrish was never one to take his education for granted. He received his Bachelor of Homoeopathic Medicine Surgery degree from Virar Homeopathic Medical College in Mumbai in 2004 as a result of his interest in homeopathic studies. In 2009, he completed his M.D. in the same field at Kshirsagar Homoeopathic Medical College in Beed, Aurangabad district. Dr Ambrish drew inspiration from his surroundings as a child, growing up among notable medical professionals. Over the course of his academic years, he gained the precision required in the medical industry. Finally, in the year 2005, the man got down to business and put his skills to the test. His unwavering commitment and love for Homoeopathy have propelled him to prominence in the industry today. For the past seven years, Dr Ambrish has been giving his Predictive Homeopathy address throughout Germany. His goals are to make Predictive Homeopathy the therapy of choice for the general public. He is a founding trustee of HRDF (Homoeopathic Research and Development Foundation), whose tagline is "Hope for the Hopeless," and he has started this social media initiative for poor children with Predictive Homeopathy, which is funded by Dr Prafull Vijayakar. Besides being a medical genius, Dr Ambrish Vijayakar feels that Homeopathic Medicine is the way of the future. He wants to turn Predictive Homeopathy into a global corporation, with an International Research Institute in India to give homeopathy the respect it deserves. He wants to create knowledge among people so that their trust in homeopathic doctors may make homeopathy a futuristic science, carrying on his father's heritage of helping those in need. He aims to train as many homeopathic doctors as possible to become self-sufficient, educating them on the fundamental concepts of homeopathy in order to heal humanity's ills. This story is provided by Target Media. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/Target Media) DISCLAIMER (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) 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Highlighting the brand's offerings and key USPs, Mohit Jindal, CEO,EximAnything said, "At EximAnything, we first understand our client's shipping requirements and determine whether they need door-to-door shipping services, customs clearance, or both. If required, we prepare the bills of lading, organize forwarding services, customs clearance, and handle other red tape to give our customers a hassle-free experience." Jindal further added, "EximAnything is a secure platform where global exporters and importers connect and share information about their products and services. Our international trade experts handle all the red tape, documentation, clearance, other trade formalities and simplify the EXIM process for exporters & importers. With a provision of a mobile application alongside the website, makes it easily accessible for buyers and sellers." Understanding the highly competitive market, EximAnything provides efficient and economical warehousing solutions A reliable and robust supply chain partner, EximAnything's varied solutions can help one to substantially upscale their business. To know more, please visit the website of Eximanything Ecart Private Limited -(https://eximanything.com) This story is provided by SRV Media. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/SRV) DISCLAIMER (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) New Delhi [India], March 7 (ANI/PRNewswire): The most comprehensive book for freelancers ever written - Packed with proven freelance know-how, including advice from world-class experts like David Allen (Getting Things Done), Adam Grant (Give and Take), Austin Kleon (Show Your Work), and David H. Hansson (Remote: Office Not Required). The Freelance Way is THE business book for independent professionals. It presents the best available and fully up-to-date freelance know-how, compiled from hundreds of quality sources, including surveys, the latest market data, advice from world-class experts, as well as real-life experiences and stories from hundreds of professionals in different fields and countries, which makes the book highly relevant to freelancers worldwide. The contents of this volume cover all the basics and best practices for beginning freelancers, as well as advanced career strategies and tools for freelance veterans. There are practical tips for greater productivity, successful teamwork, smart pricing, powerful business negotiations, bulletproof personal finance, effective marketing, and much more. On the publication of the Indian edition, Robert Vlach, says, "India's digital economy is surging and the prospects of its knowledge workers along with it. Hence, I envision a future where Indian freelancers will work directly with clients from all over the world and keep all the profits. They know the language and have marketable skills; the only missing piece is the proven know-how for developing a truly independent freelance business." Sachin Sharma, Executive Editor, HarperCollins India, says: "The Freelance Way is the definitive book when professionals decide to go solo. In the post pandemic world, we have seen how people have embraced an independent, non-nine-to-five culture and explored a wonderful life outside of their regular jobs. For freelancers, this is the most interesting phase in history. Robert has written a phenomenal book that will serve as a lighthouse to the freelancing community." Print price: 499/- AUTHOR BIO Robert Vlach is a senior business consultant, specializing in supporting independent professionals and business owners. In 2005, he founded one of the largest national freelance communities in Europe, which is currently being expanded into Freelancing.eu. In 2012, he founded Europe's first think-tank for freelancers, which meets regularly in Prague and other cities as well as online. He has been holding freelancing courses for more than a decade and has consulted on over 300 business cases with individuals, startups, and companies. HarperCollins Publishers India is a subsidiary of HarperCollins Publishers. HarperCollins India publishes some of the finest writers from the Indian Subcontinent and around the world, publishing approximately 200 new books every year, with a print and digital catalogue of more than 2,000 titles across 10 imprints. Its authors have won almost every major literary award including the Man Booker Prize, JCB Prize, DSC Prize, New India Foundation Award, Atta Galatta Prize, Shakti Bhatt Prize, Gourmand Cookbook Award, Publishing Next Award, Tata Literature Live Award, Gaja Capital Business Book Prize, BICW Award, Sushila Devi Award, Prabha Khaitan Woman's Voice Award, Sahitya Akademi Award and the Crossword Book Award. HarperCollins India has been awarded the Publisher of the Year Award three times: at Publishing Next in 2015, and at Tata Literature Live! in 2016 and 2018. For more information, please write to Aman Arora at aman.arora@harpercollins.co.in This story is provided by PRNewswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PRNewswire) DISCLAIMER (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 7 (ANI/BusinessWire India): Infrastructure Law and Practice penned by Vismay P Shroff was recently launched on Amazon. For those associated with the field of Infrastructure activity and study, particularly lawyers, consultants and policy makers, this newly authored book offers a focused study into the landscape of the subject. The book also carries a foreward by Minister of Road Transport and Highways of India Shri Nitin Gadkari. The author is an established lawyer and he has highlighted the various rules and regulations associated with the Indian Infrastructure industry he intends the book to be a reference point for all the infrastructure & construction companies in India or global companies looking to expand in India. The book covers laws ranging from constitutional to environmental laws, among others. It also provides detailed insights on Government policies, schemes of law, and the business law side of infrastructure as a subject matter. Speaking about the book, Shroff, said, "I was drawn towards this topic as it is a subject which covers several disciplines and provides a unique opportunity for policy makers and concessionaires to collaborate and develop projects anew. I was keen to provide an easy-to-read, quick overview of the various subjects both local and global which concern this multifaceted space. I have written the book in a style that is engaging for non-lawyers and for lawyers and law students it is particularly instructive. Also, it was a great honour for me that Shri Gadkari Ji could take time out and write the foreward. This will give a whole new dimension to the book." Nitin Gadkari also spoke a few lines on the book and the author, "This book by Vismay P. Shroff, provides useful material on law and policy aspects of infrastructure in India and covers the large canvas of our complex laws and practice areas in an interesting manner. To Central & State Governments, professionals, practitioners, and students alike, the book will prove to be helpful and dependable as an immensely useful resource." Looking at India's exponential growth with the infrastructure space teeming with activity and the government as well as the private sector heavily investing in the creation of better infrastructure both in terms of its immediate quality and with an eye on its longevity, this book will prove to be a holy grail for companies associated in this sector. This title is Available online at (https://amzn.to/3MwOMzm) This story is provided by BusinessWire India. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/BusinessWire India) DISCLAIMER (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) New Delhi [India], March 7 (ANI/ATK): One of India's fastest growing firms, Rainbow - Shades of Jewellery is getting a global peak with the vision of the founder Hetal Gallani. The company offers a great selection and collections of Jewellery across franchise and stores in India. Speaking about the brand, founder Hetal Gallani says, "It's not about the product, it's about the emotions which we express through our brand. Starting from scratch, today whatever our company is achieving is all because of the endless efforts of our team and creativity merged with emotions into it. As it is said - Rome was not built in a day. The same way after taking experience and support from various brands we decided to outcome with something new and unique and add expressions into this industry from our work. This sets our company different from all the companies who are setting a global image of their brand. So In just a few years, we are now impacting several lives and families through our work. Hetal Gallani is an Indian jewellery designer with a passion for creating understated, elegant and versatile necklaces, earrings, rings and bracelets. Inspired by abstract art, architecture and the urban environment, she is actively involved in making hand crafted jewellery. With a design ethos of "beauty in simplicity", Hetal uses geometric shapes and clean lines to give her work a timeless aesthetic. The best part is everything she creates is made from recycled metals and meticulously crafted and finished. "I want to ensure that my jewellery lasts you a lifetime," she says. All her jewellery is handmade to order, so if you're thinking of buying one of her pieces as a gift, give yourself between one to two weeks. The whole idea of starting her own business has come from seeing her Grandfather Arjunkumar Gallani who runs his own business and doing social service since Hetal was a child. By seeing her grandfather do so much of social service, she has understood the importance of it and its need. She further added that even her father Kanwarlal Gallani has his own Electronics Business and has also been doing social service work from the past 20 years. Her company "Rainbow- Shades of jewellery" believes that jewellery being a product is moreover an outlet for "Expressions" and it's not entirely about the product, it's about the emotions which they express through their brand. Apart from making jewellery, she believes and does a lot of social service. During COVID19 when the world was suffering from a huge impact, Hetal has served the Nation by providing more than one Lakh community means to the people in need, Sanitaires to all orphanages, Medical kits to all the community centres with the support of 56 NGOs of the Nation. She further participated in building 100 Tribal marts for Gujarat, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh for improving the economical conditions of the people with United First and joined one million plantation movements in 15 States and 2 UT in India. Hetal believes that it is our moral responsibility to serve nation in need. Today also two times In a month she serves the Nation with all her capacity on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals 2030 of India. Her social contribution and services have also been blessed by several cabinet ministers and spiritual leaders of this Nation With a skilful mind and outstanding vision to leave a benchmark in the society, Hetal has joined hands with United First to work upon with all his experience on social projects contributing India towards United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030. Hetal is an example for the next generation and companies for her noble contribution towards humanity and scaling up her business to the next level. This story is provided by ATK. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/ATK) DISCLAIMER (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 7 (ANI/PRNewswire): Shinkan Edge, SHINKAN's advanced online proctoring technology, is an AI-powered tool that makes online assessments more credible than manually invigilated exams, in the classroom or online. This eliminates the need for human supervision and allows educational institutions and enterprises to conduct online exams without risk of misconduct. (https://shinkan.co.in) Shinkan joins forces with Bangalore's REVA University to create and develop an online exam proctoring platform. (https://shinkan.co.in) Shinkan's solution overcomes the flaws of human-invigilated exams and distinguishes the honest by making online exam proctoring credible, while allowing every educational institution to attain its full academic potential. The platform focuses on highlighting only the true positives that save the efforts of the administrators to again scrutinize the false positives. To take this to another step, (https://shinkan.co.in) Shinkan sets the honest apart by certifying the students when they clear their AI proctored examination without any malpractice. Professional online courses taken by a candidate, which is(https://shinkan.co.in) Shinkan administered and certified can genuinely add value to their profession. It is the first-ever platform that verifies and certifies the honesty in students during the examination. (https://shinkan.co.in/shinkan-edge/#edvantages) Shinkan's EDVANTAGES : The platform can beat more than 200 malpractice instances, the highest from any competition Deep analytics that concurrently analyses 25+ behavioral patterns for a pinpointed malpractice report This is the world's first online examination platform that will Verify as well as certify the accuracy of online examinations. It gives online Courses certificates' credibility thereby further strengthening all online certifications. The Platform saves time & effort for the exam controller by removing any false-positive red flags & reporting only true malpractice scenarios with its precise malpractice report Sunil Krishnamurthy, Founder of Shinkan said, "The need to ensure far superior online assessments compared with offline assessments led to our contribution in the realm of deep learning AI. The (https://shinkan.co.in) Shinkan algorithm combines supervised, unsupervised, and reinforcement machine learning. With thousands of hours of assessment content ingested into the (https://shinkan.co.in) Shinkan engine, we have been able to eliminate false positive fatigue to a very great extent to facilitate decision-making by the examiners. Training is key to ensuring the level of accuracy brought about by the engine. We at (https://shinkan.co.in) Shinkan realized it is best to have the educationists and the students involved in the implementation of an engine which is built for the students, by the students." Prof. Simha, Chief Mentor for AI from REVA University said, "(https://shinkan.co.in) Shinkan has developed its platform with state-of-the-art technologies in AI and security patterns observed across multiple domains. In addition to the existing approach, (https://shinkan.co.in) Shinkan brings multi-sensor fusion, multi-layered features, and deep domain knowledge to take the quality of assessment to the next level. The patent-pending deep learning and fuzzy logic models have been shown to perform well in real-world proctoring and assessment studies evidenced from the field testing." (https://shinkan.co.in) Shinkan not only promotes fair competition among the students but also reduces the cost of the institutions by eliminating the need for invigilators.(https://shinkan.co.in) Shinkan enables multiple teams and departments within organizations and universities to conduct online examinations in a secure manner, resulting in reliable and credible results. (https://shinkan.co.in) Shinkan is a firm believer in honesty and aims to not only protect but also to drive the future of online education. (https://shinkan.co.in/about-us) Shinkan We have envisioned a digital education world equal for all. However, until now, online proctoring services, have not been proven to be 100 percent credible. Academics all over the world are looking for solutions to one problem: How do we prevent mal-practices and conduct credible online proctored exams? This question began our journey, and thus Shinkan was born. We idealize a world without online academic malpractices. We are chasing a shift in the institute's perspectives towards remote online proctored exams. The aim is to support and facilitate honesty for the greater good. This story is provided by PRNewswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PRNewswire) DISCLAIMER (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) New Delhi [India], March 7 (ANI/NewsVoir): Sonalika Publications has been known to hold a firm belief in the importance of education to build a firm foundation for a better society and a brighter future. Sonalika Publications has focused on promoting inclusive education to reach every nook and corner of the country. They aim to bring out a variety of publications by introducing different genres, all with the motive to make learning interesting, by breaking the monotony. Sonalika Publications aim to make education accessible to all and hence, their mission is aligned with the simplification of the lessons to make them as easy and comprehensible as possible. Another stride in the direction of inclusivity Sonalika Publications has taken is by making publications bilingual, available in English as well as Hindi. Environment sustainability is another important aspect that Sonalika Publications highly reveres and they haven't left this stone unturned. All their books are made from recycled paper. This corroborates their ideals because they believe sustainability and knowledge to be two sides of the same coin. Lessons with an amalgamation of stories with interesting activities for the cognitive development of young minds is how they deliver the idea of active learning. Right from the first publication, Sonalika Publication has made sure to intrigue the minds of young readers, in a way that inspires them. Yet again, they are back with a new series, 'Tales of Different Tails' that captures other essential values - preserving your inner child and living a life full of fun. This series aims to capture the essence of childlike wonder in everyday life, especially during all the shenanigans in friendships. It aims to capture how curiosity coupled with playfulness is the perfect equation to capture the essence of the same. 'Tales of Different Tails' is a celebration of 'monkeyness' in our hearts, penned with love by a mother-son duo, of Annant Mittal and his mother, Surbhi Mittal. Surbhi Mittal, Director Sonalika Group CSR, says about Tales of Different Tails, "We believe, more than ever, in today's digital age that books have become more important and powerful as they carry stories rooted in our culture, moral values, and learning. The art of storytelling can be best done through characters and animals which children love and relate to. The values and spirit of "monkeyness" are what make Tales of Different Tails a wonderful read for children and adults alike as it brings out a child in all of us." Bringing books with ambition that makes sure to teach love, friendship, and trust, develop imagination, curiosity, and intelligence, Sonalika Publications celebrates the healthy growth of children. Sonalika Publications, will be coming up with more interesting topics to impart education is fun-filled way. This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir) DISCLAIMER (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The pictures are the latest additions to NASAs album Cities at Night, a collection of 180 top view pictures from across the world. (Photo by arrangement) Hyderabad: Astronauts from the International Space Station (ISS) shared a breathtaking picture depicting the citys evening lights in all their brilliance. People were wonderstruck by the picture, which clearly shows the city bordered by the outer ring road. The official Twitter handle of ISS on Saturday shared a bunch of pictures of several cities that were illuminated, including Cairo, Yanbu, Bangkok and Hyderabad, drawing huge response to the rare clicks. The pictures are the latest additions to NASAs album Cities at Night, a collection of 180 top view pictures from across the world. The city lights of Hyderabad, India, bordered by the Nehru outer ring, are pictured from the International Space Station as it orbited 261 miles above the south Asia subcontinent, was how the agency described the picture. The tweet drew a huge response from Hyderabadis, with many seemingly ecstatic. Hello from Hyderabad, India, commented one Kaushik, while many replied with smileys. However, it was not clear about the local time when the pictures were clicked on February 23. What was the time in Hyderabad when the pictures were clicked? (sic), asked one person. Municipal minister K.T. Rama Rao re-tweeted a post that shared the picture. Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 7 (ANI/PNN): Thermo Fisher Scientific introduced its latest generation of SeqStudio Flex Series Genetic Analyzer to enable customers' cutting-edge research in areas such as gene editing and infectious disease. Capillary Electrophoresis (CE), which enables Sanger sequencing and fragment analysis is an important tool for improving clinical research and advancing scientific discovery. The SeqStudio Flex Genetic Analyzer delivers the gold-standard quality of CE technology with accurate data and reliable performance. "At Thermo Fisher we strive to provide innovative and advanced products that meet the needs of our customers. The SeqStudio Flex Series Genetic Analyzers are designed keeping our customers in mind, offering a simplified, more efficient workflow, multiple applications and an exceptional level of accuracy to advance their research. The introduction of the product reaffirms our commitment to Innovation and our investments in CE technology expands our portfolio with the latest generation of innovative, mid-throughput genetic analyzers," said Amit Chopra, managing director, India, and South Asia, Thermo Fisher Scientific. The new mid-throughput genetic analyzer introduces design and technological advancements for enhanced flexibility, usability and connectivity. The instrument has increased plate capacity and may be loaded at any time without cancelling or waiting for a run to complete, improving sample throughput and walk-away capacity and scheduling flexibility. "With the increased plate capacity supported by design enhancements and simplified workflow, SeqStudio Flex Series Genetic Analyzers are highly capable of accelerating genomic research," added Kapil Sood, senior director, life sciences solutions, Thermo Fisher Scientific. The intuitive and flexible system comprising advanced Wi-Fi connectivity empowers remote plate set up and remote monitoring as well as facilitate streamlined data transfer, analysis, and scientific collaboration. The SeqStudio Flex Series Genetic Analyzer is the first CE-based instrument with remote servicing capabilities for faster issue resolution. To learn more about the Applied Biosystems SeqStudio Flex Series Genetic Analyzers, visit (https://www.thermofisher.com/in/en/home/life-science/sequencing/sanger-sequencing/genetic-analyzers/models/seqstudio-flex.html?cid=fl-seqstudioflex) *For research use only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures. Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. is the world leader in serving science, with annual revenue of approximately $40 billion. Our Mission is to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. Whether our customers are accelerating life sciences research, solving complex analytical challenges, increasing productivity in their laboratories, improving patient health through diagnostics or the development and manufacture of life-changing therapies, we are here to support them. Our global team of more than 100,000 colleagues delivers an unrivaled combination of innovative technologies, purchasing convenience and pharmaceutical services through our industry-leading brands, including Thermo Scientific, Applied Biosystems, Invitrogen, Fisher Scientific, Unity Lab Services, Patheon and PPD. For more information, please visit(https://www.thermofisher.com/in/en/home.html) This story is provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PNN) DISCLAIMER (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Many men are self-conscious about the likelihood of losing their hair, and rightfully so according to TheTrendSpotter, almost two-thirds of men will experience some form of hair thinning or hair loss by the age of 35. While some men opt to completely shave their heads, others are not quite ready to give up their locks just yet. There are several options available, and an increasingly popular one is a hair transplant procedure. Turkey is a very popular destination for those wishing to undergo the hair transplant procedure, however, the hair transplant market is growing on a global scale. The Insight Partners conducted market research to determine that the global hair transplant market was valued at 5,272.1 million U.S. dollars in 2017, and it is estimated that the valuation will reach 28,627.6 million U.S. dollars by 2025, as reported by BioSpace. Entrepreneur Hasan Suzer is leading the hair transplant industry in Turkey with his namesake medical clinic, SuzerMed. Suzer studied hotel management while in university, but interned at a healthcare company after graduation. The two go hand-in-hand, though hospitality and healthcare are both heavily client-focused, aiming to give each customer the best-possible care. Once Suzer joined the healthcare company, he was able to swiftly work his way up the ranks. Due to his ease of progression in the corporate world, Suzer realized that he wanted to do more, so he entered the lucrative industry of medical tourism when he merged his knowledge of hospitality and healthcare. I first began with an agency -- I was bringing clients to Turkey for different procedures with a focus on plastic surgery, reminisces Suzer. Then I decided to open the clinic, which is much more fulfilling since rather than simply directing the clients we are treating them. Suzers primary goal through his practice is to ensure each client endures a patient-friendly, luxurious and comfortable experience. Suzermed provides medical services including hair transplants and plastic surgery, working in tandem with two top-tier hospitals, Acbadem Atakent Hospital and Acbadem Altunizade Hospital. With patient care top-of-mind, each client receives transportation to-and-from the airport, along with a lavish stay at The Ritz Carlton, Istanbul. As for future plans for SuzerMed, Suzer says he hopes to expand within Turkey, and potentially in other countries with branches in various medical fields. Were also currently expanding into pharmaceuticals and into the field of medical supplies, explained Suzer. Follow along with all of Suzers travels on his Instagram, and keep up to date with SuzerMed here. Q1: Richard, why dont you start off by sharing what does Chinas fintech landscape looks like? Ans: >Most people in China dont use cash, instead they use payment platforms >People went cashless in China even before the Peoples Bank of China (PBOC) launched its for trials Q2: How long has China been experimenting with the digital currency, and what does the looks like in the pilot project?Ans:>Works to build the central bank started in 2014>Trials for the digital currency started in late-August of 2020>Shenzhen city first used the central bank digital currency (CBDC)>Even in 2022, most local retailers dont accept the (under-trial) digital currency in Shanghai>Around 250 million people have downloaded the app in 12 trial cities Q3: If I have understood you correctly, right now the CBBC, what it looks like, is essentially a payments wallet. Ans: >The central bank digital currency is design off Alipay and WeChat platforms > Alipay and WeChat use QR codes to make payments, where the money is stored in a bank or WeChat account >In case of central bank digital currency, the money is stored digitally on the phone Q4: One similarity between China and India is the existence of these fintech firms that have actually become quite big? So, what has been the impact of the CBDC on Alipay and WeChat? Have they lost out? Ans: >Amount of transaction carried out during the trial of central bank digital currency (CBDC) is low >No impact of CBDC on Alipay and WeChat for now >In the future, the system will impact Alipay and WeChat. But they will coexist in the payment ecosystem >People will have the choice of payment platforms, like choosing a credit card over other >Usage will increase if people get salaries in digital currencies >CBDC, Alipay, WeChat etc are going to be symbiotic in nature and will make big in China Q5: Where does crypto fit in all of these? Ans: > are banned in China >Cryptos will coexist with fiat currencies in India and other countries >If India builds a digital currency that can be transferred from one phone to another without a network (like NFC), it will be ground breaker >A central bank digital currency will be helpful in financial inclusion in India >Mobile technologies that allow offline payment offer tremendous benefits to rural population >Central bank digital currencies offer stability, unlike the volatility of cryptocurrencies Q6: You know, everybody is talking about how crypto itself might not be around for a while. Blockchain technology could form a part of digital currency. Is that the experience of China? Does Blockchain figure anywhere in the architecture? Ans: >Blockchain is unsuitable for big countries that need payment systems with high throughput and speed >Standard credit card network in the West operate between 50,000 to 70,000 transactions per second >During big shopping days in China, Alipay network exceeds 5,00,000 transactions per second >Fast Blockchain protocols exists, but none of them are bullet-proof for a central bank to build on now Q7: China has toyed with the idea of banning personal QR Codes. Why is this? Ans: >China banned personal QR codes that were used for business transactions >The concept is: If you are running a business, dont use your personal QR code for business purposes Q8: If we can zoom out a little, what does Chinas experiment with CBDC mean for its economy? And what does it mean for global trade? Ans: >Alipay and WeChat is doing a good job about making a payment for coffee >Chinas digital currency is about further digitisation of payments in the society, like paying salaries, business expenses etc Q9: What do you mean when you say that they were not designed to go? Ans: >Chinass Alipay and WeChat are not designed for companies to make salary payments to employees >Another use case of central bank digital currency is at the Dalian Commodity Exchange of China Ultra Clean today announced that it is establishing an Advanced Technology Cleaning Centre (ATCC) in Cavan. This investment represents a key milestone in UCTs global expansion plans supporting surging demand in the semiconductor industry. The Ireland ATCC will be part of UCTs Services division, which provides ultra-high purity tool chamber parts cleaning and coating, as well as micro-contamination analytical services to chip makers and equipment providers. Cavan will be UCTs 15th Services site and will primarily support Intel Corporation and other European-based customers. The project, which will create approximately 100 jobs when fully operational, is supported by the Irish Government through Irelands inward investment agency, IDA Ireland. Construction is advancing at the 57,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility located on the IDA Ireland Business & Technology Park at Killgarry, Cavan and is expected to be completed in the third quarter this year. Roles at the new facility will include engineering, manufacturing, facilities, on-site shipping and receiving, quality control, sales, and customer service positions. The site is expected to be operational in the third quarter 2022. Welcoming the announcement today, Tanaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation, Leo Varadkar said, "Im delighted to welcome Ultra Clean Holdings to Cavan, where the company will have a rich talent pool to choose from to fill these 100 new jobs. Semiconductor chips have become essential to our everyday lives and that dependence is only going to grow. This Advanced Technology Cleaning Centre is a really welcome addition to the thriving semiconductor industry here an industry which we are keen to expand further. I wish the team all the very best." President UCT Services, Bill Bentinck added, "As a worldwide leader in ultra-clean parts cleaning and analytics, we are proud to partner with IDA Ireland to expand our global footprint and advance our leading-edge technology. This state-of-the-art facility will enable us to better serve and deliver value to our European customer base and capitalize on longer-term growth opportunities." Source: www.businessworld.ie Commercial photographer Qin Xiao focuses his lens on the variety of overalls people have worn on the streets of Shanghai, as part of efforts to showcase the diverse dressing styles of city dwellers. For this series, his subjects are typically people in their work attire. The 34-year-old photographer has been engaged in street photography since 2011, and held several exhibitions on the theme of Senior Fashion Hub, a series on fashionable senior citizens. May 02, 2022 05:44 PM Sanjay asserted that the whole aim of the BJP was to develop the Old City as an ultra-modern city. DC Image HYDERABAD: BJP state president Bandi Sanjay Kumar on Sunday vowed to drive out the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) from Hyderabad and make the state a saffron bastion. He was addressing a convention of BJP functionaries from Hyderabad parliamentary constituency at Champapet. The convention was attended by Union minister G. Kishan Reddy, BJP floor leader in the Assembly T. Raja Singh, state BJP general secretaries D. Pradeep Kumar and Mantri Srinivas, vice-president Dr G. Manohan Reddy and others. Stating that the party had chosen Hyderabad constituency to declare a war against the divisive forces, Sanjay pooh-poohed talk that the Old City was an adda of the AIMIM. Despite the police cautioning us, we held a meeting at Charminar and showed our strength, he recalled. The BJP has the capacity to win four Assembly segments in Hyderabad. So, is it difficult to capture the Hyderabad MP seat, he asked. Once the BJP comes to power, we shall bring all those, who fled the old city fearing attacks from the MIM activists, back to their places and see that they get back their assets. We shall start the ghar wapsi from the Old City itself, he said. He asserted that the whole aim of the BJP was to develop the Old City as an ultra-modern city. On the other hand, the AIMIM wants to keep the Old City completely underdeveloped, though it hobnobs with the ruling party. The Old City doesnt have proper roads and drainage facilities, let alone metro rail connectivity, he criticised. Alleging that Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao was enacting a drama of entering national politics, Sanjay said he was under pressure from his family members to make his son K.T. Rama Rao the Chief Minister, as they realised that the TRS wont come to power again. In what seems to be a regular occurrence at this point, Mazda has announced a product stoppage anew at their Japanese factories this May. Photo: The Canadian Press TikTok has blocked its Russian users from posting new videos in response to the governments crackdown on what people and media outlets can say about Russia's war in Ukraine. The social media app that's popular with young people also on Sunday stopped showing Russians videos shared from elsewhere in the world, said spokesperson Hilary McQuaide. The action is likely to further isolate the country and its people after a growing number of multinational businesses have cut off Russia from vital financial services and technology products in response to Western economic sanctions and global outrage over the invasion of Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday intensified a crackdown on media outlets and individuals who fail to hew to the Kremlin line on the war, blocking Facebook and Twitter and signing into law a bill that criminalizes the intentional spreading of what Moscow deems to be fake reports. 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, TikTok said Sunday in a statement on Twitter. Our in-app messaging service will not be affected. McQuaide said 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. The safety of employees is our top priority, she said, adding that the company part of China-based tech company ByteDance didn't want to put either its Russian employees or users at risk of severe criminal penalties. The new legislation, quickly rubber-stamped by both houses of the Kremlin-controlled parliament and signed by Putin, imposes prison sentences of up to 15 years for those spreading information that goes against the Russian governments narrative on the war. Multiple news outlets have also said they would pause their work inside Russia to evaluate the situation. Russian authorities have repeatedly and falsely decried reports of Russian military setbacks or civilian deaths in Ukraine as fake news. State media outlets refer to Russias invasion of Ukraine as a special military operation rather than a war or an invasion. The law envisages sentences of up to three years or fines for spreading what authorities deem to be false news about the military, but the maximum punishment rises to 15 years for cases deemed to have led to severe consequences. The Elk Grove Aquatic Center when it reopened during the summer of 2020. Photo: The Canadian Press 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 A group of Quebec doctors have created a series of virtual training materials on life-saving procedures for Ukrainian health-care workers suddenly working in a war zone. Trauma surgeon Dr. Dan Deckelbaum, who is the surgical and procedural skills director at McGill University's Steinberg Centre for Simulation and Interactive Learning in Montreal, said the project was driven by Ukrainian physicians, who are now facing thousands of patients with life-threatening injuries. "These types of hostile environment are suddenly calling upon a significant number of health-care workers," he said. "This can play an important role in making sure the procedures are done to ones best ability." Deckelbaum's team recorded a series of video tutorials after he was contacted by colleagues in Ukraine when the conflict erupted at the end of February, he said. The multimedia content offers 10 technical videos and 10 lectures each between three and 20 minutes that teach basic life support techniques and emergency life-saving procedures that can be performed by non-surgeons, including chest tube insertion and airway ventilatory management. "If youre a cardiologist or dermatologist, you are a very good physician but you dont know how to take care of injuries, because that's not your area of expertise," Deckelbaum said. "What we have done with McGill University simulation centre is creating those videos of how to perform essential procedures for emergency and trauma care." The videos were filmed in a simulated operating room, translated from English to Ukrainian and delivered in less than 24 hours. Dr. Junko Tokuno, a thoracic surgeon who helped to film and edit the videos, has been working on developing similar virtual training for the past six months for medical students at McGill University. She said her experience allowed her to put together the content rapidly once the request came in. "In these situations, where many patients are in danger and for doctors, theres no time to refer to books, she said in an interview Sunday. Videos can show exactly how procedures need to be done, with audio and visual guidance." Tokuno said the videos are easy to distribute everywhere in Ukraine, "as long as they have secured electricity and internet." "There is a massive number of casualties and injuries every day, every moment," she said. "Resources are limited, the number of doctors who have experience with treatments for seriously injured patients is limited." "We wanted to instruct physicians to be able to save lives." Photo: The Canadian Press Russian forces intensified shelling of cities in Ukraine's center, north and south, a Ukrainian official said, as a second attempt to evacuate besieged civilians collapsed. With the Ukrainian leader urging his people to take to the streets to fight, Russian President Vladimir Putin shifted blame for the invasion, saying Moscow's 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. The attacks 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. 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, though that idea is complicated by logistical 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. The war, now in its 12th 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." 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 Russia's 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. 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. 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. "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. Photo: The Canadian Press Abdelrahman Elmady Dozens of Muslim Canadian organizations are urging the prime minister, public safety minister, and president of the Canada Border Services Agency to intervene on behalf of Egyptian refugee claimants in Vancouver. The Canadian Muslim Public Affairs Council says the refugee claims of Abdelrahman Elmady and four other Egyptian families were denied in Vancouver because of ties to the Freedom and Justice Party in their home country. The council says the families were deemed a security risk because of the party's connection to the Muslim Brotherhood, though neither group are listed as terrorist entities in Canada. The council issued an open letter to government officials alleging the decisions of the Vancouver CBSA officers are based in individual bias and Islamophobia, and are not consistent with the agency's decisions elsewhere in the country. The letter is signed by 12 national and 28 regional organizations, who call for immediate relief for those whose claims have been denied and for officials to issue pre-emptive instructions to CBSA officials in Vancouver to allow similar claims for protection to proceed. CBSA and the public safety minister did not immediately respond to a request for comment. More and more of us feel our voices are not being heard in our respective legislatures. For good reason. Most governments do not accurately reflect voters wishes. Most majority governments in this country are elected by a voter minority, courtesy of our archaic and unfair voting system, which manufactures majorities where none, in fact, exist. Most local representatives are elected by a minority of voters, leaving the majority who voted for other parties voiceless. Our current winner take all system might have been adequate in simpler times. It no longer serves our diverse population with its many different views and perspectives well. Those views must be represented in Parliament. That is how democracy is supposed to work. Let a randomly selected, representative and independent assembly of ordinary citizens study the issue of electoral reform and make a recommendation. In 2005, 58% of B.C. voters supported the recommendation of such a Citizens Assembly for a made-in-B.C. form of proportional representation. Unfortunately, the government of the day raised the bar to 60% because, one might cynically suggest, our current voting system prioritizes the interests of mainstream parties over those of voters. As the (recent truck) convoy (in Ottawa) has shown, our country is becoming more and more polarized, to the detriment of our democracy and us all. I do not want future generations to inherit a legacy of division and hate. I do not want Canada to follow in the footsteps of our southern neighbour. While electoral reform is not the only answer, it is a piece of the solution puzzle. Sue Young, Vernon, Fair Vote North Okanagan Shuswap In the preface to the second edition of Brave New World, Aldous Huxley said that anyone who wanted to establish a modern dictatorship would be advised to allow the population complete sexual freedom and freedom to take drugs, leaving everything else to the control of the dictatorship. In my gloomier moments, I can't help thinking that this is the condition at which we have arrived, though I know that gloom is not a perfect guide to reality. In France there is a projected law that would allow people to choose as their surname that of either their mother or their father, and for children to change sides, as it were, once they reached maturity, fixed for the purposes of this projected law at the age of 13. There was no widespread agitation in favor of such a law; rather it is a response to a feminist demand that surnames should be put on a basis of reality. Given that single parenthood is now commonplace, and that most children living in single-parent households live with their mothers rather than their fathers, the law if passed will result in the feminization or matriarchalization of surnames. After all, many if not most single mothers have no particular desire to immortalize the names of their inseminators. But even in two-parent families of what used to be the traditional kind, the new law could, and probably would, provoke conflict. If a child is free to choose his surname, it would find itself in a situation in which it would be obliged to do so. One can just imagine the scene: a parent asking a child whether it wants to take the name of Mummy or Daddy, thereby favoring the one and disfavoring the other. Taking the hyphenated names of both is only a temporary expedient, available to the first generation at most, for there must be a limit to the number of names anyone bears, even in the Spanish and Portuguese traditions. Besides, which should come first? And however mature or accepting the parents may be, however reasonable or forgiving, the worm of jealousy is bound to enter the fruit of their love for their children. To ask a child whether it prefers Mummy or Daddy is to stir a psychological hornets' nest. True, according to the proposed law, the choice must be made once and for all; for once a mature person aged 13 has made its choice, it is stuck with it for life, unless it later changes its name altogether, which at the moment is a long and difficult process not to be undertaken lightly. The new law does stipulate, however, that a mature person should be able to change his or her surname, usually to the mother's, by a very simple procedure, online in fact. The stipulations of the new law are not strictly logical, or at least consistent. If one is allowed to choose in the first place, why not be allowed to choose and choose again, as many times as one likes, so that sometimes one is Jones, the child of Mr. Jones, and sometimes one is Smith, the son of Ms. Smith, according to taste and circumstances? Of course, this might be a boon to those fleeing the law, who desire a different identity: One robs as Jones but is arrested and questioned as Smith. Tiny pressure groups, being monomaniacs, are therefore always fighting asymmetric wars: The subject of their monomania is all-important to them, but of marginal importance to everyone else. There are a couple of important points to be made. First, this is an instance of how, in modern democracies, the tail comes to wag the dog. This is happening with increasing frequency. A tiny pressure group exerts a huge influence on the legislature and legislation, like a panzer division slicing through the countryside with practically no serious opposition. Preemptive appeasement seems to be the main stance of the political class faced by such pressure groups: Not believing in anything much itself, except in its own survival, it is prepared to defend nothing, resist nothing, and fight for nothing. Tiny pressure groups, being monomaniacs, are therefore always fighting asymmetric wars: The subject of their monomania is all-important to them, but of marginal importance to everyone else. The pressure groups are like tiny insects making the life of a large beast intolerable. The easiest way to get rid of them is to give in to them and give them what they want. The second thing about the law is that it seems to extend the realm of choice, the assumption being that choice is always and everywhere an unmitigated blessing, and that nothing (for example a system of naming) must be accepted not because it is fully rational, or because it accords with everyone's deepest wishes, but simply because the acceptance of convention that is not obviously harmful in itself is a way of avoiding conflict. In some countries, people drive on the right, in others on the left. The one is not intrinsically better than the other, but to give people the choice, on the grounds that to do so would increase their freedom, would be silly, to put it no higher. The refusal to accept that some things are beyond our personal choice is gaining ground, as a kind of mad egotistical Prometheanism. A man in the Netherlands wanted to reduce his age by about twenty years in order to be able to attract younger women than he was able to do at his real age, and appealed to the courts to change his date of birth (after all, he still felt frisky). The court refused, but the request was no more absurd than that of the ability on request to change the sex on one's birth certificate, as is now possible in Britain, a falsification of history that out-Stalins Stalin, and would probably even have made old Josef Vissarionovich laugh at the absurdity of it. Apparently also, a man in Canada "identified" first as a woman and then as a wolf. As the advertising slogan puts it, be all you can be. Reality, however, is not so easily mocked. When the American mystic Margaret Fuller said that she accepted the universe, Thomas Carlyle is reported to have said, "By gad, you'd better." Now, of course, we have alternative universes. Russia gets recovery rolling ICR Research By Published 16 January 2022 As Russias economy returns to growth and the domestic construction sector saw a revival in 2021, the countrys cement industry looks set to prosper. Will cement producers be able to capitalise on these positive trends and increase capacity utilisation in the next few years? By Aleksei Semenov, GS-Expert LLC, Russia Despite the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, Russias economy has shown signs of recovery. In the 9M21 GDP grew by 4.6 per cent YoY, industrial production was up 6.3 per cent, fixed asset investment increased by 7.3 per cent (6M21) and real disposable income of the population advanced by 4.1 per cent. Construction returns to growth After two years of stagnation Russias building and construction industry showed rapid growth in 2021. According to official statistics data, the volume of construction output in Russia increased by six per cent YoY to RUB7151bn (US$96bn). In terms of construction markets, both the residential and non-residential segments performed well in 2021. Residential construction After several years of stagnation and a decline in residential construction in 2020 under the restrictive measures imposed in Russia due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 2021 saw a construction boom. In the 9M21 residential construction demonstrated 29.7 per cent growth when compared to the same period of the previous year (see Figure 2), to reach 62.7Mm2. At the same time, the commissioning of multi-apartment residential buildings increased by 19.2 per cent to 27.7Mm2 and the commissioning of individual residential buildings increased by 39.4 per cent to 35Mm2. The share of individual residential buildings in the construction structure was almost 56 per cent (48 per cent in 2020), which is a historical maximum. Looking forward, the growth in residential construction volumes is expected to continue. As of the beginning of December 2021, 9472 multi-apartment residential buildings with a total area of 98.3Mm2 were under construction. About 14 per cent of this volume is planned to be put into operation by the end of 2021, and about 66 per cent more in 2022-23. Moreover, in the short-term, it is clear that the growth in the volume of individual housing construction will continue. According to opinion polls conducted in September 2021, 25.6m Russian families want to move from a multi-apartment building to their own house, and 2.3m families plan to build their own house over the next five years. This will ensure the construction of an average of 460,000 individual residential buildings per year, which is 1.5 times higher than the current volume of individual housing construction. Non-residential construction The non-residential segment also saw rapid growth in 2021 (see Figure 2). In the 9M21 the total volume of non-residential construction advanced by 18.1 per cent YoY to 22Mm2. The key segments driving this expansion were commercial buildings (+41 per cent) and other non-residential buildings (+43 per cent). On the other hand, the commissioning of industrial buildings fell by seven per cent YoY, and commissioning of medical and healthcare buildings decreased by three per cent. In Moscow, the countrys largest office market, commissioning of new office buildings in the 9M21 doubled to 498,000m2 YoY, reflecting the booming segment. For the full year 2021, local analysts expect the commissioning of more than 640m2 of new offices 2.5 times more than in 2020. Financing of the construction sector Traditionally, the construction sector in Russia is financed mainly through debt. The growth of bank credits accelerated in 2021 (see Figure 3) and the volume of bank credits increased by 50 per cent YoY in the 9M21. Such high growth rates were largely due to an increase in the volume of lending by banks to residential construction projects. Meanwhile, the Russian mortgage market continued to exhibit strong growth in 2021. In the first 10 months of the year approximately 1.56m mortgage loans were issued, up 13 per cent YoY with a value of RUB4.54trn (an increase of 34 per cent YoY). In the full year 2021, the total value of mortgages is expected to have reached RUB5.5-5.6trn. Cement demand picks up and prospers in 2021 As construction activity in Russia increased, a steady expansion of cement demand resumed in 2021. Cement consumption in the country grew by 7.2 per cent to 60.4Mt in 2021. In terms of cement market segments, the offtake by the ready-mix concrete market grew by 15.5 per cent YoY in 2021, while the ready reinforced concrete products segment stepped up purchases by 8.9 per cent YoY. On the back of expanding demand, the average producer price of cement (excluding VAT and cost of delivery) increased by 4.8 per cent in the 9M21 compared to the equivalent period of 2020, reaching RUB3927/t (US$54/t). Shifts in cement production As in previous years, the Russian cement production base continued to supply 97-98 per cent of domestic demand. In 2021 output rose seven per cent YoY to 59.9Mt. The low rate of capacity utilisation and the characteristics of the Russian construction market have led to a relatively large share of the market being accounted for by Portland cement without mineral additives (corresponding to ~62.5 per cent of total production). The share of Portland cement with mineral additives was only 32 per cent. In terms of major shifts in the cement sector, there were three key events in 2021. Firstly, Sberbank sold eurocement Group Holding, the countrys largest cement producer. The company operates 16 plants, of which 13 are currently active with a total capacity of 45.9Mta. The group was sold for RUB161bn (US$2.2bn) to Mikhailovsky Combine of Building Materials, part of the holding smikom (former BaselCement) which, in addition to lime and aggregates, also operates two cement plants. The second important event in the Russian cement market was the commissioning of a new cement plant by Lasselsberger-owned cemix, which specialises in white cement production. The plant is located on the border of the Republic of Bashkortostan and the Chelyabinsk region (Southern Urals). The facility has a 200,000tpa capacity of high-quality white cement. Prior to this, Holcims 80,000tpa works in the Moscow region was Russias only white cement production facility. A further 110,000-130,000tpa of white cement was imported through sea ports in the south of the country, where the product mainly arrives from Turkey and Egypt. Therefore, the new white cement plant will significantly reduce dependence on imported white cement. In addition, by reducing the delivery distances, it will lower logistics costs for consumers in the Volga, Ural, Siberian and Far Eastern Federal Districts. Finally, Holcim decided to resume operations at its 2.2Mta Voskresnsky cement plant in the Moscow region. Mothballed since 2016, the plant is expected to restart production in 2023. Cement imports edge down Cement imports in 2021 fell by four per cent YoY to 1.55Mt. Belarus was the largest exporter to Russia, accounting for 71 per cent of cement imports. Kazakhstan followed by some distance with 17 per cent and much smaller shares were accounted for by Turkey (seven per cent) and other countries (five per cent in total). Cement exports expand On the other hand, Russian cement exports expanded by five per cent YoY to 1.36Mt.Kazakhstan remains the largest market (representing 66 per cent of exports), followed by Belarus with 23 per cent. In addition, Finland accounts for three per cent, Ukraine two per cent and other countries have an offtake equivalent to five per cent of total Russian cement exports. Outlook GS-Expert expects Russias cement market to continue its expansion, rising by 5-7 per cent YoY in 2022 to 63.4-64.6Mt. In addition, the average producer price of cement is forecast to grow by 5-8 per cent YoY. Market expansion is expected to be supported by the active development of housing construction activity and the implementation of large infrastructure projects funded by the government budget. However, the recent increase in mortgage lending rates and an increase in the cost of housing by 25 per cent or more in 2021 is anticipated to lead to a temporary decrease in demand in the primary market. This is not expected to affect the short-term plans of Russian developers, who began the construction of 43.6Mm2 of housing in 2021 1.6 times more than in 2020. The volume of new project launches exceeded the volume of housing commissioning by 15 per cent. As a result, the volume of housing under construction at the end of 2021 reached 96.4Mm2 , exceeding the previous years figure by 2.5 per cent. Honduras sees cement price increase 07 March 2022 The price of bag of cement in Honduras has edged up HNL10 in the last few days, making civil works and access to housing for the local population more expensive, according to La Tribuna. A 46kg bag of cement now costs HNL210, up from HNL200 last month, in the capital Tegucigalpas shops, said Silvio Larios, executive director of the Honduran construction chamber, CHICO. Published under Ed Sheeran has denied "borrowing" music from other artists. The 'Bad Habits' hitmaker took to the stand at the High Court in London on Monday (03.07.22) as part of a copyright claim over his 2017 hit 'Shape of You'. Ed is in a dispute with musicians Sami Chokri a grime artist who performs under the name Sami Switch - and Ross O'Donoghue, who allege that the track infringes "particular lines and phrases" from their song 'Oh Why', which was released in 2015. Barrister Andrew Sutcliffe QC, acting for the musical duo, claimed that Ed "borrows ideas and throws them into his songs, sometimes he will acknowledge it but sometimes he won't". Quizzed on the claims by his lawyer Ian Mill QC, Ed replied: "No. The examples he has been using are obviously famous artists, two of them are people I've made songs with." Ed, 31, also provided examples of when he's cleared aspects of songs with unknown artists, such as sampling a part of a track from 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' from an "unknown composer". The award-winning star said: "All those examples are not famous artists that we've cleared songs with and that's what I have to say on that." Ed insisted he was not aware of Sami before the song was written. However, it was claimed in court that the pair had both appeared in videos on Jamal Edwards' SBTV with the late entrepreneur also posting about Sami on Twitter. Ed responded by arguing that Jamal - who passed away last month, at the age of 31 - "championed lots and lots of artists" and "it wasn't like [he] watched every single video he uploaded". He said: "I followed him on Twitter - it doesn't mean I read everything he wrote." The trial is expected to continue for around three weeks. Revolutionary Sewer Installation Company Formed Signal Mountain natives and friends, Jack Kruesi, Phil Wagner and Will Henley, have started a new business. Engineered Underground Solutions is a sewer and wastewater installation company specializing in Plant-to-Plant Solutions. Mr. Kruesi was looking to develop a tract of land on Signal Mountain back in 2005. With a moratorium in place, it made things a little more difficult. One option was septic tanks and field lines, but he would only be able to have space for approximately 27 homes. He was determined to not cut all the excess trees that would need to be removed to make way for conventional field lines. Convinced there had to be a better way, his researching lead him to the Orenco Systems Company based out of Sutherlin, Or. Since 1981, the company is a worldwide provider of affordable and scalable wastewater solutions. Best in class and a US company, he was impressed with the scalability and the simplicity of the systems. Conceptually, you build a mini sewer plant on site then deed ownership to WWTA or the local Sewer Authority, they maintain it going forward. The system was approved for installation at Wild Ridge, and it has been a game changer, he said. Instead of 27 lots, Mr. Kruesi was able to increase his lots to 199. Better yet for the community, the environment, and the town of Signal Mountain, he was able to leave over half of the land as open space. This was the first system of its kind installed in Hamilton County, but it wont be the last. Price competitive with conventional field line systems, the return of the wastewater to the environment is non-chemically cleansed, providing a safer, more ecofriendly wastewater than conventional septic tank field line installation, said officials. When properly permitted and installed, these systems are understood and accepted by TDEC, the EPA and other appropriate regulatory agencies. Mr. Kruesi and Mr. Henley have worked with and installed these systems going back to 2008, providing the necessary experience to provide builder/developer solutions. Whether building 50 homes or have a commercial project, Engineered Underground Solutions can be of service. It will work with you thru its long-term associates, who design, coordinate, license and procure necessary materials and services. Then it will take over and oversee and install the entire system. The company has recently been certified by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation for the installation of Alternative Treatment Systems and Subsurface Drip Disposal. In addition, certification has been received by Orenco for designing Commercial AdvanTex which gives it the ability and experience to pull it all together and get the plant operational. A turnkey project manager and installer, the company is unique in SE Tennessee. An audit from the state Comptroller's Office says a Bradley County commissioner had a conflict of interest on a county job. The audit said a company owned by Commissioner Erica Davis got a subcontract on work that had been approved by the County Commission. Commissioner Davis said she does not believe it was a conflict. The Bradley Commission approved Berywood Landscaping to demolish three buildings at Lake Forest Middle School for $45,000. Berywood then subcontracted with Commissioner Davis's TriStar Enterprises to haul debris and topsoil from the site. Here is the audit report: On May 18, 2020, the Bradley County Commission approved a resolution authorizing the county mayor to enter into an agreement with Berywood Landscaping LLC (Berywood) for the demolition of three county buildings located at the Lake Forest Middle School. Berywood was acknowledged in the resolution as the low bidder for this project at $45,000. After entering a contract with Bradley County, Berywood later subcontracted with TriStar Enterprises (TriStar) to haul debris and topsoil from the Lake Forest site. TriStar is a trucking company owned and operated by Erica Davis, who is a member of the Bradley County Commission, and who voted to award the bid to Berywood. Ms. Davis stated that her company performed work on the Lake Forest Middle School property, and she provided auditors with three separate invoices sent to Berywood from TriStar totaling $23,422.50 for hauling services. These payments appear to violate the state conflict of interest statute, Section 12-4-101(b), Tennessee Code Annotated. This statute states that It is unlawful for any officer, committee member, director, or other person whose duty it is to vote for, let out, overlook, or in any manner to superintend any work or any contract in which anycountyshall or may be interested, to be indirectly interested in any such contract unless the officer publicly acknowledges such officer's interest. Indirectly interested means any contract in which the officer is interested but not directly so. This noncompliance with state statute is the result of a lack of management oversight. RECOMMENDATION County officials should review these payments and resolve the conflict of interest. MANAGEMENTS RESPONSE COMMISSIONER ERICA DAVIS The entire process, from the creation of the RFP, to the opening, selection, and awarding of bids is handled by the County Mayor. The Commissions only role is to authorize the Mayor to enter into a contract with the bidder that he selects. After the vote, and only a week prior to work starting on the project, TriStar was contacted by Berywood and asked to provide a quote for specific services, which were provided at a fair market rate. TriStar was later informed by Berywood that their quote had been accepted, and Berywood wished to utilize TriStar for hauling purposes. Work was performed per the request of the contractor, billed, and paid, all in a timely and professional manner. TriStars work was performed consistent with an expected, if not greater, standard and in a workmanlike manner. The assertion of potential conflict overlooks the fact that TriStar did not have a contract with the county, as they were providing services for specific work to be done at the time of the request. TriStar has provided all of the records of requested work, billings, and payment. Likewise, Erica Davis in her capacity as Commissioner had no duty to vote to select a contractor, or oversee the contract between Berywood and Bradley County. It was and remains public knowledge among county officials in Bradley County government that Erica Davis owns and operates TriStar Trucking LLC, and that her company was involved in hauling debris from the Lake Forest demolition site. At no time were any questions raised before, during or in subsequent meetings afterwards regarding the project. Bradley County nor the County technical advisors have a policy prohibiting the performance of the work which was done by a wonderful company and its employees. I have reviewed Attorney General Opinions and do not believe that my company, the county or Berywood have committed any wrong or engaged in any misconduct. AUDITORS COMMENT The Attorney Generals Office has opined on several occasions regarding conflict of interest statutes that persons who vote on budgets and appropriations superintend the contracts paid for by those budgets and appropriations. Therefore, we believe this is an indirect conflict of interest as defined by the governing statute. The South Pittsburg Area Revitalization Quest held its inaugural meeting in February of 2020. Little did they know that just a month after that meeting, a pandemic would close the world down. This did not halt their efforts, though, and since their inception the SPARQ board has been doing things to bring arts and culture to South Pittsburg. While area leaders are working to entice more industry into making the Sequatchie Valley their home, SPARQ is working to help cultivate South Pittsburgs social, economic, and cultural heritage in hopes of encouraging even more growth. Their hard work, community surveys and activities have resulted in a beautiful mural that transformed a dirty alleyway into an attractive work of art, inspired residents of the community to participate in arts activities, and created events to showcase and encourage talents that had previously been undiscovered. SPARQ is working hard to create a welcoming and engaged community that will encourage new businesses, development of artistic opportunities, and foster an environment that honors their towns heritage and that of all members of the community. They fulfill their community development plans through donations and successful grant applications. Some of those plans are focused on ways to utilize and develop the potential of the beautiful waterways to which South Pittsburg offers unique access. Other plans include creating trails and connections to regional hiking, biking and other recreation systems. The news and noticeable impacts of the groups efforts drew the attention of Meegan Burton, regent of the Judge David Campbell Chapter, NSDAR who submitted a nomination package in the fall for SPARQ to receive the NSDAR Community Service award. The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution is a non-profit, non-political, service organization whose members are vibrant, active women who are passionate about community service, preserving history, promoting patriotic education, as well as honoring and supporting those who serve our nation. DAR members come from a variety of backgrounds and interests, but all share a common bond of having an ancestor who helped contribute to securing the independence of the United States of America. As a Society, they also actively seek to recognize worthy individuals and organizations for outstanding voluntary service. After receiving approval from the Tennessee state society, Ms. Burton and other chapter members attended SPARQs latest community mixer to present the group with the NSDAR award for Outstanding Community Service in recognition of their hard work and dedication to South Pittsburg area. More information on SPARQ can be found by visiting www.sparqsp.org. Additional information about the DAR can be found by visiting www.dar.org and www.tndar.org/~davidcampbell/. The Trust for Public Land and the city of Red Bank on Monday announced that construction work had begun on the final phase of a new trail connecting White Oak Park to Stringers Ridge. This phase of the White Oak Connector will improve a multi-use gravel path linking the two public parks, providing greater access to all users. "The Trust for Public Land works to connect everyone to the outdoors, and we're thrilled to partner with the city of Red Bank on this project, said TPLs Tennessee State Director, Noel Durant. This effort has seen inspiring support from neighbors, local businesses, foundations, and our construction partners. Were grateful to the city of Red Bank for their support in making this trail possible. The White Oak Connector is the culmination of partnership that began more than a decade ago. In 2009, TPL partnered with Red Bank and Chattanooga residents to envision a shared public space and permanently protect the 100-acre Stringers Ridge Park. This one-mile trail corridor will complete the original footprint of Stringers Ridge and connect Red Banks largest park to one of the regions most accessible urban forests and trail networks. Construction began in 2020 with a local partner, the Southeast Conservation Corps, creating a single-track trail leading from Stringers Ridge towards White Oak Park. More than 700 Red Bank and Chattanooga residents will now live within a 10-minute walk from one of these parks. TPL is now leading the trails construction on the city of Red Banks behalf on city-owned property. The city of Red Bank assisted in assembling the property for the trail, while private donations are funding the construction, which will be managed by Tucker Build and is anticipated to last for two months. In the interest of safety, trail users are asked to refrain from using the corridor while construction is underway. Upon its completion, the city of Red Bank will own the White Oak Connector and local trail organizations will help with its maintenance. "This connector trail will be heavily used by runners, bikers, walkers, hikers and the community more generally, said Red Bank City Manager Martin Granum. It provides an amazing link from Red Bank into Chattanoogas North Shore and with a wonderful nature experience along the way. The underlying partnership between the Trust for Public Land and the city of Red Bank is an example of how great ideas come to life and the entire community benefits. This path is nothing short of a huge win for the entire community and, as a trail runner myself, I cant wait to incorporate it into my Little Debbie Ironman training runs. Australian professional wrestler The Smash Hit Joel Bateman comes to Red Bank as part of the ICW No Holds Barred events taking place at the TWE Arena Friday and Saturday. These pro wrestling events will stream live across the world on independentwrestling.tv. Since 2013, the Red Bank promotion TWE of Chattanooga has been hosting inclusive pro wrestling out of their purpose-fit arena. Since mid- 2021, TWE has partnered with ICW No Holds Barred out of New Jersey and combined, they have brought talent from all over the USA and beyond to Tennessee, which now includes Down Under. Joel Bateman is a 19-year-veteran wrestler and proud First Nations man from Melbourne, Australia. He said, "After spending so long locked down throughout the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia, watching so much of the world go by and carry on, I jumped at the first opportunity I got to come back to the United States and perform. The fans in Tennessee and TWE are some of the most passionate fans in the world, and the fact that I get to bring my unique style of pro wrestling to such an amazing audience humbles and motivates me. As international borders have largely been closed since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, deathmatch veteran Joel Bateman has chosen Chattanooga as the kick off point for his extensive United States tour. It will be the first time Bateman has performed in the U.S. since February 2013. In addition to Bateman, ICW American Deathmatch Champion Reed Bentley, with stars John Wayne Murdoch, Masha Slamovich, Eric Ryan and Brandon Kirk, will perform alongside Tennessee standouts Jaden Newman, Erron Wade, Derek Neal, M*E*R*C & Deathmatch Legend Tank in a showdown on both Friday and Saturday night. The show starts at 8 p.m. and tickets are available here. A paper on the ocean acidification research conducted by McCallie seniors Ian Bruntetz and Shrayen Daniel, in collaboration with Rachel Thayer of the Tennessee Aquarium and science teacher Dr. Karah Nazor, will be published in the March issue of the Journal of Invertebrate Zoology. Ian is a day student from Chattanooga and the son of Courtney Brunetz and Neil Brunetz. Shrayen is a day student from Chattanooga and the son of Biju and Nisha Daniel. The publication of their paper is the culmination of three and a half years of research, which was overseen by Dr. Nazor. For their project, they did three trials with nine tanks of Cassiopeia jellyfish (also called upside-down jellyfish because they spend most of their time resting on their backs). The students changed the PH level of the water in the tanks, then observed changes in the jellyfishes appearance and behavior and measured the pulses per minute and the size of the bell diameter of each. The students even worked through COVID and spent volunteer hours at the Tennessee Aquarium to continue their research. Once they gathered all the data, they sought help with data analysis from Cecelia Wigal, an engineering professor at UTC. The students determined that a higher acidity level in seawater causes a decrease in pulse rates and bell diameter in their jellyfish subjects. The paper was submitted to the journal last summer. After peer review, multiple revisions were required and even some of their data analysis had to be re-done. The expected publication date is March 2022. Article: "Severe seawater acidification causes a significant reduction in pulse rate, bell diameter, and acute deterioration in feeding apparatus in the scyphozoan medusa Cassiopeia sp." R. Thayer 1* , I.A. Brunetz 2 , S.J. Daniel 2 , C. M. Wigal 3 , K. E. Nazor 2* 1 Tennessee Aquarium,1 Broad Street, Chattanooga, TN 37402, U.S.A. 2 McCallie School, Scientific Research Program Biology, 500 Dodds Ave, Chattanooga TN 37405, U.S.A. 3 University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, College of Engineering and Computer Science, 615 McCallie Ave, Chattanooga, TN 37403, U.S.A. The Tennessee General Assembly has introduced Senate Bill 2566 and House Bill 1759 that requires each local board of education to adopt a bereavement leave policy that authorizes an employee three days of bereavement leave for the death of a member of the employee's immediate family. The legislation specifies that the adopted bereavement leave policy must authorize an employee one day of bereavement leave for the death of a member of the employee's family who is not immediate family. We are grateful to Senator Rusty Crowe and Chairman John Ragan for this necessary legislation for school employees. Grief is not a topic of in-depth discussion at most schools, districts, or even the state legislature. But it is a reality that all of us face at some point in our lives. Grief is not a state, but rather a process. If a family member has just passed away, work is probably the last thing on your mind. Fortunately, most organizations recognize that employees need time and space to grieve. It is important to realize that each individuals grief process is unique. Bereavement leave refers to the time off granted to employees who have recently experienced the death of a loved one. Taking bereavement leave does not count toward other forms of scheduled leave. If this pandemic has taught us anything, it is that life is precious and that the death of a loved one can happen at any point in time, often unexpectedly. The time around the loss of a loved one is challenging. Not only do you have to contend with overwhelming feelings of loss, but the practical challenges of arranging the funeral and the estate. It cannot be expected that you can work at your best at this time. According to Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) in 2018, the percentage of businesses offering paid bereavement leave currently stands at almost 90%. Whereas most districts may already offer some form of bereavement leave, this legislation offers clarity, consistency, and direction to provide a guideline that can be replicated statewide. In a mobile workforce such as education, this is much needed. An updated Bereavement policy is desperately needed by school employees across Tennessee. It will bring clarity and consistency to this process. This legislation brings awareness of the need surrounding grief and mental health. Educators can feel more confident in asserting their need to take time off during times when their families and themselves most desperately need it. We urge passage of Senate Bill 2566 and House Bill 1759. We know it will help educators statewide. As Dr. Laura Thompson, a grief expert points out, We are a quick-fix society yet healing is often a complex process that takes time. We cant rush grief, and trying to do so only seems to prolong it. This is common-sense legislation, with minimal cost and helps keep our educators feeling valued by schools and school districts. Professional Educators of Tennessee urges its passage by the Tennessee General Assembly. JC Bowman is the Executive Director of Professional Educators of Tennessee Kaylee Joslyn is the Member Services Coordinator of Professional Educators of Tennessee Robin Smith, who once headed the Hamilton County Republican Party and then the Tennessee Republican Party, was set to appear in a Nashville courtroom this afternoon to plead guilty to a federal charge. A criminal information against her was unveiled on Monday that charges her with one count of federal wire fraud in connection with a conspiracy involving former House Speaker Glen Casada. Afterward, she made her first appearance in Federal Court in Nashville before Judge Eli Richardson. She was allowed to remain out of jail with conditions, though the charge is a felony. She has stepped down from her House District 26 seat. She said in a resignation letter, "I want you to know that serving the great people of this district, and indeed, all of Tennessee, has truly been an honor. I have resigned with the deepest of humility and out of respect for the role of public service." The charge was filed 14 months after FBI agents raided her Hixson home, as well as legislative offices. The nine-page criminal information refers to Casada as Individual 1 and his former aide Cade Cothren as Individual 2. Authorities said in November 2019 that Cothren set up a firm called Phoenix Consulting that was said to be headed by Matthew Phoenix, which in fact was a fictitious name and the actual operator of the firm was Cothren. The firm was set up to get payments from a program in which legislators could use up to $3,000 each per year for mailings to constituents. Ms. Smith, who once ran a close race for the Third District Congressional seat, told legislators that Matthew Phoenix was an experienced political consultant. The fact that Cothren was actually running the company was concealed. Cothren set up the company in New Mexico and had correspondence sent to the New Mexico address forwarded to his home in Nashville. The information says Reps. Smith and Casada received kickbacks from Cothren for using their influence to get Phoenix Consulting approved as an official House vendor. A fake email account was set up for Matthew Phoenix. Cothren sent a W9 form to the House Speaker's Office that he signed Matthew Phoenix. Rep. Smith told Cothren in an email there was an upcoming situation with legislators that he "may have to assume the identity of Matthew again." Cothren replied, "Matthew reporting for duty!" Rep. Smith asked House officials why there seemed to be a problem with processing charges from Phoenix Solutions. She said she used Phoenix Solutions because of the quality of its work. In an email on April 2, 2020, Cothren told Casada and Smith the amounts they had earned from the venture and said "checks would be cut." The Smith share was $4,143.64. The information says Rep. Smith falsely told House colleagues that she did not make any money from Phoenix Solutions. In fact, she got two checks from Phoenix Solutions for over $12,000 each in December 2020. Hamilton County Republican Party officials said, "Today, we learned of the news about State Representative Robin Smith from the Tennessee Legislature. While the details are still unfolding, we are confident that residents of District 26 are in safe hands moving forward. "Robin has a long history with the Republican Party in Tennessee and has contributed to preserving our majority. We wish Robin and her family all the best. "We will continue talking about the issues District 26 citizens are facing like keeping CRT out of our schools and giving our citizens the best opportunity to provide for their families a better financial future." Click here for the criminal information. Since Moscow began its assault on Ukraine, Russian forces have killed thousands of civilians and destroyed homes, schools, broadcast towers, and even nuclear energy infrastructure. Despite acknowledging the rank illegality of Vladimir Putins most recent invasion of sovereign territory, the international community has been slow to hold Putin accountable due to a crippling dependence on Russian oil and natural gas. Just a few years ago, European countries initiated a dramatic shift to green energy, pushing domestic producers to prioritize renewable sources while importing natural gas to fill in the gaps. On the campaign trail, Biden vowed to similarly overhaul America's energy sector. During his first week in office, he made good on that promise, signing Executive Orders to cancel the Keystone XL pipeline, suspend drilling on federal land, and freeze new oil and gas leases. This proof of his commitment to a green agenda made environmental lobbyists cheer, but the radical policy shift decimated thousands of jobs and jeopardized any chance America had at maintaining energy independence. The resulting dependence on foreign oil and gas opened up huge vulnerabilities in our energy supply chains. Last year, the U.S. imported 672,000 barrels of oil a day from Russia, which amounts to about 8 percent of all oil imports. Not only does this make Russia the third largest supplier of crude oil to the U.S. but it also means that any policy action against Russia must be weighed against the potential ramifications for our trade relationship. Holding Putin to account for his invasion has the potential to constrain already short supplies of oil and push record-breaking prices at the pump even higher. The lefts climate fears have weakened our ability to challenge Russian aggression. Under President Trump, energy independence was a priority, and as a result, our nation was a global energy exporter. In contrast, Biden put green policies ahead of American interests. His aggressive focus on punishing the domestic oil industry gave Russia the upper hand at the expense of Americans and now, Ukrainians. Energy is the most powerful economic weapon we have against the new Axis of Evil, and as Russia pushes further into Ukraine, regaining control of our supply chains is the only way to neutralize Putin and cut off his revenue stream. If the left is serious about standing up to Moscow, they should support American-made energy. Last week, I sent Biden a letter laying out 12 steps to regain energy independence. Rather than continuing his play to appease environmentalists, Biden needs to stand up as the leader of the free world. Its time to stop funding Putins war by divesting from Russian energy and reauthorizing the Keystone Pipeline. America should not be bankrolling a corrupt, hostile government. Each barrel of oil that we buy from Russia is another dollar in Putins pocket that he will use to fund his war crimes. Until President Biden stops enabling Putin by prioritizing American energy independence, the new Axis of Evil will keep winning. Senator Marsha Blackburn The Officers and members of Bethel AME Church celebrated Pastor Alan "AJ" Holman, Sr. on Sunday for serving 45 years in the ministry. Rev. Holman has been the Pastor of Bethel for the past 13 years. Prior to being appointed to Bethel in Chattanooga, he has ministered in Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Georgia and Kentucky. Pastor Holman also received a proclamation from Mayor Tim Kelly. In lieu of gifts or recognition, Pastor Holman and his congregation honored one of their outstanding youth, Treyvon Smith. Treyvon is only 14 years old and does a tremendous job of providing service to the church and its ministries. Members and friends were encouraged to donate to Treyvon's cash app: $treyboutbands. There were members who attended live and many who took part by way of Zoom. Bethel AME Church is located 2000 Walker Ave. in Chattanooga. A standard, legal definition of a cold case does not exist. The definition of a cold case varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction across the United States of America. As a general rule, the Hamilton County District Attorney Offices Cold Case Unit defines a cold case as a homicide, missing persons, and unidentified remains case that has not been solved five years from the date of offense. Across Hamilton County, there are approximately 200 cold cases dating back to the mid 1970s. There are certainly more cold cases but adequate record keeping prohibits a more accurate list. In 2014, I announced the creation of the Cold Case Unit under the direction of the District Attorney General. Chattanooga Police Chief Fred Fletcher and Hamilton County Sheriff Jim Hammond supported the units creation and assigned a detective from their agency to the Cold Case Unit. The support remains today. Historically, law enforcement agency resources have been so compromised and limited that an authentic approach to solving cold cases was never sustainable. As an Assistant District Attorney, I saw the need for such a dedicated unit. I created the unit and its sole purpose and mission is to solve cold cases. The unit members are not pulled off their duties to investigate any other cases. Cold cases are their mission. With an established definition of cold cases and an established Cold Case Unit, a more pressing question emerges. Are cold cases a public safety issue? The answer is a resounding yes. Two hundred cold cases could easily mean 200 unidentified killers walking amongst us in Hamilton County. Solving cold cases can lead to the arrest and prosecution of living individuals. With the arrest and prosecution, one less killer can plague our citizens. With the advent of new technology such as genome sequencing and rapid familial relationship testing, more and more cold cases can be solved. The cold case issue is not unique to Hamilton County. It invades every community in the United States of America. In 1981, a lady disappeared from a 9th Street bar in downtown Chattanooga. Her family never saw or heard from her again. In September 1981, the body of a murdered female was found in the Georgia woods near the junction of Interstate 24 and Hwy 299. The victims identity was unknown for almost 40 years. In 2018, the Hamilton County District Attorney's Cold Case Unit worked with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Texas Rangers to further investigate the facts of this cold case. Cold Case Unit Supervisor Mike Mathis and an agent with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation traveled to Texas and interviewed a man by the name of Samuel Little. In precise detail, Little talked about picking a woman up from a downtown Chattanooga bar and then strangling her to death and dumping her somewhere off the interstate in north Georgia. Through additional investigative work, the woman was identified as Chattanoogan, Patricia Parker. After 39 years, the family learned what happened to their daughter, their mother. Samuel Little remained incarcerated until his recent death in prison. Without a dedicated Cold Case Unit working with other agencies, this killer would not have been identified and the remains off Interstate 24 would have remained unidentified. Little confessed to 93 murders becoming Americas most prolific serial killer. This is just one example of how Cold Case Units help address public safety issues. Each and every killer responsible for the 200 unsolved Hamilton County cold cases should be investigated and prosecuted. Without a dedicated Cold Case Unit, these killers remain free and their victims will be forgotten by a majority of society. Neal Pinkston District Attorney General 90 Day Fiance: Before the 90 Days Season 5 introduced the world to seven new couples as they navigate the waters of international relationships. Fans first rooted for Mike and Ximena, one of this seasons couples, as it seemed apparent Mike loved Ximena. Upon his arrival in her home country of Colombia, she met him at the airport with all smiles. However, their relationship quickly took a dip after Mikes first visit and subsequent proposal. Now, the reasoning behind Ximenas recent request for breast augmentation seems more transparent. Ximena | TLC Before the 90 Days star Ximena told Mike she no longer loved him in the Feb. 27, 2022 episode During Mikes first trip to Colombia to visit Ximena, things went pretty smoothly for the couple. Ximena introduced him to her family, including her two sons. The pair grew closer but experienced a few bumps in the road. Ximena had an issue with Mikes excessive gas and overall messy demeanor, but he promised her he could change. Before the end of the trip, the Before the 90 Days star proposed, and Ximena accepted. However, after Mike returned to his home in New York, he confessed to his father and grandfather that Ximenas attitude had changed. She suddenly didnt seem as affectionate. The biggest issue revolved around her request for Mike to pay for her breast augmentation. His father felt this was wrong on Ximenas part, but Mike wanted to get to the bottom of the issue. He quickly planned another trip to visit Ximena but realized she wasnt happy to see him once he arrived. One night, soon after he arrived, the couple enjoyed a night out together, but Mike left early to go home and go to bed. Ximena didnt come home until 9:00 a.m. the following day, which concerned Mike. The couple argued, and later in the episode, Ximena once again asked for Mike to pay for a breast augmentation surgery. She explained to producers she dreamed of becoming a model and felt plastic surgery would help her in the industry. RELATED: Before the 90 Days Season 5 Fans Suspect Johnny and Ella Dont Meet in Person This Season Fans think Ximena has a different type of modeling in mind Its not uncommon for Before the 90 Days stars and others within the 90 Day Fiance franchise to create subscriptions on racy profiles like OnlyFans. Several former stars make money with nude photos and images on similar sites. Before the 90 Days alum, Stephanie Matto has created her own version of OnlyFans. The site, named Unfiltrd, has a similar premise. People create subscriptions that fans pay for to gain access to sexually explicit photos and videos. One Redditor recently discovered Before the 90 Days star Ximenas profile on Unfiltrd, which now might explain her desire for bigger breasts. A fellow Reddit user commented, This must be the modeling she wanted to do. No wonder she needed bigger boobs. Another user chimed in, So, when she said she wanted to pursue modeling opportunities she really meant p***. I just hope she can pay back the loan shark before he repossesses the implants. I need time. Everything seemed to change after Mike and Ximena met in person #90DayFiance pic.twitter.com/x1Ab0kUVsd 90DayFiance (@90DayFiance) March 6, 2022 More episodes of Before the 90 Days still to air A few episodes of Before the 90 Days remain before the season finale. Fans can tune in on Sunday nights to watch the drama of all of the relationships unfold. The series also streams on discovery+. RELATED: Before the 90 Days Season 5 Jasmine Demands $2500 Island Getaway and for Gino to Set on Fire All the Stupid Things In His House Bella Hadid is one of the most successful and recognizable supermodels today. She and her sister Gigi Hadid have graced magazine covers and walked runways for prominent designers like Tom Ford, Tommy Hilfiger, Versace, and Marc Jacobs. The siblings represent luxury brands and travel the world with their beautiful friends and wealthy family. Bellas career might be thriving now, but shes come a long way. In 2014, she was arrested for driving under the influence. The DUI incident was captured from her mom Yolanda Hadids perspective on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Both Yolanda and Bella have Lyme disease, and their illness was connected to the scandal in a surprising way. Bella Hadids 2014 DUI arrest Model Bella Hadid attends a Vogue party in 2015 | Michael Stewart/Getty Images On July 22, 2014, an LA County sheriff arrested Bella in the early hours of the morning after she reportedly drove past a stop sign and nearly collided with his patrol car, according to Bustle. Following the incident, the police gave the 17-year-old a breathalyzer test, which she failed. Bella allegedly blew a .14 nearly twice Californias legal drinking limit. To make matters worse, the aspiring model was underage. Not only did Bella have a large amount of alcohol in her system, but it was also illegal for her to have access to it. David Foster, Bellas stepdad, picked her up when the police released her. Although the scandal wasnt a major one, the excuse she gave post-arrest upset many people. Bella blamed her diagnosis of Lyme disease for her reckless driving. However, many fans did not buy the excuse, failing to see the connection between the tick-borne illness and underage drinking. Some pointed out that Lyme disease wouldnt cause a false positive on a BAC test. At the time, rumors also swirled that Bella never had Lyme disease in the first place. As fans pointed out, her father Mohamed Hadid stated that his children, Anwar and Bella, had never had Lyme disease. However, sources close to the family clarified that the Jordanian-American real estate developer said his children were fine, not that theyd never received a diagnosis. Bellas mother, Yolanda Hadid, wasnt happy about her DUI The issue garnered media attention because Bellas mother, Yolanda, was a central cast member on the hit Bravo reality show The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. The news broke as she and other cast members filmed a vacation in Majorca, Spain. Yolanda expressed her disappointment in Bella. She was also upset because her father died in a car accident when she was seven years old. She felt her daughter knew better. In a Bravo blog about the incident, Yolanda disclosed that she took Bellas phone away as a consequence. The 17-year-old had to pay for her own lawyer bills from her savings. The court suspended Bellas license for a year and gave her six months of probation. Bella had to sell her car, complete 25 hours of community service, and attend 20 hours of AA meetings. Yolanda reiterated that Bella learned from her mistake. Now a supermodel, the 25-year-old has come a long way. As one of the highest-paid models in the world, she made some changes in her life. Bella Hadid reveals she no longer drinks alcohol .@bellahadid stunned fans last week by becoming one of the biggest names to hop on #DryJanuary. Read about why one of world's biggest #models is going without alcohol this month: https://t.co/v5WsaI068S pic.twitter.com/vfgYyb0kny L'OFFICIEL USA (@LOFFICIELUSA) January 18, 2022 Bella revealed that she started cutting back on alcohol in 2021, citing the beverages adverse effects on her body. She admitted that she loved alcohol. However, Bella said, It got to the point where even I started to, you know, cancel nights out that I felt like I wouldnt be able to control myself. Bella said she hated having horrible anxiety after drinking. The supermodels decision to quit alcohol also came after her doctor showed scans of her brain. This helped her understand how alcohol affects her brain. Since quitting alcohol, Bella has co-founded Kin Euphorics, which produces booze-free beverages containing a blend of botanicals, adaptogens, and nootropics. RELATED: Bella Hadid Opens Up About Mental Health, Says She Has Had Breakdowns and Burnouts Its official Min March. Sugas birthday is a few days away. As a result, ARMYs across the globe started celebrating their Lil Meow Meow, whether it be with streaming Daechwita or donating to different charities. Heres what we know about this BTS member and some of ARMYs birthday plans in 2022. Sugas birthday is March 9, 1993 BTS attends the 2019 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena | Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic for dcp Some fans know him as the grandpa of BTS. Suga is a rapper, songwriter, producer, and dancer. Still, this artist finds time to release solo music under the stage name Agust D. Suga (and fans) celebrate his birthday on March 9. Born in 1993, Suga is a member of BTS Hyung Line with members Jin, J-Hope, and RM. Still, the rapper has a close relationship with younger members of the K-pop group, even working on the 7Fates: CHAKHO soundtrack with Jungkook. Because he has a March 9 birth date, Sugas zodiac sign is Pisces. Hes the only BTS member with this sun sign. As the only BTS member with a March birthday, this month became known as Min March to many fans. ARMYs are streaming songs by Suga in honor of this BTS members birthday As with most BTS members, fans are already changing their Twitter profiles to match Sugas aesthetic. Some give away BTS merchandise in honor of the rapper, while others organize cafe celebrations. As an artist with several solo songs, ARMYs even set new streaming goals for Suga-created tracks. Theres even the Spotify playlist titled #YoongiBdayGoals2022 which features songs like My Universe Sugas Remix, Interlude: Shadow, and Agust Ds What Do You Think. In the past, BTS members posted well-wishes for this rapper on platforms like Twitter and Weverse. Now that these artists have individual Instagram accounts, ARMYs expect even more Suga-related content on March 9. ARMYs donated to non-profit organizations in honor of J-Hope and Sugas birthdays With J-Hopes birthday in February, some ARMYs combined birthday projects to honor the two idols. According to one Twitter user, the Hope for SOPE initiative partnered with Childhope Philippines to distribute toys and food to 100 street children around Ermita and Luneta. In honor of Suga, another ARMY on Twitter is raising money for Beautiful Mind Charity, a nonprofit that provides music education opportunities for young people. Suga himself is prone to donating to nonprofit organizations. In 2014, this artist donated beef to orphanages, giving money to the Korea Pediatric Cancer Foundation the following year. Suga gave money to the Black Lives Matter movement along with the other boy band members. The K-pop group also partnered with UNICEF for their Love Myself Campaign. To kickstart the birth month celebrations, Suga appeared on a live stream with fans, chatting about upcoming projects. Fans also noticed Sugas long hair, which may or may not appear at BTS upcoming Permission to Dance on Stage concerts in Seoul and Las Vegas. RELATED: How BTS Fans Are Celebrating Sugas Birthday in 2021 Anna Chlumsky was a week shy of her 11th birthday when she became famous as the spunky and likable Vada Sultenfuss in 1991 sobfest My Girl. Though the celebrated role pigeonholed her early on, the versatile actor has enjoyed a refreshing second act. As Chlumsky bounces from TV and arthouse roles to podcasts and more, the six-time Emmy nominee now has a surprising net worth and a career completely unique for Hollywood. Anna Chlumskys journey from 90s icon to now Inventing Anna star Anna Chlumsky | John Shearer/Getty Images Its hard to imagine My Girl in todays movie scene. Starring Chlumsky and already-famous Macaulay Culkin, the quirky comedy balanced romance and the realities of death, complete with Wonder Years vibes and a tragic finale that cemented its fame. While she returned alongside Dan Aykroyd and Jamie Curtis in 1994 for a poorly received sequel, Chlumsky would bounce around Hollywood for the rest of the 90s before taking a break from acting. According to ABC News, Chlumsky began attending the University of Chicago, intending to give up acting for good. Next, she worked as a fact-checker and briefly considered a government job partly because she was a fan of The West Wing. But Chlumsky crept back into the acting world after nearly a decade away. Far from a glamorous career restart, Chlumsky enrolled in acting school and performed for free in small theaters while reigniting her passion. After smaller roles, including a bit part on 30 Rock, Chlumsky turned the corner while co-starring alongside James Gandolfini in the 2009 film In the Loop, an acclaimed satire from Armando Iannucci (The Death of Stalin). Satire proved to be a good fit for Chlumsky. She soon joined the cast of the Iannucci-created Veep. Playing the droll assistant of Selina Meyer (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), Chlumsky racked up six Emmy nominations for the role. Soon, she found the door open to a wave of new acting opportunities. Anna Chlumsky co-stars in Inventing Anna The life experience Chlumsky brings to the set is clear when she discusses Inventing Anna. The recently released Netflix limited series follows con artist Anna Sorokin aka Anna Delvey as she scams wealthy New Yorkers. While Julia Garner plays Delvey, Chlumsky co-stars as the journalist and confidant who ended up with the inside scoop. Chlumsky told Today what drew her to the material, admitting she hadnt heard of Delvey before casting. Oh, its a 15 minutes of fame deal, she said, reflecting on the mistake people make when first looking at the main character. And thats a flash in the pan and people forget about that immediately. The fact that a public figure like her has had such longevityit is, I feel like a part of a, you know, a meta experience. Setting aside the criminal aspect, the parallels to Chlumskys own career are unmistakable. After bursting on the scene as a child, Chlumsky is more than a little familiar with the public spotlight. Celebrity Net Worth estimates her net worth at about $5 million. However, the number does little to tell the story of a talented actor reemerging into show business. Chlumsky juggles family life and a renewed acting career Chlumskys break from acting did more than just give her helpful real-life experience. While attending the University of Chicago, she met her future husband Shaun So. The Afghanistan veteran and entrepreneur had also worked in counterterrorism for the U.S. Army. According to a profile Chlumsky penned for Glamour, Sos deployment to Afghanistan helped her face her fears of rejection and return to acting. Shortly after So returned from service, in 2006, he proposed. The two wed in 2008 just as Chlumsky started to make headway in her old profession. According to Parade, the two have now been married for 14 years and have two daughters, Clara and Penelope. After being so limited in the roles she was offered as a child actor, Chlumsky has covered the spectrum during her comeback. Outside of TV and film roles, the 41-year-old has also participated in several podcast series. She worked alongside John Cena (The Peacemaker) in 64th Man and Kristen Bell (Frozen, The Good Place) in Deadly Manners. Chlumsky also recently finished shooting Whistler Camp, a feature about life in a gay-conversion camp. Whistler Camp is from first-time director John Logan, mostly known for writing blockbusters like Gladiator, The Aviator, and Skyfall. With production wrapped on Whistler Camp, you can expect to see Chlumsky back on the big screen later this year. RELATED: Inventing Anna: Where is Anna Sorokin (AKA Delvey) today? Omari Hardwick is opening up about the drama between his Power co-stars Curtis 50 Cent Jackson and Naturi Naughton. The two previously clashed over a shady Instagram post made by 50 Cent, in which he trolled Naughton over her looks. Hardwick recalled Naughton being really upset with 50 over what hed said and stepping in to help diffuse the situation. Omari Hardwick and Naturi Naughton | Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for STARZ What happened between 50 Cent and Naturi Naughton The saga started in 2019, when the rapper, seemingly out of nowhere, shared a meme on the Internet making fun of Naughtons appearance. He would later apologize for his comments after facing swift backlash from the public, including Naughton, who called him mean. She further discussed her feelings to Page Six, but noted that she had already moved on. He knew what he did was shady and apologized for it, she told the outlet of the situation. He realized it wasnt the nicest thing to do. I accepted his apology, Ive moved on. RELATED: 50 Cent Just Shared Behind the Scenes Footage From the Entire Power Universe Omari Hardwick revealed his reaction to 50 Cent trolling Naturi Naughton Speaking on the podcast Peoples Party with Talib Kweli, Hardwick admitted he was surprised to hear what had unfolded between his co-stars. I was in South Africa [at the time] and she called really upset about it, he said of Naughton. And it was really a moment, and I had to catch up with it because I didnt catch it. So she brought it to my attention. Was it a desire for me to reach out to 50? I dont know, he continued. But as a brother and Ill always consider myself a brother to him I said, 5 And he said, Oh, you know I just be having fun. And I know, 50 will take shots at me sometimes, but Im just made a bit different. And I dont want Naturi to feel I know 50 loves Omari. I dont know if 50 always likes me, I know 50 loves me. And thats enough for me. So I think for her, I was just trying to remind her that he loves [her], he added. Hardwick said he always gives grace and mercy to 50 Cent because of the trauma of his past. I always give grace and mercy for him being hurt and then in remembering that hes hurt, then I remember that hurt people hurt people, he noted. But at the same time, he always will stand up for people in such situations. Showbiz Cheat Sheet reached out to representatives for both 50 Cent and Naughton for comment on Hardwicks remarks but did not immediately hear back. Omari Hardwick on his future with the Power shows Power would eventually end its six-season run in 2020, with the death of Hardwicks character James Ghost St. Patrick. However, it birthed several spinoffs, starting with Power Book II: Ghost. Released in August of 2020, the show is the second chapter of the story and centers his son Tariq St. Patrick in the aftermath of Ghosts death. It features few original characters outside of Michael Rainey Jr. (Tariq St. Patrick), but sometimes, familiar faces pop up. Ghosts death obviously rules him out of returning in that way, but Hardwick has said hed be open to the idea of coming back to the role in ghost form. Hell, you name the guy Ghost and so theres always, to me, a possibility of being just that, he told the podcast Higher Learning With Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay. He continued: I would come back but perhaps in a spinoff just in a space to give leverage to the show to go, OK, Ghost is speaking to Tariq, but we know hes not actually there. OK, Ghost is in Tommys head, but is he really there? You know, just leaving that mystique. But Id always be open [to coming back]. [Power] changed my life. Maybe one day we could have all three of them back for a scene together. That would be epic. RELATED: Power Book II: Ghost: Naturi Naughton on the Chance of More Tasha Cameos In 2020, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle moved to the United States and established a private life away from the royal family. Since then, Harry has returned to the United Kingdom twice, though Meghan has not returned at all. According to a royal expert, if the couple would like to visit the U.K. in the near future, they should try to not steal the spotlight from other royals. Meghan Markle and Prince Harry | Saeed Khan/AFP via Getty Images Prince Harry and Meghan Markle could return to the U.K. in the near future There are some speculations that Harry and Meghan could make at least one trip to the U.K. in the near future. In April, there will be a special memorial for Harrys grandfather, the late Prince Philip. Harry did attend the Duke of Edinburghs funeral in April 2021, just weeks after the Sussexes infamous Oprah Winfrey interview aired. Then, in June, there will be a Platinum Jubilee celebration in honor of Queen Elizabeths 70th year on the throne. The Sussexes should not steal the limelight during their visit to the U.K., expert says RELATED: Meghan Markle Reportedly No Longer Cares About the British Publics Opinion of Her, Royal Author Says According to royal expert Jonathan Sacerdoti, Harry and Meghan typically attract a lot of attention everywhere they go. As such, they could outshine other royals if they attend events in the U.K. But I do still say that if they could come back and if they could not be front and center, keep it quiet but just come back to help celebrate this milestone not just for the Queen but for the whole country and for British history, then that will probably be very nice and it might rehabilitate them somewhat towards the British people, Sacerdoti told Us Weekly. He added, But I dont really think thats their style anymore. They dont like to do things quietly. They dont like someone else to be the center of attention when theyre around. I think that where Harry and Meghan go, its the Harry and Meghan Show. And I think that means it probably would be better if they didnt come and steal the limelight from the queen. Some people do not think Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will return There have been speculations about Harry and Meghan returning to the U.K. that did not come to pass. For example, every Christmas, royal fans hope for the couple to join Harrys family in celebrating the holiday in Sandringham. After Harry and Meghan welcomed their second child in June 2021, there were murmurs about the couple bringing their children to see family in the U.K. As such, some people believe Harry and Meghan would, once again, not visit the U.K. anytime soon. According to author Tom Bower, Harry cant face his family, especially when he is releasing a memoir later this year that could potentially include negative stories about other royals. 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 told Closer. 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. RELATED: Camilla Parker Bowles Has Been Suspicious About Meghan Markle From the Outset, Royal Author Says Fans watching Clayton Echard lead in The Bachelor know something bigs about to happen with his final three women. Clayton chose Rachel Recchia, Susie Evans, and Gabby Windey as his top three women to potentially go to the Fantasy Suites with. But first on The Bachelor 2022 schedule is the Women Tell All. What time is The Bachelor Women Tell All, and when do the Fantasy Suites air? Clayton Echard with Gabby, Rachel, and Susie on The Bachelor | Craig Sjodin via Getty Images Prior to The Bachelor Women Tell All, Clayton Echard had to make his most difficult decision yet. After going on hometowns with four of his contestants Rachel, Susie, Gabby, and Serene Russell, he sent Serene home. This shocked many fans, and Clayton seemed upset as well. But now, he has more difficult decisions to come. Before Clayton sends any more of his contestants home, the eliminated women return to face Clayton one more time at the Women Tell All. So, when does the Women Tell All air? According to The Bachelor 2022 schedule listed on ABC, the special airs on Monday, March 7, 2022, at 8 p.m. EST on ABC. The Women Tell All goes until 10:01 p.m. EST. How can fans watch the Women Tell All? Is Clayton done being #TheBachelor? Tune in to the shocking two-night event starting TONIGHT at 8/7c on ABC to find out. Stream on Hulu pic.twitter.com/7lCEj1VgJU The Bachelor (@BachelorABC) March 7, 2022 Fans hoping to catch The Bachelor Women Tell All have multiple ways to watch the episode. Syracuse.com notes the episode is available to live stream on ABC.com/watch-live or via the ABC app for those with a cable provider. Additionally, fuboTV, DirecTV Stream, Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, and Sling all will have the episode available to stream as it airs live. All of these services except DirecTV have free trials. Viewers who dont mind watching the Women Tell All a day later can catch it with a regular Hulu subscription. So far, The Bachelor Instagram has posted plenty of juicy content showing fans whats to come when the eliminated women face Clayton. The villainous Shanae Ankney returns and seemingly gets booed by her fellow cast members. And Clayton also admits to making a lot of mistakes. It seems likely hell discuss what went down with Shanae and also speak to Serene about her devastating elimination after hometowns. When do Fantasy Suites begin airing? If you think you know what's coming next, think again. pic.twitter.com/OObNCaRj6A The Bachelor (@BachelorABC) March 6, 2022 After the Women Tell All, when do Fantasy Suites begin airing? According to The Bachelor 2022 schedule, Fantasy Suites air Tuesday, March 8, 2022, at 8 p.m. EST on ABC. The episode lasts two hours until 10:01 p.m. EST. Clayton and the three remaining ladies travel to Iceland, where they each enjoy passionate dates, the episode synopsis reads. Fans keeping up with The Bachelor so far know the Fantasy Suites get messy. Another preview on Instagram shows Clayton saying he slept with both women though its unclear which two final women hes speaking about. Then, Susie says she cant compromise on a certain situation likely related to Clayton having sex with other women on his Fantasy Suites dates. She just completely destroyed me, Clayton seemingly tells a producer. My hearts not in it anymore. My hearts out. Were excited to see how it all begins to unfold starting on March 7 at 8 p.m. EST on ABC with The Bachelor Women Tell All. Check out Showbiz Cheat Sheet on Facebook! RELATED: The Bachelor Fans Think Production is Giving Susie Evans the Bachelorette Edit on Clayton Echards Season The Young and the Restless Michael Baldwin (Christian LeBlanc) is an iconic character. For the past three decades, the reformed villainous lawyer has been a leading man. Hes now found himself in a dangerous situation, which has led to speculation the character and his portrayer are leaving. Christian LeBlanc I Leon Bennett/Getty Images The Young and the Restless star Christian LeBlanc has played Michael Baldwin for 30 years LeBlanc celebrated his 30th anniversary playing Michael on The Young and the Restless in January. LeBlanc started playing the character in 1991, and Michael became a villain fans loved to hate. After breaking into Christine Blairs (Lauralee Bell) apartment to attack her, Michael is arrested and sent to prison in 1993. The man behind Michael Baldwin would like the #YR fans for 30 years of support. Here's to many more @CJLeBlanc pic.twitter.com/e0IDQ43ZJR Young and Restless (@YandR_CBS) January 10, 2022 RELATED: The Young and the Restless: Lauren and Michaels Marriage in Trouble However, in 1997, Michael made his unexpected return. The character underwent a redemption arc which saw him become one of Genoa Citys prominent citizens. LeBlancs performances have won him three Daytime Emmys and veteran status on the soap opera. Yet, Michaels current storyline has sparked concern about LeBlancs status with the show. Michael Baldwins disappearance leads to speculation on actors exit Speculation about LeBlancs status with The Young and the Restless increases after Michaels trip to Peru. Although Michael plans to retire, he cant resist Victor Newmans (Eric Braden) job offer. His task included digging up dirt on Victors son-in-law Ashland Locke (Robert Newman). Michael hit paydirt with the information he learned. As predicted, Ashlands faking his illness, and the Peru clinic where he receives his treatments is funded by him. Yet, Michaels research may cost him his life. According to Soaps.com, Lauren Fenmore (Tracey E. Bregman) panics when she learns Michael has gone missing. While Lauren seeks answers about her husbands disappearance, fans wonder if the storyline means LeBlanc is leaving. The Young and the Restless fans wonder if theyve seen the last of Michael The Young and the Restless fans wonder if LeBlanc is exiting the show with Michael missing. On a Reddit thread, fans speculated whether he was leaving. Do we think Michael Baldwin is dead? I hope this isnt a spoiler. Im just curious if his character is leaving the show? asked one viewer. Is Michael in danger? It seems like we could have a kidnap storyline related to this, another commenter chimed in. Today on #YR, Michael's investigation confirms Victor's suspicions, and Billy begins a new venture. Watch all-new episodes of The Young and the Restless on @paramountplus: https://t.co/BBF1sKE47x pic.twitter.com/Q8CndvtWns Young and Restless (@YandR_CBS) February 23, 2022 Michaels disappearance comes at the hands of Ashland. Upon learning Michael was on his trail, Ashland panicked. However, his fear diminished when a Peru contact said he took care of Michael. LeBlanc and the show have been quiet about his status, so viewers will have to wait and see how the storyline unfolds. Will Michael be rescued and reunited with his family? Or will he become a victim in Victor and Ashlands war? RELATED: The Young and the Restless: 5 Character Deaths That Left Fans Weepy Due to a regular surface structure on the mussel "Adamussium colbecki" ice adheres to it only very weakly and can be easily washed away by currents. A team of scientists led by Konrad Meister, professor at the University of Alaska Southeast and group leader at the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, has now studied an Antarctic scallop species that opposes the icing process with the help of its shell surface. Due to their special structure, thin layers of ice adhere poorly and are easily washed away by the flow. The discovery could help in the development of ice-free bionic surfaces in the long term. Antarctic waters have conditions in which objects and living creatures can freeze even under water. This is a major problem for marine travel in polar regions. So-called supercooled water has a temperature just below the freezing point. Due to the high salt content, water in Antarctica has a freezing point of about -1.9 C, but is about 0.05 C colder. The smallest disturbances such as grains of sand or surfaces can cause this supercooled water to freeze - with sometimes fatal consequences for creatures that cannot survive frozen. The Antarctic scallop "Adamussium colbecki" resists this, as chemist Konrad Meister knows. Meister is a professor at the University of Alaska and heads a research group in Mischa Bonn's department at the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research (MPI-P) in Mainz. During an expedition in Antarctica, divers drew his attention to the scallop with the efficient ice protection mechanism. "Our divers reported that they had never observed large-scale ice on the surface of this native scallop species," Meister says. The international research team, consisting of members of several MPI-P research groups as well as the University of Oregon, suspects that the scallop species developed a special surface structure during evolution that protects it from icing. While scallops in warmer regions have disordered or smooth shell surfaces, the Antarctic species has a microscopic, very regular structure. The microscope reveals small ridges that run in a radiating pattern on their shell. These ridges ensure that water freezes preferentially there. If the freezing process continues, a continuous layer of ice forms, resting only on the ridges. Due to the low adhesion between ice and shell, the smallest underwater flow can therefore wash off the ice again and the scallop does not freeze. In addition to microscope studies, the research team also conducted icing experiments with the Antarctic and with a scallop from warmer regions. It was found that far less force is needed to remove the ice layer on the Antarctic scallop than for the other species. "It is exciting how evolution has obviously given this scallop an advantage," says Konrad Meister. "New technological applications based on the principle of bionics are conceivable from the knowledge of the ice-free shell. For example, non-icing surfaces could be highly interesting for polar shipping." In this May 4, 2016 photo, Klandre Willie, left, and her mother, Jaycelyn Blackie, participate in a candlelight vigil in Lower Fruitland, New Mexico, for Ashlynne Mike, who was abducted and left to die in a remote spot on the Navajo Nation. Members of a congressional panel focused on civil rights and liberties shared sobering statistics Thursday, March 3, 2022, on the disproportionate number of Indigenous, Black and other minority women and girls who are missing in the United States, saying more needs to be done to tackle the problem. China's defense budget growth justified as restrained amid foreign media hype By Liu Xuanzun (Global Times) 08:42, March 07, 2022 China's defense budget Graphic: Deng Zijun/GT China's 7.1 percent increase to its defense budget in 2022 is a restrained move that aims to safeguard the country's national sovereignty, territorial integrity, security and development interests, as well as to provide public security goods to the world, experts said on Sunday, in response to Western media's one-sided interpretation that hypes the military spending plan being the fastest increase since 2019 and outpaces the country's GDP growth target. The figure, which would see the Chinese military receiving a total of 1.45 trillion yuan ($230 billion) funding in 2022, was revealed on Saturday in a draft budget report releasedat the opening of the fifth session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC), the country's top legislature. Despite admitting that China has kept its defense budget increase to single-digit for seven consecutive years, foreign media reports, like those by Reuters and Bloomberg, hyped the increase at being the fastest pace since the 7.5 percent proposed for 2019, and comes in above the targeted slower economic growth of around 5.5 percent. By focusing only on the figures without giving more context, the Western media is merely attempting to vilify China's military spending increase and hype the "China military threat" theory, said experts reached by the Global Times on Sunday. When looking backat China's previous defense budgets, the growth rates since 2016 have always been more than 7 percent before the COVID-19 pandemic, and 2022's 7.1 percent is still lower than the average figure between 2016 and 2022, which is more than 7.2 percent, analysts said. A major reason why the growth rates dropped below 7 percent in 2020 and 2021 was due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the economy, analysts said, noting that a military spending increase of around 7 percent is normal and steady, and although 7.1 percent is the highest in the past three years, it is nothing to be surprised about. When it comes to the defense budget's relation to GDP, observers pointed out that China's GDP saw a whopping 8.1 percent growth in 2021,reaching 114.37 trillion yuan. If China reaches its GDP growth target of 5.5 percent this year, the GDP would be about 120.66 trillion yuan in 2022. With China planning to spend 1.45 trillion yuan on national defense, the defense budget would only take 1.2 percent of its total GDP, and this figure is even lower than the 1.3 percent projected over the past few years. By comparison, the world average for military expenditure/GDP ratio in 2020 is nearly 2.4 percent, twice as high as China, according to data of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). This figure for the US, which spends almost four times as much as China, is 3.7 percent, according to the SIPRI. US President Joe Biden is expected to ask the US Congress for a defense budget exceeding $770 billion for the next fiscal year, Reuters reported on February 17. So, China's defense budget increase in 2022 is not high at all, and should be considered very restrained, Fu Qianshao, a Chinese military expert, told the Global Times. Those who question China's defense budget hike should first question that of the US, Fu said. Judging from the low military expenditure/GDP ratio of China, the country is still focusing on economic development and livelihoods, Fu said, noting that to have a stable economic development, China needs to have a stable security environment, and that is why a strong national defense is needed. Back when China's reform and opening-up first started in the late 1970s, China prioritized economic development over military development, and even when the country's economy really took off, its defense budget growth stalled, a retired officer who served in the People's Liberation Army (PLA) during that time told the Global Times on Sunday, requesting anonymity. Today's military development is making up for what was lost, and it is vital to have a military strength that matches China comprehensive development status in order to safeguard the country's fruits of development, the veteran said. In fact, China still has room to increase its defense budget, but China is not seeking an arms race even when countries like the US, Japan and Australia are greatly hiking their military spending, as China's aim is to safeguard its national sovereignty, security and development interests, unlike some other countries' agendas, said Chinese military expert and TV commentator Song Zhongping. Proper and reasonable In 2021, China made major strides in strengthening national defense and the armed forces, getting off to a good start in this endeavor in the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025), and in 2022, China will work toward the goals for the centenary of the PLA in 2027, enhance military training and combat readiness, stay firm and flexible in carrying out military struggle, and safeguard China's sovereignty, security and development interests, according to the Government Work Report delivered at the opening of the annual session of the NPC on Saturday. China will move faster to modernize the military's logistics and asset management systems, build a modern weaponry and equipment management system, continue to reform national defense and the military, step up innovations in defense science and technology, implement the strategy of strengthening the military by training competent personnel in the new era, run the military in accordance with the law and strict discipline, promote high-quality development of the military, and improve the layout of defense science, technology and industry, the Government Work Report said. Wei Dongxu, a Beijing-based military expert, told the Global Times that the increase in China's military budget is appropriate and reasonable given that China is aiming to develop a modernized military, and because some external forces have been constantly enhancing their military deployment and stirring up trouble near China. This includes the US military's provocative aircraft and vessel movements as well as large scale military drills on China's doorstep, its rallying of allies and partners to surround China militarily and its selling of weapons to the island of Taiwan in support of secessionist forces in Taiwan, observers said. Some Western media reports related the defense budget increase to the Ukraine crisis, but this is nonsense, another military expert told the Global Times under the condition of anonymity. There are worries about the conflict, as Germany recently hiked its defense spending, but the conflict between Russia and Ukraine only started a few days ago, while China's defense budget was likely drafted months before, the expert said. China's defense expenditure is also used to deliver public security goods, including UN peacekeeping participation, vessel escorting, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efforts, which have made robust contributions to world peace and regional stability, analysts said. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) Funeral Service will be 10:00 a.m. Saturday, April 30, 2022, at Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church. Interment will be at Rose Hill Cemetery under the direction of Sevier Funeral Home. Elnora J Rock of Chickasha, OK, passed away on Thursday, April 21, 2022, at the age of 85. She was born Dece JUBA, South Sudan, March 7, 2022 (Morning Star News) Church leaders in Sudan were detained and questioned last month after Muslim extremists upset about the presence of their worship building locked it shut, sources said. Hardline Muslims locked the building of the Sudanese Church of Christ (SCOC) in Al Hag Abdalla, about 85 miles southeast of Khartoum in Madani, Al Jazirah state, on Feb. 21, said Dalman Hassan, an SCOC evangelist arrested on Feb. 27 and released along with the church pastor later that day. Hassan said the Muslims accused church members of hostility toward Islam by holding gatherings on Fridays, the Muslim day of mosque prayer. They cause chaos and disrespect others religion, read one of the charges against the church presented to Al Hag Abdalla officials, Hassan said. Church member Kotti Hassan Dalman said the hardline Muslims also charged the church with providing food to children to win them to Christianity and with taking their land for the worship building. Church members said the land belongs to a Catholic school, and that hardline Muslims fabricated the land-grab charge because they dont want a Christian congregation worshipping in the area. Police who arrested the evangelist and another leader identified only as Pastor Stephanou on Feb. 27 requested and received ownership papers showing the land did not belong to the Muslims, church members said. We are urging the religious leaders and believers all over the country to pray for us, church leaders said in a statement on social media. Following two years of advances in religious freedom in Sudan after the end of the Islamist dictatorship under former President Omar al-Bashir in 2019, the specter of state-sponsored persecution returned with a military coup on Oct. 25, 2021. After Bashir was ousted from 30 years of power in April 2019, the transitional civilian-military government managed to undo some sharia (Islamic law) provisions. It outlawed the labeling of any religious group infidels and thus effectively rescinded apostasy laws that made leaving Islam punishable by death. With the Oct. 25 coup, Christians in Sudan fear the return of the most repressive and harsh aspects of Islamic law. Abdalla Hamdok, who had led a transitional government as prime minister starting in September 2019, was detained under house arrest for nearly a month before he was released and reinstated in a tenuous power-sharing agreement in November. Hamdok was faced with rooting out longstanding corruption and an Islamist deep state under Bashir the same deep state that is suspected of rooting out the transitional government in the Oct. 25 coup. Persecution of Christians by non-state actors continued before and after the coup. In Open Doors 2022 World Watch List of the countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian, Sudan remained at No. 13, where it ranked the previous year, as attacks by non-state actors continued and religious freedom reforms at the national level were not enacted locally. Sudan had dropped out of the top 10 for the first time in six years when it first ranked No. 13 in the 2021 World Watch List. The U.S. State Departments International Religious Freedom Report states that conditions have improved somewhat with the decriminalization of apostasy and a halt to demolition of churches, but that conservative Islam still dominates society; Christians face discrimination, including problems in obtaining licenses for constructing church buildings. The U.S. State Department in 2019 removed Sudan from the list of Countries of Particular Concern (CPC) that engage in or tolerate systematic, ongoing and egregious violations of religious freedom and upgraded it to a watch list. The State Department removed Sudan from the Special Watch List in December 2020. Sudan had previously been designated as a CPC from 1999 to 2018. The Christian population of Sudan is estimated at 2 million, or 4.5 percent of the toal population of more than 43 million. If you would like to help persecuted Christians, visit http://morningstarnews.org/resources/aid-agencies/ for a list of organizations that can orient you on how to get involved. If you or your organization would like to help enable Morning Star News to continue raising awareness of persecuted Christians worldwide with original-content reporting, please consider collaborating at https://morningstarnews.org/donate/? Article originally published by Morning Star News. Used with permission. Photo courtesy: Getty Images/Sezer Ozger Anatoly, a 26-year-old member of Irpin Bible Church (IBC), is with the Lord. His last act on earth was to carry the suitcase of a young mother and her two children, hurrying them across Irpins collapsed bridge to safety from Russian shelling. All four died, when a bombshell landed in the middle of their would-be humanitarian corridor. Eight total died in the suburb of Kyiv yesterday, as Russian troops pressed hard to encircle the Ukrainian capital. Anatoly was deeply spiritual, with a good Christian character, said his pastor, Mykola Romanuk. When he saw a need, he tried to help. Negotiations over the weekend led to several ceasefires for civilian evacuation, only to be quickly broken. Each side blamed the other, and Russia has denied targeting civilians. But Ukrainian sources describe cities now littered with bombed schools, hospitals, and residential districtsnot least in Irpin, known in evangelical circles as the Wheaton of Ukraine. After the fall of the Soviet Union, Ukraines evangelical patriarch Gregory Kommendant invited Christian ministries to join him in his hometown, 16 miles northwest of the capital, where he served as president of the All-Ukraine Baptist Union. As of a few days ago, about 25 ministries operated out of Irpin, including Child Evangelism Fellowship, Youth With a Mission, Youth for Christ, the International Fellowship for Evangelical Students, and Samaritans Purse. Once home to a single evangelical church, Irpin now boasts 13. We were here for 20 years, and neighbors never set foot in our church, said Romanuk. Now they are living in our basement, praying with us, and have become our friends. Image: Diana Berezhnoi / Courtesy of Baptist Union Describing Irpin as secular, Romanuk described his 700-member Baptist congregation as the largest church in the city of 60,000 people. But now, only a team of five remain, called to stay behind and minister to those under siege. Led by the head of the missions committee, a deacons wifea real estate agentis the chief cook. She prepares three meals a day for 200 people, as others volunteer to evacuate the shellshocked citizens to western Ukraine. Since the war began, the church has transported 100-200 evacuees every day, Romanuk said. As the Russians approached, they bused out 3,000. Early on, the government took notice of their efforts and thereafter directed everyone to the church. Anatoly was one who returned. Originally from Luhansk in the Donbas region, he began attending Irpin Bible Church in 2020, becoming a member last year. An IT professional in a local company, he served in media ministry with Romanuks son. After evacuating his wife Diana and other family members to safety in the west, he joined the churchs skeleton crew on Friday. The shelling began in earnest on Saturday, and they hustled out as many people as they could, crossing the bridge the Ukrainian army had damaged to slow the Russian advance. On Sunday he went missing. Friends worried, prayed, and scanned social media for photos of the dead. They saw his sneakers in one, his sweater in a second. A few minutes later, the third photo revealed his face. We miss him very much, it is a tragedy for his family and the church, said Romanuk. God has a plan beyond our understanding, but it is difficult. Igor Bandura, a fellow pastor at IBC, is now counseling Anatolys brother, in Lviv. Deep in grief, he is trying to find someone to take the reverse journey, 335 miles back east to Kyiv, for the funeral. We had to leave everything behind. Some of us did not even have time to take the necessary clothes with us, said Bandura, vice president of Ukraines Baptist Union. We dont know what fate has befallen our homes. We dont know if there will be a place to come back to. At least there is a way back in. The nearby suburb of Buchahome to the president of Ukrainian Evangelical Theological Seminary (UETS) in Kyivis completely under Russian control. But Ivan Rusyn refuses to evacuate. This war has completely redefined my understanding of mission and holistic ministry, he said. You cannot show compassion from a distance. Rusyn and his seven remaining colleagues coordinate relief from the offices of the Ukrainian Bible Society, where he sleeps at night on the floor. The seminary is now only 1,000 feet from the front lines. Evacuated on Friday, today UETS sent the final nine of 300 faculty, staff, students, and family members to safety in the western part of Ukraine. But each day his team sends a bus to Irpin with daily food, water, and medicine. It is a catastrophe, he said. There is fear in the eyes of the children. Tearing up from the experience, Rusyn said he carried the disabled on his shoulders to reach the evacuating buses. But then he spoke of his joy, seeing the smiles on Ukrainian soldiers who know that the prayers of pastors and priests remain. Our commitment is that no one here will be left hungry, he said, promising to stay in the capital as long as President Volodymyr Zelensky. Christian leaders that remain in Kyiv and other cities are the incarnated witness of Jesus Christ. But it is felt elsewhere, too. Care for the 1.7 million refugees is being given across Eastern Europe. Many have given up their beds, said Sergey Rakhuba, president of Mission Eurasia, and are now sleeping on mattresses. Im devastated, tired, and overwhelmed, he said, currently supervising work in Poland. My heart has broken into a million pieces. But his organization was also based in Irpin, and the 12 staff members who remain in Ukraine have reorganized in two western cities. There is a catastrophic shortage of medicine, he said. But an even greater need for pastoral care. I asked for their prayer requests, Rakhuba said, recalling with tears. The refugees mention their husbands, their fathers, and their sonsand when they hug you, they dont let go. Born in Donbas, he married his Russian wife in 1983 and lived in Russia for the next 15 years. He often heard them call Ukrainians brothers. Mission Eurasia relocated to Ukraine from Moscow in 2007, due to government pressure against foreign influence. But todays complete change in spirit is jarring, and makes him think of the demonic. Irpin became a spiritual capital, Rakhuba said. Alongside the military aggression, now it is a place of spiritual warfare. Mark Elliott, editor emeritus of East-West Church Report, once was on the faculty at Wheaton Collegeand watched the American evangelical relocation to Colorado Springs. The comparison to Irpin was obvious, especially once ministries started coming from Moscow. It was both a push and a pull, he said. Increasing Russian restrictions facing non-Orthodox believers and institutions, over against the robust religious tolerance of Ukraine. For 70 years the nation was under the bondage of Soviet communism, Rusyn said. But the church used well the 30 years of freedom that followed. If it is not protected nowhe calls for a no-fly zone to be imposedits loss will sour the taste of freedom for Western friends who are doing their best to help, but whose governments stop short of full involvement. We preached the gospel, we sent missionaries, we havent harmed anyone, he said. Our message to the Russians is just leave us alone. Zelensky has called for a more robust sanctions planeven a full embargo. The weekends damage has been far wider than Irpin. In Mariupol, where an estimated 200,000 people are trying to flee, one of the few buildings remaining intact is Central Baptist Church. Built in the early 1990s, the founding pastors daughter said people originally complained that the basement was too big. Yesterday, as shelling closed a negotiated corridor, over 75 people gathered below for Sunday worship. Less fortunate, reported pastor Vyacheslav Voronin to Taras Dyatlik, Overseas Council regional director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, was the Baptist congregation in Izyum, established in 1998. Located near the fighting in the region of Kharkiv, the church served the displaced until it was hit last night by a Russian shell and caught on fire. Most families are now evacuating to western Ukraine. And in the seaside port of Odessa, Alexander Boichenko returned after evacuating his family to continue serving in his churchs disaster relief center. Three weeks ago, they were planning the June wedding of their daughter. My wife leaned in and whispered quietly, Might this be forever? he said. I smiled at her comfortably, but my soul burst into tears. His work is not in vain. Ukrainian sources are all clinging to God. The most important task for the church right now is to continue preaching, said Rakhuba. Churches have become a lighthouse of hope. This is despite the brutal and inhumane aggression of the Russian army, whose tanks are pressing toward Kyiv, said Bandura. But we pray and workwith hope and faiththat God will prevail, he said, and reveal his glory in Ukraine. The significant damage does not deter them. We might lose our campus, but after a conflict there is a chance to build anew, said Rusyn. Evangelical churches will become stronger and an integral part of our society. Image: Courtesy of Mission Eurasia The scattered believers will do what they can. Irpin Bible Church had 67 small groups before the war, said Romanuk. His pastoral team will contact each member, and offer whatever help possible. But then he will encourage them: Each one should form a new small group, wherever they are, and join the local evangelical church. Today, however, he evacuated also. Headed west to his family in Lviv, his Google calendar notification reminded him a 400-person pastoral conference was about to begin back in Irpin. God has given us a new ministry, Romanuk said. Our conference is now with the homeless, the handicapped, and the nonbelievers of our town. [ This article is also available in espanol, Francais, and . ] Argentine bishop once defended by Pope Francis is sentenced to prison for sex abuse A bishop in Argentina who Pope Francis initially defended amid allegations of sexual abuse and subsequently appointed to a position at the Vatican has been sentenced to prison. An Argentinian court sentenced 57-year-old Gustavo Zanchetta to four-and-a-half years in prison on Friday, having convicted him of simple, continued and aggravated sexual abuse, The Guardian reported. Zanchetta, who served as bishop of Oran from 2013 to 2017, was accused in a formal complaint by five priests back in 2016 of having engaged in sexual abuse at the Saint John XXIII Seminary. In 2019, the Argentine newspaper El Tribuno de Salta reported on the complaints about the conduct of Zanchetta, which had also included claims of financial misconduct. For his part, Pope Francis had initially defended Zanchetta, claiming that the bishop had defended himself well at one point and giving him a position at an office in Vatican City, according to The Associated Press. Carlos Lombardi of the Network of Survivors of Ecclesiastical Abuse in Argentina, which helped to represent the victims, said Zanchetta's sentence was a strong blow to the pope due to the public defense he has made in this case. They now have no arguments to protect these delinquents in cassocks, added Lombardi, as reported by the AP. In a statement released Friday, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, which has been critical of the Catholic Churchs response to abuse among its ranks, added: To us, this is another example of how hierarchs will choose to protect each other and their institution first and foremost and will do so at the expense of the vulnerable. Fortunately, the secular justice system has once again repudiated the good-ole-boy system in the church and decided that the testimony of the former seminarians [was] more important than the flowery words of a close friend and colleague. Last month, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI issued a heartfelt request for forgiveness in response to a report that documented hundreds of victims of abuse in the archdiocese he once led. In all my meetings, especially during my many Apostolic Journeys, with victims of sexual abuse by priests, I have seen at first hand the effects of a most grievous fault, stated Benedict XVI. I have come to understand that we ourselves are drawn into this grievous fault whenever we neglect it or fail to confront it with the necessary decisiveness and responsibility, as too often happened and continues to happen. Opponents of Nebraska citys LGBT ordinance gather enough signatures to force referendum An ordinance in Nebraskas capital city that extends discrimination protections to include sexual orientation and gender identity could be put on the ballot this November or rescinded after referendum petitions garnered four times the needed signatures. The Let Us Vote referendum initiative needed 4,137 signatures, equivalent to 4% of voters in Lincoln. But petitions were signed by more than 18,500 voters in just 15 days, forcing the Lincoln City Council to put the Fairness Ordinance on the ballot or rescind the law, according to the Nebraska Family Alliance. We want Lincoln to be a fair and welcoming place for all people. Unfortunately, there was nothing fair about the ordinance passed by the city council, the socially conservative advocacy group argued in a statement. Critics contend that the ordinance allows trans-identified biological men to use womens restrooms, locker rooms and showers if they identify as women. In addition to such rules being enacted for businesses and places of public accommodation, the alliance fears that the law could also impact churches and private schools. The ordinance also adds active military and veterans as a protected class, apart from updating definitions of marriage, race and natural origin. This is why a diverse coalition of more than 340 volunteers of different backgrounds, ages, and nationalities rallied together to collect 18,501 signatures from concerned citizens, business owners, and more than 70 churches in just two weeks, the group said. The expanded ordinance passed the Lincoln City Council on Feb. 14. The Nebraska Family Alliance launched its repeal effort the next day to get the required number of signatures in 15 days. During a press conference last Tuesday, Karen Bowling, the executive director of Nebraska Family Alliance, said the people of Lincoln have responded. The NFA team submitted 1,366 petitions with 18,501 signatures to the city council. Today is about due process, she said, to give a voice to Lincoln residents who love their city and love their neighbors. The process has begun to validate signatures. These petitions were circulated in every area of the city and every demographic, Bowling said, adding that they received signatories from over 72 churches. Slovic, Ukranian, Vietnamese and Spanish-speaking churches of both Protestant and Catholic denominations have participated. Our friends from the Islamic Center also signed petitions as well as Republicans, Democrats and Independents. She said that the initiative is nonpartisan and included people of different perspectives. Both proponents and opponents to the ordinance signed petitions because they believe the gravity of the issue should go to the vote of the people or the city council should rescind their decision," Bowling said. The Fairness Ordinance has received the support of pro-LGBT civil rights groups. ACLU of Nebraska accused the measure's opponents of spreading "misinformation" in an attempt to "clock back on basic human rights." "Everyone deserves to be treated fairly on the job, when creating a home for themselves and their families, and in public life," ACLU of Nebraska Legal and Policy Counsel Sara Rips said in a statement. "We are ready to work to ensure Lincoln supports equality and to make sure no one in our community is left behind. The Lincoln Journal-Star reports that at least four council members said they support putting the policy up for a vote. Such a vote would occur either in a special election or in Novembers general election. However, Dave Shively, Lancaster Countys election commissioner, told the newspaper that state law doesnt permit the holding of a special election so close to the date of a regularly scheduled election. A referendum petition against a less expansive version of the ordinance gained enough signatures in 2012. However, the council didnt put it for a vote. American missionary returns home after fleeing Russian invasion of Ukraine After being startled from his sleep by the rattling and shaking of his apartment as explosions erupted, Alabama Pastor Mark Posey said that he knew he had a choice to make last Friday: flee from Ukraine or face potential death. As a minister of the Winfield Church of Christ, Posey had been in Ukraine for nearly a month doing mission work. For the last 30 years, he has traveled back and forth from the U.S. to Ukraine. He was scheduled to return home on a flight out of Kyiv, but Russias invasion of its neighboring country caused plans to change. Upon hearing the erupting noises of warfare stemming from Russias invasion of its neighboring country, Posey said during a press conference Tuesday upon his return to the United States that he knew he had no other option but to take the full-day journey west from the southeast of Kyiv to the Polish border on that frigid morning. As Posey traveled by bus, he was the only American on board. He remembers the bus passed by thousands of Ukrainian men, women and children who were walking to the border in an attempt to escape the devastation of war-stricken areas. After making it to the Polish border, Posey said he could leave the country on Tuesday because he had his American passport. After a long international journey, Posey said he is grateful to be reunited with his loved ones. However, his heart remains with the Ukrainian people. After traveling most of the day across the breadth of Ukraine, it did not prepare me for what I saw: thousands and thousands of Ukrainians walking to the boarder. Many had abandoned their vehicles; older men and women, mothers and their children, and it was cold, described Posey in a Facebook post. Not far outside of Lviv, the bus stopped. And I purchased all the water, pirozhki, and vareniki I could carry. It could take days to cross, I didnt know and I needed to be prepared. However, at the border when the bus stopped because of heavy traffic, I asked to exit the bus. Reluctantly, the driver allowed, Posey continued in his post. After leaving the bus, Posey said he gave away all his water and food to Ukrainian mothers, children and the elderly. As they responded (Thank You!), I was reminded once again: countries and borders must not divide us. We must promote mankind; a vitally important word. We cannot be consumed by petty differences, Posey wrote. We must be united on the common ground of faith, hope and love. We must be Christlike. So, not only should we sing, but we must live the words of the old song - And theyll know we are Christians by our love, by our love, he added. Around 5 p.m. on Tuesday, when Posey arrived at the Birmingham Shuttlesworth International Airport, he was seen engaging in a group hug with his wife and other loved ones. When asked by reporters how it feels to be back in the U.S., Posey said: Better than anything. Its great to go anywhere, but the best part about going somewhere is coming home, and thats the best feeling right now, Posey said. My heart is still in Ukraine. The people are hurting, theyre suffering, theyre scared, and were going to continue to help them. We love them and we want to emphasize humanity, mankind, and were going to continue to do that, he added. The pastor urges people to pray for Ukraine. Theyre great people, and they need our help, and so we are just going to keep on reaching out to them as they would do for us if we were in their shoes, Posey said. Thank God for the good old U.S.A. Its a wonderful thing, he added. Posey said his interactions with Ukrainians during his escape from the Eastern European country were life-changing. The Ukrainians that rode with him on the bus, he said, helped him along the way when all of the men were pulled off of the bus to check passports and ages. It has been fantastic to live in the hearts and the minds. And the hugs of the Ukrainian people is something that [Ill] always remember, Posey said. They rallied around me, helped me, communicated, made sure that I understood what was being said, [and] they were very adamant about protecting me. The pastor said he would be telling a lie if he said he didnt experience fear on his journey. I have been scared for the last month. ... Especially when you wake up early in the morning to explosions in the city, and you know that there are bombs going off and people are in harms way, he said. So that really sobers your mind to considering you might need to be heading home. He said his life changed on a dime. I went the breadth of the country all the way to the Polish border, and thank God I was able to get in because so many people did not, he recalled. Posey is grateful for his American passport, which he said played a significant role in his ability to leave Ukraine before many others. A U.S. passport is a very powerful tool, and I was so proud to have it, but there were many who spent many nights in the cold without food or water, and they wanted to do the same thing that I was able to do with that wonderful tool of a U.S. passport, he said. I will always be thankful for that. But, to see the thousands of people trying to escape, knowing that I had a free ticket out was a very good feeling for me, but I shed a lot of tears because I could go, but they couldnt. And that made me resolve more in my heart to help my fellow human beings, and Im going to continue to do that. Posey said his experience in Ukraine was sobering and tugged at my heartstrings. And he said some of what he witnessed such as families being separated are things he hopes he will never have to see again in his lifetime. Well, [my faith] has been tested to the limits. And I pray, and I feel as though it has been strengthened. The best way to strengthen something is to put it to the test, put it in fire, Posey said. I felt like I have gone through the fire. And understanding that He has provided specifically for me and all of this has just lifted me so high, encouraged me, and I want to make sure that other people feel and experience that same thing. Jimmy Evans says imperfect Christians will be raptured, calls evolution 'satanic' Pastor Jimmy Evans, the founder of the multi-campus Trinity Fellowship Church in Texas, preached a guest sermon on the End Times at Ed Youngs Fellowship Church on Sunday. He touched on the rapture and issued strong words against the teaching of evolution. Evans Feb. 27 sermon is titled The Right Side of the Levee. The author and spiritual leader, who co-founded the organization MarriageToday and led the television ministry program The Overcoming Life, told an audience that salvation is a gift from God for people who accept Jesus in their lives. Accepting Christ, he said, is the only qualification that is needed to be saved when the period of tribulation begins on earth. Jesus came to redeem us. When we were dead in our trespasses, He loved us. Isnt that wonderful? Even when we were against Him, He was for us. And [the Bible] says: By grace, you have been saved through faith, he said. Its a free gift. You cant earn salvation. We all have issues, and when Jesus comes, well all be imperfect, he added. If you know Jesus, youre going to get raptured. If you know Jesus, youre going to Heaven, the 67-year-old pastor said halfway through his sermon. Earlier in his sermon, Evans said that Christians cant fully understand the implications of what is happening in the world today and its relation to the End Times until they know who [they] are in God. He warned against teachings on evolution, which he argues goes against what is written in the Bible. Evolution this hideous satanic teaching teaches us and our children that we came from an accident, we came from nowhere, were going nowhere, our lives are just meaningless [and] were just animals, Evans explained. There was the goo, and then the zoo and then me and you. And were teaching an entire generation those lies. I heard someone say one time, Its no surprise that children act like animals when theyre taught thats all they are, Evans continued. You were made in the image of God, and you are Gods family. You came from God, He lives inside of you and youre going to God, he added. Evans said that the first two chapters and the last two chapters of the Bible say that God created mankind in His image to live with Him in paradise. Were going to live in the presence of God. ... Were His eternal family. The only thing that God gets out of all the pain Hes been through, Evans proclaimed. No ones been through as much pain as God. The death of Jesus proves that. The only thing He gets is you, and Hes good with that. Thats how valuable you are to God, he said. The pastor said that Christians often struggle with the idea that God loves them despite their flaws. Its hard to process because we know ourselves. We know of all the dumb things that we do, he said. Let me give you an example here. Toddlers, theyre precious. Theyre incredible. But when you get right down to it, theyre pretty disgusting little creatures. [Toddlers] produce hideous odors. Their hands are sticky and greasy, and they put them on you, and you know theyre ill-mannered and disobedient. And they jump up in your lap, and in spite of all of their issues, you just adore them. ... And the question is: how can you love someone like that? The reason why parents can love their toddlers is because theyre yours, Evans said. Its not whats on them; its whats in them, he said. Its not what they do; its who they are. Well, how can God love us so much in spite of our issues? Its because we came from Him. Evans said that Psalm 139 describes how God created humans by knitting them in their mothers wombs. You werent a blob. You were a child of God. You are a divine product of a divine process. Youre not an accident. Youre not an afterthought. You are the creation of almighty God, he said. God adores you more than any human parent has ever loved a child. He cited Matthew 7:11: If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in Heaven give good things to those who ask Him. God could have made us robots. We could have been programmed by God to worship Him and serve Him and love Him. But, theres no value in the love of a robot, Evans stated. They have no choice. You dont praise your washer because it washes. ... You dont praise your vacuum because it sucks. They have to. Theres no value in that. During the final days, the earth will go through a seven-year tribulation period which will be Hell on earth and the worst seven years in human history, Evans said. Before the tribulation, he said those who know Jesus will be taken up in the clouds to be with Jesus. He warned that there are about 8 billion people in the world today, but only 2 billion identify as Christians. However, he stressed that he thinks hundreds of millions of people will be saved during the tribulation. The rapture of the Church when we disappear it will be the greatest evangelistic event in the history of the world. And a lot of people will get saved, Evans said. And most of them will get killed by the Antichrist or die in the judgments. Three-fourths of the earths population dies during the tribulation. And so, you say, why would anyone reject Jesus? Evans asked. He said Jesus answered the question in John 3: For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life. ... He who believes in Him is not condemned, but he who does not believe is condemned already because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten son of God. He said humans have a choice to make. Either come into the light where morals and behaviors can be scrutinized by the King of Kings, or to stay in darkness. The kingdom of Satan is a kingdom of rebellion, lawlessness and darkness, where men dont want their behaviors scrutinized. They dont want a higher authority, he said. One day, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord. ... But for some, it will be too late because they rejected Him and are going to Hell. As the sermon concluded, Evans said that Christians should not be afraid of the End Times but should be careful not to let Satan make them question their salvation. Dont stop living your life. If you believe that Jesus is coming back soon, build a house, get a degree [and] get your education. Plan like Jesus isnt coming back for 100 years, but live like Hes coming back today, the preacher advised. The worst thing you can do is just get paralyzed and start [saying], Jesus come, and just be worthless. We have a lot to do until Jesus comes. Live your life, pray for direction from God, and do what you believe God is telling you to do with life, he added. But, Ill tell you this: Jesus is going to be on time. And the main thing is for us to be ready. Americans raise concerns over how Putins war on Ukraine will impact US economy As shelling of Ukrainian cities has intensified and oil prices are rising, a survey has found that most American adults fear that Russias war on Ukraine will have a negative impact on the U.S. economy. When Rasmussen Reports asked American Adults how likely is it that the Russian invasion of Ukraine will hurt the American economy, only 14% said they dont expect it to be bad for the U.S. economy and 12% werent sure, while 74% said it is likely, including 40% who think its very likely. The national survey of 1,000 American adults conducted on March 1-2 also asked, Is the economic impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine likely to last less than six months, six months to a year, or more than a year? In response, 34% said they expect it to last six months to a year, 28% said more than a year, 20% said less than six months, and 19% werent sure. The telephone and online survey also found that more Republicans (48%) than Democrats (31%) or those not affiliated with either major party (42%) say its very likely the ongoing invasion will hurt the U.S. economy. Similarly, fewer Democrats (22%) than Republicans (29%) or those unaffiliated (32%) think the impact could last more than a year. According to an analysis published in The Wall Street Journal, consumer prices are likely to rise around the world as manufacturing costs for food, consumer goods and machinery are going up due to the war, which is impacting places far from the battlefield. Last week, crude oil prices rose 25%, to more than $118 a barrel, which is the highest since 2013, it pointed out, adding that in the U.S., gas prices have gone up an average of 43.7 cents a gallon as per price tracker GasBuddy, which said the national average as of Sunday was $4.02 a gallon. On Sunday, dozens of civilians were killed and evacuation efforts were disrupted as Russian forces intensified strikes across Ukraine to move toward the capital city of Kyiv and the countrys second-largest city, Kharkiv, the Journal reported, adding that Ukraine is now preparing for a second wave of Russian attacks which appears to be focused on major population centers around the country. Russia plans to encircle Ukrainian forces and create a situation of humanitarian disaster for the civilian population, Ukraines national security adviser, Oleksiy Danilov, said in a social media post. Russia has made significant advances in southern Ukraine and along the coast, but many of its efforts have become stalled, The Associated Press reported. A humanitarian crisis is building in the southern port city of Mariupol, where Russian forces reportedly failed to observe an 11-hour ceasefire. 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 was quoted as saying on Telegram. A senior American defense official was quoted as saying Sunday that the U.S. assesses that about 95% of the Russian forces that were around Ukraine have entered the country. The U.N. high commissioner for refugees, Filippo Grandi, said Sunday the number of refugees leaving Ukraine was the fastest-growing humanitarian crisis in Europe since World War II as 1.5 million people had fled Ukraine in just 11 days, according to the AP. As of Saturday, at least 351 civilians had 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, adding that the actual numbers are likely to be considerably higher, Reuters reported. The Russian invasion has internally displaced about 4.3 million people in Ukraine, International Organization for Migration said Saturday. In response to President Vladimir Putin's war on Ukraine, more than 280 priests and deacons of the Russian Orthodox Church are calling for reconciliation and an immediate end to Russias ongoing invasion, 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. 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. Andrew Cuomo tells church Gods not finished with me yet, blames cancel culture Quoting copious amounts of Scripture and declaring Gods not finished with me yet, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who resigned last August after he was accused of sexually harassing several women, told a congregation in Brooklyn Sunday that the allegations were part of a political hit job that exploited cancel culture to remove him from office. In his first public comments since his resignation, Cuomo,whose father Mario Cuomo served as the states 52nd governor, spoke from the pulpit of Gods Battalion of Prayer Church. The church is led by Pastor Alfred S. Cockfield. My father, God rest his soul, used to say government is an honorable profession but that politics can be a dirty business, he told the audience. Now, that is especially true today when this politics out there is so mean and so extreme. When even the Democratic Party chooses to cancel people that they have a disagreement with. The 64-year-old said that his behavior has been consistent in his 40 years in public life. But he noted that he failed to update that behavior with current cultural norms and apologized for that failure. Last February, several women raised issues about my behavior. As I said then, and as I say in this holy hall today, my behavior has been the same for 40 years in public life. You have seen me many, many times, and that has been my behavior, he said. But that was actually the problem, because for some people, especially younger people, theres a new sensitivity. No one ever told me I made them feel uncomfortable. I never sensed that I caused anyone discomfort. I was trying to do the exact opposite, but Ive been called old-fashioned, out of touch, and Ive been told my behavior was not politically correct or appropriate. I accept that. Cuomo said he didnt appreciate how fast their perspective changed. And I should have. No excuses. I am truly, truly sorry, he continued. Ive apologized many times, and Ive learned a powerful lesson, and Ive paid a high price for learning that lesson. God isnt finished with me yet, he said to applause. Cuomo also told the church how much he had leaned on God to process what he called probably the toughest time of my life. I want to thank you for having me here today as we celebrate the first Sunday of Lent. As you probably know, Ive gone through 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, he detailed. It was probably the toughest time of my life. And it was the first time that I was glad that my father wasnt with us anymore, so he didnt have to see it. I havent spoken about it in public yet because I wanted to talk about it here with you because Gods guidance is helping me through, he said to applause. The former governor, who held office from 2011 to 2021, revealed how he has gone through a process of moving from anger to acceptance, from resentment to reconciliation in a bid to continue fighting. Let go, let God. I believe in life. God sends us challenges. Life will knock us down at some point. And then, the question is, what do we do in that moment? Do we get angry? Do we feel sorry for ourselves? Or do we learn from it and get up from the mat. But it is hard. It is very hard. Its a struggle. Its a bridge that one needs to cross, and its a long bridge, he said. The bridge goes from anger to acceptance, from resentment to reconciliation. I am now working to cross that bridge. And I believe that God has a reason for our path. I pray on it, and the Good Book has offered me guidance. Psalm 46 tells us God is our refuge and therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way. Without calling state Attorney General Letitia James by name, Cuomo accused her and her office of politically-motivated prosecutorial misconduct. The actions against me were prosecutorial misconduct, that is clear. They didnt act in the interest of justice. The district attorneys proved that. They acted in their own self-interest. They wanted me out because they wanted my job, Cuomo argued. We know that was their motivation by their own actions, but they actually used the cancel culture mentality to enable and advance their self-serving political scheme. Even though James office announced 11 legal violations against Cuomo, he said not one of those violations has been proven. Of the 11 women Cuomo is alleged to have harassed, nine were current or former state employees. A report released by James office last August claimed Cuomos actions broke state and federal law. They wanted to do with politics that which they couldnt do with the law. They used cancel culture to effectively overturn an election. And that was their greatest arrogance. They didnt elect me. You did, Cuomo told congregants. If they wanted my job or the Democratic extremists believed I was in their way or if they didnt like me or if they didnt like my politics, fine. Defeat me in an election. But that is America. You decide. Who are they to override your choice? What happened to voting rights and democratic elections, our cherished priorities? he asked. Responding to Cuomos speech on Sunday evening, James denied that the former governor was railroaded out of his job. Serial sexual harasser Andrew Cuomo wont even spare a house of worship from his lies, James said. Even though multiple independent investigations found his victims to be credible, Cuomo continues to blame everyone but himself. Cuomo wasnt railroaded; he quit so he wouldnt be impeached. New Yorkers are ready to move forward from this sick, pathetic man. Cuomo argued that cancel culture was used to get him out of office and get his brother, Chris Cuomo, fired from his job at CNN. He contends that it represents a new extremism and compared such actions to the attitudes of Tea Party conservatives. They allow the extreme minority to overpower the reasonable majority. And Ill tell you this. When the emotion of the mob overcomes the integrity of the justice system, the intelligence of sound policy debate and honest analysis by the press, we are lost. This cancel culture represents a new extremism, Cuomo said. In many ways, the Tea Party founded what we call the cancel culture mentality because the Tea Party was hyper-aggressive, dogmatic and insistent on their rabid ideology. And there was no patience, no compromise, no discussion, he continued. The Tea Party alienated many thoughtful Republicans because extremism does that by its very nature. He added that cancel culture has become such a force in society that even some members of the press have become afraid to ask questions that challenge political correctness. Do you know how many reporters told me they knew the report against me was a fraud? But they were afraid to challenge Me Too claims, Cuomo said. He proclaimed that the real reason why his brother was fired from CNN was due to fear of cancel culture, not because he had violated any journalistic rule. Chris Cuomo was suspended and later fired from CNN after it was revealed he was more involved than he led the network to believe in strategizing with his brothers political team amid the sexual harassment controversy. Additionally, Chris Cuomo was accused of sexual misconduct, a claim he denied. What really happened was giants like CNN and Time Warner and AT&T and big shot billionaires like John Malone and John Stankey, they were in the middle of a merger and they were afraid of the cancel culture mob, Andrew Cuomo said Sunday. So they fired Chris, and thats the truth. And therell be a day when theyre going to have to raise their hand and tell the truth and then you will know. Although it has been months since his resignation, Cuomo said he is still not at peace and doesnt think he will be at peace until he dies. A woman asked me today if I was at peace. Now that is an interesting question. Let me say this. I am not across the bridge yet, but I know that I am blessed and God has been much better to me than I deserve, he said. But on the question, if Im at peace? No, I am not at peace. But by the way, I dont want to be at peace either. And by the way, I dont think you should be at peace either, he added. We have too much work to do to be at peace. We can be at peace when they put us in the box and they close the top. We can rest in peace. But right now, we have to rise up, brothers and sisters. Right now, we have to fight the good fight because the struggle continues. Chinese Christian woman detained for attempting to share Gospel with Xi Jinping Activist has been arrested by authorities over 50 times for urging Xi to give his life to Jesus Authorities in northeast China detained a Christian woman for her repeated attempt to share the Gospel with Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife, Peng Liyuan. The woman, who is from Liaoning province, has been arrested more than 50 times for her earlier attempts. Police ordered Zhou Jinxia to return home to the port city of Dalian after she was caught holding up a sign asking Xi Jinping to believe in Jesus in the Zhongnanhai area in Beijing, the central headquarters for the Communist Party of China and the State Council of China, the U.S.-based persecution watchdog International Christian Concern reported about her latest arrest last month. The woman, who is an activist, was charged with picking quarrels and provoking trouble on Feb. 21, according to ICC. Her arrest came weeks before an annual political event in Beijing, called lianghui or Two Sessions, by the National Peoples Congress and the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference, which share upcoming policy direction, ICC said, explaining that the Chinese government usually intensifies its crackdown against civil society to ensure everything goes on smoothly. Zhou has made more than 50 attempts to preach the Gospel to Xi and Peng in front of Zhongnanhai Xinhua Gate in Beijing and has been detained many times, the U.S.-based group China Aid, which monitors human rights in China, said. In 2018, Zhou was arrested after she held a sign at the same political event that read: God loves the people of the world and is calling out to Xi Jinping. In March 2016, she held out a longer sign that read: God loves the people of the world and is calling out to Xi Jinping and Peng Liyuan. Atheism nurtures sin and brings down the people. The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand; you should repent. Zhous efforts back then landed her in administrative detention for 10 days and charged with disturbing social order. As Beijing hosted the 2022 Winter Olympics, many expressed outrage about Chinas treatment of religious minority communities. While China was accused of genocide for its detainment of Uyghur and other ethnic Muslims in western China, human rights activists had voiced concern for years about the Chinese governments longtime crackdown on unregistered churches and house church movements. Open Doors USA, which covers persecution in over 60 countries, estimates that China has more than 97 million Christians, many of whom worship in unregistered or so-called illegal underground churches. The five state-sanctioned religious groups in China are the Buddhist Association of China, the Chinese Taoist Association, the Islamic Association of China, the Protestant Three-Self Patriotic Movement and the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association. Open Doors USA, has warned that the monitoring of unregistered house churches in China increased over the last year as more house churches have experienced harassment and obstruction once their activities have been discovered. The group has also warned that many unregistered churches have been forced to split up into small groups and gather in different locations, keeping a low-profile so as not to be detected by the sub-district officer or neighborhood committee. Andrew Cuomo resigns as governor of New York amid sexual harassment claims New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has announced his resignation following credible allegations of sexual harassment and questions over his placing COVID-19 positive individuals in nursing homes. At a televised address that was held on Tuesday, Cuomo maintained his innocence regarding the allegations, yet also said he was going to step down as governor to avoid further partisan turmoil. The best way I can help now is if I step aside and let government get back to governing, said Cuomo. The three-term Democratic governor, who was facing a possible impeachment over his multiple scandals, noted that his resignation would be effective in two weeks. Cuomos decision to resign came one week after the release of a report from an independent investigation that found that Cuomo had sexually harassed multiple women. We, the investigators appointed to conduct an investigation into allegations of sexual harassment by Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, conclude that the Governor engaged in conduct constituting sexual harassment under federal and New York State law, stated the Executive Summary of the report. Specifically, we find that the Governor sexually harassed a number of current and former New York State employees by, among other things, engaging in unwelcome and nonconsensual touching, as well as making numerous offensive comments of a suggestive and sexual nature that created a hostile work environment for women. In response to the findings of the report, New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement that she found the revelations of abuse to be a sad day for the Empire State. I am grateful to all the women who came forward to tell their stories in painstaking detail, enabling investigators to get to the truth, stated James. No man no matter how powerful can be allowed to harass women or violate our human rights laws, period. Many prominent Democrats and Republicans had called for Cuomo to resign, including President Joe Biden, who stated his belief that Cuomo should step aside at a press conference last week. Additionally, Cuomo had come under criticism for how his administration handled the coronavirus pandemic, especially the decision to place COVID-19 positive people within nursing homes, possibly resulting in thousands of deaths. In February, the New York Post had reported that Cuomos top aide Melissa DeRosa had admitted during a video conference call with state Democratic leaders that the administration had hidden the negative impact of the nursing home situation. We were in a position where we werent sure if what we were going to give to the Department of Justice, or what we give to you guys, and what we start saying, was going to be used against us and we werent sure if there was going to be an investigation, said DeRosa. Had Cuomo not decided to resign, he was likely going to face impeachment proceedings, which had been championed by state Republican lawmakers going as far back as March. New York State Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay explained at a press conference held earlier this year that the time has come to hold Cuomo accountable. In order to lead this great state as governor, you need to have credibility and trust, stated Barclay. Unfortunately, we feel the governor has lost that and now has an inability to lead. Investigators to question New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo over sexual harassment allegations New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo will face questioning on multiple allegations of sexual harassment on Saturday, according to a recent report. Former federal prosecutor Annemarie McAvoy told NBC's New York affiliate WNBC that investigators will "probably talk to him about what they've learned thus far. See what his reaction is." You do try to get as much information beforehand, so it would make sense this is going toward the tailed. But they may still go back and talk to some of the women again based on what he tells them, she added. Cuomo advisor Rich Azzopardi said in a statement quoted by NBC that "the governor doesnt want to comment on this review until he has cooperated, but the continued leaks are more evidence of the transparent political motivation of the attorney generals review. In February, former Cuomo staffer Lindsay Boylan posted an essay online detailing allegations that the governor engaged in sexual harassment against her and other female personnel. These allegations include a reported plane trip in October 2017 in which Cuomo sat too close to her and made a crude remark. On another occasion, she alleges that he kissed her on the lips. Cuomo has created a culture within his administration where sexual harassment and bullying is so pervasive that it is not only condoned but expected, wrote Boylan. His inappropriate behavior toward women was an affirmation that he liked you, that you must be doing something right. He used intimidation to silence his critics. And if you dared to speak up, you would face consequences. Cuomo's Press Secretary Caitlin Girouard released a statement soon after the essay was published, claiming that Boylan's allegations are quite simply false." In Ms. Boylan's latest blog post, she opens up with a story about a plane trip in October 2017 [however], there was no flight where Lindsey was alone with the Governor, a single press aide, and a NYS Trooper, stated Girouard. The statement did not specifically address other accusations by Boylan, including the claim that Cuomo would go out of his way to touch me on my lower back, arms and legs or that he once gave her an unwanted kiss on the lips. Cuomo has also faced allegations of mishandling the states response to the COVID-19 pandemic by placing people who tested positive for the virus in nursing homes. Critics believe that the move led to hundreds if not thousands of deaths, as reports indicate that the Cuomo administration did its best to downplay the severity of the situation. At a press conference in March, New York State Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay announced his intention to file impeachment proceedings against Cuomo. Barclay said there had been one bombshell after another regarding the governor, namely the sexual harassment allegations and his handling of the coronavirus pandemic. We had the AG report, came out saying that the governor was underreporting nursing home deaths by as much as 50%, Barclay added at the time. We had that secret political meeting where he had his top aides say they werent reporting the nursing home deaths because theyre worried about a Department of Justice investigation. We had the bullying and the harassing of sitting members of the state Legislature, he continued. Then we had five courageous women come forward to talk about their abuse, sexual harassment, and other abuse at the hands of the governor. World Council of Churches urges Russian Orthodox Church leader to speak out on Ukraine invasion The World Council of Churches has urged the head of the Russian Orthodox Church to raise up your voice and mediate so that President Vladimir Putins invasion of Ukraine can be stopped and the great suffering ended. The whole world is looking with concern and expects to see a sign of hope for a peaceful solution, the Rev. Ioan Sauca, acting general secretary of the ecumenical World Council of Churches, wrote in a letter to Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, the leader of more than 100 million Russian Orthodox Christians. According to the United Nations, at least 752 civilian casualties had occurred across Ukraine since the invasion began Feb. 24, with 227 killed and 525 injured, including scores of children, as of Sunday. The Ukrainian State Emergency Service says over 2,000 civilians have been killed since the invasion began, The Washington Post reported, adding that more than 9,000 Russian soldiers had died in the fighting, as of Friday, according to Ukraines military. The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court in the Hague, Netherlands, has opened an investigation into alleged war crimes by Russia in Ukraine, a predominantly Orthodox Christian country. More than 1 million people had fled Ukraine to neighboring countries including Poland, Romania, Moldova and Hungary, according to The Guardian. Ukraine, with twice the population of Syria and three times its territory, could generate over 10 million refugees and internally displaced people in the coming months and years, as per an op-ed in Foreign Policy. In his letter, Sauca, 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. Referring to the Lenten season, Sauca added: While celebrating these spiritual moments, with filial respect and consideration, I write to Your Holiness to intervene and mediate with the authorities to stop this war, the bloodshed and the suffering, and to make efforts to bring peace through dialogue and negotiations. Archbishop Stanisaw Gadecki, the president of Polands Catholic bishops conference, has also urged Patriarch Kirill, who is believed to be close to Putin, to speak to the Russian president to stop the war in Ukraine. I ask you, Brother, to appeal to Vladimir Putin to stop the senseless warfare against the Ukrainian people, in which innocent people are being killed and suffering is affecting not only soldiers but civilians as well especially women and children, the archbishop wrote, Catholic News Agency reported. One man can stop the suffering of thousands of people with one word that man is the President of the Russian Federation. I ask you most humbly to call for the withdrawal of the Russian troops from the sovereign state that is Ukraine, Gadecki added. No reason, no rationale can ever justify the decision to launch a military invasion of an independent country, bombing residential areas, schools, or kindergartens. War is always a defeat for humanity. 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 a recent 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. International Christian relief groups Samaritans Purse and World Help are among the organizations standing alongside the Ukrainian Church to provide aid to victims. 3 Christian sisters and chaperone killed by father in sanctuary were all members, church says Three sisters and their father, who fatally shot them and their chaperone before killing himself inside the sanctuary of The Church in Sacramento during a supervised visit in California on Monday, were all members of the church, officials have confirmed. The Sacramento coroners office identified the father as David Mora Rojas, 39. 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, they continued. 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. Police received a call about the deadly shootings from a church employee who reported hearing gunfire at about 5:07 p.m. 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, Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones said in a televised interview after the shootings. Court documents cited by ABC News show that Rojas was out on bail at the time of the killings after an arrest last 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. The mother of his late daughters describes him as a jealous person. She sought and obtained a temporary restraining order against him last year after he threatened to kill her. The temporary restraining order issued in April 2021 had also prohibited Rojas from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Police are still trying to find out how he acquired a gun. He threatened to kill me if he ever caught me cheating, the mother said in court documents. The only reason why he hadnt killed her at the time of that threat, she said, is because he would not know where to go with the children. She also raised concern at the time that Rojas could flee to Mexico where he has family. I am scared and nervous. I am afraid (Rojas) is going to hurt me. I do not want to return home, she wrote. Before the five-year temporary restraining order was granted against Rojas he was taken into custody for a mental health evaluation. 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 courses. On Tuesday, Jovana Venegas, an aunt of the sisters, launched a GoFundMe Campaign to raise $30,000 to cover funeral expenses. Venegas described the sisters as beautiful and said they were loved endlessly by everyone who surrounded them. We wish to seek as much help needed toward this fundraiser, Venegas said. We know they deserve more than anything to at last rest in peace. New Museum of the Bible exhibit features Shroud of Turin: 'First viral image' WASHINGTON The Museum of the Bible has unveiled a Shroud of Turin exhibit that features a full-size replica of the cloth that some believe Jesus Christ was buried in and what one museum official referred to as the first viral image. The fifth floor of the museum features an exhibit titled The Mystery of Faith: The Shroud of Turin through July 31. The exhibit includes a full-size replica of the Shroud of Turin, which, as a description of the exhibit explains, bears a faint, yellowed image of a naked, crucified man and is believed by millions of Christians to be the burial cloth of Jesus of Nazareth. Throughout this high-tech, interactive exhibit, visitors will explore how this cloth connects to the Gospels and has become one of the most immediately recognizable images of any figure from the Bible, said Jeffrey Kloha, the chief curatorial officer at the Museum of the Bible, in a statement shared with The Christian Post. Though the Shroud itself does not leave Turin, it has been featured on magazine covers, in documentaries, and even in Hollywood films. This exhibition explores the fascination and faith inspired by this cloth. According to Brian Hyland, curator of medieval manuscripts at the Museum of the Bible, Two papal quotes frame the exhibition, which reveals how the Shroud mirrors the Gospels. Specifically, Pope John Paul II called the Shroud a mirror of the Gospel and Pope Benedict XVI called it an icon, suggesting that it is best viewed with the eyes of faith. Three days before the exhibits grand opening last weekend, museum leadership hosted a preview event for the media. Kloha discussed how the exhibit was planned to open last year and then COVID happened. He described the exhibit's delayed opening due to the coronavirus pandemic as appropriate because the Shroud has always been connected to times of stress and danger and been a source of comfort all the way back to the Black Plague. Kloha characterized the Shroud as the first viral image because of its popularity throughout history as well as the most famous image and familiar image of any person from the Bible. As noted in the exhibit, Since 1578, the Shroud has remained in Turin, a northern Italian city controlled by the House of Savoy, a high-ranking noble family. Hyland likened the exhibit to a medieval cathedral before praising it for allowing visitors to have a more intimate experience with the Shroud than they would if they were to visit the actual Shroud in Turin. If you go to Turin to see the Shroud, youre going to wait in line and youre going to see it for maybe a minute to two minutes, he said. Here, you can get up close and you can really take a long, hard look at the image of a man who has been brutally tortured, scourged, pierced, crucified and all of this should remind you of the Gospel stories, remind you of the stories of how Jesus suffered and died for love of us. As Hyland explained, Weve got sections dealing with the history of the Shroud and the science of the Shroud and scattered throughout this exhibit are eight different interactive devices. Visitors will have a chance to see how the Shroud aligned over the body and flip through a so-called magic book that tells the amazing somewhat strange story of how the Shroud first appeared. The magic book appears just like a regular book at first glance, but when visitors flip the pages, sensors activate animated videos that chronicle the events of the Shrouds earliest days. The exhibit also contains a selfie station so you can explore what it means when we talk about positive and negative images. The selfie station enables visitors to take a picture of themselves and have both a negative and positive version of the image sent to their email account. The exhibit details the Shrouds role throughout history and includes a lesson about radiocarbon dating, which scientists used to help determine the age of the Shroud. After testing a small portion of the Shroud in the late 20th century, scientists determined that it dated to between AD 1260 and 1390. Additionally, the exhibit outlines how the Shroud of Turin has changed hands over the years. While the Shroud remained in the hands of the Savoy family for over 400 years, it was willed to the papacy in 1983 upon the death of the former king of Italy, Umberto II. The exhibit also features an interactive timeline providing a detailed history of the Shroud. Throughout history, the Shroud has survived multiple disasters. As indicated on the interactive timeline, On December 4, 1532, a fire broke out at the church in Chambery [France], where the Shroud was kept. Intense flames surrounded the silver reliquary. The priest needed the help of a blacksmith to rescue the Shroud. He broke the box open, but not before a drop of molten silver burned through one corner of the folded cloth. Two years after the fire, the Poor Clare nuns patched the Shroud. The triangular patches remained in place until a restoration in 2002 removed them to sustain the integrity of the cloths fibers, the timeline continued. Visitors can obtain more information about the Shroud by touching sensors on an interactive version of the cloth, which highlights the significance of the burn marks and contains Bible verses related to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Clarence and Ginni Thomas embody integrity in public service The militant Left is attacking the principled public service of Justice Clarence Thomas again; this time by targeting his wife Ginni in a malicious attempt to delegitimize Supreme Court decisions that are faithful to the original meaning of the Constitution. The Left has targeted Clarence all his career. We all saw his promise when President Ronald Reagan appointed him as assistant secretary of education for civil rights in 1981, and then promoted him at the first opportunity, nominating him as chairman of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in 1982. The Reagan White House thought very highly of Clarence. And in the next administration, we were thrilled to see President George H.W. Bush nominating this brilliant and principled young leader to be a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit in 1990, to occupy the seat left vacant by another exceptional jurist, Judge Robert Bork. President Bush could not have done better when he later nominated Clarence to the U.S. Supreme Court. Justice Thomas has been the Rock of Gibraltar, steadfast in his principled commitment to originalism the idea that the Constitution should be interpreted according to the original meaning of its words when the American people adopted them, and that judges must faithfully adhere to the text of written laws. Yet in recent weeks, national publications have penned lengthy hit pieces on Ginni, who is not a public official. Ginni is outspoken in public life, but as a grassroots activist in the Republican Party and the conservative movement, not in the courtroom where her husband serves. She has often been erroneously described as operating a lobbying company, but has not been a registered lobbyist since her husband joined the court. What does Ginni do? She brings leaders and groups together to collaborate and share information and explore ways to synchronize messaging for greater impact. Her focus is on coalition-building, and working in the public affairs space to maximize impact of messaging for clients and causes she believes in. The situation might be different if Ginni was engaged in litigation, such as arguing before a court or having her name appear on legal briefs, but she does not touch the courtroom arena. No matter how strongly she feels about a matter, she steps back if it moves toward litigation, even before it reaches the Supreme Court. One recent smear involved attacking Ginni for her leading role in the Impact Awards, celebrating leaders who put great effort into nonprofits and similar causes, often at great personal cost. This annual tradition fills a niche in the center-right movement, and it is astounding that anyone could find fault with it or spend time criticizing it. Gone are the days when the family of a public official was considered off limits to most journalists. But what is really going on here is much more insidious. It is a new low of targeting the latter for destruction in an effort to bring down the former. This is the Cancel Culture taken to a level that threatens our institutions of government. What began years ago as the politics of personal destruction has metastasized into attempts to delegitimize a distinguished and senior member of the best-functioning branch of the federal government, by smearing his wife. Such demonization must end. Citizens will no longer want to participate in our constitutional republic if they conclude that doing so will incur years of relentless harassment targeting their spouses. And federal judges have lifetime appointments so they can rise above politics, and not be subject to a lifetime of political attacks. We must rise above this noxious miasma and frame these facts truthfully, starting with the Thomases. That truth is this: Clarence and Ginni Thomas show how a top federal judge can have a patriotic spouse with a public career, where both can faithfully pursue their respective callings with honor and integrity. We should commend their example to our fellow citizens. When the government plays God: The threat of statism' Whats the biggest threat facing Christianity in America today? If you asked 10 different people you would probably get 10 different answers. Some would say that its the erosion of our religious liberty and other social freedoms. Others may respond that its the aggressive efforts of religiously-hostile secularism. More ecclesiological-minded Christians might point to the rise of pragmatism and the decline of meaningful membership and discipline in local churches. Shout into the dark hollows of progressive Christianity and no doubt you will hear the repeated refrain of Christian nationalism echo back from the netherworld. Still, others would pull up statistics on declining church attendance and religious affiliation by younger generations, captured by the rise of the nones, an attention-grabbing phrase used to describe the well-documented increase in the percentage of Americans who, when queried by survey researchers about their religious identification, say none. But what if the threat has less to do with the decline of faith commitments or First Amendment freedoms (as concerning as those are) and more to do with the ascendance of an alternative and competing faith system altogether? Perhaps more than the rise of the nones, its the rise of a dangerously misinformed but rapidly metastasizing vision of government of the state which is increasingly held by Americans across our country, both Christians and non-Christians alike, thats at the root of our peril and predicament. If so (and judge for yourself), then Francis Schaeffer saw it coming. As did R.C. Sproul. In fact, Schaeffer prophetically predicted the advent of this idolatry to a young Sproul. What did Schaeffer see as the biggest threat, or concern, for the future Christians in America? One word: Statism. Schaeffer, Sproul, and statism: An alliterative and elucidating encounter In 2008, R.C. Sproul, that late, great Reformed pastor, preacher, and philosopher, published an eponymous article entitled Statism. He writes: About thirty years ago, I shared a taxi cab in St. Louis with Francis Schaeffer. I had known Dr. Schaeffer for many years, and he had been instrumental in helping us begin our ministry in Ligonier, Pennsylvania, in 1971. Since our time together in St. Louis was during the twilight of Schaeffers career, I posed this question to him: Dr. Schaeffer, what is your biggest concern for the future of the church in America? Without hesitation, Dr. Schaeffer turned to me and spoke one word: Statism. Schaeffers biggest concern at that point in his life was that the citizens of the United States were beginning to invest their country with supreme authority, such that the free nation of America would become one that would be dominated by a philosophy of the supremacy of the state. Sproul explains that in statism, we see the suffix ism, which indicates a philosophy or worldview[this] happens when the government is perceived as or claims to be the ultimate reality. This reality then replaces God as the supreme entity upon which human existence depends. In short, statism is when the government replaces God. The Golden Calf of government Statism is when the state tries to play God. Statism is what happens when the collective hubris of modern man joins forces to resurrect the tower of Babel, except this time instead of a tower to Heaven its bureaucrats building a monument to two years worth of inerrant and inspired CDC guidelines. Statism was a distant threat a few decades ago statism is the enemy breaching our gates today. Schaeffer also seemed to understand why, in the American context, this was such an ever-present concern for the United States, why we the people, of all people, might be so predisposed to one day find the sharp barb of statism in the Achilles heel of our form of government. In A Christian Manifesto, Schaeffer explained: The Reformation worldview leads in the direction of government freedom. But the humanist worldview with inevitable certainty leads in the direction of statism. This is so because humanists, having no god, just put something at the center, and it is inevitably society, government, or the state. Statism, then, is the religion of a secular theocracy. And in a secular theocracy, our high-ranking bureaucrats see themselves as a new class of high priests. When you disagree, its not just dissent, its heresy. I would suggest this framework helps better explain the last two years in America. Yet Schaeffer saw it on the horizon almost 52 years prior. Citizen, know thyself In The Art of War, Sun Tzu tells all future Alexanders, Washingtons, and Eisenhowers that, If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle. We ask, then, who is the enemy here? Its the worldview, the philosophy, the belief that every good and perfect gift comes down to us not from the hands of our Heavenly Father, but by the benevolent decree of Daddy Government. Unfortunately, an increasing number of our fellow Americans have been infected with this worldview. Theyve been assimilated. They are triple-jabbed, double-boosted, double-masked vax passport-holders, shuffling toward us chanting, Resistance is futile. Yet bear in mind these folks are not the enemy. No, they are casualties. But who are we? We are Christians. We are those who have been born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and possessors of an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for us (1 Peter 1:3-4). We arent slaves of the sovereign state, we are Sons and Daughters of the King, co-heirs with Christ. Render to God: The Christian response to Statism But if knowing is only half the battle, what is the other half? Fighting it! So, here are three closing considerations on how Christians can resist statism. First, in the American political context, we fight statism by constantly reminding the representatives of the state to stay firmly put in their proper place. That place, where we say, This far you may come and no farther, is the boundaries fixed by the Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights. Every single elected official is beneath the Constitution and we must never let them forget it. When Paul tells Roman Christians to submit to the governing authorities, that meant something different for them than it does for us. Americans dont have a Caesar; we have a Constitution, and it is high time we remembered that and acted accordingly. Want to fight statism? The next time the government tries to tell you to close your church while it leaves the local liquor store open, you let your mayor know that service is at 10:30 a.m. and he is welcome to join. Masks optional. Second, lend a hand in smashing the absurd myth of a neutral public square. You know this idea: That the Christian is free to come out into public and argue for what he thinks is best, but he must do so on the grounds of pure reason but no metaphysical truth claims. God said men are men and not women? Theonomist! But the truth is that the public square, digital or physical, has never been neutral. Everyone worships even the most committed atheists, humanists, and secularists among us. Many well-meaning Christians continue to delude themselves into viewing the public square in America as a neutral landscape. The reality is that all of governing is inherently moral, and never an exercise of pure reason. As Christians, we must stop trying to hide our religiously-informed truth claims out of fear of being charged with trying to impose our morality on others. The appropriate answer to this accusation is to smile and say, Yes, absolutely I am. And you are too. Lets not pretend otherwise. Third, and finally, we render to God that which is Gods. God made us, not the state. Therefore, God owns us, not the government. What a blessed reminder that, the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture (Psalm 100:3). When we remind ourselves of who the Sovereign of the Universe is, the one who holds the world in the palm of His hand, we wont be tempted to give the government a greater weight or role than it is due. Sproul knew this would be a fight. After all, governments dont have a great track record of happily limiting themselves to a small space. With this in mind, Sproul concluded his 2008 reflections on the memorable moment with Schaeffer like so: Throughout the history of the Christian church, Christianity has always stood over against all forms of statism. Statism is the natural and ultimate enemy to Christianity because it involves a usurpation of the reign of God In the final analysis, if statism prevails in America, it will mean not only the death of our religious freedom, but also the death of the state itself. We face perilous times where Christians and all people need to be vigilant about the rapidly encroaching elevation of the state to supremacy. There can only be one Sovereign. One Supreme Power. One God. One Lord. One Savior. And its not the nameless and faceless state. Its the embodied and resurrected Lord Jesus Christ. I trust the last few years have made this clear, but we would indeed all do well to heed this warning from our friends Francis and R.C. Originally published at the Standing for Freedom Center. Iran acquits 9 Christian converts of 'acting against national security' in 'landmark decision' An Iranian appeals court has acquitted nine Christian converts serving five-year prison sentences on charges of acting against national security for their participation in house churches, a ruling dubbed a landmark decision by Open Doors USA. The human rights watchdog Article 18 reports that Branch 34 of the Tehran Court of Appeal issued the ruling Monday following an order last November by the Islamic Republics Supreme Court for the lower court to review the convictions. In addition to acting against national security, the nine converts were charged with promoting Zionist Christianity. The accused include Abdolreza (Matthias) Ali-Haghnejad, Shahrooz Eslamdoust, Behnam Akhlaghi, Babak Hosseinzadeh, Mehdi Khatibi, Khalil Dehghanpour, Hossein Kadivar, Kamal Naamanian and Mohammad Vafadar. Judges Seyed Ali Asghar Kamali and Akbar Johari found insufficient evidence the accused acted against national security, arguing that Christians are taught to live in obedience, submission and support of the authorities. Article 18 Advocacy Director Mansour Borji said the courts decision was unlike any other of its type that he has seen. He said in a statement that the judges have gone to considerable length to explain their verdict, listing nine different reasons based on the constitution, judicial principles, legal provisions and Islamic tradition. These judges have now found that the initial ruling that caused some of these Christians to spend over two and a half years of their lives in prison was legally unjustifiable, Borji said. Meanwhile, at least a dozen others, including one of the nine involved [in] this case, are still in prison or enforced internal exile following their own convictions on similar charges. Open Doors USA, an organization that monitors persecution in over 60 countries, called the ruling a landmark decision for Iranian Christians. Open Doors ranks Iran as the ninth-worst country in the world when it comes to Christian persecution and has warned for years about the regimes crackdown on Muslim converts to Christianity and prosecution of underground churches. Since 2005, the group says, there have been concerted efforts to prevent Muslim converts from gathering in worship, with some facing up to 10 years in jail. In the broader picture, if these trials eventually set the believers free for good, the precedent can be used as a stepping stone to free many more people who have been imprisoned under the same faulty charges, an Open Doors report states. While the decision for these nine Christians is a monumental first step for Christians in Iran, there is still a long way to go for this ruling and the reasoning behind it to take effect across the board. The courts decision received praise from U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom Chair Nadine Maenza. "We are pleased by the #Tehran Court of Appeals' acquittal of 9 Christians. #Iran's courts correctly determined that peacefully practicing Christianity does not threaten Iran's national security, Maenza said in a statement shared on Twitter. The nine Christians were conditionally released in late December, pending the review of their cases. However, one (Abdolreza Ali-Haghnejad) was imprisoned again this year on another charge related to his faith. Two others (Behnam Akhlaghi and Babak Hosseinzadeh) are also facing new charges. The re-imprisonment as well as the new charges reveals an inconsistency in treatment of future cases, Open Doors warns. The nine Christian converts were initially arrested during raids on homes and house churches between January and February 2019. They were sentenced that October. According to Article 18, five were imprisoned in July 2019 because they couldnt meet the high demand for bail. The four others began serving their sentences in June 2020. While the hope that the acquittals would inspire similar action for other Christians prosecuted for their faith, a petition from convert Nasser Navad Gol-Tapeh for a rehearing in his case was denied last month. The 60-year-old was convicted of acting against national security and imprisoned in 2018. He has penned appeal letters asking courts how his involvement in a house church threatened national security. Article 18 notes that Branch 9 of the Supreme Court had agreed to hear his case in January. However, his appeal for a retrial was dismissed in February, a decision that wasnt announced until this week. The U.S. State Department labels Iran as a country of particular concern for engaging in egregious violations of religious liberty. Oil surged, briefly touching $139 a barrel, in a dramatic start to another tempestuous week after the U.S. said it was discussing a ban on Russian crude imports, fanning supply fears in an already jittery market. Brent jumped as much as 18% in a matter of minutes at the open on Monday before paring some gains. Prices last week advanced the most in almost two years as Russias invasion of Ukraine triggered fears of a brutal supply crunch. The U.S. is in very active discussions with its European allies about the ban to tighten the economic squeeze on President Vladimir Putin, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on NBCs Meet the Press. The White House has so far resisted restrictions on Russian crude imports due to concerns about the impact of rising prices on consumers, but most buyers are refusing to take it, resulting in an embargo in all but name. JPMorgan Chase & Co. said Brent could end the year at $185 a barrel if Russian supply continues to be disrupted, while one hedge fund has said $200 was a possibility. Brent for May settlement advanced 9.1 percent to $128.86 a barrel on the ICE Futures Europe exchange at 10:47 a.m. in Singapore. West Texas Intermediate for April delivery gained 8.1 percent to $125.08 on the New York Mercantile Exchange. We have plenty of twists and turns to come, Mike Muller, Vitol Groups head of Asia, said Sunday on a podcast produced by Dubai-based consultant and publisher Gulf Intelligence. While I think the world is already pricing in the fact therell be an inability to take in a serious amount of Russian oil in the western hemisphere, I dont think weve priced in everything yet. Brent traded in its biggest range last week since the launch of the futures contract in 1988 -- eclipsing the wild swings in the global financial crisis of 2008 and the demand plunge sparked by the coronavirus pandemic. Traders, shippers, insurers and banks have been increasingly wary of taking on or funding purchases of Russian barrels as they navigate financial sanctions. Saudi Arabia hiked prices of its main crude blends following the surge in oil futures, increasing costs for refiners that may be forced to cut processing rates should profit margins significantly shrink. Meanwhile, OPEC producer Libya said its oil production fell below 1 million barrels a day because of a political crisis, adding to an already tight supply-demand balance. Brents backwardation, a bullish structure where prompt barrels are more expensive than later-dated cargoes, rose to $5.24 a barrel, highlighting nervousness about short-term supply. The prompt spread was $3.77 on Friday. Rusty Taco will soon have a location in the San Miguel Square shopping center, serving up authentic street tacos, fresh margaritas, homemade queso, fresh guacamole and warm chips. Sheila Abussab of Big Spring, a longtime Sonic franchisee, has signed a five-location developmental agreement with the first location to open in Midland, followed by a Lubbock location, according to a press release. Houstonians are used to rolling up their sleeves and helping people affected by disasters. But this time it's not because of a hurricane at home. Restaurants in Houston are raising money for Ukrainians whose lives have been disrupted by Russia's invasion of the Eastern European country. Kenny & Ziggy's, the New York-style deli owned by beloved Houston food personality Ziggy Gruber, announced on Monday that it would be sending aid to Ukraine and it will do so with meatballs. The deli will donate a portion of its sales of Ukrainian meatballs, a popular menu item that comes with brown gravy or sweet-and-sour sauce. Kenny & Ziggy's will contribute $4 for every main course order of meatballs ($23.95) and $2 for every appetizer order ($13.95). The aid effort will run indefinitely. The deli is sending these funds to Razom for Ukraine, a nonprofit that is providing medical supplies such as tourniquets, bandages, combat gauzes and sterile pads to affected residents, as well as humanitarian aid and support for volunteers on-site. Chris Shepherd's Underbelly Hospitality is also stepping up by donating funds to World Central Kitchen (WCK), an organization founded by chef Jose Andres that feeds those affected by disasters. The nonprofit currently has a team placed in Poland, feeding Ukrainian refugees crossing the border to escape Russian hostilities. Three Underbelly Hospitality restaurants have each selected a day on which 100 percent of beverage revenue will go toward WCK: Georgia James Tavern will donate its proceeds on March 10, Georgia James on March 11 and Wild Oats on March 13. Additionally, wine director Matthew Pridgen created a temporary wine list at Georgia James from which 20 percent of every bottle sold will be donated to WCK. The fundraising will begin on March 8 and continue until the restaurant leaves its temporary space at 1658 Westheimer to open in Regent Square, which is currently planned for May. Individual staff is helping Ukraine too. Underbelly Hospitality's director of operations, Nina Quincy, is traveling to Poland to volunteer for WCK for a week. Last week, FOX26 reported that Lucille's Hospitality donated $10,000 to aid in Ukraine, including to CARE and the National Bank of Ukraine. Chef-owner Chris Williams knows Ukraine well. He spent some time in the country when he served as a cultural culinary ambassador for the U.S. State Department from 2015 to 2019. Williams also told the TV station that his restaurant, Lucille's, will continue donating a portion of its profits on a weekly basis. In the five months since Walt Disney Co. announced the replacement of its 22-year-old FastPass system with the app-based Genie+, the Magic Kingdom has gone for some guests from being "the happiest place on earth" to one of the angriest ones. Genie+ is meant to help visitors cut down on the parks' famously long wait times and is offered at both Walt Disney World in Florida and Disneyland Resort in California. But the verdict from vocal parkgoers so far is that the service is too expensive, creates longer wait times for nonusers, is riddled with technical issues, and requires users to be glued to their phones to reap any benefits. A family of four can expect to pay an additional $60 to $240 per day on top of the price of admission simply to cut a few lines-a perk that used to be free with the former FastPass system. "I know it's supposed to make my trip easier, but this app has made my life a living hell," says Ava Martinez of Hoover, Ala., who visited Disney's Hollywood Studios recently with her husband and two children. She wasn't the only one complaining. The service has drawn objections on social media since its inception, with more than 100,000 people signing a petition seeking to oust Disney Chief Executive Officer Bob Chapek within weeks of the service's launch in October 2021. Since then, a bevy of issues have been well documented by travel agencies and savvy Disney bloggers-two groups that ordinarily support the beloved brand. Bonnie Sawyer, a travel agent in Phoenix who has long specialized in planning Disney vacations, says the product is "very unpopular" among her clients for many reasons, foremost being the steep price tag. "Disney has been creatively nickel-and-diming their loyal customers for many years," she says. "But for most people I talk to, Genie+ has been the final straw." Here's the quick primer on how Genie+ works. Anyone who downloads the Disneyland or Disney World app on the iTunes or Google Play stores gains access to a free service called Disney Genie, which helps guests navigate the parks with location-based dining recommendations and real-time updates on wait times for attractions. The paid Genie+ add-on costs $15 per person per day at Disney World and $20 per day at Disneyland, and is the ticket to actually cutting those queues via its so-called "Lightning Lanes," formally known as "FastPasses." Signup for Genie+ happens daily within the app. In practice, the fact that Genie+ is activated on a day-by-day basis forces parents-and other, less-bedraggled adults-to plan on the fly, through the day, starting early in the morning. Lightning Lane reservations open at 7 a.m., and users can secure them for only one ride at a time. A second reservation becomes available two hours after the parks open to the general public, at 9 a.m. Lightning Lane bookings can then be made every two hours, or after the previous one has been redeemed, whichever comes first. Sound complicated? It's also the starting point for a lot of things to go wrong. For starters, not all Lightning Lane reservations are included in the base Genie+ price. Cutting the line for popular attractions can cost an additional $7 to $20 per person, per ride, depending on when you travel and which park you're visiting. While you're allowed to hold up to two of these "premium" reservations at a time, they tend to sell out almost immediately after becoming available. As such, this is a system that requires not only time and money but also luck. "I was ready to go before the sun came up-and refreshed and refreshed because the app wasn't working," says Sandy Chapman, a cosmetologist from St. Petersburg, Fla. "By 7:03 [a.m.], all the big rides were gone." "The only way I got any fast passes was by babysitting the app all day long to snag rides as they became available. It was exhausting," Chapman adds. Mark Williams, a software engineer from Nashville, had other technical struggles. "It wouldn't load any times or let me select any members of my party," he explains. (The issue persisted through his multiday visit, although Disney offered a partial refund for one day.) Adding salt to the wound for many is the fact that the previous system was user-friendlier and didn't cost a penny. "I spent $120 for my family to get access to the same FastPass system that used to be free, and all I got to show for it was a shorter wait time at Winnie the Pooh and Aladdin's Magic Carpets," says Amy Turner, a mother of three from Fresno, Calif., who visited the Magic Kingdom last month with her sister's family. What's more, inaccurate wait time estimates on the app have caused some to purchase Lightning Lane passes for rides whose lines may not have been very long to begin with. Multiple parkgoers said the costly early mornings and the inability to have anything substantial to show for their efforts started their days off on the wrong foot. "You know it's going to be a rough morning when you haven't even gotten into the park yet and you're already pissed off," says mother-of-two Martinez. Asked to respond to the criticisms, a Disney spokesperson tells Bloomberg: "After just five months, we've received great guest feedback but continue to listen and find ways to even further enhance this new service and deliver a great experience." Disney seems to be listening, if the company's service adjustments are any indication. The spokesperson tells Bloomberg that beginning last week through Aug. 7, Disney World would be including three attractions in the basic Genie+ fee that had previously required an additional fee: Space Mountain, Frozen Ever After, and Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway. However, many of the parks' most popular attractions are still priced a la carte: $15 per guest to skip the line of Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, $14 per guest for Avatar Flight of Passage, $10 per guest for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, and $9 per guest to bypass the line at Remy's Ratatouille Adventure. And those are dynamic prices. When the parks are particularly busy during holidays and weekends, passes can climb $2 to $5 apiece to reach as high as $20 on select rides such as Radiator Springs Racers at Disneyland. With Disney anticipating peak crowds over spring break and beyond, those "peak" figures will likely become commonplace charges. Steve Davis, a food service manager from Plano, Texas, says he spent nearly $600 on the base level of Genie+ over the course of a week for his family of five, plus $300 on a la carte ride reservations. "Every ride we went on cost almost as much as taking my whole family out to a night at the movies back home," he says. The alternative-waiting in line for two to three hours per attraction-wasn't feasible. "I already paid a fortune to get my family to [Disney World]. I didn't want to waste it standing in lines all day," he explains. Those costs add up for Disney, too. In the company's fourth-quarter earnings report in November, Disney boasted a revenue increase in the parks division of $5.5 billion, up from $2.7 billion from a year earlier. On the company's most recent earnings call, CEO Chapek cited higher park attendance, hotel room rate increases, and "the introduction of Genie+ and Lightning Lane" as contributing to the increase. One Disney blogger's back-of-the-envelope calculation is that Genie+ alone might rake in $300 million for the company this year. Even for Disney employees and customers who don't buy in, Genie+ can create headaches. Guests without the fast passes, for instance, might jump into an apparently short line, only to be bypassed by hordes of people arriving with Lightning Lane passes, and staff funneling both sets of customers into a single line. One Disney employee who was advertising a 130-minute wait time for the popular roller coaster Slinky Dog Dash at Disney's Hollywood Studios put it this way: "If it wasn't for the Lightning Lane, this would only take half an hour, but the standby line is constantly interrupted by a stream of people with [virtual] return times." Park employees end up dealing with the angry aftermath. "I thought guests were angry about having to wear [face] masks all last year, but that was nothing compared to the complaints I hear all day about Lightning Lane issues," says an employee working near the Avatar Flight of Passage attraction at Disney's Animal Kingdom, who requested not to be named for fear of reprisal. "Everyone who bought [Genie+ access] is mad because it doesn't work like they want it to, and everyone who didn't buy it is mad because they have to wait in longer lines," the worker continues. "Pretty much the only people not angry are the shareholders." courtesy of the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office Authorities are seeking the publics help in finding the robber of a Magnolia convenience store. At about 11: 15 p.m. Feb. 7, a firearm-brandishing person walked into the Circle S at 29910 Dobbin Huffsmith in Magnolia and robbed the cashier. The suspect left the store on foot in an unknown direction, according to the Montgomery County Sheriffs Office. Get 25% off of the regular $65 annual All Access rate. With this subscription you will get: Digital access to ElPasoInc.com and archives (value $45) Print subscription home or business delivered (value $65) Book of Lists (annual rate only, value $50) El Paso Inc. Magazine (value $20) El Paso Kids Inc. Special sections - OR - Get 15% off of the regular $45 annual Digital-only rate. With this subscription you will get: Complete digital access to ElPasoInc.com. It could be a costly and lengthy path to justice as federal prosecutors work to convict one of the state's most powerful politicians on corruption charges. Prosecutors alleged in a 22-count indictment last week that former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, used his elected office and political operations as part of a years-long criminal enterprise for personal gain. In addition to the criminal charges, the indictment also seeks the forfeiture of $2.8 million in alleged illegal profits from Madigan and his confidante, former state lawmaker and ComEd lobbyist Michael McClain. If convicted of the most serious charge, Madigan could face up to 20 years in prison. The criminal proceedings are just getting under way. Madigan is set to be arraigned Wednesday. Already, five attorneys from Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP, a Chicago-based law firm with more than 700 attorneys across the world, have filed appearances on Madigan's behalf. After it became clear his fellow Democrats wouldn't support him as speaker for another term, Madigan resigned from the Chicago legislative seat he held for five decades on Feb. 18, 2021. The next day, his campaign fund, Friends of Michael J Madigan, spent $2 million with Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP, according to campaign finance records. Sheldon Zenner will serve as Madigan's lead attorney, according to court records. Zenner spent seven years as an assistant U.S. attorney in Chicago. "Having a prosecutorial background gives Sheldon critical insights into, and the ability to anticipate, the government's strategic decision-making," according to Zenner's biography on the firm's website. "It also informs Sheldon's approach as a defense lawyer. Although never anything short of zealous, he favors a search for common ground and reasonableness, whenever possible, over unproductive displays of aggression." Northern District of Illinois U.S. Attorney John Lausch said he is confident in the case his office built against Madigan and McClain. "We use a whole host of investigative tools, those aren't spelled out specifically in the indictment, but what you do have is words that are used in conversations, you do have words that are used in documents or in emails that are spelled out throughout that indictment," he said. "And that's the core of our evidence in this case." Prosecutors have cooperation from a political insider, former Chicago Ald. Danny Solis, who recorded conversations with Madigan, according to court records. In 2020, federal prosecutors and Exelon subsidiary ComEd reached a deferred prosecution agreement. As part of the agreement, the utility admitted it paid $1.3 million in jobs and contracts to associates of Madigan over nine years to influence the former House speaker. ComEd agreed to pay a $200 million fine. A former ComEd official, Fidel Marquez, pleaded guilty to bribery charges in September 2020. Given the breadth and complexity of the allegations, the case will be challenging, said David Parker, assistant professor at the Graham School of Management at Saint Xavier University. "You can't take any of them for granted," he said. "You hope to, but I don't think you're going to get 'guilty' on all 22 counts, so it's kind of like let's bring every single one we can and hope we'll get all of them, but maybe the majority of them. I don't think it is safe to say any of them are a given." Madigan has denied wrongdoing. "I was never involved in any criminal activity," Madigan said in a statement Wednesday. "The government is attempting to criminalize a routine constituent service: job recommendations. That is not illegal, and these other charges are equally unfounded." The case against Madigan will depend on what prosecutors are able to bring to court, Parker said. "If it comes out that basically, people had no-show jobs, I don't think that's going to go over too well," he said. "If there's no work product, if they're not really qualified. I think it's going to be a hard sell to a jury that this is nothing more than a recommendation." Madigan has long been seen as deliberate and careful. "He's a very shrewd individual and he's got a good legal team," Parker said. However, cooperation from Solis and Marquez's guilty plea could benefit prosecutors. "I think that's a huge benefit to the prosecution," Parker said. "If you can get him on the witness stand, depending on how believable they are, it could have a huge impact. It also puts a little bit of pressure on Madigan and his team, it's like well, OK, what are they going to say? Are these individuals holding the smoking gun?" In light of how much money Madigan has already spent and the more than $10.5 million in campaign cash at his disposal, the legal proceedings could take years. "It could be lengthy," Parker said. "It's not going to be quick." Parker said a trial is by no means guaranteed. Prosecutors and defense attorneys could reach a plea agreement that would scuttle the need for a public trial, he said. Before he withdrew his bid to retain his role as House Speaker in early 2021, Madigan had controlled not only how and what legislation moved through the state's lower chamber, but also the purse strings for his party as chairman of the Democratic Party of Illinois. Those dual roles made him the state's most powerful and influential politician. "Some people probably think this is the tip of the iceberg," Parker said. "If you've got a healthy root system with a toxic plant, what are you left with?" For high school senior Gabrielle Izu, Texas public school book bans feel personal. The books Texas is targeting mainly novels that focus on discussions of race, sexual orientation and gender identity tell the tale of Izus past and future. The 17-year-old high school student is Asian American, Black and Hispanic and bisexual, and she hates to see her identities or her peers censored. I ignored [my sexuality] for a really long time. And I think that as a young girl, if a book showed me that this is a life that could be lived, I could have had a lot more peace and coming to terms with bisexuality, said Izu, who attends James E. Taylor High School in the Katy Independent School District near Houston. Here and there, Texas students are forming their own book clubs to read what adults want banned. Books like Margaret Atwoods The Handmaids Tale, Ashley Hope Perezs Out of Darkness and Carmen Maria Machados In the Dream House. Books that, until last fall, were easy to find and access. In Katy ISD, students have distributed hundreds of novels challenged by adults in Texas. Theyre getting the books free of charge from a political advocacy organization and publishers. And Leander ISD near Austin, students are coming together in a banned-book club to discuss those books. Some students are starting to attend school board meetings to fight for the freedom to choose what to read. More than a hundred Katy ISD students of a variety of ages, races and gender identities met after school to discuss the bans and pick up contested novels. Among the books theyre reading is Kalynn Bayrons Cinderella is Dead, a novel that follows a queer, Black teenagers coming-of-age story. Izu, who saw herself reflected in the book, said her heart broke when Texas schools targeted it for a ban. It felt like my identity was seen as dangerous because of the banning of a story like that. What about my story? Am I seen as a bad influence? Izu said. Am I seen as something that should be shamed? Students in the banned-book club often discuss how each book introduces to them new perspectives or historical events. Credit: Lauren Witte/The Texas Tribune A slide showing a recap of the banned book the club just finished, Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope Perez, during the club's meeting in Vandegrift High School's library on Wednesday, Mar. 2, 2022. Credit: Lauren Witte/The Texas Tribune Students in the banned-book club often discuss how each book introduces them to new perspectives or historical events. Credit: Lauren Witte/The Texas Tribune Texas parents and politicians say they are protecting students with book bans. Many students, including Cameron Samuels, a senior at Seven Lakes High School in Katy ISD, arent buying it. Its clear that these books address issues of race and LGBTQ identities, and that is the exact reason that certain people are seeking to remove these books from libraries and prohibit students from accessing them, said Samuels, who helped with distribution efforts. And these policies have dire consequences for us because they keep us struggling with our queer identities. Katy ISD students showed strong support at the events, Samuels said. But not all parents are happy, and some have even tried to enter the school to disturb student discussions on Texas book bans, they said. As far as I have seen, parents have been the center focus of the movement to ban books and remove them from libraries, where students have been at the forefront of advocating for having access to these books, Samuels said. Books on race are also targeted, especially after Texas lawmakers passed a social studies law to target what they referred to as critical race theory, though the law does not specifically mention it. Critical race theory is a university-level discipline that considers how racism is embedded in policies and systems. The new law states that a teacher may not be compelled to discuss a widely debated and currently controversial issue of public policy or social affairs in public schools. While this law primarily applies to social studies curriculum, some are also trying to apply it to any book found in a school library. Katy ISD removed, temporarily, Jerry Crafts New Kid, which explores how more subtle or indirect discrimination impacts Black students in a mostly white school. The school district took the action after a parents claimed the book presented harmful content about critical race theory. The district returned New Kid to shelves last semester, but Samuels said only students in fifth grade and up are permitted to check it out. Samuels, who is nonbinary, said the novel comforted them, as they have often felt isolated as one of the few students at their school who use they/them pronouns. I have often felt alone and have experienced microaggressions, Samuels said. Theres no reason that addressing these issues should be something that students are prevented from doing or prohibited from learning about. Katy ISD does not allow students to distribute books the district banned. Samuels said it feels condescending that those in power decide what students can and cannot read. As students, we must take ownership of our education and not let others decide for us which resources we can access and which topics we can learn about, they said. At a recent Katy ISD school board meeting, students packed the room to call for the district to return books to libraries. Samuels and other students plan to continue to protest book bans at a Capitol rally on March 12. This is censorship. This is bad, Izu said. This is condemning things that shouldnt be condemned. Book bans exploded across the state and country during this school year. In October, state Rep. Matt Krause, R-Fort Worth, called on schools to disclose whether any of about 850 book titles were in their libraries. He said books that might make students feel discomfort should also be identified. Weeks later, Gov. Greg Abbott asked the Texas Education Agency to investigate the availability of pornographic books at school libraries. Maghan Sadeghi, a James E. Taylor High School senior who is working with book distribution efforts, said Abbotts statement sounds like a bunch of ignorance. She notes that her AP literature class requires many readings that reference sex. In One Flew over the Cuckoos Nest, it is suggested on several occasions that staff rape patients. In Hamlet, sex before marriage is compared to a worm invading a flower before it blooms. Theyre OK with heterosexual scenes, heterosexual ideas. But the second something turns slightly, slightly queer, slightly homosexual, it discomforts them. Its the same thing with [people of color] viewpoints, Sadeghi said. Why do we have to remove books about Black people and Asian Americans simply for the sake of white peoples comfort? In Leander ISD, students gather together every two weeks to answer a similar question: Should this book be banned? Vandegrift High School sophomores Ella Scott and Alyssa Hoy created the schools banned-book club after looking at the list of books their district aimed to ban last year. The district would remove some of their favorite books from classroom libraries, and as a result, the students began having discussions about decisions they felt the district made without them. I loved The Handmaids Tale, Scott said, referring to Atwoods novel about a totalitarian society that forces fertile women to be raped so they can carry to term the offspring of elite couples. Its now one of the restricted books in her school. I love that book. Forever. Its one of my favorites. Seeing it on the list was definitely disorienting. Leander ISD has so far removed the physical copies of 11 book titles from classroom libraries, but nine of those still reside in the schools main and digital libraries, according to Matt Mitchell, Leander ISDs communications coordinator. During study hall, dozens of students from all grades meet to discuss one of the banned books plot and purpose, as well as who should have access to its storylines. So far, they generally agree the banned books furthered their education and should be freely accessible in the classroom. Often, the students discuss how each book introduces to them new perspectives or even historical events. Vandegrifts banned-book club recently set up an Amazon wish list to fund book purchases, and one of its founders said the community has supported the students. Credit: Lauren Witte/The Texas Tribune Perezs now-banned novel Out of Darkness follows a love affair between Naomi, a Mexican American high school senior, and Wash, a Black teenager, in the days before the 1937 gas explosion at the New London school, still one of the worst national disasters in history. Many book club students were unaware of this tragic event in the East Texas town of New London. These are very powerful stories, Hoy said. Most of the time, those tough decisions and tough scenes are reasons why they are so powerful and so meaningful to so many people. Last semester, the club had members purchase their books. Recently, the club set up an Amazon wish list to fund book purchases. In 24 hours, donated funds paid for the groups books. Hoy said the community has supported the club through the semester. Eventually, we hope our club wont be necessary, Scott said. We just hope that our voices and our opinions will be considered. The Texas Tribune is a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and engaging Texans on state politics and policy. Learn more at texastribune.org. As the Ukrainian people endure horrors that are all the worse for being absurdly unnecessary, it is difficult to avoid pondering the most horrific absurdity of all: if Vladimir Putin is unhinged enough to launch a barbaric war, would he, in the same deluded spirit of grievance and paranoia, actually consider using nuclear weapons? Its been 60 years since the Cuban Missile Crisis, which Robert McNamara admitted we got through not by diplomatic skill but by sheer good luck. Pull out into space a few hundred miles and look down on the radiant curve of the blue earth, and then look back in time. This small home of ours coalesced over billions of years from the energy of the stars into matter, followed by the miracle of life, then conscious life, then the Axial Age, when great teachers like Buddha and Jesus taught the means by which humans could further evolve and discover meaning and fulfillment together. Then, recently, a great global war where a supremely evil anti-Semitic autocrat failed to develop a nuclear weapon and was defeated. And now this moment, where another equally deluded dictator controls thousands of such weapons. Beyond Putin's megalomania, beyond whether NATO raised tensions by expanding toward Russias borders, beyond the greedy delight of arms manufacturers worldwide, the Ukrainian invasion demonstrates the immense harm humans can do when we try to take upon ourselves the authority that belongs to Reality itself. What is conveyed by capitalizing the word Reality is a truth that is too big for authoritarians like Putin to comprehend, let alone control: the Reality that were all in this together renders obsolete the national borders that obsess Putin and obsessed Donald Trump when he was in office. Reality: a nuclear war can never be won, and must never be fought. Any possible strategic usefulness of nuclear weapons is cancelled out by their world-destroying power. If Putin understood this, he would not be making nuclear threats. But U.S. presidents have also made such threats in the past, so a little humble capitulation of our own to Reality would be welcome. Reality: pandemics do not care about national borders, and must be fought globally. Reality: theres a global climate emergency that demands that all nations cooperate on a new level. Putin, still admired by his tin-pot understudy Mr. Trump, is doing what autocrats do: distracting his citizens from economic pressures, pandemic challenges, and internal forces for democratic reform, personified by the imprisoned Navalny. Putin sees a democratic Ukraine, or any democratic state bordering Russia, as a threat to his autocratic rule, just as the Chinese government sees a similar threat from Taiwan. He is trying to divert the gaze of his citizens outward toward his contrived external enemy at the moment, supposed neo-Nazi Ukrainians in thrall to foreign agents who are trying to undermine Mother Russia. As tensions ratchet up, it only takes one cycle of misinterpretation to slide sideways into nuclear escalation. If we manage to avoid WWIII, and the nuclear powers finally join with the majority of nations to ratify the United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, perhaps in the future the International Court of Justice will adjudicate the kinds of supposed injuries that enrage Putin. If such a case came before the Court, a ruling might come down that affirmed Ukraines autonomy but would decree a peaceful referendum in the two Russian-leaning provinces in Eastern Ukraine on whether to rejoin Russia. American credibility, Chinese face, or Russian autocratic authority only have meaning in terms of how credible are pledges to sustain the biosphere and feed people, such as those starving in Afghanistan. Lifes continuity on our small planet requires our respect for, acceptance of, surrender to, the Reality of interdependence. For the love of God, Putin and all those who control nuclear weapons have mercy on the Earth. Harris County's primary elections, already impacted by vote count delays putting the county's political parties at odds, just became more complicated as thousands of uncounted mail-in ballots were discovered over the weekend. The county's elections office announced late Saturday it has identified approximately 10,000 mail-in ballots that were not tallied in the unofficial election night count. Approximately 6,000 of the uncounted ballots were for the Democratic primary and 4,000 were for the Republican race, the office said in a statement, adding the oversight occurred between the hours of 1 a.m. and 4 a.m. "While the votes were scanned into our tabulation computer, they were not transferred and counted as part of the unofficial final results as they should have been," the statement said. "These votes will be added to the final count when the Central Count Committee next convenes on Tuesday." The office said it is working with the Secretary of State's Office to investigate missteps in the process. "We are committed to full transparency and will continue to provide updates as they are available," the statement said. "While we understand the seriousness of this error, the ability to identify and correct this issue is a result of a lengthy, rigorous process and is a positive example of the process ultimately working as it should." Two races could potentially be affected by the oversight, including the Democratic primary for Texas House District 142. Incumbent state Rep. Harold V. Dutton and educator Candis Houston were only separated in the race by 136 votes, according to the Texas Tribune. The uncovered votes could also determine who Rochelle Garza, a former American Civil Liberties Union lawyer, will face in the primary runoff for Texas attorney general. Joe Jaworski, an attorney and former Galveston mayor, led civil rights lawyer Lee Merritt by only a few thousand votes. The news comes just as Harris County's Democrat and Republican parties clashed over delays in vote counts that happened during election night. The GOP called for Harris County Elections Administrator Isabel Longoria to be fired for her handling of the election. The party also filed a lawsuit to impound election records due to delays in the counting process. On Friday, Democrats blamed Senate Bill 1, the state's new elections law, for any issues. WASHINGTON - Several members of Congress said Sunday they are ready to step up support for Ukraine when they return to Washington after President Volodymyr Zelensky made a direct appeal to them over the weekend during a virtual appearance. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and Sen. Joe Manchin III, D-W.Va., both said they would support for a ban on imports of Russian oil, an idea that appeared to have growing bipartisan agreement. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the administration was in "very active discussions" with European partners on such a move. Rubio and Manchin said the U.S. had the ability to ramp up oil production to make up for a Russian ban to prevent raising prices on American consumers. Rubio said such concerns were an "admission" that Putin still has leverage over the United States. Both Democratic and Republican lawmakers also said they endorsed sending Soviet-era fighter jets to counter Russian raids but cautioned against implementing a no-fly zone, which they said could escalate the conflict even further. Zelensky had stopped short of using the words "no-fly zone," according to those on the call who were granted anonymity because the call was private. Instead, he discussed the urgency of "control of the skies" to combat the Russian bombardment. "A no-fly zone has become a catchphrase. I'm not sure many people understand what that means," Rubio said on ABC. "It's a willingness to shoot down the aircrafts of the Russian federation, which is basically the beginning of World War III." Manchin wouldn't dismiss the idea of taking such a step. "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," Manchin said on NBC's "Meet the Press." "I would take nothing off the table." Zelensky's virtual meeting with lawmakers may also push forward additional money for Ukraine. The Biden administration on Thursday requested $10 billion in aid for Ukraine, a move that appears to have bipartisan support. But supporters are worried that money could get stalled by funding fights over additional money requested to combat the covid pandemic. "My belief is that next week Congress is going to pass an emergency funding bill for Ukraine, putting $10 billion into both additional defensive equipment for Ukraine, but also humanitarian assistance to get civilian out," Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said on "Fox News Sunday." "My hope is that the Europeans will do more as well." Additional dollars could be directed to Poland and other European allies who are taking in refugees, Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, said during a separate segment on "Fox News Sunday." "This is where you see Republicans and Democrats coming together to aid Ukraine and of course provide stability to Europe," Ernst said. - - - The Washington Post's Pradnya Joshi contributed to this report. Florida, US (34429) Today Rain ending this evening. Partial clearing overnight. Thunder possible. Low 66F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%.. Tonight Rain ending this evening. Partial clearing overnight. Thunder possible. Low 66F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%. Work permit options to bring foreign employees to Canada without needing to do the LMIA process. LMIA-exempt work permits for employers Work permit options to bring foreign employees to Canada without needing to do the LMIA process. LMIA-exempt work permits for employers Work permit options to bring foreign employees to Canada without needing to do the LMIA process. LMIA-exempt work permits for employers Work permit options to bring foreign employees to Canada without needing to do the LMIA process. Shelby Thevenot Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif Sans Font Size A A You might be able to hire a temporary foreign worker without doing a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), or even bring people to work in Canada without a work permit if they fall under one of these exemptions. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has a work permit program called the International Mobility Program (IMP), which exists to promote the countrys social, economic, and cultural interests. These work permits are LMIA-exempt because the government has determined that the foreign workers work would be a significant benefit to Canada, or the exemption falls under a reciprocal agreement between Canada and the foreign workers nation. If your hiring situation falls under one of IRCCs LMIA exemption codes or a work permit exemption, you will not need to undergo the LMIA process. Before you hire a foreign workers under the IMP, you will need to pay an employer compliance fee and submit an offer of employment through IRCCs Employer Portal. Find out if you are eligible for Canadian immigration Quebec employers do not need a Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) in order to hire through the IMP. Here are some of Canadas LMIA-exempt work permit and work permit exempt programs. Intra Company Transfer (ICT) Multinational companies may be able to send key staff to work at their Canadian location through an Intra Company Transfer (ICT). This option is available to companies that have a parent, subsidiary, branch or affiliate location that is operational in Canada. It is not enough to just have a physical location. Also, the occupation in Canada may only be for executives and senior managers, functional managers, or an employee who can demonstrate specialized knowledge of the companys products, services, processes and procedures. CUSMA Citizens of the U.S. and Mexico can get Canadian work permits under the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA). Formerly known as NAFTA, CUSMA allows for Canada, the U.S., and Mexico to exchange talent without the need for LMIAs. There are four categories of temporary work covered under CUSMA: CUSMA Professionals Workers who are qualified to work in one of approximately 60 targeted professions, and have pre-arranged employment. CUSMA Intra-Company Transfers Managers, executives, or workers with specialized knowledge transferring to Canada to work for a branch, subsidiary, or affiliate of their U.S. or Mexican employer. CUSMA Traders Persons who are coming to Canada to carry out substantial trade of goods or services Canada and the U.S. or Mexico. CUSMA Investors Investors who have made a substantial investment in a new or existing Canadian business and are coming to Canada to develop and direct the business. CETA Canadas free trade agreement with the European Union and its member states is called the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). There are four groups of people who may benefit from CETA: Business visitors This category includes short-term business visitors and business visitors coming to Canada for investment purposes. Intra-company transferees Senior personnel and specialists may transfer to a Canadian branch without an LMIA. Investors European investors who have made a substantial investment in a new or existing Canadian business and are coming to Canada to develop and direct the business. Contractual service suppliers and independent professionals This CETA category is for certain service suppliers and independent professionals. Find out if you are eligible for Canadian immigration TV and film TV and film productions can bring essential personnel to Canada through the TV and Film Production Work Permit Category. Foreign and Canadian production companies can use this work permit category to bring talent to Canadian locations, if they can demonstrate the work to be performed by the foreign national is essential to the production. Business Visitors Business visitors can enter Canada to conduct business or trade activity without needing a work permit. This exemption may apply to people who are coming to Canada to attend a conference, buy Canadian goods or services for a foreign entity, train employees or being trained for work that will be done outside of Canada, among others. They also could be providing after-sales or lease services. These are some of the general criteria to qualify as a business visitor: the intended duration of stay in Canada is for less than six months; the foreign national does not plan to enter the Canadian labour market, and their main place of income or source of income and profits is outside of Canada; and the foreign national meets Canadas basic entry requirements including a valid passport, enough money to finance the entire stay and return home, and is not criminally or medically inadmissible. Business visitors may need a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) in order to cross the border. After-sales or lease services If a worker is coming to Canada to do repairs and servicing, supervise installers, or set up and test commercial or industrial equipment (including computer software) they may not need a Canadian work permit. People who do this type of work may be considered business visitors. Setting up does not include hands-on installation generally performed by construction or building trades, such as electricians or pipe fitters. After-sales or lease services also applies to people coming to repair or service specialized equipment purchased or leased outside Canada, provided the service is being performed as part of the original or extended sales agreement, lease or rental agreement, warranty or service contract. It includes situations where the sales or lease agreement or purchase order is for a software upgrade to operate previously sold or leased equipment. Also, a service person coming to Canada to install, configure or give training on the upgraded software may be considered a business visitor. Hands-on building and construction work is not covered by this provision. Find out if you are eligible for Canadian immigration CIC News All Rights Reserved. Visit CanadaVisa.com to discover your Canadian immigration options. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan newsroom powered by The Philadelphia Inquirer in partnership with PennLive/The Patriot-News, TribLIVE/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and WITF Public Media. Sign up for our free newsletters. WHILE YOURE HERE... If you learned something from this story, pay it forward and become a member of Spotlight PA so someone else can in the future at spotlightpa.org/donate. Spotlight PA is funded by foundations and readers like you who are committed to accountability journalism that gets results. Sorry, no valid subscriptions were found for this Publication. Please select from an option below to start a subscription. SUBSCRIBE TODAY! 24 Hour Access Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) has raised 100m for its Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal in just four days, which is the equivalent of more than 1m an hour since its launch. The appeal raised 55m in its first 24 hours. This figure included 25m in match-funding from the British government. The UN estimates up to four million Ukrainians may be forced to leave their country following Russias invasion. Some 1.5 million people have already fled Ukraine due to the conflict and 18 million people are projected to be affected by the conflict. The charity said: Thanks to the publics generosity and 25m in match-funding from the UK government, DEC charities have already started to use funds to deliver vital aid and scale up their response. The Queen, Prince Charles and Prince William have made donations to the appeal. Actors Kit Harington and Adrian Lester have recorded appeals imploring for people to donate, while David Tennant did the same on the radio. Many thanks to Her Majesty The Queen for continuing to support the Disasters Emergency Committee and for making a generous donation to the DEC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal. @RoyalFamily #UkraineAppeal DEC (@decappeal) March 3, 2022 Saleh Saeed, chief executive of DEC, told BBC News that this is the charity's largest appeal since the tsunami in the Indian Ocean back in 2004. The charity has a history of raising funds quickly in response to disasters. In December 2021, DEC raised 9.5m in the first 24 hours of its Afghanistan Crisis Appeal which was set up in response to the Taliban taking over the country. The charitys coronavirus appeal raised 5m on its first day in 2020. DEC charities are urging the public to make cash donations as opposed to donating specific goods because goods are often expensive to transport. The DEC is a charity made up of 15 leading aid groups, including ActionAid, British Red Cross and the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD). Jo Kitterick, head of supporter engagement at CAFOD, said: This amazing show of support for people fleeing the conflict has meant that we have been able to start spending money straight away to help more people. Through our international partner Caritas we are working inside Ukraine and on its borders, setting up safe centres with beds, food and washing facilities. Were also providing transport, information, psychological support and child-friendly spaces. The conflict shows no sign of letting up and our local experts are seeing more and more people having to flee their homes to keep themselves safe. Were expecting the numbers crossing the border to keep increasing in the coming days. I want to thank everyone who has donated to help us support them in their moment of greatest need. The Ukrainian Red Cross is using the money raised to provide first aid, warm clothes and support in shelters and metro stations across the country. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is working to restore water supplies, provide food, shelter and medical facilities to those affected. Save the Children, which is also a member of DEC, is working in neighbouring countries to provide children and families with immediate aid. sign up to receive the Civil Society News daily bulletin here . For more news, interviews, opinion and analysis about charities and the voluntary sector, Roundhouse appoints BBCs Lorna Clarke as new trustee Camden-based creative charity Roundhouse has announced Lorna Clarke will become a trustee. Clarke is the controller of pop music at BBC and is responsible for the portfolio of five music networks Radio 1 and 2, 6 Music, Radio 1Xtra and Asian Network. She brings over 30 years of broadcasting experience to the role. New CEO for The Urology Foundation Rebecca Porta has been appointed as the medical charitys new chief executive. She follows in the footsteps of Louise de Winter, who decided to step down for a part-time role at the charity as director of research and operations. Porta joins from Bowel Research UK, where she was chief executive for almost two years. She was CEO for Orchid Cancer Appeal for 11 years and started her career in the sector as a fundraising manager at the MS Society. New directors for Save the Children International Save the Children International has expanded its global board by appointing four new directors. The news comes as the charity announced its new three-year strategy. The new trustees are: Teresa Mbagaya - is a Kenyan principal of global impact investment firm Imaginable Futures. She is also a fellow at the Archbishop Tutu Leadership Fellowship. Rolake Akinkugbe-Filani - is a Nigerian chief commercial officer at Mixta Africa, an infrastructure developer. Deepak Kapoor - an India-based executive who was recently chairman and CEO of PwC India and founder of the PwC Foundation in India. He is a registered accountant and chair of Save the Children India. Larry Kamener - is a Melbourne-based senior adviser of the Boston Consulting Group. He is a founding board member of Teach for Australia and chair of Save the Children Australia. Angela Ahrendts, chair of Save the Children International, said: The new directors will further enrich our boards ability to rapidly evolve and leverage our scale to triple our impact for children. Mercy Ships announces new chair Michael Spence has been appointed the chair of Mercy Ships, a Christian charity that deploys hospital ships to help people suffering from disability, disfigurement and illness abroad. He succeeds Henry Clarke, who was a founding trustee of the charity and has served it for almost 40 years. Spence is president and provost at University College London, and an ordained Anglican priest. Originally from Australia, Spence raised over $1bn for the University of Sydney when he worked there as vice-chancellor and principal. Paul Ramsbottom, trustee and chair of the recruitment committee for Mercy Ships, said: Michael brings to Mercy Ships a tremendous heart for the work as well as his significant experience as a greatly respected global leader in higher education. His appointment comes after a careful and thorough search process. We look forward to working together at this most exciting of moments for the Mercy Ships family - to the benefit of those in need of hope and healing." New chair and trustees for The Hampstead Wells and Campden Trust The Hampstead Wells and Campden Trust has appointed a new chair and three new trustees. The charity is dedicated to alleviating poverty and advancement of health. Peter Kellner becomes the chair of the trust in April. He is a journalist and former BBC Newsnight presenter, and former president of polling organisation YouGov. He succeeds Geoff Berridge. Three new trustees are joining the charity: Jeremy Wells is an investment specialist. Fiona Dunsire is a business leader. Lucy Dennett is a senior manager and consultant for both commercial and not-for-profit organisations. Geoff Berridge said this marks a new stage in the trusts continuing development as an effective and respected grant-making body. Arts 4 Dementia appoints new chief executive Penny Fosten has been appointed Arts 4 Dementias chief executive. She takes over from Nigel Franklin, who has been in the role for seven years. Franklin will remain working with the charity but on a more part-time basis. Fosten joins from National Suicide Prevention Alliance, where she worked as an executive lead. She has experience over 15 years experience in the sector and previously worked in a senior role at the charity The Reader UK. Samaritans Scotland appoints new chair Samaritans Scotland has announced Amanda Millar as its new committee chair. She is also being appointed the Scotland trustee for Samaritans UK and Ireland more widely when she joins at the end of this month. Millar replaces Natalie Stevenson, who has been Scotland trustee and committee chair for three years. She was a trustee of the charity Mindspace for 11 years and chair of diversity and inclusion group at Institute of Directors Scotland. She is the first solicitor in Scotland accredited by the Law Society in both mental health law and incapacity and mental disability law. NatCen welcomes new lead for Centre for Health Research The National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) has appointed Dr Laura Johnson to lead its new Centre for Health Research. Johnson joins NatCen from the University of Bristol where she was an associate professor in public health nutrition. New president for Humanists UK Humanists UK has announced Adam Rutherford as its new president. He will take up the role in June 2022, and will replace current president Alice Roberts who will become vice president. Rutherford is a geneticist, science writer, broadcaster and humanist. He regularly contributes to The Guardian and edited the journal Nature for a decade. He has been a patron of Humanists UK for many years. sign up to receive the Civil Society News daily bulletin here . For more news, interviews, opinion and analysis about charities and the voluntary sector, In recent years, I have increasingly found myself having conversations about the relative absence of charity CEOs in public discourse. The actual work that charities do is regularly covered, and charities are frequently cited as sources of evidence - in fact more and more, it seems, as social pressures grow (a recent episode of Dispatches looking at the experience of children growing up in poverty through Covid cited six charities). But what seems to be missing is the voice of charity leaders in wider social commentary. Being asked as leaders to offer a perspective on the issues of the day in the way that business leaders are, say, or journalists. A quick scan of the main social affairs programmes suggests this is true: while the format of some programmes mean politicians dominate, business leaders feature three times more than charity CEOs. Further, it seems charity CEOs only make it onto current affairs programmes if the work of their current organisation is newsworthy. Yet, that doesn't seem to be true of business leaders. We don't expect James Dyson to stick to commenting on hoovers (though I'm sure many wish he would), and we arent shocked when Malcolm Walker of Iceland's opinions on Brexit are more sought after than his insights into the frozen food market. Why does it matter? We fear that this relative absence of charity voices is contributing to a misunderstanding of modern charity among senior figures in other sectors and the public at large. Further, that the absence of charity CEOs voices in public debate is diminishing our national conversation when we need it to be at its richest. Working in the sector, we know that the job of running charities can be every bit as complex and pressured as running a business or a large public sector organisation. For a great many charities, they are working at scale providing support and services that touch the lives of millions of people - and demand is growing. Many are tackling some of the most complex challenges we face as a society and working deep in people's lives and in communities. Core to charity purpose is to then use this experience to push for systemic change, getting upstream of problem to stop them arising. This might mean challenging the government of the day or other decision-makers. Charities play a critical role in public debate and political accountability. The pandemic has revealed and exacerbated inequities across society, especially affecting the most vulnerable across communities. We know it is a long road to recovery requiring a massive rethink of our structures and systems, as well as presenting an opportunity for new thinking especially focused on rebuilding broken communities and groups. If we do not get this right, by bringing in a wider selection of brains to the table, we miss an opportunity to set the cornerstone that will make all other changes possible and provide the hope for a better tomorrow. Charity CEOs, who have often led several organisations, have a different experience of leadership that we think is needed in our national conversation. Why is this happening? Im not sure I fully understand the reasons, but after a number of years discussing the issue with my fellow charity chief executives I can take an educated guess. Undoubtedly there is widespread misunderstanding of what the modern, professional, charity sector is. Not just amongst the general public but also amongst the political, business and media classes. As a consequence there may be a sense charity CEOs are just not as important to hear from. That the job is not that difficult. Further, while we have no automatic entitlement to respect and understanding, it may be that the standing of charity CEOs has been undermined by some of the scandals of recent years, from Olive Cooke and fundraising to Oxfam and safeguarding. A loss of trust exacerbated by the relentless culture war attacks that have become a feature of the current political landscape. Maybe rightly, charities are held to a different standard - but this is tough. Businesses fail daily yet business leaders arent written off in the same way. Recognising this situation, and the need to understand it better, a new grouping of charity leaders (see list below) has come together to help charities take their proper place in the national conversation. Our starting point is listening, to both supporters and critics. What do senior figures in other sectors think of us? Are our assumptions about how we are seen correct? Do we need to change our own behaviour? How do we fulfil our potential to help build a better society? If these issues chime, and you'd like to be involved or know more, please contact me via [email protected] . Sue Tibballs is chief executive of the Sheila McKechnie Foundation Leaders involved: Mark Atkinson, RNID (delegated to deputy CEO Harriet Oppenheimer) Halima Begum, Runnymede Trust Craig Bennett, Wildlife Trusts Susan Daniels, National Deaf Children's Society Paul Farmer, MIND Edel Harris, Mencap Tim Naor Hilton, Refugee Action Polly Neate, Shelter Tessy Ojo, The Diana Award Chris Sherwood, RSPCA Civil Society Voices is the place for informed opinion, and debate about the big issues affecting charities today. Were always keen to hear from anyone, working or volunteering at a charity, who has something to say. Find out more about contributing and how to get in touch. is the place for informed opinion, and debate about the big issues affecting charities today. Were always keen to hear from anyone, working or volunteering at a charity, who has something to say. One very long week ago, David Remnick, the editor of The New Yorker, published an interview that he had conducted over email with Dmitry Muratov, his counterpart at the long-standing Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta, around the latters crowded schedule of editorial meetings, street demonstrations, and late-night phone calls. Late last year, Muratov shared in a Nobel Peace Prize, awarded in recognition of embattled journalists everywhere; now he was scrambling to cover his countrys invasion of Ukraine, putting out an issue in Russian and Ukrainian and signing a cover note in both languages calling the war madness. Muratov predicted that his paper was in for a very difficult period after it rejected warnings from Russian officials to stick to the government line. We received an order to ban the use of the words war, occupation, invasion, he told Remnick. However, we continue to call war war. We are waiting for the consequences. Novaya Gazeta wasnt the only independent Russian outlet to receive such orders; at least nine others got them, too. As the week went on, the Putin regime turned the screw. Officials blocked the websites of the New Times, which had reported details of Russian military casualties, and Current Time, a channel run by the US-backed Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty; then, on Tuesday, they ordered that Ekho Moskvya radio station with a legacy of independent broadcasting dating back to the waning days of the Soviet Unionbe taken off the air. On Thursday, Ekho disappeared entirely after its directors voted to liquidate it; the same day, TV Rain, a much younger independent network that officials had also ordered closed, announced at the end of a final online broadcast that it was shutting down indefinitely, before cutting to a clip from Swan Lake that Soviet state TV used as placeholder footage at times of political turbulence. On Friday, officials blocked the website of Meduza, a Russian outlet based in neighboring Latvia, as well as other internationally produced Russian-language news sites. The same day, Russian lawmakers passed, and Putin signed, an Orwellian new law criminalizing fake news about the war. Violations are punishable by up to fifteen years in jail. Listen: Jane Lytvynenko on Ukraines great prebunk Fearing prosecution, more independent news sites quickly shut themselves down, while Meduza began urgently to relocate staffers from inside Russia. (Dozens of Russian journalists, including Tikhon Dzyadko, the top editor at TV Rain, had left already.) It wasnt immediately clear whether or how the law would apply to foreign journalists based in Russia, but major international outlets moved to take precautions while they sought more clarity. The Washington Post and AFP removed Moscow-based reporters bylines from certain stories, while others went further still, with Bloomberg, CBS, ABC, and other US outletsas well as major European outlets including Spains EFE, Italys RAI, and Germanys ZDFall announcing that they would, in some form, temporarily suspend their reporting or broadcasts from Russia. CNN said that it would stop broadcasting in Russia for the time being; the BBC, which had already been blocked by the government, said that it was suspending its operations inside the country to protect its journalists and support staff. It wasnt just news organizations that were affectedthe video-sharing app TikTok said that the new law gave it no choice but to suspend new content in Russia. The Committee to Protect Journalists said that Putin had plunged Russia into an information dark age. Reporters Without Borders called the new law the final blow for the countrys free press. Independent Russian media have long faced sharp obstacles to their work. In recent months, the Putin regime has added more, tagging many outlets and journalists as foreign agents, a designation that entails both stigma and onerous reporting obligations, and even branding the investigative website Proekt as undesirable, effectively criminalizing it. In the days since the invasion began, Russian authorities have continued to wield these broad regulatory weapons, in addition to their more specific orders around war coverage. On Saturday, officials slapped the undesirable tag on the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project and iStories, a Russian partner of OCCRP, even though neither outlet currently operates inside Russia. The same day, RFE/RL said that it would shutter its Russian operations, citing both Putins new law and Russian tax authorities opening of bankruptcy proceedings against it after bosses refused to comply with the terms of its foreign-agent designation, and were hit with millions of dollars in fines. Meanwhile, the blocking has continued. Yesterday, officials shut off several news sites, including Mediazona, which was founded by members of the dissident punk group Pussy Riot and covers the criminal justice system. Mediazona was the countrys last remaining independent news outlet still reporting on the war, Kevin Rothrock, an editor at Meduza, tweeted. The end. Sign up for CJR 's daily email The steady erosion of press freedom overseas can doubtless sometimes seem abstract to US news consumers. What were seeing now in Russia is the logical endpoint of that erosion, or something close to it, and the consequences of it are anything but abstractnot just for the many brave journalists whose work has just been criminalized, but also for those at home and around the world who are relying on them to tell the truth in a dangerous moment. Outlets including Mediazona, Meduza, and RFE/RL have vowed to continue covering Russia and its war, from afar if necessary, and advised their Russia-based readers on how to circumvent official Web blockages using VPNs, the Dark Web, or social apps including Telegram. But carrying on is harder than ever. A large proportion of donations to Meduza are made via payment processors that are no longer available in Russia, making the site increasingly reliant on international donations. Dzyadko, the editor of TV Rain, told CPJ that his operation needs time to regroup after it was banned. I cant say how, or in what format, or when, we will resume work, he said. Days after Muratov vowed to call war war, Novaya Gazeta said, in the wake of the fake news law, that it would remove articles about the invasion from its website and cease covering it going forward in order to protect its journalists, though the paper also said that it would continue covering the domestic consequences of the war, including the persecution of dissidents, including for anti-war statements. As The New Yorkers Masha Gessen reported in an insightful recent profile of Novaya Gazeta, Muratov has, over the years, made many fraught bargains to keep his reporters safepausing coverage of Chechnya to protect a correspondent whose colleague had just been killed; cultivating relationships, and engaging in what he calls secret diplomacy, with power brokerswhile pushing the ever-shifting boundary of what is possible in Russia, but never so far that Novaya Gazeta is shut down. This looks like another such bargain. As Anton Troianovski reported for the New York Times last week, analysts saw something similar as being true of Aleksei Venediktov, the longtime editor of Ekho Moskvy, attributing the stations survival to Venediktovs personal connections to the ruling elite as well as Putins desire to maintain a veneer of pluralism amid his creeping authoritarianism. The veneer is now gone, as is Ekho Moskvy. Novaya Gazeta, that other decades-old stalwart of the Russian media scene, survives still, but, as Troianovski also reported, Muratov and his colleagues arent sure for how much longer that will be the case. As Nadezhda Prusenkova, a Novaya Gazeta journalist, put it in an email newsletter to readers on Friday, I dont know what happens next. Below, more on Russia and Ukraine: Other notable stories: ICYMI: Local needs and the local-news crisis Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Jon Allsop is a freelance journalist whose work has appeared in the New York Review of Books, Foreign Policy, and The Nation, among other outlets. He writes CJRs newsletter The Media Today. Find him on Twitter @Jon_Allsop. MEXICO CITY (AP) Two foreign divers, either American or Canadian, were killed off Mexicos resort of Cancun by a dive boat that moved over them, prosecutors said Saturday. The prosecutors office in the Caribbean coast state of Quintana Roo said investigators were still trying to gain access to the divers travel documents to verify their nationalities. Some local media reported they were Americans; others reported they were Canadians. Prosecutors confirmed the ages of the victims, 60 and 65. They were apparently a man and a woman, part of a group of four foreign divers. Prosecutors said the divers had deployed a buoy and were ascending after a dive on a popular wreck site just off Cancun on Friday, when a boat from another local dive company ignored warnings and sailed over them. The company the two were diving with, Squalo Adventures, said in a statement that we are deeply saddened by the loss of our clients who in time became our friends. However, there is an ongoing investigation and we cannot comment at this time. Squalo Adventures is cooperating fully with said investigation, the statement continued. We extend our deepest condolences to the family and friends of those that were lost. The accident occurred near the C-55 Gunship, a U.S. WWII-era minesweeper that later saw service in the Mexican Navy and was intentionally sunk off Cancun in 2000 to provide marine habitat and a dive site. It is a busy and popular site among divers. The prosecutors office said a boat from another local company moved over the divers despite the buoy as well as waved and shouted warnings from the dive master. The boat then tried to rescue the other diver, but she was already dead. Traditionally, divers deploy a buoy with a distinctive red and white flag to warn boaters there are divers below the surface, and to avoid the area. The buoys are usually connected to ascent ropes divers use to surface slowly and decompress. An employee of the other dive company said she would try to provide comment from management, but did not immediately do so. The Caribbean coast, Mexicos top tourist moneymaker, has been hit in the past by allegations of poor safety practices. More recently, rampant violence has stained the coasts laid-back reputation. In January, prosecutors said the killing of two Canadians near Cancun was motivated by debts between international gangs apparently dedicated to drug and weapons trafficking. In late October, farther south in the laidback destination of Tulum, two tourists one a California travel blogger born in India and the other German _ were caught in the apparent crossfire of rival drug dealers and killed. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Bangladeshi seafarer Asiful Islam recalls the moment when a missile struck his cargo ship last week off the Ukrainian port of Olvia, killing his crew mate. I was just 15 feet away when it hit our ship. Our third engineer, Hadisur Rahman, who was killed, was standing just two feet away, Islam told Reuters from Romania after the remaining crew members were evacuated over the weekend. All we could do was pray out loud. It was the worst night of my life. I had never been to war zone in my life. Many shipping firms have suspended sailings to affected Black Sea ports and other terminals in Ukraine. Insurance premiums for voyages have soared since Russias invasion on Feb. 24, an action Moscow calls a special operation. Merchant shipping crew members of several nations are also among the 1.7 million people the United Nations says who have fled or been evacuated from Ukraine since the invasion. Before the explosion on the night of March 2-3, Islams vessel, the Bangladesh-flagged Banglar Samriddhi, had been stuck in Olvia since Feb. 24 after Ukraine closed its ports. Ukraine accused the Russian military of targeting the port facilities in a missile strike, while Russias embassy in Dhaka said last week the circumstances of the incident were being established. Russia denies deliberately targeting civilians. Islam said the Olvia port authority reached the vessel with three tugboats and it took two hours to put out the fire. We were hiding in the control room (engine room) the whole night, he said. We heard air bombing many times a few kilometers away from our ship. Hours later, an Estonian-owned cargo ship sank off Ukraines Black Sea port of Odessa after an explosion. At least three other ships were hit by projectiles before those incidents. Seafarers Stuck The U.N. shipping agency will convene a special meeting this week to discuss the risks to seafarers and ships in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov as dangers to merchant shipping escalate. NATO had warned civilian shipping to exercise caution and be on high alert in the area. Ukraines navy said on Monday that their forces defending the Odessa region had hit a Russian vessel in the Black Sea with gunfire. Ukraines Maritime Administration has said there are around 100 foreign flagged vessels with hundreds of seafarers still stuck in Ukrainian ports unable to sail or leave partly due to the fighting but also due to control of the waterways by Russia. Viktor Vyshnov, deputy head of the administration, told Reuters efforts were under way to evacuate other foreign seafarers stuck in Ukrainian ports. In recent days up to 100 mariners had managed to reach neighboring Moldova from Ukraine before heading to their home nations, he said. Vyshnov said the ability of authorities to evacuate more seafarers would depend on the situation in various port areas, adding that there was heavy fighting in Mykolaiv, with Mariupol further east encircled by Russia forces. Greece foreign ministry said earlier on Monday that seafarers from the Philippines who worked for a Greek operated ship were among a group of 34 people evacuated from Odessa to Moldova on Monday, without providing further details. In Bangladesh, Golam Mawla, 21, was hoping the body of his brother Hadisur Rahman, 28, would be repatriated after the strike on the Banglar Samriddhi. Bangladeshi officials said they were still trying to get Rahmans body back home. All our dreams are shattered. He was the sole breadwinner of our family, Mawla said. My brother often called us from the ship but he never told us anything about the situation. He told us everything was fine so that we would not worry. But later we heard from his friends that he was really worried and wanted to leave Ukraine as soon as possible. Beachwood, OH (44122) Today Thunderstorms early, then variable clouds overnight with still a chance of showers. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. Low 48F. SSW winds shifting to WNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Thunderstorms early, then variable clouds overnight with still a chance of showers. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. Low 48F. SSW winds shifting to WNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%. We Are China China's beverage industry records solid growth in 2021 Xinhua) 08:46, March 07, 2022 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). (Web editor: Peng yukai, Liang Jun) Get to know the Emporia and area baseball and softball teams in the 2022 Baseball and Softball special section. READ NOW Area leaders are preparing for substantial growth in New Albany due to the expected addition of at least 3,000 jobs directly for Intel from its new microchip manufacturing facility and many thousands more for Intel vendors. Heather Garner, executive director of the New Albany Symphony, said she is excited about the upcoming opportunities the Intel plant will create. We are thrilled to welcome this new workforce into our city and introduce them to the wonderful theaters and artists in our region, she told the Columbus Jewish News. The New Albany symphony is already expanding its programming offerings, including a new summer music festival this summer titled Summer in Vienna, taking place June 14 to June 18. The goal is to make the festival an annual event, with the expected increase in population providing a boost for it going forward. The symphony could also expand its offerings beyond its current four concert series and new summer festival as the population grows, Garner said. Describing the arts as connectors in the community similar to the chips being made at Intel, she expressed her hope that new residents will be able to serve as volunteers, orchestral musicians or choir members, on top of growing the audience base. Craig Mohre, president of the New Albany Foundation, is also looking forward to opportunities provided by the new expansion. Its hard to predict, but obviously its great news for New Albany and Central Ohio, he said. Typically companies in the New Albany International Business Park contribute to the foundation and participate in the community. The New Albany Foundation recently adopted a new plan to focus on four areas: lifelong learning; health and wellness; the arts and environmental sustainability. With additional resources from the expected growth and expansion of New Albany, all of these could see a greater focus and play a large role in additional community investments, Mohre said. Max Littman is a freelance writer. Alice Stuedemann, 89 of Camanche, formerly of Clinton, passed away April 30th at Mercy One Hospital. Visitation and services are being planned for Monday, May 9th at St. John Lutheran Church. Pape Funeral Home is assisting the family. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 7) The Commission on Elections has finalized its three presidential and two vice presidential debates and set them mere weeks before the May 9 polls, with officials warning of a sanction for candidates who will skip these events. "Empty po 'yung podium and at the same time, 'yung kandidatong hindi umattend ay hindi na makakagamit ng ating e-rally platform," Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said during the signing of an agreement with the group Vote Pilipinas for what is dubbed the "PiliPinas debates 2022: The Turning Point." [Translation: Their podium will be left empty, and at the same time, the candidate who will not attend will not be allowed to use our e-rally platform], Comelec's e-rally channel airs campaign videos and livestream events of national candidates every night through Facebook app to help them reach a wider audience despite pandemic restrictions, which limit face-to-face campaign events. Presidential and vice presidential candidates are given free 10-minute slots on rotation. Jimenez said the ban on using Comelec's e-rally platform will be in place until the end of the campaign period on May 7. READ: Skipping election debates is a risky strategy - analyst Private firm Impact Hub Manila is behind the partnership, on top of their existing voters education drive. The presidential debates are set on March 19 and April 3, followed by the vice presidential debate on March 20. Two town-hall format debates are also lined up on April 23 and 24. The format allows audience members to ask questions directly to candidates. "I address this to our presidential and vice presidential candidates: Inaanyayahan po namin kayong lumahok o sumali sa aming inoorganisang debates [we are inviting you to take part and join our debates]," Comelec acting chairman Socorro Inting said during the same signing event. "Wala pong ibang layunin ang debateng ito kundi matulungan ang ating mga botante na malaman kung saan kayo tumatayo sa ibat ibang isyu na kinakaharap ng ating lipunan, at kung ano ang inyong mga plano upang masolusyunan ang mga ito," she added. [Translation: These debates have no other goal than to help our voters know your stand on various issues our society is facing and how you plan to solve them.] So far, Jimenez said all camps "seem inclined" to attend the debates, but noted they have yet to secure written commitments within the week from all 10 presidential bets and nine vice presidential hopefuls. Vice presidential candidates Sara Duterte and Lito Atienza have earlier said they will not attend, while presidential bet Bongbong Marcos who has turned down some interview and debate invitations in the past weeks is unsure if he can make it. The poll body has assured that no advance questions will be released, although general topics such as the addressing of COVID-19 pandemic and economic revival will be relayed to attendees. READ: Lacson, Pacquiao oppose topic 'leakage' in Comelec presidential debate Those in charge of preparing questions, which includes queries solicited from identified sectors, will be made to sign non-disclosure agreements. "Maintaining the integrity of the questions means taking all the necessary steps, including legal, to ensure that no one releases them ahead of time," Jimenez said. "The main guarantee of the PiliPinas debates is were going to treat each candidate fairly," he added. The debates will run from 7-9:30 p.m. with candidates sharing one stage at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila in Pasay City, once the venue of the filing of candidacies in October. The debates will be aired live on free TV and on social media. Colorado Politics is published both in print and online. Our website features subscriber-only news stories daily, designed for public policy arena professionals. Member subscribers also receive the weekly print edition of our award-winning newspaper, containing outstanding features and news stories, in their mailboxes every Saturday. Offer a personal message of sympathy... By sharing a fond memory or writing a kind tribute, you will be providing a comforting keepsake to those in mourning. If you have an existing account with this site, you may log in with that below. Otherwise, you can create an account by clicking on the Log in button below, and then register to create your account. At Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2022 in Barcelona, attendees were treated to a slew of exciting product announcements and technology exhibitions. But it was the innovations in the healthcare sector that took the spotlight. Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen a rise in the adoption of healthcare technologies. These hold much promise in enabling the healthcare industry to combat this highly infectious disease, accelerate drug and vaccine research and development (R&D) processes, and deliver data-driven healthcare services to patients. According to a recent survey of over 100 healthcare leaders, conducted by McKinsey, 90% of respondents agreed that the pandemic will fundamentally change the way they do business -driving new products, services, processes, and business models. The rising role of data-backed intelligence within healthcare paved the way for greater innovations, one of which is HUAWEI CLOUD and its intelligence-driven R&D platform Huawei Enterprise Intelligence Health (EIHealth). Making strides in COVID-19 drug development and testing Powered by HUAWEI CLOUD, Huawei EIHealth, which attracted crowds at the MWC, is an intelligent R&D platform that features industry-leading intelligence algorithm iPhord, as well as auto machine learning tool AutoOmics. It is currently being used to accelerate genome analysis research, drug development, and image analyses. One of Huawei ElHealths first major contributions to the medical community was to help researchers discover potential COVID-19 drugs from existing drug-like compound libraries. To achieve this, Huawei ElHealth used homology modelling to obtain the 3D structure of 15 target proteins of SARS-CoV-2. It then leveraged computer-aided virtual drug screening to discover potentially effective drugs from massive libraries comprising hundreds of millions of small molecule compounds. These discoveries were shared with research institutions and hospitals for free, encouraging further research. Accelerating drug R&D with the Pangu Drug Molecule Model At MWC 2022, one of the exhibitions highlights was the large-scale model of HUAWEI CLOUD drug molecules. Outside of the work done involving COVID-19, HUAWEI CLOUD is also making outstanding progress in drug R&D. The company recently collaborated with Professor Liu Bing from Imperial College London to develop a broad-spectrum antibiotic. This research was enabled by the Pangu Drug Molecule Model, which uses the data gathered from the chemical structures of over 1.7 billion drug-like molecules to generate new drug molecules and predict their biochemical properties. Apart from reducing the drug R&D cycle from years to only one month, it has also delivered significant R&D savings of about 70%. The structure optimizer of the Pangu drug molecule model further allows R&D teams to ease the side effects of broad-spectrum antibiotics on human cells and safeguard the health of patients. ElHealth is also being used in various phases of drug R&D processes, including large molecule antibody optimization, protein structure prediction, multi-omics data analysis, and biomarker discoveries. The solutions intelligence is leading to new drugs and therapies being developed more quickly and cost-effectively and has the potential to save hundreds of thousands of lives every year when used to develop new lifesaving medications like antibiotics that work on drug-resistant bacteria. Everything-as-a-Service to accelerate more innovations Huawei Striving to dive into digital and providing Everything-as-a-Service, William Dong, Marketing Director of HUAWEI CLOUD said, We are deeply engaged in Digitalization-as-a-Service. HUAWEI CLOUD shares Huawei's outstanding technological innovations with enterprise customers to promote new growth and sees Everything-as-a-Service as these three key pillars: Infrastructure-as-a-Service : With HUAWEI CLOUD, businesses can expand their data centers and networks wherever they are in the world, and to wherever theyre going. HUAWEI CLOUD works with partners to operate 61 availability zones (AZs) in 27 geographic regions, covering more than 170 countries and regions : With HUAWEI CLOUD, businesses can expand their data centers and networks wherever they are in the world, and to wherever theyre going. HUAWEI CLOUD works with partners to operate 61 availability zones (AZs) in 27 geographic regions, covering more than 170 countries and regions Technology-as-a-Service : Enterprises can leverage Huaweis technologies on HUAWEI CLOUD, allowing them to accelerate innovation, without needing to reinvent the wheel : Enterprises can leverage Huaweis technologies on HUAWEI CLOUD, allowing them to accelerate innovation, without needing to reinvent the wheel Expertise-as-a-Service: HUAWEI CLOUD and its partners help organizations with their digital transformation efforts by sharing their experience and expertise HUAWEI CLOUD is committed to building the cloud foundation for an intelligent world with ubiquitous cloud computing and pervasive intelligence. To demonstrate this, HUAWEI CLOUD offered its services to Sociedad Argentina de Emergencias (SAE), a top healthcare organization in Argentina. SAE migrated its core systems (including remote diagnosis and treatment), patients medical data, drug management and ambulance scheduling to Huawei Cloud. It also leveraged big data, IoT, and intelligence to automate the scheduling of medical resources of 29 hospitals and hundreds of community medical service stations in Buenos Aires. This has enabled the organization to provide better healthcare services to 17 million people. HUAWEI CLOUD draws on Huaweis over 30 years of expertise in ICT technologies, products, and solutions to provide customers with reliable, secure, and sustainable cloud services in healthcare, as well as other industries. To learn more about HUAWEI CLOUD, click here. IT workers can expect biggest pay rises in India in 2022 IT and the life science are the sectors most likely to give the highest pay increases this year, according to a survey of Indian businesses by Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu India. Fintech, IT-product companies, and digital and e-commerce organizations are also expected to give double-digit increments. The study found that the increments in fiscal year 2022-23 will be higher across all major sectors, compared to even the pre-pandemic level in FY2019-20. Almost all organizations are planning to give increments in FY2022-23: the average increment in India is expected to go up to 9.1% in FY2022-23 from 8% in FY2021-22. India outlines national strategy to boost 3D printing The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (Meity) has set out a national strategy on additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, that is intended to give a major boost to development and use of the technology in Indias manufacturing and industrial production landscape through digital processes, communication, imaging, architecture, and engineering. The innovation and R&D ecosystem for this will be encouraged through private-public partnerships to develop indigenous manufacturing of 3D printers, printable materials, and 3D-printed products. This will cater to the domestic and international market in various sectors including electronics, photonics, medical device, agriculture, and food processing. The government hopes the new strategy will add $1 billion to the countrys GDP by 2025 by creating 100 new startups, 10 existing and new manufacturing sectors, and one lakh new skilled workers. Ukraine-Russian crisis casts shadow over IT service industry Indias IT giants are paying close attention to how the crisis in Ukraine is unfolding, and the potential effect it could have on them and their customers. One in five Fortune 500 companies relies on Ukraines IT outsourcing sector, according to Ukraines Ministry of Foreign Affairs. While Indian service providers dont have a big presence in Ukraine, they do operate in neighboring Poland, Romania, and Hungary, as well as other Eastern European countries such as the Czech Republic. There is also a cyberwar going on between Russia and the Ukraine, so organizations should level up their cybersecurity defense mechanisms to protect themselves from any fallout. An attack on a hosting provider in Ukraine could impact any organization anywhere in the world that is dependent on it. Analyst research firm ISG told the Economic Times that cyber risks have increased significantly outside Ukraine, and that all enterprises should be prepared, whether they use Eastern Europe as a technology delivery location or not. Global IT firms concerned about Indias data protection bill Technology groups including Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, Google, and Dell have written to Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to express their concern about the recommendations of the joint committee of parliament on Indias data protection bill, according to a report by the Economic Times. They said the recommendations run counter to global standards and asked Meity to launch additional stakeholder consultations before introducing the bill. Their key concerns are around the inclusion of non-personal data in the bills scope, restrictions on cross-border data transfers, data localization obligations, and mandatory certification for IoT hardware and AI software. The companies also claimed that the committees recommendation to develop an indigenous alternative to the international SWIFT banking system will have a detrimental impact on Indias digital payments ecosystem. Infosys considers strategy of growth through acquisition After years of growing organically, Infosys is considering a strategy of growth through acquisition, CEO Salil Parekh told Busienss Today. The company will look to expand through acquisition in some geographies and verticals, Parekh said. He mentioned his interest in deepening the companys cloud capabilities. Infosys has a strong presence in North America but needs to expand in Eastern Europe and Australia, one analyst told BT. Another pointed out that past Infosys buyouts have been capability-based, pointing to how its acquisitions of Fluido, Brilliant Basics, Simplus, Stater, and Blue Acorn have given it a start in the automotive industry. Raffaello-support.com scored 41 Social Media Impact. Social Media Impact score is a measure of how much a site is popular on social networks. 2/5.0 Stars by Social Team This CoolSocial report was updated on 8 Dec 2012, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the raffaello-support homepage on Twitter + the total number of raffaello-support followers (if raffaello-support has a Twitter account). The total number of people who shared the raffaello-support homepage on StumbleUpon. The total number of people who shared the raffaello-support homepage on Delicious. The total number of people who shared the raffaello-support homepage on Google Plus by a google +1 button. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared, liked or recommended the raffaello-support homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if raffaello-support has a Facebook fan page). Basic Information PAGE TITLE RAFFAELLO NETWORK - Contact Page DESCRIPTION Raffaello Network Customer Support. KEYWORDS contact raffaello, contact raffaello network, raffaello network, raffaello network customer support page, customer support page, fashion support, fashion assistance, live chat customer support, live chat support, live chat customer help, customer care, cu OTHER KEYWORDS The keywords meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. The title found in the head section of the homepage. The description meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. CoolSocial advanced keyword analysis tool is able to detect and analyze every keyword on each page of a site. The URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the address of the site. Domain and Server DOCTYPE XHTML 1.0 Strict CHARSET AND LANGUAGE English UTF-8English DETECTED LANGUAGE English English SERVER nginx/1.0.15 OPERATIVE SYSTEM Operative System running on the server. Character set and language of the site. Type of server and offered services. The language of raffaello-support.com as detected by CoolSocial algorithms. Represents HTML declared type (e.g.: XHTML 1.1, HTML 4.0, the new HTML 5.0) Site Traffic trend during the last year. Only available for sites ranked <= 100000 in the world. Referring domains for raffaello-support.com by MajesticSeo. High values are a sign of site importance over the web and on web engines. Facebook link FACEBOOK PAGE LINK NOT FOUND The type of Facebook page. The description of the Facebook page describes website and its services to the social media users. The total number of people who tagged or talked about website Facebook page in the last 7-10 days. Facebook Timeline is the new layout of Facebook pages. The URL of the found Facebook page. A Facebook page link can be found in the homepage or in the robots.txt file. The total number of people who like website Facebook page. Twitter account link TWITTER PAGE LINK NOT FOUND 100% Website sitaramjindalfoundation.org uses latest and advanced technologies like: JQuery and Php. It is very popular on the web, it's within the 1 million most visited websites of the world at position 266441 by Alexa. It supports HTTPS and GZIP compression. The main html page has a size of 23308 bytes (22.76 kb uncompressed) and 6327 bytes (6.18 kb compressed). This CoolSocial report was updated on 2021-11-26, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want. Stay up to date on COVID-19 Get Breaking News Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox. Sue B. Donnelly, 87, of Crossville, passed away at her home on April 26, 2022. She was born on May 18, 1934, in Crossville, Tennessee, daughter of the late James T. Brandon and Clara (Hamby) Brandon. Sue was the owner of Boats and Harbors and of the Baptist Faith. She is survived by her chil Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have discovered a way to foil memory-timing side-channel attacks that's more efficient than other methods. The attacks can be used to steal secrets such as cryptographic keys or user passwords stored in a computer's memory. According to a report by the researchers, the attacks are enabled by shared computer resources. "Through these shared resources, an attacker can seek out even very fine-grained information, Mengjia Yan, an assistant professor in the electrical engineering and computer science department at MIT, said in a statement. During the attack, a malicious program can glean a program's secrets by interpreting information about delays it experiences when it tries to access memory resources at the same time as another program. The attacker is poking at the memory controller, the library doors, to say, is it busy now?" EECS Professor Joel Emer explained in a statement. "If they get blocked because the library door is opening alreadybecause the victim program is already using the memory controllerthey are going to get delayed. Noticing that delay is the information that is being leaked." Shaping memory requests to hide secrets Historically, addressing this attack vector has had a big downside. "In the past, people have mitigated these types of side-channel attacks by partitioning the resource so the attacker and victim can't use the resource at the same time, but that's very bad for performance," Peter Deutsch, a graduate student and an author of the report, tells CSO. The researchers' solution to the problem is to "shape" memory requests by running them through a request shaper, called DAGuise, that uses a graph structure to process requests and send them to the memory controller on a fixed schedule. "Our solution takes a victim's accesses to the memory controller to DRAM and shaping them in such a way that they are independent of the secret," Deutsch explains. "So, no matter how many times the attacker observes the victim, they will never learn anything about the secret that they're trying to keep." He acknowledged that DAGuise has an impact on system performance, but it's 12% faster than other security solutions. Side-channel memory attacks uncommon Deutsch noted that DAGuise needs to be implemented by a chipmaker. That could be a tough sell. "These kinds of attacks are very uncommon," says Karl Sigler, manager of SpiderLabs Threat Intelligence at Trustwave, a network security company. "In fact, outside of a lab environment or scholarly write-up, I don't think there's any record of public exploitation of any of these types of vulnerabilities. Sigler notes that side-channel attacks require a great degree of sophistication. "They would require custom applications as well as a deep knowledge of how electric signaling works inside a computer and can be manipulated," he explains. "They would likely require different techniques and applications from system to system depending on the actual target. However, Sigler adds that while side-channel attacks shouldn't be at the top of a security team's to-do list, they shouldn't be entirely ignored, either. "There is the possibility that very targeted attacks against high profile or valuable victims have or could occur," he says. "Despite the unlikely event of exploitation, organizations should still apply patches for these vulnerabilities whenever one is available, like the one for CVE-2018-0737an OpenSSL SCA vulnerability. In a related matter, researchers at North Carolina State University have announced that they have found a way to compromise homomorphic encryption via a side-channel attack. "Basically, by monitoring power consumption in a device that is encoding data for homomorphic encryption, we are able to read the data as it is being encrypted," Aydin Aysu, one of the authors of the study, said in a news release. "This demonstrates that even next-generation encryption technologies need protection against side-channel attacks." Treason and patriotism in Canada and the current-day world updated to 2022 (Part Two) By Mark Wegierski web posted March 7, 2022 Joseph McCarthy is today one of the most highly vilified figures in U.S. history. At the time he was active, however, many persons supported his crusade against "Communist traitors." What precisely was McCarthy's greatest crime? At the time he was active, America was indeed locked in a ferocious struggle with Soviet Communism. Were not those willing to be members of the U.S. Communist Party at that time, at the very least, very suspect elements? Should such persons have been allowed to continue to hold positions of high cultural and scientific influence? Should such persons have been allowed to continue to burrow their way into influential government departments? How much suffering was prolonged for decades in the Eastern Bloc by the fact that so many Western nuclear scientists of the 1940s and 1950s took it upon themselves to reveal as much as they knew about U.S. nuclear programs to the Soviet Union -- presumably because they felt the U.S. was "unworthy" of exercising global power responsibly? Were these not legitimate security concerns of that day? McCarthy's chief failing was grossly overplaying his hand in the end, which has subsequently made him appear as some kind of inquisitorial monster. Yet, it should also be remembered, how utterly inconsequential the social penalties meted out to most of these persons were, e.g., "not being allowed to direct big-budget Hollywood movies for ten years." On the other hand, these persons were frequently not some milquetoast social democrats, but out-and-out apologists for Stalin, professional deniers of the many genocides carried out by Soviet Communism, and representatives of a then-active and dangerous evil. Unfortunately, the left-liberal friends of the far left have been able to utterly transvalue the meaning of McCarthy's efforts to the point where "McCarthyism" has become a very sharp term of opprobrium. In reaction to the ever more amplified excesses of McCarthy, America became extremely skittish about properly identifying, condemning, and punishing treason. This tendency was exacerbated in the Vietnam War era, because of the possible moral ambiguities of that conflict. What some Americans at that time saw as one of the most odious acts of treason in their history was Jane Fonda's trip to Hanoi, where she manifestly "gave aid and comfort" to an enemy. The fact that Jane Fonda remains unpunished to this day for such manifest treason may be one indication of how far America's self-conception as a nation has sunk. In some of the more recent spy-scandals, importantly placed moles who have done enormous damage to U.S. intelligence efforts, and actually betrayed other agents to death by torture, have received punishments which amount to being little more than symbolic. Is this how a nation that believes in itself behaves? In the case of Jonathan Pollard, ever-increasing levels of mendacity have been reached. Because Pollard spied on behalf of a U.S. ally, it is often considered that he did nothing wrong. But what if Israel took that highly-sensitive information and used it as bargaining chips to obtain concessions of various sorts from regimes hostile to the U.S., e.g. the Soviet Union? Pollard had a large number of very prominent supporters in the U.S., who continued to press for his release, and eventually got their way. Britain, of course, has had its own problems. A book about the famous Cambridge spy ring was very acerbically titled, "spies, lies, buggery, and betrayal." The treason of the so-called "best and brightest" certainly attests to the decay of at least a part of Britain's traditional ruling elites. John Le Carre, who is among the best-known writers of espionage novels in the world, was nourished on this kind of climate, and, although writing with enormous skill, tried to pretend that there was no moral difference between the Soviet Bloc and the West. His writing has certainly played a part in what has been called by critics, "the relativizing of treason." Canada was so innocent of the realities of the Cold War, that when Igor Gouzenko made his heroic defection in 1947, many Canadian government officials thought he was simply a lunatic, and considered sending him back! Considering a figure like Igor Gouzenko, it may be noted that the Soviets, of course, saw him as a traitor, and sentenced him to death in absentia. So, to say that a person should be bound by the obligations of loyalty towards a state, regardless of its ideological complexion and political realities, is fallacious. One thing that can be noted right away is that no totalitarian state like that of Nazi Germany or the Soviet Union throughout most of its history can legitimately and unquestionably claim the adherence of its population. In the case of authoritarian regimes, however, the admonition to reject and resist such a regime is less clear-cut. To be continued. Mark Wegierski is a Canadian writer and historical researcher. Home By Tracie Popma On the Rise: The Campaign for Sacramento State, the Universitys first comprehensive fundraising campaign, exceeded its goal by raising $229 million by February of this year much earlier than planned providing even greater support for students, and significant resources for faculty and programs throughout campus. Sac State launched the public phase of the campaign in March 2021, the first virtual launch in the California State University system, with a goal of raising $225 million. It surpassed its goal months before its original June 2023 deadline, an indication of significant community commitment. Reaching its key philanthropic milestone now allows the University to conclude and celebrate the campaigns success on June 30, 2022, a year ahead of schedule. The goal we set was ambitious. Despite challenges along the way, we exceeded our own expectations, and the results speak for themselves, said Sacramento State President Robert S. Nelsen. Meeting and then exceeding the goal was a herculean effort by everyone in the region and thousands of alumni across the country. I look forward to how much more we can do together by June 30. The Ernest E. Tschannen Science Complex and the adjacent Planetarium represent significant advances in Sac State facilities that benefit students and faculty and represent significant community support. (Sacramento State/Jessica Vernone) The campaign began in July 2015, and since then more than $49 million charitable bequest commitments were made, in addition to gifts from more than 15,000 donors. More than 7,000 alumni, 800 former and current faculty and staff, and 600 parents of students gave individual gifts for special fundraising efforts, such as Give Sac State Day, and special naming opportunities for the Planetarium (A Seat Under the Stars) and University Theatre (Take a Seat). The University also collaborated with prominent supporters to enhance educational access and opportunities and elevate the impact of philanthropy on the region and beyond. Enhanced Education Ernest E. Tschannen has a deep appreciation for the value of STEM education, which led him to contribute $9 million for the Ernest E. Tschannen Science Complex, which opened in 2019. Since then, the University has doubled lab capacity in high-demand classes, allowing it to enhance applied research spaces where faculty and students work together on solutions to many of the worlds scientific challenges. The complex also has enhanced institutional grants awarded to the Universitys faculty. The benefit of Mr. Tschannens gift is compounding, said Lisa Cardoza, vice president for University Advancement. There is a steady increase in the number of institutional research grants received, including increased support for a diverse population of student researchers. I look forward to seeing the positive impact of our goal to reimagine access to STEM education for K-12 students in the region, whether they are visiting the Planetarium on field trips or participating in other learning opportunities. Dale and Katy Carlsen provided a $6 million gift to establish the Carlsen Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship in 2017. The center has attracted 22 advisory board members from various industries and life experiences, including Garry Maisel, On the Rise co-chair and president and CEO of Western Health Advantage (WHA). WHA contributed $1 million to support the Universitys Global Entrepreneurship Week efforts. As a result, the center ranked among the top five partners in the country for the week by hosting 30 startups and 50 guest speakers across more than 35 events. Climbing graduation rates reflect, in part, greater opportunities enjoyed by students, who are receiving increased financial, educational and programmic support as a result of the success of the "On The Rise" campaign. (Sacramento State/Andrea Price) As an alum, I am proud of what Sac State has been able to accomplish, and I was honored to serve as a co-chair of On the Rise, Maisel said. I have always believed that entrepreneurship and small business are the engines that fuel the economy. Innovation combined with entrepreneurship finds a way to meet emerging needs while creating economic growth. Economic growth and educational prosperity are the impetus behind the largest gift given to Sacramento State. In 2020, the University accepted a donation of 300 acres, valued at $27.4 million, from the late Eli Broad for the future Sacramento State Placer Center. The center, to be in the Placer Ranch development in Placer County, will help the University improve access to education across the region and assist in job creation and long-term economic health. It will accommodate up to 1,500 students when it opens and will eventually have the potential to reach 30,000 students. As far back as 2006, I envisioned a place in Placer County that would be an extension of Sac State and the important role it plays in the community, said Holly Tiche, vice chair of the University Foundation Board of Directors. This gift is a testament to the power of partnership among education, government, and private industry, and it is going to have an unprecedented impact on students by providing physical access to Sacramento State beyond the campus on J Street. Access to a Better Future As the University expands its reach and continues to build collaborative efforts across the region, it has aided students at critical junctures in their college careers. Stories of students overcoming challenges are plentiful, and the Universitys capacity to supply scholarships has risen to meet them. Sac State has doubled the number awarded, providing needed support to help the Universitys four-year graduation rates triple and further close equity gaps for underrepresented students. Addressing food and housing insecurity has been a priority throughout the campaign, and the resulting resources and services helped Sac State respond quickly during the pandemic. The on-campus ASI Food Pantry expanded access by hosting pop-up events, and the University provided emergency funds for housing and unforeseen expenses. Everything we do at Sacramento State is to keep students moving toward a future that allows them the ability to succeed and then share that success to build stronger communities, said Tina Treis, the Foundation board chair. We offer direct and indirect support. Where some students may benefit from scholarships, all students benefit from having dedicated faculty developing the programs that will lead them to their careers. On the Rise donors have provided financial support to endow three positions, creating greater opportunities for everyone, including faculty. Antonio T. Bly is Sacramento States first Peter H. Shattuck Chair in Colonial American History. An active scholar and researcher, he tells the rich story of historically underrepresented and misrepresented groups such as African Americans, Native Americans, and women. He works closely with Peter Shattucks widow, Elizabeth Shattuck, who provided funding for the position. Sara McClellan is the new Hazel Cramer Endowed Chair in the Department of Public Policy and Administration. Supported by a gift from the late Hazel Cramer, she works to strengthen the Universitys community ties and cement its status as an anchor university. Meliksah Demir is the first Rekhi Singh Endowed Professor of Happiness at Sacramento State. Alumnus Rekhi Singh made a gift to establish the professorship that promotes happiness through academic research, curriculum development, partnerships across campus, and other activities. Faculty embraces more than 31,000 students each year, Treis said. Sacramento State is an anchor in this community, a reliable mainstay that has been advocating for students, knowledge, and community for nearly 75 years. Though we have exceeded our goal, we need to continue this work together because education doesnt have an end date. *** The campaign continues until June 30, 2022. If you wish to contribute, please visit the On The Rise web page, or consider participating in Give Sac State Day on April 22, 2022. Friends greet one another on campus at the start of the Spring 2022 semester, a time of renewed hope as effects of the COVID-19 pandemic recede and results of the "On The Rise" campaign's success are further realized. (Sacramento State/Hrach Avetisyan) Share This Story email copy url url copied! Related Topics: Philanthropy and Giving Under the leadership of former director Konstantinos Diamantis, the state office in charge of reimbursing school construction projects adopted policies that were contrary to state law and suffered from a general lack of oversight, officials said Monday. That assessment came from two Lamont administration officials who testified in front of lawmakers Monday about their efforts to reform the Office of School Construction Grants and Review, which Diamantis led for years until stepping down in October amid allegations of misconduct. A preliminary review of the office, which oversees hundreds of millions of dollars in reimbursements to school districts for construction projects, uncovered a litany of issues that were either corrected immediately or which staff are still working to address, the officials said. A more expansive review is forthcoming with Department of Administrative Services Commissioner Michelle Gilman saying she plans to hire an outside firm to conduct a complete audit of the school construction office, including a review of previous audits done under both her and Diamantis leadership. Among the chief concerns already identified were inflated reimbursements rates that were offered for school construction projects, and which the state has told at least two districts it can no longer honor. A third school district Stamford also faces the same issue, lawmakers were told. We have found problems, said Noel Petra, deputy commissioner who is leading the office on an interim basis. We have re-written or eliminated policies, procedures and parts of our system that were not strictly in compliance with statutes and regulations. Diamantis, who is at the center of a federal investigation surrounding his time at the school construction office, continued to deny wrongdoing on Monday. Instead, he told Hearst Connecticut Media that Petras description of the office was colored by a lack of experience. I dont think Noel Petra knows what the past history of OSCG&R is, Diamantis said. Ive been around longer than he has. The U.S. Attorney's Office in New Haven has yet to comment on the federal investigation, which has not resulted in any criminal charges as of Monday. The legislative hearing, which included lawmakers from two committees, was announced by Democrats last week to review changes made to the school construction office since Diamantis retired last year after being placed on administrative leave. Republicans, however, have repeatedly pushed for a wider examination of Diamantis leadership. They also are seeking answers to questions about Gov. Ned Lamonts decision to transfer the program from its former home in DAS to the Office of Policy and Management when Diamantis, a former Democratic lawmaker, was appointed deputy secretary of that office in 2019. Since Diamantis retirement, Lamont has reversed that decision by sending the school construction office back to DAS. If Im a taxpayer, if Im watching from the outside, the idea that all of a sudden an audit is going to be done of an audit, is going to be done of an audit, is not exactly filling me with a great deal of confidence, said state Rep. Holly Cheeseman, R- East Lyme. Attempts to reexamine that history, however, were met Monday with repeated admonition from committee leaders to stick to the topic of more recent reforms. The purpose of this is to simply look into this one program, and to ensure that the integrity of this program as it currently stands today on March 7, 2022, is above board and moving forward, said state Rep. Sean Scanlon, D- Guilford, the co-chair of the finance committee. The reforms presented by Gilman Monday included the announcement of the outside audit, as well as the transfer of the school construction programs internal auditing unit to a separate division at DAS, reporting directly to Gilman. Gilman said she is hopeful that an outside firm will be hired this week and will produce reports by the end of April. The search is also ongoing for a permanent director to take over leadership of the office, she added. The hearing lasted two and a haf hours and included questions from lawmakers. Neither of Lamonts officials who testified mention Diamantis directly, though they made repeated allusions to the allegations against him in their attempts to explain the work that is supposed to be done by the office and its staff. During his tenure, Diamantis drew complaints from union workers, town officials and failed project bidders over his handling of construction grants, including allegations that he pressured school districts to use certain contractors for projects. Many of those concerns only came to light after it was revealed that the federal investigators were looking into Diamantis contacts as head of the school construction office, including those involving a company that hired his daughter, Anastasia, for a part-time job in 2019. In his testimony to the committee, Petra indirectly implied that Diamantis had acted improperly. It is not the responsibility, nor do we have the authority within OSCG&R, to tell the districts what they need, why they need it and how they should build it et cetera, Petra said. That has not always been the practice in the past. Speaking to Hearst Connecticut Media after the hearing, Diamantis did not refute Petras assertion that he took a more proactive role in working with school districts to determine the scope of construction projects. Instead, Diamantis said he worked to increase the role that the office played in school construction work, and described previous leaders as simply signing checks for school districts. We dont want to overbuild a school, we dont want to underbuild a school, Diamantis said, explaining that he and his staff would examine project blueprints to ensure they met the needs of the school district. We want to make sure thats what theyre doing. Diamantis denied that he ever directed a school district or local officials to select a particular contractor for construction work. When asked about the alleged issued with reimbursement rates not meeting the set guidelines, Diamantis said he used his authority as director of the program to create new rates for school districts that built space for district administration in under-utilized school buildings or vice versa. He said that was the case for Hartford and Farmington, both of the districts that have been informed their previously promised rates will not be honored. Its cheaper to refurbish the space thats already there than to have to build a whole new wing onto a building, Diamantis said. Asked about the issue in Stamford that Petra raised, Diamantis said he was not sure what project Petra was referring to and lacked sufficient context to respond. State Sen. John Fonfara, D- Hartford, led much of Mondays hearing and said a third legislative committee overseeing government administration and elections will conduct its own review of any reforms made by DAS, as well as any potential legislation to arise from its audits of the school construction office. FAIRFIELD The Ukrainian American Club hosted a rally Saturday in front of its location in Southport to express its opposition to the recent Russian invasion of Ukraine. Attendees of the early afternoon rally were encouraged to bring friends and signs showing their support for the Ukrainian people. According to the club, the rally was in response to calls from Connecticut residents who have offered aid to Ukraine. DANBURY The health network that runs Danbury, Norwalk and New Milford hospitals has earned an additional $65,000 to bolster its screening program for breast and cervical cancer. The state Department of Public Health granted the funds due to the high number of screenings for these cancers that Nuvance Health performed, even during the coronavirus pandemic, according to the health system. Through its early detection program, Nuvance Health provides preventive and risk-reducing healthcare services for 800 to 1,110 women every year at no cost to them, the health system said. Health screenings are very important, said Lisa Alves, registered nurse, program director and clinical navigator of the early detection program. Breast cancer screenings may result in early detection and better outcomes. Cervical cancer screenings may prevent the disease from developing in the first place. Known as the Connecticut Breast & Cervical Cancer EDP and Well-Integrated Screening & Evaluation for Women across the Nation Program (WISEWOMAN cardiovascular), these programs support medically under-served women between the ages of 21 to 64 in the state. The state and federal government picks up the bill for these women to receive screenings, diagnostic tests and referrals for treatment. The women receive health care services including surgical consultations, cardiovascular screenings, clinical breast and gynecologic exams, breast screenings and diagnostic imaging including mammograms, ultrasounds and biopsies, and cervical cancer screenings including HPV and pap smear tests and diagnostic tests such as colposcopies. We are very grateful for DPHs ongoing partnership and Nuvance Healths multispecialty teamwork that enable us to consistently provide critical healthcare services to women in Connecticut, Alves said in a statement when the funding was announced on Wednesday. Participants who qualify for services also have access to gym memberships, as well as diabetes, general health and nutrition counseling. Danbury Hospital started collaborating with Connecticuts program more than 20 years ago and eventually expanded it to New Milford and Norwalk hospitals to reach more women. Many departments at Nuvance Health work together to ensure a seamless experience for participants, including community outreach, financial services, surgery, case management, and imaging and radiology. Many women who qualify for the EDP may not seek these potentially life-saving health screenings because of financial, cultural or educational barriers, said Alves, who also provides case management for participants. The EDP aims to overcome these barriers through community outreach activities, meeting women where they are and assessing their individual concerns and needs. Kathy Flaherty feels like shes been screaming into the void for the past two years. Flaherty, executive director of the Connecticut Legal Rights Project, has diagnosed bipolar disorder and identifies as someone with a disability. The Americans with Disabilities Act defines a person with a disability as a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activity. Those with mood disorders, such as bipolar, also are at higher risk for serious illness from COVID-19. Contributed Photo Flaherty can attest to that. She got the illness in March 2020, when the pandemic was just starting and said she still has lingering symptoms. Thats why shes so frustrated that people seem to be in a hurry to leave masking and other COVID-19 precautions behind, despite the risks to people with disabilities. We have been ignored, forgotten, and left out of policy discussions, said Flaherty, also an attorney. We were called hysterical and we were insulted. People were OK with leaving us behind. Throughout the pandemic, experts said, people with disabilities have faced a variety of struggles, from challenges during telehealth visits to issues accessing drive-thru test and mask distributions. Many of those with disabilities also have underlying conditions that can make them more vulnerable to becoming seriously ill with COVID, which has made the current phase of the pandemic during which many people are expressing a desire to move forward particularly frustrating. Theres a pressure get rid of all of the (COVID) restrictions when its still floating around, said Sheldon Toubman, a litigation attorney with Disability Rights Connecticut. Flaherty echoed those thoughts and said people dont seem to understand how vulnerable those with disabilities still are. Everybody is in a rush to get rid of masks, when we have no business doing it, she said. But, as frustrating as the done with COVID rhetoric is, its far from the first time in the pandemic that those with disabilities have felt ignored. In October of 2021, the National Council of Disability released a report showing the multiple challenges those with disabilities have faced during the pandemic. These include their increased risk of infection and serious illness; the decision of some states (including Connecticut) not to prioritize them during vaccine distributions; and the communication gulf faced by those with hearing and sight problems due to mask-wearing. The last challenge is one that Dr. Sean Kelly is familiar with. Kelly is the medical director of acute in-patient rehabilitation at St. Vincents Medical Center in Bridgeport. He said, early in the pandemic, when much of health care shifted to telemedicine, he noticed multiple obstacles for those with disabilities. One such challenges was the barrier mask-wearing created for those with hearing impairments. If someone has a hearing difficulty and relies on reading lips, once you put a mask on, the complexity (of treating them) increases, Kelly said. Another group he noticed were at particular disadvantage when it came to telemedicine were people with amputations who used prosthetics. Kelly said patients sometimes need to have these prosthetics adjusted for a number of reasons, including a mechanical issue with the device, or a change in the size or shape of the residual limb. Typically, we would do an evaluation with the residual limb, he said. Thats hard to do when the patient is not in front of you. Imagine having a computer screen and trying to lift a knee amputation up to it. Another major obstacle struck during the recent COVID surge linked to the omicron variant of the illness. Throughout the state, towns distributed supplies of COVID test kits and, in some cases, N-95 masks, to citizens, often on a first-come, first-served basis. Flaherty, Toubman and others argued that the method of distribution should have prioritized those with disabilities. In January, the Connecticut Legal Rights Project and Disability Rights Connecticut lodged a complaint against Gov. Ned Lamont, the state of Connecticut and the Connecticut Department of Public Health. The complaint alleged violations by the State and DPH of the rights of people with disabilities throughout Connecticut who have been denied reasonable modifications in the States policies, practices and procedures so that they may have equal access to the States COVID protection programs, including access to personal protective equipment (PPE) in the form of high-protection N-95 masks and at-home testing kits, according to letters sent to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Justice. To the states credit, Flaherty said, the action got a fast response. The (attorney generals) office did reach out to us right away and say What do we need to do? she said. Eventually, the state changed its guidelines to state that community-based distribution of self tests should prioritize vulnerable populations including, but not limited to, persons who live in congregate housing and persons who have physical, mental or intellectual or other developmental disabilities. That was encouraging, Flaherty said, but shes still frustrated by the roadblocks that have been placed in front of those with disabilities during the pandemic, particularly at this point when so many people want to move forward without regard to those at risk. Youre basically saying we dont care enough about (us) to inconvenience yourself at all, she said. This blog covers software patent news and issues with a particular focus on wireless, mobile devices (smartphones, tablet computers, connected cars) as well as select antitrust matters surrounding those devices. Amidst Omicron, political discord, and extreme weather disasters, 2022 hasnt brought much good news. But flying under the radar is a game-changing story about state budget surpluses that could set New England on a path to tackling some of the biggest issues of our time: climate collapse and deep inequality. Our states are flush with extra cash, thanks in part to relief money, federal infrastructure funding, and tax revenue that held steady during the pandemic. And its not chump change. The state of Maine is carrying an extra $800 million, Massachusetts has a windfall of almost $6 billion, Rhode Island is looking at a $618 million surplus, and Connecticut has a whopping $2.2 billion extra in the public purse. What to do with this money is the question. As labor leaders and advocates who represent the millions of working New Englanders who keep our region running, our answer is simple: invest in a pro-worker, climate-safe future. Studies show New England is warming faster than the global average. We got a glimpse of the impacts of climate breakdown during storm-fueled power outages from Hurricane Ida and this winters Noreaster but intensifying weather is just the beginning. Rising seas could wipe out entire communities along our regions coastline. As the latest IPCC report makes clear, failing to act means resigning to a future of deadly floods and worsening droughts, unhealthy air and water quality, and expanding tick-borne diseases. And as with the pandemic, workers particularly workers of color will continue to get hit first and worst. Thats why unions and their allies across New England are uniting behind bold, science-backed climate plans that will help us build the climate infrastructure of tomorrow while remedying the racial and economic inequalities of today. In Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Maine, the labor-focused jobs coalitions we help lead are advancing action plans to transition New England to renewable energy at the scale and pace that the climate crisis demands while creating tons of good union jobs in communities that need them most. And no one can claim we dont have the money to get it done. In Rhode Island, Climate Jobs RI is campaigning around a $300 million school construction bond measure that, if passed this November, will help fund critical climate upgrades to the states public school buildings. Carbon-free and healthy schools are also a priority for Connecticut, where the Connecticut Roundtable on Climate and Jobs is working in Bridgeport to campaign for investments in public schools that cut pollution and energy costs over the long-term. Beginning with a series of listening sessions, the hope is that Bridgeport can be a model for statewide investment in school facilities. Investing in carbon-free school buildings is a powerful example of how to invest in our future: healthier classrooms for educators and students and tons of high-quality union jobs are clear winners. Even better, a recent memo from UndauntedK12 and Climate Jobs National Resource Center demonstrates how it makes financial sense, too: modernizing schools will save districts billions of dollars in energy costs nationwide. In Maine, unions are organizing to invest part of the budget surplus in growing and permanently funding apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs that expand access to clean energy careers particularly for Maine communities most overlooked by these opportunities. The new Maine Labor Climate Council is also planning to launch a carbon-free and healthy schools campaign. These are just a few examples of the opportunity these budget surpluses present within New England. Even if we pass federal climate policy stalled in Congress, its clear that the future of climate action lies with cities and states. The labor movement is leading the way. Now its the time for state lawmakers to invest our money in getting it done. Cynthia Phinney is the president of the Maine AFL-CIO and a leader of the Maine Labor Climate Council. Joe Toner is executive director of the Connecticut State Building Trades Council. Patrick Crowley is the secretary-treasurer of the Rhode Island AFL-CIO and co-chair of the Climate Jobs RI coalition. BRANFORD Textile artist Robert Aiudi could come from another century, he jokes. Maybe hes channeling his great-grandfather, a master silk weaver in Italy over 100 years ago, he says. After all, Aiudi pursues a craft thats hundreds of years old. Aiudi can often be found weaving cozy winter scarves at his bulky, old-fashioned loom in the great room of his home on East Main Street. Hell probably be wrapped up in one of his giant scarves as its always chilly in the drafty 1709 Colonial, he said. His home-based venture is called Branford Weavers. With impressive-looking antique spinning wheels on display in his living room and an early loom on loan from the Branford Historical Society, the house looks like a museum of sorts. Sloping wide-board floors, cavernous fireplaces and off plumb woodwork and walls add to the character. For his work, the weaver uses a relatively modern (albeit massive) wooden loom built in 1985 but its design hasnt changed in the past 400 years and neither has the technique. In fact, Aiudi repaired all the old textiles in the historical societys collection and creates authentic Colonial table runners that he sells. He also makes patchwork quilts, which he said are easy, easy to complete. A more challenging task for Aiudi is the restoration of worn tapestries and the creation of his original wall hangings. He exhibits these unique tapestries, scarves and runners at the very contemporary-looking BACA Gallery in Branford. Aiudi recently sold one of his signature scarves to a renowned Connecticut Italian American U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-3 at a recent gallery opening. The artist was thrilled and noted that the maroon stripe in the open-weave piece complemented the DeLauros famously dyed purple hair. I never met her before, he said, with a trace of admiration for the congresswoman. A friend of his at the gallery made her put the scarf on and she tapped me on the shoulder. The two hit it off, he said, My being Italian American and her being Italian American it was a nice little whatever. DeLauro praised his work. I have worn it and received many compliments. I hope to add more of Bobs scarfs to my collection, she said in an email. The scarf from Robert Aiudi is beautiful, and Im proud to support a local weaver and his incredible work. Aiudi weaves with silk, hand-spun wool from an alpaca farm in Deep River and from white sheep in New Mexico. He also collects odd or vintage yarns. Aiudi showed off a rare skein of antique flax from Branford from when it was a major flax producer (flax is turned into linen) and a special yarn used by the artist who created the tapestries in the North Tower in the original World Trade Center in the 1980s. The artist noted that he does not work with skeins of yarn which are much too small, but large cones of thread. He sets up the thread on his loom, which takes about six hours; some 30 yards, which will yield nine to 10 scarves. Weaving, Aiudi said, brings him in touch with his family roots. My great grandfather was a weaver he was from the part of Italy where they still have a very big silk industry today and its directly connected to Marco Polo. Marco Polo brought back Mulberry trees and silkworms and they thrived in Italy. So theres a big silk trade in Italy. His grandfather was a master silk weaver and came from the province Le Marche just below Venice, Aiudi said. He came to the United States in 1910, so he brought his looms with him, he said. Those looms are long gone, he said. When I started to weave I found it so weirdly attractive, he said, and this was long before he learned of this family connection to the craft. It was after that, that my grandmother said, Oh my God she almost fainted, he said, laughing. She said, Where did you learn to do that? I said I dont know. A psychic told me it was generational memory, Aiudi confided. When Aiudi is not at his loom or teaching students in his home, he works as a speech recognition consultant, which he describes as sort of Siri for doctors. He specializes in foreign languages he speaks four, he said. Before that he was an international vice president of marketing for a high-tech firm. Despite his high-tech background, he loves the low-tech aspect of working the loom: operating the foot pedals barefoot in the summer and moving the shuttle back and forth, east to west. Then he beats the threads down and tight with a beater. Then repeats the painstaking process, again and again. Aiudi took to spinning and weaving very early on when he lived with his family in Middletown, he said. When I was 7 years old true story I had an ear infection and there were cotton balls my mother was stuffing in my ear, he recalled. And I had read something in the World Book Encyclopedia about spinning and I just started spinning the cotton balls. I just started pulling them and spinning them. Call it serendipity the young Aiudi sometime later visited a neighbors apartment and discovered a spinning wheel. The next thing you know our neighbor has a wheel an old Colonial wheel, that I repaired when I was 10. This love of textiles was no passing fancy. Aiudi, who was a Boy Scout, wanted to get his textile merit badge when he was 12. Then he found a weaver in Middletown, Laurie Frenzel, who took him under her wing. In a year I built my first loom, he said. My grandmother just freaked out when she saw the loom. That really cinched it for me. It really connects me to the generations. Its really cool. Aiudi studied the art further with well-known weavers at Wesleyan Potters in Middletown. While living in New York, Aiudi was weaving in his 780-square-foot apartment and sold his wares at a well-known flea market at 81st Street and Amsterdam. He moved to Branford five years ago to be closer to his family his mother, Dorothy, and his sister, who had suffered a stroke. Here, at the John Tyler House, he found he could stretch out in the 3,800 square feet with his looms and various apparatus. To live in Manhattan and weave forget it, he said. And so then Ive just been weaving its relaxing. Its labor intensive and you really dont get paid anywhere near what you should hourly rate-wise. I do it as a hobby people like my stuff. Aiudis work is also on view in a pop-up holiday shop he hosts at his house and calls it The Shop at the John Tyler House. Santha Martin, manager of the BACA Gallery, is an admirer of Aiudis work. She said visitors are usually taken aback when they meet the fiber artist. When they meet him theyre surprised hes a weaver because of peoples preconceived notions of what a weaver looks like whatever that is. I dont know if it should be a tricorn hat, she quipped. Martin appreciates his work on view, which she sees every day at the gallery. His work is beautiful. Its got a spiritual context to it. I think thats what people pick up for the most part especially his larger pieces, she said. Side by side, the tapestries are very different from one another. One is an interesting take on a traditional Navaho blanket, with fluffy white fibers that seem to float against the background like clouds. The other, he devoted to his late sister, Susan, who died in 2018. The personal piece has the brightest colors you could possibly imagine orange and blue, pink and purple, black and white and multi-colors a tribute to his sisters life who lived a beautiful, colorful life, Martin said. His scarves in the gallery seem ethereal with their airy, open weave and subtle hues many soft grays accented by a colorful stripe. He makes these scarves that look so cozy, Martin said. Aiudi has his fans in town. Friend Lisa Arpin, the Branford town clerk, said she loves to see his process. She also helps him set up at shows. Its really fun to see him spin raw alpaca into his finished pieces, Arpin said. The best part is modeling his super soft hand-woven scarves. For more information, visit branfordweavers.com. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BRIDGEPORT A former Ansonia man, accused of killing a young Bethel woman he met on a dating app, claims he was acting under a extreme emotional disturbance, at the time of the killing. More than three years after 25-year-old Emily Todd was found face down in the sand by the city boat ramp, a single gunshot wound to the back of her head, her alleged killer is facing trial. Brandon Roberts, a 2002 graduate of Ansonia High School, is accused of killing Todd on Dec. 8, 2018. He is charged with murder, felony murder, first-degree robbery with a firearm and carrying a pistol without a permit. Police said Roberts gave them a recorded confession to the crime following his arrest. During a brief hearing Monday, States Attorney Joseph Corradino told Superior Court Judge Alex Hernandez that Roberts lawyer, Public Defender Joseph Bruckmann, will not be contesting his clients recorded statement to police but instead will be raising the defense of extreme emotional disturbance. Unlike the so-called insanity defense, if a jury is convinced Roberts was acting under extreme emotional distress they could find him guilty of a lesser manslaughter charge. Bruckmann told the judge he was in agreement with the prosecutors statement as Roberts, who was sitting next to him nodded in assent. Bruckmann declined further comment. The judge then said that jury selection will begin Tuesday with the trial scheduled to start April 18. Todds mother, Jennifer Lawlor, was sitting in the back of the courtroom Monday morning with family. She declined comment on the case. Police said that after killing Todd, Roberts took Todds car, cellphone and credit cards. Video surveillance from the day of the shooting allegedly showed Roberts driving Todds car into the drive-through at the Peoples United Bank in Trumbull, where officers said he used Todds debit card to withdraw $400 from Todds bank account. Delays in the case because of COVID have not decreased Todds familys ardor to get justice. In January 2020, a large contingent of family and friends loudly protested in the court when Roberts offered to plead guilty to the crime in exchange for a 45-year prison term. The thought of him having one ounce of hope that he could possibly set foot outside the prison walls is sickening and so unfair to me, Robin Delaney, an aunt of Todds, told the judge. Please your honor, I beg you, no deals. As a result, a judge turned down the plea offer. Todds family has also sought an investigation of the way police initially handled the case, contending that Roberts should have been arrested prior to killing Todd. According to police, Todd decided to end the relationship after dating Roberts for just a few days. But on Nov. 30, 2018, police got a call from Todd, who said Roberts threatened to shoot himself. She told 911 dispatchers he was driving a Chevrolet with Ohio license plates, and that he owned a gun. Todd also provided police with his cellphone number. That evening, a Bridgeport police officer said he spotted Roberts car on Fourth Street near Stratford Avenue. Police said they spoke to Roberts by phone. A pursuit began but was called off because Roberts was driving recklessly, reports indicated and police later confirmed. Disengage, a police supervisor said during the pursuit. Just follow, lights off. That night, police did not take Roberts into custody. Police said following his arrest, Roberts confessed to killing Todd, admitting that he lured her to the area of the boat ramp, telling her he needed to speak to her one last time. Police arrested Roberts at his fathers home in Shaker Heights, Ohio, on Dec. 14, 2018 without incident. While being questioned at the Shaker Heights police station, police said, Roberts confessed to Bridgeport Police Lt. Chris LaMaine that he had killed Todd and shot another woman near Washington Park a year earlier. The second woman, who was 43 at the time, was taken to Bridgeport Hospital with a bullet wound in her right shoulder. Roberts is charged with attempted murder and first-degree assault in that case. Corradino told the judge that as part of the agreement with Bruckmann he will not be presenting evidence of the second crime during the trial. He said he will also excise Roberts alleged confession to the second crime from the audio confession. Contributed / Bridgeport Police Department BRIDGEPORT A New York man is in critical condition after receiving a gunshot wound in an early Sunday altercation at a Bridgeport club, police said. Bridgeport Police said they responded to a report of a man shot at 1450 Barnum Ave. at around 2:00 a.m. on Sunday. When officers arrived to the scene the rear parking lot of the Ten20 Club they found a 28-year-old man from Bronx, New York with a single gunshot wound to the leg. Indiana residents were hit with bad news after learning that SNAP benefits in 2022 had an expiration date as Gov. Eric Holcomb signed a bill on Thursday that will sunset the enhanced federal food aid that has been distributed for nearly two years. Hoosiers have enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) since April 2020, thanks to federal COVID-19 emergency funding. The program has recently provided the maximum allotment to residents based on their household sizes. SNAP Benefits Expiration Holcomb's latest legislation, House Bill 1001, the SNAP benefits will have an expiration date of Apr. 16. The incident comes as the benefits were expected to end 30 days after the termination of the state's emergency declaration, which is set to end on Friday. The governor's bill passed the Senate on Tuesday, and the House voted to concur Thursday afternoon. Holcomb told lawmakers who were anxious to end Indiana's emergency declaration that he would move forward with his decision if they could make sure that three pandemic measures could be maintained; enhanced funding for Medicaid, SNAP, and provisions allowing for the vaccination of children aged five to 11 years, as per IndyStar. The situation comes as Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced the extension of SNAP benefits for his state for March. On Wednesday, the official announced that the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) would provide more than $310 million in emergency SNAP food benefits for March. Authorities expect to provide funding to more than 1.5 million Texas households. Read Also: US Adds 678000 Jobs in February, Causing Unemployment Rate To Drop The expansion of the program will be provided on top of the more than $6.13 billion in benefits that Texans have received since April 2020. HHSC is responsible for administrating SNAP, a program that those in need can apply for at YourTexasBenefits.com. Texas residents can also utilize their Texas Benefits mobile app to manage their benefits from the program. According to KXAN, in a statement, Abbott expressed his gratitude to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for extending what he called crucial benefits for millions of Texans. The governor said that the SNAP benefits had allowed many families in the state to put food on the table in the last two years. Issues With the Program On the other hand, in Colorado, a new report called the state's dispute-resolution process for SNAP benefits "a system in turmoil." Almost all residents in the region who go before an administrative court to discuss issues with food stamp benefits do not have the help of a lawyer. The Colorado Center on Law and Poverty's latest report, "Barriers, Errors, and Due Process Denied," showed a system that was in turmoil and suggested that beneficiaries were in crisis. The report released on Thursday analyzed Coloradans' experiences with dealing with the adjudication system. A lot of the people who receive funding from SNAP are able to do so without any issue, the report said. However, it suggested that when problems arise, including overpayment by the government or accusations of intentional program violations, the court system provides little chance of success to individuals, Lamar Ledger reported. Related Article: Stimulus Checks: Dead and Imprisoned Persons Receive the Latest Payments, IRS Says @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 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 Russia's war on Ukraine. Despite the surreal nature of Lesya Filimonova and Valeriy Filimonov's 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 d'oeuvres. 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 couple's 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 bride's head, an attendee raised a military helmet above her instead. "As chaplain I cannot use any weapon. So I'm 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. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BRIDGEPORT Although Mayor Joe Ganim this week declined to say when he plans to formally launch his 2023 reelection bid, he is starting to sound like a candidate. Last week, at the conclusion of a video announcing the lifting of Bridgeports COVID-19 pandemic mask mandate, Ganim added, Youll be seeing the city, this administration, continue to be, but even more proactive than weve been able to be over the past number of months, in engaging with the public and getting out there and doing the things that show progress in the city. I dont have any announcements at this time, Ganim told Hearst Connecticut Media in a text when asked about seeking a third consecutive four-year term. But he went on to add, I am more positive and confident about city progress than at any time during my mayoralty, listed some economic development successes or ongoing projects, then hinted at an upcoming tax cut. As we submit a (municipal) budget, Im looking forward to good news for taxpayers, the mayor said. Election Day 2023 is 20 months away, but it is hardly too early for Ganim and potential primary opponents in this Democrat-dominated city to start making plans for that summers expected primary. The incumbent held his first fundraiser for his 2019 campaign in March 2017, in part because he simultaneously pursued a failed 2018 gubernatorial bid and wanted to bank a significant amount of reelection contributions early. And former Mayor Bill Finch, whom Ganim ousted in the 2015 Democratic primary, had begun his fundraising for that contest in 2013. Whoever is interested has to be planning, talking to people, getting their name out, developing a message, said former state Rep. Christopher Caruso, who twice ran against Finch. People need to start getting serious now, agreed City Councilwoman Maria Pereira, who backed Ganim in 2015 but has since become a vocal critic. Caruso and Pereira are among the possible Democratic contenders whose names have come up in conversations about the next mayoral race and usual Democratic primary. I think people are very kind ... but I havent made any hard decision on that, Caruso said. Its fair to say Im always thinking about it since I ran (in 2007 and 2011). Pereira, a formidable campaigner in successful bids for the school board, the council and when assisting other candidates, said rather than running for mayor, I think Im more interested in finding somebody I could get behind. She mentioned Caruso as among her top choices. A lot of people ask me to run, Pereira said. But you also have to realize the very same people who ask you to run, where are they when you need the help? State Sen. Marilyn Moore, D-Bridgeport, had plenty of support when she came close to unseating Ganim in 2019 and, while currently seeking reelection to the legislature, this week did not rule out a 2023 rematch. Ive had people ask me every time I go out the door, in the grocery store, emails, she said. If that is what the people would want, I certainly would serve. Moore, like Caruso and Pereira, has a reputation as being independent of the citys Democratic leaders, including town chairman and close Ganim friend Mario Testa. She was backed in 2019 by reformers like Caruso and the Working Families third party. And she scored a rare win against the incumbent at the voting machines, but lost that Septembers primary because Ganim received more absentee or mail-in votes. Still, Moore did not formally announce until late January 2019. Ganim, too, waited until 2015 to officially campaign against Finch. Like Moore, Finch this week left open the possibility he might be interested in winning back his old job. First elected mayor in 2007, his 2015 primary loss was a bitter one because it marked Ganims comeback. Ganim had been mayor from 1991 until 2003 when he was convicted of federal racketeering and bribery and spent seven years in prison. Finch was unable to use that corruption scandal to thwart his opponents political return. Finch emphasized that he loves his current job as director of the Connecticut Labor Management Cooperative Committee. He said another mayoral bid is certainly nothing Ive planned on, but to be perfectly honest with you its something I havent stopped thinking about over the last couple of years. I see that my city hasnt moved forward as much as it should have and its disappointing, Finch said. It (Bridgeport) has great potential. Finchs predecessor, John Fabrizi, who for the last few years has split his residency between Bridgeport and Florida, is often mentioned as interested in waging his own comeback. Fabrizi said Ganim is vulnerable I believe there's a lack of leadership but, despite his continued love of the city, he is not the candidate to take advantage of it. Im not willing to commit myself to Bridgeport seven days a week, 24 hours a day, Fabrizi said. Other state lawmakers with possible 2023 mayoral ambitions besides Moore are state Sen. Dennis Bradley, Rep. Christopher Rosario and Rep. Charlie Stallworth. Bradley had been considered a strong contender until last May when he was arrested on federal allegations of campaign finance fraud related to his 2018 senate campaign. Bradley has pleaded not guilty to the charges and the trial has been delayed, most recently until June. Bradley this week said he is razor-focused on the work of the current session of the General Assembly in Hartford. Theres going to be many considerations in terms of what I do moving forward, both politically and professionally, Bradley said. Right now Im just focused on doing a good job as a senator. Rosario, who had been a strong ally of Finch, said lots of people have approached him, but he and his family are still grieving the loss of his mother, who died in January. Im focusing on my (legislative) seat and my family and Ill make a decision at a later time, Rosario said. Its not a top priority right now. As for Stallworth, he helped Ganim wage his 2015 comeback, and in 2019 ran in, then dropped out of the mayoral primary. Stallworth is retiring from his seat in the state House of Representatives after this year. So Im considering all possibilities of what I may do in the future, he said, adding of how close Moore came to beating Ganim in 2019s primary, I think the last election showed his vulnerability. Since then the Ganim administration has made progress on some high-profile projects, from last summers opening of the delayed new concert amphitheater to construction of a grocery store that was promised the East End. And despite the toll COVID took on the city and its residents, the local economy benefited from a resultant major boost on real estate values. Bridgeport also received significant amounts of federal and state coronavirus relief that the Ganim administration has provided to numerous nonprofits and businesses and used to help balance the municipal budget. But the police department has been in constant turmoil under Ganim, with officers facing allegations of excessive force and racism, low manpower, internal divisions and the 2020 arrest of the friend Ganim made chief, Armando Perez, for cheating to get that job. Kelvin Ayala is a downtown business leader, economic consultant and activist who tried to run for the legislature in 2020. He backed Moore in 2019 and has sometimes been mentioned as mayoral material. The candidate pool is very large but thin in terms of people that can not just win but do something of impact, Ayala said. If that field doesnt look any better than it looks today, Im a better candidate. City Councilman Marcus Brown has run unsuccessfully against Moore for Senate. He said he has been approached about vying for mayor and, at 30, would be the youngest candidate of those mentioned. But, he said, Im not thinking about it at all. Still, Brown said it is important for there to be a competitive race in 2023. I would love if we had some choices, he said. I think most voters would like the opportunity. ... And people that are interested, who are qualified and bringing something new to the table, should have that opportunity to run. AACUL President Brad Miller joins the Credit Union House Board of Directors for a photo on the rooftop deck of Credit Union House. Diana Dykstra joins the Credit Union House Board of Directors, replacing Scott Earl who is retiring in 2022. From left to right: Brad Miller, president of AACUL; Jim Nussle, president/CEO of CUNA; Patrick LaPine, CEO of LSCU & Affiliates; Diana Dykstra, president/CEO of CA & NV Credit Union Leagues; Patrick Conway, president/CEO of CrossState Credit Union Association; Troy Stang, president/CEO of Northwest Credit Union Association; Brett Thompson, president/CEO of Wisconsin Credit Union League In celebration of its 20th Anniversary, the Credit Union House Board of Directors held a ceremonial ribbon cutting to kick off their Annual Meeting on February 27. Credit Union House holds its annual meeting in conjunction with the Credit Union National Associations (CUNA) Governmental Affairs Conference (GAC) each year. Brett Thompson, chair of Credit Union House and president/CEO of the Wisconsin Credit Union League, greeted the group gathered to celebrate 20 years of successful operations. These range from those who have supported Credit Union House since it was a concept 20-plus years ago to others who are visiting for the first time. Thompson thanked Leagues, the American Association of Credit Union Leagues (AACUL), CUNA, credit unions, and system partners for their cooperative efforts. Without your tremendous support, this facility would still be just an idea instead of a permanent credit union presence on Capitol Hill, Thompson continued. This facility fulfills a promise made to our movement and to our government that we would be ever vigilant. Heres to another 20 years and beyond! As a result of the war, a slew of firms and service providers have terminated ties with Russia, including internet giants Microsoft, Apple, and Google. This weekend, Cogent Communications, the country's second-largest internet provider, went offline in Russia. With major corporations abandoning the country and the international community imposing crippling sanctions, Russia is becoming increasingly isolated from the rest of the world. Tech Giants Halt Services in Russia TikTok said on Sunday that it will stop live streaming and uploading new material from Russia, making it the latest digital business to leave the nation. TikTok, which is owned by the Chinese business ByteDance, said it was taking the steps while reviewing Russia's new "fake news" law, which appears to target media sites that disagree with the Kremlin's position on the invasion of Ukraine. Last week, TikTok joined Meta, Twitter, and YouTube in banning Russian state-sponsored content from the European Union and identifying state-sponsored media throughout the world. The tech platforms have been caught in the middle of the invasion's information war, with Ukrainian authorities, US and European officials pressing them to cut relations with Russia, while Russia pushes them to limit their content. TikTok has been used by millions of people to get live information and video snippets of the violence in Ukraine. The organization has had to cope with a deluge of recordings, some of which pretend to depict on-the-ground activity but are unconfirmed. As a result, some people are worried that TikTok is spreading false information about the invasion. Last week, TikTok said that it has increased its resources committed to monitoring war-related misinformation. It's tough to turn down live streaming and fresh uploads from Russia since it would impede regular Russians from distributing independent information. Some Russian journalists and censorship experts have cautioned that blocking tech platforms in Russia will have harmful implications, according to the New York Times. Read Also: Putin Considers Countries Imposing 'No Fly Zone' Over Ukraine as Participants in War Companies Support Ukraine Amid Russian Invasion PayPal has shut down its services in Russia, becoming the latest in a rising number of corporations to do so. The move was in response to Russia's aggressive aggression towards Ukraine. Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine's minister of digital development, confirmed the news on Saturday with a letter from PayPal. The letter stated, "PayPal supports the Ukrainian people and stands with the international community in condemning Russia's violent military aggression in Ukraine." According to Reuters, PayPal will accept withdrawals in Russia for a limited time, ensuring that account balances are distributed in accordance with applicable rules and regulations. Due to Russia's escalating invasion of Ukraine, Activision Blizzard and Epic Games have joined a growing number of companies that have halted sales of their games in the nation. Activision president and chief operational officer Daniel Alegre announced the company's decision to stop selling its games to Russian consumers in a staff memo made public on Friday. It will also stop providing in-game microtransactions to those same consumers for the time being. Epic Games announced their own stoppage of transactions within the nation one day following Activision. It's unclear whether Epic's move applies to both its own games and any Fortnite in-game microtransactions. Furthermore, neither Activision nor Epic made any mention of Belarus in their releases, as per Engadget. Related Article: Russia-Ukraine War: Experts Predict "Collapse" in Russian Economy Amid Ukraine Invasion, Massive Sanctions @YouTube @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The Erb Memorial Union Starbucks filed for unionization on Jan. 4. If employees vote to approve it and barista Trinity Smith is not super worried about the vote students who work there will be the first University of Oregon undergrads with union jobs on campus. This filing comes in light of a growing movement of Starbucks unionization across the country, but also of undergraduate student workers at UO critically considering their roles and rights. The word union can be associated with legal struggles and red tape, Gordon Lafer, UO political science professor and director of UOs Labor Education and Resource Center, said. People often think a union is something about the law, he said. It's having the right analysis, having the right numbers, it's having the right pitch, but, ultimately, it's about building an actual organic organization of people. A union is a collection of employees at a work site who have joined together to use their collective power to have a say in what theyre doing on the job, Michael Marchman, UO Graduate Teaching Fellows Federation staff organizer, said. The idea is that theres power in numbers. While it can be emotionally and logistically difficult to ask for, say, a raise or a change in working conditions, a union can advocate for improvements like these on the workers behalf. The idea of a union is a recognition that the employer is very highly organized and has a lot of resources, and workers by themselves have very little power, Marchman said. Their only chance of really having any say over their life and work conditions is if they join and act as a unit instead of individually. So, how do unions come to be? Starbucks is a private corporation, so the steps to unionization are slightly different than those for students who work at UO. UO employed over 2,000 undergraduate student employees as of fall 2020, all of whom would be considered employees in the public sector. This means they are protected by state and federal labor laws, but students may not know their protections. The first step to forming a union is to talk about it. Employees at a workplace can start talking about these legal protections, their pay or other things they might want to see changed. For example, UO dining employees might discuss their strenuous workload. But some employees might feel worried about how their employer could react to discussions of unions. Its illegal to be fired or punished in any way for being pro-union, but anti-union employers find ways to break up unions by removing pro-union employees for offenses that dont usually result in firing or applying intimidation tactics, Marchman said. Generally, universities don't want to be firing their students from a job and don't want to have their contractors, like Starbucks, firing students from a job both because they don't want to do that to students and because they don't want the publicity, Lafer said. Once employees have spoken and see an interest, the next step is to sign union cards. A union card is an actual piece of paper on which employees write their names and some employment information to indicate they support unionizing. For public sector employees, this is the last formal step. Once more than 50% of employees have signed union cards, UO will recognize the union, David Rucker, a steward for the GTFF, said. This is different from the process for private sector employees who must receive union cards from at least 30% of employees and then conduct an election to determine if the employer must recognize the union. From there, the union will negotiate a contract with the employer. This is the opportunity to advocate for workers needs. Undergraduate student employees face some barriers when forming a union, particularly employment definitions and high turnover rates. UO could claim some student positions arent jobs at all, but are learning opportunities or leadership development, Marchman said. Lafer said the legal test of this examines how people are hired, trained and promoted, as well as what their day-to-day tasks entail. For example, graduate employees who teach classes could be told that their teaching role is for their own educational development. However, when UO hires graduate employees, UO doesnt ask which graduate students need training, they ask which classes need teaching, Lafer said. After grading 50 Spanish 101 tests, he said, the graduate employee has probably learned all there is to learn from that activity, but they are expected to grade each students test regardless. It's not like the only thing that's a job is something that's brain dead drudgery, Lafer said. If these students weren't doing it, the university would have to hire somebody else to do it. Additionally, many undergraduate students only work during the school year, or during part of it, so it can be difficult to build momentum, Marchman said. Once a union is recognized, some employees can step up to union leadership positions. The union could also ally with a state or national organization. The UO GTFF is a part of the American Federation of Teachers, for example. Once a union is established, it will remain in place regardless of employee turnover until a majority of employees vote against the union. The GTFF, the Service Employees International Union and United Academics are three large unions on UOs campus that can provide guidance. While unions can seem scary, they are accessible to UO students, as EMU Starbucks employees have proven. If you succeed, not only do you end up with a union and a contract, you also end up with a completely different kind of relationship to your coworkers, Rucker said. That is amazing and doesn't happen in many other contexts in our society. People who get really involved in their unions find that they have richer, better, more rewarding, more enjoyable experiences and relationships with their friends and colleagues than they did before. Nowhere left to go As the city of Eugene eliminates sanctioned camping and terminates COVID-19 urban camping leniency, houseless people will have to find dwindling legal places to sleep. Michel Crockett stands in Washington Jefferson Park on a chilly Sunday morning. Washington Jefferson Park, which has served as a sanctioned campsite for unhoused people for a year, will be closed by the city of Eugene soon. (Will Geschke/Emerald) Scarab Powers, 17, sits on an Igloo cooler in front of their tent, marked with yellow string tied around stakes roughly 12 feet apart. A plethora of art supplies, books and blankets envelops Powers as they draw characters in a black notebook. The sound of a volunteer groups church singing and murmured conversation floats on the air, and Powers says hello to everyone that passes. By March 16, Powers home a tent in Washington Jefferson Park will be gone, and the park will fall silent except for the hum of cars on the I-105 bridge above. Scarab Powers, a 17-year-old living in Washington Jefferson Park, talks about their experience living there. Because they under 18, they are ineligible to apply for housing at the new sleep site provided by the city, leaving them unsure where to go when the park is eventually closed. Washington Jefferson Park, which has served as a sanctioned campsite for unhoused people for a year, will be closed by the city soon. (Will Geschke/Emerald) After Washington Jefferson Park closes, there will be no more sanctioned camping in the city of Eugene. Instead, the city wants to focus on moving people without housing to safe sleep sites, which are safe and lawful places for people to sleep, according to the city. The city also announced in a Feb. 23 work session it will lift the COVID-19 temporary camping stay-in-place criteria, which extends leniency to urban camping to reduce the spread of the virus, on March 19 in conjunction with the state lifting indoor mask mandates. Advocates and some people without housing said they are perturbed by the change, since the safe sleep sites do not have the capacity to house everyone that needs them in Eugene. This will push houseless people in front of residences and businesses, resulting in more interactions with the police, citations and fines for those without housing, they said. Other people without housing who have secured spots at safe sleep sites are happy to get away from the camps, they said. Some community members and city officials also said they are looking forward to the transition. Scarab Powers (left) draws while Charles Petty II (right) discusses the conditions in Washington Jefferson Park. Washington Jefferson Park, which has served as a sanctioned campsite for unhoused people for a year, will be closed by the city soon. (Will Geschke/Emerald) How close is Eugene to catching up with the numbers? Eugene approved an ordinance on April 28, 2021 to create more safe and lawful places for people without housing to sleep. By late October, the city council approved five safe sleep sites: Chase Commons Park, Rosa Safe Sleep Site, 410 Garfield St., Everyone Village and 310 Garfield St. Chase Commons and Rosa Safe Sleep Site have yet to open. Eugene currently has the capacity to support 1,023 people in its shelter and alternative shelter programs, according to a presentation in the Feb. 23 work session. Eugene accounts for 78% of Lane Countys unhoused population which was about 4,000 as of January, according to the work session. Almost 2,500 people were living without housing in Eugene in January 2021, and that count increased to over 3,100 by January 2022. The Daily Emerald asked Kelly McIver, communications manager for the citys unhoused response, how houseless people could find out if these shelter programs had spots available. He provided some phone numbers and directed the Daily Emerald to a website listing all shelter programs in Lane County. These include shelters for adults, families with children, youth and people fleeing domestic violence. The Emerald called those phone numbers and all of the adult-only household programs in Eugene listed on the document on Feb. 14 and asked what their availability was. Seven to nine spots were available for walk-ins across all of those programs on that day. Four programs said they had some openings each day, but they had a waitlist. Two dogs scuffle in Washington Jefferson park. The new safe sleep site opening to help house the unhoused people living in Washington Jefferson Park will not allow pets, leaving some pet owners in limbo about their future. Washington Jefferson Park, which has served as a sanctioned campsite for unhoused people for a year, will be closed by the city soon. (Will Geschke/Emerald) Closing Washington Jefferson Park and 13th and Chambers The city designated two sanctioned camping sites at Washington Jefferson Park and 13th and Chambers, which made them legal to camp at, in the fall of 2020. By March 16, Washington Jefferson Park will close to everyone, be rehabilitated and reopen as a city park. The convergence of the homelessness crisis and COVID-19 led to the temporary use of the park for camping, but the land is a park and was always intended to be used by the community as a park, not as a camp, McIver said. The residents of Washington Jefferson Park will get priority at 410 Garfield Street,, one of the safe sleep sites, which opened Feb. 22, has 86 spots and is indoors and heated. There are 75 recognized camp spaces at the park, according to the city. Powers said more than one person usually lives in each tent. Steve Kimes, a member of Eugene-based housing advocacy group Stop the Sweeps, said the group counted 120 campers at Washington Jefferson Park when the city announced the closure. Since the site does not allow animals, residents with pets are being offered tents at Everyone Village. Gabe Piechowicz, a leader at Everyone Village, said it will likely be able to fit the 14 people with pets identified by the city. Kelsy Somntiz, a resident at Washington Jefferson Park whose black and white kitten sits perched on their shoulder, said they were offered a spot. They said they look forward to leaving the camp and arriving at Everyone Village. Michael Crockett (left) and Kelsy Somnitz (right) stand in Washington Jefferson Park with their cat Deku. Washington Jefferson Park, which has served as a sanctioned campsite for unhoused people for a year, will be closed by the city of Eugene soon. (Will Geschke/Emerald) Andrew Lima, a current resident at Opportunity Village, a transitional micro-housing community for people without housing, who used to live in the park, said he was glad to leave the park, since it is dangerous at night. Powers cannot go to safe sleep sites, since residents have to be at least 18 years old. They have had problems receiving assistance at Eugenes youth programs, they said. Having lived in the park for more than a year, Powers said they are sad to see the camp close and do not know where they will go after. They said the park has become a community. A few weeks ago, Powers walked over to a neighbors tent to ask for supplies for a mattress, they said. They found some foam, which they glued between two pieces of cardboard sandwich-style. And now I have a mattress, Powers said. How many housed people can go walk two doors down from their apartment and be like Ayo, you got a mattress? Jean Woest, who for three years has been a manager at Nicks Old Pub next to the park, said the business has coexisted with the park and has even created a pay-it-forward program to serve people who cannot pay for their food. People really assume that being so close to the vicinity of the Washington Jefferson Park camps that we would get a lot of issues from that, Woest said. But honestly, throughout the years that I've been here, we've only had a very small handful of incidents. 13th and Chambers closed on Jan. 18 due to deteriorating conditions at the camp, according to the city. Of the 56 residents, the city helped 51 people move to different shelter programs. Four chose not to go and one was ineligible for relocation after being arrested, according to the city. Saint Vincent de Paul communication and marketing coordinator Joel Gorthy said the transition went well except for minor behavioral issues. This is intended to be a short-term shelter option, creating a warm, dry, safe place for people to get out of the winter weather and away from the 13th and Chambers site, which the city deemed uninhabitable, Gorthy said. A member of Stop the Sweeps who wishes to remain anonymous due to fear of retribution by the Eugene Police Department wrote in an email to the Daily Emerald that the camp faced some struggles, but residents wanted to make it work. They organized themselves to arrange de-escalation trainings, advocated for sanitary conditions and made demands of the city, they said. McIver said the land will be returned to its former status as city surplus property, and it is not intended for future use as a camp or a shelter site. Charles Petty II looks through his notebook, filled with his art and poetry. Washington Jefferson Park, which has served as a sanctioned campsite for unhoused people for a year, will be closed by the city soon. (Will Geschke/Emerald) A Eugene without sanctioned camping Kimes, a pastor at Eugene Mennonite Church, runs Laundry Unicorns a service that goes around 18 camps a few times a week and does the laundry of people without housing. Kimes lobbied the city council last year to create sanctioned camping in Eugene. The city needs options for houseless people besides the safe sleep sites because some people do not like the environments and restrictions of certain sites, he said. Village models like Everyone Village are favored because houseless people are involved in the leadership, he said. Government-run encampments take away what can be empowering about living in a community camp by turning the encampment into a patrolled and policed service, the Stop the Sweeps member wrote in an email to the Daily Emerald. Lima, the resident at Opportunity Village, said he left Dawn to Dawn a shelter program run by Saint Vincent de Paul because he did not receive the services he needed, he had disagreements with the staff and his items were removed when he left for a few days. In the Feb. 23 work session, Councilor Claire Syrett, whose ward includes Washington Jefferson Park, said many of her constituents are happy about the campers leaving the park, but she also has constituents concerned about the people who will not go to safe sleep sites and have already moved to surrounding sidewalks and planting strips. When you move people out of the park or out of the sanctioned spaces, they still have to be somewhere, Kimes said. They move in front of residences and businesses because they don't have anywhere else to go. Andrew Lima (shown here) is a former nurse and used to live at Washington Jefferson Park. He still comes here most days to see his friend Andrew Trimble. Washington Jefferson Park, which has served as a sanctioned campsite for unhoused people for a year, will be closed by the city of Eugene soon. (Will Geschke/Emerald) Sabrina Schimscheimer, a junior at the University of Oregon, said several unsheltered people live on sidewalks near her residence. She said she is disappointed that the city will end sanctioned camping sites because they protect the safety of unsheltered people and other community members. She believes more people without housing will head toward campus due to a greater amount of green spaces, she said. Houseless people need to follow many criteria for camping to be legal. For instance, campsites cannot be a hazard to traffic or sidewalk users, in a planting strip between the street and the sidewalk, on road surfaces, in a neighborhood park, in riparian areas like the Willamette River, within 50 feet of private property or within 300 feet of playgrounds or Eugene Rest Stops and microsite locations, according to the city. If these rules are violated, the city gives a 72 hour warning before it takes the belongings, according to the city. Between July 1, 2021 and Jan. 31, 2022, the city removed 193 dump truck loads of debris related to unsheltered houselessness, according to the work session. Kimes said he has helped an elderly, houseless woman with disabilities who has had to move nine times. This is a person who should have help, but instead shes being moved from place to place, he said. Advocates and people without housing said tensions between police and campers have been high lately, and they worry no sanctioned camping will result in the criminalization of houselessness, meaning the everyday activities and locations of houseless people not in shelter programs are deemed illegal. According to a presentation in the Feb. 23 work session, Eugene police responded to 4,430 calls for service an average of 26.5 calls a day related to houselessness between July 1, 2021 and Jan. 31, 2022. During that time, parking and neighborhood service officers took over 1,800 actions related to storage on the streets, which includes issuing parking warnings and citations. A church service provides a free breakfast on most Sunday mornings for the people living in Washington Jefferson Park. Washington Jefferson Park, which has served as a sanctioned campsite for unhoused people for a year, will be closed by the city soon. (Will Geschke/Emerald) Powers said many people at Washington Jefferson Park have park bans, which bans people who have violated parks and open space rules from city parks, open space, facilities or from participation in city-sponsored programs or activities, according to Parks and Open Space rules. Being in these spaces with a parks restriction constitutes trespassing. Citations and trespassing tickets can mean fines and court fees that these community members are unable to pay, which can result in jail time, the Stop the Sweeps member wrote in an email to the Daily Emerald. It perpetuates a cruel cycle of poverty and incarceration for our community members. Charles Petty II, a resident of Washington Jefferson Park, said he wants to go to a safe sleep site but cannot because he has a 1 year parks restriction. Many safe sleep sites ask for references as referrals in their applications as well. Ive come to learn its about who you know, Petty II said. Kimes said he believes the city of Eugene will eventually get sued because of the Ninth Circuits landmark 2021 decision in Martin v. Boise, which declared that city laws criminalizing sleeping outside on public property or outdoors when no shelter alternative is available violates the eighth amendment. Kimes believes the city should continue to set up more village models with 12 to 18 spaces. In the next six months, Eugene plans to add 115 more shelter and alternative shelter spaces, according to the city. Charles Petty II poses for a portrait while sitting underneath the I-105 freeway in Washington Jefferson Park. Petty II said before he moved to Eugene, he previously served 14 years in jail for an earlier crime. Were all here for different reasons, Petty II said. Washington Jefferson Park, which has served as a sanctioned campsite for unhoused people for a year, will be closed by the city soon. (Will Geschke/Emerald) Memphis, TN (38152) Today Mostly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 57F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Mostly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 57F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Former United States President Donald Trump jokingly suggested using fighter jets with Chinese flags to "bomb the sh*t" out of Russia as Moscow continues its war against Ukraine. The Republican businessman had a speech in New Orleans on Saturday night where he suggested applying Chinese flags to the United States' F-22s. Trump then said that the federal government should send out the planes to attack Russia and set off a conflict between the two giant nations. Jets To Bomb Russia A recording showed Trump saying, "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." His statement got the audience to laugh, suggesting that what the former president said was simply a joke. However, the Republican businessman's statements may very well violate international law. Furthermore, there was little chance that Russians would mistake F-22s for Chinese aircraft because they were highly recognizable and not used by Beijing, as per the Washington Post. On the other hand, Trump also reiterated his praise for North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un during his remarks on Saturday. The former U.S. president expressed his applause to the Asian official because his advisers and generals "cowered" and "stood up so fast" when he spoke to them, saying he wanted his people to act similarly. Read Also: Russia-Ukraine Crisis: Scammers Using War To Steal Donations Through Fake E-mails, Charity Websites; How To Spot It The Republican businessman has long praised Russian President Vladimir Putin and Kim despite criticism from Democrats and some GOP members. During his presidency, Trump held multiple face-to-face meetings with both leaders and repeatedly praised how they led their countries. According to Newsweek, Trump joked that he and Kim "fell in love" in September 2019 and noted that they exchanged "beautiful" letters. In a recent interview, the former president praised Putin for his actions against Ukraine when he acknowledged two breakaway regions in its neighboring country and sent military troops. International Controversies Social media users have been quick to mock Trump's remarks online, with some photoshopping images of what the F-22s with Chinese flags would look like. The former president's remarks on Saturday were made in front of donors at the Republican National Committee (RNC) retreat, which also featured former Vice President Mike Pence on Friday evening. I tried to figure out what Trumps plan would look like exactly and this is what I came up with pic.twitter.com/npngIwIDUR Acyn (@Acyn) March 6, 2022 The Republican businessman also used his time on stage to tease another potential 2024 presidential run. In his remarks, Trump said that another Republican president would take back the White House in the next presidential elections and questioned who could have that capacity. On the other hand, the former president also criticized several lawmakers, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff. However, a spokesperson for Trump declined to comment regarding the issue, The Hill reported. Trump initially praised Putin's acts on Ukraine, calling the Russian president "smart" and "savvy," but later changed his stance and called on Moscow to stop its aggression. In one interview where he urged Russia to stop killing Ukrainians, he also claimed that China would invade Taiwan sooner rather than later based on Moscow's actions. Related Article: [VIDEO] Russia Destroys Ukraine Airport With 8 Missiles, Volodymyr Zelensky Asks for Help, Fighter Jets @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Sunbury, PA (17801) Today Periods of rain. Low 53F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.. Tonight Periods of rain. Low 53F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch. Europe's dependence on Russia for around 40 per cent of the continent's gas supplies isn't some kind of natural phenomenon; it's a conscious political choice. As recently as 2010, EU countries actually produced more gas than Russia exported. But, by 2020, the positions had completely reversed, with Russia exporting nearly three times more gas than Europe produced. Why? Because, being in thrall to the green dogma that has captured the Establishment the world over, European countries cut back on fossil-fuel production. Energy security was sacrificed on the altar of 'decarbonisation' even if that meant reducing production and the storage of reliable lower-carbon energy sources such as natural gas, or most preposterously, a policy towards zero-carbon nuclear power, which meant it was completely shut down in Germany and left to atrophy in the UK. Of course none of this is to argue against the environmental cause: After all, I was the author of David Cameron's 'Vote Blue Go Green' message. A sensible environmentalism, with a focus on conservation and a responsibly managed transition to cleaner energy in particular one that protects consumers from soaring bills is something most people would support. However, that's far from what we've seen. Europe's dependence on Russia for around 40 per cent of the continent's gas supplies isn't some kind of natural phenomenon; it's a conscious political choice Instead, politicians from all parties have indulged in an orgy of green virtue-signalling, implementing self-harming, counter-productive policies such as Boris Johnson's ban on fracking for shale gas, with no serious thought given to the long-term consequences. In truth, it's even more cynical than that. Desperate to win the plaudits of green activists, these politicians recklessly cut back on their own countries' energy production and filled the gap not with the much-vaunted 'wind 'n solar' (both are too unreliable), but by importing dirtier fuels from other countries (such as Russia) that are unencumbered by the 'climate' zealotry relentlessly pushed by pressure groups and some in the media in the West. Even more embarrassingly for our idiotic establishment, it turns out that those activists and their media campaigns have been funded by wait for it Putin! That's not some wild conspiracy theory: It's Nato's view. Former Nato secretary general Anders Fogh Rasmussen said in 2014: 'Russia, as part of its sophisticated information and disinformation operations, engaged actively with so-called non-governmental organisations environmental organisations working against shale gas to maintain dependence on imported Russian gas.' Instead, politicians from all parties have indulged in an orgy of green virtue-signalling, implementing self-harming, counter-productive policies such as Boris Johnson's ban on fracking for shale gas, with no serious thought given to the long-term consequences And, in the same year, former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoke about 'phony environment groups funded by Russians to stand against' energy initiatives such as fracking. In sum, Western leaders handed Putin massive geo-political leverage by making their people dependent on his gas and were responding to activist campaigns that he had partly funded. How utterly perverse! And look where that leaves us today. Even as Putin unleashes hell on innocent Ukrainians; as we witness scenes of inhumanity of a nature and on a scale not seen in Europe since the Second World War... Putin's oil and gas now flows uninterrupted to Europe, while 500million flows uninterrupted every day from Europe to Russia to pay for it. After the invasion, the amount of Russian gas exported to Europe through Ukraine actually went up by 38 per cent. The price has since risen further, adding to the money ending up in Kremlin coffers. So, when our leaders say 'we're doing everything we can to help Ukraine', that's a lie. Rather than weaning ourselves off Russia's oil and gas, we are funding Putin's war machine. And we're doing so because a bunch of pompous politicians, puffed up with pretensions of saving the planet, wanted pats on the back from extremist 'climate' zealots. Rather than weaning ourselves off Russia's oil and gas, we are funding Putin's war machine Ever since taking over the White House, President Joe Biden has fought a non-stop war on American energy production. Under his predecessor President Donald Trump's strong support for domestic natural gas production, the US achieved an enviable double whammy. It became self-sufficient (and, indeed, a net exporter for the first time in more than 70 years), as well as reducing carbon emissions. By contrast, Biden has shut pipelines, withdrawn exploration licences, and most shockingly, at the exact moment he and his officials were talking up 'massive sanctions' against Putin if he went ahead with the invasion that they said was certain to happen, another part of Biden's administration announced new regulations that would give Putin even more leverage over global energy supplies. In the name of fighting climate change, Biden refuses to increase US production, which might give supplies to Europe to help it escape Putin's energy stranglehold (as well as lowering prices for consumers in America). Biden's administration, instead, is begging Saudi Arabia and other members of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to produce more oil and are even finalising a revived Iran nuclear deal that will put Iranian oil into the world market. Under his predecessor President Donald Trump's strong support for domestic natural gas production, the US achieved an enviable double whammy The US President's new 'climate' policy seems to be: Oil is good, unless it's American. In normal circumstances this could be dismissed as mere political hypocrisy and double-speak. But we're not in normal circumstances. We're in the middle of the most threatening conflict in Europe since 1945 and could be on the brink of nuclear confrontation. It is therefore unconscionable that Western politicians are not doing everything in their power to stop Putin. Of course there is no guarantee that a total boycott of Russian energy would change this evil tyrant's calculations. But it is truly revolting that our leaders are not even trying. For all their noble words about standing up for Ukraine, their obsession with net zero and continuing willingness to pay Moscow 500million a day makes them Putin's stooges and enablers of the horror unfolding before our eyes. When he first ran to be London Mayor, Sadiq Khan pledged 'zero days of strikes' on public transport. Talk about a hostage to fortune! Last week, Khan clocked up the unenviable record of having presided over more strikes on the Underground in his six years in office than Ken Livingstone and Boris Johnson did in their combined 16 years in power. When he first ran to be London Mayor, Sadiq Khan pledged 'zero days of strikes' on public transport. Talk about a hostage to fortune! On Thursday, with their second walk-out in 48 hours, Tube drivers union the RMT clocked up 52 days of industrial action. In comparison, there were 16 days of disruption in Livingstone's two terms, and 35 when Boris was mayor. With more strikes planned by the RMT over pension rights and staffing levels, the Tories predict the number of lost days will soar to 87 by the end of June. No wonder Khan who is ferried around town in a 300,000 armoured Range Rover was booed last week when he presented a gong at the NME Awards. With Russia booted out of the Eurovision Song Contest, Ukraine must be the odds-on favourite to win the 2022 crown in Turin on May 14. Labour MP Chris Bryant is certainly rooting for them. 'Forgive the humour,' he says, 'but I suspect Ukraine would win the Eurovision this year even if its entry were the Ukranian national anthem played on a xylophone and kazoo.' For once, he's right. Angela's very restful day of rest Many MPs are glued to the weekend merry-go-round of political TV and radio programmes. But not Labour's Deputy Leader Angela Rayner. In an interview with the New Statesman, she said she never leaves her house on Sundays, and sometimes not even her bedroom. Nor does she dress, put on make-up, or even wash. Last weekend, she binge-watched the entire Superman & Lois TV series and, if she can't sleep at night she listens to audio books and podcasts about serial killers. She says: 'I'm intrigued by extreme behaviour.' That certainly rings true. She's a rabid Leftie. Open up, Nicola The Ukrainian crisis provides another chance for Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to fulfil her promise to open her home to people fleeing war. Back in 2015, having criticised the Government over the number of Syrians allowed to be resettled here, she announced she would be 'absolutely happy' to open Bute House, the 18th-century Edinburgh townhouse that is the official residence of the Scottish First Minister, to refugees. None went on to cross the welcome mat on her doorstep, however. Never mind, that means there is still plenty of space for Ukrainian refugees to be put up there instead. Jeffrey Archer is joining the international boycott of the Moscow regime by refusing to allow his latest best seller Over My Dead Body to be sold in Russia. 'My books will not be sold again in Russia while the lunatic Vladimir Putin is in charge,' he told me. 'It is only a small gesture but if some of my fans in Russia ask why they can't buy my books, it might help foment opposition to Putin.' Meanwhile, the Green Party says it 'deplores the invasion of Ukraine', 'condemns the unprovoked aggression' and calls for 'immediate and stringent sanctions on Russia'. This is the same Green Party whose manifesto commits to withdrawing Britain from Nato. Fireman Mike sets Tories alight Little noticed last week was the appointment of former Grenadier Guardsman and firefighter Sir Mike Penning as deputy chairman of the Conservative Party, the person responsible for the selection of parliamentary candidates. Comprehensive-educated Penning, who turned the former Labour stronghold of Hemel Hempstead into a safe Tory seat, is just what the party needs. It's hard to find a less woke MP who has lent his name to Commons motions deploring the rise of political correctness. 'Mike will be great at the job,' said one admiring Tory MP. 'He will seek candidates who are low tax, small state and strong on defence. In other words, proper Tories.' Despite his bombastic rhetoric, and what looks like Botox, the strain is showing on Vladimir Putin's face. His dream of a lightning war - Kyiv falling in two days and the rest of Ukraine within two weeks - has become a nightmare. The evidence is everywhere: a massive convoy bogged down in the mud, smoking hulks of aircraft shot down by Ukrainian forces, and Russian artillery resorting to shelling apartment blocks and hospitals. Meanwhile, the invaders have even taken to laying landmines in humanitarian corridors and gunning down fleeing families - it is frightened and demoralised soldiers, unable to prevail on the battlefield, who commit such crimes. Yesterday came another, even more telling sign that Putin is rattled. Vladimir Putin, pictured here chairing a Security Council meeting outside Moscow, might be starting to regret his decision to invade Ukraine after the Russian advance ground to a halt A large convoy of fuel trucks destroyed by Ukrainian forces while it was attempting to resupply Russian forces. The Russian army has been beset with a lack of food, fuel and equipment In a surprise move, Russia announced that it would stop its onslaught 'in a moment' if Ukraine agrees to a raft of extraordinary demands. It must cease military action, change its constitution to enshrine neutrality, acknowledge the Crimea as Russian territory, and recognise the regions of Donetsk and Lugansk as independent territories. So what is behind this abrupt about-turn? Two weeks ago, Putin would have scoffed at the notion that he might offer an olive branch - albeit a rotten one - just ten days after sending troops into Ukraine. So why is he proffering it now? Is it because he fears that his armed forces are incapable of completing their mission successfully? On the face of it, that seems unlikely. Ukraine's defence expenditure is one tenth the size of Russia's. The invader's army is 280,000-strong, compared with Ukraine's complement of 170,000 troops. Putin, pictured at a meeting on economic issues, announced that it would stop its onslaught 'in a moment' if Ukraine agrees to a raft of extraordinary demands Ukrainian soldiers help an elderly woman cross a destroyed bridge in Irpin, northwest of Kyiv. Russia has increasingly targeted civilian population centres as the war rages on 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 But war is not just a numbers game. Ukraine's soldiers are well-trained and highly motivated to defend their country under the leadership of their charismatic president Volodymyr Zelensky. Many have combat experience gained from battles against Russian troops in Donetsk and Lugansk in 2014 and they are backed by 100,000 reservists, and territorial defence forces that include at least 100,000 veterans and an ever-increasing number of civilian volunteers. By contrast, 40 per cent of Russian soldiers are conscripts, many of whom have had little training. And while Putin has the advantage in military hardware, superior firepower does not always win the day, as we have seen in Vietnam and Afghanistan. What really proves decisive in wars is the will to win: the victor is the one who exhausts the other side, sapping their morale to the point that they can no longer resist. No one knows this better than Putin, a former member of the KGB, who is behaving like a KGB interrogator with a prisoner tied to a chair: withhold food and water, deny sleep and light, then torture until they submit. In the case of Ukraine, this means pulverising cities with relentless bombing, and cutting off the vital supplies they require to survive. But Ukraine is stubbornly resisting these efforts. And the longer it holds out, the greater the chance that it is Russia that will break. Now even Britain's most senior military man considers it a possibility. When the Chief of the Defence Staff, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, was asked at the weekend whether a Russian takeover of Ukraine was still inevitable, his answer was 'No'. 'Russia is suffering, Russia is an isolated power,' he said. 'It is less powerful than it was ten days ago. Some of the lead elements of Russian forces have been decimated by the Ukrainian response.' Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken dismissed the idea that Russia could ever successfully occupy Ukraine and install a puppet regime: 'Forty five million Ukrainians are going to reject that one way or the other.' He is right. The longer and more brutal the conflict, the stiffer Ukrainian resistance will be. And with the West supplying weaponry, Ukrainians could wage a guerrilla war for years that would demoralise Russian troops and eventually wear down their resolve. Putin assumed that Ukraine would quickly collapse in the face of his invasion and that the West would, after some token protests, ultimately shrug and accept it just as they had the annexation of the Crimea in 2014. But in Crimea, many people identify as Russian and welcomed them. A woman walks in front of burned cars on a bridge in Irpin. The strength of the Ukrainian resistance has surprised Russia In Ukraine, the population is proudly independent and has no desire to be gobbled up by an economically stagnant, corrupt old Russian bear. Ukraine's courageous resistance has shocked him, as has the reaction of the Western powers, which belatedly discovered their backbones and imposed sanctions that have sparked an economic crisis in Russia, which will undermine its military effort. The longer the war in Ukraine goes on, the greater the prospect of economic collapse at home. Neither military failure, nor economic ruin, bodes well for Putin. The Kremlin's brutal clampdown on free speech, which keeps any genuine reporting of the war off the TV news, might mean that some people are fooled. But the truth can't be kept from them forever. Russian armoured vehicles left abandoned in a field. Ukrainian fighters have targeted Russian armour, fighter jets and helicopters in an effort to maintain control of the country Ukraine war: The latest Russia steps up its shelling as the UN says 1.5 million people have now fled Attempts to evacuate civilians from Mariupol fail again, amid repeated ceasefire violations Ukraine's military says it is fighting 'fierce battles' on the edge of the southern city of Mykolayiv, Dozens of civilians are being killed in the battle for Chernihiv in the north A barrage of Russian missiles destroys Vinnytsia airport in central Ukraine Russian shops are told to limit sales of essential foodstuffs to counter black market speculation Thousands more are arrested at anti-war demonstrations in Russia, bringing the total to well over 11,000 Vladimir Putin says he will achieve his aims in Ukraine 'through negotiation or through war' US 'green lights' Poland to supply Kyiv with fighter jets, amid fears it could drag NATO into war Antony Blinken says the West is in 'very active' discussions about a Russian oil embargo, despite price at all-time high Credit card giants Visa, Mastercard and American Express freeze business in Russia. Russian banks say they will use China's UnionPay system Consultancy firms KPMG and PwC announce an end to operations in Russia France announces it will send iodine tablets and other medical supplies to Ukraine. They are used to protect against the effects of exposure to radiation Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba says 20,000 international volunteers have joined the fight Netflix suspends services in Russia and social media giant TikTok blocks posting of video content from the country Foreign media including the BBC, CBC, ARD, ZDF, Bloomberg News, CNN, CBS, RAI and EFE have suspended reporting from Russia after Moscow threatened jail terms Advertisement As more Russian conscripts return home and report that the Ukrainians haven't welcomed the Russian 'liberators' but fiercely opposed their invasion and occupation, Russian public opinion will turn against Putin. Word of mouth is more powerful than any other news source and defies censorship. People will start to hear that their neighbour's 19-year-old conscript son has returned home from 'exercise' without a leg, or not at all. The truth about Putin's war will be impossible to hide. He can massage the statistics - claiming 498 Russian troops have been killed when the true number may be as high as 10,000 - but no amount of propaganda can alter the dire situation on the ground. How long before his military chiefs start questioning whether the only way to extricate themselves and their men from this mess is to get rid of the man who created it? Equally worrying for him are rumours of discontent within the FSB, Russian's feared spy agency and successor to the infamous KGB. A report, supposedly by an FSB analyst, that was leaked at the weekend described the Russian invasion of Ukraine as a 'total failure', concluding: 'Russia has no way out. There are no options for a possible victory, only defeat.' Whether or not the report is genuine, the sentiments ring true. And if both the people who are fighting Putin's war and those whose role is to keep him in power are losing faith in him, he is in trouble. Putin, as I have written on these pages before, is not mad. He can see that things have gone badly and is casting around for a face-saving exit plan. For that reason, I think his peace plan represents a genuine offer. So will Ukraine accept it? The devil is in the detail. If the Russians are offering to withdraw to the areas in the East held by the separatist rebels since 2014, that might be one thing. But if Putin wants to hold on to the whole of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions, that is unthinkable. People there are fighting bravely to resist the Russians. They will not want to be ruled by them. If Ukraine agrees to Putin's conditions, it is resigning itself to never joining Nato's protective umbrella and laying itself open to the possibility that Putin could regroup and try again in a few years' time. No one could blame Ukraine if they decided to accept the offer in order to save civilian lives. But it would be a bitter pill, and from what we have seen of Zelensky and his courageous citizens they will not want to swallow it. Putin will have to do better than this attempt to blackmail Ukraine into a fragile peace that he cannot be trusted to keep. Mark Galeotti is Honorary Professor at the University College London School of Slavonic and East European Studies, and author of We Need To Talk About Putin Products featured in this Mail Best article are independently selected by our shopping writers. If you make a purchase using links on this page, MailOnline may earn an affiliate commission. If you're looking for bed linen that gives you maximum comfort to help you get the best night's sleep possible, then taking a closer look at your beddings thread count can make all the difference. According to eagle-eyed shoppers, investing in hotel quality bedding costs less than you think as Marks and Spencer is selling a Percale 300 Thread Count Duvet Cover for just 16. More delicate and comfortable than other cotton weaves, the percale 300 thread count duvet cover offers a silky hand-feel that feels sumptuously soft. Impressed shoppers have called the bedding set 'smooth as silk' and 'beautiful quality' that 'enhances a good night's rest'. With a saving of 24 off the RRP, there's never been a better time to upgrade your bedding. Marks & Spencer Percale 300 Thread Count Duvet Cover You can snap up the Marks and Spencer Percale 300 Thread Count Duvet Cover for just 16 (was 40). Boasting a softer and smoother feel than traditional bedding, the percale weave gives you a hotel-like feel but for a snip. Thread count refers to the number of threads per square inch of your bed linen; the higher the thread count, the denser the feel, which can feel better quality and more luxurious on your skin. If you're after the same luxurious feel as you find in hotels, then percale weave is a great investment. Cool and crisp, percale bedding can be expensive, but right now, you can snap up the Marks and Spencer Percale 300 Thread Count Duvet Cover for just 16. On sale for 24 off, the bedding has attracted plenty of impressive reviews, with shoppers raving how it 'feels like silk against the skin'. Made with 100 per cent pure cotton, the 300 thread count duvet cover is smooth and comfortable to enhance a good night's rest. Thanks to the percale weave (a traditional criss-cross pattern), the bedding not only feels more luxurious, but the tight weave means it's also a lot stronger. Super durable, many will find that the bedding is less likely to pill and wear over time, so it's a wise investment. This kind of weave is also a favourite with hot-sleepers. Lightweight and breathable, it's crisp and cool to touch whilst remaining sumptuously soft. But don't just take our word for it. The Marks and Spencer percale bedding has amassed plenty of praise, with shoppers reporting how 'the cover makes our duvet even warmer and so cosy' with another raving how it's 'excellent quality & great value for money - super soft & fits perfectly'. Made with 100 per cent pure cotton, the 300 thread count duvet cover is smooth and comfortable to enhance a good night's rest Available in a neutral light grey, the Percale 300 Thread Count Duvet Cover is available in single, double, king and super king size. Currently on sale for just 16 for a double set, it's the perfect time to invest and upgrade your bed to an oasis of calm and tranquillity. One impressed shopper left a five-star review, writing: 'Satin smooth bedding. This bedding is so soft and smooth, and I am very pleased with it, bought fitted sheets and matching pillowcases. Looks great'. Another agreed, adding: 'So soft and silky smooth. I much prefer percale cotton to sateen. This duvet cover is a delight, and I would highly recommend it. In fact, I bought a second one.' Most seek-and-find puzzles challenge players to find just one item hidden in a busy scene. But this seriously tricky offering from Hungarian cartoonist Gergely Dudas, better known as Dudolf, has three items that you have to find. Somewhere in this pretty scene of chirruping birds are three red apples. Do you have what it takes to spot them? Scroll down for the reveal and more puzzles! Somewhere in this pretty scene of chirruping birds are three red apples. Do you have what it takes to spot them? To make things even more difficult, the cartoonist has made all of the birds the same shade of red. Then there's the added distraction of the birdhouses, which are bright and colourful and enough to throw you off the task. If you're trying to find the apples, take a look towards the bottom centre of the image to find the first one. The other two are in opposite corners, towards the top left and top right. Still struggling? Scroll down for the solution. The apples are scattered throughout the image (seen above). Did you find them all? It's the second puzzle in recent weeks from the viral cartoonist. He 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. Last month I visited France, my familys first foreign trip since 2019. To be honest, I experienced rather more of it than I bargained for: snow-covered pines whizzing by as I lay strapped into a sledge, pulled by a ski patroller rescuing me from the slopes; the inside of an ambulance, then a French hospital consulting room and X-ray suite; a trip to a pharmacy, where I was fitted with a leg brace and crutches. These, incidentally, are called cannes Anglaises (English canes) clearly, I am not the first Brit to take a tumble in those parts. H. E. Bates pokes fun at the cultural differences between the English and French in A Breath Of French Air, the sequel to The Darling Buds Of May. The Larkins have never ventured abroad but, inspired by the fond reminiscences of posh son-in-law Mr Charlton, Pop Larkin resolves to take the whole clan to Brittany in August. At first, everybody is disappointed shocked, even, by the bathroom facilities but, gradually the soleil and the vin rose loosen inhibitions. Though nothing can twinkle quite as charmingly as Pop. Patricia Nicol has rounded up a selection of the best books on France, including A Breath Of French Air (pictured left) and The Age Of Innocence (pictured right) Fiction is full of Americans in Paris. Among the classics, Edith Whartons The Age Of Innocence contrasts a chilly, conservative upper-crust 19th-century New York with a European capital perceived as morally decadent. American-born Countess Ellen Olenska leaves Paris and her aristocratic Polish husband to return to her native U.S. and is treated like a pariah by her uptight relatives. Newland Archer loves her but will not rock the status quo. Years later, in Paris now a widower in the autumn of life Newland has the opportunity to visit Ellen, but dares not. A merrier tale of not-so-innocent Americans abroad is Elaine Dundys The Dud Avocado. The irrepressible Sally Jay Gorce feels a forerunner of televisions Emily In Paris sunny, despite misadventure. Even if you cannot get to France these novels will whisk you there, faster and with altogether less palaver than any pandemic-era travel arrangements. An Australian expat who now lives in the Britain has revealed some of the everyday activities that could see her fined Down Under. Rhiannon Cunningham, 23, grew up on Australian shores before moving to Brighton, a seaside town in England, more than two years ago. The glamorous blonde has taken to TikTok to showcase aspects of what she does often that would be considered illegal in Australia, but would hardly raise an eyebrow overseas. 'Come and get me,' she captioned the video, which started by showing her 'jaywalking' on a road, an offence that would see you fined $220 in Australia. Rhiannon Cunningham, 23, grew up on Australian shores before moving to Brighton, a seaside town in England, more than two years ago What is illegal in Australia but permissible in the UK? * Jaywalking is an offence that will cost the individual $220 in Australia * Putting your feet up on the seats will cost you $1,100 * Drinking in public will cost you $1,100 in Australia * Riding a bike without a helmet will set you back $2,200 Advertisement 'Jaywalking' is an American term that refers to an individual crossing a road when it's not permitted, for instance when a zebra crossing isn't available. In June 2019, NSW Police fined more than 100 pedestrians in a six-hour period for the offence. 'Section 230 of Road Rules 2014 provides that jaywalking can cost pedestrians up to $220. Should you receive a fine for jaywalking and choose to have the matter determined by a court, the maximum penalty increases to $2,200,' Go To Court website read. The next offence she examined was putting your feet on the seat on a train, which could see you fined $1,100 if you were caught by police in Australia. Travelling without a valid ticket can cost you $550, drinking alcohol is $1,100, and blocking the doors can set you back $5,500. In England there is no set rule across the country about whether putting your feet on the seats will incur a fine, but some trains in certain cities do expressly forbid it. The next offence she examined was putting your feet on the seat on a train, which would cost you a maximum of $1,100 if you were caught in Australia One of the most obviously different rules between the two nations is that in the UK Rhiannon is permitted to drink in some public spaces - something the Brits take great comfort in on a summer afternoon at the park. For Aussies that same luxury isn't afforded and individuals will be asked to tip out the drink or issued with a $1,100 fine. Rhiannon was also shocked to find residents in the UK can easily ride their bike without a helmet, something that will cost you a $2,200 fine Down Under. Rhiannon was also shocked to find residents in the UK can easily ride their bike without a helmet, something that will cost you a $2,200 fine Down Under '$2,000 fine for no helmet?!?!? Jesus Christ... that's outrageous!' One of her followers said. 'There's no blanket law about drinking in the street in the UK but usually the council make by laws for cities and popular public places,' another corrected her. A third added: 'I really don't understand jaywalking, how do you actually cross the road if there is no zebra crossing or whatever?' Once upon a time, in a halcyon era that now seems like a distant golden age, writing books was a creative endeavour; a job in which you let your imagination take flight. Various points of view were allowed to flourish. Stories were peopled by both heroes and villains. The offensive, the reprehensible, even the downright evil, coexisted with the noble and good. Fiction was as multi-faceted as the world we live in, and writing was a realm of free expression in which authors had licence to provoke thought, illuminate discussion, even dare I say it voice unfashionable opinions without fear of being pilloried and 'cancelled'. White authors such as Alexander McCall Smith could invent black characters, as he did in his wildly successful, Botswana-based The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, without being accused of 'cultural appropriation'. Thomas Harris could conjure from his fertile mind the grotesque Dr Hannibal Lecter in The Silence Of The Lambs without being accused of celebrating cannibalism. And he could invent the chilling serial killer Buffalo Bill who murdered and skinned overweight females to make a 'woman suit' out of their skin without being cancelled for transphobia. In that not-so-distant past JK Rowling could have freely expressed a belief that a biological male, with a man's body and genitalia, could not become a woman simply because he felt like one. Once upon a time, in a halcyon era that now seems like a distant golden age, writing books was a creative endeavour; a job in which you let your imagination take flight, writes Gillian Philip Today all that has changed. Our freedom to think expansively and creatively, even to express our own views, is being undermined as surely as it would be in a totalitarian state. Books are literally being pulped if their authors refuse to toe the line. It is as if the Communist Red Guard has taken over. And some of us, myself among them, who have challenged the prevailing orthodoxy on anything from transgender issues to race have been summarily dropped by our publishers. Chilling isn't it? The change has crept up on us insidiously. Today we live in a dystopian world where writers are cowed, terrified of causing offence. Before we even put fingers to keyboard we are thinking about the all-powerful lobby of censors who might construe something we have written as objectionable. I know this because I am a writer or, more specifically, was one who fell prey to publishing's 'woke' agenda when, two years ago, I offered my support to JK Rowling on Twitter, for the stand she had taken against transgender people being allowed to identify as male or female at will. I shared her concern that there should be checks on potential predators who might take advantage of the relaxed rules. I added the hashtag #IStandWithJKRowling to my Twitter handle in response to the author's essay, in which she revealed that she was a domestic abuse survivor and argued that letting any self-identifying trans woman into single-sex spaces without appropriate checks could present a danger to females. I was subjected to a torrent of abuse on social media. Like Rowling, even though I am not remotely transphobic, I was called everything from a 'transphobe' to 'a piece of s***'. I was labelled a 'Terf' (Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminist, the derogatory term used by transgender activists for the women they believe don't back their cause) The hue and cry this provoked was unimaginable. I was subjected to a torrent of abuse on social media. Like Rowling, even though I am not remotely transphobic, I was called everything from a 'transphobe' to 'a piece of s***'. I was labelled a 'Terf' (Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminist, the derogatory term used by transgender activists for the women they believe don't back their cause). My successful career as an author one of a team writing animal fantasy novels for children between eight and 12 under the name Erin Hunter was obliterated overnight. The company I worked for, Working Partners a book packager that sells concepts and series to different publishers issued a pious email to all those who had complained to the firm about me. 'The worlds created by Erin Hunter are meant to be inclusive for all readers and we want to let you know that Gillian Philip will no longer be writing any Erin Hunter novels,' they wrote to the anonymous trolls who had sent me death threats. My career was literally cancelled. Although the job was one I loved I had won awards and made eight promotional tours of America, where the Erin Hunter series is huge I have felt too traumatised to begin writing another novel since. My husband Ian had died a month before I was dropped by my publishers, in May 2020, leaving me a widow with two teenage children. The firm sent flowers and a note of condolence. Weeks later they were ruthlessly ending my job. The combination of grief and stress almost floored me. Kate Clanchy was criticised for using 'racist tropes' in her description of pupils as having 'chocolate-coloured skin' or 'almond eyes' Yet the 'woke' brigade who cancelled me often use the hashtag: 'Be kind'. It seems to me that their humanity is selective. Only those they consider deserving of it are offered compassion, which tells us just how morally bankrupt they really are. I now work as an HGV driver, a job I find more congenial actually more intellectually liberating because my workmates do not mind what opinions I have and are happy to discuss them with me. They are also much less misogynistic than I have found the publishing industry to be. It is ironic, too, that the cadre of self-appointed censors in the book world, who feel it is their role to defend every minority group from the tiniest slight, is largely white, privileged and middle class. These self-appointed ethical guardians have appropriated and warped a term, 'woke', that was originally coined by black African Americans to describe people who are awake to racism and prejudice. But, of course, the publishing zealots are blind to such anomalies: 'cultural appropriation' is not a transgression that applies to them. They take their order from bloggers, social media users no matter how venomous and unhinged and the growing army of 'sensitivity readers' who are employed to scrutinise every pre-publication text for even the most minor infractions. It is as if we can't trust children to have their own moral compass any more: their thoughts have to be directed and channelled in an approved way (stock image) So ludicrously inflated has the role of these scrutineers become that whole teams are employed to pore over proofs. The results can be farcical: what is praiseworthy to some readers offends others. And it's not only professional readers that can derail your career. The critically acclaimed author and former teacher Kate Clanchy was forced to part company with her publisher Pan Macmillan earlier this year after her Orwell Prize-winning memoir Some Kids I Taught And What They Taught Me, was subjected to a trashing from Goodreads, a forum in which readers review and give star ratings to books. Clanchy was criticised for using 'racist tropes' in her description of pupils as having 'chocolate-coloured skin' or 'almond eyes'. One sensitive reader objected to Clanchy's use of 'disfigure' to describe the effects of spoil heaps on a landscape; another quibbled that she should not use 'handicap' in its ordinary sense of impede. Despite Clanchy's former pupils springing to her defence, and endorsements on her book's dust jacket praising its 'inclusiveness' and 'humanity', she and her publisher parted 'by mutual consent'. Last month, she acquired a new publisher, Swift Press, which is to reissue her book, with amendments. In a more benign era we authors used to joke about Goodreads. We'd urge each other not to look at it because it was damaging to the ego to read a one-star review. There was even a Twitter account (@dontgoodreads) dedicated to the thought. But that is as far as our concerns reached. How extraordinary then that today Goodreads reviewers have such a stranglehold over publishers that they have the power to destroy established writers who do not conform to 'woke' views. In the transwoman Grace Lavery's newly published memoir Please Miss, there is a reference to the author's penis as 'a miscarried foetus' Many modern authors would mock the Victorians' attitude to children's literature, which decreed that stories should be morality tales encouraging good citizenship and reinforcing the accepted ethics of the day. Yet the 'woke' lobbyists are doing just that encouraging didactic preachiness at the expense of free imagination and empathy. It is as if we can't trust children to have their own moral compass any more: their thoughts have to be directed and channelled in an approved way. Publishing has become censorious, nannying, overbearing. Authors' consciences or even those of their editors are no longer trusted. And the young adult side of the industry has capitulated to the tyranny completely. The stifling outsourcing to sensitivity readers; the indignation of the fresh-faced, privileged and entitled juniors of the publishing world who insist that every email is signed off with their favoured personal pronouns: all of it is deeply concerning. I try to make light of it by adopting 'hi/vis' as my personal pronouns on my Twitter page. It's my joke, because I now wear a luminous yellow jacket for work. I hope I infuriate the publishing interns, the bloggers and the Twitterati who take these matters so seriously. The stifling outsourcing to sensitivity readers; the indignation of the fresh-faced, privileged and entitled juniors of the publishing world who insist that every email is signed off with their favoured personal pronouns: all of it is deeply concerning (stock image) But we have reason to be afraid for the publishing industry, because it's destroying itself. Many senior people know there's a problem, but they are too scared to address it. I expect that the only way I will write again is if I self-publish a route once derided as the last resort of amateurs, but is now quite possibly the only outlet for honest, direct and emotional writing. I could list dozens of examples of privileged, white, middle-class writers who bully other writers into changing their work to suit their own prejudices. Such a clique has driven my friend, the children's author Rachel Rooney, out of publishing. Rachel is an autistic author who is devoted to child development and safeguarding, and her writing was critically celebrated. Yet a bullying campaign by other children's writers forced her to stop writing. Rachel's delightful picture book My Body Is Me was labelled 'transphobic', simply because it celebrated the fact that no child's body is 'wrong'. I expect that the only way I will write again is if I self-publish a route once derided as the last resort of amateurs, but is now quite possibly the only outlet for honest, direct and emotional writing. Pictured: Ms Philip Her transgression was to write a book to counteract what she described as an 'explosion of titles promoting the idea that children who felt confused about their gender may be 'trapped in the wrong body'. And the persecution goes on even now. Only this week, prominent children's writers whipped up an abusive mob against her, forcing her off Twitter. A few weeks ago, Onjali Rauf, a Muslim woman writer who campaigns against modern slavery and human trafficking and was shortlisted for the Phoenix Book Award, was snubbed by the agent of another nominated author for being a Terf. This agent simply cut Onjali's name out of the image she posted on Twitter of shortlisted authors. She did so because she knew she could without censure from the publishing industry. Onjali's 'transgression' is a familiar one: she had criticised trans activists for 'drowning out the voices of the very women who laid the foundations of the freedoms they enjoy'. It is curious to me that in today's topsy-turvy world some people's sensitivities simply don't matter. In the transwoman Grace Lavery's newly published memoir Please Miss, there is a reference to the author's penis as 'a miscarried foetus'. I find this offensive as I am sure it would also be to many women who have miscarried babies. I do not believe it should be censored, but I reserve the right to find it disgusting. However, it does not seem to have occurred to Lavery's publishers to run the passage past the 'sensitivity readers' because, dear reader, the sad truth is the sensibilities of you and me no longer count. NATO nations received the "green light" for the deployment of fighter jets in support of Ukraine in its battle against Russian forces as part of military aid operations, said U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday. Ukraine's desperate need for air support comes as Moscow has assaulted a string of southern cities in the country. The attacks have prompted officials to evacuate residents as the numbers of civilian deaths and displacement continue to rise. Sending Warplanes to Ukraine The country's military has continued to use fighter jets, drones, and anti-aircraft systems that NATO nations have supplied to fight against Russian aircraft that were bombing the region. In an interview, Blinken said that the U.S. federal government was in talks with Polish allies to negotiate what they could do to support Ukrainians. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly urged for a no-fly zone designation over his country that has drawn virtually zero international support. In a video address on Sunday, the official said that the world was strong enough to close the skies over Ukraine as he continued his appeals of stronger sanctions against Russia, as per USA Today. The negotiations underscore the desperate push to find weapons to arm Ukrainian forces as they battle against Russia's invasion. Last week, while Poland weighed sending its warplanes to Ukraine, Warsaw asked the White House if United States President Joe Biden's administration can guarantee its deployment of U.S.-made fighter jets to fill a gap. Read Also: [VIDEO] Russia Destroys Ukraine Airport With 8 Missiles, Volodymyr Zelensky Asks for Help, Fighter Jets In an interview, a White House spokesperson said that the American government was working closely with Poland to address the issue while consulting NATO allies. Blinken said that the U.S. was only waiting on Poland to make a move before it deployed planes to backfill the gap. According to Yahoo News, in a Twitter post on Sunday morning, the chancellery of Polish Prime Minister Andrzej Duda said that Poland had no plans to transfer the jets, at least officially. They noted that the region has been providing significant support for Ukraine in other areas. Calls for International Support There are many Eastern European countries, such as Poland, Bulgaria, and Slovakia, that have retained dozens of Russian-made aircraft in their inventories. Leaders of these nations have been hesitant to deploy the planes without guarantees from the U.S. Zelensky made a public appeal on Saturday saying that Ukraine needed fighter jets more so than the anti-aircraft missiles that the U.S. has agreed to provide. On Sunday, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer referenced the Ukrainian leader's plea. The official said that he was supportive of the U.S. federal government giving other nations, such as Poland, support if they decide to send warplanes to Ukraine. In reference to the planes, Schumer said that they were needed along with other capabilities to protect Ukraine from Russia. Schumer added that the American government could commit to helping restore a donor country's fleet in return for the transfer and also offered his support of that idea. He also criticized Moscow for its continued aggression on Ukraine, Fox News reported. Related Article: Anti-migrant Village in Hungary Opens Its Doors to Refugees as Russia Continues Its Attack on Ukraine @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The father of a man who took his own life after an 'addiction' to energy drinks says that drinking 15 cans a day worsened his depression and turned him into a 'zombie'. Justin Bartholomew, 25, from Newhaven, East Sussex, died in 2017 after consuming vast quantities of high-caffeine and sugary drinks, which he turned to as a coping mechanism after the breakdown of his marriage in 2015. Calling for energy drinks to be banned, his father Keiron told The Sun that 'it was as powerful an addiction as crack for him'. Justin was trapped in a vicious cycle of having sleepless nights and feeling he needed energy drinks to function, ruining his 'normal coping mechanisms'. It comes amid renewed calls for a ban on the sale of energy drinks to children under 16, after a report in BMJ Open found that young people who consume the drinks on five or more days a week are likely to have low psychological, physical, educational and overall well-being. Justin Bartholomew (left), from Newhaven, East Sussex, died in 2017 after consuming vast quantities of high-caffeine and sugary drinks - something which his father Keiron (right) believes played a huge role in his death One can of an energy drink can contain as much as 160mg of caffeine, more than a double espresso and as many as 14 teaspoons of sugar. His addiction, combined with depression, is what Keiron believes led to Justin's suicide in August 2017. Justin slipped into a heavy depression after splitting from his wife. The pair were married for three months and following the break-up, he tried several times to take his own life. Keiron described his son as a 'sensitive person' who struggled to cope with the loss of his relationship despite his masculine exterior. Energy drinks combined with depression is what Keiron believes led to Justin's suicide in August 2017 In May 2016, around the date which would have been Justin's first wedding anniversary, Keiron was told his son had been hospitalised and was receiving help from the local Crisis Team. He began receiving therapy every other day and while his mindset improved slightly, Justin's energy drink consumption 'rocketed' As Justin's energy drink consumption increased, he began buying cheaper brands. At the peak of his addiction the scaffolder would bring carrier bags full of cheap energy drinks into work with him. 'He was coming to work with a can of energy drink cheap ones for about 35p a can', Keiron told The Mirror in 2018. 'To get value for money, he'd come in with bag-fulls of these drinks. It accelerated very quickly into addiction. 'His brother Daniel would look in the back of the van and see piles and piles of empty energy drink cans. 'We'd clear them out and the next day there would be more again.' His father told Justin he had to try to wean himself off the drinks, but his son said he just couldn't stop, and it was as difficult as giving up smoking. 'He just said, 'Dad, I can't stop drinking them, I've tried. I can't just stop. It's like trying to stop smoking, I just can't'. At one point during his addiction Justin visited his GP, where he was told he had a heart rate equivalent to an 80-year-old man. Justin self-medicated on energy drinks in the day, followed by alcohol at night, as part of a 'vicious cycle' which 'spiralled out of control'. 'Over three months he went from the normal Justin that I knew and loved, to heavily depressed,' said Keiron. 'Depression is a dangerous thing, combined with energy drinks it was a lethal combination.' After the breakdown of his son's marriage in 2016, Justin reportedly became depressed and turned to energy drinks and alcohol as a coping mechanism Keiron was due to marry his partner in Scotland when he received news of his son's death in August 2018. He said: 'It was the worst day of my life. He had his whole life in front of him'. 'Justin was screaming out for help and we couldn't help him. The drink made him into a different person. We want justice for Justin.' Since Justin's death his family have worked tirelessly to try and raise awareness of the dangers of energy drinks and speaking at his inquest warned the drinks are like a 'legal high'. Justin's mum Simone described her son as a sociable young man who loved superheros and playing video games with his friends. 'He had a big smile on his face and a cheeky grin', she said in a statement at his inquest in April 2018. The case gained the attention of Maria Caulfield, the Tory MP for Lewes, who demanded a ban on the sale of energy drinks to under 16s following Justin's death. Addressing Theresa May during PMQs in 2018 she said: 'My constituent Justin Bartholomew was just 25 when he committed suicide late last year. 'His family are convinced that his intake of high energy drinks, over 15 cans a day, increased his anxiety and contributed to his death. 'Given the increased safety concern around the high-energy drink market and the actions of people like Jamie Oliver and Waitrose, would the Prime Minister consider introducing a national ban on the sale of these energy drinks for under-16s?' Just weeks ago, women's magazines in Ukraine were publishing articles on relationships, fashion and career advice. But since the invasion publications like Marie Claire Ukraine, Elle Ukraine and Vogue Ukraine have quickly pivoted to providing practical wartime advice for women caught in the conflict, the i reported. The beauty section of the Marie Claire website, which once hosted makeup tips and skincare hacks, now has stories on 'what to do in the case of radioactive contamination', 'first aid kit essentials' and 'how to give birth at home in war conditions'. The Vogue homepage, previously full of catwalks and high-fashion photographs, now declares: 'Danger for women at the border: What to know and how to behave.' Elle advises readers on: 'What to do in case of injury'. The beauty section of the Marie Claire website, which once hosted makeup tips and skincare hacks, now has stories on 'what to do in the case of radioactive contamination', 'first aid kit essentials' and 'how to give birth at home in war conditions', pictured An Elle Ukraine article with the headline: What to do in case of injury? Advice from the Red Cross Elsewhere, blogger Anna Bobrovitska has gone viral with an Instagram post about essentials including where to source sanitary products and how to report a rape in a warzone. Speaking to the i, Iryna Tatarenko, editor-in-chief of Marie Claire Ukraine, explained: 'For the first two days of the war we didnt know what to do, but then we realised we had a powerful resource in our magazine to help answer womens questions about this new military reality theyve found themselves in. 'Readers need support and answers from experts to questions that even the mighty Google is unable to answer.' Women are giving birth in metro stations, fleeing with their families and crossing borders without sanitary products or food for their babies. There are reports of Russian soldiers raping women in occupied Ukraine, and experts have warned cases of sexual violence are likely to rise. The Vogue homepage, previously full of catwalks and high-fashion photographs, now declares: 'Danger for women at the border: What to know and how to behave.' Elle advises readers on: 'What to do in case of injury' Readers are facing these extraordinary situations for the first time and need somewhere to turn for trusted advice. 'Right now, pregnant women cant even feel safe even in maternity hospitals as Russian soldiers are shelling those too,' Iryna continued. The articles give readers helpful links, infographics and step-by-step guides on a range of wartime topics. Iryna Tatarenko, editor-in-chief of Marie Claire Ukraine, told how her team has adapted The one on giving birth reads: 'Pull out all towels, blankets, cover the place where the birth will take place. Prepare 2-3 dry warm towels for your baby when he is born, clean dishes with warm water and clean rags, sterilise scissors.' Ominously it warns: 'If the bleeding is very heavy, the placenta is not born for more than 45 minutes, then seek immediate midwife, delivery, help!' Fighting has caused 1.5million people to flee the country, which the UN refugee agency called 'the fastest-growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War Two'. Russian forces intensified shelling of cities in Ukraine's centre, north and south, a Ukrainian official said, upending attempts to evacuate besieged civilians. But much of the Russian advance has become stalled, including an immense military convoy that has been almost motionless for days north of Kyiv. Meanwhile Boris Johnson is beginning a week of intense diplomatic efforts with foreign leaders to build a united front against Mr Putin, which comes as ministers scramble to go 'faster and harder' with sanctions levelled against the Kremlin. Marie Claire Ukraine editors are among those taking part in frontline resistance. The beauty editor has enlisted in the Kyiv Territorial Defence League while the art director, a conservationist, is offering advice on how readers can evacuate their pets. Blogger Anna Bobrovitska has gone viral with an Instagram post about essentials including where to source sanitary products and how to report a rape in a warzon Elsewhere a well-known fashion journalists is co-ordinating a group of foreign journalists who are in the country to report on the war. Iryna added: 'Im proud of contemporary Ukrainian women. Our brand manager Katerina and photographer Lisa are waging an information war against the aggressor and blocking propaganda channels. 'Beauty editor Olga donates blood, she has enlisted in the Kyiv Territorial Defence League, and continues to write news for the website.' Prince William made a surprise appearance at an Italian restaurant last weekend after he accompanied Princess Charlotte to a pizza party for one of her classmates. The Duke of Cambridge, 39, who also shares sons Prince George, eight, and Prince Louis, three, with the Duchess, 40, arrived at Il Pagliaccio in London alongside his six-year-old daughter last Sunday. Dressed in a relaxed maroon jumper and jeans, the heir to the throne appeared like any other father delivering his daughter to the party, which was hosted by one of her classmates from nearby Thomas's Battersea School. In footage shared by Italian newspaper La Stampa, the Duke can be walking through the restaurant with Charlotte while carrying a large gift wrapped in pink paper, before returning several hours later to pick her up. Prince William, 39, made a surprise appearance at an Italian restaurant last weekend after he accompanied Princess Charlotte, six, to a pizza party for one of her classmates (pictured, in December 2020) The Duke arrived at the event alongside his six-year-old daughter at Il Pagliaccio in London last Sunday (pictured) According to the Italian newspaper, Prince William and Charlotte arrived in one of the three SUVs that stopped in front of the venue in Fulham. Several bodyguards entered the restaurant first, followed by the Duke and Charlotte, with the six-year-old confidently walking through the restaurant ahead of her father. Restaurant owner Teo Catino extended a warm handshake to William before requesting a selfie from the Duke - which he declined. It's not the only royal connection the restaurant has, having reportedly been one of Princess Diana's favourite pizzerias in London. According to Italian newspaper La Stampa, the Duke dropped Charlotte off at the event with a gift, before returning several hours later to pick her up Teo explained: 'When she returned from her gymnastics sessions in a gym not far from here, Lady Diana stopped by me, always together with her bodyguards, and ordered Margherita and pizza with salami. And then off home to to eat them with the two children.' The rare public appearance from the Duke comes amid reports he and the Duchess are looking to move the family out of the capital. The couple are understood to be finalising arrangements to move Prince George to a new prep school in Berkshire this September, with co-educational Lambrook, near Ascot, thought to be the front runner. But Princess Charlotte is more likely to remain at Thomas's Battersea for the time being where she is 'super happy and settled' and is expected to be joined by her brother, Prince Louis, who turns four this spring. The rare public appearance from the Duke comes amid reports he and the Duchess are looking to move the family out of the capital The couple are also still eyeing up properties in the Windsor area having looked at several potential family homes on the Queen's Berkshire estate with a view to living in the Royal Borough at weekends and holidays. Handily, Windsor is only a short drive from Kate's family home in Bucklebury. Her parents, Michael and Carole Middleton, are doting and very hands-on grandparents. However Kensington Palace, where they live in Apartment 1A, and have their offices and their charitable Royal Foundation, will remain their weekday base. It means that in the near future Anmer Hall, their Norfolk home, may revert back to the Queen to pass on to another family member or rented out privately. The changes have come as William and Kate are starting to map out where they see their family settling down. It could, of course, be another 20 years before the couple accede to the throne and they are keen to afford their offspring as normal childhoods as possible before then A delightful embroidered card made by the Queen as a child is tipped to fetch 5,000 at auction. The then five-year-old Princess Elizabeth painstakingly stitched an image of a baby in a green and pink pram to give to royal physician Sir Frederick Still in 1932. She also signed her name 'Lilibet' on a letter thanking Sir Frederick for her 'new dolly with a squeak in the tummy'. The then five-year-old Princess Elizabeth painstakingly stitched an image of a baby in a green and pink pram to give to royal physician Sir Frederick Still in 1932 The handmade card by Elizabeth (pictured in 1936) is expected to fetch 5,000 at auction The deeply personal items are part of a collection of royal memorabilia that will go under the hammer at David Lay & FRICS in Penzance, Cornwall, on Thursday. It also includes letters sent to Sir David by the Queen Mother, who built up a close relationship with the physician during his years in service to the Royal Family. Among the most touching is a letter dated December 26, 1930 that was dictated by the then four-year-old Princess Elizabeth to her mother. It reads: 'Dear Doctor Still. I loved my dolly that had a squeak in her tummy. Thank you for my lovely dolly, and we laughed at the squeak so much. Did you have a nice Christmas? From Lilibet.' The young princess signed her own name and her mother added the postscript: 'A dictated letter!' In 1927 the Queen Mother wrote to Sir David to thank him for looking after Princess Elizabeth while she joined King George VI, then the Duke of York, on a tour of Australia and New Zealand, leaving her young daughter at home. The princess also signed her name 'Lilibet' on a letter thanking Sir Frederick for her 'new dolly with a squeak in the tummy', pictured. She dictated the letter to her mother She wrote: 'I really cannot thank you enough for all your wonderful kindness of thought for the baby all the time I was away - you have no idea what a vast relief it was to me, to know that you were visiting her, and that she was still under your wing, so to speak, as when one is on the other side of the world, one imagines all sorts of silly things. 'I am also very, very grateful for your long letters so full of the details that I longed for, and I need to scrabble through my letters, and pounce on yours, as I knew there would be real news of Elizabeth in it. 'Thank you so very much. She is so well and happy, and I have to thank you too for her health - I did so want her to be strong, it will be such a help to her. Ever yours sincerely, Elizabeth.' The collection, which also includes a signed coronation photograph and the doctor's Royal commission documents, has an estimated total value of 10,000. In 1927 the Queen Mother wrote to Sir David to thank him for looking after Princess Elizabeth while she joined King George VI, then the Duke of York, on a tour of Australia and New Zealand, leaving her young daughter at home Dr Still, who died in 1941, worked at Guy's Hospital, Great Ormond Street Hospital and the Evelina Hospital of Sick Children. The Londoner, often referred to as the 'father of British paediatrics', rose from humble beginnings to become Physician to the Royal Household and was knighted in 1937. Mimi Connell-Lay, from the auctioneers, said: 'This small, remarkable and entirely charming collection of letters, cuttings and photographs stand testament to the high regard in which Sir Frederick Still was held, particularly by the Royal Family. The collection, which also includes a signed coronation photograph and the doctor's Royal commission documents, has an estimated total value of 10,000 'It is clear from the affectionate, yet respectful tone of Her Majesty The Queen Mother, that she valued his care and advice enormously. 'The delightful embroidery made by Her Majesty the Queen when she was just five years old, is both a token of affection and also a thing of incredible rarity. 'Items of such a personal nature relating to our present Queen virtually never come onto the open market and the sale of these pieces poses an exciting opportunity for collectors of royal memorabilia.' Lady Victoria Hervey has claimed unnamed 'totalitarians' are using Russia as 'fear tool' in the Ukraine conflict in a series of Instagram posts - shared weeks after her social media rants about the now notorious photo of Prince Andrew with accuser Virginia Giuffre. The 44-year-old socialite, who previously dated the royal in the '90s, shared a number of posts on her Instagram page regarding the conflict in Ukraine, in which she said the country is not only being bombed by Russia but also by the neo nazi far right group Azov, which is supported by President Volodymyr Zelensky. She posted one story featuring a tweet which read: 'Truth bomb MSM. Journalist and war correspondent Anne-Laure Bonnell, who is in the Ukraine, shocks everyone: 'I do not defend Putin, but the truth is, I am close to civilians. What I say is that the Ukranian army is bombing its own people.' The quote was attributed to Anne-Laure Bonnell, who lives in Donbass but has denied being a journalist. She made the comments during an appearance on French news channel C News last week. Lady Victoria's latest comments come weeks after she caused a social media frenzy with unfounded claims that the now notorious photo of Prince Andrew with sex abuse accuser Virginia Giuffre may have been edited. Lady Victoria Hervey, 44, who lives in Los Angeles, has claimed the Ukraine is 'bombing itself' in a series of bizarre Instagram posts The 44-year-old socialite made the bizarre claim on Instagram as war continues to rage amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine The clip of Anne-Laure was first broadcast at the start of the month and in it, she claimed she was denouncing the 'conflict hat had been going on for eight years.' While appearing on RT news and French news channel C News she claimed: 'It is something serious, which has obviously escaped [the Europeans]: the Russian-speaking population of the Donbass has been targeted by its own government...was bombed by the Kiev government. '[] Today, on the side where I am, the abuses are Ukrainian. [] On the Donbass side, near the front line, it is the Ukrainian army. [] 'The film I made in 2015 is proof of these crimes against humanity [].' The 44-year-old socialite, who previously dated the royal in the '90s, shared a number of posts on her Instagram page yesterday with allegations about a conspiracy theory and the war in Ukraine She then claimed there had been 13,000 deaths since 2014. The view presented by the commentator is very similar to the line held by Russian authorities and their supporters. Moscow-backed separatists have controlled the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, known collectively as Donbas, for almost eight years. It is an area of Eastern Ukraine where misinformation and Russian propaganda is rife. According to Liberation.fr, in 2020 she said she 'refused to be called a journalist' , since she had gone to the Donbass to report, because 'extremely disappointed by the profession' and 'ashamed of the media coverage of this conflict'. In a second Instagram post, Lady Victoria wrote: 'Getting back to Ukraine. Sorry if I'm jumping. If in fact that local journalist is correct, then who do you think is providing these soldiers with weapons to bomb their own country.' In a third post, she added: 'Thoughts: The totalitarians have switched to a new fear tool, the Russians. They have moved the Cult of Covid members seamlessly into the Cult of Russia like they just flipped a switch inside their heads. 'My Cult of Covid members on Facebook changed their 'I'm vaccinated' monikers to 'I support Ukraine' while I was watching. The socialite went on to make two further posts about Ukraine, suggesting 'totalitarians' had 'switched to a new fear tool' after Covid 'It is amazing to watch.' Lady Victoria recently left many of her 130,000 Instagram followers shocked after taking to the platform to rail against Virginia Giuffre. She wrongly accused her of lying about when she attended Naomi Campbell's birthday party, and even contradicted herself by claiming photos of the event could be 'fake'. The 44-year-old socialite and former 'It Girl', who is the daughter of the 6th Marquess of Bristol, has made a series of outlandish allegations in the last few weeks, including stating the notorious image of the Duke of York and Virginia, which was reportedly taken in March 2001 at Ghislaine Maxwell's London apartment, was faked. Lady Victoria has claimed in recent weeks it was pieced together using a photo taken at Naomi Campbell's birthday party on board a yacht in St Tropez in May 2001, in which Virginia can be seen wearing the same white tank top with colourful patterned jeans. However taking to Instagram last week, Victoria appeared to contradict herself by questioning the validity of those photos, saying: 'At this point I wouldn't be surprised if these photos are also fake because they only surfaced in 2019.' In a separate story posted to Lady Victoria's page, the socialite wrote: 'Nothing adds up at all. It's the LIE that keeps on giving.' Prince Andrew's ex-girlfriend Lady Victoria Hervey has now claimed photographs from Naomi Campbell's birthday party were 'faked' after previously saying they were used to create the notorious image of Prince Andrew and Virginia Giuffre (pictured) The notorious snap with the Duke of York, which was reportedly taken in March 2001 at Ghislaine Maxwell 's London apartment, has been reproduced countless times around the world after Ms Giuffre - known before her marriage as Virginia Roberts - shared it with The Mail on Sunday in February 2011 In a series of Instagram stories posted to her page yesterday, the socialite said 'nothing added up' in the story of Prince Andrew and Virginia Her comments were sparked after she claimed to have caught Virginia in another lie by claiming she had said she went to the opening of Nikki Beach in St Tropez where she met Naomi Campbell in 2001, when the club didn't open until 2002. Posting a screengrab of a Google search for the year the club opened online, Victoria wrote: 'Not as Virginia stated she was there in 2001! As I was there and went to Naomi's birthday in 2002.' She posted a second selfie video, saying into the camera: 'How is one at the opening of Nikki Beach in May 2001 when it didn't open until May 2002?' Lady Victoria insists she is not mistaken with her dates. Giuffre's first trip to Europe in her memoir clearly states it is in April 2001 since she says it is the first time from getting her new passport, she insists. Giuffre applied for the passport in mid January 2001, which, Lady Victoria says would make it impossible that she was at the opening of Nikki beach that same year as it opened end June 2002 and not during any Naomi Campbell birthday any year. Eric Omores the owner of Nikki beach has reportedly verified the dates. Describing that evening's party, Virginia - then known by her maiden name Miss Roberts - said Miss Campbell was wearing a Dolce & Gabbana bikini top and a miniskirt. Miss Roberts wrote: 'Ghislaine and Jeffrey kissed her cheeks and wished her a happy birthday and then I was introduced.' Later that night they went to the main birthday party where Miss Roberts was 'introduced to model after model and the rich men that followed around'. Her latest comments were sparked after she claimed to have caught Virginia in another lie by claiming she had said she went to the opening of Nikki Beach in St Tropez where she met Naomi Campbell in 2001, when the club didn't open until 2002 (left and right, her Instagram stories) Miss Roberts wrote: 'It was a fun bash, the entire crowd sang 'Happy Birthday' to Naomi and by the time we got back in the car to retreat for the night I was giddy from drinking and dancing all evening.' After that party Miss Roberts claimed that Epstein told her to have sex with a wealthy American businessman. She claimed that she performed a sex act on that businessman 'just to shut him up' and that it lasted for 'two horrible minutes'. Earlier this month, Lady Victoria repeated claims that the notorious photo of Prince Andrew and Virginia Giuffre was fake and identified the set of images from Naomi's party which she says were used to create the doctored photo. Lady Victoria does not have a copy of the exact Virginia photo from St Tropez which she claims was used to fake the Prince Andrew image, and it has never been seen publicly. However, she did share a bizarre painted reproduction of the alleged image to Instagram earlier this month. She added to her baffling claims by saying that an 'Irish guy' who was dating one of Epstein's victims in 2001 and also attended the boat party was used as a 'body double' for Prince Andrew in the 'fake' image. It is unclear what she means by her latest claims, or whether she still maintains the images taken that night were later used to doctor the photo of Prince Andrew with Virginia. Lady Victoria has been vocal about her thoughts on the case in recent weeks, and yesterday blasted Virginia as a 'scam artist' hours after it emerged Andrew and his accuser had reached out-of-court settlement in New York. Lady Victoria had claimed in recent weeks photos taken at Naomi Campbell's birthday party on board a yacht in St Tropez in May 2001, in which Virginia can be seen wearing the same white tank top with colourful patterned jeans, were used to create the notorious photo In recent weeks, the 44-year-old socialite has sensationally claimed that the notorious photo of Prince Andrew and Virginia was faked Taking to Instagram last week, the 44-year-old socialite and former 'It Girl', who is the daughter of the 6th Marquess of Bristol, posted: 'She suddenly wanted to settle very fast when all the truth was coming out. Her lawyers must have panicked!' Elsewhere on her Instagram page, Victoria wrote: 'The only thing she deserves is a prison cell full of rats.' 'Time to investigate her and that missing Thai kid called JoJo.' It's unclear who Lady Victoria was referring to. Meanwhile she cruelly posted a photograph of Virginia alongside the words 'scam artist', writing: 'If I aged like that I would probably want to sue GOD.' Over the past few weeks, Lady Victoria has made a series of sensational claims about Virginia. Her comments came after Virginia claimed to have lost the original print of the famous photo of her and Prince Andrew, which could have furthered the disgraced royal's argument that the image was doctored (pictured, Virginia in Perth, Australia, last week on February 8) It was reported this week the Queen is to foot part of the bill for Prince Andrew's sexual abuse lawsuit, which could end up costing some 12 million (pictured, Andrew in Windsor last year) THE TIMELINE OF THE INFAMOUS VIRGINIA GIUFFRE AND PRINCE ANDREW PHOTOGRAPH March 2001 - Infamous photograph of Virginia, Ghislaine and Prince Andrew is reportedly taken at Ghislaine's home in London May 2001 - Naomi Campbell hosted a boat party in the French Riviera with Jeffrey Epstein, Virginia, Ghislaine Maxwell all attending February 2011 - Virginia is approached by the Mail On Sunday while she was living a quiet life with her family on Australia's Central Coast. She had been traced by journalist Sharon Churcher, who was investigating reports that the FBI was planning to reopen an investigation into the sexual exploitation of teenagers by Epstein. At first she was reluctant to talk, not least because she harboured fears that Epstein might try to kill her. Speaking to the Mail on Sunday at the time, she produced the picture of Andrew from a white envelope containing a collection of photos chronicling her teenage years and travels with Epstein to New Mexico and Paris. She explained that the picture with Andrew was taken at Ms Maxwell's home after a visit to Tramp nightclub a claim the Duke disputes. She claimed the photograph was taken in March 2001, two months before the boat party in St Tropez. She told Churcher at the meeting that she had sex with Andrew three times while a teenager, but for legal reasons the MoS could not publish her claims, which the Duke denies. The photographs are published by the Mail On Sunday November 2019 - Andrew hinted that the hand around her waist may not be his. Prince Andrew told BBC Newsnight: 'You can't prove whether or not that photograph is faked because it's a photograph of a photograph of a photograph.' 'It's very difficult to be able to prove it but I don't remember that photograph being taken 'That's me but whether that's my handI have simply no recollection of the photograph ever being taken.' December 2019 - Virginia told BBC Panorama that the photo is genuine and she gave the original to the FBI in 2011 February 2022 - Lady Victoria Hervey says victims of Epstein have told her the image was photoshopped by Virginia and Maria Farmer Advertisement In an exclusive interview earlier this month, Lady Victoria told FEMAIL she has spoken to several victims of Jeffrey Epstein, who said they believe the image was edited by Virginia and Maria Farmer, another victim who worked as an 'artist-in-residence' for Epstein. She said other victims had 'seen' Virginia and Maria photoshopping the image, before being 'bullied and silenced' by Virginia. Lady Victoria said the pair had been in 'cahoots' for 20 years because they 'wanted to bring down the monarchy using Prince Andrew', adding that this was Epstein's intention too. 'I know this sounds pretty wild Epstein told one survivor that he basically wanted to bring down the monarchy,' she said. Meanwhile the socialite said she had passed on all of her findings to a member of Prince Andrew's legal team, adding: 'She's got everything, she's got it all. She's got recordings and screenshots and everything.' Virginia claims she was trafficked by Epstein and Maxwell and forced to have sex with the royal on three occasions when she was 17, claims Prince Andrew has strenuously denied. Virginia has previously described in legal documents how she attended the party in St Tropez to celebrate Miss Campbell's 31st birthday in 2001. Images from the party show Virginia in an off-white, strappy top which exposed her midriff and distinctive, multi-coloured trousers. Meanwhile photographs also show Ghislaine from the night of the party wearing a blue knitted jumper with a knitted white and sequin skirt. Lady Victoria Hervey had said that an image taken at Naomi Campbell's birthday in 2001 in St Tropez was used to 'fake' the Prince Andrew photo, pointing out that Virginia is wearing the same outfit in both (pictured) Lady Victoria had claimed the women had edited Ghislaine's outfit to change the colour of her knitted top and to remove the sleeves (pictured, her outfit the night of the party) Lady Victoria claimed a photograph of this unnamed man, who she said is Irish and was dating one of Epstein's victims at the time, was used as a body double for Prince Andrew Lady Victoria originally claimed the image of Virginia was taken at the birthday boat party. The image has never been seen publicly but another of Epstein's victims has allegedly painted an image of what the original photograph would have looked like (pictured) Lady Victoria said a photograph taken at the party shows Virginia leaning against the boat and holding her coat in one hand, and this is the image that was used to fake the photo with Prince Andrew. HOW LADY VICTORIA HERVEY CLAIMED VIRGINIA AND MARIA PHOTOSHOPPED THE INFAMOUS IMAGE Lady Victoria claimed the photograph of Prince Andrew and Virginia was actually four images edited together by Virginia and Maria Farmer. She said 'four or five' victims watched as the two women edited the photograph Here FEMAIL breaks down her accusations... BACKGROUND Lady Victoria claimed the image was taken of an empty hallway at the Belgravia home of Andrew's friend Ghislaine Maxwell. VIRGINIA GIUFFRE Lady Victoria claimed the image of Virginia was taken at Naomi Campbell's 2001 birthday boat party. She said the original photograph showed Virginia leaning against the side of the boat while holding her coat in her right hand. She also pointed to evidence of this as Virginia's left hand as 'looking weird' in the photograph. BOAT PARTY - Images show Virginia wearing an off-white, strappy top which exposed her midriff and distinctive, multi-coloured trousers. THE PHOTO - The photograph shows Virginia wearing the same outfit, with her arm around Prince Andrew. Lady Victoria said the image has been edited so that Prince Andrew is in front of Virginia's arm holding her coat. GHISLAINE MAXWELL BOAT PARTY - Images show Ghislaine wearing a baby blue knitted jumper with short sleeves and a high roll neck, a sequin skirt. THE PHOTO - The photograph show Ghislaine wearing a white knitted jumper vest with no sleeves with dark bottoms on. PRINCE ANDREW Lady Virginia claimed an 'Irish body double' was used in place of Prince Andrew in the photograph. She said the man was in a relationship with one of Epstein's victims at the time, and he was at the boat party as well. However she said she does not know if the image was taken at the boat party, or whether the unnamed Irish man was aware of the plot by Virginia. Having edited the man's body into the photograph with Virginia and Ghislaine, she then said Maria and Virginia had edited Prince Andrew's face onto his. She pointed to the man's hands as evidence it was not Prince Andrew. Advertisement She believes one of the clearest signs that it has been edited is Virginia's hand, and she said it looks slightly odd because she was actually leaning against the side of the boat in the original photo However, she does not have a copy of the alleged picture and it has never been seen publicly. However, Lady Victoria went on to claim that an Epstein victim who 'saw' the alleged photo and witnessed it being edited by Virginia and Maria has recreated it. She said: 'One of the girls is an artist and she drew a painting of the original photograph of Virginia on the boat holding her coat.' It was this image that Lady Victoria shared to social media earlier this month, causing a stir with her bizarre claims. Another victim of Epstein, Maria was the 'artist-in-residence' and receptionist at Epstein's New York office in 1995 after graduating from the New York Academy of Arts and handpicked by Epstein to work for him, who was also a college donor. She was then abused by Epstein and Maxwell on his mentor, billionaire Les Wexner's estate in Ohio, and also ogled at by President Donald Trump, whom she claims visited Epstein at least three times while she worked there. Lady Victoria said she was told be Epstein survivors that Ghislaine had taught Maria and Virginia how to photoshop images. She said the victims then saw the duo editing the infamous photograph of the Duke with Virginia using images from the birthday party. She said: 'The girls were there, I guess they all lived together you know. 'Everyone was aware four or five of the survivors know that they [Maria and Virginia] did it and saw it.' She said while the duo took a photograph of Ghislaine's empty home, editing in the image of Victoria holding her coat on the boat. Lady Victoria claimed they then edited Ghislaine into the image, altering her outfit by changing the colour of her top and removing the sleeves. Meanwhile she said Maria and Virginia used the body of an Irish man who had been dating one of the other victims at the time to act as a double for Prince Andrew. She said the unnamed Irish man was in a relationship with one of Epstein's victims at the time, and he was at the boat party as well. However she said she does not know if the image was taken at the boat party, or whether the unnamed Irish man was aware of the plot by Virginia. Having edited the man's body into the photograph with Virginia and Ghislaine, she then said Maria and Virginia had edited Prince Andrew's face onto his. She pointed to both Virginia and Andrew's hands as evidence the image had been doctored, adding: 'Her hand and his hand looked so freaking weird.' She continued: 'They learnt how to do all of this editing by Ghislaine I don't know if Ghislaine and Jeffrey were in on the fake photo.' Meanwhile Lady Victoria also said there had 'never been a physical photo of that shot, it's all digital' and accused Virginia of telling 'different stories' about whether there was a copy. When asked about why Virginia and Maria might have been motivated to edit the photograph, Lady Victoria referred to another message from a survivor. She said: 'Another girl sent [me] this: 'I'm the one that saw Virginia had the photo of Andrew photoshopped by Maria. 'They were conspiring to bring the monarchy down using Andrew.' Lady Victoria did not reveal which year the photograph had been edited in. Claims mistrust in law enforcement is to blame for low rate of rape convictions Cherie Blair said going to court as a rape victim is like 'being assaulted again' and that a mistrust of law enforcement is discouraging women from coming forward. Reported rape cases hit an all time high in the year ending September 2021, with 63,136 reported in England and Wales, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Of these rape claims, only 1.3 per cent resulted in a charge and barrister Cherie, 67, said that low conviction rates lead to a 'vicious circle', where women don't report sexual offences because they fear they won't be take seriously. Cherie, who shares three sons and one daughter with former Prime Minister Tony Blair, encouraged men to speak out on violence against women, claiming 'every single man can be part of the change'. Appearing on the Should I Delete That? podcast, Cherie, who runs a law firm and a women's foundation in London, said conviction rates for rape are 'getting worse'. Cherie Blair, pictured in Italy after receiving an award for her women's foundation in 2018, said going to court as a rape victim is like 'being assaulted again' 'Either you conclude there are a lot of women telling fantasy stories out there - I doubt it - or you conclude that somehow or the other the system isn't operating in a way that respects the rights of victims,' she said. When asked what can be done for that system to improve for victims in order to get higher conviction rates for rape, she said: 'We have to do something to make things better. 'Why? Because the public trust in law enforcement is incredibly low and that leads to a vicious circle. 'Women think there is no point in reporting and they're not going to be taken seriously.' Barrister Cherie, 67, pictured in London in 2019, said that low conviction rates lead to a 'vicious circle', where women don't report sexual offences because they fear they won't be take seriously The mother-of-four, who has children Euan, 38, Nicky, 36, Kathryn, 34, and Leo, 21 said 'male allies' are essential in ending violence against women. She is pictured with husband Tony and their three sons in 2005 She praised the fact that 'to be fair many police forces have specially trained police officers who know exactly what to do'. But she added that women feel that even if they are taken seriously, their experience in cour is 'like being assaulted again'. 'So that again discourages women from coming forward,' she added. The mother-of-four, who has children Euan, 38, Nicky, 36, Kathryn, 34, and Leo, 21 said 'male allies' are essential in ending violence against women. Offenders brought to justice hits a record low: Sex offences at the highest ever The number of criminals being brought to justice has fallen to a record low, with police closing nearly half of active cases and just 1.3% of accused rapists charged - while the number of rapes and sexual offences hit a record high. There were 63,136 rapes recorded in the year to September, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) - an increase of 13%. Sexual offences were also at their highest ever level over a 12-month period at 170,973, up 12%. The ONS said the latest figures may reflect a 'number of factors', including the 'impact of high-profile incidents, media coverage and campaigns on people's willingness to report incidents to the police, as well as a potential increase in the number of victims'. Just 6% of crimes in England and Wales resulted in a charge or summons in the 12 months to September - the lowest level since records began six years ago. For rapes and sexual offences, this reduced to 1.3% and 2.9% consecutively. Advertisement 'I am a mother of three sons and only one daughter and of course not all men are abusers, but every single man can be part of the change and men do have a role in ending violence and domestic abuse against women', she said. 'If men actually step up and say, "This is unacceptable, you're making me uncomfortable" - then maybe some of these men who have these ideas might pay attention. 'Not all men do these things, most men don't do these things, but all men can speak out against it and can call it out when he sees it. 'I do feel men are our allies in this and it cannot be the kind of debate that treats all men with suspicion or think they have nothing to contribute. They have a lot to contribute to it and male allies who speak out on this are very important.' While she acknowledged there are problems within the judicial system and wider society, Cherie said the legal system has come a long way since her career began in 1976. The barrister said that domestic abuse cases were considered an 'easy thing to do to cut your teeth' following the Domestic Violence and Matrimonial Proceedings Act 1976. 'It was considered an easy thing to do to cut your teeth as an advocate, to do domestic violence, now of course actually it's not that easy and it's a very serious issue', she said. 'But it was part of the attitude at the time of society at large that it was really regarded as "just a domestic", so I think I have to say is it's got so much better and we shouldn't lose sight of how much progress has been made. All these people police local authorities, employers understand a lot more just how soul destroying and insidious violence against women is. 'We have also developed an understanding that is is not just about bruises, but the mental abuse, belittling, undermining of someone's confidence and confining them to a narrow world where the abusers word is king. 'So we actually have made progress, but we still have a way to go.' Advertisement The Queen has held her first in-person engagement since catching Covid, meeting Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Her Majesty, 95, received Mr Trudeau - who is in the UK for talks on the war in Ukraine with Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte - in an audience at Windsor Castle today. The monarch, who is also Queen of Canada, was pictured in a patterned dress, standing and smiling warmly at Mr Trudeau as he held her right hand in both of his. Mr Trudeau was also seen laughing as the Queen gestured towards herself during the meeting in the Oak Room sitting room. The Queen has held her first in-person engagement since catching Covid, meeting Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (pictured) Her Majesty, 95, received Mr Trudeau - who is in the UK for talks on the war in Ukraine with Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte - in an audience at Windsor Castle today The head of state was not pictured with the walking stick she has been using of late. In the background of the images, a bouquet of blue and yellow flowers could be seen in the colours of the Ukrainian flag. The Queen has a strong bond with Canada. The Commonwealth realm has been her most frequent overseas destination. She has visited more than 20 times, including a trip as a princess, but a number of years ago she called time on her official overseas visits. As a young child in the 1970s, Mr Trudeau met the Queen several times through his father, Pierre Trudeau, who was one of Canada's longest-serving prime ministers. Mr Trudeau later spoke warmly of their meeting. 'I have had the particular privilege of having known Her Majesty for about 45 years now, and I can tell you that in my conversation with her this morning she was as insightful and perspicacious as ever, very interested in what is going on, asked me all sorts of questions about Canada,' he told a Downing Street news conference. 'We had a really useful, for me anyway, conversation about global events, as we always do.' The monarch, who is also Queen of Canada, was pictured in a patterned dress, standing and smiling warmly at Mr Trudeau as he held her right hand in both of his Mr Trudeau was also seen laughing as the Queen gestured towards herself during the meeting in the Oak Room sitting room The Queen tested positive for Covid on February 20 and has spent the last two weeks carrying out only light duties including a handful of virtual audiences. Last Tuesday, the Prince of Wales said his mother was 'a lot better now', and the head of state was pictured holding her first virtual audiences since her coronavirus diagnosis. The Queen has two high-profile events coming up - the Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey on March 14, and then the Duke of Edinburgh's memorial service, also at the Abbey, on March 29. The nation's longest reigning monarch, who reached her Platinum Jubilee milestone last month, recently spent more than three months resting, on doctors' orders. The head of state was not pictured with the walking stick she has been using of late The Queen (pictured left) has a strong bond with Canada. The Commonwealth realm has been her most frequent overseas destination Last autumn she pulled out of attending the Cop26 climate change summit, the Festival of Remembrance and then the Remembrance Sunday Cenotaph service due to a sprained back. She also missed the Church of England's General Synod. The Queen now regularly uses a walking stick and remarked during a Windsor Castle audience last month: 'Well, as you can see, I can't move.' Mr Trudeau is joining Mr Johnson as part of intense diplomatic efforts with foreign leaders to build a united front against Vladimir Putin. Wrapped up in a protective lab coat, Prince Charles took a cheesy detour during his visit to Cornwall today to learn more about the making of local dairy products. Charles, 73, met with Catherine Mead, the owner of the Lynher Dairies Cheese Company near Truro, who took him on a tour of her award-winning business. The heir-to-the-throne, who was donning a white protective hat, learned more about the making of Cornish Yarg, a semi hard cheese made from grass rich Cornish milk and wrapped in nettle leaves. During his visit to the premises, the Prince of Wales, who is Patron of The Specialist Cheese Makers Association, met with staff and observed their handiwork. Later on, Charles swapped his lab coat for a tan winter coat to go visit the recently planted Royal British Legion Centenary Wood in Newquay. Charles, 73, met with Catherine Mead, the owner of the Lynher Dairies Cheese Company near Truro, who took him on a tour of her award-winning business Charles made sure to protect his black suit with a white lab coat during his tour of the dairy company. The heir-to-the-throne was wearing a white shirt with a square detail and added some fun to the outfit with a burgundy tie adorned with grey elephants. He seemed particularly interested to learn more about the company's history and followed owner Catherine Mead as she proudly showed him around. The royal observed how staff got the yargs and their other cheese together, and exchanged pleasantries with them as he went. Staff were delighted as the heir made his way to the nettling room, where nettle leaves are used to wrap the cheese Cheese makers greeted him in the nettling room, where staff wrap the semi-hard cheese in nettle leaves, before letting it to rest. He moved on to the yarn room, where cheese maker Leighton Moyles discussed the making of Yarn cheese with him. Yarg takes four to five weeks to mature, and as it does, white blooms appear on the nettle. Meanwhile, the wild garlic used to wrap the Garlic Yarg darkens in colour. Lynher Dairies Cheese Company is a giant on the world of stage of cheese making. They are famous for the four cheese they make by hand: Cornish Yarg, Wild Garlic Yarg, Cornish Kern and Stithians. They hit the spotlight in 2017, when their Kern won Supreme Champion at the World Cheese Awards. Staff remained focused on their tasks while the heir-to-the-throne toured their working facilities The Prince of Wales seemed eager to learn more about the Nettle Yarg cheese making process Charles moved on to the yarn room, where cheese maker Leighton Moyles discussed the making of Yarn cheese with him The heir-to-the-throne was wearing a white hat and a protective lab coat. He added some fun to the outfit with a burgundy tie adorned with grey elephants Staff showed the Prince of Wales how they use nettle leaves to wrap the cheese before leaving it to mature for four to five weeks Yarg got its name when Alan Gray, a farmer from Bodmin Moor, found a 17th recipe for nettle-wrapped cheese and started producing it the 1980s. Alan wanted to leave his mark on the dairy confection, and Yarg is actually 'gray' spelled backwards. Stithians follows the same making process as Yarg, but they skip the last maturing part and remain white in surface. The Prince of Wales got to admired matured Yargs. After a few weeks of maturing, th nettle leaves get covered in a white bloom The Prince looked as a member of staff proudly show him the reserve of cheese which are currently maturing at the company's factory Charles looked on with great interest as a cheese maker Tom Monk turned and drainde yarn cheese in front of him Leighton Moyles took out a sample of Kern cheese out of its wax to show it to Prince Charles during his visit At the end of his tour, Charles was gifted with his own sample of Yarg cheese to take home by Catherine Mead, right Charles, who is Patron of The Specialist Cheese Makers Association, seemed delighted with his gift The Prince of Wales happily unveilled a plaque commemorating his visit to the Lynher Dairies Cheese Company Meanwhile, Kern, a long-maturing cheese, got its name from 'Kernow,' the Cornish for Cornwall. The cheese-making process for Kern is low because it needs to be made a low temperature. Once ready, it is coated in breathable wax and is left to mature for 20 to 24 months in a careful controlled environment. From cheese to trees! Charles flew from Truro to Newquay in a helicopter as he hopped from one engagement to the next this afternoon The heir-to-the-throne visit went on to visit the recently planted Royal British Legion Centenary Wood Charles swapped his lab coat for a tan winter coat as he travelled from Truro to Newquay to admire the woods' younger trees The Royal British Legion Centenary Wood was planted by The Duchy of Cornwall last year to mark the Centenary of the British Legion Later today, the heir-to-the-throne flew by helicopter to Newquay, where he visited the Royal British Legion Centenary Wood, which was planted by The Duchy of Cornwall last year to mark the Centenary of the British Legion (2021.) The Duchy planted 100 trees creating a unique space where people can reflect and remember the service and sacrifice of the British Armed Forces for generations to come. Charles was welcomed by the Mayor of Newquay and officials from the British Legion, as well as members of the public/ During his visit he unveiled The Queen's Green Canopy Platinum Jubilee 2022 plaque. Charles unveiled The Queen's Green Canopy Platinum Jubilee 2022 plaque in Newquay this afternoon Royal fans and officials applauded as the heir-to-the-throne revealed the plaque marquing his mother's legacy Charles and officials of the Royal British Legion stopped a moment to admire the original woodland plaque from 2021 The Prince of Wales braved the chilly Cornwall air to speak to children who had gathered by the woodland Charles shook ends with the Royal British Legion officials and Cornwall locals who came to the plaque unveilling During his visit, a pensive Charles admired the growing trees of the woodland, which were planted last year The Prince of Wales admired the plaque he unveilled last year at the woodland, where the Duchy planted 100 trees creating a unique space where people can reflect and remember the service and sacrifice of the British Armed Forces for generations to come Prince Charles looked pensive during his visit and exchanged a few kind words with the local who had come Charles shook hands with some of the contractors who work on the woodland area during his visit today With his usual warmth, the heir-to-throne exchanged a few words with the mayor of Newquay, left Naked and Afraid featured its first ever transgender woman in Sunday nights episode - who competed on the series with breasts and male genitalia. The Discovery Channel survival show - which is in the midst of its 13th season - features two strangers, usually a man and a woman, stranded together in the wild with no food, water, supplies, or clothes. Each episode follows their adventure as they try to make shelter, start fire, find stuff to eat and drink, keep warm, fend off animals, and survive the conditions for 21-days - all while being completely naked. A woman named Terra, 37, from Florida, made history in its newest episode when she became the first transgender woman to compete on the show. Terra was assigned the male gender at birth, but began transitioning to female four years ago. Naked and Afraid featured its first ever transgender woman in Sunday nights episode - who competed on the series with breasts and male genitalia The Discovery Channel survival show - which is in the midst of its 13th season - features two strangers stranded together in the wild for 21-days with no food, water, supplies, or clothes Terra was assigned the male gender at birth, but began transitioning to female four years ago. She is pictured before (left) and after (right) her transition The way he reacts to his partner coming out as trans Don't miss an all new #NakedAndAfraid SUNDAY at 8P on @Discovery and @discoveryplus. https://t.co/7naTqc7uCj pic.twitter.com/2RqMz4PSak Naked and Afraid (@NakedAndAfraid) March 4, 2022 'People like me don't get chosen for things like this,' she said on the show. 'I am trans and I don't care who knows it. What defines me is not how I look or how I act it's what I do in my life. The things I do in my life are f**king epic.' Terra said transitioning was the 'hardest thing' she has ever done, but added that it was 'so worth it' Terra - who has been a bow hunter for her entire life and served in the Air Force for 12-years - said she was 'absolutely prepared for this' since she had spent weeks alone in the wilderness with just a knife in the past. Terra has undergone 'top' surgery (also known as breast augmentation or implants), but has yet to undergo 'bottom' surgery (penile inversion vaginoplasty) - which is the creation of a vagina by inverting penile skin. She said transitioning has been the 'hardest thing' she has ever done, but added that it is already 'so worth it.' 'I was born male but in my mind, growing up, I've always been female,' she explained. 'Transitioning is the hardest thing I've ever done, but so worth it. The one thing I am aware of for my partner is that he or she is going to see a different or more unique body than they've probably ever seen. 'Things on the outside aren't what they are supposed to be at this point in my transgender transition. I do have breasts and I do have the male genitalia still.' She was teamed up with a South African farmer and professional hunter named Shaun - who described himself as 'a little bit conservative' - and together, they were stranded in Pia Manzi in Zambia, Africa. Terra - who has been a bow hunter her entire life and served in the Air Force - said she was 'absolutely prepared' for the show since she spent weeks alone in the wilderness in the past 'What defines me is not how I look or how I act it's what I do in my life. The things I do in my life are f**king epic,' Terra (pictured before her transition) said She was teamed up with a South African farmer and professional hunter named Shaun (right) - who described himself as 'conservative' - and together, they were stranded in Zambia, Africa Terra had reservations about her partner and what his reaction might be. 'They're either gonna accept everything or we're gonna see some bad s**t,' she said, before they came face to face As they both walked up to each other, fully naked, Shaun looked completely stunned at first. But he then met her with open arms Terra had reservations about her partner and what his reaction might be to her body, but Shaun met her with open arms. 'When it comes to my partner, they're either gonna accept everything or they're gonna go off the deep end and we're gonna see some bad s**t,' she said before they came face to face. As they both walked up to each other, fully naked, Shaun looked completely stunned at first. Right away, Terra asked him if he had any questions. 'Not at the moment,' he responded. 'Obviously, you can see that I'm not the same as every other girl that's been on this show,' Terra told him. 'What are your thoughts on this?' 'Yeah, you're unique,' said Shaun. 'It is a bit of a shock to me but we're all unique and special. I'm open-minded and we're going to do this together. Don't worry, I've got your back.' Terra instantly let out a sigh of relief. 'Thank God,' she said. 'I appreciate that. And I've got your back too. Hearing that is a big thing to me. We're gonna do this, we're gonna be OK.' They then hugged it out before beginning their adventure together. He admitted that although it was a 'bit of a shock,' he was 'open-minded,' adding that everyone is 'special and unique.' He said: 'We're going to do this together. Don't worry, I've got your back' Shaun later told the camera, 'Terra is awesome. Someone as unique as that, to have the courage to come out, she's a hero in my eyes already' Unfortunately, three days into the show, Shaun fell and sustained a concussion so he was forced to leave for medical reasons. Terra completed the rest of the 18-days completely alone "What defines me is not how I look... it's what I do with my life." Two new episodes of #NakedAndAfraid start TONIGHT at 8P on @Discovery and @discoveryplus https://t.co/7naTqcp5tR pic.twitter.com/40ypT9tCZz Naked and Afraid (@NakedAndAfraid) March 6, 2022 Privately to the camera, she added, 'I'm a hell of a lot more surprised than I thought I would be. He looked at me like I was a normal person, that was exactly what I needed. A great surprise and I'm pretty happy so far.' Shaun also told the camera, 'Terra is awesome. Someone as unique as that, to have the courage to come out, she's a hero in my eyes already.' Unfortunately, three days into the show, Shaun fell and sustained a concussion so he was forced to leave for medical reasons. Terra then completed the rest of the 18-days completely alone, despite suffering from a lacerated nipple and not being able to find much food. 'I'm not a gender, I'm not a label, I'm just a human,' she said at one point during her journey. 'It's empowering. I'm going through my own transitional journey. And I know now that if I just stick with it there's nothing I cannot do in this world.' Terra is the second transgender person to participate in the series, with the first being a trans man in 2019 (pictured) Quince Mountain (pictured), from Illinois, competed on the show during season 10, and was left in the Honduran jungle with a police officer from Florida named Teresa Owens Terra is the second transgender person to participate in the series, with the first being a trans man in 2019. Quince Mountain, from Illinois, competed on the show during season 10, and was left in the Honduran jungle with a police officer from Florida named Teresa Owens. He and Teresa were able to complete the adventure. When they first met, Quince - who was fully transitioned - decided to tell Teresa he was transgender. 'Its not something I usually share the second I meet somebody, but in this case, it wouldve been weird not to,' he later told Mel magazine, while reflecting on the experience. 'Because I didnt want it to be artificial. Plus, when youre meeting someone on the show for the first time, youre meeting them naked. 'Its an intimate situation. Youre going to be partnered together for 21 days. So I wanted to have the balls to come out to my partner, but also to hopefully demonstrate to people that self-disclosing doesnt always have to be such a big deal.' While chatting with the magazine, Quince wanted people to know that Discovery Channel was no 'promoting an agenda' by casting him. 'The reality is the production company didnt even know I was trans when I was selected to be on the show,' he said. 'They were initially interested in my wife and me. So to say that I got on the show because Im trans, its like, F**k you! I also have the survival skills and experience. 'Even when the executive producers found out, they were like, You dont have to talk about this if you dont want to. But I told them, No, I think I would like to talk about it.' Navy can be so much more flattering than black for a chic daytime look, and Queen Letizia of Spain showed us how it's done today as she stepped out in Malaga. The mother-of-two, 49, looked elegant in a mid-length navy blue dress, with a white embroidered flower across the chest and thin black belt drawing attention to her slim waist. She was joined by her husband King Felipe at the Inauguration of the Tour of Talent and proclamation of the Princess of Girona Foundation's Arts and Literature Award at La Termica Cultural Centre and Edgar Neville Auditorium in Malaga. King Felipe VI was joined by his stylish wife Queen Letizia in Malaga for the Inauguration of the Tour of Talent, promoting movement for young people in Spain For today's outing, she paired her midi dress with a small white clutch bag and sophisticated navy stilettos, opting for simple gold earrings. The monarch opted for understated make-up with peachy tones and a sparkling bronze eyeshadow. Meanwhile, her husband, King Felipe VI, 54, wore a sauve light grey suit contrasting with a vibrant pink tie and burgundy loafers with tassel detail. The annual Tour of Talent started on 3 March, in Malaga, to promote a movement for the future of young people in Spain, and generate a community of opportunities that connect, activate and enhance their talent. The glamorous Queen, 49, was pictured wearing a stylish mid-length navy dress with a white embroidered flower across the chest and think black belt drawing attention to her slim waist The mother of two opted for simple gold earrings that matched her shimmering gold/bronze eyeshadow The Spanish royals were received at at the Edgar Neville Auditorium by the president of the Andalusian Government, Juan Manuel Moreno Bonilla; the president of the Diputacion de Malaga, Francisco Salado; and the mayor of Malaga, Francisco de la Torre, among others. Their Majesties toured different workshops and activities in La Termica and attended the opening ceremony, which was in the Edgar Neville Auditorium. It has only been two weeks since the Spanish King returned to duty, after testing positive for Covid-19 early last month. And putting safety first the couple opted kept on their face masks, in accordance with local regulations. At Tour of Talent, King Felipe is pictured central left next to his wife, who sits next to Education Minister Pilar Alegria. Far right is Princess Girona Foundation Francisco Belil. On the left of the King is Andalucia's Region President Juan Manuel Moreno Bonilla The couple are pictured here listening to young people during the inauguration of the Tour of Talent, which aims at promoting the talent of young people They also attended the proclamation of the Princess of Girona Foundation's Arts and Literature Award The Princess of Girona Foundation's Arts and Literature Award is designed to recognise talented young people involved in promising work in any discipline of the arts and literature, and which serves as an example and inspiration for other young people. Other awards include Social Award, Scientific Research Award, Business Award and International Award, all of which are open to young people in Spain aged between 16 and 35. Tour of Talent takes place until 10 March and features a range of physical and interactive workshops, from lectures and shows to networking and debates. The Spanish royals arrived at the Tour of Talent with the Education Minister and Andalucia's Region President among others Russia's military modernization has transformed the former Soviet Union into a formidable force with a vast array of weaponry. Since taking power, Russian President Vladimir Putin's effort to overhaul Soviet-era armaments is advanced enough to alarm the US Pentagon. The Russian army went on the offensive after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky decided to tough it out. Russian Military Modernization Ukrainian resistance has become stiff into a week of the campaign to rid the country of Nazis and free Donbas and Lugansk for Kyiv. One expert said the local resistance in several cities is facing an assault from Moscow's fearsome military, reported the Express. The arms employed by Moscow have led to civilian casualties that include missile strikes. Standoff attacks have shown how far much damage they can do. A convoy is on its way to Kyiv, waiting to do its part in Putin's campaign that is gaining media attention and what systems will be used for. The former Soviet forces and western intelligence have claimed that several cities are under control. Ground attack forces are not the best components, but specific delivery systems with cutting-edge technologies developed after the cold war. Moreover, the flexibility of the payloads can be used for strike packages, from limited damage to even nuclear-capable. Russia Holds Most Warheads Russia has become a superpower with its arsenal developed in the 20th century, the center of the former Soviet Union. Under the leadership of Joseph Stalin and later Soviet Leaders like Nikolai Khrushchev found its arsenal of nuclear warheads to reach 45,000. Russia's military modernization has made up for these many warheads. Read Also: Vladimir Putin's Hidden Wealth: $125 Billion, Secret Palace and More Rumors But after the Cold War, treaties were signed to control the number of nuclear weapons, but Russia still has the most at 5,997 warheads. What was so large and clunky by western standards has seen Soviet equipment shrink and become deadlier and cheaper, said an expert. According to Alexander Lanoszka, international security expert and political science assistant professor at the University of Waterloo in Canada, Russia has made significant changes over the years regarding its military technology. He added that President Vladimir Putin pushed to remake the Soviet Forces into a modern and robust force that NATO has monitored in the last decade. Lanoszka said an example of these is the surprise development of the dual-capable hypersonic missile, the 9M729 Iskander-M, cited Tass. Warheads are cluster explosives, fuel-air-explosive, bunker busters, and electromagnetic pulse warheads capable of knocking out US and NATO electronic systems. It also can use nuclear warheads concerning the western forces. He added the US and NATO were not agreeable to such weapons that caused the cancellation of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty in the Cold War era. Added are modern subs that can fire missile systems that include the Burevestnik nuclear-propelled cruise missile, with thermonuclear warheads that can attack anywhere on earth, noted Military Today. Putin announced it in March 2018 as a plan to rebalance nuclear capacities and modernization of Russian arms, most of the nuclear forces of the former Soviet are usable and more functional. Lanoszka said they are lethal and destructive to use, adding Ukraine might suffer from the conflict. Russia's military modernization went beyond the bounds of treaties believing the West won't uphold its end, with eastern expansion to contain Russia. Related Article: Vladimir Putin's Vast Arsenal of Weapons To Use if New Tactics Are Needed To Change the Outcome @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A group of male entrepreneurs are being completely roasted online after they claimed that they find high-earning women with good jobs less attractive. The hosts of the Hardly Initiated podcast - Tysean Jackson and Ryan Catchings, from Atlanta, Georgia - sat down with real estate developer and business/finance consultant Phillip Karaya for a recent episode, and they admitted that they are turned off from hard-working women who 'prioritize their education and job.' They stated that women who are at the top of their careers are 'combative' and often 'tell them what to do' since they 'feel like they need to be the boss.' The three men also said that successful women are 'disqualified' from dating because 'no one wants them' once they have achieved those things. Their comments have unleashed a furious tirade from listeners and viewers, who branded the men 'insecure,' 'weak,' and 'manipulative.' A group of male entrepreneurs are being completely roasted online after they claimed that they find high-earning women with good jobs less attractive The hosts of the Hardly Initiated podcast - Tysean Jackson (left) and Ryan Catchings (center) - sat down with business/finance consultant Phillip Karaya (right) for a recent episode They admitted that they are turned off from hard-working women who 'prioritize their education and job' '[When a woman] says, "I got a good job, I make very, very good money and the only thing I need now is a man," who wants you?' asked Ryan during the controversial episode. 'Like, who wants you? If you have achieved these things, you have unfortunately disqualified yourself.' Phillip then spoke out about hypergamy - which is when someone dates a person of a superior sociological or educational background. 'Hypergamy is real too,' he said. 'Most women date across and up social dominance hierarchies, and men date across and down. 'So as men rise up, you have nothing but more options. But if women rise up, they have smaller options. 'And a lot of things that get them to those points, negate them. The guys that are in the same space don't want that,' he added, referring to women who are career-oriented. '[Those women are] combative and feel like they need to be a boss and all this other stuff.' They stated that women who are at the top of their careers are 'combative' and often 'tell them what to do' since they 'feel like they need to be the boss' The three men also said that successful women are 'disqualified' from dating because 'no one wants them' once they have achieved those things Not cool: Their comments have unleashed a furious tirade from listeners and viewers, who branded the men 'insecure,' 'weak,' and 'manipulative' Tysean explained that many women are being taught to prioritize their work, which in turn leads to them 'falling out of trust with the masculine.' 'Because they have fallen out of trust with the masculine, they have become the f**king masculine,' he added. The Hardly Initiated podcast, which is described as the 'number one men's growth platform' on its website, often sees the hosts discussing 'wellness, wealth and women.' A clip from the episode was reposted by the popular Instagram account Spiritual Word, where it quickly went viral - leaving many people appalled and disgusted with the men's statements, who took to the comment section to put them on blast and mercilessly ridicule them. 'I literally want Amazon and everyone else to stop selling podcast equipment cause...' wrote one disgruntled viewer. Facing backlash: Their statements left many people appalled and disgusted, who took to the comment section to put them on blast and mercilessly ridicule them 'Disqualified for having a higher earning? They would weak AF for saying that,' said someone else. Another added: 'Sound controlling AF.' 'I guess when we are not co-dependent on men and easy to manipulate, we are unattractive,' read a fourth comment. 'Sounds like something an insecure low-earning man would say.' 'So interesting how culture has become obsessed with finding flaws and adults in women,' agreed a different Instagram user. 'Even for setting and achieving goals now.' 'They don't want gold diggers but also don't want you to be financially stable,' wrote another commenter. 'Damned if we do, damned if we don't. It's no luck for us,' said one woman. 'Just sad how grown men are intimidated by successful, hard-working women,' read another comment. The men spoke out about it once again in a previous episode, which came out in December 2021. At the time, Ryan claimed that men feel like they have 'nothing to bring to the table' if they meet a woman who achieved a lot on her own. 'These boss chicks, they're tired of waiting around. They're tired of waiting around to acquire this lifestyle that they're looking at on Instagram every day. And they're going out there and getting it on their own,' he said. 'The thing about it though ... if [men] find a woman that's equally ambitious, it's like, "What else? Why does she need me? I don't bring anything else to the table."' Covid can may be able to infect and damage a person's penis and testicles, a new study finds. Researchers from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, in Chicago, Illinois, found in a study of monkeys that the virus could infect the cells of male genitalia, and cause long-term harm. Researchers found that COVID-19 infecting a person's penis, testicle and prostate cells can cause a variety of health issues Previous research has found that male survivors of the virus sometimes suffer erectile dysfunction and other genital tract issues, though it is often believed to be a result of inflammation as an immune response to the virus. These researchers now believe that it is the virus itself, not the immune system, causing genital issues for infected males, changing the calculous for how this type of condition would be treated. Researchers, who posted their findings last week in bioRxiv pending peer review before journal publication, performed research on three male rhesus macaques, a breed of monkey often used for such studies because they have many genetic similarities with humans. Each of the monkeys had body scans performed on them after they were infected with the virus in an effort to detect where traces of the virus were visible. Dr Thomas Hope, lead researcher and a biology professor at Northwestern, told the New York Times that 'the signal in the penis was off the radar.' Researchers found spread of the virus in the penis of all three animals. One of the animals had infection in its testicles as well. The findings indicate that the virus managed to infect and spread within the monkey's penis, likely causing the animals genital tract issues, like erectile dysfunction. The study was performed on male rhesus macaques (pictured), a type of monkey that has many genetic similarities to humans Researchers believe this type of spread can cause major damage to the region of the body in both animals and humans. Virus spread in the penis can cause erectile dysfunction and peyronie's disease, a condition where a person feels intense pain when they get an erection. Covid spread in the prostate can lead to decreased semen quality and even put a person at a higher risk of developing prostate cancer. In the testicles, the virus can decreases the count and quality of sperm and reduce testosterones levels. An infected male may also feel inflammation or pain in their testicles. Previous research has found a link between COVID-19 infection and the development of erectile dysfunction. A study published last year by the University of Florida found that men who had recovered from the virus are three times more likely to develop the condition than those that had not. Men with pre-existing risk factors like obesity, or a heart or respiratory condition showed an even higher rate of erectile dysfunction. May have attributed this to inflammation as an immune response to the virus, which is the cause of many 'long Covid' symptoms - often placed under the umbrella of MIS-C. In this case, though, the virus itself is binding itself to the body and causing long-term harm to those that it infects. 'The receptor that the coronavirus binds to is abundant on the penis and testes,' Dr Joseph Katz, a dentistry professor at the University of Florida that led last year's study, said. 'The virus can bind to those areas. And research has shown that COVID can reduce the amount of testosterone produced. The loss of testosterone has been shown to put someone at risk of having a more severe outcome from COVID-19.' Florida is now the first state to recommend against using the COVID-19 vaccine in an authorized population. Surgeon General Dr Joseph Ladapo said Monday that the state will formally recommend against COVID-19 vaccinations for 'healthy' children. The move puts state-level officials in disagreement with federal officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the encourage people to give their children the jab. Children face little risk from Covid, with hospitalizations or deaths caused by the virus being especially rare. The outright recommending against an approved drug by a local health officials is a rarity, though. Dr Joseph Ladapo (pictured) said Monday that Florida will formally recommend against COVID-19 vaccinations for healthy children 'The Florida Department of Health is going to be the first state to officially recommend against the COVID-19 vaccines for healthy children,' Ladapo said. 'Were kind of scraping at the bottom of the barrel, particularly with healthy kids, in terms of actually being able to quantify with any accuracy and any confidence the even potential of benefit.' He, nor Republican Gov Ron DeSantis, specified what would classify as a 'healthy' child or when the guidance would officially go into effect. Ladapo made the announcement at a roundtable event organized by DeSantis that featured a group of doctors who criticized coronavirus lockdowns and mandate policies. The group included Dr Robert Malone, the inventor of mRNA - the technology used for the Pfizer-BioNTech jab approved for children aged five and older - who has been under fire recently for making false statements about the shot that have been described as anti-vaxx. Late last month, Ladapo and DeSantis announced new virus policy recommendations that discouraged mask-wearing and directed physicians to exercise their own judgment when treating virus patients, including the use of emerging treatments and off-label medications. The Florida state Senate confirmed Ladapo as surgeon general despite criticism that his virus health policy is too aligned with the anti-lockdown and mandate politics of DeSantis. He has managed to already become a controversial figure in the state, pushing drugs like ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine as treatments for the virus despite no evidence supporting them. Some health experts have shown concerns about vaccinating kids, or doubts about their necessity, in recent months. Children face little risk from COVID-19, with a ever-growing trove of data showing that they are not nearly as affected by it as adults are. The CDC reports that children only account less than 0.1 percent of Covid deaths in the U.S. since the pandemic first began. Pfizer's vaccine trials for children under the age of five was hampered by the extremely low number of children from the control group who were hospitalized with the virus. This means that the rollout of the vaccine for children under the age of five is being hampered by how little harm the virus does to the age group. A study from the University of Utah last year found that 50 percent of pediatric Covid cases are asymptomatic. The study was performed before the more-mild Omicron variant emerged, meaning the risk for children to even feel symptoms is likely lower now. Children may also be less likely to spread the virus when infected, with a German study finding that they release as little as only 25 percent of virus particles as adults do. Data revealed by New York state officials at the end of last month also found that the shot was only 12 percent effective at preventing Covid infection for children aged five to 11. 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. '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. Spectris has terminated talks over a possible 1.79billion offer for AIM-listed Oxford Instruments due to the economic uncertainty resulting from Russias invasion of Ukraine. The British electrical engineering firm maintains that there is a strong rationale for combining the two businesses, but told investors on Monday that now was not the right time. Oxford Instruments shares fell sharply in early morning trading, and were down 26.93 per cent or 614.00p to 1,666.00p just after 9am. Impact: The Russia-Ukraine war has sparked a high degree of uncertainty in the global economy Andrew Heath, chief executive of Spectris, said: 'Oxford Instruments is a quality company and the strategic and financial rationale for a combination of our businesses is highly compelling. 'However, with the invasion of Ukraine, the world has changed since our proposed offer was made regarding a combination of our businesses, bringing a high degree of uncertainty to the economic outlook around the world. 'While we believe this combination is a great opportunity for both companies, the timing is no longer right and we have brought our discussions to a close.' Heath added that Spectris has no businesses in Ukraine, but said the company was 'doing everything we can to help colleagues whose families are impacted and support the relief effort for the people of Ukraine.' Oxford Instruments said in a statement: 'The proposal was unsolicited and the board continues to believe that Oxford has a clear and compelling strategy to achieve growth and create value for shareholders over the medium-term.' The proposed 3,100p per share offer was announced on 28 February. Spectris shares were down 0.33 per cent or 8.00p to 2,450.00p in early morning trading. Oxford Instruments ceased trading in the territories of the Russian Federation and Belarus on Friday, and Spectris has no operations in Russia. The Russia-Ukraine war has sparked a high degree of uncertainty in the global economy, with most countries cutting off trade ties with Russia and multiple companies suspending operations there. Olympian Scott Miller (pictured) has pleaded guilty to supplying a large commercial quantity of a prohibited drug Swimming great Scott Miller has pleaded guilty to his role in a multi million-dollar meth smuggling syndicate. The 46-year-old admitted driving 4kg of the drug from Sydney to a town in the New South Wales Southern Tablelands in January last year. Miller entered guilty pleas to offences including including the large commercial supply of a prohibited drug when his case was mentioned at Central Local Court on Tuesday. His lawyers and the Director of Public Prosecutions recently agreed on a statement of facts which had only required Miller's signature for the case to proceed to sentencing. As part of that process a charge of knowingly directing a criminal group was downgraded to participating in the drug syndicate. Supplying a commercial quantity of a prohibited drug has a maximum penalty of life in prison in NSW but the average sentence is about seven years. Miller also pleaded guilty to supplying a commercial quantity of a prohibited drug and dealing with the proceeds of crime after almost a kilogram of heroin and more than $70,000 in cash were found in his home when he was arrested. He was refused bail a year ago and is on remand at the maximum-security Mid North Coast Correctional Centre near Kempsey. Drug runner Scott Miller won a silver medal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics in the 100m butterfly. He was married to TV personality Charlotte Dawson from 1999 to 2000. Dawson took her own life In 2014. The couple is pictured in August 1999 Miller sat slumped and shirtless in a chair as police searched his apartment at Rozelle, in Sydney's inner west, just after dawn on February 16 last year Police found almost a kilogram of heroin in Miller's home as well as more than $70,000 in cash. A police officer is pictured carrying bundles of $50 and $100 notes from the address Miller was one of four men charged over the transportation of 4kg of meth worth about $2.2million from Sydney to Yass in January last year. The others were Wayne Allan Johnson, 48, Justin Szabolics, 45, and Luke Mathew Peake, 41. Miller, the 100m butterfly silver medallist at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, drove the drugs about 280km from Sydney to Yass where the consignment was collected by Szabolics and Peake. The meth was ditched more than 200km further south after Peake and Szabolics were involved in a high-speed pursuit with police. Peake has pleaded guilty to taking part in the supply of a commercial quantity of a prohibited drug and possessing a prohibited drug. He has also pleaded guilty to driving a motor vehicle while disqualified and driving recklessly and at dangerous speeds during the police pursuit. The investigation into Miller began early last year after police discovered a shipment of candles which each contained half a kilogram of high-quality methylamphetamine. The substance was moulded into glass containers Miller has admitted having troubles in his personal life in recent years. During an interview with 60 Minutes in 2014 he admitted he was battling a drug addiction. He is pictured at the Sydney International Aquatic Centre in 1996, the year of the Atlanta Olympics Szabolics has also pleaded guilty to supplying a large commercial quantity of a prohibited drug, two counts of possessing a prohibited drug and participating in a criminal group. Johnson pleaded guilty on Tuesday to supplying a commercial quantity of drugs and participating in a criminal group. The investigation into Miller began early last year after police discovered a shipment of candles which each contained half a kilogram of methylamphetamine. The NSW State Crime Command's Drug and Firearms Squad and NSW Crime Commission worked together under the auspices of Strike Force Tarrawilla. Miller had collected a white Toyota Camry from the Balmain area on January 11 after a man wearing high-vis clothing left a red, white and blue striped bag in the car's footwell. Scott Miller drove this Toyota Camry from Sydney about 280km to Yass with 4kg of meth hidden in a secret compartment. The car and drugs were then handed to Justin Szabolics and Luke Peake who headed down the Hume Highway towards Albury The meth, worth $2.2million, was concealed in eight candles which were put in a red, white and blue striped bag that was stashed in this hidden compartment The retired athlete hid the bag, which held eight candles containing the drugs, in a secret compartment and left the vehicle in the area overnight. The next day Miller picked up Johnson and the pair drove the Camry, which had Western Australian plates, to Yass. The Camry was then handed over to Szabolics and Peake who drove down the Hume Highway towards the Victorian border. Both Szabolics and Peake are from Albury-Wodonga, which police say was the intended destination for the consignment. During the journey, a highway patrol unit unsuccessfully tried to pull over the Camry near Holbrook, about 215km south-west of Yass, and gave chase. The pursuit was terminated after about 15 minutes shortly after midnight when it became too dangerous. A highway patrol unit unsuccessfully tried to pull over the Camry and gave chase as it reached high speeds. The chase was terminated shortly before midnight when it became too dangerous. Miller is pictured inset top and bottom This image shows one of the candles used to smuggle the $2.2million worth of meth. The drug was moulded into the candle's glass shell The next day police found the bag containing the drugs in long grass near an intersection at Cookardinia, about 25km north of Holbrook. It was more than a month before Miller was arrested just after 6am on February 16 at his home at Rozelle, in Sydney's inner-west. Dramatic footage showed police busting down the door of Miller's unit where they seized 910g of heroin and $72,595 in cash, as well as the white Camry. Miller was photographed shirtless and slumped on a chair while investigators scoured the unit for evidence. On the march: Miller was allowed to put on a striped polo shirt before he was handcuffed and taken to Newtown police station to be charged More than a dozen police attended Miller's apartment block, meticulously sorting through his possessions. One policeman was pictured carrying a set of scales out of the property. Officers were seen lifting Miller's mattress and inspecting a packet of anti-inflammatory medication as his pet pug waddled excitedly around the unit. Mobile phones, documents, encrypted electronic devices and smaller amounts of prohibited drugs were taken away for forensic testing. Miller, who is being represented by high-profile solicitor Greg Goold, has admitted having troubles in his personal life in recent years. During an interview with 60 Minutes in 2014 he admitted he was battling a drug addiction. He worked as a drug awareness and prevention speaker with the Church of Scientology's Narconon program, according to his LinkedIn profile. Miller is also known for his brief marriage to Sydney socialite and TV presenter Charlotte Dawson between 1999 and 2000. Dawson took her own life in 2014. Before his arrest Miller had been working for a trucking company. Miller, Szabolics and Johnson will appear for sentencing in the Downing Centre District Court on April 8. Peak will face the same court on March 28. Experts told MailOnline they were 'not particularly concerned' by 50% not having Covid, citing high jab rates The data from Cambridge University experts suggests 27.3million people in are yet to have a first infection Modelling from Government scientists shows just 51.8% of people in England had Covid by February 23 Advertisement Almost 30million people in England have managed to avoid Covid since the pandemic began, No10's scientific advisers believe amid warning signs that the outbreak is growing again. Cambridge University scientists tasked with tracking the pandemic suspect only 51.8 per cent of the population has caught the virus in the last two years. Experts told MailOnline they were 'not particularly concerned' by the fact that half of the country have not been exposed to the virus. It 'doesn't mean the rest are susceptible', according to Dr Thomas Woolley, a mathematical biologist at Cardiff University. Officials estimate that 98 per cent of people in England have antibodies against Covid thanks to high vaccination rates and the combination of jabs and natural immunity has shown to provide the strongest protection. Professor David Livermore, a microbiologist at the University of East Anglia, told MailOnline Omicron's mildness and Britain's high inoculation rates has provided a perfect opportunity to boost natural immunity levels without overwhelming the NHS. He added: 'Natural infection gives longer-lasting protection than any vaccine and the now-predominant Omicron variant generally gives a mild infection. 'Consequently, the more low-risk people who're infected the better, for it will build the strongest wall of immunity, cementing and accelerating our inevitable move from pandemic to endemic.' It comes after daily Covid cases in the UK rose for three days in a row before the weekend, with the outbreak now likely growing. The Government has stopped releasing the daily figures at weekends but an update this afternoon will reveal if that trend has changed. The rise in infections coincides with the emergence of an even more infectious strain of Omicron called BA.2, which has become dominant across England. It also follows Boris Johnson's decision to ditch all of England's final Covid restrictions, including the requirement to isolate when infected. But warning against future lockdown curbs, Professor Livermore said eventually everyone will catch Covid and 'restriction merely drags out this process, possibly to a time when a less benign variant is predominant'. Scientists also insist they aren't concerned by the Cambridge team's estimate, arguing the grim tallies of 1,000-plus deaths a day are consigned to history forever. Modelling from Cambridge University scientists suggests only 51.8 per cent of people in England had caught the virus by February 23, two years into the pandemic. Despite high case levels since Omicron emerged, which peaked at 234,765 per day in January, 48.2 per cent of the population 27.3million people are yet to have a first infection, according to the estimates. The map shows the Covid attack rate the proportion of the population that have been infected across the country, with regional prevalence varying from 45.3 per cent in the North West and South West to 60.8 per cent in London Cambridge researchers Dr Joshua Blake and Professor Daniela DeAngelis and UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) officials Dr Paul Birrell and Dr Edwin Van Leeuwen have been tracking the UK epidemic in real time. Each of the experts sit on the Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Modelling (SPI-M) panel, an influential sub-committee of SAGE. Why ARE cases going up again... and does it mean the NHS could still be overwhelmed? Covid cases in the UK have risen for four days in a row, according to the most recent data up to Friday. Cases jumped 40 per cent in a week to 44,740. But hospitalisations and deaths are trending downwards, even though there is a two to three week lag behind infections. Changes to Covid restrictions in the UK, a new more infectious variant becoming dominant in England and a lack of natural immunity among the population could all be driving factors in the rise. Freedom Day Boris Johnson lifted all remaining Covid legal requirements in England on February 24, including the rule to self-isolate when positive and wear masks on public transport. While guidance is in place requesting that people still stay-at-home if they test positive, more Britons may be mixing with others while infected. No10's scientists warned the rule easing would increase transmission by between 25 and 80 per cent if people returned to pre-pandemic mixing. Omicron subvariant BA.2 The increase in cases coincides with the rise of the even more transmissible Omicron subvariant BA.2, which health chiefs say is now dominant in England. The UKHSA revealed BA.2 was behind 52 per cent of all cases in the seven days up to February 20. The sub-variant has completed its rapid rise to dominance just a month after it was first spotted in the UK. BA.2 carries many of the same mutations as Omicron, alongside many new ones that make it more transmissible. Experts told MailOnline that the more infectious strain will likely contribute to a rise in cases. Lack of natural immunity Latest estimates from No10's scientists suggest around half of people in England have never had Covid. Just 51.8 per cent of the population had caught the virus by February 23, according to Cambridge University researchers and UK Health Security Agency officials. Experts told MailOnline that lack of natural infection among this many people means there is a suboptimal wall of immunity, as natural infection gives 'longer-lasting protection than any vaccine'. Could the NHS be overwhelmed? The success of the vaccine rollout, coupled with half of the population being 'super immune' to Covid, is squashing the risk of people becoming severely unwell with the virus. UK Health Security Agency data shows a Pfizer booster provides 75 per cent protection against hospitalisation after 10 weeks, while a Moderna booster gives 90 per cent protection after nine weeks. The number of Covid patients in hospital peaked around 20,000 in January, nearly half of the 38,000 in hospital at the peak one year earlier, before the vaccine rollout. And No10 is planning a spring vaccination rollout providing an extra dose to the most vulnerable to further increase their protection against future waves. However, medics told MailOnline that high levels of the virus increases pressure on hospitals, which have to keep infected patients away from the non-infected. They warned this could have an impact on clearing the NHS backlog. Advertisement Their estimates, published on February 25, state 51.8 per cent of people in England were infected with Covid. Modelling suggests infection rates have been highest in London and the North East, where three in five people have so far had the virus. At the other end of the scale, fewer than half have been infected in the South West (45.3 per cent), North West (45.3 per cent), South East (47.2 per cent) and East of England (49.4 per cent). The team also believe there have been 41.7million infections including reinfections since the first UK case of Covid in January 2020. The infection prevalence estimates are based on Covid infection data from the Government and NHS, which they run through their mathematical model. Dr David Strain, a medical lecturer at the University of Exeter, told MailOnline: 'There is absolutely scope for another Omicron surge in infections.' And with Omicron's increased infectivity and the emergence of the even more infectious BA.2 strain, people who have been infected before are still susceptible to getting it again, he said. But he admitted that the majority of the people to have escaped Covid will still be vaccinated, meaning the risk of people becoming severely unwell with the virus from current variants is slim. Omicron's milder nature, and the build-up of immunity from vaccines and previous waves, blunted the ultra-transmissible variant over the festive period, which saw up to 430,000 people test positive every day. Government advisers had warned the outbreak could lead to 6,000 deaths a day, sparking calls for lockdown before Christmas. But the fears were over-egged and daily deaths peaked at 300 in January. Professor Kevin McConway, a statistician at the Open University, told MailOnline the latest estimate 'doesn't particularly concern me' because it is 'only part of the story'. Dr Thomas Woolley, a mathematical biologist at Cardiff University, added that just because only half of people in England have had Covid, it 'doesn't mean that the rest are susceptible'. He said: 'The huge success of the vaccination programme has meant the many of the remaining people may never get it. The vaccines are removing people from the susceptible population, as well as reducing the severity of the disease. 'Both of these factors reduce the likelihood of another outbreak, at least of Omicron. 'The trouble will come now if immunisation and boosters aren't maintained. Waning resistance or a new mutation in the population is what will drive the next wave.' Studies have suggested that people who have been infected and fully-vaccinated have super immunity and 10-times more effective antibodies than those in people who are only vaccinated. Experts said the combination of vaccination and infection could suppress the virus to a mostly mild endemic infection, similar to other seasonal respiratory viruses. Professor Livermore told MailOnline Iceland removed all Covid restrictions for vaccinated and unvaccinated people on the basis that 'widespread societal resistance to Covid is the main route out of the epidemic'. The country's health chiefs last month said 'as many people as possible needed to be infected with the virus as the vaccines are not enough, even though they provide good protection against serious illness'. Professor Livermore said: 'I think they've got it right.' It comes as confirmed Covid cases in the UK rose to 44,740 on Friday - the latest day with data. It marked a 40 per cent rise in a week. The rise came less than a week after No10 ditched all of England's remaining restrictions and coincides with BA.2 becoming dominant in England in late February. Experts warned the strain may cause some fluctuations in case rates, but insisted there is no evidence it is more severe than the original strain. But the average number of people being admitted to hospitals across the UK is continuing to fall. Advertisement Three-fifths of NHS patients needing routine procedures have waited longer than four months at England's worst-performing trust, statistics show. Of the 182,000 patients in the queue for elective care at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust in December, just 38 per cent have gone at least 18 weeks without treatment. Official guidelines state patients have a legal right to be seen within the timeframe but MailOnline's analysis shows just two per cent of trusts hit this target at the end of 2021. Five health boards, dotted across Chester, Buckinghamshire, Leicester and Worcestershire are failing to see even half of their patients within the deadline. The average waiting time for a hip replacement, cataract surgery or other routine procedure in England is now three months, with the overall backlog already at a record-high of 6.1million exacerbated by the Covid pandemic. Almost one in six trusts or 18 out of 127 are now taking more than a year to see a tenth of their patients. Health Secretary Sajid Javid launched an extra 12-billion-a-year NHS Covid recovery plan to battle the backlog, which aims to end one year waits by March 2025. But he made no pledges to get more patients seen in hospitals within 18 weeks and ministers fear the problem will get worse before it gets better. No10's plan funded by April's 1.25 per cent National Insurance hike has already been branded as 'not ambitious enough' and 'falling seriously short' of what is needed by Labour, health unions and even senior Conservatives. The above graph shows the proportion of patients seen within 18 weeks at the ten worst performing hospitals. The NHS aims to see 92 per cent of patients within 18 weeks of their referral Only three hospitals all of them linked to cancer care are currently hitting the NHS target. Above are the top ten hospitals for seeing the highest proportion of patients within 18 weeks Overall, NHS trusts have not hit the target for seeing 92 per cent of patients within the 18-week deadline for more than five years, with the last time it was reached being 2016. Before the pandemic hit, only 83 per cent of patients were seen within this time-frame nationally, with 4.4million on waiting lists and just 1,500 patients waiting more than a year for care. But now just 63 per cent of patients are seen in 18 weeks nationally, with the number of year-long waits having spiralling 300-fold to 300,000. Leaked Government forecasts suggest the situation will still get worse, with waiting lists set to keep growing for the next two years to 10.7million, or one in five people in England. NHS patients 'put at risk' by 18-month waits for treatment, data shows Patients in parts of the UK are waiting about two years for care, official figures show. Last week the NHS made easily available the waiting times for routine treatments across the country, including hip replacements and cataract surgery, on new website 'MyPlannedCare'. It showed that of the 1,655 hospital departments across the country, 74 (four per cent) had waiting times longer than a year. And it also revealed 11 had waiting times stretching beyond 78 weeks or a year and a half. East and North Hertfordshire NHS FT's Pain Management Service was the worst, with patients waiting 104 weeks for care on average. It was followed by Barts Health NHS FT's Vascular Surgery Service, with waits of 99 weeks, and Bolton NHS FT's Paediatrics unit with patients waiting 95 weeks. Rachel Power, chief executive of the Patients Association, told The Times: 'Waiting for treatment, especially if you experience repeated delays or cancellations, is frustrating. 'It's disappointing to see some English trusts with waits at nearly two years. 'We worry these long waits could lead to patients' health declining perhaps to the point where treatment can become ineffective.' Advertisement NHS England's most up-to-date monthly performance figures show University Hospitals Birmingham NHS FT was the worst for admitting patients within the 18-week target. It was followed by Countess of Chester NHS FT (46.5 per cent), Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust (46.7 per cent), University Hospitals Leicester NHS FT (47.3 per cent) and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust (48.5 per cent). Of the ten worst-performing trusts, three were in the North West, with two in the Midlands and South West, and one each in the South East, East of England and London. For comparison, of the best performers four were in the North East and three were in London. Another two were in the North East and one was in the East of England. Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting slammed the spiralling waiting lists as 'unacceptable'. He told MailOnline: 'The Conservatives are so incompetent they have now come up with a plan that sees patients paying more in tax but waiting longer for care. 'People are forced to wait unacceptable lengths of time for treatment, often left in pain and discomfort for months or years. 'The Conservatives blame Covid, but after a decade of Tory mismanagement, the NHS went into the pandemic with record waiting lists, 100,000 staff shortages and already not treating patients on time.' The NHS also publishes statistics on the time taken for trusts to see the final tenth of patients on their waiting lists. This data shows Norfolk and Norwich Hospitals NHS FT and University Hospitals Birmingham NHS FT were the worst trusts, taking a year and four months to get to this group. They were followed by Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS FT, with nine in ten patients waiting up to 65 weeks, and Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS FT, which had 64-week waits. Morgan Vine, the head of policy and influencing at charity Independent Age, warned the figures revealed the sheer volume of patients in pain and 'deteriorating rapidly' as they wait for care. She said: 'Regular pain is the hidden burden that many older people on a waiting list have to deal with on a daily basis. It seeps into every part of life making it harder to sleep, harder to leave their homes and harder to engage with friends and family. 'Current plans put forward by the government to reduce waiting times are a welcome acknowledgment of the problem, but disappointingly for those still waiting, there is little in the way of support as they try to cope with their daily pain.' Analysis of NHS England performance statistics show just three out of 127 trusts across England are managing to see almost all patients within the deadline of 18 weeks. The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS FT was the best performing trust, seeing 99 per cent of patients within 18 weeks. It was followed by The Christie NHS FT (98.4 per cent) and the Royal Marsden NHS FT (93.4 per cent). These were also the health boards with the shortest average waiting times, with most patients at the Christie seen within 11 weeks followed by the Clatterbridge (14 weeks) and the Royal Marsden (16 weeks). Even though these are major cancer units, the NHS data strictly looks at routine operations and does not include cancer patients who need to be seen quicker. The percentage of patients seen within 18 weeks across England is shown above. It fell dramatically when the pandemic hit in 2020, and is still pointing downwards as hospitals struggle against a backlog of patients NHS data shows more than 16,000 people in England were forced to wait in A&E for more than 12 hours in January the highest figure ever recorded (blue bars). Meanwhile, the proportion of patients seen within the health service's four-hour target remained below 75 per cent for the fourth month in a row (red line) Manifesto target of 50,000 more nurses by 2024 on track, Government says The Government has said it is on track to recruit 50,000 more nurses in the NHS by 2024, though the claim has been called into question by a union. A progress report published on Monday shows that over 27,000 more nurses are already working in the health service compared to September 2019, bringing the total number to 327,907, the Department of Health said. That means it is more than halfway to meeting the Conservative Partys 2019 manifesto promise of 351,000 nurses by March 2024, according to the department. Boris Johnson said: 'Its fantastic to see the progress we have made towards our manifesto commitment of delivering 50,000 more nurses by 2024. There are now over 27,000 more nurses providing exceptional care and treatment for patients across the country every day. 'Nurses are the absolute backbone of our NHS, without whom we would have been lost throughout the pandemic and who will be vital in helping the NHS tackle the Covid backlogs'. The Prime Minister added that the Government will 'continue to do everything we can to recruit and retain even more nurses and to support our NHS'. The Government set out its strategy for adding more nurses in the progress report, which involves hiring more nurses domestically as well as internationally and retaining existing workers. International recruitment is expected to add around 51,000 to 57,000 nurses over the next two years. Advertisement Tracey Loftis, the head of policy and public affairs at charity Versus Arthritis, said people were being left in 'agony and distress' and had their lives 'on hold' due to treatment delays. 'Hip and knee replacements are some of the most effective treatments on offer to improve someones quality of life and mobility,' she said. 'We have an operation that works brilliantly and yet people with arthritis face the uncertainty of long waits to access them.' Chief analyst at health charity The King's Fund, Siva Anandaciva, said the national list was made of 'many people anxiously waiting for care in pain and discomfort' and 'in some cases' at risk of their health deteriorating quickly. Previous research from the charity found people in deprived areas were twice as likely to wait over a year for hospital care than those in more affluent areas, on average. She said although the reasons for this were not known, it could be linked to poor health in the local population, Covid and staff shortages. She added: 'We are still waiting for a national strategy to tackle the chronic staff shortages that have hamstrung services for many years.' NHS trusts with the longest waiting times blamed the pandemic for the delays, and said their staff had worked 'tirelessly' and gone 'above and beyond' to help patients. Many said they were now investing in expansion of hospital units to help them get through the growing backlog of patients. Gavin MacDonald, a boss at Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust which had the third worst waiting times, said: 'To enable us to continue essential clinical services whilst caring for increased numbers of patients with Covid, it has sometimes been necessary to postpone some non-urgent appointments and admissions. 'We are increasing the number of outpatient appointments, including virtual consultations, diagnostic procedures and operations we perform, significantly increasing the numbers of patients we are now seeing.' Matthew Hopkins, the chief executive of Worcestershire Acute Hospitals which had the fifth worst waiting times said staff were working 'tirelessly' to see patients needing urgent care. He added: 'We are ahead of plan for the second half of 2021/22 in terms of increasing diagnostic capacity at the Alexandra and Kidderminster Hospitals, as well as the number of operations taking place at our Alexandra hospital site, to further increase our capacity.' A spokesperson for Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust the tenth worst, said: 'Our staff have gone above and beyond over the last two years to care for those most in need and we are hugely grateful to every single one of them for their extraordinary efforts and achievements. 'We recognise the pandemic has impacted the amount of planned care we have been able to provide and we are working hard to maintain the plans we have put in place to reduce these waiting lists to provide the best possible care for our communities.' University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust did not respond to a request for comment. Advertisement The world has watched in horror as Russian troops move across Ukraine, bombarding its cities, displacing millions of its people and leaving devastation and a humanitarian catastrophe in their wake. Many Americans are desperate to do something to help. One simple idea is to book an AirBnB. You don't need to go to the war-torn country, but the cash will go direct to the landlords. Airbnb has waived the guest and host fees on bookings. We are so humbled by the inspiring generosity of our community during this time of crisis,' the company said in a statement. One word of caution though: The idea could be open to abuse by Russian scammers who might post fake listing to cash in on noble intentions so users are cautioned to check reviews before trying to help. As Ukraine announced that it has reached a tentative agreement with Russia to secure safe corridors for civilians to be evacuated and aid supplies delivered, DailyMail.com highlights some of the organizations with a presence on the ground and through which you can send aid to those who need it most. One psychologist named Oksana in SOS Children's Village works with families who have chosen to remain in Brovary, Kyiv region, as well as remotely with foster families who relocated to western Ukraine Speaking from Brovary Oksana said, 'At the moment, I am in a basement. Missiles are flying over us. I am here with my children the little one is four years old, and the older son is twelve' How even AirBnB can help. Make a booking in Ukraine and the money goes directly to the people wh need the help SOS Children's Villages Psychologist in Ukraine tells of hiding out in a basement with children as missiles fly overhead Oksana is a psychologist in SOS Children's Village working with families who have chosen to remain in Brovary, Kyiv region, as well as remotely with foster families who relocated to Truskavets, western Ukraine. Speaking from Brovary she said, 'At the moment, I am in a basement. Missiles are flying over us. I am here with my children the little one is four years old, and the older son is 12. 'All [foster] parents said the children started to eat lots of sweets. Everybody noted that. Then some children started wetting the bed, having anxiety, vomiting. The children started to have different bodily reactions. In a heartbreaking example she said, 'One boy, according to his foster mother, without anybody telling him to do so, got dressed and was simply standing dressed in boots, waiting to run somewhere.' Oksana said, 'You don't have to be a specialist to look into the eyes of children and adults and understand how they feel.' According to Oksana, 'I had talks with the children, did breathing exercises, used various games and exercises and then we moved to tackle the feeling of fear. 'I didn't lead them into the emotion but arranged it like a game asking them to describe what they felt before, during and after they got scared - so that each child could speak. She said, 'At first, they were a little bit closed but then they opened up and each of them started to talk about their fears - how they experienced and were worried about the explosions, how scared they were to lose each other or their foster parents, that they could be physically harmed and disabled if they happened to be trapped in the ruins. 'There were lots of fears The children talked and talked and talked.' Advertisement This group has been in Ukraine since 2003 and was engaged in assisting post-war recovery from the 2014 conflict when the current war erupted. SOS Children's Villages supports the foster care system in regions where no state program exists as well as providing support for families and children struggling with poverty or illness and the fighting is making an already fragile situation worse. Speaking Thursday, Serhii Lukashov, the National Director of SOS Children's Villages in Ukraine told DailyMail.com, 'We are left without a future.' In a video message shared with DailyMail.com he explained that their psychologists are trying to teach children basic survival under the guise of play in lessons conducted 'between air raids.' Staff in Ukraine told of a worsening situation in the Luhansk region where many are based. Sievierodontesk and Popsana are continually shelled and Starobilsk is occupied. Shops are nearly empty, ATMs out of cash and card payments no longer accepted. Director of Communications and Brand, Catherine Weston, told DailyMail.com, 'The situation is changing hour by hour, but we have people on the ground and in neighboring countries, including Russia, and are liaising with all to get the best outcome for children and families.' A total of 103 people from SOS Children's Villages have been evacuated to Poland a figure representing foster parents, children and care assistants. In addition, 23 children and 5 caretakers from a children's home in Kyiv are being accommodated in the SOS Children's Village in Siedice. Revealing the dire situation Weston said that what is most needed right now is funds and awareness. She said, 'Stay informed, get the word out. Everyone is in shock and sharing information as well as donating is vital.' World Vision The international organization is on the ground in Romania, supporting thousands of predominantly women and children who have fled across the border. More than a million Ukrainians are now believed to have fled the conflict and World Vision aims to get essential aid to the approximately 67,000 who have made the journey across to Romania as well as providing psychological and educational support to children and families. Children like Tasia, 4, and her brother Tihon, 6 - featured on World Vision's site - whose father brought them to the border then returned to Ukraine to fight. The organization is working to find accommodation and basic services and looking to partner with organizations in Moldova and Ukraine, where more than 7.5million children's lives have been put in grave danger, not only from the war, but from the heightened risk of violence, exploitation and abuse that it brings in its wake. Global Empowerment Mission GEM is a Miami based organization that has established a Ukraine Crisis Plan and a base in Medyka, Poland where refugees can be welcomed and helped to relocate. The organization's BStrong fund is primarily aimed at buying flight and train tickets so that people fleeing Ukraine can reach a country where they have family or friends who can take them in. According to the organization's people on the ground all hotels are full, so helping people travel on is the best solution in the face of a growing crisis. To date GEM has sent 100,000 hygiene kits, $550,000 in medical supplies, $10,000,000 in essential supplies and 100,000lbs of Goya Food to Poland. It has also sent $250,000 worth of supplies to Moldova and is actively helping 10,000 families relocate. Last week mother-of-one Christina shared her story on the group's Facebook site telling how her husband was unable to cross the border into Poland with her and their daughter. He had to return to fight under emergency laws that make it illegal for men aged 18 - 65 to leave the country. This week Christina shared an update and the news that she had managed to unite with family in Spain thanks to GEM's BStrong fund's assistance. DailyMail.com has highlighted some of the organizations with a presence on the ground in Ukraine and through which you can send aid to those who need it most Speaking Thursday, Serhii Lukashov, the National Director of SOS Children's Villages in Ukraine told DailyMail.com, 'We are left without a future.' Children are seen hiding in a basement as missiles fly overhead Razom This organization, staffed entirely by volunteers and based in New York, grew out of the response of the Ukrainian American diaspora to the Russian invasion of their country in 2014. Then, it established the Emergency Response Fund and procured medical and tactical supplies for the eastern front. When reports came that Russia had begun amassing troops on Ukraine's borders the group began actively promoting the fund once more on social media. Since fundraising efforts began on February 18, they have received more than $768,000 via social media. The funds will take as long as four weeks to transfer to their accounts, so the group has opened the option of people donating directly to their PayPal and bank accounts. They have now raised over $1.05million through these efforts and have published a list of the lifesaving supplies they have already purchased. They will deliver these to where they are most needed with the help of 20 partner organizations. As of today, they are using a 'green corridor' between Poland and Ukraine to reach two warehouses where supplies can be stored and distributed further. The non-profit's name is the Ukrainian word for 'together' and its goal is to foster democracy and greater freedoms within the country. Sunflower of Peace This Boston based non-profit was founded in 2015 and its current stated mission is to raise $5million to provide medical and humanitarian aid to Ukraine. Images from the group's Facebook page show the latest shipment, including diapers, sterile gloves, burn-bandages, medical backpacks, medicine and medical instruments, being sent out from Boston, Wednesday. The first shipment of vital supplies left the US on February 25. Donations are encouraged via the group's social media or people can order items from their Amazon list of medical supplies which will be shipped to Newton, Massachusetts and are delivered to Ukraine weekly. Project HOPE Speaking to DailyMail.com Project HOPE Vice President and Chief Development and Communications Officer Cinari Baldi explained how vital it is that they assess and respond to the needs of both the Ukrainians who have fled the country and those who remain displaced within it. She said, 'We have four teams on the ground; a small team in Ukraine and teams in Poland, Moldova and Romania. Initially the teams in neighboring countries were seeing people passing checkpoints and going to family or friends or even hotels. 'But now they're starting to see more unaccompanied children and women with multiple children and you're looking at more people in Ukraine who do not have access to shelter in host countries, certainly not medical care as well as a lack of food and water.' Through fundraising and partnering with WHO, World Food Program and government ministries in host countries Project HOPE is trying to address those needs. Baldi explained, 'The sourcing of supplies is central right now, everything from blankets to hygiene kits and insulin. Six percent of Ukraine's population is diabetic and insulin requires a cold chain system so those are the sort of key things we're trying to move on.' Founded in 1958 Project HOPE is a global organization working in 25 countries. Last week they issued a statement condemning the Russian action for putting civilian lives at risk and forcing hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians to flee their homes. The organization stated that it stands by the people of Ukraine and committed to providing medical supplies, health screening and care for refugee outflows. Baldi urged people to donate but cautioned them to research charities carefully before parting with any funds. She added, 'I am consistently telling people to do research and make sure any charity claiming to be involved is responding. There is so much misinformation out there it is vital to ensure you are getting your news from trusted sources. Being informed is also key.' SOS Children's Villages supports the foster care system in regions where no state program exists as well as providing support for families and children struggling with poverty or illness and the fighting is making an already fragile situation worse Rescuers and locals search through rubble of residential buildings destroyed by Russian shelling in the village of Markhalivka, to the south west of capital city Kyiv International Rescue Committee The IRC is on the ground in Poland preparing to support displaced Ukrainian families. The organization has been providing emergency relief across the world and closer to home for 90 years. Its stated aim is to provide efficient and effective relief to help those affected by disaster regain control of their lives and futures. It has done this in more than 40 countries worldwide as well as in 20 US Cities. Donors can make a one-off donation or sign up to a monthly plan. $36 per month helps get key information to refugees, $60 can provide an emergency kit for one family, $108 provides 8 families with temporary shelter, $190 provides medical care for 10 children, while $500 is enough to equip one mobile clinic. Amnesty International The renowned human rights organization is working to protect internally displaced populations and refugees, monitor and investigate human rights violations and defend individuals whom they identify as 'likely to be targeted' such as human rights defenders, journalists and members of the LGBTI communities. It has set up a crisis campaign and is calling for donations to help facilitate this vital work. Doctors Without Borders/ Medecins Sans Frontiers (MSF) MSF emergency teams have already arrived at the Polish-Ukraine border where they are trying to get essential staff and supplies into Ukraine while setting up emergency response activities on both sides of the border. Teams are also carrying out assessments along Ukraine's border with Russia and Belarus. The organization has donated basic items to create a reception shelter in Poland where many refugees arrive exhausted, dehydrated and suffering from hypothermia. In the Ukrainian city of Mariupol, which has suffered near constant bombardment in recent days, MSF teams have distributed medical kits to treat war-wounded people and have provided a telemedicine training for trauma care for 30 surgeons from eastern Ukraine. They are appealing for funds to assist in these efforts as well as with teams in Poland, Hungary, Romania, Moldova and Slovakia. People take cover from shelling in the city of Bucha, west of Kyiv, during a Russian assault to try to capture it GlobalGiving This organization has been responding to disasters and providing emergency relief since 2004. In that time, it has facilitated more than $100million in disaster donations worldwide. Their Ukraine Disaster Relief Fund has been set up with the intention of focusing on the most vulnerable including children. The fund has raised over $4million of their total target goal of $7million with close to 32,000 donations. Donations will be used to provide shelter, food and clean water for refugees, health and psychosocial support, access to education and economic assistance. The charity's aim is to make it 'easy, quick and safe to support people on the ground who understand needs in their communities better than anyone else.' CARE According to Deepmala Mahla, Care's VP of Humanitarian Affairs, 'We cannot underestimate the human suffering of this renewed conflict in the Ukraine.' With that in mind CARE has partnered with People in Need. It aims to raise $20million to reach 4million people with emergency aid in the form of water, food, hygiene kits and cash assistance as what the charity describes as a 'humanitarian catastrophe' unfolds in the region. Advisors suggest promotion of nationwide DNA database to end child trafficking By Cao Siqi and Fan Wei (Global Times) 08:50, March 07, 2022 In the wake of the tragic trafficking of a woman in Jiangsu Province, human trafficking - especially that of women and children - has became one of the most glaring domestic issues discussed during the ongoing two sessions, with several deputies and advisors calling for the establishment of a nationwide DNA database to resolve the thorny problem. Liu Jiacheng, a renowned TV drama director in China who is a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), submitted a proposal suggesting the establishment of a nationwide DNA database for kindergartens and primary schools as soon as possible. In recent years, many scholars have paid attention to the full use of DNA technology and the establishment of a DNA database in fighting against child abduction. Places such as Southwest China's Chongqing and East China's Jiangxi Province have already explored the method in previous years, playing a significant role in the country's anti-abduction efforts. "However, the move should be introduced to the whole country. As children are usually sold to other provinces and regions after being abducted, local police could not access the DNA information registered in their hometowns, which makes it difficult for police to quickly search for the location of the children," Liu told the Global Times on Sunday. The political advisor suggests the establishment of a nationwide database which requires students in kindergartens and primary schools to register their DNA data when they are enrolled. The DNA archives will be submitted to the public security department for collective storage into the database. Children who do not have DNA files will not be admitted to schools. When students transfer to another school, they also need to submit their DNA files, the advisor said. "If some parents reject uploading their children's information, they would be a key target for police to find out whether the children are abducted," Liu said, noting that the database will also make criminals back away from difficulties and play a strong role in preventing abduction. Liu stressed that the DNA database could only be used for searching for abducted children. "Any leakage or abuse of the data should be harshly punished for infringing on personal privacy," he noted. "Parents will finally understand if the nationwide database is established, it will be a huge assurance for them to feel free from worry and pain. For those families who are willing to register DNA data but cannot afford the fees, the local government could offer proper subsidies," Liu said. Gao Yanming, chairman of Hebei Ocean Shipping Company who is also a member of CPPCC National Committee, suggests adding the DNA information of infants and mothers in medical birth certificates and gradually establishing a DNA database for the whole population. The database could help police find a lost child quickly and put an end to the child-trafficking problem, Gao said. CPPCC National Committee member Liu Hongyu, a Beijing-based lawyer, suggests a compulsory DNA testing for household registration, or hukou. According to Liu, under normal circumstances, families of missing women or children would provide their DNA to the police as soon as possible, and further DNA matching would only be possible if there were relevant clues. "We are faced with the problem of finding clues. Therefore, if we can make DNA testing compulsory for household registration, the buyers would be afraid of getting a hukou. In this way, we could eradicate the human-trafficking problem." China's Ministry of Public Security launched a special campaignfrom March 1 to December 31 to crack down on the trafficking of women and children. A teleconference was held by the public security organs across the country on Wednesday for the deployment of the special actions throughout the year. The ministry vowed to set up a sound reporting mechanism and mobilize the masses to expose clues related to abductions. For suspected abductees and those seeking their relatives, DNA and other information should be collected as soon as possible to strengthen information analysis and provide strong support for special operations, the ministry said. Early in 2009, the ministry established the DNA database to fight child trafficking and launched the online platform Tuanyuan (meaning reunion in Chinese) in May 2016. Over the past five years, the platform has helped find more than 4,700 missing children, according to a report from the Xinhua News Agency in June 2021. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) United States Vice President Kamala Harris marked the "Bloody Sunday" anniversary by visiting Selma, Alabama, on Sunday and advocating for voting rights legislation before walking across Edmund Pettus Bridge. Harris commemorated the defining moment of the fight for equal voting rights amid congressional efforts to restore the landmark 1965 Votings Rights Act faltering. The vice president linked arms with rank-and-file activists from the civil rights movement and led thousands across the bridge. Bloody Sunday Anniversary The bridge was where, on Mar. 7, 1965, white state troopers attacked Black voting rights marchers who tried to cross. Photographs of the incident were captured and shocked the nation, helping galvanize support for the passage of the Voting Rights Act. Before crossing the bridge, which was originally named for a Confederate general, Harris claimed that the site was a hallowed ground where people fought for the "most fundamental right of America citizenship: the right to vote." "Today, we stand on this bridge at a different time. 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," Harris said, as per KSL. Harris, the country's first female vice president and first African American and Indian American in the position, talked about marchers whose "peaceful protest" was responded to with crushing violence. She noted that the victims of the 1965 incident were kneeling when state troopers charged at them. Read Also: Trump Jokes About Using Jets With Chinese Flags To Bomb Russia Amid War With Ukraine At the time, police officers beat and used tear gas on the marchers, causing some to suffer fractured skulls, including young activist John Lewis, considered a lion of the civil rights movement. He went on to a long and celebrated career as a Georgia congressman. According to the Associated Press, United States President Joe Biden on Sunday renewed his call for the passage of voting legislation, arguing that the groundbreaking Voting Rights Act of 1965 has been "weakened" by insidious court decisions. Voting Rights Legislation Both Biden and Harris have worked extensively to have the executive branch's support in their shared efforts. The vice president also criticized Republican lawmakers for voting against the passage of the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Freedom to Vote Act. After Senate Democrats failed to change filibuster rules to skirt around GOP opposition to advancing voting rights legislation earlier this year, Harris was an advocate for filibuster reform. The vice president urged those who attended the anniversary event at the foot of the Edmund Pettus Bridge to "continue to push the Senate to not allow an arcane to deny us the sacred right" to vote. There were roughly 600 people in 1965 who marched from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama while demanding an end to discrimination in voter registration. Harris met with civil rights leaders during her trip and she was joined by Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Marcia Fudge, Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan, and Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs Donald Remy, CNN reported. Related Article: Andrew Cuomo Claims DAs Targeted Him To Get His Job, Ex-NY Governor Hints at Political Comeback @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Flood victims are furious after Aussie troops stopped by the side of the road to take promotional photos instead of contributing properly to clean up efforts. The northern NSW town of Lismore was in tatters after floods caused by two weeks of heavy rain ripped through the region, destroying more than 2000 homes and leaving four people dead. Newly-homeless locals took to social media last week to slam federal and state governments, claiming they were abandoned in their darkest hour - forced to flee their homes amid rising flood waters and fend for themselves. On Friday, one local wrote an Instagram story pleading for help on behalf of everyone in the Northern Rivers region: 'There's no police here, no help, it's just volunteers ... we need the army, we need police and we need services.' Later that day, Prime Minister Scott Morrison sent about 280 soldiers from the Australian Defence Force to the region to help the community clear debris. But when they finally arrived, residents were shocked and angry to see them setting up lights and cameras in the mud alongside the remnants of their family homes - rather than spending all their time helping to clear the damage. Soldiers in Lismore clear flood debris while being filmed by colleagues. Lismore locals claim the military used the tragedy as a photo opportunity The massive clean-up effort could be further delayed forecasts predict heavy rain for the NSW region. Pictured: Flood damage on the streets of Lismore In one video shared on Twitter, up to 10 army personnel could be seen clearing a trailer from the front yard of a flood-impacted home - as their colleagues used professional cameras to capture the moment. 'The army's finally turned up in northern NSW but they're filming themselves emptying an already packed trailer of rubbish while thousands need help, food and medicine,' the caption read. 'Photo ops, all the way down, under Morrison's watch.' Footage shared on Instagram showed troops setting up studio-style lights and camera gear by the side of a road in the town centre. The woman filming the scene stood was standing just metres away, amid emergency stalls and shelters to feed and house locals who lost all their belongings. 'Why don't you point the camera this way, boys?' she quietly suggested. The same video was shared by another user with the caption: 'This is infuriating.' Daily Mail Australia has contacted the Australian Defence Force for comment. One Lismore local filmed ADF soldiers setting up lights to take photos, just metres from emergency and rescue tents One person filmed the military's photo opportunity and captioned the video: 'The army is here' (pictured) On Monday - three days after ADF soldiers were deployed - one local was handing food out to destitute community members, and said people kept asking what government organisation they were from. 'We are no one,' they wrote in an Instagram story. 'Everyone running this show is a no one. We aren't the government, we aren't the police, we aren't authorities. We are just the people. 'No one - not a single person is in charge here. We as a community have been left on our own, all running blind with big hearts doing our best to push through this muddy water together.' Despite complaints that there were not enough defence personnel, Mr Morrison said several thousand were on standby to assist the recovery effort. 'There are 2000 who are available to be deployed, and those ADF are continuing to roll in where they've been tasked,' Mr Morrison said. 'There are difficulties getting into a lot of these places currently ... that's why they're using the helicopters and other supports.' Prime Minister Scott Morrison deployed army personnel to the flood-affected regions of northern NSW, but locals say they used it as a photo opportunity The floods have devastated Lismore and surrounding areas. Pictured: Houses inundated by floodwater on Monday Pictured: A man uses a kayak to deliver supplies to a flood-affected property on Monday, March 7 Another storm rolled into northern NSW on Sunday evening, tearing up roofing and snapping trees. On Monday morning, just hours later, NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet apologised for taking so long to send help to the devastated towns. '(We're) very sorry, but we're doing everything that we can,' he told 9 News. 'We're getting supplies in, we're getting food in some of those areas will look back at this and say it could have been done better but we are where we are right now and we're doing absolutely everything we can. He acknowledged the 'anger and frustration', but claimed the bad weather paused rescue missions. 'Earlier on in the week, well, last week, we had issues getting aircraft into the sky, just because of the dangerous conditions that were there. 'There are logistical difficulties with all of this but it is all hands on deck to get the clean-up done, to get supplies in and that's happening right now.' NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet apologised to locals in northern NSW for the delay sending help One person said on Instagram that the communities have been left to fend for themselves (pictured) Homeowners were left to assess the damage of their Lismore properties following record-breaking floods last week The Northern Rivers region - including flood-stricken Lismore - is forecast to see heavy to intense rainfall and possibly damaging winds and hail over the next few days, with a further 25mm of rain predicted for Monday. NSW SES deputy commissioner Daniel Austin said the situation could worsen as some levees are about to reach breaking point. 'We are watching, I guess with some kind of bated breath, of what this next east coast low brings an exactly where that forms off the coast,' he said. 'The catchments are reacting and I would expect throughout today that you will see another batch of warnings and evacuation orders potentially for a number of catchments.' There is a risk of flash flooding at Lismore, Grafton, Coffs Harbour, Armidale, Tenterfield and Dorrigo in northern NSW, along with severe thunderstorm warnings for those areas, along with Glen Innes, Guyra, and Emmaville. Lismore residents underwent an emergency evacuation last Monday following the collapse of the town's levee The military has been called in to assist with Lismore's flood clean-up effort and were seen clearing debris on Friday Further south, the Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley had torrential downpours overnight. The Bureau of Meteorology said heavy rainfall and thunderstorms had the potential to cause rivers to rise again in areas already hit by flooding. 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.' Advertisement Vice President Kamala Harris marched in Selma on Sunday to commemorate 'Bloody Sunday,' a defining moment in the fight for equal voting rights, 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 in Alabama where, on March 7, 1965, white state troopers attacked black voting rights marchers attempting to cross. The original demonstrators, about 600 of them, were headed to the state capital of Montgomery some 54 miles away when they were attacked by 150 state troopers, deputies and possemen, according to the National Archives. The images of violence at the Edmund Pettus Bridge - named for a Confederate general - shocked the nation and helped galvanize support for passage of the Voting Rights Act. The nation's first female vice president - as well as the first African American and Indian American in the role - spoke of the 1965 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.' Harris called the site hallowed ground where people fought for the 'most fundamental right of America 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.' Vice President Kamala Harris, the first black vice president, marched Sunday on the Edmund Pettus Bridge, where peaceful voting rights protesters were attacked by state troopers and other authorities in 1965 The vice president led thousands of marchers across the bridge on Sunday Harris spoke in Selma, Alabama, to commemorate the 57th anniversary of Bloody Sunday on March 6 People watched as Harris kicked off her speech with brief comments on the situation on Ukraine Harris was joined by the family of late Congressman John Lewis, a leader in the march whose skull was fractured by the violence In 2013, the Supreme Court gutted a portion of the Civil Rights Law that required states with a history of discrimination in voting to get approval from the Department of Justice before changing their voting laws. Last year, the Supreme Court dealt an even bigger blow to the Voting Rights Act, upholding two Arizona restrictions: one that banned the collection of absentee ballots by anyone other than a relative or caregiver and another one that threw out any ballots cast in the wrong precinct, according to NPR. 'On this bridge. On that day. Those brave marchers continued to push forward to secure the freedom to vote. And they were pushed back,' Harris said Sunday. 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 have a long and celebrated career as a Georgia congressman. Lewis was one of 58 people treated for injuries at the local hospital, according to the National Archives. Harris was joined Sunday by Lewis' family and the family of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Harris tied the anniversary of 'Bloody Sunday' to current Democratic efforts to pass voting rights laws. Above, demonstrators in Selma on Sunday 'Today, we stand on this bridge at a different time,' Harris said. 'We again, however, find ourselves caught in between. Between injustice and justice. Between disappointment and determination' Under a blazing blue sky, Harris linked arms with rank-and-file activists from the civil rights movement Harris spoke in front of the Edmund Pettus Bridge. Edmund Pettus served as a senior officer in the Confederate States Army during the Civil War A large crowd gathered to march with Harris on Sunday. Some held signs reading, 'Stand against voter suppression' and wore shirts from the civil rights organization NAACP A persons waits to hear Harris speak on Sunday, the 57th anniversary of 'Bloody Sunday' 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. Democrats have been unsuccessfully trying to update the landmark 1965 Voting Rights Act and pass additional measures to make it more convenient for people to vote. Above, Harris on Above, Alabama state troopers attack voting rights demonstrators in Selma on March 7, 1965. Despite being known worldwide as a beacon of voting rights, the city and surrounding Dallas County had one of the worst voter turnouts in Alabama for the 2020 presidential election, and some are trying to increase voter participation Above, Selma Public Safety Director Wilson Baker warns of the dangers of night demonstrations on February 23, before Bloody Sunday. John Lewis is second from the right State troopers watch as marchers cross the bridge on March 9, two days after Bloody Sunday On March 25, 1965, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his wife, Coretta Scott King, lead off the final lap to the state capitol at Montgomery on the third of the Selma to Montgomery marches 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. 'That's 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 wouldn't 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 wouldn't be able to pass the test,' Shannon recalled. Then-President Lyndon B. Johnson addressed a televised joint session of Congress on March 15, eight days after Bloody Sunday. He called for lawmakers to pass voting rights legislation. 'What happened in Selma is part of a far larger movement which reaches into every section and state of America,' President Johnson said. President Lyndon B. Johnson addressed a televised joint session of Congress on March 15, eight days after Bloody Sunday. He called for lawmakers to pass voting rights legislation On June 2021, the US Supreme Court voted 6-3 along ideological lines to severely weaken the 1965 voting rights law, upholding two voting restrictions in Arizona 'It is the effort of American Negroes to secure for themselves the full blessings of American life. Their cause must be our cause too. Because it's not just Negroes, but really it's all of us, who must overcome the crippling legacy of bigotry and injustice. And we shall overcome.' Senators from both parties introduced the Voting Rights Act on March 17. President Johnson signed it into law on August 6. In 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court gutted a portion of the 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. In July 2021, Supreme Court Justices voted along ideological lines, 6-3, to significantly weaken much of what was left of the law. 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. Two Australians are in the intensive care unit battling Japanese encephalitis (JEV)- a disease being spread from pigs to humans by the bites of infected mosquitoes. Australia's latest ICU case of encephalitis comes from the New South Wales/Victoria border region which has been on high alert following perfect mosquito breeding conditions caused by torrential rain and flooding. The second case is a Queensland woman in her 60s who is on life support after contracting the disease while on a campervan trip. The disease is typically only found in far north Queensland but an unusual surge of cases at 42 piggeries across NSW, SA, Victoria and southern Queensland led to a national health emergency being declared last week. Authorities say the wave of cases has been sparked by mosquitoes biting infected infected pigs, then passing it on to humans. The virus cannot be spread from human-to-human or by eating pig products. Two Australians are in ICU fighting Japanese encephalitis, a disease spread from pigs to humans by infected mosquitoes Health authorities fear cases of encephalitis, which is spread through mosquito bite, will increase as flooding along Australia's east coast creates perfect mosquito breeding conditions SYMPTOMS OF JAPANESE ENCEPHALITIS Most people affected by the virus will show mild or no symptoms, but around one per cent will develop encephalitis - swelling of the brain - leading to brain damage or death in one in three severe symptomatic cases. Other symptoms include sudden vomiting, fever, chills, neck stiffness, sensitivity to light and severe headache, and can see victims slipping into a coma. Children under five and the elderly are at risk of more severe symptoms. Advertisement 'JEV is a mosquito-borne viral disease that mostly occurs in pigs and horses, but can cause disease in people and rarely other animals,' a Federal government health alert said. 'Pigs are the focus from a human health perspective as they can infect mosquitoes that can then infect humans. This is not the case with horses.' Some 16 human encephalitis cases of 'unknown cause' are being investigated in NSW, Victoria and South Australia, the Australian Associated Press reported. There are eight suspected cases in Victoria including two children under ten. Several more residents in NSW are undergoing testing for the virus as health authorities prepare for more cases to pop up in coming weeks. Agriculture Minister David Littleproud told ABC Radio National that climate change could be to blame for the spread of cases. Mr Littleproud said pigs contract the virus from waterbirds, which have began migrating further south as temperatures rise. He added that recent weather conditions from La Nina added to the change in migration pattern. Japanese encephalitis kills about 17,000 people globally each year. Health authorities fear recent flooding in eastern Australia has lead to perfect mosquito breeding conditions and will see virus cases rise. NSW Health Acting Chief Health Officer Dr Marianne Gale warned residents planning on camping and fishing to 'carefully consider their plans'. Encephalitis is typically only found in the regions depicted in red but recent testing at 14 piggeries has detected the virus in southern regions OF Australia 'This is especially important for people planning activities near waterways or where mosquitoes are present, particularly the Murray River and its branches,' she said. 'People should be particularly vigilant given the recent wet weather conditions, which have led to very high mosquito numbers that may increase further in the coming days and weeks.' Mr Littleproud said state governments were working together to fight the virus and have began a vaccine roll out in high risk areas. Most cases of Japanese encephalitis, spread by mosquitoes, suffer no to mild symptoms but one per cent of patients can develop brain swelling - leading to brain damage or death in one in three severe symptomatic cases Health authorities fear recent flooding in eastern Australia has lead to perfect mosquito breeding conditions and will see more mosquitoes spreading the virus He said affected states had offered a reserve of vaccines to people in those areas and had ordered more from Korea. 'We're working quickly to get vaccines out so that people who wish to take a vaccine can,' he said. 'We already had a small quantity of vaccines in Australia and they've been distributed.' Mr Littleproud said while the vaccine is the best defence against the disease, unvaccinated people should make sure 'The best thing you can do to arm yourself - without a vaccine - is to use as much repellent as you possibly can,' he said. A JEV vaccination rollout has begun in high mosquito population areas across Queensland, NSW, Victoria, and South Australia where cases have appeared. A young girl died on her 12th birthday, while still wearing her pink birthday sash and tiara, after she was hit by a stray bullet in a gang related shooting as she and her family returned home from a restaurant, authorities said. Nyzireya Moore was pronounced dead shortly before noon on Friday, the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office and police said. She had been in critical condition at Comer Children's Hospital with severe brain injuries since Tuesday night's shooting in the city's West Englewood neighborhood. Nyzireya was on her way back from a birthday dinner with her family when she was shot. She was in the passenger seat of a family member's car when three men fired on another vehicle and a stray bullet struck her in the back of the head, police said. The Moore's car was not the intended target. Nyzireya's relative heard the gunshots before realizing the girl had been hit in the back of her head. They drove to Holy Cross Hospital, where Nyzireya was eventually transferred to Comer Children's Hospital. She died at the hospital on Friday. No arrests have been made. Nyzireya, pictured, was in the passenger seat of a family member's car when three men fired on another vehicle and a stray bullet struck her in the back of the head Nyzireya Moore, pictured, was pronounced dead shortly before noon on Friday, the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office and police said Police Superintendent David Brown announced a $15,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the shooting, according to CBS Chicago. 'This was heinous, reckless, senseless, and the gangs involved and you know who you are we're coming after you,' Brown said on Wednesday. 'We want to send a strong message to these violent offenders that this wont be tolerated in the city of Chicago, and that there will be a price to pay in the criminal justice system for you.' 'So the full brunt of every resource we have will bear down on the gang responsible for this. Officers will work around the clock. Our detectives will be relentless in solving this crime.' 'It's just a sad day in Chicago, especially when were constantly looking at our children losing their life to this gun violence,' Community activist Andrew Holmes said. Anyone with information is asked to call the anonymous CPD tip line at 833-408-0069 or submit a tip on the CPD website. The shooting come amidst an increase in murders and crime in Chicago, with murders up two percent in the city and overall crime up a whooping 34 percent to date this year. Jonathan Meija, 18, was arrested in Streamwood, Illinois, after confessing to police that he had fatally shot Scott Mattison, 46, following a quarrel on Sunday evening The 46-year-old leaves both of his daughters behind, while friends and family are shocked by the sudden announcement regarding his death. Pictured: Mattison with one of his daughters Nyzireya's shooting death comes just days after an 18-year-old man has been charged for fatally shooting a father-of-two who hit him in the face during a road rage argument. Jonathan Mejia is charged with first-degree murder and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon in the shooting death of 46-year-old Scott Mattison in broad daylight at 5:20 pm on Sunday. A prosecutor told a Cook County courtroom on Wednesday that the quarrel between both men started when Mattison, of Glendale Heights, was trying to back his pickup truck into his driveway. Last year, 797 homicides occurred in Chicago - more than any single year in the last quarter century. A pregnant 20-year-old woman from Nicaragua and her unborn child died after smugglers abandoned them in a tractor trailer in the northern Mexico border state of Coahuila. The National Institute of Migration said 64 migrants, including seven children, were found Saturday inside the overheated freight container. Temperatures inside topped 103 Fahrenheit after it was left stranded on road near Highway 50 in Monclova on Friday. At least 14 migrants were hospitalized after the container was discovered. Most were provided medical attention for severe dehydration. The pregnant mother and her fetus were confirmed dead Sunday at 5:40 a.m. local time, according to the Mexican immigration enforcement agency. Her death was caused by multiple organ dysfunction syndrome. The agency said it will be assuming all costs incurred with repatriating the victim's remains to Nicaragua. A law enforcement agent escorts a migrant adult and child after 65 people were rescued from a locked tractor trailer in Coahuila, Mexico, on Saturday. The truck was reportedly transporting more than 160 people to the the United States when smugglers abandoned it Friday in the Coahuila city of Monclova Mexico's National Institute of Migration said smugglers abandoned the tractor trailer in the Coahuila city of Monclova, about 124 miles from the U.S. border The group was bound for the United States and consisted of 47 people from Nicaragua, seven from Cuba, six from Honduras and three from Guatemala. The National Institute of Migration said it has still yet to confirm the nationality of one other migrant who was rescued. Mexican newspaper La Jornada reported that more than 160 migrants were crammed inside the truck, which was located 124 miles from the border city of Piedras Negras. The truck departed from Villa Hermosa, Tabasco, on Friday and was headed towards Piedras Negras, where the driver was going to attempt to cross into Eagle Pass, Texas. A truck with more than 160 migrants bound for the United States took off from Villa Hermosa, Tabasco, on Friday and was headed towards Piedras Negras, Coahuila, where the driver was going to attempt to cross into Eagle Pass, Texas. For unknown reasons, smugglers abandoned the vehicle in the city of Monclova One of the migrants who was rescued told Mexican newspaper La Jornada that they paid smugglers $3,000 to be illegally crossed into the United States. Above, migrants eating on a National Institute of Migration bus Authorities inspect the freight container, where internal temperatures topped 103 Fahrenheit. At least 14 of the migrants traveling inside required hospitalization, mostly for dehydration Some of the migrants were able to break out of the locked container and sought help from motorists, who contacted authorities. 'They abandoned us,' one of the migrants told La Jornada. 'They charged us $3,000. They abandoned us.' The agency said it 'condemns the fact that "guides" and traffickers profit from and endanger the lives of migrants.' It said it would grant humanitarian visas to the migrants, as is often done in Mexico when migrants are considered victims of a crime. The driver was arrested and turned over to the Coahuila State Office of the Attorney General. Mark McGowan has abandoned plans to wear full PPE including gloves and goggles to a virtual cabinet meeting after he was ruthlessly mocked by a Perth newspaper. The Western Australian premier has travelled to Sydney to give evidence in the Federal Court for an ongoing defamation battle with mining magnate Clive Palmer. Mr McGowan vowed to do hotel quarantine for seven days following his trip east, despite not being required to under his own Covid travel rules. WA Premier Mark McGowan (pictured) has abandoned plans to wear full PPE gear to a virtual cabinet meeting on Friday after he was mocked by a Perth newspaper In anticipation of a national cabinet meeting on Friday, Mr McGowan said he planned to travel to Dumas House wearing the protective clothing after spending time in Sydney this week (pictured, a nurse prepares a rapid antigen test in Perth) In anticipation of a national cabinet meeting on Friday, Mr McGowan said he planned to travel to Dumas House wearing the protective clothing. He had made several attempts to set up a secure link from his hotel room but was unsuccessful, resulting in a bizarre plan involving the use of full PPE gear. The West Australian splashed details of the stunt across its front page under the headline 'Oh, For Mark's Sake'. But after seeing the report on the early version of the front page on Sunday evening, the mortified premier backflipped on his decision. Mr McGowan's office confirmed the premier would instead wear only a mask and join the parliamentary meeting remotely via video link. The WA leader is scheduled to give evidence in the Federal Court starting Monday after defamation action was launched against him by Mr Palmer. The West Australian splashed details of the stunt across its front page under the headline 'Oh, For Mark's Sake' The West Australian reports that after reading their newspaper's front page on Sunday evening, the mollified premier backflipped on his decision to wear the PPE gear NEW RESTRICTIONS IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA From 12.01am on March 3: Home gatherings are limited to 10 people Weddings and funerals in the outdoor area of a private home can have up to 150 people with the 2 sqm rule Masks for children in Years 3 to 6 added Major venues with forward-facing seats such as Optus Stadium capped at 50 per cent All public outdoor events in WA will be capped at 500 people Aged care and disability services will be restricted to two visitors per resident each day Advertisement He was originally due to give evidence between February 26 and 28, but Justice Michael Lee postponed his appearance for a week until WA's border reopened. His lawyers previously requested Mr McGowan give evidence virtually from Perth, but this was denied. The WA border reopened for quarantine-free international and interstate travel for vaccinated visitors on March 3, meaning Mr McGowan is not subject to Covid restrictions when he re-enters his state. However, it is understood the premier will stick to his original plan of self-imposed hotel quarantine for seven days. 'This is outside my control. This was initiated by the court. Thats the courts decision and I dont have any control over that,' Mr McGowan said last week. 'I've decided that I'll still do the quarantine period afterwards even though Im not required to just to remove any argument that somehow this has been manipulated in my favour.' Mr Palmer is suing Mr McGowan claiming public comments, including labelling him the 'enemy of West Australia', made in July 2020 had damaged his reputation. The premier has lodged a counter-claim, accusing the billionaire of defaming him in several interviews. The premier was pictured outside the Federal Court of Australia on Monday and appeared to be in high spirits. Later on, a small group of Sydneysiders congregated outside the court as the state leader gave evidence, seemingly in protest of his notoriously strict Covid mandates. A small group of Sydneysiders congregated outside as the state leader gave evidence, seemingly in protest of his notoriously strict Covid mandates (pictured) One man wore a face mask with the word 'Tyranny' splashed across it while others held Australian flags and 'Freedom' posters (pictured) A man wearing what appears to be a jesters hat is seen addressing the small crowd of protesters who stood outside the Federal Court of Australia on Monday One man wore a face mask with the word 'Tyranny' splashed across it while others held Australian flags and 'Freedom' posters. Lawyers have argued over the meaning implied by each of the statements in question after playing footage from media conferences Mr McGowan held in July and August 2020 and interviews Mr Palmer gave around the same time. Loved ones were reunited for the first time in 697 days last Thursday after the isolated western state finally reopened to international arrivals. Travellers touched down on 22 domestic flights and five international flights, with tens of thousands expected to follow in coming weeks. Mr Palmer (pictured on February 14) is suing Mr McGowan claiming public comments, including labelling him the 'enemy of West Australia', had damaged his reputation The West Australian Premier will travel to Sydney to give evidence in the Federal Court for an ongoing defamation battle with mining magnate Clive Palmer (pictured, law courts in Sydney) Mr McGowan faces growing backlash over strict 'level two' statewide public health restrictions that came into effect last Thursday. Children as young as eight will be required to wear face masks in public, while home gatherings are limited to 10 people under rules expected to remain for a month. New capacity limits have threatened the viability of some larger hospitality venues and events, with the music industry slamming the tough rules. Artists such as Missy Higgins, Birds of Tokyo, Jimmy Barnes and Midnight Oil have expressed doubts they can perform in WA due to capacity limits. On Sunday, WA reported 2,270 new cases and 26 patients in hospital. Residents of an Australian town have been warned not to drink tap water over fears it has been contaminated. Victoria's Department of Health and South Gippsland Water told people in Inverloch, about two hours southeast of Melbourne, to boil water before drinking or only use bottled water. The town's 5,400 locals were given access to two community clean water water filling stations. South Gippsland Water said tap water could be used for showering and bathing but care should be taken not to swallow any. Residents in a Victorian town have been warned not to drink tap water over contamination fears (stock image) 'As a precaution, babies and young children should be sponge-bathed,' South Gippsland Water said. Dishes can be cleaned with tap water as long as they are dried well before using. 'Boil water for food preparation, cleaning fruit and vegetables, making ice and for preparing baby formula. Boil water for brushing teeth,' Victoria Emergency said. The water authority said it was working to fix the issue by flushing and cleaning the town's water supply system, but did not elaborate on the cause. South Gippsland Water has provided community drinking water facilities (pictured) 'If you have digested water, we recommend that you seek the advice of your GP if you develop gastro-like symptoms,' it said. 'Be watchful for symptoms which will typically develop from between one and ten days following ingestion of contaminated water.' On Monday morning, South Gippsland Water said laboratory testing on the weekend found no contamination. Two more days of clean tests are needed, however, so the boil water advisory is in place until at least Wednesday. Former comrades of Ben Roberts-Smith reported allegations of war crimes and bullying, but were initially brushed off, a court has heard. Mr Roberts-Smith is suing The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Canberra Times over reports claiming he committed war crimes and several murders in Afghanistan between 2006 and 2012. The Victoria Cross recipient vehemently denies the allegations, but the publications are relying on truth as a defence. High official not receptive and 'didn't know what to do' with claims against war hero: witness An SAS soldier codenamed Person 18 on Friday told the Federal Court that he and three others had in 2013 reported concerns about Mr Roberts-Smith to a superior. During the meeting, a soldier codenamed Person Four claimed he saw Mr Roberts-Smith kick a detainee over a cliff. The newspapers have alleged the man was then shot dead by another soldier on Mr Roberts-Smith's orders. But Person 18 told the court the then-regimental sergeant major wasn't receptive to the conversation. "His response was, it was out of his hands, it was way above his head, and he honestly didn't know what to do with it," Person 18 said. However, the next year a new regimental sergeant major called the four men back for another meeting, which went for well over an hour as the group covered a list of topics. Witness said he received a threatening letter and told to change his story or else he'd 'go down' At least one of the men spoke about bullying, and Person Four "broke down" as he again recounted the alleged cliff kick. Person 18 also told the court he four years later received a threatening letter in the mail when he again spoke out about alleged war crimes. The letter, received days after he gave evidence to an inquiry probing the allegations, accused him of colluding with other soldiers to tell lies. "It also stated that I had till the end of the month to change my statement, otherwise I'd go down," he said. "(It was) signed off, as a friend of the regiment." Mr Roberts-Smith has denied he wrote the letter, as reported by the newspapers, but the court last month heard from a private investigator - and former friend of the VC recipient - who admitted posting the letters to Person 18 on his behalf. In hours of evidence, which will continue on Monday, Person 18 also told the court he'd heard Mr Roberts-Smith admit he had "blooded a rookie" after a 2009 mission to a Taliban compound, nicknamed Whiskey 108. The phrase references a junior soldier getting their first kill in action. Q&A host Stan Grant has hit back at Ben Fordham's claims he lost control of his show after he kicked out a pro-Russian Melbourne university student from his audience. Fordham had taken issue with the presenter after he booted Sasha Gillies-Lekakis from the ABC studio during a heated Q&A episode on Thursday. Gillies-Lekakis said Russia was under threat from Ukrainian 'Nazis' when Grant told him to leave 20 minutes later because he would not tolerate advocacy of violence. Fordham accused Grant of losing control of the show and questioned if he made the call because he was pressured by producers while presenting on 2GB on Friday. Grant clarified he did not need producers to make big decisions for him as he returned fire to the criticism three days later on Monday. 'What am I 12?' he told The Australian's Media Diary. 'I put my journalistic career up against his (Fordham's) any day. Q&A host Stan Grant has hit back at Ben Fordham's claims he lost control of his show after he kicked out a pro-Russian Melbourne university student from the audience Fordham had taken issue with the presenter after he booted Sasha Gillie-Lekakis from the ABC studio during an episode on Thursday 'Whenever I've met Ben Fordham, he's always been polite and friendly. I don't know whether to take that at face value, but it's disappointing.' Grant defended his decision to kick the university student out of the studio and said it was the right call considering the current Russian invasion in the Ukraine. 'It troubled me that someone in an ABC studio was saying that they supported an illegal invasion where people were dying,' he said. 'I wanted to have a proper discussion about the points raised, but it troubled me. We all walk out of there safe and sound, but people in Ukraine are not. You've got people dying right now.' It came after Fordham accused Grant of double standards pointing out the program hosted a debate between pro-Palestinian and Israelis about their major conflict. 'Obviously we don't support what Russia is doing, but I don't think that this guy was advocating violence,' Fordham said. 'He's a Russian living in Australia and he's standing up for his own country. This is a show that's all about different views and a robust debate. 'They had a robust debate between supporters of Israel or Palestine, or when discussing climate change or coronavirus.' On the night, Gillies-Lekakis said: 'As someone who comes from the Russian community in Australia, I've been pretty outraged by the narrative created by the media depicting Ukraine as 'the good guy' and Russia as the 'bad guy'.' 'Believe it or not, there are a lot of Russians here and around the world who support what Putin is doing in Ukraine, myself included.' His controversial take on the invasion sparked a fierce debate on the panel and ultimately saw him booted from the show, prompting raucous applause. Grant addressed Gillies-Lekakis later in the show and repeatedly asked him to leave, explaining the advocacy of violence would not be tolerated. Sasha Gillies-Lekakis (pictured) was asked to leave the Q&A studio after he said he supported what Putin was doing in Ukraine and claimed there were other like-minded Australians Fordham also accused Grant of double standards after the program hosted a debate between pro-Palestinian and Israelis about their major conflict 'Something has been bothering me, I have to admit, since we had Sasha's question earlier about Russia, and it's been playing on my mind,' the host said. 'Sasha, people here have been talking about family who are suffering and people who are dying. I understand you wanted to ask your question about - is there some reasoning for this? As audience members took the opportunity to give their two cents, the host then shut down any discussion and pointed his arm towards the door. 'Can I just say - I'm just not comfortable with you being here. Could you please leave? Sasha, I'm sorry. You can ask a question, but we cannot advocate violence. I should have asked you to leave then.' However, not all Aussies agreed with Grant's decision to boot the student from the audience, with dozens taking to social media to debate the contentious moment. However, not all Aussies agreed with Grant's decision to boot the student from the audience, with dozens taking to social media to debate the contentious moment Tasmanian Labor MP Brian Mitchell weighed in on the intense debate on Twitter. 'Get absolutely f*d with this clickbait garbage. Putin invaded a peaceful Democratic neighbour that posed no threat to Russia. His forces have murdered civilians, including children. There are not two sides to this story,' he said. 'Well done Stan. Very proud of what you just did live,' another user agreed. Poll WAS GRANT RIGHT TO THROW PUTIN SUPPORTER OUT? Yes No WAS GRANT RIGHT TO THROW PUTIN SUPPORTER OUT? Yes 1179 votes No 1595 votes Now share your opinion 'What happened to our free speech on the ABC? Cut off his question, didn't answer his question, and kicked him out,' another tweeted. 'I don't agree with his view and agree that his opinion may be compromised on bias information, but the only way people can resolve conflict is with open conversation.' 'Should have let this guy finish his question in full without cutting him off. Thought the idea of a Q&A was to hear different points of view even if you disagree with them,' another said. 'He did ask his question earlier in the show. His answer was truly offensive,' one woman replied. 'He asked his question and then started spewing bulls*** stats/propaganda, it can be cut off when it's no longer a question,' a second agreed. Advertisement Firefighters in the Florida panhandle were battling nearly 150 wildfires on Sunday - with three of them so large they have forced hundreds of residents from their homes, including those at a nursing home in Panama City. Two major fires - the 9,000-acre Bertha Swamp Road fire and the 841-acre Adkins Avenue fire - both broke out on Friday and continued to blaze on Sunday evening. Both fires 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. The fires have been fueled by trees downed by Hurricane Michael four years ago, and the blaze has been assisted by tinder-dry conditions and strong winds. 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. Public transit was being used to move the residents at the Clifford Chester Sims State Veterans' Nursing Home, a 12-bed facility in Panama City. Buses also were on standby in case the 1,300 inmates at the nearby Bay County Jail needed to be evacuated to other facilities. Scroll down for video Florida Fire Service on Sunday pictured the devastation caused by the Bertha Swamp Road fire - one of 150 currently blazing One of almost 150 wildfires raging through the Florida Panhandle is pictured in an image shared by the Bay County Emergency Services on Sunday Sunday's blaze is seen from the sky. The state currently has 12,000 acres blazing - with 150 separate fires in the Panhandle alone Teams of first responders are seen evacuating the Clifford Chester Sims nursing home in Panama City on Sunday Ambulances arrive on Sunday to take the residents of the nursing home away from the fire-threatened facility and to a safe place Those living in and around Springfield, east of Panama City, were told that they had to get out of their homes immediately. Gov. Ron DeSantis called the larger Bertha Swamp Road fire 'a big boy' at a news conference in Panama City on Sunday afternoon. 'It's moving very quickly,' he said. As of Sunday evening, the Bertha Swamp Road fire was 15 percent contained, and Adkins Avenue was 35 percent contained, the Chipola branch of the Florida Forest Service said. Fire apparatus and 17 bulldozers were working on containment lines, and Florida National Guard Chinook helicopters were dropping water from Deer Pointe Lake onto the blazes. 'I've never seen anything like it,' Florida State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis tweeted. DeSantis said that hundreds of thousands of acres of downed trees from the 2018 hurricane, together with low humidity and strong winds, created 'the perfect storm' for hazardous fire conditions in Bay County. The Bertha Swamp Road fire is seen on Sunday. The fire is currently burning approximately 9,000 acres A helicopter pilot on Sunday looks out over the wildfires burning across the Florida Panhandle Firefighters using powerful searchlights can be seen close to the wildfire that continues to rage in Bay County, Florida Florida's Urban Search & Rescue teams are seen standing after another day battling a wildfire raging across the state The sun hangs like a red ball in the sky as smoke billows across the sky on Saturday evening The sky glows orange while a fire burns close to the roadside in Bay County, Florida Smoke can be seen rising from a wildfire in the Florida panhandle Smoke could still be seen billowing into the air on Saturday evening as the sun set across the Florida panhandle Thick smoke could be seen hanging in the air in Bay County, Florida as the sun set on Saturday Firefighters and the Sheriff's Office are still on sight as authorities battle to get the wildfire contained A Forest Fire Service helicopter is seen refueling before heading back into the skies to monitor the situation again A band of smoke can be seen drifting across an otherwise cloudless sky in Florida on Saturday afternoon Bay County Sheriff's Office say that the flames may soon begin to die down as the humidity increases Residents began salvaging what was left of their homes while others still worked to save theirs as the Adkins Fire entered day two on Saturday. The scene behind burned out homes on Whitehead Boulevard was still smoldering on Saturday Laurie Shuman's home on Whitehead Boulevard was destroyed by the Adkins Avenue fire on Friday. The Shuman family had moved into the new home after losing their house to Hurricane Michael Only the shell of homes would be seen having been struck by the wildfire on Saturday Residents began picking up what was left of their homes while others still worked to save theirs Only the burned out shell of homes was left standing in homes on Whitehead Blvd in Panama City, Florida Eli Dunyak, Thor Magnuson, Logan Hernandez and Nash Dunyak work behind homes along Alva Thomas Road cutting back debris and moving it further away from homes. Hernandez lives in one of the homes and had friends show up to help him save his home from the fire 'This is not a surprise,' DeSantis said speaking at a news conference in Panama City on Saturday. 'These fires are something that people have been discussing for several years now.' More than 200 firefighters and emergency workers from across the Florida Panhandle worked overnight on Friday to strengthen containment lines and protect homes. As of Saturday afternoon, the 1,500-acre Adkins Avenue Fire was 30 percent contained, according to the Florida Forest Service. It remained around that on Sunday evening, with a 35 percent containment, fire officials said. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. A wildfire in the Florida Panhandle destroyed two homes and damaged 12 as 600 residents were forced to evacuate The fire began on Friday and spanned more than 1,400 acres before firefighters contained 30 per cent of it on Saturday. Neighbors (left to right) Emily Homeric, Robert O'Connor and Wandi Blanco poured water on hotspots behind the burned homes in Panama City, Florida Emily Hamric pulls water from her neighbors' pool to put out hotspots behind the homes on Whitehead Boulevard after the Adkins Fire tore through the area in Panama City, Florida on Saturday Randall Shuman (pictured) took out boxes of his belonging from his destroyed home in Panama City The Florida Forest Service said there was no timeline for when residents would be allowed to return to their homes Residents used pools from damaged homes in the community to extinguish lingering flames and hotspots Gov. Ron DeSantis said the Bay County has been plagued by wildfire conditions after Hurricane Michael took down hundreds of thousand of trees in 2018. He thanked first responders for their quick action during a news conference on Saturday 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 Florida Panhandle, officials said in a news release. DeSantis praised firefighters for saving scores of homes overnight. 'This is a really significant, fast-moving fire,' DeSantis said. 'It obviously has done some damage, but I thought given where it was, that you would have way more homes that would have been destroyed by now. 'I think it's a testament to what they [first responders] did to protect this community.' Officials with the Florida Forest Service said there was no timeline for when residents would be allowed to return to their homes. This photo provided by Florida Forest Service shows smoke from the wildfire as it receded a bit on Saturday Dry conditions in Florida have created elevated fire dangers, with 143 active wildfires burning across the state The state deployed more than a dozen tractor plow units as well as multiple helicopters, and burn bans were in effect Fire fighters and emergency workers were still working into Saturday afternoon to contain the blaze 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. Across the state of Florida, 12,000 acres are currently ablaze, according to the Florida Forest Service. 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 of shredded and uprooted trees in the Florida Panhandle, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried said at the news conference. '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.' The mummification industry became prevalent in Ancient Egypt based on a new investigation by scholars studying the new evidence. It surprised the researchers how it became a massive operation for everyone involved. Ancient complexes in the Nile kingdom had hidden secrets until now, and how relics left could have been used to make mummies of the dead. Egypt's Hidden Secrets Uncovered This magnificent ancient culture on the fertile crescent was first exposed to the western world by Sir William Matthew Flinders Petrie. His work opened the doors for more western scholarship centered on the ancient Nile Kingdom, according to Express. In the mid-1880s, his work uncovered relics of an enigmatic culture that was lost in the sands of time. Later expeditions with more scientists would discover many things about this early civilization. Since its discovery, tons of excavations, and the activity of grave robbers who looted the tombs of ancient treasures, one assumes that an earth-shattering find cannot be discovered except for a pharaoh. One documentary about the ancient kingdom would speculate that would give new meaning to the embalming of the dead. Death Became an Industry In 2020, a pile of statues and other items from that ancient era hinted at something else, overlooked far too many times. They examined precious treasures that were 2,500 years old; deposited in tombs where the occupant was somewhat different from the usual Egyptian before. One of the items found in one of these tombs was a talisman for the world of the dead when one dies; the object had a gilded face. Ancient Egypt and the mummification industry were not considered until now. Read Also: Xi Jinping: 5 Things To Know About China's President Egyptians believe that keeping such items with the dead would give good luck in the afterlife, especially on the journey ahead. Evidence found by archeologists would indicate the expensive items would show that moneyed Egyptians would pay for more elaborated procedures for themselves, per Suggest Press News. It happened in the later middle period when mummification spawned a massive enterprise. The Living Prepares for Dying No one then would be so casual about their entry into the next life. A basic read for them would be the Book of the Dead on dealing with things related to the afterlife and how to help their dead. The site director Dr. Mohammad Yousef remarked that mummy making process with the tomb preparation is one, and it was also a major business. Many were involved in this ancient industry, from the carpenter, people in the market, statue makers, priests' guards, and the technicians who embalmed the corpses for eternity. When the scientists went deeper into the complex of chambers, they saw piles of coffins strewn everywhere. The location of the mega-tomb where more than a hundred coffins were found all over has the most coffins ever discovered. Egyptologist Katharina Stovesand remarked how many coffins and prepping mummies for burial had many involved, cited Digital Patrox. Now, they identify Saqqara, where the processing of people after they die for the afterlife is the complex's purpose. The Saqqara complex was all about servicing the wealthy Egyptians and earning money from merchants to sell tombs and space to out their dead. The mummification industry in ancient Egypt catered to the needs of those who wanted to have a better afterlife. Related Article: World's First Zoo in Ancient Egypt as Prehistoric Discovery of Animal Cemetery Owned by Pharaohs @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has triggered a mass exodus of civilians scrambling to escape what is the first major armed conflict in Europe since the Second World War. The United Nations reported that more than 1.5 million refugees have crossed from Ukraine into neighbouring countries in just the past eleven days amid bitter urban fighting and Russian bombing campaigns against major cities. But many of the women and children desperately trying to flee the wrath of Russian President Vladimir Putin are now facing another horrific threat. Police and aid workers in Poland have warned that sex traffickers are attempting to snatch up vulnerable girls weary from their perilous journeys away from the frontlines of their war-torn homeland. The criminals are offering unaccompanied women and children promises of safe accommodation and free transport, posing as good Samaritans to lure them away from the safety of official checkpoints. It comes as European Union officials expressed concerns on Saturday that as many as seven million people could cross into neighbouring countries such as Poland, Moldova, Romania, Slovakia and Hungary in the coming months, which campaigners say will create a 'disturbing spike in human trafficking'. The United Nations reported that more than 1.5 million refugees have crossed from Ukraine into neighbouring countries in just the past eleven days amid bitter urban fighting and Russian bombing campaigns against major cities (refugees from Odessa pictured in Athens) Refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine, form a line as they approach the border with Poland in Shehyni, Ukraine, Sunday, March 6, 2022 Police and aid workers in Poland have warned that sex traffickers are attempting to snatch up vulnerable girls weary from their perilous journeys away from the frontlines of their war-torn homeland (Refugees, mostly women with children, rest inside a tent after arriving at the border crossing, in Medyka, Poland on Sunday, March 6, 2022) A refugee woman sits alone by the side of the road approaching the border with Poland in Shehyni, Ukraine, on Sunday March 6. There are reports that unaccompanied women and children are being targeted by sex traffickers as they cross the border from Ukraine into neighbouring countries Poland has become the main destination for Ukrainian refugees looking to escape amid the Russian invasion. As of Saturday, it was clear that over 1 million refugees had fled, but the United Nations today announced that over 1.5 million people are thought to have crossed the border into neighbouring countries The United Nations today declared the mass exodus of more than 1.5 million people from Ukraine as Europe's 'fastest growing refugee crisis since World War II'. Close to one million of these refugees have fled to the north-west and crossed into Poland - but despite the best efforts of police and aid volunteers along the border, unaccompanied women and children are being targeted by sex traffickers eager to profit from the crisis. Tom Bell, a British aid volunteer working at Poland's Medyka border checkpoint just 50 miles from the Ukrainian city of Lviv, told the Telegraph: 'A lot of desperate Ukrainians are getting picked up in a car by someone they've never met and don't know. 'The police have put me and other volunteers here on alert - they want us to check people's IDs to see who they are if they're picking up younger women, and for kids. 'We've been told it's a sex trade thing.' Meanwhile, a 27-year-old Ukrainian woman told MailOnline: 'I heard from a friend who crossed into Poland and told me she went with a guy who said he would take her to Warsaw for free but when they got there he asked for money. 'He got aggressive with her but he didn't get physical just saying he owed her the money and would have to pay her by working for him. 'She started shouting and managed to run away as people were watching. We are spreading the word among people to be careful.' Although there is a consolidated effort by police and humanitarian groups offering shelter and supplies to new arrivals in Poland, the sheer number of people flooding across the border makes it impossible to prevent criminal gangs and individuals from preying on vulnerable refugees. A police source at the Medyka checkpoint told The Telegraph that several people suspected of targeting refugees for trafficking have already been detained by Polish authorities. 'We are concerned about the exploitation of children and women coming over the border,' the source said. 'We know of a few examples of people who have tried it, and some people have been arrested already.' Lauren Agnew, human trafficking policy expert for the charity CARE, told MailOnline: 'The war in Ukraine will create a worsening situation in terms of human trafficking. 'It will have a vulnerable domino effect across Europe and refugees are at an increasingly high risk of exploitation. 'It is certain that as time goes on we will see a spike in numbers caused by refugees being exploited by traffickers and ending up potentially as sex workers, involved in criminal gangs or forced labour and domestic slavery.' 'These gangs prey on the precariousness of refugees and the war is a business opportunity for them to make a profit and get people into Europe and ultimately the UK.' A police source at the Medyka checkpoint told The Telegraph that several people suspected of targeting refugees for trafficking have already been detained by Polish authorities (Ukrainian families are helped by volunteers as they arrive into Poland, at the Medyka border crossing, March 6) The number of people fleeing Russia's invasion of Ukraine has topped 1.5 million, making it Europe's 'fastest growing refugee crisis' since World War II, the United Nations said on March 6, 2022 A refugee woman sits by the side of the road approaching the border with Poland in Shehyni, Ukraine, Sunday, March 6, 2022 Ms Agnew explained how one method for gangs to exploit women was to offer them 'free transport' to other locations only for them to later order them to hand over money to pay for the trip which they don't have, forcing them into debt and leaving them in their hands. She added: 'Human traffickers will be waiting in the wings to exploit the situation in Poland, and elsewhere in countries neighbouring Ukraine. 'We have seen that the majority of people coming over are women and children, men are restricted from leaving the country, so it means this group is more vulnerable. 'They are desperate and in such a state some are willing to accept the first offer of help they get without perhaps thinking it through.' Rafal Wlodek, an aid worker at a reception centre which has been set up in High School Number One, just over the border in the Polish town of Przemysl, said: 'We have had reports of people picking up refugees and offering to take them elsewhere in Poland but instead they have end up in secluded spots and ordered to pay 1000 Zloty (200) or be dumped. 'There is no doubt that people are taking advantage of the situation so that's why we are compiling a trusted list of people who can transport women and children because we want to avoid the situation of people being trafficked and exploited.' Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians are fleeing the country each day as Russian forces continue brutal bombing campaigns of several major cities (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) 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 A man opens his arms as he stands near a house destroyed in the Russian artillery shelling, in the village of Horenka close to Kyiv, Ukraine, Sunday, March 6, 2022 In light of the crisis, the UK government is set to pump an extra 74 million into Ukraine to support the country's 'indomitable people' through the humanitarian crisis being faced on the ground. The aid, provided through the world bank, could go towards supporting public sector salaries, allowing vital state functions to keep operating, or supporting social safety nets and pensions for the Ukrainian people. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: 'In the time since Russia's illegal and brutal assault, we have seen the world stand up tall in solidarity with the indomitable people of Ukraine. 'UK aid is already reaching those who need it most, delivering essential supplies and medical support. 'While only Putin can fully end the suffering in Ukraine, today's new funding will continue to help those facing the deteriorating humanitarian situation.' A Home Office spokesperson also gave a statement regarding the reports of threats of human trafficking facing Ukrainian refugees. Refugees from Ukraine rest at a temporary shelter in the main train station of Krakow, Poland, March 6, 2022 A Home Office spokesperson said that the government 'is comitted to tackling the heinous crime of human trafficking,' after the UK Government announced a 74 million aid package for Ukraine. It comes as France's Interior Minister accused the UK of 'lacking humanity' and urged Home Secretary Priti Patel to do more to help refugees stuck in Calais after it was revealed 150 Ukrainians were turned away by British officials 'The government is committed to tackling the heinous crime of human trafficking. We will continue to clampdown on those who continue to exploit vulnerable people while providing tailored support for victims to help their recovery,' the spokesperson said. 'We are keeping the situation in Ukraine under review and remain in close contact with the Ukrainian government.' It comes as France's Interior Minister accused the UK of 'lacking humanity' and urged Home Secretary Priti Patel 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.' Shocking footage has emerged of a police officer being beaten and robbed of his pocket radio during a horrific attack by a gang of thugs. Police were called to reports of a disturbance involving a group of men on a street in Bradford, West Yorkshire, when they were suddenly set upon by the mob at around 5.54pm yesterday. Footage shows members of the gang punch one of the officer's in the face and lunge at him as he attempts to defend himself. The officer is pushed onto the grass and tries to retrieve his equipment as the mob circle him menacingly. The ring leader is heard shouting 'little b****' as the officer lies on the ground. A female officer soon comes to her colleague's aid as the mob continue to surround him. Police were called to reports of a disturbance involving a group of men on a street in Bradford, West Yorkshire She tries to hold back one of the gang members and shouts: 'Get off him!' Just moments later, a member of the gang films themselves holding the officer's pocket radio and boasts about 'violating the coppers'. The thug says: 'We violate the coppers. We take their radios. You get me?' West Yorkshire Police said two officers were assaulted during the incident and required treatment in hospital. Four men have been arrested and one has been charged with offences relating to the incident. A West Yorkshire Police spokesperson said: 'Police are aware of a video circulating on social media of an officer being assaulted in Bradford. 'At 5.54pm yesterday, officers were called to St Leonard's Road, Girlington, following a report of a disturbance involving a large group of individuals. 'Whilst in attendance, two officers were assaulted, sustaining injuries that required hospital treatment. 'Emergency assistance was requested and additional units responded. Footage shows members of the gang punch the officer in the face and lunge at him as he attempts to defend himself 'Four men were arrested, and one has now been charged with offences relating to the incident and has been bailed to appear in court later this month. 'Appropriate support has been put in place with regard to the welfare of the officers assaulted, and additional high visibility patrols are in the area to provide reassurance to local residents.' Chief Inspector Bash Anwar, of Bradford District Police, said: 'West Yorkshire Police condemns any violence towards its staff and all such incidents will be investigated thoroughly. 'We will seek to prosecute anyone who displays violence towards an emergency worker as they work to protect the public and keep our communities safe.' A National Police Chiefs' Council Spokesperson said: 'All too often police officers and police staff are subjected to deplorable assaults and threats. 'While the severity of such attacks varies, the impact upon society does not. It is never acceptable to assume that assaults upon officers and staff should be tolerated - they are not simply 'part of the job'. 'With the support of the Crown Prosecution Service, we will not hesitate to prosecute those who commit these assaults. 'Police are out in communities, working in very challenging circumstances. We are grateful for their hard work.' Tracy Brabin, the Mayor of West Yorkshire, said she was committed to bringing 750 frontline officers and staff to region by 2024. She added: 'I'm angry and frustrated by any attack on the Police or emergency workers. It is completely unacceptable and impossibly hard to fathom. 'We all need to stand together and show support for our emergency workers who face danger daily, while most people run away from it, they demonstrate their bravery time and again by walking towards it. 'I find the abuse experienced nationwide outrageous and completely at odds with the majority of the public who respect what officers and staff are doing to help keep our communities safe.' A Florida teacher was hospitalized after allegedly being attacked by a couple of four- and five-year-old pupils in her classroom. The youngsters who attend Pines Lakes Elementary in Pembroke Pines were said to have thrown objects and flipped chairs in the classroom before purportedly attacking the unidentified teacher using their fists and feet. The alleged assault occurred in the 'cool down' room at the elementary school shortly after 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Local 10 reported. According to a police report, an officer who responded to the attack found the teacher sitting on the ground and feeling 'faint,' 'weak and dazed.' The five-year-old student faces the possibility of being charged with aggravated assault and battery with hands, fists and feet. A teacher from Pines Lakes Elementary School was found to be unresponsive and needed immediate medical attention after she was allegedly battered by two children in her class A police report from the Pembroke Pines PD details how two pupils, ages four and five began throwing things and flipping chairs in class , The teacher was found sitting against the wall and said to be coughing and 'faint' By the time paramedics arrived at the school, the teacher was completely unresponsive The police report describes how the teacher started coughing and dry heaving. By the time paramedics arrived at the school, the teacher was unresponsive. Fire Rescue personnel brought the teacher out of the classroom on a stretcher in order to take her Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood. As other staff members attempted to restore order, they heard the teacher in the room with the five-year-old. The woman 'advised on the school radio that she needed support,' according to the police report. Pembroke Pines police spokesperson Amanda Conwell told the Miami Herald 'no weapon or object was involved in the battery,' adding that 'the victim is conscious and cooperating with police.' The incident is being treated as an 'active criminal investigation,' the newspaper stated. There have been no arrests, and police said that charges may be unlikely due to the ages of the children, according to WSVN. In Florida, there is no statute specifying any minimum age for arrest, which means there is nothing legally preventing a preschooler, even two-and-a-half-years old, from being arrested. Last year, a Florida House panel approved a proposed bill to establish a minimum arrest age of seven years old, but the bill failed to become law. Twenty two states have minimum arrest ages ranging from six years old in North Carolina to 12 years old in California and Michigan. Most states will not arrest or charge anyone under the age of eight. Children between the ages of 10 and 12 are not usually sent to jail except for rare cases involving major offenses. A 10-year-old boy and his 15-year-old brother were repeatedly stabbed while defending their mother from her male co-worker who had attacked her with a knife in Philadelphia on Sunday, leaving the woman in critical condition, according to a neighbor. The 37-year-old woman and her two sons - all of Asian descent - were knifed inside their home in the 3200 block of Knorr Street in the Mayfair neighborhood just after 2pm. The suspect in the triple stabbing later turned himself in to the police. As of Monday morning, he has not been named and no charges have been announced. The female victim was stabbed multiple times all over her body. Her older son was stabbed twice in the back of the head, and the younger boy sustained one knife wound to the back of the head and another to the left leg. All three victims were transported to the Frankford-Torresdale Hospital, where the woman was listed in critical condition, while both her sons were in stable condition. A neighbor told CBS Philadelphia that she was standing in her driveway on Sunday afternoon when she saw the two siblings running out of their home just moments after being stabbed. 'When the second kid came running out, he was covered in blood from like head all the way down to his stomach,' the neighbor recounted. The woman said the children told her and other neighbors that the suspect was a colleague of their mother's, and that he attacked her in their home. When the brothers came downstairs and tried to shield their mother from the knife blows, the assailant stabbed them as well, according to the neighbor. The neighbor said soon she saw the suspected attacker emerge from the victims' home. 'The guy came out, I didnt know what he was going to do, if he was going to try to attack [the children] again,' the neighbor added. 'So I said, "Run, run, run, inside my house." So we all ran inside my basement.' The woman said as she was running down the stairs behind the boys, she looked back to see if the man was following them. 'He just turned around, he looked at us, and just casually walked away,' she said. The neighbor later called 911. While waiting for police to arrive, the brothers asked her to check on their wounded mother. The neighbor called out to the woman, and she said the mother came stumbling down the steps. The suspect, who was seen walking away from the crime scene while carrying a backpack, turned himself in at the 15th district station later in the day. He was taken to the hospital to be identified and is now in police custody. Violent crime in Philadelphia is up 3.7 percent from this time last year, according to the latest numbers from the city's police department. Crime continues to rise after the city saw more than 560 homicides last year, breaking the record of 503 in 1990. Anti-Asian hate crimes in the U.S. went up by 77 percent from 2019 to 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic, which originated in China, has been blamed for the trend. Three victims - a 37-year-old woman, a 10-year-old boy and a 15-year-old teenager, were stabbed in the Mayfair neighborhood of Philadelphia on Sunday The woman remains in critical condition, police say. The boys are in stable condition. Their identifies and their relationship to each other have not been revealed Police first announced that the suspect remained at large, though he turned himself in at a police station later in the day and was detained. Charges have not been announced Police haven't revealed the identities of the victims of Sunday's attack nor their relationship to each other. Video captured by WPVI shows the scene of the grisly stabbings, which is located in a street lined with rowhouses, cordoned off with police tape as cruisers stand by. It happened in Mayfair, a neighborhood in Northeast Philadelphia that is 10 percent Asian, according to Niche. Last year, a 17-year-old Chinese-American student was randomly punched by two teens in the neighborhood, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. A female friend of the attackers laughed, according to the victim and his grandmother. No racist words were spoken during the attack, and police did not investigate it as a hate crime, the Inquirer reported at the time. There were 158 reported anti-Asian hate crimes in 2019 throughout the U.S., according to the FBI. In 2020, that number jumped by 77 percent to 279. All violent crime in Philadelphia is up by 3.7 percent compared to last year. Property crimes - including burglary, retail theft and auto theft - are up by 5.43 percent. Overall 'Part 1' offenses, which include mix violent crimes with property crimes like burglary and motor vehicle theft, are up by 5.06 percent The city is home to 1.6 million people, making it the largest in Pennsylvania. 'Philadelphia's 2021 murder rate easily surpassed our all-time record of 503 people murdered in 1990 and has passed the 499 homicides that happened in 2020,' city Councilman Kenyatta Johnson said in a statement in January. Violent crime in Philadelphia is up by 3.7 percent from this time last year. Overall Part 1 offenses, which include burglary and motor vehicle theft, are up 5.06 percent Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner faced criticism in December for saying the city doesn't have a crisis of lawlessness or crime. Above, Krasner on January 31 Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney pushed back on Krasner's remarks a few days later, saying he agrees 'we're in a gun crisis.' Above, Kenney in March 2020 'This is not a record any city leader or Philadelphia resident should be proud of. Reducing gun violence in Philadelphia should be the number one priority for all city leaders in 2022. There are at least 560 families who have lost a loved one in 2021 and that is totally unacceptable!' In December, Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner came under fire after claiming there isn't a crime issue in the city. 'I think it's important, as we report on what is a true crisis when it comes to gun violence in the United States and also in Philadelphia, I think it's important we don't let this become mushy and bleed into thinking there is some big spike in crime.' 'We don't have a crisis of lawlessness, we dont have a crisis of crime, we dont have a crisis of violence.' Former Mayor Michael Nutter called Krasner's remarks 'some of the worst, most ignorant, and most insulting comments I have ever heard spoken by an elected official.' Democratic Mayor Jim Kenney pushed back on Krasner's words a few days later, saying he agrees 'we're in a gun crisis,' according to the Inquirer. Last month, prosecutors said that a man who was arrested for dismembering his girlfriend's body with a machete killed her because she was a 'threat to his masculinity.' Nicholas Scurria, 32, was taken into custody by police in the early morning of Friday, February 11 in Clifton Heights, Pennsylvania, five miles west of Philadelphia. Nicholas Scurria, 32, allegedly killed his girlfriend by beheading her with a machete before attempting to dismember the rest of her body because she was a 'threat to his masculinity,' prosecutors said Scurria was arrested by police near Philadelphia early on February 11 after neighbors called cops following loud noises coming from their apartment Police found rolls of plastic and bags inside the home which police believe were going to be used to hide his girlfriend's body Police said that Scurria killed his unidentified girlfriend 'in response to what the defendant perceived as a threat to his masculinity.' 'His actions were cowardly as well as evil, and he will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law,' said Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer at the time. 'This morning's horrific murder is a sad reminder of the threat that many women face on a daily basis.' Police rushed to the scene after being called in the middle of the night by Scurria's next-door neighbor at 4.40am after heading screaming and loud bangs coming through the walls. A police report details how after a huge amount of noise between the couple, the place suddenly 'became quiet' before 'sawing-like sounds' and 'the gathering or shifting of plastic material' could then be heard. When police showed up they found Scurria sitting on a mattress sawing the left leg of his girlfriend's corpse. He is pictured here in a photo from Facebook with a skateboard The police affidavit shows a neighbor 'woke up to loud screaming in the neighboring apartment.' Police arrived on the scene to find Scurria allegedly using a machete to saw off the left leg of his girlfriend's body, who had already been decapitated. 'Furthermore, the female victim was decapitated while lying on her back on the floor,' the affidavit stated. Scurria was found sitting on a mattress as he carried out the bloody act as officers burst in with their weapons drawn. A roll of plastic wrap was found next to her body. 'Police witnessed the suspect attempting to decapitate the already-deceased victim using a machete,' the report states. Clifton Heights Police Chief Tim Rockenbach said the victim had suffered 'severe trauma to the head and neck.' Nikki Haley, former United Nations ambassador for the U.S., slammed President Joe Biden's leadership in the Ukraine conflict on Sunday and said it's 'absolute lunacy' the country continues to buy Russian oil after Vladimir Putin launched an invasion last month. In an interview with FOX Business' Maria Bartiromo on Sunday Morning Futures, Haley said the United States never should have trusted Russia or Putin. 'This all happened because of us,' the former South Carolina governor said. 'This happened from the way the U.S. left Afghanistan,' she explained, saying the U.S. abandoned its allies. 'This happened when Biden waived Nord Stream 2, which President Trump fought,' Haley continued, referring to a Russian-owned pipeline that spans Europe. 'This happened by falling all over himself by getting the Iran deal,' she added. 'Now, we need strength and deterrence and we're not getting it.' Instead, she said, it is time for the president to 'stop reacting and start leading.' In an interview on Sunday morning, former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley slammed President Joe Biden for his leadership during the Ukraine crisis Haley, right, told Maria Bartiromo, left, the president needs to provide Ukrainians with better intelligence and stop taking Russian oil money She said that Biden's foreign policy decisions enabled Russian forces to invade the country and said it is time for him to 'stop reacting and start leading' 'First of all, work with Ukraine on real-time intelligence so that we can tell them everything that's happening that they can't see,' she suggested. 'Make sure that we are telling Poland and NATO that they've got to supply these planes to Ukraine. They need them right away so they can cover their own airspace. 'We've got to make sure that we sanction these energy companies, all of them. 'We've got to make sure that we pull them out of the international banking system, and we need to stop taking any Russian oil. 'The idea that we would give our money to an enemy is unthinkable and it's absolute lunacy,' Haley said. 'We can't allow this to continue.' Bombings continued throughout Ukraine on Sunday. A factory and store are seen here burning after being bombarded in Irpin, on the outskirts of Kyiv Her comments came just hours before U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that the country is in talks 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 in turn be replaced by a fresh set of F-16s by the United States. Blinken told CBS's Face the Nation host Margaret Brennan: 'That gets the green light. 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. 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?' The White House is now working out the practicalities of carrying out 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 told the Financial Times. A mother and two children were killed and the father was wounded by a mortar shell as hundreds of civilians sought safety A serviceman of the Ukrainian Military Forces stood next to a body following fighting against Russian troops. The United States is now brokering a deal with Ukraine and Poland to provide Ukrainians with fighter jets Meanwhile, citizens are continuing to hide underground from the Russian artillery shelling as others try to escape the fighting Meanwhile, Russia's Defense Ministry on Sunday warned countries, including NATO member Romania, against hosting Kyiv's military aircraft, saying they could end up being involved in an armed conflict. Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said in a video briefing that some Ukrainian combat planes had redeployed to Romania and other Ukraine neighbors he did not identify. He warned that if those warplanes attacked the Russian forces from the territory of those nations, it 'could be considered as those countries' engagement in the military conflict.' Konashenkov said: 'We know for sure that Ukrainian combat aircraft have flown to Romania and other neighboring countries. 'The use of the airfield network of these countries for basing Ukrainian military aviation with the subsequent use of force against Russia's army can be regarded as the involvement of these states in an armed conflict.' The spokesman also claimed that 'practically all' Ukraine's combat-ready aircraft had been destroyed as Russian troops continued to bombard the country with heavy gunfire and missiles. Heartbreaking footage, taken in Irpin on Sunday on the outskirts of the capital city Kyiv, confirmed that Russian forces were 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, while their father was wounded by a mortar shell as hundreds of civilians sought safety. Another attempt to evacuate refugees from Mariupol was scuttled again today after the city was shelled just minutes into an agreed cease-fire. Some 400,000 residents were hoped to be evacuated from 12 p.m. today, with an initial agreement in place until 9 p.m. local time, but residents are now having to take cover in bomb shelters without electricity and water. Blinken now says there are 'very credible reports' that Russia has committed war crimes during its invasion. Australia Post workers have been caught throwing packages around in a depot with little regard to potential damage. Employees at StarTrack were filmed by a tradesman near the Newcastle depot after he heard noise of items crashing onto a concrete floor. Australia Post, which owns the delivery service, was forced to apologise after the footage was shared on a Central Coast social media page. Footage shows one large parcel tossed into a container (pictured) at the Newcastle depot The Facebook page lit up after the minute-long clip showed workers hurling and flipping items onto the floor and into containers near parked vans. Even one large package was tossed into a container as workers walked about sorting through the mail. Chris Heaney, who caught the event on camera, said he sent the video to StarTrack, but was not satisfied with its response, so decided to make it public. Some viewers said they received broken contents in the mail, and others slammed the 'disrespectful' workers. 'Take some pride in your work and treat others how you would want to be treated', one wrote. One user said the video explained the big dent on their new Samsung Galaxy s22 phone's box, and another believed the only response by StarTrack would be to close the roller doors. Australia Post apologised and said its workers, including at StarTrack, were working hard to deliver a record number of parcels. 'However, these actions are not in line with the high service standards we expect of our people and we sincerely apologise,' it told the Daily Mail Australia. A young girl died after her mother's desperate calls to 000 went unanswered for 15 excruciating minutes. Alisha Hussein, 14, died in hospital after suffering a major asthma attack in her north Melbourne home on October 27 last year. Her heartbroken mother Jasmine spent 15 agonising minutes waiting to be connected with an ambulance, a delay that ultimately proved fatal. Alisha, who had dreams of being a magistrate since the age of 10, died after her mother was forced to drive her daughter to hospital herself. She is just one of dozens let down by Victorian's emergency service with leaked data revealing residents are waiting minutes rather than the required five seconds to be connected to an operator. The Victorian Government is under mounting pressure to do more to bolster the system, with ambulance delays recently exacerbated by the Covid pandemic. Alisha Hussein, 14, (right) died in hospital after suffering a major asthma attack in her north Melbourne home in October, after she waited 15 minutes for an ambulance On the last day of Alisha's short life, her mother Jasmine described how she watched as her daughter's condition deteriorated in minutes. 'She was talking, and out of nowhere she just said "I can't breathe",' she recalled to 60 Minutes, adding her ventolin and a nebuliser were usually enough. In distressing audio of her phone call to 000, an increasingly-worried Jasmine siad her daughter was 'going blue'. She was put on hold with a Telstra operator for 15 minutes as her daughter struggled to get enough oxygen into her lungs. Jasmine asks the operator if it would be quicker to drive her daughter to hospital herself, saying: 'She's not going to probably make it. She's dying'. After waiting 15 long minutes to be connected with an ambulance she struggled to find a pulse on her deteriorating 14-year-old. In distressing audio of her phone-call to triple zero, an increasingly-worried Jasmine (right) is heard commenting her daughter (left) was 'going blue' Alisha's heartbroken mother Jasmine (pictured) spent 15 agonising minutes waiting to be connected with an ambulance, a wait time that ultimately proved fatal As the operator tried to connect her with several different lines the calls continued to ring out - eventually forcing Jasmine to take matters into her own hands. She bundled her dying daughter into the backseat of the family car and started CPR. 'I knew she wasn't going to make it,' a teary Jasmine said of the traumatic car-ride Medical staff tried in vain to resuscitate the teenager for an hour before she was declared dead, with the call to 000 answered as she lay in hospital. 'She didn't need to die that night. She needed the ambulance there and that would have been enough to save her,' Alisha's tearful mother said. Jasmine believes if the operator picked up after 10 minutes, instead of 15, her daughter would still be alive today. In Victoria, a call to emergency services is required to be connected with the fire department, police or ambulance within five seconds (pictured, a Victoria Ambulance) In Victoria, a call to emergency services is required to be connected with the fire department, police, or ambulance within five seconds. Emergency calls are first answered by Telstra, which connect them to 000 operators at the Emergency Services Telecommunications Agency. A joint report by 60 Minutes, The Age, and the Sydney Morning Herald revealed callers were waiting crucial minutes for their emergency calls to be answered. Victoria has been criticised in years past for its 000 service, with leaked data revealing a series of morbid statistics. Documents obtained by 60 Minutes showed in the past six months at least 10 Victorians died while waiting for their call to be answered. As recent as late January, on some days more than 1,000 calls to ESTA were taking at least two minutes to be connected rather than the required five seconds. The state government has pledged an additional $115million to pay for 120 new staff at ESTA (pictured, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews) ESTA staff confidentially admitted to 60 Minutes the company was 'dangerously understaffed' with interim chief executive Steven Leane echoing this grim sentiment. 'There are at least 10 notifications of possible adverse outcomes from call delays, they're not 10 conclusions, they're 10 suspect cases,' he said. Mr Leane said the fundamental issue was resources and said ESTA didn't have enough employees to answer emergency calls. He predicted it would take 18 months to two years to get the agency in a place where it could answer to community expectations. The state government responded to increased calls for an overhaul of the system by pledging an additional $115 million to pay for 120 new staff at ESTA. Mark Meadows, former Trump administration chief of staff who pushed the debunked claims that the 2020 election was stolen, registered to vote in a rusted tin-roofed mobile home where he has apparently has never lived, according to a new report. If that is true, the ex-North Carolina congressman might have committed voter fraud, according to The New Yorker magazine. Neighbors of the mobile home in Appalachia listed on Meadows' voter registration said they have never seen the politician there, magazine scribe Charles Bethea reports. When he quit his elected position to join the Trump administration, Meadows sold his property in Sapphire, North Carolina, and moved to a condo with his wife outside of Washington, D.C. He didn't buy any new property in the state, but in September 19, 2020, he registered to vote in the 11th Congressional District he once represented at a mobile home on Scaly Mountain, North Carolina. His move-date was listed as September 20. Duke University public policy professor Gerry Cohen, who wrote the state's voter-challenge law, says that registration is supposed to be for 'where you physically live.' The former owner of the Scaly Mountain shack, who was not named in the New Yorker piece, says that Debbie Meadows, the former chief of staff's wife, rented the home and is friends with the neighbors, but said 'he did not come. He's never spent a night in there,' referring to Mark. Mark Meadows, pictured with his wife Debbie, marked a mobile home in Scaly Mountain on his voter registration form Mark Meadows, former Trump administration chief of staff, registered to vote in a rusted tin-roofed mobile home (pictured) where he has apparently has never lived, according to a new report Former White House chief of staff claimed that he lived in a rusted-roof mobile home on his voter registration in North Carolina Mark and Debbie Meadows own a $1.6 million lake-front property in South Carolina The current owner, Ken Abele, who bought the property a year after Meadows registered there, was surprised to hear the former congressman and chief of staff had considered it home. 'That's weird that he would do that,' he told the New Yorker. 'Really weird.' A neighbor of the mountain address said that she hosted Debbie and the couple's children, but did not vouch for Mark Meadows. 'They were legitimately there. And, yes, they legitimately voted in the legitimate election,' neighbor Tammy Tally told the magazine. She later clarified, 'Debbie, I don't know what the kids did.' Mark Meadows didn't comment on his residency, but a Macon County, North Caroline, election official said that it would be up to a challenger of the registration to prove that it is fraudulent. Meadows and his wife bought a $1.6 million lake-front property in South Carolina in 2021, according to the New Yorker. Mark Meadows, left,, sent five emails in the final weeks of Trump's presidency to then-acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen urging him to investigate the unproven claims of voter fraud Mark Meadows pushed a theory that the Italian government tried to influence the election by changing vote from Trump to Biden using satellites Meadows moved to the Tar Heel State in the mid-1980s and started a sandwich shop called 'Aunt D's' in the Highlands part of the state. He became a real estate broker before running for Congress in 2013. He left the seat in 2020 to join the Trump administration where he pushed the debunked theory that the election was stolen from the former president. He pushed the Justice Department to look into a theory that the Italian government hacked voting machines using satellites, according to The New York Times. In fact, he sent five emails to then-acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen urging him to investigate the 'ItalyGate' theory, the paper reported. Rosen never agreed to the investigations, according to emails provided to Congress and obtained by the outlet. Sources said that Rosen rejected the requests from Meadows. A pensioner has seen 50,000 knocked off the value of his luxury seafront flat thanks to the building of a toilet block opposite. James Johnston's sea view is obstructed by the grey and blue plastic block, which he described as 'horrible'. The 87-year-old recently put his apartment up for sale but said all 18 viewers so far have been put off by the toilets. His estate agent initially priced the flat at 400,000 but later asked to cut it to 350,000. Mr Johnston bought the apartment in Bognor Regis, West Sussex, ten years ago. James Johnston says the new block of toilets has knocked 50,000 off the value of his seafront property The 87-year-old, who lives in Bognor Regis, says he has been forced to lower the price of his apartment after the toilets replaced a council beach office in 2018 Mr Johnston says he is reminded of the impact on him every time he looks at the window and sees the plastic block of toilets At the time, his balcony looked over a council beach office, which was replaced by the toilet block in 2018. He said: 'It's ridiculous. You knew the foreshore office was there, but at least it fitted in with everything else. 'The toilets don't match anything. It's a horrible building.' He and other residents had objected to the block, which was built by Arun District Council. A council spokesman said the public had every chance to voice their concerns, adding: 'These essential public facilities have been constructed in full compliance with the planning consent granted.' But estate agent Gail Chisham said: 'It feels like no matter what the price is, I just don't think we will find a buyer.' Advertisement Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie on Sunday visited war-torn Yemen to show solidarity with displaced families in the hope of mobilizing support for an incoming fundraising conference. Jolie, 46, who is special envoy for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), landed in the southern coastal city of Aden to meet with families and refugees there. Aden is the seat of the internationally recognized government. The U.N. refugee agency said it hopes that Jolie's visit would draw attention to growing humanitarian needs in Yemen, the Arab World's poorest country, ahead of the annual High Level Pledging Conference for Yemen on March 16. 'I've landed in Aden, to meet displaced families and refugees for UNHCR and show my support for the people of Yemen,' the Academy Award winner said in a post on her Instagram account of 12.4 million followers. 'As we continue to watch the horrors unfolding in Ukraine, and call for an immediate end to the conflict and humanitarian access, I'm here in Yemen to support people who also desperately need peace. Angelina Jolie is on the ground in Yemen to assist refugees there, likening the crisis to that currently unfolding in Ukraine Jolie, 46, who is special envoy for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), landed in the southern coastal city of Aden to meet with families and refugees there. Aden is the seat of the internationally recognized government. 'As we continue to watch the horrors unfolding in Ukraine, and call for an immediate end to the conflict and humanitarian access, I'm here in Yemen to support people who also desperately need peace,' she wrote on Instagram UNHCR special envoy, Angelina Jolie, arrives in the southern port city of Aden, Yemen on Sunday UNHCR special envoy Angelina Jolie hugs a woman displaced by war during a visit to the southern province of Lahej, Yemen Angelina Jolie posted on Instagram her reasons as to why she had travelled to Yemen which is facing a refugee crisis 'Everyone deserves the same compassion,' Angelina Jolie wrote of the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Yemen, where she's assisting the United Nations Refugee Agency 'The situation here is one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world, with one civilian killed or injured every hour in 2022. 'An economy devastated by war, and over 20 million Yeminis depending on humanitarian assistance to survive,' she added. Yemen has been convulsed by civil war since 2014, when the Iran-backed Houthi rebels took control of the capital, Sanaa, and much of the country's north, forcing the government to flee to the south, then to Saudi Arabia. A Saudi-led coalition, backed at the time by the United States, entered the war in 2015 to try to restore Yemen's government to power. Angelina Jolie reacts at a camp for the internally displaced north of Yemen's southern city of Aden during a visit on Sunday to help draw attention to the catastrophic consequences of the seven-year conflict on the Yemeni people Jolie is seen holding her hands to her chest after witnessing Yemen's refugee crisis for herself UNHCR special envoy Angelina Jolie stands during a visit to a camp of people displaced by war, in the southern province of Lahej, Yemen Posting in an Instagram story, Jolie made direct comparisons between the situation in Yemen and what is currently happening on the ground in Ukraine. Pictured, people fleeing war-torn Ukraine arrive on a train from Poland at Hauptbahnhof main railway station in Berlin, Germany. Over one million people, mainly Ukrainian women and children as well as foreigners living or working in Ukraine, have fled Ukraine as the current Russian military invasion continues to inflict growing casualties on the civilian population The conflict has since become a regional proxy war that has killed more than 150,000 people, including more than 14,500 civilians, according to 2022 data from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Project. It also created the world's worst humanitarian crisis. Posting in an Instagram story, Jolie made direct comparisons between the situation in Yemen and what is currently happening on the ground in Ukraine. 'This week a million people were forced to flee the horrific war in Ukraine,' she wrote. 'If we learn anything from this shocking situation, it is that we cannot be selective about who deserves support and whose rights we defend. Everyone deserves the same compassion. 'The lives of civilian victims of conflict everywhere are of equal value. After seven years of war, the people of Yemen also need protection, support, and above all, peace.' Angelina Jolie speaks to a girl at a camp for the internally displaced north of Yemen's southern city of Aden The Academy Award winner visited Yemeni families, including displaced families and refugees, to hear directly from them how the conflict has ripped their lives apart Jolie is hoping her visit will help draw attention to the catastrophic consequences of the seven-year conflict on the people of Yemen According to the U.N. refugee agency, about 66 percent of Yemen's 30 million people rely on humanitarian assistance for their daily survival, including over 4.2 million displaced people and 102,000 refugees and asylum-seekers. The head of the World Food Program, David Beasley, said that around 13 million people were heading toward starvation in Yemen due to the protracted conflict and lack of funding. The U.N. humanitarian office has reported that its 2021 humanitarian plan for Yemen received $2.27 billion out of its $3.85 billion requirement, the lowest funding level since 2015. UNHCR special envoy Angelina Jolie walks during a visit to a camp of people displaced by war, in the province of Lahej Jolie, 46, has long been an advocate for the people of Yemen, likened the country's ongoing humanitarian crisis to the current devastation in Ukraine, urging compassion for those impacted by both conflicts The 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 March 16 United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) staff members stand with children at the refugee camp Jolie takes a moment to reflect on everything she witnessed while at the camp on Sunday Meanwhile, Russia's attack on Ukraine is continuing in its second week after forces began a large-scale invasion on February 24 in what is the first major land conflict in Europe in decades. Hundreds of civilians are reported to have died or to have been wounded with children among the dead. More than one million Ukrainians are believed to have left the country and crossed the border to neighboring nations. Russian President Vladimir Putin who ordered the invasion has been the subject of condemnation from around the world, and Russia faces increasingly severe economic sanctions as a result. Putin insists Ukraine has historic ties to Russia and that he is acting in the best security interests of his country. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has vowed not to bend. Jolie explained on her Instagram that more than two million children were no longer in school as a result of the crisis Jolie told how one Yemeni civilian is killed or injured every hour during 2022 so far The 'Ghost of Kyiv' could be a true or hoax incident during the onset of the invasion that became viral as the first true ace of any aerial encounter in recent times. One of the reasons for becoming so viral is the reputation of the MiG-29 itself that was built as a counter to the F-16 Falcon, noted Airforce Technology. As everything goes, the 'Ghost of Kyiv' can be called an urban legend of Ukraine's embattled capital. Ukraine's Aerial Hero Could Be Fictional In the early hours of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, an unexpected 'hero' emerged after Russia unleashed its multifaceted onslaught on Ukraine. Videos of what appeared to be a solo MiG-29 of the Ukrainian Air Force buzzing over Kyiv went viral, reported The Week. The lone jet with the grey paint scheme of the Ukrainian MiG-29 was able to shoot six Russian jets on the first day of the invasion. It is claimed an aging MiG-29 Fulcrum jet is supposed to outclass a more modern Su-35 on this occasion without a wingman. At one point, the Ukrainian ministry of defense tweeted it on social media claiming the 'Ghost of Kyiv' could be one of several pilots caught up with social media users. To give credence to their claims, the Ministry of Defense posted an unverified clip of the aerial battle that would say a Su-35 was taken out, but there were doubts over its authenticity. The MiG-29 Limited Capabilities Despite the well-built fulcrum, a lithe and strong dogfighter is not definite. Dogfights are dicey effects where anything can go wrong, from pilot error or his instruments' reliability, but the Ghost of Kyiv was very lucky. Read Also: Russian Missile Hits Residential Apartment in Kyiv During Attack as Russian Forces Hammer the Ukraine Capital This Kyiv urban legend might be that newer variants will outclass due to an old fulcrum fleet. Compared to its bigger cousins, the Su-27, the MiG-29 is not the main fighter with a shorter range which is a problem. Having more maneuverability with fewer weapons and range is a distinct disadvantage too. According to The Drive, US defense journalist Thomas Newdick explained a point, saying that a basic variant has six air-to-air missiles and 120 rounds of 30-millimeter, and it cannot stay on longer air patrol at low-level flight. Flying means more sorties and one pilot per plane; the unknown hero did not have difficulty getting targets lined up. Next, engaging and winning each encounter with no hardship getting the six advertise kills, the feat was impossibly improbable too. One more fact is that bases including Vasylkiv and Ivano-Frankivsk where the MiGs were stationed leave questions on how operations are. However, the planes could have been moved before the initial attacks. Tom Cooper, a Veteran military aviation journalist, and the author made a point by explaining that more missiles are needed than the six it has armed. The undercarriage has drop tanks in several videos and no missiles to get the six targets. Drop tanks cause drag and will slow a jet down. When in combat, it is discarded. Another fact is the AAMS in service with the Ukraine Air Forces are old types and easily countered. The Russians are well acquainted with the R-27 and R-73 series of missiles that they still use, The 'Ghost of Kyiv' is probably a hoax, but people will not discount it as social media significantly affects its realness. Related Article: Russian, Ukrainian Air Force Jetfighters Seen in Tense Low Altitude Dogfight Over Kyiv While Missile Attack Rages @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A little girl's moving rendition of the hit song 'Let It Go' from the animated film Frozen, performed and recorded while she hunkered down in a bomb shelter in Kyiv, has gone viral as Ukrainian forces continue to fight off a Russian invasion. Video of the girl, named Amelia, singing at the shelter was first posted to Facebook on Thursday by Marta Smekhova, who says she filmed it with permission from the girl's mother. 'From the first word in the [bomb shelter] came complete silence... everyone put their business aside and listen[ed] to a song by this girl who was just beaming light... even men couldn't hold back the tears,' Smekhova wrote. It is unclear when the video was taken or where in Kyiv the shelter is located. The footage has been shared 99,000 times on Facebook. It has been reposted on various social media sites, with each version racking up tens of thousands of views. On Sunday, plans for Poland to send fighter jets to Ukraine were given the 'green light' by the U.S. amid warnings from Russia that countries hosting Kyiv's military aircraft could end up being involved in an armed conflict. A girl named Amelia sang a Ukrainian version of 'Let It Go' to a crowd of people packed into a bomb shelter in Kyiv Video of Amelia's performance was first shared on Facebook on Thursday by Marta Smekhova, who says she stopped by to help decorate the shelter A crowd at the shelter watches the little girl and records the performance on their phones In the video, Amelia belts out a version of 'Let It Go' for those sheltering in the bunker. Some are seen lying on the floor, while others stand or sit around Amelia and record her performance on their phones. The song was originally recorded for the soundtrack of the animated Disney film Frozen. Sung by actress Idina Menzel and written by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, it won the Academy Award for Best Original Song and reached number five on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2014, Disney released a compilation of 42 foreign-language versions of the song, including translations in Ukrainian and Russian. When Amelia finishes, the crowd erupts in cheers and applause. 'Bravo! Bravo!' one voice exclaims, as a shy and rosy-cheeked Amelia clutches her hands in front of her face. Smekhova said she filmed the girl, whose age is not known, while visiting a bomb shelter in Kyiv. 'Seeing in one of the Kyiv bomb storage, how children draw bright pictures in half-darkness, I, of course, couldn't silently pass by... stopped, praised, offered to do a little exhibition to somehow decorate this not so happy place,' she wrote, according to a translation of her Facebook post, which was written in Ukrainian. She says she painted images with a boy and a girl. 'The girl turned out to be so friendly, so talkative... The woman who filmed the video wrote that Amelia told her she 'loves to sing,' prompting the woman to encourage her to perform Marta Smekhova detailed her encounter with Amelia in a Facebook post on Thursday. She noted the video's impact, adding, 'Look Russians, against whom you are fighting!' Refugees continue to spill out of war-torn Ukraine as Russian forces bombard the country 'She told me that besides drawing, she loves to sing... and whispered shared her dream that she wants to sing on a big stage in front of the audience... 'So what's the matter ? - I'm saying, - now we're organizing... do you see honey how many people are here? that's what you sing for!!!' Smekhova said Amelia was worried because it was her first performance. She also said it was loud and that people may not hear her. 'Needless to say worried for nothing.. 'From the first word in the [bomb shelter] came complete silence... everyone put their business aside and listen to a song by this girl who was just beaming light... 'Even men couldn't hold back the tears ..' Smekhova went on to acknowledge the video's impact. People crowd as they try to get on a train to Lviv at Kyiv station, Ukraine, March 4, 2022 Police and State Emergency Service (SES) officers work at the scene where several houses have been damaged by an explosion, following an air strike in Bila Tserkva, Kyiv Oblast, on Saturday March 5, 2022 Ukrainians crowd under a destroyed bridge as they try to flee crossing the Irpin river in the outskirts of Kyiv, March 5, 2022 A wife says her goodbyes to her husband who is a member of the Territorial Defence as she evacuates Irpin, Ukraine, on Sunday Groups of people flee the city of Irpin, northwest of Kyiv, after the region faced heavy bombardment from Kremlin forces 'I showed this video to people in different cities of Ukraine, it was seen by foreigners in different parts of the world! Amelia, your singing left no one indifferent!' she wrote. 'Look, Russians, against whom you are fighting! Only a coward can fight against civilians, take away childhood from defenseless children! You let your children go to the stew, making them into cannon meat... and our children radiate light, and even in a raw dark basement it does not blink, but ignites even brighter!' On Sunday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the country was in talks 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 in turn be replaced by a fresh set of F-16's by the United States. Blinken told CBS's Face the Nation host Margaret Brennan: 'That gets the green light. 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. What can we do? Putin is seen speaking to representatives of the flight crew of Russian airlines as he visits the Aeroflot Aviation School outside Moscow on Saturday Residents frantically look for cover as they escape from the town of Irpin in Ukraine after heavy shelling hit the region A mother and two children were killed and the father was wounded by a mortar shell as hundreds of civilians sought safety 'How can we help to make sure that they get something to backfill the planes that they're handing over to the Ukrainians?' It comes as Russia's Defense Ministry today warned countries, including NATO member Romania, against hosting Kyiv's military aircraft, saying they could end up being involved in an armed conflict. Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said in a video briefing that some Ukrainian combat planes had redeployed to Romania and other Ukraine neighbors he did not identify. He warned that if those warplanes attacked the Russian forces from the territory of those nations, it 'could be considered as those countries' engagement in the military conflict.' Konashenkov said: 'We know for sure that Ukrainian combat aircraft have flown to Romania and other neighboring countries. A factory and a store are burning after been bombarded in Irpin, in the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Sunday, March 6, 2022 People line up to be drafted into the army in Lviv, Ukraine, March 5, 2022 'The use of the airfield network of these countries for basing Ukrainian military aviation with the subsequent use of force against Russia's army can be regarded as the involvement of these states in an armed conflict.' The spokesman also claimed that 'practically all' Ukraine's combat-ready aircraft had been destroyed. Earlier today, U.S. Army Gen. Mark Milley visited a training center in Pabrade, Lithuania, amid the escalating crisis in Ukraine. Ukraine fears an 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 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 told the Financial Times. Poland, which is a member of NATO, would need to play the situation delicately and not be seen to overtly supporting the war unilaterally. On Saturday, an 18-month-old boy named Kirill was fatally wounded in the the southern city of Mariupol after Russian forces shelled Ukraine's second city just minutes into an agreed cease-fire. A man and a child escape from the town of Irpin, after heavy shelling on the only escape route used by locals Devastating images show the father of an 18-month-old boy named Kirill running into a hospital in Ukraine with his dying son 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 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 Kirill's devastated mother Marina Yatsko and her boyfriend Fedor were later seen grieving as they embraced their son's lifeless body laid out on a stretcher in the besieged city. And Saturday, in some of the most harrowing scenes of the war so far, the bodies of those killed in the mortar attack were seen lying motionless on a road. Beside them were suitcases packed ahead of what they hoped would be a journey to safety. There was even a pet carrier among the luggage. Three members of the same family were among those killed in the attack by Vladimir Putin's forces on Irpin, a town 12 miles from Kyiv. Horrific images captured the terrifying experience of mothers, fathers, grandparents and children running from Russian artillery fire. On the 11th day of the conflict, men, women and children were needlessly targeted and their neighborhoods reduced to ruins. Across Ukraine, ceasefires brokered by the Red Cross were breached and humanitarian corridors were closed. The UK Government said Russia was targeting 'populated areas' to break the resistance of the Ukrainian people. The use of this heinous tactic was beyond dispute last night despite Putin's denials and the disinformation emitting from Moscow. JK Rowling has hit out at Scotland's Gender Recognition Reform Bill, claiming it will 'harm the most vulnerable women'. The author took aim at the Bill which will make a series of amendments to the Gender Recognition Act, which has been in place since 2004. Should the legislation be passed, it will drop the need for those wishing to change gender to show medical and psychiatric reports. It will also slash the time someone has to live in their new gender from two years to six months. JK Rowling, pictured, has spoken out Scotland's Gender Recognition Reform Bill, claiming it will 'harm the most vulnerable women' Miss Rowling, 56, criticised Social Justice Secretary Shona Robison, who spoke in Holyrood last week about the Bill but she praised author and journalist Susan Dalgety for her 'most searing, heartfelt and courageous response yet' to Miss Robison's 'astounding claim'. Miss Robison told MSPs there was no evidence that 'predatory and abusive men have ever had to pretend to be anything else to carry out abusive and predatory behaviour'. Miss Dalgety, who was sexually assaulted as a child, branded the statement 'crass'. Miss Rowling tweeted: 'The law @NicolaSturgeon's trying to pass in Scotland will harm the most vulnerable women in society: those seeking help after male violence/rape and incarcerated women. 'Statistics show that imprisoned women are already far more likely to have been previously abused.' Miss Rowling criticised Social Justice Secretary Shona Robinson for saying there was 'no evidence that 'predatory and abusive men have ever had to pretend to be anything else to carry out abusive and predatory behaviour' Changes to the Bill have been proposed in a bid to 'streamline' the process. If passed, it will also include the lowering of the age at which people can apply to change their gender from 18 to 16. Miss Rowling has faced a continued onslaught of accusations of transphobia since publishing an essay on her website in July 2020 in which she argued that biological sex is real. The Harry Potter author also revealed that she was 'a domestic abuse and sexual assault survivor'. She was labelled a Terf trans-exclusionary radical feminist after taking issue with the term 'people who menstruate'. In December Miss Rowling was once again forced to deny that she is transphobic as she argued for sex, not gender identity, to be the 'basis of decisions on safeguarding'. Harry Potter stars Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson and Evanna Lynch, who recently reunited for the 20th anniversary of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone without Miss Rowling, are among those who have condemned her. The author previously revealed that 'hundreds of trans activists have threatened to beat, rape, assassinate and bomb me'. She vowed to continue speaking out after naming three activists Holly Stars, Richard Energy and Georgia Frost who posed with signs reading 'Don't be a cissy,' 'Trans liberation now' and 'Trans rights are human rights' outside her Edinburgh home in November. Police Scotland later said no criminality was established. But the writer assumed the three were trying to 'intimidate me out of speaking up for women's sex-based rights'. At the time Miss Rowling said: 'They should have reflected on the fact that I've now received so many death threats I could paper the house with them and I haven't stopped speaking out. 'Perhaps and I'm just throwing this out there the best way to prove your movement isn't a threat to women... is to stop stalking, harassing and threatening us Nearly 40 Conservative parliamentarians have written to Boris Johnson urging him to reverse plans to end fracking. The 34 MPs and five peers claim that sealing two of the UK's only viable shale gas wells next week would benefit Vladimir Putin. Britain must instead embark on a 'national mission' to secure its energy independence and reduce its reliance on imported gas, they say. Energy company Cuadrilla is due to concrete over its fracking wells in Lancashire on March 15, having been ordered to do so by the Oil and Gas Authority. But the MPs led by Craig Mackinlay and Steve Baker, the chairman and deputy chairman of the Conservative Net Zero Scrutiny Group have issued a plea to halt the move. In a letter to Mr Johnson they wrote: 'We urge you to pause and conduct a review. At a time of such geopolitical strife, we cannot refrain from actions that would improve the position of the UK and its allies.' The 34 MPs and five peers claim that sealing two of the UK's only viable shale gas wells next week would benefit Vladimir Putin Their intervention follows a first letter sent before Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which Mr Johnson has yet to respond to. Signatories included Lord Frost, the former Cabinet Office minister, who said overturning the fracking ban would herald a 'British energy renaissance'. The latest letter is signed by more MPs, with backers including the former Cabinet ministers Lord Lilley and Esther McVey. But a source at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) resisted the call, saying the MPs should 'get real'. In their letter to Mr Johnson, the MPs wrote: 'Europe has developed an 'addiction' to Russian gas. 'This has gifted the Kremlin considerable influence at the heart of our democracies.' They added: 'Filling these wells with cement as Europe stands on the brink of all-out war would send the wrong signal to our allies and to our enemies.' Last week, Sir Richard Dearlove, the former head of MI6, called for an immediate reversal of the fracking ban to help Britain 'become reasonably independent in our ability to produce energy'. It came as Mr Baker was told by business minister Greg Hands that the wells needed to be 'safely decommissioned at the end of their useful life'. In a letter to Mr Johnson they wrote: 'We urge you to pause and conduct a review. At a time of such geopolitical strife, we cannot refrain from actions that would improve the position of the UK and its allies' Mr Baker said: 'The minister's suggestion that these wells are at the end of their useful life is outrageous.. they are ready to produce shale gas so that we can create British jobs and tax revenues, energy security and a faster route to Net Zero. 'The only thing that is causing a problem here is... the state mandating that we pour concrete down Britain's only shale gas wells at the height of an energy crisis.' A BEIS spokesman said: 'The UK is in no way dependent on Russian gas, with imports making up just 4 per cent of demand. Fracking would have no effect on domestic energy prices in the near future.' Three years ago, Cuadrilla, the only firm to frack for gas in the UK, struck a supply of shale gas it said could eliminate Britain's dependency on imports by half. But following a tremor in August 2019, the Government announced a moratorium, forcing the firm to stop work. Since then, the site has lain derelict. Cuadrilla has now been ordered to spend 1million to plug the wells and leave. Meanwhile, Nicola Sturgeon is coming under pressure from senior SNP colleagues to end her opposition to North Sea oil and gas. Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine and rising energy prices, there are concerns that a lack of development in the North Sea helps Putin. How orgy of green virtue-signalling lined Putin's pocket By Steve Hilton, Former Director of Strategy for David Cameron for the Daily Mail Europe's dependence on Russia for around 40 per cent of the continent's gas supplies isn't some kind of natural phenomenon; it's a conscious political choice. As recently as 2010, EU countries actually produced more gas than Russia exported. But, by 2020, the positions had completely reversed, with Russia exporting nearly three times more gas than Europe produced. Why? Because, being in thrall to the green dogma that has captured the Establishment the world over, European countries cut back on fossil-fuel production. Energy security was sacrificed on the altar of 'decarbonisation' even if that meant reducing production and the storage of reliable lower-carbon energy sources such as natural gas, or most preposterously, a policy towards zero-carbon nuclear power, which meant it was completely shut down in Germany and left to atrophy in the UK. Of course none of this is to argue against the environmental cause: After all, I was the author of David Cameron's 'Vote Blue Go Green' message. A sensible environmentalism, with a focus on conservation and a responsibly managed transition to cleaner energy in particular one that protects consumers from soaring bills is something most people would support. However, that's far from what we've seen. Europe's dependence on Russia for around 40 per cent of the continent's gas supplies isn't some kind of natural phenomenon; it's a conscious political choice Instead, politicians from all parties have indulged in an orgy of green virtue-signalling, implementing self-harming, counter-productive policies such as Boris Johnson's ban on fracking for shale gas, with no serious thought given to the long-term consequences. In truth, it's even more cynical than that. Desperate to win the plaudits of green activists, these politicians recklessly cut back on their own countries' energy production and filled the gap not with the much-vaunted 'wind 'n solar' (both are too unreliable), but by importing dirtier fuels from other countries (such as Russia) that are unencumbered by the 'climate' zealotry relentlessly pushed by pressure groups and some in the media in the West. Even more embarrassingly for our idiotic establishment, it turns out that those activists and their media campaigns have been funded by wait for it Putin! That's not some wild conspiracy theory: It's Nato's view. Former Nato secretary general Anders Fogh Rasmussen said in 2014: 'Russia, as part of its sophisticated information and disinformation operations, engaged actively with so-called non-governmental organisations environmental organisations working against shale gas to maintain dependence on imported Russian gas.' Instead, politicians from all parties have indulged in an orgy of green virtue-signalling, implementing self-harming, counter-productive policies such as Boris Johnson's ban on fracking for shale gas, with no serious thought given to the long-term consequences And, in the same year, former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoke about 'phony environment groups funded by Russians to stand against' energy initiatives such as fracking. In sum, Western leaders handed Putin massive geo-political leverage by making their people dependent on his gas and were responding to activist campaigns that he had partly funded. How utterly perverse! And look where that leaves us today. Even as Putin unleashes hell on innocent Ukrainians; as we witness scenes of inhumanity of a nature and on a scale not seen in Europe since the Second World War... Putin's oil and gas now flows uninterrupted to Europe, while 500million flows uninterrupted every day from Europe to Russia to pay for it. After the invasion, the amount of Russian gas exported to Europe through Ukraine actually went up by 38 per cent. The price has since risen further, adding to the money ending up in Kremlin coffers. So, when our leaders say 'we're doing everything we can to help Ukraine', that's a lie. Rather than weaning ourselves off Russia's oil and gas, we are funding Putin's war machine. And we're doing so because a bunch of pompous politicians, puffed up with pretensions of saving the planet, wanted pats on the back from extremist 'climate' zealots. Rather than weaning ourselves off Russia's oil and gas, we are funding Putin's war machine Ever since taking over the White House, President Joe Biden has fought a non-stop war on American energy production. Under his predecessor President Donald Trump's strong support for domestic natural gas production, the US achieved an enviable double whammy. It became self-sufficient (and, indeed, a net exporter for the first time in more than 70 years), as well as reducing carbon emissions. By contrast, Biden has shut pipelines, withdrawn exploration licences, and most shockingly, at the exact moment he and his officials were talking up 'massive sanctions' against Putin if he went ahead with the invasion that they said was certain to happen, another part of Biden's administration announced new regulations that would give Putin even more leverage over global energy supplies. In the name of fighting climate change, Biden refuses to increase US production, which might give supplies to Europe to help it escape Putin's energy stranglehold (as well as lowering prices for consumers in America). Biden's administration, instead, is begging Saudi Arabia and other members of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to produce more oil and are even finalising a revived Iran nuclear deal that will put Iranian oil into the world market. Under his predecessor President Donald Trump's strong support for domestic natural gas production, the US achieved an enviable double whammy The US President's new 'climate' policy seems to be: Oil is good, unless it's American. In normal circumstances this could be dismissed as mere political hypocrisy and double-speak. But we're not in normal circumstances. We're in the middle of the most threatening conflict in Europe since 1945 and could be on the brink of nuclear confrontation. It is therefore unconscionable that Western politicians are not doing everything in their power to stop Putin. Of course there is no guarantee that a total boycott of Russian energy would change this evil tyrant's calculations. But it is truly revolting that our leaders are not even trying. For all their noble words about standing up for Ukraine, their obsession with net zero and continuing willingness to pay Moscow 500million a day makes them Putin's stooges and enablers of the horror unfolding before our eyes. A retired British colonel has become the oldest member of Ukraines international brigade at the age of 72. Ian Cunningham, who lives in south-west France, is part of the first British group to take up arms against Russian forces. The colonel said he flew to Poland at the start of the invasion and took a taxi over the border into Ukraine. However, it isnt known what his family think of the decision as they believe hes away on a business trip. Ian Cunningham, who lives in south-west France, is part of the first British group to take up arms against Russian forces. Hes also become instant friends with the second oldest member of the Brigade, a Polish colonel called Martin Podpora Colonel Cunningham, who expects to be given an administrative role, has formerly worked as an aide to the British chief of defence staff. He also served in the Coldstream Guards in Belfast and commanded a Territorial Army infantry regiment. He told The Spectator magazine that he is due to go to Kyiv in the coming weeks. He added: Ones here for the duration. It could end in two days. It could end in two years. Who knows? He said he was impressed by the Ukrainian army, adding that everyone he has met has very good military experience [there are] very few cowboys as I can make out. Hes also become instant friends with the second oldest member of the Brigade, a Polish colonel called Martin Podpora. Nine out of ten volunteers in the International Brigade are in their 20s but that didnt worry Colonel Cunningham. He is expected to follow his very punchy and extremely tough new best friends who have gone to Kyiv in the coming days and weeks. More than 3,000 foreigners signed up to fight for Ukraine so far, which is thought to include around 50 British volunteers. Russian spy Anna Chapman has praised her countrymen for the 'wave of patriotism and faith' amid the Ukraine invasion, thanking her fellow Russians for backing Vladimir Putin's war - and then urging them to buy her clothing line. The 40-year-old model, who was expelled from the United States in 2010 after pleading guilty to espionage, has in the years since her return to Moscow carved out a career as an influencer and fashion designer. On Saturday, she posted a photo of her in a green strapless gown, holding aloft a black heeled shoe, captioned: 'I have never seen such a wave of patriotism and faith in our country and the Russian people in my entire life ... Thank you for this. 'On this wave of patriotism, I would like to fill you in on my clothing brand, which I created out of love for my country. 'We basically produced in Russia, all our fabrics are the trends of Russian culture.' Anna Chapman on Saturday posted a picture to Instagram captioned: 'I have never seen such a wave of patriotism and faith in our country and the Russian people in my entire life ... Thank you for this.' She urged them to then buy her clothing brand, 'which I created out of love for my country' Chapman, in a photo posted to Instagram - one of many of her in form-fitting, slinky outfits and sultry poses Chapman's Instagram feed is full of sultry poses in evening gowns As Chapman praised Russian 'patriotism', Ukrainians such as this woman in Markhalivka were having their lives torn apart by Russian missiles. She is pictured on Saturday, the same day as Chapman's post A Ukrainian volunteer fighter helps carry a child for local residents as they evacuate on foot as Russian forces advance on Irpin on Sunday Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, is pictured on Friday She then added that the clothes were available on the e-commerce site Wildberries. She said it would be the ideal gift for International Women's Day, which is marked on Tuesday. Chapman's 2010 mugshot taken when she was arrested in New York 'Please your women on the eve of March 8,' she concluded her post. Chapman appears to have dramatically changed her views since last week when, on March 2, she posted an anti-war message to Facebook. The video was a clip of a Tedx Talk in Krasnaya Polyana, which Chapman gave in February 2020. 'Unfortunately many people today have forgotten the joy with which Soviet and American soldiers embraced each other during the meeting on the Elbe River,' she said at the time. 'United, we were able to stop the terrible war and prevent Hitler from creating an atom bomb. 'How many more decades of conformations we will need? How many more human lives? And how much money from our federal budget until we understand that killing each other is pointless?' She also said that she couldn't 'hate' Americans even after her arrest in the U.S. The video was under the theme: 'Who are we fighting in the world?' Chapman last week shared to Facebook her 2020 Tedx talk, in which she condemned war In February 2020, Chapman declared: 'How many more decades of conformations we will need? How many more human lives? And how much money from our federal budget until we understand that killing each other is pointless?' She shared the clip again last week - but has now changed her position Anna Chapman's clothing range is for sale on a Russian e-commerce site. This 250 ruble scarf is currently worth $2.35, as the ruble plunges Chapman's website features dresses for 750 rubles ($7) and hats for 400 rubles ($3.75) Her bio for the event stated: 'Anna Chapman graduated as an economist specialising in global economy. Anna grew up outside Russia and studied at a women's Catholic convent. 'She opened her first business at the age of 21 in London, where she moved in her last year at university. The passion for entrepreneurship never left her heart even though after USA Anna began career in the main Russian party ''United Russia.'' 'In 2010, Anna launched her own show on the REN TV television channel as presenter. 'Being public figure for 10 years Anna Chapman never gave an interview about what happened in New York in summer 2010. 'In TED talk she speaks first about her feelings.' Chapman was part of a ring of Russian sleeper agents that ended after more than a decade in the biggest spy swap since the Cold War. Chapman's arrest dominated the newspapers at the time, when it emerged she had been working as a real estate agent in New York Chapman (top left) was one of 10 Russians arrested in July 2010. They were swapped in Vienna for four Russians imprisoned for helping the West Chapman, unlike the other Russian spies, did not opt for a quiet life on returning to Russia. She is pictured on the front page of Maxim magazine in October 2010 Called illegals because they took civilian jobs instead of operating inside Russian embassies and military missions, the spies mostly settled into quiet lives in middle-class neighborhoods. They were under orders from Moscow to burrow deep into American society and cultivate contacts with academics, entrepreneurs and government policymakers on subjects from defense to finance. Chapman worked as a real estate agent in New York; the massive hit FX Network show The Americans, which ran from 2013 to 2018, was based on their story. The U.S. swapped the 10 deep-cover agents for four Russians imprisoned for spying for the West at a remote corner of a Vienna airport in July 2010, in a scene reminiscent of the carefully-choreographed exchange of spies at Berlin's Glienicke Bridge during the Cold War. Chapman is pictured in Dubai in a recent Instagram photo On Sunday Chapman posted what looked like a watch advert, captioned: 'Our strength lies not in the fact that we are not afraid (to be afraid is completely normal), but in how we cope with this fear, anger, regret. What do we do when we're afraid? We give in to the instincts to run/freeze/hide/blame or control our feelings, bringing them to higher vibrations. So let's raise awareness' One of the four Russians swapped for Chapman and the others was Sergei Skripal, a former colonel for Russian military intelligence, the GRU. He was sentenced in 2006 to 13 years in prison for passing the names of other Russian agents to British intelligence. After the prisoner exchange, Skripal moved to Britain, and in March 2018, Russian assassins travelled to the British city of Salisbury to attempt to kill him with the nerve agent Novichok. They failed but did kill a British woman passing by. The freed Soviet spies mainly kept a low profile after their return to Moscow, but Chapman became a lingerie model, corporate spokeswoman and television personality. She also became an activist for the pro-Kremlin youth party, and was outspoken in her support of Donald Trump. Then-president Dmitry Medvedev awarded all 10 of the freed deep-cover operatives Russia's highest honors at a Kremlin ceremony. British Gas is letting down customers it has signed up from rival firms that have gone bust, according to a consumer survey. More than 700,000 of the 2 million people forced to switch supplier have been picked up by British Gas. But a survey of 12,000 people found many of those rescued by this 'safety net' switching regime, managed by regulator Ofgem, feel let down. MoneySavingExpert founder Martin Lewis said firms 'must up their game' after one in five people who switched in September and October still hadn't got their credit balance back three months later. British Gas has picked up 700,000 new customers from gas and electricity suppliers who have gone bust in the last year (file image) Martin Lewis, who runs website MoneySavingExpert, has said companies need to 'up their game' to help new customers That rose to nine in ten for those moved from PFP Energy or People's Energy to British Gas. Ofgem 'expects most refunds to be completed soon'. British Gas said problems in repaying credit were often caused by the failed suppliers, adding: 'The majority have now been applied or will be shortly. The survey found at least half of those contacting British Gas, EDF and Shell Energy by phone, email or live chat for any reason had found it difficult. Mr Lewis, said the scale of company collapses has been so large that the Ofgem safety net regime and remaining energy suppliers have struggled to pick up the pieces. However, he said times are tougher still for those failed firms customers. Mr Lewis said: Millions have been moved to new firms they didnt choose, and with the collapse of cheap switchers deals, theyve had little choice but to stay there often left confused and frustrated by an opaque and inflexible process. Missing credit balances, billing delays and poor communication would be bad enough in isolation but in the midst of the explosion in consumer energy prices, we mustnt underestimate the impact of these errors on peoples financial and emotional wellbeing, many of whom are already feeling scared and vulnerable. Yet its clear that some firms have handled these transfers much better than others the differences in feedback between the best and worst performing providers are stark.' Prince Charles is set to foot a part of the bill for Prince Andrew's sexual abuse lawsuit, according to reports. The Prince of Wales will reportedly loan the Duke of York up to 7million, which will not include public money, after the royal agreed to pay a huge sum to his accuser Virginia Roberts to settle the case before it reached a jury. Ms Roberts had alleged she was forced to have sex with the duke three times when she was 17 under the orders of the late paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. In January, she was given the go-ahead to sue Andrew, 61, for unspecified damages in a New York civil court. But despite vowing to fight the allegations and repeatedly protesting his innocence, the prince last month agreed to pay a huge sum, reported to be some 12 million, to settle the case. The Duke of York has ten days to pay the money to Ms Roberts as part of his deal, according to The Sun. Prince Charles will reportedly foot a part of the bill for Prince Andrew's sexual abuse lawsuit The Duke of York last month agreed to pay a huge sum, reported to be some 12 million, to settle the case He will pay back Prince Charles when he sells his ski chalet in Verbier, Switzerland. A source told The Sun: 'There were family discussions about how to ''take a little from here and a little from there''. 'Once it (money from the chalet) hits his bank account, he can pay back his brother and whoever else has lent him money. 'But that payment (to Virginia) has to be paid on time.' Last month it was claimed the Queen would also foot part of the bill for Prince Andrew's sexual abuse lawsuit, according to the Telegraph. It came as Prince Andrew settled the sexual abuse lawsuit with Ms Roberts and said he would make a 'substantial donation' to her charity supporting victims' rights. He also praised her 'bravery' and that of other trafficking victims, saying he had 'never intended' to malign her character. Although the parties have settled the case, the agreement is not an admission of guilt from the duke and he has always strenuously denied the allegations against him. Virginia Roberts claimed she was 17 when she slept with the duke under orders from the late paedophile Jeffrey Epstein Last month it was claimed the Queen would also foot part of the bill for Prince Andrew's lawsuit The duke said in his statement that he 'regretted his association with Epstein' and pledged to demonstrate this 'by supporting the fight against the evils of sex trafficking, and by supporting its victims'. An attachment to the letter announcing the settlement to the public and the United States District Court gave brief details of the agreement between Andrew and Ms Roberts but indicated the sum would not be disclosed. Although the terms of the deal remain a closely guarded secret, sources indicated the settlement itself could cost Andrew as much as 7.5 million ($10 million) with several million pounds worth of legal fees taking the potential cost of the case to the prince to around the 10 million mark. Attorney David Boies, who represents Ms Roberts, said that lawyers on both sides were telling the judge that a settlement in principle had been reached and they would request a dismissal of the lawsuit within a month. The settlement means the civil case will not go to a jury trial, and also that Andrew will no longer be questioned under oath by Ms Roberts' lawyers. The Bolshoi Theatre's music director and principal conductor Tugan Sokhiev announced his resignation Sunday, saying he felt under pressure due to calls to take a position on the Ukraine conflict. The Russian said in a statement he was resigning "with immediate effect" from his post at the Moscow theatre as well as his equivalent position at France's Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse. Sokhiev was appointed by the Bolshoi in 2014. He was brought in as part of moves to improve the theatre's image after scandals including the 2013 acid attack on its then-artistic director Sergei Filin. He comes from the same North Ossetia region of Russia as star conductor Valery Gergiev and is considered to be his protege. Kremlin loyalist Gergiev has been stripped of his role at the Munich Philharmonic for failing to denounce Russia's actions. The Bolshoi Theatre's music director and principal conductor Tugan Sokhiev said he felt under pressure due to calls to take a position on the Ukraine conflict Sokhiev said in a lengthy statement that "many people were waiting for me to express myself and to hear from me my position on what's happening at the moment," referring to Russia's military action in Ukraine. He 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 explicitly whether he backs or opposes Russia's actions in Ukraine while he said that "I have never supported and I will always be against any conflicts in any shape and form". MOSCOW: A woman shouts as two officers detain her for taking part in an anti-war protest in Moscow on Sunday afternoon He said musicians are becoming "victims of so called 'cancel culture'" and suggested Russian music could come under threat. "I will be soon asked to choose between Tchaikovsky, Stravinsky, Shostakovich and Beethoven, Brahms, Debussy," he warned. Bolshoi general director Vladimir Urin told TASS state news agency he was saddened by Sokhiev's decision. "I'm very sorry. His departure is a serious problem for the Bolshoi Theatre. It's unclear how the situation will develop from now." A US man will face court in Sydney after authorities allegedly found a loaded pistol in his carry-on luggage at Sydney International Airport during a security screening. The Australian Federal Police says officers were called after a security worker monitoring an x-ray machine saw what they suspected to be a firearm in the 47-year-old man's carry-on baggage on Sunday morning. Police inspected his luggage and allegedly found a loaded Ruger pistol. AFP charged the US bound passenger, who said he had forgotten about the loaded pistol The man was stopped from boarding a flight to the US and questioned about the weapon. AFP Sydney Airport Police Commander, Detective Acting Superintendent Scott Sykes said officers had found a bullet in the chamber of the handgun, which meant it was ready to be fired. 'The man claimed he had forgotten the weapon was in his luggage but this situation could have had deadly consequences for other travellers, even if it had discharged accidentally during the flight,' Det Act/Supt Sykes said. 'Security screening staff at the airport were vigilant and along with AFP officers, acted quickly to ensure the safety of the travelling public.' The man was charged and refused police bail to appear in Sydney Central Local Court on Monday, charged with three firearms offences which carry a combined maximum penalty of 22 years of imprisonment. AFP officers said they found a bullet in chamber of handgun, meaning it was ready to be fired. The man will appear in a Sydney court charged with three firearm offences - could get 22 years Ukrainian President Zelensky's wife has plead with media to 'tell the terrible truth' that Putin's troops are killing children 'consciously and cynically'. Olena Zelenska took to Instagram to say Russians had been killing Ukrainian children since Putin's forces invaded on February 24. She asked Nato to implement a no-fly zone over Ukraine to 'save our children, because tomorrow it will save yours'. She said: 'The Russian occupiers are killing Ukrainian children. Consciously and cynically. Olena Zelenska (pictured) took to Instagram to say Russians had been killing Ukrainian children since Putin's forces invaded on February 24 An 18-month-old boy named Kirill (pictured being carried by his father) was fatally wounded in the the southern city of Mariupol after Russian forces shelled Ukraine's second city just minutes into an agreed ceasefire on Saturday She wrote: 'When people in Russia say that their troops are not hurting the civilian population, show them these pictures!' 'I have to tell you about it. At least 38 children have already died in Ukraine. 'And this figure might be increasing this very moment due to the shelling of our peaceful cities! 'When people in Russia say that their troops are not hurting the civilian population, show them these pictures!' Devastating images show the father of an 18-month-old boy named Kirill running into a hospital in Ukraine with his dying son The grieving parents embraced their son's lifeless body laid out on a stretcher in the besieged city after the region came under shelling from Russian forces Images have laid bare the barbarity and horror of Russia's invasion of Ukraine as the parents of 18-month-old Kirill were seen grieving for their son after the toddler was killed by Russian shelling An 18-month-old boy named Kirill was fatally wounded in the the southern city of Mariupol after Russian forces shelled Ukraine's second city just minutes into an agreed ceasefire on Saturday. Kirill's devastated mother Marina Yatsko and her boyfriend Fedor were later seen grieving as they embraced their son's lifeless body laid out on a stretcher in the besieged city. And yesterday, in some of the most harrowing scenes of the war so far, the bodies of those killed in the mortar attack were seen lying motionless on a road. Beside them were suitcases packed ahead of what they hoped would be a journey to safety. There was even a pet carrier among the luggage. A mother and two children were killed and the father was wounded by a mortar shell in Irpin near Kyiv on Sunday as hundreds of civilians sought safety 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 Three members of the same family were among those killed in the attack by Vladimir Putin's forces on Irpin, a town 12 miles from Kyiv. Horrific images captured the terrifying experience of mothers, fathers, grandparents and children running from Russian artillery fire. On the 11th day of the conflict, men, women and children were needlessly targeted and their neighbourhoods reduced to ruins. Across Ukraine, ceasefires brokered by the Red Cross were breached and humanitarian corridors were closed. The UK Government said Russia was targeting 'populated areas' to break the resistance of the Ukrainian people. The use of this heinous tactic was beyond dispute last night despite Putin's denials and the disinformation emitting from Moscow. Mrs Zelenska added: 'Show them the faces of these children who weren't even given a chance to grow up. How many more children must die to convince Russian troops to stop firing and allow humanitarian corridors? On the 11th day of the conflict, men, women and children were needlessly targeted and their neighbourhoods reduced to ruins. Pictured: The Zelensky family 'We need corridors in the hottest cities in Ukraine right now! Hundreds of children die there in basements without food and medical care. 'Russian soldiers shoot families who try to leave the buildings. They also kill volunteers who try to help. 'I appeal to all the unbiased media in the world! 'Tell this terrible truth: Russian invaders are killing Ukrainian children. 'Tell it to Russian mothers - let them know what exactly their sons are doing here, in Ukraine. 'Show these photos to Russian women - your husbands, brothers, compatriots are killing Ukrainian children! 'Let them know that they are personally responsible for the death of every Ukrainian child because they gave their tacit consent to these crimes. 'To NATO countries: close the sky over Ukraine! Save our children, because tomorrow it will save yours!' Just days ago a captured Russian soldier begged his family not to believe Moscow 'propaganda' as he claimed Putin's troops are killing children in the Ukraine. A soldier, who has been captured by Ukrainian forces, urged people not to trust what they hear on Russian television as he claimed that the Kremlin are 'brainwashing' people The soldier, who has been captured by Ukrainian forces, urged people not to trust what they hear on Russian television as he claimed that the Kremlin are 'brainwashing' people. In a video, which was shared to Facebook by the Security Service of Ukraine, the soldier claims that Russian troops are killing civilians and babies in the Ukraine. He says: 'What is happening here [in the Ukraine] is all Russia's fault. Neither Ukraine nor anyone else. They [Russian troops] killing people civilians. Babies are being murdered.' As the world enters the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic, the global death toll is about to hit 6 million, indicating that humanity's battle against the dreaded virus continues. Some countries, including the United States, reported a downward trend in COVID-19 infections in recent weeks, prompting the relaxing of pandemic measures and re-opening of businesses. However, the death toll recorded by Johns Hopkins University at 5,996,882 as of Sunday morning and was expected to pass the 6 million mark soon. While according to the World Health Organization's website, there have been 440,807,756 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 5,978,096 deaths, while a total of 10,704,043,684 vaccine doses have been administered worldwide. As it adheres to mainland China's "zero-COVID" strategy, Hong Kong is testing its entire population of 7.5 million people three times this month, but the number of deaths remains high, per NBC News. While death rates in Poland, Hungary, Romania, and other Eastern European nations stay high, the region has seen over 1 million refugees arrive from the war-torn Ukraine, which has low vaccination numbers and high rates of infections and mortality. Infections in the United Kingdom have decreased since an omicron-driven spike in December but are still high. All restrictions, including mask mandates and the necessity that all who test positive isolate at home, have been repealed in England. The African continent's lower death toll, at around 250,000, is assumed to be due to underreporting, as well as a population that is predominantly young and less mobile. The World Health Organization reported this week that there had been more than 445 million confirmed COVID-19 cases worldwide, with new weekly cases dropping in all regions except the Western Pacific, including China, Japan, and South Korea, as Time reported. After the pandemic began in early 2020, it took the world seven months to register the first million deaths due to the COVID-19 virus. Another million people perished four months later, and 1 million people died every three months afterward until the death toll reached 5 million at the end of October. Undercounted Cases However, months ago, it was expected that the death toll would hit 6 million worldwide, considering that there are difficulties in keeping records and testing in different countries, which caused disparities in the numbers. Excess deaths were also documented as a result of the pandemic, but not directly from COVID-19 infections, such as persons who died of preventable conditions but were unable to receive treatment because hospitals were in total capacity. According to Tikki Pang, co-Chair of the Pacific Immunization Coalition, the death rates across the globe are still highest among unvaccinated individuals, citing Hong Kong's case as an example. She said the huge majority of the fatalities and severe cases are "in the unvaccinated, vulnerable segment of the population." Read Also: Russia-Ukraine War: Experts Predict "Collapse" in Russian Economy Amid Ukraine Invasion, Massive Sanctions US Cases Declining But Number of Deaths is Almost 1 Million And despite its wealth and vaccine availability, the United States is nearing 1 million reported deaths on its own COVID-19 is shifting from pandemic to endemic. US officials say the country has the world's highest official death toll, but the numbers have been declining in recent months. Based on WHO figures, the United States has reported 78,428,884 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with 947,625 deaths. While vaccine doses administered, have reached 537,567,013. Related Article: When Can COVID-19 Pandemic Become Endemic? Disease Will Soon be Flu-Like Disease Through Vaccines, Viral Experts Predict @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. In Orwells dystopian novel 1984, the purpose of the Ministry of Truth was to rewrite history, by falsifying any facts which did not fit in with party doctrine. In a chilling case of life imitating art, Vladimir Putin is doing precisely that in Russia today. There is no war in Ukraine, he says, and anyone who says there is will go to prison for up to 15 years. The Kremlin is trying furiously to shut down independent sources of news that show their leader to be a bare-faced liar. But this is the age of the internet. The truth will out. The actual truth. Truth is treason in Putin's dystopian state. There is no war in Ukraine, he says, and anyone who says there is will go to prison for up to 15 years There were anti-war demonstrations in 44 Russian cities yesterday, with more than 4,000 protesters herded into police vans. They know whats happening and so does everyone else. The idea that the population can be kept in the dark is simply risible. Its easy to see Putins twisted logic. If there is no war, then it cant be going badly. But it is. Very badly. What was meant to be a stroll into Kyiv has become a deadly war of attrition. The heroic resistance of Ukrainian forces has caused such disarray among the invaders that Britains chief of the defence staff, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, believes Russia could even lose this campaign. Meanwhile, there is also dissent in Belarus Russias staunchest ally. There are claims deputy defence minister Major General Viktor Gulevich has resigned, saying he couldnt support the invasion and some Belarusian military personnel were refusing to engage in hostilities. General Gulevich is among those facing UK Government sanctions, suggesting that asset freezing and travel bans are already concentrating minds. Putin himself has described the sanctions regime as an act of war and threatens reprisals a sure sign that they are hurting him and his cronies. In a six-point plan to overcome Putins aggression and end the horror of war in Ukraine, Boris Johnson pledged to ratchet up sanctions further still. As we reveal today, more than 100 oligarchs, politicians and companies have been sanctioned by the US or EU but not yet by the UK. Legal and bureaucratic hurdles are being cited as the reason. They must be cleared without further delay. Short of military action, sanctions are the Wests most potent weapon. For Ukraine to have any chance of being saved from tyranny, they must be deployed at full speed and with utter ruthlessness. The energy delusion It's typical of Britains shambolic energy policy that in the midst of a global crisis we are about to block off the only avenue that could make us self-sufficient in gas. Next week the countrys only two experimental shale gas wells in Lancashire are to be sealed with concrete, effectively abandoning this potentially vast domestic energy source. As well as supplying cheap gas, fracking could provide many thousands of jobs in the North of England, playing directly into the levelling-up agenda. Renewables alone will not keep the lights and radiators on over the next 28 years. Isn't it time we mobilised a taskforce - like we did during the vaccine rollout - to secure our energy needs for the next generation? To dismiss it out of hand is simply crazy. We must start taking energy security seriously. For all the wishing and hoping, renewables alone will not keep the lights and radiators on over the next 28 years. So in the Gadarene rush to net-zero, we will either have to buy in increasing supplies from despots such as Putin or turbocharge our own nuclear and North Sea production. The vaccine miracle showed what can be done by a public/private task force under dynamic leadership and liberated from the crushing red tape of Whitehall. Isnt it time to mobilise a similar force to secure our energy needs for the next generation? We must get our heads out of the sand. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced on Sunday that top U.S. officials are speaking with their European counterparts about banning oil imports from Russia as President Vladimir Putin continues his reign of terror on Ukraine. In an interview with CNN's Face the Nation, Blinken said he was discussing the issue of Russian oil with President Joe Biden and other members of the Cabinet 'and we are now talking to our European partners and allies to look in a coordinated way to making sure that there is still an appropriate supply of oil in world markets.' 'That's a very active discussion as we speak,' he said. Meanwhile, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Congress members are considering a bill that would halt the import of Russian oil to the United States - even as the price of crude oil increased to nearly $130 a barrel in early morning trading on Monday. She said members of the House are 'exploring' a bill that would 'ban the import of Russian oil and energy products into the U.S., repeal normal trade relations with Russia and Belarus and take the first step to deny Russia access to the World Trade Organization.' The legislation would also empower the president to raise tariffs on Russian imports, she said in a statement Sunday night, in which she also announced that Congress will likely approve the Biden administration's request for $10 billion in aid to Ukraine. 'Let me be clear: the United States need not choose between our democratic values and our economic interests,' Pelosi said. 'The Administration and the Congress remain laser-focused on bringing down the higher energy costs for American families and our partners stemming from Putin's invasion. 'We salute President Biden for leading our allies in releasing 60 million barrels of oil from strategic reserves - including 30 million from American reserves in the SPR - to stabilize global markets. 'And in our visit to the Munich Security Conference, we were encouraged by the statements of our allies - especially the European Union - that they will continue to diversify their energy supply and reduce their dependence on Russian energy.' Secretary of State Antony Blinken, left, announced on Sunday that top U.S. officials are speaking with their European counterparts about banning oil imports from Russia, as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, right, said Congress members are considering a bill that would halt the import of Russian oil to the United States White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said last week the administration is looking at options to ban Russian oil amid pressure from lawmakers, but noted: 'If you reduce supply in the global marketplace, you are going to raise gas prices' The proposal to halt imports of Russian oil has seen bipartisan support, with Sen. Joe Manchin, a Democrat from West Virginia, and Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a Republican from Alaska, introducing a bipartisan bill last week to do so. In her announcement, Murkowski said: 'There is a moral obligation here: I don't want U.S. dollars to be funding this, this carnage in Ukraine led by Putin.' Soon, Pelosi also expressed her support for banning Russian oil to punish President Vladimir Putin for his alleged war crimes. 'I'm all for that,' Pelosi said when asked about the proposal last week, according to PBS. 'Ban it.' But those who are against the proposal fear a greater rise in prices, as the national average for a gallon of gasoline topped $4 for the first time since the 2008 fiscal crisis on Sunday. Last week, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said that the administration is looking at options amid pressure from lawmakers, but noted: 'If you reduce supply in the global marketplace, you are going to raise gas prices. 'You're going to raise the price of oil, and that is something the president is very mindful of.' Manchin, however, said gas prices have already increased dramatically due to rising inflation of 7.5 percent. 'Inflation has already wreaked havoc on it now, and basically we're going to say we're going to sit back now because we're afraid it might go up a little bit more - it might go up anyway,' he said on NBC News' Meet the Press. 'We have done nothing. I'm willing to at least do something.' Senators Joe Manchin, left, and Lisa Murkowski, right, introduced a bill last week that would halt imports of Russian oil Meanwhile, the national average for a gallon of gasoline topped $4 for the first time since the 2008 fiscal crisis on Sunday Gas prices rose by an average of 15.8 cents a gallon on Friday and were up another 8 cents on Saturday - as the cost at the pump increased 33 cents over the last week Gas prices rose by an average of 15.8 cents a gallon on Friday and were up another 8 cents on Saturday - as the cost at the pump increased 33 cents over the last week. It was the second highest spike in gasoline prices ever recorded and beaten only by the 18.1-cent spike when Hurricane Katrina tore through the Gulf in August 2005. And internationally, the price of oil jumped more than $10 a barrel in international trading early Monday morning after Libya's national oil company said an armed group had shut down two of its oil fields, causing the country's daily output to drop by 330,000. U.S. crude oil had jumped $9.08 to $124.74 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange, The Associated Press reported, while Brent crude, the international standard, hit $139.13 per barrel before falling back. It was trading up $10.56 at $128.67 a barrel. Experts blame the war in Ukraine, coupled with the rising inflation for the sky-high gas prices in nearly one-third of the country, with costs surging by 37 cents nationally immediately after Russia invaded Ukraine. The United States imports just a small amount of oil from Russia - about 7 percent of all imports of crude oil and petroleum products. In 2021, CNBC reported, the U.S. brought in 245 million barrels of crude oil and petroleum products from the country - a one-year increase of 24 percent. But in December, the most recent month for which data is available from the Energy Information Administration, Russian imports of crude oil were only about 1.4 percent of total United States imports, according to The Washington Post. And at the time, the United States was producing more than 128 barrels of crude oil domestically for every barrel imported from Russia. Meanwhile, about 60 percent of Russia's crude oil exports go to Europe, and an additional 20 percent go to China - Russia's biggest customer and a sympathetic partner in Russia's current efforts. President Joe Biden has requested $10 billion in aid to Ukrainians Ukrainian residents are trying to flee the war-torn country. Soldiers are seen here carrying a woman while fleeing Irpin, near Kyiv, on Sunday A man rode his bicycle near a factory and a store that burned after it was bombed Bombings continued throughout Ukraine on Sunday. The Vinnytsia airport is pictured here Pelosi also announced on Sunday that Congress is planning to approve the Biden administration's request for $10 billion in aid to Ukraine. Acting Director of the White House Office of Management and Budget Shalanda Young laid out the request for $10 billion in aid on Thursday, asking Congress members to include the money in a planned budget agreement that Congress is trying to finish before a March 11 deadline, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer. Young said the money would cover 'additional humanitarian, security and economic assistance in Ukraine and the neighboring region in the coming days and weeks.' Pelosi said Congress 'intends to enact this emergency funding this week as part of our omnibus government funding legislation.' 'As President Biden has made crystal clear, American troops will not go to war in Ukraine - but our nation can provide military equipment and support our allies who are supplying airplanes to Ukraine,' she said in a statement. The United States is now in talks 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 in turn be replaced by a fresh set of F-16s by the United States. Blinken told CBS's Face the Nation host Margaret Brennan: 'That gets the green light. 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. 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?' The White House is now working out the practicalities of carrying out 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 told the Financial Times. A man carried a child as passengers, including many who were fleeing Ukraine, boarded a train to leave the city of Odessa on March 6 A couple embraced as they said goodbye amidst the fighting But Russia's Defense Ministry on Sunday warned countries, including NATO member Romania, against hosting Kyiv's military aircraft, saying they could end up being involved in an armed conflict. Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said in a video briefing that some Ukrainian combat planes had redeployed to Romania and other Ukraine neighbors he did not identify. He warned that if those warplanes attacked the Russian forces from the territory of those nations, it 'could be considered as those countries' engagement in the military conflict.' Konashenkov said: 'We know for sure that Ukrainian combat aircraft have flown to Romania and other neighboring countries. 'The use of the airfield network of these countries for basing Ukrainian military aviation with the subsequent use of force against Russia's army can be regarded as the involvement of these states in an armed conflict.' President Joe Biden has extended an 18-month deportation protection on all Ukrainians seeking asylum Thousands of Russians and Ukrainians have sought asylum in the U.S. over the past year, buying up cheap throwaway cars in Mexico hoping to get asylum at the Southern border - and more are expected as Vladimir Putin's forces advance in Ukraine. About 6,400 Russians and 1,000 Ukrainians have been clocked at the southern border by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) between October 2021 and January. That's a 64 percent jump for Russians and 68 percent increase for Ukrainians from the same period last year. In fiscal year 2021, from October1, 2020, to September 30, 2021, there were about 4,100 Russians apprehended and 680 Ukrainians, according to CBP data. Migrants who arrive on foot are often turned back, but those that can get a car are less likely to be caught. Armed with this knowledge, Ukrainians and Russians are snapping up used cars hoping to make it through the border crossing, what former U.S. Border Patrol Chief Rodney Scott told Reuters was a way to 'jump the line.' Most of the migrants from the two countries have been allowed to remain in the U.S. while they pursue their claims. All of the Russian migrants arrived in the U.S. before the February 24 invasion, but a current and a former border official who both spoke with Reuters on condition of anonymity said there could be further increases as the fighting has intensified. Most of the million-plus refugees have fled the Ukraine since Putin's 'special operation' of tanks, troops and missiles entered the Ukraine. Most have been absorbed by Eastern European neighbors, but these countries will only be able to take so many refugees before they are forced to turn the rest away. Dmitriy Zubarev, a civil rights lawyer and Russian dissident, described to Reuters how he made it into the US via the southern border with Mexico The Biden Administration has offered an 18-month temporary deportation protection to the Ukrainian people who have been in the US since March 1 Migrants who arrive on foot are often turned back, but those that can get a car are less likely to be caught Migrants from the Ukraine and Russia are sharing tips on social media on how to get into the U.S. through Mexico The Biden administration has offered an 18-month temporary deportation protection to the Ukrainian people who have been in the U.S. since March 1. Ahead of the invasion, Russians have been in the top three nationalities showing up at a San Diego shelter, according to San Diego Rapid Response Network. Ukrainians moved into the top three position last week, the organization said. 'Repression is intensifying and the people coming out to protest the war are treated very harshly,' Dmitriy Zubarev, a civil rights lawyer and Russian dissident, told Reuters. Zubarev told Reuters he boarded a plane in June 2021 from Moscow to Cancun, Mexico, then flew to Tijuana at the U.S. border where he boarded a minivan with 11 other migrants. As soon as he crossed over, he said he asked for asylum and was released to pursue his case. Zubarev currently resides in Connecticut. 'There will be more people trying to use refugee routes to escape the bad situation in the country,' he said. A border agent at the San Ysidro border crossing between San Diego and Tijuana pulled over 20 cars last week that were full of Ukrainians and Russian, according to California Democratic Congressman Lou Correa. 'This problem is not going away,' Correa said. In December, CBP said 18 Russian migrants sped toward the San Ysidro port of entry in two cars, according to Reuters. A CBP officer shot at the vehicles, striking one which collided with the other, according to a December 14 CBP statement. Two of the migrants suffered minor head injuries, the agency said. At the same time, a third car carrying eight Russian nationals made it into the United States, the statement said. Russian forces are now attempting to encircle Kyiv and pressing forward in the northeast and southeast Refugees, mostly women with children, arrive at the border crossing in Medyka, Poland, on Sunday Refugees at the border crossing in Poland wrapped in blankets try to keep warm as they try to escape the ongoing conflict in Ukraine A young woman clutches a doll, after fleeing Ukraine, at the border crossing in Medyka, Poland, Saturday Would-be migrants from Ukraine and Russia are swapping tips on social media on how to make the journey to the U.S. Southern border via Mexico to claim asylum. They describe routes and share names and numbers of contacts who can help them procure cars. In a recent exchange in one Russian-language Telegram group, viewed by Reuters, a chat member said 'helpers' charge at least $1,500 per person to provide a car. Another was trying to find a seat in a car for his Ukrainian mother. Life inside both Russia and Ukraine have become more difficult since the war broke out. Russian forces have intensified shelling in the port city of Mariupol, including with the use of airplanes, the mayor said on Saturday night. 'The city is in a very, very difficult state of siege,' Vadym Boychenko told Ukrainian TV. 'Relentless shelling of residential blocks is ongoing, airplanes have been dropping bombs on residential areas.' Boychenko said that thousands of children, women and the elderly came under fire as they arrived in the morning for a possible evacuation through a safe passage corridor. Russia promised to stop the shelling of Mariupol, a port city of 430,000, and Volnovakha, a city in the east, but violated the cease-fire. The two sides have been locked in a long-range shelling war along Kyiv's outskirts that has put working class towns such as Bucha and Irpin in the line of fire. But people fleeing the two towns said their resolve to stay broke down when Russian warplanes started circling overhead and dropping bombs on Friday. 'Warplanes. They are bombing residential areas schools, churches, big buildings, everything,' accountant Natalia Dydenko said after a quick glance back at the destruction she left behind. The 58-year-old was one of thousands of people walking with their children and whatever belongings they could carry down a road leading toward central Kyiv and away from the front. Meanwhile, heavy sanctions have devastated Russia's economy and President Vladimir Putin has arrested thousands of dissenters who have protested the war. The Russian Embassy in an emailed statement said it was 'very concerned' about what it characterized as 'detention' of alleged Russian citizens at the U.S.-Mexico border near San Diego, and that it had contacted the U.S. State Department to verify their identities. The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Advertisement 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 state's deadliest storm in more than a decade, authorities said. Emergency management officials in Madison County said four were injured and six people were killed there on Saturday when one tornado touched down in the area southwest of Des Moines near the town of Winterset around 4.30pm Winds of up to 136mph were recorded uprooting trees, overturning cars and destroying homes. Officials identified the six people who were killed in Madison County. Among those killed were two children under the age of five and four adults. Melissa Bazley, 63, died along with two of her grandchildren - Kinlee Bolger, 5, and Owen Bolger, 2 - and their father and her son-in-law Michael Bolger, 37. The children's mother, Kuri, is in hospital and her son Brysen also survived. A GoFundMe page has been set up to help the family. Rodney Clark, 64, and Cecilia Lloyd, 72, both from Winterset, were also named among the victims killed in the tornado. In Lucas County, about 55 miles southeast of Des Moines, officials confirmed one death and multiple reported injuries when a separate tornado struck less than an hour later. Lucas County officials didn't immediately identify the seventh person who died there Sunday afternoon. The state Department of Natural Resources said the person who died was in an RV at a campground at Red Haw State Park in Chariton, Iowa. 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. The children's father, Michael, seen here was also killed. His wife, Kuri, remains in hospital and was injured during the storms Melissa Bazley, 63, is seen center with Kinlee, 5, left and her brother, Brysen, right, who survived The remains of a home is scattered among debris as cleanup efforts are underway in Winterset, Iowa, on Sunday People stand among debris as cleanup efforts are underway in Winterset, Iowa, on Sunday Cleanup efforts are underway in Winterset, Iowa, on Sunday, March 6, 2022, after a tornado tore through an area southwest of town on Saturday Residents go through the wreckage of their home. Once man could be seen looking through a collection of DVD's and videos 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 that 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. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds updates the media after touring heavily damaged parts of Winterset, Iowa, on Sunday. A confirmed EF3 tornado ripped through parts of Madison County on Saturday, destroying property and killing seven Diogenes Ayala, director of the Madison County Emergency Management Agency, reports on the number of fatalities after a tornado touched down southwest of Winterset, Iowa, damaging homes, knocking down trees and toppling power lines Members of the Winterset Fire Department embrace after responding to emergency calls after a tornado touched down west of Winterset, Iowa, killing multiple people and leveling homes on Saturday night Cleanup efforts are underway in Winterset, Iowa, on Sunday, after a tornado tore through an area southwest of town Betty Hope of Winterset, Iowa, searches for items worth keeping at her home as cleanup efforts got underway Homeowners were see looking through the wreckage of their houses Betty Hope of Winterset, Iowa, hold a garbage bag as she slowly sifts through the remains of her home 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. Saturday's 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 don't 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, haven't been done and sometimes show no clear connection. Gensini said Saturday's 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 Governor 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. A damaged vehicle sits among debris as cleanup efforts are underway in Winterset, Iowa A damaged vehicle sits among debris as a pile of bricks, television and an old sofa sit nearby What was once a home is now just a pile of rubble in Winterset, Iowa after a tornado smashed everything to pieces The remains of a home is scattered among debris with washing machines and a keyboard laying in the wreckage Larry Stout of Winterset, Iowa, holds up a DVD of the movie Twister after helping his sister, Betty Hope, clean up the area where her home once stood on Sunday. Hope's home was one of dozens destroyed by a tornado that touched down on Madison County on Saturday A damaged car can be seen lying on its roof after the Twister blew through the town The White House said President Joe Biden was briefed Sunday on the storm devastation in Iowa. Biden reached out to 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. 'It's just unbelievable. I tried to walk through and thank them and over and over and the response was, we're Iowans and that's 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. Betty Hope of Winterset, Iowa, searches for items worth keeping at her home as cleanup efforts got underway on Sunday Trees could be seen snapped in half from the powerful EF-3 tornado Damaged vehicles sit among debris, while little else remains Trees were snapped like twigs while cars were left covered in mud as a result of the powerful storm A helmet sits among debris after Saturday night's tornado A lone shoe sits among debris. The foundation was all that was left of several homes This vehicle was turned upside down, much like the lives of the residents of Winterset Some houses were blown to pieces while others remained standing and appeared to be unscathed Betty Hope of Winterset, Iowa, holds Matilda, her 15-year-old longhaired tabby cat, outside of her tornado-ravaged home 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. 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 weren't 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 and was rated an EF-3 on the Enhanced Fujita scale with peak winds of 138 mph. The damage assessment for the Winterset tornado isn't 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. Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds surveys the tornado-ravaged areas of Winterset, Iowa on Sunday Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, third from right, surveys the tornado-ravaged areas of Winterset, Iowa on Sunday Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds issued a disaster proclamation for Madison County, which allows state resources to be used to assist with response and recovery efforts A man could be seen drilling a tarp as a makeshift roof to the the top of a building The remains of a family home including what appears to be air conditioning units and a dishwasher can be seen A chainsaw proved useful to clear away some of the fallen trees on Sunday afternoon The tornado carved a path of destruction along a ridge while several hundred feet away other homes were undamaged Vladimir Putin has not gone mad but is invading Ukraine as part of a deliberate plan hatched a 'long time ago', Scott Morrison said as he criticised China for not condemning Russia's aggression. The Prime Minister dismissed speculation the Russian President is losing his mind as his invasion launched 12 days ago continues to kill innocent Ukrainians. 'He planned this a long time ago and he was absolutely determined to follow it through,' Mr Morrison told the Lowy Institute after a speech on Monday. Vladimir Putin has not gone mad but invaded Ukraine as part of a deliberate plan hatched a 'long time ago', Scott Morrison said. The pair are pictured together in Argentina in 2018 Servicemen of the Ukrainian Military Forces are pictured after fighting against Russians in the east of their country 'We hear the theories, ''Oh, he's just gone mad''. No, he hasn't, he's an autocrat and he's following through on his plans. 'And all of us in the West, and more broadly, we have to understand that autocrats don't play the same rules as the rest of us.' The Russian President - who wants to stop Ukraine forming a closer bond with the West - started building up troops on the border in November. Rumours surrounding Putin's health have been swirling for years, with reports suggesting he is suffering from cancer and Parkinson's disease, or been affected by long Covid-19 causing 'brain fog'. In late February US Senator Marco Rubio suggested Putin is mentally unwell in a tweet that warned it was 'pretty obvious' that 'something is off' with the Russian leader amid his invasion of Ukraine. 'I wish I could share more, but for now I can say it's pretty obvious to many that something is off with #Putin', the Republican Senator for Florida wrote. China is yet to condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Pictured: President Xi Jinping 'He has always been a killer, but his problem now is different & significant It would be a mistake to assume this Putin would react the same way he would have 5 years ago.' However, Mr Morrison is in no doubt that Putin is sane. In a keynote speech to the Lowy Institute on Monday, the Prime Minister urged Western liberal democracies to stand together against autocratic aggression. He also called on China to condemn Russia's invasion. 'China has long claimed to a role as one of the major powers in the world and to be a contributor to global peace and stability,' he said. 'No country will have a bigger impact on concluding this terrible war in Ukraine than China. So long as they have a bet each way on this, then I fear the bloodshed will continue.' Ukrainian servicemen coordinate the evacuation of civilians on March 6, 2022 near Irpin, Ukraine In his speech, Mr Morrison said Russia and China 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 said 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 blamed 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 said 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 said. 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 said. Mr Morrison also announced 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. 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. An east coast low is forecast to batter Sydney with up to 150mm of rain on Tuesday with forecasters warning of possible flash flooding and damaging gusts of wind. It comes as aerial photographs show homes in northern NSW inundated by floodwaters which is delaying recovery efforts. The Bureau of Meteorology on Monday evening issued an evacuation alert for parts of Camden, in Sydney's south west, with residents told to leave by 9pm. A renewed alert warned residents within parts of Camden that they have until 11.59pm on Monday or risk getting cut off once flood waters reach 10.3 metres at Camden Weir. Local flooding has been reported in Sydneys inner west, Peakhurst and Condell Park. A flash flooding warning has also been issued for North Richmond, Wisemans Ferry, Windsor, Sackville, Lower Portland and in northern NSW at Lismore, Grafton, Coffs Harbour, Armidale, Tenterfield and Dorrigo. The BoM also issued a flood warning for the Wollombi Brook, Hawkesbury-Nepean, Colo and Weir rivers. The Bureau of Meteorology has warned residents in Sydney and northern NSW to prepare for flash flooding from Sunday until Tuesday as an east coast low moves in. From left to right, the three main weather models forecasters use show Sydney and the south coast are expected to be battered by more than 100mm of rain Floodwater surrounded a small farm paddock with a single tractor in Coraki on Monday as locals prepare for more flash flooding Aerial photos show homes submerged in floodwater in Coraki on Monday as the BoM warns more flashing flooding is on the way The BoM has issued an intense and heavy rain warning covers the entire NSW coast from Coffs Harbour in the north to Bega in the south. A BoM statement warned heavy rain on possible hail could delay flood recovery efforts in northeast NSW. 'Severe thunderstorms over the northeast are expected to bring locally heavy to intense rain on Monday, and possibly damaging wind and hail,' it read. Residents in Coraki got to work on Monday by cleaning debris and damaged goods from areas clear of floodwater Aerial photos show homes inundated by floodwater in the northern NSW town Coraki on Monday 'This may result in further flooding and delay recovery efforts. Storms are expected to continue until at least Wednesday.' Harsh conditions are predicted to ease on Wednesday - when the sun may finally return. Intense flooding continued to inundate Coraki, 30km south of Lismore, on Monday. Large parts of the northern NSW town Coraki remained inundated on Monday with more rain forecast in coming days Roads in Coraki remained submerged on Monday as local prepare for more heavy rain to fall A Coraki resident figured out how to transport belongings through floodwater on Monday Photos showed homes and roads submerged in floodwater in parts of the town while other residents began a massive clean-up effort. Meanwhile, the NSW Premier has apologised to flood-devastated communities. Dominic Perrottet said sorry to thousands of people in the Northern Rivers district, whose homes and businesses were destroyed when towns like Lismore and Ballina were inundated by floodwaters last week. Coraki residents took the chance to clear floodwater debris on Monday as BoM warned more flash flooding is on the way Rural Fire Service NSW volunteers helped flood victims in Coraki clean damaged property on Monday Many had to be rescued by fellow citizens and have since struggled to access basics such as food, water, power, fuel, phones, ATMs, the internet and medical supplies. 'I'm very sorry ... but we're doing everything that we can,' Mr Perrottet told the Nine Network from Lismore. 'Some of those areas will look back at this and say it could have been done better but ... we're doing absolutely everything we can to provide care and support for those who need it to get those essential supplies in,' he said. The emergency response would be reviewed, he added. Floods have claimed six lives in NSW, including four in Lismore. The Australian Defence Force is helping with the mammoth clean-up with 512 personnel on the ground in NSW. Some 5000 personnel will be put on task or made available in NSW and Queensland over the course of this week, as 2010 are on the ground in both states, the ADF said. The Australian Defence Force is helping with the mammoth clean-up with 512 personnel on the ground in NSW A soldier helps with the clean-up effort in Lismore as residents prepare for more flash flooding 'We're getting supplies in. We're getting food in,' Mr Perrottet said. Around 2,000 of the 3,500 homes assessed so far in the Northern Rivers are no longer habitable, increasing the need for short-term and medium-to-long-term accommodation. Telstra on Monday said it had restored about 80 per cent of mobile coverage for communities in northern NSW and 75 per cent of landline connections. But some areas remained inaccessible due to continued flooding, road damage or a lack of electricity that is hampering the work of around 1,000 technicians. Around 2,000 of the 3,500 homes assessed so far in the Northern Rivers are no longer habitable, increasing the need for short-term and medium-to-long-term accommodation The northern NSW communities of Kingscliff, Main Arm, Mullumbimby, Ocean Shores, Tucabia, Uki and Wooli are among those still having issues with communications. The State Emergency Service had another 550 calls for help overnight and performed nine flood rescues. SES Deputy Commissioner Daniel Austin says volunteers are waiting with 'bated breath' to see what Monday brings. 'We're certainly on high alert from the Mid-North Coast down into the Shoalhaven,' he told the Nine Network. 'We are watching exceptionally closely a number of catchments ... around the Hawkesbury and Central Coast and places. 'The water hasn't retreated yet. We're now going to see more flooding on top of what we've already seen.' An Australian Defence Force soldier helps clean flood debris from a property in Lismore Renewed flooding is likely in the Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley and major flooding continues in the Upper Nepean, Nepean, Hawkesbury and Colo Rivers, the SES said on Monday. Rainfall on Monday and Tuesday could push the Nepean River at Penrith over six metres causing minor floods. At Wiseman's Ferry the Hawkesbury River was flooding at moderate levels on Monday morning and is likely to rise over the major flood level of 4.2 metres on Monday evening, and up to 4.4 metres through to Tuesday. Major flooding is also taking place at North Richmond and is likely to happen at Putty Road as the Colo River is expected to exceed 10.7 metres on Monday night and continue to swell to up to 11.5 metres on Tuesday. Rain is causing significant travel delays with cancellations expected on most Sydney Trains, NSW TrainLink Intercity and Regional train services and drivers are being urged to stay off the roads unless it's absolutely necessary. Advertisement The White House was struggling on Sunday night with how best to support Ukraine without drawing U.S. and NATO forces into direct conflict with Russia. The day began with Secretary of State Antony Blinken saying the White House had given the 'green light' for Poland to send fighter jets to Ukraine - a declaration that Moscow forcibly rejected. It then concluded with Poland describing reports of their sending jets to Ukraine as 'fake news.' A senior American official told The New York Times that the question being asked in the White House is: 'Tell me how we don't get sucked in to a superpower conflict.' Support among the U.S. public for the enforcement of a no-fly zone above Ukraine remains high - something that Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, again requested on Saturday - with three-quarters of those surveyed by a Reuters/IPSOS on Friday backing the idea. But it was unclear how many understood that putting U.S. jets into Ukrainian skies would see them forced to shoot down Russian jets, likely sparking World War Three. Instead of directly engaging in the fight with Russia, the U.S. and its allies in the 30-member NATO group were sending weapons to Ukraine; more than 17,000 anti-tank weapons, including Javelin missiles, have been sent by land to Ukraine over the borders of Poland and Romania since the conflict began. A $350 million package of military aid was approved by Congress on February 26, two days into the conflict, and 70 percent of it was delivered in five days. By contrast, a $60 million arms package to Ukraine agreed to in August was not completed until November, the Pentagon said. The New York Times described the pace of delivery of arms as 'warp speed.' A Ukrainian soldier is pictured on Sunday holding a NLAW - Next generation Light Anti-tank Weapon - while manning a checkpoint on the outskirts of Kyiv. NATO has so far sent 17,000 anti-tank weapons to Ukraine U.S. troops are seen on Sunday at the Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base near Constanta, Romania Two Polish Air Force Russian-made MIGs 29's fly above and below two Polish Air Force U.S. made F-16's fighter jets, at an air show in 2011. The U.S. has approved Poland sending its MIGs to Ukraine, but Poland is reluctant to do so, fearing an escalation of hostilities Military equipment from the French army is loaded from an Antonov 124 freight airplane, at Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base near Constanta, Romania, on Friday Blinken said on Sunday that the country was in talks 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. Poland has a fleet of 28 Russian-made MiG-29 warplanes, which Ukrainian pilots are trained to fly and are currently using. Poland's planes would in turn be replaced by a F-16s sent by the United States - although the new F-16s were intended for delivery to Taiwan. Blinken, when asked about giving Poland the F-16s, told CBS's Face the Nation: 'That gets the green light. 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. 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?' Blinken on Saturday was in Moldova and Poland, and briefly entered Ukraine to meet his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba. Antony Blinken, the U.S. Secretary of State, is seen on Saturday on the Ukraine-Poland border with his Ukrainian counterpart, Dmytro Kuleba Blinken on Sunday addressed a press conference in Moldova (pictured) Blinken is seen stepping down from his plane on arrival in Lithuania on Sunday. He is currently on a trip to Poland, Moldova, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia Russian forces are now attempting to encircle Kyiv and pressing forward in the northeast and southeast 'It was inspiring to meet today with my friend @DmytroKuleba at the Ukrainian-Polish border,' he tweeted. 'The leadership and courage that he and @ZelenskyyUa have demonstrated are remarkable, and the United States and the world will continue to stand with them and the people of Ukraine.' After Blinken's declaration that they would approve Poland's supplying of jets to Ukraine, Russia's Defense Ministry then warned countries against hosting Kyiv's military aircraft, saying they could end up being involved in an armed conflict. Igor Konashenkov, a spokesman for Russia's Defense Ministry, said in a video briefing that some Ukrainian combat planes had redeployed to Romania and other Ukraine neighbors He warned that if those warplanes attacked the Russian forces from the territory of those nations, it 'could be considered as those countries' engagement in the military conflict'. Konashenkov said: 'We know for sure that Ukrainian combat aircraft have flown to Romania and other neighboring countries. 'The use of the airfield network of these countries for basing Ukrainian military aviation with the subsequent use of force against Russia's army can be regarded as the involvement of these states in an armed conflict.' He also claimed that 'practically all' Ukraine's combat-ready aircraft had been destroyed. Poland has itself been concerned about the consequences of sending jets to Ukraine. 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. In response to a tweet from news site Nexta, quoting The Wall Street Journal as saying that MIGs could be sent from Poland to Ukraine, the Polish prime minister's office tweeted: 'Unfortunately you are spreading misinformation. 'Poland won't send its fighter jets to #Ukraine as well as allow to use its airports. 'We significantly help in many other areas.' General Mark Milley, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is seen in Lithuania on Sunday Milley speaks at the training range in Pabrade, some 38 miles north of the capital Vilnius A Polish official told The Financial Times: '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.' General Mark Milley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, on Sunday visited a training centee in Pabrade, Lithuania. U.S. troops were pictured in Romania on Sunday, having been sent there several weeks ago by President Joe Biden. Biden spent the weekend at his home in Wilmington, Delaware, and on Saturday attended St. Joseph on the Brandywine Roman Catholic Church with his family. Later on Saturday night he spoke to Zelensky, in an almost 40-minute conversation from 6.18pm to 6.50pm. Joe and Jill Biden are seen on Sunday night returning to the White House after a weekend in Delaware The Ukrainian leader fears Russia may soon begin a massive bombardment from the air, after their ground offensive appears to be making far slower progress than the Kremlin had anticipated. Meanwhile, devastating images and videos on Sunday laid bare the horror of Vladimir Putin's lawless invasion of Ukraine, as Russian troops unleashed 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 were attacking heavily-populated civilian areas. One image depicted a mother and her two children lying dead on the pavement in Irpin, killed after they tried to flee the city. Blinken said there are 'very credible reports' that Russia has committed war crimes during its invasion of Ukraine - particularly in attacking civilians. A second attempt on Sunday to evacuate refugees from Mariupol was scuppered again after the city was shelled just minutes into an agreed ceasefire. Some 400,000 residents were hoped to be evacuated from 12pm, with an initial agreement in place until 9pm, but residents were on Sunday night 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 former president said that Barr wouldn't know election fraud if it were staring him in the face Trump became enraged after Barr told The Associated Press that he had found no signs that the Biden had not won the election In the same interview with NBC News anchor Lester Holt, Barr said that he did not think that Trump was legally responsible for incitement The former Attorney General said that it was a plan to intimidate Congress, which was certifying the presidential election that day Bill Barr said that he thought that Trump was responsible for sending rioters to the Capitol on January 6 Former Attorney General Bill Barr would not put Donald Trump on trial for the January 6 riot on the Capitol, he said, although he believes the former president was 'responsible' and part of a plan to disrupt the certification of the 2020 election. He said also said that he would probably let the former commander-in-chief skate for taking classified documents home to Mar-a-Lago were he still attorney general. In a wide-ranging interview with NBC News anchor Lester Holt, which aired in full on Sunday night, Barr dished on his last days in office and the debunked claim that the presidential election was fraudulent. 'I do think he was responsible in the broad sense of that word, in that it appears that part of the plan was to send this group up to the Hill,' Barr told Holt in an interview promoting the former AG's new memoir. 'I think the whole idea was to intimidate Congress. And I think that that was wrong.' But Barr would not prosecute Trump if he were still the top law enforcement official in the U.S. 'I haven't seen anything to say he was legally responsible for it in terms of incitement,' he told NBC News. The National Archives and Records Administration recently discovered that Trump had taken home 15 boxes of classified records, but Barr shrugged it off when asked if the former AG would prosecute him for that. 'To tell you the truth, I probably wouldn't,' Barr said. 'The whole classification system is done under executive order. It's the president. The president decides everything.' Scroll down for video Former Attorney General Bill Bar, left, tells NBC News' Lester Holt that he thought former President Trump was 'responsible' for the January 6 attack on the Capitol, but he wouldn't prosecutor him Ex-AG Bill Bar said that he would probably not pursue a case against Trump for taking 15 boxes of classified documents out of the White House Barr, left, told Holt that he thinks Trump was 'responsible' for the January 6 attack, but that legally he couldn't hold him accountable Barr has been making the media rounds lately as part of his book promotion for 'One Damn Thing After Another: Memoirs of an Attorney General.' In it, he also discusses telling the president to move on from the conspiracy theory that the 2020 election was stolen. In an excerpt of the book published by the Wall Street Journal, Barr recalls the dramatic moment when former President Trump slammed his hand on his desk and ordered him to go home without delay after he disputed election fraud claims. During a tense meeting with Trump in the White House, Barr told him: 'Our mission is to investigate and prosecute actual fraud. The fact is, we have looked at the major claims your people are making, and they are bullsh***.' Barr wouldn't know voter fraud if it was staring him in the face, said former president Trump in response to the ex-AG's book In his book, out March 8, Barr makes the case for why he does not believe Trump should be allowed to run for president again in 2024 Barr told The Associated Press that the Justice Department had investigated the claims but found no wide-spread issues that would overturn the outcome. 'But you did not have to say that!' Trump barked, according to Barr. 'You could have just said, ''No comment.'' This is killing me - killing me. This is pulling the rug out from under me.''' The president then said, speaking in the third person, 'You must hate Trump. You would only do this if you hate Trump.' Barr resigned his post shortly before Christmas in 2020, just weeks before the end of Trump's term - in an event that has since been revealed to be a sign of inner White House turmoil over Trump's efforts to push his fraud claims even after they were thrown out of a succession of courts. 'And, you know, it was wrong to be shoveling it out the way his team was. And he started asking me about different theories. And I had the answers. I was able to tell him, 'This is wrong because of this,' Barr said. The president got angrier and angrier as he spoke. 'I said, Okay, well, look, I understand you're upset with me. And I'm perfectly happy to tender my resignation,' Barr recalled telling the ex-president. He made the comments to NBC's Lester Holt in an interview, which aired Sunday at 9pm That prompted a furious outburst from Trump, Barr told Holt. 'And then, boom! He slapped the desk, and he said, "Accepted!" Accepted!"' 'And then, boom! He slapped it again,' Barr said, slapping his own hand for emphasis. 'Accepted! Go home. Don't go back to your office. Go home. You're done.,' he says Trump told him. The former president told NBC News that he fired Barr for not doing the job of AG properly and called him 'lazy' and a 'coward.' 'Former Attorney General Bill Barr wouldn't know voter fraud if it was staring him in the face - and it was,' Trump said in a statement on Friday evening. 'The fact is, he was weak, ineffective, and totally scared of being impeached, which the Democrats were constantly threatening to do. They ''broke'' him.' Barr spent a great deal of the interview with Holt defending his record as attorney general. Many have said that he protected the ex-president from his political enemies; in particular, Barr's statement about the investigation into collusion with Russia's attempt to interfere with the 2016 presidential election. America's 17 intelligence agencies have concluded that Russia tried to sway the election in favor of Trump. Barr chose to release a four-page summary of special counsel Robert Mueller's report into the election interference, which two federal judge called misleading. 'This was not a summary of the report,' Barr said. 'It was a description of his bottom-line conclusions. I stuck with the bottom line. You say guilty or not guilty.' Low cost airline Bonza has hit turbulence in the wake of a top executive's recent sudden departure. The budget airline was unveiled late last year with plans to compete with Virgin and Jetstar and will fly 25 routes via Melbourne and the Sunshine Coast - but not Sydney. The company's co-founder and former chief operating officer Peter McNally parted ways with the budding air passenger carrier in Februrary after just seven months. His departure raised eyebrows on whether Bonza will be able to survive the highly competitive airline industry. Bonza plans to fly to regional areas largely outside of the pathways taken by the other airlines A Bonza spokeswoman confirmed to the Australian Financial Review that they had parted ways and thanked Mr McNally for his service. But they downplayed speculation that his exit would cause delays for the newcomer to the Aussie flight market. 'He leaves behind a very capable team who have been, and will continue to be, leading our regulatory application process,' the spokeswoman said. Mr McNally was given the top job in October last year and has extensive airline experience behind him, with stints with Qatar Airways and India's Indigo airline. He was also a part of the Virgin Blue's early management team. His departure came as the airline announced they would fly to 16 new destinations along 25 routes around the nation. Flights with the budget airline are expected to go on sale in May and they will focus on routes not normally flown by the major players of Virgin, Qantas and Jetstar. Bonza downplayed suggestions Mr McNally's exit would cause delays with the airline's launch Destinations will include Albury, Cairns, Coffs Harbour, Gladstone, Mackay, Newcastle, Port Macquarie, Rockhampton, Sunshine Coast and Townsville. Bonza CEO Tim Jordan promised 'ultra-low fares' for people who needed to fly to regional centres. 'Since announcing Bonza to the world late last year, we've always said we wouldn't just fly between Australia's three largest cities,' he said. 'And instead give people in the regions more choice. From our two bases on the Sunshine Coast and Melbourne, we will give Aussies more options at ultra-low fares to explore their own backyard.' Mr Jordan said. Software billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes and global asset manager Brookfield are scrapping their takeover bid for AGL which would have seen its transition from coal fast-tracked. Mr Cannon-Brookes used Twitter on Sunday night to announce it would not proceed with plans to buy Australia's biggest electricity generator and largest emitter. 'The Brookfield-Grok consortium looking to take private & transform AGL is putting our pens down - with great sadness,' he tweeted. The consortium had lifted its offer to $8.25 per share, worth about $9 billion plus debt, from an initial unsolicited bid of $7.50 in late February. AGL has knocked back a takeover offer and is set to continue to burn coal (pictured) into the 2040s The target's board confirmed on Monday the increased offer was still not in the best interests of shareholders. The company will run with its own demerger and decarbonisation plans instead. Chair Peter Botten said the revised offer was still well below fair value of the company, given the gains expected to be generated by AGL's demerger plans that will split the company in two by June 30. Both firms will pursue their commitment to 'responsibly decarbonise without impacting energy reliability and affordability', Mr Botten said. 'It will allow each business to be valued separately and more positively by the market on the basis of their own specific fundamentals.' Atlassian co-founder Mike Cannon-Brookes (pictured with his wife Annie) offered to buy AGL in a bid that would have closed coal power stations this decade The two listed entities - green energy retailer AGL Australia and coal-fired electricity generator Accel Energy - have emissions reductions targets for net-zero emissions in 2040 and 2047 respectively. Accel Energy will continue to burn coal into the 2040s. The Brookfield and Grok Venture consortium had planned to take the company private, close coal-fired plants this decade and use $20 billion in capital on developing renewable energy and battery storage. The plan would have been the 'world's biggest decarbonisation project' and significantly reduced Australia's emissions, with AGL plants contributing 8 per cent. 'This is not crazy futuristic technology,' Cannon-Brookes said in February. 'This is taking the technologies we have today and deploying them very pragmatically and sensibly at scale to bring that transition here as quickly as we can to bring down prices for power customers, industrial manufacturing all the way down to residential.' Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility spokesman Dan Gocher said shareholders should be sceptical of the AGL board's plans. Cannon-Brookes is a passionate green energy advocate and has already invested in the $30billion Sun Cable project (pictured) that involves 125sqm of solar panels built in the Northern Territory 'The board of AGL has overseen a catastrophic decline in the share price of more than 70 per cent since its highs in 2017,' he said. After surging above $7.90 last month on CEO Graeme Hunt's view that the opening bid should be boosted by 30 per cent, AGL shares were trading lower by almost one per cent at $7.36 as at Monday 1130 AEDT. David Ritter, CEO of Greenpeace Australia Pacific, accused AGL of having an 'ideological obsession with coal' at the cost of the environment and its shareholders. 'AGL has chosen to hide the company's climate pollution behind a tokenistic and value-destructive dodgy demerger,' he said. Russian forces announced a cease-fire and authorized humanitarian passages in several cities in Ukraine on Monday, but it continues to attack residential areas with tanks and rockets. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, per USA Today, the move will allow evacuees to flee safely from the capital of Kyiv, the southern city of Mariupol, and the towns of Sumy and Kharkiv. The Ukrainian government, on the other hand, has condemned Russia's unilateral announcement of exit routes for civilians fleeing the battlefield. Iryna Vereshchuk, Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister, called the Russian proposal "unacceptable, noting that all but one of the lanes lead to Russia or its ally Belarus. For an official in the United Kingdom, Russia's declaration does not make sense.UK Europe Minister James Cleverly said that the set evacuation routes which lead "into the arms of the country that is currently destroying yours is nonsense." Ukraine Defense Secretary Aleksey Danilov said that Russia's declaration goes against the "agreements reached" and blocks the entry of humanitarian supplies and "tries to create a false picture of a 'joyful meeting'" of the invaders by civilians, as per CNN report. One humanitarian organization official commented on Russia's announcement as "impractical" and "cynical," lacking proper preparation. A Disguised Ultimatum? The Russian proposal released on Monday doesn't reasonably appear to have been developed in cooperation with any international institution, such as the UN or the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). According to Russian news agency TASS, once the civilians reach Russia, they would be moved via "air, rail and road transport to selected destinations or temporary accommodation point.". However, most of the routes would pass through areas where there are ongoing fights. Russia's recent declaration also seems to have been framed as an ultimatum to the Ukrainian officials as another round of talks is due to get underway. The declaration came after two failed attempts over the weekend to open a corridor from the besieged port of Mariupol, which the International Committee of the Red Cross attempted to facilitate. Distrust on the routes intensified when civilian evacuations were halted within hours on Saturday and Sunday, allegedly due to Russian forces violating an agreed-upon truce. Read Also: Trump Jokes About Using Jets With Chinese Flags To Bomb Russia Amid War With Ukraine Fastest-Growing Refugee Crisis Since World War II Meanwhile, the death toll is uncertain. The United Nations has acknowledged a few hundred civilian deaths but cautioned that the figure is likely underestimated. According to police in the Kharkiv region, a total of 209 individuals have died in the area, with 133 were civilians. The Russian incursion has caused 1.7 million people to evacuate Ukraine, according to the UN's top official. ABC News reported that a refugee agency described the situation as "The fastest-growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War II" as hundreds of thousands of people are stuck in cities under attack. In Mariupol, where an estimated 200,000 people were attempting to flee, there are shortages in the supply of food, water, medicine, and practically all other commodities. Both Russia and Ukraine are blamed for the breakdown of a cease-fire in Ukraine over the weekend. Related Article: NATO Nations Get 'Green Light' For Deployment of Warplanes To Ukraine as US Weighs 3-Way Deal To Send Jets as Support @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Peter Dutton has described reports that Huawei is helping Russia after Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine as 'deeply concerning'. Reports in China say the tech giant, which is the fourth largest mobile seller in Australia, has been helping Putin's efforts to stabilise Russia's internet network after it came under attack from hacker groups across the globe. Defence Minister Peter Dutton - who has accused Russia and China of forming an 'unholy alliance' - said Beijing could help bring an end to the war if it stopped refusing to condemn Russia and blasted Huawei's apparent intervention. Peter Dutton has described reports that Huawei is helping Russia after Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine as 'deeply concerning'. Pictured: Putin and President Xi last year Pro-Russian separatists, in uniforms without insignia, are seen in Donetsk, Ukraine on March 6 'In fact, we're seeing reports today that Huawei, a Chinese telecommunications company, is providing support to Russia to keep their internet up,' he told ABC Adelaide on Monday. Mr Dutton said the reports were 'deeply concerning' when 'every other responsible country in the world is looking at ways that they can sanction and stop trading with Russia'. Russian government and media websites have faced repeated disruption from suspected cyber attacks by groups targeting the state since the invasion of Ukraine. Last week Russian media sites were hacked by a group claiming to belong to the Anonymous hackers network and replaced pages with a 'tombstone' in honour of the war dead. Huawei, which reportedly has five research centres in Russia, is said to have 'rushed to Russia's aid' to support its internet network in the face of the attacks. Reports in China say tech giant Huawei has been helping Vladimir Putin's efforts to stabilise Russia's internet network after it came under attack from hacker groups across the globe. Pictured: Huawei logo illuminated outside at the GSMA Mobile World Congress in Barcelona It added that the firm expects to expand 'to cutting-edge fields such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and face recognition'. Chinese companies are in fear of secondary sanctions from the US if they are found to be helping Russian companies evade sanctions. Huawei has been badly hit by US sanctions, introduced in 2019 over national security fears, and has been banned from providing equipment for Australia's 5G network since 2018. A source within Huawei said: This story is untrue and based on inaccurate and false information from an article which has since been corrected. A report, which appeared on a Chinese news site but was later deleted, claimed that Huawei would use its research centres to train '50,000 technical experts in Russia'. An armed teen has been arrested and another suspect has escaped after plowing through a security checkpoint at Joint Base Andrews on Sunday night just after Vice President Kamala Harris and members of President Biden landed. The breach prompted a six-hour lockdown of the Maryland base the President and his top officials frequently use when flying out of Washington D.C. Harris and cabinet members including Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg had just departed the base after returning from a trip to Selma, Alabama, to mark the anniversary of Bloody Sunday. An update from the military facility revealed that the main gates have been opened after a full-sweep declared that the second intruder had left the base and is now on the run. A release from Joint Base Andrews said that the 17-year-old who has been arrested remains in custody after being found in possession of a firearm. Joint Base Andrews in Maryland has gone on lockdown after reports of an armed individual on-base A line of cars and people wait to exit a gate at Joint base Andrews during a lockdown situation in Maryland The incident appeared to be one of the most recent serious breaches of security in memory at Andrews, which is only a few miles outside Washington, D.C., in Prince Georges County, Maryland. About an hour before the breach occurred, Harris together with four Cabinet secretaries had been on the base as they travelled back from Selma, Alabama, where they had participated in commemorative events for 'Bloody Sunday.' The group landed in Maryland at about 9pm and left the shortly afterward, the White House explained. Harris departed via the Marine Two helicopter back to Washington D.C. before the report of a security breach had been made public. The four secretaries were Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Housing Secretary Marcia Fudge, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan. Col. Tyler Schaff, 316th Wing and Joint Base Andrews installation commander said: 'I am incredibly proud of the quick actions of our Defenders to immediately deploy the barriers to stop last night's stolen vehicle and then apprehend one of the individuals that had a weapon. Moments earlier, Vice President Kamala Harris together with four Cabinet secretaries had been on the base as they travelled back from Selma, Alabama, where they had participated in commemorative events for 'Bloody Sunday.' An update from the military facility (on their Facebook page, pictured) revealed that the main gates have been opened after a full-sweep declared that the second intruder had left the base and is now on the run There was a line of traffic building up as personnel waited to leave the base following the security breach A military police officer is seen at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., near the Main Gate after reports of an armed intruder entering the base caused a lockdown Sunday 'The Defenders handled the intense situation with discipline and calm professionalism. 'We are also thankful for our partnerships with local authorities, who responded rapidly on base to assist the 316th Security Forces Group throughout the night.' Units from Prince Georges County Police, Maryland State Police, the Metropolitan Police Department, and the Office of Special Investigation were among those who worked alongside Joint Base Andrews Defenders to fully clear the base. Armed police officers were on high alert after a breach of security at the base 'We can confirm that the individual who was apprehended had a weapon, but no shots have been fired,' Joint Base Andrews said in a statement in the early hours of Morning on Facebook. 'There is not an active shooter situation at Joint Base Andrews; however, the intruder's whereabouts are currently unknown.' Just after midnight, the base posted an update where they stated a search of the base was being conducted. Joint Base Andrews goes into lockdown after two armed intruders plow through checkpoint moments after VP Harris departed in Marine Two. One is arrested and one is still on the lose 'Our Security Forces Defenders are continuing to conduct an initial sweep across the installation with base housing as our first priority. After initial sweeps, a deep search will occur across the base if the intruder has not yet been found.' President Joe Biden returned to the White House from Delaware via helicopter, according to The Washington Post. Later in the evening, Joint Base Andrews stated that its main gate remained closed following the security breach. An investigation of the incident is ongoing. US Vice President Kamala Harris (C) marches across the Edmund Pettus Bridge to commemorate the 57th anniversary of 'Bloody Sunday' in Selma, Alabama on Sunday A bestselling financial author has slammed the insurance system as thousands of residents who have been hit hard by the recent flood crisis cop another cruel blow. The massive clean up continues in Lismore, Ballina and surrounding areas in far northern NSW, a week after floods cut off towns for days and left behind a trail of destruction. The region's worst flood disaster in a decade destroyed the homes, businesses and livelihoods of thousands of shattered residents forced to rebuild. The Barefoot Investor, aka author and financial advisor Scott Pape, was shocked to find out the hefty price of insurance in the flood-ravaged region. The mammoth clean up effort from last week's flood continued in northern NSW on Monday. Pictured are damaged household belongings and debris in Coraki near Lismore It follows a harrowing conversation Pape had with a financial counsellor colleague who works in Lismore, the heart of the flood-devastated region. Kimbah described the latest crisis 'a catastrophe of biblical proportions' and revealed it costs $28,000 a year for insurance in flood-prone Lismore. 'Who the hell can afford that?' she tearfully told Pape. He said affected residents have every right to be angry and let down by the system. 'All too often it's the most vulnerable people in our communities that become the collateral damage of these 'once-in-a-hundred-year natural disasters' that seem to come around every few years,' Pape wrote in his weekly column. About 2,000 of the 3,500 homes assessed in Northern Rivers so far have been deemed as no longer livable. Pape said flood victims are different to those ravaged by bushfires and must anxiously wait for days before they can see the full extent of damage caused by rising floodwaters. The Barefoot Investor Scott Pape (pictured with his wife) said the recent flood crisis has put a spotlight on how the insurance system has failed the most vulnerable residents 'The water doesnt quickly recede. It just sits there and ruins everything you own, covering everything you hold dear with rot and faeces,' Pape said. 'There is no quick escape. Most people are trapped, and isolated, and hungry, and traumatised.' Pape's scathing attack comes on a day when NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet apologised to residents whose homes and businesses were destroyed while visiting Lismore on Monday. Many had to be rescued by fellow citizens and have since struggled to access basics such as food, water, power, fuel, phones, ATMs, the internet and medical supplies. 'I'm very sorry ... but we're doing everything that we can,' Mr Perrottet told the Nine Network. Many Lismore residents can't afford the $28,000 a year for insurance to live in the flood-prone region (pictured, flood-damaged household belongings in Coraki on Monday) 'Some of those areas will look back at this and say it could have been done better but ... we're doing absolutely everything we can to provide care and support for those who need it to get those essential supplies in.' The apology comes as Australian Defence Force defended its rescue efforts, which have been slammed by affected communities. 'I am very sorry for all of those people who have felt that they haven't been supported. I empathise completely with their plight,' he told reporters in Sydney. 'The scale of devastation is extraordinary. It is something that is very sobering for all of us to look at.' Residents financially impacted by the floods are urged to call the National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007. Russia is accusing the U.S. of using Ukraine to carry out illegal Biological Weapons research on deadly diseases, including the Black Death, in the latest round of misinformation meant to justify the country's ongoing invasion of Ukraine. An operation was carried out last month to destroy stocks of 'especially dangerous pathogenic agents of the plague, anthrax, tularemia (rabbit fever), cholera and other lethal diseases,' Moscow alleges. The bio-weapons program, which would flout International law, was allegedly held close to the Russian border. The pathogens were supposedly destroyed by Ukraine so that Vladimir Putin's invaders would not find evidence of their existence. This is the latest in a frenzy of scare stories receiving major coverage in Russian media to justify the increasingly bloody war in Ukraine, where at least 364 Ukrainians have died and at least 759 have been injured, according to the United Nations. Russia has been laying the groundwork for such claims for quite some time, according to Foreign Policy magazine. In January, a Russian-language Telegram account warned that a 'full-fledged network of biological laboratories has been deployed' with 'American grants' to study deadly viruses that were already making people sick in Kazakhstan. In May 2020, the Russian newspaper Izvestia made similar claims. And a close advisor to Putin accused the US last year of developing 'more and more biological laboratories mainly by the Russian and Chinese borders.' Russian military spokesman Igor Konashenkov claims to have received documents proving that Ukraine was conducting biological weapons research near Russia with the help of the US Konashenkov claimed the US was worried that Russia would discover the alleged bio weapons It was impossible to immediately verify the authenticity of the documents, which the Russians say they are still studying The documents reportedly come from Ukraine and detail the country's plans to study biological weapons, which would which would flout International law A factory and a store are burning after been bombarded in Irpin, in the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Sunday, March 6, 2022 The biological weapons research is the latest 'false flag' orchestrated by Russia since it announced a 'special military operation' against Ukraine on February 24 to 'demilitarize' and 'de-Nazify' its neighbor, whose president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy. is Jewish. The Kremlin has separately claimed that Ukraine was building plutonium dirty bombs at Chernobyl - now under Russian military control. Russia is also alleging Ukrainian secret services and the Azov battalion - a unit of the Ukrainian National Guard known for its neo-Nazi sympathies - plan to explode a reactor at the National Research Centre of the Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technology, then blame Moscow for nuclear contamination. Scant evidence has been produced for the claims, and they are likely to be seen by the West as propaganda to galvanize support for the war inside Russia. The West has repeatedly warned of Russian 'false flag' and 'fake' stunts linked to its invasion. 'It is clear that with the launch of the special military operation the Pentagon was seriously worried about disclosure of secret biological experiments in Ukraine,' alleged Russian military spokesman Igor Konashenkov. He claimed Moscow had obtained documents which 'confirm that Ukrainian bio-laboratories in the immediate vicinity of Russian territory were engaged in developing components of biological weapons'. It was impossible to verify the authenticity of the documents which the Russians say they are still studying. 'Some of them, in particular instructions by the Ukrainian Health Ministry to destroy pathogens and the certificates of destruction at bio-laboratories in Poltava and Kharkiv, we're publishing right now.' Konashenkov said employees of Ukrainian bio-laboratories told the Russian army that 'especially hazardous pathogens' and other lethal diseases infecting agents had been urgently destroyed on February 24, ahead of the invasion. The destruction was to conceal breaches of the Biological Weapons Convention, it was alleged. The disarmament treaty entered into force in March 1975. It has been signed and ratified by 183 countries including Russia, the United States and Ukraine, according to the Arms Control Association. Separately, Russiahas alleged a planned 'provocation' by Ukrainian defenders to blow up a research reactor near Kharkiv causing 'possible radioactive contamination,' which would be blamed on Moscow. 'Nationalists mined a reactor at an experimental nuclear system located at the [National Research Center of] Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technology,' said a Russian military statement. Refugees continue to spill out of Russia as bombing intensifies in Ukraine 'The Ukrainian military and the Azov battalion militants are planning to blow up the reactor and accuse the Russian Armed Forces of allegedly launching a missile strike on an experimental nuclear system.' They further claimed that 'on March 6, foreign journalists arrived in Kharkiv to register the consequences of the provocation, followed by accusing Russia of creating an environmental disaster'. Earlier Russia claimed that plutonium-based 'dirty bombs' were being prepared at Chernobyl. No evidence was cited. Russia in recent years has been accused of using chemical-agent novichok to poison both double agent Sergei Skripal in Salisbury and Kremlin foe Alexei Navalny in Siberia. Last week, Ukraine warned that Russia may be about to stage a false flag attack on one of its own border villages using 'multiple rocket-launching systems'. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Twitter on Thursday there were 'worrying reports' of a potential operation to suggest Ukraine has attacked a Russian village. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Twitter on Thursday there were 'worrying reports' of a potential operation to suggest Ukraine has attacked a Russian village 'Russians might have pointed multiple rocket-launching systems in the Russian border village of Popovka towards their own territory. Knowing the barbaric nature of Russian actions we fear a false flag operation,' Kuleba said. His statement was not immediately confirmed by other government officials but follows days of Russian troop movements to encircle key Ukrainian cities after Moscow's men failed to swiftly take major urban centres and to subdue Kyiv's military. Two days before the invasion on February 22, Russia was accused of orchestrating a 'false flag' event after Moscow claimed it ambushed two military units, destroyed two armoured vehicles and killed five Ukrainian troops in Russian territory. Analysts were quick to cast doubt over the claims, which resulted in fresh warnings that the Kremlin was looking to manufacture conflict as justification for a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In another incident, the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) claimed that bombing carried out by 'Ukrainian saboteurs' killed three civilians. But a video of a reporter showing the damage was also questioned by analysts. US intelligence had for weeks before the invasion been warning Russia was planning a false flag attack as a pretext for an invasion - and a social media disinformation campaign to portray Ukraine as the aggressor. Officials last month said they had evidence that operatives training in urban warfare and sabotage would carry out the attacks. On Sunday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the country was in talks 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. Ukrainians crowd under a destroyed bridge as they try to flee crossing the Irpin river in the outskirts of Kyiv, March 5, 2022 The deal would see Ukraine take Poland's 28 Russian-made MiG-29 warplanes, which would in turn be replaced by a fresh set of F-16's by the United States. Blinken told CBS's Face the Nation host Margaret Brennan: 'That gets the green light. 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. 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?' It comes as Russia's Defense Ministry today warned countries, including NATO member Romania, against hosting Kyiv's military aircraft, saying they could end up being involved in an armed conflict. Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said in a video briefing that some Ukrainian combat planes had redeployed to Romania and other Ukraine neighbors he did not identify. He warned that if those warplanes attacked the Russian forces from the territory of those nations, it 'could be considered as those countries' engagement in the military conflict.' Devastating images show the father of an 18-month-old boy named Kirill running into a hospital in Ukraine with his dying son A man and a child escape from the town of Irpin, after heavy shelling on the only escape route used by locals A wife says her goodbyes to her husband who is a member of the Territorial Defence as she evacuates Irpin, Ukraine, on Sunday Konashenkov said: 'We know for sure that Ukrainian combat aircraft have flown to Romania and other neighboring countries. 'The use of the airfield network of these countries for basing Ukrainian military aviation with the subsequent use of force against Russia's army can be regarded as the involvement of these states in an armed conflict.' The spokesman also claimed that 'practically all' Ukraine's combat-ready aircraft had been destroyed. Earlier today, U.S. Army Gen. Mark Milley visited a training center in Pabrade, Lithuania, amid the escalating crisis in Ukraine. Ukraine fears an 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. Police and State Emergency Service (SES) officers work at the scene where several houses have been damaged by an explosion, following an air strike in Bila Tserkva, Kyiv Oblast, March 5, 2022 A mother and two children were killed and the father was wounded by a mortar shell as hundreds of civilians sought safety Groups of people flee the city of Irpin, northwest of Kyiv, after the region faced heavy bombardment from Kremlin forces The White House is now working out the practicalities of carrying out 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 told the Financial Times. Poland, which is a member of NATO, would need to play the situation delicately and not be seen to overtly supporting the war unilaterally. On Saturday, an 18-month-old boy named Kirill was fatally wounded in the the southern city of Mariupol after Russian forces shelled Ukraine's second city just minutes into an agreed cease-fire. Kirill's devastated mother Marina Yatsko and her boyfriend Fedor were later seen grieving as they embraced their son's lifeless body laid out on a stretcher in the besieged city. And Saturday, in some of the most harrowing scenes of the war so far, the bodies of those killed in the mortar attack were seen lying motionless on a road. Beside them were suitcases packed ahead of what they hoped would be a journey to safety. There was even a pet carrier among the luggage. Three members of the same family were among those killed in the attack by Vladimir Putin's forces on Irpin, a town 12 miles from Kyiv. Horrific images captured the terrifying experience of mothers, fathers, grandparents and children running from Russian artillery fire. A child has contracted the deadly mosquito virus that has been detected in Australian pigs - with a national health emergency being called as infections rise. The child from Wentworth in New South Wales' far west is being treated in the ICU ward at a Victorian hospital for Japanese encephalitis (JEV) - a disease being spread from pigs to humans by the bites of infected insects. The latest Australian case encephalitis comes from the New South Wales/Victoria border region which has been on high alert following perfect mosquito breeding conditions caused by torrential rain and flooding. Most cases of Japanese encephalitis, spread by mosquitoes, suffer no to mild symptoms but one per cent of patients can develop brain swelling - leading to brain damage or death in one in three severe symptomatic cases Two Australians are in ICU fighting Japanese encephalitis, a disease spread from pigs to humans by infected mosquitoes A man was placed in intensive care on Friday with a 'highly probable' case of the virus. He has since had his infection confirmed, and remains in a serious condition. NSW Health confirmed the two cases in a statement on Monday. 'Both people are residents of the NSW-Victoria border region a man from the Corowa area and a child from the Wentworth area in the far south west of NSW,' the body said. 'They are both currently being treated in hospitals in Victoria.' 'Several more people in NSW are undergoing further testing, and more cases are expected to be confirmed over the coming days and weeks.' Encephalitis is typically only found in the regions depicted in red but recent testing at 14 piggeries has detected the virus in southern regions OF Australia SYMPTOMS OF JAPANESE ENCEPHALITIS Most people affected by the virus will show mild or no symptoms, but around one per cent will develop encephalitis - swelling of the brain - leading to brain damage or death in one in three severe symptomatic cases. Other symptoms include sudden vomiting, fever, chills, neck stiffness, sensitivity to light and severe headache, and can see victims slipping into a coma. Children under five and the elderly are at risk of more severe symptoms. Advertisement The virus cannot be spread from human-to-human or by eating pig products. 'JEV is a mosquito-borne viral disease that mostly occurs in pigs and horses, but can cause disease in people and rarely other animals,' a Federal government health alert said. 'Pigs are the focus from a human health perspective as they can infect mosquitoes that can then infect humans. This is not the case with horses.' Some 16 human encephalitis cases of 'unknown cause' are being investigated in NSW, Victoria and South Australia, the Australian Associated Press reported. There are eight suspected cases in Victoria including two children under ten. Several more residents in NSW are undergoing testing for the virus as health authorities prepare for more cases to pop up in coming weeks. Agriculture Minister David Littleproud told ABC Radio National that climate change could be to blame for the spread of cases. Mr Littleproud said pigs contract the virus from waterbirds, which have began migrating further south as temperatures rise. He added that recent weather conditions from La Nina added to the change in migration pattern. Japanese encephalitis kills about 17,000 people globally each year. Health authorities fear recent flooding in eastern Australia has lead to perfect mosquito breeding conditions and will see virus cases rise. Mr Littleproud said state governments were working together to fight the virus and have began a vaccine roll out in high risk areas. Health authorities fear recent flooding in eastern Australia has lead to perfect mosquito breeding conditions and will see virus cases rise He said affected states had offered a reserve of vaccines to people in those areas and had ordered more from Korea. 'We're working quickly to get vaccines out so that people who wish to take a vaccine can,' he said. 'We already had a small quantity of vaccines in Australia and they've been distributed.' 'The best thing you can do to arm yourself - without a vaccine - is to use as much repellent as you possibly can.' A JEV vaccination rollout has begun in high mosquito population areas across Queensland, NSW, Victoria, and South Australia where cases have appeared. NSW Health Acting Chief Health Officer Dr Marianne Gale warned residents planning on camping and fishing to 'carefully consider their plans'. Anonymous claims it has hacked Russian state TV broadcasts to show war footage from Ukraine Tories slam UK's 'disgraceful' stance on Ukraine refugees as Boris admits he DOESN'T KNOW if claims only 50 visas have been granted are right - and slaps down Priti Patel's suggestion that rules will be loosened 'Show us mercy we thought we were liberating Ukraine from the Nazis': Russian soldier's plea as he reveals Kremlin LIED to them ahead of invasion and he only realised when he saw famous boxers fighting for Kyiv Russia tells Ukraine it will halt its onslaught 'in a moment' if Kyiv gives up three key regions and ceases military action, as two sides meet today for third round of 'peace talks' Putin's invasion grinds to a halt: Kyiv claims to have destroyed dozens of Russian helicopters overnight, retaken a city, and killed 11,000 troops while Russians have captured no significant territory sparking hopes Ukraine could win the war Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will give a 'historic address' to MPs on Tuesday by video link, it has been announced Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will give a 'historic address' to MPs on Tuesday by video link, it has been announced. Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle said he had granted the request for Mr Zelensky to read a statement to the House of Commons at 5pm on March 8 on the Russian invasion of his country. Russia announced yet another ceasefire and a handful of humanitarian corridors to allow civilians to flee Ukraine today before a third round of planned talks, which finished with 'small positive developments'. They came despite previous measures falling apart and Moscow's armed forces continuing to strike Ukrainian cities with rockets even after the announcement. Hundreds of thousands of civilians attempting to flee to safety were forced to shelter yesterday from what Ukrainian officials said was Russian shelling. Well into the second week of war, Russia's plan to quickly overrun the country has been stymied by fierce resistance. Its troops have made significant advances in southern Ukraine and along the coast, but many of its efforts have become stalled. The fighting has sent energy prices surging worldwide, stocks plummeting, and is threatening the food supply and livelihoods of people around the world. The United Nations said it has confirmed just a few hundred civilian deaths but also warned that the number is a vast undercount. Police for the Kharkiv region said today that 209 people have died there alone - 133 of them civilians. This liveblog has now closed. Advertisement Russia's invasion of Ukraine appears to have ground to a halt with no significant territory captured despite a weekend of heavy fighting, with Kyiv's men claiming to have taken out dozens of helicopters and recaptured a city this morning - sparking hopes that the unlikeliest of victories may be on the cards. Putin's men renewed their bombardments on Mariupol, Chernihiv, Mykolaiv and Kharkiv this morning as hundreds of civilians tried to evacuate Irpin - on the outskirts of Kyiv - across a destroyed bridge after days of heavy attacks in an attempt to encircle the capital. But Russian commanders have not significantly advanced their frontline since the city of Kherson and nuclear power plant at Zaporizhzhia were captured last week. 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 Meanwhile the Ukrainian armed forces claimed to have destroyed up to 30 Russian helicopters that had been moved to Chornobaivka airport, near Kherson, overnight and to have retaken the city of Chuhuiv, near Kharkiv, killing two Russian commanders - Lt. Col. Dmitry Safronov, and Lt Col. Denis Glebov - in the process. Later in the day, Urkaine said it had also recaptured the airport at Mykolaiv and repulsed a Russian counter-attack. Video also emerged which appeared to show Ukrainian defence forces based in Odessa, the country's largest port, exchanging fire with ships overnight - one of which suffered a hit. Ukraine's ministry of defence has since claimed the vessel, a corvette named Vasily Bykov, was damaged. Images showed it afloat with black smoke pouring out in the early hours. President Volodymyr Zelesnky, speaking this afternoon, said that Ukraine 'never wanted this war, but it was brought to us' and now its military is being forced to kill 'to knock the enemy from our land and our lives' while civilians endure 'what no other European country has seen in 80 years'. Ukraine's military now estimates that 11,000 Russian soldiers have been killed in fighting along with the loss of 1,000 armoured vehicles, 290 tanks, 68 helicopters, 46 planes and dozens of other piece of hardware. Independent observers give lower totals, but Franz-Stefan Gady - of the International Institute for Strategic Studies - said the situation is never-the-less 'slowly becoming unsustainable for Russia'. US intelligence believes Russia has committed 95 per cent of the invasion force it had assembled on Ukraine's border to the fight, meaning significant reinforcements to push its attacks forward are unlikely to come soon - and could simply run into many of the same logistical problems that plagued the early assault. That has prompted some - including UK general Admiral Sir Tony Radakin - to predict that Russia could actually lose the war. Asked by the BBC on Sunday whether victory for Putin's men was 'inevitable', as many had predicted before the fighting started, he responded: 'No.' Defeat for Russia does not automatically mean victory for Ukraine, however. Despite heavy losses Putin's men have still been able to capture key territory, particularly in the south, cutting Kyiv off from many of its vital Black Sea trading routes and naval bases. Ukraine's forces have proven dogged in defence but it remains to be seen whether they can counter-attack successfully and push Russian forces back across the border. It came as Ukrainian and Russian forces met in Belarus for a third round of talks between the two sides. Russia has for the first time raised the prospect of halting its operation, provided Ukraine recognises the independence of the Donbass, acknowledges Crimes as Russian territory and pledges never to join NATO. It is the first time that Russia has explicitly stated its position in talks, which Kyiv has rejected. It has also been announced that Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov will meet Ukrainian counterpart Dymtro Kuleba in Turkey on Thursday - the first high-level summit between the two sides on neutral ground since the fighting started. In the meantime, Russia is expected to keep up its bombardment of Ukraine's largest cities with Moscow claiming to have opened up evacuation routes out of some of them - Mariupol, Sumy, Kharkiv and Kyiv - on Monday morning so civilians could flee. Ukraine quickly rejected the plan after it emerged most of the evacuation routes led into Russia or Belarus. Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk rejected the ceasefire offer on Monday, saying it is 'not an acceptable option' for Ukrainians to flee to the country that is attacking them. Civilians 'aren't going to go to Belarus and then take a plane to Russia', she said. A Russian T-72 tank is seen destroyed somewhere near the city of Mariupol in an image posted by the 'Azov Brigade', a unit of the Ukrainian National Guard that operates in and around the city The tail-end of a destroyed Russian Su-34 fighter is seen crashed through the roof of a warehouse near Kharkiv having been shot down by Ukrainian forces overnight A Russian tank is seen damaged and abandoned near the city of Mariupol, which has been under heavy shelling for days A destroyed Russian infantry fighting vehicle is seen near the city of Mariupol, in images captured by Ukraine's 'Azov Brigade' Kyiv claims these are the losses suffered by the Russian military during the first 11 days of its invasion. The figures have not been independently verified Destroyed Russian vehicles are seen somewhere near Mariupol, in images captured by the Azov Brigade A Russian warship - believed to be the patrol vessel Vasily Bykov - is seen smouldering off the coast of Odessa, Ukraine, after being hit by forces defending the city overnight Ukrainian civilians are pictured urinating against the side of a captured Russian vehicle while their national flag flies atop it, as Putin's forces take 'unsustainable' losses Abandoned Russian armoured vehicles are filmed stranded in a field somewhere in Ukraine, as Putin's invasion grinds to a halt A volunteer of the Ukrainian Territorial Defense Forces inspects a damaged Russian military vehicle in the outskirts Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, as fighting continues Volunteers of the Ukrainian Territorial Defense Forces inspect a damaged military vehicle in the outskirts of Kharkiv Ukrainian delegation leaves the country for Belarus, where a third round of negotiations will take place on the border after two previous rounds ended without agreement Russian forces are continuing to pound Mariupol, in the south, Kharkiv, in the east, Chernihiv, in the north, and Mykolaiv, in the south, with artillery - but have made little or no gains in territory in recent days. Forces continue to work to surround the capital Kyiv, though progress has been slow. Attacks on civilian areas on the outskirts have increased After more than a week in stalled positions, Russian forces have made small gains in their attempt to surround and assault Kyiv - with Ukraine saying enough firepower has now been amassed for the mission Red Cross volunteers working out of Mariupol also revealed that one of the route out of the city suggested by Russia on Sunday was covered in land mines. Meanwhile Volodymyr Zelensky vowed that 'God will not forgive' and Ukraine 'will not forget' the slaughter of civilians by Russian forces, saying a 'day of judgement' is coming for them. Zelensky, in a late-night address to his countrymen on the Orthodox Christian holiday of 'Forgiveness Sunday', recalled how a family of four were among eight civilians killed by Russian mortars while trying to flee the city of Irpin - near Kyiv - earlier in the day. 'We will not forgive. We will not forget,' he told listeners. 'We cannot forgive the hundreds upon hundreds of victims. Nor the thousands upon thousands who have suffered,' he added. 'God will not forgive. Not today. Not tomorrow. Never.' 'Instead of humanitarian corridors, they can only make bloody ones,' Zelensky said, as Interior Ministry adviser Anton Gerashchenko added: 'There can be no 'green corridors' because only the sick brain of the Russians decides when to start shooting and at whom.' Shortly after they spoke, columns of smoke were seen rising over the city of Mykolaiv, on Ukraine's Black Sea coast, as Russian forces resumed shelling. The exact number of civilian casualties is unclear, though is estimated by Ukraine to be in the thousands as residential areas of major cities are indiscriminately bombed using thermobaric and cluster munitions amid evidence of 'hit squads' targeting civilian vehicles. The UN has confirmed 406 civilian deaths, though admits the true toll will be higher, and says that that 1.5million people have fled the fighting. Britain's Europe Minister James Cleverly said Russia's latest offer of a ceasefire and an escape route for civilians was 'cynical beyond belief'. Evacuation routes published by Russia's RIA Novosti news agency showed that civilians in some areas will only be able to leave towards Russia and Belarus. Mr Cleverly told BBC Breakfast: 'It appears cynical beyond belief. There is a view that Vladimir Putin believed there was a widespread desire of Ukrainians to be closer to Russia, to be more Russian. I think that has been proven to be a complete nonsense by the circumstances we are seeing. 'Providing evacuation routes into the arms of the country that is currently destroying yours is a nonsense.' He added that 'ultimately the most humanitarian thing the Russians could do is end this completely illegal, completely unjustified invasion of Ukraine'. Even after the corridors were announced, Russia's armed forces continued to pummel Ukrainian cities, with multiple rocket launchers hitting residential buildings. Russia has offered to allow civilians to flee out of some of the country's besieged cities - but the plan was rejected after it emerged all the routes led either to Russia or Belarus Evacuees cross a destroyed bridge as they flee the city of Irpin, northwest of Kyiv, which has been under heavy Russian attack A woman in a wheelchair is assisted by local residents as she is evacuated from Irpin via a destroyed bridge Residents of Irpin flee heavy fighting via a destroyed bridge as Russian forces entered the city Civilians continue to flee from Irpin due to ongoing Russian attacks in Irpin, Ukraine People cross an improvised path under a destroyed bridge while fleeing the town of Irpin close to Kyiv, Ukraine A Ukrainian military member stands guard as residents wait to cross the destroyed bridge as they flee from the frontline town of Irpin, Kyiv Ukrainian soldiers carry a wounded woman out of the city of Irpin, to the west of Kyiv, amid heavy Russian attacks A woman weeps as the sound of shelling intensifies in the city of Irpin, to the west of Kyiv, with Russians trying to surround the capital ahead of an expected bombardment A family-of-four were killed by a Russian mortar round as they tried to flee Irpin on Sunday, with Zelensky vowing God 'will not forgive' troops targeting the innocent and Ukraine 'will not forget' People cross an improvised path under a destroyed bridge while fleeing the town of Irpin, Ukraine Yulia Tymoshenko, a former Ukrainian prime minister who led the Orange Revolution against pro-Russia politician Viktor Yanukovych, is pictured in Kyiv after returning to the country The limited ceasefire announcement came a day after hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian civilians attempting to flee to safety were forced to shelter from Russian shelling of cities in Ukraine's center, north and south. Officials from both sides planned a third round of talks Monday. Russian forces continued their offensive, opening fire on the city of Mykolaiv, 480 kilometers south of the capital of Kyiv, Ukraine's General Staff said Monday morning. Rescuers said they were putting out fires in residential areas caused by rocket attacks. Shelling also continued in the suburbs of Kyiv, including Irpin, which has been cut off from electricity, water and heating for three days. 'Russia continues to carry out rocket, bomb and artillery strikes on the cities and settlements of Ukraine,' the General Staff said. 'The invaders continue to use the airfield network of Belarus to carry out air strikes on Ukraine.' The Russians have also been targeting humanitarian corridors, taking women and children hostage and placing weapons in residential areas of cities, according to the General Staff. French President Emmanuel Macron, who spoke with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Sunday, accused Putin of hypocrisy and cynicism over the offer of humanitarian corridors . 'All this is not serious, it is moral and political cynicism, which I find intolerable,' he told LCI television in an interview. AFP journalists saw thousands of civilians early Monday fleeing the fighting via an unofficial humanitarian corridor in Irpin, a strategic suburb west of Kyiv. 'I am so happy to have managed to get out,' said Olga, a 48-year-old woman leaving with her two dogs. Children and the elderly were carried on carpets used as stretchers on the route, which leads over a makeshift bridge and then a single path secured by the army and volunteers. Ukraine war: The latest Russia steps up its shelling as the UN says 1.5 million people have now fled Attempts to evacuate civilians from Mariupol fail again, amid repeated ceasefire violations Ukraine's military says it is fighting 'fierce battles' on the edge of the southern city of Mykolayiv, Dozens of civilians are being killed in the battle for Chernihiv in the north A barrage of Russian missiles destroys Vinnytsia airport in central Ukraine Russian shops are told to limit sales of essential foodstuffs to counter black market speculation Thousands more are arrested at anti-war demonstrations in Russia, bringing the total to well over 11,000 Vladimir Putin says he will achieve his aims in Ukraine 'through negotiation or through war' US 'green lights' Poland to supply Kyiv with fighter jets, amid fears it could drag NATO into war Antony Blinken says the West is in 'very active' discussions about a Russian oil embargo, despite price at all-time high Credit card giants Visa, Mastercard and American Express freeze business in Russia. Russian banks say they will use China's UnionPay system Consultancy firms KPMG and PwC announce an end to operations in Russia France announces it will send iodine tablets and other medical supplies to Ukraine. They are used to protect against the effects of exposure to radiation krainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba says 20,000 international volunteers have joined the fight Netflix suspends services in Russia and social media giant TikTok blocks posting of video content from the country Foreign media including the BBC, CBC, ARD, ZDF, Bloomberg News, CNN, CBS, RAI and EFE have suspended reporting from Russia after Moscow threatened jail terms Advertisement Desperate people abandoned pushchairs and heavy suitcases to make sure they could get on the buses out of the war zone. 'We had no light at home, no light, no water, we just sat in the basement,' Inna Scherbanyova, 54, an economist from Irpin, told AFP. 'Explosions were constantly going off... Near our house there are cars, there were dead people in one of them... very scary.' A day earlier a family of two adults and two children were killed by a shell as they tried to leave the war-torn area. 'They are monsters. Irpin is at war, Irpin has not surrendered,' mayor Oleksandr Markushyn said on Telegram, adding that he had seen the family killed with his own eyes. There was no let-up in the violence overnight into Monday, as outgunned Ukrainian forces, helped with military supplies from western countries, try to hold back Russian forces. Air sirens sounded in cities across the country, and there was intense aerial bombardment in Ukraine's second city Kharkiv, which has endured almost non-stop fire in recent days. 'The enemy continues the offensive operation against Ukraine, focusing on the encirclement of Kyiv, Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Sumy and Mykolayiv,' the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said in a statement. The mayor of Gostomel, the town north of Kiev that is home to a crucial military airfield, was shot dead by Russian forces along with two other people while 'distributing bread to the hungry and medicine to the sick,' officials said. Nine bodies - five civilians and four soldiers - were found in the rubble of Vinnytsia airport in central Ukraine after it was destroyed in a Russian missile attack on Sunday, rescue services said. Fears meanwhile rose that main port of Odessa, dubbed the 'pearl of the Black Sea', was the next target of Russia's offensive in the south. Officials said Russia had shelled the village of Tuzly in the Odessa region from the sea, causing no injuries. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky renewed calls for the West to boycott Russian exports, particularly oil, and to impose a no-fly zone to stop the carnage. 'How many more deaths and losses must it take to secure the skies over Ukraine?' he said in a video message. Twelve days of fighting have killed hundreds of civilians and wounded thousands. An unending stream of people - mostly women and children - has poured into neighbouring countries, especially Poland. Western allies have imposed unprecedented sanctions against businesses, banks and billionaires in a bid to choke the Russian economy and pressure Moscow to halt its assault. - 'Neutralisation' of Ukraine - But Putin has equated global sanctions with a declaration of war, put nuclear forces on alert and warned that Kyiv is 'putting in question the future of Ukrainian statehood' by continuing to resist. Moscow has been forced to restrict sales of essential goods to limit black-market speculation, while on Sunday payment giant American Express halted operations there, a day after Visa and MasterCard announced similar steps. Streaming giant Netflix suspended its service in Russia while social media titan TikTok halted the posting of new videos from Russia. Despite harsh punishments for those voicing dissent, protests in Russia against the Ukraine invasion have continued, with more than 10,000 people arrested since it began. Putin has pledged the 'neutralisation' of Ukraine 'either through negotiation or through war'. Sputtering diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict continue with the foreign ministers of Ukraine, Russia and Turkey set to meet in southern Turkey on Thursday, Ankara said. China said on Monday it was open to helping to mediate peace, but stressed that the friendship between close allies Beijing and Moscow remained 'rock solid'. The International Court of Justice meanwhile heard Ukraine's appeal for it to order Russia to halt the fighting, but Moscow declined to attend the sitting of the UN's top court, in The Hague. NATO allies have so far rebuffed Ukraine's calls for a no-fly zone, with one senior US senator, Marco Rubio, saying Sunday that it could lead to 'World War III' against nuclear-armed Russia. Kyiv has urged the West to boost its military assistance, with Zelensky pleading for Russian-made planes that his pilots are trained to fly. Putin has already warned that sanctions imposed by the West on Russian are 'tantamount to a declaration of war' and that any attempt to create a no-fly zone over Ukraine - which would involve NATO jets shooting down Russian aircraft and attacking ground-based anti-air systems - would prompt retaliation. NATO and the US have firmly ruled out the idea of sending forces to fight, despite calls from Zelesnky, but are struggling to gage what other responses might trigger Putin to escalate. According to the New York Times, the question being asked in the White House is: 'Tell me how we don't get sucked in to a superpower conflict?' Instead of directly engaging in the fight with Russia, the U.S. and its allies in the 30-member NATO group were sending weapons to Ukraine; more than 17,000 anti-tank weapons, including Javelin missiles, have been sent by land to Ukraine over the borders of Poland and Romania since the conflict began. A $350 million package of military aid was approved by Congress on February 26, two days into the conflict, and 70 percent of it was delivered in five days. By contrast, a $60 million arms package to Ukraine agreed to in August was not completed until November, the Pentagon said Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Sunday that Poland has been given a 'green light' to supply MiG fighters to Ukraine's air force - which their pilots are trained to fly - in exchange for American-made F-16s which would be given to Warsaw to ensure its air force is not depleted. Ukrainian soldiers help an elderly woman to cross a destroyed bridge as she evacuates the city of Irpin Civilians continue to flee from Irpin due to ongoing Russian attacks in Irpin, A Ukrainian serviceman looks on as evacuees cross a destroyed bridge as they flee the city of Irpin, northwest of Kyiv A woman carries her pet cat as evacuees cross a destroyed bridge as they flee the city of Irpin Civilians cross amid rubble of a damaged bridge in the Irpin city near from Kyiv A Ukrainian volunteer fighter helps carry a child for local residents as they evacuate on foot as Russian forces advance and continue to bombard the area with artillery, in Irpin Civilians carry children across a damaged bridge in the Irpin city near Kyiv, as the area comes under Russian attack Ukrainian servicemen help an elderly woman in the town of Irpin, which was heavily shelled by Russia at the weekend Local residents evacuate as Russian forces advance and continue to bombard the town with artillery, in Irpin Ukrainian soldiers help people trying to leave the city amid the collapsed structures and debris in Irpin A wife says her goodbyes to her husband who is a member of the Territorial Defense as she evacuates from the city of Irpin A father says goodbye to his daughter as civilians flee the city of Irpin, to the west of Kyiv, with Russian forces approaching However, Poland described reports that its jets are being sent to Ukraine as 'fake news'. Back-and-forth reports of Polish fighters being sent to aid Kyiv have been going on since at least last week. There are fears that such a move would lead Putin to step up his attacks, possibly by trying to invade a second country. If Putin were to target Poland directly, it would suck NATO into the war because Poland is a member of the 30-state alliance - whose members all pledge to defend one-another in the event they are attacked. Meanwhile China - which has so-far sought to tread a middle-ground on Ukraine, pacifying western outrage by abstaining on votes at the UN while still cosying up to Russia economically - has offered to mediate peace talks between the two sides. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi Monday said the friendship between Beijing and Moscow was still very strong, despite international condemnation of Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine, as he offered Beijing's help in mediating peace. 'The friendship between the two peoples is rock-solid, and both sides' future cooperation prospects are very vast,' said Wang at an annual press briefing, adding that China would send humanitarian aid to Ukraine and was 'willing to work with the international community to carry out necessary mediation'. 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. As Russian attacks worsened, a brief reprieve from fighting in Mariupol collapsed. Heavy artillery hit residential areas in other large cities, local officials reported. Presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovich described a 'catastrophic' situation in the Kyiv suburbs of Bucha, Hostomel and Irpin, where efforts to evacuate residents on Sunday failed. About eight civilians, including a family, were killed by Russian shelling in Irpin, according to Mayor Oleksander Markyshin. 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. Arestovich said the government was doing all it could to resume evacuations. '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.' British military officials compared Russia's tactics to those Moscow used in Chechnya and Syria, where surrounded cities were pulverized by airstrikes and artillery. Food, water, medicine and almost all other supplies were in desperately short supply in 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. The handful of residents who managed to flee the city 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.' 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. But much of the Russian advance has become stalled, including an immense military convoy that has been almost motionless for days north of Kyiv. 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, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss military assessments, said Russian forces continue to advance in an attempt to isolate Kyiv, Kharkhiv and Chernihiv, but are being met with strong Ukrainian resistance. Emergency officials in the Kharkiv region said Monday that overnight shelling killed at least eight people and wrecked residential buildings, medical and education facilities and administrative buildings. Ukraine's professional and volunteer fighters have fought with great tenacity, though they are greatly outmatched by the Russian army. Volunteers lined up Saturday in Kyiv to join the military. Ukraine is also planning to fill an international legion with 20,000 volunteers from dozens of countries, though it was not clear how many were in Ukraine. Smoke rises over the city of Mykolaiv, on Ukraine's Black Sea coast, early on Monday after Russian rocket attacks Ukrainian firemen scour the rubble of Vinnytsia airport, in central Ukraine, after a Russian airstrike at the weekend that authorities now say killed nine people Ukrainian emergency services search the rubble of Vinnytsia Airport for survivors and victims of a Russian airstrike Kiev's Mayor Vitaly Klitschko visits a blockpost near Kyiv, as Russian forces attempt to surround the capital and besiege it Kiev's Mayor Vitaly Klitschko (right) greets Ukrainian territorial defense fighter Lesya following her wedding with Valeriy (not pictured) at a blockpost near Kyiv Ukrainian firefighters work to extinguish a blaze in an apartment building near Mykolaiv, in southern Ukraine, after it was struck by Russian Smerch rocket launchers in the early hours Mykolaiv, on Ukraine's Black Sea coast, is coming under increasing attacks by Russia as Putin's forces attempt to push along the coast to attack the country's largest port city at Odessa Rescuers dismantle the rubble of a destroyed school after Russian troops shelled the city of Chernihiv, to the north of the capital Kyiv, on Monday morning People are seen among debris of residential buildings damaged by shelling, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine, in Zhytomyr - to the west of Kyiv Russian tanks marked with the 'Z' invasion symbol are seen in Donetsk, a rebel-occupied area in Ukraine's east, on Sunday Smoke rises from Russian artillery pieces after opening fire on a road near Bugas, in the Donetsk region of Ukraine Pro-Russian separatists, in uniforms without insignia, are seen in the pro-Russian separatists-controlled Donetsk Pro-Russian separatist forces are transported to join the fighting in the rebel-occupied Ukrainian region of Donetsk Russian armoured vehicles are seen taking up firing positions in the rebel-occupied Donetsk region of Ukraine Pro-Russian separatists, in uniforms without insignia, are seen in the pro-Russian separatists-controlled Donetsk 'The whole world today is on Ukraine's side, not only in words but in deeds,' Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Ukrainian television Sunday night. 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. Zelenskyy has also heaped criticism on Western leaders for not responding with more force to Russia. He 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. 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. 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 that Russian users would not be able to post new videos or see videos shared from elsewhere in the world. The company blamed Moscow's 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. 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. A baby wrapped in warm clothing is picked up by Polish border guards in Medyka after a family fled the fighting in Ukraine Refugees, mostly women and children, wait in a crowd for transportation after fleeing from the Ukraine and arriving at the border crossing in Medyka, Poland A woman covers herself with a blanket to keep warm after fleeing from the Ukraine and arriving at the border crossing in Medyka, Poland Refugees, mostly women and children, wait in a crowd for transportation after fleeing from the Ukraine and arriving at the border crossing in Medyka, Poland A woman feeds a baby after fleeing from the Ukraine and arriving at the border crossing in Medyka, Poland Refugees wait in a crowd for transportation after fleeing from the Ukraine and arriving at the border in Medyka, Poland The price of gas has gone through the roof to record levels today as the West prepares to boycott Russia and cut off the $1billion-a-day the fossil fuel brings in for Putin's war chest. With global markets in turmoil, UK wholesale gas hit 800 pence per therm this morning - up from 39p a year ago - amid claims that the monthly price cap planned for October 1 could have to be raised to 5,000-a-year at that price. Prices are now more than 20 times higher than they were just two years ago. FTSE plunges 2.4 per cent as oil price soars to $140 a barrel as West consider banning imports of Russian crude and Ukraine crisis deepens The FTSE 100 plunged 2.4 per cent to hit a five-month low today as oil surged to $140 a barrel amid the worsening situation in Ukraine and a possible ban on crude imports from Russia. Miners and oil shares are among the few trading in positive territory, while travel and leisure stocks are taking the brunt of the market rout - with British Airways owner IAG down more than 7% in early trading. Shares rallied during as the morning went on, but by midday the FTSE 100 was still 0.67% down. Susannah Streeter, senior investment and markets analyst, Hargreaves Lansdown, warned markets may have further to fall. As oil and gas rockets in price and worries about the effect on global growth rise, the spectre of stagflation is hovering over financial markets,' she said. Advertisement The price paid by energy companies has now settled at more than 650p - having briefly topped 450p per therm last Monday. Experts said at that rate, household gas bills for millions of Britons will be in excess of 280-a-month or through 3,000-a-year by the autumn. At 800p that could easily rise to 5,000 or more, and more than 4,000-a-month at 650p with households already squeezed by the cost of living crisis and many having to choose whether to heat their homes. The UK is less reliant on Russian oil and gas imports than many countries on the Continent, but prices in Britain tend to track those in Europe, which takes 46% of its gas from Putin's Russia. Global oil prices are at the highest level for 14 years today - spiking to $140 per barrel on some markets - as the West considers banning imports of Russian oil that gives the pariah state $100billion-a-month to help fund his military. Gas suppliers throughout Europe 'risk going bankrupt within a matter of days', the commodities trader and former UK government minister Sir Alan Duncan has warned, after gas prices nearly doubled in a matter of hours early on Monday. 'It's not oil that matters nearly as much as gas,' Sir Alan told BBC Radio 4, explaining that oil supplies are more 'flexible', adding the gas price surge would mean 'the companies which supply gas throughout Europe won't be able to pay their margin calls for the futures market' and 'risk going bankrupt within a matter of days', said Sir Alan. Gas markets are no longer gripped by the issue of price only, 'but it's a matter of logistics of actually being able to supply it', he added. 'We have to pull the emergency cord and get all hands on deck to sustain supplies of gas across Europe,' he said. Gas prices are now going through the roof as Russia faces a boycott. Some European states such as Germany get a third of their gas from Russia - Britain gets around 4% in liquid form Miners and oil shares are the only names trading in positive territory as the FTSE 100 fell again today. This graph shows the index just after 11am Sir Alan warned that the UK may end up effectively banning its supplies by turning against Russian energy companies that are not subject to sanctions but that played a significant role in the trade of gas throughout Europe. And as the rouble collapsed further against the dollar, other European currencies dived while financial markets across the continent including the FTSE 100 dropped. The EU relied on Russia for around 46% of its gas and around a quarter of its oil in the first part of last year. So far European and US sanctions have not directly targeted Russia's energy exports - which prop up the country's economy - because of fears of the knock-on effects. Today the rouble continued to collapse as the US, UK and the EU tries to wean itself off Russian fossil fuels and more Western firms also pulled out, causing an earthquake in Putin's economy. Brent oil prices soared to a near 14-year high of $140 on Sunday as traders fretted over the fallout from Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Brent North Sea crude oil for May delivery reached $139.13 shortly after electronic trading opened last night heading towards a 2008 record high before retreating slightly over the next hour. The global average is around $130. The European benchmark crude hit its record price of $147.50 per barrel in July 2008. The FTSE 100 has also dropped below the symbolic 7,000 mark today - down almost 2% - and safe-haven gold broke $2,000 as investors grew increasingly fearful about the impact of the Ukraine war on the global economy. In Britain, motorists will face even higher petrol prices with 5p being added to a litre of diesel every day over the past week and is likely to hit 175p across the country soon. The AA said today that for a family car with a typical 55-litre tank, filling up now costs nearly 17 extra than a year ago, going up from 68.60 to 85.59. 'A year ago, with pump prices rising steadily after the pandemic slump, 125p a litre was bad news but 155p was unimaginable,' Luke Bosdet, the AA's spokesman on fuel prices said. 'Although with every pump price surge a slump eventually follows, notwithstanding the fuel trade's reluctance to pass on savings quickly, 7 a gallon could well be a watershed moment. 'For those car owners that can, it says it's time to ditch petrol and diesel and switch to electric. Although electricity is still susceptible to rising costs and market pressures, removing all those well-to-pump actors that can make a driver's life a misery in a matter of weeks, will ensure a smoother ride with the cost of motoring and a big saving initially.' 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 with President Biden reported to be considering visiting Saudi Arabia to urge them to increase oil production when Russian exports are boycotted. The US will also consider upping its own production. 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 price of a barrel of oil is spiking upwards and is expected to get worse as the US pushes for a global ban on buying Russian oil Meanwhile the rouble is getting even worse, and is now 129 to $1 - with one rouble worth much less than a cent 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. 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 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. The US is exploring legislation to further isolate Russia from the global economy, including banning the import of its oil and energy products into the country. The price of oil jumped more than 10 dollars (7.5) a barrel on Monday as the conflict in Ukraine deepened amid mounting calls for harsher sanctions against Russia. In a letter to Democrats released on Sunday night, House of Representatives speaker Nancy Pelosi said 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 Organisation. Ms Pelosi said the House would also empower the Biden administration to raise tariffs on Russian imports. The US Congress intends to approve the Biden administration's request for 10 billion dollars (7.5) in humanitarian, military and economic support for Ukraine as part of omnibus government funding legislation this week, she added. Brent crude oil briefly surged over 10 dollars (7.5) to nearly 130 dollars (98) a barrel early on Monday. Benchmark US crude was up nearly nine dollars(6.8) at more than 124 dollars (93) a barrel. The surge followed the failure of temporary cease-fires in two Ukrainian cities failed on Sunday, for which both sides blamed each other. Russian forces intensified shelling of cities in Ukraine's centre, north and south, a Ukrainian official said, upending attempts to evacuate besieged civilians. Russia has said another ceasefire would start on Monday morning with the opening of humanitarian corridors in several areas, including Kyiv, Mariupol, Kharkiv and Sumy. With the Ukrainian leader urging his people to fight in the streets, Russian President Vladimir Putin shifted blame for the invasion, saying Moscow's attacks could be halted 'only if Kyiv ceases hostilities'. The outskirts of Kyiv, Chernihiv in the north, Mykolaiv in the south, and Kharkiv, the country's second-largest city, faced stepped-up shelling late on 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 UK Ministry of Defence said of Russian tactics as the war entered its 12th day Monday. A mother and two children were killed and the father was wounded by a mortar shell in Irpin near Kyiv on Sunday as Russia wages war on its neighbour Men are seen by a digital board showing Russian rouble exchange rates against the euro and the US dollar outside a currency exchange office in Moscow as the currency tanks Fighting has caused 1.5 million people to flee the country, which the head of the UN refugee agency called 'the fastest-growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War II'. 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 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 Zelensky rallied his people to remain defiant, especially those in cities occupied by Russians. 'You should take to the streets! You should fight!' he said on Saturday on Ukrainian television. 'It is necessary to go out and drive this evil out of our cities, from our land.' Mr Zelensky 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 defence official said on Sunday 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 to the Associated Press on the condition of anonymity, said the convoy outside Kyiv continues to be stalled. As he has often done, Mr Putin blamed Ukraine for the war, telling Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday that Kyiv needed to stop all hostilities and fulfil 'the well-known demands of Russia'. The Russian Defence Ministry on Sunday announced that its forces intend to strike Ukraine's 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. Mr Zelensky criticised Western leaders for not responding to Russia's latest threat. 'I didn't hear even a single world leader react to this,' Mr Zelensky said on Sunday evening. The Russian Defence 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. Mr Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron spoke on 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 UN's atomic watchdog, according to a French official who spoke on condition of anonymity, in line with the presidency's practices. Potential talks on the issue are to be organised in the coming days, he said. Mr 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 Mr Putin to negotiate. The death toll remains unclear. The UN 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 Russia's tactics to those Moscow used in Chechnya and Syria, where surrounded cities were pulverised by airstrikes and artillery. An 11-year-old boy braved a 600-mile journey from southeastern Ukraine to the Slovakian border all by himself with only a plastic bag, passport, and telephone number scribbled on his hand. His mother had to stay back in Zaporizhzhia, where Russian troops attacked a power plant last week, but volunteers at the border were able to contact his loved ones in Slovakia thanks to a written note and the phone number. The 'hero' was praised for his 'smile, fearlessness and determination' in a statement from the Slovakian Interior Ministry. An 11-year-old boy braved a 600-mile journey from southeastern Ukraine to the Slovakian border all by himself His parents had to stay back in Ukraine, but volunteers at the border were able to contact his loved ones in Slovakia thanks to a written note and the phone number The post on its Facebook page added: 'Volunteers took care of him, took him warm and provided him with food and drink, which they packed for the next trip. 'Thanks to the number on his hand and a piece of paper in his waist, he managed to contact his loved ones, who came for him later, and the whole story ended well.' Local reports suggest the boy's mother had to stay back in Ukraine in order to take care of a sick relative. Hours after the boy reached safety, his mother Julia Pisecka explained that her son was able to reach the border by train, in a video shared on a Facebook by the Police of the Slovak Republic The post on the ministry's page added: 'Volunteers took care of him, took him warm and provided him with food and drink, which they packed for the next trip' Hours after the boy - whose relatives in Bratislava were contacted - reached safety, his mother Julia Pisecka explained that her son was able to reach the border by train, in a video shared in a Facebook post by the Police of the Slovak Republic. In the clip she added: 'I am a widow and I have more children. I want to thank the Slovak customs and volunteers who took care of my son and helped him cross the border. 'I am grateful you have saved my child's life. Next to my town is a nuclear power plant that the Russians are shooting at. 'I couldn't leave my mother, she can't move on her own. Local reports suggest the boy's mother had to stay back in Ukraine in order to take care of a sick relative The 'hero' was praised for his 'smile, fearlessness and determination' in a statement on the Slovak Ministry of Interior 'People with a big heart live in your small country.' Local reports suggest the 11-year-old's siblings have also made it to Slovakia. The post also urged those who want to help the boy's mother and grandmother 'who can't get out of Ukraine' to contact the Association of Christian Youth Fellowships at eduard@zksm.sk. Russian troops had attacked the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which is the largest in Europe and creates around 20 per cent of Ukraine's electricity, in the early hours of Friday, with CCTV capturing a fierce gun battle between Putin's men and Ukrainian defenders that sparked a fire in a six-storey training building just outside the main complex. Moscow's men then stopped firefighters getting to the building for several hours. Ukrainian forces have recaptured the eastern city of Chuhuiv, defence officials have announced. The General Staff said the defending forces had seized the city from the Russians and inflicted heavy losses on Putin's men in both personnel and equipment. Two high-ranking Russian commanders were killed in the battle. The strategic city of 31,000 people is located 23 miles from Kharkiv, the second biggest city in Ukraine which has been subjected to intense bombardment. The General Staff said on Facebook: 'In the course of hostilities, the city of Chuhuiv was liberated. Ukrainian forces have recaptured the eastern city of Chuhuiv, according to defence officials 'The occupiers suffered heavy losses in personnel and equipment. 'Lieutenant Colonel Dmitry Safronov, Commander of the 61st Separate Marine Brigade of the Russian Armed Forces, and Lieutenant Colonel Denis Glebov, Deputy Commander of the 11th Separate Airborne Assault Brigade of the Russian Armed Forces, were killed.' The city had suffered intense shelling since the start of the war, and was the site of an airstrike which severely wounded a woman, 52, who has since become one of the defining images of the war. Despite the heavy bombardment, Ukraine have now been able to hold off Russia and even launch counter attacks to regain the city. It comes as cities were hit by fresh bombardments this morning with Vladimir Putin's invasion entering its twelfth day. The city had suffered intense shelling since the start of the war, and was the site of an airstrike which severely wounded a woman, 52, who has since become one of the defining images of the war Volodymyr Zelensky vowed that 'God will not forgive' and Ukraine 'will not forget' the slaughter of civilians by Russian, saying a 'day of judgement' is coming for them. Zelensky, in a late-night address to his countrymen on the Orthodox Christian holiday of 'Forgiveness Sunday', recalled how a family of four were among eight civilians killed by Russian mortars while trying to flee the city of Irpin - near Kyiv - earlier in the day. 'We will not forgive. We will not forget,' he told listeners. 'We cannot forgive the hundreds upon hundreds of victims. Nor the thousands upon thousands who have suffered,' he added. 'God will not forgive. Not today. Not tomorrow. Never.' He spoke as Russia claimed it is opening new 'humanitarian corridors' out of surrounded cities including Mariupol, Kharkiv, Sumy and Kyiv starting at 7am UK time today in order to allow civilians to evacuate - though few expect Putin's men to observe the temporary truce after two similar corridors failed at the weekend. Ukrainian soldiers carry a wounded woman out of the city of Irpin, to the west of Kyiv, amid heavy Russian attacks The exact number of civilian casualties is unclear, though is estimated by Ukraine to be in the thousands as residential areas of major cities are indiscriminately bombed using thermobaric and cluster munitions amid evidence of 'hit squads' targeting civilian vehicles. The UN estimates that 1.5million people have fled the fighting. Even as Russia announced a ceasefire starting Monday morning and the opening of humanitarian corridors in several areas, its armed forces continued to pummel Ukrainian cities, with multiple rocket launchers hitting residential buildings. The limited ceasefire announcement came a day after hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian civilians attempting to flee to safety were forced to shelter from Russian shelling of cities in Ukraine's center, north and south. Officials from both sides planned a third round of talks Monday. Russian forces continued their offensive, opening fire on the city of Mykolaiv, 480 kilometers south of the capital of Kyiv, Ukraine's General Staff said Monday morning. Rescuers said they were putting out fires in residential areas caused by rocket attacks. A woman weeps as the sound of shelling intensifies in the city of Irpin, to the west of Kyiv, with Russians trying to surround the capital ahead of an expected bombardment Shelling also continued in the suburbs of Kyiv, including Irpin, which has been cut off from electricity, water and heating for three days. 'Russia continues to carry out rocket, bomb and artillery strikes on the cities and settlements of Ukraine,' the General Staff said. 'The invaders continue to use the airfield network of Belarus to carry out air strikes on Ukraine.' The Russians have also been targeting humanitarian corridors, taking women and children hostage and placing weapons in residential areas of cities, according to the General Staff. A Russian task force said a ceasefire would start Monday morning, the 12th day of the war, for civilians from Kyiv, the southern port city of Mariupol, Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, and Sumy. It wasn't immediately clear if fighting would stop beyond the areas mentioned in the task force's statement, or when the ceasefire would end. Ukrainian servicemen help an elderly woman in the town of Irpin, which was heavily shelled by Russia at the weekend The announcement follows two failed attempts to evacuate civilians from Mariupol, from which the International Committee of the Red Cross estimated 200,000 people were trying to flee. Russia and Ukraine have traded blame for the failure. The Russian task force said Monday's ceasefire and the opening of the corridors was announced at the request of French President Emmanuel Macron, who spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday. Evacuation routes published by Russia's RIA Novosti news agency, citing the Defense Ministry, show that civilians will be able to leave to Russia and Belarus. Russian forces will be observing the ceasefire with drones, the task force said. Putin said Moscow's attacks could be halted 'only if Kyiv ceases hostilities.' 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.' With the widespread misinterpretation of the posted content on social media, Silicon Valley's Ro Khanna recommended that social media platforms must hire 100 philosophy majors and people considered liberal arts thinkers. Hire Philosophers and Liberal Arts Thinkers For Social Media, Congressman Ro Khanna Suggests In an interview with the Morning Brew, Silicon Valley Congressman Ro Khanna said he would recommend hiring 100 philosophers, humanities majors, and "liberal arts thinkers" to social media firms to have a positive difference in the world. For background information, the remarks of Khanna came at a time when social media giants like Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, are being held accountable for their broader social impact. Emphasizing the benefits that philosophers and critical thinkers may provide, Khanna said: "They will help you realize the fundamental naivete of the view that if you just create a platform for people to come talk on and amplify everything that's said, it will somehow lead to mutual understanding, dialogue, and peace. Developing a thoughtful public sphere is so much harder." Read Also: Facebook Whistleblower Revealed: Ex-Employee Claims FB Prioritizes 'Making More Money' Here How Social Media Affects Your Mental Health Social media affects people in various ways such as through emotions, decisions, and more. Mclean Hospital noted that social media activates the brain's reward region which works by releasing dopamine, a "feel-good chemical" associated with enjoyable activities like eating, and social interaction. The platforms are also intended to be addictive, and they have been linked to anxiety, despair, and even physical illnesses. To emphasize this, in a study conducted by Pew Research Center acquired by Mclean Hospital, social media is used by 69% of adults and 81% of teens in the United States. The given percentages clearly show that a huge portion of the teens is in danger of being anxious, depressed, or unwell as a result of their social media use. To counteract what they feel, people are publishing content with the hopes of receiving good feedback to increase their self-esteem and experience a feeling of belonging in their social circles. Since the majority of the social media account owners are teenagers, social media use has negative effects on their mental health specifically women. While young males are more likely to act out through physical aggression, females are more likely to express themselves by excluding other people and making unpleasant comments online. Positive Effects Of Social Media Despite having negative effects on mental health, it is worth noting that social media still provides numerous positive benefits to people. For instance, Kubbco shared several positive effects of it on our society today such as keeping in touch with everyone, motivating other people, allowing people to be creative, and being a platform for information. Social media platforms help people keep in touch with family and friends who have moved away by sending messages, sharing photographs, making phone calls, or hosting video chats. The available platforms can also spread positivity when people show support to others who needed it. Similarly, users can also get support for work, whether it's starting a new business, sharing photos, or composing poems. This platform is also a useful tool for those who are creative or those planning to enhance their creativity. Related Article: New Twitter Feature Will Allow Users to Leave Conversation, Truth Social Hits No.1 in App Store Chart Beijing's friendship with Moscow is still very strong, China's foreign minister said today, following signs it was wavering in the wake of devastating international sanctions put on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. Wang Yi also offered Beijing's help in mediating peace between the two countries, and backed ties with Moscow despite international condemnation of Russia's actions that have resulted in thousands of deaths and a growing humanitarian crisis. 'The friendship between the two peoples is rock-solid, and both sides' future cooperation prospects are very vast,' said Wang at an annual press briefing. He added that China would send humanitarian aid to Ukraine and was 'willing to work with the international community to carry out necessary mediation'. China has refused to condemn Russia's attack on Ukraine or call it an invasion while asking Western countries to respect Russia's 'legitimate security concerns.' Russian President Vladimir Putin has been relying on his country's close ties to China to bail him out of the widespread sanctions that have hit the economy hard. Beijing's friendship with Moscow is still very strong following signs it was wavering in the wake of devastating international sanctions over Russia's on-going invasion of Ukraine, China's foreign minister said today. Pictured: Chinese President Xi Jinping, right, and Russian President Vladimir Putin pose for photos during a meeting in Beijing, February 4, 2022 'No matter how sinister the international situation is, both China and Russia will maintain their strategic determination and continuously push forward the comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination in the new era,' he said. Wang called the causes of the 'Ukraine situation' 'complex', saying they had not happened overnight. 'Solving complex problems requires calmness and rationality, rather than adding fuel to the fire and intensifying contradictions,' he told a news conference on the sidelines of the annual meeting of China's parliament. China is willing to continue to make its own efforts to resolve the humanitarian crisis and the country's Red Cross will 'as soon as possible' provide a batch of aid to Ukraine, Wang said, without giving details. It was the first time the country has announced such help. China proposes that 'humanitarian action' must abide by the principles of neutrality and impartiality, and humanitarian issues should not be politicised, he added. Beijing has repeatedly said it would play a 'constructive role in calling for negotiations' to resolve the crisis, but has not previously committed to joining or hosting any peace talks. Wang also described the China-Russia relationship as 'the world's most crucial bilateral relationship', which 'is conducive to world peace, stability and development'. China's foreign minister Wang Yi (pictured on Friday) also offered Beijing's help in mediating peace between the two countries, and backed ties with Moscow despite international condemnation of Russia's actions 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 Putin met Chinese President Xi Jinping hours before the start of last month's Winter Olympics in Beijing. During their meeting, they signed a wide-ranging strategic partnership aimed at countering U.S. influence and said they would have 'no 'forbidden' areas of cooperation'. The foreign minister referred to last month's partnership commitment as 'clearly and unmistakably showing the world' that both countries 'jointly oppose the revival of the Cold War mentality and stoking ideological confrontations'. Wang also said the informal alliance would 'not brook interference by third parties', in a warning to the United States and its Western allies who in recent days have lobbied China to play a more active role in mediating the conflict. The European Union's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said last week that China should mediate future peace talks between Russia and Ukraine as Western powers cannot fulfil the role, in an interview with Spanish daily El Mundo. Wang's comments on Monday came after Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin dismissed a report last week that China asked Russia to delay its invasion until after the Beijing Winter Olympics. Beijing on Thursday denounced the report and called it a 'very despicable' attempt to divert attention and shift blame over the invasion of Ukraine. Wang Wenbin repeated China's accusation that Washington provoked the war by not ruling out NATO membership for Ukraine. 'We hope the culprit of the crisis would reflect on their role in the Ukraine crisis, take up their responsibilities, and take practical actions to ease the situation and solve the problem instead of blaming others,' Wang told reporters at a daily briefing. An article in The New York Times cited a 'Western intelligence report' considered credible by officials. 'The New York Times report is purely fake news, and such behaviors of diverting attentions and shifting blames are very despicable,' Wang said at the time. After Putin and Xi Jinping met in February ahead of the Winter Games, China endorsed Russia's opposition to further NATO expansion and demanded that it 'respect the sovereignty, security and interests of other countries.' Russia, for its part, reaffirmed its support for China's claim over Taiwan, the self-governing island Beijing threatens to annex by force if necessary. China is the only major government that hasn't criticized Moscow's attack on Ukraine and has also ruled out joining the United States and European governments in imposing financial sanctions on Russia. Pictured: Smoke rises over Mykolaiv, Ukraine this morning as Russia's invasion continues Instead, Beijing has endorsed the Russian argument that Moscow's security was threatened by NATO's eastern expansion. China abstained in a UN General Assembly emergency session vote last week to demand an immediate halt to Moscow's attack on Ukraine and the withdrawal of all Russian troops. 'Regrettably, the draft resolution submitted to the General Assembly emergency special session for vote had not undergone full consultations with the whole membership, nor does it take into consideration the history and the complexity of the current crisis,' Wang said at the time. 'It did not highlight the importance of the principle of indivisible security or the urgency of promoting political settlement and stepping up diplomatic efforts,' he said. 'These are not in line with China's consistent position. Therefore, we had no choice but to abstain in the voting.' However, China has not been completely free of negative reactions towards Russia following its invasion of Ukraine. Women carry children as displaced Ukrainians arrive at the Lviv train station in western Ukraine on Sunday, as they try to leave Ukraine amid Russia's invasion of the country It was reported last week that that several Chinese public banks were limiting financing to purchase raw materials from Russia for fear of Western sanctions should they be seen to be supporting the Kremlin. About 30 percent of oil and gas produced in Russia sold to China. Putin is relying on his ties to China's Xi Jinping to bail him out of the increasingly tough sanctions being put on Moscow by Western nations as the invasion escalates. The Ukraine crisis creates uncertainty for China during a year in which it craves stability, with Xi expected to secure an unprecedented third leadership term in the autumn. In January, President Xi marked 30 years of ties with Ukraine, hailing the 'deepening political mutual trust' between them. Ukraine is a hub in the Belt and Road Initiative, a sprawling infrastructure and diplomatic undertaking that binds China closer with Europe. One of Australia's biggest high-end fashion labels Zimmermann has halted sales to Russia following the country's invasion and attack on Ukraine. It makes Zimmermann the latest company to temporarily cease business with Russia as global firms continue halting sales or severing ties with the country. The iconic women's fashion brand addressed their action to suspend sales in a brief statement on Monday. One of Australia's biggest high-end fashion labels Zimmermann has halted sales with Russia following the country's invasion and escalating attack on Ukraine. Pictured: Zimmermann founders Nicky and Simone Zimmermann It makes Zimmermann the latest company to temporarily cease business with Russia as global firms continue halting sales or severing ties with the country as the war in Ukraine escalates 'Given the invasion of Ukraine and the trade sanctions imposed by the international community, Zimmermann has paused sales into Russia until further notice,' a spokeswoman said. Over half a dozen stores in Russia sell Zimmermann clothing and products. It comes as Tasmanian boot brand Blundstone, who have a Russian website and Instagram page, also stopped sending stock to their Russian distributor. 'Given the invasion of Ukraine and the trade sanctions imposed by the international community, Zimmermann has paused sales into Russia until further notice,' a spokeswoman said. Pictured: Zimmermann Chatswood store Over half a dozen stores in Russia sell Zimmermann clothing and products 'We have held back a shipment of products that was due to go to our Russian distributor this month, and the product will be sent to other customers instead,' Blundstone joint CEO Adam Blake revealed in a statement. He added that Blundstone have also 'cancelled future orders [and] shipments as well'. While Australia's clothing brands only make up a tiny percentage of Russia's fashion imports, the two companies are joining a growing movement from the fashion industry to cease business with Russia. Some of the world's biggest fashion brands including Nike, ASOS, Adidas and H&M have already stopped exporting their products to the country and have closed stores in Moscow. Some of the world's biggest fashion brands including Nike, ASOS, Adidas and H&M have already stopped exporting their products to the country and have closed stores in Moscow. Pictured: An Adidas store in a city near Moscow H&M, which has 168 stores in Russia, released a statement saying the company was 'deeply concerned about the tragic developments' in Ukraine and that it stands with all the people who are suffering. 'H&M Group has decided to temporarily pause all sales in Russia. The stores in Ukraine have already been temporarily closed due to the safety of customers and colleagues. 'The situation is continuously monitored and evaluated. Representatives of the company are in dialogue with all relevant stakeholders. 'H&M Group cares for all colleagues and joins all those around the world who are calling for peace. Clothes and other necessities are donated by the company. H&M Foundation has also made donations to Save the Children and to UNHCR.' H&M, which has 168 stores in Russia, released a statement saying the company was 'deeply concerned about the tragic developments' in Ukraine and that it stands with all the people who are suffering. Pictured: An H&M store in Moscow H&M has stopped all shipments to Russia. It has also closed its stores in the country, with these women walking past a shuttered shop in Omsk Nike has made merchandise purchases on its website and app unavailable in Russia as it cannot guarantee delivery of goods to customers in the country. Swedish furniture brand IKEA, music streaming site Spotify, car company Jaguar Land Rover, investment firm HSBC, and oil companies BP and Shell are among the other big name brands to reduce their ties with Russia. Mastercard and Visa have even blocked Russian institutions from using its payment systems. Advertisement Priti Patel was under fire last night over the Home Office's 'chaotic' response to the Ukrainian refugee emergency. Boris Johnson contradicted the Home Secretary just hours after she announced plans for a new humanitarian scheme for evacuees. Appearing to slap down the proposals, the Prime Minister insisted the UK had already taken a 'very, very generous and open approach' but would not 'simply abandon controls altogether'. Just 50 emergency visas had been granted by Sunday night despite 13,500 Ukrainians applying to come here. Liz Truss today tried to distance herself from the chaos surrounding the UK's Ukrainian refugee scheme as she claimed it is not her responsibility but that of Cabinet colleague Priti Patel The Government's stance on Ukrainian refugees descended into total chaos today as Boris Johnson admitted he does not know whether claims only 50 have been granted UK visas are true. People are pictured today waiting in freezing cold temperatures to be transferred to a train station, after crossing the Ukrainian borders into Poland The PM stressed that 'thousands' of applications are being processed but conceded he is 'not sure' if the extraordinary low numbers of approvals are correct People fleeing the Russian invasion of Ukraine are pictured today waiting to board a bus after crossing the border from Ukraine to Poland at the border checkpoint in Medyka, Poland Mr Johnson welcomed Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (pictured left) and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte to London for talks today Ukrainian refugees, mostly women and children, wait in Medyka, Poland, today after fleeing over the border Refugees from Ukraine camped out at the train station in Przemysl, Poland today after escaping the war zone Europe minister James Cleverly (right) struggled as he was pressed for an explanation on why the numbers were so low - while Priti Patel (left) declared people will no longer need family links to come to Britain Senior Tories joined the condemnation this morning, swiping that the refugee policy is 'a disgrace' as it stands Last night the Home Office said a total of 300 visas had now been issued. So far, 17,700 family scheme applications have been started, including 8,900 since Friday when the programme was launched for extended family members, it added. By comparison, Germany has received 30,000 Ukrainian refugees and Ireland's premier Micheal Martin said yesterday that 1,800 have already arrived in his country. Thousands of Home Office civil servants are still working from home despite pandemic restrictions being eased, prompting concerns over the department's slow-moving reaction to the crisis. As the number of evacuees who have fled Ukraine topped 1.7million, Miss Patel appeared to change tack and accept that a broader visa programme will be necessary. More than 1,5 million people have fled Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion, according to the latest UN data People wait in a line, after they fled with others from Ukraine, at the border crossing in Budomierz, Poland Ukrainian refugees charge their phones at the train station in Poland as they try to stay in touch with grim events in their homeland She announced that she would be drawing up a separate scheme that does not require refugees to have relatives already in the UK, or to be sponsored by a community group. 'As the crisis is developing it is becoming clear some people have needs that go beyond what sponsorship can offer and Priti does not want to see anyone excluded,' a Home Office source said. But the PM later indicated there would be no new route, and his official spokesman said Miss Patel's proposals would, in fact, be part of a previously-announced scheme. 'It's the sponsorship route that we set out last week,' the spokesman said. 'We will set out more details this week around the sponsorship scheme, which will provide a route for Ukrainians without any family ties to the UK and there is no limit to that scheme.' 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 Foreign Secretary Liz Truss (pictured arriving at her department today) said amendments to the Economic Crime Bill would 'give us the chance to bring even more crippling sanctions against Putin and his regime' It came as French interior minister Gerald Darmanin accused the UK of a 'lack of humanity' for refusing to issue on-the-spot visas in Calais. Miss Patel told MPs that a visa application centre (VAC) has been set up near the French port after reports of Ukrainians being turned away. 'We have staff in Calais, we have support on the ground,' she said. 'It is wrong to say we're just turning people back. We're absolutely not. People have been coming to the UK from Calais. 'It's also important that we do not create choke points in Calais but encourage a smooth flow of people, and in particular I can confirm that we have set up a bespoke VAC en route to Calais but away from the port. 'There are people smuggling gangs roaming around Calais and... human trafficking cases are now manifesting at the border. It's absolutely right that we have the right processes in place to check people and to safeguard people.' Why are we letting so few Ukrainians into UK... and how can this be improved? The big questions in refugees row Why have so few Ukrainians been accepted by the UK? The Government has set up only one route so far a visa scheme for Ukrainians who already have relatives in Britain. Other countries are taking refugees 'no questions asked', and do not require candidates to prove any existing links. Why does this have an effect? Processing visa applications takes time. The Home Office is demanding proof of residence in Ukraine, as well as proof that applicants have relatives here. What other factors are there? The UK scheme is insisting on all applicants being security checked before they are accepted. This involves them being checked against UK and international databases of criminals and other threats to national security. The Home Office has said these checks should be completed 'in hours' but it is not known whether this is being achieved. Boris Johnson said yesterday: 'What we won't do is have a system where people can come into the UK without any checks or any controls, I don't think that is the right approach.' How could performance be improved? Further UK programmes to help Ukrainians have been announced but are not yet live. A sponsorship route will allow charities or other community groups in the UK to support applications. Priti Patel has said she also wants to see a separate humanitarian route for Ukrainians without family links or sponsorship. The PM appeared to dismiss that proposal yesterday. It remains unclear how any expansion of refugee schemes will work. What else might be slowing the processing operation? Thousands of Home Office civil servants are still working from home, despite Covid restrictions being eased. It is unclear how serious an impact this might be having on the speed at which applications can be approved. Advertisement 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 In Calais Ukrainian evacuees disputed what she had said. Builder Vitalie Turetska, who has been working in London for three years, drove to Ukraine to collect his family when bombing started. But his wife Helena and sons Danya, six, and Mapk, two, are stranded in Calais after being refused UK visas, he told the Daily Mirror. 'I've been told they don't have the correct paperwork so they can't come in,' he said. 'I can't believe it. After all they've been through.' Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said: 'The Home Office is in a complete mess about this they keep changing the rules, the stories of what is actually happening on the ground contradict what the Home Office say. They have got to sort this out.' Enver Solomon, chief executive of charity the Refugee Council, said: 'The Government's response looks pretty chaotic. 'There needs to be a simple, safe route which says, 'If you're Ukrainian, come here and we'll grant you a period of leave in the UK, where you will be welcomed as refugee'. 'Instead, the Government has announced a series of restrictive and confusing routes for certain categories of Ukrainians to apply. The Government is out of step with the public just look at the Daily Mail's fundraising campaign.' Another charity source said they feared working from home was playing a role in the Home Office's foot-dragging response, adding: 'The Home Office has always been s*** at this kind of visa work.' The Home Office expects to be processing 6,000 applications through the family visa scheme every seven days by the end of this week. A spokesman said: 'This is a rapidly-moving and complex picture and as the situation develops we will continue to keep our support under review.' A former BBC Breakfast executive has been banned from driving for two years after she tested almost three times the alcohol limit whilst on a SOS mission to help an ex-boyfriend. Jessica Shiddell, 41, failed a breath test after her Renault Captur smashed into a parked car with such force it rolled over on its side. She had taken to the wheel of her car late at night after her unnamed former partner contacted her at home and asked for her assistance for undisclosed reasons. Tests showed the once assistant editor, who worked as a planning editor with BBC Breakfast when anchorman Bill Turnbull fronted the show, had 215 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood. The legal limit is 80mg. Jessica Shiddell (pictured outside Manchester magistrates' court) crashed into a parked car while nearly three times over the alcohol limit, the ex-BBC Breakfast editor was on her way to meet her ex-boyfriend in Manchester Jessica's (pictured on the left with a friend) defence lawyer said the incident was 'wholly out of character' and that prior to the event she had an 'impeccable driving record' Shiddell (pictured along side former BBC Breakfast anchorman Bill Turnbull) used to be part of the editorial team for BBC Breakfast, but she has since been made redundant by the BBC At Manchester magistrates court, Shiddell of the city's Chorlton-cum-Hardy district admitted drink driving and was also ordered to complete a community order for an unspecified period. The court heard she has been made redundant by the BBC. Prosecutor Gareth Hughes said: 'The police were alerted to a road traffic accident shortly before midnight on 20th August 2021. Officers attended the scene and by then the ambulance and fire service were present. 'The Renault Captur involved in the collision had been driven by the defendant when it collided with a parked car which had rolled over onto its side and roof. Officers spoke with the defendant, and they could smell alcohol on her breath and other signs of intoxication. 'She conducted a breath test at the roadside, and it came back positive. There was significant damage caused. Due to potential injuries, the defendant was taken to hospital.' In mitigation defence lawyer Judith Hawkins said: 'This is a case which is wholly out of character. She is 41 and has not been in trouble before. She wishes to express her remorse through me for this incident and she says it will never happen again. It is of some age and there has been no repeat. The 41-year-old (pictured having a glass of wine) who hit a stationary vehicle said she drove while intoxicated as she was 'extremely concerned' for her ex-partner's health and well-being Officers could smell alcohol on Shiddell breath and see other signs of intoxication when they arrived at the scene of the crash 'On the night in question, she had been drinking but she was then contacted by a previous partner who was in some distress and who had asked her very forcibly to come around to assist him at his home address. 'He lived not a great distance away from her. She was extremely concerned for his health and well-being and from her point of view, it was an emergency situation. 'She does not say there were any special reasons for her driving, but she was put under pressure from another person. She should have resisted that pressure and she should have called for a taxi or called for assistance for that person. 'She has little recollection of the incident. This is a lady that has had a terrible wake-up call. She is very sorry indeed. She knows she may have potentially put others at danger, and she is extremely ashamed by her own behaviour. 'She has not touched alcohol since not long after that incident. She did not have any intention to drive whatsoever. She had gone out to try to help her friend on the spur of the moment after being put on the spot, but she makes no excuses. 'It is her fault entirely.' What is the law on drink driving in Britain and how does it compare to other countries? England and Wales has among the most lenient drink driving laws in Europe. Motorists are allowed to have 80 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, 35 microgrammes per 100 millilitres of breath or 107 milligrammes per 100 millilitres of urine. This does not translate into a fixed number of drinks as people of different ages, weights and alcohol tolerance process drink at different rates. However, as a rule of thumb most drivers drinking would limit themselves to around one pint or one glass of wine. But ministers have faced calls to change the law so that drivers are not allowed to consume any alcohol before they get behind the wheel - or at least far less. In most other European countries, the limit is less, usually 50 milligrammes per 100 millilitres of blood3. The alcohol limit for drivers in Scotland is lower than in the rest of the UK after they lowered it to 50 milligrammes of alcohol in every 100 millilitres of blood in December 2014. Advertisement The defence lawyer continued: 'She had her house clothes and garments on typical of the kind you would wear if you were spending the evening at your home address on your own. It was an extremely isolated incident. 'She has not seen or spoken to the person concerned since that incident. She is not going to come before the courts again. 'She has had an impeccable driving record. She is not now driving because she is so shocked about what has happened.' Sentencing Deputy District Judge Oliver Jones told Shiddell: 'I know you truly regret what has happened. It is out of character and a one-off matter for you. 'It is a serious matter because it is a high reading, and it is aggravated further because there was an accident with damage. I have taken into account that you have no previous convictions. It is not going to be custody.' Shiddell was also fined 100 and ordered to pay 170 pounds in costs and surcharges. A devoted crisp eater has convinced Walkers to bring back their Prawn Cocktail flavoured Wotsits after they disappeared from supermarket shelves 20 years ago when she was just four years old. Yasmin Morgan thinks the puffed snacks are the best and made their return her lifelong mission. Wotsits' prawn cocktail flavour were discontinued when Yasmin was just four-years-old but the 23-year-old's efforts mean she can finally taste them again. She said her toddler heart was broken when she could no longer get the crisps but has now insisted absence made the heart grow fonder. The potato snack enthusiast, of South Cerney, near Cirencester, Gloucs, campaigned for a whopping five years to be reunited with her favourite flavour. Superfan Yasmin Morgan, 23, (pictured) campaigned for years to convince Walkers to bring back Prawn Cocktail Wotsits which are back on shelves from today for the first time in 20 years She began to feel crabby when cheese Wotsits weren't hitting the spot like their crustacean-flavoured sister snack did. So in 2017, project coordinator Yasmin started a petition calling on Walkers to bring back the discontinued flavour. The petition garnered over 4,000 signatures on Change.org. For Yasmin, Wotsits Prawn Cocktail are the best crisps ever made in the UK. She called on supporters as part of her campaigning to make Britain great again with her by seeing the flavour return. Superfan Yasmin said: 'I've loved Wotsits Prawn Cocktail for as long as I can remember. Yasmin launched a petition which garnered 4,000 signatures and saw others contact Walkers 'When they disappeared off the shelves, I was absolutely gutted. 'Five years ago, I decided to take the matter in my own hands, with a bit of help from the British public. 'Never in my wildest dreams did I expect the petition to amass 4,000 signatures.' Walkers rewarded Yasmin's effort by giving her an exclusive taste of the crisps before they hit the shelves on today. The company says that it has been inundated with social media requests from snack lovers backing Yasmin's campaign. Walkers Senior Marketing Manager Josephine Taylor said: 'We know Wotsits Prawn Cocktail hold a special place in the nation's heart. Yasmin says she would never have imagined that her campaign would be so successful 'Over the last twenty years the love for them has been incredible to see. 'Following the public demand and Yasmin Morgan's petition to bring them back, we're delighted to share with the nation that they're officially back. 'Only they're bigger now, measuring in at twice the size of the original snack!' Walkers has been teasing the possible return of the fabled flavour by cryptically responding to fans on social media as far back as 2010. It used cheeky prawn and side-eye emojis followed by the hashtag #WotsThis. The baiting sent fans into a frenzy with one saying: 'don't play me like this, are Prawn Cocktail Wotsits coming back - I will actually cry.' Another reacting with: 'I'm fangirling! There's no way they're bringing back prawn cocktail Wotsits?!' Wotsit hopefuls now only have to wait one more weekend to get their fix. Wotsits Prawn Cocktail Giants will join the Wotsits Giants lineup of Really Cheesy and Flamin' Hot. They will be available in supermarkets nationwide for 1.99 from today, March 7. Trustees behind the controversial Birmingham Muslim School have been banned from charity management for at least ten years - after an investigation found pictures of staff building guns in Syria. The extraordinary images - which have not been published - were discovered on devices seized from the Albayan Education Foundation worker's home by Counter Terrorism Policing West Midlands. They were taken in the Atma refugee camp in Syria and showed the man assembling the firearms, after he had initially travelled to Turkey before crossing over in 2015. Their existence were revealed for the first time today in a Charity Commission review into the AEF. It was was the charity which ran BMS in Small Heath, West Mids, under the leadership of head teacher Janet Laws, who is also known by Aisha Abdrabba. Government inspectors shut the school down after fears of extremism and said staff were not awake to 'risks of pupils being radicalised'. Now Ms Laws and the two other AEF trustees Ahmed Abdulhafeth and Ali Qasem have been banned from any charity management for 12 and ten years respectively. At one point her husband Ghoma Abdrabba - also known as Ghunia Abdrabba - was identified as BMS's proprietor on the Department for Education database. In February 2006, Mr Abdrabba was named on a US Treasury list as a fundraiser for the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG), a 'brutal terrorist organisation' organisation that had been in partnership with Al-Qaeda. He successfully appealed to have his name removed from the list and has always denied terror links. He told Ofsted in 2017 he had 'nothing to do' with the Birmingham Muslim School but was still officially listed as a proprietor. Albayan Education Foundation was charity behind controversial Birmingham Muslim School Ghoma Abdrabba - also known as Ghunia Abdrabba - was identified as BMS's proprietor on the Department for Education database Stephen Roake, Head of Compliance, Visits and Inspections at the Charity Commission, said of the ruling on the AEF: 'The public expects trustees to carry out their legal duties with the utmost respect for the important role they hold. 'The trustees of this charity did not carry out their legal duties. 'Repeatedly failing to meet the standards required in their role in managing the charitys school and showing a concerning lack of oversight in relation to the charitys operations overseas. An aerial view taken with a drone shows tents of internally displaced Syrians at the Atma refugee camp on the Turkish-Syrian border Commission probe unearthed Syria pics 'An employee of the charity, confirmed to the Commission in September 2018 that he had travelled to Turkey and onwards to Syria on behalf of the charity. 'This was contrary to FCDO guidance at the time and that provided by the Commission in previous correspondence and meetings with the charity. The Commission had, in 2015, as part of the Action Plan issued to the trustees, required them to implement a written risk management policy with specific regard to the charitys international activities. 'When asked for a copy of this, the trustees confirmed that they had not prepared one. The trustees failed to adequately manage the actual and/or potential risks to its trustees, employees and volunteers who conduct activities for or on behalf of the charity. 'The inquiry obtained images, taken from devices seized from the home of the employee and Trustee A by Counter Terrorism Policing West Midlands. The trustees confirmed that their representative was in the images and was apparently assembling firearms at the Atma refugee camp in Syria.' Advertisement 'What we found here raised serious regulatory concerns about the charitys operation and, in relation to its overseas work, affirms exactly why a charity must have robust controls in place, especially when it operates in high-risk areas of the world. 'Its right that we have disqualified the individuals responsible for this conduct from trusteeship and holding senior management functions at a charity.' The charity's most recent financial returns submitted to the Charity Commission, for the year up to June 2019, reveal it received an income of 305,800 and spent 290,900. Most of its income was from donations, including through a charity shop and drop-off point it runs in the city. Its headquarters is listed as the same address as the school. It also runs a charity shop and a donation point and office. The charity's primary activities are listed as 'provision of relief to needy from hardship, distress, assistance for medical and educational help and communal help for supply of fresh water.' Its charitable work is primarily carried out abroad, in Syria and Yemen, though it also lists activities in the UK including support for the homeless and refugees. During the year up to June 2019 the charity received school fees totalling 94,745 and charitable donations of 211,104. Of its total income, only 70,203 is listed in the accounts as going to 'donations and charitable projects'. The rest appears to be for running costs, including 100,066 on 'rent, rates, water and insurances.' A total of 74,096 is listed as staff wages and social security costs for 16 employees. A Ted Bundy-obsessed teenager who 'lured a disabled girl to a remote park' where he stabbed her 100 times after searching 'how to kill with a knife' has been jailed for life. The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, launched his attack in a park off Highsted Road in Sittingbourne, Kent, in the early hours of July 22, 2021. Maidstone Crown Court heard the boy grabbed the victim around the mouth before repeatedly stabbing her face, neck, chest, abdomen, arms and legs, stole her phone and threw her into a bush. Miraculously, despite such extensive wounds, the girl was found alive in a critical condition by a dog walker about seven hours later. A court heard the defendants violent behaviour was partly motivated by hostility to her disability. In a cruel message six months earlier the then 16-year-old had branded her a crippled b****, adding he would rather s**g a dead cat. He also carried out a number of sinister internet searches in the days before his murder bid and in the immediate aftermath, which included how to kill with a knife, how to deal with killing someone, and the highest sentence for murder in UK. After his arrest however, he denied any involvement in the attack and claimed to have been with his girlfriend watching the Zac Efron movie Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes. The boy later pleaded guilty to attempted murder and, at Maidstone Crown Court, he was told he would have to serve a minimum of ten years before he can be considered for parole. Police carrying out searches after the 16-year-old girl was found stabbed in Sittingbourne in July 2021. Her attacker has been jailed for life Maidstone Crown Court heard the boy stabbed his victim in the face, neck, chest, abdomen, arms and legs, stole her phone and dumped her in a bush The court heard the pair met up after exchanging messages over Snapchat and the defendant even gave his victim a piggy-back' to the secluded spot where he told her 'no one will hear us or see us. Prosecutor Martin Yale told the court the defendant had 'lured her to the orchard to carry out the premeditated attack'. 'When he met her, he intended to murder her, motivated in part by hostility towards her disability,' Mr Yale said. 'The victim was deceived into going along with him to a secluded location in order for the attack to take place. 'When he stopped attacking her, she fell to the ground, he took her phone and threw it under a bush. 'Thereafter, he left her for dead, alone in the orchard and bleeding from in the region of 100 wounds. 'She heard sounds in the bushes and thought he was watching her. Then she lost consciousness and the next thing she remembers was waking up in hospital.' At 7am, she was found groaning in blood soaked clothing and the emergency services were called. She required surgical intervention and a blood transfusion at the scene before being airlifted to Londons Kings College Hospital. The knife wounds had caused damage to her liver, lung, pancreas and kidney, and narrowly avoided major arteries in her neck, chest and abdomen, the court heard. Injuries to her arms and legs were said to be consistent with her desperately trying to fight her attacker off. 'Had she not received medical intervention and resuscitation when she did, it was more likely than not that the injuries would have proved fatal within a short period of time,' Mr Yale told the court. The teenager had to undergo further surgery at hospital, requiring multiple transfusions, and was placed in an induced coma to aid her recovery. She was discharged the following month and, as well as the physical pain and scars she has been left with, has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. In a cruel message six months earlier the then 16-year-old had branded his victim a crippled b****, adding he would rather s**g a dead cat The court heard that her mother contacted friends on waking to find her daughter missing that morning, and even spoke to her attacker. 'He told her he had been with his girlfriend and didnt know the whereabouts of her daughter,' said the prosecutor. 'But he seemed defensive and said everyone would blame him.' The boy was arrested that day at his home in Sittingbourne but he chose not to answer any questions when interviewed by police. On his remand into custody he revealed his hate for the victim but still maintained he was not responsible. 'He said he was in bed watching The Ted Bundy Tapes when she was stabbed, which "would not make his situation look good",' Mr Yale told the court. However, police later discovered his sinister message exchanges and online searches, as well as the victims DNA on his blood-stained jogging bottoms and leather jacket. Just four days prior to the attempted murder, he had also confessed to a friend he was at the point of going through with it. 'He said he had already packed his bag with a knife, hammer and spare clothes in case he got blood on those he was wearing, and had even thought about how to hide the body,' said the prosecutor. The court heard the defendant, who has no previous convictions, struggled with his mental health prior to the knife attack and caused his parents such concern they had sought professional help. His low mood and sense of isolation had also been exacerbated by the pandemic lockdown, said Tana Adkin QC, defending. She told the court the boy was becoming more irritable and anxious, spoke about ending his life, and would take a knife to his bedroom. He spoke to health professionals himself but just two months before he attacked the girl, his mother was told by social care services to ring the police when he threatened to kill himself. He has since been diagnosed with autism and a comorbid depressive disorder, the court was told. Ms Adkin said his parents - who attended court for his sentencing - did all they could and it was not until after his arrest that his conditions were diagnosed. 'Both are significant mental health issues which may provide some explanation why it would be that a 16-year-old would behave in such an extreme way having not been in trouble before,' she told the court. The boy later pleaded guilty to attempted murder and, at Maidstone Crown Court, he was told he would have to serve a minimum of ten years before he can be considered for parole Passing sentence, Judge Philip Statman said the reason the teenager had targeted a disabled and vulnerable victim unable to fight back may never be known. 'You engaged in a savage and brutal attack upon her. You attacked her with a knife which you had taken to the scene,' he told the boy. 'I am completely satisfied that at the time of this offence and for some time before, you had a murderous intent in your head. 'She thought you were going out to have a laugh together.' The judge also praised the victims bravery and resilience, and commended those who assisted her at the scene. 'I am absolutely sure that the combination of the police officers, her guts, her desire and will to live, followed thereafter by the skills of the surgeons, saved her life,' he added. 'She fought for her life and she won.' Judge Statman said the defendant had since shown signs of remorse, was engaging well in custody and benefitting from medication. An emotional Sean Penn has praised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for his 'courage and dignity' after meeting him the day of the Russian invasion. The actor, 61, hailed both the President and the Ukrainian people for their courage as he urged the US to 'invest everything' into supporting their democracy or 'lose a legitimate memory of what America hopes to be'. Speaking to CNN for the first time since leaving war-torn Ukraine, where he met with Zelensky on the same day Putin's tanks rolled in, a devastated Penn said citizens had noticed 'the cavalry is not coming' as he urged the US to help the country. Speaking about meeting Zelensky, he told Anderson Cooper: 'I don't know if he [Zelensky] knew that he was born for this, but it was clear I was in the presence of something, again it was reflective of so many Ukrainians, that was new to the modern world in terms of courage and dignity and love that comes out of that man.' Penn, his voice cracking with emotion, described making the journey to the Polish border as the country was hit by devastating shelling, where he witnessed the horrors of thousands of families fleeing for their lives while men were forced to leave their families as they stayed behind to take up arms and defend their country. 'I think they have noticed the cavalry is not coming, even this incredible refugee crisis is full of people who, but for their children, would not be leaving,' he added. 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 Penn, who has now left the country although his current location is not known, said he saw desperate mothers and children waiting in gridlocked traffic to reach the Ukraine border, with many of them only having their cars and few belongings left after fleeing their jobs and homes as cities were hit by ruthless shelling. He said: 'I didn't see any luggage, it's as though they wanted to believe they could come back, and there was an immediacy to leave because of the incredible amount of people leaving and how long it takes to get out of the country now.' The filmmaker remained in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv after Putin's brutal invasion of the country broke out as he filmed a VICE documentary about the horrors of the ruthless war. Putin's heartless invasion has seen cities hit by shelling while civilians have been forced to leave their homes. The death toll from the fighting 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. Heartbreaking scenes have seen more than 1.5million refugees cross from Ukraine into neighbouring countries in just the past eleven days amid bitter urban fighting and Russian bombing campaigns against major cities, according to the United Nations. Russia claimed it is opening new 'humanitarian corridors' out of surrounded cities including Mariupol, Kharkiv, Sumy and Kyiv starting at 7am UK time today in order to allow civilians to evacuate - though few expect Putin's men to observe the temporary truce after two similar corridors failed at the weekend. As the invasion enters its twelfth day, cities were hit by fresh bombardments as Zelensky vowed that 'God will not forgive' and Ukraine 'will not forget' the slaughter of civilians by Russians. People have called for a no-fly zone above Ukraine - something Zelensky again requested on Saturday - but the White House was struggling with how best to support Ukraine without drawing US and NATO forces into direct conflict with Russia. As Russia's invasion continues, a visibly emotional Penn hailed the 'courage' of the Ukrainian people and Zelensky as he reflected on his experiences in the country and called on the US to do more to support the Ukraine. When he was in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, Penn met Zelensky on the day Russian tanks rolled into the country, with the actor saying Zelensky, a former actor and comedian, was 'born for' his role as president. Penn described the horrifying war in Ukraine as 'heartbreaking' as he warned of the 'ripple effects' the invasion could have on the rest of the world, as he urged the US to do more to support the Ukrainian people's 'democracy and belief in free dreaming'. The director, who became choked with emotion throughout the interview, warned that without supporting Ukraine during the invasion, Americans could 'plummet off a cliff' and lose sight of 'what America hoped to be'. Touching on the calls for a no-fly zone above Ukraine, Penn admitted that he did not know the answers to prevent further catastrophe amid Putin's savage invasion, but called on US President Joe Biden to assist the country. He added: 'I don't know if no-fly zones will create a nuclear war, I do know that we have to invest everything that we have to support the Ukrainian people and support President Zelensky or I do not think we will have a legitimate memory of what America hoped to be.' Sean Penn T hailed both the President and the Ukrainian people for their courage as he urged the US to 'invest everything' into supporting their democracy or 'lose a legitimate memory of what America hopes to be' His comments came after Penn met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on February 24, the day Putin invaded Ukraine. Penn was in the region filming a documentary for VICE On Sunday, the White House was struggling with how best to support Ukraine without drawing US and NATO forces into direct conflict with Russia. 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 Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the White House had given the 'green light' for Poland to send fighter jets to Ukraine - a declaration that Moscow forcibly rejected. But Poland described reports of their sending jets to Ukraine as 'fake news'. Instead of directly engaging in the fight with Russia, the US and its allies in the 30-member NATO group were sending weapons to Ukraine; more than 17,000 anti-tank weapons, including Javelin missiles, have been sent by land to Ukraine over the borders of Poland and Romania since the conflict began. A $350million package of military aid was approved by Congress on February 26, two days into the conflict, and 70 per cent of it was delivered in five days. By contrast, a $60million arms package to Ukraine agreed to in August was not completed until November, the Pentagon said. The New York Times described the pace of delivery of arms as 'warp speed.' Speaking about global support for the Ukraine, a forlorn Penn said he thinks the country have noticed that 'the cavalry is not coming' as he described seeing crowds of mothers and children queuing to flee the war-torn country as he crossed the border. He went on to praise Russian citizens who have protested against the brutal invasion, despite more than 3,500 people in cities across Russia being detained while taking part in anti-war protests. 'There's such a closeness between Ukrainian people and Russian people, this only makes sense as an exploitation of the powerful,' he added. Penn went on to speak about his own departure from the Ukraine, after he visited the country to film a documentary about the devastating conflict sweeping the country, saying he had the luxury of being able to abandon his hire car and walk to the border, unlike many others who carried their few belongings in their cars. He said: 'In the several miles we walked after abandoning our car, I didn't see one of those cars move a car-length because that line was so slow, and then you get there and you see those who have walked in that crowd. I was glad, not so much in the moment, but I was glad to have had the experience to see what it was to get through that border.' The emotional actor urged people to watch and read the news to get a 'personal reference' of the people who were suffering in Ukraine and understand the severity of the invasion. Penn, who founded non-profit organization CORE, said his relief company is helping refugees who have crossed the border into Poland, while it also hopes to cross into Ukraine to help those who are yet to leave. The United Nations has declared the mass exodus of more than 1.5 million people from Ukraine as Europe's 'fastest growing refugee crisis since World War II'. It comes as European Union officials expressed concerns on Saturday that as many as seven million people could cross into neighbouring countries such as Poland, Moldova, Romania, Slovakia and Hungary in the coming months, which campaigners say will create a 'disturbing spike in human trafficking'. Penn's heartbreaking comments come after he met with Ukrainian president Zelensky and attended government press briefings for part of a VICE documentary he is filming. Russian forces are continuing to pound Mariupol, in the south, Kharkiv, in the east, Chernihiv, in the north, and Mykolaiv, in the south, with artillery - but have made little or no gains in territory in recent days. Forces continue to work to surround the capital Kyiv, though progress has been slow. Attacks on civilian areas on the outskirts have increased The filmmaker remained in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv after Putin's brutal invasion of the country broke out as he filmed a VICE documentary about the horrors of the ruthless war. Pictured: Penn attends a press briefing at the Presidential Office in Kyiv on February 24, the day the war broke out Actor and director Sean Penn attended a press briefing at the Presidential Office in Kyiv, Ukraine February 24, before he joined thousands of refugees in fleeing the country Penn - who found himself in the cartel's firing line in 2016 after getting in touch with fugitive drug lord El Chapo - sat with his sunglasses on for the press briefing at the Ukrainian government offices on Thursday evening local time. He met with President Volodymyr Zelensky, who posted a video of their meeting on his Instagram account. Their conversation was muted but Zelensky, a former comedian and actor himself, wrote in a caption: 'The more people know about the war in the Ukraine, the higher the likelihood of stopping Russia!' Penn has been filming a documentary about escalating tensions in the region for months. He flew back to Kyiv earlier this week, before Putin invaded the country, and has now left the war-torn region. In a translated Facebook post, the Ukrainian government said it was grateful for Penn being there. He was lauded as being more courageous than Western leaders. 'An American actor and filmmaker, Oscar winner Sean Penn arrived to Ukraine. The director specially came to Kyiv to record all the events that are currently happening in Ukraine and to tell the world the truth about Russia's invasion of our country. In a translated Facebook post, the Ukrainian government said it was grateful for Penn for being in the country as he was lauded as being more courageous than Western leaders Penn had been in the region since November last year, flying back and forth, to document the escalating tensions for VICE. He is now left the country but his location is unknwn Penn visited positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces near the frontline with Russian-backed separatists in Donetsk region in November last year Penn is pictured Ukrainian Presidential Adviser Alexander Rodnyansky in Kyiv, a day before the first bombs were dropped Penn is pictured in Kyiv on February 24 with war reporter former U.S. Air Force special operations pilot Nolan Peterson (center) and columnist and editor Vladislav Davidzon 'Sean Penn is among those who support Ukraine in Ukraine today. Our country is grateful to him for such a show of courage and honesty. 'This morning the director visited the Office of the President and visited the press briefing of the advisor of the head of the Office of the Head of State Mikhail Podolak and the Vice Prime Minister - the Minister of the Reintegration of temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine Irina Vere uk. 'He spoke to journalists, to our military, saw how we defend our country. 'Sean Penn demonstrates the courage that many others, especially western politicians lack.' 'The more such people, true friends of Ukraine, who support the fight for freedom, the sooner it will be possible to stop the massive attack on Russia,' a statement on the Ukrainian government's Facebook page read. Earlier in the week, he was spotted out at dinners in Kyiv with other journalists. A senior NHS consultant was sacked after he ordered a junior doctor to strip naked in front of him in a hotel room as punishment for getting a question wrong, an employment tribunal has heard. Edwin Chandraharan referred to himself and the young medic, known as WX, as 'Commander and Commandee' whilst they were away on a conference and said that he was offering her 'special training'. The married gynaecologist demanded the trainee take her clothes off and look into a mirror as punishment because 'her mistake could mean someone would die' and told her she 'needed to have a scar'. He also encouraged the junior doctor to let him give her a 'special massage', in which she could 'achieve an orgasm by him only touching her back'. An employment tribunal heard Chandraharan also sexually harassed a second junior doctor while away for a conference by encouraging them to share a hotel room and repeatedly trying to massage her. He was sacked from St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in south London, where he had worked for 15 years as the doctor in charge of a labour ward and previously clinical director, in February 2020. Chandraharan tried to sue the Trust, claiming he was unfairly dismissed and racially discriminated against due to him being British Asian. But an employment tribunal has now thrown out his case and criticised the NHS doctor for perpetrating 'serious' sexual harassment. The employment tribunal heard Chandraharan denied all allegations and claimed other senior doctors 'coerced' the women to make up allegations because they were 'racists' and 'envious of his success'. Chandraharan even threatened to sue WX for 'defamation action to seek 2 million in damages'. Employment Judge Tony Hyams-Parish dismissed the doctor's claims of unfair dismissal and race discrimination. Senior NHS consultant Edwin Chandraharan (pictured) was sacked after he ordered a junior doctor to strip naked in front of him in a hotel room for getting a question wrong, an employment tribunal has heard Judge Hyams-Parish said his actions amounted to 'serious sexual harassment' and that he was 'difficult to believe' in evidence and 'misleading'. The hearing in Croydon, south London, was told Chandraharan invited the first trainee - named only as 'WX' - to a conference in 2015, and while driving them there made creepy comments. A tribunal report said: 'He asked her about her personal life. He referred to himself and WX as 'Commander and Commandee' and said that he was offering her 'special training'. 'He told WX that she was the 17th special trainee and that he still kept in touch with previous trainees. He told WX not to say anything to anyone as no one would understand. 'During the car journey, Chandraharan asked WX a question from a chapter in a book he had given her. 'For getting the question wrong, he suggested that she should take one item of clothing off. WX declined and thought it was a joke.' At the hotel, Chandraharan asked WX to come to his room to 'practise a presentation' but said it was too noisy. The report continued: 'Once in his room, he asked WX to take off her clothes for the mistake that she had made. 'Chandraharan did not touch her. It felt to WX that it was all about mental control. 'He told WX that it was only if she was scarred that she would avoid future mistakes and improve her skills. Her mistake could mean that someone would die. 'Chandraharan told WX that she 'needed to have a scar'. 'WX took off her clothes until she was naked. He did not do anything. He told WX to 'look at her image in the mirror, in front of her Consultant, so that she would never repeat the mistake again'.' After dinner, he told her 'he was good at massage'. He said ' it was a special massage, where she could achieve an orgasm by him only touching her back'. He also gave her a coin, saying that she could give it back whens she was 'ready to accept the pleasant experience' and said 'he gave all his trainees a 50 pence coin to remember him when he died'. WX said she was left scared that she was 'alone in a small town' and felt like an 'antelope trying to run away from a lion'. He was sacked from St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (pictured) in south London, where he had worked for 15 years as the doctor in charge of a labour ward and previously clinical director, in February 2020 'Humiliated and embarrassed', she later reported the incident to the Trust but was 'fearful of repercussions as she felt he was very powerful and could damage her career'. She was so 'terrified' she didn't want to pursue a formal complaint and in August 2017 Chandraharan was given an informal warning. However, in 2019, it emerged another female doctor at the Trust, named as 'YZ', had also been sexually harassed at another conference. YZ came forward and reported that he made 'sexualised comments' at her, repeatedly encouraged them to share a hotel room, and made creepy advances. While working in his hotel room, he began massaging her neck but she moved away. 'He touched her again, a bit lower down her back', the report said. 'This happened two or three times and every time YZ asked him to stop, he would start again. 'YZ said the next time he quickly put his hand on her back under her top and quickly moved it then towards her bottom. 'YZ responded by slapping his hand away and said 'Edwin, what are you doing? I don't know what you've been thinking, but I don't want to have sex with you Edwin'. 'He said 'I promise no sex, at least for me'. He then apologised, saying that it was the first time in 15 years he had got his diagnosis wrong.' Later that trip, Chandraharan told her 'in five years time you will look back and remember that in Poole you lost an opportunity and someone else will take your place'. Both victims, along with other women at the Trust, formed a WhatsApp group and brought formal allegations against the doctor and he was sacked for gross misconduct in February 2020. Boris Johnson today suggested Britain could ramp up domestic gas production as he admitted the West needs short-term 'substitutes' for Russian supplies to reduce costs on British families. The Prime Minister announced he will set out a new energy supply strategy in the coming days as he faces pressures to end reliance on Vladimir Putin's regime. Addressing a Downing Street press conference with the prime ministers of Canada and the Netherlands, Justin Trudeau and Mark Rutte, he insisted the UK would continue its long term goal to switch to reenable green power like wind and solar. But he said short-term policy had to 'reflect the reality that there is a crunch on at the moment'. The price of gas went through the roof to record levels today as the West prepares to boycott Russia and cut off the $1billion-a-day the fossil fuel brings in for Putin's war chest. With global markets in turmoil, UK wholesale gas hit 800 pence per therm this morning - up from 39p a year ago - amid claims that the monthly price cap planned for October 1 could hit 5,000-a-year at that price. Prices are now more than 20 times higher than they were just two years ago. Tory MPs are urging Boris Johnson to dramatically ramp up the UK's domestic gas production and to re-examine his Net Zero by 2050 plan after the Ukraine crisis rocked energy markets. Conservative backbenchers believe the Russian invasion has 'materially changed' the energy picture and ministers should be doing 'everything we can to produce as much energy domestically as possible'. Asked about Russian gas this afternoon, Mr Johnsons said: 'There are going to be impacts but I think it is the right thing to do. It is completely the right thing to do to move away from Russian hydrocarbons but we have to do it step by by step. 'We have got to make sure we have substitute supply. One of the things we are looking at is the possibility of using more of our own hydrocarbons. 'That doesn't mean we are in any way abandoning our commitment to reducing CO2 but we have got to reflect the reality that there is a crunch on at the moment. We need to increase our self-reliance.' Former minister Sir Alan Duncan this morning warned the UK risks falling into a 'dystopian economic collapse' over concerns about the supply of gas from Russia. The Prime Minister announced he will set out a new energy supply strategy in the coming days as he faces pressures to end reliance on Vladimir Putin's regime. Addressing a Downing Street press conference with the prime ministers of Canada and the Netherlands, he insisted the UK would continue its long term goal to switch to reenable green power like wind and solar. Conservative MPs are pushing the Government to increase the UK's production of oil and gas, and to reverse a moratorium it has placed on domestic fracking Mr Rutte (right), the Dutch prime minister, said breaking away from Russian oil and gas would be a 'step-by-step process'. Mr Rutte, the Dutch prime minister, said breaking away from Russian oil and gas would be a 'step-by-step process'. At the Downing Street press conference he said: 'We have to make sure to deleverage our dependency on Russian gas, on Russian oil, while acknowledging at the moment that the dependency is, to a certain extent, still there.' Forcing companies to stop doing business with Russia now would have 'enormous consequences', he said. 'It would basically undermine supply chains the world over, particularly in Europe. It would also have an impact on Ukraine itself.' The change would have to be 'diligent and not overnight', combined with an acceleration in the take-up of green energy. Tory MPs are pushing the Government to increase the UK's production of oil and gas, and to reverse a moratorium it has placed on domestic fracking. Mr Johnson reportedly believes the West should be given a temporary 'climate change pass' and increase its production of gas to rob Vladimir Putin of the energy 'leverage' he has over Europe. A Government source told The Times: 'The Prime Minister has been very clear that one of the massive problems is the leverage that Putin has over a number of European countries over gas and oil. 'We have to address this over the short term, mid term and long term. The Prime Minister is interested in giving the gas industry a climate pass in the transition to nuclear and renewables.' The PM declined to comment on the claim at this afternoon's press conference. Another source told Politico that countries could give themselves a 'pass' which would see them temporarily 'easing off Net Zero' targets. The UK has committed to hitting Net Zero emissions by 2050 and there have been no signs the Government is poised to relax or scrap the target - despite mounting pressure from Tory MPs for a rethink. The Ukraine crisis is expected to worsen the cost of living crisis in the UK which was already spiraling before Russia launched its invasion. Mr Johnson is under growing pressure from Conservative MPs to boost the UK's domestic energy production to ease pressure on households. Some Tory MPs want the Government to reverse its opposition to commercial fracking so the UK can exploit its shale gas reserves and reduce reliance on foreign gas supplies. Nearly 40 MPs and peers in the Tory Net Zero Security Group are writing to the Prime Minister to urge him to stop the UK's only two shale gas wells being concreted over within the next ten days. Map showing potential areas of shale oil and gas and licensed areas (pictured) Craig Mackinlay, chairman of the group which was set up to scrutinise the Government's plans to hit climate change targets called on Mr Johnson to pause an Oil and Gas Authority (OGA) order that the two sites in Lancashire be plugged by March 15. Tory MPs have warned the ban on fracking is 'total lunacy' in the light of the events in Ukraine. Marcus Fysh told MailOnline: 'The situation has materially changed and we need to do everything we can to produce as much energy domestically as possible, including relatively clean fossil fuel energy such as gas.' Mr Fysh said the Government's Net Zero plan must be 'looked at again' to take into account the impact of the Ukraine crisis on energy markets. Former minister Steve Baker said: 'Even with our Net Zero transition we will be burning gas for years. 'We should be doing everything we can with the vigour of a national war effort to make sure that gas is not Putin's.' There have been some suggestions in Whitehall that the Government could pump more oil and gas from the North Sea but Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is opposed to such a move. Tory former minister John Redwood told the BBC's Westminster Hour programme that the UK should boost its domestic gas production. He said: 'I agree with the European Union and other advocates of the green transition that gas is the transition fuel, better than coal for example. 'And you have to accept that this is going to be the decade of gas. We are not ready yet to have enough renewables in a form that can work for industry and heating homes because people haven't installed electric heating, they haven't bought electric vehicles. 'So this decade we still need to be able to fuel the vehicles and fuel the homes and fuel industry above all that relies very heavily on gas. 'I am putting in this plea that we can both collect a lot more tax and create less CO2 if we have more of our own gas. It seems a very easy proposition and some of that could be on-shore.' Mr Johnson is facing growing political pressure over the Government's Net Zero push amid fears the green drive will hit consumers in the pocket. Nigel Farage, the former Brexit Party leader, recently announced he is launching a political movement to campaign for a referendum on the policy. The famous car designer Matteo Gentile just released a modern concept design of the Lancia Stratos Zero from 1970. Fans who loved the vehicle can definitely look forward to the new and updated Lancia Stratos Zero Restomod. In the long and illustrious automotive history, not many cars can be as memorable as the Lancia Stratos Zero. Now despite being decades old, a concept design that modernized this vehicle is currently trending on the internet. It should be emphasized that the Italian car manufacturer Lancia is in no way related to the Lancia Stratos Zero and Lancia Stratos Zero Restomod. Simply put, the vehicles are inspired from the company, but are not manufactured by them. Lancia Stratos Zero Details and Specs To better understand the Lancia Stratos Zero Restomod, fans should be familiar with the original Lancia Stratos Zero from 1970. According to Techeblog, this is a vehicle designed by the famous Italian car designer Marcello Gandini which debuted at Turin Motor Show in 1970. Many recognized this design as one which is far ahead of its time. Up to date, Lancia Stratos Zero is memorable for its sleek, smart, and luxurious bodywork. YouTuber 19Bozzy92 posted a video of this iconic vehicle in action. Sources say the car was powered by a 1.6L Lancia Fulvia V4 engine that could produce up to 130 hp. Read Also: Sony and Honda are Teaming up to Sell Electric Vehicles - When is the First Model Coming Out? Lancia Stratos Zero Restomod Specs and Price Despite its design, the Lancia Stratos Zero is obviously outdated when compared to the current top-of-the-line vehicles. So Gentile took up the challenge to create a modern concept design for the popular vehicle. Gentile conceptualized that his Lancia Stratos Zero Restomod will share the same wedge shape as its predecessor, but its doors will intersect with the roof for a much more seamless design. According to Carscoops, the end result was is a low-slung, mid-engine supercar with a purple-green color. The design especially emphasized a LED light bar, a carbon-fiber splitter and a bunch of carbon-fiber air intake shrouds. The car is also equipped with large vents to further take advantage of aerodynamics. Note that the car boasts a lot of luxurious features. Its complex carbon-fiber wheels are designed with gold locks, and it uses LED taillights. Lastly, the Lancia Stratos Zero Restomod features four centrally-exiting tailpipes and a carbon-fiber diffuser. Techeblog noted that if the original concept car sold in 2011 for $832,565, then this newly updated version with its upgraded engine could double that number. So this vehicle might cost $1.5 million or more, especially if it is sold in limited quantities. However, at the time of writing, the Lancia Stratos Zero Restomod exists solely as a concept design. Car manufacturers have yet to acknowledge this masterpiece, and there is no update regarding its manufacturing. So fans shouldn't get their hopes up about actually buying this supercar. Related Article: [VIRAL FLASHBACK] The Dale Scam: The Three-Wheeled Vehicle That Fooled Everyone During the Oil Crisis Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine will be a 'total failure' comparable to the collapse of Nazi Germany, a report by a so-called FSB analyst has claimed. The over 2,000-word report added that Russia's forces have 'no options to victory, only defeat' as they continue to meet strong Ukrainian resistance, that experts believe has surprised many in Moscow including the president himself. It said that the number of Russians killed in Ukraine could already be over 10,000 - a figure similar to that reported by Kyiv officials - and far more than the 498 dead soldiers officially acknowledged by the Kremlin. The whistleblower also claimed the FSB - Russia's successor to the Soviet Union's feared KGB - was being blamed for the failure of Moscow's forces to make significant progress into Ukraine, despite being given no advanced warning of the invasion. The report also said Russia's government has lost contact with a number of its divisions that have been sent into Ukraine, meaning they had no accurate death toll. It came as former Russian Foreign Minister Andrei Kozyrev insisted that Putin is not 'insane' but 'immoral' as he said the president believes his invasion is logical because he has started to believe his false propaganda that Ukrainians are 'neo-Nazis'. Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine will be a 'total failure' comparable to the collapse of Nazi Germany, a report by a so-called FSB analyst has claimed. Pictured: Destroyed Russian armored vehicles are seen in the city of Bucha, west of Kyiv, on March 4, 2022 Russian human rights activist and operator of the anti-corruption website Gulagu.net Vladimir Osechkin published the report on Facebook last week, according to The Times. Christo Grozev, an expert on Russia's security services who works for investigative journalism group Bellingcat, said he has shown the report two current or former FSB contacts who told him they had 'no doubt it was written by a colleague'. Writing on Twitter, Grozev said that while his contacts did not necessarily agree with all the assertions in the report, they were confident in its origin. Giving hope to the people of Ukraine in the face of devastating attacks by Russian forces, the report said that Putin's chances of victory in Ukraine are non-existent. 'By and large, [Russia] has no way out. It's just that there is no option for a possible victory, and defeat is everything,' the report said. It compared Russia's mistakes to those made by Nazi Germany at the end of the Second World War, and said that Moscow's 'starting position' was akin to 'Germany in 1943-44' - when Hitler's chances of victory were collapsing on two fronts. The whistleblower claimed that FSB officers have been ordered to assess the effects Western sanctions are having on Russia. The ruble has all-but collapsed and Russia has become an international pariah. But despite the very real economic devastation, the report said officers were told that it was a hypothetical box-ticking exercise. The over 2,000 word report added that Russia's forces have 'no options to victory, only defeat' as they continue to meet strong Ukrainian resistance, that experts believe has surprised many in Moscow including the president himself. Pictured: Putin is seen on Saturday near Moscow 'You have to write the analysis in a way that makes Russia the victor... otherwise you get questioned for not doing good work,' the report says. 'Suddenly it happens and everything comes down to your completely groundless analysis.' The letter, published in the early hours of Friday morning, also says that Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov - who is usually a staunch ally of Putin's - is furious with Moscow after his 'kill squad' sent to assassinate Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky was instead destroyed by Ukrainian troops. Zelensky is said to be Putin's No. 1 target, but even if the Russian president was successful in killing his Ukrainian counterpart, the report says that Moscow would still be unable to occupy Ukraine. 'Even with minimum resistance from the Ukrainians we'd need over 500,000 people, not including supply and logistics workers,' the author claims. The author also addressed the likelihood of Putin launching a nuclear strike against the West, saying it was a possibility. They also wrote that Russia's foreign intelligence service, the SVR, was trying to find evidence that Ukraine had built nuclear weapons to justify a pre-emptive strike. '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,' they wrote. 'At the same time, the soil is being prepared to turn everything to Ukraine - Naryshkin and his SVR are now digging the earth to prove that they secretly created nuclear weapons there.' Pictured: Russian armored vehicles in the city of Bucha, west of Kyiv, on March 4, 2022. According to the report, the number of Russians killed in Ukraine could already be over 10,000 - a figure that has also been reported by Kyiv officials - far more than the 498 dead soldiers officially acknowledged by the Kremlin But despite saying there was a possibility of such a horrific event, the author added: 'From the cynical, I will only add that I do not believe that VV Putin will press the red button to destroy the whole world. '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,' they wrote. 'Secondly, there are some doubts that everything is functioning [in Russia's nuclear deterrent],' they added, continuing: 'Thirdly, and this is the most vile and sad thing, 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.' Amid concerns that Russia could put some of Ukraine's cities such as the capital of Kyiv under siege, the author of the report said this was unlikely. 'Keep under siege? According to the experience of military conflicts in the same Europe in recent decades (Serbia is the largest testing ground here), cities can be under siege for years, and even function,' they wrote. 'Humanitarian convoys from Europe [will be there in a] matter of time,' they added. The report also said the government has lost contact with a number of its divisions that have been sent into Ukraine, meaning they had no accurate death toll. Pictured: A destroyed Russian army all-terrain vehicle Tigr-M (Tiger) on a road in Kharkiv, Ukraine February 28, 2022 Pictured: A destroyed Russian military vehicles in the Sumy region, north-eastern Ukraine The report claims Russian forces have a 'provisional deadline' of June to successfully capture Ukraine, but the author said they would not last until then. 'We have a conditional deadline of June. Conditional - because in June we have no economy left, nothing remains,' the report said. 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 'By and large, next week there will be a turning point in one of the sides, simply because the situation cannot be in such an overstrain.' The writer said that they could not rule out the war escalating into an international conflict. They said they were expected an advisor to send an ultimatum to the West threatening war if the heavy sanctions imposed on Russia were not removed. 'What if the West refuses?' they said. 'In that instance I won't exclude that we will be pulled into a real international conflict, just like Hitler in 1939.' Bellingcat's Grozev was the person who reported the identities of the Salisbury poisoners in 2018. He said that while 'Ukraine had previously leaked fake FSB letters as psy-ops,' the report 'appeared different'. 'It came via a reputable source [Osechkin] and it was way longer than a forger would choose to make it,' he wrote. Meanwhile, former Russian Foreign Minister Andrei Kozyrev shared an assessment of Putin's military objectives as he said he believes Putin is a 'rational actor' who 'started to believe his own propagandists'. In a historically inaccurate argument, Putin has defended his invasion by insisting that he was 'ridding Ukraine' of 'neo-Nazis'. Addressing the Russian president's rationale, Kozyrev tweeted that Putin's decision to invade Ukraine was 'horrific' and 'immoral' but not 'irrational' as he started to believe his own entirely false propaganda. Kozyrev, who served under President Boris Yeltsin, said he does not believe that 'Russia would use nuclear weapons' and said he thinks 'Putin is a rational actor'. He wrote: '[Putin] also started to believe his own propagandists that Ukraine is run by a Nazi-Bandera junta. Perfect pretext to 'de-Nazify' Ukraine.' Attempting to understand Putin's reasoning, Kozyrev said Putin believes that Ukraine is 'not a real nation' and 'cannot be kept independent' as he said the president believes his bizarre propaganda that US President Biden is 'mentally inept'. Kozyrev argued that because Putin believed his own propaganda to be true, he saw his savage invasion of the Ukraine to be 'rational', saying he 'miscalculated' rather than being 'insane'. 'He miscalculated on all three, but that doesn't make him insane. Simply wrong and immoral,' he said. Touching on fears of nuclear warfare amid the invasion, Kozyrev added: 'In my opinion, he is rational. Given that he is rational, I strongly believe he will not intentionally use nuclear weapons against the West. 'I say intentionally because indiscriminate shelling near a nuclear power plant can cause an unintentional nuclear disaster in Ukraine.' Over the weekend, a Russian lawmaker spoke out about what she said are heavy losses being suffered by some military units fighting in Ukraine. Lyudmila Narusova, a member of Russia's upper house of parliament, the Federation Council, said during Friday's livestreamed proceedings that she knew of one company which was meant to be 100 strong but 'only four were left alive' when the unit was withdrawn. Narusova, the widow of President Vladimir Putin's former political mentor Anatoly Sobchak, did not present evidence for her claims and said the Defense Ministry had refused her request to confirm the reported casualties. Well into the second week of war, Russia's plan to quickly overrun the country has been stymied by fierce resistance. Its troops have 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. Today, Russia announced a yet another cease-fire and a handful of humanitarian corridors to allow civilians to flee Ukraine starting Monday, but previous such measures have fallen apart and Moscow's armed forces continued to pummel some Ukrainian cities with rockets even after the announcement. Lyudmila Narusova, a member of Russia's upper house of parliament and ally of Vladimir Putin suggested during Friday's livestreamed proceedings that the true number of Russian soldiers killed in Ukraine is higher than that being reported by the Kremlin A day earlier, hundreds of thousands of civilians attempting to flee to safety were forced to shelter from what Ukrainian officials said was Russian shelling in cities in the center, north and south. Ahead of a third round of talks planned for Monday, the Russian Defense Ministry said a cease-fire would start in the morning, and safe passages would open for civilians from the capital of Kyiv, the southern port city of Mariupol, and the cities of Kharkiv and Sumy. Some of the evacuation routes, however, would funnel civilians toward Russia or its ally Belarus - unlikely destinations for many Ukrainians who would prefer to head toward countries on the western and southern borders. A senior Ukrainian official rejected those proposals. It wasn't immediately clear if fighting would stop beyond the areas mentioned or when the cease-fire would end. Hopes were dim that the latest round of talks would yield any breakthroughs. The fighting has sent energy prices surging worldwide, stocks plummeting, and is threatening the food supply and livelihoods of people around the world who rely on farmland in the Black Sea region. The death toll from the fighting, meanwhile, 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. Police for the Kharkiv region said Monday that 209 people have died there alone - 133 of them civilians. The Russian invasion has also pushed 1.5 million people to flee the country, creating what the head of the U.N. refugee agency called 'the fastest-growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War II.' Vladimir Putin's brutal crackdown of anti-war dissent is continuing in Russia with his army of police thugs savagely beating up and detaining 5,000 protesters in one day. Video shows officers using truncheons and stun guns in a brutal bid to stamp out any opposition to the invasion of Ukraine on a record day of arrests. On Sunday alone, 5,016 people were detained across the country for attending unsanctioned demonstrations, risking charges of treason. The latest detentions brought the total number of demonstrators held to more than 12,000 since the invasion began. The number is the highest in the war so far and is on a par with the arrests made during a huge wave of protests last year when Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny was imprisoned, showing the strength of the growing opposition to the invasion. Vladimir Putin's brutal crackdown of antiwar dissent is continuing in Russia with his army of police thugs savagely beating up and detaining 5,000 protesters in one day Putin's team of Omon paramilitary police known as the Cosmonauts are out on the streets to stamp out dissent Footage from the brutal regime show officers using truncheons and stun guns in a bid to stamp out any opposition Russian Police officers detain a man during an unsanctioned protest rally against the military invasion In Krasnoyarsk, a policeman was seen erasing a 'No to War' slogan written in the snow In Yekaterinburg, one driver was stopped, dragged out of the car and detained after he honked in support of protesters, while others were whacked with batons for innocuous reasons such as filming a rally. In Krasnoyarsk, a policeman was seen erasing a 'No to War' slogan written in the snow. In Kaliningrad, an elderly woman lectured police: 'I survived the Leningrad Siege! My father died at the front [] What do you want from me?' Another said: 'We have friends and family in Ukraine! You came to support the fascists?' The officers then ordered them all arrested. Thousands of protesters chanted 'No to war!' and 'Shame on you!', according to videos posted on social media by opposition activists and bloggers. 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. Two women are led away by police officers during a protest in Moscow on Sunday on a record day of detentions Police Officers block the street during a demonstration against the Russian military operation On Sunday alone, 5,016 people were detained across the country for attending unsanctioned demonstrations, risking charges of treason Russian policemen detain a participant in an unauthorized rally in Saint Petersburg '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.' To further stifle criticism, Putin on Friday signed into law a bill that introduces jail terms of up to 15 years for fake news about the Russian army. The bill stipulates jail terms of varying lengths and fines against people who publish "knowingly false information" about the military, with harsher penalties to hit when dissemination is deemed to have serious consequences. Police chase protesters swarming down a street and drag them into waiting vans on Sunday Thousands of protesters chanted 'No to war!' and 'Shame on you!', according to videos posted on social media Putin also signed a bill that would allow fines or jail terms of up to three years for calling for sanctions against Russia with Moscow facing harsh economic penalties from Western capitals over the invasion. Meanwhile in Moscow, a Russian detention truck was hit by a car and crashed into a lamppost - with 27 anti-war protesters locked inside. The large police van was speeding to a detention centre 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 swerved 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 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. Boris Johnson today denied intervening personally to help a Russian-born media mogul get a peerage after MI5 and MI6 raised security concerns. The Prime Minister said it was 'simply incorrect' to suggest he influenced the intelligence services after they advised against giving a Lords' seat to Evening Standard and Independent proprietor Evgeny Lebedev. He warned against allowing a 'witch hunt' against Russians in the UK as Labour demanded an official probe into weekend reports that he forced spooks to water down their assessment. 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. Speaking to reporters today at RAF Northolt, Mr Johnson did not deny reports he met Lebedev for a private meeting before he was granted a peerage. But he added: 'It is very, very important that this should not turn into a general sense that ''we're against Russians - any Russian - living in the UK, any Russian who contributes to UK society should suddenly be under suspicion'', that suits Putin's agenda... 'We must not play Putin's game and somehow turn this into a witch hunt against every Russian in the in the UK.' It came as he welcomed the Canadian and Dutch prime ministers to Britain to show a united Western front over sanctions targeting Russian businesses and oligarchs. Justin Trudeau and Mark Rutte are holding talks in Downing Street this afternoon. It came as Foreign Secretary Liz Truss admitted the West 'took its eye off the ball' after the end of the Cold War. 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 came as he welcomed the Canadian and Dutch prime ministers to Britain to show a united Western front over sanctions targeting Russian businesses and oligarchs. Justin Trudeau and Mark Rutte are holding talks in Downing Street this afternoon. Tories lash 'disgraceful' stance on Ukraine refugees as Boris admits he DOESN'T KNOW if claims only 50 visas have been granted are right The government's stance on Ukrainian refugees descended into total chaos today as Boris Johnson admitted he does not know whether claims only 50 have been granted UK visas are true. The PM stressed that 'thousands' of applications are being processed but conceded he is 'not sure' if the extraordinary low numbers of approvals are correct. And he appeared to slap down a suggestions from Priti Patel that a more generous humanitarian route will be created so that individuals no longer need family links to come to Britain. Speaking to reporters at RAF Northolt, Mr Johnson said: 'Clearly this, this crisis, is evolving the whole time. I've said before that the UK will be as generous as we can possibly be and we intend to do that. 'We have two very, very generous routes already so the family reunion route, which is uncapped, which could potentially see hundreds of thousands of people come to this country, plus the humanitarian route. 'Under that scheme, people can sponsor people coming from Ukraine.' Officials were 'surging' to the countries bordering Ukraine but also to France, he said. Downing Street said ministers 'obviously keep all options under review' but claimed the sponsored route was humanitarian. French interior minister Gerald Darmanin has hit out at the UK for 'inhumanely' turning back refugees at the border due to red tape. Labour accused the government of being in a 'mess', and senior Tories joined the condemnation swiping that the policy is 'a disgrace' as it stands. Advertisement Mr Johnson said it would 'obviously be extraordinary' if the security services had deemed Lord Lebedev to be a risk and the Prime Minister had intervened to ensure the peerage was granted, 'but that's not the case'. 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. He 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'. He has described the claims against him in the weekend papers as 'incorrect', saying questions from reporters did not 'merit an answer'. Ministers are vowing to go 'harder and faster' on stalled oligarch sanctions with new laws being rushed through the Commons today. Mr Johnson is expected to push for further action to remove Russia from the Swift payment system, while urging them to back his six-point plan to tackle Vladimir Putin's aggression. He could also encourage Canada to boost oil and gas production to help reduce the West's reliance on Russia - as wholesale gas prices hit new highs. Speaking to journalists after meeting his counterparts at RAF Northolt, Mr Johnson there is 'more to do' now Putin has shown his true colours. Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said amendments to the Economic Crime Bill which is set to be hurried through all stages in the Commons today would 'give us the chance to bring even more crippling sanctions against Putin and his regime'. But Tories and Labour are urging the government to go further by speeding up the process for registering and seizing assets from oligarchs linked to the regime, amid complaints that the EU and US have taken stronger action. In a round of interviews this morning, Europe minister James Cleverly said the government will work across parties to make the measures as potent as possible. In Ukraine, there is a fresh ceasefire designed to allow citizens to escape two cities, after two previous deals failed to hold. Russia has become even more isolated from the West as further companies severed ties with the state. Boris Johnson (left) is holding talks with Canadian and Dutch counterparts Justin Trudeau (centre) and Mark Rutte (right) today Boris Johnson met Justin Trudeau (left) and Dutch PM Mark Rutte at RAF Northolt today, and the premiers will hold a press conference in Downing Street later People cross a destroyed bridge as they evacuate the city of Irpin, northwest of Kyiv The UK Government added Alisher Usmanov (pictured right with Putin in 2017) to its list of oligarch subject to a full asset freeze and travel ban last week Refugees from Ukraine camped out at the train station in Przemysl, Poland today after escaping the war zone Tiktok blocked its Russian users from posting new videos yesterday and Netflix said it was suspending its service in Russia. American Express said it would suspend services in the country, and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) is separating its firm in Russia which has a staff of around 3,700 from the rest of its global network as a result of the invasion of Ukraine. The UK Government has declared it will pump an extra $100million - 74 million - into Ukraine to support the country's 'indomitable people' through the humanitarian crisis being faced on the ground. The aid, provided through the World Bank, could go towards supporting public sector salaries, allowing vital state functions to keep operating, or supporting social safety nets and pensions for the Ukrainian people. Meanwhile, Home Secretary Priti Patel wrote to Interpol requesting the suspension of Russia's access to its systems. Mr Johnson said there was more to be done on sanctioning Russia and those around Putin. The PM told reporters today: 'Now that he is going for this really unrestrained attack on cities, now that he's attacking civilians in the way that he is, I think we've got to recognise that we've got to do more on sanctions. 'There is more we can do and more that I think we should do. So, on Swift there's more that the world can do. 'On banking, there's more that the world can do. 'I think that there is more to be done on on sanctioning individuals. So that's why we're bringing in the measures under the Economic Crime Bill today and targeting individuals as well.' Mr Johnson said the new funding from the UK 'will continue to help those facing the deteriorating humanitarian situation'. However, the Government has come under criticism for the speed of moves to help desperate refugees fleeing the conflict. The Home Office has admitted that only around 50 Ukrainian refugees have been granted visas so far. Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper tweeted: 'This is too slow. Too many hoops for desperate families to have to jump through. Home Office completely failing to understand urgency of crisis.' But Ms Patel said the UK was 'doing everything possible' to speed up efforts to grant visas to Ukrainians fleeing the conflict, and told The Sun she was examining a 'humanitarian route' to allow all Ukrainian refugees who want to come to the UK to do so. In Parliament, Labour is set to put pressure on ministers to further reduce the time period before foreign-owned UK property needs to be registered under new plans. The party said Russian oligarchs still had a 'get out of London free' card even though the grace period under the measures designed to tackle so-called 'dirty money' have been cut from 18 months to six, the opposition was calling for this to be reduced further to just 28 days. Shadow business secretary Jonathan Reynolds told BBC Radio 4's Today Programme: 'I want to know where the treasure has been buried. This is not just about oligarchs, it's about the money launderers. It's about tax evaders, I want to know where that money is. 'I think the reasonableness of this period is what will give us the chance to do that.' Mr Reynolds added: 'We've got a look at this in Parliament in the UK in terms of the proportionality of what is involved, these activities are also happening alongside the reasonable concerns about privacy, tax evasion, money laundering, people being able to hide their assets. Ukrainian refugees, mostly women and children, wait in Medyka, Poland, today after fleeing over the border Foreign Secretary Liz Truss (pictured arriving at her department today) said amendments to the Economic Crime Bill would 'give us the chance to bring even more crippling sanctions against Putin and his regime' Europe minister James Cleverly (right) struggled as he was pressed for an explanation on why the numbers were so low - while Priti Patel (left) declared people will no longer need family links to come to Britain 'That is not just something that facilitates crime. That is something which is a threat to our national security because of what it means for the countries that are left behind because their leaders have taken the plundered the wealth of their countries and it cannot be something that we ignore any longer.' But the Foreign Office insisted the new scheme would 'allow the Government to move faster and harder when sanctioning oligarchs and businesses associated with the Russian Government'. Mr Cleverly told Sky News the Government was working on a cross-party basis to get the legislation through, 'The ultimate goal is to make sure that the sanctions that we've already put in place, which are incredibly effective, and have had a real impact on Russian oligarchs, and indeed the Russian economy, are made even stronger still, and we welcome cross-party support in that.' The UK Government added to its list of oligarch subject to a full asset freeze and travel ban last week, targeting Alisher Usmanov and Igor Shuvalov over their 'close links to the Kremlin'. But there is continuing anger that more individual oligarchs are not being hit. Mr Cleverly said: 'We've had a very wide-ranging number, over 200 individuals and entities over 250 billion worth of Russian economic activity curtailed, over three million Russian companies no longer able to raise finance on the London market. 'So, the fact that Vladimir Putin singled us out for criticism is a badge of honour.' The PM said: 'Punishing sanctions are meaningless until properly implemented, and these changes will allow us to pursue Putin's allies in the UK with the full backing of the law, beyond doubt or legal challenge.' It comes after Mr Johnson, in a nearly 1,300-word essay in the New York Times, said that the West had 'failed to learn the lessons of Russian behaviour' that have led to the invasion of Ukraine, warning world leaders: 'We need to prepare now for even darker days ahead.' A man charged with killing 18 elderly women in Dallas over a two-year span insists he is innocent and will be acquitted in the case. Billy Chemirmir, 49, is accused of smothering the women to death with a pillow by working as a medical professional or maintenance person, then stealing their valuables, in a string of deaths in Texas that happened between 2016 and 2018. During a phone interview from jail last week, Chemirmir denied all the charges against him and told The Dallas Morning News that he is '100% sure I will not go to prison' for the murders of the 18 elderly women. 'I am not a killer,' Chemirmir told the newspaper. 'I'm not at all what they're saying I am. I am a very innocent person. I was not brought up that way. 'I was brought up in a good family. I didn't have any problems all my life.' Chemirmir remains in the Dallas County Jail as he awaits an April 25 retrial, after the first jury to hear a murder case against him deadlocked 11-1 But in November 2021 a mistrial was declared in the case of Lu Thi Harris, an 81-year-old Vietnamese immigrant living in Dallas when she was killed. Chemirmir remains in the Dallas County Jail as he awaits an April 25 retrial of the Harris murder, after the first jury to hear a murder case against him deadlocked 11-1. The Harris trial lasted four days, and jurors began deliberating the outcome with a lone holdout preventing a verdict. Prosecutors have vowed to retry the accused killer - with one key change in the retrial to be that families will be allowed in the courtroom. Billy Chemirmir, 49, is accused of smothering 18 elderly women to death with a pillow by posing as a medical professional or maintenance person, then stealing their valuables, in a string of deaths in Texas that happened between 2016 and 2018 (Chemirmir pictured listening to the court at the murder trial in Crowley Courts Building in Dallas, November 2021) In November 2021 a mistrial was declared in the case of Lu Thi Harris, an 81-year-old Vietnamese immigrant (pictured) living in Dallas when she was killed after being smothered with a pillow in her home in Plano Covid policies at the time of the capital murder trial meant that the jury was not faced with the family and friends of the alleged victim, something which loved ones and attorneys argue would have played a huge part in the verdict. Relatives of other alleged victims denounced the ruling in November during a press conference outside the Frank Crowley Courts Building. Cliff Harris, the son of Miriam Nelson, who was killed on 9 March 2018, argued that it was 'the wrong thing to do' in leaving families out of the courtroom, and that they would have had a 'much better chance': 'We certainly would have won this today, hands down.' Covid policies at the time of the capital murder trial meant that the jury was not faced with the family and friends of the alleged victim, something which loved ones and attorneys argue would have played a huge part in the verdict (pictured, families of other alleged victims speaking at Frank Crowley Courts Building after mistrial in November 2021) M.J. Jennings poses for a photo of her mother Leah Corken at her home in Dallas, in November 2021. Corken was one of 18 women in the Dallas area that Billy Chemirmir is charged with capital murder Police in various communities in North Texas are investigating Chemirmir for other alleged victims, who believe that a number of deaths that were previously reported to be of 'natural causes' may be linked to him. Ellen French House, whose mother Norma French was killed, said she was devastated by the outcome. This case represents my mothers case and at least 24 other murders, she said. Were encouraged the prosecutors will try this case again and were confident the jury will convict. Were all devastated by this. We are in total shock. Police say that this led them to the home of Liu Thu Harris after finding documents in a large red jewelry box that he has just thrown away. She was found dead in her bedroom with lipstick smeared on her pillow (prosecutor Glen Fitzmartin, right, shows the stained pillow to court at the Harris trial, at Crowley Courts Building in Dallas, on 16 November 2021) Chemirmir was arrested in March 2018 after 91-year-old Mary Annis Bartel said a man forced his way into her apartment at an independent living community for seniors in the Dallas suburb of Plano. When police tracked Chemirmir to his nearby apartment following the attack on Bartel, they found him holding jewelry and cash. Police say that this led them to the home of Liu Thu Harris after finding documents in a large red jewelry box that he has just thrown away. She was found dead in her bedroom with lipstick smeared on her pillow. It is alleged by police that Chemirmir used his work as a caregiver to stalk luxury senior living communities in Dallas and Colin counties, posing as a worker to get into the apartments of elderly women before smothering them with a pillow and stealing their valuables. Chemirmir told the newspaper he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. He said that other family members, who have declined to the speak to the newspaper, operate other senior living homes in the Dallas area where no suspicious deaths have been reported. 'If I was a killer, I could've killed all those ladies,' he said. 'Nobody has been killed there.' Chemirmir told the newspaper he was born and raised in Kenya's Rift Valley, between the cities of Eldoret and Nakuru, and that he's the son of a wealthy farmer, and the second of three wives. He is also one of 28 children. The 49-year-old said he began working as a caregiver in Kenya for his father, who was 100 years old at the time. Glenna Day, 87, (right) was found alone in her apartment laying on her bed with paint on her hands and patio, and police found an empty Rolex box upon searching the crime scene, and Leah Corken, 83, (left) was found dead in her home in Dallas in 2016, with her wedding ring missing He moved in 2003 to the US, where he sold cars and began working as a senior caregiver in Dallas, beginning with agencies who would find clients for him, adding that he later made much more money by finding his own customers. The 49-year-old would charge them $20 or $30 an hour to take care of the elderly in the northern Texas areas. This change to independent work was how he met the family of Carolyn MacPhee, who died in December 2017 - and is one of the five indictments charged against him. The family of MacPhee say they hired the senior caregiver to take care of their father, Jack MacPhee, who died in April 2017. Carolyn's sons, Scott and Robert MacPhee, have said that investigators believe Chemirmir went back to to their mothers home after their fathers death, took her jewelry, and killed Carolyn MacPhee - six months after the death of her husband. They pointed out that examination of her house found 'several things out of place', including missing jewelry, after initially ruling her death to be of natural causes. The MacPhee brothers say blood found on her glasses was a match to Chemirmir. Chemirmir was an extension of their family, they said, but he always remained 'aloof' and 'a little distant'. The accusations are very similar to that of the other 18 alleged victims' families and several other investigators into the north Dallas cases, with the loved ones all paying close attention to the Harris trial for that reason. But Chemirmir said that he knew the home well, and that he was aware of valuable items stored in a safe in the garage. Using this in his defense, he argued that he would have taken the higher-value items if he was the killer - 'That would've been the first place to go', he told The Dallas Morning News. Chemirmir was arrested for tresspassing in the high-end Edgemere community in Dallas in June 2016, where three victims have been identified. He was sentenced to 70 days but released after 12 days on 'good behavior' at Dallas County Jail - and after his release, he returned to Edgemere to take care of elderly clients. No other suspicious deaths were reported in Edgemere. The 49-year-old started to visit The Tradition-Prestonwood, a retirement village where nine victims have ben identified. Catherine Probst, 88, was found dead in April 2016 (left) and Juanita Purdy, 82, was found dead in July 2016, with $28,000 worth of jewelry missing Another retirement community called Parkview Frisco saw one victim killed in September 2017, and a victim who survived an attack the following month. Police say seven women were murdered at Preston Place, another retirement complex in Plano, between October 2017 and March 2018, and another four women who were killed in their private homes in Dallas, Plano and Richardson. Medical examiners who initally attributed the deaths to natural causes began to change the death certificates from 'heart attack' to 'homicide', which is something Chemirmir argues is another reason to find him innocent. He says that he thinks the medical examiner was under pressure from 'politicians and people's families', eventually changing his mind in regard to the cause of death. Cheryl Pangburn, whose mother, Marilyn Bixler, was killed in 2017 and is suspected of being one of Chemirmir's alleged victims, said she was disappointed that he was reaching out to journalists to try and sway public opinion toward him. 'You hope that he feels some kind of remorse, and the fact is he feels nothing,' Pangburn said. 'I cannot comprehend that the human mind can work that way. Were saddened, were sick, she said. We extend our sympathy to Lu Thi Harris family that they didnt get the justice they deserve for the murder of their mom. She said the trial was just one leg of a lifelong journey for relatives of the alleged victims. This was just another bump in the road, bring on the next one, she told reporters. Weve got multiple things to try him on. Were along for the ride for however it takes.' Dallas prosecutors have said they will continue to try him on the other cases until they secure two more convictions. He will face life in prison if convicted. Advertisement Kyiv's mayor paid a visit to a newlywed couple who got married the frontlines, donned in military uniform and serenaded by soldiers, on the frontline in Ukraine. Video shared online shows a loved-up pair, Lesya and Valeriy, who are with the territorial defence, celebrating the nuptials near Kyiv as Vitali Klitschko offers the pair his blessings and gives the bride a good luck kiss. In a tweet, Klitschko shared a clip of the ceremony, with the pair surrounded by applause, cameras and fellow soldiers, saying that 'life goes on'. He wrote: 'Today I greeted the soldiers of one of the battalions of the capital's defence of the capital Lesya and Valeria. They have been living in a civil marriage for a long time, and now they have decided to get married. 'The ceremony took place next to one of the checkpoints. Life goes on! And we will protect the life of Kyiv, Kyivites, our state!' A video shows the grinning couple holding flowers as fellow soldiers around them shout 'Glory to Ukraine!' in the heartfelt moment, captured yesterday. Lesya could be seen holding a bouquet of flowers as both her and Valeriy clutched champagne flutes. Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko congratulated the servicemen of Ukrainian territorial defence, Valeriy and Lesya, with their wedding A grinning Lesya held onto flower bouquets as Vitaly Klitschko congratulated her and Valeriy on their nuptials at a blockpost near Kyiv Vitali Klitschko offered his congratulations, as well as a good luck kiss, to the newlywed couple who tied the knot in their military uniforms yesterday 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 also 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. Vitaly Klitschko greeted Lesya following her wedding with Valeriy (not pictured) yesterday as the bride happily held onto some flowers Vitali Klitschko paid a visit to a blockpost near Kyiv, to offer his well-wishes and blessings to two newlyweds in the territorial defence Vitaly Klitschko took a selfie with territorial defence fighters as his brother Vladimir (right) looked on, at a blockpost near Kyiv yesterday Valeriy and Lesya kissed as they got married not far from check-point on the Kyiv outskirts yesterday, in what appeared to be an Orthodox Christian ceremony 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 could be seen holding a bouquet of flowers and Valeriy, a champagne flute, as the newlyweds were applauded at their wedding Volodymyr Zelensky has vowed that 'God will not forgive' and Ukraine 'will not forget' the slaughter of civilians by Russian, saying a 'day of judgement' is coming for them as cities were hit by fresh bombardments this morning with Vladimir Putin's invasion entering its twelfth day. Zelensky, in a late-night address to his countrymen on the Orthodox Christian holiday of 'Forgiveness Sunday', recalled how a family of four were among eight civilians killed by Russian mortars while trying to flee the city of Irpin - near Kyiv - earlier in the day. 'We will not forgive. We will not forget,' he told listeners. 'We cannot forgive the hundreds upon hundreds of victims. Nor the thousands upon thousands who have suffered,' he added. 'God will not forgive. Not today. Not tomorrow. Never.' He spoke as Russia claimed it is opening new 'humanitarian corridors' out of surrounded cities including Mariupol, Kharkiv, Sumy and Kyiv starting at 7am UK time today in order to allow civilians to evacuate - though few expect Putin's men to observe the temporary truce after two similar corridors failed at the weekend. Red Cross volunteers working in the heavily besieged city of Mariupol said their workers had attempted to use one of the 'corridors' out of Mariupol on Sunday, only to find land mines had been laid across it. 'Instead of humanitarian corridors, they can only make bloody ones,' Zelensky said, as Interior Ministry adviser Anton Gerashchenko added: 'There can be no 'green corridors' because only the sick brain of the Russians decides when to start shooting and at whom.' Shortly after they spoke, columns of smoke were seen rising over the city of Mykolaiv, on Ukraine's Black Sea coast, as Russian forces resumed shelling. The exact number of civilian casualties is unclear, though is estimated by Ukraine to be in the thousands as residential areas of major cities are indiscriminately bombed using thermobaric and cluster munitions amid evidence of 'hit squads' targeting civilian vehicles. The UN estimates that 1.5million people have fled the fighting. The newlywed couple was filmed getting married on the frontlines, donned in military uniform and surrounded by fellow soldiers The grinning newlyweds celebrated their nuptials on the frontlines yesterday, surrounded by fellow servicemen at post near Kyiv Video shared online showed a loved-up pair, called Lesya and Valeriy, who are with the territorial defense, celebrating the nuptials near Kyiv, Ukraine Servicemen of Ukrainian territorial defence attended a wedding ceremony not far from check-point on the Kyiv outskirts, pictured yesterday Servicemen, pictured yesterday, held flowers as they celebrated the newlywed couple, in a wedding ceremony on the frontline One of the soldiers also appeared to have worn an Orthodox Christian cross, often seen in weddings in the country, at the nuptials yesterday Anonymous claims it has hacked into Russian state TV to air footage of the war in Ukraine. The hacking collective said it targeted Russia 24, Channel One and Moscow 24 to show the realities of the savage invasion. Vladimir Putin has been telling Russians the invasion is a 'special military operation' and a peacekeeping exercise, cracking down on any anti-war dissent. Kremlin propaganda channels have been claiming it is a civil war that has broken out in Ukraine, led by Nazi nationalists spurred on by the West and the expansion of NATO. But Anonymous showed Russians the reality of the war in its hack carried out on Sunday it claims. They also targeted Russian streaming services Wink and Ivi. The hackers said they are taking part in the 'biggest Anonymous op ever seen' in their take-down of Russia. Part of the footage aired on Russian TV included the message: 'ordinary Russians are against the war' and urged them to oppose the invasion. Last week, the hackers claimed to have shut down Russia's space agency so Putin 'no longer has control over spy satellites'. The hacking group Anonymous claims to have shut down Russia's space agency so Vladimir Putin 'no longer has control over spy satellites' amid his invasion of Ukraine (file photo) Network Battalion 65 or 'NB65', which is affiliated with Anonymous, posted a tweet claiming to show server information for Roscosmos (pictured). However, the head of Roscosmos denied the claim and called Anonymous 'scammers and petty swindlers' 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 Network Battalion 65 or 'NB65', which is affiliated with Anonymous, posted a tweet claiming to show server information for Roscosmos. They said they had downloaded and deleted confidential files related to the space agency's satellite imaging and Vehicle Monitoring System. However, the head of Roscosmos denied the claim and called Anonymous 'scammers and petty swindlers'. Director General Dmitry Rogozin tweeted: 'The information of these scammers and petty swindlers is not true. 'All our space activity control centers are operating normally.' He added that Russia would treat any hacking of its satellites as a justification for war. Rogozin has previously said that control of the Russian space industry, orbital group and the Russian International Space Station segment is protected from cyber criminals. Earlier the hackers tweeted: 'The WS02 was deleted, credentials were rotated, and the server is shut down. 'We won't stop until you stop dropping bombs, killing civilians, and trying to invade. Go the f*** back to Russia.' It comes just days after Anonymous claimed it had successfully breached over 300 Russian websites and offered troops more than $53,000 (39,000) to give up their tanks. The hacker community claims to have collected over RUB 1 billion ($10.3 million) and is offering tank crews money for each surrendered tank, according to Ukrainian media. Anonymous declared 'cyber war' against Putin's government after he mounted a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In a post on Twitter, the group wrote: 'The Anonymous collective is officially in cyber war against the Russian government.' Around 30 minutes later, they announced that they had taken down the website of the Kremlin-backed TV channel RT, which broadcasts in Britain and has been heavily criticised for its coverage. Anonymous has previously targeted groups including the Ku Klux Klan and Islamic extremists. Members are known as 'Anons' and are distinguished by their Guy Fawkes masks. In July last year, the collective warned Tesla founder Elon Musk that they planned to target him after saying he wields too much power over the cryptocurrency markets. The group also announced that they had taken down the website of the Kremlin-backed TV channel RT, which broadcasts in Britain and has been heavily criticised for its coverage The Scottish National Party faced fury over its nuclear-free Scotland policy today as it insisted that the UK's Trident deterrent should be scrapped despite Vladimir Putin's sabre-rattling. The SNP's Westminster leader Ian Blackford insisted that it was 'far-fetched' to believe that the weapons would protect Britain and reiterated the party's desire to remove them from an independent Scotland. The UK's four Vanguard Class submarines, which carry the Trident missiles, are based at Faslane, north west of Glasgow. Since invading Ukraine, Putin has tacitly suggested he could use his country's nuclear arsenal, in the face of mounting losses and tightening Western economic sanctions. Soon after sending his troops into the neighbouring country he ordered troops to prepare missiles for increased readiness for launch, citing 'aggressive statements' from NATO. But despite all this, Mr Blackford told the PA news agency that the SNP's policy had not changed. 'Absolutely not at all, because there is a threat to the world from nuclear weapons,' he said. 'The idea that having nuclear weapons provides a deterrence that removes that threat is far-fetched, to say the least.' Scottish Tory MSP Murdo Fraser said: 'Putin will be delighted.' The SNP's Westminster leader Ian Blackford insisted that it was 'far-fetched' to believe that the weapons would protect Britain and reiterated the party's desire to remove them from an independent Scotland. The UK's four Vanguard Class submarines, which carry the Trident missiles, are based at Faslane, north west of Glasgow (HMS Vengeance pictured near Largs) And Scottish Conservative shadow constitution secretary Donald Cameron added: 'The SNP's naivety to disregard a vital defence deterrent as part of their pitch for independence could put Scotland and the whole of the UK's security at risk. 'Russia's dreadful invasion of Ukraine highlights that the UK's nuclear deterrent remains essential in an increasingly uncertain world.' The UK is one of three Nato members with nuclear weapons, alongside the United States and France. Last week the Kremlin blamed the UK's Foreign Secretary Liz Truss for ordering Russia's nuclear deterrent to be on high alert, claiming she made 'absolutely unacceptable' remarks about wider conflict with NATO. Vladimir Putin said he had placed Moscow's nuclear forces on a 'special regime of combat duty' in response to 'aggressive statements' from members of the Nato defence alliance. But his spokesman Dmitry Peskov went further to blame the escalation during Moscow's invasion of Ukraine on Ms Truss. The Foreign Secretary quickly struck back, with an ally saying the move was 'clearly designed to distract from the situation on the ground in Ukraine'. It comes after experts warned Putin putting Russia's nuclear deterrent on 'alert' 'sounds like a direct threat of nuclear war'. Mr Blackford also rejected claims put forward by Defence Secretary Ben Wallace that an independent Scotland would be more vulnerable to terrorism threats and Russian aggression if it became independent. He said: 'Well, I think he makes a lot of wrong assumptions. One of the wrong assumptions that he makes is that Scotland would be standing alone. Scotland wouldn't be standing alone.' Mr Blackford added: 'The SNP Scottish government is very clear that an independent Scotland, amongst other things, would seek to be a member of Nato. We would be alongside our friends or partners in the Western world, and we would want to make sure that we're taking our responsibilities for defence and security just as any other independent country does.' On whether an independent Scotland would be able to join Nato, Mr Blackford appeared positive given its 'strategic importance'. He said: 'I think Nato made it clear that it seeks to work with those that apply for membership. And I think given our strategic importance, and our desire to be a constructive voice within the family of nations of Nato... just as we would be back in Europe as well. 'Let's not forget the importance of defence and security in Europe. I look forward to the constructive discussions that we will have.' Brave Brit ex-soldiers and volunteers have begun arriving in Ukraine to fight with the crack international Georgian National Legion battling against Russian forces. MailOnline revealed last week how dozens of ex British servicemen and resistance fighters were heading out following an appeal from Ukraine president Volodymr Zelensky for help in pushing back the unprovoked invasion. Many are heading towards training camps set up by Mamuka Mamulashvili, commander of the Georgian National Legion, and who arranged for us to speak to two British men who have just arrived in the country. Named only as Thomas and James, Mamuka explained how both had travelled to Ukraine after jetting into Poland last week and following several hours negotiating he allowed us to speak with them via telephone. Thomas, 25, from London, said: 'I did four years with the British Army and have now left but a contact of mine in the forces suggested I get in touch with Mamuka as they were looking for men. Mamuka Mamulashvili is pictured with brave British ex-servicemen James and Thomas Members of the Georgian Legion trained civilians in January to adapt them with the self defense capabilities The training camps have been set up by Mamuka Mamulashvili (pictured), commander of the Georgian National Legion 'I didn't hesitate. I've got good experience, mainly peace keeping but the key thing is I have training and medical knowledge which is what you need in these situations. 'The guy who put me in touch with Mamuka is well connected and when he told me about the Georgian Legion and what they were doing it was a no brainer. 'The guys out here are very switched on and the training they are giving those with no experience is second to none they have some good people out here, British and Americans ex Special Forces. 'They all have different skill sets and are sharing their knowledge which is great for those guys who are arriving and don't have any military experience. 'I just want to help the Ukraine people in their fight against Russia. You can't stand by and watch women and children being bombed mercilessly.' However Thomas had a word of warning for those tempted to travel to Ukraine and fight 'just for the thrill of it'. He said: 'My advice to them is stay at home and do some humanitarian work back in Britain, you can help in other ways, there is no point coming out here and probably getting yourself killed. 'It's not Call of Duty out here, this is real and the Russians aren't screen graphics, they have guns and are quite prepared to shoot and kill.' However James, 22, from Manchester, who was a warehouseman until he lost his job last month, admitted he had no military background but had felt a 'sense of duty to help'. Named only as Thomas and James, Mamuka explained how both had travelled to Ukraine after jetting into Poland last week and following several hours negotiating he allowed us to speak with them via telephone He added: 'Ok, I don't have any experience but Mamuka has offered to train me and the instructors here are very good. 'They are not going to just give me a gun and send me to the front line they are going to teach me tactics, how to use a weapon and how to stay alive because I'd like to get back to Manchester alive. 'As Thomas said, the instructors here are the best, they are from Britain and the US so language is not a problem, I can listen and learn. 'Like lots of people at home I was just watching all this horror unfold on the news and wanted to help. I heard they were looking for people to fight so I decided to come out here. 'I'm young, fit, I've got my arms and legs and so why not help out ? My life wasn't really going anywhere in the UK so I flew out here and made my way to the Legion HQ. 'The Ukrainian border guards pointed me in the right direction and that's where I met up with Thomas and some of the other Brit guys. 'I appreciate it could be a death sentence for me but I am very, very serious about doing something to help and the training I'm getting will hopefully help me to stay alive. 'I've only been here a few days but it's pretty intense and we are all just cracking on with it. My family know what I am doing and of course they are worried but they are proud of me as well. 'When you see families being slaughtered like animals you have got to get out and help.' Members of Georgian Legion Justin Dee, 24, from New York, a former US soldier, center, and Emanuel Bazanji, 25 from Albania, former professional soldier, second right, during training in Kyiv Commander Mamuka told MailOnline: 'I have three bases across Ukraine where I am training foreign fighters and those who want to come are welcome to make themselves known at the border. 'The guards have instructions for people who want to reach us and we will give them training when they arrive if they have no military experience. 'I have many guys from Britain, some have fought with me before and some who are new like Thomas and James but we are ready to take on more. 'We are receiving help and men from many countries but we need more to ensure the freedom of Ukraine. 'If people want to join us in a battle for democracy against military authoritarianism.' Commander Mamuka, who has been fighting the Russians since they invaded Georgia in 2008 and set up his resistance movement as a result, added: 'We have to take on Putin. He is threatening world security not just European security. 'Everyone saw what Russia did in Georgia and now we are seeing the same thing happening in Ukraine. 'We must all help to try and stop it and defend Ukraine and it's people who are being killed as I speak with you. 'What we need is a no fly zone over Ukraine. That's the only way to help the country and its people because the Russian aggressors are killing innocent civilians.' Around 20,000 people from 52 countries have already volunteered to fight in Ukraine, where they will serve in a newly created international legion, the Ukrainian Foreign Minister said. In a television address on Sunday Dmytro Kuleba said: 'The whole world today is on Ukraine's side not only in words but in deeds.' He did not say how many of the foreign volunteers have arrived in Ukraine. Mike (not seen) and Alex from the United Kingdom who served in Afghanistan as paramedics arrive at the Polish Ukrainian border crossing looking for transport to Lviv to join the fight against the Russian invasion A man who did not want to be identified prepares to enter Ukraine to join the fight against the Russian army at the Medyka border crossing on Thursday at Medyka, Poland Kuleba also did not name the home countries of the volunteers, saying that some of them forbid their citizens from fighting for other nations. He urged Ukrainians living in other countries to begin a campaign to push for Ukraine's membership in the European Union. Last week Ukraines Defense Ministry put out a call for international volunteers in a Facebook post. It read: 'JOIN THE INTERNATIONAL LEGION OF TERRITORIAL DEFENSE FORCES OF UKRAINE! 'If your citizenship other than Ukrainian, but you are standing with Ukraine against Russian invasion. If praying is not enough for you. A man, who didn't disclose his nationality, carries a rifle bag as he looks for a train to head to Ukraine to join the fight against the Russian invasion on Wednesday in Przemysl, Poland In a television address on Sunday Dmytro Kuleba (pictured) said: 'The whole world today is on Ukraine's side not only in words but in deeds' 'If you want actively participate in fighting for European freedom and democracy. 'If you have combat experience or want to gain it standing with brave Ukrainian defenders. THIS IS TIME TO ACT!' On Thursday Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky in a video address said Ukraine began welcoming foreign volunteers, with the arrival of the first 16,000 arriving to 'defend the liberty and life of us and of everyone'. Last week Ukraines Defense Ministry put out a call for international volunteers in a Facebook post More than 60 Brits are thought to have crossed into war-torn Ukraine to fight invading Russian forces. It was last week reported that Polish border guard officials at the frontier point of Medyka told MailOnline that several UK nationals in 'military fatigues' had gone through passport control in the last few days. It earlier also emerged that former British Army and Special Forces veterans had been among those who had answered a 'call to arms' from Zelensky to join the fight. This is the moment furious rapper Dizzee Rascal smashed a photographer's camera in a fit of rage after he was found guilty of assaulting the mother of his children earlier today. Rascal, real name Dylan Mills, had denied assaulting his ex-fiancee Cassandra Jones during a 'chaotic' row at a residential property in Streatham, south London, on June 8 last year. Jones, who shares two children with Mills, alleged the rapper had thrown her to the floor and pressed his head against hers amid the argument. Mills, who was behind chart-topping singles Bonkers and Dance Wiv Me, split with Jones in February 2021 after nine years together and was said to be 'frustrated' over custody arrangements. The pair became embroiled in an argument when he dropped off their daughter at the property following a day out in June. After Mills was arrested, he told police 'she assaulted me' and that she had left him with a scratch on his left arm. But Mills, who had denied the charge, was today found guilty after a trial and will be sentenced at Croydon Magistrates' Court on April 8. As the rapper left the Wimbledon Magistrates' Court, he ripped a camera from a PA Media photographer and hurled it into the road, smashing the device to pieces. Dizzee Rascal, who real name is Dylan Mills, arrives at Wimbledon Magistrates' Court where he was found guilty of the assault of Cassandra Jones Mills, who had denied the charge, was today found guilty after a trial and will be sentenced at Croydon Magistrates' Court on April 8 As the rapper left the Wimbledon Magistrates' Court, he ripped a camera from a PA Media photographer and hurled it into the road, smashing the device to pieces The camera shattered upon impact after being thrown into the road outside Wimbledon Magistrate's court The damage caused to a camera after Dizzee Rascal, real name Dylan Mills, took a camera from a photographer and threw it into the road after being found guilty of assaulting his ex-fiancee The court heard that Mills and Ms Jones, who had been together for nine years before their split, argued when Mills dropped off their daughter on the day of the alleged assault. He had been late arriving at Ms Jones' house after getting stuck in traffic and told the court Ms Jones was bombarding him with calls and texts while he was driving, asking whether they would be back by 5pm in time for a chicken dinner. He sent her texts which said 'shut up, don't give me no lip' and 'shut your f****** mouth' before the row, but denied he was annoyed at the time, the court heard. The prosecution alleged that Mills 'barged' his way into the property, banged his head on a fridge three times while holding his son and began 'screaming and shouting' at Ms Jones and her mother Dawn Kirk. The court heard how Ms Jones began filming him but he took her phone from her and then took Ms Kirk's phone. The court was told the shouting became so loud that it alerted two neighbours and police were called. A judge was told how when officers arrived, Mills said 'I'm the aggressor', but later gave a prepared statement in a police interview, denying the allegations and claimed he had been assaulted by Ms Jones. Delivering her verdict, District Judge Polly Gledhill said: 'I am sure that on 8 June on returning home with the child late he lost his temper and there was an argument about child contact and finances. 'He took her phone to prevent the police being called and assaulted her. 'I'm satisfied this actually occurred and I'm satisfied this constituted an unlawful assault.' Mills and Ms Jones were said to have had an 'on and off' relationship after first meeting around 2011, and in 2018 they got engaged. In her testimony in February, Ms Jones described her ex-fiance as 'a ticking time bomb' In her testimony in February, Ms Jones described her ex-fiance as 'a ticking time bomb', explaining that she was calm when he arrived on the doorstep with their daughter as she knew he was in a bad mood and did not want to anger him. She gave evidence from behind a screen at Wimbledon Magistrates' Court in the previous appearance, sobbing throughout her testimony. PC Stephanie Johnstone said she arrested the rapper for common assault after he told her: 'I'm the aggressor.' But he later denied the assault in interviews. The court was shown the officer's bodyworn footage of Ms Jones sitting on the floor tearfully recounting the alleged attack. Earlier today, Mills told the court Ms Jones and her mother were 'waving their phones around' when he arrived back at the property. He said: 'I didn't want them used as a weapon. 'When the police arrived I said "I am the aggressor" but I was making light of it and trying to diffuse the situation. 'I was not the aggressor, I did not do anything to her physically. 'I ended up with two small marks because she was waving her phone around. 'Those marks came from her. She was erratic. She assaulted me by pushing me and scratching my left arm. 'I did not assault her that day.' He continued: 'I was angry, I was angry at times yes. I was annoyed at her, she was shouting in my face and she was angry. 'At the police station I waited so long, the scratches I had when I arrived had become bruises.' Earlier today, a statement from champion boxer David Haye, who has known the artist for more than 10 years, was read as evidence of Mills' good character. The former world heavyweight champion said: 'I would describe Dylan as a stand-up and down-to-earth kind of man. 'Dylan is a very easy individual to get along with. 'He remained humble, having built himself up from nothing. He would rarely be seen out at celebrity social functions for the simple reason that he prefers to stay at home and spend time with his family.' Mr Haye described Mills as a 'role-model father'. He added: 'It is Dylan's relationship with his children that I admire the most - despite his fame he always made time for his children. 'I have never seen Dylan lose his temper nor display any signs of anger. 'He was always calm and collected, he would not let anything fluster him.' Dizzee Rascal, real name Dylan Kwabena Mills, told police his ex-partner has assaulted him rather than the other way around The court also heard from Mills' ex-girlfriend, Tanya Chehrehnegary, who said she was 'shocked' when she heard about the allegations. 'There have been many situations where your average person would get quite defensive but he's always dealt with things in a very calm and collected manner,' she said. 'Whenever we argued he would always remove himself from the situation and always end it on a funny note where I would end up laughing about something and that would be the end of it.' Prosecutor Helena Duong said Mills was 'unprepared to answer any of the questions. 'Even though it's quite apparent in my submission that he plainly was upset about the situation with his kids. 'He didn't want to have to accept that he lost his temper that day. 'He was the aggressor in the situation and the one who was responsible for assaulting Ms Jones that day and certainly not the other way around.' Mr Mills had a string of hit songs in the late 2000s and amassed a reported net worth of 2.5 million Sallie Bennett-Jenkins, QC, defending the rapper, said: 'This defendant did not have to give evidence but he did so gladly. 'But he did so in a way that gave a consistent and wholly credible account of what happened that day. 'He is a man who is calm, courteous as a partner, attentive, patient and generous. 'It is the defendant's evidence and he accepts that he was shouting that day. 'That, with respect, is not what he was charged with.' Mills had a string of hit songs in the late 2000s and amassed a reported net worth of 2.5 million. He was awarded an MBE for services to music in 2020. Mills, of Sevenoaks in Kent, who was charged on August 2, denied assault by beating. He will be sentenced in April. SpaceX's Starlink is sending another batch of Starlink terminals to assure Ukrainian citizens stay online. SpaceX already responded to Vice Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, however, Elon Musk and President Zelensky have more plans in store. Musk also admitted that there are imposed threats when using satellites. With that, he stated that SpaceX is prioritizing its cyber defense and signal jamming. Elon Musk's Starlink in Ukraine According to Engadget, SpaceX's Starlink satellites are sending in a new batch of starlink terminals for internet connectivity. The announcement came from Ukraine's President Zelensky. President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that he recently had a conversation with Elon Musk. Zelensky tweeted stating that he is grateful to Elon Musk for his support of Ukraine through words and deeds. He also added that there will be a delivery of another batch of Starlink systems for destroyed cities scheduled to begin next week. 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 After the Russian military advanced last month, Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine's vice prime minister made a plea to Elon Musk asking him to help the citizens of Ukraine. The plea comes after Russia continues to destroy Ukraine's towers for connectivity. Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, responded with offers of assistance, as well as confirmation that the Starlink network had been activated in Ukraine. Shortly after the plea, Musk quickly responded by deploying a truckload of Starlink user terminals. These terminals will assist the people of Ukraine in gaining access to the internet despite the fact that Russia has bombed their internet transmission facilities. Danger of Satellite Internet On Friday, March 4, Musk tweeted an important warning about having the internet based on a satellite. Musk tweeted, "Starlink is the only non-Russian communications system still working in some parts of Ukraine, so probability of being targeted is high. Please use with caution." Important warning: Starlink is the only non-Russian communications system still working in some parts of Ukraine, so probability of being targeted is high. Please use with caution. Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 3, 2022 It is recommended by experts that the Starlink satellite dish be placed in a safe location away from the general public and critical infrastructure in case Russia decides to bomb the operation for security reasons. John Scott-Railton, a senior researcher, stated in a series of 15 tweets outlining the dangers of targeting satellite communications and that Russia has decades of experience attacking people by intercepting their satellite communications. He said that Starlink satellites allow the Russian military to triangulate and target satellite signals from the ground in Ukraine, as a result of the development. Furthermore, he pointed out that the Russian military has previously used the method to lethal effect in Chechnya and Syria. Re: @elonmusk's starlink donation. Good to see. But remember: if #Putin controls the air above #Ukraine, users' uplink transmissions become beacons... for airstrikes. Some background 1/ pic.twitter.com/0p6J87TtUF John Scott-Railton (@jsrailton) February 27, 2022 Read Also: NASA Hubble Image Shows Epic View of 2 Close Galaxies 200 Million Light-Years Away From Earth! [See Photo Here] SpaceX Prioritizing Cyber Defense & Signal Jamming Musk and SpaceX responded to a Ukrainian government official's request by sending Starlink terminals to Ukraine, where internet service had been disrupted across the country as a result of the Russian invasion. Ukraine's internet infrastructure has been put to the test as a result of Russia's invasion. Intense fighting in Ukrainian cities such as Kyiv and Mariupol has caused service interruptions at GigaTrans, the country's primary internet provider. A shipment of Starlink ground terminals, which connect to the satellite broadband service through the use of an antenna and a terminal, arrived in Ukraine on Monday, Feb. 28. SpaceX is working to keep the terminals operational while they are in use, according to Musk. Space.com reported that as a result of Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine, SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk said Friday, March 5, that his company is now concentrating on cyber defense and overcoming signal jamming of its Starlink internet satellites. SpaceX reprioritized to cyber defense & overcoming signal jamming. Will cause slight delays in Starship & Starlink V2. Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 5, 2022 Musk later stated that SpaceX is refocusing its efforts to ensure that its Starlink service remains uninterrupted in Ukraine and, most likely, other countries. Musk tweeted, "SpaceX reprioritized cyber defense & overcoming signal jamming." However, in the same tweet, he also added that Starship & Starlink V2 will experience delays as they shift focus. Related Article: Elon Musk Warns Possible Attacks on SpaceX's Starlink Satellites in Ukraine Trapped in her cellar for days on end as fierce fighting rages above her head, a Ukrainian grandmother has revealed the true horrors of living in a battlefield. Tatiana Fik fled to her basement more than a week ago when gun fire and explosions shattered her usually peaceful life in the town of Tostyanets in north-eastern Ukraine. Located less than 25 miles from the border and close to the strategically important city of Sumy the town has always had close links to Russia. So nothing could prepare retired shopkeeper Tatiana and her family for the devastating onslaught of battle that has engulfed her and her neighbours since Putins tanks came rolling into Ukraine last month. Now the 60-year-old cowers next to racks of preserved vegetables in her freezing cellar with her seven-year-old grand-daughter Sofia, and her daughter-in-law Nathalia, as the battle for Ukraine rages above her head. Hiding in a cellar Grandmother Tatiana Fit (wearing black coat) and daughter in law Nathalia (fur coat) sheltering as Russian tanks patrol their surroundings in northeast Ukraine Speaking to MailOnline by mobile phone grandmother Tatiana has revealed the horror of living underground while Russian and Ukrainian forces fight to the death above her. She said: The whole city is blocked. Ukraine and Russia are at war so I must live in the cellar. It is cold, dark and dusty but it is the only safe place when the bombs are falling. There is fighting at night, during the day and in the morning. Whenever we hear a big noise we run quickly downstairs. I have a private house and it has a big cellar. When the fighting started we heard lots of shooting and explosions. Bombs went off right outside my house. Nothing could prepare retired shopkeeper Tatiana and her family for the devastating onslaught of battle that has engulfed her and her neighbours since Putins tanks came rolling into Ukraine last month The windows and doors were shaking because of the bombs. It is too cold to stay underground the whole time so we come up from the cellar when the fighting stops. But there have been furious battles right near my house. My neighbours house was shelled and there was fighting at the chocolate factory which is 500 metres from my house. She added: To start with my grand-daughter Sofia was very afraid. She cried and cried. But now she has grown used to these terrible sounds and she just wishes death on the Russian soldiers. Little Sofia and her mother Nathalia have been sheltering with Tatiana while her father Oleg is fighting. Nathalia revealed how Russian soldiers looted their local shops and got drunk on beer and vodka after forcing their way into town in tanks. She said: We go back and forth to the cellar. It is so cold down there so we dont want to stay there but it is the only safe place. We are shocked and terrified. We must keep the lights in the house off. If the Russians see a light they shoot at it. Their soldiers have occupied the centre of the town. They have looted all of the shops. The Russians stole food and alcohol. They drink the beer and vodka and become drunk and start shouting at people. Everyone here can speak Russian but we hate them. They are invaders. Speaking to MailOnline by mobile phone, grandmother Tatiana has revealed the horror of living underground while Russian and Ukrainian forces fight to the death above her Tatiana said: 'The whole city is blocked. Ukraine and Russia are at war so I must live in the cellar. It is cold, dark and dusty but it is the only safe place when the bombs are falling' Last night Tatiana was struggling to stay in touch with her family and friends after a power cut robbed her town of electricity. She must risk going above ground to charge her mobile phone from her car. And 60-year-old and her family now face greater danger after the Russian army placed its artillery and missile launchers in residential areas turning the local population into human shields. Speaking from her cellar Tatiana told MailOnline: We are still alive and relatively in order but we cannot leave the city. Russian soldiers are in the city, the have blockaded the city and do not let anyone leave. We are being used as hostages. They have a lot of military equipment and they hide it between residential buildings were people live and in the courtyard of the houses so that our military wont shoot at them. The Ukrainian authorities have condemned the Russian Army for their cowardly tactics Dmytro Zhyvytsky, head of the Sumy Regional Military Administration, said: In one of the village of the Trostyanets community, which today was occupied by Russian invaders, along the main street and almost every courtyard, there is a Russian tank. The Russian army created a human shield from the villagers. Moving footage shows patriotic Ukrainian soldiers playing their national anthem around a bomb crater in Kyiv while a violinist keeps up spirits in an underground shelter as the country comes under fresh bombardment. The heart-rending video of Ukrainian soldiers shows them defying Russian aggressors with a rendition of their national anthem around a crater bored into a road surface in Kyiv. The video, uploaded to social media yesterday by Ukrainian Member of Parliament and opposition leader Kira Rudik, sees the soldiers playing drums and brass instruments as the camera pans around to show wrecked and burned out buildings. The band defiantly played around the site of a crater bored into the ground in Kyiv by a Russian missile The troops stand in front of a ruined building as they play the national anthem which translates into English as 'Glory and Freedom of Ukraine has not yet Perished' They play the national anthem, 'Shche ne vmerla Ukrainy i slava, i volia', which translates into English as 'Glory and Freedom of Ukraine has not yet Perished'. The song, which is a proud symbol of Ukrainian national identity, dates back to 1864, when composer Mykhailo Verbytsky set music to accompany a patriotic poem by folk hero Pavlo Chubynsky. It was adopted as the Ukrainian national anthem in June 1917 when the country first declared its autonomy after the Russian Revolution. Many people on Twitter were touched by the band's solemn show of dignity in the aftermath of misery brought by the Russian military. Via Legio posted: ' The Angels look down on that plucky nation and smile with joy at their formidable spirit. May the dark clouds lift soon. The world waits to rejoice with them. Freedom will prevail.' Dominic added: 'Thank you, Ukraine, for your bravery, your loyalty to your country, your strength in adversity. People across the world are praying for your win in this fight for democracy and freedom.' Elsewhere, equally stirring footage shows a violinist playing a stunning solo while hiding in an underground bomb shelter with families. The virtuoso, whose name is not known, plays the Ukrainian 19th Century folk song 'What a Moonlit Night' composed by Mykola Lysenko, with lyrics from a poem by Mykhailo Starytsky. The video has amassed over 1.5million views online and left viewers in awe. Olka wrote online: 'War and its brutality versus art. I think no one has any doubts about what is truly victorious in this clash.' Justicefiend tweeted: 'To be able to be reminded of beauty is a phenomenal thing. Bless this woman who in the fervor of fleeing for her life, grabbed her violin.' Coeur de la Lionne added: 'She's reminding the rest of us how much beauty we stand to lose in her and in the long line of humanity in art. Both are vital, both need protecting.' The violinist performed the folk song 'What a Moonlit Night' for Ukrainian families seeking shelter underground from Russian missiles Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has vowed that 'God will not forgive' and Ukraine 'will not forget' the slaughter of civilians by Russian forces, saying a 'day of judgement' is coming for them as Moscow was slammed for opening up 'humanitarian corridors' for civilians to flee - with routes leading into Russia itself. Zelensky, in a late-night address to his countrymen on the Orthodox Christian holiday of 'Forgiveness Sunday', recalled how a family of four were among eight civilians killed by Russian mortars while trying to flee the city of Irpin - near Kyiv - yesterday. 'We will not forgive. We will not forget,' he told listeners. 'We cannot forgive [the deaths of] the hundreds upon hundreds of victims. Nor the thousands upon thousands who have suffered,' he added. 'God will not forgive. Not today. Not tomorrow. Never.' He spoke as Russia claimed it is opening new 'humanitarian corridors' out of surrounded cities including Mariupol, Kharkiv, Sumy and Kyiv starting at 7am UK time today in order to allow civilians to evacuate - though few expect Putin's men to observe the temporary truce after two similar corridors failed at the weekend. Red Cross volunteers working in the heavily besieged city of Mariupol said their workers attempted to use one of the 'corridors' out of Mariupol on Sunday, only to find land mines laid across it. Wild weather has lashed Sydney and coastal areas of New South Wales, with flash flooding and dangerous thunderstorms prompting evacuation orders in some areas. Local flooding submerged streets across Sydney's inner-west, with roads in Camden and Bankstown resembling rivers. The Monday night deluge was expected to worsen into Tuesday, with an east coast low forecast to dump up to 150mm of rain on Sydney, accompanied by damaging of winds. On Monday evening, the SES issued evacuation orders for parts of Camden in Sydney's south-west by 9pm. A renewed alert warned residents within parts of Camden that they have until 11.59pm on Monday or risk getting cut off once flood waters reach 10.3 metres at Camden Weir. Residents in the south coast towns of Sussex Inlet and St Georges Basin were also told to prepare to evacuate. Park Street, Petersham is seen under water on Tuesday night after a torrential down pour hit Sydney Residents across Sydney's inner-west reported local flooding on Monday night, with shocking pictures showing streets in Camden and Bankstown under water. Pictured: A flooded street in Milperra Roads in Bankstown resembled rivers after floods swept through Sydney's south The Bureau of Meteorology has warned residents in Sydney and northern NSW to prepare for flash flooding from Sunday until Tuesday as an east coast low moves in. From left to right, the three main weather models forecasters use show Sydney and the south coast are expected to be battered by more than 100mm of rain The SES have warned that roads in Sussex Inlet may become inaccessible due to the hazardous weather. In greater Sydney, the wet weather has created landslides and shifting earth. Residents in Sydney and the Blue Mountains have been warned over the risk of deadly landslides, many of which have already caused mud, trees and vegetation to fall onto roads. A number of the landslides were reported at Emu Heights and Katoomba in the Blue Mountains. Footage released by Fire and Rescue shows a roadway cut off due to a landslide. Warnings have been raised over the risk of landslides in Sydney and the Blue Mountains A number of the landslides were reported at Emu Heights and Katoomba in the Blue Mountains In Northern NSW, flooding has continued to devastate suburbs near the coastline. A recent viral video shared to Reddit sees raging floodwaters near the town of Murwillumbah carve up the landscape, carrying gum trees, boulders and other debris. The floods have reportedly destroyed homes and local infrastructure in the area. Harsh conditions are predicted to ease on Wednesday - when the sun may finally return. Intense flooding continued to inundate Coraki, 30km south of Lismore, on Monday. Meanwhile, the NSW Premier has apologised to flood-devastated communities. Dominic Perrottet said sorry to thousands of people in the Northern Rivers district, whose homes and businesses were destroyed when towns like Lismore and Ballina were inundated by floodwaters last week. Floodwater surrounded a small farm paddock with a single tractor in Coraki on Monday as locals prepare for more flash flooding Aerial photos show homes submerged in floodwater in Coraki on Monday as the BoM warns more flashing flooding is on the way Roads in Coraki remained submerged on Monday as local prepare for more heavy rain to fall Large parts of the northern NSW town Coraki remained inundated on Monday with more rain forecast in coming days Many had to be rescued by fellow citizens and have since struggled to access basics such as food, water, power, fuel, phones, ATMs, the internet and medical supplies. 'I'm very sorry ... but we're doing everything that we can,' Mr Perrottet told the Nine Network from Lismore. 'Some of those areas will look back at this and say it could have been done better but ... we're doing absolutely everything we can to provide care and support for those who need it to get those essential supplies in,' he said. The emergency response would be reviewed, he added. Floods have claimed six lives in NSW, including four in Lismore. The Australian Defence Force is helping with the mammoth clean-up with 512 personnel on the ground in NSW. Some 5000 personnel will be put on task or made available in NSW and Queensland over the course of this week, as 2010 are on the ground in both states, the ADF said. The Australian Defence Force is helping with the mammoth clean-up with 512 personnel on the ground in NSW A soldier helps with the clean-up effort in Lismore as residents prepare for more flash flooding 'We're getting supplies in. We're getting food in,' Mr Perrottet said. Around 2,000 of the 3,500 homes assessed so far in the Northern Rivers are no longer habitable, increasing the need for short-term and medium-to-long-term accommodation. Telstra on Monday said it had restored about 80 per cent of mobile coverage for communities in northern NSW and 75 per cent of landline connections. But some areas remained inaccessible due to continued flooding, road damage or a lack of electricity that is hampering the work of around 1,000 technicians. Around 2,000 of the 3,500 homes assessed so far in the Northern Rivers are no longer habitable, increasing the need for short-term and medium-to-long-term accommodation The northern NSW communities of Kingscliff, Main Arm, Mullumbimby, Ocean Shores, Tucabia, Uki and Wooli are among those still having issues with communications. The State Emergency Service had another 550 calls for help overnight and performed nine flood rescues. SES Deputy Commissioner Daniel Austin says volunteers are waiting with 'bated breath' to see what Monday brings. 'We're certainly on high alert from the Mid-North Coast down into the Shoalhaven,' he told the Nine Network. 'We are watching exceptionally closely a number of catchments ... around the Hawkesbury and Central Coast and places. 'The water hasn't retreated yet. We're now going to see more flooding on top of what we've already seen.' An Australian Defence Force soldier helps clean flood debris from a property in Lismore Renewed flooding is likely in the Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley and major flooding continues in the Upper Nepean, Nepean, Hawkesbury and Colo Rivers, the SES said on Monday. Rainfall on Monday and Tuesday could push the Nepean River at Penrith over six metres causing minor floods. At Wiseman's Ferry the Hawkesbury River was flooding at moderate levels on Monday morning and is likely to rise over the major flood level of 4.2 metres on Monday evening, and up to 4.4 metres through to Tuesday. Major flooding is also taking place at North Richmond and is likely to happen at Putty Road as the Colo River is expected to exceed 10.7 metres on Monday night and continue to swell to up to 11.5 metres on Tuesday. Rain is causing significant travel delays with cancellations expected on most Sydney Trains, NSW TrainLink Intercity and Regional train services and drivers are being urged to stay off the roads unless it's absolutely necessary. Ukrainians in the city of Chernihiv have resorted to digging trenches to bury their civilian dead, heartbreaking pictures and videos have shown. Coffins of those killed in attacks carried out by Vladimir Putin's forces were shown in a make-shift grave, after Russian bombs pounded the city's main cemetery making burials there impossible. Chernihiv Mayor Vladislav Atroshenko mayor said that due to the constant shelling, officials have been forced to move burials to a cemetery outside of the city. Ukrainians in the city of Chernihiv have resorted to digging trenches to bury their civilian dead, this heartbreaking picture has shown He confirmed that the bodies are being put in rows, and that undertakers are putting signs with the names of the dead next to their coffins so they can be later identified and reburied after the war. 'We can't even use our Yatsevo cemetery today. We are temporarily using the cemetery in Yalovshchina,' he said, according to Ukrainian news outlet Gordon. 'The excavator digs trenches, we put bodies in a row and put signs with the names of those buried to later identify and rebury them,' he noted. 'It's horrifying. It's real genocide, absolutely conscious extermination of Ukrainians.' Atroshenko sent a video of coffins being prepared for the dead to Gordon. The clip, only 11 seconds long, showed dozens of coffins lying on the ground. Oleksandra Matviichuk, the head of the Centre for Civil Liberties in Ukraine, shared a tragic photo of the coffins to Twitter on Sunday. 'Civilians killed in the Russian bombing of Chernihiv are buried in trenches,' she wrote, quoting someone by the name of Sergiy Shumylo. 'Since the main city cemetery in Yatsevo is under constant shelling by the Russian occupiers, the victims are buried in the Yalivshchyna forest. Eternal memory to victims of Russia.' A man walks in front of a residential building damaged in yesterday's shelling in the city of Chernihiv on March 4, 2022. Forty-seven people died on March 3 when Russian forces hit residential areas, including schools and a high-rise apartment building UK police launch appeal as part of ICC Ukraine probe London police's war crimes unit on Friday launched an appeal for information about alleged atrocities in Ukraine, as part of a probe by the International Criminal Court. The ICC's chief prosecutor on Wednesday announced an 'active' investigation into possible war crimes in Ukraine, after his office received the backing of 39 countries. Metropolitan Police detectives said they wanted 'anyone in the UK who may have direct evidence of war crimes in Ukraine' to get in touch. The force's specialist War Crimes Team has national responsibility for investigating anyone under UK jurisdiction over alleged war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide or torture around the world. Counter Terrorism Command chief Richard Smith said detectives were looking for any evidence from November 21, 2013 to the present day. The evidence gathered may then be shared with the ICC. Officers at UK borders have been told to make new arrivals from Ukraine aware of the appeal. Reporting by AFP Advertisement Mayor Atroshenko called on prosecutors from the International Criminal Court (ICC) to visit Chernihiv to see the horrors being carried out by Moscow's armies, claiming Russia has been using illegal weaponry against civilians. The ICC's chief prosecutor on Wednesday announced an 'active' investigation into possible war crimes in Ukraine, after his office received the backing of 39 countries. Atroshenko said that Russians have not stopped bombing the city, found to the north of Ukraine and close to where the borders of Russia and Belarus meet. 'The day before yesterday, the heaviest air strikes were inflicted on the city,' he told the Ukrainian media outlet. 'The pilots are just soulless scum and fascists. They dropped bombs from low altitudes into good visibility (during the day it happened). 'They perfectly saw where they dropped huge bombs - on a residential area. It was destroyed several houses near Chornovola Street, where thousands of apartments were damaged,' the mayor continued. He said that he had personally witnessed 25 to 30 bodies being pulled from the rubble of destroyed residential buildings. However, he said he could not say how many people in total had been killed. 'These people who were wounded are already much more than 300,' he said. Last week, mayor Atroshenko put a bounty on Russian military vehicles and troops. 'A personal prize from me for a burnt armored personnel carrier UAH 150,000, an infantry fighting vehicle UAH 200,000, a tank UAH 250,000, captured or killed racist-fascist occupiers $300 each,' he said in a statement. This handout picture taken and released by the Ukrainian State Emergency Service on March 7, 2022, shows rescuers dismantling the rubble of a destroyed school after Russian troops shelled the city of Chernihiv Due to its strategic location, Chernihiv has experienced some of the most intense fighting since Putin ordered his forces to invade Ukraine on February 24. Forty-seven people were killed in Russian air strikes on a residential district of Chernihiv on Thursday, regional authorities said on Friday, updating an earlier death toll of 33 killed. The strikes hit a school and a high-rise residential building. Rescue work had to be suspended Thursday due to heavy shelling, according to the local emergency services. A senior US defence official said on Sunday that the US assesses that about 95% of the Russian forces that had been arrayed around Ukraine are now inside the country. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss military assessments, said Russian forces continue to advance in an attempt to isolate Kyiv, Kharkhiv and Chernihiv, but are being met with strong Ukrainian resistance. Vladimir Putin could be 'finished' by the invasion of Ukraine after under-estimating military, social and economic resistance at home and abroad, a military expert has suggested. Professor Michael Clarke said that sending soldiers to take Kyiv was 'massively foolish' and could become a 'peak Putin' moment that leads eventually to his downfall. Russian forces are widely seen as having struggled in the face of Ukrainian military resistance and civil disobedience since entering the country 11 days ago. Today president Volodymyr Zelensky vowed that 'God will not forgive' and Ukraine 'will not forget' the slaughter of civilians by Russian forces, saying a 'day of judgement' is coming for them as Moscow was slammed for opening up 'humanitarian corridors' for civilians to flee - with routes leading into Russia itself. Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Westminster Hour, Prof Clarke said 'every day the Ukrainian government is still up and running and standing is a political victory for them and a political defeat for Russia'. 'The Russians can occupy the country at a superficial level. But given that the Ukrainians now hate them - and you are talking about a big country, a physically big country of 45 million people - it is a sheer impossibility that the Russians can control Ukraine in the way that they thought likely or the way Putin thought likely,' he said. 'Its a completely impossible scenario Putin has set his military forces, its a huge strategic blunder, which incidentally has now become a political crisis in Russia this is peak Putin. After this Putin is finished. Professor Michael Clarke said that sending soldiers to take Kyiv was 'massively foolish' and could become a 'peak Putin' moment that leads eventually to his downfall. Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Westminster Hour, Prof Clarke said 'every day the Ukrainian government is still up and running and standing is a political victory for them and a political defeat for Russia'. Russian forces are widely seen as having struggled in the face of Ukrainian military resistance and civil disobedience since entering the country 11 days ago. 'We don't know how long it will take, it may be some years or it might actually be quite quick. But there is no way out for this, it is a massive massive mistake on his part.' Zelensky, in a late-night address to his countrymen on the Orthodox Christian holiday of 'Forgiveness Sunday', recalled how a family of four were among eight civilians killed by Russian mortars while trying to flee the city of Irpin - near Kyiv - earlier in the day. 'We will not forgive. We will not forget,' he told listeners. 'We cannot forgive the hundreds upon hundreds of victims. Nor the thousands upon thousands who have suffered,' he added. 'God will not forgive. Not today. Not tomorrow. Never.' Ukraine claims to be inflicting heavy losses on the invading Russians, with the ministry of defence claiming to have taken out more than 11,000 troops, some 290 tanks, 1,000 armoured personnel carriers, 46 planes, 68 helicopters and 117 artillery pieces as-of Monday morning. None of those figures has been independently verified. Russia has acknowledged taking losses, but gave a figure of 500 deaths last week and has not updated it since. There were unconfirmed reports early Monday of heavy Russian losses around the captured city of Kherson overnight - with dozens of helicopters taken out alongside artillery columns - but these have also not been verified. The exact number of civilian casualties is unclear, though is estimated by Ukraine to be in the thousands as residential areas of major cities are indiscriminately bombed using thermobaric and cluster munitions amid evidence of 'hit squads' targeting civilian vehicles. The UN estimates that 1.5million people have fled the fighting. Prof Clarke added: 'He (Putin) has taken on a country that does not want to be invaded because for some range of reasons he became obsessed with Ukraine and trying to use it as a lever to reset the whole European security architecture since the end of the cold war. Its massively, massively foolish on his part.' Yesterday the UK's top military commander suggested Vladimir Putin's 'decimated' forces could lose the war in Ukraine. Admiral Sir Tony Radakin said Russia's troops were 'in a mess' and the invasion was 'not going well'. His comments yesterday represent the most optimistic assessment yet of how the conflict may end but came on another bleak day, with Russian forces firing on families as they fled the fighting. When the invasion began less than a fortnight ago it was assumed to be inevitable that Russian tanks would roll into Kyiv within hours. But after a series of strategic blunders and the remarkable resistance of Ukrainian troops on the battlefield, the outcome of the campaign could now be in doubt. Sir Tony, the former head of the Royal Navy, who was appointed Chief of the Defence Staff late last year, was speaking after eight Russian aircraft were shot down in 24 hours. The Russians, contrary to their military doctrine, have also been forced to admit that almost 500 of their soldiers have been killed. And in a highly embarrassing example of ineptitude, a convoy of hundreds of Russian vehicles and an estimated 15,000 troops has ground to a halt. The column, including tanks, missile batteries and armoured personnel carriers, had been earmarked by Putin to encircle Kyiv and pound the Ukrainians into submission. But this operation is considered at least a month behind schedule, according to UK military sources. Given the unified approach to sanctions that the UK, US and other world powers have displayed, the Kremlin chief may not be able to sustain a military campaign for that long. Asked on the BBC yesterday whether Russia taking over Ukraine was 'inevitable', Sir Tony said: 'No. I think we've seen a Russian invasion that is not going well. 'I think we're also seeing remarkable resistance by Ukraine, both its armed forces and its people and we're seeing the unity of the whole globe coming together, applying pressure to Russia. 'Russia is suffering, Russia is an isolated power. It is less powerful than it was ten days ago. Some of the lead elements of Russian forces have been decimated by the Ukrainian response. 'You've also seen basic failures in terms of maintenance and their kit failing. Russia hasn't operated at this scale since the Second World War and it is incredibly complex and difficult.' Advertisement The advance of Vladimir Putin's war machine continues to be halted by heroic resistance, with Russian troops unable to gain ground despite relentless shelling and swathes of heavy fighting. Mariupol, Chernihiv, Mykolaiv and Kharkiv were today targeted in bomb attacks as thousands of civilians are forced to hide in shelter without electricity and water. The port city of Kherson and nuclear power plant of Zaporizhzhia were taken by Russian forces last week, but Putin's commanders have not made any significant ground since. And President Volodymyr Zelensky, speaking this afternoon, said that Ukraine 'never wanted this war, but it was brought to us' and now its military is being forced to kill 'to knock the enemy from our land and our lives' while civilians endure 'what no other European country has seen in 80 years'. His comments followed claims of Ukrainian armed forces that it had destroyed up to 30 Russian helicopters at Chornobaivka airport, near Kherson, overnight and retook the city of Chuhuiv, near Kharkiv, as its fierce defence continued. As Russia's invasion entered day 12 on Monday, MailOnline has looked at the moment Putin's tanks first rolled across the border through to the Ukrainians' heroic fightback. Day one: Putin announces 'special military operation' as Russian troops cross the border In a public address, Vladimir Putin announces that Russia has launched a 'special military operation' in Ukraine, claiming that he only intends to demilitarise rather than occupy the country. He added that he wished to 'de-Nazify' Ukraine and 'protect Donbas', but also warned any countries intending to interfere would 'face consequences greater than any you have faced in history'. Missiles and bombs subsequently rained from the sky, tanks rolled across the border, troops parachuted down on eastern regions and explosions were seen across the country after Putin gave the order for his troops to move in from the north, east and south. Luhansk, Sumy and Chernihiv in the east of Ukraine all came under attack, while tanks battled on the outskirts of Kharkiv after paratroopers dropped in. Blasts were also reported in the west - in Zhytomyr and Lviv, close to the border with Poland. In Kherson, in the south, Ukrainian units had reportedly been routed by Russian tanks rolling out of Crimea, which had arrived at the Dnieper River by mid-morning. Russian forces seized control of Chernobyl nuclear power plant after a 'fierce' battle, with the condition of nuclear storage facilities 'unknown' - sparking fears of a radiation leak that could cause fallout in Europe. As the invasion began, Boris Johnson warns the West that it must stand up to 'dictator' Putin as he vowed to 'hobble' the Russian economy with a 'massive' package of sanctions. In an address to the nation, the Prime Minister said Putin cannot be allowed to 'snuff out' freedom in Ukraine with an act of 'wanton and reckless aggression'. He said Mr Putin had 'unleashed war' on the continent and the West must respond to ensure the eventual 'failure' of his offensive 'diplomatically, politically, economically, and eventually, militarily'. Following the first day of conflict, President Volodymyr Zelensky described Russia as 'evil' and said Putin had attacked 'like a suicidal scoundrel... just as Fascist Germany did in World War II'. Day two: Kyiv comes under bombardment as Russian forces take control of Chernobyl Kyiv came under bombardment in the early hours of day two of the invasion, with the skies ablaze as Putin's tanks moved to within 20 miles of the capital. Bridges leading to Kyiv and to Kharkiv, in the east, were destroyed by Ukrainian forces to try and slow the Russian advance. Footage also revealed Russian tanks and armoured vehicles standing in front of the destroyed reactor at Chernobyl. A squad of Chechen special forces 'hunters' were said to have been unleashed in Ukraine to detain or kill a set of specific Ukrainian officials. Each soldier was understood to have been given a special 'deck of cards' with Ukrainian officials' photos and descriptions on them, a Moscow Telegram channel with links to the security establishment reported. But Ukraine's government claimed to have retaken an airport on the outskirts of Kyiv that Russian airborne troops had earlier seized, as President Zelensky ordered compulsory enlistment and banned all men aged 18-60 from leaving the country. Boris Johnson also vowed to hit Putin's 'inner circle' with sanctions as he urged European nations to give more support to Ukraine 'as a matter of the greatest urgency'. Hacking group Anonymous also declared 'cyber war' against Putin's government, with the elusive computer experts issuing the stark announcement on their Twitter account. Around 30 minutes later, they announced that they had taken down the website of the Kremlin-backed TV channel RT, which broadcasts in Britain and has been heavily criticised for its coverage. Day three: Missile strikes apartment block in Kyiv but Russia only making limited progress The civilian death toll reached 198 after a devastating missile struck a high-rise apartment block as fighting continued to rage around Kyiv. Russia also said it is not willing to negotiate with the Ukrainian government until its military operation is over, despite President Zelensky calling for sit-down talks with Putin. Zelensky also told President Joe Biden 'I need ammunition, not a ride,' when offered the chance of a US-backed evacuation from Ukraine. Boris Johnson, meanwhile, again addressed a message to the people of Russia in their own language, saying: 'I do not believe this war is in your name.' It came as Russian forces encircles Ukraine following a barrage of airstrikes on cities and military bases around the country. Russia's military said it seized a strategic airport outside Kyiv, allowing it to quickly build up forces to take the capital. It claimed to have already cut the city off from the west - the direction taken by many to escape the invasion - leading to lines of cars snaking toward the Polish border. Intense gunfire broke out on a bridge across the Dnieper River dividing eastern and western Kyiv, while another key bridge to the capital was blown away. But the Ministry of Defence said Russia's invasion had so far made limited progress and Ukraine retained control of key cities, including the capital. Day four: Putin places nuclear forces on alert as forces encounter strong opposition Putin says he has placed Moscow's nuclear forces on a 'special regime of combat duty' in response to 'aggressive statements' from members of the Nato defence alliance. It came after new crippling Western sanctions forced his Central Bank to sharply raise its key rate to save the rouble from collapse. The directive came as Russian forces encountered strong opposition from Ukraine defenders across the country - most notably in Kyiv. By late on the fourth day, Russian forces had taken Berdyansk, a Ukrainian city of 100,000 on the Azov Sea coast, according to Oleksiy Arestovich, an adviser to Zelensky's office. Russian troops also made advances toward Kherson, another city in the south of Ukraine, while Mariupol, a port city on the Sea of Azov that is considered a prime Russian target, is 'hanging on,' Arestovich said. While Putin's special forces had reached the suburbs of the capital, the bulk of its heavy armour was believed to be still more than 50km away. Moscow had also so far failed to win full control of airspace, despite advances across the country, with US officials saying they believe the invasion had been more difficult than the Kremlin envisioned. Ukrainian officials claimed to have repelled attacks on the country's second city Kharkiv. Day five: Russia denies shelling residential areas as blasts heard in several Ukrainian cities Day five saw an escalation in fighting as supposed peace talks between Russian and Ukrainian officials took place. Blasts were heard in the early hours of day five in several of Ukraine cities including the capital Kyiv, Kharkiv, the country's second biggest city and Chernihiv, north of the capital, but overall, it was a quiet night on the streets of the capital with an almost two-day curfew lifted on Monday morning. It came as satellite imagery released by Maxar Technologies depicted a three-mile long convoy of Russian military vehicles lined up on roads leading to Kyiv, thought to be less than 40 miles away. And a 400-strong squad of bloodthirsty mercenaries were reportedly flown in from Africa with orders to kill Zelensky - a notorious private militia linked to a string of rapes, robberies, murders, and alleged war crimes. The Wagner Group is believed to have a hit list of 23 key figures including the Klitschko brothers. On the morning of day five, though, Ukraine's defense minister issues a defiant message following another night where Russian troops failed to take Kyiv. 'We will not give up the capital, Ukraine is already winning,' Oleksii Reznikov said describing it as '96 hours of resistance' and 'four days of dedication, courage and faith'. Day six: Zelensky declares Russia 'a terrorist state' after 18 killed in Kharkiv rocket strikes Zelensky declared Russia 'a terrorist state' following a rocket attack in front of a civilian public administration building in Kharkiv which destroyed the road outside and blew the windows out of the building itself on day six. Missile strikes in the city killed at least 18 civilians and injured dozens more. The war entered a new phase, with Russia's aim seemingly to surround and besiege cities such as Kharkiv, Kyiv, Mariupol, Sumy and Kherson which have so-far put up fierce resistance - and bomb them into submission. A huge Russian column of military vehicles, stretching for around 40 miles, was pictured around 17 miles from Kyiv. However, US officials said it appeared to have stalled due to the brave fighting of Ukrainian forces. Boris Johnson warned Putin against committing a 'unalterable moral humanitarian catastrophe' amid attacks on civilian targets in the capital designed to rejuvenate Moscow's stalled advance. Explosions erupted around Kyiv's 1,300ft television tower on day six, just hours after Russia told civilians to evacuate because it was about to begin bombarding 'strategic' targets. But Ukraine claimed it destroyed an elite group of Chechen fighters that were plotting to assassinate Zelensky. Oleksiy Danilov, Ukraine's Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council, said during a televised address today that the unit 'which came to kill our President, was eliminated'. Furious Ukrainians were also filmed screaming 'invaders, killers' while blocking an army convoy - as a Russian soldier fires warning shots in the air. Day seven: Russia claims to have taken first city as Putin's war machine steps up efforts Ukraine denied Russian claims that its troops had seized the southern city of Kherson, on the Black Sea, in what would have been the first major city to fall. Heavy shelling of Ukraine's major cities continued, though, as Russian paratroopers landed in Kharkiv in the early hours following several days of bombardment. Kyiv also came under further bombing as Russian forces stepped up attempts to try and take the capital. The port city of Mariupol, another key strategic target, is also said to be encircled by Russian troops as Ukrainian forces continue to put up fierce resistance. However, its Mayor says they cannot get remove dead bodies from the streets as 'the shelling does not stop'. Ukrainian emergency services say more than 350 civilians have been killed, though officials also say thousands of Russians have died in the conflict. More than 350 Ukrainian civilians have been killed and more than 2,000 injured, according to Ukraines emergency service. Day eight: Mariupol bombarded with shelling as huge Russian convoy is halted Russian forces claim to be in control of government buildings on Kherson, while Mariupol is also understood to be encircled. Residents of Mariupol say they have been hit with constant shelling and are completely cut off by Russian troops. Odessa also prepares for an amphibious assault with strategists believing it is being targeted to cut off Ukraine from the sea and to create a land corridor. About 80 per cent of Russia's invasion force are now said to be in Ukraine, with as many as 15,000 troops - an entire Russian army division - bearing down on Kyiv. But the huge convoy outside the capital continues to remain stagnant as it becomes plagues with breakdown issues and Ukrainian attacks. As progress stalls, though, fears grow that Russian bombing will intensify in order to impact morale. Fears are growing Russia could intensify bombing on the Ukrainian capital with a 40-mile convoy of tanks and other military vehicles amassed on its outskirts. Roughly 874,000 refugees have now fled Ukraine, while 2,000 have been killed in the violent conflict. Day nine: Russia seizes Europe's largest nuclear plant as heavy shelling intensifies Russian troops seize Europe's largest nuclear plant in Zaporizhzhia after heavy shelling caused a large fire. A projectile hit one of its six reactors overnight, causing a fire that was later extinguished. Zelensky accused Russia of 'nuclear terror', while Boris Johnson said Putin had 'threatened the safety of all of Europe'. Putin's forces also intensified their bombing of Mariupol after already taking Kherson, while Russian troops were also said to have entered Mykolayiv and Kharkiv following shelling. Mykolaiv, another port city, also comes under attack from Russian forces as Putin looks to seize control of the Black Sea. Day ten: Ceasefire to allow refugees to flee is scuppered by shelling after 45 minutes A ceasefire is agreed between Russia and Ukraine in Mariupol to allow hundreds of thousands of residents to flee the city for safety. However, shells rain down on the port city just 45 minutes into the ceasefire, leaving residents trapped without electricity or water. Britain's Ministry of Defence said the proposed ceasefire was likely an attempt to regroup its forces for a new onslaught, while also an attempt to deflect international condemnation. Russia's defence ministry accused Ukrainian 'nationalists' of preventing civilians from leaving, RIA news agency reported. But Mariupol's city council said Russia was not observing the ceasefire. The Kremlin also threatened Britain with 'tough retaliatory measures' as Putin said devastating Western sanctions against Russia are verging on a declaration of war, and warned that any country imposing a no-fly zone over Ukraine would be considered to have entered the ongoing conflict. But thousands of Ukrainian residents marched through the streets of Kherson in defiance of Russian troops. And Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba claimed Russia has lost more than 10,000 troops since the invasion began. Day 11: Mariupol ceasefire interrupted by bombing again as Vinnytsia airport is destroyed The Kremlin is understood to be recruiting Syrians to fight in Ukraine, US officials say, as Russian advances stall in the continued face of strong resistance. A second agreed ceasefire to allow residents to leave Mariupol safely is also again interrupted by Russian shelling after just minutes. Heartbreaking footage, taken in Irpin, located on the outskirts of the besieged capital city Kyiv, also confirmed that Russian forces are attacking heavily populated civilian areas where men, women and children are leaving the country. It came 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. Russia is said to have deployed around 95 per cent of its combat forces it had prepared on the Ukrainian border, with Vinnytsia airport totally destroyed by a reported eight Russian missiles on day 11 of the war. Some 400,000 residents were hoped to be evacuated from 12pm today, with an initial agreement in place until 9pm, but residents were again left having to take cover in bomb shelters without electricity and water. Zelensky also warned that Russian forces are preparing to shell Odess, much like Mariupol, as the relentless bombing continued. Day 12: Russia continues to pummel Ukrainian cities with shelling as Russian war ship struck Russia announced yet another ceasefire and a handful of humanitarian corridors to allow civilians to flee Ukraine today ahead of a third round of planned talks. The Russian Defence Ministry said a ceasefire would start in the morning, and safe passages would open for civilians from Kyiv, Mariupol, Kharkiv and Sumy. But some of the evacuation routes would funnel civilians toward Russia or its ally Belarus and hopes were dim that the latest talks would yield breakthroughs. Russian forces continued to pummel some Ukrainian cities with rockets even after the new announcement of corridors and fierce fighting continued in some areas, indicating there would be no wider cessation of hostilities. Well into the second week of war, Russia's plan to quickly overrun the country has been stymied by fierce resistance. Its troops have made significant advances in southern Ukraine and along the coast, but many of its efforts have become stalled. A Russian war ship was struck by Ukrainian forces as they continued to defend the port of Odessa from invading troops, according to Ukraine 's navy. Video footage appeared to show Ukrainian defence forces, based in Odessa, cheering as they exchanged fire with ships in the Black Sea Scientists have uncovered more than a dozen genetic quirks that may explain why some people are more vulnerable to severe Covid than others. Up to 16 changes to DNA were found in patients critically ill with the virus, many of which are involved in blood clotting and inflammation. One genetic variant was found to be slower at signalling to the immune system that cells are under attack from the virus. Having just one of the genes could be the difference between getting a cough or being admitted to intensive care, according to the biggest study of its kind. As part of the Government-funded research, experts at the University of Edinburgh studied the genes of more than 57,000 people across the UK, including 9,000 Covid patients. This is not the first time studies have found different genes could predispose certain people to becoming severely ill with Covid. But the scientists hope the latest finding will help identify new drugs and treatments in the future. Their earlier work has already helped lead to the discovery that arthritis drug baricitinib could treat certain patients at risk of severe disease. Pictured here is the one gene variant found in the study called interferon alpha-10 (IFNA10) (highlighted in dark blue). The scientists found this variant of the gene, which helps cells raise the alarm to the body's immune system that they are under attack from virus, was associated with an increased of becoming critically ill from Covid Professor Kenneth Baillie, an expert in critical care from the University of Edinburgh, and the study's chief investigator said identifying the genes that make people more at risk from Covid could help develop new treatments for the virus, and possibly other conditions WHAT IS WHOLE GENOME SEQUENCING? Whole genome sequencing allows researchers to read all the little bits of code that make us who we are. The human genome is composed of more than three billion pairs of building-block molecules and grouped into some 25,000 genes. It contains the codes and instructions that tell the body how to grow and develop, but flaws in the instructions can lead to disease. Many argue giving patients the blood tests will allow doctors to spot rare diseases caused by genetic mutations. Former Prime Minister David Cameron set-up a project to sequence 100,000 genomes for NHS patients with a known rare disease or cancer. Chief medical officer Dame Sally Davies wants to set up a central genetic database within the next five years to aid research. She said genetic testing should become as routine as an MRI scan, although patients would have the opportunity to opt out. The first decoding of a human genome - completed in 2003 as part of the Human Genome Project - took 15 years and cost 2.15 billion ($3bn). Advertisement The study, partly funded by the Department of Health, did not break down the risk of becoming severely ill per gene, or which Britons might be more at risk then others based on their heritage. However, they said some genes were linked to a doubling of the risk of severe illness from Covid. In the study, published in the journal Nature, scientists sequenced the whole genomes of nearly 7,500 Britons who needed intensive care treatment for Covid. They then compared these genomes to around 1,600 people who had mild Covid and around 48,000 who never had the virus. The scientists found key differences in 16 genes in the intensive care patients. One gene variant, called interferon alpha-10, was found to less effective in signaling to the body's immune system that cells were under attack from a virus and people with this version of the gene were more likely to die from Covid. Another gene variant called Factor 8 - linked to the blood clotting disorder haemophilia - was also found in severely ill patients. One of the genes discovered by the team was found to be 40 per cent more common in people in East Asian descent compared to people of European ancestry. It is one day hoped that genetic testing could reveal a person's risk from a variety of conditions and diseases such as Covid. Edinburgh's Professor Kenneth Baillie, an expert in critical care medicine and the study's chief investigator, said the discovery of the new Covid risk genes opened the doorway to potential new treatments. 'These results explain why some people develop life-threatening Covid, while others get no symptoms at all,' he said. 'But more importantly, this gives us a deep understanding of the process of disease and is a big step forward in finding more effective treatments.' Professor Sir Mark Caulfield, an expert in pharmacology from Queen Mary University of London and co-author of the study, said as the virus continued to evolve finding new ways to reduce the number of people becoming severely ill was critical. 'Through our whole genome sequencing research, weve discovered novel gene variants that predispose people to severe illness which now offer a route to new tests and treatments, to help protect the public and the NHS from this virus,' he said. The proportion of patients seriously ill with Covid has declined in recent months in part due to the success of Covid vaccines at reducing the chances of becoming severely ill China records its biggest number of Covid cases for TWO YEARS China today recorded its highest number of Covid cases for two years, as clusters emerge in several major cities. The country reported 526 infections spotted over the last 24 hours, including 312 that it said were asymptomatic not displaying any warning signs. This was the highest daily tally since the initial Wuhan outbreak at the beginning of the pandemic. China has been pursuing a zero Covid policy, which sees its cities lockdown and mass testing imposed when a case is detected. But the more transmissible Omicron variant has repeatedly broken through these defences in the country sparking clusters of cases. China also faces accusations for failing to report the number of cases detected accurately, with the true total thought to be higher. The spike comes as cases spiral out of control across the border in the southern Chinese territory of Hong Kong, where hospitals have been overflowing with patients and locals are panic-buying fearing a lockdown. Advertisement The results were not based on a single Covid variant, with DNA samples from patients for genome sequencing gathered throughout the pandemic. Dr Rich Scott, chief medical officer at Genomics England, which was also involved in the study, added that researchers went to great efforts to ensure the diversity of the UK population was represented in the study. Previous work by the researchers, a collaboration of scientists called the GenOMICC consortium, has already helped develop some new Covid treatments. They previously found a gene variant called TYK2, which is linked to inflammation, was associated with increased risk of intensive care admission with Covid and death. The discovery helped lead to the approval a clinical trial of baricitinib, a drug already designed to target this gene in rheumatoid arthritis patients. Results from this trial, released just last week, found it slashed the risk of severely ill Covid patients dying by as much as a fifth. The scientists hope the further work on the 16 genes will similarly identify potential new treatments that could also develop new Covid treatments. However, they added that severe inflammation and blood clots in the lungs were conditions associated with other diseases and that any potential treatments for treating these symptoms in Covid patients could have further applications. The number of people severely ill with Covid in the UK has declined in the months since the arrival of the Omicron variant. This has been partly attributed to the the milder nature of the Omicron version of the virus compared to previous variants and due to the success of Britain's Covid vaccination programme, with over two-thirds of eligible Britons fully jabbed. As of March 3, the latest available data, there were 264 Covid patients in the UK on mechanical ventilation, which are considered the most severely ill with the virus. This is far cry from January 2021, when there were over 4,000 patients were in a similar situation. Advertisement Generous women have left prams a Polish railway station for Ukrainian mothers who are fleeing the war-torn country with babies, after it was revealed that 1.5million refugees have crossed into neighbouring countries. A poignant photograph showed a row of seven empty prams left at Przemysl railway station in Poland in a heart-warming gesture of support for the crowds of mothers who have been flocking across the Polish border. As fighting intensifies, mostly mothers and children have been arriving at the Ukrainian border, with Poland clearing as many as 129,000 people at crossings on Saturday alone - taking their total to 922,400. After crossing the border at Medyka, the busiest route along Poland's roughly 500-km (310-mile) border with Ukraine, many refugees have been heading on to nearby town Przemysl where and volunteers waited to take them to other cities. Heartbreaking scenes have seen desperate families fleeing their homes as Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine continues, with men aged 18 to 60 being forced to stay behind as they were banned from leaving the country and urged to join the army. A poignant photograph showed a row of seven empty prams left at Przemysl railway station in Poland in a heart-warming gesture of support for mothers crossing the Polish border More than 1.5million refugees have now fled Ukraine for neighbouring countries since Vladimir Putin invaded, United Nations figures have shown. Pictured: Refugees at Medyka crossing In other developments, Putin's men renewed their bombardments on Mariupol, Chernihiv, Mykolaiv and Kharkiv this morning as his forces also tried to surround Kyiv in preparation for an assault, but have not significantly advanced their frontline since the city of Kherson and nuclear power plant at Zaporizhzhia were captured last week. The Ukrainian armed forces claimed to have destroyed up to 30 Russian helicopters that had been moved to Chornobaivka airport, near Kherson, overnight and to have retaken the city of Chuhuiv, near Kharkiv, killing two Russian commanders - Lt. Col. Dmitry Safronov, and Lt Col. Denis Glebov - in the process. Ukraine's military now estimates that 11,000 Russian soldiers have been killed in fighting along with the loss of 1,000 armoured vehicles, 290 tanks, 68 helicopters, 46 planes and dozens of other piece of hardware. Independent observers give lower totals, but Franz-Stefan Gady - of the International Institute for Strategic Studies - said the situation is never-the-less 'slowly becoming unsustainable for Russia'. US intelligence believes Russia has committed 95 per cent of the invasion force it had assembled on Ukraine's border to the fight, meaning significant reinforcements to push its attacks forward are unlikely to come soon - and could simply run into many of the same logistical problems that plagued the early assault. That has prompted some - including UK general Admiral Sir Tony Radakin - to predict that Russia could actually lose the war. Asked by the BBC on Sunday whether victory for Putin's men was 'inevitable', as many had predicted before the fighting started, he responded: 'No.' Moscow claimed to have opened up evacuation routes out of some cities - Mariupol, Sumy, Kharkiv and Kyiv - on Monday morning so civilians could flee, but Ukraine quickly rejected the plan after it emerged most of the evacuation routes led into Russia or Belarus. A woman and a child fleeing Ukraine passed the border in Palanca Village, Moldova on 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 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 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 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 Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk rejected the ceasefire offer on Monday, saying it is 'not an acceptable option' for Ukrainians to flee to the country that is attacking them. Civilians 'aren't going to go to Belarus and then take a plane to Russia', she said. Meanwhile, it was revealed that 1.5million refugees have crossed into neighbouring countries in 10 days after taking the long and perilous journey to flee the destruction brought about by the Russian President. The UN High Commissioner for Refugee Agency, Filippo Grandi, called it the 'fastest growing crisis in Europe since World War II'. 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. 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. 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 Rescuers dismantle the rubble of a destroyed school after Russian troops shelled the city of Chernihiv, to the north of the capital Kyiv, on Monday morning Ukrainian soldiers carry a wounded woman out of the city of Irpin, to the west of Kyiv, amid heavy Russian attacks 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.' 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 the bombs and guns. As this tally of misery increases over the coming days and months, these innocent victims of this conflict 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 president added: 'We believe that this humanitarian catastrophe will spread, that a lot of help will be needed here, but also in Ukraine.' But UK government has faced a furious backlash after it emerged just 50 Ukrainian refugees have been granted UK visas. Europe minister James Cleverly struggled as he was pressed for an explanation on why the numbers were so low - while Priti Patel declared people will no longer need family links to come to Britain. 'We have made it absolutely clear we want to support Ukrainians who are seeking refuge, both those who have family connections here in the UK and, indeed, those who don't,' he said. Complaining about being constantly interrupted as he gave lengthy answers, Mr Cleverly argued 'the process has only just started'. French interior minister Gerald Darmanin has hit out at the UK for 'inhumanely' turning back refugees at the border due to red tape. 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.' The Home Office has revealed that more than 13,500 Ukrainian refugees have started a UK visa application, but only 50 had been granted by yesterday morning. By contrast, the total number of asylum applications to the UK last year was 48,540, up 63 per cent year-on-year. Many of the 13,500 refugees have started but not completed the online application for the UK's Ukraine Family Scheme. In a remarkable change of tack overnight, Ms Patel said she is planning to offer any Ukrainian refugee a possible route to the UK. So far, only those who have a family member in this country have been granted sanctuary under the recently extended visa scheme. EU countries by contrast have waived visa rules, letting Ukrainian refugees in for up to three years without having to seek asylum. Ms Patel told The Sun she was 'urgently escalating' the UK's response to the crisis. 'In response to the desperation I saw with my own eyes at the Polish border two days ago, I'm urgently escalating our response to the growing humanitarian crisis,' she said. 'I am now investigating the legal options to create a humanitarian route. 'This means anyone without ties to the UK fleeing the conflict in Ukraine will have a right to come to this nation.' Conservative MP Tom Tugendhat, chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, said the current approach is 'certainly not a success'. LBC's Nick Ferrari asked if the Home Office had failed by granting just 50 Ukrainian refugees visas so far. Elsewhere, 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. On Saturday, 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. After more than a week in stalled positions, Russian forces have made small gains in their attempt to surround and assault Kyiv - with Ukraine saying enough firepower has now been amassed for the mission Russian forces are continuing to pound Mariupol, in the south, Kharkiv, in the east, Chernihiv, in the north, and Mykolaiv, in the south, with artillery - but have made little or no gains in territory in recent days. Forces continue to work to surround the capital Kyiv, though progress has been slow. Attacks on civilian areas on the outskirts have increased 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 Refugees from Ukraine cross the border with Moldova in Palanca, which is near the border in Ukraine Children play after arriving with their families after fleeing Ukraine at Hauptbahnhof main railway station in Berlin, Germany '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.' 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.' 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. RAF gunner Corrie McKeague, who vanished on a night out in 2016, developed a 'significant binge-drinking problem' after his friend died on a train line when he was a teenager and he discovered the body, his parents told the first day of his inquest today. Mr McKeague, of Dunfermline, Fife, was 23 when he disappeared in the early hours of September 24 2016 after being ejected from a night club in Bury St Edmunds. Today the inquest into his death, due to last for up to four weeks, began in Ipswich, the county town of Suffolk, and was attended by his parents, siblings and girlfriend April Oliver. His body has never been found, and his father Martin said in a statement that he had a 'falling out' with his son shortly before his disappearance after 'having words' with him about his drinking. His mother Nicola described her son as being badly hurt by the suicide of a female friend when he was 15, and admitted her 23-year-old son loved nights out, and she believed that 'if a stranger asked him to get into his boot to go to a party', he would go. Police believe the airman, who was stationed 10 miles away at RAF Honington, climbed into a bin which was then tipped into a waste lorry. But his mother today cast doubt on the theory. She said: 'As far as I am aware, Corrie had never slept in a bin or climbed into a bin to sleep. He had slept at a friend's house on clothes in bin bags, but he never slept in rubbish.' Missing airman Corrie McKeague, pictured with his girlfriend April Oliver, vanished after a night out in Bury St Edmunds in 2016 and was never found Corrie's family were at the inquest in Ipswich today. Brother Darroch McKeague, his wife Leah, girlfriend April Oliver, mother Nicola Urquhart, and brother Makeyan (left to right) Martin McKeague, the father of missing airman Corrie McKeague, pictured outside Suffolk Coroner's Court with his wife Tricia today Mr McKeague's father Martin McKeague said in a statement read by lawyer Peter Taheri, counsel to the inquest: 'Corrie was a happy child, however there were major events that shaped Corrie's life. 'When Corrie was 10 years old Nicola (Urquhart, Corrie McKeague's mother) and I had separated. 'At the age of 15, when he was first to find the body of his friend who had just been killed on a train line, I believe Corrie developed a significant binge-drinking problem. 'In his teenage years that impacted his emotional wellbeing and mired many of his relationships. 'Following a visit to my home town in Cupar in 2016 shortly before his disappearance I once again had to have words with him about it. 'We had a falling out over it.' He said that his last contact with his son was on his birthday, September 16, 'when I sent him a message to wish him a happy birthday and I sent him money'. He said the death of his son's friend 'was a terrible shock for a 15-year-old boy to suffer, and one I don't think he ever truly got over'. Mr McKeague continued: 'I don't believe Corrie was ever suicidal. This has been a heart-breaking tragedy.' Mr McKeague's mother Nicola Urquhart, in a statement read to the inquest in Ipswich by lawyer Andrew Walker, said one of her son's 'very close female friends was hit by a train and killed instantly'. 'This event had a huge impact on Corrie,' she said. She said Mr McKeague had started to train as a hairdresser, then as a PE teacher, before joining the RAF. While he was prescribed antidepressants in the past, she said he was 'back to his usual happy self' by 2015. Ms Urquhart said her son 'regularly lost his phone or wallet on nights out' but 'was never aggressive with or without alcohol'. 'There was nothing to suggest Corrie had any problems or concerns around the time of his disappearance,' she said. She said he had told her that he had 'bumped a taxi on one occasion, meaning he had run off without paying'. She said that 'if a stranger asked him to get into his boot to go to a party' she believed that he would go. 'Despite what's in the press, as far as I'm aware Corrie had never slept in a bin nor had he ever climbed into a bin to sleep,' Ms Urquhart said. Mr McKeague's brother Darroch McKeague said in a statement that Corrie planned to come back to Scotland for Halloween. He said that when he spoke to his brother on September 23 he was 'happy' and 'looking forward to his night out'. Corrie McKeague, pictured on the night out when he disappeared, on one of the final CCTV images of him alive Suffolk's senior coroner Nigel Parsley said Mr McKeague, who had served in the RAF for three years, drank a 'significant amount of alcohol during the evening' of September 23. He said Mr McKeague was asked to leave Flex nightclub and 'was seen on a number of occasions on CCTV'. 'He's seen to sometimes be alone, sometimes in conversation with others and seen to obtain food,' Mr Parsley said. He said that at 3.25am on September 24 CCTV captured Mr McKeague entering a horseshoe-shaped area in Brentgovel Street. 'You might find based on evidence that 3.25am is the last time Corrie was seen and known to be alive,' Mr Parsley told jurors. He said police investigations and searches failed to locate Mr McKeague, there has been no contact with family and no financial transactions that can be linked to him. He said jurors will hear evidence about Mr McKeague's movements on September 23 and 24, his contact with any witnesses and 'hypotheses and possible scenarios relating to Corrie's disappearance'. The inquest, due to last for up to four weeks, continues. A 25-year-old Royal Navy officer who secretly filmed himself having sex with a female officer and put it on Snapchat so he could brag to his colleagues avoided a jail sentence but was 'dismissed with disgrace' from the Armed Forces. The female officer told the court she was horrified to learn 'my naked, vulnerable body was broadcast' after the 11 second clip was uploaded to Snapchat by Sub Lieutenant Scott Ewing. Sub Lt Ewing, based at the prestigious Britannia Royal Naval College (BRNC), known as Dartmouth, was convicted of voyeurism, and 'dismissed with disgrace' from the Armed Forces. The 25-year-old was given a three year service community order by Bulford Military Court in Wiltshire. He must also take part in a sex offending programme and complete 100 hours of unpaid work. He claimed that during sex he told her 'the lads have got to see this' and she gave him the go ahead by replying 'do whatever you need' but his version of events was rejected by the military court. Sub Lt Ewing also said filming the female officer was about 'proving to the guys that something happened... I was fluffing my feathers' and that it made him 'feel like a lad' at the time. The judge said he committed a 'gross violation of trust' for 'bragging rights'. The female officer told the court she was horrified to learn 'my naked, vulnerable body was broadcast' after the 11 second clip was uploaded to Snapchat by Sub Lieutenant Scott Ewing, pictured The 11 seconds clip showed SLt Ewing, 25, turning to smile at the camera and making an 'ok' sign with his fingers while he had sex with her as she faced away from him. Judge Advocate Alistair McGrigor, sentencing, said: 'She made it clear this was to remain private between you both. 'Your friends had said you were out of your depth with her and you determined to have what you say were bragging rights. 'This was a gross violation of the trust between service colleagues, both on a professional and personal level.' The female officer told the judge after the footage was posted to an all-male group on the social media app, that such behaviour had become 'casualised in laddish culture' and she hoped this conviction would help put a stop to more crimes. She read her victim impact statement to the court, saying Sub Lt Ewing was 'dragging my name through the mud with him instead of owning up to his mistake'. She added: 'There are no winners here. I'm not a winner because my naked, vulnerable body was broadcast to my colleagues. Men I trained with every day. 'Not one of them respected me enough to question whether or not that would be something I would agree to. 'There is something utterly, utterly disheartening about the realisation that your peers, the people you thought you could trust the most, don't have your back. 'SLt Ewing told a courtroom about how attractive he found me, as if that was a justification of sorts. As if I was less good looking his friends would have believed him and he wouldn't have needed to show them.' Lieutenant Commander Ben Crouch, mitigating for Ewing, told the sentencing hearing: 'He was young, naive and lacked the perspective that age brings. 'It was immature... These were not the actions of a seasoned voyeur or predator. 'He is going to have to live with the burden of what he has done for the rest of his life.' The 25-year-old was given a three year service community order by Bulford Military Court in Wiltshire, and needs to take part in a sex offending programme and complete 100 hours of unpaid work During the trial, SLt Ewing said when he first met the female officer he immediately found her attractive and 'took a fancy to her'. The pair later exchanged 'flirtatious' messages and partially naked pictures on Facebook in the weeks leading up to the incident. They then met at a bar near the college in Dartmouth, Devon, which is the naval academy of the United Kingdom and was attended by Prince Charles, Prince Philip and Prince William. SLt Ewing admitted filming the sex in his cabin but claimed she had consented. He said: 'I then turned the camera round to my face, pulled a facial expression, stuck my tongue out, smiling, then made a gesture with my hand like 'sweet, ok'. 'It was proving to the guys that something happened... I was fluffing my feathers, showing off. Looking back it seems silly and immature but in that moment I just wanted to prove a point. 'I was trying to come across as a lad, look what I did, and I got that response from them. [They said] fair play, he did it, well done. 'At the time it made me feel like a lad. It made me feel cool, made me feel like I did something that the others thought was admirable.' Ewing told the court his friends in the Snapchat group had previously made jokes about him being a 'catfish' - someone perceived to be better looking online than in person - and had said he had 'no chance' with the female officer because she was 'out of his league' He told the court his friends in the Snapchat group had previously made jokes about him being a 'catfish' - someone perceived to be better looking online than in person - and had said he had 'no chance' with the female officer because she was 'out of his league'. Lieutenant Commander Peter Barker, prosecuting, said: 'The reason you make that gesture with your hands instead of saying anything is because you didn't want her to know. 'She was facing away with her head down, you are doing everything you can to make sure she doesn't know what's going on. 'She says there was absolutely no consent. It was a spur of the moment, immature prank that went wrong.' Asked how she would have reacted if there was any mention of the sex being recorded or shared, the female officer told the trial: 'I never saw him holding a phone. He never mentioned recording having sex. 'I would have got myself out of there as quickly as possible. That would not have been acceptable. That was never part of the deal. 'When I found out, I was absolutely shocked.' A still from Ian Cheng's "Emissary in the Squat of Gods" (2015) / Courtesy of the artist, Gladstone Gallery, Pilar Corrias, London, and Standard (Oslo), Oslo By Park Han-sol Artificial intelligence (AI) and video game engines meet philosophy in the art of Ian Cheng. While armed with a pop-culture-inspired visual language from the likes of video game "SimCity," Cheng's live simulations of virtual ecosystems teeming with AI-based characters and wildlife also make a complex theoretical inquiry into the nature of human consciousness. The Leeum Museum of Art exhibition, "Ian Cheng: Worlding" Asia's first comprehensive survey of the artist's simulated worlds created over the past seven years serves as a fascinating portal into such innovation, which merges cutting-edge technology with cognitive psychology to visualize in real time certain mechanisms fueling the human mind and behavior. Artist Ian Cheng / Courtesy of the Leeum Museum of Art "I've always been a big fan of art that feels and is alive," the artist said at the recent press conference held at the museum. While having a deep appreciation for creators like Pierre Huyghe, who incorporates living organisms into his work, Cheng wanted to find a way to make his own work come to life without incorporating actual life forms. He found an answer in what he calls "a video game that plays itself" one built upon the interactions among AI entities and their surrounding environments, and that can therefore simulate aliveness. "The reason why aliveness is so important to me is, I think, when you have a living creature or an ecosystem, there's a certain unpredictability to it, even at the most boring moments. And I feel the complexity that emerges from that will constantly keep your interest as a viewer." Cheng uses the term, "Worlding," to describe the art of creating this virtual ecosystem that mimics aliveness. It is achieved through "inviting enough chaos for surprising relationships to emerge around it, programming its sense of autonomy and ceding control before your own human finitude gets in the way of its flourishing," he writes in a statement. The element of unpredictability and spontaneity that dictates all of his open-ended worlds means that any interaction or event taking place among AI characters before the eyes of the audience at a certain time can never be repeated in the exact same way again. A still from Ian Cheng's "Emissary Forks At Perfection" (2015-2016) / Courtesy of the artist, Gladstone Gallery, Pilar Corrias, London, and Standard (Oslo), Oslo Such is the case for Cheng's iconic "Emissary" trilogy that launched the artist to global acclaim. The series consists of three interconnected live simulations based on his imagination of human's cognitive evolution. The first begins with an ancient community living in constant threat of a volcanic eruption in the era of "pre-consciousness." While the rest of the pre-conscious people live simply by following invisible gods' commands delivered through a shaman, a 10-year-old girl awakens one day after experiencing the first flicker of consciousness. Now, she has a mission to lead her people to safety, away from the threat of extinction. The following episodes take place in the distant future in an unrecognizable world managed by an AI entity, where humans no longer exist. The characters in these simulations all continue to interact, intervene in each other's activities and reconstruct the surrounding information to continue the narrative, however dynamic or tedious it may seem to an outside viewer beyond the screen. Each episode has its own "emissary," a key character that has the power to advance the story noticeably the first ancient human to experience consciousness with a mission to evacuate her fellow villagers, for example. Because these simulations are ultimately "a video game that plays itself," emissaries can either succeed or fail in their given mission, depending on their relations with other AI models and the environment formed throughout that particular world. Once that world comes to an end, the episode starts over, but with an entirely new path of interactions among the characters, which once again, are ready to unfold. It's a never-ending but ever-changing loop that is unpredictable and therefore, alive. A still from Ian Cheng's "BOB (Bag of Beliefs)" (2018-2019) / Courtesy of the artist, Gladstone Gallery and Pilar Corrias, London Cheng further explores the inner workings of human consciousness through AI and video game technology in "BOB (Bag of Beliefs)." BOB is a serpent-like, artificial lifeform made up of multiple "demon" heads all with different motivations and beliefs that compete for the control of a single body an idea inspired by psychoanalyst Carl Jung's theory of sub-personalities in humans. "I split up the brain of BOB into multiple sub-personalities. I call them 'demons' that each had a motivational aim. There's a hunger demon, a sleep demon, an explorer demon, etc.," the artist said. "You can see a complex and animal-like behavior in BOB that I couldn't have achieved or even thought of in approaching consciousness or the brain in another manner." Audience can also influence BOB's behaviors by giving it an additional personality trait or belief through an interactive mobile app, "BOB Shrine." A still from Ian Cheng's "Life After BOB: The Chalice Study" (2021) / Courtesy of the artist, Gladstone Gallery and Pilar Corrias, London A Pakistani student who survived being shot in a Taliban school massacre which killed his brother has been elected President of the Oxford Union. Ahmad Nawaz was 14 when Taliban terrorists shot him in the arm and killed his brother in a 2014 school massacre which took nearly 150 lives. He survived the ordeal while pretending to be dead before he was taken to Birmingham for surgery after months in a Peshawar hospital. Nawaz was allowed to stay in Britain after his recovery - getting into Oxford to study philosophy and theology in 2020. Now he will become the second-ever Pakistani President of the Oxford Union after Benazir Bhutto, who served as Prime Minister of Pakistan from 1993 to 1996 and was assassinated in 2007. Ahmad Nawaz was 14 when Taliban terrorists shot him in the arm and killed his brother in a 2014 school massacre which took nearly 150 lives. He survived the ordeal while pretending to be dead before he was taken to Birmingham for surgery after months in a Peshawar hospital. Nawaz said the Oxford Union was 'one of the biggest free speech platforms in the world' Nawaz told The Times he cried with joy and immediately called his mother after he was elected, receiving more than 500 votes to beat rival candidates for the role starting in the autumn. He said that he wanted to make the famous debating society more inclusive and attractive to people from marginalised groups. The 21-year-old Lady Margaret Hall student said: 'It's been the most emotional ride I've had in a long, long time,' he said. 'When the terrorists came they wanted to stop people being educated. Nawaz will be the second Pakistani to hold the role after slain former Prime Minister of Pakistan Benazir Bhutto 'The fact I've got into one of the best universities in the world sends them the message that they can't stop us from reaching new places.' 'I was determined and when I came to Oxford I was quite ambitious but I never thought I would get involved with the union. The student followed in the footsteps of Malala Yousafzai Malik, the Nobel Peace Prize-winning Pakistani female education activist who was shot in the head by the Taliban but survived, moved to Britain and graduated from Lady Margaret Hall at Oxford in 2020. Nawaz followed in the footsteps of Malala Yousafzai Malik (right), the Pakistani Nobel Peace Prize-winning female education activist who moved to Britain and graduated from Lady Margaret Hall at Oxford with a first in 2020. Like Malala, Nawaz has spoken about educational access in Pakistan to United Nations events alongside senior politicians and officials. FAMOUS EX-PRESIDENTS OF THE OXFORD UNION 1933 - Michael Foot: Former Labour leader 1954 - Michael Heseltine: Former Deputy PM 1961 - Paul Foot: Private Eye editor 1969 - Gyles Brandreth: Broadcaster and former politician 1977 - Benazir Bhutto: First female PM of Pakistan 1980 - Michael Crick: Political journalist 1981 - William Hague: Former Tory leader 1988 - Michael Gove: Tory Minister 1986 - Boris Johnson: UK Prime Minister Prime Minister Boris Johnson (pictured) was President of the Oxford Union in 1986. Advertisement Nawaz told reporters that his proudest accomplishment was passing GCSE English with an A grade after he came to Britain unable to speak the language. Nawaz said the Union was 'one of the biggest free speech platforms in the world. He added: 'When I was a child I had heard of the Oxford Union. I just wanted to step into this institution, rubbing shoulders with those from Eton, Harrow and Westminster. 'We're going to work to make institutional change, to make more people from disadvantaged backgrounds feel comfortable and get involved, rather than just feel like it belongs to public school kids. 'I want to make people feel included, not just based on where they are from but also different types of societies. 'So Pakistani and Bangladeshi communities who may not feel like it's their place or people from liberation groups like LGBTQ+. 'I would also like to diversify the speakers and the discussions that take place in the union, so we can focus for example on human rights and societal issues in different parts of the world.' 'I couldn't have been more grateful for this journey.' Germany is considering bringing back national service after the Ukraine war demonstrated that 'peace is not a law of nature'. Political leaders from all sides of the Bundestag have backed the reintroduction of compulsory service in the German military, a week after Chancellor Olaf Scholz pledged a one-time 85bn spend to boost the strength of the country's forces. In a decision hailed as the waking of a sleeping European giant, Mr Scholz also pledged to increase Germany's defence spending above 2 percent of GDP by 2024, in line with NATO requirements for the first time. Germany is considering bringing back national service after the Ukraine war demonstrated that 'peace is not a law of nature'. Pictured: German Bundeswehr soldiers of the NATO enhanced forward presence are seen in Lithuania on February 22 Now, ministers are arguing in favour of the reintroduction of compulsory service, with Carsten Linnemann - deputy leader of the conservative CDU - saying on Sunday that to do so would 'do real good' for Germany by bringing people together. 'What we're witnessing at the moment is that peace is not a law of nature,' Mr Linnemann said in an interview with broadcaster ZDF. He also said that Germany has 'too many people putting themselves before the state,' and that compulsory service could counteract increasing polarisation. Scholz's governing centre-left SPD party is also calling for the return of conscription among men and women over the age of 18. Wolfgang Hellmich, the SPD's defence spokesman in the Bundestag, said the programme would 'promote a sense of community' and urged for a debate on the issue to be held urgently. 'It needs social consensus,' he said, according to The Telegraph. Until 2011, all adult Germany men were required to perform a year of compulsory military service, although they could also opt - on moral grounds - to undertake service in civil society. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (centre) at the 'Forest of Remembrance' memorial site during a visit to the Bundeswehr Operations Command in Schwielowsee, Germany, 04 March 2022 While a law was passed at the time ending the programme, it was said then that conscription could be brought back during times of war or increased tensions. Russian President Vladimir Putin's brutal invasion of Ukraine - ordered on February 24 - is what prompted Scholz's historic announcement to increase to Germany's defence budget just three days later. There have been some recent calls in Germany for compulsory service to be brought back, but it is clear that the Ukraine crisis has made the position more mainstream. Speaking to Die Welt newspaper, CDU deputy leader in the Bundestag Johann Wadephul said that compulsory military service would be 'a chance to find a lot more recruits' for the German military as it expands in the coming years. He also proposed a system that would see those who undertake military service gain points in a pension system or a easier path to places at universities. Other politicians have been more sceptical of the suggestion, arguing that the German forces should focus on modernisation. Lawmaker applaude during German Chancellor Olaf Scholz' speech on the Russian invasion of the Ukraine during a meeting of the German federal parliament, Bundestag, at the Reichstag building in Berlin, Germany, Feb. 27, 2022 'We need technology and weapons systems, not brains. Conscription is not an issue at this point in time.' Florian Hahn, defence spokesman for the CDU in the Bundestag, said according to The Telegraph. In another break to Germany's pacifist inclinations, Lithuania's defence minister said on Sunday that the country will deploy air defence capabilities to Lithuania. The United States will send a troop battalion armed with tanks, Lithuania said. In addition to the 85bn one-time spend, Germany also announced that it would be sending 1,000 anti-tank weapons, 500 surface-to-air Stinger missiles and thousands of gallons to petrol to Ukraine. The one-time 85bn special fund and the increased spending pledge is significant for Germany, which has come under criticism from the United States and other Nato allies for not investing adequately in its defence budget. It currently only spends about 1.5 percent on defence, but the new pledge will make it the biggest defence spender in Europe. Catastrophic wet weather has devastated Sydney and coastal areas of New South Wales, with forecasters predicting heavy, 'intense' rainfall and damaging winds on the way. The Bureau of Meteorology has warned that a new low will bring more storms on Tuesday, with rainfall reaching up to 200mm, prompting concerns of flash flooding in multiple areas along the coast and in greater Sydney. The Bureau has cautioned residents in the Central Coast, Illawarra, Blue Mountains, Shoalhaven and the Sydney Metropolitan area to plan ahead and be prepared for the worst. 'Of particular concern are the already saturated catchments we have from the Hunter all the way down to the Hawkesbury-Nepean and even into the Shoalhaven and Wollongong areas,' Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Dean Narramore said. Mr Narramore revealed that flash flooding will be dependent on regions where the heaviest rainfall lands. 'We're looking at flooding similar to last week on some parts the river and in other areas it could be worse than what we saw last weekend, similar to what we saw in March last year,' the senior Meteroloigst continued, referring to the 2021 eastern NSW floods. Catastrophic wet weather has devastated Sydney and coastal areas of New South Wales , with forecasters predicting Tuesday to be a crisis point as a new low hits the east. Pictured: Petersham in Sydney's inner-west The Bureau of Meteorology has warned that a new low will bring storms and intense rainfall that's slated to total up to 200mm Pictured: Flooding at Petersham in Sydney's inner-west The Bureau of Meteorology has warned that a new low will bring storms and intense rainfall on Tuesday, which could reach up to 200mm, prompting concerns of flash flooding in multiple areas along the coast and in greater Sydney Thousands of residents have already been forced to evacuate from the dangerous weather, with parts of Camden in Sydney's south-west told to get out by 11.59pm or risk being cut off. FLOOD EVACUATION ORDERS: PARTS OF CAMDEN: Peter Avenue between Onslow Avenue and Belgenny Avenue -Cawder Road between Barsden Street and Murray Street. Parts of Emu Plains Parts of Mulgoa Sandy Point Pleasure Point Picnic Point Parts of Milperra Georges Hall Holsworthy Moorebank Chipping Norton Parts of Warwick Farm Parts of Lansvale Full deatils available at SES NSW. Advertisement Local flooding submerged streets across Sydney's inner-west including Potts Point, Surry Hills, Newtown and Petersham. There were roads in Camden, Bankstown and Liverpool resembling rivers. There was also shocking footage showing multiple cars struggling to make it flooded streets in Milperra. A taxi was seen submerged in the deluge with its hazard lights on as other vehicles appeared stuck in the brown water. About 83mm of rain fell at Marrickville in the 2 hours to 10.45pm on Monday, 81mm hit Kentlyn in the 2 hours to 10pm and 86mm was recorded at Lucas Heights in the 2 hours to 9.30pm. The SES has warned strong winds and heavy rain will continue into Tuesday morning. 'Heavy rain may cause flash flooding, and river heights could rise rapidly over and above what has been experienced in the past few days,' it said. 'This could happen during the night. 'Strong winds are expected which could cause trees and powerlines to fall. Landslides are also possible, which could block roads. 'If you live on or near a river, creek or stream, or an area at risk, particularly if it's already in flood, stay up to date and be ready to take action.' In Hurstville, shocking footage showed the rooftop of an Aldi store collapsing due to the intense rain. Local flooding submerged streets across Sydney's inner-west including Potts Point, Surry Hills, Newtown and Petersham. Pictured: A street in Newtown Many suburbs across Syndey were hammered by flooding, water is seen bubbling up from the ground in Potts Point The SES has warned strong winds and heavy rain will continue into Tuesday morning (Pictured: A deluge sweeps through a residence in Rhodes) A street in Syndey's Newtown was covered in water on Monday night On Monday evening, the SES issued evacuations orders for parts of Camden in Sydney's south-west by 9pm. A renewed alert warned residents within parts of Camden that they have until 11.59pm on Monday or risk getting cut off once flood waters reach 10.3 metres at Camden Weir. Residents in the south coast towns of Sussex Inlet and St Georges Basin were also told to prepare to evacuate. Park Street, Petersham is seen under water on Tuesday night after a torrential down pour hit Sydney Residents across Sydney's inner-west reported local flooding on Monday night, with shocking pictures showing streets in Camden and Bankstown under water. Pictured: A flooded street in Milperra Roads in Bankstown resembled rivers after floods swept through Sydney's south Elizabeth Drive, Liverpool is completely flooded as vehicles are left at a stand still The Bureau of Meteorology has warned residents in Sydney and northern NSW to prepare for flash flooding from Sunday until Tuesday as an east coast low moves in. From left to right, the three main weather models forecasters use show Sydney and the south coast are expected to be battered by more than 100mm of rain The SES have warned that roads in Sussex Inlet may become inaccessible due to the hazardous weather. In greater Sydney, the wet weather has created landslides and shifting earth. Residents in Sydney and the Blue Mountains have been warned over the risk of deadly landslides, many of which have already caused mud, trees and vegetation to fall onto roads. A number of the landslides were reported at Emu Heights and Katoomba in the Blue Mountains. Footage released by Fire and Rescue shows a roadway cut off due to a landslide. Warnings have been raised over the risk of landslides in Sydney and the Blue Mountains A number of the landslides were reported at Emu Heights and Katoomba in the Blue Mountains In Northern NSW, flooding has continued to devastate suburbs near the coastline. A recent viral video shared to Reddit sees raging floodwaters near the town of Murwillumbah carve up the landscape, carrying gum trees, boulders and other debris. The floods have reportedly destroyed homes and local infrastructure in the area. Harsh conditions are predicted to ease on Wednesday - when the sun may finally return. Intense flooding continued to inundate Coraki, 30km south of Lismore, on Monday. Meanwhile, the NSW Premier has apologised to flood-devastated communities. Dominic Perrottet said sorry to thousands of people in the Northern Rivers district, whose homes and businesses were destroyed when towns like Lismore and Ballina were inundated by floodwaters last week. Floodwater surrounded a small farm paddock with a single tractor in Coraki on Monday as locals prepare for more flash flooding Aerial photos show homes submerged in floodwater in Coraki on Monday as the BoM warns more flashing flooding is on the way Roads in Coraki remained submerged on Monday as local prepare for more heavy rain to fall Large parts of the northern NSW town Coraki remained inundated on Monday with more rain forecast in coming days Many had to be rescued by fellow citizens and have since struggled to access basics such as food, water, power, fuel, phones, ATMs, the internet and medical supplies. 'I'm very sorry ... but we're doing everything that we can,' Mr Perrottet told the Nine Network from Lismore. 'Some of those areas will look back at this and say it could have been done better but ... we're doing absolutely everything we can to provide care and support for those who need it to get those essential supplies in,' he said. The emergency response would be reviewed, he added. Floods have claimed six lives in NSW, including four in Lismore. The Australian Defence Force is helping with the mammoth clean-up with 512 personnel on the ground in NSW. Some 5000 personnel will be put on task or made available in NSW and Queensland over the course of this week, as 2010 are on the ground in both states, the ADF said. The Australian Defence Force is helping with the mammoth clean-up with 512 personnel on the ground in NSW A soldier helps with the clean-up effort in Lismore as residents prepare for more flash flooding 'We're getting supplies in. We're getting food in,' Mr Perrottet said. Around 2,000 of the 3,500 homes assessed so far in the Northern Rivers are no longer habitable, increasing the need for short-term and medium-to-long-term accommodation. Telstra on Monday said it had restored about 80 per cent of mobile coverage for communities in northern NSW and 75 per cent of landline connections. But some areas remained inaccessible due to continued flooding, road damage or a lack of electricity that is hampering the work of around 1,000 technicians. Around 2,000 of the 3,500 homes assessed so far in the Northern Rivers are no longer habitable, increasing the need for short-term and medium-to-long-term accommodation The northern NSW communities of Kingscliff, Main Arm, Mullumbimby, Ocean Shores, Tucabia, Uki and Wooli are among those still having issues with communications. The State Emergency Service had another 550 calls for help overnight and performed nine flood rescues. SES Deputy Commissioner Daniel Austin says volunteers are waiting with 'bated breath' to see what Monday brings. 'We're certainly on high alert from the Mid-North Coast down into the Shoalhaven,' he told the Nine Network. 'We are watching exceptionally closely a number of catchments ... around the Hawkesbury and Central Coast and places. 'The water hasn't retreated yet. We're now going to see more flooding on top of what we've already seen.' An Australian Defence Force soldier helps clean flood debris from a property in Lismore Renewed flooding is likely in the Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley and major flooding continues in the Upper Nepean, Nepean, Hawkesbury and Colo Rivers, the SES said on Monday. Rainfall on Tuesday could push the Nepean River at Penrith over six metres causing minor floods. Major flooding is also taking place at North Richmond and is likely to happen at Putty Road as the Colo River is expected to exceed 10.7 metres on Monday night and continue to swell to up to 11.5 metres on Tuesday. Rain is causing significant travel delays with cancellations expected on most Sydney Trains, NSW TrainLink Intercity and Regional train services and drivers are being urged to stay off the roads unless it's absolutely necessary. Donald Trump is trashing his former Attorney General Bill Barr in a three-page letter released on Monday morning, claiming he fired the Justice Department official because he had 'no backbone.' Barr sat down for a lengthy interview with NBC News' Lester Holt which aired on Sunday night, to promote the release of his new memoir 'One Damn Thing After Another.' Trump said of the upcoming book, 'I would imagine that if the book is anything like him, it will be long, slow, and very boring.' The former Justice Department official condemned the ex-president's 2020 election fraud claims and his role in last year's Capitol riot, both in his book and televised interview. 'Bill Barr cares more about being accepted by the corrupt Washington Media and Elite than serving the American people. He was slow, lethargic, and I realized early on that he never had what it takes to make a great Attorney General,' Trump's letter began. 'When the Radical Left Democrats threatened to hold him in contempt and even worse, to Impeach him, he became virtually worthless fo Law and Order and Election Integrity. They broke him just like a trainer breaks a horse.' The letter, dated March 2 and obtained by Axios, was sent to NBC's New York City headquarters. In it are a series of questions followed by lengthy answers from Trump, seemingly in response to the NBC news team seeking comments on Barr's interview. Trump sent a letter dated March 2 addressed to NBC News headquarters in New York City, which appears to respond to claims made by Bill Barr in his lengthy Sunday night NBC interview with anchor Lester Holt It was typed out addressed to 'Mr. Holt' but it appears the ex-president opted for a more personal touch by crossing that out and writing in 'Lester' by hand. Trump claimed Barr's dismissal of his 2020 election fraud claims was a 'virtual joke.' To support this he supposedly attached a report pointing to 'widespread corruption' in at least one swing state's election count, which was not included in Monday's report of the letter and did not seem to be picked up by by NBC. The former president accused Barr of now 'groveling to the media, hoping to gain acceptance that he doesn't deserve.' During his NBC interview Barr claimed he was 'livid' when he found out Trump had told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during their infamous 2019 phone call that the attorney general would reach out to him regarding Trump's political rivals. He told Holt that Trump 'never really had a good idea of, you know, the role of the Department of Justice [and] to some extent, you know, the presidents role.' Trump appeared to hit back at the assertion in the new letter, claiming what he asked of Barr had 'nothing to do' with his personal issues. 'As President of the United States, I am the Chief Executive, who is responsible for the Department heads, which includes the Attorney General. When I saw that the Department of Justice was not doing their job, I have every legal right to ask them todo so, in accordance with the law and the Constitution. That has nothing to do with my personal legal interests,' the ex-president said. The votes reflected the decision of the people. -Former Attorney General William Barr on the 2020 presidential election pic.twitter.com/wceSOq7nIT TODAY (@TODAYshow) March 7, 2022 Barr briefly responded to Trump's letter during another interview on NBC Monday morning Barr told NBC's Holt that he does not believe Trump understands how the Justice Department works and that he was 'livid' upon finding out his former boss indicated Barr's department should investigate Trump's political rivals 'With respect to prosecuting political rivals, it was just the opposite. Despite the many crimes committed by the Biden family, I did not push Barr to go after them. While the things done were legendarily corrupt,I thought it would be inappropriate for me to get personally involved.' In his forthcoming book, Barr claims he shouted down Trump's attempt at discussing President Joe Biden's son Hunter, who at the time was under a federal investigation over his foreign business dealings. He also details one final, explosive confrontation with Trump in which the former president told Barr he 'must hate Trump' because he publicly dismissed the notion of widespread election fraud shortly after Biden won the White House. Trump claimed Barr was 'broken' by Democrats and is now 'groveling to the media, hoping to gain acceptance that he doesn't deserve' Barr claims in his book that Trump told him to go home immediately in response to Barr offering to tender his resignation. He left the Justice Department at the end of December 2020. Trump said Barr's version of events were 'incorrect and a total fabrication.' Instead, the former president claimed he said: 'If you didnt see corruption in the Election, of which so much has already been revealed (and massive amounts up until this date), than(sic) you are not capable of being Attorney General. You don't have the energy or backbone to stand up to the Radical Left. Please give me your Letter of Resignation.' Barr responded to Trump's letter in a live interview with NBC's Today on Monday morning. 'Stolen and rigged are two different things, but there was no stealing of the election through fraud,' the ex-attorney general said again. 'Which means that people who are not qualified to vote or don't exist, their votes were counted, or good votes were subtracted.' 'The votes reflected the decision of the people.' The final question Trump addresses in his letter are Barr's allegations surrounding the insurrection last year. On Sunday night Barr said he holds Trump 'morally responsible' for the events of January 6, 2021, though conceded he would not have prosecuted his former boss for it. 'I do think he was responsible in the broad sense of that word, in that it appears that part of the plan was to send this group up to the Hill,' Barr said. 'I think the whole idea was to intimidate Congress. And I think that that was wrong.' Trump claimed there 'would have been no "January 6"' if House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the Washington, DC mayor had agreed to more security at the Capitol that day. 'They were not interested in having the troops in Washington because they didnt like the look." If they had taken my offer, there would have been no January 6 as we know it,' Trump said. He claimed, 'I was President of the United States and was asked to make a speech on January 6. I went to the site, made my speech, and returned to the White House.' 'Now the Witch Hunt continues with Shifty Adam Schiff, RINO Liz Cheney, and others on what I call the Unselect Committee. In the long run, the American people will win.' In his Monday morning interview Barr dismissed Trump's letter as 'childish.' 'It's par for the course,' he replied when asked for his reaction. 'The president is a man who, when he's told something he doesn't want to hear, he immediately throws a tantrum and attacks the person personally. So I thought the letter was -- was childish.' Kelly Slater has slammed Scott Morrison's handling of New South Wales' floods as thousands of residents claim they are receiving no help from the government. The 11-time world champion posted a series of Instagram stories on Monday, sharing pictures and videos from the Northern Rivers region of the state, which has been decimated by record levels of flash flooding. He shared an open letter to Mr Morrison via an account called ReviveTheNorthernRivers, before adding his own commentary to the issue. 'The lack of federal assistance in the flood zones in northern NSW has been nothing short of appalling. The stories from friends are hard to comprehend,' Slater wrote. 'But the gathering of local communities has been inspiring to watch from afar. So while the PM @scottmorrisonmp and cohorts pat themselves on the back or poke fun at people who 'live in the gum trees', the communities will continue to get on with the tasks at hand in helping their neighbours.' Surfing legend Kelly Slater has labelled Scott Morrison's handling of New South Wales' floods 'appalling' Large parts of south-east Queensland and northern New South Wales have been devastated by record flash flooding - with dozens feared dead and entire towns washed away Slater shared a series of photos and images of the decimated areas in the Northern Rivers before calling on the PM to do more Slater also shared a conversation he had with a friend who lives in the area, with the man describing the PM as 'the biggest joke in Australian history'. The surfing legend's friend repeated reports that Australian Defence Forces were staging photos to prove they were present and also claimed locals were paying for helicopters to deliver essential goods. 'People that have been rescued have said that helicopters have just been filming him for five days. They drop nothing and just keep filming him,' Slater's friend said in the shared message chain. 'Scott Morrison is the biggest joke in Australian history. It's seriously that bad. The stories that I have heard are just mind blowing.' 'The lack of federal assistance in the flood zones in northern NSW has been nothing short of appalling. The stories from friends are hard to comprehend,' Slater wrote Slater also shared a conversation he had with a friend who lives in the area, with the man describing the PM as 'the biggest joke in Australian history' Slater then shared a series of other posts highlighting the damage in the region. The 50-year-old will be denied entry for one of his favourite events at Bells Beach in March and Margaret River in May because if he remains unvaccinated. The surfing legend has been outspoken about the jab, with Health Minister Greg Hunt confirming he would meet the same fate as Novak Djokovic if he attempted to enter without having received the vaccine. 'I think we've been pretty clear with the Novak Djokovic case of no vax, no play,' he said. The 50-year-old will be denied entry for one of his favourite events at Bells Beach in March and Margaret River in May because he remains unvaccinated He previously posted support for Novak Djokovic during his visa saga in Australia - and remains a staunch anti-vaxxer 'It's a pretty simple message, doesn't matter what sport, we're even-handed. I hope he gets vaccinated and I hope he competes.' Slater posted a loaded response to Djokovic's visa saga in Australia earlier this year, claiming the government were attempting to 'brainwash' people. 'Maybe Stockholm Syndrome can now change its name to Melbourne/Australia Syndrome,' wrote Slater. 'It's sad to see the celebrated division by the 'virtuous' vaccinated. If you're vaccinated why are you concerned/worried about anyone else's status unless, of course, it doesn't protect you? 'Or you're scared you'll catch it or upset you had to take the risk of vaccination yourself? So much brainwashed hatred in people's hearts regardless of vax status.' However, Slater has hinted that he rolled up his sleeve and received the jab, declaring he would attend the World Surf League's two Australian events across April and May. 'I'll see you in Australia,' Slater said. '(My vaccination status) is an important question, and there's a reason I'm not talking about it that is personal. I do believe that medical privacy is a real thing. But I think my answer that I'll see you in Australia answers that.' Shocking footage has emerged showing the moment the roof of an Aldi supermarket collapsed as heavy rain smashed Sydney. The incident happened at a store in Hurstville, in Syndey's south on Monday night. Water can be seen dripping through the ceiling near the shelves as lights flash before multiple ceiling tiles fell to the ground under the enormous pressure. The wild storm has seen multiple streets left under water in Syndey's inner-west, with roads in Camden and Bankstown resembling rivers. Shocking footage has emerged showing the moment the roof of an Aldi supermarket collapsed as heavy rain smashed Sydney Water can be seen dripping through the ceiling near the shelves as lights flash before multiple ceiling tiles fell to the ground under the enormous pressure The Monday night deluge was expected to worsen into Tuesday, with an east coast low forecast to dump up to 150mm of rain on Sydney, accompanied by damaging of winds. On Monday evening, the SES issued evacuation orders for parts of Camden in Sydney's south-west by 9pm. A renewed alert warned residents within parts of Camden that they have until 11.59pm on Monday or risk getting cut off once flood waters reach 10.3 metres at Camden Weir. Roads in Bankstown resembled rivers after floods swept through Sydney's south The Bureau of Meteorology has warned residents in Sydney and northern NSW to prepare for flash flooding from Sunday until Tuesday as an east coast low moves in. From left to right, the three main weather models forecasters use show Sydney and the south coast are expected to be battered by more than 100mm of rain Residents in the south coast towns of Sussex Inlet and St Georges Basin were also told to prepare to evacuate. The SES have warned that roads in Sussex Inlet may become inaccessible due to the hazardous weather. In greater Sydney, the wet weather has created landslides and shifting earth. Residents in Sydney and the Blue Mountains have been warned over the risk of deadly landslides, many of which have already caused mud, trees and vegetation to fall onto roads. A number of the landslides were reported at Emu Heights and Katoomba in the Blue Mountains. Footage released by Fire and Rescue shows a roadway cut off due to a landslide. In Northern NSW, flooding has continued to devastate suburbs near the coastline. Residents across Sydney's inner-west reported local flooding on Monday night, with shocking pictures showing streets in Camden and Bankstown under water. Pictured: A flooded street in Milperra Park Street, Petersham is seen under water on Tuesday night after a torrential down pour hit Syndey A recent viral video shared to Reddit sees raging floodwaters near the town of Murwillumbah carve up the landscape, carrying gum trees, boulders and other debris. The floods have reportedly destroyed homes and local infrastructure in the area. Harsh conditions are predicted to ease on Wednesday - when the sun may finally return. Intense flooding continued to inundate Coraki, 30km south of Lismore, on Monday. Concerns have been raised by some charities that aid shipments for Ukraine are being delayed from reaching Europe due to customs red tape. The post-Brexit rules for moving donations into the European Union are confusing and unclear, aid workers have said. The Lewisham Polish Centre, a charity based in south-east London, said three of its vans loaded with sleeping bags, nappies and sanitary items for refugees were stuck in Dover for two days due to paperwork issues. The drivers were on Friday turned away by port authorities who said they did not have the correct documentation, according to the charity's chair. Agnieszka Lokaj said: 'The guys had cover letters from us that this is humanitarian aid with all the information that this is going to be distributed for the refugees, it's not for reselling; we listed all the items.' Every item being transported to the EU from the UK has to be accounted for under post-Brexit legislation. Pictured: Trucks carrying sleeping bags, nappies and sanitary items for refugees in Ukraine collected by the Lewisham Polish Centre were left stranded in Dover due to customs red tape Officials insisted the vehicles needed T1 documents, which Ms Lokaj said would have incurred costs too high for her small organisation. The charity was forced to suspend collection of supplies due to 'logistical challenges' this weekend as they struggled to get their trucks to Poland. 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 Meanwhile, there are reports that dozens of other lorries carrying medical supplies have yet to reach their destination due to similar hold-ups at the UK border, with one driver claiming lorries are being turned away. 'We are not clear on the rules because everybody's saying something else. 'Some vans were able to get through without the T1', Ms Lokaj said, describing the situation as a 'waste of money, waste of time' for busy volunteers. The vans finally got onto a ferry on Sunday with the help of Ciaran Donovan, a St Albans-based courier who transports goods across Europe for a living. He said: 'What they did in the end, which is absolutely mental, is they went on a tourist ticket, which you're not supposed to do. 'It's chaos, there's no law to it, there's no rule to it.' Mr Donovan also said he knew of 13 other vans transporting medical equipment on behalf of charities that 'still haven't left the UK after four days of trying to get customs paperwork'. The new tickets were 170 per van, a cost that had to be covered by the Lewisham Polish Centre. The donations have now arrived in Przemysl, a Polish city on the border with Ukraine. The charity has four more tonnes of donated goods ready to be transported to the continent, but fears this will be complicated by further customs wrangles. Other aid organisations have appealed for financial contributions rather than specific donated items, partly because of complicated and costly transport. Government advice is to donate money through the Disasters Emergency Committee or other trusted charities. The Polish British Social Integration Club Wawel, a London-based community organisation, has closed its donation point and stopped shipments due to the border issues. Its chair Kasia Zimna said: 'When Lewisham gave us information that (their vans) were stuck, we didn't send anything else. 'Sometimes they allow you to go but this is not certain so it depends on the person on the border. 'And we just want to follow the rules. 'It's almost feeling that we need to be cheeky but we just want to deliver the stuff, people are dying from hunger. 'It's quite heart-breaking for us because we have resources, but the law isn't helping'. The organisations have urged the governments of the UK, France and the Netherlands to urgently clarify guidance for trucks carrying humanitarian goods across their borders. The Dutch Embassy in the UK said customs procedures in the Netherlands have been temporarily simplified for Ukraine aid arriving from the UK. 'Humanitarian relief goods are now treated as non-commercial goods, so that they can be transported without delay,' it tweeted. Pictured: After delays at the UK border, the Lewisham Polish Centre confirmed supplies had reached the Polish border and were being unloaded ready to be distributed to those in need Ellie Reeves, the Labour MP for Lewisham West and Penge, told the Lewisham Polish Centre she would raise the issue in Parliament. She tweeted: 'Very pleased that you got through and can now deliver the aid to those in desperate need. But it didn't need to be so difficult & slow and I hope to get the opportunity to raise this in Parliament tomorrow.' HM Revenue & Customs said: 'Anyone requiring advice about transporting humanitarian aid to Ukrainian refugees can contact the free-to-use Export Support Service (ESS) or ESS helpline 0300 303 8955 which can be used by individuals, businesses or charities. 'The UK has committed a 120 million humanitarian aid package for Ukraine to help aid agencies respond to the deteriorating situation, creating a lifeline for Ukrainians with access to basic necessities and medical supplies. 'Our humanitarian aid takes the UK's overall aid support for Ukraine during the current crisis to 220 million, after a 100 million economic package for Ukraine was announced earlier this month.' Alec Baldwin argued that there are only 'two victims' in the on-set shooting that killed Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and claims many of the individuals who have filed lawsuits against him are 'deep pockets litigants'. The actor, addressing the tragedy at the Boulder International Film Festival (BIFF) in Colorado Saturday, said he remains 'hopeful when the facts come out we will not be held criminally responsible' for the shooting. '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,' he told the festival audience, according to CNN video footage of his interview. '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 we're not gonna let that stop us from doing what we need to do in terms of litigation.' Baldwin added: 'Why sue people if you're not going to get money? That's what you're doing.' The actor, who was billed as a 'special guest programmer' at the festival, did not specify which of the multiple suits filed after the after shooting he was referring to. The suits came after Hutchins, 42, was killed in October when a prop revolver Baldwin was rehearsing with during filming in New Mexico fired a live round that hit her in the chest. Director Joel Souza, 48, was also struck but survived. Baldwin, 63, was told the gun he brandished was 'cold' - not loaded - and in a December interview said he did not feel guilty for Hutchins' death, because he didn't believe he was responsible. Alec Baldwin unloads his children's schoolbags from SUV after returning to his Greenwich Village home on Monday evening Baldwin appeared to be sporting a fresh haircut after returning to Manhattan from weekend trip to Colorado During an interview at the Boulder International Film Festival on Saturday, Alec Baldwin (pictured during the interview) argued that there are only 'two victims' in the on-set shooting that killed Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and claims many of the individuals who have filed lawsuits against him are 'deep pockets litigants' The actor said he said he remains 'hopeful when the facts come out we will not be held criminally responsible' for the shooting that killed 42-year-old Halyna Hutchins (pictured) Baldwin reiterated his claim of innocence during Saturday's interview, once again placing blame on armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, 24, who has said that she loaded the antique Colt .45 revolver with what she believed were dummy rounds. '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 that's how I've lived my whole life,' the former 30 Rock star told interviewer and BIFF special event programmer Ron Bostwick. 'I've relied on the safety experts there to declare the gun is safe and hand me the gun. Never had a problem.' He also said actors are 'not allowed' to declare that a weapon is safe to use. 'You're not allowed as an actor to declare the weapon,' Baldwin explained. 'I mean, the joke is, you don't want the actors doing the safety check. They can't even make coffee, they're so stupid.' Additionally, Baldwin noted he is 'hopeful' the investigation will reveal facts of his innocence and serve as a starting point to 'modify the safety regulations' on film sets. 'I'm very hopeful when the facts come out. We will not be held criminally responsible but it has changed my life, and I don't mean this in the ordinary sense that I was involved in something or somebody passed,' he said, according to the Hollywood Reporter. 'I mean, I was involved in a situation with somebody was killed. It's changed my life just in terms of the function of weapons in films and television.' He suggested that unions and other industry members engage in discussions to address new protocols surrounding weapons on set. Baldwin reiterated his claim of innocence during Saturday's interview, once again placing blame on armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, 24, who has said that she loaded the antique Colt .45 revolver with what she believed were dummy rounds. Baldwin is pictured above in a video simulation that shows the moment he fired the shots that killed Hutchins Matthew Hutchins (right with his son, Andros, and Halyna Hutchins on his left), filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Baldwin and about two dozen other defendants last month, claiming they disregarded standard industry practices meant to keep movie sets safe The actor indicated there could be a shift to using plastic or weighted weapons, as well as 'in all likelihood' an elimination of 'all live weapons' in favor of CGI. Although, Baldwin argues that real guns remain in films because 'that's what audiences want.' 'The thing to remember is that guns are fired in films because that's what audiences want. Maybe not this crowd. Maybe not a festival crowd where you want to watch something that's a little more complicated,' he said. 'There's a place to modify the safety regulations we have to deal with and I'm very much looking forward to our decisions.' Before concluding the interview, Baldwin also spoke about Hutchins, whom he claimed was 'loved by people' and 'admired.' 'This woman was a lovely woman, she was a lovely woman, and she was talented,' he said of the late cinematographer. Since the shooting, Baldwin has returned to work. He is currently shooting an independent feature filmed in the U.K. titled 97 Minutes. In a recent Instagram post, he said detailed his return to acting, saying it was 'strange' to be back at work. 'We had our first day today, which is always tricky,' he posted on February 7. 'I don't work as much as I used to. I said this before maybe, but you go to work and you forget what you're supposed to do. I just was like, "What do you do? What is acting or any of this nonsense I ended up doing?" It's strange to go back to work.' Baldwin noted during Saturday's interview he is 'hopeful' the investigation will reveal facts of his alleged innocence and serve as a starting point to 'modify the safety regulations' on film sets (Pictured: Rust film set) Baldwin - pictured in October outside the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office after being questioned about the shooting - believes there could be a shift to using plastic or weighted weapons, as well as 'in all likelihood' an elimination of 'all live weapons' in favor of CGI Lawsuits filed against Alec Baldwin and Rust production members The Hutchins Family: Matthew Hutchins, husband of late cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Alec Baldwin and about two dozen other defendants - including armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed and assistant director David Halls - in February, claiming they disregarded standard industry practices meant to keep movie sets safe. The complaint alleges 'reckless behavior and cost cutting led to the senseless and tragic death of Halyna Hutchins'. Script Supervisor Mamie Mitchell: Mamie Mitchell filed a lawsuit against Baldwin in November 2021 arguing he should have checked the Colt .45 revolver he was holding to make sure it did not include live ammunition. Mitchell, who said she was in the line of fire during the shooting, alleges assault, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and deliberate infliction of harm and is seeking unspecified damages. Chief Electrician Serge Svetnoy: Serge Svetnoy also filed a suit against the actor, Gutierrez-Reed and Halls in November 2021 alleging negligence. Svetnoy accused the producers and others of failing to implement safety standards and of allowing 'a revolver loaded with live ammunition to be pointed at living persons on the Rust set.' He alleged there was 'no reason' for a live bullet to be placed in the gun or even present on set. Key Medic Cherlyn Schaeffer: Cherlyn Schaeffer filed a lawsuit against Gutierrez-Reed and Halls in February 2022 claiming their negligence lead to actor Baldwin being handed a gun with a live round. The lawsuit, which seeks unspecified damages, also included the movie's production company and others like prop master Sarah Zachry. Schaeffer alleges the incident caused her so much emotional distress that she cannot work, claiming she's, 'medically prevented from returning to the profession or any other job.' Armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed: Gutierrez-Reed in January sued the supplier of the ammunition used on the set of the Western film, PDQ Media Arm & Prop owner Seth Kenney, claiming the company led to 'live rounds to be introduced on the New Mexico movie set' after selling blank and live rounds packaged together. Lawyers for the armorer also allege that she was not present when Baldwin had been practicing the cross-draw move, and that no one told her that was going on. They claim that had she 'been called back in, she would have re-inspected the weapon, and every round again, and instructed Baldwin on safe gun practice with the cross-draw, as was her standard practice'. Advertisement Meanwhile, Hutchins' husband, Matthew Hutchins, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Baldwin and about two dozen other defendants - including Gutierrez-Reed and assistant director David Halls - last month, claiming they disregarded standard industry practices meant to keep movie sets safe. These included failure to use a prop gun rather than a live weapon, a lack of individuals qualified to handle weapons on set at the time of the shooting, and lack of protective equipment for crew. The complaint alleges 'reckless behavior and cost cutting led to the senseless and tragic death of Halyna Hutchins'. Matthew's attorney, Brian Panish, said his firm has conducted an independent investigation that uncovered 'numerous violations of industry standards' by Baldwin and the other defendants named in the complaint. A 10-minute video created by Matthew's attorneys showed a 3D animated recreation of the shooting during a rehearsal in a church. It shows a computer-generated avatar representing Baldwin accepting the Colt gun from Halls, pointing it in Hutchins' direction, and firing. The animation shows that the bullet in the chamber was live and not a 'dummy' with a hole drilled into it. The round strikes Hutchins, who clutches her chest and collapses in the video. The lawsuit also states: 'Halyna Hutchins deserved to live, and the Defendants had the power to prevent her death if they had only held sacrosanct their duty to protect the safety of every individual on a set where firearms were present instead of cutting corners on safety procedures where human lives were at stake, rushing to stay on schedule and ignoring numerous complaints of safety violations.' The attorneys also claimed Baldwin had 'refused' training for the kind of gun draw he was doing when he shot Hutchins. The complaint also claims that Baldwin never checked the gun himself for ammunition before using it. The suit also included a copy of a text message where a local camera operator made safety complaints to producers that there had been three unsafe weapons discharges and that the set was 'super unsafe'. The unit production manager responded 'with callous sarcasm', according to the lawsuit. He said in response that it was 'awesome' and 'sounds good'. In response to the civil suit filed by Hutchins' family, Baldwin's lawyer Aaron Dyer said the actor should have been able to rely on the film's armorer, prop department and assistant directors to ensure the gun was safe to use. Matthew has also publicly shared his frustrations with the actor's refusal to take responsibility for his role in the shooting. 'He said essentially he felt grief but no guilt. Almost sounds like he was the victim,' Matthew said in a TODAY interview last month. 'The idea that the person holding the gun and causing it to discharge is not responsible is absurd to me.' The widower, who shared a nine-year-old son named Andros with Hutchins, his wife of 16 years, alleges at least 15 safety practices were disregarded on the set and argues that a wider cost-cutting culture ultimately led to Hutchins' death. 'But gun safety was not the only problem on that set. There were a number of industry standards that were not practiced and there's multiple responsible parties,' he shared. Before concluding the interview, Baldwin also spoke about Hutchins (pictured), whom he claimed was 'loved by people' and 'admired.' He said: 'This woman was a lovely woman, she was a lovely woman, and she was talented' Matthew Hutchins (pictured with Halyna) has publicly shared his frustrations with the actor's refusal to take responsibility for his role in the shooting. Matthew said: 'He said essentially he felt grief but no guilt. Almost sounds like he was the victim' In response to the civil suit filed by Hutchins' family, Baldwin's lawyer Aaron Dyer said the actor should have been able to rely on the film's armorer, prop department and assistant directors to ensure the gun was safe to use Baldwin and other key members of the Rust production team have been hit with several lawsuits in wake of the fatal shooting. Script supervisor Mamie Mitchell filed a lawsuit against Baldwin in November arguing he should have checked the Colt .45 revolver he was holding to make sure it did not include live ammunition. Mitchell, who said she was in the line of fire during the shooting, alleges assault, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and deliberate infliction of harm and is seeking unspecified damages. Attorneys for Baldwin and other Rust producers sought dismissal of the civil lawsuit in January claiming no one 'intentionally committed harmful conduct' against Mitchell. Chief electrician Serge Svetnoy also filed a suit against the actor, Gutierrez-Reed and Halls in November 2021 alleging negligence. Svetnoy accused the producers and others of failing to implement safety standards and of allowing 'a revolver loaded with live ammunition to be pointed at living persons on the Rust set.' 'Simply put, there was no reason for a live bullet to be placed in that .45 Colt revolver or to be present anywhere on the 'Rust' set and the presence of a bullet in the revolver posed a lethal threat to everyone in its vicinity,' the complaint stated. The electrician also said in the lawsuit that he held Hutchins in his arms as she bled from being shot in the chest, adding that it would 'haunt him forever.' Baldwin and other key members of the Rust production team have been hit with several lawsuits in wake of the fatal shooting (Pictured: Halyna Hutchins and her son, Andros) Alec Baldwin and Halyna Hutchins, along with other cast and crew, are pictured on the Rust set Key medic Cherlyn Schaeffer filed a lawsuit against Gutierrez-Reed and Halls last month claiming their negligence lead to actor Baldwin being handed a gun with a live round. The lawsuit, which seeks unspecified damages, also included the movie's production company and others like prop master Sarah Zachry. Schaeffer alleges the incident caused her so much emotional distress that she cannot work, claiming she's, 'medically prevented from returning to the profession or any other job.' She also claimed to be the first person to offer medical assistance to Hutchins and it was her who first called 911. Additionally, Gutierrez-Reed in January sued the supplier of the ammunition used on the set of the Western film, PDQ Media Arm & Prop owner Seth Kenney, claiming in court docs that the company had led to 'live rounds to be introduced on the New Mexico movie set' after selling blank and live rounds packaged together. Lawyers for the armorer said that she was not present when Baldwin had been practicing the cross-draw move, and that no one told her that was going on. 'Had Hannah been called back in, she would have re-inspected the weapon, and every round again, and instructed Baldwin on safe gun practice with the cross-draw, as was her standard practice,' Gutierrez-Reed's lawyers said. 'Hannah would never have let Baldwin point the weapon at Halyna, as part of standard safe gun practices. Apparently, no one inside the Church stopped Baldwin from doing so.' Gutierrez-Reed, whose father is longtime entertainment industry armorer Thell Reed, had only worked on one film prior to Rust, a Nicolas Cage movie titled The Old Way. She said on the podcast Voices of the West in September that the 'scariest thing to' her job was 'loading blanks.' Russian and Ukrainian delegates sat down for a third round of peace talks today, after Moscow told the country it will stop its onslaught 'in a moment' if Kyiv meets a raft of extraordinary Kremlin conditions. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said all of Russia's demands had been formulated and handed over to Ukrainian delegates ahead of today's talks, but it appears little ground was made during the two nations' third attempt at negotiations. Kyiv said there had been some 'positive results' from the talks, focused on giving civilians evacuation routes from besieged towns, but Russia said its expectations from the talks were 'not fulfilled'. Russia is demanding Ukraine cease military action, change its constitution to enshrine neutrality so it cannot join the EU or NATO, acknowledge Crimea as Russian territory and recognise the separatist republics of Donetsk and Lugansk as independent territories. It was the most explicit Russian statement so far of the terms it wants to impose on Ukraine to halt what it calls its 'special military operation' in Ukraine, that is now in its 12th day and has resulted in the deaths of hundreds of civilians. Ukraine has claimed its forces have killed over 10,000 Russian troops, although Russia has only acknowledged around 500 deaths. Experts believe Ukraine's resistance has surprised many in Moscow including President Vladimir Putin himself. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba are also due to meet at a forum in Turkey on Thursday, Ankara said. It would be the first top-level meeting since Moscow launched its invasion on February 24. Ukrainian (left) and Russian (right) officials took part in peace talks in Brest, Belarus, this afternoon. From left to right: Ukraine's deputy minister of foreign affairs Mykola Tochytskyi, minister of defence Oleksiy Reznikov, head of the Ukrainian servant of the people faction Davyd Arakhamia, adviser to the head of the office of the president Mykhailo Podoliak. On the Russian side, from left to right, Russian Ambassador to Belarus Boris Gryzlov, chairman of the Russian State Duma's International Affairs Committee Leonid Slutsky, presidential aide and the head of the Russian delegation Vladimir Medinsky, deputy minister of defence Alexander Fomin, and deputy foreign minister Andrei Rudenko Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said today that Russia is demanding Ukraine cease military action, change its constitution to enshrine neutrality so it cannot join the EU or NATO, acknowledge Crimea as Russian territory and recognise the separatist republics of Donetsk and Lugansk as independent territories Peskov's announcement was the most explicit Russian statement so far of the terms it wants to impose on Ukraine to halt what it calls its 'special military operation' in Ukraine, that is now in its 12th day and has resulted in the deaths of hundreds of civilians President Zelensky adviser Mykhailo Podoliak pictured today ahead of the peace talks. Kyiv said there had been some 'positive results' from the talks, focused on giving civilians evacuation routes from besieged towns, but Russia said its expectations from the talks were 'not fulfilled' Speaking today on the issue of neutrality, Peskov said: 'They should make amendments to the constitution according to which Ukraine would reject any aims to enter any bloc. This is possible only by making changes to the constitution.' The Kremlin spokesman insisted Russia was not seeking to make any further territorial claims on Ukraine, despite the advance of Moscow's troops. 'We really are finishing the demilitarisation of Ukraine. We will finish it. But the main thing is that Ukraine ceases its military action. They should stop their military action and then no one will shoot,' he said. 'They should make amendments to their constitution according to which Ukraine would reject any aims to enter any bloc,' Peskov said. 'We have also spoken about how they should recognise that Crimea is Russian territory and that they need to recognise that Donetsk and Lugansk are independent states. And that's it. It will stop in a moment,' Peskov told Reuters. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky meanwhile has dismissed Moscow's claims that Ukraine must recognise the independence of the two eastern territories as 'ultimatums' from Putin. The invasion launched on Feb. 24 has caused thousands of both civilian and military deaths, has sparked the worst refugee crisis in Europe since World War Two, and provoked outrage across the world. Russia has long demanded that Ukraine agree to rule out joining NATO. In 2019, Ukraine's then-president Petro Poroshenko signed a constitutional amendment committing the country to striving to become a member of NATO and the EU. Peskov claimed Russia had been forced into taking decisive actions to force the demilitarisation of Ukraine, rather than recognising the independence of the breakaway regions. He claimed this was in order to protect the 3million Russian-speaking population in these republics, who he said were being threatened by 100,000 Ukrainian troops. 'We couldn't just recognise them. What were we going to do with the 100,000 army that was standing at the border of Donetsk and Lugansk that could attack at any moment. They were being brought U.S. and British weapons all the time,' he said. In the run-up to the Russian invasion, Ukraine repeatedly and emphatically denied Moscow's assertions that it was about to mount an offensive to take back the separatist regions by force. Peskov said the situation in Ukraine had posed a much greater threat to Russia's security than it had in 2014, when Russia had also amassed 150,000 troops at its border with Ukraine, prompting fears of a Russian invasion, but had limited its action to the annexation of Crimea. A tank with the symbol 'Z' painted on its side is seen in the separatist-controlled village of Bugas during Ukraine-Russia conflict in the Donetsk region, Ukraine March 6, 202 A view shows a residential building damaged by recent shelling, as Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues, in Chernihiv, Ukraine March 3, 2022 'Since then the situation has worsened for us. In 2014, they began supplying weapons to Ukraine and preparing the army for NATO, bringing it in line with NATO standards,' he said. 'In the end what tipped the balance was the lives of these 3 million people in Donbass. We understood they would be attacked.' Peskov claimed Russia had to act in the face of the threat it perceived from NATO, saying it was 'only a matter of time' before the alliance placed missiles in Ukraine as it had in Poland and Romania. 'We just understood we could not put up with this any more. We had to act,' he said. Earlier, Mykhailo Podoliyak, an advisor to Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, posted to Twitter while posing in front of a helicopter as he left for talks. 'In a few minutes, we will start talking to representatives of a country that seriously believes that large-scale violence against civilians is an argument,' he wrote. 'Prove that this is not the case. Do not pay attention to various toxic names like Yanukovych, Boyko, Muraev, which are foolish Russians.' Minutes earlier, he posted another message, calling the Russian army 'barbarians'. 'Barbarians of the XXI century. Russia damaged/destroyed 202 schools, 34 hospitals, 1500+ residential buildings,' he wrote. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (right) and Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba (left) are also due to meet at a forum in Turkey on Thursday, Ankara said. It would be the first top-level meeting since Moscow launched its invasion on February 24 '900+ our settlements are completely deprived of light, water, heat. The Russian army doesn't know how to fight against other armies. But it's good at killing civilians.' His message captioned a picture of buildings levelled by Russian airstrikes. Meanwhile, Mevlut Cavusoglu - Turkey's foreign minister - announced today that Lavrov and Kuleba would meet in the resort city of Antalya on Thursday. Russia's foreign ministry confirmed the plan. NATO member Turkey, which shares a maritime border with Russia and Ukraine in the Black Sea, had been offering to mediate between the sides. 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 Ankara has good relations with both Moscow and Kyiv, and has called Russia's invasion unacceptable even as it opposes sanctions against Moscow. Cavusoglu said that in a call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday, President Tayyip Erdogan repeated Turkey's offer to host the meeting and Lavrov later accepted. 'We especially hope that this meeting is a turning point and...an important step towards peace and stability,' he said, adding both ministers had asked for him to join the talks. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova confirmed the meeting on Telegram. Kuleba had said on Saturday he was open to talks with Lavrov but only if they were 'meaningful'. Russia announced new 'humanitarian corridors' on Monday to transport Ukrainians trapped under its bombardment - to Russia itself and its ally Belarus, a move immediately denounced by Kyiv as an immoral stunt. The announcement came after two days of failed ceasefires to let civilians flee the besieged city of Mariupol, where hundreds of thousands of people are trapped without food and water, under relentless bombardment and unable to evacuate their wounded. Russia calls its actions in Ukraine 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. While forging close relations with Russia on defence, trade and energy, and hosting millions of Russian tourists every year, Turkey has also sold drones to Ukraine, angering Moscow. Ankara also opposes Russian policies in Syria and Libya, and also opposed Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea from Ukraine. Russia's announcement of 'humanitarian corridors' came after two days of failed ceasefires to allow civilians to escape the besieged city of Mariupol, where hundreds of thousands are trapped without food and water, under relentless bombardment. A corridor from Kyiv would lead to Russia's ally Belarus, while civilians from Kharkiv, Ukraine's second biggest city, would be directed to Russia, according to maps published by the RIA news agency. 'Attempts by the Ukrainian side to deceive Russia and the whole civilised world ... are useless this time,' the ministry said. A spokesperson for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called the move 'completely immoral' saying Russia was trying to 'use people's suffering to create a television picture'. 'They are citizens of Ukraine, they should have the right to evacuate to the territory of Ukraine,' the spokesperson told Reuters. More than 1.7 million Ukrainians fleeing Russia's invasion have so far crossed into Central Europe, the United Nation's refugee agency said on Monday, as thousands more streamed in that direction. Sweeping sanctions have subjected Russia to isolation from global commerce never before visited on such a large economy. Global share prices plunged on Monday after Washington said it was considering extending sanctions to Russia's energy exports, until now carved out from trade bans. WWE great Shad Gaspard gave his own life to save his 10 year-old son in a swimming accident at Venice Beach, California, a lifeguard has revealed in a harrowing and heartbreaking first-time account of the tragedy. Yelling 'Save my son, Save my son,' the 6ft 7in wrestler - struggling in waves up to 8 feet high - threw the boy toward rescuers before being dragged under by a deadly rip tide and drowning, the lifeguard Thomas Swift, said in newly-filed court documents obtained by DailyMail.com Swift was able to save Gaspard's son Aryeh, who goes by A.G. But Gaspard's wife, Siliana, filed a wrongful death suit against the City and County of Los Angeles and the state of California alleging 'dangerous conditions' at Venice Beach and 'negligence'. She claimed that there were not enough signs to warn 39-year-old Gaspard and A.G. of the 'danger or risk' of swimming there. She's also accusing lifeguards of being slow to react, poorly trained, understaffed and lacking proper equipment. LA County - which is responsible for public safety at Venice Beach - denied her claims, saying there are plenty of signs warning of rip currents and other risks and insisting that lifeguards are properly trained and equipped. LA officials filed a motion asking LA Superior Court for a 'summary judgement' to exonerate them from any blame in Gaspard's death. And now in support of that motion, lifeguard Swift - a one-time member of the U.S. National Lifesaving Team - has given his disturbing version of what happened that fateful day, May 17, 2020, in a declaration to the court. Former WWE wrestler drowned on May 17, 2020 while swimming with his 10-year-old son on Venice Beach. A lifeguard revealed Gaspard yelled 'Save my son, Save my son!' and threw the boy toward rescuers before being dragged under by a deadly rip tide Gaspard's wife, Siliana, filed a wrongful death suit against the City and County of Los Angeles alleging 'dangerous conditions' at Venice Beach and 'negligence'. She's seen leaving the beach after the tragic incident A 30-year life-saving veteran, Swift said conditions were so rough that he and another lifeguard had to rescue six other swimmers not long before he spotted Gaspard and his son A.G. in the water. On that fateful day, waves were up to eight feet with four to six foot surf and strong rip-currents. Gaspard is best known as a member of the wrestling team Cryme Tyme with fellow WWE star JTG 'I saw two individuals approximately 200 yards south of my location heading out into the surf and observed a set of approximately 4-8 ft waves coming in,' he said in his four-page declaration. 'After the third wave in the set, I observed these two individuals (who he later found out were Gaspard and A.G.) to be taken off their feet and they started drifting in a northerly direction in a lateral current that was moving at a speed of approximately 5-10 knots. 'I immediately phoned Santa Monica Headquarters that I was going out to assist these two individuals. I took my rescue can and, based on my training and experience, I ran diagonally fourth in the direction the rip current would take decedent (Gaspard) and A.G. in order to try to cut them off. I entered the water with at least one swim fin and started dolphin diving and swimming to Gaspard and A.G. 'When I was approximately 20 feet from Gaspard and A.G., a large wave approximately 6-8ft high with lots of water volume was approaching. 'Just as the wave was about to come down, I observed Gaspard push A.G. by his shoulders approximately five feet in my direction. As soon as Gaspard pushed A.G., the wave crashed directly on Gaspard while the white water from the wave pulled both me and A.G. under.and held everyone under the water for several seconds. 'When I surfaced, A.G. was approximately five feet to my right and Gaspard was approximately 20 feet to my left..I swam to A.G, gave him my rescue can, and told him to hold on to it in an effort to stabilize A.G. so that I could assist Gaspard. 'When the next wave hit, A.G. let go of the rescue can. I retrieved the rescue can and gave it back to A.G. After this second wave hit, I lost sight of Gaspard. 'It was clear to me that A.G. was disoriented and he would not be able to hold on to the rescue can in the rough ocean conditions. I determined I would not be able to swim out to Gaspard's location and keep A.G. safe at the same time.' Lifeguard Thomas Swift described Gaspard's final moments in newly-filed court documents obtained by DailyMail.com Swift added, 'Due to the rough ocean conditions and the white water pushing us into shower, the distance between the two victims and the inability of A.G. to maintain hold of the rescue can, I made the decision to bring A.G. to shore and then return to assist Gaspard. 'Based on these conditions, it was my assessment that if I did not get A.G. back to the shore, he would have died.' After handing off A.G. to two rescue volunteer when they reached the shore, Swift - a certified emergency medical technician and an American Red Cross lifeguard instructor - plunged back into the ocean to try to save Gaspard. 'I swam out to sea where I thought Gaspard would be,' he went on. 'As I swam, I could see two surfers ahead of me and approximately 20 yards to my left, paddling out toward Gaspard in an effort to assist. 'The surfers reached Gaspard first, waved to me, and said Gaspard was right under themThe two surfers told me they were with Gaspard for approximately 10-15 seconds before he went under. 'They reported that they were pushing their boards toward Gaspard but he appeared disoriented , would not grab on to their boards and just kept saying, 'save my son, save my son.' Swift said he and another lifeguard who had arrived on the scene, dived several times to try to find Gaspard. A rescue boat and other lifeguards joined the search, but they couldn't locate Gaspard. He was swept out to sea and his lifeless body was later found close to the shoreline. In her original lawsuit documents, Siliana Gaspard told a different story, claiming that when lifeguards 'saw Shad and A.G. struggling in the water they did not do anything for an unreasonable and negligent amount of time.' The would-be rescuers 'eventually went into the water but without the proper equipment for their duties to assist people in the water like Shad Gaspard and A.G.' she claimed, adding that the lifeguards 'chose to only assist A.G. and left Shad Gaspard in the water to die.' Siliana also alleged that lifeguard stations at Venice Beach were 'negligently understaffed and that LA county officials 'were negligent in the lack of proper training and supervision and negligent in the hiring, retaining, training and supervision of lifeguards. 'The defendants' activities, or lack thereof increased the degree of dangerousness of the condition of the scene, causing the death of Shad Gaspard' Gaspard married wife Siliana Gaspard in 2009 and they share one son together. Gaspard had launched an acting career since leaving the wrestling world in 2010 In her lawsuit , Siliana claimed that when lifeguards 'saw Shad and A.G. struggling in the water they did not do anything for an unreasonable and negligent amount of time' Siliana Gaspard remained on the beach the day Gaspard went missing and was seen staring out into the ocean while the coast guard conducted a search Swift's boss, Daniel Murphy, Section Chief of the Lifeguard Services Division of the Los Angeles County Fire Department, countered Liliana's claims in a declaration to the court. He maintained in the newly-filed legal document that 'a dive team, multiple lifeguard units, rescue boats, a helicopter, a personal watercraft, Baywatch Del Rey and Baywatch Malibu were deployed to search for Mr. Gaspard following his submersion but they were unable to locate him.' Murphy also included a chapter of the Ocean Academy Manuel which details the 'critical life-saving procedures, equipment and techniques required of Ocean Lifeguards. And he listed signs like 'CAUTION - BEWARE OF RIP CURRENTS' and 'BE MINDFUL OF THE OPEN OCEAN AND SWIM/SURF WITHIN YOUR ABILITY' that are on display at Venice Beach. Gaspard - who was originally known in the WWF as Da Beast in the tag team Cryme Time with partner JTG - quit pro wrestling in 2011 to begin an acting career in TV and movies. He was in 2015's Get Hard with Will Ferrell and Kevin Hart. In a tribute to Gaspard, former wrestler turned movie star Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson said, 'Shad drowned in the ocean, but not before instructing lifeguards to save his son first. That's the love of a father.' The next court hearing in Siliana's lawsuit is scheduled for May 17 - exactly two years to the day since Gaspard's death. By Anna J. Park The board of Woori Financial Group said it has recommended Lee Won-duk, Woori Bank's CEO appointee, as a non-executive director. Prior to Lee's nomination as the group's flagship bank chief in early February, he had long served on the board as the group's senior deputy president and executive director. After being appointed in early February to lead the bank for a two-year term starting later this month, Lee had to step down from his board position. Yet, with the board's decision to recommend him as a non-executive director, Lee was able to remain on the board, strengthening his position as the group's second-most-powerful man. The board's recommendation is slated to be confirmed on March 25 during the group's shareholders meeting. Born in 1962, Lee graduated from Seoul National University, beginning his financial career at the now-defunct Hanil Bank in 1990. He continued to assume key positions at Woori Financial, ranging from the chief of strategic planning, global strategy and future strategy divisions. Lee is also the closest adviser to group Chairman Son Tae-seung. Ukrainians were seen urinating against a Russian military vehicle in a sign of defiance against Vladimir Putin's invading troops. Video footage, shared on social media, appeared to show two Ukrainian men urinating on what is believed to be a Russian MT-LBu tank in Chaplynka, Kakhovka Raion. A Ukrainian flag flew above the abandoned armoured carrier while chanting was heard in the distance in a further sign of resistance against the Russian invasion. The vehicle was marked with the letter 'Z', which has become a Russian symbol of the invasion after being seen on Russian tanks and military vehicles. Video footage, shared on social media, appeared to show two Ukrainian men urinating on what is believed to be a Russian MT-LBu vehicle in Chaplynka, Kakhovka Raion The insignia, which is Latin script, has rose to prominence across the past month as a pro-war and pro-Putin symbol, and 'Z' merchandise has even been sold by Russia Today, the Kremlin-funded TV channel. 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 defiant move is the latest in a string of protests made by brave Ukrainian citizens as Russian troops continue to advance and shell cities. On Saturday, thousands of residents poured into to the streets of Kherson, the only major city to have fallen to Russian forces so far, and protested against Russian troops and demonstrated incredible bravery 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 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. 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. Russian forces are widely seen as having struggled in the face of Ukrainian military resistance and civil disobedience since entering the country 11 days ago. Putin's men renewed their bombardments on Mariupol, Chernihiv, Mykolaiv and Kharkiv this morning as hundreds of civilians tried to evacuate Irpin - on the outskirts of Kyiv - across a destroyed bridge after days of heavy attacks in an attempt to encircle the capital. But Russian commanders have not significantly advanced their frontline since the city of Kherson and nuclear power plant at Zaporizhzhia were captured last week. The Ukrainian armed forces claimed to have destroyed up to 30 Russian helicopters that had been moved to Chornobaivka airport, near Kherson, overnight and to have retaken the city of Chuhuiv, near Kharkiv, killing two Russian commanders - Lt. Col. Dmitry Safronov, and Lt Col. Denis Glebov - in the process. Ukraine's ministry of defence claims to have taken out more than 11,000 troops, some 290 tanks, 1,000 armoured personnel carriers, 46 planes, 68 helicopters and 117 artillery pieces as-of Monday morning. None of those figures has been independently verified. Russia has acknowledged taking losses, but gave a figure of 500 deaths last week and has not updated it since. Ukraine's military estimates that 11,000 Russian soldiers have been killed in fighting along with the loss of 1,000 armoured vehicles, 290 tanks, 68 helicopters, 46 planes and dozens of other piece of hardware. Independent observers give lower totals, but Franz-Stefan Gady - of the International Institute for Strategic Studies - said the situation is never-the-less 'slowly becoming unsustainable for Russia'. US intelligence believes Russia has committed 95 per cent of the invasion force it had assembled on Ukraine's border to the fight, meaning significant reinforcements to push its attacks forward are unlikely to come soon - and could simply run into many of the same logistical problems that plagued the early assault. The defiant move is the latest in a string of protests, including from a brave man who was seen clamoring up a moving Russian armored vehicle and waving a Ukrainian flag at the weekend That has prompted some - including UK general Admiral Sir Tony Radakin - to predict that Russia could actually lose the war. Asked by the BBC on Sunday whether victory for Putin's men was 'inevitable', as many had predicted before the fighting started, he responded: 'No.' Meanwhile, Volodymyr Zelensky vowed that 'God will not forgive' and Ukraine 'will not forget' the slaughter of civilians by Russian forces, saying a 'day of judgement' is coming for them. Zelensky, in a late-night address to his countrymen on the Orthodox Christian holiday of 'Forgiveness Sunday', recalled how a family of four were among eight civilians killed by Russian mortars while trying to flee the city of Irpin - near Kyiv - earlier in the day. 'We will not forgive. We will not forget,' he told listeners. 'We cannot forgive the hundreds upon hundreds of victims. Nor the thousands upon thousands who have suffered,' he added. 'God will not forgive. Not today. Not tomorrow. Never.' 'Instead of humanitarian corridors, they can only make bloody ones,' Zelensky said, as Interior Ministry adviser Anton Gerashchenko added: 'There can be no 'green corridors' because only the sick brain of the Russians decides when to start shooting and at whom.' Shortly after they spoke, columns of smoke were seen rising over the city of Mykolaiv, on Ukraine's Black Sea coast, as Russian forces resumed shelling. The exact number of civilian casualties is unclear, though is estimated by Ukraine to be in the thousands as residential areas of major cities are indiscriminately bombed using thermobaric and cluster munitions amid evidence of 'hit squads' targeting civilian vehicles. Forces continue to work to surround the capital Kyiv, though progress has been slow. Attacks on civilian areas on the outskirts have increased After more than a week in stalled positions, Russian forces have made small gains in their attempt to surround and assault Kyiv - with Ukraine saying enough firepower has now been amassed for the mission Russian forces are widely seen as having struggled in the face of Ukrainian military resistance and civil disobedience since entering the country 11 days ago. Pictured: Smoke rises from a Russian tank in Lugansk region on February 26 The UN has confirmed 406 civilian deaths, though admits the true toll will be higher, and says that that 1.5million people have fled the fighting. A military expert has warned that Putin could be finished by the invasion after under-estimating military, social and economic resistance at home and abroad. Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Westminster Hour, Prof Clarke said 'every day the Ukrainian government is still up and running and standing is a political victory for them and a political defeat for Russia'. 'The Russians can occupy the country at a superficial level. But given that the Ukrainians now hate them - and you are talking about a big country, a physically big country of 45 million people - it is a sheer impossibility that the Russians can control Ukraine in the way that they thought likely or the way Putin thought likely,' he said. 'Its a completely impossible scenario Putin has set his military forces, its a huge strategic blunder, which incidentally has now become a political crisis in Russia this is peak Putin. After this Putin is finished. 'We don't know how long it will take, it may be some years or it might actually be quite quick. But there is no way out for this, it is a massive massive mistake on his part.' 'We don't know how long it will take, it may be some years or it might actually be quite quick. But there is no way out for this, it is a massive massive mistake on his part.' A Russian T-72 tank is seen destroyed somewhere near the city of Mariupol in an image posted by the 'Azov Brigade', a unit of the Ukrainian National Guard that operates in and around the city The tail-end of a destroyed Russian Su-34 fighter is seen crashed through the roof of a warehouse near Kharkiv having been shot down by Ukrainian forces A destroyed Russian infantry fighting vehicle is seen near the city of Mariupol, in images captured by Ukraine's 'Azov Brigade' And the UK's top military commander suggested Vladimir Putin's 'decimated' forces could lose the war in Ukraine. Admiral Sir Tony Radakin said Russia's troops were 'in a mess' and the invasion was 'not going well'. His comments represent the most optimistic assessment yet of how the conflict may end but came on another bleak day, with Russian forces firing on families as they fled the fighting. When the invasion began less than a fortnight ago it was assumed to be inevitable that Russian tanks would roll into Kyiv within hours. But after a series of strategic blunders and the remarkable resistance of Ukrainian troops on the battlefield, the outcome of the campaign could now be in doubt. Sir Tony, the former head of the Royal Navy, who was appointed Chief of the Defence Staff late last year, was speaking after eight Russian aircraft were shot down in 24 hours. The Russians, contrary to their military doctrine, have also been forced to admit that almost 500 of their soldiers have been killed. Advertisement The roughly 1,000-vehicle People's Convoy has turned the 64-mile highway surrounding Washington D.C. into a parking lot for the second day in a row. The cavalcade of semi-trucks, recreational vehicles and cars left all lanes of traffic at a standstill multiple times Monday during its loop around the Beltway - the circular stretch of I-495 that connects Virginia, Maryland and D.C. - after some of the trucks practically parked on the highway causing all the cars behind to stop, a DailyMail.com journalist trailing the group reported. The group, which has resumed driving and is now occupying two lanes of traffic, is forcing traffic in the already congested metropolis to crawl as part of their effort to put an end to coronavirus mandates and what the protesters describe as 'government overreach'. Congressional staff are being told to work from home or to get a hotel room - that can be paid for by their tax-payer funded office - as the truckers encircle Washington. The Pentagon on Monday approved requests from U.S. Capitol Police and the D.C. Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency to extend National Guard support at traffic control points throughout D.C. and the Capitol building until Wednesday in response to the trucker protest. At least 20 convoy members will meet with a group of Congressional senators and representatives on Tuesday to discuss their demands, truckers familiar with the appointment confirmed to DailyMail.com. Rep. Matt Gaetz, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and others are expected to attend the meeting. People's Convoy organizer Brian Brase, 37, of Ohio, noted Sunday he is 'hopeful that we will have successful dialogue with congressmen and women and senators' and that the conversation will 'help get what were looking for pushed through in a timely fashion.' The convoy will be joined by two other truck cavalcades - Convoy for America and the American Freedom Convoy - Monday night to prepare for a unified drive of more than 2,000 vehicles along the Beltway on Tuesday, organizers told DailyMail.com. Maryland State Police have warned citizens to expect massive traffic delays in the coming days. Meanwhile, as the convoys continue to protest in D.C., the Americans For Justice organization - a group whose mission is to fight for the survival of the U.S. Constitution - is holding a nationwide Great American Assembly protest Monday in support on the truckers. The group has called on its members to assemble outside their state capitols to protest numerous political issues including medical freedom, election integrity, political prisoners, the southern border crisis, child trafficking and red flag gun legislation. WASHINGTON D.C. - MARCH 7: The roughly 1,000-vehicle People's Convoy has turned the Beltway, a 64-mile highway surrounding Washington D.C., into a parking lot for the second day in a row WASHINGTON D.C. - MARCH 7: The cavalcade of semi-trucks, recreational vehicles and cars left all lanes of traffic at a standstill multiple times Monday during its loop around the Beltway after some of the trucks practically parked on the highway causing all the cars behind to stop WASHINGTON D.C. - MARCH 7: The group, which has resumed driving and is now occupying two lanes of traffic, is forcing traffic in the already congested metropolis to crawl as part of their effort to put an end to coronavirus mandates and what the protesters describe as 'government overreach' WASHINGTON D.C. - MARCH 7: The goal, organizers said, is to be a 'huge pain,' causing massive traffic jams as commuters try to make their way through the D.C. metro area SILVER SPRINGS, MARYLAND - MARCH 7: The Pentagon on Monday approved requests from U.S. Capitol Police and the D.C. Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency to extend National Guard support at traffic control points throughout capital city until Wednesday in response to the trucker protest WASHINGTON D.C. - MARCH 7: At least 20 members of the People's Convoy will be meeting with a group of Congressional senators and representatives on Tuesday to discuss their demands, truckers familiar with the appointment confirmed to DailyMail.com MARYLAND - MARCH 7: The group first circled the highway on Sunday in one lane and brought traffic to a standstill. Maryland State Police have warned residents to expect massive traffic delays in the coming days The People's Convoy departed from the Hagerstown Speedway in Maryland on Monday morning to convoy around the D.C. metropolitan area. The group is making one loop around the Beltway, a 64-mile highway surrounding the capital city, but occupying two lanes of traffic To help combat increased drive times caused by the armada of truckers in the People's Convoy, House Sergeant at Arms William Walker and House Chief Administrative Officer Catherine Szpindor wrote to Capitol Hill staff on Sunday night urging them to either work from home or use public transportation. If that was not an option, the two House officers gave the unusual option of letting staff get a hotel room paid for by their congressional office, which is funded by taxpayer money, so they can stay close to the Capitol and avoid a commute. 'In general, living expenses and commuting expenses, including lodging expenses at a Member's or employee's regular duty station, are not reimbursable with official funds, except in extraordinary circumstances,' Walker and Szpindor write in a letter obtained by DailyMail.com. 'Considering the current situation, the Committee on House Administration has determined that extraordinary circumstances exist to permit use of official funds to reimburse short-term lodging expenses in the Washington, D.C., area for certain Members and staff,' they noted. To meet the requirement for an office-paid hotel room, staff must show their commute to the Capitol would be disrupted by the convoy, that their job is essential and requires them to be on the four-acre Capitol campus, and there is no feasible public transportation option. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, who was briefed by Capitol Police Chief J. Thomas Manger about the convoys, said Monday she is monitoring both trucker convoys 'closely to ensure D.C. residents are kept safe.' 'As of now, they apparently do not plan to disrupt regular business inside D.C., instead planning to drive several laps around the beltway at 45-55 miles per hour and bus some representatives into the District to meet with members of Congress,' she wrote in a press release. 'Chief Manger told me that he was more worried last week, before the State of the Union, prior to making contact with the convoys, and he currently does not expect either of the groups to cause security problems in the area.' House Sergeant at Arms William Walker and House Chief Administrative Officer Catherine Szpindor wrote to Capitol Hill staff on Sunday night urging them to either work from home or use public transportation HAGERSTOWN, MARYLAND - MARCH 7: The People's Convoy gathered in Hagerstown, Maryland, on Monday to take their protest to the nation's capitol HAGERSTOWN, MARYLAND - MARCH 7: 'Hey DC, if you werent sure from yesterday just how BIG we are, heres your chance to get a second look!' an admin of the convoy's Facebook page wrote Monday morning. 'We will hold the line! YOU WORK FOR US!' WASHINGTON D.C. - MARCH 7: Motorists participating in the People's Convoy drive along the Beltway Monday HAGERSTOWN, MARYLAND - MARCH 7: A demonstrator carries a cardboard cutout of former President Donald Trump WASHINGTON D.C. - MARCH 7: Congressional staff are being told to work from home or to get a hotel room as a trucker convoy protesting covid vaccine mandates encircles Washington WASHINGTON D.C. - MARCH 7: The trucks in the protest waved American flags as they drove around Washington D.C. Monday SILVER SPRINGS, MARYLAND - MARCH 7: Supporters of the truckers hold flags from an overpass Residents of the D.C. metro area have warned of possible traffic jams as the massive 18-wheelers travel the interstate this week. 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 this week. '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. But, in a bit of irony, the convoy, which wanted to cause traffic jams, ended up getting caught up in Washington notorious traffic itself on Sunday. As the trucks made their way onto I-495 Beltway, they moved slowly to try and block the multi-lane highway but their presence got deluded by the mass of vehicles that traverses one of the busiest interstates in the country. Most cars were able to move around the trucks, which flew American flags and had signs that read 'Don't tread on me' and 'mandate freedom.' Officials, however, were worried things could be worse on Monday when the commuter rush is even bigger. '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.' WASHINGTON D.C. - MARCH 7: Traffic on the D.C. Beltway took to a complete stop multiple times during Monday's protest HAGERSTOWN, MARYLAND - MARCH 7: Convoy organizer Brian Brase said Sunday the group is coordinating with local law enforcement, while also acknowledging that 'obviously there's a natural disturbance' caused by their protest WASHINGTON D.C. - MARCH 7: Brase claims the convoy does 'not want to impede traffic any more than necessary to get our message across' HAGERSTOWN, MARYLAND - MARCH 7: Truckers departed from Hagerstown Speedway around 10am Monday to head for the D.C. Beltway WASHINGTON D.C. - MARCH 6: Even some motorcyclists joined in on the protest against mask and vaccine mandates as the convoy made its move on Sunday Trucker and People's Convoy organizer Brian Brase said Sunday the group is coordinating with local law enforcement, while also acknowledging that 'obviously there's a natural disturbance' caused by their protest. 'We do not want to impede traffic any more than necessary to get our message across,' he said. Brase added: 'If they dont come to the table to meet with us or they ignore us, then every day it will escalate.' The trucker had previously claimed the group would continue to circle the Beltway each day this week, clogging one of the main arteries into DC until the their demands are met. However, Sunday he indicated that plans will be determined day-by-day. Another organizer has not ruled out the trucks honking their horns along Pennsylvania Avenue, despite the convoy's promise not to go into the capital city limits. '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.' Brase echoed the sentiment Sunday morning before the convoy departed for the Beltway for the first time. He said that although they weren't going into D.C. proper on Sunday 'it does not mean it won't happen' in the future. 'We are not going to sit idly by,' he said. '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.' The trucker reiterated: 'We're doing this to let them know that we are very serious. 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.' He also claimed the group will continue to protest 'peacefully' and 'with some class' as they had done 'coming all the way across the country.' However, the fate of their protest remains unclear as the truckers need to leave the Hagerstown Speedway by 10pm on Monday. Some speculate this could impact the convoy's ability to stick together for future Beltway loops. 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 trek. Monday marks the twelfth day of their protest WASHINGTON D.C. - MARCH 7: A motorist with anti-COVID messages painted on their vehicle is pictured participating in the People's Convoy loop along the D.C. Beltway on Monday WASHINGTON D.C. - MARCH 6: The now 30-mile-long People's Convoy circled the Washington DC Beltway on Sunday (pictured) in protest of 'unconstitutional' coronavirus restrictions, such as mask and vaccine mandates WASHINGTON D.C. - MARCH 7: Organizer Brian Brase (not pictured) said Sunday that although the convoy isn't going into D.C. proper at this time, it 'does not mean it won't happen' in the future WASHINGTON D.C. - MARCH 7: Another organizer has not ruled 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 7: The People's Convoy was established in response to the mandates instated in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Their leaders told DailyMail.com they are fighting 'government overreach' 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 trek. The truck cavalcade stopped in major U.S. cities and rural towns along the way to D.C., holding rallies and meeting with their supporters. While Monday is only their second day clogging the Beltway, it marks the group's twelfth day of protest. The convoy has raised more than $1.6 million in donations made through its own website. The People's Convoy was established in response to the mandates instated in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Their leaders told DailyMail.com they are fighting 'government overreach.' 'We the People of the United States, in Order to restore our once perfect Union, re-establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense of all, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty, do ordain and establish the restoration movement of The Peoples Convoy for the United States of America,' the missions statement on the group's website reads. The convoy 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. WASHINGTON D.C. - MARCH 7: Truckers from the People's Convoy loop the The Beltway for a second day in a row LAKE ARBOR, MARYLAND - MARCH 7: Demonstrators wave up at the overpass in Lake Arbor, Maryland as they travel to the D.C. Beltway for Monday's demonstration HAGERSTOWN, MARYLAND - MARCH 7: A demonstrator passes an autographed American flag as he prepares to depart Hagerstown Speedway on Monday HAGERSTOWN, MARYLAND - MARCH 7: The People's Convoy 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 HAGERSTOWN, MARYLAND - MARCH 7: Motorcycle police are stationed on Maryland highway ramps to watch over the trucker convoy HAGERSTOWN, MARYLAND - MARCH 7: A demonstrator prepares his truck and secures his flags as he prepares to depart Hagerstown Speedway on Monday for the People's Convoy's loop around the D.C. Beltway WASHINGTON D.C. - MARCH 7: The convoy will be joined by two other truck cavalcades - Convoy for America and the American Freedom Convoy - Monday night to prepare for a unified drive of more than 2,000 vehicles along the Beltway on Tuesday, organizers told DailyMail.com The American Truckers Freedom Convoy, which has gathered in Virginia, echoed those claims, saying their participants and members have come together from 'all political spectrums'. 'Were getting so much testimony and so much information and petition signatures from people across the platform,' convoy organizer Tom Shadilay told the Free Lance-Star Sunday. 'Democrats, Independents, Republicans who are seeing a lot of problems with the country right now that they want them addressed, and theyre unified in that.' 'Its not about COVID, its about everything,' said Tom Simpson, of Spotsylvania, Virginia, who came to the trucker gathering as a supporter. 'Our economy has tanked in the last year.' 'The people are tired of all the crap going on up there in the White House,' echoed fellow Spotsylvania resident Mervin Todd, alleging policies created by current lawmakers are 'negatively impacting the quality of life for the average American citizen.' Dewey Irving, a 36-year-old independent trucker from Virginia, cited rising gas prices as his reasoning for protest. He claims to spend over $2,000 each week to fill his semi. 'This is the highest Ive ever seen fuel prices and theyre going to go up more, I bet,' Irving told the newspaper. 'If they dont get the fuel prices down, Im going to have to shut this truck down.' He also said that despite rising costs, truckers are still earning the same pay: 'We should be making a whole lot more money than we are, not spending as much as we are.' The family is now requesting an audience with Joe Biden - who has called getting Reed home a 'priority' - ahead of his planned visit to Fort Worth Tuesday Reed, 30, was handed a nine-year prison sentence in July 2019 after allegedly assaulting two Russian police officers while drunk 'It was 3 a.m. in the morning, and we talked for roughly 15 to 20 minutes' 'We were so surprised to hear from him,' Joey Reed told the network of the call, 'We want to get him home before something really bad happens to him,' she said 'He sounded terrible and had been coughing up blood daily,' Reed's mother, Paula, said over the weekend, after receiving a call from Reed Saturday Trevor Reed, 30, is reportedly 'coughing up blood' and being denied medical care after he was exposed to another prisoner with the disease, his parents say Trevor Reed, a US Marine currently serving a sentence in Russian prison for the alleged assault of two Moscow cops in 2019, is reportedly 'coughing up blood' and being denied medical care for tuberculosis, his parents say. 'He sounded terrible and had been coughing up blood daily,' Reed's mother, Paula, told WFAA over the weekend in an interview from her and her husband's Texas home, after receiving a call from her son early Saturday - the first in nearly eight months. 'We want to get him home before something really bad happens to him,' she told the network, with her husband at her side. Reed, 30, was handed a nine-year prison sentence in July 2019 after allegedly assaulting two Russian police officers while drunk. 'We were so surprised to hear from him,' Joey Reed told the network of the call. 'It was 3 a.m. in the morning, and we talked for roughly 15 to 20 minutes.' The pair are now asking to meet with President Joe Biden Tuesday to discuss their sons' dire situation, as tensions between the US and Moscow continue to worsen as the war in Ukraine rages on. Scroll down for video: Trevor Reed, a US Marine currently serving a sentence in Russian prison for the alleged assault of two Moscow cops in 2019, is reportedly 'coughing up blood' and being denied medical care for tuberculosis after he was exposed to another prisoner with the disease, his parents say 'He sounded terrible and had been coughing up blood daily,' Reed's mother, Paula (at left), said in a sit-down interview with her husband, Joey (at right), and Reed's sister, Taylor, from their Texas home, after receiving a call from Reed early Saturday - the first in nearly eight months Prior to the call, the pair had not heard from their son for 232 days, after his transfer from detention center in Moscow to a penal colony 217 miles east in Mordovia following a failed appeal in the case, which saw Reed handed a nine-year sentence. 'He was the first friend in the world I ever had, and I want to see him again,' Reed's sister, Taylor, told the outlet. Last month, US embassy officials revealed that Reed, who went on a six-day hunger strike in November to protest his treatment by Russian authorities, 'had prolonged exposure to another prisoner with active tuberculosis' in December. 'Trevor now reports he is coughing up blood and has not received medical care for it,' US Embassy spokesperson Jason P. Rebholz revealed at the time, in a tweet posted February 16 that demanded the Kremlin 'give Trevor proper medical treatment,' and 'better yet, release him.' Reed, 30, was handed a nine-year prison sentence in July 2019 after allegedly assaulting two Russian police officers while drunk. Here he is pictured in Moscow prison in 2019. He has since been transferred to a penal colony more than 200 miles east in Mordovia Reed's family revealed that Reed had spent time in solitary confinement for refusing to do hard labor. The family is now requesting an audience with President Joe Biden - who has called getting Reed home a 'priority' - ahead of his planned visit to Fort Worth Tuesday, as tensions between the US and Moscow mount amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The Reeds say they hope to share what they have learned about the current treatment of their son in the Russian camp with the president in person, when he comes to the Texas city for a visit that will touch on issues surrounding US veterans. Reed, pictured here in the undated photo in uniform next to his mom, once served as presidential guard to Barack Obama and then-Vice President Biden, who has not yet done anything to get the 30-year-old prisoner home If they end up unable to meet with the president, the family, who lives 40 miles west of Fort Worth in Granbury, says they plan to peacefully gather wherever the president ends up speaking, to bring awareness to their son's dire situation. 'We miss him terribly,' Paula Reed said during the sit-down interview. 'He's been gone far too long. Dad Joey added: 'Imagine your child being kidnapped and how that would make you feel. 'Then multiply that by 1,000.' In the 32 months since Reed was arrested, the family have vehemently denied and disputed the charges brought against the ex-soldier as bogus accusations manufactured to keep the US citizen as a 'political bargaining chip'. 'While we are immensely proud of our son's strength of character, we are also extremely worried about his health,' the family said in December, after not hearing from Reed since July, just before he was confined to the labor camp. He currently resides in a cell in the penal colony, in extremely poor conditions, according to the family, who say his cell does not even include a toilet and that he did not receive any items that had been brought to him by U.S. ambassador John Sullivan. US officials have asserted that Reed's charges, along with those against another former Marine named Paul Whelan, still in Russian custody, were fabricated by the Kremlin to use as bargaining chips for a possible prisoner swap. The U.S. embassy in Moscow labelled Reed's trial as 'absurd' after it transpired the two police officers struggled to recall the alleged incident in court and told contradictory stories. However, despite promises from President Biden to bring Reed home, nothing has yet been done to rescue the vet, who once served as presidential guard to Barack Obama and a then-Vice President Biden. And as tensions mount between the US and Russia as the war in Ukraine rages on into its third week, the president may have missed his opportunity to act. The family previously asked to speak to the president about Reed's situation last year, but the meeting never came to pass. 'Trevor's job in the Marines was to take a bullet for president Biden and his family,' they said at the time. 'We hope that when we return to Washington next month that both the President we voted for, and his national Security Advisor will find the time to see us.' Reed's situation holds particular relevance now, amid the burgeoning, Cold-War like conflict between Russia and the West, after WNBA star Brittney Griner - who has played for UMMC Ekaterinburg in the Russian Premier League during the WNBA offseason - was detained on drug charges last week upon trying to leave the country after a game. The WNBA standout, 31 was detained and arrested after a vape pen allegedly filled with hash oil was found in her luggage in Moscow' Sheremetyevo International Airport, as she was leaving the country. She is currently incarcerated in the country's capital, as US embassy officials 'There's only so much I can say given the privacy considerations at this point,' US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said of Griner Sunday. 'Whenever an American is detained anywhere in the world, we of course stand ready to provide every possible assistance, and that includes in Russia.' He added: 'We have an embassy team that's working on the cases of other Americans who are detained in Russia. We're doing everything we can to see to it that their rights are upheld and respected.' A bar has been slammed for offering blue and yellow drinks to toast Russian planes being shot down over Ukraine while a pub has been praised for inviting drinkers to 'have a wee on Putin' after putting an image of the Russian president's face on its urinal. The drinks were offered to punters at Coastal Bar, in Ramsgate, Kent, while the picture of Vladimir Putin can be found in the men's bathroom at Raglan Road Irish Bar, in Nottingham. But the two businesses were met with differing reactions when they posted on social media. Coastal Bar, in Ramsgate, Kent, created blue and yellow drinks to toast Russian planes being shot down over Ukraine While the Raglan Road Irish Bar, in Nottingham, installed a picture of Vladimir Putin as the backdrop of the urinals Bosses of the Coastal Bar said the drinks were created to toast Russian planes being shot out of the sky and made reference to the 'Ghost of Kyiv' - the unnamed Ukrainian pilot who has reportedly shot down ten Russian jets, including six on February 24. The drinks are made of six different spirits and when poured out are half and half yellow, bar staff said. But locals criticised the gesture, saying they should have considered raising money for the humanitarian effort in Ukraine. Chrissey Smith fumed: 'Hope some of your profits are going to Ukraine. 'You missed a trick to send money to help with the humanitarian effort to help people.' Sandra Ferguson added: 'Hope a donation is being made for each one sold.' Another said: 'I dont know about you, but I find quite this appalling 'Even if they are free, it doesnt seem in good taste.' A spokesman for Coastal Bar said the shots were 'in solidarity with Ukraine' and given out for free. They added: 'There are six different spirits in each shot and are extremely time-consuming to make which is why these were made in a batch and given away for free. 'These were made at the request of a few regular customers. 'People talking about peace in Ukraine is never a bad thing and to raise its profile. 'Just in the same way that most people have changed their profile pictures to the Ukrainian flag.' Over the weekend, Raglan Road Irish Bar, in Nottingham, posted a picture of the new Vladimir Putin installation onto its Instagram account, prompting much amusement on social media. The venue has a history of putting pictures of world leaders in the toilet, with former US President Donald Trump the first to feature. A spokesman for Coastal Bar said the shots were 'in solidarity with Ukraine' and given out for free Raglan Road Irish Bar has a history of putting pictures of world leaders in the toilet, with former US President Donald Trump the first to feature The pub posted: 'Time for Donald Trump to go and now come have a wee on Vladimir Putin in the mens loos.' In response, professional boxer and WBA world champion Leigh Wood posted a crying laughing emoji along with the hands in the air emoji. John Holmes posted: 'Ill be round. Least I can do.' Gavin Farrell posted 'fantastic' with three crying laughing emojis. And Eve Summers added: 'Love it.' Former Attorney General Bill Barr is pouring more cold water on his old boss' 2020 election fraud claims on Monday morning in his first live television interview since leaving the Trump administration at the end of December 2020. The ex-law enforcement official said there was 'simply no evidence' the last presidential race was 'stolen' from Donald Trump -- though he left the door open to voting for him again should Trump run in 2024. Barr's White House memoir, One Damn Thing After Another, is due out on March 8. In the lead-up to its release, excerpts show the ex-attorney general taking clear and direct aim at Trump, claiming he went 'off the rails' after the 2020 election and ascribing him responsibility for the January 6 Capitol attack. NBC Today host Savannah Guthrie asked him on Monday, 'Once and for all, did the president lose the election or was it stolen or rigged by massive fraud?' 'Stolen and rigged are two different things, but there was no stealing of the election through fraud. Which means, you know, that people who were not qualified to vote or didn't exist, their votes were counted, or good votes were subtracted. The votes reflected the decision of the people,' Barr said. 'There simply was no evidence of that.' Barr said the purported 'evidence' that Trump's attorneys were pushing immediately after Biden's victory were 'nonsense' and 'just false,' point out that 'no evidence has come out since then.' He continued, 'You look at the vote, the actual vote, and there's no mystery as to why he lost. He lost for the reason he was told for a whole year he was going to lose. Which is, he alienated Independent and Republican voters in the suburbs. That's why he lost.' Barr joined NBC for his first live television interview since leaving the Trump White House after his pre-recorded interview with the same network aired on Sunday night Barr also admitted he underestimated Trump in the lead-up to the Capitol riot, claiming his 'aim was to pressure Congress and to pressure the vice president.' 'Regardless of whether laws were broken, regardless of that, it was a shameful thing, because one branch of government shouldn't be trying to use a mob to pressure another branch,' the former attorney general said. However, he would not rule out voting for him in 2024 should Trump mount a re-election bid -- claiming Democrats posed an even greater threat. 'I've certainly made it clear, I don't think he should be our nominee, and I'm going to support somebody else for the nominee,' Barr began. But, he added, 'because I believe the greatest threat for the country is the progressive agenda pushed by the Democratic Party, it is inconceivable to me that I wouldn't vote for the Republican nominee.' Guthrie pushed him, 'So, even if he lied about the election and threatened democracy, as you write in your book, better than a Democrat?' 'It's hard to project what the facts are going to turn out to be three years hence. But as of now, it's hard to conceive I wouldn't vote for the Republican nominee.' Elsewhere in the interview Guthrie pressed Barr on the wide gap between his public and private concerns about Trump. In his book, Barr writes that he felt Trump took a 'dangerous turn' after the 2020 election. By contrast his resignation letter shared praise for Trump's 'historic' accomplishments on the way out the door. Barr said Trump's conduct surrounding the Capitol riot was 'shameful' and feared he was 'in a dangerous way' after the 2020 election, but still said he would vote for Trump if he were the Republican nominee because he thought Democrats and Joe Biden's progressive agenda are 'the greatest threat to the country' Barr publicly broke from Trump when he claimed there was no widespread fraud after the 2020 election He repeatedly dodged the question, explaining: 'I said he was acting in a dangerous way because he -- you know, he was not listening to advice from his advisors. And in the past, you could keep things on track and now I felt he was sort of off the rails.' It's his second interview with an NBC host after a lengthy pre-taped sit-down with Lester Holt, whose team apparently reached out to Trump for comment on Barr's interview. Trump trashed Barr in a three-page letter released on Monday morning, claiming he fired the Justice Department official because he had 'no backbone.' The letter, dated March 2 and obtained by Axios, was sent to NBC's New York City headquarters. In it are a series of questions followed by lengthy answers from Trump. He said of Barr's upcoming book, 'I would imagine that if the book is anything like him, it will be long, slow, and very boring.' It was typed out addressed to 'Mr. Holt' but it appears the ex-president opted for a more personal touch by crossing that out and writing in 'Lester' by hand. In his Monday morning interview Barr dismissed Trump's letter as 'childish.' 'It's par for the course,' he replied when asked for his reaction. 'The president is a man who, when he's told something he doesn't want to hear, he immediately throws a tantrum and attacks the person personally. So I thought the letter was -- was childish.' Trump sent a letter dated March 2 addressed to NBC News headquarters in New York City, which appears to respond to claims made by Bill Barr in his lengthy Sunday night NBC interview with anchor Lester Holt The former Justice Department official condemned the ex-president's 2020 election fraud claims and his role in last year's Capitol riot, both in his book and televised interview. 'Bill Barr cares more about being accepted by the corrupt Washington Media and Elite than serving the American people. He was slow, lethargic, and I realized early on that he never had what it takes to make a great Attorney General,' Trump's letter began. 'When the Radical Left Democrats threatened to hold him in contempt and even worse, to Impeach him, he became virtually worthless fo Law and Order and Election Integrity. They broke him just like a trainer breaks a horse.' Trump also said Barr's dismissal of his 2020 election fraud claims was a 'virtual joke.' To support this he supposedly attached a report pointing to 'widespread corruption' in at least one swing state's election count, which was not included in Monday's report of the letter and did not seem to be picked up by by NBC. The former president accused Barr of now 'groveling to the media, hoping to gain acceptance that he doesn't deserve.' During his NBC interview Barr claimed he was 'livid' when he found out Trump had told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during their infamous 2019 phone call that the attorney general would reach out to him regarding Trump's political rivals. He told Holt that Trump 'never really had a good idea of, you know, the role of the Department of Justice [and] to some extent, you know, the presidents role.' Trump appeared to hit back at the assertion in the new letter, claiming what he asked of Barr had 'nothing to do' with his personal issues. Barr told NBC's Holt that he does not believe Trump understands how the Justice Department works and that he was 'livid' upon finding out his former boss indicated Barr's department should investigate Trump's political rivals 'As President of the United States, I am the Chief Executive, who is responsible for the Department heads, which includes the Attorney General. When I saw that the Department of Justice was not doing their job, I have every legal right to ask them todo so, in accordance with the law and the Constitution. That has nothing to do with my personal legal interests,' the ex-president said. 'With respect to prosecuting political rivals, it was just the opposite. Despite the many crimes committed by the Biden family, I did not push Barr to go after them. While the things done were legendarily corrupt,I thought it would be inappropriate for me to get personally involved.' In his forthcoming book, Barr claims he shouted down Trump's attempt at discussing President Joe Biden's son Hunter, who at the time was under a federal investigation over his foreign business dealings. He also details one final, explosive confrontation with Trump in which the former president told Barr he 'must hate Trump' because he publicly dismissed the notion of widespread election fraud shortly after Biden won the White House. Barr claims in his book that Trump told him to go home immediately in response to Barr offering to tender his resignation. He left the Justice Department at the end of December 2020. Trump said Barr's version of events were 'incorrect and a total fabrication.' Instead, the former president claimed he said: 'If you didnt see corruption in the Election, of which so much has already been revealed (and massive amounts up until this date), than(sic) you are not capable of being Attorney General. You don't have the energy or backbone to stand up to the Radical Left. Please give me your Letter of Resignation.' Barr responded to Trump's letter in a live interview with NBC's Today on Monday morning. 'Stolen and rigged are two different things, but there was no stealing of the election through fraud,' the ex-attorney general said again. 'Which means that people who are not qualified to vote or don't exist, their votes were counted, or good votes were subtracted.' 'The votes reflected the decision of the people.' The final question Trump addresses in his letter are Barr's allegations surrounding the insurrection last year. On Sunday night Barr said he holds Trump 'morally responsible' for the events of January 6, 2021, though conceded he would not have prosecuted his former boss for it. 'I do think he was responsible in the broad sense of that word, in that it appears that part of the plan was to send this group up to the Hill,' Barr said. 'I think the whole idea was to intimidate Congress. And I think that that was wrong.' Trump claimed there 'would have been no "January 6"' if House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the Washington, DC mayor had agreed to more security at the Capitol that day. 'They were not interested in having the troops in Washington because they didnt like the look." If they had taken my offer, there would have been no January 6 as we know it,' Trump said. He claimed, 'I was President of the United States and was asked to make a speech on January 6. I went to the site, made my speech, and returned to the White House.' 'Now the Witch Hunt continues with Shifty Adam Schiff, RINO Liz Cheney, and others on what I call the Unselect Committee. In the long run, the American people will win.' Advertisement The buyer of the cut-price Bel Air mega-mansion, once dubbed America's most expensive home, has been revealed as fast-fashion tycoon, Richard Saghian, the CEO of Fashion Nova. Saghian, 40, snapped up the huge property for a bargain $126 million at a bankruptcy auction on Thursday. Even though it sold for a fraction of its original record-setting $500 million listing, the property - which took eight years to build and boasts 21 bedrooms, 42 bathrooms, five swimming pools, a 30-car garage, a bowling alley and more - set the record for costliest house sold in auction at $126 million, with an additional $15 million auction fee Saghian, whose fast-fashion company inked high-profile partnerships with celebrities and influencers such as rapper Cardi B, Kylie Jenner and pop superstar Lil Nas X, fended off competition from four other bidders for the 105,000-square-foot house, which is known as 'The One.' Saghian started Fashion Nova in 2006 in the industrial southern L.A. suburb of Vernon and continues to serve as its CEO and owns the business outright. The company's annual sales are said to top $1billion a year. 'The One' is the latest in his luxury property portfolio. Saghian owns two other homes in the City of Angels, including a beach house in Malibu that he bought from Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos in 2021 for $14.7 million. He retains another home in the Bird Streets area of Hollywood Hills that he purchased for $17.5 million back in 2018. 'The One Bel-Air is a once-in-a-lifetime property that can never be duplicated. There is nothing else like it, Saghian said in an email statement on Sunday. 'As a lifelong Angeleno and avid collector of real estate, I recognized this as a rare opportunity that also lets me own a unique property that is destined to be a part of Los Angeles history.' The Bel Air mansion known as 'The One' was sold to Saghian for just $126 million at a bankruptcy auction on Thursday, less than half of the $295 million asking price - which was already cut down from its original price tag of $500 million Fashion Nova CEO Richard Saghian (right), 40, in a photo posted to his Instagram account on February 10, 2019 with Cardi B (left) The privately-held retail company has 51-200 employees and has an estimated web sales range of $1 billion-to-$5 billion, according to ecommerce website Pipecandy.com. It now has five brick-and-mortar stores in LA after finding much of its early success online - mainly through its website and social media, where many Instagram influencers and high-profile artists can be seen posing with the brand's apparel. Saghian's entourage were victims of an armed robbery in June after they were followed to the businessman's Hollywood Hills home in a Rolls Royce. The suspects demanded they surrender jewelry and other valuables - though Saghian, who had already gone inside, was not aware of the incident and was unharmed. All the suspects were eventually arrested and one was killed by an armed guard. The One cost Saghian almost six-to-seven times more than his other properties, but his winning bid was at a steep discount off the extravagant home's original $295-million listing price. 'It's an incredible deal,' Branden Williams told the Los Angeles Times. He listed the home with his associate and wife, Rayni Williams, as well as Aaron Kirman - a local Compass agent. 'No one understands until they get up there. A house like this will never be built again. Whenever it sells again, it will be for even more,' he added. The 105,000-square-foot mega-mansion is still not entirely complete and needs to be granted permits by the city before being inhabited The sale set the record for costliest house sold in auction at $126 million, with an additional $15 million auction fee The mansion even possesses its own beauty salon, which boasts bright red walls and opaque shampoo stations Other features of the home include a movie theatre, 'philanthropy wing' for charity galas, a nightclub, an outdoor running track, and a 4,000 square foot guest house Circular seating within a grubby-looking moat offers panoramic views of the mountains and hills of Los Angeles Insiders familiar with the court proceedings say it will have to sell for at least $200 million just to cover the costs Estate agents suggested the conflict in Ukraine had deterred possible Russian billionaire buyers for the mega-mansion while others called it a warning of the instability of the mega-mansion market An indoor bowling alley is yet another feature of the home, complete with digital scoreboards and lounge areas The sprawling complex houses 21 bedrooms, a bowling alley, private theater, a night club, multiple pools, a jacuzzi, a salon, a gym and an underground garage with two vehicle turntables A colorful glass sculpture stands erected outside the home, which took eight years to build The home was built by Hollywood producer-turned-developer Nile Niami, 53 in 2012 with the help of 600 contracted workers Working from home won't be a problem at The One, where office space is plentiful The ex-Hollywood exec reportedly was convinced he could secure an asking price of $500 million for the impressive estate While most people would be happy with one pool, the Bel Air estate boasts several swimming pools Williams & Williams Estates Group, along with Stuart Vetterick of Hilton & Hyland, were Saghian's representatives in the bargain deal. They also represented him in the purchase of the Malibu home, too. Nondisclosure agreements refrained all parties from disclosing the buyer, and other bidders involved in the auction. In the days leading to the sale, multiple sources rumored that Saghian was the winner. 'The One' would not only extend the businessman's portfolio of lavish homes in the area but it could also turn into a social-media marketing tool for online influencers modeling the brand, as the home could be used as a familiar setting to show off the company's affordable and trendy designs. However, two years ago, Versace accused Fashion Nova of breaching copyright rules by knocking off two iconic designs and a famous split-below-the-navel Jungre dress that Jennifer Lopez rocked to super-stardom when she wore it at the Grammys that year. In 2021, both parties agreed to a non-disclosed settlement, according to court records. The lawsuit claimed Fashion Nova deliberately copied the dresses 'in conscious disregard of Versace's superior rights' and that it also copies other designers, such as Adidas, to sell low-price clubwear following fashion whims. 'Fashion Nova's ability to churn out new clothing so quickly is due in large part to its willingness to copy the copyrighted designs, trademarks and trade dress elements of well-known designers like Versace, and trade on their creative efforts in order to bolster Fashion Nova's bottom line,' the suit claimed. 'To that end, in blatant disregard of Versace's rights, Fashion Nova is designing, manufacturing, producing, marketing, distributing, promoting, offering for sale and selling in interstate commerce apparel bearing designs that are the same or substantially similar to the Versace copyrights.' More so, Versace claims Fashion Nova uses other tactics to confuse fashionistas, even using trademarks that are 'confusingly similar.' 'Moreover, Fashion Nova uses other unauthorized search engine optimization tactics and/or social media spamming so that Fashion Nova webpages show up at or near the top of relevant search results and misdirect consumers searching for Versace Apparel,' it adds. These are example of the design Versace claims were ripped off by Fashion Nova in a lawsuit from 2019. Both parties agreed to a settlement to resolve the case in July of last year Fashion Nova, which is currently promoting its new spring collection with items sold mostly under $30, has recently faced allegations of theft from its suppliers, forcing the company to re-evaluate its contracts with suppliers. In January, the brand paid $4.2 million to the U.S. government after coming under scrutiny for blocking negative reviews of its products on its website. It called the allegations 'inaccurate and deceptive.' There's also an ugly truth behind the brand's successful formula: factories hiring workers on illegally low wages to stitch Fashion Nova garments together, according to the federal Labor Department. Factories that pay workers as little as possible under the table are not uncommon in Los Angeles, and hiring illegal ones avoids needing to pay them high wages. Richard Saghian's clothing brand, Fashion Nova, has found worldwide success in the fast-fashion industry due to a number of high-profile partnerships and collaborations with celebrities and prominent pop stars 'It has all the advantages of a sweatshop system,' David Weil, who oversaw the U.S. Labor Department's wage and hour division from 2014 to 2017, told the New York Times. On a yearly basis, the department surfaces new allegations of wage violations at sewing contractors in Los Angeles, often showing up unexpectedly to review payroll data, interview employees, factory managers and owners. From 2016 to 2019, federal authorities learned that most of Fashion Nova's clothing was being manufactured in at least 12 factories that owed $3.8 million in back wages to hundreds of workers, according to internal federal documents that were reviewed by The New York Times. In 2018, Saghian shared that roughly 80 percent of the brand's clothes were made in the United States. However, since then, Fashion Nova's supply chain model has changed and now the brand says it produces less than half of its clothing items in Los Angeles. It's overall percentage of clothes made in the United States remains unclear. The company is also not directly involved with factories. Instead, it orders in bulk through companies that design the clothes and then ship fabric to separately owned sewing contractors, where underpaid workers stitch the clothes together and attach a Fashion Nova label on them. The One, which is also a popular filming spot, is the chef-d'oeuvre of 53-year-old former film producer turned real estate developer Nile Niami. He initially listed the home for $500 million after its completion in 2020 but was forced to file it into bankruptcy after Crestlloyd, the home's limited liability company, defaulted on $106 million in construction loans to L.A. billionaire Don Hankey. Although some in the L.A. real estate bubble have labeled the residence as 'garish' and 'flashy', others have seen the home as a lifelong dream - with an endless list of amenities: a sky deck with cabanas, multiple pools, a private movie theater, a private bowling alley, a billiard room, a candy room, salon and spa and a private nightclub. The house also boasts 21 bedrooms and 42 full bathrooms and is covered in marble and glass. It was designed by Orange County architect Paul McClean, who also worked on Saghian's Hollywood Hills home in the past. Prior to his winning bid for 'The One', Saghian also owned mansions in Malibu (pictured) and in Hollywood Hills The Fashion Nova CEO dropped $14.7 Million on Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos' Malibu retreat two years ago The 3,800-square-foot home features a private courtyard with a pool. A separate structure in the pool area also hold a pool The roughly 3,800-square-foot beach house features sets of glass doors that open to an ocean-facing deck Saghian's Malibu home also boasts a sky-opening roof for warm beach days on the Pacific coast The property's covered patio/teahouse also takes in the ocean on Carbon and La Costa beaches, some of the most coveted coasts in California This Hollywood Hills mansion formerly owned by DJ Avicii, is now in possession of Fashion Nova CEO Richard Saghian In June 2021 one person was fatally shot and four others where wounded in a robbery attempt near the home The home boasts an impressive wardrobe, where one wouldn't be short of space to place their clothes The 7,000 square-feet home boasts six bedrooms and seven bathrooms, in comparison to 'The One' Located on a hill above the Sunset Strip, the house is on one of the Birds Streets in the Hollywood Hills area Concierge Auctions, which handled the sale, told the Los Angeles times that the online auction for the home was a bit of a bust. Saghian's winning bid was set at $126 million, with the total cost to the buyer rising to $141 million with the 12 percent auction fee. And although the price set a new record for the most expensive house ever sold at an auction, it amounted to significantly less than half its $295-million listing price. Before it was sold, three dozen prospective buyers toured the five-acre property in the last few months, including billionaires from across the U.S., Middle East and Asia. However, when the auction opened on Monday, only five bidders from the U.S. and New Zealand made offers on the 'white elephant' super-home, with the winning buyer remaining unidentified until paperwork is submitted to a U.S. Bankruptcy Court next week. Real estate agent Brent Change, of Compass, said the sale was cautionary tale of the mega-mansion market and said the Russian invasion of Ukraine last week might have deterred potential buyers. 'The buyer pool for this is very small, and with everything happening in Russia, all of a sudden those Russian billionaires who may have been your best bet to buy it are pulling out,' he told the LA Times. Saghain's $126 million didn't even come close to the total amount of claimed debt tied to the property, which entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection with roughly $180 million in secured and unsecured debt. That figure has risen to $256 million this year as more creditors have filed claims, according to a March 2 court filing. Nile Niami, 53, (left) a Hollywood producer-turned-developer, started construction the home in 2013, but the firm set up to build the superhome later went bankrupt. L.A billionaire Don Hankey (right), the CEO of the Hankey Group, said he wanted to recoup the millions he invested in Niami's The One mansion development L.A. Billionaire and little-known king of subprime car loans, Don Hankey told The L.A. Times that he expects the auction price to be enough for him to recover from the construction loans he pumped into the project, though he faces additional penalties and fees. Many of the property's other creditors will also suffer losses. Niami, the home's developer, also claims that he is owed $44.4 million. Court files don't offer details on the claim, but a person familiar with the bankruptcy said it arises from the loans the developer made to the project. U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Deborah Saltzman will hold a hearing later this month on whether to approve the sale. In making her determination, the judge will consider whether she believes the winning bidder has the financial power to close the sale, its effect on creditors and other issues. Lawrence Perkins, a Crestlloyd manager, evoked the possibility that Saghain may not end up owning the home and that it is 'his responsibility' to find ways for offers to keep rolling in for the bankrupt estate. Under the auction agreement's terms and conditions, Saghian is legally obliged to close the sale by March 21. Saghian may also have to work on renovations for the home - as it is not entirely complete. The house does not have a certificate of occupancy and needs permits for grading, electrical and other work. It also has construction defects and holds a couple of zoning regulations, according to allegations in court documents. Local homeowner associations have called the home a 'brewing scandal'. The amazing survival of a hero Bomber Command pilot who fell 600ft from the sky and lived after his plane was shot down can be revealed after his bravery medals emerged for sale for 5,000. Wing Commander Terence Helfer was blown out of the cockpit of his Hudson light-bomber after it came under attack by a German nightfighter during a secret Special Operations raid in March 1945. His back, uniform and parachute pack caught fire, resulting in him plummeting to the ground. He somehow survived the impact of the landing in a ploughed field. The medals of Wing Commander Terence Helfer (pictured showing his injuries), who survived a 600ft fall from his plane after it was shot down in 1945 over Luxembourg, are being auctioned this week Wing Commander Terence Helfer survived not only being shot down in March 1945, but also crash landing in the North Sea in 1941 and in September 1945 Terence Helfer lived to 90 years old in spite of all the brushes with death he had during the war The pilot of the Lockheed Hudson was on a secret mission to drop three Belgian Special Operations Executive agents behind enemy lines. Helfer was the only survivor from the plane that crashed near Maulusmuhle, the other three crewmembers and three Belgian SOE Agents were killed. Badly burnt and temporarily blinded, Wg Cmdr Helfer picked himself up and ran to the nearest village while trying to avoid German troops. He knocked on the door of the first house he reached but the home owner, a priest, shouted from a window to go away before Wg Cmdr Heller pleaded: 'Je suis Anglais!' The priest and his housekeeper smothered him in flour and wrapped him in a sheet to help with his burns. The next day they contacted the Americans who came to collect the stricken British airman. But, after mistaking his RAF flying boots for German footwear, they started kicking him. The priest shouted at them to stop and they removed the sheet to reveal Wg Cmdr Helfer's identity. The troops apologised and hid him in a Jeep before driving him to a base from where he could fly back to England. This took five days and he could often hear gunfire whizzing near him while in complete darkness. Terence Helfer was burned and left temporarily blind after being shot down from his plane Wing Commander Terence Helfer with his squadron's mascot When Wing Commander Helfer woke up in a field after being shot down he though he was in Germany and starting running immediately Wg Cmdr Helfer, from Torquay, Devon, had skin grafts at the burns department in Horton Hospital, Epsom, Surrey, where he spent three months recuperating. Such was his devotion to duty, he returned to the cockpit and carried on flying for 40 years. Wg Cmdr Helfer was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Force Cross for his gallantry throughout his distinguished RAF career. His story can be told after his family put his medals and logbooks up for sale with auctioneers Bearnes, Hampton & Littlewood, of Exeter, Devon. The archive also includes his own dramatic account of the incident on his 26th sortie (flying operations against the enemy) on March 10, 1945 and a harrowing photo showing his facial injuries after the incident. His log book says matter-of-factly of the raid: 'Operations Germany. Failed to return from operation - shot down by nightfighter.' But his own account describes his dramatic escape in more detail. It reads: 'I lost my crew, and the aircraft I was in was hit by a nightfighter. 'The whole thing blew up in mid-air and I was blown out of the cockpit. 'We were only at about 600ft, and I remember hitting my head. 'I just pulled my chute, but it didn't open properly. 'The whole thing was on fire, my back was on fire, my uniform was on fire, and I fell into the middle of a ploughed field. 'I jumped up straight away and ran because I thought I was in Germany.' The pilot's medals are up for auction, for the price of 5,000 Among Helfer's collection of medals and badges are the rare Goldfish Club badge and Caterpillar Club badge Wg Cmdr Helfer. who served in 161 Special Duties Squadron, also twice crash-landed damaged aircraft in in the North Sea, in September 1941 and September 1945. On both occasions, his crew spent several days in a dinghy before being rescued. He received a Goldfish Club badge, for surviving a sea landing, to go with his Caterpillar Club badge for parachuting out of a burning plane. Brian Goodison-Blanks, specialist at Bearnes, Hampton & Littlewood, said: 'Wing Commander Terrence Helfer's wartime career is simply quite amazing. 'Having been shot down twice and becoming a member of both the Goldfish club and a member of the Caterpillar Club, his medal group, log books and photographs will not doubt reach above the pre-sale estimate.' The sale takes place tomorrow, March 8. The Vasily Byko ship features two machine guns and two grenade launchers President Zelensky claimed Russia has plans bomb to the port city of Odessa Russian ship Vasily Bykov was said to have been hit in the Black Sea overnight One of the Russian warships that bombarded Ukraine's Snake Island on the first day of the war was destroyed by rocket fire yesterday. Defence forces based in the Black Sea port of Odessa hit the Vasily Byko with a rocket barrage, Ukrainian military sources said. The ship was one of two involved in the notorious attack on Snake Island, where 13 Ukrainian border guards who had been ordered to surrender told the Russian navy to 'go f*** yourself' before being shelled in response. Last night video emerged of the rockets being fired from Odessa, with the line being repeated back at it after it was hit. A Russian warship - believed to be the patrol vessel Vasily Bykov - is seen smoldering off the coast of Odessa, Ukraine, after being hit by forces defending the city overnight Snake island is ruled by Ukraine but sits just miles from the coast of NATO member Romania 'We f***ing hit them,' one of the soldiers firing the rockets remarked. 'Russian warship - go f*** yourself!' The 13 border guards on Snake Island were initially reported to have been killed in the attack on February 24, but it was later suggested they may have survived and been captured. Audio messages at the time recorded the men's defiance in the face of threats from the Russian aggressors. The ship's captain told them: 'I suggest you lay down your weapons and surrender to avoid bloodshed and any unnecessary victims.' The guards replied: 'Russian warship - go f*** yourself.' Last night a Ukrainian Navy source told The Times: 'Ship was destroyed, it is confirmed.' The Ukraine Navy added on Facebook: 'The enemy has retreated again.' While the Ukrainian Armed Forces added: 'Today, March 7, 2022, Navy marine units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine defending the Odessa region hit an enemy ship.' The attack marked yet another setback for Vladimir Putin as his invasion enters its twelfth day, with the capital of Kyiv still fighting back against invading troops. Snake Island, which was attacked by the Russian Navy on the first day of the war All Ukrainian border guards manning a tiny island in the Black Sea near Romania were feared killed after telling a Russian warship to 'go f*** yourselves' when they were told to surrender The Vasily Byko ship was commissioned in December 2018 and is mainly used for protection and monitoring purposes. The project 22160 patrol vessel, which has a range of 6,000 miles and a maximum speed of 35mph, features two machine guns and two grenade launchers. The apparent latest hit is another setback for the Russian president as his troops have failed to capture any significant territory nor the capital of Kyiv despite a weekend of heavy fighting. Russian forces are widely seen as having struggled in the face of Ukrainian military resistance and civil disobedience since entering the country 11 days ago. The Ukrainian armed forces claimed to have destroyed up to 30 Russian helicopters that had been moved to Chornobaivka airport, near Kherson, overnight and to have retaken the city of Chuhuiv, near Kharkiv, killing two Russian commanders - Lt. Col. Dmitry Safronov, and Lt Col. Denis Glebov - in the process. Ukraine's ministry of defence claims to have taken out more than 11,000 troops, some 290 tanks, 1,000 armoured personnel carriers, 46 planes, 68 helicopters and 117 artillery pieces as-of Monday morning. None of those figures has been independently verified. Russia has acknowledged taking losses, but gave a figure of 500 deaths last week and has not updated it since. The project 22160 patrol ship was commissioned in December 2018 and is mainly used for protection and monitoring purposes The Vasily Bykov patrol ship, which has a range of 6,000 miles and a maximum speed of 35mph, features two machine guns and two grenade launchers Ukraine's military estimates that 11,000 Russian soldiers have been killed in fighting along with the loss of 1,000 armoured vehicles, 290 tanks, 68 helicopters, 46 planes and dozens of other piece of hardware. Independent observers give lower totals, but Franz-Stefan Gady - of the International Institute for Strategic Studies - said the situation is never-the-less 'slowly becoming unsustainable for Russia'. It comes after President Zelensky accused Russia of a war crime amid plans to bomb the port city of Odessa. 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 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. 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.' 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. Putin's men renewed their bombardments on Mariupol, Chernihiv, Mykolaiv and Kharkiv this morning as hundreds of civilians tried to evacuate Irpin - on the outskirts of Kyiv - across a destroyed bridge after days of heavy attacks in an attempt to encircle the capital. But Russian commanders have not significantly advanced their frontline since the city of Kherson and nuclear power plant at Zaporizhzhia were captured last week. It comes after a military expert suggested that Putin could be 'finished' by the invasion of Ukraine after under-estimating military, social and economic resistance at home and abroad. Professor Michael Clarke said sending soldiers to take Kyiv was 'massively foolish' and could become a 'peak Putin' moment that leads eventually to his downfall. Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Westminster Hour, Prof Clarke said 'every day the Ukrainian government is still up and running and standing is a political victory for them and a political defeat for Russia'. 'The Russians can occupy the country at a superficial level. But given that the Ukrainians now hate them - and you are talking about a big country, a physically big country of 45 million people - it is a sheer impossibility that the Russians can control Ukraine in the way that they thought likely or the way Putin thought likely,' he said. 'It's a completely impossible scenario Putin has set his military forces, it's a huge strategic blunder, which incidentally has now become a political crisis in Russia this is peak Putin. After this Putin is finished. 'We don't know how long it will take, it may be some years or it might actually be quite quick. But there is no way out for this, it is a massive massive mistake on his part.' Meanwhile, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky vowed that 'God will not forgive' and Ukraine 'will not forget' the slaughter of civilians by Russian forces, saying a 'day of judgement' is coming for them as Moscow was slammed for opening up 'humanitarian corridors' for civilians to flee - with routes leading into Russia itself. Zelensky, in a late-night address to his countrymen on the Orthodox Christian holiday of 'Forgiveness Sunday', recalled how a family of four were among eight civilians killed by Russian mortars while trying to flee the city of Irpin - near Kyiv - earlier in the day. 'We will not forgive. We will not forget,' he told listeners. Ukraine claims to be inflicting heavy losses on the invading Russians. Pictured: A destroyed Russian infantry fighting vehicle is seen near the city of Mariupol, in images captured by Ukraine's 'Azov Brigade' Forces continue to work to surround the capital Kyiv, though progress has been slow. Attacks on civilian areas on the outskirts have increased After more than a week in stalled positions, Russian forces have made small gains in their attempt to surround and assault Kyiv - with Ukraine saying enough firepower has now been amassed for the mission A Russian tank is seen damaged and abandoned near the city of Mariupol, which has been under heavy shelling for days 'We cannot forgive the hundreds upon hundreds of victims. Nor the thousands upon thousands who have suffered,' he added. 'God will not forgive. Not today. Not tomorrow. Never.' Shortly after they spoke, columns of smoke were seen rising over the city of Mykolaiv, on Ukraine's Black Sea coast, as Russian forces resumed shelling. The exact number of civilian casualties is unclear, though is estimated by Ukraine to be in the thousands as residential areas of major cities are indiscriminately bombed using thermobaric and cluster munitions amid evidence of 'hit squads' targeting civilian vehicles. The UN estimates that 1.5million people have fled the fighting. There were unconfirmed reports early Monday of heavy Russian losses around the captured city of Kherson overnight - with dozens of helicopters taken out alongside artillery columns - but these have also not been verified. Britain's Europe Minister James Cleverly said Russia's latest offer of a ceasefire and an escape route for civilians was 'cynical beyond belief'. Evacuation routes published by Russia's RIA Novosti news agency showed that civilians in some areas will only be able to leave towards Russia and Belarus. The tail-end of a destroyed Russian Su-34 fighter is seen crashed through the roof of a warehouse near Kharkiv having been shot down by Ukrainian forces overnight A Russian T-72 tank is seen destroyed somewhere near the city of Mariupol in an image posted by the 'Azov Brigade', a unit of the Ukrainian National Guard that operates in and around the city Ukrainian soldiers carry a wounded woman out of the city of Irpin, to the west of Kyiv, amid heavy Russian attacks People cross an improvised path under a destroyed bridge while fleeing the town of Irpin close to Kyiv, Ukraine Mr Cleverly told BBC Breakfast: 'It appears cynical beyond belief. There is a view that Vladimir Putin believed there was a widespread desire of Ukrainians to be closer to Russia, to be more Russian. I think that has been proven to be a complete nonsense by the circumstances we are seeing. 'Providing evacuation routes into the arms of the country that is currently destroying yours is a nonsense.' Ukraine war: The latest Russia steps up its shelling as the UN says 1.5 million people have now fled Attempts to evacuate civilians from Mariupol fail again, amid repeated ceasefire violations Ukraine's military says it is fighting 'fierce battles' on the edge of the southern city of Mykolayiv, Dozens of civilians are being killed in the battle for Chernihiv in the north A barrage of Russian missiles destroys Vinnytsia airport in central Ukraine Russian shops are told to limit sales of essential foodstuffs to counter black market speculation Thousands more are arrested at anti-war demonstrations in Russia, bringing the total to well over 11,000 Vladimir Putin says he will achieve his aims in Ukraine 'through negotiation or through war' US 'green lights' Poland to supply Kyiv with fighter jets, amid fears it could drag NATO into war Antony Blinken says the West is in 'very active' discussions about a Russian oil embargo, despite price at all-time high Credit card giants Visa, Mastercard and American Express freeze business in Russia. Russian banks say they will use China's UnionPay system Consultancy firms KPMG and PwC announce an end to operations in Russia France announces it will send iodine tablets and other medical supplies to Ukraine. They are used to protect against the effects of exposure to radiation krainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba says 20,000 international volunteers have joined the fight Netflix suspends services in Russia and social media giant TikTok blocks posting of video content from the country Foreign media including the BBC, CBC, ARD, ZDF, Bloomberg News, CNN, CBS, RAI and EFE have suspended reporting from Russia after Moscow threatened jail terms Advertisement He added that 'ultimately the most humanitarian thing the Russians could do is end this completely illegal, completely unjustified invasion of Ukraine'. Even as Russia announced a ceasefire starting Monday morning and the opening of humanitarian corridors in several areas, its armed forces continued to pummel Ukrainian cities, with multiple rocket launchers hitting residential buildings. The limited ceasefire announcement came a day after hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian civilians attempting to flee to safety were forced to shelter from Russian shelling of cities in Ukraine's center, north and south. Officials from both sides planned a third round of talks Monday. Russian forces continued their offensive, opening fire on the city of Mykolaiv, 480 kilometers south of the capital of Kyiv, Ukraine's General Staff said Monday morning. Rescuers said they were putting out fires in residential areas caused by rocket attacks. Shelling also continued in the suburbs of Kyiv, including Irpin, which has been cut off from electricity, water and heating for three days. 'Russia continues to carry out rocket, bomb and artillery strikes on the cities and settlements of Ukraine,' the General Staff said. 'The invaders continue to use the airfield network of Belarus to carry out air strikes on Ukraine.' The Russians have also been targeting humanitarian corridors, taking women and children hostage and placing weapons in residential areas of cities, according to the General Staff. A Russian task force said a ceasefire would start Monday morning, the 12th day of the war, for civilians from Kyiv, the southern port city of Mariupol, Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, and Sumy. It wasn't immediately clear if fighting would stop beyond the areas mentioned in the task force's statement, or when the ceasefire would end. The announcement follows two failed attempts to evacuate civilians from Mariupol, from which the International Committee of the Red Cross estimated 200,000 people were trying to flee. Russia and Ukraine have traded blame for the failure. The Russian task force said Monday's ceasefire and the opening of the corridors was announced at the request of French President Emmanuel Macron, who spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday. Evacuation routes published by Russia's RIA Novosti news agency, citing the Defense Ministry, show that civilians will be able to leave to Russia and Belarus. Russian forces will be observing the ceasefire with drones, the task force said. Putin said Moscow's attacks could be halted 'only if Kyiv ceases hostilities.' 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.' With no sign of an end to the fighting, western leaders are now working to figure out the best way of responding to Russia's attack without escalating the situation into an all-out war in Europe which could evolve into the bloodiest and most-destructive conflict in human history. Stephen Schork is the Cofounder and Principal of The Schork Report, a daily subscription newsletter on the energy cash and financial markets Gas prices are skyrocketing around the U.S. and there's no sign of relief in sight. If the average cost of a gallon of gas continues to climb, as I predict that it will, not only will hard-pressed Americans feel an enormous additional financial burden but the entire economy will face an increased risk of recession. It didn't need to be this way. Delusional energy policy driven by Democrats' self-destructive climate change politics have hammered U.S. energy producers and left the county at the mercy of foreign adversaries. First, where we are and where we are headed: AAA reported Sunday that the national average for a gallon of gas hit $4.009 -- the highest since 2008. Last week, prices at the pump jumped at the fastest pace since Hurricane Katrina knocked out oil producers in the Gulf of Mexico in 2005. In the futures market, Brent crude oil on the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) peaked late last week at a ten-year high of $119.84 per barrel, the equivalent of $4.013 per gallon for consumers. Brent crude oil briefly spiked even above $139 a barrel on Sunday before settling back around $122. In Pennsylvania, the state with the highest tax on gasoline, prices at the pump translate to $4.283 per gallon, while the price in California, the state with the most stringent environmental laws on the oil and gas industries, prices translate to $5.386 per gallon. Prior to the 2008 recession a barrel of crude oil hit $150. We are well on our way to reaching and potentially exceeding that crisis mark endangering the entire economy. (The chart above shows Stephen Schork's projection for retail gas prices in the summer of 2022, which approach levels that have previously proceeded recessions) These levels are not even the top if crude oil prices remain at current levels. As the warm weather arrives, travel demand for gasoline will rise sharply. At the same time, refiners will be required to supply summer-grade gasoline to the market, a blend of gasoline which is more expensive to produce. These additional factors will add, on average, another $0.302 per gallon over the summer. Taken all together, gas prices are about to smash the previous record from July 2008 of $4.062 per gallon. I forecast that average prices could top $4.500 per gallon by peak summer driving season. Of course, this is contingent upon crude oil prices holding at current levels. For every one dollar increase in crude oil from here, will translate to a 2.4 cent increase for drivers at the pump. Therein lies the concern about economic growth as more and more dollars are spent on gasoline, rather than on other consumer goods. Consumer spending accounts for 70% of the U.S. economy. At some point, demand for gasoline will hit an inflection point. Consumer will face hard decisions like choosing between groceries or gas. This typically happens at the onset of recession -- choking consumer spending chokes the U.S. economy. Consider that every recession, beginning with the economic downturn, which started in the aftermath of the 1974 Arab oil embargo through the 2008 Great Recession, occurred on the heels of a meteoric rise in the cost per barrel of crude oil. Prior to the 2008 recession a barrel of crude oil hit $150. We are well on our way to reaching and potentially exceeding that crisis mark endangering the entire economy. Second, how we got here: One of the reasons that American's find themselves at the mercy of the oil markets is that we are relying more and more on foreign producers. War in Ukraine is now driving prices higher, as production is reduced and buyers avoid purchasing Russian products. Fears of a U.S./European boycott of Russian energy is another upward pressure on prices. But there's nothing to be done about it in the short term. In the 2020 presidential debate, Biden answered 'yes' to the question of whether he would close down the oil industry. The world is now reaping the consequences of his energy policy. There are numerous examples in Biden's energy policy that have driven energy costs sky high. Perhaps his greatest sin is his unending reluctance to embrace domestic energy production. As a result of the Biden White House's declared war on the U.S. oil and gas industry, Putin's economic fortunes have turned around over the last two years. (Above) President Biden waits to deliver remarks on Made in America Commitments at the White House in Washington on March 4, 2022 Consider that from 2016 until Biden's inauguration, the U.S. was a net exporter in five out of eight weeks, with the U.S. exporting 1.9 barrels for every imported barrel. In Biden's first 57 weeks in office that has changed. The U.S. has been a net importer of oil in four out of every five weeks, with the U.S. importing 6.5 barrels for every one barrel exported. As a result of the Biden White House's declared war on the U.S. oil and gas industry, Putin's economic fortunes have turned around over the last two years. Dependence on Russian oil skyrocketed over the past year. In 2020, U.S. imports of Russian crude oil were 28 million barrels. Last year, imports surged 162% to a ten-year high of 73 million barrels. Total imports of Russian crude oil and petroleum products jumped 24% in 2021 to a record 245 million barrels. This massive infusion of petrodollars into Putin's war chest has helped to fund his adventures in Ukraine. Our experiment with a zero-sum green agenda is a disaster. Even the Germans now know going fully green is untenable; the country recently admitted that a strategy that eschews investment in fossil fuels is unsound and in the case of Russia, dangerous as well. Third, Biden has no good solution for this crisis: In the State of the Union address, Biden announced that the U.S. will add more supply to the global energy market by releasing oil from the nation's Strategic Petroleum Reserve to, 'help blunt gas prices here at home.' As I predicted in an article for DailyMail.com in November, when Biden released 50 million barrels from the SPR, the policy is meaningless political posturing. Since November, crude oil prices have nearly doubled. The President's plan to combat runaway prices to, 'cut energy costs for families an average of $500 a year' also rolls in another ridiculous scheme to rein in prices by -- wait for it -- 'combatting climate change.' Nowhere in the President's one-hour long, near 7,000-word speech did he mention increasing domestic oil and gas production. As Benjamin Franklin, Albert Einstein, et al. have been quoted the definition of insanity is doing the same over and over and expecting different results. By this rubric, Biden's plan to tackle rising energy costs is insane. At some point, demand for gasoline will hit an inflection point. Consumer will face hard decisions like choosing between groceries or gas. (Above) One Los Angeles gas station near Beverly Hills was advertising regular unleaded gas for $6.99 on Sunday, March 6 If Biden was serious about lowering energy costs, then in his SOTUS he would have given his plan to ramp up domestic crude oil production from its current rate of 11.5 million barrels a day, back to its pre-Covid rate of 13.1 million barrels per day. Instead, the President regurgitated his lame platitudes to renewables. Biden is drowning, and a drowning man will clutch at a straw. One of those straws appears to be coming in the form of Venezuela. The New York Times reported that U.S. officials traveled to Venezuela this past weekend. Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro government cut diplomatic ties with the U.S. in 2019 after President Trump recognized Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido as interim president of the country. Now the Biden administration is attempting to crawl back into the dictator's good graces, because Venezuela is an oil producing nation. Senator Marco Rubio may have said it best when he tweeted: 'Joe Biden using #Russia as an excuse to do the deal they always wanted to do anyway with the #MaduroRegime... Rather than produce more American oil he wants to replace the oil we buy from one murderous dictator with oil from another murderous dictator.' A quote often attributed to Winston Churchill stands true, 'You can always count on the Americans to do the right thing after they have tried everything else.' Biden's SOTUS was an opportunity to change course from his failed energy policy to one that embraces domestic production. Instead, he gave us his boilerplate pap on renewables. By this metric, high energy costs are here to stay. Eventually we will come around and make the right decision on investment in fossil fuels. Putin is now fast tracking this inevitability. Let's hope American's right answer is not too late. Advertisement Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has vowed to kill 'every b*stard' who targeted civilians fleeing from the country's war-ravaged areas after harrowing images emerged of a family lying dead on a road as Vladimir Putin's invading forces continued to shell the region. 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 country's leader said the family of four were 'just trying to escape' the town of Irpin, which sits on the outskirts of Kyiv, when they were killed in an attack by Putin's forces. He vowed to hunt down 'every b*stard' that shot at Ukraine's cities and its people and 'punish everyone who committed atrocities in this war' before adding the country 'will not forget'. In a televised address Mr Zelensky said: '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.' Ukraine's president continued: 'We will punish everyone who committed atrocities in this war. On our land. We will find every b*stard. Which shot at our cities, our people. Which bombed our land. Which launched rockets. Which gave the order and pressed ''start''. 'There will be no quiet place on this Earth for you. Except for the grave.' The stark warning comes after horrifying images showed four members of the same family, including two children, lying motionless on a pavement alongside their suitcases after they tried to flee Irpin, a town 12 miles from Kyiv, on Sunday. It also comes after images emerged of the grieving Ukrainian parents of an 18-month-old boy weeping over their son's dead body after the toddler was killed by Russian shelling in the the southern city of Mariupol. The toddler's death came after Russian forces shelled Ukraine's second city just minutes into an agreed ceasefire on Saturday. Today Kyiv rejected Moscow's offer to open 'humanitarian corridors' when it emerged that some of the routes led straight to its territory. Hundreds of civilians were pictured trying to flee the city of Irpin, to the west of Kyiv, which has been the scene of heavy Russian bombardment in recent days. Locals were seen being helped across a partially-destroyed bridge by members of the Ukrainian military who had blown it up days earlier to slow the Russian advance It came after Ukraine rejected Russia's offer to open up 'humanitarian corridors' from the besieged cities of Sumy, Mariupol, Kharkiv and Kyiv - which have been hammered by artillery strikes for days with Mariupol cut off from electricity and water supplies - because the routes led either to Russian territory or its ally, Belarus. That is after two attempts to open up similar corridors at the weekend failed after less than an hour because Russian troops resumed shooting. Red Cross workers trying to use one corridor out of Mariupol said the route had been booby-trapped with landmines. The images emerged as the EU's top diplomat, Joseph Borrell said as many as five million refugees could flee in to the bloc if Russia's barbaric invasion of Ukraine continues. The UN said today that 1.7million have fled the conflict in the first 11 days, which is the fastest-growing refugee crisis since the Second World War. With the offer of evacuations off the table, Russian forces then resumed their attacks on Gostomel - site of a key strategic airfield north of Kyiv - Kharkiv in the east, Sumy in the northeast, Chernihiv in the north and Mykolayiv in the southwest. It came as Russian and Ukrainian delegates sat down for a third round of peace talks after Moscow told the country it will stop its onslaught 'in a moment' if Kyiv meets a raft of extraordinary Kremlin conditions. As the two sides met for a third round of talks in Belarus today, spokesman Dmitry Peskov said all of Russia's demands had been formulated and handed over during the first two rounds of talks between delegations, which took place last week. 'We hope that all this will go OK and they will react in a suitable way,' Peskov said. Putin's hopeless peace deal offer demands Ukraine cease military action, change its constitution to enshrine neutrality so it cannot join the EU or NATO, acknowledge Crimea as Russian territory and recognise the separatist republics of Donetsk and Lugansk as independent territories. It is the most explicit Russian statement so far of the terms it wants to impose on Ukraine to halt what it calls its 'special military operation' in Ukraine, that is now in its 12th day and has resulted in the deaths of hundreds of civilians. A Kremlin spokesman insisted Russia was not seeking to make any further territorial claims on Ukraine, despite the advance of Moscow's troops. 'We really are finishing the demilitarisation of Ukraine. We will finish it. But the main thing is that Ukraine ceases its military action. They should stop their military action and then no one will shoot,' he said. It is not clear how many civilians have been killed in the fighting so-far. Ukraine said last week that 2,000 had died but has not updated the figure since. The UN has confirmed 406 civilian deaths but cautions that it likely a vast undercount. Russia completely denies hitting civilian targets, despite reams of evidence to the contrary. Moscow's representatives at the International Court of Justice at The Hague today skipped a hearing into whether or not war crimes are being committed. Ukrainian officials accused Moscow of resorting to 'medieval siege' tactics in some places, and in one encircled city, Mariupol, there was no sign yet of an evacuation. Russian forces continued to pummel some Ukrainian cities with rockets even after the new announcement of corridors and fierce fighting continued in some areas, indicating there would be no wider cessation of hostilities. Efforts to set up safe passages for civilians to leave besieged areas over the weekend fell apart. But the Russian Defence Ministry announced a new push on Monday, saying civilians would be allowed to leave the capital of Kyiv, the southern port city of Mariupol, and the cities of Kharkiv and Sumy. The two sides met for a third round of talks on Monday, according to Russian state media, though hopes for any breakthrough were dim. The countries' foreign ministers are also scheduled to meet in Turkey on Thursday, according to that country's top diplomat. In Mariupol, where an estimated 200,000 people hoping to flee were becoming increasingly desperate, Red Cross officials waited to hear when a safe humanitarian corridor would be established. The city is short on water, food and power, and mobile phone networks are down. Shops have been looted as residents search for essential goods. In a separate video address today, Zelensky filmed himself as he made his way through the corridors of Kyiv's Mariyinsky presidential palace, where the President and his deputies are bravely remaining despite the Russian onslaught. 'We get used to saying that Monday is a tough day. We have a war in the country, so every day is Monday,' Zelensky quipped as he sat down behind his desk. 'I am staying here in Kyiv, on Bankova street. I am not afraid of anyone. And I will stay as long as it takes to win our patriotic war,' the President remarked in an admirable show of defiance in the face of Russian aggression. The family of four were trying to escape the town of Irpin, which sits on the outskirts of Kyiv, when they were killed in an attack by Putin's forces The family, including two children, were killed by a mortar shell in Irpin near Kyiv on Sunday as hundreds of civilians sought safety Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed to kill 'every b*stard' who targeted civilians fleeing from the country's war-ravaged areas Hundreds of civilians have today been fleeing the city of Irpin, to the west of Kyiv, after it came under heavy attack by Russian forces in recent days while Putin's men try to encircle the capital Elderly people and families with children are helped across a fast-flowing river underneath a destroyed road bridge outside Irpin, a city to the west of Kyiv, which Russian forces have been attacking People rush to the train as an officer takes children and women first at the central train station in Odessa on March 7 Kyiv today rejected Russia's offer of 'humanitarian corridors' to evacuate civilians after it emerged several of them led to Russian territory or its close ally Belarus (top). Red Cross workers in Mariupol also said one of the routes Russia identified for civilians to leave the city had been covered with land mines A father breaks down in tears as he says goodbye to his family in front of an evacuation train at the central train station in Odessa A child cries as she waves at her mother as people board a bus in Odessa in an effort to flee Russia's invasion People wait to get into a train at the central train station in Odessa amid Russia's invasion of the country A couple embrace each other as they stand in front of an evacuation train at the central train station in Odessa Hundreds of people queue for trains to Poland following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, in Lviv, Ukraine A woman in a wheelchair is assisted by local residents as she is evacuated from Irpin Ukrainian soldiers help an elderly woman to cross a destroyed bridge as she evacuates the city of Irpin, Residents of Irpin flee heavy fighting via a destroyed bridge as Russian forces entered the city in Irpin Residents cross the destroyed bridge as they flee from the frontline town of Irpin, Kyiv region in Ukraine following Russia's invasion A woman is assisted by a member of the Ukrainian military as she flees heavy fighting in Irpin via a destroyed bridge as Russian forces entered the city today Civilians continue to flee from Irpin due to ongoing Russian attacks in Irpin, A woman carries her pet cat as evacuees cross a destroyed bridge as they flee the city of Irpin, northwest of Kyiv A man walks with a white flag as hundreds of people flee the city of Irpin, west of Kyiv, on March 7 Ukrainian (left) and Russian (right) officials take part in peace talks in Brest, Belarus, this afternoon. From left to right: Ukraine's deputy minister of foreign affairs Mykola Tochytskyi, minister of defence Oleksiy Reznikov, head of the Ukrainian servant of the people faction Davyd Arakhamia, adviser to the head of the office of the president Mykhailo Podoliak. On the Russian side, from left to right, Russian Ambassador to Belarus Boris Gryzlov, chairman of the Russian State Duma's International Affairs Committee Leonid Slutsky, presidential aide and the head of the Russian delegation Vladimir Medinsky, deputy minister of defence Alexander Fomin, and deputy foreign minister Andrei Rudenko Ukraine war: The latest Ukraine rejects a offer to open escape routes because several of the routes lead to Russia or its ally Belarus Russia steps up its shelling of cities, including Gostomel near Kyiv, Kharkiv in the east, Sumy in the northeast, Chernihiv in the north and Mykolayiv in the southwest A third round of talks between Ukrainian and Russian delegations gets underway Turkey announces that it will host Russia's and Ukraine's foreign ministers for talks on Thursday Oil prices hit a near 14-year high and European and UK natural gas prices hit record highs German Chancellor Olaf Scholz warns against a Russian oil ban in Europe, saying it could put the continent's energy security at risk Russia says it will allow Russian companies and individuals to repay debts to creditors in 'hostile' nations in rubles Russia snubs a hearing at the International Court of Justice in The Hague Uniqlo defends a decision to keep Russian stores open, saying 'clothing is a necessity of life' British Prime Minister Boris Johnson defends record of issuing 50 visas to Ukrainians, saying security vetting his holding the process up The UN says 1.7 million people have fled Ukraine, making it the fastest-growing refugee crisis since World War II Police detain more than 5,000 people protesting the war in some 60 Russian cities Sunday China's foreign minister says the friendship between Beijing and Moscow is 'rock solid' Feance is sending iodine tablets to Ukraine. They are used to protect against the effects of radiation exposure Advertisement Police moved through the city advising people to remain in shelters until they heard official messages broadcast over loudspeakers to evacuate. Russia and Ukraine traded blame after a planned evacuation mostly failed over the weekend there. Shelling appeared to be mostly on the city's outskirts, but on Sunday, cars of people hoping to leave in an evacuation convoy were gathered in a central square when shells landed nearby. All fled immediately. Even hospitals in Mariupol suffered shortages of antibiotics and painkillers, and doctors performed some emergency procedures without them. The lack of phone networks has left anxious citizens approaching strangers to ask if they knew whether relatives living in other parts of the city and whether they were safe. At the International Court of Justice, Ukraine pleaded for an order to halt Russia's invasion, saying Moscow is already committing widespread war crimes and 'resorting to tactics reminiscent of medieval siege warfare'. Russia snubbed Monday's hearings, leaving its seats in the Great Hall of Justice empty. Well into the second week of war, Russia's plan to quickly overrun the country has been stymied by fierce resistance. Its troops have 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 battle for Mariupol, in particular, is crucial because its capture 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 fighting has sent energy prices surging worldwide, stocks plummeting, and is threatening the food supply and livelihoods of people around the globe who rely on farmland in the Black Sea region. The death toll, meanwhile, remains unclear. The UN has confirmed a few hundred civilian deaths but also warned the number is a vast undercount. Police for the Kharkiv region said Monday that 209 people have died there alone, 133 of them civilians. The Russian invasion has also sent 1.7 million people fleeing Ukraine, creating what the head of the UN refugee agency called 'the fastest-growing refugee crisis in Europe since' the Second World War. In the latest cease-fire proposal, most of the evacuation routes were toward Russia or its ally Belarus, a move Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Irina Vereshchuk called 'unacceptable' and French President Emmanuel Macron said was 'hypocrisy'. Belarus served as a launching ground for the invasion. 'I don't know many Ukrainians who want to seek refuge in Russia. That's hypocrisy,' Mr Macron said in an interview on French news broadcaster LCI. 'Humanitarian actors need to be able to intervene so we must get full cease-fires when they intervene,' Mr Macron said. The issue won't be solved via 'corridors which are being threatened right away (by Russia),' he added. The Ukrainian government instead proposed eight routes allowing civilians to travel to western regions of Ukraine where there is no shelling. Kyiv mayor and former boxer Vitali Klitschko said in a Telegram video address that 'fierce battles' continued on Monday in the Kyiv region, notably around Bucha, Hostomel, Vorzel and Irpin - areas away from the humanitarian corridors - and were hitting civilians. In the Irpin area, which has been cut off from electricity, water and heating for three days, witnesses on Monday saw at least three tanks and said Russian soldiers were seizing houses and cars, while explosions could be heard. Russian forces continued their offensive in Mykolaiv, opening fire on the city some 300 miles south of Kyiv, according to Ukraine's General Staff. Rescuers said they were putting out fires caused by rocket attacks in residential areas. Residents of Irpin flee heavy fighting via a destroyed bridge as Russian forces entered the city today. Devastating scenes show civilians trying to leave amid debris A man carries a stroller as he flees Irpin, which Russian forces entered today, amid debris and a destroyed bridge in the background Civilians continue to flee from Irpin due to ongoing Russian attacks in the town near Kyiv, surrounded by debris and destroyed infrastructure A Ukrainian soldier stands guard as residents wait to cross the destroyed bridge as they flee from the frontline town of Irpin Residents cross the destroyed bridge as they flee from the frontline town of Irpin today. The area was a witness to heavy fighting for almost a week Residents of Irpin flee heavy fighting via a destroyed bridge as Russian forces entered the city of Irpin A Ukrainian serviceman looks on as evacuees cross a destroyed bridge as they flee the city of Irpin Emergency officials in the Kharkiv region said overnight shelling killed at least eight people and wrecked residential buildings, medical and education facilities and administrative buildings. 'Russia continues to carry out rocket, bomb and artillery strikes on the cities and settlements of Ukraine,' the General Staff said, and repeated earlier Ukrainian accusations that Russia has targeted humanitarian corridors. The statement also accused Russian forces of taking women and children hostage and placing weapons in residential areas of cities - though it did not elaborate or provide evidence. In the face of a series of punishing sanctions by Western countries, Russia has grown increasing isolated. The rouble's value has plunged and the country's extensive trade ties with the West have been all but severed. Moscow has also cracked down on independent reporting on the conflict and arrested anti-war protesters en masse. On Sunday, more than 5,000 people in 69 cities were detained, according to rights group OVD-Info - the highest single-day figure since the invasion began. But Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called for more action punishment, including a global boycott of Russian oil imports and other products. 'If the invasion continues and Russia does not abandon its plans against Ukraine, then we need a new sanctions package,' he said in a video address. 'If (Russia) doesn't want to abide by civilised rules, then they shouldn't receive goods and services from civilisation. It can be called an embargo, or it can be just morality.' Mr Zelensky described shelling of Ukrainian cities in the centre, north and south of the country, describing 'terror' facing civilians in the suburbs of Kyiv and in Kharkiv and Mariupol, surrounded by Russian troops. Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier said Moscow's attacks could be halted 'only if Kyiv ceases hostilities'. As he has often done, he blamed Ukraine for the war, telling Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday that Kyiv needed to stop all hostilities and fulfil 'the well-known demands of Russia'. Mr 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. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has particularly alarmed nearby countries. US secretary of state Antony Blinken on Monday began a lightning visit to the three Baltic states of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, former Soviet republics that are Nato members. Mr Blinken hopes to reassure them of the alliance's protection in the event Russia chooses to expand its military operations to other neighbouring countries. 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. Mr Zelensky has criticised Western leaders for not responding with more force to Russia. He appealed again on Monday for a no-fly zone over Ukraine or warplanes. 'How do peaceful people in Kharkiv or Mykolaiv differ from (people in) Hamburg or Vienna?' he asked. Nato so far has ruled out policing a no-fly zone because of concerns such an action would lead to a far wider war. Poland - which has the largest Ukrainian community in Central Europe - has received more than 1 million Ukrainian refugees since the conflict began on February 24, with the milestone passed late last night. 'Today at 20:00 the number of people who escaped from Ukraine to Poland exceeded one million,' the Polish border guard service tweeted late on Sunday. Crowds of people with their luggage wait under a destroyed bridge as they flee from the frontline town of Irpin, Kyiv region, today People cross an improvised path under a destroyed bridge while fleeing the town of Irpin close to Kyiv, Ukraine today, helping one another across Evacuees carrying bags walks along the river bank near a destroyed bridge as they flee the city of Irpin, northwest of Kyiv, amid debris Evacuees cross a destroyed bridge as they flee the city of Irpin, northwest of Kyiv, today. Ukraine dismissed Moscow's offer to set up humanitarian corridors from several bombarded cities A man carries a woman as they cross an improvised path while fleeing the town of Irpin, Ukraine People cross an improvised path under a destroyed bridge while fleeing the town of Irpin Civilians cross amid rubble of a damaged bridge in the Irpin city near from Kyiv Residents shelter by candle light in the basement of a building in Irpin as Russian forces moved through the city today, on day 12 of the invasion 'This is a million human tragedies, a million people banished from their homes by the war.' A total of 1,735,068 civilians - mostly women and children, as men stayed home to fight - have so far crossed the border into Central Europe, the UNHCR said. Russian shelling is preventing the evacuation of civilians from Kyiv, Mariupol, Sumy, Kharkiv, Volnovakha and Mykolayiv, Ukraine's Foreign Ministry said today. In a statement it added: 'This prevents the safe passage of humanitarian columns with Ukrainian and foreign citizens, as well as the delivery of medicines and food.' The ministry called on foreign leaders to force Russia to observe a ceasefire to prevent what it said could be a humanitarian catastrophe. Russia calls its actions in Ukraine a 'special operation'. Russia's chief negotiator in talks between Moscow and Kyiv accused Ukraine of blocking humanitarian corridors for civilians escaping advancing Russian forces, calling it a 'war crime'. 'The nationalists who have seized positions in cities continue to hold civilians there,' Russia's chief negotiator Vladimir Medinsky told state television. He accused Kyiv of using the civilians as 'a human shield' and said that 'this is undoubtedly a war crime.' Red Cross volunteers working out of Mariupol also revealed that one of the route out of the city suggested by Russia on Sunday was covered in land mines. Meanwhile Volodymyr Zelensky vowed that 'God will not forgive' and Ukraine 'will not forget' the slaughter of civilians by Russian forces, saying a 'day of judgement' is coming for them. Zelensky, in a late-night address to his countrymen on the Orthodox Christian holiday of 'Forgiveness Sunday', recalled how a family of four were among eight civilians killed by Russian mortars while trying to flee the city of Irpin - near Kyiv - earlier in the day. 'We will not forgive. We will not forget,' he told listeners. 'We cannot forgive the hundreds upon hundreds of victims. Nor the thousands upon thousands who have suffered,' he added. 'God will not forgive. Not today. Not tomorrow. Never.' 'Instead of humanitarian corridors, they can only make bloody ones,' Zelensky said, as Interior Ministry adviser Anton Gerashchenko added: 'There can be no 'green corridors' because only the sick brain of the Russians decides when to start shooting and at whom.' Shortly after they spoke, columns of smoke were seen rising over the city of Mykolaiv, on Ukraine's Black Sea coast, as Russian forces resumed shelling. A woman covers herself with a blanket to keep warm after fleeing from the Ukraine and arriving at the border crossing in Medyka, Poland Refugees, mostly women and children, wait in a crowd for transportation after fleeing from the Ukraine and arriving at the border crossing in Medyka, Poland Women shelter themselves with blankets outside a temporary accommodation and transport hub for refugees at a former shopping mall, after fleeing the Russian invasion of Ukraine, in Przemysl, Poland Refugees, mostly women and children, wait in a crowd for transportation after fleeing from the Ukraine and arriving at the border crossing in Medyka, Poland today Crowds of refugees pictured waiting for transport after they were able to Ukraine and arrive at the border crossing in Medyka, Poland, today A woman uses her mobile device as she waits with hundreds of refugees for transportation after fleeing from the Ukraine and arriving at the border crossing in Medyka, Poland today Refugees from Ukraine arrive at the reception point established at the train station in Przemysl, Poland, today, as the invasion continues Refugees from Ukraine stay at the reception point established at the train station in Przemysl, Poland, pictured today, following Russia's invasion The exact number of civilian casualties is unclear, though is estimated by Ukraine to be in the thousands as residential areas of major cities are indiscriminately bombed using thermobaric and cluster munitions amid evidence of 'hit squads' targeting civilian vehicles. The UN has confirmed 406 civilian deaths, though admits the true toll will be higher, and says that that 1.5million people have fled the fighting. Britain's Europe Minister James Cleverly said Russia's latest offer of a ceasefire and an escape route for civilians was 'cynical beyond belief'. Evacuation routes published by Russia's RIA Novosti news agency showed that civilians in some areas will only be able to leave towards Russia and Belarus. Mr Cleverly told BBC Breakfast: 'It appears cynical beyond belief. There is a view that Vladimir Putin believed there was a widespread desire of Ukrainians to be closer to Russia, to be more Russian. I think that has been proven to be a complete nonsense by the circumstances we are seeing. 'Providing evacuation routes into the arms of the country that is currently destroying yours is a nonsense.' He added that 'ultimately the most humanitarian thing the Russians could do is end this completely illegal, completely unjustified invasion of Ukraine'. Even after the corridors were announced, Russia's armed forces continued to pummel Ukrainian cities, with multiple rocket launchers hitting residential buildings. Ukrainian officials accused Moscow of resorting to 'medieval siege' tactics in some places, and in one encircled city, Mariupol, there was no sign yet of an evacuation. Russian forces continued to pummel some Ukrainian cities with rockets even after the new announcement of corridors and fierce fighting continued in some areas, indicating there would be no wider cessation of hostilities. Efforts to set up safe passages for civilians to leave besieged areas over the weekend fell apart. But the Russian Defense Ministry announced a new push today, saying civilians would be allowed to leave the capital of Kyiv, the southern port city of Mariupol, and the cities of Kharkiv and Sumy. The two sides met for a third round of talks Monday, according to Russian state media, though hopes for any breakthrough were dim. The countries' foreign ministers are also scheduled to meet in Turkey on Thursday, according to that country's top diplomat. Ukrainians, whose ferocious resistance has slowed the invasion and thwarted any hopes Moscow had for a lightning victory, have been reinforcing cities across the country. The death toll, meanwhile, remains unclear. The U.N. has confirmed a few hundred civilian deaths but also warned the number is a vast undercount. Police for the Kharkiv region said Monday that 209 people have died there alone, 133 of them civilians. Israel will continue mediate between Moscow, Kiev even if chances low: Bennett Xinhua) 08:51, March 07, 2022 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. (Web editor: Peng yukai, Liang Jun) South Korea said Monday it plans to suspend transactions with Russia's central bank, sovereign wealth funds and another Russian lender as it has joined the global move to impose more financial sanctions against Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine. The government said it will end transactions with the Central Bank of the Russian Federation and two sovereign funds the National Wealth Fund of the Russian Federation and the Russian Direct Investment Fund starting Tuesday. South Korea will also suspend transactions with Rossiya Bank, one of seven Russian banks that will be removed from the SWIFT global payment system under the EU sanctions. But as for Russia's central bank, South Korea will apply the same standards as the U.S. when it comes transactions that will be exceptionally allowed, those connected with energy supplies. The move came as Seoul has joined the multinational move to impose sanctions against Russia, including export control and the removal of Moscow from the SWIFT network, in which trillions of dollars change hands for cross-border payments. Last week, South Korea said it will end transactions with seven major Russian banks and their affiliates, including Russian top lender Sberbank. It has also decided to halt investment in Russian government bonds. (Yonhap) A group of undertakers have been suspended after one of them hid inside a body bag and jumped out to frighten their colleague. Footage shows workers from T Cribb & Sons funeral directors in London standing over what looks to be a corpse. As one of them unzips the body bag, a colleague bursts out and sits up like a corpse being reanimated while screaming - causing the victim to jump backwards in shock. The video, shot at one of their funeral homes in Beckton, East London, has split opinion, with most people finding the prank funny but some calling it 'disrespectful'. Viral footage shows workers from T Cribb & Sons funeral directors in London standing over what looks to be a corpse John Harris, senior partner at T Cribbs and Sons, saw the video at the weekend and confirmed he has suspended some staff. 'It's a joke which should never have happened or been shared - I'm lost for words,' he said. It's a family business and I've been in it for 50 years. All the good work I've done in that time, you can see it destroyed by some foolishness. I'm at a loss really. 'I get why people think it's disrespectful. At the end of the day some thought they'd pay a prank on somebody. I can't stand here and condone it. Where's the common sense?' Mr Harris suggested some of the staff could be dismissed. 'If it wasn't shared I could have dealt with it internally and done some reprimands, but now [I may have] to lose experienced staff - one of them has been with me for 25 years,' he said. 'The people involved are really good professional people, and I know that sounds strange to say when you see that video, Nowadays you can't do things like this. 'I'd like to offer an unreserved apology if the video offended anybody.' As one of them unzips the body bag, a colleague bursts out and sits up like a corpse being reanimated while screaming - causing the victim to jump backwards in shock John Harris, senior partner at T Cribbs and Sons, saw the video at the weekend and confirmed he has suspended some staff The video, posted to Twitter on Saturday afternoon by user @peachpuk, has been liked and retweeted more than 35,000 times and has been viewed more than 800,000 times. One user, called Lee H, said: 'Absolutely disgusting behaviour', while another, EFCBilly, branded it: 'Quite disrespectful.' However, others were quick to defend the prank. Nick Bavin said: 'I actually know someone who that happened too. You can call it bad taste but you've got to have a sense of humour. Well I have to keep going at times!' Fellow undertaker Kevin Barry Blair said: 'People in our line of work need to unwind and relax. Pranks like this keep our spirits up.' A third Twitter user added: 'Anyone that doesn't see pure British humour at its finest needs to sit on the naughty step.' Advertisement Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba said it would show a 'lack of confidence' if the U.S. and NATO refuse to impose a no-fly zone over his country Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said U.S. and NATO forces would only reject a no-fly zone over his country's skies if they lacked 'confidence' in the military alliance after Russian President Vladimir Putin said such a move would constitute an act of war. Kuleba urged the U.S. and NATO to impose such a no-fly zone, even as skeptics including Sen. Marco Rubio warned it could 'means starting World War III.' 'We heroically repel attacks fo the Russian armed forces on the ground. However we do have issues with the skies. And The Russian air force dominates in the skies, and continues bombing our cities and killing many civilians,' Kuleba told ABC's 'Good Morning America' on Monday. Then, he appeared to try to goad the west into taking further action on Ukraine's behalf, after the White House rejected the idea. 'Well, we believe that the rejection of the no-fly zone is based on the lack of confidence in the strengths of NATO as an alliance, because the military might of NATO is [incomparably] bigger compared than Russia,' he said, appearing in front of a blank wall while wearing a casual plaid shirt. 'Why would Russia dare to shoot down a NATO plane knowing that it is doomed, eventually doomed if the war begins.' He said a failure to act would endanger the alliance. Kuleba's comments came as horrifying images laid bare the refugee crisis in Ukraine as Russia continued to shell civilians trying to flee bomb-ravaged cities. Heartbreaking pictures show civilians trying to flee their homes in Irpin, in the Kyiv region, as loved ones hold onto each other and people offer to help elderly citizens cross makeshift planks amid scenes of destroyed debris. The images emerged as the EU's top diplomat, Joseph Borrell said as many as five million refugees could flee in to the bloc if Russia's barbaric invasion of Ukraine continues. Meanwhile, Red Cross volunteers working out of Mariupol have revealed that one of the route out of the city suggested by Russia on Sunday was covered in land mines. 'If you you know this logic, then no-fly zone becomes possible. If you believe that you cannot stop Russia, then no-fly zone becomes impossible, but then also the chance to defend NATO vanishes because if you do not believe that you can stop Russia in Ukraine, why should you be able to stop it elsewhere?' The White House rejected the idea as 'definitely escalatory' last week after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky proposed it. Rubio told ABC's 'This Week' on Sunday that such a no-fly zone which the U.S. imposed in the Balkans in the 1990s could trigger horrific consequences if deployed against nuclear Russia. 'That means flying AWACS [air defenses] 24 hours a day, that means the willingness to shoot down and engage Russian airplanes in the sky. That means, frankly, you can't put those planes up there unless they're willing to knock out the anti-aircraft systems that the Russians have deployed, and not just in Ukraine, but Russia and also in Belarus,' he said. Evacuees cross a destroyed bridge as they flee the city of Irpin, northwest of Kyiv, which has been under heavy Russian attack Civilians continue to flee from Irpin due to ongoing Russian attacks in Irpin, Ukraine Residents cross the destroyed bridge as they flee from the frontline town of Irpin today. The area was a witness to heavy fighting for almost a week 'So basically a no-fly zone, if people understand what it means, it means World War III. It means starting World War III.' Kuleba also pleaded with the U.S. to move forward with an emerging plan to provide Polish-owned MiG-29 fighters to the battered Ukrainian air force. 'I urge both the United States and Poland to speed up the decision-making processes and procedures. If we receive fighting jets, that will allow us to re-establish control over the skies and save many, many civilian lives, as well as many houses, buildings and objects of critical infrastructure from being [destroyed] by Russian bombardments,' Kuleba said. The idea is to hand over the Russian-made jets that Ukrainians know how to fly, and have the U.S. backfill the need with modern F-16s. Asked about the possibility of a long-term settlement, Kuleba responded that he is a diplomat and has to believe in a cease fire although there has been no pause in Russian attacks amid prior rounds of talks. 'All wars end with peace. Since the reason for this war is the fact that president Putin rejects the rights of Ukrainians to exist ... We will begin to fiercely and vigorously fight as him as an aggressor to prevail. This is the strategy. We have no other strategy but win because our own existence as a nation is at stake.' Latvia's Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics on Monday asked for a permanent U.S. military presence in his country, amid fears over where Putin may strike next. He made the comment after meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Putin will stop the war only with sanctions, losses in Ukraine and 'total isolation,' he said. The U.S. is also considering providing NATO allies on Russia's eastern flank with air defense systems, CNN reported. The move would seek to counter a potential threat if Russian President Putin decides to lash out at nations providing aid to Ukraine, as well as to contend with any inadvertent presence over NATO airspace. The most likely defenses would be Patriot and the THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense), which have been deployed to protect U.S. forces and allies in the Middle East. On the day of a third round of talks between Ukrainian and Russian delegations, Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov said Russia would end what it terms a special operation 'in a moment' if Ukraine stopped military action, rewrote its constitution to commit it to neutrality and keep it out of the European Union and NATO, recognize separatist territory in Donetsk and Lugansk in its east and also acknowledge Crimea which Russia seized in 2014 as Russian territory. Ukraine is aware of Russia's latest terms, 'And they were told that all this can be stopped in a moment,' Reuters reported. Although likely unacceptable to Ukraine which just last week made a demonstration of applying for EU membership it marked a potential climb down from Russia, which has tried to smear the government in Kiev as being controlled by Nazis. Peskov also forswore Russian claims on Ukrainian territory, even as it continued to pound coastal cities in its south and a long column of armor remained stalled outside Kyiv. 'We really are finishing the demilitarization of Ukraine. We will finish it. But the main thing is that Ukraine ceases its military action. They should stop their military action and then no one will shoot,' he said although he didn't appear to list Ukraine committing to demilitarize itself as one of the terms. 'They should make amendments to the constitution according to which Ukraine would reject any aims to enter any bloc,' he said, adding: 'We have also spoken about how they should recognise that Crimea is Russian territory and that they need to recognise that Donetsk and Lugansk are independent states. And thats it. It will stop in a moment.' Putin on Saturday issued a dire threat about a no-fly zone as U.S. defense officials continued to report Ukraine's air space is contested. 'Any move in this direction will be viewed by us as a participation in the armed conflict,' Putin said. 'That very second, we will view them as participants and it would not matter what members they are,' he added. Russia's invasion of Ukraine appears to have ground to a halt with no significant territory captured despite a weekend of heavy fighting, with Kyiv's men claiming to have taken out dozens of helicopters and recaptured a city this morning - sparking hopes that the unlikeliest of victories may be on the cards. Putin's men renewed their bombardments on Mariupol, Chernihiv, Mykolaiv and Kharkiv this morning as hundreds of civilians tried to evacuate Irpin - on the outskirts of Kyiv - across a destroyed bridge after days of heavy attacks in an attempt to encircle the capital. But Russian commanders have not significantly advanced their frontline since the city of Kherson and nuclear power plant at Zaporizhzhia were captured last week. 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 Meanwhile the Ukrainian armed forces claimed to have destroyed up to 30 Russian helicopters that had been moved to Chornobaivka airport, near Kherson, overnight and to have retaken the city of Chuhuiv, near Kharkiv, killing two Russian commanders - Lt. Col. Dmitry Safronov, and Lt Col. Denis Glebov - in the process. Later in the day, Urkaine said it had also recaptured the airport at Mykolaiv. Video also emerged which appeared to show Ukrainian defence forces based in Odessa, the country's largest port, exchanging fire with ships overnight - one of which suffered a hit. Ukraine's ministry of defence has since claimed the vessel, a corvette named Vasily Bykov, was destroyed. Images showed it afloat with black smoke pouring out in the early hours. Ukraine's military now estimates that 11,000 Russian soldiers have been killed in fighting along with the loss of 1,000 armoured vehicles, 290 tanks, 68 helicopters, 46 planes and dozens of other piece of hardware. Independent observers give lower totals, but Franz-Stefan Gady - of the International Institute for Strategic Studies - said the situation is never-the-less 'slowly becoming unsustainable for Russia'. Russia tacitly acknowledged the loss of two other commanders - Colonel Konstantin Zizevsky and Lieutenant Colonel Denis Glebov - whose funerals were held in Russia at the weekend. US intelligence believes Russia has committed 95 per cent of the invasion force it had assembled on Ukraine's border to the fight, meaning significant reinforcements to push its attacks forward are unlikely to come soon - and could simply run into many of the same logistical problems that plagued the early assault. That has prompted some - including UK general Admiral Sir Tony Radakin - to predict that Russia could actually lose the war. Asked by the BBC on Sunday whether victory for Putin's men was 'inevitable', as many had predicted before the fighting started, he responded: 'No.' Defeat for Russia does not automatically mean victory for Ukraine, however. Despite heavy losses Putin's men have still been able to capture key territory, particularly in the south, cutting Kyiv off from many of its vital Black Sea trading routes and naval bases. Ukraine's forces have proven dogged in defence but it remains to be seen whether they can counter-attack successfully and push Russian forces back across the border. It came as Ukrainian and Russian forces met in Belarus for a third round of talks between the two sides. Russia has for the first time raised the prospect of halting its operation, provided Ukraine recognises the independence of the Donbass, acknowledges Crimes as Russian territory and pledges never to join NATO. It is the first time that Russia has explicitly stated its position in talks, which Kyiv has rejected. It has also been announced that Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov will meet Ukrainian counterpart Dymtro Kuleba in Turkey on Thursday - the first high-level summit between the two sides on neutral ground since the fighting started. In the meantime, Russia is expected to keep up its bombardment of Ukraine's largest cities with Moscow claiming to have opened up evacuation routes out of some of them - Mariupol, Sumy, Kharkiv and Kyiv - on Monday morning so civilians could flee. Ukraine quickly rejected the plan after it emerged most of the evacuation routes led into Russia or Belarus. Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk rejected the ceasefire offer on Monday, saying it is 'not an acceptable option' for Ukrainians to flee to the country that is attacking them. Civilians 'aren't going to go to Belarus and then take a plane to Russia', she said. Kuleba urged the U.S. and Poland to speed their decision-making over handing over MiG-29 Russian-made aircraft that Ukrainian pilots know how to fly A Russian T-72 tank is seen destroyed somewhere near the city of Mariupol in an image posted by the 'Azov Brigade', a unit of the Ukrainian National Guard that operates in and around the city The tail-end of a destroyed Russian Su-34 fighter is seen crashed through the roof of a warehouse near Kharkiv having been shot down by Ukrainian forces overnight A Russian tank is seen damaged and abandoned near the city of Mariupol, which has been under heavy shelling for days A destroyed Russian infantry fighting vehicle is seen near the city of Mariupol, in images captured by Ukraine's 'Azov Brigade' Destroyed Russian vehicles are seen somewhere near Mariupol, in images captured by the Azov Brigade A Russian warship - believed to be the patrol vessel Vasily Bykov - is seen smouldering off the coast of Odessa, Ukraine, after being hit by forces defending the city overnight Ukrainian civilians are pictured urinating against the side of a captured Russian vehicle while their national flag flies atop it, as Putin's forces take 'unsustainable' losses Abandoned Russian armoured vehicles are filmed stranded in a field somewhere in Ukraine, as Putin's invasion grinds to a halt Ukrainian delegation leaves the country for Belarus, where a third round of negotiations will take place on the border after two previous rounds ended without agreement Russian forces are continuing to pound Mariupol, in the south, Kharkiv, in the east, Chernihiv, in the north, and Mykolaiv, in the south, with artillery - but have made little or no gains in territory in recent days. Forces continue to work to surround the capital Kyiv, though progress has been slow. Attacks on civilian areas on the outskirts have increased After more than a week in stalled positions, Russian forces have made small gains in their attempt to surround and assault Kyiv - with Ukraine saying enough firepower has now been amassed for the mission Red Cross volunteers working out of Mariupol also revealed that one of the route out of the city suggested by Russia on Sunday was covered in land mines. Meanwhile Volodymyr Zelensky vowed that 'God will not forgive' and Ukraine 'will not forget' the slaughter of civilians by Russian forces, saying a 'day of judgement' is coming for them. Zelensky, in a late-night address to his countrymen on the Orthodox Christian holiday of 'Forgiveness Sunday', recalled how a family of four were among eight civilians killed by Russian mortars while trying to flee the city of Irpin - near Kyiv - earlier in the day. 'We will not forgive. We will not forget,' he told listeners. 'We cannot forgive the hundreds upon hundreds of victims. Nor the thousands upon thousands who have suffered,' he added. 'God will not forgive. Not today. Not tomorrow. Never.' 'Instead of humanitarian corridors, they can only make bloody ones,' Zelensky said, as Interior Ministry adviser Anton Gerashchenko added: 'There can be no 'green corridors' because only the sick brain of the Russians decides when to start shooting and at whom.' Shortly after they spoke, columns of smoke were seen rising over the city of Mykolaiv, on Ukraine's Black Sea coast, as Russian forces resumed shelling. The exact number of civilian casualties is unclear, though is estimated by Ukraine to be in the thousands as residential areas of major cities are indiscriminately bombed using thermobaric and cluster munitions amid evidence of 'hit squads' targeting civilian vehicles. The UN has confirmed 406 civilian deaths, though admits the true toll will be higher, and says that that 1.5million people have fled the fighting. Britain's Europe Minister James Cleverly said Russia's latest offer of a ceasefire and an escape route for civilians was 'cynical beyond belief'. Evacuation routes published by Russia's RIA Novosti news agency showed that civilians in some areas will only be able to leave towards Russia and Belarus. Mr Cleverly told BBC Breakfast: 'It appears cynical beyond belief. There is a view that Vladimir Putin believed there was a widespread desire of Ukrainians to be closer to Russia, to be more Russian. I think that has been proven to be a complete nonsense by the circumstances we are seeing. 'Providing evacuation routes into the arms of the country that is currently destroying yours is a nonsense.' He added that 'ultimately the most humanitarian thing the Russians could do is end this completely illegal, completely unjustified invasion of Ukraine'. Even after the corridors were announced, Russia's armed forces continued to pummel Ukrainian cities, with multiple rocket launchers hitting residential buildings. Russia has offered to allow civilians to flee out of some of the country's besieged cities - but the plan was rejected after it emerged all the routes led either to Russia or Belarus People cross an improvised path under a destroyed bridge while fleeing the town of Irpin close to Kyiv, Ukraine Ukrainian soldiers carry a wounded woman out of the city of Irpin, to the west of Kyiv, amid heavy Russian attacks A woman weeps as the sound of shelling intensifies in the city of Irpin, to the west of Kyiv, with Russians trying to surround the capital ahead of an expected bombardment A family-of-four were killed by a Russian mortar round as they tried to flee Irpin on Sunday, with Zelensky vowing God 'will not forgive' troops targeting the innocent and Ukraine 'will not forget' People cross an improvised path under a destroyed bridge while fleeing the town of Irpin, Ukraine Yulia Tymoshenko, a former Ukrainian prime minister who led the Orange Revolution against pro-Russia politician Viktor Yanukovych, is pictured in Kyiv after returning to the country The limited ceasefire announcement came a day after hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian civilians attempting to flee to safety were forced to shelter from Russian shelling of cities in Ukraine's center, north and south. Officials from both sides planned a third round of talks Monday. Russian forces continued their offensive, opening fire on the city of Mykolaiv, 480 kilometers south of the capital of Kyiv, Ukraine's General Staff said Monday morning. Rescuers said they were putting out fires in residential areas caused by rocket attacks. Shelling also continued in the suburbs of Kyiv, including Irpin, which has been cut off from electricity, water and heating for three days. 'Russia continues to carry out rocket, bomb and artillery strikes on the cities and settlements of Ukraine,' the General Staff said. 'The invaders continue to use the airfield network of Belarus to carry out air strikes on Ukraine.' The Russians have also been targeting humanitarian corridors, taking women and children hostage and placing weapons in residential areas of cities, according to the General Staff. French President Emmanuel Macron, who spoke with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Sunday, accused Putin of hypocrisy and cynicism over the offer of humanitarian corridors . 'All this is not serious, it is moral and political cynicism, which I find intolerable,' he told LCI television in an interview. AFP journalists saw thousands of civilians early Monday fleeing the fighting via an unofficial humanitarian corridor in Irpin, a strategic suburb west of Kyiv. 'I am so happy to have managed to get out,' said Olga, a 48-year-old woman leaving with her two dogs. Children and the elderly were carried on carpets used as stretchers on the route, which leads over a makeshift bridge and then a single path secured by the army and volunteers. Ukraine war: The latest Russia steps up its shelling as the UN says 1.5 million people have now fled Attempts to evacuate civilians from Mariupol fail again, amid repeated ceasefire violations Ukraine's military says it is fighting 'fierce battles' on the edge of the southern city of Mykolayiv, Dozens of civilians are being killed in the battle for Chernihiv in the north A barrage of Russian missiles destroys Vinnytsia airport in central Ukraine Russian shops are told to limit sales of essential foodstuffs to counter black market speculation Thousands more are arrested at anti-war demonstrations in Russia, bringing the total to well over 11,000 Vladimir Putin says he will achieve his aims in Ukraine 'through negotiation or through war' US 'green lights' Poland to supply Kyiv with fighter jets, amid fears it could drag NATO into war Antony Blinken says the West is in 'very active' discussions about a Russian oil embargo, despite price at all-time high Credit card giants Visa, Mastercard and American Express freeze business in Russia. Russian banks say they will use China's UnionPay system Consultancy firms KPMG and PwC announce an end to operations in Russia France announces it will send iodine tablets and other medical supplies to Ukraine. They are used to protect against the effects of exposure to radiation krainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba says 20,000 international volunteers have joined the fight Netflix suspends services in Russia and social media giant TikTok blocks posting of video content from the country Foreign media including the BBC, CBC, ARD, ZDF, Bloomberg News, CNN, CBS, RAI and EFE have suspended reporting from Russia after Moscow threatened jail terms Advertisement Desperate people abandoned pushchairs and heavy suitcases to make sure they could get on the buses out of the war zone. 'We had no light at home, no light, no water, we just sat in the basement,' Inna Scherbanyova, 54, an economist from Irpin, told AFP. 'Explosions were constantly going off... Near our house there are cars, there were dead people in one of them... very scary.' A day earlier a family of two adults and two children were killed by a shell as they tried to leave the war-torn area. 'They are monsters. Irpin is at war, Irpin has not surrendered,' mayor Oleksandr Markushyn said on Telegram, adding that he had seen the family killed with his own eyes. There was no let-up in the violence overnight into Monday, as outgunned Ukrainian forces, helped with military supplies from western countries, try to hold back Russian forces. Air sirens sounded in cities across the country, and there was intense aerial bombardment in Ukraine's second city Kharkiv, which has endured almost non-stop fire in recent days. 'The enemy continues the offensive operation against Ukraine, focusing on the encirclement of Kyiv, Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Sumy and Mykolayiv,' the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said in a statement. The mayor of Gostomel, the town north of Kiev that is home to a crucial military airfield, was shot dead by Russian forces along with two other people while 'distributing bread to the hungry and medicine to the sick,' officials said. Nine bodies - five civilians and four soldiers - were found in the rubble of Vinnytsia airport in central Ukraine after it was destroyed in a Russian missile attack on Sunday, rescue services said. Fears meanwhile rose that main port of Odessa, dubbed the 'pearl of the Black Sea', was the next target of Russia's offensive in the south. Officials said Russia had shelled the village of Tuzly in the Odessa region from the sea, causing no injuries. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky renewed calls for the West to boycott Russian exports, particularly oil, and to impose a no-fly zone to stop the carnage. 'How many more deaths and losses must it take to secure the skies over Ukraine?' he said in a video message. Twelve days of fighting have killed hundreds of civilians and wounded thousands. An unending stream of people - mostly women and children - has poured into neighbouring countries, especially Poland. Western allies have imposed unprecedented sanctions against businesses, banks and billionaires in a bid to choke the Russian economy and pressure Moscow to halt its assault. - 'Neutralisation' of Ukraine - But Putin has equated global sanctions with a declaration of war, put nuclear forces on alert and warned that Kyiv is 'putting in question the future of Ukrainian statehood' by continuing to resist. Moscow has been forced to restrict sales of essential goods to limit black-market speculation, while on Sunday payment giant American Express halted operations there, a day after Visa and MasterCard announced similar steps. Streaming giant Netflix suspended its service in Russia while social media titan TikTok halted the posting of new videos from Russia. Despite harsh punishments for those voicing dissent, protests in Russia against the Ukraine invasion have continued, with more than 10,000 people arrested since it began. Putin has pledged the 'neutralisation' of Ukraine 'either through negotiation or through war'. Sputtering diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict continue with the foreign ministers of Ukraine, Russia and Turkey set to meet in southern Turkey on Thursday, Ankara said. China said on Monday it was open to helping to mediate peace, but stressed that the friendship between close allies Beijing and Moscow remained 'rock solid'. The International Court of Justice meanwhile heard Ukraine's appeal for it to order Russia to halt the fighting, but Moscow declined to attend the sitting of the UN's top court, in The Hague. NATO allies have so far rebuffed Ukraine's calls for a no-fly zone, with one senior US senator, Marco Rubio, saying Sunday that it could lead to 'World War III' against nuclear-armed Russia. Kyiv has urged the West to boost its military assistance, with Zelensky pleading for Russian-made planes that his pilots are trained to fly. Putin has already warned that sanctions imposed by the West on Russian are 'tantamount to a declaration of war' and that any attempt to create a no-fly zone over Ukraine - which would involve NATO jets shooting down Russian aircraft and attacking ground-based anti-air systems - would prompt retaliation. NATO and the US have firmly ruled out the idea of sending forces to fight, despite calls from Zelesnky, but are struggling to gage what other responses might trigger Putin to escalate. According to the New York Times, the question being asked in the White House is: 'Tell me how we don't get sucked in to a superpower conflict?' Instead of directly engaging in the fight with Russia, the U.S. and its allies in the 30-member NATO group were sending weapons to Ukraine; more than 17,000 anti-tank weapons, including Javelin missiles, have been sent by land to Ukraine over the borders of Poland and Romania since the conflict began. A $350 million package of military aid was approved by Congress on February 26, two days into the conflict, and 70 percent of it was delivered in five days. By contrast, a $60 million arms package to Ukraine agreed to in August was not completed until November, the Pentagon said Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Sunday that Poland has been given a 'green light' to supply MiG fighters to Ukraine's air force - which their pilots are trained to fly - in exchange for American-made F-16s which would be given to Warsaw to ensure its air force is not depleted. Ukrainian soldiers help an elderly woman to cross a destroyed bridge as she evacuates the city of Irpin Civilians continue to flee from Irpin due to ongoing Russian attacks in Irpin, A Ukrainian serviceman looks on as evacuees cross a destroyed bridge as they flee the city of Irpin, northwest of Kyiv A woman carries her pet cat as evacuees cross a destroyed bridge as they flee the city of Irpin Civilians cross amid rubble of a damaged bridge in the Irpin city near from Kyiv A Ukrainian volunteer fighter helps carry a child for local residents as they evacuate on foot as Russian forces advance and continue to bombard the area with artillery, in Irpin Civilians carry children across a damaged bridge in the Irpin city near Kyiv, as the area comes under Russian attack Ukrainian servicemen help an elderly woman in the town of Irpin, which was heavily shelled by Russia at the weekend Local residents evacuate as Russian forces advance and continue to bombard the town with artillery, in Irpin Ukrainian soldiers help people trying to leave the city amid the collapsed structures and debris in Irpin A wife says her goodbyes to her husband who is a member of the Territorial Defense as she evacuates from the city of Irpin A father says goodbye to his daughter as civilians flee the city of Irpin, to the west of Kyiv, with Russian forces approaching However, Poland described reports that its jets are being sent to Ukraine as 'fake news'. Back-and-forth reports of Polish fighters being sent to aid Kyiv have been going on since at least last week. There are fears that such a move would lead Putin to step up his attacks, possibly by trying to invade a second country. If Putin were to target Poland directly, it would suck NATO into the war because Poland is a member of the 30-state alliance - whose members all pledge to defend one-another in the event they are attacked. Meanwhile China - which has so-far sought to tread a middle-ground on Ukraine, pacifying western outrage by abstaining on votes at the UN while still cosying up to Russia economically - has offered to mediate peace talks between the two sides. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi Monday said the friendship between Beijing and Moscow was still very strong, despite international condemnation of Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine, as he offered Beijing's help in mediating peace. 'The friendship between the two peoples is rock-solid, and both sides' future cooperation prospects are very vast,' said Wang at an annual press briefing, adding that China would send humanitarian aid to Ukraine and was 'willing to work with the international community to carry out necessary mediation'. 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. As Russian attacks worsened, a brief reprieve from fighting in Mariupol collapsed. Heavy artillery hit residential areas in other large cities, local officials reported. Presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovich described a 'catastrophic' situation in the Kyiv suburbs of Bucha, Hostomel and Irpin, where efforts to evacuate residents on Sunday failed. About eight civilians, including a family, were killed by Russian shelling in Irpin, according to Mayor Oleksander Markyshin. 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. Arestovich said the government was doing all it could to resume evacuations. '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.' British military officials compared Russia's tactics to those Moscow used in Chechnya and Syria, where surrounded cities were pulverized by airstrikes and artillery. Food, water, medicine and almost all other supplies were in desperately short supply in 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. The handful of residents who managed to flee the city 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.' 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. But much of the Russian advance has become stalled, including an immense military convoy that has been almost motionless for days north of Kyiv. 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, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss military assessments, said Russian forces continue to advance in an attempt to isolate Kyiv, Kharkhiv and Chernihiv, but are being met with strong Ukrainian resistance. Emergency officials in the Kharkiv region said Monday that overnight shelling killed at least eight people and wrecked residential buildings, medical and education facilities and administrative buildings. Ukraine's professional and volunteer fighters have fought with great tenacity, though they are greatly outmatched by the Russian army. Volunteers lined up Saturday in Kyiv to join the military. Ukraine is also planning to fill an international legion with 20,000 volunteers from dozens of countries, though it was not clear how many were in Ukraine. Smoke rises over the city of Mykolaiv, on Ukraine's Black Sea coast, early on Monday after Russian rocket attacks Ukrainian firemen scour the rubble of Vinnytsia airport, in central Ukraine, after a Russian airstrike at the weekend that authorities now say killed nine people Ukrainian emergency services search the rubble of Vinnytsia Airport for survivors and victims of a Russian airstrike Kiev's Mayor Vitaly Klitschko visits a blockpost near Kyiv, as Russian forces attempt to surround the capital and besiege it Kiev's Mayor Vitaly Klitschko (right) greets Ukrainian territorial defense fighter Lesya following her wedding with Valeriy (not pictured) at a blockpost near Kyiv Ukrainian firefighters work to extinguish a blaze in an apartment building near Mykolaiv, in southern Ukraine, after it was struck by Russian Smerch rocket launchers in the early hours Mykolaiv, on Ukraine's Black Sea coast, is coming under increasing attacks by Russia as Putin's forces attempt to push along the coast to attack the country's largest port city at Odessa Rescuers dismantle the rubble of a destroyed school after Russian troops shelled the city of Chernihiv, to the north of the capital Kyiv, on Monday morning People are seen among debris of residential buildings damaged by shelling, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine, in Zhytomyr - to the west of Kyiv Russian tanks marked with the 'Z' invasion symbol are seen in Donetsk, a rebel-occupied area in Ukraine's east, on Sunday Smoke rises from Russian artillery pieces after opening fire on a road near Bugas, in the Donetsk region of Ukraine Pro-Russian separatists, in uniforms without insignia, are seen in the pro-Russian separatists-controlled Donetsk Pro-Russian separatist forces are transported to join the fighting in the rebel-occupied Ukrainian region of Donetsk Russian armoured vehicles are seen taking up firing positions in the rebel-occupied Donetsk region of Ukraine Pro-Russian separatists, in uniforms without insignia, are seen in the pro-Russian separatists-controlled Donetsk 'The whole world today is on Ukraine's side, not only in words but in deeds,' Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Ukrainian television Sunday night. 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. Zelenskyy has also heaped criticism on Western leaders for not responding with more force to Russia. He 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. 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. 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 that Russian users would not be able to post new videos or see videos shared from elsewhere in the world. The company blamed Moscow's 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. 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. A Ukrainian soldier aids a victim of a mortar attacks from Russian forces in Irpin, to the west of Kyiv Refugees, mostly women and children, wait in a crowd for transportation after fleeing from the Ukraine and arriving at the border crossing in Medyka, Poland A woman covers herself with a blanket to keep warm after fleeing from the Ukraine and arriving at the border crossing in Medyka, Poland Refugees, mostly women and children, wait in a crowd for transportation after fleeing from the Ukraine and arriving at the border crossing in Medyka, Poland A woman feeds a baby after fleeing from the Ukraine and arriving at the border crossing in Medyka, Poland Refugees wait in a crowd for transportation after fleeing from the Ukraine and arriving at the border in Medyka, Poland Bill Cosby, 84, on June 30 last year, the day he was released from prison The Supreme Court said Monday it will not take up the sexual assault case against comedian Bill Cosby, leaving in place a decision by Pennsylvania's highest court to throw out his conviction and set him free from prison. The high court declined prosecutors' request to hear the case and reinstate Cosby's conviction. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court last year threw out Cosby's conviction, saying the prosecutor who brought the case was bound by his predecessors agreement not to charge Cosby. As is typical, the Supreme Court did not say anything in rejecting the case. The case was included in a long list of cases the court said Monday it would not hear. Cosby's spokesperson Andrew Wyatt released a statement on Monday saying he was grateful for the decision, whereas women's rights activists reacted with disappointment. 'On behalf of Mr. & Mrs. Cosby and the Cosby family, we would like to offer our sincere gratitude to the justices of the United States Supreme Court for following the rules of law and protecting the Constitutional Rights of ALL American Citizens of these United States. 'Mr. Cosbys Constitutional Rights were a reprehensible bait and switch by Kevin Steele, Judge Steve T. ONeill and their cohorts. 'This is truly a victory for Mr. Cosby but it shows that cheating will never get you far in life and the corruption that lies within Montgomery County Districts Attorney Office has been brought to the center stage of the world. Thank you very much,' he said. Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele appealed the decision, saying it sets a bad example to sexual predators The 84-year-old Cosby became the first celebrity convicted of sexual assault in the #MeToo era when a jury in 2018 found him guilty of drugging and molesting Temple University employee Andrea Constand in 2004. A jury had previously deadlocked in Cosby's case, resulting in a mistrial in 2017. Cosby spent nearly three years in prison before Pennsylvanias high court ordered his release. Cosby's lawyers have long argued that he relied on a promise that he would never be charged when he gave damaging testimony in an accusers civil suit in 2006. Cosby was found guilty of drugging and molesting Andrea Constand The admissions were later used against him in two criminal trials. The only written evidence of such a promise is a 2005 press release from the then-prosecutor, Bruce Castor, who said he did not have enough evidence to arrest Cosby. The release included an ambiguous 'caution' that Castor 'will reconsider this decision should the need arise.' The parties have since spent years debating what that meant. Castor's successors, who gathered new evidence and arrested Cosby in 2015, say it falls far short of a lifetime immunity agreement. They also doubt that Castor ever made such a deal. Lisa Bloom, an attorney who often represents female rape and sexual assault victims, tweeted: 'Today the Supreme Court decided not to hear it, allowing Cosby to remain free. 'More than 60 women, including my clients, accused him of rape. He is NOT exonerated.' Special Counsel John Durham slammed lawyer Michael Sussmann's effort to have charged against him dropped as 'absurd' and again accused him of misleading the FBI in 2016 by passing on 'highly explosive allegations' about Donald Trump without disclosing his links with the Clinton campaign, in a new court filing. The document opposes Sussmann's attempt to have a change of lying to the FBI thrown out. His attorneys argued in a motion that Durham's case was largely unprecedented and might ultimately deter other tipsters from coming forward. They used the example of a jilted ex-wife who might think twice about reporting her ex-husband'a 'extensive gun smuggling operation.' In their motion to dismiss, they say Sussman was not accused of giving false information to the FBI - but of lying about whether or not he was approaching the bureau for Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign. That, they argued, is 'immaterial as a matter of law.' In his response, Durham and his team of lawyers dismissed the comparison with the jilted ex-wife as 'absurd' as they asked the federal court in the District of Columbia to proceed. 'Far from finding himself in the vulnerable position of an ordinary person whose speech is likely to be chilled, the defendant - a sophisticated and well-connected lawyer chose to bring politically-charged allegations to the FBI's chief legal officer at the height of an election season,' they wrote. 'He then chose to lie about the clients who were behind those allegations. 'Using such rare access to the halls of power for the purposes of political deceit is hardly the type of speech that the Founders intended to protect.' Special Counsel John Durham (l), who is probing the origins of the federal investigation into links between Russian and the 2016 Trump campaign, is opposing lawyer Michael Sussmann's effort to have charges against him dropped in a new court filing In a response filed last week, Durham and his team said Sussman's argument that prosecuting him would prevent other tipsters coming forward was 'absurd' And far from being immaterial, they went on to say that 'the defendants false statement was capable of influencing both the FBIs decision to initiate an investigation and its subsequent conduct of that investigation.' Durham was appointed in 2019 to probe the roots of the FBI's investigation of possible links between the Trump campaign and Russia. Each twist of his work has excited Trump allies and rightwing media, keen to trumpet evidence that the former president was the subject of a 'witch hunt.' So far, Durham has brought only one indictment. It focuses on a meeting in September 2016, when Sussmann gave the FBI data showing apparently suspicious traffic between Trump Organization computers and a Russian bank. According to Durham's accusations, Sussmann claimed not to be acting on behalf of anyone else - but was in fact working for a tech executive and the Clinton Campaign. The data were investigated but the FBI ultimately found no evidence of wrongdoing. Sussman's lawyers argued that his affiliations were irrelevant. 'At the end of the day, Hillary Clinton herself could have publicly handed over the Russian Bank-1 Information and the FBI would still have investigated it,' they said in a filing last month. But Durham's team say the FBI might have been better able to assess the reliability of the allegations if they better understood the source. The latest back and forth follows an explosion of coverage last month when Durham raised fresh allegations about Sussmann in a court filing - which Trump and his allies wrongly said showed that opponents had spied on the former president at the White House. Hillary Clinton herself was among those who poured scorn on Trump, as investigations in New York into his business affairs intensified and his long-term accountants said they could not longer vouch for 10 years of his accounts. 'By the way, they've been coming after me again lately, in case you might have noticed. It's funny, the more trouble Trump gets into, the wilder the charges and conspiracy theories about me seem to get,' said Clinton. A man was repeatedly stabbed and left critically wounded when he confronted a shoplifter ransacking a Walgreens in crime-ridden Chicago overnight. The Chicago Police Department said the violent incident took place at the pharmacy at 641 North Clark Street at around 10.30pm on Sunday, when a man in his late 40s noticed a crook stealing merchandise off shelves. When the Good Samaritan tried to intervene and addressed the thief, the man flew into a rage, produced a sharp object and proceeded to stab the victim numerous times in the legs, face and neck, according to police. Scroll down for video A man in his late 40s was repeatedly stabbed in the legs, face and neck after confronting a shoplifter at this Walgreens in Chicago Police say the victim spotted a man stealing merchandise at the drug store on North Clark Street on Sunday night and tried to intervene The victim, who has not been named, was rushed to Northwestern Hospital in critical condition, reported WGN9. The attacker fled the scene and remained at large as of Monday morning. Sunday's stabbing came amid skyrocketing crime rates in the windy city, with thefts up a whopping 61 percent and overall crime increasing 34 percent during the first two months of 2022, compared with the same time period last year. The Second City, under the leadership of progressive Cook County District Attorney Kim Foxx, has found itself in the throes of a crime epidemic, with homicides, sexual assaults and robberies being on the rise. Similarly to other major US cities, including San Francisco and New York City, Chicago has been hit hard by shoplifting incidents. Chicago's busy shopping district around the area of North Michigan Avenue has become the epicenter of smash-and-grab robberies, with roving bands of youths swarming luxury stores, grabbing merchandise and fleeing. Between November 2021 and January of this year, the same Burberry store was targeted by thieves three times. The suspect produced a sharp object and proceeded to stab the Good Samaritan, leaving him with critical injuries In November, more than a dozen people rushed into a Louis Vuitton store in the Chicago suburb of Oakbrook and stole $120,000 worth of items, which they were seen on surveillance video hauling away in garbage bags. Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul said last fall that large-scale store thefts orchestrated by organized crime rings are costing retailers across the US an estimated $45billion in annual losses. Raoul has formed the Organized Retail Crime Task Force comprised of public and private entities to tackle the problem head on. Vladimir Putin's alleged 18-year-old 'love child' has suddenly closed her social media account after being on the receiving end of a wave of trolling over Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Since Putin ordered the invasion, Luiza Rozova, a student in St Petersburg, had been deluged with hostile posts, with one saying: 'Are U sitting in the bunker?? Like a rat?', while others posted emojis of Ukraine's flag. She has now deleted her account on Instagram. Luiza is the daughter of cleaner-turned-multimillionaire Svetlana Krivonogikh, 45, now a part-owner of a major Russian bank, one of the country's wealthiest women. Rozova, who had 84,000 followers, stopped publicly posting five months ago, triggering the suspicion that Putin had gagged her - though her account remained visible until today. Now a message says in Russian: 'User not found.' It comes amid claims Putin has hidden his family members in a luxury bunker in an 'underground city' in Siberia, designed for protection in the event of a nuclear war. Vladimir Putin's alleged 18-year-old 'love child' Luiza Rozova (pictured in photographs posted to her Instagram) has suddenly closed her social media account after being on the receiving end of a wave of trolling over Russia's invasion of Ukraine After the wave of trolling, a message on Luiza Rozova's Instagram account said in Russian: 'User not found' (pictured) - suggesting that it had been deleted Rozova, who had 84,000 followers, stopped publicly posting five months ago, triggering the suspicion that Putin (pictured on Saturday) had gagged her 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 In recent days trolls commented on Rozova's last post, from October 2021, accusing the teen of being the 'daughter of a murderer, war criminal, psychopath and drug addict'. Many posts include the Ukrainian blue-and-yellow flag and one carried the message: 'The Russian nation must rise against this dictator. You don't want to have anything to do with him.' Rozova is the daughter of cleaner-turned-multimillionaire Svetlana Krivonogikh, 46, now a part-owner of a major Russian bank. Svetlana - who owns a 3.1 million plush property in Monaco - has not commented on claims that her daughter was fathered by the Kremlin strongman, and nor has Rozova, who is also known as Elizaveta, although she told Russian GQ that she 'probably' looks 'similar' to a young Putin. Putin has not publicly acknowledged her. The suspicion that she was Putin's secret daughter from an extra-marital affair was first aired by an independent media outlet in Russia which was later barred from functioning by the authorities. A troll suspecting she may be in her mother's Mediterranean bolthole said: 'While you're fluffing around in Monaco, people of your generation are dying in Ukraine because of your father. 'Your destiny will be that of Marija Milosevic when your dad gets sent to The Hague. 'SHOW YOUR FACE YOU COWARD!' She was told: 'Young Russian soldiers are being sent to Ukraine without any knowledge about where they are, who they fight and what they do. 'The Russian economy is collapsing, reaching absolute zero. 'Soon, if not already, you won't be able to use Netflix, Spotify, social media apps, pay with Google and Apple Pay, all popular brands and boycotting and exiting Russia.' Rozova was also told: 'Many Ukrainians have forgotten about what sleep is, and even more so in bed. After all, falling asleep, many of us run the risk of not waking up. 'People spend the night in basements like rats because bombs are falling from the sky and rockets are coming. 'All you need is not to be silent, not to stand aside. Tell people the truth about what is happening in Ukraine! 'We want to live in peace and sleep peacefully in our beds, to know that in the morning our relatives and friends will be alive.' But commenters also defended her, with one saying: 'Don't judge her...is not her fault.' Another wrote: 'She cannot do anything for having a crazy father'. One more said: 'Come on guys, she is just a person. She is not guilty.' Svetlana Krivonogikh (pictured) has not commented on claims that her daughter was fathered by the Kremlin strongman, and nor has Rozova, who is also known as Elizaveta Rozova is the daughter of cleaner-turned-multimillionaire Svetlana Krivonogikh, 46, (pictured) now a part-owner of a major Russian bank In recent days trolls commented on Rozova's last post, from October 2021, accusing the teen of being the 'daughter of a murderer, war criminal, psychopath and drug addict' But a commenter called Martina hit back: 'Yes, she is guilty of passive complicity. It is the same as most of the Germans in the Nazi period.' Another penned: 'Call him - if he loves you ... maybe you can convince him not to kill.' One posted: 'Stop writing she's an innocent. She is the daughter of that devil! She could at least show that she does not agree with what her father is doing, somehow influence him. 'Putin doesn't give a s*** for ordinary people, but maybe his daughters still mean something to him. She stays quiet because she knows if she says one bad word to Daddy, she will be cut off from big money, apartments and expensive things. 'Unfortunately, there are important things - and more important things. Apparently, purses and villas are more important to her than human life.' Luiza earlier showed her life at cafes, on trips to Paris and running her own fashion label. She was also seen working as an in-demand DJ. Luiza earlier showed her life at cafes, on trips to Paris and running her own fashion label. She was also seen working as an in-demand DJ Putin has two daughters by his ex-wife Lyudmila, the former Kremlin first lady. Likewise, neither of them - Dr Maria Vorontsova, 36, a geneticist, and Katerina Tikhonova, 35, a high-kicking 'rock'n'roll' dancer-turned-mathematician, has commented on the war. Meanwhile Ksenia Shoigu, 31, financial whizz-kid and glamorous daughter of Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu, has made her account private in recent days. Shoigu, a married mother-of-one, was previously open in Instagram but her account is now private. She graduated from elite Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO) - a training ground for diplomats and spies. She was previously adviser to the Deputy Chairman of the Management Board of Gazprombank. In February, she became the managing partner of the Sistema SmartTech investment fund. Ksenia Shoigu, a married mother-of-one, was previously open in Instagram but her account is now private. She graduated from elite Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO) - a training ground for diplomats and spies A truck owned by a church supplies firm was today driven through the gates of the Russian embassy in Dublin. Video footage showed the large supplies truck, which belonged to Desmond Wisley Ecclesiastical Supplies, reversing through the gates. People with placards were seen standing next to the gates and filming as the truck crashed into the gates of the Russian embassy. A man was arrested following the incident, which took place at around 1.30pm on Monday, and has been detained at Rathfarnham Garda Station, according to Gardai. Video footage showed the large supplies truck, which belonged to Desmond Wisley Ecclesiastical Supplies, reversing through the gates The force said it is investigating the incident of criminal damage and added that investigations are ongoing. The scene was cordoned off and roads near the embassy remain closed. No injuries were reported after the incident in south Dublin. A Gardai spokesperson added: 'Gardai are investigating an incident of criminal damage that occurred at a property on Orwell Road this afternoon, Monday 7th March 2022 at approximately 1.30pm. 'One male was arrested and taken to Rathfarnham Garda Station where he is currently detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984. 'Investigations are ongoing.' In a statement, a spokeswoman for the Russian Embassy accused Irish police of standing 'idle' as the incident took place. She added: 'A large truck came over to the gates of the Embassy, pulled back and torn down the gates of the Embassy. The incident took place in the presence of Garda officers, who stood idle. 'The embassy strongly condemns this criminal act of insanity directed against peaceful diplomatic mission. The force said it is investigating the incident of criminal damage and added that investigations are ongoing. Pictured: Van after crashing through the gates 'The embassy views this incident as a clear and blatant violation of the Article 22 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic relations of 1961. 'The embassy is in contact with the Department of Foreign Affairs of Ireland, demanding that the Irish authorities take comprehensive measures to ensure the safety of it's staff and their family members. 'The incident is cause of extreme concern. We believe that no people of sound mind could support such senseless and barbaric actions.' A spokesperson for Desmond Wisley Ecclesiastical Supplies confirmed to PA news agency that they were aware of the crash involving their lorry, but offered no further comment. MailOnline has contacted Desmond Wisley Ecclesiastical Supplies for further comment. Dublin's Russian embassy has been hit by a string of anti-war protests in support of the Ukraine since Vladimir Putin's invasion of the country 11 days ago. Protests have also taken place outside Russian embassies in other cities including London, Berlin, Paris, Copenhagen and Tokyo. The Russian embassy (pictured covered in paint on February 24) has seen a string of anti-war protests in support of the Ukraine since Vladimir Putin's invasion of the country 11 days ago On Saturday, a priest threw red paint over the Russian embassy in Dublin and urged people in Ireland to continue to protest against the war in Ukraine. Fr Fergal MacDonagh, from Dolphin's 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. '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. 'It's appalling and horrific and it's the work on evil what is happening in Ukraine, it's a war crime and Putin will face justice in this world or in the next.' He added: 'I've 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.' On Sunday, crowds again gathered outside the Russian embassy in Dublin to denounce the invasion and call for the expulsion of Russia's Ambassador to Ireland Yuri Filatov. Meanwhile, a government minister confirmed that the number of Ukrainian refugees arriving in Ireland could exceed 80,000. Anti-war protesters from People Before Profit party the outside the Russian Embassy in Dublin demonstrating against the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 28 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. 'The last time we've seen a kind of movement like this, to this degree in Europe, was at the end of World War Two when we saw a huge movement of German people who became refugees at the end of that war,' Mr Browne told RTE's The Week in Politics programme. 'We haven't seen anything like this since then. 'Now we have learned a lot over recent years in terms of dealing with the pandemic that we do know we have that capacity and that generosity and capability within a country to mobilise when we need to in the face of a very, very serious situation. 'But we are now potentially looking at 80,000-plus, there is not going to be any cap on those numbers coming into this country.' His comments came as the UN announced that more than 1.5 million people have now fled Ukraine since the Russian invasion. The updated estimate on the number of refugees expected in Ireland comes amid government efforts to bolster domestic grain production in response to the anticipated significant disruption of supply lines from Ukraine and Russia. Around 1,400 have entered Ireland thus far, though many of those are staying with relatives who already lived in in the country. Former President Donald Trump is reportedly upset with the trajectory his new social media app Truth Social is headed, despite not even posting anything there himself yet Donald Trump is livid about the 'lackluster' performance of his new social media venture Truth Social less than two weeks after it rolled out, a new report suggested on Saturday. The former president had been overheard angrily swearing over the phone and having heated conversations surrounding his glitch-prone app. 'What the f*** is going on?' Trump has said at least once, people who heard him told the Daily Beast. The report describes the ex-commander-in-chief complaining about 'why more people arent using itwhy the app isnt swiftly dominating the competition.' He's also reportedly unhappy with how the rollout is being covered. Multiple media outlets have reported on technical glitches that have plagued the app since its launch. Truth Social and its parent company, Trump Media & Technology Group, are the former president's highest-profile business venture since he left office. TMTG raised a billion dollars from undisclosed investors upon going public late last year. And the number of daily visits has gone down from 2 million in its initial debut to just 300,000 average visits in a day, according to a preliminary data analysis by SimilarWeb that's cited in Saturday's report. That would put it on par with Gettr, another MAGA-friendly platform started by former Trump adviser Jason Miller. At the same time right-wing social site Gab reportedly got about 650,000 page visits. Both Gab and Gettr, which gained traction last summer during a conservative backlash against 'censorship' on Twitter and Facebook, were founded long before Truth Social. Gettr was launched in July last year, months after Trump was kicked off both the big tech platforms. Gab launched even earlier, in August 2016, and has since been banned from Google and Apple's app stores. The analysis also suggested people spend less time on Truth Social -- just 90 seconds, compared to seven minutes on Gettr and nine on Gab. DailyMail.com has reached out to the former president's spokesperson as well as reps for Trump Media & Technology Group for comment. As of Monday, Truth Social has plummeted to 118th place in Apple's App Store after soaring to the top spot upon its debut (left). An attempt to sign on by DailyMail.com shows users are still being put on a waitlist more than half a million places long (right) Truth Social platform debuted in Apple's App Store on President's Day this year after months of fanfare and promotional statements from Trump himself. However it immediately got off to a rocky start. Users reported glitches like sign-up errors and delays when trying to make accounts. Afterwards, many found themselves on a 'waitlist' more than 100,000 places long. The day after launching, Truth Social soared to the top of Apple's App Store, with the most downloads of any free app. Two weeks later, a search of the App Store found it's plummeted to 118th place. That could be because people are still not getting in -- a DailyMail.com reporter who made an account two weeks ago and logged in on Monday found they were still 584,200th in line on the apps' 'waitlist.' Trump said Truth Social is an 'incredible success' in remarks to a reporter for right-wing Right Side Broadcasting Network at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Florida late last month. Truth Social and its parent company, Trump Media & Technology Group, are two of the former president's highest profile recent business ventures Truth Social was at the top of Apple's free downloads chart on the morning after its President's Day release, surging past popular apps like TikTok and YouTube, which came in at fifth 'We have hundreds of thousands of people trying to get on and were doing it very slowly,' he said. However, Axios pointed out last week that Trump has yet to even post on the app himself. Truth Social's quick loss of traffic was predicted by mobile app expert Mike Rhodes, CEO of consultancy firm ConsultMyApp. He told DailyMail.com the day after its launch that interest would quickly peter out due to its lack of originality. 'This new platform is evidently geared up to promote content with a specific viewpoint, rather than harbor a wide range of views on multiple subjects. Echo chamber platforms like this already exist, however, they are by no-means adopted by the masses,' Rhodes said. He called Truth Social 'simply a thinly veiled replica of Twitter,' making it 'therefore a doomed piece of old age tech.' 'My best guess is that the platform will simply end life as a forum for people to reaffirm existing views, with a small but dedicated user base. Eventually it is likely that Mr. Trump will find another media outlet to serve him better. Hell pack up his bags, and so too will the remaining platform users,' Rhodes explained. A Turkish police officer who raped his wife and shot her in the head, leaving her for dead, has been jailed for 31 years after she woke up from a two-month coma to dispel his claim that it was a suicide attempt. Muslum Aktas, 27, initially tried to say that his wife had seized his service firearm in order to kill herself, in Kecioren, in the province of Ankara, on September 13 2020. But the victim, Sevginur Aktas, 22, an anaesthetist, woke up from her coma and told police that her husband, to whom she had been married to for only 18 days, shot her in the head after an argument. Muslum Aktas, 27, initially tried to claim that his wife, to whom he was married for 18 days, had seized his service firearm in order to kill herself in 2020 Now, almost 18 months later, Muslum has been jailed for attempted murder and sexual assault. He reportedly refused to let her visit her relatives in Kirikkale - roughly a one hour drive from Kecioren according to Google maps - prompting Sevginur to say she wanted a divorce. She said her husband then raped her and dragged her into the bathroom, saying divorce is not an option; before shooting her in the head. He called the emergency services and claimed Sevginur shot herself. Showing up to the Ankara 35th High Criminal Court in a wheelchair, the victim told of meeting her husband on social media, before she was confronted with his 'psychological violence'. A Turkish police officer who raped his wife and shot her in the head, leaving her for dead, has been jailed for 31 years after she woke up from a two-month coma She told the court: 'After the engagement, I wanted to break up, but he was telling me that only death would separate us. 'The psychological violence was extreme. Whenever I wanted to break up, he would threaten me. 'After arguing for some time on the incident day, he forcibly took me to the bedroom and raped me there. 'I felt so worthless and said I wanted a divorce and headed towards the door. He blocked me and took me back to the bedroom. 'He had a gun in his hand, and he choked me, I couldn't breathe at the time. He shouted at me saying "Didn't I tell you that divorce is not an option?" Sevginur Aktas (pictured), 22, an anaesthetist, woke up from her coma and told police that her husband shot her in the head after an argument 'I begged him to leave, then I heard the gunshot, I don't remember anything, I opened my eyes in the hospital. 'He said I committed suicide, it's a lie, I did not try and commit suicide, I love life.' However Muslum rejected the allegations and still maintains that the incident was a suicide attempt. He also claims to have tried to stop her, saying: 'Yes, I was angry with my wife, so I sent a message to a friend and asked him to pick me up. 'When I went to change, an argument started between us again. Showing up to the Ankara 35th High Criminal Court in a wheelchair, Sevginur told of meeting her husband on social media, before she was confronted with his 'psychological violence' 'She pointed the gun at herself. I panicked and shouted, "What are you doing? Drop the gun!" 'When I realized that she wouldn't be persuaded to let go of the gun, I tried to take it from her, and suddenly I heard a gunshot. I called the emergency teams two or three times.' Femicide, the term used when women are killed due to the status they are perceived to have in society, is a growing problem in Turkey. The government is working on a draft bill to address the issue, alongside domestic violence, the details of which are set to be revealed on International Women's Day on March 8. It is understood that harder sentences for perpetrators are to be the main focus, the Daily Sabah reports. Since the beginning of this year, 72 femicides have taken place in the country, according to data from platform 'Monument Counter' which is updated daily. Some 280 were killed by men last year, and 217 were found suspiciously dead, a report 'We Will Stop Femicide Platform' said. A number of Western companies with large physical footprints in Russia are facing increasing threats of boycotts unless they pull out of the country over the invasion of Ukraine. Quick-service chains such as KFC, McDonald's and Starbucks together have thousands of locations in Russia, while Coca-Cola and PepsiCo operate large bottling plants in the country. Western hotel chains including Hilton, Marriott and Hyatt also operate dozens of hotels in Russia, employing thousands of local workers, and Unilever and Mondelez continue selling their brands there. After a flood of major Western players including Nike, Apple, and IKEA announced the suspension of their operations in Russia, pressure is growing on the companies that remain to take a stand over the assault on Ukraine. But while companies like Netflix, which pulled out of Russia on Sunday, can suspend service with essentially the flip of a switch, companies with large physical footprints can only cut ties through a process that would be complex, costly and difficult to reverse. As well, franchise operating agreements complicated matters for chains that don't actually own and operate their own locations in Russia. People enter a McDonald's restaurant in Moscow in a file photo. Today, McDonald's has 847 locations in Russia, and is facing mounting calls to pull out of the country KFC has one of the largest footprints in Russia with more than 1,000 locations. Pictured: A KFC location in the Evroreisky (European) shopping mall in Moscow on Monday Nevertheless, calls are mounting for well-known American brands to sever ties with the country, with some consumers calling for boycotts and even the chief of New York's pension fund saying the time has come for the companies to leave Russia. Kentucky-based Yum Brands has one of the largest footprints in Russia, with more than 1,000 KFC locations and 50 Pizza Huts -- though all are owned and operated by franchisees. Yum has said that it is monitoring the situation in Ukraine closely, and that it is making donations to humanitarian relief groups, but that it is too early to discuss the future of its operations in Russia. McDonald's, meanwhile, has one of the most iconic relationships with Russia of all Western businesses. When the first McDonald's opened its first location in Russia in 1990, it signaled the end of the Cold War, and an estimated 30,000 Russians lined up in Moscow to try the famed American fast-food fare. Today, McDonald's has 847 locations in Russia -- and unlike other chains, most are directly owned and operated by the company, rather than franchisees. Russia accounts for roughly 9 percent of McDonald's global revenue, and 3 percent of its operating income, the company says. McDonald's did not immediately respond to an inquiry from DailyMail.com regarding its future in Russia, and the company has remained silent in the face of mounting criticism. Starbucks' 130 locations in Russia are owned and operated by the Kuwaiti conglomerate Alshaya Group through a licensing agreement. A Moscow Starbucks is seen above Starbucks has a smaller Russian footprint, with about 130 locations in the country. Last week, Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson sent a memo to staff condemning Russia's 'unprovoked, unjust and horrific attacks' on Ukraine, according to the New York Times. Johnson said that Starbucks would donate any royalties it receives from its operations in Russia to humanitarian relief efforts in Ukraine. Starbucks' locations in Russia are owned and operated by the Kuwaiti conglomerate Alshaya Group through a licensing agreement. Coca-Cola and PepsiCo have also shown no signs of pulling out of Russia, which accounts for about 4 percent of both companies' global revenue. Coca-Cola's business in Russia is operated by Athens-based Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company AG (Coca-Cola HBC), which runs 10 plants for the production of soft drinks and juices across Russia. Coca-Cola HBC told Russian state-media Tass last week that 'all operational, production, and logistics facilities of Coca-Cola in Russia are working.' 'We are fully responsible to partners, society, and thousands of our employees in Russia. Our top priority is the safety of our employees,' the company said. There are 10 bottling and distribution plants for Coca-Cola in Russia. Pictured: St Petersburg On Friday, Ukrainian supermarket chain Novus said it would stop selling Coca-Cola products including Coca-Cola, Fanta, Schweppes and BonAqua mineral water and slammed the company as 'shameless' for continuing to 'work for the invaders in full strength'. In a post on the company's Facebook page, it said: 'Our supermarket chain no longer cooperates with the Coca-Cola company, which continues to operate in the territory of the aggressor. We are abandoning all products belonging to the brand.' Supermarket chain Fozzy Group also said it was pulling products from shelves and stopping all future deliveries. The company said in a statement: 'From today, we are removing all products from the shelves of Silpo, Fora, FOZZY Cash&Carry, Market super Thrash (Thrash) stores and stop all future deliveries.' Varus also joined in the boycott, citing the 'official position of the Coca-Cola company to continue its activities in the market of the aggressor country'. Pepsi is also notable as one of the few Western products that was allowed in the Soviet Union before the Iron Curtain fell. Today, Pepsi has two production plants and sells snacks and beverages in the country, according to its most recent annual report for 2021. Now public figures and social media users have are piling on pressure for the companies to pull out of Russia. Coca-Cola has yet to officially comment on its operations in Russia but the Russian distribution company has told Tass that operations continue as normal. Pictured: Plant in Samara, Russia Rep. Darrell Issa, a California Republican, tweeted on Sunday: 'Coca-Cola had no problem calling for a boycott of Georgia over entirely reasonable election integrity reforms. Putin kills women and children, they do nothing. They refuse to pull out of Russia.' Former PBS NewsHour correspondent John Merrow tweeted: 'Lets Boycott McDonalds, Coke, Pepsi, Starbucks, Uniqlo, and all others doing business in Russia' New York state comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, the chief of New York state's pension fund, singled out McDonald's and Pepsi in a letter shared on Friday. DiNapoli said companies 'need to consider whether doing business in Russia is worth the risk during this extraordinarily volatile time'. He added: 'Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine and its highly unpredictable foreign policy are a threat to the global economy. 'We're encouraging the companies we invest in to do a risk analysis and determine what is in the best interests of their company and their shareholders.' Pausing or ending operations in Russia 'would address various investment risks associated with the Russian market and play an important role in condemning Russia's role in fundamentally undermining the international order that is vital to a strong and healthy global economy,' the letter said. In the UK, British politician John Mann tweeted: 'If Mcdonalds and Starbucks continue to sell in Russia then an international boycott of their products should he instigated.' Meanwhile, Dragon's Den star Deborah Meaden added: 'Can you stop drinking Coca Cola please. 'They are refusing to withdraw from Russia. Lets show them some people power.' gettyimagesbank By Lee Min-hyung Korean companies are delaying their schedules for their initial public offerings (IPOs) amid the weakening performance of the stock market here. Up until early this year, market sentiment was better than it is now, so, many companies, planning to go public were busy arranging pre-IPO schedules with underwriters in the hopes that they would be able to attain windfalls through IPOs, just as many other firms did last year. However, with market sentiment weakening rapidly in more recent weeks, most companies are taking a wait-and-see approach, adjusting their IPO schedules to the latter half of this year. Hyundai Engineering was the first to make such a decision. The company had been drawing keen attention from investors, as its post-IPO valuation was estimated to reach as high as 10 trillion won. However, after the company decided to cancel its plans on Jan. 28, other companies also moved to follow suit for similar reasons as the Hyundai affiliate. At that time, Hyundai Engineering explained it had decided to drop the IPO procedure on concerns that the market would not be able to evaluate. Daemyoung Energy, a new renewable energy business operator, also decided recently to withdraw its plan to go public on the secondary Kosdaq, as most institutional investors had offered lower initial offering prices than the company had been expecting. A number of medical companies such as Future Medicine and Finemedix took similar paths, withdrawing their plans to undergo pre-IPO screening procedures. These moves come in response to sharp declines of the benchmark KOSPI and the tech-savvy KOSDAQ since mid-January of this year. The main bourse heated up throughout 2021, hovering at over the 3,000-mark on pandemic-induced market liquidity. Yet this year, the local stock market has been losing steam for additional growth due to multiple external uncertainties such as the U.S. Fed's imminent rate hikes and the outbreak of war in Ukraine. "It is too early to say that investors' sentiment on the local IPO market has completely frozen, and chances are that the sentiment will revive itself sometime in the latter half of this year after some of the lingering external uncertainties are cleared away," an industry analyst said. Advertisement The world's top fashion houses have shut their doors in Moscow leaving Russia's super-rich unable to buy from their favourite designer stores. Prada, Dior, Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Fendi were among those to clear their shelves in the luxury shopping malls of the Russian capital as sanctions begin to bite. Inside elite outlets TsUM and GUM, near Red Square, many of the top designers were closed to unimpressed shoppers today. The world's top fashion houses such as Prada, pictured today, have shut their doors in Moscow leaving Russia's super-rich unable to buy from their favourite designer stores Prada, Dior, Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Fendi were among those to clear their shelves in the luxury shopping malls of the Russian capital as sanctions begin to bite (pictured today) Inside elite outlets TsUM and GUM, near Red Square, many of the top designers were closed to disappointed shoppers today Today is normally a big shopping day in Moscow, when men buy gifts for their partners before International Women's Day tomorrow. But sanctions over Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine have put a stop to that. 'What happened?' asked one woman shopper in her 30s, apparently unaware of the invasion. She looked bemused at the empty shelves. Today is normally one of the biggest shopping days in Moscow, when men buy gifts for their partners before International Women's Day tomorrow But sanctions over Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine have put a stop to designer shopping in Moscow today Moscow Reds-to-Riches oligarchs and their spouses would often shop in Europe or the US rather than Moscow Moscow Reds-to-Riches oligarchs and their spouses would often shop in Europe or the US rather than Moscow - but foreign travel is now all-but blocked. Some Russian retail outlets remained open and crowded, but top Western brands were unavailable. One furious shopper in a Chinchilla jacket said: 'You see, we're too late.' She had come with her parents to buy her birthday gift at Jimmy Choo. This store at TsUM remains open - but stocks were limited. And pictures showed distinctly grey clouds overhead. 'They don't have my size,' she erupted to her mother and father. 'I told you, we should have come earlier.' Western sanctions are starting to hit consumers in Russia with many shops now closed Russians have been seen forming huge queues at ATMs in a rush to withdraw their deposits in US dollars Western sanctions and the collapse of the rouble have hammered the spending power of ordinary Russians The global financial system faces being split as Russia turns to China's answer to Visa and Mastercard after the card firms pulled out of the country along with a swathe of other Western companies including Netflix and TikTok. Lenders including Sberbank and Alfa Bank plan to move to China's UnionPay for their customers' bank cards - although an expert today said the move would take time and cause severe economic disruption. It is a fresh sign the world's financial system is splintering in two, with Moscow increasingly backing Beijing's efforts to challenge the West's domination of global banking infrastructure. Russia has also been recently ejected from Swift - which banks use to exchange messages - prompting concerns it will turn instead to CIPS, a Chinese rival. Western sanctions and the collapse of the rouble have hammered the spending power of ordinary Russians, who have been seen forming huge queues at ATMs in a rush to withdraw their deposits in US dollars. Last night, accountancy firms PWC and KPMG became the latest firms to announce their withdrawal from Russia and its ally, Belarus. Meanwhile, there have been calls to boycott Coca-Cola, McDonalds and Pepsi for continuing to do business in the country. A teenager who scaled a tree at an Indianapolis park to rescue a cat he spotted high up in the branches ended up stuck himself and in need of a rescue, officials said. The 17-year-old boy was at Holliday Park on Indianapolis' north side on Saturday at around 5 p.m., when he saw the cat and decided to rescue it by climbing 35 feet into the tree, according to the Indianapolis Fire Department. The teen, identified in the release only as 'Owen,' told firefighters 'he was trying to do a good deed and bring the cat to safety,' wrote Rita Reith, the department's spokeswoman. 'While Owen had no trouble climbing up the tree - his positioning did not allow the same ease for getting down,' she added. Firefighting crews were called to the park and lowered the boy safely to the ground about two hours later. *SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO A distressed boy named Owen found himself stuck high in an Indiana tree after attempting to rescue a cat that had climbed up. He was later rescued by local firefighters The cat, belonging to a young woman in the area, was stuck high-up on a tree's branch at Holliday Park in Indianapolis, Indiana. It was later rescued by a private company The Indianapolis Fire Department sent a crew of a dozen of firefighters to the park to rescue Owen. Nobody suffered serious injuries as a result of the incident Among the rescue crew was a firefighter who climbed up the tree to set up a rope system to get Owen back to ground level. By the time Owens rescue started, more than a dozen firefighters were standing in position around the tree, with a crowd of bystanders gathering nearby, as he held on to a thick branch and waited, photos show. The department also released video of the rescue. The teen was checked out by medics, found to have only a few scrapes, and was released to his parents, although the cat remained in the tree. Overall, it roughly took about an hour after the arrival of the Indianapolis Fire Department at Holliday Park to bring Owen down to safety 'The cat seemed to enjoy the commotion but made no effort to climb down the tree,' Reith wrote. Reith also said Monday that the cat's 21-year-old owner ended up hiring a private company to retrieve the feline. Underneath the Indianapolis Fire Department's Facebook post about the rescue, however, the cat's owner appeared to claim that the firefighters didn't want to rescue her pet at all. The fire department also faced criticism from the cat's owner on Facebook, who claimed that firefighters refused to help retrieve her pet. Instead, she called a private company to get her cat down 'After Owen was safely down, the firefighters refused to help us get down our cat," Kaylee Ann Murphy said. 'He was stuck up there and could not climb down by himself. I watched him try and he almost fell out of the tree.' 'The firefighters left without even attempting to get the cat down. We were at the park until 1:30 a.m. in a lighting and rain storm when an arborist saved the cat in his bucket truck. The firefighters were feet away from my cat and did not even attempt to get him down when I begged for their help,' she added. Dailymail.com has contacted Ms. Murphy for further comment. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is asking Wall Street to help fund his latest, extravagant megaproject - a $500 billion futuristic city-state, powered by robots and artificial intelligence, that would cover 10,000 square miles of Saudi Arabia's Tabuk province. Bin Salman plans to turn the remote region on the kingdom's northwest Red Sea coast into a high tech transport hub the size of Belgium, rife with robots and artificial intelligence, as part of an effort to move the country away from its reliance on oil and loosen social restrictions. On Monday, Manhattan bankers and investors received an invitation from the prince, for a meeting in April meant to drum up funding for the project - which would consist of three manmade cities and a ski resort - tabbed by Bin Salman as 'Neom.' Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has asked Wall Street to help fund his latest, extravagant megaproject - a $500 billion futuristic city-state, powered by robots and artificial intelligence, that would cover 10,000 square miles of Saudi Arabia's Tabuk province 'Explore and discuss the significant market opportunities Neom represents and discuss how we can support your business plans through meaningful partnership and investment opportunities,' the Saudi's summons reads, according to a copy viewed by Bloomberg. Invitations looking to gauge interest in the undertaking, announced by the prince in 2017, were sent to prominent equity firms, bankers and construction suppliers in the city's financial sector, the outlet reported. In an undertaking that will cost an estimated half-a-trillion US dollars, the project would see the construction of a more than a 100-mile-long, car-free city built on a straight line, an eight-sided city that floats on the Red Sea, a city named after the prince, and a mountain ski resort with its own village and manmade lake. Plans for project reportedly include flying drone taxis, a Jurassic Parkstyle amusement park, and a giant artificial moon that lights up nightly. The event is potentially one of a series of planned meetings in multiple cities across the US by Bin Selman as he looks to bankroll the undertaking, which the prince says will be bolstered by futuristic technology and artificial intelligence that will see the area near the Suez Canal transformed into an industrial port hub. Manhattan bankers and investors received an invitation from the prince Monday for a meeting meant to drum up funding for the project - which would consist of three manmade cities and a ski resort, collectively tabbed 'Neom' (pictured, an artistic rendering of the city-state) The planned event also follows a similar event in London last year, a source told the outlet. According to Bloomberg, the invitation said that executives will share details on Neom's 'unique vision of urban design' for the three synthetic cities and ski resort, all planned to be powered by renewable energy. However, more than four years after the undertaking was announced, its progress has remained largely stunted, halted at the excavating of earth where the manmade metropolis is supposed to stand. The planned destination is just one of many 'Vision 2030' programs implemented by Bin Selman to overhaul the economy of the oil-rich country through the opulent investment and diversify away from crude, while doing away with long-held social restrictions associated with the kingdom. Plans for Neom, a $500 billion, 10,000 square mile high-tech development, reportedly include flying drone taxis, a Jurassic Parkstyle amusement park, and a giant artificial moon that lights up nightly Neom will rely on wind farms, solar power, and cutting-edge technology that transforms water into oxygen and hydrogen for fuel The effort to obtain funding from Wall Street by Bin Salman comes as the de facto leader of the Middle-Eastern nation has drawn ire over Saudi's military operations in Yemen, and his own alleged links to the killing of Washington Post journalist and Saudi government critic Jamal Khashoggi in Turkey in 2018. A US intelligence report released last year said the prince had approved an operation to 'capture or kill' Khashoggi, who had criticized Saudi policies in columns for the Post. Saudi officials have since denied the allegations, and rejected the report's findings. Neom, the flagship project of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, is a planned $500 billion city-state that would cover 10,000 square miles of a northwestern portion of the kingdom, near its borders with Jordan and Egypt and the Red Sea. Pictured here is one of the cities that will comprise the city-state - an octagonal port hub on the Red Sea called Oxagon One of the proposed constructions, called Oxagon, is billed as being 'a comprehensive cognitive city' that will make use of robots and AI and act as an industrial port hub for the country's newest region in the northwest Following Khashoggi's killing, several prominent figures left Neom's advisory board. The kingdom's reputation - as well as Bin Salman's - has been indisputably harmed by the two occurrences, potentially hindering the prince's ability to garner funding for his lavish projects. A crackdown on dissent exhibited by civil rights activists in the country in 2020 further perturbed global firms and prospective partners, as the kingdom came under even more international scrutiny. The April meeting looks to be the latest attempt by the prince to rustle together funds for his opulent Vision campaign while repairing the country's tarnished image. According to Bloomberg, the invitation said that executives will share details on Neom's 'unique vision of urban design' for the three synthetic cities (pictured) and ski resort, all planned to be powered by renewable energy. In December, Bin Salman announced his plans for 'Jeddah Central' - a $20 billion development project in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia's second largest city, that saw the demolition of homes, mosques, and entire neighborhoods, angering its 4.5 million inhabitants and observers overseas. Many have accused the country of recklessly implementing ambitious, astronomically priced project, with total disregard to the human cost of such undertakings. Another recent example is the regime's unprecedented 15 percent tax hike, up from 5 percent, in July 2020. The Neom project seems to so far fit that bill, with no clear end to the project in sight. Neom officials say they aim to complete the first section of the futuristic city-state by 2025. A huge fire broke out in a block of flats and offices near London's Algate East underground station with firefighters rescuing a woman trapped inside. Around 125 firefighters in 20 vehicles were called to the scene of the inferno on the 17th floor of a high rise building on Whitechapel High Street in Aldgate, east London, earlier today. The London Fire Brigade (LFB) confirmed it received more than 50 calls alerting them about the huge blaze inside the 21-storey building, with flames on the 17th, 18th and 19th floors. A total of 60 people had to be evacuated from the building, which according to eye-witness reports had pieces of glass falling 'hundreds of metres to the ground'. A huge fire has broken out in a block of flats and offices near London's Algate East underground station - sending 'glass panels crashing hundreds of metres to the ground' Firefighters climbed up to the 17th floor to rescue one woman who was trapped inside, before escorting her out of the building. London Ambulance Service said it had taken one person to hospital and had checked over a 'small number of people' at the scene. LFB said the first calls came in at 3.53pm and the fire was put under control by 7.07pm. Station Commander Chris Jenner, who was at the scene, said: 'This was a dynamic and visible fire with our 999 Control Officers taking more than 50 calls in the early stages. 'A woman was trapped by the nature of the fire on the 17th floor. 'She was given fire survival advice by control officers until firefighters located her. 'Fire crews used a fire escape hood to help lead the woman to safety via the internal staircase. Around 125 firefighters in 20 vehicles are currently at the scene of the inferno on the 17th floor of the high rise building on Whitechapel High Street in Aldgate, east London 'Around 60 people evacuated the building with others remaining in their unaffected flats. 'We mobilised a 64 metre turntable ladder to the scene. This is the tallest firefighting ladder in Europe and allowed us to get water onto the fire from outside the building. 'The professionalism, hard work and quick actions of control officers and firefighters limited the damage to the block and prevented serious injuries.' LFB added the cause of the fire is still under investigation. The blaze on Monday afternoon sent smoke billowing up into the sky, with members of the public reporting parts of the building were being engulfed in flames. One eyewitness, known as Jamie, posted footage of the fire on Twitter and claimed 'glass panels were falling to the ground'. He wrote: 'Huge fire in Aldgate. Huge glass panels falling hundreds of metres to the ground, awful scenes.' The London Ambulance Service posted on Twitter: 'We are responding to a fire on Whitechapel High Street with our emergency service colleagues. 'If you are in the local area, please try and stay indoors and keep windows and doors closed. More updates to follow.' Witness Owen Willis told The Mirror: 'From the eastern view, on Commercial Road, we can see a row of windows blown out with fire burning on the ceilings still. 'It's very windy so it looks like the smoke and flames are blowing all over the place. 'Seems to be dying down a bit although that's just what we can see from outside.' The London Fire Brigade has attended the scene and confirmed they received more than 50 calls alerting them about the huge blaze inside the 21-storey building Flames can be seen blazing through the building, with fire crews called to the scene shortly before 4pm Smoke can be seen billowing from the building in Whitechapel High Street on Monday afternoon Posting live updates on their website, the London Fire Brigade wrote: 'Twenty fire engines and around 125 firefighters have been called to a fire at a block of flats on Whitechapel High Street. 'Crews are tackling a fire on the 17th floor of the building. The Brigade's 64m ladder has been mobilised to the incident. 'The Brigade's 999 Control Officers have taken more than 50 calls to the blaze. The Brigade was called at 1553. 'Fire crews from Whitechapel, Shoreditch, Dowgate, Bethnal Green, Dockhead, Old Kent Road, Islington and surrounding fire stations are at the scene. 'The cause of the fire is not known at this stage.' Tower Hamlets Council said it would support residents affected by the fire. On Twitter it said: 'We're supporting emergency services at the scene of the fire on Whitechapel High Street, Aldgate East and we are providing assistance to affected residents. Please follow for updates.' A worried president of Lithuania told Secretary of State Anthony Blinken on Monday that a failure to stop Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Ukraine would lead to World War III. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said a policy of deterrence was not enough and that 'forward defense' was now needed. 'I must say that strengthening deterrence is no longer enough,' he said, adding that 'Putin will not stop in Ukraine if he will not be stopped.' 'It is our collective duty as a nation to help all Ukrainians with all means available,' said Nauseda. 'By saying all, I mean, indeed all means all, if we want to avoid the Third World War. The choice is in our hands.' Blinken, who is on a tour of the Baltic area to reassure the nervous NATO allies, doubled down on the American committment to the alliance's Article Five. 'An attack on one is an attack on all,' Blinken told Nauseda, citing NATO's collective defense pact. 'The United States, with all allies and partners, will defend every, every inch of NATO territory should it come under attack.' 'No one should doubt our readiness. No one should doubt our resolve,' he added. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda (right) warned Secretary of State Anthony Blinken (left) a failure to stop Vladimir Putin the Ukraine could lead to World War III Secretary of State Anthony Blinken is touring Baltic states to reassure NATO allies nervous about Putin's ambitions to build Russia's old empire if they are successful in Ukraine - above Ukrainian soldiers rush to brace themselves against incoming artillery fire from Russian forces while defending the town of Irpin Blinken was set to visit neighboring Latvia and Estonia on Monday and Tuesday as the three NATO members - and former members of the Soviet bloc - worry that Putin could try to rebuild his nation's old empire. The secretary of state is touring the Baltic region s as President Joe Biden's administration aims to calm any fears they have about their security in the event Russia chooses to expand its military operations. In the Latvian capital of Riga, Blinken said the Baltics have 'formed a democratic wall that now stands against the tide of autocracy' that Russia is pushing in Europe. 'The United States is more committed than ever to standing with you as our democracies rise to the challenge,' he said. 'We are bolstering our shared defense so that we and our allies are prepared,' Blinken said. He stressed that the U.S. commitment to NATOs mutual defense pact is 'sacrosanct' and that NATO and the United States were discussing the permanent basing of troops in the Baltics. Leaders in both countries expressed grave concerns about Putin's intentions as it relates to former Soviet bloc countries that are now allied or otherwise linked to the West. 'We have no illusions about Putins Russia anymore,' Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics said after meeting Blinken in Riga. 'We dont really see any good reason to assume that Russia might change its policy.' Rinkevics said that the Russian invasion of Ukraine had shown the Baltic countries in particular the need to bolster air and coastal defenses and that Latvia would like its security cooperation with NATO to be 'more efficient.' Memories of Soviet rule are still fresh in the Baltics and since the invasion of Ukraine last month, NATO has moved quickly to boost its troop presence in its eastern flank allies while the U.S. has pledged additional support. Blinkens opened his Baltic tour in Vilnius, where Lithuanian support for Ukraines resistance to the Russian invasion was palpable as signs of solidarity with Ukrainians are evident in many businesses and on houses, public buildings and buses. He later traveled to Riga, which has been similarly festooned with blue and yellow Ukrainian flags. Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis called for a surge in assistance to Ukraine, noting that the NATO allies 'are doing a lot, but we cannot stop.' He also called for an immediate halt to imports of Russian energy. 'We cannot pay for oil and gas with Ukrainian blood,' he said. Lithuania is also dealing with pressure from another large power - China - for its relationship with Taiwan, the island China regards as a renegade province. China has taken actions, including halting imports of certain products, against Lithuania for allowing Taiwan to open a de facto embassy in Vilnius. Blinken said the Ukraine situation was relevant to Lithuania's Taiwan situation as all countries should have the right to pursue their own foreign policies. 'Every nation is free to associate with whom it chooses,' he said. 'The United States continues to stand by Lithuania and every nation to choose its own path.' U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets with Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda at the "Presidentura" presidential palace in Vilnius, Lithuania Blinken arrived in the Baltics late Sunday from non-aligned Moldova, which is also warily watching the war on its doorstep, and Poland, where he visited the Polish-Ukrainian border and met with refugees from Ukraine. After his meetings with senior Latvian officials and Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid in Riga, Blinken will visit Tallinn, Estonia on Tuesday and then go on to Paris for talks with French President Emmanuel Macron. Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett met with Putin over the weekend and Macron has been in frequent contact with the Russian leader. Both Israel and France sought meetings with Blinken to discuss those interactions. Blinken declined to discuss those meetings in detail before they have been held but said: 'There is certainly no change in our message to Moscow, our message to Russia and to President Putin: End the war. End it now.' A thug has been jailed today after a single punch he threw caused a man to fall and hit his head, leaving him with just half his skull and permanent brain damage. Jamie Kelly, 41, suffered a catastrophic bleed on the brain and required emergency surgery after the attack in Scarborough last September. The 41-year-old was walking near a pedestrian crossing was punched by Daniel George Johnson, 32, causing him to fall and hit his head on the pavement. Police say the men were acquaintances and had an ongoing dispute about money at the time of the attack. Johnson has been jailed for two years and five months after admitting one count of causing grievous bodily harm. But North Yorkshire Police say Mr Kelly is likely to need specialist treatment for the rest of his life after being left with serious brain damage despite making significant progress since the attack. Jamie's family have since approved the release of pictures showing the attack and of Jamie's injuries as a warning of the consequences of throwing even just one punch. Jamie Kelly has been left with half his skull and permanent brain damage after he was punched and hit his head on the pavement during an attack in Scarborough in September last year David George Johnson punched Mr Kelly near a pedestrian crossing causing him to fall Describing the moment they received news of his son's assault, Michael Kelly said an ex-neighbour knocked on his door and told him Jamie was being treated by paramedics. Jamie was rushed to Hull Royal Infirmary where neurosurgeons battled for hours to save his life. 'One punch - that's all it took to destroy my boy's life as he knew it' A heartbroken mother has shared her anguish in a bid to make others think before they throw a punch. Jamie Kelly's mother Brenda said in a statement to court: 'When I look at my son what I should see, what I want to see, is a strong, fit, happy independent 41-year-old man. 'But all I do see, due to a violent punch that Daniel Johnson inflicted on him, is a shell of a man. 'A man who has to drink from a non-spill sippy cup, who needs help eating because of tremors wrack his entire body. He can't go to the toilet or shower himself. 'My son needs to learn to walk again because Daniel Johnson decided he would punch him, obviously intending to hurt him. 'Jamie has so many mountains to climb due to medical issues caused by Daniel Johnson. 'What our family has gone though, and is still going through, is senseless. 'This is all because one so-called man thought that violence was OK. 'Does Daniel Johnson realise that his actions alone have ensured my son has life limiting injuries? 'Jamie needs justice, I need justice, my family needs justice. 'One punch - that's all it took to destroy my boy's life as he knew it.' Advertisement In a victim impact statement read to the court, Mr Kelly said: 'The neurologists at Hull operated on Jamie and had to remove the left side of his skull to be able to stop a severe bleed on the brain. 'The doctors kept me informed at all times and were honest with me how seriously ill Jamie was. 'I realised that I could lose my son at any time, but I kept my sanity by convincing myself that my son was a fighter and would pull through this nightmare. 'I had no respite from the sickly feeling that was with me day and night as a result of my poor son's predicament.' Due to Covid, only Mr Kelly was permitted to see his son while Jamie's mother Brenda was not permitted which Mr Kelly says left her distraught. He added: 'As days turned into weeks with Jamie still in a critical condition, I was grasping at any straw to see improvements and on October 2, Jamie briefly opened his eyes slightly, but it was enough to say that my prayers had been answered. 'Jamie at this point was on five different anti-seizure drugs along with other medications. 'Brenda was thrilled when I called her with the news that our son had opened his eyes briefly. 'It was days before Jamie opened his eyes again - October 20. From this point things started to improve with Jamie following orders off the doctors and nurses to nod, open his eyes and to put out his tongue. 'It is hard to explain but I felt so guilty not being able to see my son when I felt he needed me. It was strange how much I missed him for that one day. 'The doctors told me that they had done all they could at Hull and Jamie was to be transferred to Scarborough Hospital on November 3.' After months of hospital treatment, Jamie was transferred to a neurological rehabilitation facility in York on January 20 this year. Concluding his statement, Mr Kelly added: 'Jamie still cannot get out of bed and into the wheelchair by himself. He still cannot dress or shower himself and go to the toilet himself. 'It is very hard to accept for Jamie as he is a proud man and desperate for independence. 'The injury to Jamie's brain has resulted in his body being racked with severe shakes, so much so that he cannot feed himself without his meal being thrown off the fork or spoon. Pictured: Mr Kelly hit his head on the pavement, causing a catastrophic head injury Johnson was jailed for two years and five months after admitting causing grievous bodily harm 'He also cannot grip anything and is constantly dropping things. 'At times Jamie gets very confused. His eyes have been severely affected and are now in the corner of the eye socket. 'Jamie is not able to focus on anything and is now suffering severe double vision. 'Jamie's skull flap has still not been replaced and doctors can't say when it can be fitted. 'It is also possible that it can't be replaced, and he might have to have a titanium plate fitted instead. 'With no skull flap to hold it, Jamie's scalp has dropped that much, half of his head is missing. He now has to wear a special padded cap whenever he is moved. 'It is heart-breaking to see my son struggle so hard to have some quality of life and, indeed, we don't know what the extent of his recovery will be. 'What we do know is that Jamie will have to live with this for the rest of his life, as will we. 'Although the person who assaulted Jamie has pleaded guilty to a lesser charge, Jamie's injuries are no less, and I pray that the justice system will take this into account.' Johnson was arrested nearby and was later charged with Section 18 wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. His family say Jamie (pictured) is now in rehab but can still not do many daily tasks himself However, the court accepted a guilty plea to the lesser charge of Section 20 grievous bodily harm. Johnson was sentenced to two years and five months' imprisonment at York Crown Court today, Monday 7 March 2022. Detective Constable Peter Day, of Scarborough and Ryedale CID, led the investigation into the assault and has provided support to Jamie's parents throughout this ordeal. He said: 'This has been a truly horrendous experience for Jamie and especially for his parents who thought they were going to lose their son. 'No outcome at court will undo the devastation that Johnson caused with one punch. 'The victim personal statements of Jamie's parents were read out in court during the sentencing. 'Brenda and Michael have given their blessing for North Yorkshire Police to publish the statements on the force website and on social media to show the full catastrophic impact this one punch attack has had. 'I urge people to read them and make sure younger members of the family learn from this case.' A former Tory minister today bowed top pressure to quit the board of a Russian metals firm amid the business backlash over the invasion of Ukraine. Former energy minister Greg Barker confirmed he will step down from his role at aluminium giant EN+ after five years. The peer has earned up to 6 million a year as executive chairman of a firm that which boasts sanctioned oligarch Oleg Deripaska as a major shareholder. Lord Barker retains his seat in the House of Lords while working full-time for the company. He will step down after a transition and hand over to New York-born Christopher Bancroft Burnham, a former under secretary general at the United Nations. The announcement came after auditing giants PwC and KPMG said on Sunday they were cutting ties with their Russian businesses. Lord (Greg) Barker (pictured in 2010) has earned up to 6 million a year as executive chairman of aluminium giant EN+ EN+ boasts sanctioned oligarch Oleg Deripaska (pictured in 2019) as a major shareholder. Lord Barker retains his seat in the House of Lords while working full-time for the company Lord Barker had been under growing pressure to step away from his role at EN+. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace told The Mail on Sunday that Lord Barker must sever ties with the Russian company and quit the House of Lords for good. He also called on the Tory peer to 'explain why he works with people like Deripaska'. Last week politicians across Europe resigned from their roles on Russian companies following Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine. Esko Aho, the former prime minister of Finland, quit the board of Russian bank Sberbank, and Matteo Renzi, Italy's ex-prime minister, walked away from his role at Delimobil, Russia's largest car-sharing service. In 2018, Mr Wallace, then Security Minister, refused a meeting with Lord Barker who he said was 'requesting government assistance for Russian associates'. It led to the House of Lords' Commissioner for Standards launching an investigation into the peer, who was cleared of any wrongdoing. Lord Barker was the Conservative MP for Bexhill & Battle until 2015 and served as Energy Minister in David Cameron's government. The peer joined EN+ in 2017, just before the company's London listing. The United States introduced sanctions against EN+ in 2018, but these were dropped after Mr Deripaska gave up his controlling stake. He retained a 44.95 per cent shareholding. At the time a spokesman for Lord Barker said the US Treasury decided to remove the sanctions from EN+ Group because of the 'unprecedented and sweeping corporate governance and ownership changes that Lord Barker oversaw and the consequent removal from control of the group of Oleg Deripaska'. When Lord Barker was made executive chairman of the aluminium giant in 2019, he took a voluntary 'leave of absence' from the House of Lords. Controversial leave-of-absence rules allow peers to take open-ended breaks while keeping their titles, use Lords facilities and even use Lords stationery. They cannot vote or speak and do not have to register their outside interests. Peers and MPs have described the system as a 'loophole' that allows peers to 'keep almost all of the perks while simply not having to declare [interests]'. Cross-party politicians have called for the leave-of-absence rules to be scrapped. A traffic controller working under contract at a Florida landfill was crushed by a bulldozer while using a porta-potty last week. Aaron Henderson, 40, was taking a bathroom break at the Polk County North Central Landfill at around 5.10pm on Friday when the freak accident took place. First responders who were called to the work site pronounced Henderson dead at the scene. Both Henderson and the unnamed bulldozer worked for an employment agency called CertiTemp, which has a contract with the county. Scroll down for video Aaron Henderson, a contract worker at the Polk County North Central Landfill in Florida, was killed in a freak accident when a porta-potty he was in was run over by a bulldozer The incident took place at the Florida landfill at the end of the workday on March 4 Henderson, of Winter Haven, was assigned to be a 'spotter,' responsible for guiding dump truck traffic at the landfill, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office. At the end of the workday on Friday, the bulldozer operator was driving up an embankment to park the machine for the night when the blade of the bulldozer, which was elevated 3-4 feet off the ground, struck something, producing a loud noise, reported WTSP. The driver did not see directly in front of him because the raised blade of the bulldozer was obstructing his view, according to the sheriff's office. A bulldozer operator was driving to park the machine when he ran over a porta-potty (images above show a bulldozer and a porta-potty at the landfill) The operator of the bulldozer said he did not see the porta-potty over the machine's raised blade, and he didn't know it was even in that area As the bulldozer continued forward, the driver realized he had run over a porta-potty, which he did not know was in the area. 'He immediately exited the bulldozer and ran towards the porta potty to see if anyone was inside of it,' the sheriff's office spokesperson said. 'At that time, he observed Henderson unresponsive inside the porta potty.' According to authorities, the initial investigation suggests that it was a 'tragic industrial accident.' The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has been contacted and is looking into the deadly incident, according to WFLA. Henderson, pictured left with his sons, was pronounced dead at the scene. He had just turned 40 years old last month 'Last nights incident was a tragic accident,' Martha Santiago, chair of the Board of County Commissioners, wrote in a statement. 'Our Board asks that you keep the family and friends of the deceased in your thoughts and prayers.' Henderson's death marks the first fatality at the Polk County landfill. According to social media posts, Henderson leaves behind several children. He had just celebrated his 40th birthday in February. Advertisement Britain recorded 126,605 Covid cases over the last three days as the virus continued to rebound, official figures show. Government dashboard data showed the combined infections on Saturday, Sunday and Monday were 54 per cent higher than the total last week. Some 42,000 cases were spotted over the past three days, on average, up from 27,400 a week ago. Officials have stopped releasing the daily figures at weekends as part of a wind-down of the way the epidemic is reported, meaning a three-day total is released every Monday. Another 139 Covid fatalities were registered over the weekend, up by just one on the 138 last week. Deaths lag by several weeks behind cases so any fluctuations would not be expected for some time yet. Meanwhile, latest hospital data shows there were 1,287 admissions were recorded on March 1, up 15 per cent on the tally from a week ago. The flare-up in infections comes after England's 'Freedom Day' on February 24 and amid the spread of a more infectious version of Omicron. Experts warn the more infectious variant may cause some fluctuations in case rates, but say there is no reason to panic because there is no evidence the strain is more likely to cause severe disease. Modelling from Cambridge University scientists suggests only 51.8 per cent of people in England had caught the virus by February 23, two years into the pandemic. Despite high case levels since Omicron emerged, which peaked at 234,765 per day in January, 48.2 per cent of the population 27.3million people are yet to have a first infection, according to the estimates. The map shows the Covid attack rate the proportion of the population that have been infected across the country, with regional prevalence varying from 45.3 per cent in the North West and South West to 60.8 per cent in London UK Health Security Agency data shows about 30,000 more Covid tests (six per cent) were carried out yesterday compared to the same time the previous week. Official data shows England's PCR positivity rate the proportion of swabs that pick up the virus is also heading upwards. Infections rose across all four UK nations, with the sharpest rise in Wales (up 200 per cent) followed by England (up 57 per cent), Scotland (up 50 per cent) and Northern Ireland (up 12 per cent). Nearly 30MILLION people in England have dodged Covid Almost 30million people in England have managed to avoid Covid since the pandemic began, No10's scientific advisers believe amid warning signs that the outbreak is growing again. Cambridge University scientists tasked with tracking the pandemic suspect only 51.8 per cent of the population has caught the virus in the last two years. Experts told MailOnline they were 'not particularly concerned' by the fact that half of the country have not been exposed to the virus. It 'doesn't mean the rest are susceptible', according to Dr Thomas Woolley, a mathematical biologist at Cardiff University. Officials estimate that 98 per cent of people in England have antibodies against Covid thanks to high vaccination rates and the combination of jabs and natural immunity has shown to provide the strongest protection. Advertisement National clinical director for Scotland Professor Jason Leitch told BBC Radio Scotland's Good Morning Scotland there was no reason to 'panic' over rising cases. 'Im not panicking Im not thinking we should suddenly go back to restrictions or protections, but I am concerned,' he said. 'As we mix more, the virus gets more opportunities, so weve got 10,000 cases a day, weve had a little bit of an increase in those in hospital its not huge, so people shouldnt panic, but this disease is not over and its not done with us.' He stressed the importance of vaccine uptake to allow for the continued suppression of the virus. 'You should still be cautious, particularly around those who are vulnerable,' he said. 'So get your vaccine, particularly if youre getting a letter now if youre in one of these elderly groups, or vulnerable groups. 'Test because that testing is still available and follow the guidance.' It comes after No10's scientific advisers said almost 30million people in England are still yet to catch Covid since the pandemic began. Cambridge University scientists tasked with tracking the pandemic suspect only 51.8 per cent of the population has caught the virus in the last two years. Experts told MailOnline they were 'not particularly concerned' by the fact that half of the country have not been exposed to the virus. It 'doesn't mean the rest are susceptible', according to Dr Thomas Woolley, a mathematical biologist at Cardiff University. Officials estimate that 98 per cent of people in England have antibodies against Covid thanks to high vaccination rates and the combination of jabs and natural immunity has shown to provide the strongest protection. Professor David Livermore, a microbiologist at the University of East Anglia, told MailOnline Omicron's mildness and Britain's high inoculation rates has provided a perfect opportunity to boost natural immunity levels without overwhelming the NHS. He added: 'Natural infection gives longer-lasting protection than any vaccine and the now-predominant Omicron variant generally gives a mild infection. 'Consequently, the more low-risk people who're infected the better, for it will build the strongest wall of immunity, cementing and accelerating our inevitable move from pandemic to endemic.' China's daily Covid tally over the last year is shown above. Daily cases have now spiked to their highest level since the initial Wuhan outbreak China records its biggest number of Covid cases for TWO YEARS China's daily Covid cases today rose to their highest level since the Wuhan outbreak began two years ago. Beijing officials logged 526 infections over the last 24 hours, including 312 that were asymptomatic did not display any symptoms. Outbreaks are emerging in dozens of cities including the financial centre Shanghai, the northern port city of Qingdao and the southern city of Dongguan among others. No data on Covid deaths and hospitalisations was published. China is the last major country sticking to the brutal 'zero Covid' strategy, which sees lockdowns and mass testing imposed when the virus is detected. It is struggling to keep a lid on the more transmissible Omicron variant, after a study suggested the nation's home-made vaccine offers virtually no protection against the strain. Suzhou, a city of 6.7million next to Shanghai, is currently under lockdown, alongside Baise, a city of 3.6million near the border with Vietnam. Beijing has repeatedly been accused of fudging its Covid data during the pandemic to make outbreaks appear less severe. In neighbouring Hong Kong, escalating Covid cases are now seeing hospitals and quarantine centres being overwhelmed. Its deaths from the virus are also spiralling, with 233 recorded yesterday compared to 82 just a week ago. Advertisement It comes after daily Covid cases in the UK rose for three days in a row before the weekend, with the outbreak now likely growing. The Government has stopped releasing the daily figures at weekends but an update this afternoon will reveal if that trend has changed. The rise in infections coincides with the emergence of an even more infectious strain of Omicron called BA.2, which has become dominant across England. It also follows Boris Johnson's decision to ditch all of England's final Covid restrictions, including the requirement to isolate when infected. But warning against future lockdown curbs, Professor Livermore said eventually everyone will catch Covid and 'restriction merely drags out this process, possibly to a time when a less benign variant is predominant'. Scientists also insist they aren't concerned by the Cambridge team's estimate, arguing the grim tallies of 1,000-plus deaths a day are consigned to history forever. Scientists today revealed they had uncovered more than a dozen genetic quirks that may explain why some people are more vulnerable to severe Covid than others. Up to 16 changes to DNA were found in patients critically ill with the virus, many of which are involved in blood clotting and inflammation. One genetic variant was found to be slower at signalling to the immune system that cells are under attack from the virus. Having just one of the genes could be the difference between getting a cough or being admitted to intensive care, according to the biggest study of its kind. As part of the Government-funded research, experts at the University of Edinburgh studied the genes of more than 57,000 people across the UK, including 9,000 Covid patients. This is not the first time studies have found different genes could predispose certain people to becoming severely ill with Covid. But the scientists hope the latest finding will help identify new drugs and treatments in the future. Their earlier work has already helped lead to the discovery that arthritis drug baricitinib could treat certain patients at risk of severe disease. The EU has agreed to start examining membership bids submitted by Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova in the wake of Russia's invasion. The ex-Soviet states last week rushed in highly symbolic applications to join the bloc after the Kremlin launched its attack on Kyiv. The move by the 27 member states is the first step in the bloc's notoriously complex process for deciding whether to allow new members to join, which can drag on for years. The EU has agreed to start examining membership bids submitted by Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova in the wake of Russia's invasion. Pictured: EU and Ukraine flags outside European Parliament EU ambassadors agreed to ask the bloc's executive to present an 'opinion' on the applications from the three countries, said French officials, who hold the EU's rotating presidency. The executive can take years to render its opinion and after that the member states have to agree unanimously to let the applicant formally become a 'candidate'. That then kickstarts a process of painstaking reforms and negotiations that usually takes at least a decade to complete. Ukraine has pleaded with the bloc to be granted a fast-track to membership as it faces an onslaught from Moscow's forces. Ukraine has pleaded with the bloc to be granted a fast-track to membership as it faces an onslaught from Moscow's forces While Kyiv has won backing from a number of EU nations to become a candidate, others are reluctant to commit to opening up a clear path for the war-shattered country. EU leaders are set to discuss the applications this week at a summit in France focused on the war in Ukraine and the bloc's response to the crisis. The bid for membership carries major symbolic weight for Ukrainians as Moscow tries to drag the country back into its sphere of influence. A decision in 2013 by Ukraine's then-leader to reject closer ties with the bloc unleashed pro-EU protests that set in train a spiral of events leading to Russia's annexation of Crimea and the confrontation with the Kremlin. People watch a TV at Seoul Railway showing a file image of a North Korean missile launch during a news program, March 5. AP-Yonhap The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) plans to convene a session this week in response to North Korea's latest projectile launch, a South Korean government official said Monday. It would be the second meeting of the council in about a week in connection with such a move by the recalcitrant regime. Regarding the North's test-launch of an apparent ballistic missile Saturday, some members of the influential panel have requested closed-door discussions, and the meeting is scheduled to open Monday morning (local time), according to the foreign ministry official who requested anonymity. "Our government is in close communication with major members of the security council including the United States," the official added. The North launched what appeared to be a medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM) into the East Sea, Saturday, in its ninth show of such force this year alone, the South's military said. The following day, Pyongyang's state media reported that the nation's defense science authorities have conducted "another important test under the plan of developing a reconnaissance satellite." The U.S. and some like-minded U.N. member states are expected to issue a joint statement again condemning Pyongyang's saber-rattling amid speculation that South Korea may join the move. "(The government) plans to respond (to the issue) in comprehensive consideration of North Korea's repeated missile launches, and seriousness," another ministry official said. In the wake of a UNSC session late last month on Pyongyang's eighth missile launch this year, South Korea, the U.S. and nine other countries formally expressed a unified position against it. (Yonhap) Foreign Secretary Liz Truss today said the Government will be able to sanction 'hundreds' of Russian oligarchs from Tuesday next week if MPs agree to a proposed new crackdown on 'dirty money'. The Government intends to crash its Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Bill through Parliament this week. The legislation contains a raft of new measures designed to bolster the UK's sanctions regime and strengthen its response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Ms Truss said if the legislation makes its way through the House of Commons and the House of Lords by Monday March 14 'we will be able to sanction the hundreds of individuals by next Tuesday'. The UK has faced criticism over the speed and breadth of the sanctions it has announced, with some of its international partners having gone further and acted faster. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss today said the Government will be able to sanction 'hundreds' of Russian oligarchs from Tuesday next week if MPs agree to a proposed new crackdown on 'dirty money' The Government has brought forward amendments to the draft legislation which it said will allow it to impose 'even harder and faster sanctions'. The new laws will also make the UK's sanctions regime more aligned with Britain's international partners, making it easier to act together. The Bill is due to be crashed through the Commons in a single day today before then moving to the House of Lords for further scrutiny. The Government is hoping to have the legislation on the statute book by the start of next week. Ms Truss told the Foreign Affairs Select Committee this afternoon: 'The Economic Crime Bill is introduced today. 'If Parliament passes the legislation by Monday March 14, we will be able to sanction the hundreds of individuals by next Tuesday, the 15th of March.' Ms Truss said that currently sanctions laws in the EU, Canada and the US are 'less onerous' than the ones in the UK. Introducing the Bill in the Commons this afternoon, Home Secretary Priti Patel said the legislation 'will send a very strong signal that the UK will not be home for corruption'. She said: 'Putin is a gangster and his regime is underpinned by a mob of oligarchs and kleptocrats who have abused the financial system and the rule of law for too long. 'Putin's cronies have hidden dirty money in the UK and across the West and we do not want it here. Expediting this legislation, which I know this whole House supports, will mean that we can crack down on the people who abuse the UK's open society. 'We of course, by accelerating this legislation, are concentrating on the sharpest tools that we can bring, the powers that we can bring into force in the most focused time. By expediting this legislation it will send a very strong signal that the UK will not be home for corruption. 'This will be about hurting Putin and his vicious regime which has robbed the Russian people not only of their chance for democracy, peace and prosperity, but actually even their own wealth has been used and abused by these kleptocrats and oligarchs.' Ms Patel also said the Government will bring forward a second Economic Crime Bill in the next parliamentary session with further measures 'because we simply cannot get all the measures in right now'. She said: 'We've focused on the ones that will have the greatest impact and the greatest enablement.' Ukrainian-American Dancing With the Stars pro Maksim Chmerkovskiy has been slammed for going on a media blitz to talk about his 'survivor's remorse' after fleeing Kyiv on a train packed with women and children when others are staying behind to fight. Chmerkovskiy, 42, was in Ukraine for work when war broke out on February 24. He fled on a train filled with women and children from Kyiv, returning to the US last week. The pro dancer has both Ukrainian and American citizenship. He is now fundraising online for Ukrainian relief efforts, and says he wants to return to the region to help in Poland after feeling 'survivor's remorse' for the last few days. On Sunday night, he appeared on CNN with Anderson Cooper where he claimed he'd been given 'no choice' but to leave by 'multiple sources including military personnel'. On Monday morning, another interview aired on ABC's Good Morning America. It was filmed on March 4, and re-aired on Monday. Maksim Chmerkovskiy with his wife Peta Murgatroyd on Thursday in Malibu after he arrived back in America from Ukraine Chmerkovskiy is shown on a train from Kyiv to Poland. He said he sat in between carriages so that he didn't take up anyone else's 'space' , but that he couldn't stay there for the entire time because it was too cold Sunday: The DWTS pro on CNN with Anderson Cooper. He said he felt 'bad' about leaving especially when he realized his train was packed with women and children Monday morning: In a clip aired on GMA on Monday, he is shown showing off the Welcome Home Papa sign that his son made him It included footage from inside his home in Malibu, which he shares with his dancer wife Peta Murgatroyd. Critics have however slammed the 6ft 2inch dancer for fleeing the war zone and not staying to fight. Others who say they understand the decision and would have done the same have begged him to stop posting about the conflict on social media and 'lay low'. The couple are raising money in multiple ways. On Monday, Peta posted a 'shop for Ukraine' fundraiser on Instagram. In his interview on CNN, he said he felt 'really bad' about taking up space on the train so he sat in between two carriages for a while. He claimed that Ukrainians were 'ready' for the conflict and had been preparing for it for months. When Putin invaded, Maksim claims he was 'told' that he 'had to go'. 'I just got told that I had to go. I have to say about Ukrainian people in general, they were ready for this conflict. That was the whole general feeling. 'All the time I was being told if something happens, "we'll take you out, you'll be the first." 'When everything happened, it happened suddenly. The day it happened, somebody was bombarding my phone saying "you have to go now." The train station in Kyiv on Monday morning. 1.7million people have now fled Ukraine 'I started to get various calls multiple sources, military personnel saying "you have to go, things are about to get crazy."' He did specify who helped him leave, or advised him to get out. Other Americans have reported not receiving any form of help from the State Department and having to find their own paths out of the conflict. Maksim said he felt 'really bad going' and it became 'even worse' when he got to the train station in Kyiv and realized he was one of if not the only man on the train. 'I realized it's all women and children and I'm too big and I'm taking up space. I put myself in between trains. Internally, I justified my space because I was outside,' he said, referring to his decision to sit in between the train cars for some of the trip. He ended up going back inside because it was 'too freezing'. 'I helped a lot with bags and stuff, just to understand that I am not taking up space.' He now says he is going to return to the region to help on the Polish border. He has given no indication that he will enter Ukraine to fight. 'I spent the last couple days with survivors' remorse. I'm working on an opportunity to go back to Poland. I want to justify my safe out that way,' he said. On Monday morning, another interview aired on ABC. That included shots from inside the couple's Malibu home, where Maksim showed off the 'welcome home papa' sign that his young son made him. 'I am still very much in a fight or flight, I'm a big boy. I know for a fact that I'm going through something mentally. Maksim's wife posted these photographs on Instagram over the weekend and said it was 'time to heal' 'I know I get into these crying moments, I'm emotional. I can't control it, I cried all the way from the airport,' he said. His wife Peta had been asking for prayers on social media before he returned to their home. On Saturday, with him home safe, she posted that it was 'time to heal.' 'I never thought our family would be directly affected by this in our lifetime, 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 its time to heal. 'We cannot go back to our normal. Our lives are forever changed. We have a new normal, and thats ok,' she said. She added that the pair would continue to raise money and awareness for Ukraine. 'But many have slammed them for continuing to talk about his survival and his decision to leave, while others stayed behind to fight and some - with no ties to Ukraine - have traveled there to take up arms. The dancer's wife gushed on social media about being given cookies by strangers while she went through 'hell' waiting for him to come home Chmerkovskiy's wife Peta on Monday asking people to donate to their Ukrainian fundraiser 'My man, you were there and fled. I don't fault you for that. But you took a spot on a train of women and children and took a press lap highlighting it. Your outrage now seems... misplaced,' one Twitter user said. 'I like Maks and understand that he has a wife and small child but yeah, he was also between ages 18-60 and could have stayed and helped his country. He didn't. Would have been better for his brand to just leave and hope people didn't notice,' remarked another. 'Let me see if I have this right. We're supposed to care that a healthy, strong, young man whose only claim to fame is Dancing With the Stars, made it onto a train and into Poland safely. In lieu of women & children in that spot. Hmm ok,' said another. Last week, he documented his escape from Kyiv on social media. Advertisement Russian President Vladimir Putin has now sent about 100 percent of his invasion forces into Ukraine, a senior US defense official said on Monday. Russia has made no further move to send battalions from elsewhere in Russia, said the official, as he instead confirmed that Moscow was now trying to recruit foreign fighters for its stalled advance. 'We now assess that Putin has committed nearly 100 percent of his combat power into Ukraine,' the official told reporters on condition of anonymity. 'And by combat power, I mean, that combat power that he has amassed along the border with Ukraine and in Belarus.' Before the invasion started, US officials said they believed that Russian had massed more than 150,000 people along Ukraine's borders. Spirited resistance by Ukrainian troops - and an influx of weapons from NATO nations, including tank-buster grenades - are credited with stalling Russia's main advance north of the capital Kyiv, where an armored convoy has been stalled for days. And the 12th day of fighting ended with little significant territory being taken by Russia. Instead Kyiv's men claimed to have taken out dozens of helicopters and recaptured a city in the morning - sparking hopes that the unlikeliest of victories may be on the cards. At the same time President Joe Biden held a virtual meeting with allies to keep up pressure on Moscow. Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson 'underscored their commitment to continue providing security, economic, and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine,' the White House said in a statement President Biden on Monday spoke with President Macron of France, Chancellor Scholz of Germany, Prime Minister Johnson of the United Kingdom on a secure call from the White House situation room as a senior defense official said Vladimir Putin had now sent in almost 100 percent of his invasion force to Ukraine A still image taken from a handout video made available by the Russian Defence Ministry press service shows Russian servicemen drive on a 152mm self-propelled artillery system MSTA-S on the march near Kyiv (Kiev), Ukraine Refugees from Irpin flee the area using the last remaining humanitarian corridor that opened at 10am this morning. Russian forces continue to push their advance in an attempt to encircle the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv The main thrust of the Russian advance towards Kyiv has stalled but Russia continues to make gains in the south A Ukrainian soldier stands guard as residents wait to cross the destroyed bridge as they flee from the frontline town of Irpin A Ukrainian serviceman looks on as evacuees cross a destroyed bridge as they flee the city of Irpin In the meantime, the officials said the US had counted 625 Russian missile launches - including short range, surface-to-air, and cruise missiles. That has intensified in recent days, said the official, putting civilians in harm's way although it was difficulty to tell if they were being deliberately targeted. 'It appears as though the Russians are increasing their use of long range fire to supplement or to make up for the lack of ground movement that they have had and the lack of air superiority that they don't enjoy,' the official added. With Putin failing to capture Kyiv swiftly, reports surfaced at the weekend that Moscow was seeking to recruit foreign fighters - including Syrians expert in urban combat. According to a publication based in Deir Ezzor, Syria, volunteers were being offered up to $300 to operate as 'guards' for six months at a time in Ukraine. 'We do believe ... that the reports are accurate that the Russians are trying to recruit Syrians in particular to sign up and fight in Ukraine,' said the official 'We find that noteworthy that [Putin] believes that he needs to rely on foreign fighters to supplement what is a very significant commitment of combat power inside Ukraine as it is.' Hundreds of civilians have today been fleeing the city of Irpin, to the west of Kyiv, after it came under heavy attack by Russian forces in recent days while Putin's men try to encircle the capital Elderly people and families with children are helped across a fast-flowing river underneath a destroyed road bridge outside Irpin, a city to the west of Kyiv, which Russian forces have been attacking A woman in a wheelchair is assisted by local residents as she is evacuated from Irpin Volunteers of the Ukrainian Territorial Defense Forces inspect a damaged military vehicle in the outskirts of Kharkiv US officials believe Russia has now committed 100 percent of its combat forces that were massed along the Ukrainian border Meanwhile it emerged that American officials have begun collecting information that may help determine whether Russia committed war crimes. 'We are collecting evidence of possible war crimes, human rights abuses, and violations of international humanitarian law. We support accountability using every tool available, including criminal prosecutions where appropriate,' said a spokesperson for the National Security Council. The Pentagon has also ordered over the weekend an additional 500 troops to Europe, which would bring the total number of American forces there to about 100,000, the official said, as the United States seeks to guard against the war's spillover into NATO nations. The two sides held a third round of talks Monday, with an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky reporting that a little progress had been made on the matter of safe corridors. On Monday, Putin's men renewed their bombardments on Mariupol, Chernihiv, Mykolaiv and Kharkiv this morning as hundreds of civilians tried to evacuate Irpin - on the outskirts of Kyiv - across a destroyed bridge after days of heavy attacks in an attempt to encircle the capital. But Russian commanders have not significantly advanced their frontline since the city of Kherson and nuclear power plant at Zaporizhzhia were captured last week. Meanwhile the Ukrainian armed forces claimed to have destroyed up to 30 Russian helicopters that had been moved to Chornobaivka airport, near Kherson, overnight and to have retaken the city of Chuhuiv, near Kharkiv, killing two Russian commanders - Lt. Col. Dmitry Safronov, and Lt Col. Denis Glebov - in the process. Later in the day, Ukraine said it had also recaptured the airport at Mykolaiv and repulsed a Russian counter-attack. Video also emerged which appeared to show Ukrainian defence forces based in Odessa, the country's largest port, exchanging fire with ships overnight - one of which suffered a hit. Ukraine's ministry of defence has since claimed the vessel, a corvette named Vasily Bykov, was damaged. Images showed it afloat with black smoke pouring out in the early hours. A Russian T-72 tank is seen destroyed somewhere near the city of Mariupol in an image posted by the 'Azov Brigade', a unit of the Ukrainian National Guard that operates in and around the city Kyiv claims these are the losses suffered by the Russian military during the first 11 days of its invasion. The figures have not been independently verified President Volodymyr Zelesnky, speaking this afternoon, said that Ukraine 'never wanted this war, but it was brought to us' and now its military is being forced to kill 'to knock the enemy from our land and our lives' while civilians endure 'what no other European country has seen in 80 years'. Ukraine's military now estimates that 11,000 Russian soldiers have been killed in fighting along with the loss of 1,000 armoured vehicles, 290 tanks, 68 helicopters, 46 planes and dozens of other piece of hardware. Independent observers give lower totals, but Franz-Stefan Gady - of the International Institute for Strategic Studies - said the situation is never-the-less 'slowly becoming unsustainable for Russia'. With US intelligence reporting that Russia had now committed all of the invasion force it had assembled on Ukraine's border to the fight, analysts said it would be difficult for any more reinforcements to be deployed without running into the same logistical problems that plagued the early assault. That has prompted some - including UK general Admiral Sir Tony Radakin - to predict that Russia could actually lose the war. Asked by the BBC on Sunday whether victory for Putin's men was 'inevitable', as many had predicted before the fighting started, he responded: 'No.' Defeat for Russia does not automatically mean victory for Ukraine, however. Despite heavy losses Putin's men have still been able to capture key territory, particularly in the south, cutting Kyiv off from many of its vital Black Sea trading routes and naval bases. Ukraine's forces have proven dogged in defence but it remains to be seen whether they can counter-attack successfully and push Russian forces back across the border. Leading lawmakers on trade issues reached a deal Monday on legislation that would ban the import of Russian oil and energy products into the US and suspend normal trade relations with Moscow, amid indications the administration is willing to go along. The trade leaders in the House and Senate announced the deal in a statement, after the White House in public comments sought to balance a desire to punish Russia for its invasion of Ukraine while seeking to avoid sending U.S. energy prices still higher. 'Taking these actions will send a clear message to (Russian President Vladimir) Putin that his war is unacceptable and the United States stands firmly with our NATO allies,' the lawmakers said. The statement was issued by House Ways and Means Committee Chair Richard Neal and Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden, both Democrats, and their Republican counterparts, Representative Kevin Brady and Senator Mike Crapo. And on Monday, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki would not state unequivocally that President Biden would sign legislation to ban Russian oil products following reports of outreach to heavily-sanctioned Venezuela and other producers. 'No decision has been made at this point by the president,' Psaki said. Those discussions are ongoing internally,' she said. House Ways and Means Committee chairman Rep. Richard Neal, D-Mass. and other top trade leaders reached agreement on legislation to ban the importation of Russian oil products into the U.S. in response to Moscow's brutal invasion of Ukraine Pressed at the White House briefing on whether Biden would sign the legislation, Psaki said, 'The president has not made a decision at this point in time. So that's where we stand,' before snapping at a reporter: 'Is a bill on its way over here that's passed Congress? I don't think so.' They said the legislation would provide U.S. President Joe Biden the authority to increase tariffs on goods from Russia and Belarus and would require U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai to seek suspension of Russia's participation in the World Trade Organization. Tai also would be required to push for a halt to Belarus' proposed accession to the WTO. 'USTR is considering a range of options, and working with members of Congress, to advance a resolute, effective, and united global response to Putins premeditated, unprovoked, and unjustified attack on Ukraine,' a USTR spokesman said in a statement issued before the lawmakers announced their agreement. The White House indicated the issue was on the table last week, while also stressing the difficulties of gearing U.S. refineries to manage without the flow of Russian oil products. 'We are looking at options that we can take right now if we were to cut the U.S. consumption of Russian energy. But what's really most important is that we maintain a steady supply of global energy,' White House economic advisor Cecilia Rouse Friday at the White House. 'We do not want to disrupt that market.' The White House is also seeking a $10 billion humanitarian relief package to aid Ukraine and assist allies in Eastern Europe, with negotiations also folding into talks on extending government funding. Top lawmakers on trade issues including Reps. Richard Neal (D-Mass.), Kevin Brady (R-Tex.), Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) have reached agreement on legislation to stop imports of Russian oil People cross the destroyed bridge as they flee from the frontline town of Irpin, Kyiv (Kiev) region, Ukraine, 07 March 2022. Irpin, the town which is located near Kyiv city had heavy fightings for almost a week between Ukrainian and Russian militaries forcing thousands of people to escape from the town The legislation would provide President Biden the authority to increase tariffs on goods from Russia and Belarus and would require U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai to seek suspension of Russia's participation in the World Trade Organization. Oil pumping jacks, also known as 'nodding donkeys' in a Rosneft Oil Co. oilfield near Sokolovka village, in the Udmurt Republic, Russia, on Friday, Nov. 20, 2020 'The House is currently exploring strong legislation that will further isolate Russia from the global economy,' wrote House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in a letter to colleagues Sunday. 'The Congress intends to enact this emergency funding this week as part of our omnibus government funding legislation. And an urgent request from [Ukrainian] President Zelensky is to help ensure air support for the Ukrainian armed forces,' she wrote. The niece of Chicago Police Department's Internal Affairs chief was caught on body camera video warning cops conducting a drug bust that her aunt is a police officer and is 'probably your boss.' Internal Affairs Chief Yolanda Talley's niece, who has not been named, was driving her aunt's silver Lexus on February 1, when police officers pulled the vehicle over after allegedly observing a passenger toss 84 baggies of heroin worth $6,300 out the window. That passenger, 34-year-old Kenneth Miles, has been arrested. Body camera video that was obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times in response to a Freedom of Information request, shows Talley's indignant and irate niece yelling and swearing at officers, and demanding that they allow her to retrieve her belongings, including her house keys, from the Lexus. Body camera video from a February 1 drug arrest shows the niece of Chicago Police Department's Internal Affairs Chief Yolanda Talley yelling at cops and repeatedly invoking her aunt The niece, who was not arrested, told police 'my auntie is probably your boss' and 'my auntie is a police officer, too.' The edited video released by the police does not show her face Chief Talley was the owner of the silver Lexus that was stopped by the police. She was not in the vehicle During the foul-mouthed verbal exchange seen in the video, which has been edited to obscure the niece's face, the woman tells the cops: 'don't even worry about it, my auntie is probably your boss.' The niece repeatedly invokes her high-ranking aunt during the back-and-forth with the officers, telling them: 'my auntie is a police officer, too. This is her car.' Talley's niece's passenger, Kenneth Miles, 34, was arrested on a heroin possession charge after allegedly being observed tossing 84 baggies of white powder out the car window Police arrested Miles on drug charges but let Talley's niece go, writing in a report that she was a witness. Talley's Lexus was removed from the scene by the arresting officers, but instead of being taken to an impound lot, it was returned to the chief's niece. In the wake of the drug bust, the officers who took part in Miles' arrest were reassigned to desk duty for an unknown reason, the Sun-Times reported. The Chicago Police Department said it has referred the matter to the Office of the Inspector General. DailyMail.com on Monday reached out to the police department, seeking comment about the body camera video and sending a series of questions about the decisions to not impound Talley's car and to place the officers on desk duty. Talley has been on the force for 26 years and was promoted to Chief of Internal Affairs in December 2021. According to police reports obtained by NBC Chicago, the incident began unfolding on the morning of February 1, when police officers conducting a drug investigation observed Miles walk up to a black SUV parked in the 3400 block of West Chicago Avenue. Miles was allegedly seen bending down to pick up a multicolored bag that police believed contained illegal drugs. Miles was revealed to be the informant who gave police a bad tip that led to the botched raid on the home of innocent social worker Anjanette Young in 2019 (pictured) Miles then walked to the silver SUV belonging to Chief Talley and being operated by her niece, and got into the front passenger seat. As the Lexus began to drive, police tried to pull the vehicle over. According to the reports, Miles rolled down his window and tossed out the multicolored bag, which was later found to contain 84 baggies of a white power suspected to be heroin with a street value of $6,300. Police eventually stopped the Lexus and arrested Miles, charging him with felony heroin possession. Meanwhile, Talley's niece was allowed to walk away without any charges. An investigation concluded that she 'did not have any knowledge of said narcotics being inside the vehicle.' Records released last year by the Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA) revealed that Miles was the informant 'John Doe' who tipped off police about the whereabouts of a felon in possession of a gun, ultimately leading them to Anjanette Young's home on February 20, 2019, reported WGNTV. Young, who was undressing for bed, was forced to stand naked for about 30 minutes while police searched her home, before realizing they had the wrong address. It turned out the suspect lived in the unit next door to Young and had no connection to her whatsoever. The suspect was awaiting trial on home confinement and was wearing an electronic monitoring device, meaning cops could have easily tracked his exact location. The 12 police officers connected to the bungled raid had been placed on desk duty pending the outcome of an investigation by the Civilian Office of Police Accountability, which concluded last month that half of them - including officer Ella French who was killed in the line of duty in August - should be punished. In December, the City Council approved a $2.9million settlement in Young's civil lawsuit against the city, which alleged that officials engaged in a conspiracy to cover up civil rights violations. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will give a 'historic address' to MPs on Tuesday via video link tomorrow. Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle said he granted the request for Mr Zelensky to read a statement to the House of Commons at 5pm on Tuesday on the Russian invasion of his country. Sir Lindsay said: 'Every parliamentarian wants to hear directly from the president, who will be speaking to us live from Ukraine, so this is an important opportunity for the House. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (pictured) will give a 'historic address' to MPs on Tuesday by video link, it has been announced Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle (pictured) said he had granted the request for Mr Zelensky to read a statement to the House of Commons at 5pm on Tuesday on the Russian invasion of his country 'Thanks again to our incredible staff for working at pace to make this historic address possible.' MPs will be able to watch the speech on screens installed overnight above either side of the chamber, House of Commons officials said. More than 500 headsets will be made available to enable the UK's elected representatives to hear a simultaneous translation in English. There will be no questions at the end of the address to Mr Zelensky, who is reportedly at risk of assassination by pro-Russian groups in Kyiv. Reports have suggested the Ukrainian leader will call for more arms to help defend his country and renew demands for a no-fly zone to stem the Russian attack. Hundreds of civilians have today been fleeing the city of Irpin, to the west of Kyiv, after it came under heavy attack by Russian forces in recent days while Putin's men try to encircle the capital Elderly people and families with children are helped across a fast-flowing river underneath a destroyed road bridge outside Irpin, a city to the west of Kyiv, which Russian forces have been attacking People rush to the train as an officer takes children and women first at the central train station in Odessa on March 7 The UK and Nato allies have consistently ruled out policing Ukraine's skies, with concerns it could escalate and broaden the conflict, with Vladimir Putin also declaring that any third party involvement in a no-fly zone would be read as active participation in the battle. During diplomatic meetings on Monday, Boris Johnson agreed with allies that more defensive support needs to be given to Ukraine. The Prime Minister met his Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte at Downing Street, with No 10 saying they agreed to 'continue to support Ukraine economically, diplomatically and with defensive equipment'. In later discussions with US President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Mr Johnson stressed that the 'goal must be ensuring Putin's failure in this act of aggression', with the allies agreeing to continue to 'isolate' Mr Putin, according to Downing Street. Mr Zelensky addressed MEPs in the European Parliament last week and on Saturday gave a virtual message to the US Senate as his country's defence against the incursion continues. The confirmation of the president's address comes as Western focus turns to what more can be done to weaken Russia's economy in a bid to force Moscow to withdraw from the conflict. Announcing a further 175 million of UK aid for Ukraine, Mr Johnson said Kyiv's friends needed to create a 'coalition' of support humanitarian and economic, as well as militarily to ensure Mr Putin's 'brutal' invasion fails. Kyiv today rejected Russia's offer of 'humanitarian corridors' to evacuate civilians after it emerged several of them led to Russian territory or its close ally Belarus (top). Red Cross workers in Mariupol also said one of the routes Russia identified for civilians to leave the city had been covered with land mines A father breaks down in tears as he says goodbye to his family in front of an evacuation train at the central train station in Odessa A child cries as she waves at her mother as people board a bus in Odessa in an effort to flee Russia's invasion People wait to get into a train at the central train station in Odessa amid Russia's invasion of the country 'The president of Russia is plainly doubling down,' he told a press conference in Downing Street. 'He has decided that he is going to continue with an all-out onslaught on centres of habitation in a way that we think is utterly repugnant. It's clear that we're going to have to do more.' To tighten the squeeze on the Kremlin's war chest, Mr Johnson warned that European countries would need to secure substitute sources of energy supply if they are to ban Russian oil and gas imports. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said over the weekend that Washington was in 'very active discussions' with European allies over energy sanctions amid calls from Mr Zelensky for tougher action. His comments saw gas prices surge by more than 70% to a new all-time high, while the cost of oil reached its highest level for 14 years. But following talks in Downing Street with Mr Rutte and Canada prime minister Justin Trudeau, the British leader called for a 'step-by-step' approach as European countries weaned themselves off Russian hydrocarbons. In the UK, he said ministers were looking at the possibility of using more oil and gas from British sources although he insisted this did not mean abandoning its commitment to reducing carbon emissions. 'It is completely the right thing to do to move away from dependence on Russian hydrocarbons, but we have to do it step by step,' Mr Johnson told a joint news conference. 'We have got to make sure we have substitute supply. One of the things we are looking at is the possibility of using more of our own hydrocarbons. A couple embrace each other as they stand in front of an evacuation train at the central train station in Odessa Hundreds of people queue for trains to Poland following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, in Lviv, Ukraine A woman in a wheelchair is assisted by local residents as she is evacuated from Irpin Ukrainian soldiers help an elderly woman to cross a destroyed bridge as she evacuates the city of Irpin, Residents of Irpin flee heavy fighting via a destroyed bridge as Russian forces entered the city in Irpin Residents cross the destroyed bridge as they flee from the frontline town of Irpin, Kyiv region in Ukraine following Russia's invasion A woman is assisted by a member of the Ukrainian military as she flees heavy fighting in Irpin via a destroyed bridge as Russian forces entered the city today Civilians continue to flee from Irpin due to ongoing Russian attacks in Irpin, A woman carries her pet cat as evacuees cross a destroyed bridge as they flee the city of Irpin, northwest of Kyiv 'That doesn't mean we are in any way abandoning our commitment to reducing CO2, but we have got to reflect the reality that there is a crunch on at the moment. We need to increase our self-reliance.' Mr Rutte warned that if countries moved too quickly to ban Russian oil and gas, it could backfire with 'enormous consequences', arguing that the West should be wary of generating 'unmanageable risks to energy supply', including within Ukraine. Meanwhile, ministers were pushing a new Economic Crime Bill through the Commons on Monday in a fast-track procedure to bolster its ability to target oligarchs. The Government has faced criticism for refusing to open its borders to Ukrainians, but Mr Johnson insisted during a press briefing on Monday that the UK would welcome those fleeing the fighting, with thousands of visa applications being processed. The Home Office revealed that only 'around 50' visas had been granted under the Ukraine Family Scheme as of 10am on Sunday, but Mr Johnson said that 'thousands' of applications were being processed. Advertisement Frightening video has emerged of one of Sydney's busiest motorways filling with water as two bodies are pulled from floodwaters and tens of thousands are told to evacuate their homes. Millions of Greater Sydney residents have been told to expect a tough '24 to 48 hours' as Australia's east coast is battered by torrential rain and dangerous gale-force winds. The flood crisis escalated on Tuesday afternoon with areas of Penrith, in the greater west, and Manly, in the northern beaches, underwater. Meanwhile, incredible vision surfaced from inside Sydney's M5 motorway showing cars motoring through ankle-deep water and train lines flooded at Campbelltown. At least 150mm of rain is forecast to fall across the region on Tuesday - more than 90mm having dumped before 9am alone - with residents of suburbs in the city's south and south-east told to evacuate. Two bodies, believed to be those of missing mother Hemalathasolhyr Satchithanantham and her 34-year-old son Bramoothand, have been found near a stormwater canal where their hatchback was found on Monday. While the bodies are yet to be identified, sources believe they are those of the missing mother and son. Incredible vision from inside Sydney's major M5 motorway saw cars driving through ankle-deep water, as floodwaters seeped in overnight and caused chaos for drivers (pictured) Motorists have been warned not to attempt crossing the Roseville Bridge, which links the city's north and the city, with reports of vehicles stranded on the bridge beginning to float Central Avenue in Manly, in Sydney's northern beaches, was flooded with ankle-deep water by Tuesday afternoon, with residents who parked their car in a nearby carpark unable to escape Train lines at Campbelltown were flooded during the early hours of Tuesday morning with commuters told to avoid the city's rail network completely and expect major delays Penthurst Street and Lea Avenue in the suburb of Willoughby on Sydney's Lower North Shore, are flooded, with residents told to avoid the roads 'at all costs' as the flood crisis deepens Two bodies, believed to be those of missing mother Hemalathasolhyr Satchithanantham (left) and her 34-year-old son Bramoothand, (right) have been found near where a car was abandoned in a stormwater canal in Sydney's west The Bureau of Meteorology's Dean Narramore this morning warned that flooding is expected across the coast from Queensland to the Victorian border. '(There's a) tough 24 hours or even 48 hours ahead,' he said. 'Even if the rain does stop on Wednesday and Thursday, which it will, there's still a lot of water in these rivers.' Mr Narramore said the amount of rainfall is already greater than last week's 'rain bomb' and is approaching levels that occurred during the floods in March last year. The NSW State Emergency Service has issued urgent evacuation orders for a number of suburbs including Chipping Norton, Georges Hall, and parts of Holsworthy, Lansvale and Milperra. Other suburbs affected told to evacuate immediately include parts of Moorebank, parts of Warwick Farm, Picnic Point, Pleasure Point and Sandy Point. 'If you remain in the area you may be trapped without power, water and other essential services and it may be too dangerous to rescue you,' the order states. The SES has predicted even more torrential rain on Tuesday will create dangerous conditions in the Mid North Coast, Sydney, Hunter, South Coast and Illawarra. The Bureau of Meteorology's Dean Narramore warned there was more to come with minor to major flooding occurring from Queensland to the Victorian border across the already saturated state Camden, in Sydney's southwest, has been particularly hard-hit by the widespread flooding, with properties and businesses underwater for the second time in less than a week State Emergency Service volunteers launch an inflatable rescue boat in Camden, in the Sydney's south-west, as the suburb is inundated by raging floodwaters Tens of thousands of Sydneysiders have been told to brace for a tough 24 hours ahead as the city is battered with an incessant deluge and floodwaters threaten homes and livelihoods (pictured, floodwaters in Petersham) At least 150mm of rain is forecast to fall across Sydney on Tuesday, as residents in the city's south and southeast are urged to evacuate their homes immediately as floodwaters continue to rise (pictured, a flooded petrol station in Camden on Tuesday) FLOOD EVACUATION ORDERS: PARTS OF CAMDEN: Peter Avenue between Onslow Avenue and Belgenny Avenue -Cawder Road between Barsden Street and Murray Street. Parts of Emu Plains Parts of Mulgoa Picton CBD Sandy Point Pleasure Point Picnic Point Parts of Milperra Georges Hall Holsworthy Moorebank East Hills Chipping Norton Parts of Warwick Farm Parts of Lansvale Low lying areas of Sussex Inlet Full details available at SES NSW. Advertisement 'Heavy rain has caused flash flooding and river height rises overnight across these locations and further heavy rainfall, flash flooding and river rises are possible today,' it said about 5am on Tuesday. 'Strong winds are expected which could cause trees and powerlines to fall. Landslides are also possible, which could block roads.' Damaging winds strong enough to bring down power lines and topple trees are forecast to wreak further chaos as those affected by the floods are urged to unplug household appliances during the flash flooding. BoM also instructed residents to avoid using their phones during storms, keep clear of creeks and storm drains and keep children and pets inside wherever possible. NSW State Emergency Service commissioner Carlene York said the major areas of concern across NSW are Kempsey, Coroki, the Georges and Hawkesbury-Nepean River, Shoalhaven, St Georges Basin and Sussex Inlet. Residents on 10 low-lying streets in Sussex Inlet have been ordered to evacuate by 12pm on Tuesday as floodwaters rise in the St Georges basin. Sydney commuters have been told to avoid all non-essential travel in the face of wet and wild conditions and ditch the city's rail network entirely. Damaging winds in excess of 90km/hour are forecast for the Sydney metropolitan area, the Illawarra and those who live on the coast. Some areas between Sydney and Ulladulla on the South Coast have received 100mm to 200mm of rain since 9am on Monday. However, in welcome news to communities on the Mid North Coast and the Hunter region, rain appears to have eased for the time being. Emergency Service Commissioner Carlene York said there were about 60,000 people impacted by floods warnings and about 800 people relying on emergency accommodation. The SES performed 100 flood rescues in the 24 hours to 6:30am on Monday and responded to 2400 calls for help. Residents in parts of Camden (pictured) were told to evacuate by 9pm on Monday or risk while other Camden residents were given until midnight to leave their homes Sydney, Liverpool and Terrey Hills could be hit with 50 to 80 millimetres of rain on Tuesday (pictured, a flooded property in Camden, 65km from Sydney's CBD) Camden has been issued a severe thunderstorm warning with 'intense rainfall' with properties, businesses flooded after incessant rainfall over the region In the 24 hours to 2pm on Monday, the NSW SES had received more than 1290 calls for help and performed 25 flood rescues (pictured, an aerial view of flooded Camden) Les Hallack is just one of many Camden locals preparing for the worst. On Monday night he helped his wife and two children evacuate to his mother in laws' while he stayed behind to guard his home. The road in front of his house has turned into a lake and his garage and front yard is completely flooded. The front gate to his home is nearly invisible. 'I've moved everything up to the second floor so everything inside is dry at the moment,' he said. 'But if the water reaches this step, I'm gone,' he said pointing to the front steps leading onto his veranda. 'We recently moved here from Victoria so we had to deal with everything with Covid down there and now this.' On Monday night Les Hallack (pictured on his front steps in Camden) helped his wife and two children evacuate to his mother in laws' while he stayed behind to guard his home The road in front of Mr Hallack's house has turned into a lake and his garage and front yard is completely flooded. The front gate to his home is nearly invisible (pictured) Across the road from the towns beloved bowls club and Bruce Turton's beach sports and barefoot bowls, a group of locals decided to wait out the bad weather with a couple of beers (pictured) With more rain on the way and parts of the town underwater, the group (pictured) said there was simply 'nothing else to do' Across the road from the towns beloved bowls club and Bruce Turton's beach sports and barefoot bowls, a group of locals decided to wait out the bad weather with a couple of beers. With more rain on the way and parts of the town underwater, the group said there was simply 'nothing else to do'. Just behind them was the remnants of Mr Turtons bowls fields - which he took over six years ago - and nearby tennis courts were completely submerged. With the bowls fields now deep underwater and sand volleyball courts destroyed, he now thinks he will have to close down the business for good. 'We've got bookings this weekend and they're all gone. It'll be hard to reopen it's won't happen. It's been bloody tough as it is with Covid but you just keep going. 'You know it'll come good but this is just devastating.' 'We've got bookings this weekend and they're all gone. It'll be hard to reopen it's won't happen. It's been bloody tough as it is with Covid but you just keep going,' Mr Turton (pictured) said But despite the terrifying weather conditions the communistic spirit remains strong with residents helping those under threat pack away belongings and clean up areas inundated with water. Meanwhile one man was seen paddle boarding through flooded roads without a care in the world while a group of young men took turns riding their dinghy around flood waters, a couple with a beer in hand. The Camden War Memorial pool is now filled with endless murky brown water prompting fears it could be until next summer before it can reopen. It comes as State Emergency Service Assistant Commissioner Sean Kearns said it had been an 'extremely busy night' for emergency services. 'We would just like to warn the community to listen to the warnings from the bureau and to avoid unnecessary travel,' Commissioner Kearns told Channel Nine's Today Show on Tuesday. Transport for NSW told those heading to work or school to prepare for the worst, leave plenty of time for delays. Ferry services were disrupted by heavy swells with delays on bus services due to extensive road closures and flood damage. 'Avoid any non-essential travel and if you do need to use the network please plan ahead and leave plenty of extra travel time,' a tweet at 6am advised. 'Impacts will continue through the rest of this week as we undertake detailed inspections to ensure the rail network remains safe for trains and customers'. At least 20 major roads were closed on Monday night as Sydney and its surrounds were hit with a heavy deluge. The Bureau of Meteorology issued a major warning to all motorists. 'Slippery and flooded roads and reduced visibility in heavy rain will make driving conditions dangerous during Tuesday in all suburbs,' it wrote. 'Motorists are advised to take extreme care.' Transport for NSW told those heading to work or school to prepare for the worst, leave plenty of time for delays on the network and avoid trains (pictured, pedestrians in Brisbane) The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a severe weather warning for the entire of Sydney on Tuesday as incessant rain continues to fall across the south and southwest The SES performed 100 flood rescues in the 24 hours to 6:30am on Monday and responded to 2400 calls for help (pictured, two vehicles submerged in floodwaters in Sydney's southwest) The SES has predicted even more torrential rain on Tuesday will create dangerous conditions in the Mid North Coast, Sydney, Hunter, South Coast and Illawarra (pictured, cars stranded in floodwaters in Sydney's southwest) In a bid to ease congestion around the city, Transport for NSW have opened the T2 and T3 transit lanes for general use until midnight on Friday. The Blue Mountains train line was closed on Monday after the incessant deluge caused a damaging landslide. BoM has warned that a new low will bring more storms on Tuesday, with rainfall reaching up to 200mm, prompting concerns of flash flooding in multiple areas along the coast and in greater Sydney. As of Tuesday morning, 25 flood warnings are in place including major alerts along the Georges River, Hawkesbury Nepean Valley, Colo River, St Georges Basin, Hunter River, Wollombi Brook and Macleay River. The Georges River peaked on Tuesday morning, with the Nepean River at Menangle Bridge was expected to surpass 16 metres at about 3am on Tuesday, yards above the major level of 12.2 metres. The Nepean was expected to exceed moderate level at Camden Weir and Wallacia Weir overnight on Monday. The Hawkesbury River and North Richmond were experiencing major flooding on Monday night, with similar scenes expected at Penrith, Windsor and downstream. THE LATEST ON THE NSW FLOOD EMERGENCY: - Two bodies, believed to be those of missing mother Hemalathasolhyr Satchithanantham and her 34-year-old son Bramoothand, have been discovered near where a car was abandoned in a stormwater canal in Sydney's west. - The SES has issued evacuation orders for Chipping Norton, Georges Hall, and parts of Holsworthy, Lansvale and Milperra. - Other suburbs told to evacuate include parts of Moorebank, parts of Warwick Farm, Picnic Point, Pleasure Point and Sandy Point. - Residents in some parts of Camden were told to leave their homes by 9pm on Monday night, while others were urged to evacuate by midnight - BoM said the Georges River in south Sydney may flood on Tuesday with the Nepean River at Menangle Bridge expected to exceed 16m at 3am - The SES has predicted torrential rain will cause dangerous conditions in the Mid North Coast, Sydney, Hunter, South Coast and Illawarra - Residents in Picton's CBD, parts of Emu Plains and Mulgoa have been told to prepare to evacuate - Those who live in the Hawkesbury-Nepean region have been told not to return home if they have already been evacuated - Transport for NSW have urged commuters travelling to work or school to prepare for the worst, expect delays and avoid the rail network - NSW SES Commissioner Carlene York said the state was facing a 'very serious' situation on Monday night and into Tuesday - As of Tuesday morning there are 54 evacuation orders in place and 12 evacuation warnings across the state Advertisement BoM has warned that a new low will bring more storms on Tuesday, with rainfall reaching up to 200mm prompting concerns of flash flooding (pictured, a flooded Sydney supermarket) Park Street, Petersham is seen under water on Tuesday night after a torrential down pour hit Sydney The Colo River at Putty Road has also exceeded its major flood level with officials expecting the major river to continue to rise on Tuesday. Residents in Picton's CBD, parts of Emu Plains and Mulgoa have been told to prepare to evacuate with those in the Hawkesbury-Nepean region urged not to return home if they have been evacuated. Terrey Hills, Sydney and Liverpool could be hit with 50 to 80mm of rain on Tuesday, while Campbelltown could receive 60 to 90mm and Richmond 70 to 120mm. The rainfall may result in 'rapid river level rises and very deep and dangerous flooding', the weather bureau warned. The SES has warned anyone who lives near a 'river, creek or stream' in the Mid North Coast, Hunter, Sydney, Illawarra or South Coast to be 'ready to take action.' Residents in these areas have also been warned to avoid beaches, as strong southerly winds and powerful swells wreck havoc along the coastline. As the low-pressure system develops into an east coast low and moves offshore on Tuesday, 'very heavy surf' is predicted to linger until at least Thursday. 'Beach conditions in these areas could be dangerous and people should stay well away from the surf and surf exposed areas,' the bureau has warned. State Emergency Commissioner Carlene York flagged authorities would be keeping a close eye on the swollen Hawkesbury River in the coming days as the Georges River peaked on Tuesday morning. The Bureau of Meteorology has warned that a new low will bring storms and intense rainfall that's slated to total up to 200mm Pictured: Flooding at Petersham in Sydney's inner-west The Bureau of Meteorology has warned that a new low will bring storms and intense rainfall on Tuesday, which could reach up to 200mm, prompting concerns of flash flooding in multiple areas along the coast and in greater Sydney The SES has warned strong winds and heavy rain will continue into Tuesday morning (Pictured: A deluge sweeps through a residence in Rhodes) Thousands of residents have already been forced to evacuate from the dangerous weather, with residents in Camden in Sydney's south-west told to get out by 11.59pm or risk being cut off. Residents in East Hills, southwest of the CBD, were told to evacuate by 2:30am while low-lying properties in Croki, near Taree, forced to leave at 9:15pm on Monday. Local flooding submerged streets across Sydney's inner-west including Potts Point, Surry Hills, Newtown and Petersham. There were roads in Camden, Bankstown and Liverpool resembling rivers. There was also shocking footage showing multiple cars struggling to make it flooded streets in Milperra. A taxi was seen submerged in the deluge with its hazard lights on as other vehicles appeared stuck in the brown water. About 83mm of rain fell at Marrickville in the 2 hours to 10.45pm on Monday, 81mm hit Kentlyn in the 2 hours to 10pm and 86mm was recorded at Lucas Heights in the 2 hours to 9.30pm. Local flooding submerged streets across Sydney's inner-west including Potts Point, Surry Hills, Newtown and Petersham. Pictured: A street in Newtown Many suburbs across Syndey were hammered by flooding, water is seen bubbling up from the ground in Potts Point A street in Sydney's Newtown was covered in water on Monday night as a severe thunderstorm warning with 'intense rainfall' was issued for the city and its surrounds In Hurstville, shocking footage showed the rooftop of an Aldi store collapsing due to the intense rain. The ceiling in one of the store's back corners caved in on Monday causing minor damage to the supermarket and its stock, with no customers or employees injured. Daily Mail Australia understands the Hurstville Aldi will reopen on Wednesday. On Monday evening, the SES issued evacuations orders for parts of Camden in Sydney's south-west by 9pm. A renewed alert warned residents within parts of Camden that they have until 11.59pm on Monday or risk getting cut off once flood waters reach 10.3 metres at Camden Weir. Residents in the south coast towns of Sussex Inlet and St Georges Basin were also told to prepare to evacuate. Residents across Sydney's inner-west reported local flooding on Monday night, with shocking pictures showing streets in Camden and Bankstown under water. Pictured: A flooded street in Milperra Roads in Bankstown resembled rivers after floods swept through Sydney's south Elizabeth Drive, Liverpool is completely flooded as vehicles are left at a stand still The Bureau of Meteorology has warned residents in Sydney and northern NSW to prepare for flash flooding from Sunday until Tuesday as an east coast low moves in. From left to right, the three main weather models forecasters use show Sydney and the south coast are expected to be battered by more than 100mm of rain The SES have warned that roads in Sussex Inlet may become inaccessible due to the hazardous weather. In greater Sydney, the wet weather has created landslides and shifting earth. Residents in Sydney and the Blue Mountains have been warned over the risk of deadly landslides, many of which have already caused mud, trees and vegetation to fall onto roads. A number of the landslides were reported at Emu Heights and Katoomba in the Blue Mountains. Footage released by Fire and Rescue shows a roadway cut off due to a landslide. Warnings have been raised over the risk of landslides in Sydney and the Blue Mountains A number of the landslides were reported at Emu Heights and Katoomba in the Blue Mountains In Northern NSW, flooding has continued to devastate suburbs near the coastline. A recent viral video shared to Reddit sees raging floodwaters near the town of Murwillumbah carve up the landscape, carrying gum trees, boulders and other debris. The floods have reportedly destroyed homes and local infrastructure in the area. Harsh conditions are predicted to ease on Wednesday - when the sun may finally return. Intense flooding continued to inundate Coraki, 30km south of Lismore, on Monday. Meanwhile, the NSW Premier has apologised to flood-devastated communities. Dominic Perrottet said sorry to thousands of people in the Northern Rivers district, whose homes and businesses were destroyed when towns like Lismore and Ballina were inundated by floodwaters last week. Floodwater surrounded a small farm paddock with a single tractor in Coraki on Monday as locals prepare for more flash flooding Aerial photos show homes submerged in floodwater in Coraki on Monday as the BoM warns more flashing flooding is on the way Roads in Coraki remained submerged on Monday as local prepare for more heavy rain to fall Large parts of the northern NSW town Coraki remained inundated on Monday with more rain forecast in coming days Many had to be rescued by fellow citizens and have since struggled to access basics such as food, water, power, fuel, phones, ATMs, the internet and medical supplies. 'I'm very sorry ... but we're doing everything that we can,' Mr Perrottet told the Nine Network from Lismore. 'Some of those areas will look back at this and say it could have been done better but ... we're doing absolutely everything we can to provide care and support for those who need it to get those essential supplies in,' he said. The emergency response would be reviewed, he added. Floods have claimed six lives in NSW, including four in Lismore. The Australian Defence Force is helping with the mammoth clean-up with 512 personnel on the ground in NSW. Some 5000 personnel will be put on task or made available in NSW and Queensland over the course of this week, as 2010 are on the ground in both states, the ADF said. The Australian Defence Force is helping with the mammoth clean-up with 512 personnel on the ground in NSW A soldier helps with the clean-up effort in Lismore as residents prepare for more flash flooding 'We're getting supplies in. We're getting food in,' Mr Perrottet said. Around 2,000 of the 3,500 homes assessed so far in the Northern Rivers are no longer habitable, increasing the need for short-term and medium-to-long-term accommodation. Telstra on Monday said it had restored about 80 per cent of mobile coverage for communities in northern NSW and 75 per cent of landline connections. But some areas remained inaccessible due to continued flooding, road damage or a lack of electricity that is hampering the work of around 1,000 technicians. Around 2,000 of the 3,500 homes assessed so far in the Northern Rivers are no longer habitable, increasing the need for short-term and medium-to-long-term accommodation The northern NSW communities of Kingscliff, Main Arm, Mullumbimby, Ocean Shores, Tucabia, Uki and Wooli are among those still having issues with communications. The State Emergency Service had another 550 calls for help overnight and performed nine flood rescues. SES Deputy Commissioner Daniel Austin says volunteers are waiting with 'bated breath' to see what Monday brings. 'We're certainly on high alert from the Mid-North Coast down into the Shoalhaven,' he told the Nine Network. 'We are watching exceptionally closely a number of catchments ... around the Hawkesbury and Central Coast and places. 'The water hasn't retreated yet. We're now going to see more flooding on top of what we've already seen.' An Australian Defence Force soldier helps clean flood debris from a property in Lismore Renewed flooding is likely in the Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley and major flooding continues in the Upper Nepean, Nepean, Hawkesbury and Colo Rivers, the SES said on Monday. Rainfall on Tuesday could push the Nepean River at Penrith over six metres causing minor floods. Major flooding is also taking place at North Richmond and is likely to happen at Putty Road as the Colo River is expected to exceed 10.7 metres on Monday night and continue to swell to up to 11.5 metres on Tuesday. Rain is causing significant travel delays with cancellations expected on most Sydney Trains, NSW TrainLink Intercity and Regional train services and drivers are being urged to stay off the roads unless it's absolutely necessary. A seven-year-old girl was killed during a 'cluster bomb' strike on a school in Ukraine as her grandfather desperately tried to shield her from the blast. Yesterday Ukrainian President Zelensky's wife Olena said Putin's troops were 'consciously and cynically' killing children. She highlighted the case of Alisa Hlans, 7, who was one of six people to die when her kindergarten in Okhtyrka was hit on the second day of the Russian invasion. She said her grandfather had been trying to save the young girl from the bomb. Alisa Hlans, 7, (pictured) who was one of six people to die when her kindergarten was hit on the second day of the Russian invasion Her grandfather (pictured with Alisa) tried to shield her from the blast at the school Pictures of the aftermath of the attack showed bodies strewn around the entrance as the staff tried to flee with the children. Alisa's grandfather was reportedly killed in front of his granddaughter before she was wounded and rushed to hospital, where she died a day later. At least one child hiding at the nursery was wounded in the attack. Prosecutor general Irina Venediktova said Alisa, who was three months away from her eighth birthday, died in hospital the day after the attack in the small town of Okhtyrka, an hours drive from Ukraines north-east border. The Russian military were accused of using cluster bombs in the attack, with the shattered kindergarten showing signs of multiple explosions from a single bomb. It is a claim the Kremlin has denied. Seven-year-old Alisa Hlans was one of six people who died when her kindergarten was hit on Friday, the second day of the Russian invasion. Pictures of the aftermath of the attack showed bodies strewn around the entrance as the staff tried to flee with the children in Okhtyrka in Eastern Ukraine. The circles suggest multiple impacts, likely to be from a cluster bomb A kindergarten in Okhtyrka was reportedly struck by the bomb that landed around 200 metres away Olena Zelenska has asked Nato to implement a no-fly zone over Ukraine to 'save our children, because tomorrow it will save yours'. In an Instagram post yesterday she wrote: 'The Russian occupiers are killing Ukrainian children. Consciously and cynically. '18-month-old Kirill from Mariupol was urgently taken to the hospital by his parents. He was wounded by the shelling, and doctors could do nothing. 'Alice from Okhtyrka. She could have turned eight years old. However, she died in the shelling with her grandfather, who was protecting her. 'Polina from Kyiv. She died during the shelling on the streets of our capital, along with her parents and brother. Her sister is in critical condition. 'Arseniy, 14 years old. A fragment of the projectile hit his head. The medics could not reach the boy under the gunfire. Arseniy bled to death. 'Sofia, six years old. She, along with her ne and half month old brother, mother, grandmother, and grandfather, were shot to death in their car. The family tried to leave Nova Kakhovka. Olena Zelenska (pictured) took to Instagram to say Russians had been killing Ukrainian children since Putin's forces invaded on February 24 An 18-month-old boy named Kirill (pictured being carried by his father) was fatally wounded in the the southern city of Mariupol after Russian forces shelled Ukraine's second city just minutes into an agreed ceasefire on Saturday She wrote: 'When people in Russia say that their troops are not hurting the civilian population, show them these pictures!' 'I have to tell you about it. At least 38 children have already died in Ukraine. 'And this figure might be increasing this very moment due to the shelling of our peaceful cities! 'When people in Russia say that their troops are not hurting the civilian population, show them these pictures!' Devastating images show the father of an 18-month-old boy named Kirill running into a hospital in Ukraine with his dying son The grieving parents embraced their son's lifeless body laid out on a stretcher in the besieged city after the region came under shelling from Russian forces Images have laid bare the barbarity and horror of Russia's invasion of Ukraine as the parents of 18-month-old Kirill were seen grieving for their son after the toddler was killed by Russian shelling An 18-month-old boy named Kirill was fatally wounded in the the southern city of Mariupol after Russian forces shelled Ukraine's second city just minutes into an agreed ceasefire on Saturday. Kirill's devastated mother Marina Yatsko and her boyfriend Fedor were later seen grieving as they embraced their son's lifeless body laid out on a stretcher in the besieged city. Last week, in some of the most harrowing scenes of the war so far, the bodies of those killed in the mortar attack were seen lying motionless on a road. A mother and two children were killed and the father was wounded by a mortar shell in Irpin near Kyiv on Sunday as hundreds of civilians sought safety 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 Beside them were suitcases packed ahead of what they hoped would be a journey to safety. There was even a pet carrier among the luggage. Three members of the same family were also among those killed in the attack by Vladimir Putin's forces on Irpin, a town 12 miles from Kyiv. Horrific images captured the terrifying experience of mothers, fathers, grandparents and children running from Russian artillery fire. A pair of Iranians in the Islamic Revolutionary Guards' covert-action Quds Force have been plotting an assassination against Trump-era National Security Advisor John Bolton, but the Biden administration is not acting on that intelligence because it doesn't want to foil nuclear deal negotiations. Intelligence community personnel, prosecutors and FBI agents are upset that there have been no indictments against the two men or Quds Force and Iranian leaders, a Justice Department official with knowledge of the investigation told the Washington Examiner. The outlet said while it is withholding certain information for national security reasons, the source was very specific and descriptive in the intelligence supporting the plot, including significant Revolutionary Guard reconnaissance activity and attempts to recruit an assassin in the U.S. President Joe Biden is hoping to resume the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) Iran nuclear accord after Former President Donald Trump withdrew the U.S. from the agreement and Iran in turn suspended its compliance and began work on developing nuclear weapons. A new nuclear deal with Iran is currently nearing completion from negotiations in Vienna, Austria. The DOJ source claimed that the Biden administration will not publicly indict the two men who have been planning the assassination because it could derail the near-done Iran nuclear deal. Two members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards' Quds Force have been plotting an assassination against Trump-era National Security Advisor John Bolton likely in response to the U.S. drone strike that killed their commander Qasem Soleimani in January 2020 Intelligence and FBI officials are angry that there are no public indictments against the two men, lamenting that the Biden administration likely doesn't want to ruffle feathers as it nears a nuclear deal with Iran Those who helped disrupt the assassination attempt are frustrated that no action has been taken, lamenting of delays for political purposes by the Biden administration. And while there may be seal indictments, the source claimed that due to the evidence and seriousness of the conspiracy, a public indictment is warranted without delay. Another Justice official told the Examiner, however, that 'it would be categorically false to claim that these kinds of policy considerations would drive such a charging decision.' Intelligence officials became aware of the plot by two Iranian Quds Force members during its early stages, which resulted in a full-time Secret Service protective detail assigned to Bolton in either late 2021 or early 2022. Threats from Iran have also been levied against Trump's Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and other former officials for the last administration who worked on issues regarding the Middle Eastern nation. Congress even extended in late 2020 Pompeo's Diplomatic Security Service protective detail, which continues to this day even though he is no longer a government employee. Bolton (left) and Trump-era Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (right) were both extended protective details past their government service due to threats from Iran Iran's Revolutionary Guards is particularly infuriated by Bolton and Pompeo. They believe the two former Trump officials are to blame for the previous administration's 'maximum pressure' strategy against Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's regime. But the plots against their lives is likely stemming from Iran's desire to avenge the January 2020 U.S. drone assassination of Quds Force Commander Qasem Soleimani. The plot against Bolton specifically is thought to have led to Biden's National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan warning Iran in early January 2022 that the U.S. would protect officials 'serving the United States now and those who formerly served.' Bolton and Pompeo, according to the DOJ source, signed nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) to be briefed on the classified intelligence on threats against them from Iran. New York Attorney General Letitia James branded ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo a 'sick, pathetic man' Sunday, after the disgraced democrat asserted that 'cancel culture' is what spurred his resignation last year. On Sunday at the Gods Battalion of Prayer Church in Brooklyn, Cuomo, 64, said 'cancel culture' caused his downfall last summer, and called investigations into the allegations against him 'prosecutorial misconduct.' The remarks, made during Cuomo's first public appearance since leaving office last August, did not sit well with state prosecutor James, whose investigations last August concluded the then-governor sexually harassed 11 women, causing him to resign. 'Serial sexual harasser Andrew Cuomo won't even spare a house of worship from his lies,' James, 63, said in a scathing statement issued by her office Sunday, hours after Cuomo's 'cancel culture' assertion. 'Even though multiple independent investigations found his victims to be credible, Cuomo wasn't railroaded; he quit so he wouldn't be impeached,' James wrote of the three-term governor's declaration. James then offered a declaration of her own, postulating that the people of New York are fed-up with Cuomo, his alleged actions, and the controversy surrounding them. 'New Yorkers are ready to move forward from this sick, pathetic man.' New York Attorney General Letitia James (pictured in February) branded Cuomo a 'sick, pathetic man' Sunday, after the disgraced democrat asserted that ' cancel culture ' is what spurred his resignation last year Cuomo's speech earlier that day addressed sexual harassment allegations found to be 'credible' by James' office last year - as well as CNN's subsequent firing of his news anchor brother Chris - and saw the politician hint at a potential comeback. '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 the East Flatbush church, 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.' The former New York Gov spoke publicly for the first time since resigning over multiple sexual harassment allegations Sunday, blaming 'virulent' cancel culture for his nixing, as well as the axing of his younger brother, Chris, by CNN 'Now, cancel culture creates another major problem for the democratic party,' Cuomo continued, before honing in on the subject of infighting among Democrats - which he said was spurred by cancel culture - and New York's current crime and homeless epidemic. 'We just heard from national elections, and the democrats lost,' he said. 'Now, the democrats are nervous about the midterm elections and we should be.' The ex-governor then offered an analogy for the impending doom that he says the city and party are set to face in the near future, as a result of the modern movement, mostly championed by Democrats and other progressives. 'When you are driving down the road, and there is a flashing sign, and the flashing signs says, Cliff Ahead, pay attention. We should be worried about the midterms. 'The democratic party is spending too much time arguing amongst themselves, cancelling each other, and pontificating about their ideal, rather than focus on whats real.' 'Do you know whats real?' a charismatic Cuomo asked the crowd? 'Whats real is schools in poor areas that dont teach thats real.' He went on: 'Public housing without heat, homeless on the streets, muggings in subways, young people dying everyday, crime and grime. New York City going backwards, not forwards. Thats whats real, to you and to us.' The politician went on to acknowledge that some of his alleged behavior uncovered in James' investigation 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, before eventually hinting at a potential political comeback. 'I've learned a powerful lesson and paid a very high price for learning that lesson. 'God isn't finished with me yet,' he told the congregants. 'I have many options in life and Im open to all of them.' 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.' 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. 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 told a 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.' Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi speaks during a news conference on the sidelines of the fifth session of the 13th National People's Congress on March 7, 2022, in Beijing Yonhap The top Chinese diplomat said Monday North Korea's "reasonable" security concern remains unresolved and a resolution to its nuclear issue is up to the United States. "North Korea's reasonable security concerns have not been fundamentally resolved," Foreign Minister Wang Yi said during a press conference held on the sidelines of the National People's Congress in Beijing. He said Beijing is taking note of Washington's statement that it has no "hostility" toward Pyongyang. "Where the next stage will go depends much on how the U.S. does (going forward)," he said in response to Yonhap News Agency's question on the Korean Peninsula issue. The key is whether Washington will take concrete action for a resolution to the problem or continue seeking to use it as a "geopolitical strategic card," he added. Wang said North Korea has taken "positive actions" since 2018 as part of efforts to resume talks, but it hasn't received "adequate rewards" from the U.S., in an apparent reference to Pyongyang's self-imposed moratorium on tests of nuclear and longest-range intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). The diplomat urged Washington to take actions to dispel the North's security concerns and build mutual trust with the regime to resolve problems on the peninsula. "China will continue to play a constructive role and wants to make efforts to that end," he said. On Seoul-Beijing ties, he said the two sides need to fully cooperate with each other, as they commemorate the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties. They are "friendly neighbors" that share long history, having proved to be partners for huge cooperation, not rivals, Wang said. "I hope that China and South Korea will achieve joint development by reviving the tradition of friendship and deepening mutual cooperation on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations," he said. (Yonhap) Elon Musk offered to eat food grown near nuclear reactors on live television to prove it's safe, part of a bid to convince European leaders to expand nuclear energy production amid the gas shortage caused by Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine. 'Hopefully, it is now extremely obvious that Europe should restart dormant nuclear power stations and increase power output of existing ones,' Elon Musk tweeted on Sunday evening. 'This is *critical* to national and international security,' he added, just a few days after calling on the U.S. to expand oil and gas production as a means of weaning off of Russian energy. A few minutes later, the eccentric Tesla CEO tried to dispel fears of nuclear power with a follow up tweet. 'For those who (mistakenly) think this is a radiation risk, pick what you think is the worst location. I will travel there & eat locally grown food on TV,' he wrote. 'I did this in Japan many years ago, shortly after Fukushima. Radiation risk is much, much lower than most people believe,' he added, referencing the 2011 disaster at the Fukushima nuclear power plant caused by an earthquake and subsequent tsunami. Elon Musk pushed for Europe to increase its nuclear energy production and offered to eat food grown near reactors on live television to prove it's safe Musk was in Fukushima during July 2011, as reported by the company SolarCity and Japan's Asahi Shimbun media outlet, but it is not clear if he ate locally grown food as he stated. 'Also nuclear is vastly better for global warming than burning hydrocarbons for energy,' Musk added. His tweets catalyzed a debate on Twitter about the safety and viability of nuclear energy. Jim Osman, founder of the Edge Consulting Group, tweeted that Musk's proposal would be a good idea 'until one is mismanaged again and leaks everywhere. That's the risk of more.' British social media personality Adam Brooks sided with Musk, tweeting: 'Thanks for speaking out. Businesses across the continent cannot afford these energy price rises. That means mass unemployment on the horizon.' Technology podcaster Alex Barredo also seemed to side with Musk, tweeting: 'Elon knows coal is the enemy.' Musk's tweet pushing for more nuclear energy in Europe comes just two days after he called for the U.S. to increase its oil and gas production to make up for the loss in Russian supplies. 'Hate to say it, but we need to increase oil & gas output immediately. Extraordinary times demand extraordinary measures,' he tweeted on Friday. 'Obviously, this would negatively affect Tesla, but sustainable energy solutions simply cannot react instantaneously to make up for Russian oil & gas exports.' Last year, America only imported about 8% of its oil and refined products, or about 672,000 barrels a day, from Russia, according to the Energy Information Administration. By contrast, the U.S. imported 51% of its liquid oil from Canada and about 8.5% from Mexico. The U.S. gets more oil from Saudi Arabia and smaller countries in Latin America and West Africa than it does from Russia. However, the U.S. still feeling the impacts of a decline in Russian oil as AAA reported Sunday that the national average for a gallon of gas hit $4.009 -- the highest since 2008. On Monday, the average price hit $4.10 a gallon, according to GasBuddy. He made the call on Twitter two days after pushing for the U.S. to increase its oil and gas production at home to make up for the loss in Russian fuel Russian oil exports have fallen by one-third, or about 2.5 million barrels a day, due to sweeping sanctions from the West, Energy Intelligence reported last Wednesday. Although the sanctions are not specific to Russian oil and gas, there was 'general reluctance among buyers to risk taking Russian cargoes,' Energy Intelligence reported. Nuclear energy has long been a topic of contention in Europe, but this past October, France lead a group of ten EU countries pushing for the alternate energy source to be labeled 'green' as the continent tries to end its dependence on fossil fuels without wrecking the economy. The group - which includes Poland, Hungary and Finland - argued that nuclear is 'essential' to lowering energy costs and ending Europe's reliance on foreign imports, while also cutting emissions without becoming over-reliant on renewables. But they were opposed by another group including Germany, Austria, Denmark, Luxembourg and Spain that argues that it is unsafe. The two most notable nuclear-plant disasters include the destruction of the Chernobyl nuclear plant in 1986 and the 2011 Fukushima meltdown. Regarding Chernobyl, the United Nations ensured in an assessment last year that 'the vast majority of the population need not live in fear of serious health consequences.' The U.N. also released a study last year saying that it found 'no adverse health effects' among Fukushima residents related to exposure from the disaster. The two most notable nuclear-plant disasters include the destruction of the Chernobyl nuclear plant in 1986 and the 2011 Fukushima meltdown. Regarding Chernobyl (pictured above), the United Nations ensured in an assessment last year that 'the vast majority of the population need not live in fear of serious health consequences.' The U.N. also released a study last year saying that it found 'no adverse health effects' among Fukushima residents related to exposure from the disaster, the aftermath of which is pictured above But nuclear opponents argue that the technology cannot be trusted and that plants produce waste that is difficult to dispose. Germany and Spain have both committed to phasing out their nuclear energy plants, with Germany's due to shut next year. Austria and Denmark both generate most of their power from renewables such as hydropower and wind, while Luxembourg imports 95% of its energy which is mostly generated from fossil fuels. All five countries have committed to reducing their carbon emissions, but plan to do it using renewables - with Austria aiming to become 100% renewable by 2030, mostly relying on hydropower generated from rivers. Meanwhile, discussions about a multi-national ban on Russian oil are gaining traction on Sunday as Oksana Markarova, Kyiv's ambassador to the United States, urged President Joe Biden to halt all Russian oil imports in an interview on Fox News Sunday. It came the day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made a similar plea during a video meeting with members of the US Congress. Markarova called for 'tougher' sanctions on Moscow during an interview with Fox News Sunday 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. Australians can now travel to Bali after the Indonesian government scrapped the quarantine requirement for visitors from approved countries. Indonesia announced it would no longer force fully-vaccinated travellers to isolate on arrival from Monday, March 7. Previously, even double-dosed arrivals had to self-quarantine for five days before being allowed out into the community. The rule change means tourists from 23 approved countries including Australia and New Zealand will need to pay only $47 for their visa, rather than $300. Australians can now fly to popular holiday destination Bali starting from next month as the country returns to a sense of normality following the pandemic Arrivals can now pay for their visa at the airport, but still have to undergo a Covid PCR test upon arrival. Travellers must also take out insurance that would cover them for up to $100,000 if they caught the virus. Qantas will restart flights from Melbourne to the Balinese capital Denpasar on April 14 and from Sydney a day later. Arrivals from the US, UK, Italy, Germany and ASEAN (Association of South-East Asian Nations) countries - including Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand - are also eligible for quarantine-free travel. The announcement comes just days after Jetstar announced a one-day flight sale to Bali from seven Australian cities. Airfares from Sydney and Melbourne to Bali were on offer for $125, while seats on the Perth to Bali route could be bought for $99. The sale began at 9pm on Thursday for flights from April 8 and ended at 11.59pm on Friday. Aussies have been locked out of Indonesia for the past two years due to travel restrictions brought about by the Covid pandemic. Indonesia, and especially Bali, has been severely impacted by the pandemic as the island nation's economy relies heavily on tourism dollars. Ross Taylor from the Indonesia Institute told The West Australian that holiday-goers will still need to follow quarantine rules upon arrival, but says the government is considering scrapping rules in March More than 70 per cent of Balinese residents work in tourism. The industry accounts for 52 per cent of the island's GDP. At least 90% of tourism-related businesses and restaurants at the island have shut their doors due to the miniscule number of international arrivals over the past two years - with just 45 overseas visitors reportedly holidaying at the island in 2021. Many resorts have closed during the pandemic to renovate and refurbish. Billionaire hedge funder Bill Ackman has claimed that 'WWIII has likely started already' and predicted that a broader military conflict with Russia may be inevitable after Vladimir Putin launched an invasion of Ukraine. Ackman, who has a track record of making alarmist predictions, often as he is making bearish bets, issued his dire forecast in an extremely long series of tweets on Saturday. 'In January 2020, I had nightmares about the potential for a pandemic, but everyone seemed to think I was crazy. I am having similar nightmares now,' he wrote. Ackman famously appeared on CNBC in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020 and declared that 'hell is coming', calling for a 30-day national lockdown. It later emerged that his firm, Pershing Square Capital, made $2 billion as markets crashed, through the purchase of credit-default swaps, a form of insurance that pays out if companies default on debt. Now, however, Ackman warns 'WWIII has likely started already, but we have been slow to recognize it.' Billionaire hedge funder Bill Ackman has claimed that 'WWIII has likely started already' and predicted that a broader military conflict with Russia may be inevitable 'Putin has invaded Ukraine and it is not going well for Russia,' he continued. 'The Ukrainians have put up a remarkable resistance. NATO refuses to enter the war, but NATO members and most of the rest of the world have launched an economic war, and are supplying Stingers, anti-tank weapons, other munitions, intelligence, and funding. 'Putin today declared these actions acts of war against Russia. Yet, there is much more we can do before we enter a hot war with Russia,' wrote Ackman. Ackman called for a Western embargo against Russian oil, a step that the White House is now considering. He also said that the US should provide Ukraine 'our best weaponry and more of it' and argued that fears of provoking Putin into nuclear war were tantamount to appeasement. 'Because Russia is a nuclear power and Putin is a madman, we say we can't intervene in the Ukraine. What then do we do when he wants more?' wrote Ackman. 'The nuclear threat is no different when he takes his next country, whether it is part of NATO or not, and by then we are strategically worse off. He has made his ambitions publicly known,' he continued. 'We let Putin occupy Georgia and Crimea with little pushback. And his aspirations only got larger because we did nothing to stop him,' wrote Ackman Residents of Irpin flee heavy fighting via a destroyed bridge as Russian forces entered the city on March 07, 2022 in Irpin, Ukraine. Russia continues its assault on Ukraine's major cities A civilian trains to throw Molotov cocktails to defend the city, as Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues, in Zhytomyr, Ukraine 'We let Putin occupy Georgia and Crimea with little pushback. And his aspirations only got larger because we did nothing to stop him,' the billionaire wrote. 'Are we now going to let him take the Ukraine? We are in the early innings of Putin's global aspirations. With each 'victory,' he is emboldened to take more. He is testing us, and we are failing the test each time,' he added. Ackman went on to say that the West should 'reconsider' a no-fly zone over Ukraine in the event that tough sanctions and increased arms shipments to Ukrainians fail to deter the Russian invasion. It is a step that so far faces bipartisan opposition in Washington, and which NATO has rejected. A no-fly zone would require shooting down Russian aircraft to enforce, and Putin has said explicitly that he would consider any country that tries to enforce a no-fly zone a party to the conflict. Ackman argued that by declining to directly defend Ukraine, which is not a NATO member, the West is giving Putin 'carte blanche to invade and subjugate' other European countries that are not part of NATO, including Sweden, Finland, Cyprus, Ireland, Austria, Malta, and Switzerland. The hedge funder then took his argument to new extremes, comparing Putin's invasion of Ukraine to Adolf Hitler's systematic genocide of Jewish people. 'What if instead of using rockets to kill civilians, Putin used gas chambers? Would that change our willingness to intervene? Why should it matter what type of weapon is used to kill civilians in our determination of whether to intervene?' he wrote. A woman walks in front of burned cars on a bridge in Irpin, on March 7, 2022, in Irpin, Ukraine. The Ukrainian army is resisting for the moment the heavy Russian siege in some of its cities An elderly woman is carried by ambulance on March 7, 2022, in Irpin, Ukraine Ackman said that the only way he saw to avoid a broader conflict is if China steps in and brokers a peace settlement. 'It appears that China gave Putin the nod to attack Ukraine. Putin respects and likely fears China. China can elevate itself on the world stage by helping to resolve this crisis,' he wrote. On Monday, Ukrainian officials said a Russian air strike hit a bread factory in northern Ukraine on Monday, killing at least 13 civilians, while talks between Kyiv and Moscow made little progress towards easing the conflict. The strike on the factory in Makariv, just west of the capital Kyiv, took place as the number of refugees fleeing across borders from the Russian assault on Ukraine passed 1.7 million, according to United Nations figures. Russian forces pressed on with their sieges and bombing of Ukrainian cities on the 11th day of the war. In the encircled southern port city of Mariupol, hundreds of thousands of people remained trapped without food and water under regular bombardments. Ukrainian (left) and Russian (right) officials took part in peace talks in Brest, Belarus, this afternoon. From left to right: Ukraine's deputy minister of foreign affairs Mykola Tochytskyi, minister of defence Oleksiy Reznikov, head of the Ukrainian servant of the people faction Davyd Arakhamia, adviser to the head of the office of the president Mykhailo Podoliak. On the Russian side, from left to right, Russian Ambassador to Belarus Boris Gryzlov, chairman of the Russian State Duma's International Affairs Committee Leonid Slutsky, presidential aide and the head of the Russian delegation Vladimir Medinsky, deputy minister of defence Alexander Fomin, and deputy foreign minister Andrei Rudenko 'They're bombing the life out of everything that is moving,' Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said. It was not immediately possible to verify the reported bakery attack, but local emergency services said the bodies of at least 13 civilians were recovered from rubble after it was hit. Five people were rescued of the 30 believed to have been there at the time. Russia denies targeting civilians. Zelenskiy, speaking on a zoom call with a Jewish group in the United States, said: 'The bakery was eliminated. And this is happening in different cities.' In the eastern city of Kharkiv, police said a further 10 people had been killed over the past day, taking the total death toll there from Russian bombardment to 143 since the start of the invasion. It was not possible to verify the toll. After the third attempt to ease the bloodshed at talks in Belarus, a Ukrainian negotiator said that although small progress on agreeing logistics for the evacuation of civilians had been made, things remained largely unchanged. 'As of now, there are no results that significantly improve the situation,' Mykhailo Podolyak said in a video statement, while Russian negotiator Vladimir Medinsky, told journalists the talks were 'not easy'. 'We hope that from tomorrow these corridors will finally work,' he said. A fourth round of talks will take place very soon, Russian negotiator Leonid Slutsky told Russian state television. Republican Senator Chuck Grassley on Monday said 'there's absolutely no need to rush' Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson's nomination to the Supreme Court. Grassley, the top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the surprise statement after meeting with Jackson in his office in the Capitol last week. His comments also indicate how Republicans will present their opposition to President Joe Biden's pick for the high court. 'Vetting a nominee for a lifetime appointment to the high court is serious business. The American people rightly expect a full and thorough vetting process. We should not sacrifice the integrity of our constitutional advice and consent responsibility to meet an arbitrary timeline. The Court's next term doesn't begin until October, so there's absolutely no need to rush,' Grassley said in a statement. Democratic Senator Dick Durbin, who chairs the judiciary panel, told reporters he was surprised by Grassley's comment but has no intention of changing the timeline for Jackson's confirmation hearings. Jackson's confirmation hearings will begin on March 21 and go through March 24. As ranking member of the panel, Grassley will be the first Republican to make an opening statement and to question Jackson. Republican Senator Chuck Grassley met with Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson last Wednesday in his office on Capitol Hill Senator Dick Durbin, the chair of Senate Judiciary Committee, expressed surprise at Grassley's statement; Durbin also met with Jackson last Wednesday (above) Jackson, 51, is expected to meet with every member of the Judiciary panel before her confirmation hearings begin. She will then meet with other senators after those hearing but before her confirmation vote, Durbin has said. It's unclear what Grassley was objecting to on the timeline. He and other Senate Republicans rushed through Amy Coney Barrett's nomination to the Supreme Court in 2020 just 30 days after Donald Trump nominated her. There were 13 days between when Trump nominated Barrett to when she got her confirmation hearing. Jackson's hearing is taking place 24 days after President Biden nominated her. Grassley told NBC News earlier this month that he was worried Jackson wouldn't have time to meet with all the Republican senators before her March 21 hearing. 'Is that enough time for every Republican that wants to have a face to face meeting with the candidate to have that face to face meeting?,' he said. But Durbin's office said Grassley can't support Barrett's timeline and not Jackson's. 'As Chair Durbin has repeated time and time again, there cannot be one set of rules for Republicans and another set of rules for Democrats,' Durbin's spokesperson said in a statement. 'With a March 21 start to the hearing, there will be 24 days from the announcement of Judge Jackson's nomination to her hearing. What's more, then-Judge Barrett had three years' worth of new materials to disclose when her Supreme Court confirmation hearing began.' 'Compare that to Judge Jackson, who was before the Committee just one year ago. Chair Durbin has said from the outset that the process will be 'fair and timely' and this timeline is precisely that,' Durbin's office said. The Senate has confirmed Jackson less than a year ago when they approved her confirmation to the D.C. Circuit in June on a vote of 53-44, with support from all 50 members of the Democratic caucus and Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. Grassley opposed her nomination. During the Senate Judiciary Committee vote on Jackson's circuit court nomination in May 2021, Grassley said that neither Jackson nor another BIden nominee 'satisfied me that they will adhere to the Constitution as originally understood.' This round of confirmation hearings will include Jackson's opening statement introducing herself to the panel, the senators time to question her, and a closed-door session so senators can go through her FBI background check. In a 149-page questionnaire Jackson returned to the Senate Judiciary Committee last week, she revealed that she was first contacted by the White House Jan. 30, three days after Justice Stephen Breyer announced his retirement, the Associated Press reported. Jackson has long been seen on the short list of possible Supreme Court nominees. She met with Vice President Kamala Harris in a video call on Feb. 11 and then interviewed with Biden at the White House on Feb. 14. Biden called and offered her the nomination on Feb. 24, the day before he publicly announced his choice. 'For too long our government, our courts haven't looked like America,' Biden said when he formally announced her nomination. Judge Jackson met with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (left) last Wednesday and also met with Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (right) Judge Jackson will meet with more senators this week, including Republican Senator Susan Collins (above) on Tuesday President Joe Biden announced Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson's nomination to the Supreme Court on February 25th at the White House The questionnaire also provides the Judiciary committee with a record of every job Jackson has held and the decisions she has made in her nine years as a federal judge, as well as any recusals and potential conflicts of interest. She should be able to be quickly vetted since she answered a similar questionnaire last year when the panel considered her for the D.C. court. Jackson's list of her most significant cases contains only one new entry from the appeals court, describing an opinion she wrote for a unanimous three-judge panel that came out in favor of labor unions. Democrats hope to confirm her in a full Senate vote before the Easter recess starts on April 11. If confirmed, Jackson would be the first black woman to sit on the Supreme Court and would be its third black justice. Biden vowed during his presidential campaign to name a black woman to the high court. The confirmation process begins with a nominee holding one-on-one meetings with senators so the lawmakers may question her in private. Jackson started those meetings last week - sitting down with Senate leaders and the top two senators on the judiciary panel, including Grassley.. She will meet with more judiciary panel members this week, including Republican Senator Susan Collins on Tuesday. Collins, who voted for Jackson on her circuit court nomination, has indicated she'd be willing to support her again. Jackson's nomination is part of Biden's push to diversify the judicial branch. His pick is not expected to change the tilt of the consevative-leaning court but his focus on younger nominees will ensure his pick will have a long influence on its decisions. Sherri Papini cheated on her husband Keith and was previously married to an army veteran whom she wed in order to get access to his government-funded medical insurance, according to the criminal complaint against her. The 39-year-old is currently charged with lying to police. She claimed she was held captive for 22 days by two Hispanic women in November 2016. Police say she was instead with her ex-boyfriend, James Reyes, who she tricked into harboring her by claiming she wanted to escape her abusive husband. Reyes told police they did not have sex when she was with him, and that she took over his bedroom while he slept on the couch. The criminal complaint against Sherri reveals that investigators spoke with two other men as part of their probe. One said he had a relationship with her while she was married, after meeting her on a work trip. Sherri Papini with her current husband Keith in a photoshoot. Investigators spoke to her ex-husband, two men previously dated her and the director of a youth program she was in. All said she had a history of lying The other worked with her at a youth program and said she was 'attention-hungry' and 'made up stories to get attention.' When Sherri was confronted by the FBI last August, she admitted speaking to other men while married, and said it was a mistake. James Reyes, 37, is the ex-boyfriend who hid California 'super mom' Sherri Papini for 22 days The complaint also details how she was married once before to an army veteran who she convinced to marry her so that she could use his medical insurance. He spoke with investigators and told them Sherri told him she needed the insurance to treat a heart murmur. At other times, she said it was because she had health complications caused by her donating her eggs multiple times. In addition to Reyes, the ex-boyfriend she allegedly spent the 22 days she was missing with, police also spoke with a man titled Man 1. He told FBI agents that he met Sherri in 2011 while out of town for work and that they 'spent the weekend together'. They then continued exchanging flirtatious messages afterwards, he said. He had flown from his home state, Michigan, to California in the weeks before she vanished and the pair planned to meet up but never did. He returned home the day she vanished without meeting up with her at all, he said. Man 2 met Sherri 'around 2000-2001' at the Friday Night Live youth program. He told police they dated for 'several years'. 'He described Papini as an attention-hungry person who told stories to try to get people's attention. Man 2 stated that Papini fabricated stories of being the victim of abusive from her family, father and then Man 2 after the couple broke up.' The director of the program was also interviewed by FBI agents and they said they Sherri was 'the only student' they feared. Papini told her ex-boyfriend to pick her up on November 2 from her home in Redding, California. She then sat in the backseat, lying down, while he drove seven hours south to Costa Mesa. For three weeks, they stayed in his apartment. She occupied the bedroom and he slept on the couch, according to prosecutors. He then drove her back north, dropping her off in Woodland The 'supermom' seemed to be getting back to normal when she went for pizza with her husband Keith in Redding, California in December, 2017 Reyes said the pair spent three weeks hiding out at his apartment in Costa Mesa and helped her fabricate the injuries she had when she returned home 'Person 2 stated stated that Papini was the only student feared having in the program because Papini was good at creating different realities for people so that they would see what she wanted them to see, which got her really good attention.' Sherri's first husband was also interviewed. He told investigators how their mutual friends told him after they split up that she was a liar. The pair were married in 2006, before he deployed overseas. Sherri's husband Keith thought she needed the marriage to get medical insurance for a heart murmur but the ex-husband said it was because she had donated so many eggs, she had medical issues. He was referred to as 'Man 3' throughout the criminal complaint. 'Man 3 stated that he and Papini never lived together and did not travel together, except for once when she visited Man 3 in Japan. 'When Man 3 returned from deployment, Papini told him she had found someone else and wanted a divorce, to which Man 3 agreed. 'Papini told Man 3 that her family abused her while growing up. 'After the divorce, Man 3 heard from mutual friends that Papini had a history of lying.' When she was confronted by police in August, Papini admitted that she spoke to men while she was married. She made the confession to explain why she had been in touch with Reyes - the ex-boyfriend she is accused of hiding away with. She said she and Reyes 'did talk a little bit before' and said: 'When I went out of town for work, I talked with other guys. I made a mistake and I talked to other men and I shouldn't have.' She said it was a mistake that she spoke to other men, and added: 'I am horrible.' Three students were shot, with one 15-year-old boy killed and two girls, 16 and 18, critically wounded, when someone opened fire outside a Des Moines, Iowa, high school on Monday afternoon. According to police, the victims were taken to an area hospital, where the teen boy died while the two others remained in critical condition. The Des Moines Police Department tweeted at 3pm local time that officers were at the scene of the shooting at East High School just as classes were being dismissed. Police did not reveal the identity of the victims but said the slain boy did not attend the high school. They said the two female victims were students at the school. Des Moines Police Sgt. Paul Parizek said multiple suspects in the shooting have been detained but no charges have been filed yet. He declined to reveal any additional details. 'It's a punch in the gut,' Parizek told KCCI 8. 'The kids in that school are our community's most precious cargo. Police added that the shots appeared to have come from a passing car as photos showed police laying out evidence for at least 20 markers for bullet casings. East High School is the seventh largest high school in Iowa with 2,076 students and is located about half a mile away from the state Capitol. The school was under lockdown following the shooting and residents are were asked to stay away from the area before students were cleared to leave at 4:30pm. The school will be closed tomorrow. A shooting outside East High School in Des Moines, Iowa, on Monday afternoon left one 15-year-old boy dead and two teen girls, 16 and 18, in critical condition Police said the shooting appeared to come from a passing car East High School was under lockdown and will be closed tomorrow A large police presence is seen at the scene of the shooting. Several suspects have been detained Police identified shell casing (pictured) from the weapon that fired at the teens The investigation is ongoing as the school was cleared and students went home An officer is pictured looking on as police survey the crime scene following the fata shooting The Des Moines Police Department tweeted at 3pm local time that officers were at the scene of the shooting Police said they do not believe there is a continued threat to the public. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives of Kansas City was also on the scene providing assistance to local authorities in the ongoing investigation. East High School student Kaylie Shannon told KCCI 8 that she was outside in the school parking lot when she heard the gunfire. 'I was just sitting in my friend's car and then all of the sudden I heard 11 gunshots and some boys screaming,' she said. East High School Principal Jill Versteeg told families in a statement: 'I think we can all agree an event like this is everyone's worst nightmare. Tonight, hug your students and love them.' Des Moines Superintendent Thomas Ahart told the Des Moines register that school shooting have become a common tragedy in the US. 'Our staff and students are forced to train for these incidents and the trauma associated with the repeated drills and incidents will remain with them for years to come,' Ahart said. 'Its unfortunate that our state and our country have become a place where firearms are far too easily accessible.' He added that the district would work on advocating to change gun laws in order to protest students and staff. Des Moines Police Sgt. Paul Parizek said the incident was a punch in the gut for the community Students were placed under lockdown and allowed to leave once police cleared the area Police added that the shots appeared to have come from a passing car. East High School student Kaylie Shannon said she was outside in the school parking lot when she heard the 11 gunshots and boys screaming The shooting in Des Moines comes only a few days after an 18-year-old football player was charged with shooting a high school administrator and resource officer at Olathe East High School, in Kansas City, on Friday. Jaylon Desean Elmore was charged with attempted capital murder after he shot assistant principal Kaleb Stoppel and resource officer Erick Clark inside the high school's main office. Olathe Police Sg.t Joel Yeldell responded to the shooting and engaged in a gunfight with Elmore, wounding the student and arresting him. Elmore was released from the hospital and has his bond set at $1 million. Monday's shooting is also the deadliest shooting since Ethan Crumbley killed four students and wounded seven others at Oxford High School on November 30, 2021. Jennifer Crumbley and James Crumbley are charged with involuntary manslaughter and are accused making a gun accessible to their son and failing to intervene when he showed signs of mental distress. Ethan has already been charged with first-degree murder. All three have pleaded not guilty. John Bercow could be banned for life from Parliament today as a probe into claims he bullied three House of Commons staff is concluded. The former Speaker faces allegations he threw a mobile phone, swore at officials and made a racially and sexually discriminatory remark. Mr Bercow will find out his fate on Tuesday morning as a Commons investigation finally publishes its findings. The Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, Kathryn Stone, is believed to have found him guilty of 21 claims made against him relating to behaviour during his decade as speaker. An independent panel will reveal tomorrow whether it has endorsed Miss Stone's findings and the sanctions Mr Bercow will face which could include a temporary or permanent ban from the Commons or an official reprimand from the House. John Bercow during his time as Speaker of the House of Commons. The former Tory MP could be banned from Parliament for life after the publication of a report into his behaviour tomorrow Kathryn Stone (pictured), the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, is set to publish her findings tomorrow. It is believed she will have found him guilty of 21 claims made against him relating to behaviour during his decade as speaker After a controversy-ridden decade as Speaker, former Tory MP Mr Bercow stood down in 2019, defecting to Labour last year. At the centre of blistering parliamentary rows over Brexit, he became the first Speaker in 230 years not to be offered a peerage. He was instead nominated by Jeremy Corbyn and that was blocked due to the bullying probe. Earlier this year, Mr Bercow branded the inquiry a 'kangaroo court' which was 'protracted, amateurish and unjust', as he took the unusual step of making Miss Stone's findings public. It is understood she upheld 21 out of 35 counts brought by Lord Lisvane, the former clerk of the Commons, and former private secretaries Kate Emms and Angus Sinclair. Two claims brought by Lieutenant-General David Leakey, a former Black Rod, were rejected by the inquiry that has taken almost two years. It was previously suggested in the Commons that Lord Lisvane may have left his role in 2014 in part because he was told to 'f*** off' by Mr Bercow at least once. The former Speaker has consistently denied the claim, insisting two years ago: 'For the record, I categorically deny that I have ever bullied anyone anywhere at any time.' In an interview earlier this year, Mr Bercow admitted he was a 'Marmite figure', but criticised the investigation, declaring: 'The whole process stinks' 'Am I a stiff-upper-lipped Englishman? No. Am I a model of calm and stoicism and imperturbability at all times? No. Can I get ratty? Yes. Am I sometimes overexcitable? Yes. Did I handle every situation in the chamber as I should have? No. I'm flawed. I sometimes wind people up unnecessarily. But I had hugely collegiate relations with my team,' he told the Sunday Times. He added: 'It is suggested that I stared hate-filled at an employee 11 years ago. Nine witnesses present at the meeting were not interviewed but I was judged guilty. 'It is said that I 'ghosted' a staffer on an aeroplane. No, it was a night flight and I was asleep before addressing 300 people at a conference the next day. 'I am falsely accused of swearing at an employee on an uncertain date in 2009. He names a colleague whom he told of the encounter. The colleague has no recollection of this,' he added. Mr Bercow said one complainant claimed he 'made a racially and sexually discriminatory remark, which I would not dream of doing'. He added he was 'wrongly alleged to have thrown a mobile phone on two occasions nearly 12 years ago'. He declined to comment today. Advertisement The US accused Russia of starving Ukrainian cities on Monday as Secretary of State Antony Blinken appealed to Vladimir Putin's family history, and the death of his one-year-old brother in World War Two, as he urged the Russian president to end the fighting. Putin reveals little about his private life but has described in the past how his brother Viktor died during the near 900-day siege of Leningrad, when almost a million people perished. With mounting worries that Russian attacks on cities were driving a growing humanitarian catastrophe, Blinken used the family story to make a direct appeal to Putin. 'Every Russian has lived or learned about the horrific siege of Leningrad during World War Two, in which that citys civilian population was systematically starved and intentionally destroyed over nearly 900 days, leading to hundreds of thousands of deaths,' he said during a visit to the Latvian capital Riga. 'That siege affected millions of Russian families, including President Putins, whose one-year-old brother was one of the many victims. 'Now, Russia is starving out cities like Mariupol. It's shameful.' Hundreds of thousands of people are trapped without food or water in the encircled southern port city of Mariupol, where Russian forces have kept up a steady bombardment. The United Nations is demanding safe passages for families seeking safety. However, two previous efforts to secure a ceasefire have failed, preventing people leaving. Blinken's visit to the region is part of an effort to reassure allies such as Latvia that the US and NATO will protect them, but the secretary of state also used the example of history to appeal to Russians who endured appalling losses during World War Two - including the Putin family who lived in Leningrad at the time. Nazi forces laid siege to the city from the south, helped by Finnish forces to the north, in September 1941. Secretary of State Antony Blinken appealed to Russians' memories of World War Two on Monday, comparing the Siege of Leningrad (left) with the situation today in Ukrainian cities. Present day Kharkiv is seen here on the right Vladimir Putin, aged five, pictured in July 1958 sitting on the lap of his mother Maria Ivanova Putina, who was a factory worker. Vladimir Spiridonovich Putin was the youngest of his parents' three children, and their third boy, though his two older brothers both died before he was born Vladimir Putin was born in what was then the Soviet city of Leningrad - now Saint Petersburg - in 1952, and although now one of the richest men in the world, he grew up in poor conditions in a city still rebuilding after World War II. Here he is seen in two class photographs, aged eight in 1960 and aged 13 in 1965 Secretary of State Antony Blinken appealed to Vladimir Putin's family history, and the death of his one-year-old brother in World War Two, as he urged the Russian president to end the fighting during his visit to the Latvian capital Riga Smoke rise after shelling by Russian forces in Mariupol, Ukraine. Two attempts to allow civilians to leave have failed with the collapse of ceasefire agreements. Now international agencies are warning of a humanitarian crisis unfolding The Siege of Leningrad began in September 1941, and ended 872 days later with as many as 800, 000 people dead - nearly as many as all the World War Two deaths of the United States and the United Kingdom combined Some historians today believe the Siege of Leningrad should be classified a genocide for the way Nazi forces targeted a civilian population, causing as many as 800,000 deaths It was not lifted for 872 days and today some historians consider it a genocide due to the intentional destruction of the city's civilian population. In his memoir 'First Person,' Putin - who born a decade later in 1952 - described how his mother had been so close to starvation that she lost consciousness and 'they laid her out with the corpses' until someone heard her moaning. And in 2012, during wreath laying ceremony in the city once again called St Petersburg, he talked about his brother Viktor. 'My parents told me that children were taken from their families in 1941, and my mother had a child taken from her with the goal of saving him,' he said at the event, according to the New York Times. 'They said he had died, but they never said where he was buried.' Blinken made his plea as fears grew for the civilian population of Ukraine, despite Russia's advance remaining largely stalled. A White House official said the US had begun collecting information that may provide evidence about whether civilians were being deliberately targeted, while a defense official said Putin had now sent about 100 percent of his invasion forces into Ukraine. Russia has made no further move to send battalions from elsewhere in Russia, said the official, as he instead confirmed that Moscow was now trying to recruit foreign fighters for its stalled advance. 'We now assess that Putin has committed nearly 100 percent of his combat power into Ukraine,' the official told reporters on condition of anonymity. 'And by combat power, I mean, that combat power that he has amassed along the border with Ukraine and in Belarus.' Before the invasion started, US officials said they believed that Russian had massed more than 150,000 people along Ukraine's borders. Spirited resistance by Ukrainian troops - and an influx of weapons from NATO nations, including tank-buster grenades - are credited with stalling Russia's main advance north of the capital Kyiv, where an armored convoy has been stalled for days. And the 12th day of fighting ended with little significant territory being taken by Russia. Instead Kyiv's men claimed to have taken out dozens of helicopters and recaptured a city in the morning - sparking hopes that the unlikeliest of victories may be on the cards. President Biden on Monday spoke with President Macron of France, Chancellor Scholz of Germany, Prime Minister Johnson of the United Kingdom on a secure call from the White House situation room as a senior defense official said Vladimir Putin had now sent in almost 100 percent of his invasion force to Ukraine A still image taken from a handout video made available by the Russian Defence Ministry press service shows Russian servicemen drive on a 152mm self-propelled artillery system MSTA-S on the march near Kyiv (Kiev), Ukraine Refugees from Irpin flee the area using the last remaining humanitarian corridor that opened at 10am this morning. Russian forces continue to push their advance in an attempt to encircle the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv The main thrust of the Russian advance towards Kyiv has stalled but Russia continues to make gains in the south A Ukrainian soldier stands guard as residents wait to cross the destroyed bridge as they flee from the frontline town of Irpin A Ukrainian serviceman looks on as evacuees cross a destroyed bridge as they flee the city of Irpin At the same time President Joe Biden held a virtual meeting with allies to keep up pressure on Moscow. Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson 'underscored their commitment to continue providing security, economic, and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine,' the White House said in a statement. In the meantime, the officials said the US had counted 625 Russian missile launches - including short range, surface-to-air, and cruise missiles. That has intensified in recent days, said the official, putting civilians in harm's way although it was difficulty to tell if they were being deliberately targeted. 'It appears as though the Russians are increasing their use of long range fire to supplement or to make up for the lack of ground movement that they have had and the lack of air superiority that they don't enjoy,' the official added. With Putin failing to capture Kyiv swiftly, reports surfaced at the weekend that Moscow was seeking to recruit foreign fighters - including Syrians expert in urban combat. According to a publication based in Deir Ezzor, Syria, volunteers were being offered up to $300 to operate as 'guards' for six months at a time in Ukraine. 'We do believe ... that the reports are accurate that the Russians are trying to recruit Syrians in particular to sign up and fight in Ukraine,' said the official 'We find that noteworthy that [Putin] believes that he needs to rely on foreign fighters to supplement what is a very significant commitment of combat power inside Ukraine as it is.' Hundreds of civilians have today been fleeing the city of Irpin, to the west of Kyiv, after it came under heavy attack by Russian forces in recent days while Putin's men try to encircle the capital Elderly people and families with children are helped across a fast-flowing river underneath a destroyed road bridge outside Irpin, a city to the west of Kyiv, which Russian forces have been attacking A woman in a wheelchair is assisted by local residents as she is evacuated from Irpin Volunteers of the Ukrainian Territorial Defense Forces inspect a damaged military vehicle in the outskirts of Kharkiv US officials believe Russia has now committed 100 percent of its combat forces that were massed along the Ukrainian border Meanwhile it emerged that American officials have begun collecting information that may help determine whether Russia committed war crimes. 'We are collecting evidence of possible war crimes, human rights abuses, and violations of international humanitarian law. We support accountability using every tool available, including criminal prosecutions where appropriate,' said a spokesperson for the National Security Council. The Pentagon has also ordered over the weekend an additional 500 troops to Europe, which would bring the total number of American forces there to about 100,000, the official said, as the United States seeks to guard against the war's spillover into NATO nations. The two sides held a third round of talks Monday, with an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky reporting that a little progress had been made on the matter of safe corridors. On Monday, Putin's men renewed their bombardments on Mariupol, Chernihiv, Mykolaiv and Kharkiv this morning as hundreds of civilians tried to evacuate Irpin - on the outskirts of Kyiv - across a destroyed bridge after days of heavy attacks in an attempt to encircle the capital. But Russian commanders have not significantly advanced their frontline since the city of Kherson and nuclear power plant at Zaporizhzhia were captured last week. Meanwhile the Ukrainian armed forces claimed to have destroyed up to 30 Russian helicopters that had been moved to Chornobaivka airport, near Kherson, overnight and to have retaken the city of Chuhuiv, near Kharkiv, killing two Russian commanders - Lt. Col. Dmitry Safronov, and Lt Col. Denis Glebov - in the process. Later in the day, Ukraine said it had also recaptured the airport at Mykolaiv and repulsed a Russian counter-attack. Video also emerged which appeared to show Ukrainian defence forces based in Odessa, the country's largest port, exchanging fire with ships overnight - one of which suffered a hit. Ukraine's ministry of defence has since claimed the vessel, a corvette named Vasily Bykov, was damaged. Images showed it afloat with black smoke pouring out in the early hours. A Russian T-72 tank is seen destroyed somewhere near the city of Mariupol in an image posted by the 'Azov Brigade', a unit of the Ukrainian National Guard that operates in and around the city Kyiv claims these are the losses suffered by the Russian military during the first 11 days of its invasion. The figures have not been independently verified President Volodymyr Zelesnky, speaking this afternoon, said that Ukraine 'never wanted this war, but it was brought to us' and now its military is being forced to kill 'to knock the enemy from our land and our lives' while civilians endure 'what no other European country has seen in 80 years'. Ukraine's military now estimates that 11,000 Russian soldiers have been killed in fighting along with the loss of 1,000 armoured vehicles, 290 tanks, 68 helicopters, 46 planes and dozens of other piece of hardware. Independent observers give lower totals, but Franz-Stefan Gady - of the International Institute for Strategic Studies - said the situation is never-the-less 'slowly becoming unsustainable for Russia'. With US intelligence reporting that Russia had now committed all of the invasion force it had assembled on Ukraine's border to the fight, analysts said it would be difficult for any more reinforcements to be deployed without running into the same logistical problems that plagued the early assault. That has prompted some - including UK general Admiral Sir Tony Radakin - to predict that Russia could actually lose the war. Asked by the BBC on Sunday whether victory for Putin's men was 'inevitable', as many had predicted before the fighting started, he responded: 'No.' Defeat for Russia does not automatically mean victory for Ukraine, however. Despite heavy losses Putin's men have still been able to capture key territory, particularly in the south, cutting Kyiv off from many of its vital Black Sea trading routes and naval bases. Ukraine's forces have proven dogged in defence but it remains to be seen whether they can counter-attack successfully and push Russian forces back across the border. A leading Queensland doctor who died when his car was washed away in the state's deadly floods had been visiting patients who were in need. Dr Alex Klestov, a rheumatologist based in Brisbane, was on the way home from consultations in Rockhampton on February 27 when his car was caught in a huge downpour on the Brisbane Valley Highway near Glen Esk, 60km north-west of Brisbane. Dr Klestov's body was found in Paddy Gully Creek, which traverses the highway, two days later. A specialist in diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal pain, Dr Klestov regularly travelled from Brisbane to see patients in Rockhampton and Bundaberg. The 76-year-old had planned to retire but was still working due to a shortage of rheumatologists in Queensland, his son Peter told the ABC. Leading Queensland rheumatologist Dr Alex Klestov was returning to Brisbane after visiting patients in Rockhampton when his car was swept from the road near Glen Esk, north-west of Brisbane 'He felt a duty, I guess, to just keep going. That was his dedication,' Mr Klestov said. The Russian immigrant, who was born in China after his family fled the Russian revolution, arrived in Australia without money or the ability to speak English. 'Within a year he was the top student in his class,' his son said. A Facebook post by the Queensland Russian Community, of which Dr Klestov was secretary, said it was 'shocked and saddened' by his passing. 'Words cannot express how much we appreciated his input and support at the Centre. 'Dr Alex had a sense of humour, humbleness and compassion. We will also remember him for his love of Russian Culture, especially history and poetry.' Thirteen people have now died in Queensland's floods after a rain bomb hit the state's south-east in the last days of February Damage from the state's floods is now estimated at $2.5billion by the Queensland government Peter Klestov said he was overwhelmed with messages about his father's generosity. 'I'm just getting all these emails. It's very humbling. I guess he just got on with it and kept a lot of his goodness to himself, in many ways' he said. The death toll from the rain bomb that hit Queensland in the last days of February has now claimed 13 people. The body of 31-year-old Troy Hearnden was found inside his Volkswagen Polo near Victoria St, Warwick, 160km south-west of Brisbane, on Monday afternoon The body of 31-year-old Troy Hearnden was found inside his Volkswagen Polo near Victoria St, Warwick, 160km south-west of Brisbane, on Monday afternoon. His car was caught in floodwaters from a surging Condamine River. Mr Hearnden had been reported missing from Warwick on Sunday, February 27, after last being seen that evening. A man is also missing after he entered the Brisbane River at St Lucia on Tuesday morning. Police were called to Macquarie Street just before 4am this morning, after reports of the man entering the river. He is described as having a large build and has not been seen since. Water Police and a number of land-based crews are continuing the search this morning. Damage from the state's floods is now estimated at $2.5billion by the Queensland government. Advertisement The Queen showed her solidarity with Ukraine as she stood in front of a large bouquet of blue and yellow flowers during her first in-person engagement since catching Covid with the Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Her Majesty received Mr Trudeau - who is in the UK for talks on the war in Ukraine with Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte - inside the Oak Room at Windsor Castle today. During the visit, the monarch, who is also Queen of Canada, stood in front of a bouquet of blue and yellow flowers - the colours of the Ukrainian flag - in what appeared to be a subtle display of the royal's support with the war-ravaged country. The subtle tribute comes just days after the Queen reportedly made a 'generous donation' to the Disasters Emergency Committee's Ukraine appeal. The palace did not announce the donation and declined to say how much was given but the charity publicly thanked the monarch on social media earlier this month. Her Majesty's show of solidarity comes as hundreds of civilians were today pictured trying to flee the city of Irpin, to the west of Kyiv, which has been the scene of heavy Russian bombardment in recent days. Residents were helped across a partially-destroyed bridge by members of the Ukrainian military who had blow it up days earlier to slow the Russian advance. The images came after Ukraine rejected Russia's offer to open up 'humanitarian corridors' from the besieged cities of Sumy, Mariupol, Kharkiv and Kyiv - which have been hammered by artillery strikes for days with Mariupol cut off from electricity and water supplies - because the routes led either to Russian territory or its ally, Belarus. The Queen appeared to show her solidarity with Ukraine as she stood in front of a vase of blue and yellow flowers during meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Her Majesty received Mr Trudeau - who is in the UK for talks on the war in Ukraine with Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte - inside the Oak Room at Windsor Castle Evacuated children from an orphanage in the city of Hulaipole walk towards the train station amid the ongoing war in Ukraine That is after two attempts to open up similar corridors at the weekend failed after less than an hour because Russian troops resumed shooting. Red Cross workers trying to use one corridor out of Mariupol said the route had been booby-trapped with landmines. Today the EU's top diplomat, Joseph Borrell said as many as five million refugees could flee in to the bloc if Russia's barbaric invasion of Ukraine continues. The UN said today that 1.7million have fled the conflict in the first 11 days, which is the fastest-growing refugee crisis since the Second World War. During Mr Trudeau's visit today, the Canadian Prime Minister was seen smiling and laughing with the Queen as she gestured towards herself during the meeting in the Oak Room sitting room. The head of state was not pictured with the walking stick she has been using of late. The Queen has a strong bond with Canada and the Commonwealth realm has been her most frequent overseas destination. She has visited more than 20 times, including a trip as a princess, but a number of years ago she called time on her official overseas visits. As a young child in the 1970s, Mr Trudeau met the Queen several times through his father, Pierre Trudeau, who was one of Canada's longest-serving prime ministers. Mr Trudeau later spoke warmly of their meeting. 'I have had the particular privilege of having known Her Majesty for about 45 years now, and I can tell you that in my conversation with her this morning she was as insightful and perspicacious as ever, very interested in what is going on, asked me all sorts of questions about Canada,' he told a Downing Street news conference. 'We had a really useful, for me anyway, conversation about global events, as we always do.' Mr Trudeau was seen laughing as the Queen gestured towards herself during the meeting in the Oak Room sitting room The head of state, who stood in front of a bouquet of blue and yellow flowers, was not pictured with the walking stick she has been using of late The Queen (pictured left) has a strong bond with Canada and Commonwealth realm has been her most frequent overseas destination Hundreds of civilians have today been fleeing the city of Irpin, to the west of Kyiv, after it came under heavy attack by Russian forces in recent days while Putin's men try to encircle the capital Elderly people and families with children were helped across a fast-flowing river underneath a destroyed road bridge outside Irpin, a city to the west of Kyiv, which Russian forces have been attacking Hundreds of people queued for trains to Poland following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, in Lviv, Ukraine Ukrainian soldiers helped an elderly woman to cross a destroyed bridge as she evacuated the city of Irpin today The Queen tested positive for Covid on February 20 and has spent the last two weeks carrying out only light duties including a handful of virtual audiences. Last Tuesday, the Prince of Wales said his mother was 'a lot better now', and the head of state was pictured holding her first virtual audiences since her coronavirus diagnosis. The Queen has two high-profile events coming up - the Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey on March 14, and then the Duke of Edinburgh's memorial service, also at the Abbey, on March 29. The nation's longest reigning monarch, who reached her Platinum Jubilee milestone last month, recently spent more than three months resting, on doctors' orders. Last autumn she pulled out of attending the Cop26 climate change summit, the Festival of Remembrance and then the Remembrance Sunday Cenotaph service due to a sprained back. She also missed the Church of England's General Synod. The Queen now regularly uses a walking stick and remarked during a Windsor Castle audience last month: 'Well, as you can see, I can't move.' Mr Trudeau is joining Mr Johnson as part of intense diplomatic efforts with foreign leaders to build a united front against Vladimir Putin. It comes as Russian and Ukrainian delegates today sat down for a third round of peace talks after Moscow told the country it will stop its onslaught 'in a moment' if Kyiv meets a raft of extraordinary Kremlin conditions. As the two sides met for a third round of talks in Belarus today, spokesman Dmitry Peskov said all of Russia's demands had been formulated and handed over during the first two rounds of talks between delegations, which took place last week. 'We hope that all this will go OK and they will react in a suitable way,' Peskov said. Residents of Irpin flee heavy fighting via a destroyed bridge as Russian forces entered the city in Irpin Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed to kill 'every b*stard' who targeted civilians fleeing from the country's war-ravaged areas A Ukrainian soldier stands guard as residents wait to cross the destroyed bridge as they flee from the frontline town of Irpin The Russian deal offer demands Ukraine cease military action, change its constitution to enshrine neutrality so it cannot join the EU or NATO, acknowledge Crimea as Russian territory and recognise the separatist republics of Donetsk and Lugansk as independent territories. It is the most explicit Russian statement so far of the terms it wants to impose on Ukraine to halt what it calls its 'special military operation' in Ukraine, that is now in its 12th day and has resulted in the deaths of hundreds of civilians. A Kremlin spokesman insisted Russia was not seeking to make any further territorial claims on Ukraine, despite the advance of Moscow's troops. 'We really are finishing the demilitarisation of Ukraine. We will finish it. But the main thing is that Ukraine ceases its military action. They should stop their military action and then no one will shoot,' he said. It is not clear how many civilians have been killed in the fighting so-far. Ukraine said last week that 2,000 had died but has not updated the figure since. The UN has confirmed 406 civilian deaths but cautions that it likely a vast undercount. Russia completely denies hitting civilian targets, despite reams of evidence to the contrary. Moscow's representatives at the International Court of Justice at The Hague today skipped a hearing into whether or not war crimes are being committed. EU Ambassador Maria Castillo Fernandez, front, takes part in a roundtable on diversity and multiculturalism co-hosted by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family and The Korea Times at The Korea Times' office in central Seoul, Feb. 24. Korea Times photos by Shim Hyun-chul Philippine Ambassador Maria Theresa Dizon-De Vega Philippine Ambassador to Korea Maria Theresa Dizon-De Vega In the Philippines, which is more of a migrant-sending country, we still do have to take into account the presence of differences in different cultures and Indigenous backgrounds as we have over 180 different Indigenous groups. On the domestic level, what we've done is something similar to what Korea is doing in its approach and many other countries are doing in their approaches to greater integration. That's being able to balance a healthy respect for the Indigenous rights and Indigenous traditions in the history of the culture. But at the same time, also being very careful and being very sensitive not to isolate them from mainstream society. There has to be a balance and it has to cut across different fields, whether it is in access to education or to the decision-making process. One other way to raise public awareness about the importance of multiculturalism is to have a national campaign on narratives of multicultural families coming together. I think it's important for people to know about the challenges, but also about the ability to rise above the challenges and to be able to integrate more fully into Korean society. There are many success stories out there and if we bring it out there to the public, they will appreciate and better understand. Another is for embassies to work more closely with partners in Korea and among their own migrant communities to help in the information dissemination process for migrants. At the Philippine Embassy we have launched a "Know Your Rights and Responsibilities Information" series with resource persons from the Korean Government, the Filipino Community, and other important support entities. Indian Ambassador Sripriya Ranganathan Indian Ambassador to Korea Sripriya Ranganathan At its heart, the value of multiculturalism and diversity is a fundamental value which modern societies embrace as part of the commitment to creating what is suitable and equal. We have also tried to protect the rights of minorities not just by way of what they can do with their families, but also in how they can participate in the economic and political opportunities in the nation. That is also as important as social and cultural rights. We've also tried to do what we can to make the benefits of education available across the country, regardless of the region and different levels of economic development. At the same time, we try not to lose sight of the original vision of the country, which is diversity and multiculturalism. Rwandan Ambassador Dalila Yasmin Amri Sued Rwandan Ambassador to Korea Dalila Yasmin Amri Sued Our students here, and probably other African students, do stand out. I think sometimes it is a bit difficult because the perception of the continent is not the best and it gives more of a feeling of not knowing and maybe fearing sometimes. But it is changing. I think the (ministry's) campaign is helpful, but we should do a bit more. We'll be very glad if we could do something together. It's not just to me but to the whole continent in general. For us, what has really helped was the fact that nationality is obtained not only by the parents, but also for the people who have been in the country a long time. I think it was a big signal for the population to understand that people who contribute totally are equal to the others and should be integrated. I think these are small signals but it sends a strong message to the youth and to the families that it is okay and it is actually a huge benefit to have diversity in your society. EU Ambassador Maria Castillo Fernandez EU Ambassador to Korea Maria Castillo Fernandez (Multiculturalism) is an issue of human rights. This is about equality, human rights and laws that enabled us to live with the same conditions, especially to take care of multiculturalism, which is in our society, and that certainly is the migrants. I think the government needs to put (multiculturalism) throughout all the policies, these cross-cutting issues of multiculturalism, gender equality and equality in general. It is not only to take care of the most vulnerable part, but also for all of us. It will be very important for Korea to manage to continue the economic growth without forgetting the social part of the economy. (The key to integration is that) we all have rights and responsibilities such as important values of respect and tolerance. This is a two-way it's for migrants and also for the people that choose to accept them. Dutch Ambassador Joanne Doornewaard Netherlands Ambassador to Korea Joanne Doornewaard We really see what diversity really brings a lot of positive things for innovation that enrich your society. Now, for people who want to come to the Netherlands, they have to learn Dutch. If you want to get into the depth of the society, you have to understand these values. It starts with education, starting early with children when they are in the elementary school. They play with different friends, learning that we are all equal, doesn't matter what color we are. You can have your own culture, but we have certain values that we think are important. It starts to help these people to integrate in a new society together. So as a society, we felt overwhelmed, then we had to adapt and assimilate. And that's a process that's still going on. Australian Ambassador Catherine Raper Australian Ambassador to Korea Catherine Raper It was a day of shame, if such an emotion is ever felt in Vladimir Putin's Kremlin. Every sick child at Kyiv's main paediatric hospital Ukraine's biggest who is judged able to survive the journey is being evacuated to the West. And yesterday afternoon, the reception hall of the war-battered Ohmatdyt Hospital offered up a pathetic, damning spectacle: the price of this crazy war. The remaining patients from the oncology department six children aged from one to 17 suffering from cancer were gathered to begin a gruelling journey of up to five days. It was a day of shame, if such an emotion is ever felt in Vladimir Putin's Kremlin. Every sick child at Kyiv's main paediatric hospital Ukraine's biggest who is judged able to survive the journey is being evacuated to the West They must go if they are to survive the fallout from the Russian assault on their country. Misery is heaped upon already profound misery, for them and their parents, some of whom will also make the trek. Antonina, nine, was being helped out of her wheelchair by her mother. Diagnosed with cancer in 2017, she is so terribly thin and frail that her progress to the bathroom was that of a great-grandmother rather than a child. 'Of course, I'll be relieved when I know for sure that my child will be cared for somewhere safe,' her mother Alina tells me. 'But until then I will worry.' 'I have no idea how long the journey will take them, but when we sent the first three children West at the start of the week it took five days to reach Germany, where they are now,' says Sister Olena Baidalenko, a senior oncology nurse. 'But it's been very scary here; for the children, for us and their parents. 'A few days ago there was a gunfight next to the hospital [a suspected Russian infiltration team] and a bullet hit one of our windows. 'Then, when our air defences hit a Russian cruise missile on another night, the blast destroyed all the glass in our reception doors. Mothers, babies and other patients are loaded aboard a bus from the Central Children's Hospital in Kyiv for evacuation to Lviv 'We had to drop everything and run to the shelters, even though we were preparing a chemo- therapy treatment for one of our children. We had to delay it. You can't stop in the middle of the procedure.' That child, four-year-old Milena, was one of yesterday's evacuees. 'Life is difficult enough for these children and their families,' added Sister Baidalenko. 'Fate has not been kind. Then on top of that you have this war. 'Keep in mind that while they are being evacuated their treatment is not yet over. They need further urgent help elsewhere. 'After they get to Lviv [by train] we will then decide their final destinations.' The man placed in charge of the hospital evacuation is surgeon Roman Zhezhera. When I find him he is a study of sleep deprivation and grace under pressure. Still in his scrubs, he leans against a reception desk, examining a list of children's names attached to a clipboard. Deep shadows under his eyes. One senses that if the desk weren't there he would simply fold over on to the floor and begin snoring. 'All the kids that can be sustained on such a journey will be taken to Lviv today,' he explained, with infinite weariness. 'We are hoping to move around 300 of them, including parents and other young relations. The man placed in charge of the hospital evacuation is surgeon Roman Zhezhera. When I find him he is a study of sleep deprivation and grace under pressure. Still in his scrubs, he leans against a reception desk, examining a list of children's names attached to a clipboard. Deep shadows under his eyes 'The kids will be going from all our departments, including oncology, neurosurgery, general therapy and those suffering from rare diseases. 'The main problem is that the poor kids from oncology do not have immunity from infection, and that is a problem when we are under air attack like this. 'They have to be taken backwards and forwards between their wards and the shelters in the hospital basement. And when that happens they come across kids with infectious diseases. 'But the main problem is not that we do not have the expertise to treat them here, but the disruption in supply of the necessary medicines because of the war. It is a logistics issue. 'Also while Kyiv is fairly stable compared with Kharkiv or Mariupol, we know the situation here can change in a minute. 'So we are taking this pre- emptive action to take these children out of the potential line of fire.' Hundreds of civilians have today been fleeing the city of Irpin, to the west of Kyiv, after it came under heavy attack by Russian forces in recent days while Putin's men try to encircle the capital Elderly people and families with children are helped across a fast-flowing river underneath a destroyed road bridge outside Irpin, a city to the west of Kyiv, which Russian forces have been attacking People rush to the train as an officer takes children and women first at the central train station in Odessa on March 7 Mr Zhezhera said a number of medical staff from the hospital's oncology department had gone ahead to Lviv to prepare for the children's arrival. By nightfall there might be only 50 children left in his hospital, he added, and it was already receiving war casualties. Of the children who remain, some are too sick to travel and some stay because their parents are unwilling to go. 'They don't believe they will receive the same standard of treatment they get here. I can understand that,' Mr Zhezhera said. The line of yellow municipal buses being used to move the children, staff and parents stretched up Chornovola Street and almost out of sight. There were tears, hugs, desperate scenes of parting and mild panic as the buses begin to fill. Kyiv today rejected Russia's offer of 'humanitarian corridors' to evacuate civilians after it emerged several of them led to Russian territory or its close ally Belarus (top). Red Cross workers in Mariupol also said one of the routes Russia identified for civilians to leave the city had been covered with land mines A father breaks down in tears as he says goodbye to his family in front of an evacuation train at the central train station in Odessa A child cries as she waves at her mother as people board a bus in Odessa in an effort to flee Russia's invasion People wait to get into a train at the central train station in Odessa amid Russia's invasion of the country A couple embrace each other as they stand in front of an evacuation train at the central train station in Odessa Hundreds of people queue for trains to Poland following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, in Lviv, Ukraine Some families and friends, parents and children became separated in the chaos. 'Don't go without my little one!' warned one woman. 'Good luck!' shouted another. 'Take care!' 'Where is Misha?' a third wailed. The driver of the first bus which seemed to have been allocated to mothers with babes in arms added his own voice to the cacophony. 'No more, we're full!' he pleaded. 'Anyone not going to Lviv should get off now.' But while baby Diana was safely on board, her twin sister Sofia was not. A woman in a wheelchair is assisted by local residents as she is evacuated from Irpin Ukrainian soldiers help an elderly woman to cross a destroyed bridge as she evacuates the city of Irpin, Residents of Irpin flee heavy fighting via a destroyed bridge as Russian forces entered the city in Irpin Residents cross the destroyed bridge as they flee from the frontline town of Irpin, Kyiv region in Ukraine following Russia's invasion A woman is assisted by a member of the Ukrainian military as she flees heavy fighting in Irpin via a destroyed bridge as Russian forces entered the city today Civilians continue to flee from Irpin due to ongoing Russian attacks in Irpin, A woman carries her pet cat as evacuees cross a destroyed bridge as they flee the city of Irpin, northwest of Kyiv A man walks with a white flag as hundreds of people flee the city of Irpin, west of Kyiv, on March 7 The bus moved only a few feet forwards before the twins' father banged on the driver's window. And then came Sofia, carried through the hospital gates and looking a little puzzled at the fuss in the arms of a nurse. She was handed on to the bus and it departed at last. Many days of travel lay ahead for sick children who should be on their wards, receiving treatment for a variety of life-threatening conditions. Instead, they the least able to cope have been forced to join the refugee exodus. How many will ever return? Shame on you, Mr Putin. Among those who have worked with (or for) her, it is the Queens quiet but steely determination which stands out. She has a duty to something greater than herself. Its timeless, says former U.S. president George W. Bush. Like most of his compatriots, he is astonished that the Queen (unlike any American) has known 14 presidents, almost a third of the total. Its awesome, he says. I was happy to serve and I was happy to get out and try to regain a sense of normalcy. Shes a woman who must have an iron will. Sir John Major salutes her calmness in a crisis. The Queen has always lived by the doctrine This too shall pass, he says. George W. Bush praised the Queen's 'iron will' and dedication to public service, sharing an anecdote about the first time he met her, when he was wearing a 'gaudy' pair of cowboy boots - and the Queen was not afraid to poke gentle fun at the Texan for his fashion choice It helps explain why she continues to approach her job with such enthusiasm, come what may. In the course of writing my new biography based on interviews with family, friends, staff, world leaders and a wide range of unpublished material I kept being reminded of a recurring theme. Despite that impression conveyed in dramas such as The Crown, of a beleaguered monarch ploughing on thanks to her fabled sense of duty, this misses a crucial point: she genuinely enjoys being Queen. Megxit, the implosion of Prince Andrew, even the death of Prince Philip have failed to stop her carrying on much as she has always done. By a miracle, she has a temperament which is very well suited to the job, says her former press secretary Charles Anson. She has very good shock absorbers when things go wrong and she doesnt make a hoo-ha when its a great success. We may all think that we know the Queen. Indeed some may wonder what there is possibly left to say about the most famous woman in the world. Yet, ever since she was a small girl, people have been asking the same question: what is she really like? Despite that impression conveyed in dramas such as The Crown, of a beleaguered monarch ploughing on thanks to her fabled sense of duty, this misses a crucial point: she genuinely enjoys being Queen It is to her great credit that the question continues to be asked after all this time. But fresh clues are always coming to light. While the Queen has sometimes been accused of being slow to act, there has never been a charge of panic. Her default mode in the face of a crisis is stillness. During the whole annus horribilis [the Queens term for that rapid run of royal disasters of 1992], I dont remember a single occasion when I went to see her and she exclaimed: No! What next? says Charles Anson. The issue was sometimes embarrassing, but she got on with it. It is immensely reassuring in those situations to work for someone who isnt knocked back. In 2004, the Queen was about to pin the MBE on one of Britains best-known weather forecasters. Suddenly, things started to go badly wrong. I began to see black in front of me and I had this back pain of great intensity, recalls the Lord Chamberlain of that time, Lord Luce. At every investiture, it is the Lord Chamberlains job to read the right citations for the right recipients as they come forward for their honour. Luce had got as far as, Mr Michael Fish, Broadcast Meteorologist, Meteorological Office . . . At which point he collapsed. I was carried off unconscious. The Queen quite rightly carried on. She knew that if anyone received the wrong gong, it could be sorted out afterwards. Everyone duly received their decorations as if nothing had happened. Lord Luce still enjoys Michael Fishs comment when he was interviewed by the waiting media outside: I think the Lord Chamberlain is a bit under the weather. Some time later, Lord Luce apologised to the Queen. I said: Im really sorry, Maam, but I think I must have taken too many pills for the back pain. And she said: Dont worry about that. People were far more interested in looking round me to see what had happened to you. Luce imagined that his investiture days were over there and then, but the Queen did not agree. By tradition, neither she nor her staff sit down at investitures. However, she made an exception for Luce and arranged for him to sit on a raised chair behind a lectern, telling him: You must have a high chair and we will put curtains in front of the desk so that they cant see you leaning against it. As Luce recalls, It was thoughtful in the extreme. I went on doing investitures for the rest of my time and it always looked as though I was standing but that was all her idea. That calmness in the midst of any drama underlines a fact which still surprises people. The Queen is virtually unshockable however much others are appalled by coarseness in her presence. It certainly helps that she has spent her entire life surrounded by members of the Armed Forces. In February 1952, the very first document which her first private secretary, Sir Alan Lascelles, handed her for signature as monarch concerned an Army buggery case. Nearly two decades later, she was confronted with what would now be classed as a case of sexual abuse, after an equerry asked to see her on a delicate matter at Balmoral. A junior footman had come to the equerry to report that he was being molested by a senior footman who worked personally for the Queen. Though this was some years before current legal protections, let alone the #MeToo movement, the equerry instantly sent the sex pest back to London, pending disciplinary action. He then tried to think what he would say to the Queen. I duly asked to see Her Majesty when she was in her private sitting room and gave her the facts as best I could, he recalls. I was astonished to discover that she was in no way fazed by such an incident and agreed with the action I had taken. Fast forward to 2019, and the Queen was accompanying her latest state visitor, Donald Trump, to the Portsmouth commemorations for the 75th anniversary of D-Day. A giant outdoor theatre had been erected on Southsea Common, where all the world leaders had walk-on parts in the international ceremony. The producers of the show had included an extract from the stage play Pressure, which dramatises the build-up to the Normandy landings. Given the live daytime television audience, the extract had been edited by the producers. However, the actor playing General Eisenhower stuck to the original script, yelling: Theres a f****** hurricane out there! The Queen did not blink. Nor was there any complaint from the Palace. Many staff talk of her negative judgment, of her unerring instinct for when not to do something. Shes got a good hunch, says Charles Anson. Shes open to new ideas if people make a convincing argument, but shes not necessarily going to suggest it herself. The royal default position is to be judiciously cautious rather than risk-averse. Hence, the Queens decision to take part in the spoof James Bond video for the opening ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics. The risk-averse response would have been an instant rejection of a request for her to appear with the 007 actor, Daniel Craig, in a comedy skit. Here was something which clearly threatened the dignity of the Queen in front of a global audience. Danny Boyle and the shows producers had originally hoped that they might simply be allowed to do some filming in and around the Palace. They didnt think for a moment that they would get to film the Queen. It was only an afterthought, sent via her staff, without much hope, says Jeremy Hunt, then Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and the minister in charge of the Olympics. Working on the basis of nothing ventured, nothing gained, Boyle and his team then asked if the Queen might consider appearing as herself alongside Bond, prior to a spectacular arrival in the stadium. To their utter astonishment, says Hunt, the answer came back: Yes. The Queens gut instinct had prevailed, but with one caveat. Although the Queen had just one line in the film, she wished to rewrite it. Instead of saying: Good evening, James, the producers were told, she would prefer to say: Good evening, Mr Bond. She felt it was more authentic. And she should know. It was an episode which sums up what former U.S. president George W. Bush regards as one of her most endearing characteristics: I like her because she takes her job seriously. But it seems to me that she doesnt take herself too seriously. It is an assessment which no one has ever made about Queen Victoria. Ministers and officials would soon learn not to make any assumptions about the Queens grasp of any given subject. Veteran Labour MP Sir Gerald Kaufman was surprised and greatly amused during a Privy Council meeting when the Queen was approving a long list of county high sheriffs for the year ahead. By tradition, she does so by pricking the names on a parchment list as the chosen candidates are read out by the clerk. It is a ritual she has performed so often she could do it in her sleep, though that was anything but the case on this occasion. As the clerk skipped through the list of new names, the Queen suddenly stopped him in his tracks. But hes dead, she interjected after one name. As indeed he was. During his time as Prime Minister, David Cameron was always impressed that she never seemed to lose focus, whatever the matter in hand. When discussing current affairs or politics, particularly foreign affairs, she never seems bored by it, or tired by it, he says. I think its that sort of combination of knowing I have to do this and finding it interesting at the same time. Successive governments have learned that there is one subject on which nothing escapes her attention and where she is not afraid to wade in, either: defence. It goes back to the fact that the Windsors are, first and foremost, a Forces family. George Osborne learned that soon enough when he became Chancellor of the Exchequer. As he recalls: At one state banquet, the Queen came up and said: Ive spoken to the Chief of the General Staff, who told me to speak to the Defence Secretary, who told me to speak to you. Now, youre not going to close down the bagpiping school, are you? I said: Not as far as I am aware, Maam. And she said: Good. The following day, says Osborne, his very first question to his team when he arrived at the Treasury was an unusual one: Is there a bagpiping school and are we closing it? Had there been any such plan, it was going no further. To this day, you can still hear the skirl of the pipes ringing out from Inchdrewer House, near Edinburgh, home of the Army School of Bagpipe Music the smallest unit in the British Army. Megxit, the implosion of Prince Andrew, even the death of Prince Philip have failed to stop the Queen carrying on much as she has always done - because she genuinely enjoys her role and has the correct disposition for it. Pictured: Prince Harry in Afghanistan in 2012 An interest in military matters is to be expected of the only head of state on todays world stage who served in uniform during the last war. However, despite being the custodian of the greatest art collection in the world, it has often been said that the Queen is not greatly interested in the arts. In her biography of the monarch, written in 1996, Sarah Bradford observed: In artistic and intellectual circles Elizabeth is generally regarded as a philistine. When the same charge was put to Prince Charles, back in the 1970s, he replied: Thank goodness as a family, we all have different interests otherwise we would be criticised for being too arty or, worse, intellectual snobs. The Queen takes a keen, working interest in the collection and enjoys it when others enjoy it. She likes to show it off to her guests. In 2008, George W. Bush was passing through the UK towards the end of his presidency. With his wife, Laura, he was invited to tea at Windsor. The couple had met the Queen several times, but had not seen the castle during their previous trips. We had a lovely tea, Bush recalls, and the Queen said: Would you like to see the building? Whereupon she led the couple through to the state apartments and St Georges Hall. Im a history buff, says Bush. It was a magical moment and it was the Queen giving me the tour! He fondly recalls meeting the Queen for the first time during her 1991 state visit to the U.S., when his father, George H.W. Bush, was president. After the welcome speeches, there was a small private lunch for the royal couple and the Bush family. I was wearing these rather gaudy cowboy boots and Mother [the then First Lady, Barbara Bush] said: Youre not going to wear those boots, are you? As a proud Texan, he felt his boots were entirely appropriate. I said: Im sure Her Majesty would like them. I showed them to her and Mother then said: Your Majesty, I just want you to know Im going to move George as far away from you as possible during the luncheon! She looked at me and said: Are you the black sheep? And I said: I guess you can say that, Your Majesty. She loved that. She thought Mother was funny. Left to her own devices, the Queen would prefer a musical or Scottish dancing to a night at the opera or an exhibition of the avant-garde. And she has always had a soft spot for Hollywood. In 1957, she received an invitation from film star Douglas Fairbanks Junior and his wife, Mary Lee, to attend the coming out ball for their debutante daughter, Daphne. Their friend, Viscount Astor, had offered him the use of Cliveden, his palatial Buckinghamshire home overlooking the Thames, during Royal Ascot week. A family friend and a wartime colleague of Lord Mountbatten, Fairbanks had fought alongside the British, had won the Distinguished Service Cross and had later received an honorary knighthood from George VI for services to AngloAmerican amity. In due course, a handwritten reply came back from the Queen to say that she and the Duke of Edinburgh would be delighted to attend the ball and would like to bring some of their Ascot house-party guests. According to Fairbankss own unpublished account of the occasion, which has never been seen until now, the Queen and Duke clearly enjoyed themselves, because they stayed dancing until 2.30am. There was a nervous moment, though, when Mary Lee accidentally tipped a glass of orange juice over the Queens ball gown during the midnight fireworks. Some quick mopping and dabbing saved the dress from any damage and all was well, wrote Fairbanks. This was an evening of old-style, Gatsby-esque entertaining, with handsome buffets, elaborate fruit centrepieces on every table and champagne until dawn. As well as a younger crowd of 200 debs and eligible bachelors, the guests included Hollywood A-listers, the top tier of the London diplomatic corps, a pair of maharajahs and the Kaisers grandson. Even monarchs, it seems, can be a little starstruck. At one point, the Queen asked Fairbanks to point out some of the celebrities on display, including film star Deborah Kerr. Oh, do lets walk up and stroll back so I can have another look, the Queen whispered to her host. People never think that I enjoy rubbernecking as much as anyone else. Come on lets rubberneck a bit. Though privy to more revelations than possibly anyone in post-war public life, the Queen has never been a gossip. She might like to know everything, but derives no pleasure from distributing it. The royal default position is to be judiciously cautious rather than risk-averse. Hence, the Queens decision to take part in the spoof James Bond video for the opening ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics Nor to the likely chagrin of future historians does she even confide it to her diary. In 1992, she told the historian Kenneth Rose that she writes a six-inch entry, without fail, every day, and in her own hand. She added: But I have no time to record conversations, only events. However, she takes the keenest interest in those she is due to meet. When doing her homework ahead of any official encounter, two files which always receive thorough analysis are those marked Topics to be avoided and Personality notes. Early in her reign, timid civil servants were prone to sanitising some of these for royal consumption. The Queen wanted them to do no such thing. Clearly, the lesson was learned judging by some of the personality notes which she received soon afterwards, including this gem about one fiery Caribbean prime minister: Unbalanced at times to the point of apparent derangement. A ladies man with a particular liking for blondes. Some visitors needed no notes since the Queen knew them better than anyone. However, there was still a short list of Topics to be avoided when Queen Margrethe of Denmark, came to stay in 1974. Foreign Office officials were keen to remind the monarch of one delicate point, noting: Danes are sensitive about Denmarks reputation as the pornography capital of Europe. The two queens were very unlikely to stray into that territory. 2022 Robert Hardman Extracted from Queen Of Our Times: The Life Of Elizabeth II, by Robert Hardman, to be published by Macmillan on March 17, priced 20. To order a copy for 18, go to mailshop.co.uk/books or call 020 3176 2937. While many have fled Kyiv to escape Russian shelling, some have sought sanctuary at a more unusual location the zoo. Around 50 staff, including vets, engineers and keepers, plus 30 family members have moved in to care for the 4,000 animals. The zoo is home to more than 200 species including elephants, hyenas and Tony, Ukraine's only gorilla. While many have fled Kyiv to escape Russian shelling, some have sought sanctuary at a more unusual location the zoo. Pictured: Zoo director Kyrylo Trantin feeds Horace, a 17-year-old male Asian elephant, who has been terrified by explosions Among those in their care is Horace, a 17-year-old male Asian elephant, who has been so terrified by explosions that a staff member must sleep in his enclosure each night. When he wakes, panicked by loud bangs, his new zookeeper roommate has to chat to him and feed him apples to relax him. 'If a rocket or shell lands, they know how to calm him down,' Kyiv Zoo director Kyrylo Trantin explained. A bird enclosure and unfinished aquarium have been turned into air raid shelters but they won't protect larger animals such as giraffes or elephants. Around 50 staff, including vets, engineers and keepers, plus 30 family members have moved in to care for the 4,000 animals. Pictured: Animals at the zoo are watched by Mr Trantin 'They have no space to hide or run,' said Mr Trantin, 49. 'Once they're out of the zoo, they have fewer options than any human.' Last week, lions, tigers and bears were evacuated from a sanctuary near Kyiv to Poznan Zoo in Poland. But staff at Kyiv Zoo say it is almost impossible to evacuate their animals, due to veterinary care and transport needed. Ivan Rybchenko, 33, is one of the keepers who has chosen to stay, rather than join the fighting. Staff at Kyiv Zoo say it is almost impossible to evacuate their animals, due to veterinary care and transport needed. Pictured: Alpacas at the zoo in Kyiv 'I'm taking care of giraffes, deer and horses, he said. 'So there's no way for me to join territorial defence because they would simply die. I'm afraid that any of the animals in the zoo will be killed.' Staff are already keeping some animals in indoor enclosures and underground galleries to protect them from shelling. Zebras were moved inside permanently after loud explosions caused them to panic and run into a fence. Elephants and other vulnerable species have been given sedatives. Mr Trantin started preparing for a Russian invasion a week before it began, stocking up on food and materials. The zoo has enough feed for the animals for the next two weeks. Mr Trantin started preparing for a Russian invasion a week before it began, stocking up on food and materials. The zoo has enough feed for the animals for the next two weeks Two bodies have been found during a desperate search for a mother and son missing in floodwaters after abandoning their car and possessions. Police were unable to locate Hemalathasolhyr Satchithanantham, 67, and her son, Bramooth, 34, after their Mazda 3 was found submerged in a stormwater canal. The car was discovered in Cooper Creek, in Wentworthville, about 4.30pm on Monday, with only personal items believed to belong to the pair left behind. Police located the body of a man and woman nearby the canal after a short search on Tuesday morning. The bodies are yet to be formally identified but are believed to be the missing mother and son. Hemalathasolhyr Satchithanantham, 67, (left) and her son, Bramooth, 34, (right) have not been found since their submerged Mazda 3 was discovered Wentworthville, along with many suburbs in western Sydney and around the rest of the city, was battered by storms on Monday and through the night. Up to 50mm of rain fell in the past 24 hours with widespread flooding forcing tens of thousands of residents in 15 suburbs to evacuate. NSW SES commissioner Carlene York warned residents not to drive through floodwaters and to only travel if absolutely necessary. 'Police have put out a call for assistance in relation to a missing mother and son from a vehicle that was found in one of the storm water canals in the metropolitan area,' she said on Tuesday. 'We are quite concerned for their safety, but again it shows the danger of these storms and the danger of flash flooding.' Mrs Satchithanantham is described as being of Indian appearance with a medium complexion, standing 165cm tall with a heavy build. She has dark shoulder-length brown hair and brown eyes and was last seen wearing a white dress with a blue pattern. Wentworthville, along with many suburbs in western Sydney and around the rest of the city, was battered by storms on Monday and through the night (pictured, floodwaters rise in Camden, southwestern Sydney on Tuesday) Heavy rainfall brought localised flooding to parts of Metropolitan Sydney (pictured, a deluge strikes the corner of Marrickville and Victoria rd) Bramooth is described as being of Indian appearance with a medium complexion, standing about 180cm tall with a heavy build. He has medium-length brown hair and eyes and it was not known what he was last wearing. He has several medical conditions and is non-verbal. The worst hit area was Wollongong, which saw up to 232mm of rain in the 24 hours to 9am. Up to 50mm of rain fell in the past 24 hours with widespread flooding forcing tens of thousands of residents in 15 suburbs to evacuate (pictured, a flooded Wollongong street) The Bureau expects more heavy rainfall to come with 120mm forecast for Sydney and surrounds on Tuesday. Low lying areas of Sussex Inlet are ordered to evacuate the area by 12pm on Tuesday with an evacuation centre set up for residents at the Sussex Inlet bowling club. The NSW State Emergency Service also issued urgent evacuation orders on Monday evening for suburbs including Chipping Norton, Georges Hall, and parts of Holsworthy, Lansvale and Milperra. More than 120mm of rainfall is forecast for Sydney on Tuesday (pictured, a flooded petrol station in Camden on Tuesday) Other suburbs affected told to evacuate immediately include parts of Moorebank, parts of Warwick Farm, Picnic Point, Pleasure Point and Sandy Point. The SES has predicted even more torrential rain on Tuesday will create dangerous conditions in the Mid North Coast, Sydney, Hunter, South Coast and Illawarra. The Bureau of Meteorology's Dean Narramore warned more minor to major flooding could occur from Queensland to the Victorian border. Incredible vision from inside Sydney's major M5 motorway saw cars driving through ankle-deep water, with floodwaters overnight (pictured) 'With the rain today we could see that increase further today with rainfall there and they're currently exceeding levels that we saw last week and approaching levels that we saw in March 2021,' Mr Narramore said. FLOOD EVACUATION ORDERS: PARTS OF CAMDEN: Peter Avenue between Onslow Avenue and Belgenny Avenue -Cawder Road between Barsden Street and Murray Street. Parts of Emu Plains Parts of Mulgoa Picton CBD Sandy Point Pleasure Point Picnic Point Parts of Milperra Georges Hall Holsworthy Moorebank East Hills Chipping Norton Parts of Warwick Farm Parts of Lansvale Low lying areas of Sussex Inlet Full details available at SES NSW Advertisement 'A tough 24 hours or even 48 hours ahead. Even if the rain does stop on Wednesday and Thursday, which it will, there's still a lot of water in these rivers.' Catastrophic wet weather continues to bear down on coastal areas of NSW, with forecasters predicting heavy, 'intense' rainfall and damaging winds on the way. Sydney commuters have been told to avoid all non-essential travel in the face of wet and wild conditions and ditch the city's rail network entirely. Damaging winds in excess of 90km/hour are forecast for the Sydney metropolitan area, the Illawarra and those who live on the coast. Some areas between Sydney and Ulladulla on the South Coast have received 100mm to 200mm of rain since 9am on Monday. However, in welcome news to communities on the Mid North Coast and the Hunter region, rain appears to have eased for the time being. Emergency Service Commissioner Carlene York said there were about 60,000 people impacted by floods warnings and about 800 people relying on emergency accommodation. The SES performed 100 flood rescues in the 24 hours to 6:30am on Monday and responded to 2400 calls for help. State Emergency Service Assistant Commissioner Sean Kearns said it had been an 'extremely busy night' for emergency services. 'We would just like to warn the community to listen to the warnings from the bureau and to avoid unnecessary travel,' Commissioner Kearns told Channel Nine's Today Show on Tuesday. Transport for NSW told those heading to work or school to prepare for the worst, leave plenty of time for delays. Ferry services were disrupted by heavy swells with delays on bus services due to extensive road closures and flood damage. 'Avoid any non-essential travel and if you do need to use the network please plan ahead and leave plenty of extra travel time,' a tweet at 6am advised. Cars submerged in floodwater in southwestern Sydney are tapered off by SES crews (pictured) 'Impacts will continue through the rest of this week as we undertake detailed inspections to ensure the rail network remains safe for trains and customers'. At least 20 major roads were closed on Monday night as Sydney and its surrounds were hit with a heavy deluge. Incredible vision from inside Sydney's major M5 motorway saw cars driving through ankle-deep water, with floodwaters closing the tunnel eastbound between Mascot and Beverley Hills. ` Residents have been evacuated from 15 suburbs across Sydney on Tuesday (pictured, floodwaters reach residential areas in a southwestern suburb of Sydney) The Bureau of Meteorology issued a major warning to all motorists. 'Slippery and flooded roads and reduced visibility in heavy rain will make driving conditions dangerous during Tuesday in all suburbs,' it wrote. 'Motorists are advised to take extreme care.' In a bid to ease congestion around the city, Transport for NSW have opened the T2 and T3 transit lanes for general use until midnight on Friday. The Blue Mountains train line was closed on Monday after the incessant deluge caused a damaging landslide. BoM has warned that a new low will bring more storms on Tuesday, with rainfall reaching up to 200mm, prompting concerns of flash flooding in multiple areas along the coast and in greater Sydney. As of Tuesday morning, 25 flood warnings are in place including major alerts along the Georges River, Hawkesbury Nepean Valley, Colo River, St Georges Basin, Hunter River, Wollombi Brook and Macleay River. SES Commissioner Carlene York said there were around 60,000 residents impacted by floods across the state with another 800 in emergency accommodation. Volunteers are using boats and helicopters to send to supplies to isolated communities as floodwaters make roads unpassable. Effort is also underway to restore telecommunications in impacted communities after thousands of residents are left without phone reception or internet. An additional 200 defence personnel will remain in Sydney's metropolitan area to assist residents before travelling north. Squashed together on a railway platform, the sea of human tragedy seems to stretch as far as the eye can see. The mass of fleeing civilians took up every inch of space at Kharkiv station all desperate for a place on the train out of hell. Mothers and families, the young and the old, they would have filled the ten-carriage service several times over. The scene at Kharkiv at the weekend is playing out all over Ukraine as thousands try to flee Russia's barbaric onslaught. Yesterday the Kremlin offered for a third time in as many days to open 'humanitarian corridors' and let civilians leave major cities during a limited cease-fire. The mass of fleeing civilians took up every inch of space at Kharkiv station all desperate for a place on the train out of hell But its words were exposed as a cynical stunt when it emerged some of the routes would lead Ukrainians straight to Russia, the very country behind all the death and destruction. The plan was dismissed as 'immoral and unacceptable' by Ukraine and as 'nonsense' by Britain's Europe minister, James Cleverly. One supposedly safe passage out of the besieged southern port city of Mariupol went straight through a minefield. Russia yesterday morning offered six routes to allow civilians to leave Mariupol, Kharkiv, Sumy and the capital Kyiv. But Vladimir Putin's forces continued to pummel some cities with rockets even after the announcement, while fierce fighting raged in many places, indicating there would be no wider cessation of hostilities. Around 2,000 people have managed to get out of the town of Irpin, near Kyiv, police said on Monday. Russia yesterday morning offered six routes to allow civilians to leave Mariupol, Kharkiv, Sumy and the capital Kyiv Elderly residents there edged their way over a raging river on a rickety plank after the bridge was blown up by the Ukrainian military to slow the Russian advance. But refugees trying to escape Mariupol were left stranded as the road they were directed towards was mined. Dominik Stillhart, of the International Committee of the Red Cross, told the BBC: 'So far we have seen, unfortunately, only agreements in principle. But they have immediately broken down because they lack precision. 'They lack the kind of... agreements over times, over roads, over whether people can go out or goods can come in. 'We have a team in Mariupol on the ground. They were ready on Sunday, despite the fact that it was not entirely clear what exactly the agreement was. 'As soon as they reached the first checkpoint, they realised that the road that was indicated to them was actually mined.' Moscow announced the proposed escape routes yesterday after Putin and Emmanuel Macron spoke by telephone on Sunday night, with the Kremlin saying the move was taken after a 'personal request' by the French president The previous two offers of safe passage, made over the weekend, both broke down in the face of Russian bombing that killed innocents trying to flee. In an address to his nation in the early hours yesterday, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said the invaders were guilty of 'deliberate murder' and would face a 'day of judgment'. 'We will not forgive,' he said. 'We will not forget. We will punish everyone who committed atrocities in this war. On our land. There will be no quiet place on this earth for you, except for the grave. 'It seems everything Russian servicemen have already done is still not enough for them. Not enough ruined destinies. Mutilated lives. They want to kill even more.' Moscow announced the proposed escape routes yesterday after Putin and Emmanuel Macron spoke by telephone on Sunday night, with the Kremlin saying the move was taken after a 'personal request' by the French president. But Mr Macron issued a furious response. 'All this is not serious, it is moral and political cynicism, which I find intolerable,' he told French TV channel LCI. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said the invaders were guilty of 'deliberate murder' and would face a 'day of judgment' Promises to protect civilians only so that they could flee towards Russia were 'hypocritical', he said, adding: 'I do not know many Ukrainians who want to go to Russia.' Ukraine's deputy prime minister Iryna Vereshchuk warned president Macron he faced being 'humiliated' should he attempt any further deals with the Kremlin. Moscow officials expected residents of Kyiv to head for Belarus from where Russia launched its invasion from the north on February 24 and for citizens of Kharkiv to go to Russia. Those who go to Belarus would then be flown to Russia too, the Kremlin said. Residents of Mariupol and Sumy were supposed to head to eastern Ukraine, not western Ukraine where hundreds of thousands of have already travelled to escape the fighting. Miss Vereshchuk said: 'I hope the French president understands his name and sincere desire to help is in reality being used and manipulated by the Russian Federation.' Some 1.7million Ukrainians mostly women and children have so far managed to flee west, the UN's refugee agency said. Sheltering with the Red Cross which is being funded with help from Mail readers - a mother cradles her baby daughter in the city of Mariupol. Meanwhile, in the capital Kyiv, aid workers bring food and basic provisions to around 8,000 people forced to seek sanctuary in a subway station. These are the images which show how readers' generosity makes a poignant a difference in Ukraine. As the bombs rain down in southern Mariupol, Yulia's little girl knows nothing of the horrors outside. But to the mother, the support of the Red Cross means everything. Yulia, pictured with her little girl, is one of 100 people staying at a shelter - where Mail Force donations are helping the Red Cross do their vital work - in the city of Mariupol, where 400,000 have been plunged into a humanitarian crisis She plants a kiss on the hood of her daughter's pink woollen cardigan and says: 'We have been here since the day they started bombing. 'We came here with nothing. We receive help here. We need food, clothes, batteries, and everything you need for everyday life. We are grateful for any help.' Yulia is one of 100 people staying at the centre in Mariupol, where 400,000 have been plunged into a humanitarian crisis. Escape routes out of the port city have been cut off and the civilian population has been caught in the middle of the fight. Yet Red Cross staff are working in the heart of the city, helping 4,000 people with food, hygiene items and children's toys. Mail readers' donations support this vital work. Around 8,000 people sheltering in subways in Kyiv have been aided through the provision of Red Cross packages of food and hygiene products Overall, the Red Cross has given out 30,000 food and hygiene parcels, and is helping those with disabilities to flee from Ukraine. Mail readers have responded magnificently to the humanitarian crisis, with the appeal raising more than 4million in a week. This includes 500,000 donated by the Mail's parent company DMGT at the request of Lord and Lady Rothermere. An incredible 40,000 cheques have now been posted to us, nearly all accompanied by heartfelt messages of support. Reader Anne Lawrence, of Great Yarmouth in Norfolk, sent 100 yesterday with a handwritten message saying: 'I hope this will help towards your appeal for the brave citizens of Ukraine, who I think about constantly and tearfully.' The generosity is matched by the courage of the aid workers who your money is helping to fund. 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 the bombs and guns. As this tally of misery increases over the coming days and months, these innocent victims of this conflict 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 In Mariupol, the situation is dire. Food and water supplies have run dry, electricity and heating supplies have been turned off and bodies of the victims of this conflict litter the streets. Residents are huddling together in sub-zero temperatures and drinking melted ice to quench their thirst. According to local officials, the shelling of their neighbourhoods has been relentless. The Red Cross says the situation is 'incredibly tense, dangerous and distressing for people'. A spokesman added: 'Our teams are seeing lots of street-to-street fighting, including near where [our] personnel are... Most, if not all stores are closed, meaning ordinary citizens have difficulty buying items.' Mail readers have responded magnificently to the humanitarian crisis, with the appeal raising more than 4million in a week Maksym Dotsenko, director general of the Ukrainian Red Cross Society, said: 'We are deeply concerned for the safety of communities given the recent intensification of fighting.' Nataylia, who is also staying in the shelter, said she and her family fled from the Artana area of the city under heavy and merciless bombing. 'Shells fell directly on our heads, so we ran away in what we were wearing, to the basement,' she said. 'We need everything now. 'We are wearing only what kind people and the Red Cross gave us. Right now, we are in dire need of medicine and hygiene products.' Covid cases in NSW have suddenly jumped by 13,018 - the most new infections recorded in a day in more than five weeks. Infections rose 44 per cent from 9,017 on Monday and have been trending up in the past week, when they were as low as 5,822 a day. Hospital patient numbers are also on the rise with 1,070 being treated on Tuesday, up from 995 on Saturday after weeks of falling numbers, with five deaths. Covid cases in NSW have suddenly jumped by 13,018 - the most new infections recorded in a day in more than five weeks (pictured, pedestrians make their way along George Street in Sydney's CBD) Of the new infections more than 9,600 were picked up by rapid antigen tests and the remainder from PCR tests. Sydney celebrated its annual Mardi Gras festival on Saturday with thousands flocking to the SCG for the parade and crammed into bars and nightclubs. Victoria also recorded a sharp 27 per cent rise in new cases to 7,043 but the state's figures were stable over the past month. Infections rose 44 per cent from 9,017 on Monday and have been trending up in the past week (pictured, Sydneysiders enjoy more freedoms as Covid-19 restrictions were eased in February) There were just 203 people being treated in hospital including 29 in intensive care and four on ventilation. The state recorded another six deaths while active cases stand at 43,595. Prime Minister Scott Morrison has warned the uncertainty of Covid-19 will remain for some time, with the potential of new variants arriving in coming months. It comes ahead of national cabinet meeting on Friday to review preparations for an expected winter surge of Covid-19 infections across the country. Health experts have warned the colder months could bring a spike in case numbers, along with the first major flu outbreak in the country for two years. Speaking at the Australian Financial Review Business Summit on Tuesday, Mr Morrison said while the risk of Omicron had declined since the beginning of the year, other pandemic challenges were still to come. Prime Minister Scott Morrison (pictured) has warned the uncertainty of Covid-19 will remain for some time, with the potential of new variants arriving in coming months 'There always remains the risk, of course, of a new strain of the virus reaching our shores, and therefore, the uncertainties of Covid,' Mr Morrison said. 'Regrettably, they will continue to remain with us, but we can't let them overwhelm us or intimidate us.' The prime minister said Australia had weathered the threat of Omicron well compared to other nations, with booster rates across the country rising. He said while the variant was still circulating in the community, the declining case numbers had given state and territory governments confidence to ease restrictions. Victoria also recorded a sharp 27 per cent rise in new cases to 7,043 but the state's figures were stable over the past month (pictured, a woman receives a PCR test at a Covid-19 drive-thru testing clinic) 'The worst of the workforce and broader economic impacts from the latest strain seem to be behind us, and we welcome that,' he said. 'I'm so pleased that the country is whole again with the opening of the Western Australia state border, likewise, it has given the Commonwealth government the confidence to reopen our international borders.' While Australia's booster rate is above 60 per cent of the eligible population, infectious disease experts have called for a more conscious effort from the government to boost the rate further, particularly among over-50s. Professor Peter Collignon from the Australian National University told AAP there was no reason why the booster rate could not reach the vaccination rate for the primary course. 'For people over 50, we should be aiming to have the booster at the same level at more than 90 per cent,' he said. 'People are still stuck in a zero-Covid mindset, and we have to be different in our approach.' Some 55.8 per cent of NSW residents have had three doses of a Covid-19 vaccine while 61.1 per cent of Victorian adults have received their booster. Britain's most expensive private day school has been downgraded by Ofsted for imposing a 'woke' agenda on the curriculum. The 32,600-a-year American School in London (ASL) is now rated 'requires improvement' because of 'failures' in education and leadership. A damning report found it placed more weight on teaching 'social justice' than on learning 'subject-specific knowledge and skills'. Meanwhile some pupils felt their views were 'suppressed' in lessons. Because of this, the school failed a number of Independent School Standards, which ban the 'promotion of partisan political views' and demand 'respect for those with other beliefs'. The 32,600-a-year American School in London (ASL) is now rated 'requires improvement' because of 'failures' in education and leadership Inspectors visited the previously outstanding-rated school in December after parents complained pupils were being 'indoctrinated'. Families said non-white pupils had been recruited to 'discriminatory' affinity groups for after-school clubs and children were taught about 'white fragility'. Former head Robin Appleby, who introduced the agenda, resigned in November, saying she wanted to 'focus on her own wellbeing'. Ofsted's report, due to be published shortly, said: 'Teaching places much more weight on the school's approach to social justice than on learning subject-specific knowledge and skills.' It added: 'Not everyone felt that they are able to express their views freely in class.' Ofsted said that in the lower school curriculum for social studies, pupils 'spend much time repeatedly considering identity (including analysing their own characteristics) rather than learning, for example, geographical knowledge.' In middle school, pupils were having to focus on 'social issues' rather than 'skills' in subjects such as English. The report concluded: 'While recognising the importance of promoting equalities, a significant minority of parents and pupils told inspectors that a culture has developed where alternative opinions are not felt welcome.' Last night, a current parent said: 'As the report shows, teachers have been indoctrinating students with extreme, partisan views, academic teaching has been shoved out of the way by excessive teaching about 'social justice', and most students are afraid to express their views in class.' Ofsted said that in the lower school curriculum for social studies, pupils 'spend much time repeatedly considering identity (including analysing their own characteristics) rather than learning, for example, geographical knowledge' However, the school said it would not 'alter its commitment' to its 'diversity, equity and inclusion' programme, prompting fears little will change. A spokesman said: 'ASL has been rated outstanding in all of our previous inspections. This review, however, was unusual in scope and substance, with a narrow focus on some aspects of our programme. 'Despite meeting 96 per cent of the Independent School standards, our rating was downgraded two levels. We do not think this rating reflects the quality of our school or excellence of our teaching.' Ofsted said it cannot comment on school reports before they are published. Prime Minister Scott Morrison has warned the uncertainty of Covid will remain for some time, with the potential of new variants arriving in coming months. It comes ahead of national cabinet meeting on Friday to review preparations for an expected winter surge of Covid-19 infections across the country. Health experts have warned the colder months could bring a spike in case numbers, along with the first major flu outbreak in the country for two years. Speaking at the Australian Financial Review Business Summit on Tuesday, Mr Morrison said while the risk of Omicron had declined since the beginning of the year, other pandemic challenges were still to come. The uncertainty of Covid will remain for some time, with the potential of new variants arriving in coming months, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has warned 'There always remains the risk, of course, of a new strain of the virus reaching our shores, and therefore, the uncertainties of Covid,' Mr Morrison said. 'Regrettably, they will continue to remain with us, but we can't let them overwhelm us or intimidate us.' The prime minister said Australia had weathered the threat of Omicron well compared to other nations, with booster rates across the country rising. He said while the variant was still circulating in the community, the declining case numbers had given state and territory governments confidence to ease restrictions. 'The worst of the workforce and broader economic impacts from the latest strain seem to be behind us, and we welcome that,' he said. 'I'm so pleased that the country is whole again with the opening of the Western Australia state border, likewise, it has given the Commonwealth government the confidence to reopen our international borders.' While Australia's booster rate is above 60 per cent of the eligible population, infectious disease experts have called for a more conscious effort from the government to boost the rate further, particularly among over-50s. The warning came ahead of a national cabinet meeting on Friday to review preparations for an expected winter surge of Covid-19 infections. Pictured is a shopper on Pitt Street Mall in Sydney in January An official photograph showing the prime minister standing beside his proud wife, Jenny, daughters Abbey (right) and Lily (left) and his mother, Marion, at Government House in Canberra Professor Peter Collignon from the Australian National University told AAP there was no reason why the booster rate could not reach the vaccination rate for the primary course. 'For people over 50, we should be aiming to have the booster at the same level at more than 90 per cent,' he said. 'People are still stuck in a zero-COVID mindset, and we have to be different in our approach.' There have been 11 COVID-19 deaths that have been reported on Tuesday, of those six were in Victoria and five in NSW. NSW registered more than 13,018 new infections while Victoria had 7043 new cases. Advertisement Human remains uncovered in Portugal date back 8,000 years, and could provide the earliest evidence of mummification, a new study says. Researchers have studied photographs of skeletal remains of 13 human individuals excavated in the early 1960s in the Sado Valley, Portugal. They were able to reconstruct the positions in which the bodies were buried, providing 'a unique opportunity' to learn more about 8,000-year-old mortuary rituals. The analysis showed that some bodies were buried in bent, compact positions, with the legs flexed at the knees and placed in front of the chest. Some bodies may have been mummified prior to burial, possibly for reasons 'linked to their curation and transport', the experts reveal. Until now, the Chinchorro mummies of northern Chile, dating back 7,000 years, are the oldest in the world to have been purposefully preserved by humans. Meanwhile, the ancient Egyptians were embalming mummies up to 5,700 years ago, according to a previous study. This new research shows the earliest known mummification practices were at Sado Valley. In other words, the Sado Valley bodies are thought to be the first known human bodies to have been mummified. However, soft tissue is no longer preserved and the bodies are completely skeletonised, meaning that the Sado Valley bodies are not in a mummified state any longer. Two skeletons recovered from the Sado Valley in Portugal. These burials illustrate several traits common to the Sado Valley burials during the Mesolithic period, experts say Researchers have studied photographs of skeletal remains of 13 human individuals excavated in the early 1960s in the Sado Valley Mesolithic, Portugal Pictured, a modern-day view from the archaeological site Arapouco towards the Sado Valley, Portugal THE SADO VALLEY MUMMIES Human remains discovered 8,000 years ago in Portugal's Sado Valley appear to have been mummified before being buried. Excavated in 1960 and 1962, the remains show evidence for pre-burial treatments such as desiccation through mummification. That some bodies may have been mummified prior to burial is 'a phenomenon possibly linked to their curation and transport'. Advertisement Technically, a mummy is a dead human or an animal whose soft tissues and organs have been preserved. Most surviving mummies worldwide are more recent, dating between a few hundred years and 4,000 years old. The new study has been conducted by archaeologists at Uppsala University and Linnaeus University in Sweden and University of Lisbon in Portugal. Researchers based their findings on photos recovered from the personnel effects of Portuguese archaeologist Manuel Farinha dos Santos (19232001). 'A few years ago, three rolls of film from the excavation of two Mesolithic burial sites in the Sado Valley in south-western Portugal resurfaced,' they say. 'Both sites, Arapouco and Pocas de S. Bento, were excavated in the 1960s and more recently in the 1980s and 2010s, and most of their human burials have been studied and published. 'The photographs of burials excavated in 1960 and 1962 were, however, missing, and the documentation was incomplete. 'The rediscovery of these photographs thus provided a unique opportunity to add to our knowledge of Mesolithic mortuary practices.' Detecting if a body was preserved through mummification when soft tissue is no longer visible is 'challenging', the team say. Unlike bone, finding soft tissue in archaeological sites is rare due to issues of preservation especially in temperate and wetter climates, such as in Europe. These photos depict the reduction of the soft tissue during 'natural mummification'. Left: fully fleshed body placed as tightly flexed as possible using bandages. Centre: reduced body volume and increased flexion of the body after three weeks, due to desiccation of the soft tissues and repeated tightening of the bandages. Right: further reduced body volume after seven months, due to continued desiccation of the soft tissues. Bandages were not further tightened after three weeks Top row: experimental burial of a fresh body in flexed supine position, unclothed, directly in the soil. Bottom row: experimental burial of a desiccated body after seven months of guided natural mummification and trussing during the first three weeks The Iberian Peninsula and location of the shell middens of the Sado Valley, Portugal. b) Arapouco and Pocas de S. Bento, with minimum number of individuals excavated in each site ASTONISHING PHOTOS SHOW THE 'NATURAL MUMMIES' OF SAN BERNARDO Astonishing new photos show the extremely well-preserved 'natural mummies' housed in a Colombian mausoleum that are thought to date back only around 100 years. More than a dozen of the bodies are on display in glass cases at a mausoleum in San Bernardo, Colombia, high within the Andes and 40 miles southwest of the country's capital Bogota. Why they're so well-preserved is a mystery, although some experts think it's because of the local climate and altitude, which could affect the chemical composition of the earth and act like a natural embalmer. Read more: New photos show the 'natural mummies' of San Bernardo Advertisement The skeletal remains of 13 individuals were excavated in the 1960s from Mesolithic shell middens remnants of 'meals eaten long ago'. Shell middens consist primarily of concentrations of discarded shell and bone, botanical remains, ash and charcoal. They also contain evidence of past hunting, gathering and food processing activities. The study involved 'archaeothanatology' an approach that combines observations of the spatial distribution of the bones in the grave with knowledge about how the human body decomposes after death. This lets archaeologists then reconstruct how the dead body was handled after death and buried, even if several thousands of years have passed. In this study, archaeothanatology was also informed by results from human decomposition experiments on mummification and burial at the Forensic Anthropology Research Facility at Texas State University. Based on the results, researchers observed hyperflexion of the limbs, where a joint is flexed beyond its normal range of motion. 'For hyperflexed positions to be present in a burial with preserved labile joint connections in unstable positions, the body must have been initially buried in this hyperflexed position,' the researchers say. 'The combination of hyperflexion throughout the body with a lack of disarticulation or evidence of in situ bone movement... is therefore a strong taphonomic indicator of burial in a mummified condition.' There was also an absence of 'disarticulation' amputation of a limb through a joint, without the cutting of bone in significant parts of the skeleton, and a rapid infilling of sediment around the bones. The extreme 'clumping' of the lower limbs may suggest the body was prepared and desiccated prior to burial Reconstruction of the spatial distribution of the burials based on the new photographic documentation showing graves placed in close proximity During decomposition, the bones usually become disarticulated at weak joints, such as at the feet, but in these cases, the articulations were maintained. The researchers propose that this pattern of hyperflexion and lack of disarticulation could be explained if the body was not placed in the grave as a fresh corpse, but in a desiccated state as a mummied corpse. The manipulation of the body during mummification would have taken place over an extended period of time, during which the body gradually would become desiccated to maintain its 'bodily integrity'. It would also have simultaneously been contracted by trussing with rope or bandages to compress it into a desired position. Some bodies were buried in extremely flexed positions with the legs flexed at the knees and placed in front of the chest When the process was finished, the body would have been easier to transport (being more contracted and significantly lighter) while ensuring that it was buried while retaining its appearance and anatomical integrity. Mummification of the dead probably was more common in prehistory than previously known, the researchers conclude. The results are now published in European Journal of Archaeology. Korea Times President-Publisher Oh Young-jin, far right, and Gender Equality and Family Minister Chung Young-ai, fourth from right, pose with female foreign ambassadors to Korea during a roundtable on diversity and multiculturalism at The Korea Times' office in central Seoul, Feb. 24. From left are Dutch Ambassador Joanne Doornewaard, Rwandan Ambassador Dalila Yasmin Amri Sued, Philippine Ambassador Maria Theresa Dizon-De Vega, Australian Ambassador Catherine Raper, Minister Chung, Indian Ambassador Sripriya Ranganathan, EU Ambassador Maria Castillo Fernandez and Oh. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul By Kwon Mee-yoo Korea, as it continues its rapid development, is displaying greater diversity, both ethnically and culturally, as a result of international migration. In time for the occasion of International Women's Day, The Korea Times hosted a roundtable with female ambassadors and the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family to share insights on different levels of diversity around the world on Feb. 24. Six female ambassadors took part in the roundtable to share their home cultures' experiences on diversity and multiculturalism: Sripriya Ranganathan of India, Dalila Yasmin Amri Sued of Rwanda, Joanne Doornewaard of the Netherlands, Maria Castillo Fernandez of the EU, Catherine Raper of Australia and Maria Theresa Dizon-De Vega of the Philippines. Oh Young-jin, president-publisher of The Korea Times, called for policies to help immigrants and their children better assimilate into Korean culture. "How to help immigrants and the children of multiracial families to have a comfortable life living, working and enjoying themselves as part of greater Korea will serve as a litmus test for the future of Korea as a diverse country," Oh said in the opening remarks. Gender Equality and Family Minister Chung Young-ai said the number of foreign residents in South Korea amounted to 2.15 million, accounting for 4.1 percent of the total population as of 2020. "Considering that immigrants struggle the most upon arrival, the Multicultural Family Support Centers offer interpretation and translation services, Korean lessons and other support to marriage immigrants who just came to Korea to help them adjust to their new life in Korea and form bonds with new Korean families," Chung said. Just as more people immigrate to Korea and multicultural families take a greater presence, the country has also seen an increase in the number of multicultural students, from 38,678 in 2011 to 160,056 in 2021. "Immigrant parents I met were very concerned about their children's further education and future career paths and frustrated over the lack of information. It is also true that teenagers from multicultural families often face social prejudice and discrimination inside and outside of schools," the minister said. To embrace multicultural families as integral members of Korean society, the ministry aims to create a policy environment incorporating cultural sensitivity, strengthen multiculturalism awareness education for civil servants and assess the impact of multiculturalism. Gender Equality and Family Minister Chung Young-ai speaks during a roundtable on diversity and multiculturalism co-hosted by the ministry and The Korea Times at The Korea Times' office in central Seoul, Feb. 24. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul Philippine Ambassador Dizon-De Vega addressed the importance of human rights as one of the policy goals to achieve multiculturalism. "At the very basic core of all these efforts to promote multiculturalism is also promoting the issue of human rights. Multiculturalism should be, I believe, based on a respect for human rights, the right to enjoy, the right to take part in the cultural, social and economic life of any society you may find yourself in," Dizon-De Vega said. "With the new policies of the Korean government, we're moving towards the right direction an acceptance and an appreciation for where multicultural, multiracial, multiethnic families are coming from." Indian Ambassador Ranganathan pointed out that Korea has inherent diversity even though it appears in many ways to be a homogenous society. "As outsiders, when we look at Korea, we see a really homogeneous country one language, one people and one country. That's what we see from outside, but when we come and live here, we realize that there are so many communities, so many regions, still one language, but there is a certain intrinsic diversity even in Korea," she said. Ambassador Ranganathan said it is important to set up policies and change perceptions and value systems in accepting multiculturalism. "In many ways, the legal system and the law precede what the society is willing to take. And that is the way it ought to be, I think: the government has to show the way that could be ahead of the times, but which will at least allow the next generation to live up to that philosophy and vision and this is what we have seen in terms of the evolution of India," she said. Rwanda has similarities with Korea in homogeneity, the country's ambassador noted. "We also have one language and when you speak one language for a long time, you realize that you kind of have reference points of your culture and not necessarily have access to other cultures," Ambassador Amri Sued said. Rwanda has three official languages: Kinyarwanda (as the principal language), French and English. The ambassador said more official languages helped the country's integration. "We feel that it has given the youth the chance to be more diverse and global. Due to our history, unfortunately, we know the worst of division in society. It starts small, but sometimes it becomes way bigger. Because of our history, we felt that we need to work on ourselves and make sure that the newer generation is way more open and way more receiving... Each generation is way more welcoming and hospitable, because they feel more connected to others and they can communicate, ask and get to know them. I think the issue of acceptance takes time." From left, Australian Ambassador Catherine Raper, Dutch Ambassador Joanne Doornewaard, The Korea Times President-Publisher Oh Young-jin, Philippine Ambassador Maria Theresa Dizon-De Vega, Rwandan Ambassador Dalila Yasmin Amri Sued, Indian Ambassador Sripriya Ranganathan, EU Ambassador Maria Castillo Fernandez and Gender Equality and Family Minister Chung Young-ai participate in a roundtable on diversity and multiculturalism at The Korea Times' office in central Seoul, Feb. 24. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul A sample of soil, gathered by Apollo astronauts 50 years ago from the lunar surface, is being opened by NASA scientists ahead of the first Artemis landing in 2025. The sample is being opened at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston by the Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science Division (ARES). When Apollo astronauts returned these samples around 50 years ago, NASA had the foresight to keep some of them unopened and pristine, in the hope future technology can be used to reveal more about the environment. The team hope to learn more about the sample and the lunar surface itself, revealing details about the geologic history and evolution of the moon. Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator of NASA's Science Mission Directorate, said understanding the history will help planners understand the types of soil to be expected when the first woman and first person of color land on the surface. Artemis will return more samples to the Earth, bringing back cold and sealed pieces of rock and soil from the South Pole. A sample of soil, gathered by Apollo astronauts 50 years ago from the lunar surface, is being opened by NASA scientists ahead of the first Artemis landing in 2025 When Apollo astronauts returned these samples around 50 years ago, NASA had the foresight to keep some of them unopened and pristine, in the hope future technology can be used to reveal more about the environment Known as the ANGSA 73001 sample, it was part of an Apollo 17 drive tube sample collected by astronauts Eugene Cernan and Harrison 'Jack' Schmitt in 1972. The astronauts hammered a pair of connected 1.5-by-14-inch tubes into the lunar surface to collect segments of rocks and soil from a landslide deposit in the moon's TaurusLittrow Valley. They then individually sealed one drive tube under vacuum on the moon before bringing them back to Earth. Only two drive tubes were vacuum sealed on the moon in this way, and this is the first to be opened, the other was returned in a normal unsealed container. The sealed tube has been carefully stored in a protective outer vacuum tube and in an atmosphere-controlled environment at Johnson ever since. The unsealed segment was opened in 2019 and revealed an array of grains and smaller objects, known as rocklets, that lunar geologists were eager to study. The team hope to learn more about the sample and the lunar surface itself, revealing details about the geologic history and evolution of the moon Known as the ANGSA 73001 sample, it was part of an Apollo 17 drive tube sample collected by astronauts Eugene Cernan and Harrison 'Jack' Schmitt in 1972 'Understanding the geologic history and evolution of the moon samples at the Apollo landing sites will help us prepare for the types of samples that may be encountered during Artemis,' said Thomas Zurbuchen from NASA. Artemis aims to bring back cold and sealed samples from near the lunar South Pole. 'This is an exciting learning opportunity to understand the tools needed for collecting and transporting these samples, for analyzing them, and for storing them on Earth for future generations of scientists.' NASA will land the first woman and first person of color on the moon in 2025 as part of the Artemis mission Artemis was the twin sister of Apollo and goddess of the moon in Greek mythology. NASA has chosen her to personify its path back to the moon, which will see astronauts return to the lunar surface by 2025 - including the first woman and the next man. Artemis 1, formerly Exploration Mission-1, is the first in a series of increasingly complex missions that will enable human exploration to the moon and Mars. Artemis 1 will be the first integrated flight test of NASA's deep space exploration system: the Orion spacecraft, Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the ground systems at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Artemis 1 will be an uncrewed flight that will provide a foundation for human deep space exploration, and demonstrate our commitment and capability to extend human existence to the moon and beyond. During this flight, the spacecraft will launch on the most powerful rocket in the world and fly farther than any spacecraft built for humans has ever flown. It will travel 280,000 miles (450,600 km) from Earth, thousands of miles beyond the moon over the course of about a three-week mission. Orion will stay in space longer than any ship for astronauts has done without docking to a space station and return home faster and hotter than ever before. With this first exploration mission, NASA is leading the next steps of human exploration into deep space where astronauts will build and begin testing the systems near the moon needed for lunar surface missions and exploration to other destinations farther from Earth, including Mars. The will take crew on a different trajectory and test Orion's critical systems with humans aboard. Together, Orion, SLS and the ground systems at Kennedy will be able to meet the most challenging crew and cargo mission needs in deep space. Eventually NASA seeks to establish a sustainable human presence on the moon by 2028 as a result of the Artemis mission. The space agency hopes this colony will uncover new scientific discoveries, demonstrate new technological advancements and lay the foundation for private companies to build a lunar economy. Advertisement 'The agency knew science and technology would evolve and allow scientists to study the material in new ways to address new questions in the future,' said Lori Glaze, director of the Planetary Science Division at NASA. 'The ANGSA initiative was designed to examine these specially stored and sealed samples.' The temperature at the bottom of the core was incredibly cold when it was collected, which means that volatiles might have been present. These are substances that evaporate at normal temperatures, like water ice and carbon dioxide. 'For the last 50 years, the lunar core was enclosed in a core sample vacuum container, which was then enclosed in an outer vacuum container,' said Alex Meshik, a research professor of physics in Arts & Sciences and faculty fellow of the university's McDonnell Center for the Space Sciences. 'They were nested together, almost like Russian dolls.' They are particularly interested in the volatiles in these samples from the equatorial regions of the moon. The amount of gas expected to be present in this sealed Apollo sample is likely very low, but if scientists can carefully extract these gases, they can be analyzed and identified using modern mass spectrometry technology. This technology, which has evolved to levels of extreme sensitivity in recent years, can precisely determine the mass of unknown molecules and use that data to precisely identify them. This not only makes for improved measurements, but also means the collected gas can be divided into smaller portions and shared with more researchers conducting different kinds of lunar science. 'Fifty years ago, when these samples were collected, NASA scientists had the foresight to put in place curation procedures that would ensure future generations access to pristine samples when new analytical methods and procedures would be available, and new scientific questions would be asked," said Brad Jolliff, study co-author from Washington University. "We have several cutting-edge labs looking at various aspects of these precious samples and testing hypotheses about their origins and how they fit into a modern context of planetary science. "The noble gas studies are a great example because they contain not only much information about present-day implantation of material from the sun into the surface of the moon, but also about the very origin of the moon four and a half billion years ago. Stay tuned for interesting results to come!" NASA's Ryan Zeigler, the Apollo sample curator, is overseeing the process of extracting the gas and rock. 'A lot of people are getting excited,' said Zeigler. 'University of New Mexico's Chip Shearer proposed the project over a decade ago, and for the past three years, we've had two great teams developing the unique equipment to make it possible.' The device being used to extract and collect the gas, called a manifold, was developed by Meshik and colleagues. Last month, the team began the careful, months-long process to remove the sample by first opening the outer protective tube and capturing any gas inside. Zeigler and his team knew what gases should be present inside the outer container and found everything was as expected. The tube seemed to contain no lunar gas, indicating the seal on the inner sample tube was still likely intact. Two weeks ago, the team started a multi-week process of piercing the inner container and slowly gathering any lunar gases that are hopefully still inside. After the gas extraction process is finished, the ARES team will prepare to carefully remove the soil and rocks from their container, likely later this spring. A flock of yellow-headed blackbirds that crashed into a pavement last month likely did so because the lead bird confused a shiny roof for water - and the rest followed. The cloud of smoke-like flock of birds hit the ground in the Alvaro Obregon area of Cuauhtemoc, a city in the state of Chihuahua, Mexico on February 7. Many of the flock are seen flying away but it is thought up to 100 birds were left lying dead on the street, with no clear explanation at the time. A new study, by Harvard University, examined the footage, looked at normal migration patterns and flock dynamics, to better understand why they all fell. The team suggest it was a case of 'follow the leader', as birds don't look far ahead in a flock, instead focusing on what a single lead bird is doing. It is likely the lead bird saw a shiny, reflecting roof on one of the buildings, mistook it for a source of water, and by the time it realised it had made a mistake, it was too long for the bird, or the flock behind it, to stop and pull up. The team said that as cities grow, and urbanization continues, these sorts of mistakes are likely to happen more frequently. A flock of yellow-headed blackbirds that crashed into a pavement last month likely did so because the lead bird confused a shiny roof for water - and the rest followed Ever since the video of the bird crash went viral on social media, viewers have sought to explain what happened - with many competing theories. Ideas ranged from the birds were reacting to a predator, that they inhaled toxic fumes, were zapped by a power line, or even that they became victims of electromagnetic interference. A group of experts from Harvard have taken a closer look, and believe the truth lies in the concept of flock dynamics. Ornithologist Scott V. Edwards, and Flavia Termignoni Garcia, a postdoctoral researcher from his lab looked through the footage and other material. They say that when migratory birds fly in large flocks, they follow the leader. One bird sets the pace and direction, the others go along with what everyone is doing. 'They're not looking very distant; they're actually following their closest neighbor in the flock so basically taking cues on where to move based on their closest neighbor,' Edwards said. The cloud of smoke-like flock of birds hit the ground in the Alvaro Obregon area of Cuauhtemoc, a city in the state of Chihuahua, Mexico on February 7 The flock that came down in Mexico was made up of yellow-headed blackbirds, a species primarily found in Northern US and Canada - but winter in Mexico. They have ben known to travel in groups of 3,000, 'so it's easy to see how one mistake could lead many to their doom,' the team explained. 'Maybe the leader of the flock somehow didn't know they were close to the ground,' Edwards said. 'If that's the case, then most of the birds in the flock wouldn't know they're close to the ground. Maybe some sort of stochastic event caused the leader of the flock to dodge somethingmaybe it was dodging the wires or maybe it just made a mistake. A new study, by Harvard University, examined the footage, looked at normal migration patterns and flock dynamics, to better understand why they all fell 'The point is, most of the birds would follow rather than be aware of where they actually were in 3D space.' Termignoni Garcia focused on the laminated roofs of the houses, seen within the video, taken from a security camera looking into the street. From above, these roofs reflect light the same way a body of water does, so the birds might have been looking for a quick drink. By the time they realized they were wrong, there was no turning back. 'They were too close' to stop. Migratory birds are known to make fatal mistakes, often involving reflective glass, for example, last year, hundreds of songbirds crashed into skyscrapers in New York. 'These phenomena are caused by the constant process of urbanization and they will be more frequent as our cities grow,' said Termignoni Garcia. The researchers were skeptical of the many theories about the birds of Cuauhtemoc, for a number of reasons. First, it's clear in the video that they weren't disoriented but were flying extremely fast. If they had inhaled poisonous gases or been shocked, the physics of their movement would have been entirely different. 'There's also the fact that toxic fumes would have affected other wildlife in the area,' the researchers explained. The bird-loving scientists hope the survivors make it to where they were headed without further incident. 'I was watching the ones that were still on the ground and hoping they would get up and fly,' Edwards said. Bob Odenkirk and Rhea Sheehorn attended the 37th annual Film Independent Spirit Awards in Santa Monica on Sunday afternoon. The 59-year-old actor and his Better Call Saul castmate, 49, appeared to be enjoying themselves as they took to the red carpet before heading into the star-studded event. This marks the first time that the actor has attended a major awards show since he suffered a heart attack while working on the AMC drama series in July. Front and center: Bob Odenkirk and Rhea Sheehorn attended the 37th annual Film Independent Spirit Awards in Santa Monica on Sunday afternoon Odenkirk kept it classy in a navy blue suit and a black button-up shirt during the awards show. Sheehorn wore a flowing yellow dress that stood out while she posed for a few photos. The actress also rocked a pair of high-heeled shoes and accessorized with several articles of jewelry. Her gorgeous blonde locks were tied back tightly for the duration of the annual event. Dressed to the nines: Odenkirk kept it classy in a navy blue suit and a black button-up shirt during the awards show Fashionable: Sheehorn wore a flowing yellow dress that stood out while she posed for a few photos Odenkirk's health scare took place while he was working on an upcoming episode of Better Call Saul last July. He was immediately transported to a hospital in the Albuquerque area and made a full recovery. A representative for the actor issued a statement and expressed via The Hollywood Reporter that he was receiving treatment after the health scare. 'We can confirm Bob is in stable condition after experiencing a heart-related incident,' they said. On the job: Odenkirk's health scare took place while he was working on an episode of Better Call Saul last July They added that Odenkirk 'and his family would like to express gratitude for the incredible doctors and nurses looking after him, as well as his cast, crew and producers who have stayed by his side.' The statement concluded with: 'The Odenkirks would also like to thank everyone for the outpouring of well wishes and ask for their privacy at this time as Bob works on his recovery.' AMC also issued a message that partially read: 'Like everyone else, we are so grateful to know he is in stable condition and receiving excellent care. We are holding him close in our thoughts and wishing for a fast and full recovery.' Sending their support: AMC also issued a message that partially read: 'Like everyone else, we are so grateful to know he is in stable condition and receiving excellent care. We are holding him close in our thoughts and wishing for a fast and full recovery' Sony Pictures TV followed suit and gave a statement where they noted that 'Along with the millions of fans and supporters around the world, we are keeping him and his family in our thoughts and wishing him all the best in his recovery.' Odenkirk later tweeted that he was appreciative for all of the well wishes and that did not expect all of the support he received. He wrote: 'I am doing great. I've had my very own "It's a wonderful life" week of people insisting I make the world slightly better. Wow! Thank you, I love everyone right now but let's keep expectations reasonable!' Expressing his gratitude: Odenkirk later tweeted that he was appreciative for all of the well wishes and that did not expect all of the support he received The performer later returned to the set of the program, and its team resumed shooting its upcoming sixth and final season. Odenkirk, along with the rest of the show's cast and crew, eventually wrapped production last month. The last season of Better Call Saul will be split into two parts and it is set to premiere on April 18th. Watch Better Call Saul only on Stan in Australia. Coming to a close: The last season of Better Call Saul will be split into two parts and it is set to premiere on April 18th Salma Hayek made a powerful fashion statement as she attended the Balenciaga show during Paris Fashion Week. The 55-year-old Mexican actress showed her support for Ukraine as she sported the colors of the embattled nation's flag while posing for a photo with Kim Kardashian. The Emmy Award winner shared a photo in which she was seen in a striking blue and yellow dress and wrote in the caption, '@balenciaga #pfw', followed by emojis of the Ukrainian flag and a dove. Fashion statement: Salma Hayek showed her support for Ukraine as she sported the colors of the embattled nation's flag while posing for a photo with Kim Kardashian Salma's high-necked two-tone dress featured a royal blue bodice and oversized sleeves with a short bright yellow skirt. The brunette beauty's glossy locks fell in loose waves around her shoulders and she shielded her eyes with a pair of large brown shades. The Eternals star beamed as she stood next to Kim, 41, who donned a head-turning Balenciaga logo tape catsuit and heavily tinted sunglasses. Head-turning: Kim stood out in a Balenciaga logo tape catsuit and heavily tinted sunglasses for the event The SKIMS mogul truly had all hands on deck as she was seen getting ready for the show in behind-the-scenes clips that she shared on her social media. In the videos, Kim displayed rolls of Balenciaga tape next to her already wrapped-up handbag. Several staff members were seen winding the tape around the reality star's body ahead of the event. Teamwork: The SKIMS mogul truly had all hands on deck as she was seen getting ready for the show in behind-the-scenes clips that she shared on her social media. All wrapped-up! . Several staff members were seen winding the tape around the reality star's body ahead of the event Salma joined a growing list of celebrities who are using their fashion choices to pay tribute to Ukraine after the Russian invasion. The Morning Show actress Greta Lee walked the red carpet at last week's Screen Actors Guild Awards in a blue and yellow Marc Jacobs dress to honor the nation's colors. Other stars who attended the ceremony including Michael Douglas and Tyler Perry wore blue-and-yellow ribbon pins to show their support. Showing support: The Morning Show actress Greta Lee walked the red carpet at last week's Screen Actors Guild Awards in a blue and yellow Marc Jacobs dress to honor the nation's colors Earlier on Saturday, Salma posed for photos after she arrived at the fashion show with her husband Francois-Henri Pinault and their daughters. She looked typically stylish in an unbuttoned, blue satin shirt, which allowed a peek of a figure-hugging ensemble underneath - a knit top and satin skirt. Salma's 59-year-old businessman husband, whom she wed in 2009, looked suave in a plain suit as he proudly stood alongside her and their daughters. A family affair! Salma Hayek made Sunday's Balenciaga fashion show a family affair as she was accompanied by her husband Francois-Henri Pinault and their daughters in Paris (pictured left, Matilde, her stepdaughter, and middle Valentina) While the couple share Valentina, 14, Matilde, 21, is Francois's daughter from his marriage to Dorothee Lepere. The Wild West actress is also stepmother to Francois's other children, 24-year-old Francois and Augustin, 15. They all carry their father's last name. The family respectively showed off their fashion credentials, with Salma completing her chic look with a pair of statement shades. Close: While the couple share Valentina, 14, Matilde, 21, is Francois's daughter from his marriage to Dorothee Lepere Beauty: Salma donned several silver bangles and toted a classic Balenciaga clutch Earlier this week, Salma received the first ever IMDb Icon STARmeter award in celebration of IMDbPro's 20th anniversary. The actress cut a chic figure in an oversized blue polo neck dress featuring navy tassels as she posed alongside the trophy in London on Thursday. Appearing delighted with her new trophy, she beamed from ear-to-ear while wearing an eye-popping shade of red lipstick. Putting her modelling skills to use as she leant against a lavish fireplace with her hand on her hip, the film producer wore her walnut locks in glossy waves. He's got impeccable style and Andrew Garfield, 38, looked as dapper as ever as he stepped out to attend the The Film Independent Spirit Awards on Sunday. The Spider-Man: No Way Home actor pulled out all the stops as he posed for photos on the blue carpet in Los Angeles. The handsome star looked sharp in a purple blazer and lavender shirt as he smiled for the camera. Stylish: Andrew Garfield, 38, looked as dapper as ever as he stepped out to attend the The Film Independent Spirit Awards on Sunday The actor showcased his sophisticated sense of style in the fashion forward ensemble by matching the look with a pair of brown boot-cut trousers. He stepped out in a pair of stylish ankle boots and nailed the overall look with a pair of purple-tinted shades. Andrew looked incredible as he joined a whole host of stars to celebrate the pursuit of independent filmmaking. Handsome: The Spider-Man star pulled out all the stops as he posed for photos on the blue carpet in Los Angeles Snazzy: He stepped out in a pair of form fitting ankle boots and nailed the overall look with a pair of purple-tined shades The Social Network actor is among the stars to present on the night. Other presenters include Dianna Agron, Javier Bardem, Rosario Dawson, Regina Hall, Lily James, Sweeney, Taika Waititi and more. Ava DuVernay, Jessica Chastain, Ang Lee and Shaka King are notable talent that have all been honorary chairs for the ceremony. The 2022 Film Independent Spirit Awards nominations were announced on in December. Smart: The actor showcased his sophisticated sense of style in the fashion forward ensemble by matching the look with a pair of brown boot-cut trousers 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. The Zola nods were 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. The movie stars Elvis' granddaughter Riley Keough, a Hollywood veteran already. Her mother is Lisa Marie Presley. Also in the cast is Nicholas Braun. Polished: The screen star was groomed to perfection for the big night The dark comedy is up against The Novice, which took in five nominations, and The Lost Daughter, which scored four nominations. Rounding out the feature film race are A Chiara and Cmon Cmon. The Novice is about a college freshman who joins her university's rowing team and undertakes an obsessive physical and psychological journey to make it to the top varsity boat. Sleek: He wore his naturally curly hair combed back for the star-studded event The Lost Daughter is from first-time director Maggie Gyllenhaal and it stars Dakota Johnson and Olivia Colman. It is about a college professor confronts her unsettling past after meeting a woman and her young daughter while on vacation in Italy. Her obsession with the woman and her daughter prompts memories of her early motherhood. A Chiara follows the story of 15-year-old whose close-knit family falls apart after her father abandons them in Calabria. Flashy: The Spider-Man star oozed confidence on the night And C'mon C'mon covers an emotionally stunted and softspoken radio journalist who travels the country interviewing a variety of kids about their thoughts concerning their world and their future. The 2022 Film Independent Spirit Awards will be handed out on Sunday, March 6 during IFC's telecast. Usually, the Film Independent Spirit Awards air the day before the Oscars. Specs appeal: His purple-tinted shades finished off the dashing look But the Oscars will take place on Sunday, March 27, 2022 and the Film Independent Spirit Awards will be held weeks earlier on March 6. 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. Hunk: He cut a dapper figure in a purple jacket over a lavender shirt Fresh stars Sebastian Stan and Daisy Edgar-Jones put on a stylish display at the Film Independent Spirit Awards. The actor, 39, looked dapper in blue while Daisy, 23, stunned in a sexy black dress with sheer skirt. Stan, who currently is starring on the Hulu series Pam & Tommy, was a far cry from his role of rocker Tommy Lee in his sleek blue suit. Teamwork! Fresh stars Sebastian Stan and Daisy Edgar-Jones put on a stylish display at the Film Independent Spirit Awards on Sunday The handsome star rocked a slight five o'clock shadow and glossy black shoes. Daisy, meanwhile, put on a head-turning display in a sexy black dress that commanded attention. The actress, who shot to stardom in Normal People, showed off some leg as she graced the blue carpet in a sheer black dress which skimmed the floor. The top of the dress showcased her svelte waist. Co-stars: Fresh stars Daisy as a woman stuck in a dating rut, until she meets a man played by Sebastian who finally strikes her fancy - only for cannibalism to enter the equation Breathtaking: Daisy, meanwhile, put on a head-turning display in a sexy black dress that commanded attention She wore her brunette hair down in textured waves which fanned her stunning complexion, accented with a tint of pink gloss and eyeliner. Fresh stars Daisy as a woman stuck in a dating rut, until she meets a man played by Sebastian who finally strikes her fancy - only for cannibalism to enter the equation. Fresh, which counts Don't Look Up director Adam McKay as one of its producers and Charlotte Le Bon in its cast, began streaming on Hulu last week. Man of style: The actor, 39, was looking dapper in a navy blue suit, black button down and midnight blue shirt Simply stunning: Jones stole the spotlight as she graced the blue carpet Despite taking on a starring role in the Hulu thriller, Daisy recently revealed she hates horrors and is easily spooked. She said on The Graham Norton Show: 'It's a hard film to talk about because the joy of it is watching it having no idea what is coming I would say it wasn't for the faint-hearted or the easily queasy. 'I really hate horrors and am spooked easily but making the film was such a fun job we were very giggly. The film is dark but it's funny too and very outrageous.' Strike a pose: The co-stars flashed smiles as they soaked up the spotlight All eyes on her: Jones left little of her slender physique to the imagination The 2022 Film Independent Spirit Awards will be handed out on Sunday, March 6 during IFC's telecast. Usually, the Film Independent Spirit Awards air the day before the Oscars. But the Oscars will take place on Sunday, March 27, 2022 and the Film Independent Spirit Awards will be held weeks earlier on March 6. 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. Out now: Fresh, which counts Don't Look Up director Adam McKay as one of its producers and Charlotte Le Bon in its cast, began streaming on Hulu last week Helen Hunt showed off her edgy sense of style while attending the 2022 Film Independent Spirit Awards in Santa Monica, California, on Sunday. The 58-year-old actress stunned in a bold green and purple animal print dress featuring a large tiger motif and cheetah print hem. The Blindspotting star paired the lovely ensemble with chunky gold high heels and large stone rings. Edgy: Helen Hunt showed off her edgy sense of style while attending the 2022 Film Independent Spirit Awards in Santa Monica, California, on Sunday The beauty - known for hit movies like As Good As It Gets and Cast Away - wore her shoulder-length blonde locks parted in the middle and lightly curled. In terms of glam she opted for a soft bronze eyeshadow and a lovely light pink lipstick. The star took to Instagram to post a snap from the memorable night, featuring her Blindspotting co-stars as well as the creators of the show, Daveed Diggs, 40, and Rafael Casal, 36. 'like some Pips,' she captioned the image, which showed Casal sporting a gold grill in his mouth. Statement dress: The 58-year-old actress stunned in a bold green and purple animal print dress featuring a large tiger motif and cheetah print hem She was also seen posing on the blue carpet with Casal, as he showed off his unique gold and navy jacket and matching pants, which he paired with a black turtleneck. Blindspotting is a comedy-drama television series and a spin-off sequel of the 2018 film of the same name, which also starred Casal and Diggs in lead roles. The show follows Ashley (played by Jasmine Cephas Jones) after Miles (Casal), the father of her son, is arrested and sent to prison. She then moves in with Miles mother Rainey (played by Hunt) and half-sister, and tries to navigate raising her child while dealing with everyone's opinions. Memorable: The star took to Instagram to post a snap from the memorable night, featuring her Blindspotting co-stars and creators of the show, Daveed Diggs, 40, and Rafael Casal, 36 Hunt discussed how she got involved in the show in an interview with Collider in June of 2021, saying it was a random Tweet she made after watching the original movie that got her the role. 'I saw the movie. Thats how it all started. I went to the theater and paid my however many dollars, and watched it and loved it and tweeted about it,' she said. 'They saw that and commented on my tweet, and I commented, and we messaged, and the next thing you know, I was with these guys and we were talking about how much wed like to make something together,' she revealed. Blindspotting is available to watch on Starz. Her show: Hunt plays Rainey on Blindspotting, a comedy-drama television series and a spin-off sequel of the 2018 film of the same name Maggie Gyllenhaal was joined by her husband - The Batman star Peter Sarsgaard - at the 37th Annual Film Independent Spirit Awards in Santa Monica on Sunday. The 44-year-old native New Yorker flashed a hint of underboob in a black Gucci skirt suit featuring massive shoulder pads and floral embellishment with slingback heels selected by stylist Sandra Amador. Hairstylist Matthew Monzon coiffed Gyllenhaal's wavy bob and make-up artist Daniel Martin applied her bright red pout and blush for the awards ceremony at Santa Monica Pier. Power couple: Maggie Gyllenhaal was joined by her husband - The Batman star Peter Sarsgaard - at the 37th Annual Film Independent Spirit Awards in Santa Monica on Sunday Maggie (born Margalit) made sure to expose one ear in order to show off her double-banded cuff jewelry. The W Magazine cover girl was excited for her special day considering her Illinois-born hubbie is celebrating his 51st birthday on Monday. Sarsgaard was dressed in a black members-only-style jacket over a white patterned button-up, red velvet slacks, and beige platform loafers. The married couple of 12 years originally began their romance in 2002. The 44-year-old native New Yorker flashed a hint of underboob in a black Gucci skirt suit featuring massive shoulder pads and floral embellishment with slingback heels selected by stylist Sandra Amador Glam: Hairstylist Matthew Monzon coiffed Gyllenhaal's wavy bob and make-up artist Daniel Martin applied her bright red pout and blush for the awards ceremony at Santa Monica Pier Ready for her close-up! Maggie (born Margalit) made sure to expose one ear in order to show off her double-banded cuff jewelry Maggie and Peter (born John) are proud parents of 15-year-old daughter Ramona and nine-year-old daughter Gloria. The Dopesick actor portrayed Professor Hardy in Gyllenhaal's critically-acclaimed feature directorial debut The Lost Daughter, which dropped in December on Netflix. Another acting married couple - Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally - enjoyed ribbing their so-called 'rivals' while co-hosting the IFC telecast. 'We were hoping we'd be the biggest Hollywood power couple here,' Offerman said motioning to Peter and Maggie. Birthday boy! The W Magazine cover girl was excited for her special day considering her Illinois-born hubbie is celebrating his 51st birthday on Monday Leading man: Sarsgaard was dressed in a black members-only-style jacket over a white patterned button-up, red velvet slacks, and beige platform loafers Still going strong! The married couple of 12 years originally began their romance in 2002 Family: Maggie and Peter are proud parents of 15-year-old daughter Ramona (R, pictured June 1) and nine-year-old daughter Gloria (M) 'Indie stars and A-listers, pick a lane, you greedy bastards.' It was certainly a big night for The Deuce alum - who took home the trophies for best feature, best director, and best screenplay. As Sarsgaard - who was nominated for Spirit Awards in 2004 and 2005 - stood up to publicly congratulate his beloved wife, newly-ripped tears on his jacket exposed both of his shoulders. Dropped in December on Netflix! The Dopesick actor portrayed Professor Hardy in Gyllenhaal's critically-acclaimed feature directorial debut The Lost Daughter Wisecracks: Another acting married couple - Nick Offerman (L) and Megan Mullally (R) - enjoyed ribbing their so-called 'rivals' while co-hosting the IFC telecast Motioning to Peter and Maggie, Offerman said: 'We were hoping we'd be the biggest Hollywood power couple here. Indie stars and A-listers, pick a lane, you greedy bastards' Champ: It was certainly a big night for The Deuce alum - who took home the trophies for best feature, best director, and best screenplay Oops! As Sarsgaard stood up to publicly congratulate his beloved wife, newly-ripped tears on his jacket exposed both of his shoulders For her adaptation of Elena Ferrante's 2006 novella - Gyllenhaal managed to beat out the writers of C'mon, C'mon, Swan Song, Together Together, and Zola. Maggie also won over more established filmmakers such as Janicza Bravo, Lauren Hadaway, Mike Mills, and Ninja Thyberg. The brunette beauty will next compete for the best adapted screenplay trophy at the 94th Academy Awards, which air March 27 on ABC. Clean sweep! She was joined onstage by (from L-R) editor Affonso Goncalves, Sarsgaard, producer Talia Kleinhendler, and producer Osnat Handelsman-Keren to accept the best feature award for The Lost Daughter Champ! For her adaptation of Elena Ferrante's 2006 novella - Gyllenhaal managed to beat out the writers of C'mon, C'mon, Swan Song, Together Together, and Zola Proud: Maggie also won over more established filmmakers such as Janicza Bravo, Lauren Hadaway, Mike Mills, and Ninja Thyberg Big one coming! The brunette beauty will next compete for the best adapted screenplay trophy at the 94th Academy Awards, which air March 27 on ABC Industry family: Gyllenhaal comes from a showbiz family - including Oscar-nominated screenwriter mother Naomi Achs, Emmy-nominated director father Stephen, and Oscar-nominated actor brother Jake Gyllenhaal comes from a showbiz family - including Oscar-nominated screenwriter mother Naomi Achs, Emmy-nominated director father Stephen, and Oscar-nominated actor brother Jake. Meanwhile, Peter will next portray Emory Anderson in The Survivor, Barry Levinson's biopic on Auschwitz concentration camp boxer Harry Haft, which premieres April 27 on HBO Max. The post-World War II drama also features Ben Foster, Danny DeVito, John Leguizamo, and Billy Magnussen. Saffron Barker begged her fans for advice after she was left with a 'hole' in her foot that left her unable to run or do any exercise. The former Strictly Come Dancing star, 21, took to Instagram this week to share a picture of her injury after growing concerned. She explained how she'd already hurt her shoulder and had been trying to get an appointment to get it checked over but had since developed the problem with her foot. Troubles: Saffron Barker, 21, begged her fans for advice after she was left with a 'hole' in her foot that left her unable to run or do any exercise The social media influencer wrote: 'Would love for any advice please! My shoulder has popped out and into place a few times now and it's painful when lifting my arm etc. 'I'm trying to give it rest and get an appointment to see someone but I can't really understand why it's happening and what I can do to stop it happening. Brutal: The former Strictly Come Dancing star took to Instagram this week to share a picture of her injury after growing concerned 'As well as my arm/shoulder I also can't run at the moment or do cardio because I have a literal hole in my foot!!' Adding a warning for her followers, she wrote: 'DON'T watch the next slide if you don't want to see how gross it is.' The star then shared a picture of the skin on her foot which had been worn away and looked red and sore. It comes after the former Celebrity Circle contestant was rushed to hospital in Brazil after suffering a painful ear infection. Saffron shared a video on her YouTube channel of a trip to see a doctor in the country after she was left unable to eat or drink as it stung to swallow. In the clip, the media personality could be seen getting checked over by the medic after she was left in excruciating pain. Giving her followers an update, she said: 'I pretty much since day one of being here have had a really bad sore throat. Every day it's got worse and worse. Woes: She explained how she'd already hurt her shoulder and had been trying to get an appointment to get it checked over but had since developed the problem with her foot Agony: The YouTuber and former Strictly Come Dancing star was rushed to hospital in Brazil after suffering a painful ear infection recently 'It was causing me, like, agony. I was really trying to hide it. I didn't want to ruin everyone's holiday - I just didn't want to be the person who was constantly moaning. 'I thought it would just go. I was taking so many tablets and to be honest nothing was helping. Everything was just getting worse and worse. 'I thought it was still my throat, I had really bad earache but basically if you guys have followed me for years and years you would know as a child I was pretty much in and out of hospital all the time. Check up: The influencer shared a video of a trip to see a doctor on her YouTube channel after she was left unable to eat or drink as it stung to swallow 'I got so many ear infections. They were just absolute agony - I would scream and I would cry. I couldn't hear out of my ears. 'I haven't really had once since I was so much younger. I thought because our nose and ears are linked that it was more my throat. 'Anyway I ended up burning up yesterday and getting a temperature. As you can tell I was bright red. My eyes felt puffy. 'My face is still really swollen, I couldn't eat and swallow and that's when I realised I really need to see someone. 'They don't have GPs here, they don't have doctors. I had to go to the hospital. I went and saw a doctor and a nurse there and he's prescribed me so many tablets. 'He said I have a really bad ear infection. It's so swollen inside my ear it's gone down my throat. It's making it impossible for me to eat because it's so painful. Troubled times: In the clip, the social media star could be seen getting checked over by the medic after she was left in excruciating pain 'Even when I drink water it stings like, imagine you have ulcers. it stings. He's given me so many tablets and honestly after taking them last night it's already made the world of difference.' Saffron rose to prominence after building a substantial following on social media, with the influencer now having 2.5million followers on YouTube. She competed with professional dancer AJ Pritchard in the 2019 series of Strictly Come Dancing, with the pair being the ninth couple fo be eliminated. Saffron went on to appear on Channel 4's Celebrity Circle last year. She is set to be one of three hosts for the Oscars this month, alongside Wanda Sykes and Amy Schumer. And Regina Hall stood out just like an Academy Award on Sunday, as she commanded attention in a gold dress at the 37th annual Film Independent Spirit Awards in Santa Monica. The longtime entertainer, 51, turned heads in a shimmering gold mini dress that highlighted her trim 5ft4in frame. The Girls Trip actress took the stage as she presented the Best Supporting Male award at the star-studded event. Showstopper: Regina Hall commanded attention as she attended the 37th annual Film Independent Spirit Awards in Santa Monica on Sunday Regina looked younger than her years as she dazzled on the blue carpeted step-and-repeat. Her dress featured an asymmetrical one-sleeve design and had a straight hemline that stopped just above her knees. The industry vet's tiny waistline was accentuated by the number, which was perfectly tailored to hug her curves. Hall teamed the dress with strappy gold heels and carried a gold clutch in her hand. A vision: The longtime entertainer, 51, turned heads in a shimmering gold mini dress that highlighted her trim 5ft4in frame Pretty: The Scary Movie 2 star wore her long, dark locks in a center part and styled in loose cascaded curls that fell over her shoulder and down her back The Scary Movie 2 star wore her long, dark locks in a center part and styled in loose cascaded curls that fell over her shoulder and down her back. The public figure - who's gearing up to co-host the upcoming Academy Awards - beamed as she posed for photos. She looked effortlessly beautiful in a full face of glamorous makeup that called attention to her stunning features. The understated look included fluttery eyelashes and a swipe of a glossy, nude lip color. Presenter: The Girls Trip actress took the stage as she presented the Best Supporting Male award at the star-studded event Ava DuVernay, Jessica Chastain, Ang Lee and Shaka King are notable talent that have all been honorary chairs for the ceremony. Other presenters for 2022 include Dianna Agron, Javier Bardem, Rosario Dawson, Andrew Garfield, Lilly James, Sydney Sweeney, and Taika Waititi. The 2022 Film Independent Spirit Awards nominations were announced in December. Beanie Feldstein, Hall, and Naomi Watts read the list of nominations in a livestream broadcast shared on YouTube. Zola, about sex workers who travel to Florida, landed the most nods - a total of seven - for the 37th Film Independent Spirit Awards. Fashionista: Her dress featured an asymmetrical one-sleeve design and had a straight hemline that stopped just above her knees Glowing: The public figure - who's gearing up to co-host the upcoming Academy Awards - beamed as she took the stage In just a few weeks Regina will host the 2022 Oscars alongside comedians Amy Schumer and Wanda Sykes. The trio of stars were announced as hosts last month, marking the first time three women have hosted the ceremony, and the first Oscars hosting stint for each of the three performers. 'We want people to get ready to have a good time,' Hall, Schumer and Sykes said in a joint statement. 'Its been a while.' Accolade: The Girls Trip actress took the stage as she presented the Best Supporting Male award at the star-studded event; seen with winner Troy Kotsur U.S. President Joe Biden speaks during a meeting in the Cabinet Room of the White House, Washington, March 3. AP-Yonhap U.S. President Joe Biden's mentioning of South Korea in his State of the Union address showed his gratitude for Seoul's joining of sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, a senior official at Cheong Wa Dae said Monday. In his first State of the Union address last week, Biden thanked South Korea, along with dozens of other countries, for condemning what he called Russia's "unjustified" and "totally unprovoked" aggression on Ukraine. U.S. officials have since informed the South that Biden mentioned South Korea to express his gratitude for joining sanctions on Russia, senior presidential secretary for public communication Park Soo-hyun said on a TBS radio program. Park rejected criticism that South Korea's lukewarm attitude toward sanctions on Moscow led to the country's belated exemption from the expanded U.S. export restrictions on Russia, saying the government had to revise related regulations due to differences in export control systems. Marlee Matlin looked breathtaking in pink at the Film Independent Spirit Awards. The CODA actress, 56, worked her magic in a shimmering suit decked out in hot pink beads as she posed up a storm on the blue carpet. There was no missing Marlee as she soaked up the spotlight at the Santa Monica based awards show on Sunday. No missing her! Marlee Matlin was a vision in pink at the Film Independent Spirit Awards The plunging suit even flashed a hint of cleavage. Marlee worked a head full of loose waves, a glammed up complexion accented with a smoky eye and glossy pink lips, and a pair of silver earrings. In keeping with the pink theme, she carried a bright fuchsia envelope clutch and strutted about in a matching pair of peep toe footwear which were barely visible beneath her billowing trousers. Marlee, who is deaf, stars in the Apple TV+ film CODA, which follows 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. Hello gorgeous! Marlee worked a head full of loose waves, a glammed up complexion accented with a smoky eye and glossy pink lips, and a pair of silver earrings Troy Kotsur, who plays the family patriarch, won Best Supporting Male Actor at the Spirit Awards. 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. Last week Kotsur made history as the first deaf actor to claim an individual prize at the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards. The 53-year-old star took home the Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role accolade. Pink lady! In keeping with the pink theme, she carried a bright fuchsia envelope clutch and strutted about in a matching pair of peep toe footwear which were barely visible beneath her billowing trousers Stage presence! Matlin presented an award to the crowd at the Independent Spirit Awards Last month Kotsur became the first deaf male Oscar nominee. He was nominated for Actor in a Supporting Role category. As if that already wasn't enough history being made, CODA also became the first movie lead by a predominantly deaf cast to be nominated for an Oscar for Best Picture. Matlin became the first deaf actor - male or female - Oscar nominee and winner in 1987 for her work in Children Of A Lesser God. Star-studded: The 2022 Film Independent Spirit Awards will be handed out on Sunday, March 6 during IFC's telecast 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 The 2022 Film Independent Spirit Awards will be handed out on Sunday, March 6 during IFC's telecast. Usually, the Film Independent Spirit Awards air the day before the Oscars. But the Oscars will take place on Sunday, March 27, 2022 and the Film Independent Spirit Awards will be held weeks earlier on March 6. 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. Award-winning: Marlee, who is deaf, stars in the Apple TV+ film CODA, which follows 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 Kim Kardashian had all hands on deck as she dressed for the Balenciaga Winter '22 show during Paris Fashion Week. On Sunday, the 41-year-old SKIMS mogul shared videos in which four assistants were seen wrapping up her body from neck to toe in yellow Balenciaga-branded caution tape. 'Getting ready for the @balenciaga show,' Kim wrote on the first clip that she shared to her Instagram Story. Teamwork: Kim Kardashian had all hands on deck as she dressed for the Balenciaga Winter '22 show during Paris Fashion Week All wrapped-up! On Sunday, the 41-year-old SKIMS mogul shared videos in which four assistants were seen wrapping up her body from neck to toe in yellow Balenciaga-branded caution tape Kim covered her famous curves in a skintight black bodysuit and sported pointed-toe black heeled boots. The reality star was seen leaning back in a chair as the assistants busily wound bands of tape around her arms and legs. Additional rolls of tape were seen on a table in the background as the team worked to create the makeshift Balenciaga bodysuit. 'Getting ready for the @balenciaga show': Kim wrote on the first clip that she shared to her Instagram Story. Kim also included a snap in which rolls of tape were placed on a table next to Balenciaga Hourglass handbag, which was also almost completely covered in tape. In another image, the television personality's Balenciaga wraparound sunglasses and heels were seen in individual shoe bags next to a rendering of the caution-tape ensemble. The socialite later uploaded a snap in which she was seen backstage as she raised her arms while the assistants pulled the designer adhesive over her arms and around her waist. The mother of four also shared videos from the fashion show, adding three caution sign emojis. All hands on deck: The reality star was seen leaning back in a chair as the assistants busily wound bands of tape around her arms and legs Backup: Additional rolls of tape were seen on a table in the background as the team worked to create the makeshift Balenciaga bodysuit Kim rocked the avant-garde look on the red carpet as she posed up a storm at the star-studded event. The New York Times fashion director Vanessa Friedman posted a photo of Kim from the show on Twitter, writing, 'Kim Kardashian at the #Balenciaga show, wrapped in Balenciaga packing tape. She makes a sticky tape-y sound when she walks.' She lated added another snap of businesswoman. 'Side view of Kim in her Balenciaga packing tape outfit,' Vanessa tweeted. Wrapping it all up: Kim also included a snap in which rolls of tape were placed on a table next to Balenciaga Hourglass handbag, which was also almost completely covered in tape The look: In another image, the television personality's Balenciaga wraparound sunglasses and heels were seen in individual shoe bags next to a rendering of the caution-tape ensemble 'Im scared its going to rip when I sit down. Should I just let it rip? (It didnt rip.)' Ahead of the show, Balenciaga creative director Demna Gvasalia said that the show served as a tribute to the embattled country of Ukraine. In an Instagram statement, Demna, who is himself a refugee from the former Soviet Union country of Georgia, explained that he considering canceling the show after Russia invaded Ukraine. Funny: The New York Times fashion director Vanessa Friedman posted a photo of Kim from the show on Twitter, writing, 'Kim Kardashian at the #Balenciaga show, wrapped in Balenciaga packing tape. She makes a sticky tape-y sound when she walks' Kim: 'Im scared its going to rip when I sit down. Should I just let it rip?' 'I thought for a moment about cancelling the show that I and my team worked hard on and were all looking forward to,' he wrote. 'But then I realized that cancelling this show would mean giving in, surrendering to the evil that has already hurt me so much for almost 30 years. I decided that I can no longer sacrifice parts of me to that senseless, heartless war of ego. 'This show needs no explanation. It is a dedication to fearlessness, to resistance, and to the victory of love and peace.' Demna and his team, including those who attended to Kim, were dressed in the Ukranian colors of yellow and blue. All 525 seats at the show were decorated with Ukrainian flags. The show was attended by Salma Hayek and her husband Francois-Henri Pinault, Diplo, Alexa Demie, Lil Baby, A$AP Ferg, and Isabelle Huppert. At the show, Salma changed into a blue and yellow flag dress that was also worn by several members of Demna's staff. The 55-year-old actress posted a photo in which she was seen smiling as she stood next to Kim. She wrote in the caption, '@balenciaga #pfw,' adding emojis of the Ukrainian flag and a dove. Dopesick star Rosario Dawson flaunted substantial cleavage in an artsy LBD while attending the 37th Annual Film Independent Spirit Awards in Santa Monica on Sunday. The 42-year-old Sundance Jury Prize winner's black mini-dress featured upswept neon folds at the skirt and she wore black pumps selected by stylist Jason Rembert. Make-up artist Shanell Sorrells brought out Rosario's natural beauty for the awards ceremony at Santa Monica Pier. Babe! Dopesick star Rosario Dawson flaunted substantial cleavage in an artsy LBD while attending the 37th Annual Film Independent Spirit Awards in Santa Monica on Sunday And hairstylist Aviva Perea braided Dawson's raven locks into a sleek, twisted ponytail for the IFC telecast. The Manhattan-born Latina - who ended her two-year romance with New Jersey Senator Cory Booker last month - later hit the stage to present the trophy for the best documentary category. Rosario beamed as she handed the statuette to Summer of Soul director Questlove, who's best known for being the bandleader on NBC's The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. The 51-year-old Roots drummer (born Ahmir Thompson) was joined onstage for the honor by his crew and producers including Joseph Patel, Robert Fyvolent, and David Dinerstein. Pretty as a petal: The 42-year-old Sundance Jury Prize winner's black mini-dress featured upswept neon folds at the skirt and she wore black pumps selected by stylist Jason Rembert Ready for her close-up! Make-up artist Shanell Sorrells brought out Rosario's natural beauty for the awards ceremony at Santa Monica Pier Updo: And hairstylist Aviva Perea braided Dawson's raven locks into a sleek, twisted ponytail for the IFC telecast Newly single! The Manhattan-born Latina - who ended her two-year romance with New Jersey Senator Cory Booker last month - later hit the stage to present the trophy for the best documentary category Proud: Rosario beamed as she handed the statuette to Summer of Soul director Questlove, who's best known for being the bandleader on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Takes a village: The 51-year-old Roots drummer (born Ahmir Thompson) was joined onstage for the honor by his crew and producers including Joseph Patel, Robert Fyvolent, and David Dinerstein Dawson made sure to congratulate the woman of the hour - The Lost Daughter director Maggie Gyllenhaal - who took home trophies for best feature, best director, and best screenplay. The Go-Big Show judge also caught up with Spencer actress Kristen Stewart, who was the Spirit Awards honorary chair as well as a presenter. The Twilight alum - who was wearing Chanel - just received her first Academy Award nomination for her moving performance as the late Princess Diana. Champ: Dawson made sure to congratulate the woman of the hour - The Lost Daughter director Maggie Gyllenhaal - who took home trophies for best feature, best director, and best screenplay Hey girl! The Go-Big Show judge also caught up with Spencer actress Kristen Stewart, who was the Spirit Awards honorary chair as well as a presenter 'I've never even gotten kinda close!' The Twilight alum - who was wearing Chanel - just received her first Academy Award nomination for her moving performance as the late Princess Diana Pals: Rosario also hung out with Hamilton alum Daveed Diggs, who stood out in a rainbow-hued suit to present the best screenplay award PDA: She seemed especially excited to reconnect with Titanic alum Frances Fisher, who starred in This Is Not a War Story, which Dawson executive produced last year 'I've never even gotten kinda close,' Kristen told ET of the honor on Sunday. 'So this experience alone, even without the nomination, would have been really stunning.' Rosario also hung out with Hamilton alum Daveed Diggs, who stood out in a rainbow-hued suit to present the best screenplay award. Likely enrolled in college: The Book of Boba Fett guest star is mother to 19-year-old daughter Isabella (L, pictured June 20 with Rosario's stepfather Greg), whom she adopted from a family friend in 2014 '#DMZ': Rosario will next portray American Civil War II medic Alma Ortega opposite Benjamin Bratt (L, pictured in 2020) in Roberto Patino's four-episode dystopian series DMZ, which premieres March 17 on HBO Max She seemed especially excited to reconnect with Titanic alum Frances Fisher, who starred in This Is Not a War Story, which Dawson executive produced last year. The Book of Boba Fett guest star is mother to 19-year-old daughter Isabella, likely enrolled in college, whom she adopted from a family friend in 2014. Rosario will next portray American Civil War II medic Alma Ortega opposite Benjamin Bratt in Roberto Patino's four-episode dystopian series DMZ, which premieres March 17 on HBO Max. Dianna Agron stepped out on Sunday to make an appearance at the 2022 Film Independent Spirit Awards. The Glee alum, 35, looked great in a brown, sequined, cropped halter top and a satin midi skirt. The actress was joined by the cast of her independent film Shiva Baby, which took home an award. On the scene: Dianna Agron stepped out on Sunday to make an appearance at the 2022 Film Independent Spirit Awards Dianna added simple, strappy, open-toe black heels to her look as she strutted the events blue carpet. The blonde beauty's top showed off a bit of her trim stomach, which was partially covered by her high-waisted skirt. Her hair was styled in a side part and worn in a sleek, straight style with the strands falling over one shoulder. Gorgeous: The Glee alum, 35, looked great in a brown, sequined, cropped halter top and a satin midi skirt She secured the front with a bobby pin that pulled her highlighted locks to the side for a delicate, face-framing look. The entertainer looked naturally beautiful with a light face of characteristic-accentuating makeup. Her cheeks were softly blushed, she wore eye-popping mascara, and her lips were coated in a pink hue. Recent work: The actress was joined by the cast of her independent film Shiva Baby, which took home an award Ahead of the show: Before gracing the event's step-and-repeat Dianna stopped for photos outside the venue Before gracing the event's step-and-repeat Dianna stopped for photos outside the venue. She wore a long, black, blazer-style trench coat to keep warm despite the beachside breeze. The movie star opted for an understated look, skipping statement-making jewelry and instead wearing small earrings and delicate rings. Showstopper: Agron spoke on stage at the event, beaming with a photo-ready smile as she kept the audience engaged Shiva Baby was the recipient of the show's John Cassavetes Award, which is bestowed upon the best film made for less than $500,000. Agron spoke on stage at the event, beaming with a photo-ready smile as she kept the audience engaged. Other presenters for 2022 included Javier Bardem, Rosario Dawson, Andrew Garfield, Lilly James, Sydney Sweeney, and Taika Waititi. The 2022 Film Independent Spirit Awards nominations were announced in December. Beanie Feldstein, Regina Hall, and Naomi Watts read the list of nominations in a livestream broadcast shared on YouTube. Presenter: Agron spoke on stage at the event, beaming with a photo-ready smile as she kept the audience engaged His wife Sofia Vergara didn't join him on Sunday at the 2022 Film Independent Spirit Awards, but that didn't stop Joe Manganiello from bringing an unorthodox plus one. The 45-year-old Magic Mike star showed off his cute canine buddy Bubbles during downtime at the award ceremony in Santa Monica, which puts the spotlight on independent cinema and offbeat television series. The actor held the tiny Chihuahua/Pomeranian mix firmly while wrapping it up in a little black blanket as he took in the spectacle. Plus one: Joe Manganiello was without his wife Sofia Vergara at the 2022 Film Independent Spirit Awards on Sunday in Santa Monica, but he made up for it by bringing his cute dog Bubbles Bubbles could be seen looking around the room quizzically and sported a lime green collar. Even though Joe was apparently just attending the ceremony and not making any on-stage appearances, he was still dressed to the nines in a stylish charcoal plaid three-piece suit featuring a vest with intriguing asymmetrical lapels. He paired the look with a classical white shirt and a black knit tie. The True Blood actor matched his suit with his standard well-kept salt-and-pepper beard, and he had his short dark hair spiked up. Looking good: Joe was dressed to the nines in a stylish charcoal plaid three-piece suit featuring a vest with intriguing asymmetrical lapels and a black knit tie Cozy: He kept Bubbles a ChihuahuaPomeranian mix bundled up in his arms in a black blanket while watching the award ceremony The actor rounded out his ensemble with dark brown shoes, and he brought along some sunglasses for the early afternoon. Joe is no stranger to bringing little Bubbles along to event with him, and he brought the little dog with him earlier this month when he made an appearance at the Filming Italy Los Angeles film festival. Missing out on the exciting evening was Joe's wife Sofia Vergara. Back in May, she joked about how much her husband loves their dog Bubbles when she made a virtual appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Although Bubbles has fallen in love with Joe, she seems to have had a colder reaction to Sofia. 'She hates me. She was supposed to be for me. She was supposed to be my dog,' the Modern Family star complained. 'She arrived to the house and I don't know, she thought she was for Joe and that's all she wants to do.' Looking good: The actor rounded out his ensemble with dark brown shoes, and he brought along some sunglasses for the early afternoon Inseparable: Joe is no stranger to bringing little Bubbles along to event with him, and he brought the little dog with him earlier this week when he made an appearance at the Filming Italy Los Angeles film festival; seen March 1 in LA MIA: Missing out on the exciting evening was Joe's wife Sofia Vergara, who joked in May on The Tonight Show that Bubbles loves Joe way more than her According to her, Bubbles practically has an 'obsession' with Joe. 'She's after him all day long, harassing him. It's an obsession this dog has with him. It's horrific, she hates me,' she continued. 'She's super mean to me. She bites me! She's not that cute in person.' But the Colombian-born actress didn't let her feud with the dog get in the way of her husband's love for it, so she made him a Bubbles-themed birthday cake. 'I wanted to make him happy because, you know, that's his baby,' she admitted. 'I have to say, he treats her like she's a little daughter he has. But she insists on, you know, behaving like a concubine or like a mistress or something,' she joked. 'She sleeps with him. She gets angry when I walk in the room. It's a whole thing now in the house.' Sofia and Joe celebrated their sixth wedding anniversary back in November. The couple announced their engagement on Christmas Day of 2014 after a six-month whirlwind courtship, and they went on to tie the knot on November 21, 2015. Going strong: They celebrated their sixth wedding anniversary in November. The couple announced their engagement on Christmas Day of 2014 after a six-month whirlwind courtship, and they went on to tie the knot on November 21, 2015 Advertisement While some of the film and TV industry's brightest stars put their best fashion foot forward as they turned out for the the 2022 Film Independent Spirit Awards at the Santa Monica Pier, others completely missed the mark. Kanye West's ex-girlfriend Julia Fox topped the worst dressed at the event in a dramatically slashed black gown and bikini top, that that left nothing to the imagination with its racy cut-outs on the hips and upper thigh. In addition to raising eyebrows with her skintight dress, the 32-year-old Uncut Gems actress' exaggerated winged eyeliner made her look more like she rubbed her face after falling asleep with her makeup on than an A-lister. Worst-dressed: While some of the film and TV industry's brightest stars put their best fashion foot forward as they turned out for the the 2022 Film Independent Spirit Awards at the Santa Monica Pier, others completely missed the mark She completed the unforgettable ensemble with a silver cuff on her upper arm in the shape of a snake and a classic French manicure that didn't quite go with her edgy aesthetic. Her hairdresser, however, did an amazing job of straightening her glossy brunette hair, which cascaded down her back as she posed for photographs. Tick, Tick... Boom! star Andrew Garfield, who typically sticks to a classic black tuxedo and bow tie, was led astray by whoever suggested he pair a violet blazer, lavender button-down and brown trousers together. 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 Yikes: In addition to raising eyebrows with her skintight dress, the 32-year-old Uncut Gems actress' exaggerated winged eyeliner made her look more like she rubbed her face after falling asleep with her makeup on than an A-lister Too much: She completed the unforgettable ensemble with a silver cuff on her upper arm in the shape of a snake and a classic French manicure that didn't quite go with her edgy aesthetic Saving grace: Her hairdresser, however, did an amazing job of straightening her glossy brunette hair, which cascaded down her back as she posed for photographs Working it: Regardless of the dress, Fox's toned physique was undeniable Even with his sunglasses on, Garfield didn't look so confident as he posed with one hand in his pocket and went back and forth on whether to leave his purple-tinted shades on or off. All around, the British actor, 38, appeared to be trying too hard from the amount of gel in his hair to leaving one too many buttons undone on his dress shirt open. Meanwhile, Rosario Dawson appeared to be channeling a rebellious ballerina in a plunging black minidress with upswept neon folds at the skirt. Unsure: He appeared slightly uncomfortable when he first showed up to be photographed while deciding whether or not to leave on his purple-tinted shades Not his best: Even with his sunglasses on, Garfield didn't look so confident as he posed with one hand in his pocket Breeda Wool also sported another look that will be remembered for all the wrong reasons, from her frumpy yellow clutch to the purple velour heels. Instead of showing off her stunning figure, the 38-year-old UnREAL actress cut a dizzying figure in a rainbow dress with both horizontal and vertical stripes. Eye-popping: The Dopesick star flaunted substantial cleavage in her edgy little black dress A shame: Instead of showing off her stunning figure, the 38-year-old UnREAL actress cut a dizzying figure in a rainbow dress with both horizontal and vertical stripes Canadian actress Amy Forsyth seemingly risked a wardrobe malfunction in order to wear her black sequined dress with a semi-sheer top that barely covered her breasts Canadian actress Amy Forsyth seemingly risked a wardrobe malfunction in order to wear her black sequined dress with a semi-sheer top that barely covered her breasts. Daveed Diggs' over-the-top rainbow suit could've passed for a clown costume, apart from the missing a red nose and colorful wig. One-of-a-kind: Daveed Diggs' over-the-top rainbow suit could've passed for a clown costume, if worn to a children's birthday party Sarah Abo walked off the set of the Today show after clashing with Karl Stefanovic during Monday's live broadcast The 60 Minutes reporter, who is currently filling in for co-host Allison Langdon, was presenting the weather forecast when she mispronounced the name of a town. 'You did really well until the last bit. You always have to have something to get better at,' Karl said. Not impressed? Sarah Abo walked off the set of the Today show after clashing with host Karl Stefanovic while filling in for Allison Langdon on Monday Sarah responded: 'I'm supposed to be here all week you know that right?' 'Are you? We will see about that,' Karl joked before bursting into laughter. Sarah then stood up from her seat and walked off the set, saying: 'Wow, ok see you, I'm out of here.' 'No Sarah, come back,' Karl yelled, before his co-host walked back laughing. Error: The 60 Minutes reporter, who is currently filling in for co-host Allison Langdon, was presenting the weather forecast when she mispronounced the name of a town It comes as Allison is back in hospital as she continues to suffer complications from a hydrofoiling accident one year ago. In February last year, the 42-year-old TV host underwent surgery after badly injuring her knee while filming a watersports segment for the Today show on the Gold Coast. Ally's co-host Karl revealed she was 'holed up' in hospital on Friday's show as he continued to report on the floods in Queensland and New South Wales. 'You did really well until the last bit. You always have to have something to get better at,' Karl said 'Before we go to the weather, I just wanted to say a quick good morning to you all and particularly [highlight] some lovely messages from Ally, who has passed on her thanks from home to all the State Emergency Service for doing a great job,' he said. After sharing a picture of Ally watching the show from her hospital bed, he added: 'She's unfortunately got... that knee of hers, it's just shonky. If she could replace it I'm sure she would. 'She's holed up watching the program this morning. All our love Ally, and to a speedy recovery.' Randall Emmett enjoyed some quality time with his three daughters on Sunday. The movie producer, 50, was spotted shopping at The Grove in Los Angeles with London, 12, Rylee, eight, and Ocean, 11 months. Randall looked every inch the doting dad as he carried the newest addition to his family gently in his arms. Doting dad! Randall Emmett was spotted shopping at The Grove mall in Los Angeles on Sunday with his daughters London, 12, Rylee, eight, and Ocean, 11 months The Irish Man producer sported a black 'Municipal' T-shirt, jeans, white Nike trainers and a gelled hair style. Randall was also seen showing a book to his youngest daughter, who gazed curiously at the publication. The outing comes days after Randall was accused by his ex fiancee Lala Kent of starting up a relationship with a 23-year-old just weeks before she gave birth to their daughter Ocean. But Lala kept her mind off the matter several days ago as she hit the gym with Ocean. Family man: Emmett gently carried the newest addition to his family in his arms Starting them young! Randall showed a book to baby Ocean and she gazed curiously at the publication 'When Gigi's trying to go to the gym at the same time as you,' the reality star captioned the post, before adding, '(Gigi is my Mama / Oceans Grandma for anyone who doesn't know). And, of course, she documented a few of her routines that she shared with Ocean for her 1.7 million Instagram fans and followers. In the video, Kent can be seen doing bicep curls while holding her daughter with one arm, and doing bicep curls with the other. Multi-tasker: Lala Kent, 31, showed she can multi-task by holding her daughter Ocean in one arm and doing bicep curls with the other Babysitter engaged: 'When Gigi's trying to go to the gym at the same time as you,' the reality star captioned the post, before adding, '(Gigi is my Mama / Oceans Grandma for anyone who doesn't know)' Focused on the task at hand, Kent never got distracted by her daughter's enthusiasm and proceeded to keep count of that particular set, never missing a beat Seemingly intrigued by her mother's workout, the little girl pointed at the small barbell and then reached out for it as the reality star continued on with her weight lifting. Focused on the task at hand, Kent never got distracted by her daughter's enthusiasm and proceeded to keep count of that particular set, never missing a beat. Kent suited up for her workout in skintight black leggings and matching sleeveless top which highlighted her enviably fit post-baby body. Quality time: Kent put Ocean to use, as sort of a weight resistance, when she did squats Rock solid: The new mom hardly looked like a woman who gave birth 12 months ago She rounded out the short workout video by doing a few more bicep curls, only this time she switched things up and did curls with her right arm while holding on to Ocean with her left. She then grabbed ahold of baby Ocean as she performed squats. For this exercise, the new mommy held her little one out in front of her waist while she squatted. She rounded out the short workout video by doing a few more bicep curls, only this time she switched things up and did curls with her right arm while holding on to Ocean with her left. Little Ocean also got the attention of her daddy on Thursday, when they were seen out on a casual walk around their West Hollywood neighborhood with her nanny. Allegations: 'Let's talk about it,' wrote Kent, alluding to his 'treatment' of her over the course of their years-long relationship. 'I was alone during most of my pregnancy and for the first seven months of her life, until the mask fell and I saw who he really was Dressed in black sweatpants with a matching t-shirt, Emmett looked liked the picture of a doting father, smiling and laughing while seemingly tending to her every need. The walk may in fact been the first public sighting of Emmett since Kent accused him of starting a relationship with a 23-year-old the same month they welcomed Ocean to the world. Kent made the bombshell claim in the comment section of an Instagram post shared by One Mom's Battle on Wednesday. The post suggested that Emmett received some backlash online for his 'treatment of Lala Kent' after he uploaded a photo to Instagram of Ocean and his daughter Rylee, eight, whom she shares with his ex-wife. Daddy's girl: Little Ocean also got the attention of her daddy on Thursday, when they were seen out on a casual walk around their West Hollywood neighborhood with her nanny 'Let's talk about it,' wrote Lala, alluding to his 'treatment' of her over the course of their years-long relationship. 'I was alone during most of my pregnancy and for the first 7 months of her life, until the mask fell and I saw who he really was.' She claimed that Randall 'started a relationship with a 23 year old in march of 2021 - the month I gave birth [to Ocean].' Lala also claimed that he and his alleged mistress were 'traveling together' while she was at 'home with ocean, and working on my brand. 'I thought he was working, because thats what he said he was doing,' she continued, before referencing photos that surfaced in October 2021 that allegedly showed Randall at a Nashville hotel with several unidentified women. 'After the pictures surfaced, I tried to leave the home to gain clarity and avoid a toxic environment for my daughter- but anytime I did he threatened to call the police if I didnt return ocean to the home. 'But if he felt we were good and he was in control again, I was able to leave the house. I did what I had to do to leave the relationship with my baby,' she alleged. Lala called off the couple's engagement in October 2021 after allegations of cheating. She has since moved out of the director's home and resides in a new place with her baby girl. '[Randall's] new 23 year old girlfriend was 'basically living' in the home 2 days after I left. Sadly this isnt the most shocking thing I learned,' she continued in the comment. 'Women and cheating are just the tip of the iceberg. I was able to get out- but now my daughter is in the hands of a broken court system,' she added. 'Narcs thrive when they are under a microscope. I am not blind to what is going on, tho. It makes me sick that my sweet daughters face (a picture I took and sent to him by the way) is what pops up when he does his dirty work,' she concluded cryptically. In a follow-up comment, Lala clarified that she was 'not upset' at Randall's alleged mistress and she credited the young woman for 'saving' her from the relationship. 'But I'm heartbroken for her. She's his next victim,' she wrote. Taylour Paige couldn't contain her happiness at Sunday's Independent Spirit Awards following her win for Best Female Performance. The 31-year-old actress took home the trophy for her attention-grabbing role as the title character in the stripper comedy-crime film Zola. She celebrated at the after party wearing her eye-catching two-piece awards show look that showed off her taut tummy. Beaming: Taylour Paige couldn't contain her happiness at Sunday's Independent Spirit Awards after party, following her win for Best Female Performance Taylor clutched her prize and smiled for photos after accepting her award during the star-studded ceremony, which was held in Santa Monica. Afterward, the celebratory gathering took place nearby at The Victorian. The movie star was gorgeous in her two-piece co-ord, which consisted of a short-sleeved crop top that had a tiny fasten at the collar. It had a brown velvet foundation and was covered in blue sequins that adorned it in a floral pattern. Party time: She celebrated at the after party wearing her eye-catching two-piece awards show look that showed off her taut tummy; seen with Rachel Sennott and Emma Seligman Accolade: The 31-year-old actress took home the trophy for her attention-grabbing role as the title character in the stripper comedy-crime film Zola Taylour's skirt was also covered in intricate blue sequin detailing and she teamed the look with strappy black heels. The entertainer posed with other winners at the event, including Rachel Sennott and Emma Seligman, who were recognized for their film Shiva Baby. Sennott wore a blue and white patterned mini dress with strappy white platform shoes, while Rachel looked elegant in a classic little black dress. One to watch: Taylour stars in Zola about a a part-time stripper who meets and befriends a woman who informs her about a way to make easy money in Florida Zola was inspired by a Twitter thread by Aziah 'Zola' King, in which she told the story of taking a road trip from Detroit to Tampa, Florida, with a friend named Stefani (Riley Keough). The trip is complicated when Zola learns that Stefani is a prostitute who brought her meek boyfriend (Successions' Nicholas Braun) and her pimp (Colman Domingo) along. In her thank you speech Paige called her costar Riley her 'best friend' 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. On Monday's episode of SAS Australia, Paul Fenech viciously clashed with Richard Buttrose after the pair exchanged barbs. Following a challenge, convicted drug dealer Richard got a dressing down from the Directing Staff, and took it out on Paul, calling him a bleeped curse word. 'Arrogant w**ker!' Paul snapped in response as his co-stars tried to settle the raging actor down. Anger: On Monday's episode of SAS Australia, Paul Fenech (pictured) viciously clashed with Richard Buttrose after the pair exchanged barbs The skirmish continued in the van on the way back to camp, with Paul visibly angry. 'I don't want to be spoken to like that for no reason. Just because some rich w**ker has a tantrum,' he ranted. 'Just so you know Pauly I'm broke,' Richard replied, and insisted he was no longer interested in arguing. Upset: Following a challenge, convicted drug dealer Richard (second from right) got a dressing down from the Directing Staff, and took it out on Paul 'Arrogant w**ker!' Paul snapped in response as his co-stars tried to settle the raging actor 'You act like a rich w**ker mate. Shut up you jailhouse lawyer, just take it on the chin. I don't need to be talked down to by some scumbag drug dealer,' Paul continued. Richard said there was, 'No need for the name calling' but Paul pointed out that Richard had started it earlier. Later in the episode, Richard was kicked off the show by Directing Staff when Ant Middleton stormed over and rippled off his number. Mad: The skirmish continued in the van on the way back to camp, with Paul visibly angry. 'I don't want to be spoken to like that for no reason. Just because some rich w**ker has a tantrum,' he ranted 'You act like a rich w**ker mate. Shut up you jailhouse lawyer, just take it on the chin. I don't need to be talked down to by some scumbag drug dealer,' Paul continued Deflated, Richard left the show as Ant reminded the recruits the course was a process 'designed to weed out the weak'. Paul was glad to see the back of him, and continued to say negative things even in his absence. 'He's got no credentials, he's famous for nothing,' Paul snapped, before his co-stars convinced him to finally let it go since Richard was gone. People stage a rally calling for Russia to stop the war against Ukraine in Seoul, March 5. AP-Yonhap South Korea said Monday it plans to suspend transactions with Russia's central bank, joining the global move to impose additional sanctions against Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine. The government said it will announce details after consulting with related government agencies. Advertisement The path to redemption doesn't always run smoothly, but rarely does it take one through sleepy Hertfordshire towns - especially if you're a conflicted Russian assassin with a newfound belief in God. Just ask Villanelle. But this is where the unlikely Christian finds herself as episode two of the fourth and final series of BBC show Killing Eve begins, accompanied by an alternate version of herself. Dressed as Jesus Christ. In drag. You really couldn't make it up - except of course, someone already has. With Hemel Hempstead providing an unlikely backdrop, Jodie Comer's enigmatic killer is at a moral crossroads and determined to make amends while joining her congregation on a camping trip. Unconventional: The path to redemption doesn't always run smoothly, but rarely does it take one through sleepy Hertfordshire towns - especially if you're a conflicted Russian assassin with a newfound belief in God. Just ask Villanelle And rightly so. After attempting to drown closeted friend May in the church font, it seemed prudent that Villanelle build bridges with the terrified twenty-something, not least because she's lodging under her father's roof. Awkward. But after finagling her way back into gullible May's good books - it really doesn't take much - she inadvertently unearths a deeply buried family secret involving said father, the devout vicar Phil. Confiding in Villanelle, the young Christian reveals he was responsible for her mother's death after crashing their car while under the influence of alcohol. 'He tells everyone she died in a car crash,' she explains. 'But he leaves out the important part - he was the one who was drunk.' Bizarre: But this is where the unlikely Christian finds herself as episode two of the fourth and final series of BBC show Killing Eve begins, accompanied by an alternate version of herself. Dressed as Jesus Christ. In drag. You really couldn't make it up Olive branch: After attempting to drown closeted friend May in the church font, it seemed prudent that Villanelle build bridges with the terrified twenty-something, not least because she's lodging under her father's roof. Awkward Sensing the upper hand, Villanelle promptly shares her secret with the rest of the congregation in an attempt to hold Phil accountable and cement her place within an increasingly doubtful group. However her attempt at transparency, however manipulative and contrived, is met with open rejection and barely concealed disgust, with one unimpressed camper insisting they will stand by the vicar. 'Whatever he's done is in the past,' she tells an incredulous Villanelle. 'It's the man he is today that we care about.' 'What about the woman I am?' Villanelle demands as the group offers cheers of support for the beleaguered Phil. The response is as direct as it is painful: 'There's a saying in my family - you can put a wig on s**t, but it's still s**t.' Ouch. Opening up: Confiding in Villanelle, the young Christian reveals he was responsible for her mother's death after crashing their car while under the influence of alcohol Confrontation: Sensing the upper hand, Villanelle promptly shares her secret with the rest of the congregation in an attempt to hold Phil accountable and cement her place within an increasingly doubtful group Unexpected: However her attempt at transparency, however manipulative and contrived, is met with open rejection and barely concealed disgust, with one unimpressed camper insisting they will stand by the beleaguered vicar Isolated, alone and all but ostracized from the camp, a chastened Villanelle reverts to what she knows best after overhearing May and Phil describing her in less than saintly terms during a private discussion in their shared tent. Lashing out, she kills both in the returning show's first act of violence before turning on the bizarre vision of herself as Jesus, a symbolic act that all but confirms her reversion to the manipulative killer we all know and love. Meanwhile Eve tracks Helene to an apartment in Paris with the help of her colleague and occasional friend with benefits Yusuf as she continues her search for the ever elusive Twelve. Killing eavesdropping: Isolated, alone and all but ostracized from the camp, a chastened Villanelle reverts to what she knows best after overhearing May and Phil describing her in less than saintly terms during a private discussion in their shared tent Here we go: Lashing out, she kills both in the returning show's first act of violence, confirming her reversion to the manipulative killer we all know and love Killing Christ: She eventually turns on the bizarre vision of herself as Jesus by attempting to throttle it to death Once there, Helene - a single mother-of-one - reveals that she is responsible for the murders of the members of the various Twelve members uncovered by Eve's former boss, Carolyn. She admits that she is doing this to find who is leading the Twelve, and agrees to join forces with Eve in their dogged pursuit of the global organisation. Killing Eve's final series continues on BBC iPlayer on March 7th. It airs on BBC American in the US. On the hunt: Meanwhile Eve tracks Helene to an apartment in Paris with the help of her colleague and occasional friend with benefits Yusuf as she continues her search for the ever elusive Twelve She's swapped London for Kenya's capital city Niariobi. And Georgia Toffolo took to Instagram to share a look at her getaway and her chic fashion choices as she enjoyed her holiday in the sun. In one photo, the blonde beauty wore a long red macrame cover up over a matching swimsuit with cut out detail, which hugged her petite frame. Blonde beauty: Georgia Toffolo took to Instagram to share a look at her getaway and her chic fashion choices as she enjoyed her holiday in the sun The star looked relaxed as she stood bare foot, with gorgeous views, a chic straw hat in her hand and circular sunglasses on her head. Captioning the glamorous photo, she wrote: 'I'm always overdressed but who cares, I felt a million dollars (new motto)'. In another post, Georgia shared a shot of herself on a boat in a stunning retro inspired swimsuit. Elephants: After arriving in Kenya, reality TV regular went on to share more photos of her adventures, in one picture she posed with a pair of elephants In another post, Georgia shared a shot of herself on a boat in a glamorous retro inspired swimsuit. The cream suit with black button detail extenuated the stars taut physique as she leaned out to enjoy the breeze. Her hair blowing in the wind, she completed the look with a pair of large chic sunglasses. Retro swimmer: In another post, Georgia shared a shot of herself on a boat in a glamorous retro inspired swimsuit. Flying high: The former I'm a Celebrity ...Get Me Out Of Her Star, started her trip leaving Heathrow Airport in first class - where she sipped a glass of champagne The former I'm a Celebrity contestant, started her trip leaving Heathrow Airport in first class - where she sipped a glass of champagne. Looking comfortably chic for the long journey, Georgia wore a cream fleece with peach pattern detail, alabaster leggings and grey trainers. Her blonde hair, looking fuller than ever, falling to her shoulders with a dark clip holding it back from her face. Once arriving in Kenya, reality TV regular went on to share more photos of her adventures, in one picture she posed with a pair of elephants at an orphanage. In a simple teal tank and printed denim shorts, protecting herself from the sun with a pastel head scarf. She wrote: 'Up early to go to the elephant orphanage just outside of Nairobi, It is the most successful orphan elephant rescue and rehabilitation program in the world!'. The star also shared videos of her holiday, one of which was filmed by her friend and The Island With Bear Grylls star Barnes Thomas - who joined her on the trip. The pals enjoyed a boating adventure on the ocean, where they swam and spotted dolphins. However Georgia also posted that the group were covered in "guts" after they attempted to catch fish. Lily James and Kristen Stewart were just two of the showbiz stars in attendance at the Film Independent Spirit Awards on Sunday. And as part of the proceedings in Santa Monica, California, the respective actresses posed up a storm for a stunning black-and-white shoot. Lily, 32, wowed in a dramatic puff sleeve top, which boasted a balconette bra style with jewels embellished off the shoulder sleeves. Natural: Lily James (pictured) and Kristen Stewart posed up a storm for a black-and-white shoot as they attended the Film Independent Spirit Awards in California on Sunday She slipped into a pair of high waisted wide legged black trousers and added some chunky soled heels to elevate her height. Additional candid shots showed the film star lapping up the Californian surroundings as she arrived at the stellar event. Meanwhile, Spencer actress Kristen, 31, oozed glamour in a white sequin Chanel top and coordinating trousers. Pose: Spencer actress Kristen, 31, oozed glamour in a white sequin Chanel top and coordinating trousers Chic: Lily, 32, wowed in a dramatic puff sleeve top, which boasted a balconette bra style with jewels embellished off the shoulder sleeves Caught in the moment: Additional candid shots showed the film star lapping up the Californian surroundings as she arrived at the stellar event Significant: Oscar nominee Kristen served as the honorary chair as well as a presenter for the event, which is dedicated to independent filmmakers Animated display: The Los Angeles native styled her waves in a cool wet-look hair and opted for a classic smoky eye The Los Angeles native styled her waves in a cool wet-look hair and opted for a classic smoky eye. The Oscar nominee served as the honorary chair as well as a presenter for the event, which is dedicated to independent filmmakers. Chilean filmmaker Pablo Larrain joined Kristen during the standout shoot, for pictures which spotlighted the vast crowds at the celebratory event. Photo opportunity: Chilean filmmaker Pablo Larrain joined Kristen during the standout shoot, for pictures which spotlighted the vast crowds at the celebratory event Maggie Gyllenhaal was one of the big winners at Sunday's 2022 Film Independent Spirit Awards ceremony. The actress' film The Lost Daughter was awarded the show's top prize for Best Feature, while she also earned the high-profile honours for Best Director and Best Screenplay. 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. Big night: Maggie Gyllenhaal was one of the big winners at Sunday's 2022 Film Independent Spirit Awards ceremony in Santa Monica with wins for Best Feature, Best Director and Best Screenplay for The Lost Daughter First win: 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. Hayley Willis has announced she is expecting her second child with fiancee Fiona Falkiner. The 30-year-old shared the exciting news on Monday evening, alongside a series of family photos of herself with Fiona and their one-year-old son Hunter. 'Grateful, blessed, over the moon it's hard to put into words how much I adore my little family as we prepare to welcome another addition,' Hayley wrote on Instagram. Exciting! Hayley Willis and her fiancee Fiona Falkiner announced they're expecting their second child together on Monday... one year after welcoming their son Hunter 'Baby Falkiner due August. Two boys under two, how hard can it be?!' Fiona also wrote on Instagram: 'No words guys! Baby Falkiner Due in August. We are over the moon!' 'My beautiful wife to be @hayley__willis has been so incredible, having had covid, moved house, all the things in the first trimester but she is just amazing and took it all in her stride!' She continued: 'Hunter can't wait to meet his baby brother!!!! Life does not get much better than this! I am feeling very blessed with a very full heart.' New addition: The 30-year-old shared the exciting news on Instagram, alongside a series of family photos of herself with Fiona and their one-year-old son Hunter In one photo, Hayley revealed her growing baby bump as she lifted her white T-shirt while posing alongside Fiona and their son Hunter. In another image, the couple gazed adoringly at one another as Fiona gently placed her hand on Hayley's bump. Fiona and Hayley welcomed their son Hunter into the world on March 22 - and announced his arrival via a sweet Instagram post. 'Grateful, blessed, over the moon it's hard to put into words how much I adore my little family as we prepare to welcome another addition,' Hayley wrote on Instagram Growing family: In one photo, Hayley revealed her growing baby bump as she lifted her white T-shirt while posing alongside Fiona and their son Hunter Fiona wrote at the time: 'For two years you were a dream. Over nine months we watched you grow. In a second you stole our hearts, and showed us a love we did not know.' 'Introducing Hunter William Falkiner Born 22.3.2021. 3.3kgs of baby gold. Mummy Fee and bub are doing fantastic. The couple became engaged in April 2019 while on holiday in Vanuatu, sharing the sweet moment to Instagram. Jodie Turner-Smith looked effortlessly stylish on Sunday as she left her hotel in a tailored coat during Paris Fashion Week. The actress, 35, was chic in the forest green number which boasted contrasting red buttons. She wore it over a simple outfit made up of a casual grey t-shirt, and dark grey skintight trousers. Flawless: Jodie Turner-Smith looked effortlessly stylish on Sunday as she left her hotel in a tailored coat during Paris Fashion Week Toting her essential in a quirky multicoloured handbag, she strolled down the street in a pair of black lace-up boots. Her raven tresses were swept back off her face in an elegant updo, and secured with a white headband. She shielded her eyes behind a pair of oversized brown tinted sunglasses and added a black mask over her nose and mouth. On trend: The actress, 35, looked effortlessly stylish in the forest green number which boasted contrasting red buttons Fashion forward: She wore it over a simple outfit made up of a casual grey t-shirt, and dark grey skintight trousers Jodie has been giving fans a look inside her and 43-year-old husband Joshua Jackson's Fashion Week travels with loved-up Instagram snaps. The Nightflyers actress shared a number of pictures to her Instagram on Tuesday of her and Joshua enjoying a date night in Milan on Friday for the Gucci show. The pair dazzled in their respective Gucci ensembles, with Jodie sporting a blush frilled-lace dress while Joshua donned a baby blue suit. Adorable! Jodie has shared some loved-up Instagram snaps from Milan and Paris with husband Joshua Jackson, donning Gucci outfits as they headed to the show in Milan The spouses both looked chic in black Gucci sunglasses as they strolled through Milan in one image In the Instagram carousel, Jodie also shared an image of the two spouses in an elevator - with the Little Fires Everywhere actor resting his head on his wife, alongside selfies of the pair as they headed to the Gucci show. Jodie also showed off her cleavage as she posed in an ultra-chic Gucci suit - featuring a blue pattern design. City of love: The couple are currently in Paris for Fashion Week, with Jodie sharing their day of sightseeing to her Instagram Stories on Tuesday Chic: Jodie sported a blush frilled-lace dress at the show while Joshua donned a baby blue suit as they attended a Gucci event Flying visit: Jodie captioned the post: '12 hours in Milano as guests of Gucci' The beauty opted for an avante-garde style look, with small diamante's creating a wing from her eyelid and a voluminous high ponytail. She captioned the post: ' 12 hours in Milano as guests of Gucci' She also gave a special mention to Creative Director of Gucci, Alessandro Michele, writing: 'My dear @alessandromichele, i am honoured to be alive to witness your iconic reign at this incredible fashion house. The show was exquisite' (translated) Joshua and Jodie, who have been married since 2019, enjoyed the European getaway as they took a break from parenting their daughter Janie, who they welcomed in April 2020. Dressed to impress: The couple supported Gucci in both cities during the respective fashion week's, after Jodie recently walked in the brand's Hollywood Boulevard runway show Daisy Edgar-Jones put on a phenomenal display at the Film Independent Spirit Awards in California on Sunday night. The 23-year-old actress, who earned widespread recognition for her role as Marianne Sheridan in Normal People, stole the show in a keyhole bra maxi dress, which featured spaghetti straps and a sheer skirt. The black Nensi Dojaka ensemble allowed Daisy to make a statement look, which was further emphasised by open-toe heels. Wow: Daisy Edgar-Jones pulled out all the fashion stops in a sheer maxi dress as she made a phenomenal appearance at the Film Independent Spirit Awards in California on Sunday She styled her shoulder-length locks with a subtle hint of wave and sported a complementary face of makeup, which included a flick of accentuating eyeliner. The Londoner also stopped for photographs with actor Sebastian Stan and the duo later presented the award for Best Male Performance In A New Scripted Series. The gong went to Lee Jung-jae for his role as Seong Gi-hun in Netflix sensation Squid Games. Beauty: The 23-year-old actress stole the show in the black Nensi Dojaka ensemble, which featured spaghetti straps and a sheer skirt Gorgeous: The keyhole bra maxi dress allowed Daisy to make a statement look, which was further emphasised by open-toe heels Stunner: Daisy sported a complementary face of makeup, which included a flick of accentuating eyeliner All smiles: The Londoner also stopped for photographs with actor Sebastian Stan Onstage appearance: The duo later presented the award for Best Male Performance In A New Scripted Series, which went to Lee Jung-jae Daisy did not let the evening pass without spending time with film director Mimi Cave. Mimi's directorial debut, Fresh, was released last week and stars both Daisy and Sebastian. The women featured in a stunning black-and-white photoshoot, where they were captured with an arm around one another. Glamour: Daisy did not let the evening pass without spending time with film director Mimi Cave Co-workers: Mimi's directorial debut, Fresh, was released last week and stars both Daisy and Sebastian Candid: The women featured in a stunning black-and-white photoshoot, where they were captured with an arm around one another Maggie Gyllenhaal was one of the big winners at Sunday's 2022 Film Independent Spirit Awards ceremony. The actress' film The Lost Daughter was awarded the show's top prize for Best Feature, while she also earned the high-profile honours for Best Director and Best Screenplay. 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. Big night: Maggie Gyllenhaal was one of the big winners at Sunday's 2022 Film Independent Spirit Awards ceremony in Santa Monica with wins for Best Feature, Best Director and Best Screenplay for The Lost Daughter First win: 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. Maggie Gyllenhaal was one of the big winners at the Film Independent Spirit Awards on Sunday. And the actress, 44, certainly looked in the mood to celebrate as she headed to the afterparty at The Victorian in Santa Monica. She was joined by the likes of Julia Fox, 32, who also seemed in high spirits as she made her way to the bash. Loving life: Maggie Gyllenhaal was one of the big winners at the Film Independent Spirit Awards on Sunday so was in the mood to celebrate as she headed to the afterparty at The Victorian in Santa Monica Maggie looked sensational in her awards gown which featured cut out detailing on the bodice to showcase her cleavage. The floral frock boasted a thigh high split across the front and caught the eye with heavy sequin and glitter embellishment. Julia also had eyes on her as she left the awards in a quirky little black dress with a large cut out on the hip. Out and about: Maggie was joined by the likes of Julia Fox, 32, who also seemed in high spirits as she made her way to the bash Striking: Julia had eyes on her as she left the awards in a quirky little black dress with a large cut out on the hip that she layered beneath a leather jacket Bold: The Uncut Gems actress was looking as fierce as ever in her signature heavy eye makeup She layered up with a leather jacket while leaving the party. Maggie's film The Lost Daughter was awarded the show's top prize for Best Feature, while she also earned the high-profile honors for Best Director and Best Screenplay. 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. Celebrations: Maggie's film The Lost Daughter was awarded the show's top prize for Best Feature, while she also earned the high-profile honors for Best Director and Best Screenplay One to watch: The Lost Daughter stars Olivia Colman as a middle-aged professor vacationing in Greece who has flashbacks to abandoning her children 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. The film, which also stars Jessie Buckley and Ed Harris, has been a hit with critics and is nominated for three Academy Awards. Maggie 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. Party time: Taylour Paige scored her first Indie Spirit win for her attention-grabbing role as the title character in Zola and celebrated alongside Rachel Sennott and Emma Seligman One to watch: Taylour stars in Zola about a a part-time stripper who meets and befriends a woman who informs her about a way to make easy money in Florida Loving life: Daisy Edgar-Jones and Mimi Cave seemed in high spirits as they caught up at the afterparty 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. 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. 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. High spirits: Troy Kotsur and Daniel Durant put on an animated display at the afterparty Celebrations: Clifton Collins Jr. gave Thuso Mbedu a hug after she scooped the Best Female Performance in a New Scripted Series award for The Underground Railroad Bright look: Also on the scene at the festive soiree was comedian Bridget Everett who partied the night away in a silky orange dress 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. It wasn't exactly a galaxy far, far away, but Paris provided a suitably stunning backdrop as Daisy Ridley attended the Stella McCartney preview on Monday morning. The Star Wars actress was in attendance as celebrated designer McCartney unveiled her ready to wear Fall/Winter 2022-23 collection at Paris Fashion Week, and she ensured she caught the eye. Opting for a chic belted coat over a blue mock neck dress, Daisy, 29, looked typically stylish as she joined French businessman Antoine Arnault at the exclusive event. Out of this world: It wasn't exactly a galaxy far, far away, but Paris provided a suitably stunning backdrop as Daisy Ridley attended the Stella McCartney preview on Monday morning She added to her look with a pair of smart black leather boots, while her cropped hairstyle drew further attention to her naturally pretty features. On a sunny day in the French capital Daisy concealed her eyes behind a pair of heavily tinted sunglasses as she took her seat ahead of the show. The British actress became a household name thanks to her role as Rey in Disney's divisive Star Wars trilogy, which picks up some thirty years after the collapse of the Empire in Return Of The Jedi. Special appearance: The Star Wars actress was in attendance as celebrated designer McCartney unveiled her ready to wear Fall/Winter 2022-23 collection at Paris Fashion Week Tasteful: Opting for a chic belted coat over a blue mock neck dress, Daisy looked typically stylish as she joined French businessman Antoine Arnault at the exclusive event She has since been filming The Marsh King's Daughter on location in Canada alongside Garrett Hedlund, Ben Mendelsohn, Brooklynn Prince, Caren Pistorius, and Gil Birmingham. She takes a starring role as Helena, a woman living a seemingly ordinary life, who's hiding the dark secret that her father is actually the infamous Marsh King. It turns out the Marsh King is the man who kept Helena and her mother captive in the wilderness for years. Finishing touches: She added to her look with a pair of smart black leather boots, while her cropped hairstyle drew further attention to her naturally pretty features After spending her entire life trying to avoid her past, Helena is forced to face her demons when her father escapes from prison. The film is directed by Neil Burger, best known for The Illusionist, Limitless, and Divergent, from a screenplay by Mark L. Smith and Elle Smith based on the 2017 novel of the same name by Karen Dionne. Daisy's most recent role was the lead in the dystopian action film, Chaos Walking, which premiered in the U.S last March. Don't mind me: The actress took a seat as she waited for the show to begin on Monday morning Tom Cruise piloted his own helicopter and then waved to adoring fans in South Africa on Sunday. The action man, 59, gave a friendly smile as he arrived to film scenes for Mission: Impossible 8 in Hoedspruit, Limpopo. The Hollywood heavyweight cut a causal figure in a blue polo shirt, denim trousers and walking boots and wore a pair of aviator glasses as the sun set. All smiles: Tom Cruise, 59, piloted his own helicopter and then waved to adoring fans in South Africa on Sunday According to reports, he has been staying in the small northern town of Hoedspruit, near the border with Mozambique. The actor, who plays Ethan Hunt in Mission Impossible, has been flying himself to scenes in nearby Kruger National Park and has been staying in the town between shoots. It comes after he told fans: 'It's so awesome to see you. I can't wait for you to see the next movie. Thank you for coming out today.' Movie star: The action man, 59, gave a friendly smile as he arrived to film scenes for Mission: Impossible 8 in Hoedspruit, Limpopo One of them asked Tom if he would ever move to South Africa to which he said: 'I'd love to, it would be nice to live here. We're very excited. We've wanted to film here for a very long time.' Discussing what he saw on his helicopter trip, he said: 'We just saw some cheetahs or lions, they were right in front of someone's driveway.' Before making his leave, the star added: 'Thank you all for your hospitality. It means a lot to me.' Casual: The Hollywood heavyweight cut a causal figure in a blue polo shirt, denim trousers and walking boots and wore a pair of aviator glasses as the sun set Mission: Impossible 7 is set for release on July 7, 2023, following a turbulent production which has demanded an unprecedented $290million outlay. One notable factor in the film's enormous budget has been the global pandemic, which swept across mainland Europe shortly after principal photography got underway in Venice in February 2020. Lockdown and a desperate attempt to work around COVID-19 resulted in the production enduring an inauspicious start - with cast and crew forced to stop work after Northern Italy closed its doors. Sources claim constant infections, coupled with national health restrictions and the pandemic's refusal to die down resulted in more costs, because crew members needed to be paid, given expenses and offered hotel accommodation during extended quarantine and lockdown periods. Chopper: The actor has been flying himself to scenes in nearby Kruger National Park and has been staying in the town between shoots Meanwhile the film's release date has been subject to change, with its original September 2021 launch pushed back to July 2022, with Paramount citing 'delays due to the ongoing pandemic.' The wait adds interest to an already overblown budget while having a domino effect on work-in-progress Mission: Impossible 8, which is now expected to launch on July 24 2024 instead of its intended release date, July 7 2023. The relentless pressure to finish the film may well have been the catalyst for Tom's high-profile outburst on set in December 2020 after a crew-member breached COVID protocol - putting the production in further jeopardy. 'We are the gold standard!' Tom was heard yelling in a recording of the incident. 'Theyre back there in Hollywood making movies right now because of us! 'Im on the phone with every f***ing studio at night, insurance companies, producers, and theyre looking at us and using us to make their movies. We are creating thousands of jobs... we are not shutting this motherf***ing movie down. Is that understood?' Sources claim there were further issues in 2021, when Paramount were confronted with a bill for $50million in overages, caused by co-producer Skydance declining to exceed their pre-agreed contractual requirement regarding financial contributions. Paris Fashion Week has whizzed her to new and bizarre sartorial heights. And Kim Kardashian, who caught the eye on Sunday in a head-to-toe shipping tape catsuit for the anticipated Balenciaga show, ensured her exit from the runway was just as prominent as her arrival as she slipped into a figure-hugging knit dress. The global superstar, 41, further ensured she would not be lost in the crowd by complementing the full-length, roll-neck ensemble with a garish orange shawl, which was ruffled in style and strewn off her shoulders. Orange is the complementary black! Kim Kardashian made yet another statement look in a figure-hugging knit dress as she prepared to leave Paris following the Balenciaga fashion show on Sunday While the vibrant accessory may have snatched attention, the American media personality kept other elements of her look laid-back, as she framed her made-up face with classic shades. The socialite - a frequent face of Balenciaga - opted for a sleek coiffure, whereby her raven tresses were slicked back from her face. Earlier on Sunday, Kim opted for a distinctive skintight catsuit from the Spanish-French label, which drew attention to her famous curves as she posed for photos before making her way inside. Eye-catching: The global superstar, 41, ensured she would not be lost in the crowd by complementing the full-length ensemble with a garish orange shawl Switch up: Earlier on Sunday, Kim opted for a distinctive skintight catsuit from the Spanish-French label, which drew attention to her famous curves Statement: The socialite showed her fans the hard work that went into creating the outlandish look Kim's head-to-toe look was accentuated with a matching handbag, while heavily tinted sunglasses completed the outlandish ensemble. The striking looks come after the now legally-single starlet is reported to be 'furious' over Kanye West's Eazy music video, which shows the rapper seemingly burying her beau Pete Davidson alive. Last week, 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: The striking looks come after the now legally-single starlet is reported to be 'furious' over Kanye West's Eazy music video, which shows the rapper seemingly burying her beau Pete Davidson alive 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. 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 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. He previously voiced that North was on the app 'against [his] will.' 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' '[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. 'She is very angry about the violence and she just feels that it's inappropriate and wrong.' 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 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. 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. 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 Just one day after Kanye released Eazy, Kim was declared legally single by a judge - a move vehemently opposed by the rapper - on Wednesday. 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. President Moon Jae-in, wearing a flight suit, descends from a locally-made FA-50 jet fighter at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, Oct. 20, 2021. South Korea sees "limits" in providing lethal arms to Ukraine, the defense ministry said Monday. Korea Times file South Korea sees "limits" in providing lethal arms to Ukraine, the defense ministry said Monday, in an apparent rejection of Kyiv's calls for weapons to repel Russia's attack. Boo Seung-chan, the ministry's spokesperson, made the remarks, stressing the government was weighing other possible options to support the Eastern European country. "What I'd like to make clear is that there are limits in providing lethal weapons," Boo told a regular press briefing, noting that Ukraine has sent a document to South Korea and other countries to ask for military and humanitarian support. Boo refused to comment on specific support options under consideration, saying, "It is a matter being discussed diplomatically." Rebecca Harding looked like a vision in white as she attended the Melbourne Fashion Festival on Monday. The 31-year-old model showed off her trim pins in a white mini skirt as she posed on the red carpet after arriving to the event. The girlfriend of comedian Andy Lee completed her look with a white jumper and a pair of strappy heels. Thigh's the limit! Andy Lee's girlfriend Rebecca Harding showed off her trim pins in a white mini skirt as she led the celebrity arrivals at the Melbourne Fashion Festival on Monday She tied her long brunette locks in a low bun and let her natural beauty shine, opting for a neutral palette of makeup. Rebecca was joined by actress Sharon Johal at the star-studded event. The Neighbours star stunned in a beige crop top which featured puffy sleeves and a matching coloured skirt. She accessorised her look with a blue bag and wore a dramatic palette of makeup consisting of blue eyeshadow and blush. A vision in white! The girlfriend of comedian Andy Lee completed her look with a white jumper and a pair of strappy heels Stylish: Rebecca was joined by actress Sharon Johal at the star-studded event, who stunned in a beige crop top which featured puffy sleeves and a matching coloured skirt Meanwhile, Shaynna Blaze made a style statement as she arrived at the Melbourne Fashion Festival. The 58-year-old looked stylish in an orange slip dress with a black sheer poncho. The Block judge finished her ensemble with a black bag and a pair of strappy orange heels. Glamorous: Shaynna Blaze made a style statement as she arrived at the Melbourne Fashion Festival Looking good! The 58-year-old looked stylish in an orange slip dress and sheer poncho The Bachelor's Florence Alexandra also made an appearance at the event. The 31-year-old reality TV star showed off her incredible figure in a silk green playsuit which featured a peep hole. She tied her blonde locks in a low ponytail and opted for a neutral palette of makeup consisting of dewy foundation and a nude lip. Dressed to impress: The Bachelor's Florence Alexandra also made an appearance at the event in a silk green playsuit which featured a peep hole Beauty in black! Tayla Damir flaunted her incredible figure in black shorts and a matching blazer Florence was also joined by Tayla Damir, who flaunted her incredible figure in black shorts and a matching blazer. The WAG accessorised her look with black stockings, stilettos and a clutch. The 25-year-old tied her long brunette locks in a low bun and couldn't wipe the smile off her face after arriving to the event. Style statement: Celebrity stylist Lana Wilkinson also looked stylish in a long brown skirt and a snakeskin pattern bodysuit Celebrity stylist Lana Wilkinson also looked stylish in a long brown skirt and a snake skin pattern bodysuit. The 39-year-old left her long brunette locks out and wore a strappy pair of gold heels to the event. Meanwhile, fashion designer Effie Kats demanded attention in bright blue pants and a matching coloured blazer, with nothing else underneath. She's one of the most stylish women on the airwaves. And Amanda Holden took statement dressing to a whole new level when she left the Heart FM radio studios in London on Monday. The Britain's Got Talent Judge, 51, turned heads as she strut down the street in an eye-catching all-pink ensemble from ME+EM. Pretty in pink: Amanda Holden took statement dressing to a whole new level when she left the Heart FM radio studios in London on Monday Amanda oozed confidence in a bright pink coat, trousers and jumper which she teamed with a stunning pair of pink stilettos. The broadcaster accessorised with a fashionable pink bumbag and rocked a pair of oversized sunglasses. The blonde beauty wore her locks down and they blew in the wind as she opted for a natural makeup look with a pink lip to finish off the look. Wow: The BGT Judge oozed confidence in a bright pink coat, trousers and jumper which she teamed with a stunning pair of pink stilettos Incredible: The blonde beauty wore her locks down and they blew in the wind as she opted for a natural makeup look with a pink lip to finish off the look Amanda stepped out after presenting the Heart FM Breakfast show with her co-stars Ashley Roberts and Jamie Theakston. The presenter shared a boomerang to her Instagram story strutting her stuff in the incredible ensemble in the office. She also made sure to tag her outfit details for her 1.8 million Instagram followers to recreate the look. Fashionista: Amanda tagged her outfit details for her 1.8 million Instagram followers to recreate the look It comes as Amanda revealed her daughter Lexi is joining Kate Moss's modelling agency after they saw pictures of the stunning teen online. She told MailOnline that Storm, who have propelled the likes of Cara Delevingne, 29, and Cindy Crawford, 56, to catwalk stardom, 'came after' her 16-year-old daughter and it was Lexi's decision to sign on the dotted line ahead of interest from rival agencies. In an exclusive interview, Amanda joked she would love to become a 'momager' like US reality star Kris Jenner, 66, who's known for being the matriarch of the Kardashian family, and responsible for the success of her five millionaire daughters. 'It's what she wants to do': Amanda Holden has revealed her daughter Lexi (pictured) is joining Kate Moss's modelling agency after they saw pictures of the stunning teen online Amanda told MailOnline: 'Lexi has just signed with Storm Management this week. 'They came after her and they're very lovely and nurturing and it will be a soft, slow thing and she won't do anything until she's 18 but they want her and that's what she wants to do. 'I have to say there was quite a number of them and there's such a different mindset to how you might think modelling agencies look after the young, but they are very nurturing and very caring, all of them. 'She has made the decision to sign with them and Chris and I support her, and we are very protective but they're very keen. 'It is odd because I remember changing her nappy and her first tantrum and suddenly, she's this little woman. She is bright too so we're making sure she does her A-levels and she has her sights set on university but we will cross that bridge when we get to it.' 'They're keen': The BGT judge told MailOnline that Storm, who have propelled the likes of Cara Delevingne and Cindy Crawford to catwalk stardom, 'came after' her 16-year-old daughter The Heart Breakfast presenter, who also shares Hollie, 10, with husband of 14-years Chris, 49, said she aspires to be like Kris Jenner after she helped daughter Kendall, 26, to become one of the world's highest-paid models. She added: 'I hope I am! If I have an ounce of the business acumen that Kris has then yes. 'Chris is phenomenal and is a record producer and works at a management level with artists and is really savvy when it comes to business and contracts and I'm in it. 'We are quite a good team and we sit round the dinner table every night and we will describe our days so she has a good insight into the industry so I think she is going into it more eyes wide open than most 16-year-olds.' Ncuti Gatwa has gone from war refugee to one of the countrys best paid young actors after revealing earnings of 772,000. The Sex Education star, 29, was homeless until he landed his role as Eric Effiong in the Netflix school drama. Accounts for his company Gemini Moon Limited show he amassed assets of more than three quarters of a million pounds last year. Star: Ncuti Gatwa has gone from war refugee to one of the countrys best paid young actors after revealing earnings of 772,000 In the past he has spoken of having to borrow 10 from friends so he could afford the tube fare for auditions. But he was able to forward himself 303,340 from the company and paid it all back. When he was a toddler his family left war-ravaged Rwanda fleeing the genocide and moved to Scotland where he overcame racist bullying at school in Dunfermline. Show: The Sex Education star, 29, was homeless until he landed his role as Eric Effiong in the Netflix school drama When he moved to London to pursue his dream of carving out a career in acting he ran out of savings and found himself homeless - sleeping on friends sofas for five months. He said: 'I couldn't seem to handle it all financially. I was supposed to move into a new place and it fell through. 'So for five months before Sex Education, I was couch-surfing among all my friends. I didn't have a home. 'I was homeless. The only thing stopping me from being on the streets was the fact I had friends.' Co-star: Ncutis character Eric is one of the stars of Sex Education which has now run to three seasons with a fourth expected later this year The show focuses, often in graphic detail, on the sex lives of a group of British teenagers in an unnamed town. Written by Laurie Nunn, it turned many of the cast into overnight stars, which proved a huge contrast to the poverty experienced by Gatwa prior to landing the role. Ncutis character Eric is one of the stars of Sex Education which has now run to three seasons with a fourth expected later this year. His character - as the gay sidekick of the shows star Otis, played by Asa Butterfield - has become one of Sex Educations most loved actors. She has been busy working the runways during Paris' esteemed fashion week. And on the penultimate day of proceedings, Bella Hadid showed her style off the catwalk as she left Hotel Le Royal Monceau wearing school uniform-esque attire. The American model, 25, wore head-to-toe brown, which encompassed a chic shacket, a jumper - worn over a white shirt and red tie - and Bermuda shorts. Stepping out: Bella Hadid continued to leave her mark on Paris Fashion Week on Monday as she donned school uniform-esque attire whilst leaving the Royal Monceau Hotel The brunette beauty gelled her locks into a low ponytail, which allowed a pair of classic gold hoops to be spotlighted. Bella further accessorised with sporty shades and wore leather boots, the style of which gave a peek of her grey, knee-length socks. On Sunday, the Washington, D.C. native put on a futuristic display as she ruled the runway at the Givenchy show during Paris Fashion Week. Style flaunting: The American model, 25, wore head-to-toe brown, which encompassed a chic shacket, a jumper - worn over a white shirt and red tie - and Bermuda shorts Heading out: The brunette beauty gelled her locks into a low ponytail, which allowed a pair of classic gold hoops to be spotlighted Edgy: On Sunday, the Washington, D.C. native put on a futuristic display as she ruled the runway at the Givenchy show during Paris Fashion Week Wow! The supermodel sported bleached eyebrows and a pair of silver studs on her forehead while putting on a trendy display in a black tracksuit The supermodel sported bleached eyebrows and a pair of silver studs on her forehead while putting on a trendy display in a black tracksuit. She layered the ensemble beneath a brown cropped hoodie and a heavy-duty coat in a lighter shade while wowing onlookers at the lavish event. Standing out from the crowd, the former Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills star added inches to her enviable frame with a pair of glossy purple heels. At the Balenciaga show earlier in the day, she flaunted her svelte waist in a form-fitting black midi dress which she teamed up with a white top. She elevated her height with matching heels and framed her face with a pair of edgy wraparound black sunglasses. The sister of Gigi Hadid threw a charcoal leather handbag over her shoulder by its dazzling silver chain and maintained a serious expression during the show. Emma Stone was the epitome of classically chic on Monday as she attended the Louis Vuitton fashion show in Paris. Dressed head-to-toe in the high-end brand, the actress, 33, pulled off a gorgeous look as she arrive at the runway event hand-in-hand with husband Dave McCary, 36. The La La Land star stunned in a cropped suede jacket and asymmetrical skirt - a two-piece which had adornments of Louis Vuitton's famed print. Cute couple: Emma Stone, 33, looked classically chic in head-to-toe black as she arrived hand-in-hand with husband Dave McCary, 36, at Louis Vuitton's fashion show in Paris, on Monday The award-winning redhead left her loose curls to frame her glowing face, which was made-up with a hint of blush and matte lipstick. Emma added a splash of Vuitton in the form of a leather shoulder bag, yet toted it as a clutch while throwing a selection of poses for the cameras. Her husband Dave kept things low key in khaki trousers and a beige jumper, teamed with a aviator style bomber jacket. The film star was joined by fellow blockbuster sensation, Julianne Moore. Stylish: Her husband Dave kept things low key in khaki trousers and a beige jumper, teamed with a aviator style bomber jacket Designer gear: The actress wore Louis Vuitton gear at the luxe brand's fashion show Wow: The actress stunned in a cropped suede jacket and asymmetrical skirt - a two-piece which had adornments of Louis Vuitton's famed print Arrival: The award-winning redhead left her loose curls to frame her glowing face, which was made-up with a hint of blush and matte lipstick Elegant: The film star was joined by fellow blockbuster sensation, Julianne Moore The two-time Golden Globe Award winner, 61, cut an elegant figure in a trench coat, Wolford tights and polished boots. The film stars looked remarkably similar as they joined each other for a slew of stylish snaps. The Hollywood actresses would have crossed paths during filming of 2011 rom-com Crazy, Stupid, Love. Say cheese! The two-time Golden Globe Award winner, 61, cut an elegant figure in a trench coat, Wolford tights and polished boots Glowing: The film stars looked remarkably similar as they joined each other for a slew of stylish snaps In March last year, Emma became a mother for the first time after welcoming a little girl called Louise Jean McCary with husband Dave McCary. The Scottsdale, Arizona-born actress began dating comedian and writer Dave in June of 2017 and they revealed they were engaged in December 2019 via social media. They delayed having a large wedding last year amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and the pair was seen later in the year wearing wedding bands. A source confirmed to People that the couple had tied the knot. Jourdan Dunn is definitely letting down her hair as she enjoys a well deserved vacation in Jamaica this week. The photogenic supermodel was seen wearing a very tiny triangle shaped bikini top in a deep maroon color that barely contained her generous assets as she was filmed on a street on the lush island. The star has been sharing her good times while in the tropical setting on social media for the past several days. Play time: Jourdan Dunn is definitely letting down her hair as she enjoys a well deserved vacation in Jamaica this week. The photogenic supermodel was seen wearing a very tiny triangle shaped bikini top in a deep maroon color Little top: Her bikini top barely contained her generous assets as she was filmed on a street on the lush island She is well known for showing off her impeccable form on catwalks and in promotional campaigns for Victoria's Secret but here she was all play as she laughed with her pals. On Sunday the siren could be seen walking on a street as she posed away like the supermodel that she is. The top showed off not only her cleavage but also plenty of underboob as well as her toned tummy that comes from daily Pilates workouts. The looker also had on a colorful striped skirt with slits up the sides as she danced around. Her long dark hair was worn in braids that went down her back as she perched metal frame sunglasses atop her head. Time to chill out: The star has been sharing her good times while in the tropical setting on various social media accounts for the past several days On Thursday, Dunn shared an insight into her dreamlike vacation in Jamaica as she posted a video and several photos to her Instagram Story. The 31-year-old fashion industry personality appeared to be enjoying her time in paradise as she held a drink while floating in the calm Caribbean waters. Dunn wore a sparkling dual-tone bikini that left little to the imagination of her 3.1 million followers while taking the video. Good resume: She is well known for showing off her impeccable form on catwalks and in promotional campaigns for Victoria's Secret but here she was all play as she laughed with her pals. On Sunday the siren could be seen walking on a street as she posed away like the supermodel that she is The fashion industry personality also wore an equally eye-catching blue bottom that prominently showed off her toned upper thighs. The runway regular accessorized with a stylish pair of rectangular sunglasses during her time on the water. Her gorgeous hair was tied into numerous braids that were also pulled back into a ponytail. Dunn was also seen sitting on a swing that had been hung over a pool of turquoise-colored water. She also shared a shot of her floating lounger, which had been painted with the colors of the Jamaican flag. Having fun: Dunn shared an insight into her dreamlike vacation in Jamaica as she posted a video and several photos to her Instagram Story on Thursday In addition to her career as a model, the fashion industry personality has announced that she is looking into starting up as an actress. The runway regular spoke about her future plans during an interview with Harper's Bazaar, where she expressed that she began focusing on her ambitions after the onset of the global pandemic. 'Before lockdown, I decided I wanted to take the time to focus on acting. When lockdown happened, it felt like the perfect time to dedicate to it,' she stated. Dunn also stated that she was ready to begin her new career, although she was happy to be able to fall back on her status as a model. Hot stuff! Dunn wore a sparkling dual-tone bikini that left little to the imagination of her 3.1 million followers while taking the video In paradise: She wore sunglasses as she held up her red plastic cup during her day out on the pristine blue waters 'I feel like I'm building the foundations for the next stage in my life. Fashion will always be there, but I want to dive into something new,' she said. The fashion industry figure also noted that she had to ask herself about why exactly she wanted to give up her career as a model. 'I've had conversations where I said that I want to retire from fashion: "Is this my purpose? What is my life purpose?" I was asking these questions about where I was going,' she stated. Dunn noted that she had always planned on being an actress, although her fashion career ended up taking most of her time. 'I really believed that that was what I'd do when I grew up, but then things took a different turn,' she said. The model pointed out that she was entirely committed to embarking on an acting career. 'I want to do this the right way; I don't want to go down the cheat route. I want to be taken seriously,' she said. She recently returned to the UK after she relocated to Dubai to pursue a career in real estate. And Yazmin Oukhellou put on a very busty display in a tiny white bikini top and bottom set as she enjoyed a trip away to Ashlin Farm Barns in Lincoln on Saturday. The TOWIE star, 27, rocked the wet hair look as she posed up a storm in her the sizzling Instagram snap. Sizzling: Yazmin Oukhellou put on a very busty display in a tiny white bikini top and bottom set as she enjoyed a trip away to Ashlin Farm Barns in Lincoln on Saturday The bronzed beauty flaunted her toned midriff in the post and opted for a full face of glam makeup while posing with her hands behind her head in the hot tub. Yazmin captioned the steaming post: 'I don't chase, I attract.' She was joined by her best pal Junaid Ahmed on her staycation trip where they stayed in a luxury barn. Incredible: She was joined by her best pal Junaid Ahmed on her staycation trip where they stayed in a luxury barn On Sunday, the pair went on a boozy night out and enjoyed a fancy meal at MNKY HSE in Mayfair. They both looked flawless on the night out as they shared Instagram stories of the night unfolding. Junaid looked in high spirits as he posted a sizzling snap with Yazmin who was pouting in the picture and captioned it: 'My bestfriend' Best pals: They both looked flawless on the night out as they shared Instagram stories of the night unfolding After splitting with ex-boyfriend James Lock in 2021, Yazmin quit TOWIE and decided to relocate to the UAE. James has recently rekindled his romance with Love Island star Megan Barton Hanson, 28, as they celebrated her birthday together this week. She was reportedly left devastated at the start of the year after learning her beau Jake McLean was said to have enjoyed a cosy evening with Ellie Jones. Sources claim the star's beau, 32, who she has been dating for a year, was seen 'acting single' and 'getting close' with Ellie, 25, during a night out in Dubai. Yazmin moved to Dubai last year to be with Jake after quitting TOWIE, following her split from James in February 2021. Sources told The Sun that Jake was seen partying with Ellie at a nightclub in the UAE, and didn't seem to be acting like he had a girlfriend. On the rocks: Yazmin has deleted all trace of Jake from her Instagram, suggesting the pair have parted ways An insider said: 'Jake and Ellie were partying with friends at a club and ended up getting close. 'They were seen leaving together at the end of the night and going back to his place. They had instant chemistry and were all over each other. 'Jake definitely didn't look like he had a girlfriend.' A spokesman for Ellie told MailOnline: 'Ellie is happy to comment to clear up what has been said which is completely untrue. 'Ellie is out on holiday in Dubai with a group of friends. They all went out for drinks and met up with another group of friends in which Jake was a part of that friend group. 'At the end of the night a group of five male and female who are all in the same friend group went back to the apartment Jake is currently staying in. 'Ellie did not go back to Jake's on her own and would like to confirm all accusations made are completely false and untrue.' Danniella Westbrook took to her Instagram Stories on Monday to reveal that she is back in hospital to prepare for her next round of face surgery. The former EastEnders star, 48, is set to go under the knife to have part of her rib put in her cheek. She shared a photo of her lying in bed on Sunday, writing 'Time for bed, hospital again tomorrow' followed by a string of prayer and heart emojis. Back again: Danniella Westbrook took to her Instagram Stories on Monday to reveal that she is back in hospital to prepare for her next round of face surgery The star is having the procedure after her cheek was left damaged by botched dental work. Addressing her followers she said: 'So I'm off to the hospital in Aintree to get my next consultation for the next part of my operation for the bone doctor to put a bone in here', before gesturing to her cheek. She added: 'It's scary but I'm excited. Can't wait to get all these operations done and get the hell back to work'. Last week, Danniella shared that she's currently going through 'a lot of operations at the moment' as she told of her ongoing treatments to restore her face. Under the knife: The former EastEnders star, 48, is set to go under the knife to have part of her rib put in her cheek The way she was: The actress' battle with drugs has been well-publicised, and she famously had her nose reconstructed after her septum collapsed from excessive cocaine use in 2002 The mum-of-two had previously undergone the rib procedure in 2018, after osteoporosis rotted away her cheekbones and gums. And speaking to OK! magazine about her latest bout of facial reconstruction, she explained: 'I'm going through a lot operations at the moment. They're good but they're very hard.' She continued: 'The first two of my operations haven't taken a toll on me but the next lot will do. I'm seeing a bone surgeon next who is going to be removing a rib.' Surgery: She opened up on her upcoming operation which she hinted may take its 'toll' on her, with the star having the procedure after her cheek was left damaged by botched dental work (pictured in 2021) MailOnline have contacted Danniella's rep for further comment. The actress has spent the last year getting lip filler and Botox, in addition to surgery on her face as she works hard to get back to her best. Last month, Danniella revealed that she was looking forward to her upcoming set of surgery. Sharing a throwback snap of herself on Instagram, she penned: 'Cant wait for all my surgery to be done will be back too my best and fighting fit and next year I will be 50! Bring it on Im ready. More than ready , Im ready for a full transformation physically. Danniella previously discussed first undergoing the procedure four years ago during an appearance on Good Morning Britain. Looking ahead: Last month, Danniella revealed that she was looking forward to her upcoming set of surgery as she shared a throwback snap from 2009 (pictured) She explained: 'When I was doing excessive amounts of drugs and lost my nose I would have got it then, not after being 13 years clean. I wouldn't have just got it in the last three years." On her dental work that went wrong, she said: 'The screws, which they have left in, the bone didn't close around them when I had implants, which led to blood getting into the bone so it just died. 'That gave me the septicaemia which gave me the bone disease and started rotting away and it's all down to that. 'They were going to have to take some of my skull but they're going to use a floating rib.' Touching her cheek, she went on: 'I have no cheek bone here at all where it's just gone from osteoporosis, nothing to do with cocaine at all. 'If it was I would openly say that it was, like I did before with my nose.' Open: Danniella previously discussed first undergoing the procedure four years ago during an appearance on Good Morning Britain The news of her upcoming procedure comes months after she underwent surgery for a sinus infection. The actress previously told her fans that she was waiting to go to theatre at Aintree University Hospital, after doctors feared the nasty infection, which saw her end up in ICU, could 'reach her brain'. The following day, the former EastEnders star announced that the surgery had been a 'huge success' and she came bearing more good news for her concerned Twitter followers. She wrote in November: 'Thanks for all the messages of support for my operation. It was a huge success and Im so happy thank you to @LivHospitals and the best staff surgical team and cleanest hospital ever x #NHS #Liverpool,' she said. Her hospitalisation comes after she vowed to turn her life around following years of drug abuse and relapsing onto 'cocaine and champagne' earlier in 2021. The actress' battle with drugs has been well-publicised, and she famously had her nose reconstructed after her septum collapsed from excessive cocaine use in 2002. At the height of her use, it was reported she would take up to five grams of cocaine a day, blowing close to 250,000 on the drug. The star has since embarked on multiple rehab stints in order to battle her demons - and revealed she was finally clean in June 2020, after attending a clinic in Mijas, Spain. Recovery: The news of her upcoming procedure comes months after she underwent surgery for a sinus infection There were no signs of any ceasefire on Monday's episode of the Real Housewives Of Jersey Reunion as the dramatic fallout between Tessa Hartmann and Margaret Thompson intensified. The explosive instalment saw real estate agent Margaret, 45, call her arch nemesis Tessa, 51, a 'b***h' as the frenemies argued over a Tweet which labelled Margaret as boring. The show, which aired on ITVBe on Monday night and presented by Brian Dowling saw the the pair go head to head to try and resolve their issues along with their fellow housewives. Explosive: There were no signs of any ceasefire on Monday's episode of the Real Housewives Of Jersey Reunion on ITVBe as the dramatic fallout between Tessa Hartmann and Margaret Thompson intensified (pictured: Housewife Tessa Hartman) However despite the hosts best efforts to resolve the conflict between the pair, Tessa and Margaret were at loggerheads as they sat on the opposite side of the room. Hurt and angry after Tessa liked a tweet calling Margaret boring, the TV personality goes on to reveal how she offered her co-star an olive branch after the incident. An exasperated Tessa replied: 'I am the type of person when somebody goes for me, I don't go against them. I like to engage. Yes, I did like a joke on Twitter that said you were boring. So what? Big deal! Angry: The explosive instalment saw real estate agent Margaret, 45, call her arch nemesis Tessa, 51, a 'b***h' as the frenemies argued over a Tweet which labelled Margaret as boring Season two saw Tessa and her artist husband Sascha renew their vows after 25 years of marriage in an intimate renewal ceremony with their closest friends and family, including children Tessie, 24, Tallia, 22, Johnnie, 16, and Zac, 14, at their Jersey home. Mediator Brian goes on to ask Tessa her reasons for not inviting Margaret to her wedding along with the other cast members. She replied: 'I chose people on that day who lifted me up. I dont regret not inviting the other ladies as they are not part of my life. (pictured: Sarha Courtnay, Kate Taylor and Margaret Thompson) Some cast members were so unimpressed they took it upon themselves to make a point of being ousted. A boisterous Kate Taylor dressed up as Tessa on the big day in a form of revenge. Explaining her reason for carrying out the stunt, Kate told Brian: 'I did it as I felt how Tessa handled the wedding vows was spiteful. An angry Tessa quickly replied: Kate it was disgusting what you did to me. We are not friends Unsettled at the intense arguing, a stressed Mia Ledbury described the divide as 'heart-breaking', with Kate adding: It could be fixed but I am not not sure. Sad: Unsettled at the intense arguing, a stressed Mia Ledbury described the divide as 'heart-breaking', with Kate adding: it could be fixed but I am not not sure Meanwhile, Tessa also found herself at war with Pregnant housewife Ashley Cairney who made a virtual appearance at the reunion. The friends had been close during season one, however, presenter Brian got straight to the chase asking the businesswoman why she also was at war with Tessa. She explained: 'Nothing happened, there was no massive collision. 'At one point I would text her and she wouldnt text back. 'And to be honest, with everything else going on in my life, if someone doesnt text back then thats absolutely fine. I was dealing with far bigger fish. Issues: Meanwhile, Tessa also found herself at war with Pregnant housewife Ashley Cairney who made a virtual appearance at the reunion Unimpressed with her co-stars explanation, a fiery Tessa gave her side of the story saying it was all down to feeling used on social media. She said: The reality is that we met up and she (Ashley) told me that all the girls were upset because there was lots of press about me and they got none. 'They were also really annoyed about their Instagram and why wasnt I tagging them. 'I explained to Ashley - this is my business, I am not going to tag you as its not appropriate to tag you and she was very offended. Ashley burst in: Tessa, Tessa, you are talking absolute rubbish, it had nothing to do with the other girls While Tessa bit back: Ashley, your words to me were all the girls said if you and I were friends you would tag me in your post. And I just thought to myself how old are we?' Ashley sniped: I never even mentioned the girls, so dont you even start. You have been a nasty piece of work! Upset: Meanwhile, stunning newcomer Karen Loderick said she felt as if she got stuck in the crossfire between all the housewives and found herself at loggerheads with Margaret Ashley and Margaret weren't the only housewives Tessa had problems with as she also had to iron out some issues with glamorous Mia. Pointing out the fact that there had been tension between the pair in the past and 'fireworks', Brian asked her how did she manage to 'press the reset button with Tessa?' Mia explained that it had been a struggle, she said: It emotionally wasnt easy at the start. I have been on the other side of Tessa and it can be intimidating but as time went on I got to know her and there is a fun loving, side to Tessa. 'I was quite pleasantly surprised and it was a grower.' However, there's no such thing as a drama free reunion as it wasn't long until Kate questioned the friends genuine friendship and brought up some conversations from the past saying: 'It was difficult to accept their friendship after season one. Tessa was gunning for Mia. Furious: Some cast members were so unimpressed they took it upon themselves to make a point of being ousted. A boisterous Kate Taylor dressed up as Tessa on the big day in a form of revenge 'Tessa has got a very unforgiving nature, so I did find it very hard to believe that this was genuine. Margaret then interrupted and said: Can I add to that - as Mia told me, Ashley and Kate off camera that she didnt want to be in that camp and far preferred to be with us. Shocked and disgusted with her co-stars bringing up the past Mia clarifies: I didnt say it like that Margaret, thats a very viscous thing to say. I said I didnt like how everyone was being divided. Margaret corrects her: This was in the beginning, you said I'd rather be with you guys, ye have more fun. Holding her hands up Mia replies: 'This was in the beginning, we were having fun all the time. I think you are wrong saying Tessa is unforgiving as she is a forgiving person. When she likes you and gives you a chance. Tessa goes on to endorse her friendship with her co-star saying: I love Mia for her honesty, and I am hundred per cent loyal and dont stand for bull. I would rather have no friends than have fake friends. Meanwhile, stunning newcomer Karen Loderick said she felt as if she got stuck in the crossfire between all the housewives and found herself at loggerheads with Margaret. Mediator: Host Brian Dowling had his hands full hosting the feisty reunion She said: 'It's so tricky as there are so many big personalities. I found it uncomfortable. I like for things to be resolved as we can move on from that.' The star went on to praise Tessa saying she was 'a breath of fresh air, sassy, honest, direct, fun, glamourous and brilliant. However the same could not be said for blonde bombshell Margaret as she said she felt the businesswoman was nasty to her from the beginning, identifying many occasions on their trip to the English capital where she encountered her unimpressive behaviour. She described: On the way to London she started throwing shade at me, and when we got to the hotel she pushed herself forward and told me as a newbie I had to work my way up. 'When I was on the boat and asked her to join she said Karen you are not all that and I felt very disappointed by that. I think Margaret thought I was too much of a strong character so she started to throw shade at me and demolish my confidence as Margret likes to be in control. Margaret defended herself saying: 'Not at all. I treat everyone the same. Brian then goes on to ask Tessa if she thinks she's controlling, with the star responding with a few choice words for her enemy. She said: 'No because she doesnt control me, she is a manipulator, not a controller.' Looking around the room, she continues: 'You can see what she is doing tonight, pulling her little friends into a room. Temperatures were heated as Kate then jumps in to defend Margaret, while Tessa calls her out for being 'Margaret's security guard' leaving the whole cast gobsmacked at the statement. A furious Tessa says: 'Margaret is a manipulator and has a lot of jibes.' Susanna Reid cut an elegant figure as she attended the Turn The Tables 2022 event in aid of Cancer Research UK at BAFTA Piccadilly in London on Monday. The Good Morning Britain presenter, 51, appeared in good spirits as she was interviewed by Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak on stage. The event sees politicians getting the chance to take revenge on journalists in front of a live audience. Stunning: Susanna Reid cut an elegant figure as she attended the Turn The Tables 2022 event in aid of Cancer Research UK at BAFTA Piccadilly in London on Monday Susanna donned a dark green long-sleeved midi dress with a floral print for the event which was co-hosted by BBC Diplomatic Correspondent James Landale and CNBC's Tania Bryer. Adding height to her frame with a pair of black heels, Susanna let her brunette locks fall loose down her shoulders. Also in attendance at the event was actress Donna Air who cut a stylish figure in a black blazer and matching trousers. The star wore a white shirt and black heels while she styled her tresses into loose waves. Event: The Good Morning Britain presenter, 51, appeared in good spirits as she was interviewed by Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak on stage Outfit: Susanna donned a dark green long-sleeved midi dress with a floral print for the event which was co-hosted by BBC Political Editor James Landale and CNBC's Tania Bryer Style: The broadcaster added height to her frame with a pair of black heels Looking good: She let her brunette locks fall loose down her shoulders Donna posed for a snap with socialite Tamara Beckwith who opted for a dark green blazer and trousers. The former It Girl added to her look with black heels and a cream handbag while she wore her locks in a straight style. Loose Women presenter Charlene White donned a bright orange shirt with a pink collar and matching trousers. The ITV star also sported a pair of black heels and added to her outfit with silver earrings. Style: Also in attendance at the event was actress Donna Air who cut a stylish figure in a black blazer and matching trousers (pictured with Tamara Beckwith) Attendees: Anthea Turner donned a navy jumper along with a pair of dark joggers while Tamara Beckwith who opted for a dark green blazer and trousers Wow: Loose Women presenter Charlene White donned a bright orange shirt with a pink collar and matching trousers Dapper: Susanna posed for a snap with BBC diplomatic correspondent James Landale Anthea Turner opted for a more laid back look as she donned a navy jumper along with a pair of dark joggers. The presenter wrapped up in a white coat while she also carried a matching handbag. Meanwhile, Eamonn Holmes looked smart in a dark blazer and matching trousers which he wore with a white shirt and pink tie. Rhee Keun, a Navy special warfare officer-turned-YouTuber, said he would take part in the war against Russia. Seen is a screenshot from Rhee's Instagram account. The foreign ministry warned Monday of possible prison sentences for South Koreans seeking to join Ukraine's military to fight against Russia's invasion without due approval from the government. Seoul has banned its nationals from traveling to all regions of Ukraine since mid-February amid safety concerns. Those who enter the country without approval can face up to a year in prison or a maximum fine of 10 million won ($8,150) under the Passport Act. "We once again urge our citizens to seriously perceive that Ukraine is currently in war and not to enter a country that's under a travel ban without permission," the ministry said in a statement. The warning came after Rhee Keun, a Navy special warfare officer-turned-YouTuber, said he left the country to take part in the war against Russia. She is known for her elegant sense of style on the red carpet. And Alicia Vikander nailed Parisian chic as she stepped out to attend the star-studded the Louis Vuitton show during Paris Fashion Week on Monday. The Swedish actress, 33, put on a elegant display as she dressed head-to-toe in the luxury fashion house's clothing for the event. Stylish: Alicia Vikander nailed Parisian chic as she stepped out to attend the star-studded the Louis Vuitton show during Paris Fashion Week on Monday Alicia sported an incredible high neck black tailcoat with glitzy embellished piping down the centre and around the neckline. She added a pair of mid blue straight leg jeans to her outfit along with a classic brown Louis Vuitton monogram printed leather patch on one leg. The Tomb Raider actress slipped into a pair of leather boots with a chunky heel to complete her effortlessly stylish look. Stunning: Alicia sported an incredible high neck black tailcoat with glitzy embellished piping down the centre and around the neckline Fashionista: The Tomb Raider actress slipped into a pair of leather boots with a chunky heel to complete her effortlessly stylish look Chic: The actress added a sweep of soft brown eye shadow to draw focus to her eyes and opted for a natural lip Sophisticated: She accessorised her ensemble with a quilted silver crossbody bag that she in one hand, with the iconic LV logo on the front She accessorised her ensemble with a quilted silver crossbody bag that she in one hand, with the iconic LV logo on the front. Her brunette locks were styled in a blunt cut long bob with subtle tousled waves and a centre parting. The actress added a sweep of soft brown eye shadow to draw focus to her eyes and opted for a natural lip. Front Row: Alicia was joined by American filmmaker Ava DuVernay VIPs: French actress Catherine Deneuve opted for an all-black ensemble with a polka dot blouse Elsewhere, Sophie Turner attended the show alongside her husband Joe Jonas. The actress, 26, is rumoured to be expecting her second child with the musician, 32, but the couple did not address the reports as they posed for snaps together at the star-studded event. Looking effortlessly chic for the runway show, Sophie donned a billowing leather pinafore dress that she teamed with a white ribbed crop top. Sophie and Joe were in good company at the event which was also attended by the likes of Emma Stone, Jennifer Connelly and Julianne Moore. Alexa Chung wowed onlookers as she arrived at the Louis Vuitton show during Paris Fashion Week on Monday. The model, 38, put on a leggy display in a black miniskirt with a chic polka-dot white bow, while donning a coordinating leather studded jacket. She continued her look with an orange top featuring green, purple and white stripes while toting her essentials around in a charcoal leather handbag. Emerging: Alexa Chung wowed onlookers as she arrived at the Louis Vuitton show during Paris Fashion Week on Monday The Vogue cover star added inches to her enviable frame with a pair of edgy black boots which featured matching straps and silver studs. She wore her chocolate locks in a tousled bob and accentuated her natural beauty with a full face of flawlessly applied make-up. Alexa, who is a regular at Paris Fashion Week has been spending her week hopping through different shows and events in the French capital. Gorgeous: The model, 38, put on a leggy display in a black miniskirt with a chic polka-dot white bow, while donning a coordinating leather studded jacket Trendy: She continued her look with an orange top featuring green, purple and white stripes while toting her essentials around in a charcoal leather handbag Incredible: She wore her chocolate locks in a tousled bob and accentuated her natural beauty with a full face of flawlessly applied make-up However, the designer also posts Youtube videos, alongside keeping fans up to date via her Instagram. The Brit has shared that she has been enjoying a European getaway alongside fashion events, recently visiting Venice. She posted a picture in the Italian city, joking in the caption: 'It's Venice Fashion Week though really.' Sharing a glimpse at her travels, she shared images of herself in a gondola to her 4.9m followers, alongside some traditional Italian food. While she is seemingly attending Fashion Week events in Paris solo, she is reportedly living with her boyfriend Orson Fry in London. The low-key couple are thought to have been together since 2019, with Orson, who is heir to Fry's chocolate dynasty, having reportedly moved in with Alexa. Paramount Pictures actress Laurel Goodwin has passed away at the age of 79, her family revealed in an obituary. Goodwin, who has worked with the likes of Elvis Presley and Jackie Gleason, died on February 25 in Cathedral City, California. 'If she knew you, you quickly became family,' read a line from her obit. RIP: Paramount Pictures actress Laurel Goodwin has passed away at the age of 79, her family revealed in an obituary Laurel was born in 1942 in Wichita, Kansas and signed a contract with Paramount when she was just 19 years old. She would go on to co-star with Elvis Presley in the 1962 musical comedy Girls! Girls! Girls! as Laurel Dodge. In the flick, Laurel finds herself the object of affection of both Elvis and actor Jeremy Slate. Following Girls! Girls! Girls!, in 1963, Laurel worked with Jackie Gleason and Glynis Johns in Papa's Delicate Condition. Hollywood starlet: Goodwin, who has worked with the likes of Elvis Presley and Jackie Gleason, died on February 25 in Cathedral City, California In addition to her work on film, Goodwin acted in several television projects including the very first episode of the Star Trek television series. The pilot episode never aired. Laurel played Yeoman Colt in the pilot, titled The Cage, which was filmed in 1965. According to her obituary, Laurel was the last surviving member of the cast. She went on to marry Walter Wood. Together the couple produced Stroker Ace in 1983 starring Burt Reynolds and Loni Anderson. Anderson and Reynolds would go on to marry several years later in 1988. They divorced in 1994. Goodwin retired from the industry and went into nursing in 1971, Page Six reported. Daisy Ridley looked ever-chic as she attended the Giambattista Valli show during Paris Fashion Week on Monday. The actress, 29, flashed a hint of her midriff in a grey wool cropped sweater which featured a polo neck and a cutout along with a knotted front. She put on a fierce display in a leopard print miniskirt while slipping into a pair of knee-high glossy black boots and acessorising her look with a matching handbag. Wow! Daisy Ridley looked ever-chic as she attended the Giambattista Valli show during Paris Fashion Week on Monday She looked incredible while posing up a storm for photographers at the lavish event, and wore her chocolate locks in a glossy side-swept look. The talented star soon cosied up to Vanessa Hudgens, who put an eye-catching display in a busty coral minidress with white panels and strategically placed cutouts. The London native became a household name thanks to her role as Rey in Disney's divisive Star Wars trilogy, which picks up some thirty years after the collapse of the Empire in Return Of The Jedi. Looking good: The actress, 29, flashed a hint of her midriff in a grey wool cropped sweater which featured a polo neck and a cutout along with a knotted front Gorgeous: She put on a fierce display in a leopard print miniskirt while slipping into a pair of knee-high glossy black boots and acessorising her look with a matching handbag What a pair! The talented star soon cosied up to Vanessa Hudgens (right), who put an eye-catching display in a busty coral minidress with white panels and strategically placed cutouts She has since been filming The Marsh King's Daughter on location in Canada alongside Garrett Hedlund, Ben Mendelsohn, Brooklynn Prince, Caren Pistorius, and Gil Birmingham. She takes a starring role as Helena, a woman living a seemingly ordinary life, who's hiding the dark secret that her father is actually the infamous Marsh King. It turns out the Marsh King is the man who kept Helena and her mother captive in the wilderness for years. After spending her entire life trying to avoid her past, Helena is forced to face her demons when her father escapes from prison. The film is directed by Neil Burger, best known for The Illusionist, Limitless, and Divergent, from a screenplay by Mark L. Smith and Elle Smith based on the 2017 novel of the same name by Karen Dionne. Daisy's most recent role was the lead in the dystopian action film, Chaos Walking, which premiered in the U.S last March. The Bachelor's Abbie Chatfield has weighed in on Sonia Kruger's raunchy confession about her 'safe word' in the bedroom. Sonia, 56, raised eyebrows on Sunday night's episode of Dancing with the Stars: All Stars after she crudely joked that her safe word was 'harder'. A safe word is a term used by sexual partners during sex to communicate that the activity has become too rough and that they want to stop. 'I'm worried': Abbie Chatfield, 26, has weighed in on Sonia Kruger's raunchy 'safe word' confession on Dancing With The Stars: All Stars on Sunday night Sonia's confession became a topic of conversation on Monday's Hot Nights With Abbie Chatfield radio show, prompting Abbie, 26, to share some advice for Sonia. 'Sonia! We love you Sonia Kruger. I'm surprised she has time [for sex]! Sonia is the busiest person in Australian television, honestly,' Abbie mused. 'We should say though, Sonia, a safe word shouldn't be something you may say during the deed. Sonia, I might DM you and let you know, babe, because I'm worried about it,' she jokingly added. 'A safe word shouldn't be something you may say during the deed': Sonia's confession became a topic of conversation on Monday's Hot Nights With Abbie Chatfield radio show, prompting Abbie to share some advice for Sonia Fruity: When quizzed about her own safe word by co-host Rohan Edwards, Abbie replied: 'Blueberries. I don't like food in the bedroom' When quizzed about her own safe word by co-host Rohan Edwards, Abbie replied: 'Blueberries. I don't like food in the bedroom.' '[The safe word] is also used when Konrad tickles me. Because he tickles me, and sometimes it goes too far, so I have to say 'blueberries'', she confessed. Abbie went on to describe a rare incident where she found herself unable to utter 'blueberries' during a playful encounter with her boyfriend Konrad Bien-Stephens. [Konrad] went too far with something last night. He sucked my tongue like really hard...it wasn't anything sexual. He just wanted to be annoying, so he tucked my tongue after we kissed and held on really tight and I couldn't say 'blueberries'', she confessed. Naughty! Abbie went on to describe a rare incident where she found herself unable to utter 'blueberries' during a playful encounter with her boyfriend Konrad Bien-Stephens (right) Tongue tied: '[Konrad] went too far with something last night. He sucked my tongue like really hard...it wasn't anything sexual. He just wanted to be annoying, so he tucked my tongue after we kissed and held on really tight and I couldn't say 'blueberries'', she confessed Abbie admitted that the painful experience left her with a 'lisp' for ten minutes. 'My tongue was swollen! And I asked him, 'Can I do it to you?' and he said, 'No'. It was awful, that's why a safe word is important. But maybe also you need a safe hand movement or Morse Code tapping!' she laughed. It come after Sonia left Kris Smith and his dance partner Siobhan Power lost for words after making a racy joke about her safe word on Sunday night's Dancing With The Stars: All Stars. Joking around: It come after Sonia left Kris Smith and his dance partner Siobhan Power lost for words after making a racy joke about her safe word on Sunday night's Dancing With The Stars: All Stars Sonia asked Kris how his knees were doing, after seeing him perform several lifts and complex moves in his performance. 'How are your knees, by the way? So you have a safe word in case things go wrong?' she asked as Kris laughed. Sonia then suggested a few examples, like 'pineapple' or 'Daryl' - referring to her co-host Daryl Somers. Close your ears, children! 'How are your knees, by the way? So you have a safe word in case things go wrong?' she asked as Kris laughed. Sonia then suggested a few examples, like 'pineapple' or 'Daryl' - referring to her co-host Daryl Somers. Pictured L-R: Sonia Kruger, Kris Smith, Siobhan Power She then turned to the camera and said in deadpan, 'Because my safe word is 'harder'.' The audience and judges burst into laughter, as did a flustered Kris, who forgot to answer her question among his giggles. 'Did I go too far then?' Sonia said, facing the camera, before laughing and adding, 'I think I did!' They're busy parents to two young children under two years old. But Lance 'Buddy' Franklin, 35, and Jesinta Franklin, 30, managed to get a little alone time recently when the couple flew down to Melbourne. The AFL star and the WAG were spotted arriving back at Sydney airport on Monday. Parents only! Lance 'Buddy' Franklin, 35, and Jesinta Franklin, 30, managed to get a little alone time recently when the couple flew down to Melbourne Former Miss Universe contestant Jesinta looked sharp in a black blazer and matching trousers for the work trip. The model mum had been in Melbourne for a photo shoot. Jesinta had shared images of herself getting ready for the work to her Instagram Stories on Monday. Back to work! The AFL star and the WAG were spotted arriving back at Sydney airport on Monday Back to black: Former Miss Universe contestant Franklin looked sharp in a black blazer and matching trousers for the work trip She and her Sydney Swans star husband then flew back to their Sydney home on Monday night. Jesinta posted an image taken from the plane, showing her enjoying the 'sunset from the sky'. Buddy meanwhile went casual for the return trip in dark jeans and a white T-shirt. Well-heeled: The key forward accessorised with black Converse Chuck Taylor sneakers and a red cap Bright on: Jesinta added a pop of colour to her ensemble with bright Nike high top sneakers The key forward accessorised with black Converse Chuck Taylor sneakers and a red cap. He strolled through the airport carrying the couple's luggage, while his wife of six years carried several plastic bags. The A-list couple are parents to daughter Tullulah, two, and an eleven-month-old son Rocky. Loaded up: Buddy strolled through the airport carrying the couple's luggage, while his wife of six years carried several plastic bags Rough: The adults-only getaway comes after the family fell ill with gastro The adults-only getaway comes after the family fell ill with gastro. Jesinta revealed last week that Tullulah had fallen ill after catching the infection at preschool. The Sydney-based model confirmed she was sick as well, but said she was still cherishing the time at home with her little girl. Better now: The Sydney-based model confirmed she was sick as well, but said she was still cherishing the time at home with her little girl Busy: The model mum had been in Melbourne for a photo shoot. Jesinta had shared images of her getting ready for the work to her Instagram Stories on Monday 'Gastro got us good. Living for all of these cuddles though,' she captioned a photo on Instagram of her daughter placing a hand on her leg. 'I've never spewed so much in my life. Apparently it's going around in Sydney and caused by all of the flood water contamination,' she added. Jesinta continued: 'Multiple people I know have it, my little sister [Aleysha Campbell] went down hard last night too.' The look: Jesinta previewed her flight wear on her Instagram Stories on Monday Sky high: Jesinta shared an image from the plane, taken at 7:52pm, showing her enjoying the 'sunset from the sky' There have been more than 155 outbreaks of highly infectious gastroenteritis in NSW childcare centres this month, nearly double the usual number of cases. Richard Broome from NSW Health said almost 1,000 children and more than 210 staff members had been affected in February, a 97 per cent increase for the month. 'Since then there have been further notifications of gastroenteritis outbreaks across the sector,' he said on Thursday. Viral gastroenteritis symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, fever, abdominal pain, headache and muscle aches. McMafia has been axed after the BBC decided that a programme about a 'dodgy Russian family' would be 'awkward' amid the Ukraine crisis, it has been claimed. The gangster drama, which was lauded by critics and drew in audiences of nearly 10 million during its 2018 debut, will allegedly not return for a second series. Production had been delayed by the coronavirus pandemic, but the invasion of Ukraine has reportedly acted as the nail in the coffin for the much-loved programme. 'It wouldn't be a good look!' McMafia has reportedly been AXED after the BBC decided a crime drama about a 'dodgy Russian family' would be 'awkward' amid the Ukraine crisis Starring man James Norton, who has seen his star rise as a result of the show, has also been increasingly 'hard to pin down' in time for filming. A TV insider told The Sun: 'But it also wasn't a good look to start a second series of a show where the main protagonist is a gangster from a dodgy Russian family who ultimately triumphs on the back of a string of dark deeds. 'The drama doesn't glorify the violence or corruption, in fact it attempts to highlight the terrible consequences that followed the break-up of the Soviet Union. 'But given it deals with murderers and oligarchs, it's still a very awkward show to be creating in the current climate.' Wow! The series, which was lauded by critics and drew in audiences of nearly 10 million in its 2018 debut, will allegedly not return for a second series (James Norton and extra are pictured) The BBC's press office has been contacted for comment by MailOnline. It comes after Netflix made the decision to suspend its service in Russia, a company spokesperson said on Sunday. Earlier this week, Netflix temporarily stopped all future projects and acquisitions in Russia as it assessed the impact of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. 'Given the circumstances on the ground, we have decided to suspend our service in Russia,' the Netflix spokesperson said. In demand: Starring man James Norton, who has seen his star rise as a result of the show, has also been increasingly 'hard to pin down' in time for filming (pictured with Juliet Rylance) The streaming service had earlier said it had no plans to add state-run channels to its Russian service, despite a regulation that would require it to distribute state-backed channels. At the time of McMafia's airing, the Russian embassy even hit out at the BBC for propagating negative 'cliches' of its citizens in the hit series. The eight-part series, which first aired Christmas Day, portrayed a world where Russians move in a world rife with criminal activity - but the embassy moved quickly to point out the difference between fact and fiction. Oh no! A TV insider said: 'But it also wasn't a good look to start a second series of a show where the main protagonist is a gangster from a dodgy Russian family who ultimately triumphs on the back of a string of dark deeds' (James, left, is pictured with David Dencik, right) Taking to Twitter, the UK-based embassy said the drama 'depicts Britain as a playground for Russian gangsters' and asked followers to answer a poll to guess how many Russian offenders are currently in UK prisons. Fifty-nine per cent of voters guessed the embassy's correct answer of 'fewer than 10'. Following the result, the embassy tweeted: 'Crime rate among Russians in UK is well below national average. Good that our followers are not buying into the cliches BBC is spreading.' Ministry of Justice figures from September last year show there are 35 people of Russian nationality imprisoned in England and Wales, comprised of 34 men and one women. This had dropped from 51 inmates at the end of 2016. The figure is significantly lower than many other European countries, including Poland, which has 891 citizens locked up in the UK, Lithuania, which has 424, and Portugal's 245. Yet the figure is higher than other nations, including Greece and Belgium. McMafia follows the life of a privately educated businessman called Alex Godman, played by British actor James Norton, who is dragged into the criminal underworld following the murder of his uncle. Lara Worthington (nee Bingle) has issued a 'Where the bloody hell are you?' to Prime Minister Scott Morrison, criticising his response to Australia's worst-affected flood-stricken regions. The 34-year-old model, who last week blasted the government for 'not sending enough army and police' to flood affected regions in NSW Northern Rivers, returned to Instagram on Tuesday to re-post an open letter addressed to Morrison himself. 'To the Prime Minister of Australia, the leader of our country,' began the post, which was originally uploaded by community group, Revive the Northern Rivers. Lara Worthington (nee Bingle), 34, (pictured) has issued a 'where the bloody hell are you?' to Prime Minister Scott Morrison, criticising his response to Australia's worst-affected flood-stricken regions 'We don't know where to start, really. But we know that if we don't speak out about what we have seen, people's stories risk being forgotten,' the letter continued. The letter described the dire conditions faced locals in Lismore, many of whom lost their homes in the deluge. 'We wish that you could smell the mud in Lismore today. The foul stench that suffocates the town. Laced with pesticides, sewerage and chemicals, it oozes petrol and oil and death,' it said. The Australian model, who last week blasted the government for 'not sending enough army and police' to flood-affected regions, returned to Instagram on Tuesday to re-post an open letter addressed to Morrison himself 'We want you to hear the conversations we've overheard and see the expressions on people's faces who've lost everything but their lives. You can't even begin to comprehend this place because you're not here.' It comes after Sydney-based Worthington issued a desperate plea for help in the Northern Rivers region last Thursday, while taking a brutal swipe at the federal government. Posting to Instagram, the veteran model tagged the Prime Minister as she called for 'the army, police, services' to assist 'regular people' who she said are carrying out rescues of vulnerable residents. 'You can't even begin to comprehend this place because you're not here': The letter described the dire conditions faced locals in Lismore, many of whom lost their homes in the deluge Worthington claimed 'so many people are missing' in the 'apocalyptic' conditions at Mullumbimby and Main Arm through Wilson's Creek in NSW, calling it 'a state of emergency'. She said people in the region were being forced to scale cliffs to rescue 'pregnant people, babies and families'. She tagged the Prime Minister in the post and asked: 'Scott Morrison are we doing this again?' It comes after Sydney-based Worthington issued a desperate plea for help in the Northern Rivers region last Thursday, while taking a brutal swipe at the federal government Worthington shared an astonishing post from a Mullumbimby meditation school, which she appeared to base her appeal on In 2019, Ms Worthington criticised her former boss and now PM for his controversial holiday to Hawaii as bushfires ravage Australia. She referenced her famous Tourism Australia catch-cry from 2006 Tweeting: 'Scott Morrison: WHERE THE BLOODY HELL ARE YOU???' on Twitter. Mr Morrison was the boss of Tourism Australia when a bikini-clad Bingle featured in the $186 million campaign. Deemed too risque, the advert was later banned in the UK. The model also lashed out at Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Twitter (pictured) after he apparently flew business class to Hawaii as bushfires continue to ravage Australia Mr Morrison hired the 18-year-old Sydney-born model, who is from Cronulla in the Sutherland Shire which is part of the PM's electorate, to front the campaign promoting Australia's natural wonders. On Thursday, the Prime Minister announced $434.7million of emergency funding to support flood affected areas including grants of up to $75,000. Morrison, who is recovering from Covid, posted on social media, saying 650 Australian defence Force personnel and 5 ADF helicopters were helping. 'Over 52,000 disaster payments of $1000 for adults and $400 for children have so far been paid out by the Federal Government to support people impacted by the floods, totalling $62.7 million.' The veteran model tagged the Prime Minister as she called for 'the army, police, services' to assist 'regular people' who she said are carrying out rescues of vulnerable residents in the NSW Northern Rivers (pictured Lara Worthington with husband and actor Sam) Worthington claimed 'regular people' around Mullumbimby were being forced to scale cliffs to rescue pregnant people, babies and families' On Thursday, the Prime Minister announced $434.7million of emergency funding to support flood affected areas including grants of up to $75,000 Morrison said five ADF helicopters were helping flood relief efforts 'It's not enough,' one follower responded to his post on Thursday. 'Why is this not a state of emergency? People are risking their lives to save people in danger.' Worthington also shared an astonishing post from a Mullumbimby meditation school, which she appeared to base her appeal on. It painted an emerging tragedy in an area 50km north-east of Lismore, and 40km north of Ballina - two NSW towns whose plight has already been widely publicised. Titled 'Northern Rivers calling for help', The Broad Place included a photo showing a rampaging river smashing through trees after apparently washing away part of a set of wooden stairs. 'People are lost and missing. Cars destroyed by floods are leaking fuel into sewerage all over the streets. We need help. We are running out of drinking water. 'Regular citizens are winching themselves down bridges and over landslides to save people [and] attempting to hike their way to food and water.' The PM said 650 ADF personal were already helping, but one follower shot back 'it's not enough' The post claimed 'mud and sewerage' have reached 'head high' in some homes. 'Disabled elderly cannot access medication, and have no phones. They can't contact their kids and are breaking down in tears of despair. 'Bridges are down, roads have been swept away in landslides. 'Army, defence force, police where are you? 'We need counselors, therapists, doctors, nurses.' The Broad Place is run by couple Jacqui Lewis and Arran Russell, well known for running corporate meditation programs. Under Morrison's plan grants of up to $75,000 are available for farmers and up to $50,000 for small businesses and not for profit organisations hit by floods. They will be available through NSW government agencies, with registration already open through Service NSW. 'Farmers will need to restock and rebuild and small businesses will need help replacing damaged goods and shop fronts, and when more support is needed, more support will be given,' he said. 'I have already asked the New South Wales Premier to provide my Government with a proposal for a second support package to ensure all communities get the support they need.' Further funding through the Queensland government will be announced in coming days. 'This initial package is in addition to the federally funded $1,000 disaster relief payment and the 13-week income replacement for employees and small business, which to date has already paid out almost $63 million in a matter of days,' he said. As head of Tourism Australia Morrison famously gave Worthington (when she was Lara Bingle) her first big break, fronting his 2006 'So Where the Bloody Hell Are You? campaign. ZAHONY, Hungary (AP) - The violin was so beloved by Myroslava Sherbina it was the one item she took as she fled Ukraine, along with the clothes she wore. But the instrument has remained silent since the start of Russia's invasion of her country. "I didnt want to play so I could hear the sirens and we could go to the bomb shelter," the 20-year-old Sherbina said. She is among the more than 1.7 million people who have fled Ukraine in what the United Nations calls Europes fastest-growing refugee crisis since World War II. The number is up from 1.5 million on Sunday, the U.N. refugee agency said. Sherbina spoke at a train station in Hungary, one of dozens of musicians with the Youth Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine who are now refugees. They were on their way to Slovenia as part of a joint evacuation mission with a Slovenian orchestra. Cellos, violins, violas and other instruments lay on the train platform next to their young and disoriented owners. Hours-long train delays caused by the surge of Ukrainians toward borders meant that about 30 musicians were still unaccounted for. "Theres a group of about 90 people coming to this particular train station," said Uros Dokl, a volunteer from Slovenia who came the 665 kilometers (413 miles) to greet the orchestra members. "Not all of them are members of the orchestra, but they are young people playing music, and young people of course need guidance." Slovenian volunteer Uros Dokl, left, and violin player Myroslava Sherbina, center, wait for members of the Youth Symphonic Orchestra of Ukraine at the train station in Zahony, Hungary, Sunday, March 6, 2022. When Russia's invasion of Ukraine began and air raid sirens rang out in the embattled region of Donbas, Myroslava Sherbina rushed from her home and into a bomb shelter bringing only two of her possessions: the clothes on her back, and her violin. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) Sherbina, the violin player, said shes confident the war in Ukraine will end soon and shell return home. Until then, shell refine her skills in Slovenia, a country shes never visited. "I want to feel safe so I can practice, and not think that a bomb can fall and ruin my house," she said. Some 4 million people may flee Ukraine if Russia's offensive continues, the U.N. has said. On Monday, European Union foreign affairs policy chief Josep Borrell urged the mobilization of "all the resources" of the 27-nation bloc to help countries welcoming them. Two Czech army convoys were on the way to neighboring Slovakia to help. "We didnt have to think twice and immediately met the Slovak request," Czech Defense Minister Jana Cernochova said. The temporary base will be able to accommodate up to 400 people. A cardinal dispatched by Pope Francis on a mission to promote peace traveled to the Polish-Ukrainian border to meet with refugees. He will highlight "the sad similarity between the Ukrainians sufferings and the protracted conflicts that no longer attract the worlds attention," the Vatican said, citing the popes frequent denunciation of suffering in wars in Ethiopia, Yemen and Syria. Uncertainty and relief continued along the border among the thousands of arriving Ukrainians. Many were wrapped in blankets. Some held small children. They sought the basic necessities: food, shelter, sleep, support. Under a canopy next to the train station in the Hungarian border town of Zahony, Tamas Marghescu stirred a cauldron of traditional meat stew. As an outdoorsman and the Hungary director for the International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation, he called the meal well-suited for those who shivered in line for hours at the border. "When youre at home watching the news, you feel so helpless," his wife, Ilona, said. "Its ... important for people when they come off those trains to have somebody smiling at them and to know that there are people here that care." The couple said they felt a responsibility to help those who fled. Ilonas parents left Hungary for Australia during World War II. Marghescus family twice fled Soviet domination, after the war in 1948 and again after the brutal Soviet repression of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution. "My parents are still telling me stories about when they were refugees and they were looked after," Marghescu said, His wildlife organization has set up similar outdoor kitchens at the Polish, Slovakian and Romanian borders with Ukraine. "Its a traditional meal and its cooked with love," his wife said. In Moldova, some families opened homes to refugees. "It was a natural and beautiful process," said Sabina Nadejdin, who hosts pregnant Anastacsia Luybimova and her three small children. Like most other men, Luybimova's husband stayed behind in Ukraine. Lifting her hand from her belly, she showed a heart tattoo she and her husband got on their ring fingers when they married. Poland, where more than 1 million refugees have arrived, on Monday approved legislation offering them financial help and allowing them to stay legally in the country for 18 months. Helping the Ukrainians is the most important challenge Poland has faced in decades, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said, and efforts "cannot be only spontaneous." At the Przemysl train station near the Medyka border crossing, the main point of arrival in Poland, the hall was packed and a banner in Ukrainian read, "Here, you are safe." A 17-year-old Polish volunteer, Zuzana Koseva, described the refugees as "just very, very tired, terrified and confused because they dont know what to expect." The volunteers were trying to organize food and a warm tent, she said. She was moved by the exhausted mothers and the small, sometimes bewildered, children. "They are happy with one sweet, so thats just amazing," Koseva said. One mother held a child to her chest and, closing her eyes in what might be prayer, touched their foreheads together. ___ Associated Press journalists around Europe contributed to this report. ___ Follow the APs coverage of the Ukraine crisis at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine A Ukrainian volunteer Oleksandr Osetynskyi, 44 holds a Ukrainian flag and directs hundreds of refugees after fleeing from the Ukraine and arriving at the border crossing in Medyka, Poland, Monday, March 7, 2022. Russia announced yet another cease-fire and a handful of humanitarian corridors to allow civilians to flee Ukraine. Previous such measures have fallen apart and Moscow's armed forces continued to pummel some Ukrainian cities with rockets Monday. (AP Photo/Visar Kryeziu) A refugee fleeing the conflict from neighbouring Ukraine cries as she holds her one-year-old son, Andrey, at the Romanian-Ukrainian border, in Siret, Romania, Monday, March 7, 2022. Russia announced yet another cease-fire and a handful of humanitarian corridors to allow civilians to flee Ukraine. Previous such measures have fallen apart and Moscow's armed forces continued to pummel some Ukrainian cities with rockets Monday. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru) Refugees wait in a crowd for transportation after fleeing from the Ukraine and arriving at the border crossing in Medyka, Poland, Monday, March 7, 2022. Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian civilians attempting to flee to safety Sunday were forced to shelter from Russian shelling that pummeled cities in Ukraine's center, north and south. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber) Refugees, mostly women and children, wait in a crowd for transportation after fleeing from the Ukraine and arriving at the border crossing in Medyka, Poland, Monday, March 7, 2022. Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian civilians attempting to flee to safety Sunday were forced to shelter from Russian shelling that pummeled cities in Ukraine's center, north and south. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber) A woman wraps herself in a blanket to keep warm as she waits in a crowd of refugees after fleeing from the Ukraine and arriving at the border crossing in Medyka, Poland, Monday, March 7, 2022. Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian civilians attempting to flee to safety Sunday were forced to shelter from Russian shelling that pummeled cities in Ukraine's center, north and south. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber) Refugees, mostly women and children, wait for transportation after fleeing from the Ukraine and arriving at the border crossing in Medyka, Poland, Monday, March 7, 2022. Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian civilians attempting to flee to safety Sunday were forced to shelter from Russian shelling that pummeled cities in Ukraine's center, north and south. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber) Refugees wait in a crowd for transportation after fleeing from the Ukraine and arriving at the border crossing in Medyka, Poland, Monday, March 7, 2022. Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian civilians attempting to flee to safety Sunday were forced to shelter from Russian shelling that pummeled cities in Ukraine's center, north and south. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber) Refugees that fled Ukraine from the war arrive at the train station in Zahony, Hungary, Sunday, March 6, 2022. 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 Russia to "declaring war." (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) Refugees that fled Ukraine from the war arrive at the train station in Zahony, Hungary, Sunday, March 6, 2022. 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 Russia to "declaring war." (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) Refugees comfort each other after fleeing the war from neighbouring Ukraine, at the border crossing in Palanca, Moldova, Monday, March 7, 2022. Russia announced yet another cease-fire and a handful of humanitarian corridors to allow civilians to flee Ukraine. Previous such measures have fallen apart and Moscow's armed forces continued to pummel some Ukrainian cities with rockets Monday. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits) Australian-Hungarian volunteers Tamas and Ilona Marghescu prepare traditional Hungarian meat stew for Ukrainian refugees at the train station in Zahony, Hungary, Sunday, March 6, 2022. Tamas and Ilona said that as children of refugees themselves, they feel a responsibility to help. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) Refugees warm up inside a plastic tent after fleeing from the Ukraine and arriving at the border crossing in Medyka, Poland, Monday, March 7, 2022. Russia announced yet another cease-fire and a handful of humanitarian corridors to allow civilians to flee Ukraine. Previous such measures have fallen apart and Moscow's armed forces continued to pummel some Ukrainian cities with rockets Monday. (AP Photo/Visar Kryeziu) Refugees fleeing the war from neighbouring Ukraine arrive at the border crossing in Palanca, Moldova, Monday, March 7, 2022. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits) Social support system for childbirth should be improved to support China's third-child policy: political advisors By Wan Lin and Du Qiongfang (Global Times) 08:59, March 07, 2022 Children wearing tiger-themed hats are seen with decorations on their hands in Hefei, east China's Anhui Province, Jan. 18, 2022. With the arrival of Chinese New Year on Tuesday, the country enters the Year of the Tiger. Photo: Xinhua Improving China's social support system for childbirth has been a hot topic in the proposals many Chinese political advisors made at the ongoing annual meeting of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, as they suggested that more subsidies and services be put in place for childbearing and family-supporting to back the country's third-child policy while the country has entered a zero-growth period. Xie Wenmin, deputy chairman of the women's federation of Central China's Hubei Province and a member of CPPCC National Committee, told media that Chinese families' desire to have children remains low even though the third-child policy has had a huge influence on Chinese women and their families since it was introduced in July 2021. China's population has entered a zero-growth period, Chinese demographers said, as the number of newborns in the Chinese mainland dropped to 10.62 million in 2021, close to the number of deaths, according to data released in January by the National Bureau of Statistics. The lawyer proposed to further increase social support for childbirth and improvement in the system of childbirth subsidies as there are still insufficient policies for women to balance the conflicts between family and work and childbearing and their career development. Apart from completing the childbearing subsidies covered by the existing social insurance system, which issues monthly subsidies to families with second and third children, a supplementary maternity subsidy system should be set up separately to encourage childbirth, she suggested. Besides, the system of maternity leave should be improved by increasing incentive maternity leave for having a second child and vigorously promoting paternity leave for men, she noted. China's population development has entered a new stage, and adjustments to the family planning policy should mainly promote the harmony and happiness of families and help those families with fertility desire realize their wish to have children, said He Dan, another CPPCC National Committee member and director of the China Population and Development Research Center, according to the chinanews.com. She called for the government to increase investment in the construction of childcare services to ensure childcare institutions will enjoy the same policy support as the kindergartens in China. She is also concerned about reproductive health services for women, proposing to include assisted fertility technologies in the country's basic public services. Reports show that the high cost of raising childrenis one of the main factors preventing couples of childbearing age to consider having a child in China. The average cost of raising a child up to the age of 18 was 485,000 yuan ($76,556) in China in 2019, much higher than many countries including the US, France and Germany, according to a report published by the YuWa Population Research think tank. Some political advisors suggested reducing the burden of women who want to have children by increasing social security in medical care, housing, children education and elderly care. Zhai Meiqing, vice chairman of the Guangdong Federation of Industry and Commerce, proposed offering housing subsidies to families with three children, and also to promote the construction of supporting service facilities for mothers with infants and young children, such as setting up more breastfeeding stations in public places, reported Yangcheng Evening News. For women and men who have to quit their job to take care of their children, Yu Xinwei, vice president of the CPPCC committee in Guangzhou, South China's Guangdong Province, said that these "full-time" family worker also deserve to have their "occupational rights and interests" secured, reported the evening news. The government should fund the purchase of social security for stay-at-home wives and husbands with multiple children so that they can also enjoy the basic five insurances or even enterprise annuity, Yu said. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) Korean workers forcibly taken to Japan during the Japanese colonial rule of Korea (1910-45) are seen in this file photo. Yonhap The number of registered surviving South Korean victims of wartime forced labor in Japan decreased by 585 over the past year, data showed Monday. A civic group unveiled government statistics on medical assistance provided to people who were conscripted to work in Japan before and during World War II. The data showed the number of recipients stood at 1,815 in January, down from last year's 2,400. Of them, 116 are women. The number has steadily dropped from 8,075 in 2016 to 6,570 in 2017; 5,245 in 2018; 4,034 in 2019; and 3,140 in 2020. The elderly victims have received 800,000 won (US$650) per year in a medical subsidy from the government since 2009. Most of them are living in long-term care facilities, according to the group. "Many victims have passed every year, so the government's diplomatic efforts are needed to get Japan's apology and compensation," the group said. (Yonhap) This page may be updated if the event is repeated Past Event - Sunday, April 10, 2022 This page may be updated if the event is repeated $26 - $89 Premier Health Broadway Series - COME FROM AWAY April 6-10, 2022 Schuster Center. Broadway in Dayton at the Schuster The North American Tour of Come From Away Photo Credit Matthew Murphy Broadways COME FROM AWAY is a Best Musical winner all across North America! This New York Times Critics Pick takes you into the heart of the remarkable true story of 7,000 stranded passengers and the small town in Newfoundland that welcomed them. Cultures clashed and nerves ran high, but uneasiness turned into trust, music soared into the night, and gratitude grew into enduring friendships. Dont miss this breathtaking new musical written by Tony nominees Irene Sankoff and David Hein, and helmed by this years Tony-winning Best Director, Christopher Ashley. Newsweek cheers, It takes you to a place you never want to leave! On 9/11, the world stopped. On 9/12, their stories moved us all. Local review by Mike Woody: Come From Away is a must see show See more: 2021-2022 Premier Health Broadway Series Dayton Live is the only outlet authorized to sell tickets for events at the Schuster Center, Victoria Theatre, PNC Arts Annex, and The Loft Theatre. Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription and are still unable to access our content, please link your digital account to your print subscription If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. New Delhi: IT company Microsoft on Monday said it will set up its fourth data centre in India at Hyderabad and expects to make it operational by 2025. The company will set-up the data centre at Hyderabad, which comes in addition to the existing three facilities located in Pune, Mumbai, and Chennai. "It will be the largest data centre that we will have in India going forward. We are setting it up in Hyderabad. Typically it takes 24 months to create an infrastructure like that. The target date for the operationalisation of this data centre will be 2025," Microsoft India president Anant Maheshwari told reporters while sharing details of the data centre. He said that Microsoft has doubled data centre capacity in India. "It is a continuous investment. It (Hyderabad data centre) will not be largest from Day 1 but it will become largest over a period of time," Maheshwari said. Citing data from research firm IDC, he said Microsoft datacenters in India contributed USD 9.5 billion revenue to the economy between 2016 and 2020. Besides GDP impact, the IDC report estimated 1.5 million jobs were added to the economy, including 169,000 new skilled IT jobs. The sources said with the GST compensation regime ending in June, it is imperative that states become self-sufficient and not depend on the Centre for bridging the revenue gap in GST collection. (Representational Image/ DC File) New Delhi: Looking for various ways to augment revenue for the states and reduce their dependence on the Centre for compensation, the GST Council, in its forthcoming meeting, is likely to push for raising the lowest tax slab to 8 per cent from 5 per cent currently. A panel of state finance ministers is likely to submit its report by this month in this regard, sources close to the development said on Sunday. At present, the GST rates have a four-tier structure, consisting of 5, 12, 18 and 28 per cent rates. Essential items are either exempted or taxed at the lowest slab, while luxury and demerit items attract the highest slab. Besides, luxury and sin goods attract cess on top of the highest 28 per cent slab, and this cess collection is used to compensate states for the revenue loss arising from the GST rollout. The Council, chaired by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, and comprising her state counterparts, had last year set up a panel of state ministers, headed by Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, to suggest ways to review the position of revenue and augment it further by rationalising tax rates and correcting anomalies in tax rates. When the GST regime was introduced on July 1, 2017, the Centre had agreed to compensate states for five years till June 2022, and protect their revenue at 14 per cent per annum over the base year revenue of 2015-16. It has been observed that over this five-year period, due to reduction in GST rates on several items, the revenue neutral rate has come down from 15.3 per cent to 11.6 per cent. The sources said with the GST compensation regime ending in June, it is imperative that states become self-sufficient and not depend on the Centre for bridging the revenue gap in GST collection. They 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 status of the states. "With hiking of the proposed tax rates, the group of ministers' panel is expected to raise an additional Rs 1.50 lakh crore in annual revenues. With lower revenue neutral rate, the states stare at a shortfall of about Rs 1 lakh crore and efforts have to be made to make GST revenue neutral and the only way to do it, is to rationalise the tax slab and check evasion," a source sa Ukraine's top envoy to Seoul said Monday his office has raised over US$3 million in donations from South Korea to support Ukrainian efforts in the war against Russia. "We will send some of the donated money directly to the National Bank of Ukraine and use some to buy and send food and medicine for our people," Ukrainian Ambassador Dmytro Ponomarenko said as he revealed the amount of donations his embassy received from South Koreans at a forum held at Hankuk Universities of Foreign Studies in central Seoul. Last week, the Ukrainian Embassy in Seoul announced a special bank account to collect humanitarian donations to assist the Eastern European country in its plight. The South Korean government has also pledged to provide US$10 million in humanitarian assistance to Ukraine. "We sincerely appreciate the strong support from the Republic of Korea and its people," Ponomarenko said. The envoy also stressed that international sanctions were of "great importance" to stop Russia's aggression, and added Ukraine was "grateful for the solidarity" by "friends and partners to fight Russia economically." Seoul announced earlier in the day it plans to suspend transactions with Russia's central bank, joining the global move to impose additional sanctions against Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine. At the forum spotlighting the ongoing Ukrainian crisis, local security experts highlighted Seoul's need to strengthen its deterrence posture in order to avoid a situation similar to that of Ukraine. Hong Kyu-dok, an international relations professor at Sookmyung Women's University in Seoul, argued South Korea should make practical efforts to bolster its ties with alliances and strengthen its military deterrence. (Yonhap) The premier date of the film is yet to be revealed. (Photo: Twitter/@dulQuer) Mumbai: Actor Dulquer Salmaan's Malayalam crime thriller "Salute" will skip theatrical release and have its world premiere on streaming platform SonyLIV. The film was pushed from its January 14 theatrical release due to the rising coronavirus cases in the country. Salmaan has backed "Salute" under his banner Wayfarer Films. The streaming platform made the announcement on its Twitter page, late Sunday evening. The premier date of the film is yet to be revealed. "SonyLIV and Wayfarer films are glad to come together to bring you Dulquer Salman's #Salute directed by Roshan Andrews and written by Bobby-Sanjay. #SaluteOnSonyLIV #Salute #Dulquer #DQ #SonyLIV," the post read. Directed by Rosshan Andrrews, the film features Salmaan as a cop and also stars Diana Penty. Salmaan is currently seen in the Tamil romantic-comedy "Hey Sinamika", which released theatrically last week. The film also features Aditi Rao Hydari and Kajal Aggarwal. Hyderabad: All three BJP MLAs in the Legislative Assembly were suspended from the House for the rest of the session on Monday, the first day of the sitting of the House, for disrupting proceedings. Speaker Pocharam Srinivas Reddy announced suspension of MLAs T. Raja Singh, Raghunandan Rao and Etala Rajendar for the rest of the session within minutes after the session commenced. Separately, six Congress MLAs walked out in protest against the lack of the Governors address. The BJP MLAs wearing black scarves rose from their seats as soon as finance minister T. Harish Rao started his budget speech. The Speaker asked them to resume their seats but the MLAs continued to protest. Raja Singh tried to storm into the well of the House. At this stage, minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav moved a motion seeking suspension of the BJP MLAs. The House approved the motion through a voice vote following which they were suspended. The BJP members refused to leave the House and were evicted by marshals. The three legislators sat in protest in front of the main gate of the Assembly. They alleged that the TRS government was resorting to undemocratic methods to suppress the voice of the Opposition. They alleged that by scrapping the Governors address they had insulted the person holding the Constitutional post. The government, however, defended its move saying it was not a new session but continuation of the previous session. BJP Legislature Party leader Raja Singh said it was black day in the history of democracy. It was a conspiracy of Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao to suspend BJP MLAs for the session, he alleged. The TRS government destroyed the Constitutional rights of the BJP MLAs, he said. Later, when the members tried to approach the Gandhi statue within the Assembly premises to register their protest at the blatant violation of the Constitution, the police prevented them. Subsequently, the police arrested them. A delegation of BJP MLAs and senior party leaders called on Governor Tamilisai Soiundararajan at Raj Bhavan and submitted a representation. The BJP appealed to the Governor to advise the Speaker to repeal the suspension and allow them to represent their people in the Assembly. People celebrate the Holi festival at Ramanreti Ashram, near Mathura. (Photo: PTI) Mathura: Mathura's iconic celebration of the festival of Holi has begun with the devotees celebrating the festival at Guru Sharanand Ashram in Raman Reti of Gokul in Uttar Pradesh's Mathura. The 40-day long celebrations began with the devotes celebrating the festival with Abir Gulal, flower petals and sweet laddoos. "We come here every year from Delhi to celebrate Holi. From lath marr holi to pholo (flowers) ki holi, everything is celebrated here," said a devotee. As a tradition in Raman Reti, preachers and devotees celebrate Holi with a man dressed in the attire of Lord Krishna. "Celebrating Holi with Thakurji (God) here in Raman Reti on this auspicious occasion is luck for everyone present here," said a saint. Puducherry: The Union Territory of Puducherry reported zero fresh cases of COVID-19 on Monday with the overall tally remaining unchanged at 1,65,745. In a release, Director of Health G Sriramulu said all the four regions of Puducherry, Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam reported zero cases of the viral infection out of a total 157 samples tested across the UT. The active cases stood at 28 with three patients undergoing treatment in hospitals and the remaining 25 patients recovering in home quarantine. Eleven patients recovered and were discharged while the count of overall recoveries in the UT was 1,63,755, the Director said. No new death due to COVID-19 was reported in the UT in the last 24 hours and the fatalities remained at 1,962. The test positivity rate was also zero while the fatality and recovery rates were 1.18 per cent and 98.80 per cent, respectively. The health department has tested 22,20,570 samples so far and has found 18,65,362 out of them to be negative. The department has administered 15,96,951 doses comprising 9,32,278 first doses, 6,52,024 second doses and 12,649 booster doses. In the meanwhile, a spokesman of the health department told PTI that with zero cases it would indicate that the infection spread was probably on the wane in the Union Territory. He said people should, however, not lower their guard as the public should play a proactive role and adopt the necessary safety protocols as prescribed by authorities. "The health department is doing the testing of people approaching the health institutions with complaints of cold, cough and other complaints," the spokesman said. Indian students who were stranded in Ukraine amid Russia-Ukraine conflict, arrive at the IGI Airport in New Delhi, Sunday, March 6, 2022. (PTI Photo) Mumbai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has attributed the evacuation of Indian students from the war-hit Ukraine to Indias growing influence in the world. While other countries faced difficulties to rescue its citizens, we were able to carry out the evacuation. This proves the increasing influence of India in the world, Mr Modi said on Sunday while speaking at the Golden Jubilee programme of the Symbiosis University in Pune. The Centre has launched Operation Ganga, under which special flights were arranged to evacuate citizens stranded in Ukraine, which has been attacked by Russia. According to the government, it has flown more than 13,000 students back home safely from Ukraine so far. We are evacuating thousands of Indians safely from the war zone through Operation Ganga, said Mr Modi. The PM also inaugurated a metro project in Pune, a foundation stone of which was laid by him only on December 24, 2016. Before inaugurating the metro service, he unveiled a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in the premises of Pune civic body. However, the NCP and the Congress alleged that the project has been incomplete. Pune NCP president Prashant Jagtap said that Mr Modi was inaugurating the metro rail project which was incomplete, whereas Pune city Congress unit president Ramesh Bagwe said that the PM was cheating the people of Pune by inaugurating incomplete projects. NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday had said the work of the metro rail service to be inaugurated by the PM was incomplete. The NCP and Congress workers also staged protests against Mr Modi for insulting Maharashtra. They came out on roads carrying black flags and placards, with Go Back Modi written on them across the city. Modi had in Parliament insulted Maharashtra by suggesting that the state had encouraged the spread of Covid-19 to other states. We demand an apology from PM Modi, or else he should go back, said Mr Bagwe. New Delhi: An expert panel of central drug authority has recommended permission for conducting a phase-3 clinical trial of Covid vaccine Covovax as a booster dose in adults, official sources said on Sunday. The Drugs Controller General Of India has already approved Covovax for restricted use in emergency situations in adults on December 28. It is yet to be included in the countrys inoculation programme. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will speak to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday afternoon, official sources said. The telephonic talks will follow Modi's scheduled conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Modi's interaction with the two leaders comes amid India's all out efforts to evacuate its nationals, mostly students, from Ukraine, facing attack from Russia. Modi had spoken to Putin earlier too when the war began. HYDERABAD: Additional deputy commissioner of police (DCP) of SHE Teams C. Sirisha Raghavendra was honoured as the citys best police officer by minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav on Sunday. According to the National Crime Record Board (NCRB) Hyderabad city is the safest city for women in the entire country. A BTech (electronics and communication) student of JNTU who worked in Europe for four years with Wipro and Nokia, Raghavendra returned to India and joined the police. She was posted as DSP in Vikarabad and Sangareddy and joined the SHE Team in 2021. I love my job. Its a pleasure as I get an opportunity to resolve issues related to women and college girls and aged women for which I am grateful to the state government and my senior officials, she said. After being posted in the SHE Team and interacting with several women, I attended every case and spoke to women victims in person and also took stringent action on the accused, she said. SHE Teams have identified 450 hotspots that include colleges, metro and bus stations, temples, parks and wine shops where more than 100 SHE Teams cops move about, incognito and wearing hidden cameras. During the last 13 months, SHE Team has booked 8,000 cases against people found exploiting women in various issues. HYDERABAD: The Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB) has sought Rs 3,000 crore and Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) Rs 1,500 core in the state budget. According to highly-placed sources, the HMDA is expecting special allocations for long-pending major projects including Rs 250 crore for the Hyderabad Habitat Centre (HHC) and Rs 2,000 crore for outer ring road (ORR). It has also requested for allotment of funds for five packages on the ORR under Build Operate Transfer (BOT) as Rs 332.85 crore needs to be released annually to the concessionaires. The government has not allocated a paise to the HMDA for over the past five years. The HMWS&SB has proposed to introduce its draft budget of Rs 2,700 crore. A lions share, Rs 1,000 crore, will be given for the ring main phase II project, Rs 800 crore for free water drinking scheme and Rs 1,000 crore for the much-awaited sewerage master plan. The financial condition of all nodal agencies would further deteriorate since they have to start repaying loans older than three years. Overall, the government has to allocate at least Rs 2,000 crore per nodal agency to rescue them from bankruptcy. Things might turn even worse for the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) if the government does not come to its rescue. In the next financial year, the corporation has to repay municipal bonds, rupee term loans and loans from financial institutions. Low revenue collection and unnecessary expenditure led to a deep financial crisis. The corporation has been repaying Rs 400 crore per month. A senior municipal administration and urban development (MA&UD) official, requesting anonymity, said the only hope for budgetary allocation was that technically it would be the last budget in the government's tenure. He said since the government would be dissolved in the next financial year, the government might give a decent allocation before going to polls in 2023. VIJAYAWADA: The Budget Sessions of the AP Assembly will be stormy with the principal opposition, the Telugu Desam, deciding to end their boycott even as its leader Chandrababu Naidu will stay away this time too. The session starts on March 7. Days ago, the TD had decided to skip the Budget Session but changed the decision. The principal opposition had boycotted the last assembly session after the ruling benches made some insulting comments personally targeting Naidus wife, though in a figurative sense. A hut Naidu then announced that he will return to assembly only as Chief Minister after winning the next elections. There was a dilemma among the TD legislators whether they should follow suit or keep attending the assembly session. However, a majority of legislators asserted during the TDLP meeting that it was important for TD MLAs to be present in the assembly to expose the misdeeds of the YSRC government. The TD leaders are, for the past few days, raising the Vivekananda murder case and alleging YSRC MP Avinash Reddys involvement in the murder with support from Chief Minister Jagan. They demanded that the name of Jagan too be included by the CBI in the ongoing probe and question the CM. The TD is planning to raise the Viveka murder issue in the assembly to expose the involvement of the YSRC in the murder plot. The opposition TD had, before the 2014 elections, campaigned against Jagan by citing the CBI cases like the alleged robbing of one lakh crore through quid pro quo deals. TD leaders felt this had helped the party win the 2014 elections. Now the TD is planning to take the Viveka murder case to the masses to defame the YSRC and get the people back to the TD side. As the CBI intensified the Viveka murder investigation by arresting several accused, the TD feels this is the right time to expose the YSRC links. TD is planning to raise Amaravati, Polavaram and farmers issues including the grant of supportive prices to farm produce and other peoples issues. The TDLP would put various issues in the assemblys business advisory committee meeting and press for discussions in the assembly. On the other hand, the ruling YSRC is fully geared for the Budget session by exposing failures of the TD government in the Amaravati issue. The ruling party would also retaliate if the Viveka murder issue is raised in the assembly. It will cite the TDs corruption in Polavaram, cheating of farmers by the former Naidu government and the U-turns of Chandrababu on various issues. Senior political analysts said the TD will raise various topics in the assembly but the ruling party is bent on putting up able resistance. They opined that as Naidu is skipping the Assembly, the rest of the legislators will also boycott the assembly session after creating some ruckus on the controversial issues. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Jagan is holding a Cabinet meeting on Monday after the BAC meeting in which several important decisions are likely to be taken in view of the Assembly budget session. A TV screen at Seoul Railway Station shows presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, left, and Yoon Suk-yeol of the main opposition People Power Party during a presidential debate in Seoul, Feb. 21. AP-Yonhap The race between South Korea's two leading presidential candidates has seen unprecedented levels of toxic rhetoric, mudslinging and lawsuits. How bad is it? ''Hitler,'' ''beast,'' and ''parasite'' are some of the choicer insults leveled by both camps. Some are even calling it ''The Squid Game Election,'' in reference to Netflix's megahit survival drama where people are killed if they lose at children's games. And the stakes? There's widespread speculation that the loser will be arrested. ''It's a dreadful presidential election when the losing contender faces prison. Please survive this dogfight in the mud!'' senior opposition politician Hong Joon-pyo wrote on Facebook. Lee Jae-myung, center, the presidential candidate of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, poses with supporters during an election campaign stop in Seoul, March 3. AP-Yonhap Just days before Wednesday's election, Lee Jae-myung from the liberal governing Democratic Party of Korea and Yoon Suk-yeol from the main conservative opposition People Power Party are locked in an extremely tight race. Their negative campaigns are aggravating South Korea's already severe political divide at a time when it faces a battered, pandemic-hit economy, a balancing act over competition between its main ally, Washington, and its top trade partner, China, and a raft of threats and weapons tests from rival North Korea. Opinion surveys show that both candidates have more critics than supporters. ''Isn't our national future too bleak with an unpleasant and bitter presidential election that calls for choosing the lesser of two evils?'' the mass-circulation Dong-A Ilbo newspaper said in an editorial. Yoon has slammed Lee over his possible ties to an allegedly corrupt land development scandal. Lee has denied any connection, and in turn has tried to link Yoon to the same scandal, while separately criticizing him for his reported ties to shamanism an ancient, indigenous religious belief. There have also been attacks on the candidates' wives, both of whom have been forced to apologize over separate scandals. Yoon Suk-yeol, center, the presidential candidate of the main opposition People Power Party, poses with his supporters during an election campaign stop in Seoul, Feb. 15. AP-Yonhap Yoon described Lee's party as ''Hitler'' and ''Mussolini'' while an associate called Lee's purported aides ''parasites.'' Lee's allies called Yoon ''a beast,'' ''dictator'' and ''an empty can'' and derided his wife's alleged plastic surgery. Their campaign teams and supporters have filed dozens of lawsuits charging libel and the spread of false information, among other issues. ''This year's presidential election has been more overwhelmed by negative campaigning than any other previous election, and the mutual hatred won't die down easily after the election,'' said Choi Jin, director of the Seoul-based Institute of Presidential Leadership. HYDERABAD: Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president and MP A. Revanth Reddy warned that if the TRS government suppressed the voice of Congress members in the Assembly session, the party would be ready for street fight. In such a case, Congress cadres, including frontal organisations, should be ready to prevent movement of ministers and TRS MLAs across the state, he said. Addressing the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting here on Sunday, Revanth Reddy said he accepted the challenge of minister K. T. Rama Rao to prove that developmental works and welfare schemes were being taken up more than Telangana in Congress-ruled Chhattisgarh. Earlier, Rama Rao escaped from challenges over his farmhouse and drugs issues, Revanth Reddy criticised. Speaking on the occasion, CLP leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka said the Congress would question the TRS government in the Assembly over high-level corruption in irrigation projects. The meeting also discussed party strategy to corner the state government over peoples' problems. Even as the Russians wage war on the battlefields of Ukraine, the old Cold War-type psy-war is being waged across the global as well as the Indian media. The battle of narratives is very much a part of modern warfare, with real time coverage of news. Winning this propaganda war is often as important as scoring victories on the battlefield. So, it should come as no surprise that in this era of real-time mass media coverage, through television and the social media, the actors on all sides have been busy putting out narratives to shape public opinion in their favour. Quite understandably, the Western media, especially the American and the British, have been in the forefront of this psychological warfare. Given the negligible investment that the Indian media makes in posting foreign correspondents who can offer an Indian perspective on world affairs, most of the international news available in India is sourced from Western, predominantly English language, media. Even the few Indian correspondents stationed overseas are in English-speaking countries. Neither in Moscow nor in Kyiv nor in most of Europe are there any well-informed Indian journalists reporting to Indian audiences. The bias in reporting on an important geopolitical development that has implications for India, like the ongoing East-West conflict is, therefore, obvious. It is now clear that much of what is coming out of the Western media and think tanks is carefully orchestrated opinion dissemination. The Russians, too, have been active, as one would expect, and so too have other actors in Europe and Asia, but the overwhelming influence of Western opinion on Indian thinking is palpable. From viewing and reading the Indian media, it would appear that the Indian government has by and large stayed away from shaping the narrative on the larger dimensions of the current conflict, not even trying too hard to justify its vote at the United Nations Security Council and General Assembly. The entire attention of the Narendra Modi government and its media warriors and ministers has been on showing off the efforts under way to bring the stranded Indian students back home, with a focus on the ongoing elections in Uttar Pradesh. While senior Cabinet ministers have been personally engaged in putting out propaganda on the rescue efforts, Prime Minister Narendra Modi went so far as to claim that the governments ability to bring Indians stranded in Ukraine back home was testimony to Indias new global standing as a rising power! He had to be reminded that a weak India with a minority government in office, caught in the midst of an economic crisis at home and with few friends worldwide, had managed to stage a much bigger rescue operation in Kuwait way back in 1990. Mr Modis favourite film actor, Akshay Kumar, even starred in a movie on that heroic operation. Contemporary Indian audiences who are only too familiar with the overt biases and antics of the domestic political and media circus may not be familiar with the manner in which the Big Powers of the old Cold War era waged their psy-war in India. It was commonplace in the 1960s and 1970s for political leaders to identify opinions in the media as being inspired, if not funded, by various foreign powers. The late Pranab Mukherjee, who ended his political career as President of India, told Parliament in November 1978 that the government had in its possession a list of names of senior Indian journalists in the pay of the CIA, the US intelligence agency. He named names that were dutifully reported by the media. Ironically, years later, the CIA managed to get hold of documents from the KGB, the Soviet Unions Cold War era intelligence agency, that named Congress Party leaders as being in the pay of Moscow. The Mitrokhin Archives, a collection of documents that were allegedly smuggled out of Russia by a KGB defector, Vasili Mitrokhin, even named Indira Gandhi as a beneficiary of Soviet funding. Both the CIA and KGB have played their games around the world and Hollywood has made a killing producing entertaining movies about their tactics and antics. Thanks to Indias decision so far to remain neutral in this new East-West conflict, the old Cold War ghosts are back in play. From pure racist abuse to sophisticated think tank theories various psy-war armaments are being deployed seeking to shape Indian public opinion. Its not just the CIA and the KGBs new external intelligence avatar, the SVR, that would be active in India. One must expect the other players too to be involved in this battle of narratives. Britains MI6 has been around for ages, but so too have been the Chinese, European, West Asian and Pakistani spy agencies. This is only to be expected. I had first-hand experience in handling this problem during the heated political debate in India on Prime Minister Manmohan Singhs effort to get the India-US civil nuclear energy agreement approved by Parliament. Given its strategic significance, many countries around the world were keenly following this political debate and some made their own attempts to try and shape it to secure an outcome that would suit them. While the United States would have been expected to shape that debate in one direction, the Chinese would quite understandably have wanted to shape it in another. But they were not the only players. On being informed that a certain foreign diplomat was influencing Indian journalists critical of the nuclear deal, I took the Prime Ministers permission to confront him and halt him in his tracks. To imagine today that there would not be others doing the same would be foolhardy. The rising activism in India of foreign policy think tanks funded by foreign organisations or Indians with overseas interests, and the proliferation of people of Indian origin in foreign institutions has made the task of separating Indian opinion from foreign opinion that much more difficult. Many pretend to speak for India when they are, in fact, speaking for someone else. No democratic government can prevent the airing of such opinions, but it does owe a responsibility to the nation to ensure that the public is kept informed about what constitutes the countrys national interest in the current situation and why India says and does what it does. There is the need for another social and political movement for radical changes in creating the conditions that enable women and girls to access the opportunities to which they are entitled as citizens, as competent and productive persons. (Representational Image/ AFP) The time has come to talk of many things, beyond dress codes, obedience and protection as the price that women must pay to be safe, beyond roles and responsibilities, to the idea of equality, justice, freedom for women. Beyond the identity and roles constructed to keep them intellectually, emotionally, politically, economically and socially dependent forever, there is a reality and a life from which women are being squeezed out. Womens participation as workers has declined, though more and more girls complete school education and enter colleges and professional programmes. As a major economy with ambitions of pushing itself up from sixth spot to the fifth and so ousting Britain from its current place, Indias female labour participation rate is deplorable and getting worse. Fewer women participate in the workforce: in the July-September 2020 quarter, it dropped to 16.1 per cent, the lowest among major economies, a government report said, reflecting the Covid-19 pandemics impact, a widening job crisis and a social/policy crisis that failed to address this distressing decline. World Bank estimates show India has one of the lowest female labour force participation rates worldwide. It fell to 20.3 per cent in 2019 from over 26 per cent in 2005. Neighbouring Bangladesh has 30.63 per cent female participation in the workforce, while it is 81.5 per cent in Nepal. Most employed women in India are in low-skilled work, like farm and factory labour and domestic help, sectors hit hard by the pandemic. The World Economic Forums Global Gender Gap rankings are even more revealing. It will take South Asia just under 200 years, that is 195.4 years, to close the gender gap at the current rate of progress. India ranks 140, Pakistan 153; Bangladesh ranks 65 and Nepal 106; all of which goes to show India is doing very little to close the gender gap and its policies are, despite the chest thumping of the political class and ruling party headed by Narendra Modi, so seriously wrong that it will take more than politics and propaganda to make the changes that will enable women to become equal citizens and join in productive work, beyond the kitchen and the fields. Deploying the hijab as a symbol of Islamist propaganda or medieval repression by Bajrangis and the BJP-led government in Karnataka turns the issue of women and freedom into a supercharged confrontation over identities and a political agenda of divisive, fear-mongering, hate-inducing communal majoritarianism which is the single most important goal of the Sangh Parivar as it fights to establish Hindutvas hegemony before its popularity fizzles out. The panel led by BJP MP Heena Vijaykumar Gavit reported on the findings of the parliamentary committee that looked at, among other things, the impact of Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao in the context of the Covid-19 crisis that girls were disproportionately affected, especially their education. The committee called for urgent measures to prevent girls from poor families and in rural areas from dropping out and becoming invisible in the post-pandemic scenario, when there was an increased probability of more adolescent girls dropping out of school permanently to help with household tasks and childcare due to economic hardships. Issuing orders that hijabs have to be removed for access to secondary-tertiary education institutions in Karnataka is exactly what is wrong with policymaking and politics in India. While the parliamentary committee focused on the urgency of retaining girls in education and finding ways to bring them back into schools and the college system, the BJP and its government in Karnataka was busy searching for ways to exclude girls by compelling them to accept dress codes because it converted a practice into a confrontation, leaving the girls with no space for negotiation. The girls were trapped between a hostile State and an equally aggressive patriarchy and its protectors from within the community. Identity politics is isnt the best way for India to begin the arduous task of closing the gender gap. By bringing women and girls into play in communal confrontations, the BJP has made it more difficult for girls to fight for their right to education and participation in the labour force. It is perhaps the worst possible strategy for helping girls in the 21st century. There was a time when enabling women and girls to come out of invisibility, behind the socially imposed purdah or veil was synonymous with emancipation, liberation, freedom and equality. Defying the rigid codes of conduct that excluded women from participation in public affairs, education and decision-making, from having an autonomous identity as a person and a citizen was a life-and-death struggle. Women negotiated through a combination of defiance and conformity to create the space that enabled them to tear down the purdah and remove the veil. There was a social and political movement that supported this radical change. There is the need for another social and political movement for radical changes in creating the conditions that enable women and girls to access the opportunities to which they are entitled as citizens, as competent and productive persons. Restricting radical change to replacing firewood and cow dung cakes in the kitchen with subsidised cooking gas and providing dysfunctional toilets to protect women from the male gaze is paternalism at its best. Its a protection racket sold by patriarchy to extract obedience and loyalty from women under the guise of liberation. Expecting Muslim women to tear off the hijab because the Narendra Modi government has outlawed triple talaq is part of the same narrative. Women are working harder in rural areas in Covid times to help families survive. This is a temporary glitch and will change as the economy looks up. What is required is a serious political commitment and a consensus that India will make changes in labour laws, working conditions, transportation, law and order, policing and incentivise the participation of girls in education and appropriate employment. Appointing a woman as head of the Securities and Exchange Board means a lot; but it doesnt mean women have flooded the valley as equal participants in the workforce and are conquering summits because their presence lifts them to the top. The continuing trend of falling workforce participation, especially after marriage, is the reality and life most Indian women can expect. As a Harvard Business Review study notes: The prospect of symbolic actions in board appointments is particularly salient in emerging markets with lower corporate transparency, weak institutions, and less progressive societal attitudes towards gender equality. India has embraced policies and quotas for increasing womens participation. But it is nowhere near sharing power with women as equals. A Ukrainian man rides his bicycle near to a factory and a store burning after been bombarded in Irpin, on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Sunday, March 6, 2022. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti) MOSCOW: Russia said Monday it will open humanitarian corridors to allow the evacuation of civilians from several Ukrainian cities experiencing heavy fighting, including the capital Kyiv and the besieged port city of Mariupol. "Russian forces, for humanitarian purposes, are declaring a 'regime of silence' from 10:00 am on 7 March and the opening of humanitarian corridors," the Russian defence ministry said in a statement. It listed evacuation routes from the capital Kyiv as well as Mariupol, Kharkiv and Sumy -- all of which have been under heavy Russian attacks in recent days. Moscow said the decision was taken after a "personal request" by French President Emmanuel Macron to Russia's Vladimir Putin. The pair spoke on Sunday in their fourth conversation since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24th. Moscow said it had informed the UN, the OSCE and other international organisations of the corridors and called on Ukraine to "strictly fulfil all the conditions" of the evacuations. "We expect concrete actions from the official Kyiv authorities, as well as from the leadership of the above cities mentioned," it said. The Russian army pummelled Ukrainian cities from the air, land and sea on Monday, with warnings they were preparing for an assault on the capital Kyiv. The relentless fire has pushed more than 1.5 million people across Ukraine's borders as refugees, though many others are displaced internally or trapped in cities being reduced to rubble by Russian bombardment. Over 55 per cent voter turnout was recorded in the seventh and last phase of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections for 54 seats on Monday. Voting started at 7 am and ended at 6 pm. The districts that voted in this phase are Azamgarh, Mau, Jaunpur, Ghazipur, Chandauli, Varanasi, Mirzapur, Bhadohi and Sonbhadra. We keep hearing from our friends and relatives about their harrowing experiences while claiming the benefits in various investments of a deceased person who had not done any nomination. Would it not have been prudent had the deceased person nominated some person when he was alive so that all this running from pillar to post would have been saved? But what is a nomination? Nomination is a facility by which an individual having savings or fixed deposits in a bank, units in mutual funds or a life insurance policy nominates a person to receive the benefits in the event of his death. A nominee is not the rightful owner or the legal heir of the assets but only holds them in trust in the event of the death of the asset holder. Nomination only facilitates and expedites the process of transfer of the assets of the deceased and is critical in succession planning. If there is no nomination in investments, the legal heirs will have to produce many documents like a succession certificate, court order or indemnity bond to prove their claim as legal heirs and the process can be tedious and time-consuming. Since the process of nomination is different across different investments let us try to understand them in the following paragraphs: Nomination in bank account Nomination in a bank can be made in case of a Savings account or a Fixed Deposit by the account holder or hirer of a safe deposit locker or the persons availing of safe custody facilities. However, you can nominate a person only in your personal capacity and not in any representative capacity such as an attorney or mandate holder. Also, the nomination can be done in the case of one person only. That said, the nominee can also be a non-resident Indian. You can also request the Bank to record the name of the nominee in the passbook if you so wish otherwise the Bank will merely mention that Nomination has been Registered. This can be done in the case of FD receipts also. Another aspect is that if you have many FD receipts you can have different nominees for them but not more than one nominee per FD. You can register for nomination either at the time of opening the account or subsequently at any time. You can also cancel or change a nominee at any time. Nomination in mutual funds As the savings pattern of families in India is changing an increasing number of individuals have started investing in mutual funds - as reflected in the increasing number of folios and the exponential increase in Assets Under Management (AUM) to Rs 36 lakh crores (as of 31 August 2021) - nomination becomes important. An investor, called a unitholder, can nominate up to three persons in a single folio and indicate the percentage of allocation for each of them. The nominee details like name, address, relationship and the percentage of allocation etc. have to be filled up by you in the relevant section of the Common Application Form (CAF) at the time of investing. If you are investing through your Demat account, there is no need to bother about this part as the nominee mentioned in the Demat account will be the nominee for all your investments. Adding or modifying existing nominees can also be done online or by visiting the nearest investor centre of the AMC. Nomination in life insurance policies The nominee in a life insurance policy gets the sum assured and not the total of premiums paid, unlike other investments. A nomination becomes critical as the benefits can compensate for the financial loss at least and life goes on for the dependents of the deceased. A policyholder can nominate his entire family or even others who are not be related to him. However, after the changes in Insurance Laws (Amendments) Act, 2015, if an immediate family member such as parents, spouse or children has been made nominee, then they will be called as beneficiary nominees. The insurance company will pay the sum assured only to the beneficiary nominee(s) and not to other legal heirs. Nomination in Demat accounts Since the account holder in a Demat account can hold many equity shares & different securities like bonds & debentures, the nominee will be the nominee for all of them & the procedure for transfer (called transmission) of securities from the Demat account of the deceased to the Demat account of the nominee becomes easy. You can nominate up to three individuals in your Demat account. So, what is stopping you? Go ahead and exercise your right of nomination in all your investments if you have not done so far. (The writer is a CFA and a former banker and currently teaches at Manipal Academy of BFSI, Bengaluru) Check out the latest videos from DH: Shell, Europes largest oil company, said Saturday that it would probably continue to buy Russian crude oil to feed into its refineries and supply customers with gasoline and diesel but would donate any profits to a fund dedicated to the people of Ukraine. Shell had said last Monday that it was pulling out of operations in Russia. It issued a statement on its oil purchases Saturday, a day after an article in the Financial Times revealed that the company had bought a cargo of Russian crude oil. Shell said in the statement that it understood that governments wanted energy flows to continue from Russia for the time being. The company described the purchase of the oil as a difficult decision taken to avoid disruptions to market supply. It went on, Without an uninterrupted supply of crude oil to refineries, the energy industry cannot assure continued provision of essential products to people across Europe in the weeks ahead. Read | Braving shells, Indian students flee Ukraine's Kharkiv on foot Russia is one of the worlds largest oil exporters, and many refineries, especially in Europe, are probably configured for processing some Russian crude. Cargoes from alternative sources would not have arrived in time to avoid interruptions in supply, the company added. The imbroglio shows the difficulty that oil companies and governments are having in calibrating their response to the invasion of Ukraine. Governments have been trying to impose sanctions on the Russian economy without disrupting flows of oil and natural gas. The idea is to punish Russia without inflicting pain on consumers in Europe, which is highly dependent on both Russian natural gas and oil, and the United States. Achieving these goals will probably prove difficult. Already, most buyers are shunning Russian oil, which is selling at a substantial discount. Shell announced last Monday that it would pull out of joint ventures with Gazprom, the Russian natural gas monopoly, including a liquefied natural gas facility on Sakhalin Island in Russias Far East. Shell also said that it would end its involvement with the Nordstream 2 natural gas pipeline from Russia to Germany, a project that has been completed but was blocked. Those moves, which will take time to be fully carried out, may not be sufficient to satisfy public opinion. Shell said that it would buy alternatives to Russian crude when possible, but completely dropping Russian oil could not happen overnight. It ended its statement Saturday by saying it would work with aid groups and humanitarian organizations to determine where best to put the money from its Russian oil fund to alleviate the terrible consequences that this war is having on the people of Ukraine. Check out the latest DH videos here: The European Union is considering loosening state aid rules for companies affected by EU sanctions against Russia over Ukraine and the bloc's competition regulators are looking at various support measures, the European Commission said on Monday. The EU executive set a precedent two years ago by relaxing some state aid rules for businesses hit by the coronavirus pandemic, allowing individual member states to pump billions of euros into their companies. "The Commission is closely monitoring the situation and is ready to use the full flexibility of its state aid toolbox in order to enable member states to support companies and sectors severely impacted by the current geopolitical developments," Commission spokeswoman Arianna Podesta said in an email. "We are looking at all tools at our disposal permanent and temporary," she said. Also Read Kremlin says Russian military action will stop in a moment if Ukraine meets conditions The Commission will seek feedback from EU countries before implementing any measures. From airlines to banks to automakers, thousands of European companies are expected to be hit hard by the sanctions as they close their Russian businesses and cut dealings with Russian counterparts. The European Central Bank's chief economist Philip Lane has told fellow policymakers that the Ukraine conflict may reduce the euro zone's economic output this year. Watch the latest DH Videos here: Polling in five states came to an end on Monday evening, with the seventh phase of Uttar Pradesh assembly elections concluding at 6 pm. Now, the exit poll results are also out that suggest AAP is going to emerge as the winner in Punjab. While exit polls predict that BJP is likely to stay in power in Uttar Pradesh and Manipur, the outcome is not clear for Goa and Uttarakhand. The Congress on Monday expressed confidence of winning the state assembly polls on March 10, with senior party leader and former Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram also telling the party's candidates that non-BJP parties would also be taken onboard in government-formation efforts, even if the Congress wins a majority on its own. Speaking to reporters, former Chief Minister Digambar Kamat also said that the party would not repeat its mistakes in 2017, when despite emerging as the single-largest party, the Congress was beaten in the race for power by the Bharatiya Janata Party. "Chidambaram has just told us, even if the party gets a majority, the Congress would like to associate all non BJP parties with it," Kamat told reporters after a meeting of the party's candidates and their respective election agents, which was chaired by Chidambaram, All India Congress Committee senior observer in-charge of elections. Also Read: Congress open to post-poll alliance with non-BJP parties in Goa "We feel that our party will win a clear majority and will come to power in alliance with Goa Forward," Kamat also said. The Congress in alliance with the Goa Forward party (three seats) has contested in 37 seats out of the 40 assembly seats on offer in Goa. AICC secretary in-charge of Goa Dinesh Gundu Rao also said that the party's winning candidates would elect its legislative party leaders within minutes of the results being declared on March 10. "As soon as the entire results are out, we will have a CLP meeting, within a few minutes we will elect a CLP leader and we will go and stake the claim," Rao told reporters. "What happened in 2017 will not happen this year. We are together, we are prepared. We won't allow the repetition of what happened in 2017. This time the Congress will form the government and there will be no scope for anything else to happen," he said. "Those issues will not come into the picture. We will take decisions at the right time. There will be no delay and as soon as the results are out, we will stake claim and as per the Constitution, the Governor has to follow the rules and I don't see any reason for anything to go wrong this time," he added. On Monday, most exit polls have predicted a tough fight between the Congress and the BJP, with the Congress having a slight edge. Watch the latest DH Videos here: A pet dog is in a cage after being rescued by domestic animal rights organization Life from a wildfire in Uljin, North Gyeongsang Province, March 6. Screenshot from Life's Instagram By Lee Hae-rin Animal rights groups have rescued over 100 domestic and farm animals that had been left behind by their owners fleeing wildfires in Uljin, North Gyeongsang Province, raising the need for government guidelines on evacuating and sheltering animals amid disasters. Care, a domestic animal rights group, rescued over 10 dogs that were chained in yards or locked in slaughterhouses, Saturday. The rescued animals are receiving treatment for burns at veterinary clinics in Seoul or under the temporary protection of volunteers, the group said. "In previous disasters, most domestic dogs were left behind chained in their yards and they burned to death. Fortunately, many were unleashed this time and survived the fire," a Care activist who has been rescuing animals from fires since 2006 told The Korea Times, Monday. "However, it's a different story with farm animals. Many people refused to let go of dogs and cows in cattle sheds because they can receive damage compensation if the animals are killed in a fire disaster," the activist said. Some residents denied the group's animal rescue assistance and even threatened activists with force, shouting, "Will you compensate us for the lost animals?" The activist explained that the lack of government guidelines for the evacuation and sheltering of domestic and farm animals in disasters led to such confusion. Meanwhile, Korean Animal Rights Advocates (KARA) evacuated over 80 animals from a rescue shelter run by the local government of Uljin, Saturday. The shelter was in chaos as the flames approached, as it had neither equipment nor manuals for animal evacuation in emergencies, a KARA activist said. "These animals in the public shelters are under the protection of the government, but the local authority was not prepared for their evacuation at all," a KARA activist told The Korea Times, Monday. The local government belatedly designated a temporary evacuation spot in response to the group's request. Several other animal rescue groups, including Life, Korean Animal Welfare Association, Reverse and We Act, have been rescuing animals from the flames. In the U.S., the PETS Act was passed in 2006 in response to criticism of the failure to protect animals during Hurricane Katrina. The legislation led to building animal-friendly shelters in areas affected by hurricanes, and state governments included animals in their emergency plans to receive a subsidy from the federal government. Also, Japan established domesticated animal rescue guidelines for disasters in 2013 and encourages people to take refuge with their animals. The country's previous evacuation experiences led to a consensus that animals left behind during disaster evacuation could eventually cause greater social costs, as they may become wild. As Korea has been seeing a growing number of disasters, such as wildfires and floods, animal activists are voicing the need for the government's disaster preparedness for animals. "Nothing has changed since the wildfire in Goseong three years ago when the calls grew for animal evacuation guidelines. Domestic and farm animals are living beings and need government protection from disasters," a KARA official said. In Uttar Pradesh Assembly Election 2022, Jalalpur Assembly Constituency (AC No. 280) in Ambedkar Nagar district goes to polls on February 27, 2022. Uttar Pradesh Election Result 2022: Jalalpur Assembly constituency result will be declared on March 10, 2022. In Uttar Pradesh Assembly Election 2017, BSP candidate Ram Achal Rajbhar won Jalalpur constituency seat securing 90309 votes, beating BJP candidate Dr. Rajesh Singh by a margin of 14013 votes. In 2017, the total voters in Jalalpur constituency were 384276. Of that, 2,02,597 voters cast their ballot visiting polling booths or exercising their voting franchise through postal ballots. Use the map below to get the latest updates, winners and losers in Jalalpur assembly constituency. Voters in Varanasi have received a special invitation letter from the district election officials for exercising their franchise on Monday. This invitation letter 'Amantran Patra Loktantra ka Mahaparva' with the logo of Election Commission of India as well as systematic voters' education and electoral participation (SWEEP), has been issued by the district election office in Varanasi. Also read: Uttar Pradesh polls: Caste, not Hindutva; jobs, not free rations The Amantran Patra reads - 'Bhej rahe hai sneha nimantran, matdata tumhe bulane ko, 7 March ko bhool na jana, vote dalne aaney ko'. The date and timing of voting are also mentioned while the venue is mentioned as 'your polling centre'. The district election officer Kaushal Raj Sharma also made it clear that tea and food kiosks and vending will be allowed till 4 pm on Monday to ensure that policemen and others on duty do not face inconvenience. However, sitting inside kiosks and food outlets will not be permitted on the polling day. Check out latest videos from DH: Legendary music director Ilaiyaraaja will soon compose for the Firdaus Orchestra, an all-women musical ensemble founded by A R Rahman. Ilaiyaraaja, who has worked in over 1,000 films in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Hindi, and other languages, accepted the request from Rahman, who used to play the keyboard for the legendary musicians team in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Such a pleasure welcoming the Maestro @ilaiyaraaja to our Firdaus Studio... Hope he composes something amazing for our @FirdausOrch to play in the future!, Rahman wrote on his verified Twitter page, posting a picture of him and Ilaiyaraaja at the Firdaus Studios. Such a pleasure welcoming the Maestro @ilaiyaraaja to our Firdaus Studio... Hope he composes something amazing for our @FirdausOrch to play in the future! pic.twitter.com/oam4TJPL63 A.R.Rahman (@arrahman) March 6, 2022 Within hours, Ilaiyaraaja, who is new to the micro-blogging site, replied: request accepted.. will start composing soon by tagging Rahman. In response to Ilaiyaraajas announcement, Firdaus Studios said: We can't wait! Anything is possible. Rahman was part of Ilaiyaraajas team before he began composing music on his own his debut film was Roja in 1992. Though the two legends had appeared on the stage together, this is probably the first time they will be collaborating. The all-woman Firdaus Orchestra plays at the Dubai Expo. By Kate Barclay for 360info, The assumption that the tuna fishing industry is a mans world is not only misleading, but also damaging. In the coastal Indonesian city of Bitung, women who fish cannot formally register their occupation and miss out on government support provided to fishers. The assumption that the fishing industry is dominated by men, or that only men fish, is not only wrong, but damaging. Given women make up half of the population, it's important to know if the development of fishing industries benefits both women and men. A first step is making women visible through gender-disaggregated data to have a better picture of how women are impacted. Its estimated more than 300,000 people are employed in tuna value chains in Southeast Asia and the Pacific islands. There are around 22,350 tuna-related jobs in Pacific island countries, about one-third in fishing almost all men and about two-thirds in processing and ancillary industries, where women are the majority in many areas. Around 80,000 people mostly women work in tuna processing in Thailand. Tuna fishing, processing and trading are also big industries in Indonesia, which has by far the largest catch of any country in the region, and the Philippines. But there is still so much we dont know. The $6 billion Western and Central Pacific Ocean tuna fisheries produce more than half the world's tuna and are an important source of social and economic development for coastal countries. There are no reliable figures on how many people are employed in tuna industries, and employment data are often not gender-disaggregated. In Indonesia, the national identification recording system assumes that only men fish professionally and defaults women's occupation to housewife. There is also insufficient data on small-scale tuna fisheries and informal value chain workers, crews on fishing vessels operating in the Pacific but not flagged in member countries of the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency ('distant water' fleets), and all forms of informal trading. Women are overlooked in tuna industries for similar reasons that they are overlooked in fisheries more broadly. International researchers found women make up about 11 percent of participants in small-scale fishing activities globally, and the economic impact of womens portion of the catch is around US$14.8 billion per year. Despite this, the assumption that fishing is a mans world persists. Small-scale fishing may be from hand gathering by wading in shallow waters rather than from a boat, with much of it going directly to family members, or sold informally in local markets. For example, in the port city of Bitung, women make up most small-scale tuna retailers and intermediate traders. Referred to locally as tibo-tibo, they supply tuna for local communities in the area. Tibo-tibos were vulnerable during a supply slump in 2014, with suppliers prioritising their larger customers. In Pacific nation communities, informal fish traders have difficulties accessing banking services and markets often lack amenities, with women having additional problems such as sexual harassment. Data collection is skewed towards formal, large-scale and export-oriented fisheries, which renders much of the work done by women invisible. A fisheries consultant visiting the Pacific island territory of Wallis and Futuna was once told by a government official that "women do not fish in this country", despite women gathering the shellfish later consumed for dinner. The fisheries sector tends to be socially conservative, governed by marine and biological sciences rather than social science, and initiatives inspired by feminism are often viewed with suspicion. Public policy towards fishing views social benefit as the gross value of production or contribution to the national gross domestic product, perhaps total job numbers, and that's as far as it goes. It is a blunt instrument. Research into several key regional tuna fishing ports Bitung in Indonesia, General Santos City in the Philippines, the town of Noro in the Solomon Islands and the town of Levuka and the city of Suva in Fiji aimed to better understand where women are in tuna value chains. It found industrial tuna vessel crews are 100 percent men in Bitung and General Santos City. Noro, Levuka and Suva were an exception with a handful of women trained as cadets in recent donor-funded programs. Women are usually involved in fishing companies as office workers and managers. However, they are generally at lower levels, with the higher prestige and remuneration roles mainly occupied by men. Fishing vessels are some of the most dangerous workplaces in the world. The negative impacts of industrial tuna fishing include long absences, the risky nature of both fishing work and the living conditions on some vessels where human rights abuses have been recorded, including when docked in ports. Port areas tend to have high rates of gender-based violence, sexually-transmitted infections, and drug and alcohol use. These problems affect crewmembers, as well as their families. As in other kinds of seafood industries, processing line work is mostly done by women. In Bitung 70 percent of cannery employees are women, although managers are virtually all men. In General Santos City processing plant employees are 80 percent women. In Noro and Levuka, women make up 64 percent and 65 percent of tuna processing plant employees respectively. Women gain employment at all levels of processing plants from the processing lines to quality control, and some in management. The wages are not often high but formal employment brings benefits such as maternity leave and insurances that informal work does not offer. In informal tuna processing, the picture is much more diverse. Smoked tuna, or cakalang fufu, enterprises in Bitung are often owned by women but the labour is done by men. Women are heavily involved in making tuna snacks and condiments chicharon and dayok in General Santos City. In the Solomon Islands, women cook tuna rejects from industrial fleets, tuna from small-scale fisheries as fish and chips or traditional baked products, and sell it in local markets. The case of SolTuna cannery in Noro shows the benefits that can come from taking a gender lens to the processing environment leading to better understanding of the reasons behind high absenteeism and turnover. Some female factory workers, who are first in their families to have a regular wage, had little financial literacy and were unable to make their wages last the full pay period. They took days off to raise cash in the markets. Women were also leaving factory work once they had children due to a lack of affordable child care nearby and informally sold items in the market instead due to the convenience. Once the company had a better understanding of their female workforce, they worked with human resources specialists who devised a culturally appropriate family budget. The result was a 6 percent drop in absenteeism and reports of a happier workforce. A childcare centre is now being built near the factory. All of these strategies that can be considered and implemented in many other factory lines in tuna-dependent communities to improve the lives of women, and the communities they're part of. (The author is a part of University of Technology Sydney) Check out latest DH videos here Beijing's embassy in Ukraine announced Monday that most of the approximately 6,000 Chinese nationals previously in the country had been evacuated, as Russia stepped up the shelling of multiple cities. In the weeks leading up to the conflict, Chinese state media dismissed US warnings of an imminent Russian invasion. Unlike many Western nations, Beijing waited until after war broke out on February 24 to tell its citizens to evacuate. "At present, most Chinese compatriots in Ukraine have already been evacuated," the embassy said in a social media statement. Track updates on the Russia-Ukraine crisis here "At present, the tense situation in Ukraine continues to deteriorate... the Chinese Embassy in Ukraine solemnly reminds remaining Chinese compatriots to leave the country as soon as possible." China has walked a diplomatic tightrope during the crisis, refusing to condemn its close ally Russia, which has been targeted by a barrage of international sanctions. Some Chinese citizens have reported hostility or violence from locals over the Chinese government's perceived support of Moscow. Last week, China's foreign ministry said it had helped around 3,000 Chinese nationals to evacuate, mostly via land transport after Ukraine closed its airspace. The first government-chartered evacuation flight landed in China on Saturday from Romania. Also Read | Oil shock risks becoming RBI's nightmare As the conflict worsened, one Chinese national was injured by a bullet last week while trying to flee to western Ukraine. Beijing has not confirmed who fired the shot. China's foreign minister urged Ukraine to "assume its due international responsibility" in keeping Chinese citizens safe, during a call with his Ukrainian counterpart last week. In recent days there have been reports of Russian soldiers violating ceasefire agreements and targeting civilians, as besieged cities attempt to set up humanitarian corridors for evacuation purposes. Check out the latest DH videos here: Sri Lankas Water Supply Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara on Monday said he will boycott cabinet meetings to protest the sacking of his two colleagues by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa during a snap cabinet reshuffle last week, underlining the deep-rooted fissures within the ruling coalition government. On Thursday, Rajapaksa sacked two high-ranking cabinet ministers -- Udaya Gammanpila from the energy minister portfolio and Wimal Weerawansa, industries minister after they openly criticised his younger brother and Minister of Finance Basil Rajapaksa, accusing him of having a rigid working style that caused the island nation's ongoing economic woes. Sri Lanka is currently reeling under a severe foreign exchange crisis with falling reserves and the government is unable to foot the bill for essential imports. The ousted ministers were members of the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP). Also read: Stalin urges PM Modi to initiate bilateral talks with Sri Lanka My partys central committee has decided that I stay away from attending cabinet meetings but continue to function as a minister, Nanayakkara said. Both Gammanpila and Weerawansa have taken potshots at the younger Rajapaksa, terming him as an ugly American for holding dual citizenship. The Rajapaksa family has a strong political image in Sri Lanka and holds a tight grip on the island nation's politics. Following the 2019 Sri Lankan elections, the Rajapaksa family has kept several portfolios in the current government under their control. President Rajapaksa, while holding the all-powerful executive presidency has his older brother Mahinda Rajapaksa, the former president, as the current prime minister. Mahinda's son Namal, the heir apparent, is the current minister of youth and sports. Chamal Rajapaksha, the older brother of both president and prime minister, is also a senior minister. Basil, who is younger than the three, is currently holding the Finance ministry portfolio. Chamal's son Shasheendra is also a state minister. Gamini Lokuge who replaced Gammanpila as the energy minister said it was wrong for the sacked ministers to be critical while being members of the Cabinet. Nanayakkaras Democratic Left Front along with 10 other smaller parties, including the two led by Gammanpila and Weerawansa have been in the ruling SLPP-led coalition government after the August 2020 parliamentary elections. The largest party, helmed by the former President Maithripala Sirisenas Freedom Party and President Gotabaya Rajapaksa are scheduled to meet to discuss the fissures within the ruling coalition, sources confirmed. Russia is demanding that Ukraine cease military action, change its constitution to enshrine neutrality, acknowledge Crimea as Russian territory and recognise the separatist republics of Donetsk and Lugansk as independent territories, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. Peskov told Reuters that Russia had told Ukraine it was ready to halt its military action "in a moment" if Kyiv met its conditions. It was the most explicit Russian statement so far of the terms it wants to impose on Ukraine to halt what it calls its "special military operation" in Ukraine, now in its 12th day. Read more: Ukraine rejects Moscow-proposed corridors to Belarus, Russia Peskov said Ukraine was aware of the conditions. "And they were told that all this can be stopped in a moment." On the issue of neutrality, he said: "They should make amendments to the constitution according to which Ukraine would reject any aims to enter any bloc. This is possible only by making changes to the constitution." The Kremlin spokesman insisted Russia was not seeking to make any further territorial claims on Ukraine. "We really are finishing the demilitarisation of Ukraine. We will finish it. But the main thing is that Ukraine ceases its military action. They should stop their military action and then no one will shoot," he said. "They should make amendments to their constitution according to which Ukraine would reject any aims to enter any bloc. We have also spoken about how they should recognise that Crimea is Russian territory and that they need to recognise that Donetsk and Lugansk are independent states. And thats it. It will stop in a moment," Peskov told Reuters. The outlining of Russias demands came as delegations from Russia and Ukraine prepared to meet on Monday for a third round of talks aimed at ending Russias war against Ukraine, an invasion launched on February 24 that has caused the worst refugee crisis in Europe since World War Two and provoked outrage across the world. Watch the latest DH videos: The remains of a Russian Tigr fighting vehicle sat smouldering on the side of the road, as Ukrainian troops lounged outside their trenches smoking cigarettes. Nearby, a group of local villagers was tinkering with a captured T-90 tank, trying to get it running again so that the Ukrainian army might use it. For three days, Russian forces had fought to take Mykolaiv, but by Sunday, Ukrainian troops had driven them back from the city limits and retaken the airport, halting the Russian advance along the Black Sea, at least temporarily. By Monday morning, Russian forces had resumed their attack. Few expected such strength from our people because, when you havent slept for three days, and when you only have one dry ration because the rest burned up, when its negative temperature out and there is nothing to warm you, and when you are constantly in the fight, believe me, it is physically very difficult, said Col. Sviatoslav Stetsenko, of the Ukrainian armys 59th Brigade. But our people endured this. Also read: Russia keeps up attack, halting evacuation of Ukraine's Mariupol Taking Mykolaiv remains a key objective for Russian forces, and the thwomp of artillery in the distance Sunday suggested that the Ukrainians had not pushed them back that far. But the unexpected Ukrainian success of defending this critical port, about 65 miles from Odesa, underscores two emerging trends in the war. Russias failure to seize Mykolaiv and other cities quickly, as President Vladimir Putin of Russia appears to have intended, is largely a function of its militarys faltering performance. Russian forces have suffered from logistical snafus, baffling tactical decisions and low morale. But it is the fierce and, according to many analysts, unexpectedly capable defense by Ukrainian forces, who are significantly outgunned, that has largely stalled the Russian advance and, for now, prevented Mykolaiv from falling into Russian hands. For three days, troops from the Ukrainian armys 59th Brigade, together with other military and territorial defense units, have been defending Mykolaiv from Russian attack along several fronts, facing down punishing artillery barrages, helicopter attacks and rocket strikes, some of which have hit civilian neighbourhoods. Most military analysts predicted that if Russia mounted a full-scale invasion, Ukraines military would not last more than a few days or even hours. But by taking advantage of their local knowledge, attacking lumbering Russian troop columns with small, lithe units and using Western military assistance like anti-tank grenades to maximum effect, Ukrainian forces have managed to slow, if not stop, the Russian advance. As Russia pursued its war against Ukraine in the face of determined resistance, a planned ceasefire and evacuation of civilians from Mariupol a port city of a half-million people on Ukraines southeastern coast was halted for a second consecutive day on Sunday amid intense shelling by Russian forces that have encircled the city, the mayors office said. Civilians trying to leave Kyiv and the nearby town of Irpin also came under fire from Russian forces. Mortar shells fired at a battered bridge used by people fleeing the fighting killed a mother and her two children, as well as a family friend helping them leave. Mariupol, across the country from Kyiv, is a key objective in the Russians effort to cut Ukraine off from the Sea of Azov and create a land bridge to Crimea. Residents are facing increasingly dire conditions in the city, which has been deprived of food, heat and electricity for days as Russian forces shell the town. Read | Ukraine official says assault halts evacuations for 2nd time Although Russia had announced a temporary pause in fighting in some combat zones to allow civilians to flee, its continued shelling around evacuation paths made the notion of a ceasefire all but meaningless. And away from the front lines, the Russians were continuing to target civilian areas. Russian President Vladimir Putin put the blame on Ukraine in a telephone call with President Emmanuel Macron of France. Putin denied that Russian forces were targeting civilians and vowed to reach all of his goals through negotiation or war, the French presidency said in a statement. On the 11th day of the war, Russian forces continued to move slowly to try to encircle the capital, Kyiv, and to block a large part of Ukraines army east of the Dnieper River, preventing it from aiding in the defense of the city. Also Read: Russia scrambles to contain Ukraine sanctions fallout More than 1.5 million Ukrainians have left the country in the fastest-growing refugee crisis since World War II, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, said after visiting the Moldovan border. He warned that the situation would only worsen. In a video address, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reiterated his impassioned request for Western allies to impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine. The world is strong enough to close our skies, he said. But NATO has ruled out any direct military confrontation with Russia because it could engender a much wider war. Zelenskyy encouraged citizens to keep fighting. Check out the latest DH videos here: Russia declined to attend a hearing at the UN's top court on Monday at which Ukraine is asking for an immediate order to halt the conflict, the head judge said. "The court regrets the non-appearance of the Russian Federation in these oral proceedings," International Court of Justice President Joan Donoghue said. The Russian ambassador to the Netherlands, Alexander Shulgin, wrote to the court and "indicated that his government did not intend to participate," she said. Russia-Ukraine crisis latest updates on DH Ukraine's representative at the court in The Hague, Anton Korynevych, criticised Russia for not showing up at the ICJ's Peace Palace headquarters. "The fact that Russia's seats are empty speaks loudly. They are not here in this court of law, they are on a battlefield, waging aggressive war against my country," he said. "This is how Russia solves disputes." Kyiv lodged an urgent case at the ICJ on February 27, saying that Russia had illegally justified its war by falsely alleging genocide in Ukraine's Donetsk and Lugansk regions. Ukraine has asked the court to take provisional measures ordering Russia to "immediately suspend the military operations", pending a full judgment that could take years. Korynevych added that the court "has a responsibility to act." "Russia must be stopped, and the court has a role to play in stopping that," he said. Check out latest videos from DH: Women in their 20s to 40s considered key swing voters By Ko Dong-hwan Female voters in their 20s to 40s in Korea have become the barometer for who will clinch the presidential election on March 9. Public opinion surveys conducted in recent months have shown that eligible voters in their 20s and 60s showed more support for Yoon Suk-yeol of the main opposition People Power Party, while those in their 40s and 50s showed greater support for Lee Jae-myung of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea. Those in their 30s were almost equally divided between the two leading candidates, who are now neck-and-neck in their public support ratings. However, female voters in their 20s to 40s showed the least solidarity in their selections for any one candidate. Rather, they were distributed more evenly between the top two candidates. Perhaps the most glaring contrast among voters in this election is between the candidate preferences of men and women in their 20s. Twenty-something male voters have in recent years considered themselves "victims of feminism," arguing that they have been pushed aside by their female counterparts in job market competition, due to government support, with the gradual rise of female personalities in the media and in various other fields. Some of them vented their anger at the Moon Jae-in administration, demanding he take responsibility amid their collective self-pity. Yoon sided with the young male demographic shortly after announcing his presidential bid in June 2021, pledging to abolish the country's Ministry of Gender Equality and Family seen by some young men as a pro-female government agency sowing "reverse discrimination" and improve the military environment for male enlisted soldiers. His efforts brought young male voters solidly together in a conservative "men's rights" frame. Yoon Suk-yeol of the People Power Party raises his fist while campaigning near Dongducheon Station in Dongducheon, Gyeonggi Province, March 6. Newsis Of course, Yoon's campaign pledges, which cater to young male voters, came at the price of his popularity among young women. Recent public opinion surveys show that female voters in their 20s showed higher support for Lee. "Compared to young men, women in their 20s are very liberal about current social issues," Kim Hyung-joon, a political expert and politics professor of Myongji University, told The Korea Times. "They are not so hostile to one particular candidate, either. They also stand out among other age groups in that they like to get involved in domestic politics by speaking up for themselves." Yoon's image as an anti-feminist has rankled not just women in their 20s but also those in their 30s and 40s. It has resulted in many of them still being up in the air about whom to vote for. Experts say that while Yoon's male-friendly pledges have clearly won him the support of men in their 20s who account for 7.5 percent of the country's total eligible voters he has lost a significant number of female voters regardless of their age. But the situation hasn't necessarily translated into leverage on Lee's part, as he hasn't been able to draw a big enough majority of female voters to his side as he has wished, either. "Not attracted to either side, young- to middle-aged women are thus considered the most sought-after, as key swing voters," Kim said. Voters in their 20 to 30s are also considered the age groups that are most likely to switch their preferred candidate at the last minute. Public opinion surveys showed that they were initially widely split between Yoon and Lee, but that gap has diminished more recently. Such signs have been particularly visible in Seoul, home to over 8.3 million voters, where the public support rates from the city's 25 districts for the top two candidates have been more topsy-turvy than in any other city in the country. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba have agreed to meet at a forum in southern Turkey on Thursday, the first potential talks between the top diplomats since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu made the announcement in brief remarks to media on Monday, adding he would attend the meeting in the resort city of Antalya. Russian news agencies confirmed the plan. Follow live updates on Russia-Ukraine crisis here NATO member Turkey, which shares a maritime border with Russia and Ukraine in the Black Sea, has been offering to host talks. Ankara has good relations with both Moscow and Kyiv, and has called Russia's invasion unacceptable even as it opposes sanctions against Moscow. Kuleba said on Saturday he was open to talks with Lavrov but only if they were "meaningful". Russia announced new "humanitarian corridors" on Monday to transport Ukrainians trapped under its bombardment - to Russia itself and its ally Belarus, a move immediately denounced by Kyiv as an immoral stunt. The announcement came after two days of failed ceasefires to let civilians flee the besieged city of Mariupol, where hundreds of thousands of people are trapped without food and water, under relentless bombardment and unable to evacuate their wounded. Check out DH's latest videos: Israeli missile strikes killed at least two civilians before dawn on Monday near the Syrian capital Damascus, state media reported. Israel carried out the strikes at around 5:00 am (0300 GMT), hitting positions south of the capital, Syria's official SANA news agency said, citing a military source. "Our air defence systems intercepted the missiles, downing most of them," SANA added. "Two civilians were killed and some material damage was incurred," it said, without elaborating. Also read: Eleven killed as fire rips through Syrian shopping mall The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the strikes hit "a weapons and ammunition depot operated by Iran-backed militias near the Damascus international airport." The war monitor, which relies on an extensive network of sources inside Syria, said it could not confirm civilian fatalities. According to the Observatory, Israel has carried out raids in Syria at least seven times since the start of the year. Last month, Israeli raids near the capital killed two Syrian soldiers and four Iran-backed militia fighters, the Observatory says. Since civil war broke out in Syria in 2011, Israel has carried out hundreds of air strikes inside the country, targeting government positions as well as allied Iran-backed forces and fighters of the Shiite militant movement Hezbollah. While Israel rarely comments on individual strikes in Syria, it has acknowledged mounting hundreds since 2011. The Israeli military has defended the strikes as a necessary measure to prevent its arch-foe Iran from gaining a foothold on its doorstep. The conflict in Syria started with the brutal repression of peaceful protests and escalated to pull in foreign powers and global jihadists. It has killed nearly 500,000 people. Ukraine's infrastructure ministry said on Monday that part of the Black Sea port of Olvia, which is under concession to Qatari sea port operator QTerminals, had been hit by a military "strike". Nobody was wounded, the ministry said without providing further details. QTerminals, a joint venture between state-owned Qatar Ports Management (Mwani Qatar) and shipping and logistics group Qatar Navigation (Milaha), won the 35-year concession in 2020 to develop and operate the port. Watch the latest DH Videos here: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on Monday for new international sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, proposing a boycott of Russian oil and other Russian exports and a halt of exports to Russia. Western sanctions imposed over Russia's military assault have already isolated Russia to a degree never before experienced by such a large economy. Zelenskyy said the economic pressure needed to be increased, calling in effect for an international trade embargo on Russia. "If the invasion continues and Russia has not abandoned its plans against Ukraine, then a new sanctions package is needed ... for the sake of peace," he said in a video address, mentioning a boycott of Russian oil and oil products in particular. "Boycott imports to Russia - if they do not adhere to civilised rules, then they should not receive goods and services from civilisation - let the war feed them," he said. Watch the latest DH videos: US and Venezuelan officials discussed the possibility of easing oil sanctions on Venezuela but made scant progress toward a deal in their first high-level bilateral talks in years, five sources familiar with the matter said, as Washington seeks to separate Russia from one of its key allies. Both sides used Saturday's meeting in Caracas to present what one of the sources described as "maximalist" demands, reflecting longtime tensions between the Western Hemisphere's main power and one of its biggest ideological foes. A US delegation led by Juan Gonzalez - the top White House Latin America adviser - and Ambassador James Story held talks at the Miraflores palace with socialist President Nicolas Maduro and his Vice President, Delcy Rodriguez, the sources said. Roger Carstens, the special presidential envoy for hostage affairs, was also a member of the US group and made the case to the Venezuela government for the release of American citizens and dual nationals held there, including six Citgo executives, according to one person familiar with the matter. US officials saw the meeting as a chance to gauge whether Venezuela, one of Russia's closest Latin American allies, is prepared to distance itself from President Vladimir Putin over his invasion of Ukraine, a source in Washington said. Also read: Russia scrambles to contain Ukraine sanctions fallout Washington also wants to identify alternative oil supplies to fill the gap if it seeks a boycott of Moscow's energy industry. Venezuela could boost crude exports if Washington eases sanctions. The White House, the US State Department and Venezuela's Information ministry declined comment. The US willingness to re-engage after years of shunning such contact appeared to be a boost for Maduro. The meeting came as Venezuela's financial lifeline to Russia is fraying under sanctions on Moscow following its military onslaught in Ukraine, which Russia calls a "special operation". Caracas used the talks to press for US sanctions relief. Venezuela has asked Russia in recent days to unfreeze oil proceeds at several Russian banks blacklisted by the United States, especially the Promsvyazbank (PSB), where Venezuela's state-run oil company PDVSA and the Defense Ministry have bank accounts, two separate sources said. Also read: US officials travel to Venezuela, a Russian ally, as the west isolates Putin In 2019, as part of US sanctions on Venezuela, another bank widely used for trade with Russia, the Evrofinance Mosnarbank, was blacklisted, forcing PDVSA to move its collecting accounts to other banks. In the talks, Washington sought guarantees of free presidential elections, broad reforms of Venezuela's oil industry to facilitate production and exports by foreign firms and the government's public condemnation of the Ukraine invasion, which Maduro has defended, three people familiar with the matter said. As a concession, the US officials were willing to consider temporarily allowing Venezuela to use the SWIFT system, which facilitates financial transactions between banks worldwide, to move money to other accounts, one of the sources said. Also read: Oil shock risks becoming RBI's nightmare Maduro sought a total lifting of sanctions prohibiting Venezuela's oil exports, the removal of sanctions on him and other Venezuelan officials and the return to the state's control of PDVSA's US subsidiary Citgo Petroleum, sources said. Easing oil sanctions could start by allowing companies including US Chevron Corp, India's ONGC and Europeans Eni, Repsol and Maurel & Prom to trade cargoes of Venezuelan oil. Those firms have made separate requests to Biden's administration, but no decisions have been made. 'Anxious for sanctions relief'? Even if Washington does not accede to Maduro's demands, he could use the US meeting to pressure Russia to allow Venezuelan money to continue flowing, two of the sources said. "Yes, Maduro is anxious for sanctions relief. No, he is not interested in shifting alliances. This is tactical," Eric Farnsworth, head of the Washington office of the Council of the Americas, said on Saturday on Twitter. "(The) US must be clear-eyed about this, not naive." Also read: Brent crude nears $140, close to all-time high The Caracas meeting was requested by Maduro's government through multinational law firm Dentons, previously used by other state entities for debt negotiations, two of the sources said. A Dentons representative in Caracas did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The US officials agreed to a follow-up meeting but no date was set, sources said. Aides to Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido were only notified about the meeting on Saturday morning. Guaido was recognized by the United States and dozens of other nations as Venezuela's rightful leader after they dismissed Maduro's 2018 re-election as a sham, but several countries have since dropped their recognition. In the encounter, the US officials reiterated their demand for the release of six former Citgo executives jailed in Venezuela and other detained US nationals, but did not offer any kind of swap involving businessman Alex Saab, a key Maduro ally detained in the United States. Saab's release has been a key demand by Maduro to return to talks with the opposition. China and India have encountered "some setbacks" in recent years which do not serve the fundamental interests of the two countries, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Monday as he called for managing boundary differences through consultation, actively seeking a "fair and equitable" settlement. Addressing his annual press conference on the sidelines of the Chinese parliament, Wang also said that some forces have always sought to stoke tensions between China and India, in an apparent reference to the US. "China and India have encountered some setbacks in recent years which do not serve the fundamental interests of the two countries and the two peoples, Wang said in response to a question asked by PTI on the boundary issue and ties between the two neighbours. He stressed managing boundary differences through consultation, actively seeking a "fair and equitable" settlement. Also read: China says Russia its chief 'strategic partner', despite war China and India should be partners rather than rivals, said Wang, also is the State Councilor. Last month, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had said that India's relationship with China is right now going through a "very difficult phase" after Beijing violated agreements not to bring military forces to the border. Speaking at a panel discussion at the Munich Security Conference (MSC) 2022 in Germany, Jaishankar had said that India was having a problem with China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The eastern Ladakh border standoff between the Indian and Chinese militaries erupted following a violent clash in the Pangong lake areas and both sides gradually enhanced their deployment by rushing in tens of thousands of soldiers as well as heavy weaponry. The tension escalated following a deadly clash in the Galwan Valley on June 15, 2020. Also read: Dear China: Whose side are you on in Ukraine? As a result of a series of military and diplomatic talks, the two sides completed the disengagement process in Gogra as well as in the north and south banks of the Pangong lake last year. India and China held the 14th round of Corps Commander-level meeting on January 12 during which the two sides agreed to maintain dialogue through military and diplomatic channels to work out a "mutually acceptable resolution" of the remaining issues of the standoff at eastern Ladakh. China has described as positive and constructive the latest round of military-level talks with India and said Beijing will work closely with New Delhi to "properly handle" the border issue, even as it refuted the US allegation of intimidating neighbours. Check out latest videos from DH: A local court in Guwahati has asked police to register a case against Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma based on an FIR lodged by Congress MP, Abdul Khaleque in which he alleged that Sarma made "communally inciting" speech regarding an eviction drive. The court of sub-divisional judicial magistrate, Kamrup (metro), B. Baruah on March 5 directed the officer-in-charge of Dispur police station in Guwahati to register a case on the MP's allegations, investigate the matter "fairly" and to submit the "final form at the earliest." The court issued the order while disposing of a petition filed by Khaleque, a Lok Sabha member from Barpeta constituency in Assam, in which he complained that police did not act on the FIR he lodged against the CM in Dispur police station in December last year. In his FIR, Khaleque accused Sarma of hate-mongering and provoking people to commit "acts of rioting" against Muslims in Assam in a speech in Morigaon on December 10 while talking about an eviction drive carried out in Darrang district in September last year. Referring to the speech, Khaleque accused the CM of saying that the eviction drive against the "illegal encroachers" belonging to Muslims was an "act of revenge" for the violent incidents of 1983. Two persons died and several others were injured during the eviction drive carried out at Gorukhuti in Darrang district in September last year to clear government land from "illegal encroachers" for an agriculture project meant for "indigenous" people in the state. Sarma had earlier claimed that "indigenous" people were killed by "illegal migrants" in the area. Khaleque alleged that the CM's speech was aimed at flaring up a communal passion that intended to disturb the already fragile social and communal fabric of the state. Check out DH's latest videos: He is in the midst of danger, a war at that, but still Dr Bandi Giri Kumar is unconcerned about his safety, as much as he is bothered about the well being of his pet 'cats'--Yagwar and Sabina. His feline friends are a leopard and a black panther, even as Dr Kumar is confined to the basement of his apartment in Donbas region in the war-hit Ukraine, with Italian dogs also in company. Dr Kumar says it's not just the question of his safety or survival but that of "my precious big cats". "I am left with the only option of fending myself and my cats until finding a silver lining with God's Grace. God is Great," Kumar, hailing from Tanuku in West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh, said on Monday, in a chat with PTI from Donbas. Follow live updates of Russia-Ukraine crisis "I want to make it very clear to everyone concerned that it is just not my safety or survival or evacuation, but it's more about the safety and survival of my precious big cats. I treat them as my own kids as I brought them when they were very little and orphaned," Kumar said about his pet Leopard Yagwar, and Black Panther, christened Sabrina. He adopted a sick Yagwar from a zoo in 2020 while Sabrina is just a couple of months in his care. A practicing orthopedic, Kumar stays alone in Donbas with the Jaguar species as company, along with Italian dogs. Donbas is one of the worst-hit areas in Ukraine in the ongoing conflict with Russia. "I have been rearing the near-extinct and quite neglected Jaguar species with a fervent motto and a strong mission. It's just that I devoted my life to them and I can't imagine myself without them whatsoever, until my last breath," he said in a pride and compassion-filled tone. Replying to a question, Kumar said officials of either Ukraine or India had not spoken to him about taking care of the big cats. "To re-locate or rehabilitate them to India, in a bid to evacuate me, is a Herculean task as it involves obtaining a lot of licences, permissions and providing required enclosure it is quite unlikely," he said. Right now he has some food left, but that is not much. YSR Congress MP V Vijayasai Reddy hailed the "human-animal bond" between the doctor and his pets. "Truly, the power of a human-animal bond is fascinating. It is pleasing to know that Dr Kumar Bandi, a native of Tanuku in AP, stayed back in #Ukraine as he did not want to leave behind his 2 big pet cats a leopard & a black panther at the mercy of others in a war-torn country," he tweeted. Check out DH's latest videos: Mumbai police have arrested gangster Iliyas Bachkana, wanted in at least 37 cases including murder and drug trafficking, from Bengaluru in neighbouring Karnataka, an official said on Monday. The inter-state criminal was nabbed by the Mumbai police's Crime Intelligence Unit (CIU) on Saturday evening with the help of the Karnataka police, he said. He was wanted by police here in at least 37 cases, including murder, attempt to murder, theft, robbery, drug trafficking, and under provisions of the Arms Act as well as the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), the official said. Following the arrest, the gangster was brought to Mumbai and handed over to the Byculla police here in connection with an attempt to murder case registered on April 30 last year, he said. A person, Raju Luladia (47), was attacked allegedly by three persons with steel rods and pipes and Bachkana had threatened to kill him, the official said. The police had arrested Wajid Shaikh, Karim Khan, Karim Khan, Mohd Saif Shaikh and Hifazur Ansari, while Bachkana was also wanted in the case. The police had received specific information about Bachkana hiding somewhere in Hosur near Bengaluru, following which a CIU team went there and nabbed him from a hotel, the official said. Watch the latest DH videos: As a record number of girl children in the age group of 11 to 14 years over 6.85 lakh were heading to schools, the Ministry of Women and Child Development announced a scheme to encourage over 4 lakh girl children back to classrooms. As part of the move, the ministry said that it will be delinking girl children in that age group from anganwadi systems. The new scheme, the Kanya Shiksha Pravesh Utsav, is a joint initiative of the WCD as well as education ministries, and was launched under the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme. It will be driven by the anganwadi system, officials said. Launching the scheme, WCD secretary Indevar Pandey said that the need to come up with the new scheme was necessitated after the number of beneficiaries of the Scheme for Adolescent Girls (SAG), aimed to look at the nutrition of out-of-school girls, were getting less traction. He said that in 2018-19, 11.88 lakh girls were beneficiaries of the scheme, but the number came down to 5.03 lakh in 2021. This means that while over 6.85 lakh girl children were heading to classrooms in 2018-19, 4 lakh girls had either dropped out or were never inside the school system, but were coming to anganwadis to avail supplementary nutrition and skilling. In some states, the number of beneficiaries was low. For instance, Himachal Pradesh had only 275 girl children under the SAG scheme, officials said. The ministry, Pandey said, will be phasing out girls aged 11 to 14 years out of the anganwadi system, and the under the scheme will encourage the out-of-school girls to go back to school. Under the new scheme, anganwadi workers and helpers will carry out a mapping of the girls in the anganwadi and the list will then be shared through DPO and CDPO to the district education officer. The Education Department will then send the girl child to schools, or special training centres or for vocational training or to open schools, as appropriate, the secretary said. The Education Ministrys Prabandh portal and the WCD ministrys POSHAN tracker will be used to identify these girl children. A set of guidelines will be out soon. To incentivise this, the ministry under the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme will be handing out monetary rewards to anganwadi workers for counselling and taking them to the school system. If there are 4 and more than 4 girls in a particular anganwadi, the worker will get Rs 1,000 as incentive. If there are less than 4 girls, she will get around Rs 500, Pandey said. In our new scheme, under Poshan 2 and Saksham Anganwadi, we will be only taking up girls in the age group of 14-18 years. Girls aged 11-14 years will not be coming in the anganwadi system in new schooling that will also take care only of the northeastern states and all our aspirational districts, he told reporters. The ministry provides supplementary nutrition to girls aged 14 to 18 years in the form of take home ration and hot-cooked meals irrespective of them being in school. Watch the latest DH Videos here: Democratic Party of Korea Chairman Song Young-gil / Korea Times file A YouTuber in his 70s attacked ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) Chairman Song Young-gil with a hammer during a campaign stop in Seoul Monday, causing him injuries requiring stitches in the head, according to party officials. Song was campaigning in Seoul's Sinchon area for Wednesday's presidential election when the assailant came up to him from behind and struck him in the head several times with a hammer wrapped in a black plastic bag, video footage showed. Song was rushed to a nearby hospital with bleeding from his head and received stitches, DP officials said. The assailant was immediately restrained by people at the scene and taken into police custody. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday spoke to Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and sought his "support" in evacuation of Indian students stuck in northeastern Ukraine's Sumy city. Around 700 Indian students are stranded in Sumy amid intense fighting between Russian and Ukrainian troops. In a phone conversation that lasted for around 35 minutes, Prime Minister Modi thanked President Zelenskyy for the help extended by the government of Ukraine in evacuation of Indian nationals from Ukraine, official sources said. Track live updates of Russia-Ukraine crisis here "Prime Minister Modi sought continued support from the government of Ukraine in ongoing efforts for evacuation of Indian nationals from Sumy," a source said about the talks. The sources said the two leaders discussed the evolving situation in Ukraine. Modi appreciated the continuing direct dialogue between Russia and Ukraine, they said. It was the second telephonic conversation between Modi and Zelenskyy after the conflict began in Ukraine. Watch the latest DH Videos here: An IAF flight carrying Indian student Harjot Singh, who was shot in Ukrainian capital Kyiv a few days ago, landed at the Hindon airbase here on Monday evening, officials said. Minister of State for Civil Aviation V K Singh and around 200 Indians, mainly students, also returned to India on the flight that landed at 6.15 pm, they said. V K Singh was in Poland to facilitate the evacuation of students. Also Read: Stalin asks PM Modi to ensure academic progress of Ukraine returnees can continue The Ukrainian airspace has been shut since February 24 due to the Russian military offensive. Indian citizens stuck in Ukraine are being airlifted once they cross to neighbouring countries such as Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and Poland. On February 27, 31-year-old Harjot Singh, along with his two friends, boarded a cab for the western Ukrainian city of Lviv in a bid to escape Kyiv. He was shot four times, including in his chest. Harjot Singh's family in Delhi had told PTI on Sunday that they were "very, very happy" that he was returning and were eagerly awaiting his arrival. The Ministry of External Affairs had on Friday announced that the government would bear medical expenses of Harjot Singh. On March 1, medical student Naveen SG from Karnataka was killed in shelling in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv when he ventured out to buy food for himself and his peers. Eight flights with more than 1,500 Indians will operate from Ukraine's neighbouring countries to India on Monday, according to the Ministry of Civil Aviation. Watch the latest DH Videos here: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to visit Jammu & Kashmir in the first week of April to inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of some developmental projects and launching industrial investments in the union territory (UT). Sources said the investment proposals in the union territory may cross Rs 70,000 crore by the time Modi formally launches the scheme. After the abrogation of J&Ks special status under Article 370 in August 2019, a new dawn of investment and industrial development has begun in the union territory. This investment is set to provide employment to lakhs people while boosting the industrial development of Jammu and Kashmir. Besides, foreign investment from leading business groups from the world is also expected to give a flip to the ailing economy of the union territory. A delegation headed by J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha had visited the UAE in January and signed investment proposals worth thousands of crores with top business leaders there. Sources said the Prime Minister is likely to inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of some projects in Jammu and Kashmir as a few projects are nearing completion while various others are ready for launch. However, they said, no date has so far been finalised for Modis J&K visit but it was expected to take place either by the end of this month or at the start of next month. The dates of PM Modi's J&K visit havent been finalised yet, but we have been told to make preparations, a senior officer from the J&K administration said. The government of India had launched the Industrial Development Scheme in J&K on January 6, 2021 which was to the tune of Rs 28,400 crore and was expected to generate 4.5 lakh to 5 lakh jobs for the youth in the private sector. However, as per the officials, the scheme received response much beyond the expectations of both the Central as well as union territory governments and investment proposals have already reached Rs 70,000 crore while more are in the pipeline. But, as of now, the results are not visible on ground as the scheme has not taken off yet. Watch the latest DH Videos here: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will speak to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday, official sources said. Modi's expected talk with Zelenskyy comes amid India's all out efforts to evacuate its nationals, mostly students, from the country facing an attack from Russia. Read | Ukraine official says assault halts evacuations for 2nd time This is the second time Modi will speak to Zelenskyy since the war began. The prime minister had spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin after he launched an attack on Ukraine. (With inputs from PTI) Watch the latest DH Videos here: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday spoke to Russian and Ukrainian presidents Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy and called upon them to talk to each other directly to end the conflict between the two nations. Modi first called Zelenskyy and expressed his deep concern about the ongoing conflict and resultant humanitarian crisis. Zelenskyy briefed Modi in detail about the conflict situation and the ongoing negotiations between Ukraine and Russia. The Prime Minister reiterated his call for immediate cessation of violence and noted that India has always stood for peaceful resolution of issues and direct dialogue between the two parties, according to the press-release issued by the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi. The Prime Minister later called the Russian President. Putin briefed Modi on the status of negotiations between the Ukrainian and Russian teams. Also read | Russian forces doing everything to evacuate Indian citizens from Sumy: Putin assures Modi Modi welcomed the ongoing negotiations between Russia and Ukraine and expressed hope that they would lead to cessation of the conflict. He suggested that a direct conversation between Putin and Zelenskyy may greatly assist the ongoing peace efforts, according to a separate press-release issued by the MEA. A statement issued by the Russian Presidents office in Moscow, however, had no reference to the Prime Ministers proposal for direct talks between Putin and Zelenskyy. It stated that Putin, after a request from Modi, outlined his assessments of the course of negotiations between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations. Modi indicated his readiness to provide any possible assistance in order to resolve the conflict as soon as possible, it added. Modi and Putin continued to discuss the situation in the wake of Russias military operation in Ukraine, including the evacuation of the citizens of India. Putin informed Modi about the decision of the Russian Armed Forces to establish ceasefire and open humanitarian corridors amid the worsening of humanitarian situation. However, according to the Russian Government, the nationalists - the Ukrainian Army using force and different kinds of provocations, continued to prevent the evacuation of civilians, including foreign citizens, from the battle zones. Putin told Modi that the Indian students held by the radicals in Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine had managed to leave the city only after strong international pressure on the authorities in Kiev. Russian military personnel making every effort to ensure the evacuation of the Indian citizens from Sumy. Narendra Modi expressed gratitude to the Russian Side for the measures taken to return his compatriots to their homeland, according to the press-release issued in Moscow. During the phone-call with Zelenskyy, Modi thanked Ukrainian authorities for their facilitation in evacuating more than 20,000 Indian citizens from Ukraine. He expressed deep concern for safety and security of Indian students still remaining in Ukraine and emphasised on the need for their quick and safe evacuation. Watch the latest DH videos: The financial capital of India now boasts of a Mumbai Dabbawala Bhavan. Located at Bandra, the Mumbai Dabbawala Bhavan honours the famous 'dabbawalas.' There are around 5,000 'dabbawalas' who work in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) to deliver tiffin boxes to over two lakh people. The Nutan Mumbai Tiffin Box Suppliers Charity Trust (NMTBSCT) and Mumbai Tiffin Box Suppliers Association (MTBSA) have thanked the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for the initiative. A Mumbai Dabbawala Bhavan was a promise that the Shiv Sena made ahead of the 2017 municipal polls. As the term of the current civic body comes to a close, the promise has been fulfilled. Maharashtras Tourism, Environment and Protocol Minister Aaditya Thackeray inaugurated the Mumbai Dabbawala Bhavan in the presence of Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anil Parab, Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar and Municipal Corporation commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal. The Dabbawala service in Mumbai started in 1890 thanks to the vision of Mahadeo Havaji Bachche, who saw an opportunity in lunch delivery service in its present team-delivery format with 100 'dabbawalas.' Also Read Zomato, Swiggy dull appetite for Mumbai's dabbawallas Currently, there are around 5,000 'dabbawalas' who work in Mumbai-MMR, however, now, most of them are back in Rajgurunagar (Khed) in Pune district, from where they hail. Dressed in a white outfit and traditional Gandhi topi, they are known for precise and timely deliveries of lunch packages. The dabbawalas, who have developed their own Unique Identity Code, rarely miss delivering lunch boxes and their service is often said to be of Six Sigma standard. The Mumbai 'dabbawalas' are an example of time managementand the accuracy of delivering dabbas (tiffin boxes) has also been touted as an example in the IIMs, IITs and other top institutions. Since its inception, the 'dabbawalas' have been working without a break, however, the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown forced them to go back to their villages and take up agriculture-related work or be employed in local industrial areas. However, with the restrictions easing, they are back. The building is ready, some interiors are being done now, Kiran Gawande, the Secretary of Mumbai Tiffin Box Suppliers Association, told DH. We would have a conference hall, where people can learn about the uniqueness of the delivery system. Tourists can also come in and see this, he said. Watch the latest DH Videos here: High drama was witnessed on the first day of the budget session of the West Bengal assembly on Monday as Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar was forced to table his inaugural address with BJP MLAs staging a protest in the House over alleged violence in the recently concluded civic elections in the state. Dhankhar, who arrived at the assembly at 2 PM to deliver the inaugural address, could not do it as BJP legislators carrying posters and photographs of alleged victims of civic poll violence came down to the well to stage a protest. The governor was seen pleading with the BJP MLAs to let the proceedings begin but the saffron MLAs remained adamant. They raised 'Jai Shri Ram' and 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' slogans. As the governor was about to leave the House, ruling party MLAs including Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee requested him to stay, following which Dhankhar again urged the BJP lawmakers to calm down, but in vain. TMC members also raised anti-BJP slogans from 2.26 PM onwards. Irritated over the protest, Dhankhar thrice tried to leave the House but his way was blocked by TMC legislators. The high drama and disruption of proceedings continued till 3 PM. Following repeated requests by the treasury bench, Dhankhar tabled his speech and left. Later, the chief minister said that the BJP's protest was aimed at creating constitutional unrest but it was averted as the governor accepted her request to table his speech. "What BJP did today in the assembly is a shame for democracy. It is unprecedented. The saffron party wanted to create a constitutional crisis. We requested the governor to read at least one line from his speech and table it in the House. He kept our request. We are thankful to him," she told reporters. LoP and BJP's Nandigram MLA Suvendu Adhikari said that opposition members wanted to register their protest against alleged incidents of violence and rigging during the civic polls. In July last year, Dhankhar was forced to cut short his inaugural address to the newly constituted assembly amid protests by opposition BJP against alleged post-poll violence in the state. Check out DH's latest videos: 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 a 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 the 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. Also read: NSE irregularities: CBI questions former NSE CEO Chitra Ramkrishna 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 stockbroker, 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. Also read: I-T dept raids premises of former NSE MD Chitra Ramkrishna, operating officer Subramanian 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. Check out the latest videos from DH: A District Force constable was injured in an improvised explosive device (IED) blast in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district on Monday, a police official said. The explosion took place on Elmidi-Awapalli road near Sanjaypara when constable Saraiyya Talandi (30) accidentally stepped on a pressure IED while removing Naxal banners, he said. The injured jawan has been admitted in the district hospital in Bijapur and was out of danger, the official added. Watch the latest DH videos: The Gujarat Assembly on Monday revoked the seven-day suspension of senior Congress MLA Punja Vansh after the ruling BJP accepted the request made by the opposition members. Vansh was suspended for seven days for allegedly using unparliamentary words against Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi during the Question Hour on March 4. Later, a Congress delegation, led by Leader of the Opposition Sukhram Rathva, held a meeting with Speaker Nimaben Acharya in her cabin and requested her to revoke the suspension, Deputy LoP Shailesh Parmar said in the House on Monday. Chief whip Pankaj Desai informed the House that the Speaker had held discussions with leaders of both the BJP and the Congress over the issue. Desai said both the parties arrived at a consensus during the meeting and Sanghavi as well as Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel have also said they do not have any problem if Vansh's suspension is revoked. Also Read Gujarat Assembly: Cong MLAs stage walkout to protest suspension of senior legislator The motion moved by the BJP to revoke Vansh's suspension was passed unopposed in the Assembly with the support of the ruling party and Congress members present in the House. On March 4, Vansh had accused the minister of using tapori language in the House, which the BJP had found derogatory and unparliamentary. Though Vansh later apologised and withdrew his remarks as directed by the Speaker, he was suspended for seven days. Watch the latest DH Videos here: Rep. Kim Du-kwan of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea / Courtesy of Kim's office By Nam Hyun-woo Ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung is seeking to group Korea's large cities into regional megacities in order to address the severe concentration of the country's economy and infrastructure in the capital area. DPK Rep. Kim Du-kwan, who is also chief of the balanced regional development committee in Lee's camp, said the plan's ultimate purpose is to restructure the country, to enable smoother economic growth and political stability. "There is a global trend where the number of megacities, having about 5 million to 10 million inhabitants, is growing, and this is because a region is now considered as a separate unit in the global economic competition," Kim said during an email interview with The Korea Times. "So far, Korea has been relying on the metropolitan city system as its main administrative scheme, but it is necessary to bind them into larger units." Kim, a former minister of the interior and safety and governor of South Gyeongsang Province, is known as one of the main contributors in shaping candidate Lee's regional development pledges. Throughout his political career, Kim has been championing the necessity of balanced development, calling for the forming of multiple megacities in the interior and southern regions of the country. Such an idea became the foundation of Lee's election manifesto on balanced regional development. In January, Lee announced the idea of "five poles and three special provinces," which is a developed version of Kim's idea of five poles and two special provinces. Lee's plan is aimed at grouping large cities in the Chungcheong provinces; Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province; Busan, Ulsan and South Gyeongsang Province; Gwangju and South Jeolla Province; and Seoul and the surrounding metropolitan area to form five poles in the country. Gangwon, North Jeolla Province and Jeju will become special self-governing provinces, according to Lee's camp. A month later, Lee also pledged to group those poles into two "hyper metropolitan regions," by binding the Jeolla provinces in southwestern side of the country and the Gyeongsang provinces in the southeast to form a southern metropolitan region, and grouping Seoul with Gyeonggi, North and South Chungcheong and Gangwon provinces to form a central metropolitan area. "From a broader perspective, the idea is about making two giant metropolitan areas," Kim said. "Combining Busan, Ulsan and South Gyeongsang Province will create a megacity region; Jeolla provinces and Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, is about a forming a southern metropolitan area, with a goal of having a 24 million population zone, creating 4 million jobs and achieving a regional economic growth rate of 5 percent." Kim said the central government's role will be important until the regional groups have their own economic sustainability, industrial capability and administrative discretion. For this, he stressed the necessity of transportation infrastructure, such as railways between cities, in order to integrate small cities too. Rep. Kim Du-kwan of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), left, and DPK presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung holding a policy book during the latter's visit to the former's office at the National Assembly on Yeouido, Seoul, Oct. 28, 2021. Korea Times photo by Oh Dae-keun The death toll in Sundays grenade attack near city centre Lal Chowk in Srinagar rose to two as a young woman lost her battle for life at a hospital here on Monday morning. Dr Kawaljeet Singh, Medical Superintendent of SMHS Hospital in Srinagar, said a 20-year-old woman, Rafiya, succumbed to her injuries early this morning. She had suffered multiple injuries in the blast which took place at 4.20 pm at the busy Hari Singh High Street market on Sunday that injured over two dozen pedestrians. A 70-year-old man had died on the spot while the rest of the injured were shifted to various hospitals in Srinagar. There was a huge weekend crowd in the market when the militants struck. The CCTV footage of the incident, which went viral on social media, showed the attacker throwing the grenade near a parked police armoured truck. The explosion triggered panic and people were seen running helter-skelter with several hit by splinters falling to the ground. Also Read One killed, 24 injured in Srinagar grenade attack Police have detained several persons for questioning in connection with the blast. However, so far no breakthrough has been achieved to nab the attackers. Last year on August 10, ten civilians were injured in a grenade attack at the same location. Later on January 25 this year, a police officer and three civilians were injured when militants lobbed a grenade at the same spot. There has been a spurt in grenade attack cases in Kashmir in the last two years and what is worrisome for the security forces is that these attacks are coming up at a time when they are already on a high alert. DIG Central Kashmir Sujit Kumar acknowledged that its now a new trend of militants to attack busy places. However, he refused to accept that there were any security lapses. He said they will improve the network and with the help of electronic gadgets and eyewitnesses, the attackers will be nabbed soon. Watch the latest DH Videos here: Interacting with students who returned from Ukraine, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday claimed that such a successful and systematic operation to evacuate Indian citizens was never undertaken in the past. He said it was due to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "personal" relations with Ukraine's neighbouring countries, including Romania and Hungary, that these countries had opened their borders only to Indian citizens, which led to the safe return of students. In a meeting with 52 students evacuated from Ukraine and their parents at his official residence, 5, Kalidas Marg, the chief minister said it is only because of their faith in the Narendra Modi government that their safe return has been possible. "Citizens of other countries trapped in Ukraine are forced to return home at their own expense but the Indian government is bringing back its citizens at the governments expense. Never before had such a successful and so systematic return operation been done, as it is happening today," Chief Minister Adityanath said. The chief minister said a total of 2,397 students of Uttar Pradesh are pursuing medical and other courses in Ukraine. Of them, 1,400 students have been brought back safely till Saturday evening, he said. "The government is trying to bring back the remaining 1,000 children. Some people are coming today. Instructions have been given to every district magistrate of the state to meet the parents of the children returning from Ukraine and resolve their problems," he said. The chief minister also interacted with the students present during the event. He said Prime Minister Modi is holding regular meetings on the issue and has also held talks with President Vladimir Putin of Russia and other people concerned. "Our embassies in all the countries adjacent to Ukraine, are actively working by staying on the border," he said. "The first goal of the government is to bring back all the students safely from Ukraine. We will plan about the future of their studies after that in the second phase. Both the Indian government and the state government are in dialogue, CM said, asking students to continue revising their syllabus at home. Accusing the previous governments of the state of not paying attention to the medical education sector, Chief Minister Adityanath said, "The reason you people had to go to Ukraine for medical studies is that the attention that should have been paid to the medical infrastructure after independence was not given." "The country became independent in the year 1947 and till 2017, in 70 years, only 12 medical colleges were opened in Uttar Pradesh but between 2017 and 2022 we have opened 33 new medical colleges, Adityanath said. He also said the cost of education in Ukraine ranges from Rs 20 to 30 lakh rupees. "About Rs 2 crore is spent in the US and Britain but if you study in a government medical college in India, it will cost only Rs 4 to 5 lakh. AIIMS, Gorakhpur and Rae Bareli have been made operational and out of the 35 medical colleges, including AIIMS, that have been built, 17 have been made operational," the chief minister said. Check out the latest videos from DH: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday assured Prime Minister Narendra Modi that his forces are doing everything to evacuate the stranded Indian citizens, mostly students, from the war-torn eastern Ukrainian city of Sumy, according to his office. During the 50-minute telephonic conversation, Prime Minister Modi conveyed his "deep concern" over the safety and security of the Indian students stuck in Sumy city and sought their evacuation at the earliest. Around 700 Indian students are stranded in Sumy amid intense fighting between Russian and Ukrainian troops and India has been urging both sides to create a "humanitarian corridor" for their safe evacuation. Follow live updates on Russia-Ukraine crisis President Putin, in the telephone conversation with Prime Minister Modi, said that Russian military personnel are doing everything to evacuate Indian citizens from Sumy, the state-owned TASS news agency reported, citing the Kremlin. "It has been noted that the Indian students who were held by the radicals in Kharkov managed to leave the city only as a result of strong international pressure on the Kiev authorities," the Kremlin alleged. "Russian military personnel are making every effort to ensure the evacuation of Indian citizens from the city of Sumy, it said. Modi thanked the Russian side "for the measures taken to ensure the return of his compatriots to their homeland, it added. On Saturday, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said in New Delhi that India's main focus is now on evacuating the students from Sumy, and that the safe exit of Indians from Kharkiv and Pisochyn is almost complete. Also Read | India's UN vote swayed by dependence on Russia, says UK "We are deeply concerned about Indian students in Sumy, Ukraine. Have strongly pressed Russian and Ukrainian governments through multiple channels for an immediate ceasefire to create a safe corridor for our students," Bagchi said. Bagchi also said the main challenge remains the ongoing shelling and violence in Sumy and lack of transportation. Last week, the Indian students in Sumy had posted videos saying they have decided to leave for the Russian border and that the Indian government and the embassy in Ukraine will be responsible if anything happens to them. Following the embassy's assurance, the students did not leave the eastern Ukrainian city that has seen intense fighting between Russian and Ukrainian troops. Putin told Modi that Ukrainian nationalists "continue to prevent the withdrawal of civilians from dangerous zones, the Kremlin said. "Vladimir Putin informed the Prime Minister of India that, given the aggravation of the humanitarian situation, the Russian Armed Forces announced the introduction of a regime of silence today and the opening of humanitarian corridors," it said. Also Read | Kremlin says Russian military action will stop in a moment if Ukraine meets conditions Asked about Putin's comments on Thursday that some Indians are being held hostage by Ukrainian forces, Bagchi had on Friday again rejected the claim, saying India does not have any such information or reports. On Thursday too, Bagchi rejected claims by both Russia and Ukraine that Indian students are being held hostage in Kharkiv. It was the third telephonic conversation between the two leaders after the military conflict began in Ukraine on February 24. India has brought back nearly 16,000 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 in New Delhi. 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 Ukraine for their exit to Romania, Hungary or Poland. Prime Minister Modi has expressed deep concern about the ongoing conflict and resultant humanitarian crisis and reiterated his call for immediate cessation of violence Check out DH's latest videos: The Supreme Court on Monday said it might order an independent probe into doctors issuing fake medical certificates to unscrupulous people for claiming ex gratia compensation for Covid-19 deaths. "What is worrying is the fake certificate given by doctors... it is a very serious thing," a bench presided by Justice M R Shah said. The court said an independent probe might be necessary due to the alleged involvement of government doctors. The bench asked senior advocate R Basant and the counsel appearing for Kerala and the Maharashtra governments to suggest by next week a mechanism to curb fake Covid -19 death certificates, being issued to avail of Rs 50,000 ex gratia. Also Read No ex gratia for Covid deaths during third wave: Minister "Our orders should not be allowed to be misused. Please suggest ways otherwise, it might take away someone's real opportunity," the bench, also comprising Justice B V Nagarathna, told the counsel. The bench also agreed to a suggestion by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Union, to set a deadline for making claims, saying "otherwise the process will go on endlessly, even for five-six years." At the outset, Mehta pointed out some state governments have come across fake medical certificates issued by doctors. He said that the court's order on ex gratia compensation on the basis of a doctor's certificate has been misused in certain cases. The court was examining the compliance of its previous judgement on disbursal of Rs 50,000 ex gratia for Covid-19 deaths, passed on a PIL by advocate Gaurav Kumar Bansal and others. Watch the latest DH Videos here: The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear a plea by Malayalam news channel Media One against the Kerala High Court's order, which upheld the Centre's decision not to renew its telecast licence on the ground of national security. A bench of Chief Justice N V Ramana and comprising Justices A S Bopanna and Hima Kohli agreed to list the petition for hearing on March 10. Senior advocate Dushyant Dave mentioned the plea for urgent hearing on behalf of the channel. "We have been shut down due to some secret files from the Home Ministry and the court has justified it behind our back. It's too serious a matter relating to the right to information and freedom of press," he said. For 11 years, the organisation has functioned and the channel has 350 employees and millions of viewers, Dave said. Media One, supposed to have support of the Kerala chapter of Jamaat-e-Islami, approached the top court after the Kerala High Court on March 2 upheld the ban imposed on it by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on January 31. When certain issues with respect to the security of the state are concerned, the government is at liberty to decline to renew the permission granted, without disclosing the complete reasons for the non-renewal of licence, the division bench had said. The HC had then dismissed the appeals filed by the channel's management and journalists against February 9 order by the single-bench, which refused to lift the ban. The channel run by Madhyamam Broadcasting Limited had earlier faced a 48-hour ban in connection with its reporting on Delhi riots in 2020. Watch the latest DH videos: From the picturesque and biodiverse Madayipara in Kannur in north Kerala to the Ayathil stream in Kollam in the south, the proposed semi-high-speed rail project of Kerala poses serious threat to many ecologically sensitive areas including paddy fields and mangroves. Even as the ruling CPM-led Left Democratic Front in Kerala has been campaigning that the green field rail project, named Silver Line, will not affect the ecology, environmentalists say that as per the alignment and detailed project report itself it was evident that the project is ringing the death knell of many ecologically sensitive areas. Biodiversity of Madayipara, a flat topped hillock situated around 20 kilometres from Kannur city, has been documented in many studies, especially the presence of rare and endemic plants. Over 600 species of plants and over 150 varieties of butterflies and birds and different varieties of mammals and reptiles have been spotted in the picturesque region, says environmentalists. Already stones demarking the region for the rail line were laid, which were forcefully removed by those opposing the project. The region earlier witnessed protest against mining activities. Environmentalist Sridhar Radhakrishnan said that if the high-speed-rail passes through Madayipara, it will spoil the biodiversity of the region. Thirunnavaya in Malappuram district is known for lotus farms. Many lotus ponds of the region are also feared to disappear with the Silver Line project. The Kadalundi bird sanctuary in Kozhikode and Kole wetlands in Ponnani and Thrissur would be affected too. An underground tunnel route has also been proposed beneath the Kallayai river in Kozhikode. When it comes to the south, as per the proposed alignment even a station is planned close to the Vembanad lake, a Ramsar site in India. The detailed project report proposed the diversion of a canal at Ayathil in Kollam district and the station and yard are proposed to be made across extensive paddy fields and wet lands. This triggers fears of potential floods. S Rajeevan, general secretary of the anti-Silver Line action council, said that from the alignment it was very evident that many wetlands, paddy files and mangroves across Kerala would risk damage with the project. Even though the Silver Line is not passing through any notified areas like national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, biosphere reserves and other ecological sensitive areas, the alignment is somewhat parallel to the Western Ghats and hence impacts relating to biodiversity need to be carefully assessed. As per the EIA 164 points on the proposed alignment is marked as Hydrological Environment Impact Zones in Google earth. Watch the latest DH videos: Fearing a spillover of the war in Ukraine, Indians studying in neighbouring Belarus are getting ready to leave for India despite assurances from universities and local authorities to the contrary. With the war in Ukraine entering its 12th day on Monday and tensions between Kyiv and Moscow showing no signs of easing, the students said there is panic in Belarus and their families in India too are concerned about their wellbeing. Putin announced a special military operation in Ukraine on the night of February 23. Belarus, the largest landlocked European country and bordering the two warring nations, has been accused of supporting Russia. Follow live updates on Russia-Ukraine crisis, here Sourav, a medical student at Belarusian State Medical University said he and his friends have booked flights to India for March 10. "We are worried because the war is not ending. When violence broke out in Ukraine, panic engulfed Belarus. There has been no violence in Belarus but everybody is worried. So, students have decided to leave the country," he said. "We urged the university authorities to allow us to leave. Earlier, they denied the request saying there is no violence in Belarus. So, we decided to approach the (Indian) embassy (in Minsk). After the embassy talked to the university authorities, they allowed us to leave," he added. Sourav said some students have already left Belarus, while others are waiting to book tickets as their prices have doubled. The India embassy assured the students that those who choose to stay back "will be evacuated if the need arises", he said. Talking to PTI over phone, Prafulla Chandran, a student coordinator in Kerala, said the students are worried and their parents' concerns have prompted them to leave Belarus. Also Read | Russian forces doing everything to evacuate Indian citizens from Sumy: Putin assures Modi "There is no violence in Belarus and everything is normal. Just that a few ATMs are unable to dispense cash. But students are still planning to leave the country. A few have left and several have booked tickets for the coming week," he said. Belarusian State Medical University and Gomel Medical University have allowed students to take four-week leave to go home, he said, adding that no online classes will be held and students will have to return to colleges to attend classes, Chandran said. There are nearly 1,500 Indian students in Belarus, he claimed. Chandran underlined that the students are leaving on their own and the Indian embassy has not arranged any flights. When violence erupted in Ukraine, the Indian embassy in Minsk asked Indian nationals in Belarus to fill up forms providing important information, including their location, that may be helpful in case the need for evacuation arises. Also Read | For the love of felines: Can't leave Ukraine without big cats, says Andhra Pradesh doctor "Students are requested to continue following communication on the Whatsapp groups created for each University. Non-student members of the diaspora are requested to follow the Whatsapp group for the community," the embassy had tweeted on February 24. The Parents Association of Indian Students in Belarus (PAISB) has written to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy urging him to recommend swift action by the concerned authorities for the evacuation of Indian students, many of whom are Telugu, from Belarus. "Please immediately order the evacuation of our children," the association said in its letter. It pointed out that the US Consulate has issued an advisory asking its citizens to leave Belarus, "which reflects the gravity of the situation". "We plead that similar plight as of Indian students in Ukraine should not befall our children," the PAISB said. Veera Kiran, whose daughter is a sixth-year medical student at Gomel State University in Belarus, said, "A few students have come back and several are coming back, they have booked tickets. We are concerned about the safety of our children. The situation might deteriorate in Belarus." To evacuate its citizens from war-hit Ukraine, the Indian government has launched 'Operation Ganga' under which thousands of stranded people, mostly students, have been evacuated from nations bordering Ukraine's western frontiers. However, the evacuation from the eastern part of Ukraine remains a challenge as it has been witnessing heavy shelling and airstrikes. The Ukrainian airspace has been shut since February 24 due to the Russian military offensive. Check out DH's latest videos: 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 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, according to an official release. Releasing a collection of editorials titled 'Mutnuri Krishna Rao Sampadakeeyalu' here, Naidu highlighted the critical role of media as the 'fourth pillar of democracy' in protecting and preserving democracy. He observed that people take the content of the news and broadcast media to be credible and media organisations should live up to their expectations, adding "journalism should be treated as a mission." He said the 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. Observing the tremendous impact the media has on people, the Vice President said journalists should weigh the consequences of each word they print and broadcast on society. "They must remember that they are a part of society too", he noted. On the occasion, Naidu paid rich tributes to Mutnuri Krishna Rao, the pioneering Telugu journalist and editor of the nationalist newspaper 'Krishna Patrika' from 1907 to 1945, the release added. Check out the latest videos from DH: Several tribals sat on a protest outside the official residence of Maharashtra Tribal Development Minister K C Padvi on Monday to press for their demands of proper implementation of the Forest Rights Act (FRA), an official said. The protesters, from districts of Nandurbar, Dhule, Nashik, Jalgaon and Buldhana, gathered in the morning outside Padvi's bungalow near the state secretariat Mantralaya in south Mumbai, the official said. Also Read Life still in the woods for Ramanagars tribal families sans land rights They wanted to meet the minister to put forth their issues before him. Heavy police security was deployed in the area to prevent any untoward incident, the official said. The FRA recognises the rights of forest-dwelling tribal communities to forest resources, on which these communities are dependent for a variety of requirements, including livelihood, habitation and other socio-cultural needs. Watch the latest DH Videos here: A vital subtext to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s Uttar Pradesh story is the debate on whether the distribution of free rations on a vast scale can be seen as a prototype of a welfare state on the lines of what exists in Tamil Nadu. The Uttar Pradesh pitch is, however, queered by another persistent narrative: even as there is acknowledgement on the ground that free ration is being distributed, including among those who do not intend to vote for the ruling party, there is also a great deal of chatter among the more vocal and aspirational sections of the OBCs and Dalits, about the BJP regime gradually ending reservations. There are complaints about quotas for the OBCs and Dalits among government teachers not being filled and reservation criteria not being applied to appointments of teachers in Gorakhpur University, for example. There are charges of the government slowly "selling off" services to private contractors, thereby reducing the number of reserved jobs. The privatisation of public sector units by the BJP is also repeatedly mentioned in Uttar Pradesh as evidence of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) thinking that reservation must ultimately come to an end. The fact that the chief minister, Yogi Adityanath, is from the forward Thakur caste, and has publicly declared that he is proud to be a Rajput and is known to promote his caste brethren, has contributed to this narrative. Also read: Uttar Pradesh polls: Caste, not Hindutva; jobs, not free rations In travels paced over two months in the electorally crucial state, a fascinating meeting was with a group of Dalit professionals, doctors, writers and retired railway and government officials in the state capital Lucknow. This was a gathering of the section of society that has been beneficiaries of reservation and would be looking to safeguard it. This constituency is very well versed in the views of B R Ambedkar and admires Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) founder Kanshi Ram even as they see party chief Mayawati as their natural leader. Most of the individuals gathered in the room were Jatav Dalits (who make up 54 per cent of the Dalit community, which comprises 21 per cent of the state population). What was extraordinary was that almost all of them were of the view that, in the ongoing election, they intended to break from the past of blindly supporting the BSP in seats where Mayawati's party was not strong. In 2022, they believed, it was crucial for them to vote strategically to defeat the BJP. They were vocal that the BJP regime was slowly but surely ending reservations by not filling quotas and selling off to the private sector. Even if we presume that poorer and less empowered Jatav Dalits will mostly still stay with the BSP, a party they see as their own, it is significant that the middle class from the community sees things differently. For in the long term, even beyond one election, this gives a sense of the direction of thinking in the Dalit community in the Hindi heartland. In the state, meanwhile, there is also a section among both the OBCs and Dalits that may not have reached the threshold of seeking rights and entitlements and looking merely to survive. This section sees free rations as a lifeline, and the BJP believes this is the formidable and silent voter base that they call labharthi (beneficiaries). Ironically, in a BJP ruled state, the atmospherics in some seats is so anti-BJP that it is credible to argue that some of the national party's supporters from socially weak sections are silent and prefer not to reveal their voting choices. Also read: Polling begins for final phase of UP Assembly elections Yet, when we return to the constituency that aspires for more than survival, the ration "charity" is described by the OBCs and Dalits as kings throwing some alms in their direction. The gathering in the Lucknow home, well versed in Ambedkarite thinking, certainly saw the ration outreach as part of a structural attempt by a ruling class to throw crumbs at the poor while the rulers spent crores on magnificent events where they showcased themselves. The inauguration of grand temples and corridors is part of that process, they said. Beyond Dalits, among the OBCs too, including Gujjars in West UP and Kurmis in Awadh and Purvanchal regions, there has been an outreach by political workers of the opposition parties to highlight the issue of shrinking reservation. The OBC leaders who have left the BJP fold to join the SP-led front, such as Swami Prasad Maurya and Om Prakash Rajbhar, are also very vocal about this issue and speak the language reminiscent of the Mandal era. Leading his phalanx, Akhilesh Yadav, too, has stated at public rallies in the last two phases that the BJP is finishing off the reservation by selling off to the private sector. It is the desperation for jobs in Uttar Pradesh that makes this a volatile issue. The government has tried to offset its inability to create jobs by a welfare outreach. But when a comparison is made with more successful states such as Tamil Nadu, it must be noted that welfarism in the southern state goes hand in hand with the expansion of the private sector and industrialisation besides far better performance in health and education by the government. And reservation is sacrosanct for all parties that have emerged from Dravidian ideology and politics. Conversely, the BJP is the political front of an ideology that does not actually believe in reservation even if they know it is political suicide to say so explicitly. One interlinked reason for the failure to create jobs in the private sector in Uttar Pradesh is that investments do not go to places where communal disruptions need to be factored in. The muscular Hindutva that Chief Minister Adityanath promotes, with constant dog-whistling against minorities who make up 20 per cent of the population, does not make the state an attractive prospect for investors, that too when manufacturing jobs have only shrunk. Therefore, the state's growing population sees a government job as the only guarantee of security; a count is being kept of reserved jobs, and thousands of applicants queue up for each opening. Whatever outcomes the election brings, among the state's many problems, the big one is joblessness. (Saba Naqvi is a journalist and an author.) Check out latest DH videos on UP elections here A COVID-19 patient receives a ballot for the March 9 presidential election at a local polling station in Daegu, March 5. The National Election Commission decided Monday to allow COVID-19 patients and those in quarantine to put their votes into ballot boxes themselves after an earlier decision to collect their votes in unofficial containers sparked widespread complaints of foul play. Yonhap The National Election Commission (NEC) decided Monday to allow COVID-19 patients and those in quarantine to put their votes into ballot boxes themselves after an earlier decision to collect their votes in unofficial containers sparked widespread complaints of foul play. The election watchdog came under fire following revelations virus-infected voters and people under self-isolation were not allowed to put their votes into ballot boxes and election officials instead collected them in plastic bags and other unofficial containers during early voting Saturday. The "indirect" method of voting sparked suspicions of election rigging, but the NEC has flatly rejected such claims. On Monday, it held an emergency meeting to discuss the issue and decided to allow virus patients to put their votes into ballot boxes the same way as other voters in the March 9 election after regular polling closes. Virus patients and those in quarantine can vote from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. after getting temporary leave permits from the health authorities before going to the polls. "Instead of handing their ballots to election officials from temporary polling booths, they can put their votes into the ballot boxes themselves," the NEC said. "If voting of regular voters does not end until 6 p.m., virus patients will wait at a separate location outside the polling station and can cast their votes after all regular voters leave the station." Both Lee Jae-myung of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DP) and Yoon Suk-yeol of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) earlier slammed the NEC's poor voting operation, while President Moon Jae-in also expressed regret over the controversy. While the NEC was busy figuring out solutions, the two leading candidates ramped up their campaigning to consolidate support and broaden their appeal to floating voters. Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, is greeted by supporters during an election rally in Seoul, March 3. AP-Yonhap Lee of the liberal DPK started the day on the country's southern resort island of Jeju and moved up north to hit major cities. "State affairs are not a practice field for novice amateurs," Lee said at a rally in Jeju. "What will the country be like if the leader is ignorant, incompetent and irresponsible?" The former Gyeonggi governor is scheduled to make stops in Busan, Daegu, Daejeon and Cheongju in the afternoon. DPK Chairman Song Young-gil, meanwhile, was attacked by a man in his 70s with a blunt instrument while campaigning for Lee in Sinchon, western Seoul. He was taken to a hospital with a head injury, though officials said it is not life threatening. Yoon Suk Yeol, center, the presidential candidate of the main opposition People Power Party, is greeted by supporters during an election rally in Seoul, Feb. 15. AP-Yonhap In 2017, the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections took place against the backdrop of demonetisation and surgical strikes on a terror camp in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK). If the Bharatiya Janaya Party (BJP) was successfully able to spin the demonetisation issue as poor versus wealthy, the surgical strikes were used to whip up an anti-Pakistan mood that got translated into an anti-Muslim mood on the ground. No chief ministerial candidate was named, and it was in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's name the election was fought. He was seen both as the saviour of the poor, who had, with a single stroke of the pen, deprived the rich of their wealth, the saviour of the truly nationalistic Indian, and protector of the Hindu religion. So what is different this time? In 2017, Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav's government was on trial. In 2022, it is Yogi Adityanath's record, and to a lesser extent, that of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, that is under scrutiny, even though the BJP leaders have spent more time revisiting Akhilesh Yadav's five years than the achievements of the BJP government. Modi did not visit UP as many times as in past elections. His no-show at a pre-announced Bijnor rally on the plea that the weather was unsuitable for travel by helicopter became a talking point, especially as it was a sunny day. Locals in Bijnor said that the Local Intelligence Unit (LIU) had alerted the Prime Minister's Office that villagers planned to release stray cattle (that have been destroying standing crops) at the rally venue to express their anger at the government's poor handling of a problem that is a crucial issue across the state. The PM decided not to risk a potentially embarrassing situation. Later, he acknowledged the problem at a public rally in Unnaao. He promised if the BJP returned to power in UP, a new system would be put in place to reduce the trouble that stray animals cause. "The dung of a cow, which does not give milk, will be used to generate income," he said. The PM did not mention that this scheme, the Gobar Dhan Yojana, was launched in April 2018 under the Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin), with little success. Indeed, the conversations this time have been dominated more by bread and butter issues widespread unemployment, privatisation leading to loss of jobs in the public sector, skyrocketing prices of essentials, the stray cattle menace, the failure of online teaching - than by those that polarise communities, despite the BJP's best efforts to place Muslims in the dock once again through its coded law and order discourse. This is not to say that the Hindutva narrative has vanished; it remains a strong undercurrent, but caste has bounced back as a significant factor. Unemployment has been a running theme right across UP, particularly among the youth. Almost every young person I met, whether already college-educated or still in college cutting across caste and religious lines spoke of the lack of jobs. Virtually all of them said their first preference was for a government job. Even those with land said they were not keen to farm, and those making a living by running a small kirana shop or some similar enterprise said they didn't count it as a job. And thanks to the pandemic, many of those who had shifted base to the cities and were working in the private sector, or as factory hands, have lost their jobs. When Modi promised two crore jobs, he was thinking of Gujarat, where entrepreneurship has long been a top choice. But in UP, as in Bihar, West Bengal and Odisha, a job only means a government job. For the OBC youth, there is an additional grouse: despite reservation, they are not getting jobs. In July 2021, OBC candidates held a massive protest in Lucknow; of the 69,000 teachers recruited in 2020 by the Basic Education Department, they said, the OBCs got less than four per cent, whereas the prescribed quota is 27 per cent. For uneducated youth in rural areas, dependent on daily labour, the poor functioning of the MGNREGA (the rural employment guarantee programme) has been a blow: even where it is working erratically, wage payment is often delayed by as much as six months. For staunch BJP supporters, all these features are irritants, but the conversation always concludes with, "But we want Yogi Adityanath back as chief minister", and reference to two issues as reasons for backing his government. The most important is their belief that the law and order situation has improved, that all the criminals (read Muslims and Yadavs) are behind bars, and that their wives and daughters can walk freely even late in the evenings without fear. The second is gratitude for the free rations that ration card holders and Antyodaya cardholders are receiving. But just as BJP supporters dismiss unemployment and high prices as a permanent feature of life that the government cannot be held responsible for, those opposed to the BJP, especially those voting for the Samajwadi Party-Rashtriya Lok Dal combine, view law and order and rations very differently. The Muslims ask why the lynchings that many in their community have been subjected to, for instance, are not listed as crimes; whether their demonisation on social media that has led to attacks on them are not described as crimes. Interestingly, some Brahmins, too, pointed out the one-sided nature of "law and order": criminals from the Thakur community, like Dhananjay Singh, is openly campaigning and is not behind bars, despite the host of charges against him, including that of murder. Vikas Dubey, a Brahmin, they said should have been tried lawfully and not eliminated in an encounter. If Hindutva has been the BJP's most potent weapon, its efforts over the last few years to create a constituency of labharthis or beneficiaries is also paying its dividends. Apart from the Grameen Aawas Yojana, toilets, gas cylinders, etc., this pandemic season's biggest gift, especially to the very poor and marginalised, was the free rations. However, some critiqued even this, but when that critique came from Brahmins or Yadavs, I didn't pay much attention to it. But it was repeated by an old Baghel woman in a village in Hathras district. The Baghels are counted as a Scheduled Caste community. She described the rations as bheekh, or alms, and said it would have been better if the government had provided employment: "People should work hard and earn a living, not hold their hands out for free rations, like beggars. How can you say Modi and Yogi are doing good work when they can't create jobs?" A Jatav man added to this: "You give us Rs 400 worth free rations, and then increase the price of gas cylinders by Rs 600. You give with one hand and take away with the other. Are we fools?" In 2017, the BJP's upper caste vote base was intact; added to it was a carefully knitted formidable non-Yadav OBC plus non-Jatav coalition, with some educated Yadavs even deserting the SP for the BJP, in the name of Hindutva. This time, there are some cracks in the Brahmin vote and erosion in the non-Yadav OBC coalition. The desire of the Yadav community to be back in power is also propelling the SP-RLD-led coalition. In the last few elections, the Yadav vote had split thanks to Akhilesh Yadav's feud with his uncle Shivpal Yadav, whose candidates had cut into the SP vote. This time, they are united, and Akhilesh Yadav had a free hand in allotting tickets. Muslims, the one group that has suffered the most under Yogi Adityanath's government, is determined not to allow their votes to be divided. In addition, the farmers' agitation, while not entirely dampening the enthusiasm of the Jats for the BJP, has undoubtedly divided them; the death of the RLD's Ajit Singh has also resulted in some sympathy for son Jayant Choudhary. Thirdly, Akhilesh Yadav's attempt to wrest the non-Yadav OBC votes from the BJP has resulted in some cracks in that coalition. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), which many see as a spent force, still retains its hold over 18.2 per cent: in the village after village that I visited, I found that Mayawati's caste fellows, the Jatavs, remain unwaveringly loyal to her. They stressed that the BSP is the only party "where their votes matter, where they are counted hamari ginati sirf udhar hoti hai." The Congress, under Priyanka Gandhi's leadership, may gain in percentage points, but it is unlikely to win too many seats. Finally, as the elections wind down, reports suggest that polling has been low in urban areas that are BJP strongholds and higher in rural areas, where the SP could fare better. That the BJP is in trouble is also suggested by a TV report on News 18 (Hindi): villagers in an eastern UP were seen brandishing fingers which they said had been forcibly inked by the local BJP workers to prevent them from voting. They also said they had each been given Rs 500 for this. All this has ensured that the elections are not one-sided this time. Even BJP supporters have described these elections as a kante ki takkar, a closely fought battle between the BJP and the SP-RLD combine. (Smita Gupta is a journalist.) Check out the latest videos from DH: Some white-tailed deer living in the US are actively infected with the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, according to a study. The yet-to-be peer-reviewed study, posted recently on the preprint repository bioRxiv, also found neutralising antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 in one of the Omicron-infected deer, suggesting that, like humans, these animals can be reinfected with the virus. "Our finding that some of these animals harbour SARS-CoV-2 suggests the presence of another potential threat," said Kurt Vandegrift, associate research professor at Penn State, and lead author of the paper. Also Read | Experts warn end of Omicron surge isn't end of pandemic Last year, the team found that up to 80 per cent of white-tailed deer sampled across Iowa in the US tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. The finding was the first direct evidence of SARS-CoV-2 virus in any free-living species. The latest research highlights that many urgent steps are needed to monitor the spread of the virus in deer and prevent potential spillback to humans. "While there is no indication so far of any of the SARS-CoV-2 variants spilling back into humans from deer, such an outcome is possible," said Suresh Kuchipudi, a clinical professor of veterinary and biomedical sciences, Penn State. Also Read | 92% Covid deaths in India in 2022 among unvaccinated: ICMR chief "The longer the virus circulates in these animals and the greater the number of individuals it infects, the more likely the virus is to evolve and potentially lead to the emergence of a completely novel variant that may be resistant to our current vaccines," Kuchipudi said. The study may reveal whether spillover of the virus back to humans from deer is possible, the researchers said. The researchers analysed blood samples from 131 individual deer collected between December 12, 2021, and January 31, 2022, and found that 19 were positive for SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies. They also detected SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid in nasal swabs from seven of 68 of the sampled deer, indicating that these deer were actively infected with the virus. "Our previous research in Iowa examined the lymph nodes of deer that had already been killed during hunting, but we were not able to confirm an active infection from these samples," said Vivek Kapur, from Penn State,and co-lead author of the study. "In our new study, we were able to obtain nasal swabs, which revealed live virus in the animals noses," he added. Whole-genome sequencing identified that the virus circulating among the white-tailed deer on Staten Island in New York was Omicron. Phylogenetic analyses, which examine the evolutionary history among groups of organisms, revealed that the Omicron sequences in the deer were related to those recovered from infected humans in New York City and elsewhere, suggesting the virus spilled over from humans to deer. "Importantly, one individual deer was both positive for viral RNA and had a high level of neutralising antibodies, suggesting that neutralising antibodies developed rapidly during an ongoing infection or that a breakthrough infection occurred," said Kuchipudi. "If this animal had a reinfection, then this suggests that white-tailed deer can serve as a reservoir for the virus to continue to mutate, potentially producing new variants that are more dangerous," he added. Check out latest DH videos here When student and author-illustrator Ilina Singh researched her subject choice for senior school, she realized she couldn't name any woman scientist apart from Marie Curie. She didn't seem to know any scientists who looked like herfemale and Indian. Did India not have any women scientists? This thought was the inspiration behind her first book, "Gutsy Girls of Science," published by HarperCollins in February 2022. Seventeen-year-old Singh is a Class 11 student of mathematics, physics and art at the Shri Ram School, Aravali. She was also nominated for the Pradhan Mantri Bal Puruskar for Arts and Culture. "I came across news stories and a tweet by Union Minister Smriti Irani in 2020, which had pictures of 11 women scientists who the Indian government had recognized," she said. "As I read about them, I was moved and inspired. They were bright but also very brave to stand up to the social prejudices of their times." Once she began researching their lives, "Gutsy Girls of Science" evolved organically. She started painting the portraits of the women in April 2020, shortly after turning 15. Once friends and family liked the art accompanying the text, she wrote to the prime minister and received an encouraging reply. "The entire process took me two years. My research went beyond the scientists themselvesI wanted the readers to develop curiosity about the science behind the scientists. That's why each chapter ends with an activity you can do to enjoy and understand the topic a little more. I hope we move the needle on the number of women who follow STEM careers." Singh's signing amount has been kept safelyshe hopes to support the cause of girls in STEM through her earnings from the book. UNESCO came on board as a partner early in the project. "I mailed UNESCO Director Eric Falt the portraits I had made with a request for guidance. He invited me to meet him and agreed to come on board as a partner in the project. The entire team at UNESCO guided me over the last two years to make the dream a reality," said Singh. Among the remarkable women featured in the book are botanist Padma Shri Janaki Ammal, best known for developing a sweeter, hardier hybrid sugarcane that led to Indian self-sufficiency in sugar production, and chemist Padma Bhushan Asima Chatterjee who developed drugs that have been used to treat epilepsy, malaria and chemotherapy, often using her own money for research. She tells inspiring stories of physicist Bibha Chowdhuri (after whom the star HD 86081 has been renamed), anthropologist Iravati Karve (who travelled to remote areas, undertaking physically taxing work that most women of her time would not), and meteorologist Anna Mani (who turned down a pair of diamond earrings when she was just eight, in favour of the Encyclopedia Britannica series!). "Lack of women in Indian scientific research is a known factagainst a global average of 33 per cent women in science and research-related jobs, India has only 14 per cent, so it's a long-distance to cover," said Singh. "And the leaky pipeline needs to be fixed at the school level, by teaching children about female role models in science." "Globally, there is something known as the 'Sculley effect'young girls who watched the female protagonist in a program named X-Files went on to study science in college. We can't be what we don't see representation matters." Neeti Jaychander is a writer, journalist and educator based in Chennai. The Karnataka government has invoked the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) against 10 accused persons in Bajrang Dal activist murder case, police sources said on Monday. The government is also considering handing over the case to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), once the local police completes its probe. The UAPA is invoked in cases involving threats to national security and national integrity. The police after considering larger conspiracy behind the murder of Harsha has decided to invoke UAPA. Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said it is a case of more than a murder and there is more than what meets the eyes. The UAPA enables the police to secure the custody of the accused for 30 days and provides time to the investigating officer to file the charge sheet in 180 days instead of 90 days in normal cases. Harsha, a 28-year-old Bajrang Dal activist was hacked to death on February 20, triggering violence in the district of Shivamogga. Meanwhile, Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra clarified that there is no proposal before the government to ban the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) and Popular Front of India (PFI). BJP leaders and Hindutva activists have vehemently demanded that these two organisations should be banned. The Karnataka government has handed over compensation of Rs 25 lakh to the family of Harsha. Police sources say Harsha was hacked to death with an agenda. The deceased was in the forefront with Hindutva related activities and actively posted messages on social platforms against wearing of hijab. Though, the police maintained that there is no connection with the hijab row with the murder, later, Home Minister Araga Jnanendra stated that the angle is being probed by the agencies. Watch the latest DH videos: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Sunday that COSMOS, coming up on the University of Mysore (UoM) campus, would be more than just a planetarium to gaze at the sky on a real-time basis as it will offer data that can be used by young scientists for future learning. The minister was speaking after laying the foundation stone for the Cosmology Education and Research Training Centre (COSMOS) on the campus of the Sri Jayachamaraja Wadiyar Centre for Higher Learning of the UoM at the foot of Chamundi Hill here. It is going to give you all the data that you can use, the finance minister, who is a Rajya Sabha member from Karnataka, said. Coming up at an estimated cost of Rs 81 crore from Nirmalas MP Local Area Development (MPLAD) fund, the project is expected to be ready by March 2023. She said the country needs a centre where real-time data which is related to astrophysics is available to students and researchers. The minister said that she wanted a centre of astrophysics where not only the current data, but also past data is available to students, where they can use it in a guided way with proper teachers, faculties and scientists. Nirmala said she wanted India to have a lot many young scientists to have that advantage to grow to become a scientist who can use the data in such a way that it can benefit individuals, state, the country and the humanity. On the selection of Mysuru to realise her dream project, she said the city has always stood for good learning ecosystems. Ive always felt Mysuru was a place (to set up Cosmos). Look at the number of writers, look into the number of artists, look at the creative geniuses who lived in Mysuru. Its a little planet to itself where learning become so charismatic. Learning is charismatic because of the way it has been cultivated in Mysuru, she explained. Quoting principal scientific advisor to the Government of India, Prof K Vijay Raghavan, who was present on the occasion, she said, Prof Raghavan uses this word - democratise learning, make it available for everybody and make it available in such ways in which each person can utilise it. Mysuru-Kodagu Lok Sabha member Pratap Simha urged Vijay Raghavan to approve a Technology Business Incubator (NIDHI-TBI) for UoM. (With PTI inputs) Check out the latest videos from DH: A row over rent cuts has broken out between People Before Profit (PBP) and the SDLP. Cllr Shaun Harkin of PBP and SDLP Foyle MLA, Mark H Durkan, have had a heated exchange of words following the controversy surrounding a rent cut and freeze motion that had been passed by the Stormont Executive. Communities Minister, Deirdre Hargey, passed through a Private Tenancies Bill that included an amendment from PBP MLA for West Belfast, Gerry Carroll. Mr Carroll tabled an amendment calling for a reduction of rents by 10 per cent for a year for all tenancies longer than six months, and implement a rent freeze for three years. That amendment was passed but it appears to have returned to haunt the Executive with Minister Hargey being urged by a number of cross-party MLAs to revoke it after officials questioned the legality of it. An about-turn that has drawn the ire of Cllr Harkin who launched a stinging attack on the Executive parties. He said: If anyone needs further evidence of the rank hypocrisy and utter opportunism of the Stormont Executive they need to look no further than the response to People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll's motion to cut and freeze private rent costs. SDLP MLA, Mark H Durkan, says they were 'daft' to support the People Before Profit amendment aimed at helping people with rent bills amidst a spiralling cost of living crisis. The SDLP, Sinn Fein, the Ulster Unionists, Alliance and the DUP were all united in opposition to Carroll's amendment to the Sinn Fein Communities Minister Private Tenancies Bill - but then voted for it. But now they're scrambling to undo it. Why? Because they're unwilling to take radical action to protect workers and the least well-off. All through the pandemic Westminster and Stormont were willing to take unprecedented urgent action to make sure elites and the politically connected were protected. Where is the urgency now to act on energy costs, housing costs and food costs? It simply isn't there. Derry has 30 per cent of people living below the poverty line. Sinn Fein and the SDLP dominate the Council and dominate Foyle representation in Stormont and Westminster. They aren't willing to challenge a system that's rigged in favour of elites and the politically connected. It's clear we cannot trust or depend the mainstream parties to protect people at a crucial moment. We urge broad support for people power campaigns aimed at addressing spiralling inequality and for the building of a real alternative to the cynical Stormont carve-up." However, Mr Durkan who is also the SDLP's Communities spokesperson hit back by calling PBP's amendment as a stunt designed to sway public opinion in their favour. He said: The amendment from Gerry Carroll may have been well intentioned however the diatribe from Cllr Harkin would suggest it was no more than a cynical ploy to manipulate public opinion. SDLP Foyle MLA, Mark H Durkan Im on public record voicing my support of rent controls to ensure that private renters, many of whom are the among the most adversely impacted by the spiralling cost of living, are protected. The Communities Minister gave assurances that rent controls would be addressed by her department but stressed that any such provision would fall outside the scope of the Private Tenancies Bill. What PBP have neglected to mention is that their amendment threatened the legislative competency of the Bill, essentially running the risk of collapsing this entire piece of legislation and leaving private renters without any protections. But dont take to my word for it or that of the elites as referred to by Cllr Harkin Housing Rights NI has been lobbying against this amendment, as have Renters Voice and many other independent organisations who work every day to ensure improvements and fairness in our dire housing situation. This amendment would lead to a sudden, massive increase in the termination of tenancy agreements. Landlords could potentially decide to sell their properties or increase their rent much higher than the proposed 10 per cent in advance of the Bills passage, in effect causing much more hardship and homelessness. My priority has always been putting people first and as elected representatives, we have a duty to be honest with the public. I wont be called a hypocrite by someone who constantly points out and exaggerates the shortcomings of others while at the same time didnt bother to turn up at council to vote against a rates increase. SDLP efforts to date to tackle the housing crisis, the cost-of-living crisis and get financial support into the hands of hard pressed people and their families, speaks for itself. From our Cost of Living Taskforce which provides tangible solutions to the energy crisis to our campaign to extend the Energy Support payment to all bill-payers, we're taking action while others talk about it. A Sinn Fein call for a special meeting of Derry City & Strabane District Council to discuss responses to the cost of living crisis has been given the go-ahead. The Council confirmed that a full meeting will take place on Friday, March 11 at 2pm. Cllr Duffy said she hopes innovative supports for residents can be brought to the table. She said: The cost of living crisis is placing a huge burden on families, workers and individuals right across this city and region. Although most of the causes of the crisis are rooted in disastrous British Government policies like Brexit and austerity there is still a responsibility on local government and the assembly to do what we can to support people. To that end I very much welcome the measures that Sinn Fein Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey has announced including a 200 fuel support payment to almost 300,000 households, extended welfare top-up payments and a freeze on Housing Executive rents. That shows what can be done when the political will exists so I have asked for a special meeting of council to allow us to discuss our response to the crisis and whatever practical measures may be possible working with our community and statutory partners to assist residents during this extremely difficult time. I hope that the meeting will take place within days and I would urge all parties to come to it with a view to working positively together to deliver innovative and meaningful supports. The meeting will be available live online on Friday, March 11 at 2pm at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbGxNiLfdgs_ZR2CBl0msvA/videos Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content. Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist. If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter . Support our mission and join our community now. Subscriber content preview By GILLIAN FLACCUS Associated Press PORTLAND Climate scientists in the Pacific Northwest warned Thursday that much of Oregon and parts of Idaho can expect even tougher drought conditions this summer than in the previous two years, which already featured dwindling reservoirs, explosive wildfires and deep cuts to agricultural irrigation. At a news conference hosted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, water and climate experts from Oregon, Washington and Idaho said parts of the region should prepare now for severe drought, wildfires and record-low stream flows that will hurt salmon and other fragile species. . . . Subscriber content preview WOODINVILLE An office building at 17924 140th Ave. N.E. in Woodinville sold for almost $3.8 million, according to King County records. The seller was Deyoung Family LLC, which acquired the property in 2002 for nearly $2.5 million. . . . Yoon Suk-yeol of the People Power Party raises his arms while speaking to the public in front of the Starfield Hanam shopping mall in Gyeonggi Province, March 7. Newsis By Ko Dong-hwan Kim Man-bae adjusts his mask while responding to a journalist after attending a pre-arrest suspect examination at the Seoul Central District Court, Nov. 3, 2021. Newsis Harrisonburg, VA (22801) Today Thunderstorms - some may contain locally heavy rain, especially this evening. Low 59F. S winds at 10 to 20 mph, decreasing to less than 5 mph. Chance of rain 100%.. Tonight Thunderstorms - some may contain locally heavy rain, especially this evening. Low 59F. S winds at 10 to 20 mph, decreasing to less than 5 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Vladimir Putin seeks lawmakers' permission to use force outside Russia Russian President Vladimir Putin has sought lawmakers permission for use of force outside Russia, even as he raised the stakes in the Ukraine standoff by recognising the independence of rebel regions in that country's east. Putin's move to sign a decree recognising Donetsk and Luhansk (Donbass) as independent regions, means that Moscow no longer recognises these two regions as part of Ukraine. It will pave way for Russian military forces to enter into these separatist-dominated regions claiming to be an ally of the rebels. While it does not sound like an imminent threat of war, the separatists may take Russian military help to take control of Donetsk and Luhansk from Ukrainian forces. This in turn can become the flashpoint of a larger military conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Putin's Ukraine move also junks the 2014-15 Minsk peace agreement, which, though unimplemented, was so far, respected by Moscow. US President Joe Biden said the Russia move is the beginning of an invasion of Ukraine and announced the first wave of sanctions against. He also vowed steeper punishments if Russia continues its aggression. US has the backing of the 27 EU member nations who agreed to levy their own sanctions on Russia. While the US President has repeatedly clarified that the US will not be sending troops into Ukraine, the US has been providing military aid worth millions of dollars to Kyiv. Last week, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that Russia's recognition "would further undermine Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, constitute a gross violation of international law, (and) call into further question Russia's stated commitment to continue to engage in diplomacy to achieve a peaceful resolution of this crisis". Putin has repeatedly said that he does not intend to invade Ukraine, but his actions so far are unlikely to convince the West. While a military response from the West has been ruled out so far, US President Joe Biden has already responded with sanctions barring Americans to carry out investments in Ukraine's breakaway regions. A larger involvement of military allies cannot be ruled out in case of an occurrence of a flashpoint. Western countries have sought to back up their tough words over Russia's aggression against Ukraine, announcing financial sanctions, trade and travel bans and other measures meant to pressure Moscow to pull back from the brink of war. Asian and Pacific nations, on the other hand, are preparing for the possibility of both economic pain, in the form of cuts to traditional energy and grain supply lines, and retaliation from Russian cyber attacks. "We can't have some suggestion that Russia has some just case here that they're prosecuting. They're behaving like thugs and bullies, and they should be called out as thugs and bullies," Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said while announcing targeted financial sanctions and travel bans as a first step in response to Russian aggression toward Ukraine. Rs91,000 cr to be spent on airport infrastructure development in next 5 years: minister Airports Authority of India (AAI) and other airport developers have targeted capital outlay of approximately Rs91,000 crore in airport sector in the next five years for expansion and modification of existing terminals, new terminals and strengthening of runways, among other activities, according to the civil aviation ministry. Under the Greenfield Airports Policy-2008, the government has so far accorded 'in-principle' approval for setting up 21 greenfield airports across the country - Mopa in Goa; Navi Mumbai, Shirdi and Sindhudurg in Maharashtra; Kalaburagi, Bijapur, Hassan and Shimoga in Karnataka; Datia (Gwalior) in Madhya Pradesh; Kushinagar and Noida (Jewar) in Uttar Pradesh; Dholera and Hirasar in Gujarat; Karaikal in Puducherry; Dagadarthi, Bhogapuram and Oravakal in Andhra Pradesh; Durgapur in West Bengal; Pakyong in Sikkim; Kannur in Kerala and Hollongi (Itanagar) in Arunachal Pradesh. Out of these, eight airports, namely, Durgapur, Shirdi, Sindhudurg, Pakyong, Kannur, Kalaburagi, Oravakal and Kushinagar have been operationalised. In Bihar, AAI had projected a land requirement of 108 acre for development of a Civil Enclave at Bihta Airport. The land (108 acre) has already been handed over by the state government to AAI. However, AAI has projected an additional land requirement of 191.5 acre for runway extension and installation of approach light and 8 acre for city side development to accommodate wide bodied aircraft for international operations at the airport. The additional land at Bihta airport is yet to be handed over to AAI by the state government. In case of non availability of land, the state government needs to identify an alternate site for construction of a greenfield airport meeting the requirements for operation of international flights. Minister of civil aviation, Jyotiraditya M Scindia, ave this information in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha on Thursday. The Special Criminal Court has sentenced to ten years imprisonment a former All-Ireland winner who stole an "eye-watering" sum of money as part of a cross-border gang that used stolen diggers to pull ATMs from walls. Ms Justice Tara Burns said today at the three-judge court that Daniel O'Callaghan (32) took part in an "audacious" operation on behalf of a "well oiled" criminal organisation that committed a series of ATM thefts and an attempted theft that was thwarted by gardai in 2019. O'Callaghan had control over what the judge said was an "eye watering" sum of stolen money, amounting to more than 700,000. Gardai recouped 429,930 from a premises at Tullypole, Moynalty, Co Meath which prosecution counsel Anne-Marie Lawlor SC said today is the subject of Criminal Assets Bureau proceedings. O'Callaghan played a central role, the judge said, as a planner and active member of the gang. She said O'Callaghan contested the charges against him despite being caught "red-handed" at the scene of an attempted ATM theft in Virginia, Co Cavan. Three of O'Callaghan's accomplices were jailed last week for their roles in the ATM thefts. Stephen Duffy (35), of Tullynahinera in Castleblayney, Co Monaghan, was sentenced to four years imprisonment for possessing stolen cash at The Yard in Tullypole, Moynalty, Co Meath. Gerard Duffy (31), of Loughnamore, Co Monaghan, was jailed for a total of seven years and nine months for the attempted theft of an ATM at the Riverfront Restaurant on the Main Street in Virginia, Co Cavan. The youngest of the Duffy brothers, Ciaran (28), also of Loughnamore, Co Monaghan, was given a total of seven years and nine months imprisonment for the attempted bank machine theft and participating in the movement in cash on behalf of a criminal organisation. All three brothers had pleaded guilty to the charges against them. O'Callaghan (32), of Monog Road, Crossmaglen, Co Armagh, who won three All-Ireland club medals playing for Crossmaglen Rangers, was convicted after a trial last month of 16 offences relating to a series of ATM thefts in Meath, Cavan and Monaghan in 2018 and 2019. Ms Justice Burns said that O'Callaghan does not get the benefit of a guilty plea but she said the court would take into consideration that a number of witnesses were not required to give evidence during his trial because he did not contest certain issues. She also considered a mitigating factor to be his involvement in his family and his local community. Setting a headline sentence of 11 years for the most serious offences relating to his involvement in a criminal organisation, Ms Justice Burns said she would suspend the final year having considered the mitigating factors. O'Callaghan has entered a bond to keep the peace for three years following his release or he could serve all or part of the suspended sentence. Sentences for the other offences ranged from three years and six months to eight years and are to run concurrently. In returning judgement last month Ms Justice Tara Burns at the three-judge, non-jury court found that O'Callaghan was "intimately involved" in the planning of the thefts, which followed a "modus operandi" that was seen in several other thefts that the court said were carried out by the same gang earlier in 2019 and in late 2018. The final attempt to steal an ATM was thwarted by gardai who were watching as the gang drove a digger up beside an ATM in Virginia Co Cavan in the early hours on August 14, 2019. Gardai saw a stolen Toyota Landcruiser in convoy with the digger. The Landcruiser was pulling a trailer into which the gang intended to place the ATM before taking it to a premises at Tullypole, Moynalty, Co Meath where the money would be removed. Gardai would later discover more than e438,000 hidden in various locations and buried in the ground at Tullypole. Gardai at Virginia rammed the Landcruiser, prompting O'Callaghan and another man to run from the jeep while a third man ran from the digger. All three jumped over a wall into a field but before they got away a garda from the National Surveillance Unit (NSU) and another garda from the Emergency Response Unit identified O'Callaghan. Ms Justice Burns said the court accepted the identification evidence of the two gardai. She said the identification by the NSU officer was particularly reliable because he had familiarised himself with O'Callaghan over many years as part of his duties in preventing and detecting cross-border crime. The officer was just a few feet away from O'Callaghan with a clear view when he made the identification, Ms Justice Burns said. O'Callaghan's DNA was also found in a sauna in a nearby shed where O'Callaghan hid while gardai searched the area and caught two of his accomplices. The owner of the shed told gardai he suspected an intruder had interfered with the insulation in the shed's attic. Ms Justice Burns said the DNA evidence provided support for the identification evidence of the two gardai. Ms Justice Burns said the method used by the gang required careful preparation. They carried out the thefts early in the morning when there were few people or gardai around. In each case they used a digger to dig the machine out of the wall in an "efficient and skilled manner". The gang members were also forensically aware, she said, and occasionally set fire to the vehicles they had used, used "burner" mobile phones and crossed the border with Northern Ireland to escape the attention of gardai. O'Callaghan had pleaded not guilty to offences under Section 72 and 73 of the Criminal Justice Act. He was found guilty of the attempted theft of an ATM at the Riverfront Hotel, Main Street, Virginia, Co Cavan on August 14, 2019, for the benefit of, at the direction of, or in association with a criminal organisation. He is also guilty of the theft of an ATM on Main Street, Castleblayney, Co Monaghan, on April 3, 2019 for the benefit of, at the direction of, or in association with a criminal organisation. He was found guilty of two charges of participating or contributing to the possession of cash totalling 125,930 intending to facilitate the commission by a criminal organisation or any of its members of a serious offence at Tullypole, Moynalty, Co Meath, on August 14 and 20, 2019. He is guilty of possessing 298,000 at the same location on August 14, 2019, along with a charge of possessing a petrol can intending to use it or cause or permit another to use it to damage a stolen Toyota Landcruiser with false plates in Virginia, also on August 14. In addition, he is guilty of possessing a stolen Toyota Landcruiser, possession of a stolen 14-tonne digger and appropriating a digger without the consent of its owner in Virginia. Finally, he is convicted of being in possession of bolt-cutters with the intent of stealing a 14-tonne digger, with the attempted dishonest appropriation of the ATM at the Riverfront in Virginia and with being in possession of a stolen flatbed trailer all on August 14 of 2019. He was also convicted of counts relating to criminal damage at the ATM in Castleblayney and attempted criminal damage in Virginia. ADA [ndash] Memorials services for Clifford Brent Hall, 63, of Ada are 10:00 A.M. Thursday, May 5, 2022 at Trinity Baptist Church, Doug Brewer will officiate. Mr. Hall passed away Monday, April 25, 2022 at a local nursing home surrounded by family. He was born August 8, 1958 in Shawnee, OK t Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT) have announced their Film & Television Production students have won best live-action award at the Dublin International Film Festival 2022. 'Martians from the Planet Jupiter', a short live-action fiction film produced by students last year on Year 3 of the BA (Hons) in Film & Television Production has won the Best Live Action award at the First Frame event at this year's Virgin Media Dublin International Film Festival, beating off competition from film and media courses from all across the country. Made as part of their year-long project module in 3rd year, the students underwent the challenging process of developing and preparing to shoot the film remotely during the Covid 19 pandemic, working together entirely online to fundraise and source locations, actors, props, etc. before returning to campus in April 2021 to shoot and edit the short film under strict Covid 19 production guidelines. The main crew behind the film are David Kivlehan, Natalia Pryczkowska, James Judge, Eoghan Johnston, Kate Smyth and Kris Tarvids. The film has already won awards such as Best Student Cinematography at the Los Angeles Cinematography Awards, Best Student Filmmaker at the Istanbul Film Festival, Best Sci-fi Film by London Shorts and has been screened at festivals around the world including: Cinemagic Young Filmmaker 2021 Spook Screen Cork Brooklyn Sci-Fi Film Festival. Lift-Off Online Sessions in association with Pinewood Studios Varese International Film Festival in Italy The Paus Premieres Festival Istanbul International Film Festival Hannover International Film Festival Three other shorts from DkIT were also selected for screening at the event including 'High Society' (Niamh Magee, Liam Delahunt, Celine McInerney, James Hickey, Andrius Rutavicius and Conor Lewis) and 'The Fault in Our Cult' (Cedric Stohr, Liam Donohue, Cathal Nash, Mark Connor, Grace Boyd and Dearbhla Martin), also produced by the students last year as part of their year-long project module in 3rd year and 'Topple', an animation by Niamh McGivney and Cathy Simms. 20 students from Dundalk IT travelled to the event which took place on Feb 24th in the Lighthouse Cinema in Dublin to watch their films and films/animations from colleges all across the country being screened, along with partaking in interviews with US editor Joi McMillon and US filmmaker Adam McKay. To find out more about the BA (Hons) in Film & Television Production and how you can apply, contact Programme Director Kevin Cunnane on Kevin.Cunnane@dkit.ie The issue of inadequate mental health services in Louth has been raised again in the Dail by Deputy Ruairi O Murchu. The Sinn Fein TD raised the problems of the day hospital services for mental health in Navan. Deputy O Murchu said: The fact is that we did not have the same pressure then in Meath as those on the services at the department of psychiatry in Crosslanes, in Drogheda, which is under severe pressure. Louth and Meath have very low provision of beds. I am led to believe that it is around 14.2 beds per 100,000 people. The State average is in the twenties and the EUROSTAT average in 2018 was 34 beds per hundred thousand. It is very far from the number in Germany which is 128 beds per 100,000 or in Belgium at 135 beds per 100,000 people. We do not have the service that is required. The Dundalk TD said he had particular issues around the protocols and resources for the Drogheda department of psychiatry at Crosslanes. In response, Minister of State at the Department of Health, Mary Butler, said: On bed capacity, we are currently carrying out a review of bed capacity throughout the whole country. Some 25% of our bed capacity is sourced from the private sector. This is never included in the figures that are used, which only show the public bed capacity. When this review is finalised it will provide great data for me to be able to see all over the country where there are issues. In reply to her, Deputy O Murchu said: We will all be very interested in the review around the bed capacity and where those weaknesses are that need to be addressed. There is a need for the Minister of State to take a look to ensure that the plan is for the day hospital to be provided with a sufficient amount of space to offer the services that are required, and so it means that we deal with the community care piece. We are also looking for day hospital services in Dundalk and Drogheda. This would mean we could have community capacity and it can alleviate the pressure on the acute hospitals, which we all accept are under pressure, he concluded. President Moon Jae-in / Yonhap President Moon Jae-in denounced an attack on ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) Chairman Song Young-gil, Monday, calling it "terror against democracy." "Election violence is terror against democracy. It should never happen. Hate and violence cannot change the world," Moon said in the statement, according to presidential spokesperson Park Kyung-mee. Song was campaigning in Seoul's Sinchon area for Wednesday's presidential election when an assailant came up to him from behind and struck him in the head several times with a hammer wrapped in a black plastic bag, video footage showed. Volunteers of the civil protection load humanitarian aid onto a truck for the victims affected by the Russian invasion in Saint-Cloud, west of Paris, Thursday, March 3, 2022. Charities say they cannot send humanitarian aid into Ukraine through normal channels, with ports blocked and roads made treacherous by bombings. Even the International Committee of the Red Cross is concerned by the conflict being carried out in densely populated areas and the dangers that poses to children, the sick and the elderly. Claremont, NH (03743) Today Showers this evening, becoming a steady rain overnight. Low 46F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight Showers this evening, becoming a steady rain overnight. Low 46F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. North Andover, MA (01845) Today Cloudy skies early, then off and on rain showers overnight. Low around 45F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Cloudy skies early, then off and on rain showers overnight. Low around 45F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%. Garbage and recycling trucks are among the 1,800 city vehicles that need their tires checked regularly. EBRD supports the establishment of a Sector Skills Council to benefit tourism and hospitality in Egypt Council to strengthen the tourism sector and economic recovery after the Covid-19 pandemic Tourism sector to benefit from improved skills standards, economic inclusion and job opportunities, supported by SECO The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is supporting the establishment of a new Sector Skills Council (SSC) in Egypt, a multi-stakeholder platform aiming at fostering more resilient and inclusive human capital in the hospitality and tourism sector. On 5 March 2022, the EBRD signed a memorandum of understanding to establish the SSC with the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (MOTA) and the Egyptian Tourism Federation (ETF), with support from the EBRD Shareholder Special Fund and the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO). This new public-private partnership and policy dialogue platform will develop skills-gap analyses, skills development strategies, qualification frameworks and occupational skills standards. It will also provide market-relevant training to the hospitality and tourism sector, thus helping to develop a skilled labour market and opening up greater access to employment for those working in the tourism-related industries. The tourism sector is a fundamental contributor to the countrys economic growth. The partners will develop a clear mandate and operational plan for the SSC, along with a list of the 20 most pertinent occupational standards for the tourism sector. Capacity-building support will be provided to SSC partners in government, enterprise and training provision. Representatives from various tourism and hospitality sectors, such as hotels, restaurants and tour guides, will play a leading role in the SSC to ensure market relevance and strong private-sector input into skills governance. To boost the recovery of Egypts tourism sector in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, the EBRD also launched the tourism recovery assistance package in partnership with the World Tourism Organization. The package will support the measurement and monitoring of Covid-19 impacts on the tourism sector, the development of tourism recovery incentive programmes and the review of operational protocols on safety, hygiene and security. As part of the package, tailor-made training programmes have been developed alongside institutional strengthening measures to better coordinate the recovery and bolster the growth of Egypts tourism. The EBRD has recently supported access to market-relevant skills and employment opportunities with a new state-of-the-art culinary workshop at the German Hotel School in El Gouna, in partnership with the Sawiris Foundation for Social Development, funded by the EBRDs Southern and Eastern Mediterranean Multi-Donor Account (SEMED MDA).* The EBRD had previously supported the tourism sector in the SEMED region with a similar venture in Jordan in 2018. The first tourism and hospitality SSC in the country saw some 20,000 employees benefit from better training programmes and the skills development needed to boost a vital local industry severely hit by the Covid-19 pandemic. In Egypt, the EBRD supported the launch of the first SSC of its kind in the electrical equipment and cables industry in 2019. It signed a memorandum of understanding with the Federation of Egyptian Industries and the Chamber of Engineering Industries to create a policy dialogue platform on skills governance, led by the private sector. The EBRD continues to support the SSC architecture in Egypt, along with various partners including the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development, the Ministry of Education and Technical Education, the Ministry of International Cooperation, the European Unions technical and vocational education and training reform, phase 2 (TVET II), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Germanys Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and others. Egypt is a founding member of the EBRD. Since the start of the Banks operations there in 2012, the EBRD has invested more than 8.6 billion in 144 projects across the country. Ukraine starts evacuating civilians from Mariupol Xinhua) 08:59, March 07, 2022 KIEV, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Ukraine on Sunday started evacuating civilians from Mariupol, a port city in Donetsk, an official said. The evacuation starts at midday local time (1000 GMT), Head of the Donetsk Regional Military Administration Pavlo Kyrylenko wrote on Facebook. Ukrainian news agency UNIAN reported that buses are heading to Mariupol to evacuate civilians. Earlier, Russian forces said they would observe a truce in some parts of Ukraine starting at 10:00 a.m. Moscow time on Saturday to facilitate the evacuation of civilians via humanitarian corridors. During their second round of peace talks on Thursday, Russian and Ukrainian negotiators agreed to establish humanitarian corridors to exit civilians and temporarily cease hostilities along the evacuation routes. (Web editor: Peng yukai, Liang Jun) Election posters of the three major presidential candidates hang in a street in Seoul's Gwanak District, last Thursday. From the top are Yoon Suk-yeol of the main opposition People Power Party, Lee Jae-myung of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea and Sim Sang-jung of the minor opposition Justice Party Yonhap Ruling party chief attacked with hammer during campaigning By Jung Da-min With only two days left before the March 9 presidential election, rival parties made last-ditch bids to mobilize support for their candidates and win over the hearts of swing voters whose last-minute decisions are expected to sway the final outcome of a neck-and-neck race. The parties are trying to unify their supporters, while also broadening their appeal to undecided voters after a two-day early voting conducted on Friday and Saturday drew a record turnout of 36.93 percent. The two leading candidates, Lee Jae-myung of the ruling liberal Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and Yoon Suk-yeol of the main opposition conservative People Power Party (PPP), in particular, have promoted different messages to woo voters. Lee and the DPK have emphasized that he is the right candidate who can better deal with the country's economic issues with his political experience of serving as the governor of Gyeonggi Province surrounding Seoul and mayor of Seongnam, a city just south of the capital. Lee said while campaigning in a street on Jeju Island, Monday, that the role of a president is not a training opportunity for "novice amateurs." But Yoon sees things differently. Yoon and the PPP have focused on the people's desire for a change of government, saying he, a former top prosecutor, will eradicate corruption in politics with the criteria of "justice and common sense." "I believe the DPK can also make progress if we can clearly judge the forces led by Lee Jae-myung and sort out these people who do not know what democracy or economy is," Yoon said during a campaign in Guri, Gyeonggi Province on Monday. Yoon Suk-yeol, presidential candidate of the main opposition People Power Party, speaks while campaigning at a public park in Anyang, Gyeonggi Province, Monday. Joint Press Corps Yoon especially ramped up attacks against the failed real estate policies of the current administration, while campaigning in the capital area including Seoul and Gyeonggi Province from Sunday to Monday. "The government has deliberately made this situation where housing prices soared. They said they changed real estate policies 28 times, but it is a public deception which they did on purpose," Yoon said while campaigning in Seoul's Gangdong District, Sunday. "Their belief was that when the people own homes, they tend to be conservative and will not vote for the liberal bloc," the conservative candidate said, claiming that the current administration deliberately made it difficult for people to own homes to make the ruling party retain support. Lee also admitted that the ruling bloc's real estate policies have failed in his campaigning in the capital area on Saturday and Sunday, pledging to make a complete overhaul of the real estate policies to focus more on real demand, while keeping speculators in check. Lee Jae-myung, presidential candidate of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, speaks while campaigning on a street in Busan, Monday. Yonhap Lee also attacked Yoon and the PPP for trying to create a gender rift while pursuing their strategies of appealing to young male voters. "It is really bad politics that promotes hatred among the people by distorting the efforts to realize gender equality to make a frame of a battle between women and men," Lee said during a TV speech, Sunday. "I see candidate Yoon Suk-yeol's remarks creating division between women and men seriously problematic." Both Lee and Yoon claimed they will consolidate different political forces. Last week, Kim Dong-yeon of the New Wave and Ahn Cheol-soo of the People's Party pulled out of the race to support Lee and Yoon, respectively. Kim said during a radio interview with local broadcaster CBS, Monday, that he had received requests to meet from both the DPK and the PPP and answered he would meet if they agree with his political reform plans. "I met with candidate Yoon in mid or late February, but he did not seem to be taking my plans seriously," Kim said. "I met with DPK candidate Lee Jae-myung three times and he has shown a very active, open and consistent stance on them." Ahn and Yoon campaigned together on Sunday and Monday. "There is one thing that is so different from other governments after this government took power. The current administration does not know what shame is," Ahn said during their joint campaign at Starfield Hanam in Gyeonggi Province. Minor opposition progressive Justice Party candidate Sim Sang-jung speaks while campaigning in front of Chungbuk National University in North Chungcheong Province, Monday. Yonhap A conversation with Odile Renaud Basso and H.E. Dr Rania Al Mashat On March 8, we commemorate International Womens Day. It comes at a time when the world around us is changing fast. We see a new violent conflict erupting in Europe, just as the world emerges from the COVID pandemic. At the same time, the threat of climate change looms increasingly large, requiring urgent and decisive actions. In conflicts and disasters, women and girls often face heightened vulnerability and deeper discrimination. Studies show that there are substantial constraints to the economic opportunities of displaced women as adverse norms result in women having fewer opportunities for economic advancement and bearing the majority of care responsibilities. Furthermore, gender-based violence and abuse often increase as a result of conflict and risks for women well extend beyond border into neighbouring countries. It has been two years since COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic, causing substantial economic and social impact on women and girls around the world, including those in EBRD Countries of Operations, and rolling back some of the hard-won achievements of past years. Women have been disproportionately affected due to their representation in sectors that were hard hit by lockdown policies, their increased likelihood to be in lower paid, part time, informal and precarious jobs, as well as a significant increase in time spent on care duties. Studies show that womens jobs are 1.8 times more vulnerable to this crisis than mens jobs. Climate change is one of the defining challenges of our time and tackling this requires changes on how we live, work and think. The only way these can be implemented is if everyone takes and active role and if the emerging opportunities related to the green transition are shared equitably. Supporting green economy investments that promote womens skills and employment opportunities and increasing womens participation in decision making roles in green business and governance is a key element in achieving an equal, green and sustainable future for all. To address the new global and regional gender equality challenges, the EBRD has built on its past experience in the important role that greater gender equality plays in enabling countries to achieve a faster recovery and long-term growth. The Bank has launched a new Strategy for the Promotion of Gender Equality (SPGE 2021 2025) and the Equality of Opportunity Strategy: Strengthening Human Capital across the EBRD Region (2021 2025). These two strategies reflect the Banks key strategic priorities for the next five years, highlighting EBRDs commitment to promoting gender equality and equality of opportunity throughout the EBRD region in partnership with its clients and policy stakeholders. They also capture the importance of strengthened engagement in situations of fragility, economic migration and forced displacement, adding an integrated and intersectional lens on refugees and migrants situations when considering investments, policy dialogue and advisory support engagements. The two strategies are also recognised in the Banks Strategic and Capital Framework (SCF) 2021-2025, which underlines the importance of equality of opportunity in shaping transition in our Countries of Operations. With an overall ambition to increase the share of annual EBRDs operations integrating gender equality measures from 18 to 40 percent by the end of 2025, the Bank already made significant progress on this target by achieving a 35 percent share in 2021. Promoting gender equality is a major objective for the Bank across the SEMED region, including Egypt. Since 2013, EBRD has signed 52 inclusive or gender additional investments in Egypt, totalling to over 2.62 billion in investment amount. Even though in the past decade there has been notable increase in womens participation in politics and senior roles, large gender gaps persist in Egypt. In 2020, Egypt country ranked 134th out of the 153 countries in the Global Gender Gap Index, and 140th out of 153 countries in womens economic participation and opportunity. Understanding that empowering women is essential to sustainable development, in particular in the context of climate change, Egypt has launched national strategies and programmes to guide the states developmental effort in the area of climate change and advancing womens economic empowerment. On this International Womens Day, EBRDs Director of Gender and Economic Inclusion Barbara Rambousek, EBRD President Odile Renaud Basso and EBRD Governor, Egypts Minister of International Cooperation H.E. Dr Rania al Mashat, will discuss the importance of gender equality and measures to be taken for an inclusive future. The event will explore challenges and opportunities that climate change but also shocks such as the Covid-19 crises, conflict and fragility play in advancing the gender equality agenda. In addition, we will hear from H. E. Dr Rania Al Mashat about Egypts programmes and national strategies to advance womens economic empowerment and the key role the EBRD will continue to play under the recently approved Country Strategy for Egypt. Key discussion topics COVID-19, climate change, fragility and conflict, and the impact of these shocks and mega trends on women and gender equality across EBRDs Countries of Operations. How gender needs to be integrated into the Banks crisis response. Overall progress and results achieved by EBRD in the promotion of gender equality under Odiles first year as EBRDs President some lessons learned and goals for the next year. Challenges and opportunities that are present across EBRDs COOs, in particular Egypt, and the role the public and private sector play in advancing the gender equality agenda in this country. Register for the event Cork organisation, Cork Nature Network is celebrating the first World Rewilding Day with a talk on the reintroduction of the lynx in the Iberian Peninsula. Cork Nature Network is a charitable organisation that aims to benefit the community of Cork by promoting and encouraging the conservation of local wildlife and flora in Cork City and County, by educating and increasing the awareness of the need for conservation. The talk presents an amazing story of how the Iberian lynx numbers increased from less than one hundred to more than 1,000 in the span of twenty years. The Iberian lynx had been verging towards extinction since the 1900s. However, the species was reintroduced in 2015 after a programme of captive breeding and reintroduction into the wild. The CNN talk will explore the return of a species back to its environment, through the efforts of remarkable conservationists. Read More Ukrainian solidarity street art draws a crowd Guest speaker and renowned Ecologist, Pedro Bernardo Marques Silva Rodrigues Sarmento, will be present at the event to discuss his involvement with the reintroduction of the Iberian Lynx into Portugal. Pedro is a wildlife biologist with a PhD in ecology, with more than 25 years of experience. Currently responsible for the field work on the Portugueses Iberian lynx reintroduction project. He has also been collaborating with other conservation projects, mostly with carnivores in South America and Africa, with more than 30 scientific papers. His work with the Iberian lynx started in 1994. His presentation will focus on the topics of conservation and reintroduction of the species into the country over the last thirty years. This free event will take place on Zoom on March 20 at 7pm. Register for this free online event here. TWO Extinction Rebellion activists will face trial in July over a live-streamed graffiti attack at the Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin. Gardai arrested Orla Murphy, 20, with an address at Ballinacarrig, Whitechurch, Co. Cork and 21-year-old Oxford University biology student Zachery Lumley, from South Lodge Ballinlough, Cork City, on the afternoon of March 19 last year. They were charged with criminal damage at cabinet minister Simon Coveneys department building, Iveagh House, at St Stephens Green, Dublin 2. Paint was splattered on the front of the building, with graffiti, "no more empty promises," sprayed across the building's entrance. Posters were also stuck to the wall of the building. They were granted bail. Cost of repairs An initial estimate given in court was that repair could cost up to 10,000. However, it was later revised to 4,300. Judge John Hughes then accepted jurisdiction for the case to be heard in Dublin District Court. They pleaded not guilty, and their hearing was due last month. However, an issue arose over outstanding prosecution statements, and it was adjourned again until today to allocate a new hearing date. Judge Hughes ordered that it will take on July 12. In March last year, arresting gardai Philip Farrissey and Paul Cummins told the court the incident was allegedly filmed and live-streamed on the Extinction Rebellion Cork's Facebook page. Garda Cummins alleged it was a premeditated and prolonged attack lasting 12 minutes. Zachery Lumley allegedly filmed and encouraged his co-defendant, he had said. The district court was told Ms Murphy had been a film student but became involved in climate activism and youths groups. Their bail hearing was told he was also concerned about the climate crisis. As Western countries consider a ban on Russian oil, fuel prices continue to skyrocket. The price of oil jumped more than eight per cent on Monday, reaching its highest level since 2008. Over the weekend a number of service stations were selling petrol and diesel at more than 2 a litre. Speaking about the rise in prices, Paddy Comyn, head of communications at AA Ireland, said that paying 2 for a litre could become the norm. "It would look like that because we are seeing the price of a barrel of oil hit almost $130 a barrel and that translates to prices close to, or if not above, 2 a litre across the board on average," Mr Comyn explained. "Now, we haven't got there yet, but the signs look like [it] will get there, and we are seeing filling stations with that sort of pricing already, and we saw it over the weekend, especially in places like Newbridge, Co Kildare where we saw several stations with that sort of pricing." According to Mr Comyn, there are a couple of factors pushing the price surge. "Obviously the Ukraine-Russia situation is potentially causing the markets to be upset and also there are some discussions about there being sanctions against Russian oil coming into Europe and elsewhere. "What that may do is further increase the price because it is a case of supply and demand, so we might see the price of a barrel of oil increase. "In Ireland we pay about 60 per cent tax [on fuel], so as the price of a barrel of oil increases, the equivalent price increases here." Pressure valve With people already struggling with the cost of living in Ireland, Mr Comyn highlighted how those in rural communities will take a hard hit with increasing fuel prices "In some cases, people just have to get around, so it might be that [driving] is at the expense of something else," Mr Comyn said. "Rural communities are particularly badly hit because they may not have an alternative in terms of public transport. "If you live in Dublin you have multiple buses, the Luas, the Dart, cycle lanes, whereas if you are in a rural area you may not have the equivalent options to get around. "People on lower incomes and rural areas will feel the pinch more because they just have to get around. "Once you are getting into 2 per litre, for the average car, you are talking about 100 a tank, so that's quite a significant leap from where we were before. "AA Ireland is calling on the Government to take a look at if the duty on petrol or diesel can be reduced to take the pressure off motorists because the costs are increasing dramatically," he said. "I don't think it is a long term solution, but I think, in the short term, there is nothing the Government can do about the price of a barrel of oil, that is out of their control. "But what they can control is the duty and the tax they put on it. "For now there needs to be some pressure valve to take the press off the average motorist who is being hit by energy prices and energy increase across the board." Ambiguous pet food labels like fish, ocean fish, or white bait may be hiding a secret ingredient: endangered shark meat. A new study published in Frontiers in Marine Science Friday found that 31 percent of samples of pet food tested by the researchers contained shark DNA. The majority of pet owners are likely lovers of nature, and we think most would be alarmed to discover that they could be unknowingly contributing to the overfishing of shark populations, study co-authors Dr. Ben Wainwright and Ian French of Yale-NUS College wrote in a press release. Sharks are extremely important for ocean ecosystems. Yet, despite their image as the ultimate marine predator, they are extremely vulnerable to human activities. Shark populations are overfished throughout the world, with declines of more than 70% in the last 50 years documented. This is indicative of the current lack of regard in which we hold our oceans, Wainwright and French said in the release. The main threat to sharks is overfishing, and three quarters of oceanic shark species are now at risk from extinction, the study authors wrote. This is partly due to demand for specific shark products like meat, fin or oil. However, shark products can also end up in pet foods and cosmetics without being labeled as such. Wainwright and French purchased 45 pet foods from 16 brands in Singapore. None of the pet foods they purchased listed shark as an ingredient. Instead, most of them used catch-all labels like fish, ocean fish, white bait or white fish. A few included specific fish like salmon or tuna and some did not list any fish products at all. The team then used DNA barcoding to see if there was any shark present in the products and found it in nearly a third of 144 samples. The three most common species of sharks they identified were blue sharks (Prionace glauca), silky sharks (Carcharhinus falciformis) and whitetip reef sharks (Triaenodon obesus), in descending order. The latter two are both considered vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. While this study took place in Singapore, this problem is not limited to Asia. A 2019 study tested pet food in the U.S. and found that 70 percent of the successfully tested samples turned up endangered shortfin mako shark. These products also were not labeled as containing shark. This study highlights the need for more labeling controls, since shark populations could benefit if consumers have the alternative to choose whether or not to purchase products containing threatened shark species in order to decrease the global demand, study author Diego Cardenosa of Stony Brook University wrote. Dr. Andrew Griffiths, an ecologist at the University of Exeter who was not involved with either study, told The Guardian that these sorts of results were enabled by the fact that there are few rules governing pet-food labeling. There arent any specific rules against it, he said. You could be unwittingly getting just about any fish. Wainwright and French called for an end to general labels like ocean fish and for new global standards for pet food labels. Better labeling that avoids the currently used vague catch-all terminology would allow consumers to make more informed choices, they wrote in the study. This in turn would benefit shark populations by helping to mitigate unsustainable fishing and resource use incompatible with their continued survival. By Alexandra van Alebeek As more home bakers rediscover how to capture wild yeast and turn it into nourishing loaves of bread, they are part of a growing kitchen movement standing up to the industrial food system. Step 1: Capture Wild Yeast and Make Your Own Sourdough Starter Sourdough bread begins with the starter, made by capturing wild yeast from the environment and using it to ferment flour and water. Because yeast cultures vary depending on where you are, every sourdough starter tastes a little different. Heres how to make your own sourdough starter using an ancient grain. Youll need: A quart mason jar with lid All-purpose einkorn flour Water A scale Day 1: Mix 60g of flour with 60g of water, and let it sit for 24 hours at room temperature. (Do not sterilize your jar. Your starter uses naturally occurring and varied yeasts and lactobacilli bacteria from your environment.) Day 2-5: Repeat the flour-water feeding. You should notice bubbles around day 2 or 3 (exciting your starter is alive!). Once this happens, store your starter in the refrigerator to slow fermentation. Day 6: At this point you should have an active starter. Give it a name! Throw out half of your starter and give it a hearty meal of 100g flour and 100g water. To keep your starter alive, youll need to feed it equal parts water and flour every third day or so. I usually recommend 60g of water and 60g flour. If youre not planning to bake bread at the feeding time, throw out half the starter before feeding to keep your starter at a manageable size. It can take two to three bread-baking cycles before your starter is strong and yields predictable results. Professional bakeries have had their starters for generations. Step 2: Make Bread With an Ancient Grain Flour: I chose einkorn wheat for this recipe. Einkorn was domesticated around 9000 B.C. Little about the grain has changed because it nearly became extinct and was never hybridized for industrial markets. Einkorn is noted for higher protein and nutrient content as well as gluten that is more digestible than that in industrial wheat. Emmer and spelt are also ancient grains that work for bread baking. You can experiment with different types and ratios of flour as long as the total added flour equals 500g. For example, if youre looking for a denser bread try a higher ratio of whole wheat flour. Tools: You might want to consider adding a couple of tools to your toolbox. Only the scale is absolutely necessary, but all will make bread-baking considerably easier. A scale A cast-iron Dutch oven with lid A banneton (or an 8-inch bowl with a heavily floured tea towel inside) A lame (or a razor or sharp serrated knife) Time: 2.5 hours plus a 12-hour cold bulk fermentation. Ingredients: 100g mature sourdough starter 350g room temp. water 400g all-purpose einkorn flour 100g whole wheat einkorn flour 11g salt mixed with 20g water Instructions: 1. Add the starter, water, and flour in a bowl. Mix well so that no dry flour remains. The mixture will be quite sticky do not worry. Let sit for 1020 minutes. 2. Add the salt and water mixture to the bread dough. Incorporate, mixing only as much as necessary. Let sit 1020 minutes. 3. Folding: In the bowl, grab the bottom of the north side of the dough. Stretch until just before it rips and then fold the dough towards you three-quarters of the way. Take the south side of the dough, stretch, and fold all the way over. Repeat this process with the east and west sides. Let the bread rest for 20 minutes. Then repeat this folding and resting step three more times. 4. Shaping: Lightly flour your work surface. Take the dough out of the bowl, and shape it so that its rectangular, arranging it so that the short side faces you. Take the south side of the dough, stretch it, and fold it up three-quarters of the way. Take the east side of the bread, stretch it, and fold it up and to the left. Repeat this with the west side. Then take the north flap and fold it all the way over the bread. Roll the dough so that the folding seams are underneath, touching your counter. Use your hands to push the dough away from your body and then tuck it back toward you, creating surface tension along the outside of the dough. Rotate the dough with each push and tuck and continue this motion until the boule is a uniform shape with strong surface tension. This is not kneading, but shaping. Most sourdough, including this one, is actually a no-knead bread. We want the natural yeast to do as much of the work as possible. 5. Place your bread seam-side up in a lightly floured banneton. Cover with a tea towel and place it in the refrigerator for 12 hours. 6. Next day, preheat your oven (with the Dutch oven in it) to 500 degrees. Take out the Dutch oven, and gently roll your bread into it directly from the refrigerator. Sprinkle some flour on the top and score the dough by slashing the top. Put the lid on the Dutch oven and bake the loaf for 25 minutes. Then take the lid off, and bake for another 1520 minutes. 7. Remove the bread from the Dutch oven, and allow it to cool for about 10 minutes before slicing, sharing, and enjoying! Reposted with permission from YES! Magazine. Stay up to date on COVID-19 Get Breaking News Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox. Sponsored By: St Anthony's Hospital Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service covering state government and is distributed to more than 400 newspapers statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation. National Election Commission Chairperson Noh Jeong-hee holds an emergency meeting at the election watchdog's headquarters in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, Monday. Joint Press Corps Mishandling of patients' ballots may trigger backlash after election By Nam Hyun-woo The National Election Commission (NEC) decided Monday to allow COVID-19 patients and those in quarantine to place their completed ballots directly into the ballot boxes in Wednesday's presidential election, after others finish voting. The decision comes after the election watchdog took criticism for its improper handling of COVID-19 patients' ballots during early voting on Saturday, as NEC workers collected patients' votes in unofficial containers, sparking concerns about the integrity of the election. Despite the NEC's new guidelines, a backlash may occur after the election, as the presidential race is expected to be the closest one in Korea's history. During its emergency meeting, the NEC decided to allow coronavirus patients to put their completed ballots in the ballot boxes by themselves from 6 p.m., Wednesday, after the regular polling ends. COVID-19 patients and those in quarantine are allowed to vote from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. During the early voting period on Saturday, COVID-19 patients and those in quarantine began filling in votes from 5 p.m. while other voters were also still casting their ballots. To avoid contact between them, the NEC required COVID-19 patients to vote in separate polling booths and election workers collected their votes in paper bags, parcel boxes and even plastic trash bags, and put the ballots into the official ballot boxes on behalf of the voters. This situation triggered complaints from voters and disturbances in polling stations across the country, as they said they could not confirm whether their ballots had been placed into the ballot boxes properly. Rival parties slammed the NEC's clumsy voting operations, and President Moon Jae-in also expressed regret over the situation. According to the new guidelines, coronavirus patients and those in quarantine will enter polling stations after the voting time for non-patients ends, and they will use the same polling booths and voting stamps. "The NEC failed to estimate the number of COVID-19 patients voting early and come up with a proper operation plan," the NEC said in a statement while announcing the new guidelines. "We apologize for causing any disturbance or inconvenience to the public. The NEC chairperson and its members are fully responsible for the shortcomings, and we will thoroughly prepare measures to prevent a recurrence." Lee Jong-bae, head of the civic group Citizens' Coalition for Constitutionalism, holds an envelope full of complaints against the National Election Commission before filing it with the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in Seocho District, Monday. Yonhap Candidates and their staffs line up outside the Illinois State Board of Elections office early Monday morning, the first day major party candidates could submit petitions to get their names on the June 28 primary election ballot. In addition to the basic module of the Raspberry Pi, many other add-on models are now available. When the developers of the Raspberry Pi launched the first model almost exactly 10 years ago, they expected to sell around 10,000 units. In the meantime, more than 45 million devices have been sold. Countless projects have been developed since then - and they are growing every day. Almost exactly 10 years ago on February 29, 2012 the big day arrived: The first model of the Raspberry Pi was released. It was developed by engineers and experts from the computer industry, who joined forces in the Raspberry Pi Foundation back in 2008 and also distribute the Pi under this name. After the number of units unexpectedly exceeded the 100,000 mark, the first distribution partners were sought and found in Farnell and RS Components. According to Eben Upton, one of the founders, the 100,000 order mark was reached on the first evening. Upton says they were able to deliver those by the end of October 2012, at which time they were already working on the Model B of the first version. According to Upton, one million units of the popular single-board computers were sold in the first 12 months today, more than 45 million units worldwide have been sold. Production was initially in China, but has been in Wales since September 2012 in a Sony production facility. The original idea behind the Pi computer was to counteract the declining number of computer science students at Cambridge University. The idea was to give students an easy way to develop their own programs quickly and enjoyably. In addition, the first computer was priced at only 35 US dollars the price has remained almost stable to this day. Only the price of the current model 4B is a bit higher. Raspberry follows the success of other large computer manufacturers with fruit names such as Apple. Pi originally stood for Python Interpreter, as the hobby computer was supposed to come with a pre-installed Python interpreter. Getting young people excited about STEM professions In the meantime, the Raspberry Pi has made it far beyond the status of a hobby computer. Many companies, such as Kunbus or Kontron Electronics, have implemented the single-board computer in industrial products. The Foundation has also continued to drive development. Thus, there are now five more generations of the original basic model, with some more sub-models. The current Model 4B of the popular single-board computer has been on the market since June 2019. In addition, the Foundation has developed further devices based on the Raspberry Pi basic model, for example the Pi Zero, the Compute Module or the Pi Pico. In addition, a camera module, displays, cases and cables. Furthermore, a wide range of plug-on modules, the so-called HATs (Hardware attached on top). CPUs from Broadcom are at the heart of the computers. They are based on the Arm architecture; in the current 4B model, an Arm Cortex A-72 core operates at 1,500 MHz. In the meantime, the Foundation has even developed its own CPU - the RP2040 was launched in January 2021. It is installed in the Raspberry Pi Pico, for example, but also on Arduino or SparkFun boards. As for the operating system, the engineers around Upton first worked on the so-called Raspbian, an Arm-v6 adaptation based on Debian. This forms the basis for today's own operating system Raspberry Pi OS. According to Upton, there is a wide range of applications: The Pi has already flown in the international space station, in weather balloons and has been installed in supercomputers. Moreover, during the pandemic, many children learned programming at home with the Pi. The Foundation is doing good pioneering work, especially in the area of STEM professions. It creates curricula and teacher training programs that help improve the quality of computer education in schools. In addition, young people get involved in code clubs or coder dojos. Partnerships with youth and community organizations complete the Foundation's activities. The broad developer community, which publishes its projects freely on various platforms, has also contributed to the Foundation's success. This makes it easy to replicate interesting projects and share one' own projects with others. A good reason why the Raspberry Pi Foundation and all developers can look forward to the upcoming 10 years with great anticipation. BANGKOK (AP) The official global death toll from COVID-19 is on the verge of eclipsing 6 million underscoring that the pandemic, now enter President Joe Biden meets with the National Security Council to discuss the latest developments regarding Russias military buildup on the borders of Ukraine (photo courtesy of the White House). By John Burton Russia's invasion of Ukraine is likely to have a major impact on Korea, aside from the sanctions that Seoul has already imposed on Moscow. Its earliest effect might be felt this week when Koreans go to the polls on Wednesday to elect their new president in a closely fought contest. The Russian attack could strengthen the argument of conservative candidate Yoon Suk-yeol that he is the best-positioned to protect South Korea against a nuclear-armed North Korea. Yoon has adopted a more hardline approach on North Korea than his liberal rival, Lee Jae-myung, who supports the inter-Korean reconciliation policy of President Moon Jae-in. Yoon is hoping that voters will agree that taking a tough stance on North Korea, which is aligned with Russia, is justified in light of the invasion. Yoon has provoked controversy with his proposal that additional units of the U.S. THAAD anti-missile system should be deployed in Korea and in suggesting that he might be willing to carry out a preemptive strike on North Korea if it continues nuclear and long-range missile tests. His "peace through strength" policy and calls for strengthening the Korea-U.S. military alliance are likely to play well at a time of rising global tensions. Conservatives are arguing that North Korea might take advantage of the U.S. focus on the Ukraine crisis to launch a provocation against the South. The Moon government's proposals for an end-of-war declaration and peace treaty with North Korea, which Lee supports, suddenly look out of place or even naive in what has been characterized by some as the "post-post-war era" or "Cold War II," which has been ushered in by the Russian invasion. Lee has not helped his cause by suggesting during a recent presidential debate that Ukraine was partly to blame for the Russian attack due to its desire to join NATO. The new Cold War mood on the Korean Peninsula is likely to increase since the Russian invasion will strengthen North Korea's resolve to keep its nuclear arsenal. Pyongyang does not want to face the same fate as Libya or Ukraine, which both gave up their nuclear weapons only to be later attacked by outside powers. In the case of Ukraine, it agreed in 1994 to hand over its Soviet-era nuclear arsenal in return for security guarantees by the U.S., the U.K. and Russia. There appears to be little hope now that North Korea will ever agree to a denuclearization deal with Washington. Instead, North Korea may now be tempted to accelerate its buildup of nuclear weapons and long-range missiles. Pyongyang is already signaling this possibility with its recent spate of tests of advanced missiles, including hypersonic and intermediate-range ones. Where once Russia offered the U.S. to help mediate a nuclear deal with North Korea, the invasion of Ukraine has now driven Moscow and Pyongyang closer together in their opposition to the West. North Korea was one of only five countries to vote against a U.N. General Assembly resolution condemning the attack. With little prospect of North Korea giving up its nuclear arsenal and growing worries that China is seeking regional dominance, this situation may increase the chances of Seoul deciding to pursue its own nuclear weapons program eventually. Even if South Korea decides to forgo the nuclear option, it will likely pursue an increased military buildup, with an emphasis on the development of local weaponry. Seoul has recently said that it will accelerate the development of "long-range, ultra-precision and high-power ballistic missiles," after witnessing the use of short-range Iskander ballistic missiles by Russia in Ukraine. North Korea already has developed similar weapons based on the Iskander design. They would likely be used in a first strike attack similar to that carried out by Russia in Ukraine. The invasion of Ukraine is setting off a series of events that is likely to increase the odds of the Korean Peninsula becoming a future flashpoint, as Moscow, Beijing and Pyongyang close ranks. One scary scenario being discussed in Washington is that Moscow might eventually use a tactical nuclear weapon strike in Ukraine to end the confrontation on terms favorable to the Kremlin. Although the possibility of this event happening is still remote, nuclear weapons represent a centerpiece of Russia's military doctrine. The use of a low-yield nuclear weapon on the battlefield in Ukraine to reverse losses would represent what the Russians call an "escalation-deescalation" strategy, where it raises the military stakes in the hopes of frightening its opponent in order to reduce resistance. If the postwar nuclear taboo is broken, it will likely persuade Korea, Japan and other countries to accelerate their nuclear weapons programs. It will also increase the chances that the nuclear threshold will be crossed in any future Korean conflict. Welcome to the new normal. John Burton (johnburtonft@yahoo.com), a former Korea correspondent for the Financial Times, is a Washington, D.C.-based journalist and consultant. Roh Tae-moon, president and head of MX Business at Samsung Electronics, introduces the company's new Galaxy S22 smartphones in this February file photo. Courtesy of Samsung Electronics By Park Jae-hyuk Some minority shareholders and employees of Samsung Electronics have started an online campaign to put the brakes on the company's plan to appoint President Roh Tae-moon in charge of its smartphone business as an inside director, according to industry officials, Monday. They have been encouraging other minority shareholders to vote against his appointment in an electronic vote that started last Sunday and will run until March 15, the day before the next general meeting of shareholders. "If a company's shareholders have a sense of ownership, its stock price will follow the true value, thus resolving any undervaluation," a person claiming to be a Samsung Electronics employee wrote on Blind, an anonymous chat app for verified employees. "Please vote against our incompetent management." A growing number of the minority shareholders have also uploaded images online to show that they voted against Roh's appointment. "Although I do not own a large amount of shares, I voted against his appointment," one of the shareholders said. "Even if retail investors may have a limited impact, I think we can at least deliver our opinions." Their action came as Samsung Electronics has been embroiled in a controversy over its "game optimizing service" (GOS), an application that intentionally throttles the performance of devices to prevent overheating, when users play graphically demanding games. Users of Samsung smartphones have complained recently about the company's latest operating system update in the wake of the Galaxy S22's release, as they have been unable to turn off the function. Users were enraged further, after it was revealed that the GOS does not limit performance if game apps are relabeled as "benchmark apps" that test a smartphone's performance. Samsung Electronics has already made an apology and promised to offer an option to prioritize performance. "We plan to update our software as soon as possible," the company notified its customers. Geekbench, a global platform that tests and compares the performance of smartphones, however, viewed this move as a "manipulation" and delisted Samsung's flagship smartphones equipped with the GOS function from its benchmark chart, as it had already done to Chinese smartphones. Some customers have even called for lawsuits against Samsung Electronics over this issue. The criticism has become fiercer against the company, after an international ransomware gang, Lapsus$, which is known for stealing confidential data from Nvidia, claimed last Friday that they had compromised Samsung Electronics' server and copied 190 gigabytes of confidential data. Washington, MO (63090) Today Cloudy. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 48F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Cloudy. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 48F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Cleanup efforts are underway in Winterset, Iowa, on Sunday, March 6, 2022, after a tornado tore through an area southwest of town on Saturday. (Bryon Houlgrave/The Des Moines Register via AP) Gov. Mike Parson speaks on March 3, 2022, to members of the Missouri Press Association after a luncheon at the Governors Mansion (Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent). Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, the ranking Republican on the Senate Judiciary committee, meets Wednesday with Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court. Emporia, VA (23847) Today Some clouds and possibly an isolated thunderstorm late. Low near 65F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%.. Tonight Some clouds and possibly an isolated thunderstorm late. Low near 65F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%. Rotary Clubs launch Ukraine appeal The Rotary Clubs of the Isle of Man are launching an appeal to assist the refugees from the conflict in Ukraine. The four Rotary Island clubs are now working together to launch an appeal to send assistance to those in need. They will be working with organisations who have huge experience such as ShelterBox to provide temporary accommodation, Aquabox who help with clean water as well as Rotary clubs in Poland and other affected areas who will know where the help is most needed. Donations can be made directly to the charity account at Lloyds Bank, Douglas. Account number 00711886, sort code 30-12-80 using the reference appeal. Cheques should be made payable to The Rotary Club of Onchan and sent to Appeal, 63 Ballachrink Drive, Onchan, Isle of Man IM3 4NE. Durian fruit triggers 'gas leak' alert in Douglas A suspected gas leak in Douglas turned out to be a smelly fruit from Thailand. Firefighters were called to Spectrum Apartments in Central Promenade at around 4am yesterday morning. Crews checked corridors and the underground car park with gas detection equipment but readings were normal. The culprit was found to the fruit - Durian - which is known for its odour which is similar to rotten garbage. Athens, AL (35611) Today Scattered thunderstorms. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. Low 63F. W winds at 10 to 20 mph, decreasing to less than 5 mph. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. Low 63F. W winds at 10 to 20 mph, decreasing to less than 5 mph. Chance of rain 50%. Lou et Lang's corporate logo / Courtesy of Lou et Lang By Kim Jae-heun K-food start-up Lou et Lang announced that its French brand, Maison de Coree, will launch a new lineup of Korean food products in collaboration with the largest French retailer, Carrefour, in April. Maison de Coree is a Korean food brand in France created by Lou et Lang. It pursues a new interpretation of premium Korean food, breaking away from the preconceived notion of some that Asian food is cheap. It has launched various products such as instant noodles and dumplings in a number of outlets, including the Korean food section of Carrefour, which has helped it grow its presence in the French market. Carrefour also proposed launching its first large-scale Korean food project with Lou et Lang and has participated in all processes from product planning to launch. The product lineup consists of 20 frozen Korean food products in various categories such as appetizers, main dishes, desserts and beverages focusing on easy-to-approach items and local demand. Lou et Lang's Korean food products / Courtesy of Lou et Lang While the Pixel 6 had a rocky finish to 2021 after its December software patch was pushed back to January, Google is looking to get back on track with the release of its 10th feature update for the company's line of phones. Rolling out today on the Pixel 3a to the Pixel 5 followed by another wave of updates for the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro later this month, Google's newest feature drop includes new stickers for messaging in Gboard, Live Sharing in Google Duo, expanded support for Live Caption and Live Translation and more. Google For mobile photography enthusiasts, Google is adding support for Night Sight directly in Snapchat. That means you'll no longer need to switch between camera apps when trying to capture pics in low-light environments. Meanwhile, Pixel phones are also getting the ability to share their screen with others during video calls in Google Duo similar to Apple's SharePlay in iOS 15. Previously, Live Sharing was an exclusive feature first introduced on Samsung's Galaxy S22 phones, but now Google is opening up that functionality to Pixel devices as well. Google For messaging, Gboard has gotten an update allowing it to convert text (English only for now) into custom stickers on the fly, so your chats will look a bit more lively. Alternatively, for those who cannot or prefer not to speak during phone calls, the Pixel's Live Caption feature will let you type a response that will be converted from text to speech for the recipient. On the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, Live Translate is also getting an upgrade allowing you to activate Interpreter mode in three new languages: French, Spanish, and Italian. Furthermore, Google's latest flagship phone will be able to automatically detect Spanish in videos and other media, allowing you to translate audio into English, French, Italian, German and Japanese (beta). Google Other changes to language support on the Pixel 6 include the ability to transcribe Italian and Spanish in the Recorder app, along with new support for Assistant Quick Phrases in Spanish, French and Italian. The Pixel's At a Glance feature is also getting an update thanks to new widgets that will display the battery levels of connected Bluetooth devices like wireless earbuds. Google says the feature will also surface helpful info such as alarm reminders, safety check countdowns, and even earthquake alerts more frequently on the phone's home and lock screens when appropriate. Finally, Google is adding a new line of curated wallpapers celebrating Internation Women's Day from artist Manjit Thapp, while older Pixel phones (from the 3a and up) are also getting support for Direct My Call and Wait Time. Since its launch in 2013, Telegram has grown from a simple messaging app to a broadcast network. Its user base isnt as vast as WhatsApps, and its broadcast platform is a fraction the size of Twitter, but its nonetheless showing its use. While Telegram has been embroiled in controversy for much of its life, it has become a vital source of communication during the invasion of Ukraine. But, if all of this is new to you, let us explain, dear friends, what on Earth a Telegram is meant to be, and why you should, or should not, need to care. What is Telegram? At its heart, Telegram is little more than a messaging app like WhatsApp or Signal. But it also offers open channels that enable a single user, or a group of users, to communicate with large numbers in a method similar to a Twitter account. This has proven to be both a blessing and a curse for Telegram and its users, since these channels can be used for both good and ill. Right now, as Wired reports, the app is a key way for Ukrainians to receive updates from the government during the invasion. Who made Telegram? Telegram was co-founded by Pavel and Nikolai Durov, the brothers who had previously created VKontakte. VK is Russias equivalent of Facebook, a social network used for public and private messaging, audio and video sharing as well as online gaming. In January, SimpleWeb reported that VK was Russias fourth most-visited website, after Yandex, YouTube and Googles Russian-language homepage. In 2016, Forbes Michael Solomon described Pavel Durov (pictured, below) as the Mark Zuckerberg of Russia. Oh no. Theres a certain degree of myth-making around what exactly went on, so take everything that follows lightly. Telegram was originally launched as a side project by the Durov brothers, with Nikolai handling the coding and Pavel as CEO, while both were at VK. In February 2014, the Ukrainian people ousted pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovych, prompting Russia to invade and annex the Crimean peninsula. By the start of April, Pavel Durov had given his notice, with TechCrunch saying at the time that the CEO had resisted pressure to suppress pages criticizing the Russian government. The next bit isnt clear, but Durov reportedly claimed that his resignation, dated March 21st, was an April Fools prank. TechCrunch implies that it was a matter of principle, but its hard to be clear on the wheres, whos and whys. Similarly, on April 17th, the Moscow Times quoted Durov as saying that he quit the company after being pressured to reveal account details about Ukrainians protesting the then-president Viktor Yanukovych. Either way, Durov says that he withdrew his resignation but that he was ousted from his company anyway. Subsequently, control of the company was reportedly handed to oligarchs Alisher Usmanov and Igor Sechin, both allegedly close associates of Russian leader Vladimir Putin. At this point, however, Durov had already been working on Telegram with his brother, and further planned a mobile-first social network with an explicit focus on anti-censorship. Later in April, he told TechCrunch that he had left Russia and had no plans to go back, saying that the nation was currently incompatible with internet business at the moment. He added later that he was looking for a country that matched his libertarian ideals to base his next startup. Manuel Blondeau - Corbis via Getty Images How does it make money? On Telegrams website, it says that Pavel Durov supports Telegram financially and ideologically while Nikolai (Duvov)s input is technological. Currently, the Telegram team is based in Dubai, having moved around from Berlin, London and Singapore after departing Russia. Meanwhile, the company which owns Telegram is registered in the British Virgin Islands. At the start of 2018, the company attempted to launch an Initial Coin Offering (ICO) which would enable it to enable payments (and earn the cash that comes from doing so). The initial signals were promising, especially given Telegrams user base is already fairly crypto-savvy. It raised an initial tranche of cash worth more than a billion dollars to help develop the coin before opening sales to the public. Unfortunately, third-party sales of coins bought in those initial fundraising rounds raised the ire of the SEC, which brought the hammer down on the whole operation. In 2020, officials ordered Telegram to pay a fine of $18.5 million and hand back much of the cash that it had raised. On December 23rd, 2020, Pavel Durov posted to his channel that the company would need to start generating revenue. In early 2021, he added that any advertising on the platform would not use user data for targeting, and that it would be focused on large one-to-many channels. He pledged that ads would be non-intrusive and that most users would simply not notice any change. So, uh, whenever I hear about Telegram, its always in relation to something bad. What gives? Given the pro-privacy stance of the platform, its taken as a given that itll be used for a number of reasons, not all of them good. And Telegram has been attached to a fair few scandals related to terrorism, sexual exploitation and crime. Back in 2015, Vox described Telegram as ISIS app of choice, saying that the platforms real use is the ability to use channels to distribute material to large groups at once. Telegram has acted to remove public channels affiliated with terrorism, but Pavel Durov reiterated that he had no business snooping on private conversations. This ability to mix the public and the private, as well as the ability to use bots to engage with users has proved to be problematic. In early 2021, a database selling phone numbers pulled from Facebook was selling numbers for $20 per lookup. Similarly, security researchers found a network of deepfake bots on the platform that were generating images of people submitted by users to create non-consensual imagery, some of which involved children. Telegram has become more interventionist over time, and has steadily increased its efforts to shut down these accounts. But this has also meant that the company has also engaged with lawmakers more generally, although it maintains that it doesnt do so willingly. For instance, in September 2021, Telegram reportedly blocked a chat bot in support of (Putin critic) Alexei Navalny during Russias most recent parliamentary elections. Pavel Durov was quoted at the time saying that the company was obliged to follow a legitimate law of the land. He added that as Apple and Google both follow the law, to violate it would give both platforms a reason to boot the messenger from its stores. The company maintains that it cannot act against individual or group chats, which are private amongst their participants, but it will respond to requests in relation to sticker sets, channels and bots which are publicly available. During the invasion of Ukraine, Pavel Durov has wrestled with this issue a lot more prominently than he has before. Channels like Donbass Insider and Bellum Acta, as reported by Foreign Policy, started pumping out pro-Russian propaganda as the invasion began. So much so that the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council issued a statement labeling which accounts are Russian-backed. Ukrainian officials, in potential violation of the Geneva Convention, have shared imagery of dead and captured Russian soldiers on the platform. On February 27th, Durov posted that Channels were becoming a source of unverified information and that the company lacks the ability to check on their veracity. He urged users to be mistrustful of the things shared on Channels, and initially threatened to block the feature in the countries involved for the length of the war, saying that he didnt want Telegram to be used to aggravate conflict or incite ethnic hatred. He did, however, walk back this plan when it became clear that they had also become a vital communications tool for Ukrainian officials and citizens to help coordinate their resistance and evacuations. I want a secure messaging app, should I use Telegram? You may recall that, back when Facebook started changing WhatsApps terms of service, a number of news outlets reported on, and even recommended, switching to Telegram. Pavel Durov even said that users should delete WhatsApp unless you are cool with all of your photos and messages becoming public one day. But Telegram cant be described as a more-secure version of WhatsApp. Telegram does offer end-to-end encrypted communications through Secret Chats, but this is not the default setting. Standard conversations use the MTProto method, enabling server-client encryption but with them stored on the server for ease-of-access. This makes using Telegram across multiple devices simple, but also means that the regular Telegram chats youre having with folks are not as secure as you may believe. If you initiate a Secret Chat, however, then these communications are end-to-end encrypted and are tied to the device you are using. That means its less convenient to access them across multiple platforms, but you are at far less risk of snooping. Back in the day, Secret Chats received some praise from the EFF, but the fact that its standard system isnt as secure earned it some criticism. If youre looking for something that is considered more reliable by privacy advocates, then Signal is the EFFs preferred platform, although that too is not without some caveats. One thing that Telegram now offers to all users is the ability to disappear messages or set remote deletion deadlines. That enables users to have much more control over how long people can access what youre sending them. Given that Russian law enforcement officials are reportedly (via Insider) stopping people in the street and demanding to read their text messages, this could be vital to protect individuals from reprisals. Ariel Winter will take Demi Lovato's spot in the upcoming NBC series Hungry. Until very recently, singer and actor Demi Lovato was set to star in the upcoming NBC series Hungry. The show follows a group of friends in a food-based-issues support group. They love, learn, and navigate the world with each other. While Lovato was attatched to the role for almost a year, they recently had to move away from the front of the camera due to scheduling conflicts. Lovato will still be a part of the show's creative process as an executive producer. Their role has now officially been taken, according to an exclusive with Deadline, by Ariel Winter. Ariel Winter grew up in front of the camera in the hit sit-com Modern Family. No longer a Dunphy, we are excited to see her step into a new and exciting character. Winter has, in her personal life, spoken out against the body shaming she received and the affect it had on her mental health: an issue pertinent to the heart of the upcoming series. In an interview with Teen Vogue she said: "People on the internet really suck. It bothered me for so many years - I mean, it still does. It never goes away. When someone calls you a 'fat slut,' you're not feeling happy about it. It doesn't matter what you look like now, it doesn't matter what you looked like then...You're still going to read that and be like, 'Oh, that sucks..."I feel like that [pain] never goes away. People are like, 'How do you get that to go away? It doesn't bother you at all anymore.' Again, that's missing the point. What I've said is, I've learned to deal with it more...It's a journey of being confident enough to look at that and evaluate my opinion of myself, which I'm not fully at yet. I'm still working there." We are so glad that Winter is on this honest journey of self-confidence and self-discovery! (Honestly, role model goals!) We can't wait to see her as the star in Hungry. Any move to create a no-fly zone above Ukraine would be viewed as participation in the conflict while Western sanctions imposed on Russia are tantamount to a declaration of war, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday (5 March). The Russian leaders latest rhetorical escalation of tensions came shortly after an effort to evacuate civilians from the besieged city of Mariupol was suspended when Russian forces were accused of violating a temporary cease-fire with an ongoing barrage of shelling. The apparent collapse of the first agreement to create humanitarian corridors in Ukraine underscored the perilous existence of civilians facing a Russian assault that has brought death and destruction to its democratic neighbor. It came as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy lashed out at NATO for refusing to impose a no-fly zone over his country, warning that all the people who die from this day forward will also die because of you. A day earlier (4 March), foreign ministers from the EU-27, plus the UK, US and Canada, met in Brussels in a show of transatlantic unity after a week in which they imposed crippling sanctions that are effectively designed to crash the Russian economy. The ministers were joined by their Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba via video link from Kyiv, a city now almost completely encircled by Russian invading forces. NATOs rejection of Ukraines appeal for a no-fly zone was slammed by President Zelenskyy who accused the alliance of effectively greenlighting Russias bombing campaign of his country. Jens Stoltenberg, the secretary-general of NATO, said helping Ukraine protect its skies from Russian missiles and warplanes would require NATO forces to shoot down Russian aircraft, a move that could result in a full-fledged war in Europe involving many more countries. Meanwhile, 51% of Swedes, up from 42% in January, are now in favor of joining NATO, a poll showed on Friday (4 March), with Russias invasion of Ukraine spurring a rapid shift in attitudes in a country long known for neutrality. The landmark shift in opinion echoes that in close ally and NATO non-member Finland, where the head of the Finnish Institute of International Affairs described Russias attack on Ukraine as a wake-up call and Europes 9/11 for Finns. Sweden and Finland already have very close cooperation with the alliance and have been invited to recent summits. NATO chief Stoltenberg said in January the two countries could join the alliance very quickly if they decided to apply for membership. Sweden has not been in a war since 1814 and has built its foreign policy on non-participation in military alliances. However, Swedens Defense Minister Peter Hultqvist said joining NATO was not an easy decision, nor one that could be rushed based on recent events alone. With Russian aggression against Ukraine well into its second week, EU leaders will get together in Versailles, the French royal palace, on 10-11 March to discuss the next sanctions on Russia, and the possible accession of Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova to the bloc. Following Ukraines plea to join the EU as it battles Russias invasion, Georgia and Moldova on Thursday (3 March) submitted their own applications to join the bloc. With the war threatening to devastate Ukraine, the EU is also expected to redouble efforts on a key home front by coming forward with a raft of proposals next week aimed at further diversifying energy supplies. Ukraine is a vital transshipment country for natural gas flowing from Russia to Europe, and even as Europeans continue to deplore the Russian actions in Ukraine, they continue to be highly dependent on Russia for its fuel, with 40% of the EUs natural gas and around 27% of its crude oil imported from the country. Oil and gas prices have hit new highs this week, with crude oil prices surpassing $110 per barrel for the first time since 2014. The energy price was already historically high in Europe, and the war Russia is waging in Ukraine has only worsened the situation. Aachen, Germany, 7 March 2022 / News Aktuell Grunenthal, an international science-driven pharmaceutical company, announced that it has donated 400.000 to the Red Cross to support humanitarian relief efforts in Ukraine and Eastern Europe. In addition, Grunenthal partners with Action Medeor and the University Hospital of RWTH Aachen to provide urgently needed pain medication to the region. The first transport with medicine is set to leave Aachen this week. We are shocked and saddened by the attack on Ukraine. Our full solidarity is with Ukraines people and everyone affected, no matter where they come from. Grunenthal will contribute to ensuring urgently needed medical care, said Gabriel Baertschi, CEO of Grunenthal. About Grunenthal Grunenthal is a global leader in pain management and related diseases. As a science-based, privately-owned pharmaceutical company, we have a long track record of bringing innovative treatments and state-of-the-art technologies to patients worldwide. Our purpose is to change lives for the better and innovation is our passion. We are focusing all of our activities and efforts on working towards our vision of a world free of pain. Grunenthal is headquartered in Aachen, Germany, and has affiliates in 29 countries across Europe, Latin America and the US. Our products are available in more than 100 countries. In 2020 Grunenthal employed around 4,500 people and achieved sales of 1.3 bn. More information: www.grunenthal.com Follow us on: LinkedIn: Grunenthal Group Instagram: grunenthal For further information, please contact: Fabia Kehren, Head External Communications & Editorial Management Tel.: +49 241 569-3269 Fabia.Kehren@grunenthal.com Grunenthal GmbH, 52099 Aachen, Germany When British-Danish comedian and broadcaster Sandi Toksvig was studying anthropology at university, one of her female professors held up a photograph of an antler bone with 28 markings on it. This, said the professor, is alleged to be mans first attempt at a calendar. Toksvig and her fellow students looked at the bone with admiration. Tell me, the professor continued, what man needs to know when 28 days have passed? I suspect that this is womens first attempt at a calendar. People dont buy products. They buy stories. But what happens when the stories we tell as marketers misrepresent reality? Its our job to connect with customers through stories that accurately represent the world around us, and its also our job to make sure every part of the business is staying true to the values of the brand from research to product design. When we fail to do this, we not only lose the connection to our customers, but we also perpetuate harmful assumptions and stigmas that can widen gaps in inequality. Often, its womens stories that are most underrepresented or not told at all. According to a study from J. Walter Thompsons Female Tribes initiative, 85% of women think the advertising world needs to catch up to the real world when it comes to gender roles, and 66% switch off media when it stereotypes women negatively. This could have a significant effect on businesses, particularly when we see that across ads in India, Australia, Japan, and New Zealand, male voices are heard nearly 2X more often. Representation shouldnt be a check box for brands to tick but an opportunity to find untold stories that truly connect with your customers. Take Vaseline who chose to tell the story of Madam Lee, a knife sharpener in Singapore who uses Vaseline products on her cuts so she can continue to work and stay competitive in the blade-sharpening industry a profession typically dominated by men. Telling her story helps people see women across industries, challenges long-accepted norms about gender roles, and shows the Vaseline brand in a unique way by being authentic and honest about the role they play in Madam Lees story. But how do we find these stories? Google took a look through the search bar to see what the billions of searches might reveal about the needs of our society and the role brands can play in shaping perceptions. The differences we found in searches reveal some inequalities and how society has often forgotten about women. But we also found opportunities for brands to help. What we learned is that most products have been designed for an average user who has been historically defined as a white male, about 70 kilograms and 170 centimeters, and is both middle-aged and middle class. Because of this, women often have to specify their gender in the search bar when the default does not apply to them as do many other people who dont fit this average mold. While creating customer profiles to make products and campaigns that serve a large audience can help companies scale, Elise Roy, VP of inclusive design and accessibility at Salesforce, challenges our focus on the average user to do this: Instead, we should be looking at extreme users. They are a gold mine for helping us think differently. To help you expand your thinking beyond what has traditionally been considered the norm, we uncovered three opportunities in our search data to both challenge the status quo and to help build your brand by serving womens needs. Uncovering the search for safety According to Reuters, due to the high risk of sexual violence and forced slave labor, India is considered one of the worlds most dangerous countries for women. Around 800 women are affected every day and thats just the cases that are actually reported. India, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam were among the top global markets associated with female-related public safety searches in 2020, such as taser for women and pepper spray for women. In India, we also saw searches for self-defense classes for women far outweighing searches for similar classes for men. In 2020, we saw a 90% growth in searches for self-defense classes near me compared to the previous year. At the same time, searches for womens helpline number were also up by 66% compared to 2018. An all-female team of product engineers at Vodafone came up with Sakhi, a solution designed to give women the confidence to safely travel away from home. The free mobile service provides a set of security and safety features, including location-sharing alerts with up to 10 emergency contacts when needed. Because some products are not built with women in mind, women feel the need to specifically call out their gender while searching online to get safe sizing or fit a trend that is not seen as often (if at all) for men when it comes to safety. For example, Search reveals queries for womens PPE suppliers, scrub suits for women, womens full-face helmets, womens diving mask, or mask for a small face. Serving women requires expanding your brands definition of what you offer. Examine your mission and see if it holds true across the needs of all your customers. Uncovering the search for financial freedom According to the World Bank, Southeast Asia has one of the lowest levels of financial inclusion in the world. Around 80% of people in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam, and 30% of people in Malaysia and Thailand, are unbanked. As we look to the search bar, we see how this issue affects the regions female population. Searches for loans for women grew by 70% in the Philippines, Hong Kong, and Singapore and by 80% in India. Across APAC, we also saw search queries such as equal pay for women, scholarship for women, and online jobs for women at home. Women are 23% less likely to be participating in the workforce compared to males in Southeast Asia, and we see this reflected in searches across APAC. In India, searches for jobs for women are 3.2X higher than jobs for men,8 whereas in Japan, unemployment searches were up 35% last year.9 This followed one million jobs being lost in 2020 of which 59% belonged to women. Brands can make a difference in this area. Take Lucy, for example. Lucy is a new start-up owner based out of Singapore who aims to foster the growth of the female-led entrepreneurial scene in Southeast Asia. The companys financial services are built around the specific challenges women face, and each is tailored to their needs from internet banking and home businesses to support and education. Uncovering the search for equal expectations In most cultures, disproportionate expectations are placed on women regarding their bodies such as having an attractive appearance and bearing children. Dealing with those expectations can often make women feel isolated. But brands have the ability to help unite through sharing stories, normalizing taboos, and emboldening everyone to challenge unfair expectations. Beauty standards have become extreme for everyone around the world. Mentions of hashtags related to body shaming were up 150% in Indonesia.10 But we know these pressures have been historically higher for women. In Singapore, searches for body fat percentage female surged by 350% from 2019 to 2020.11 In India last year, searches for weight loss app for women (with no searches for a similar app for men) were up by 130% in 2020,12 whereas searches such as body shaming after pregnancy were up 70% year over year in Thailand.13 Comedian Naomi Watanabe, launched the Punyus clothing brand (meaning chubby in Japanese) to challenge this mentality head-on: A lot of Japanese clothing brands dont necessarily care about catering to consumers. Its more like, Were going to make a pair of jeans if you cant fit into them, then its your fault. As we see from search queries, women throughout APAC are very aware of the assumptions made about their bodies. For brands, its important to challenge and not perpetuate these expectations. Brands can change the conversation, too, especially around taboo subjects such as menstruation. In 2014, Whisper Indias #TouchThePickle campaign did exactly that by challenging the stringent norms placed upon women during their periods. The campaign set out to give a voice to women to challenge period taboos like not entering the kitchen, needing to be confined to a separate room, or not touching the pickle jar for fear the pickle will rot. Since this ad launched, its been viewed over two million times on YouTube and won the inaugural Glass Lion Grand Prix at the Cannes International Festival of Creativity. A brand is the sum of all the things your company says and does from your research to your production to your communication. On paper, CMOs are responsible for marketing activities. But in reality, the branding job entails making sure all parts of the business align with the values of your brand. This means a constant consideration of the specific needs women and other underrepresented groups might have when engaging with your brand or using your product as well as being deliberate in your efforts to challenge norms and shine a light on the untold stories. (The article was originally published on thinkwithgoogle.com and is being republished with permission.) Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India) The Pound Canadian Dollar (GBP/CAD) dropped to a three-month low earlier today as the Russia-Ukraine crisis and its impact on the European economy continue to hammer the Pound (GBP). However, news that Turkey will mediate peace talks and retreating oil prices helped GBP/CAD recover. Pound (GBP) Exchange Rates Recover as Turkey to Mediate Russia-Ukraine Talks The Pound initially dropped in todays trade, touching its lowest level since December 2021, as worries over the Russia-Ukraine crisis continue to weigh on the risk-sensitive European currency. As the invasion rages on, its becoming increasingly likely that Ukraine is in for a long and bloody conflict on its own soil. So far the war has claimed thousands of lives, with over one and a half million refugees fleeing Ukraine. Russias attacks seem to be growing more aggressive as the war goes on, with Russian President Vladimir Putin seemingly frustrated with his lack of progress and the international response to the invasion, with his country subject to devastating economic sanctions. Last week, Russian forces seized the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine, shelling the plant in the process. At the weekend, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) expressed grave concern that the Russian military commander who captured the site is managing operations, which is a violation of international safety protocols. In addition, an apparent ceasefire broke down over the weekend as Russia resumed shelling Ukrainian cities while civilians were attempting to evacuate. Russia has since declared a new ceasefire to accommodate evacuations, but only allowing evacuation routes into Russia and Russia-backed Belarus. Critics say that the suggestion is not meant as an actual solution but instead is a political move so that Russia can deflect blame for civilian casualties. Sterling is a risk-sensitive currency, and war-driven risk aversion has weighed particularly heavily on the Pound. Additionally, the war will have wider geopolitical and economic ramifications for European countries, such as the UK. However, the Pound attracted some dip-buying earlier today after GBP/CAD hit a three-month low. In addition, markets seem hopeful that perhaps a workable ceasefire can be negotiated. Mevlut Cavusoglu, the Turkish foreign minister, said on Monday that he will take part in a trilateral meeting between Sergei Lavrov and Dmytro Kuleba, Russias and Ukraines foreign ministers, respectively. Turkey has close ties to both Ukraine and Russia, so investors may be hoping that Cavusoglu can effectively mediate peace talks. Canadian Dollar (CAD) Exchange Rates Retreat as Oil Prices Ease off Highs Meanwhile, the oil-sensitive Canadian Dollar (CAD) has strengthened as the Ukraine crisis drives crude prices higher. As Russia is a key exporter of oil and gas, worries that the war will hit supply has pushed energy-related commodities higher in recent weeks. Economic sanctions targeting Russia may make it harder for Russia to trade abroad, while the war itself could disrupt exports. Over the weekend the US and its European allies said they were exploring a ban on Russian oil and gas. This sent oil prices even higher, with WTI crude hitting $130.50 a barrel, nearing an all-time high. However, crude prices have eased since then, dropping back by around $15. This in turn has seen the oil-linked Loonie relinquish some of its earlier gains. GBP/CAD Exchange Rate Forecast: War-Driven Volatility to Continue As todays session continues, GBP/CAD could waver. Headlines about the Russia-Ukraine crisis will likely drive most movement in the Pound, and the situation remains volatile. We know that Russia has made promising comments before, only to continue increasing the intensity of its attacks, so the current lull in risk aversion could quickly turn around on any negative headlines. As for the Canadian Dollar, crude prices could cause most movement. Any updates on the new sanctions targeting Russian energy exports are likely to trigger activity in CAD exchange rates. Overnight we have the British Retail Consortiums retail sales monitor report. As this is released just after midnight its impact on the Pound may be limited, but if it hits the UK headlines then it could have an effect. Finally, Canadas balance of trade data tomorrow is also worth watching. Economists expect the country to have returned to a trade surplus in January, which may support the Loonie. The Pound US Dollar (GBP/USD) exchange rate is plummeting today as geopolitical anxiety drives risk-off sentiment. At the time of writing, the GBP/USD exchange rate is trading at approximately $1.3155, roughly down 0.5% from todays opening levels. US Dollar (USD) Exchange Rates Skyrocket as Investors Turn to Safe Haven Currencies The US Dollar (USD) is climbing against the Pound (GBP) today in response to risk-off sentiment, driven by the Russia-Ukraine war. As the US and EU reportedly seek to ban Russian oil imports, investors are turning to safe haven currencies, spooked by the potential rise in energy costs. On Sunday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said: 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. According to Bank of America chief economist Ethan Harris, cutting ties with Russia would be a major shock to global markets and would see energy prices soar. In recent days, the vast majority of commodities, including oil, have risen significantly. WTI crude oil is trading at $117.31 per barrel at the time of writing, up by 1.29%, and expected to increase further. Russia is the worlds second largest exporter of oil. Thus, the search for alternative sources has the potential to disrupt energy supplies. Moreover, the Greenback is still reeling from the Federal Reserve Chair, Jerome Powells, hawkish speech last week. Powell stated that he would be inclined to support a rate hike at the Feds March meeting which is further bolstering USD demand. Pound (GBP) Exchange Rates Face Headwinds Amidst Russia-Ukraine War The Pound (GBP) is losing ground against the US Dollar (USD) today as Russia continues to advance further into Ukraine. Geopolitical anxiety is souring GBP sentiment due to the uncertainty surrounding future energy supplies and the impact it may have on the UKs current cost-of-living crisis. Should the cost-of-living crisis worsen, it is likely to dampen rate hike bets and further weigh on Sterlings appeal. SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford said: The Tory cost of living crisis is spiralling out of control and quickly becoming a full blown emergency making it absolutely essential that the Chancellor delivers urgent and comprehensive support for families at the spring statement. The Russian war of aggression in Ukraine has compounded this crisis, with soaring oil and gas prices adding to the intense pressures that families face. Although the UK government is distributing support worth 20 billion across the next financial year to societys most vulnerable in a bid to ease the cost-of-living crisis, it is arguably not enough to resolve the crisis quickly. Further weighed on by lack of data, Sterling is exposed to market movement today which, in turn, is causing the Pound US Dollar exchange rate to collapse. GBP/USD Exchange Rate Forecast: Russia-Ukraine War to Dominate Headlines Looking ahead, geopolitical developments will remain the key driver of movement in the Pound US dollar exchange rate for the foreseeable future. Should the US and EU ban Russian oil, it may support demand for USD. On the data front, the Greenback may be weighed on trade data tomorrow. Januarys trade balance is forecast to fall from -$80.7 billion to -$87.1 billion, whilst exports are predicted to decrease from $228.1 billion to $225 billion. On the other hand, the Pound is likely to be influenced by geopolitical developments due to a lack of notable data until the end of the week. Commentary From Crisis Management Expert Edward Segal, Author of the Award- Winning Book "Crisis Ahead: 101 Ways to Prepare for and Bounce Back from Disasters, Scandals, and Other Emergencies " (Nicholas Brealey) The list of companies that are cutting ties with Russia because of President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine continues to grow. But so do the risks if organizations stay on the sidelines of this international crisis. Forbes reported that, ''An overwhelming majority of Americans support companies taking action to support Ukraine against Russia's invasionas opposed to just issuing a corporate statement without concrete measuresa new Morning Consult poll finds.'' Neeru Paharia, an associate professor at Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business, said that companies '''who take a stand are more likely to benefit from consumer sentiment than followers. Further, early actors can make their competitors look questionable (e.g. Shell vs. ExxonMobil). Therefore, companies should act sooner rather than later so they are perceived as authentic leaders.'' Shell Takes A Stand Reuters said that Shell (SHEL.L) will exit all its Russian operations, including a major liquefied natural gas plant, it said on Monday. "We are shocked by the loss of life in Ukraine, which we deplore, resulting from a senseless act of military aggression which threatens European security," Shell Chief Executive Ben van Beurden said in a statement. Still On The Sidelines Yet to be heard from is Exxon, which has more than 1,000 employees in Russia, and has been in the country for over 25 years, according to CNN. Business leaders who continue to sit on the sidelines of this growing international crisis will likely face growing pressure from customers, investors and other stakeholders to speak up and speak out against Russia's invasionno matter their business interests with that country. Failure to take a stand could create various crisis situations for companies, ranging from damaging headlines to boycotts by consumers and vendors, and turn into a literal bottom line issue. As with all crisis situations, the longer corporations wait to do or say something about the crisis, the worse it is likely to get for them. And in the case of Russia's war against Ukraine, there could come a time when silence may be assumed or interpreted by the public to be in support of Putin. When that happens, business leaders will find themselves in a position that could be difficultif not impossibleto defend. According to CNN, "In the U.S., [Russian television network] RT still continues to have a foothold. Both DirecTV and DISH broadcast RT America, the U.S. version of the outlet, to their customers. "When asked for comment, a DISH spokesperson told CNN, "Our thoughts are with all the people of Ukraine, and particularly with our team members in the country. We are closely monitoring the situation." "The DISH spokesperson did not elaborate beyond the brief statement. A DirecTV spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment." Consumer Pressure Is Mounting Liana Semchuk is a Europe-Eurasia Intelligence analyst at strategic advisory firm Sibylline and a Russia-Ukraine expert. She noted that, "Consumer pressure in the West will increase substantially in coming weeks as footage from the conflict emerges, amidst allegations of Russian shelling of civilian areas, with the potential for consumer-driven boycotts of companies maintaining substantial product sales in Russia. "Firms in the tech sector are especially likely to face increased shareholder and consumer pressure to cut exports to Russia, in particular following officials in Kyiv calling for specific companies such as Apple to stop product sales in Russia, including blocking access to its App store," she said. Semchuk pointed out that, "social media giants are also coming under increased pressure by Western consumers, with governmental pressure likely to mount if Russian misinformation is perceived to be disseminated on their platforms. "As such, with the West demonstrating an unprecedent[ed] level of unity and support for Ukraine during the crisis, consumer and governmental pressure on companies to divest from Russia will substantially increase moving forward as Europe braces for a mass influx of refugees from Ukraine," she concluded. Balancing Complex Factors Baruch Labunski, CEO of Rank Secure, said that, "We can literally see the lines of Russian soldiers and equipment heading into Ukraine. What we can't see as easily is the line of companies worldwide who are metaphorically fleeing from Russia, afraid the global disdain for the invading country and its leader will taint their image. "Businesses may be balancing complex factors that influence their decision to continue doing business with and in Russia, like the loss of access to natural resources and concern for Russian employees, but the whole world is watching," he said. 'Only One Decision To Make' "From a PR perspective, given the overwhelming support for Ukraine, I believe businesses have only one decision to make, and it's whennot ifthey should distance themselves from Russia. As the news cycle continues to serve up video and images of brave Ukrainians who refuse to abandon their homeland, the consequences of doing anything that could be seen as supporting Russia could be catastrophic," Labunski noted. "From boycotts to public shaming, I believe we'll see serious ramifications for businesses that refuse to openly oppose Putin and Russia," he predicted. Supporting Those Who Oppose Russia Although companies are likely to be penalized by the public if they do not take a stand against Russia, they should not expect to be rewarded when they do. Jeremy Knauff, the founder of Spartan Media, said that, "from what I've seen so far, there is a significant double standard. People are quick to demonize the smaller companies that don't have much impact on the situation one way or the other but much slower to criticizeif they do at allthe larger multinational companies that could have an impact on Russia's decisions," he said "Just yesterday, I saw a SaaS company that's located in Russia and serves the digital marketing industry with a huge presence in the U.S., attacked relentlessly on Twitter for not speaking out. "Meanwhile, the company's critics are still buying gas, which the U.S. imports from Russia. So a company can speak out and potentially damage its revenue while having little to no real impact on Russia's decisions, or keep quiet and get attacked by online activists, also potentially damage its revenue. It's really a no-win situation," Knauff observed. Three Important Questions As the crisis in Ukraine continues to escalate, the most important questions business leaders have to ask themselves now may be these: "What are we waiting for? What are we going to do? And when are we going to do it?" ### Samsung Electronics' television plant in Kaluga, Russia, is seen in this file photo. Courtesy of Samsung Electronics By Park Jae-hyuk Samsung Electronics, Hyundai Motor and other Korean exporters are facing increasing difficulties operating in Russia, as the country's invasion of Ukraine has caused the suspension of shipments to Moscow and Saint Petersburg by sea, air and land, according to industry officials, Monday. Last Saturday, Samsung Electronics suspended shipments of its semiconductors, smartphones and home appliances to Russia temporarily, citing "geopolitical reasons" that have led global shipping companies, air carriers and railway service operators to halt their service to the major cities of the world's largest country. But the tech giant has denied the claim that it has joined its foreign competitors, such as Apple and Intel, in imposing sanctions against Russia, as its television manufacturing plant in Kaluga near Moscow has continued operating smoothly. However, the factory is unlikely to avoid setbacks in receiving components from other countries, if Russia's military conflict with Ukraine continues. "We are looking for countermeasures at this moment," a Samsung Electronics official said. Hyundai Motor's factory in Saint Petersburg is seen in this file photo. Courtesy of Hyundai Motor By 2011, Rackspace Technology co-founder Graham Weston had faced years of hiring problems in San Antonio. Rackspace struggled to find workers for its Windcrest headquarters largely because the area had few early- and mid-stage technology companies seedbeds for the talent it needed to compete with Amazon Web Services, Microsoft and others. The cloud computing company also was losing employees to businesses in Austin, Silicon Valley and other tech centers. Weston, Rackspaces chairman at the time, decided to do something about it. He helped launch Geekdom, a for-profit coworking space in the Rand Building on East Houston. Its aim was to foster startups and pair up entrepreneurs with mentors. They learned how to secure investment capital, develop and market their products and services, and manage their businesses. The city needed a startup community so when people have ideas they can see them live and thrive, Weston said. More than a decade after its founding, Geekdom touts numerous success stories. But the difficulty of attracting tech workers remains. Within Texas, entrepreneurs and highly skilled employees are still more likely to choose Austin, Dallas or Houston over San Antonio. Especially Austin, which has attracted the headquarters of electric vehicle maker Tesla and enterprise software company Oracle, as well as Google, Amazon and Facebook satellite offices. So Geekdom is trying something new to attract tech talent and startups: Its looking south. CEO Charles Woodin said Geekdoms game plan is to search for startups in South Texas and Mexico and develop partnerships with them. Hes looking to appeal to the culture of what he calls the South Texas Triangle which encompasses the cities of Laredo, Corpus Christi and Guadalajara, Mexico. Hes banking on San Antonios standing as the largest Hispanic-majority city in the United States. Ronald Cortes / San Antonio is very uniquely placed as a cultural epicenter for Latino and Hispanic cultures, Woodin said. Its a very relatable city. Geekdoms South Texas Triangle is a riff on the storied Texas Triangle, the major points of which are San Antonio, Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston. Its combined gross domestic product in 2018 was $1.3 trillion, accounting for 6.3 percent of the U.S. economy, according to the Kinder Institute for Urban Research at Houstons Rice University. Geekdoms first recruitment trip is scheduled for this month. Woodin will travel with representatives from the local investment group Alamo Angels and the nonprofit bioscience accelerator VelocityTX to meet with city officials in Harlingen, McAllen and Brownsville. What I would love for Geekdoms role to be in this is to identify resources that exist in those areas to figure out what kind of partnerships we can create, he said. At an open house Feb. 23, Woodin told a crowd of tenants, staffers and supporters that Geekdoms goal was to launch 500 startups over the next decade, with at least 75 percent of them headquartered in San Antonio. Lorenzo Gomez III, a former Geekdom CEO and its current board chairman, said the outsize number of startups made sense because most fail, even when funded. We need volume, he added. Referring to Geekdoms South Texas-Mexico strategy, Gomez said: We want to be the people that dominate this market. Standing close by, Weston said he supported Geekdoms plans because the city hasnt birthed enough startups to develop a vibrant tech scene. His main interest was whether the coworking space could identify businesses willing to put down local roots. Having a headquarters in San Antonio is what we should be aiming for, he said. To set up a headquarters means a company builds the brain power of the city. The best way for that to happen is for us to chart our own course. Progress, but VC lacking On a nearby table, a Geekdom report described how San Antonio has opened its doors over the past decade, with tech companies moving into Port San Antonio on the Southwest Side and the near-downtown Pearl district, as well as software businesses such as Jungle Disk and Dura Software that have settled in the inner city. Geekdom has 1,300 paying members, and 800 member companies have raised $422.7 million in investment capital and created 2,489 local jobs over the past decade, according to the report. Last year, Geekdoms Startup Weekend hosted 102 participants who pitched their business ideas. Its in-house Legal Clinic helped more than 100 businesses file to become limited liability companies. And in the last four years, its Pre-Accelerator Program has helped 21 companies raise investments totaling $53.3 million, and its Community Fund invested $420,000 in 20 startups. Despite the success stories, San Antonio remains hamstrung by venture capitalists lack of interest in local startups one of the main reasons entrepreneurs bypass the city. In 2019 and 2020, VC firms invested a combined $105 million in 46 local deals, according to Crunchbase, which tracks tech funding. In the same period, Austin companies took in more than 20 times that amount $2.25 billion in 620 deals. Dallas companies: $1.9 billion in 213 deals. Houston startups: $1.2 billion in 193 deals. The Texas Manifesto Geekdoms CEO said hed looked south before. In 2017, he began talking to Corpus Christis economic development officials, who were looking to make a big push to create a startup incubator. But Hurricane Harvey hit north of Corpus Christi that summer, and they shelved plans for the incubator, at least for the time being. In 2019, Woodin met with officials in Guadalajara, where a tech boom inspired the nickname Mexicos Silicon Valley. Then the coronavirus pandemic hit. His proposed South Texas Triangle plan resembles one already staked out by the Capital Factory, a coworking space in Austin. In 2017, Capital Factory CEO Joshua Baer wrote The Texas Manifesto, in which he called on Austin, Dallas, Houston and San Antonio to connect together entrepreneurs, investors, customers, talent and press in meaningful ways. Capital Factory is expected to open a location in the cybersecurity hub at Port San Antonio. Capital Factory is going to be a conduit for us to be part of the greater Texas Manifesto, Woodin said. But I feel like theres so much for us to continue to focus on to do for our own success here. We need to focus on what San Antonio is doing in the South Texas Triangle, he said. eric.killelea@express-news.net Ken Branca A man died early Monday morning after he crashed into the back of an 18-wheeler on the Southwest Side. Police said the 18-wheeler was parked on the side of the road with its hazard lights on when the male crashed into the back of it. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Sarah Zimmerman received top ratings on her teacher evaluation last year. Her evaluator, she said, was impressed that she could navigate Zoom so seamlessly while teaching virtually and in-person at the same time. Zimmerman didnt think she deserved it. A sixth-grade math teacher at Tafolla Middle School in San Antonio Independent School District, she saw that she got higher praise than more experienced teachers, and she thought the evaluation system was missing something. I got really good at being super tech savvy, Zimmerman said. That was great, but it didnt necessarily equate to great teaching, it just had a lot of bells and whistles. Even though this lesson on paper was not a great lesson, because I was doing computer magic, I got this amazing rating. Teachers interviewed across Bexar County say evaluations this year dont feel like a fair assessment of their work maybe because the work itself has been so stressed, distorted and constantly rearranged by two years of the pandemic. Josie Norris /San Antonio Express-News In Texas, teacher evaluations are required at least once a year, unless teachers rated proficient in their latest assessment agree to do it less frequently. But after the coronavirus upended public schools, the Texas Education Agency let districts apply for waivers to make teacher evaluations optional. This year, evaluations are again required. Most districts use the Texas Teacher Evaluation & Support System known as T-TESS as their main model, but they can add to it or use other methods. The TEA recommends the system but doesnt require it. The T-TESS aims to assess the holistic nature of teaching, according to the TEA, by measuring how students respond to their teachers instructional practices. It includes three main components: goal-setting and a professional development plan; an evaluation cycle consisting of a pre-conference, observations and a post-conference; and student growth measures. Texas suspended its accountability ratings of schools and school districts, but the pressure to perform has remained a constant. This year, with school districts still struggling to address teacher shortages, the states standardized testing and a modified system of grading schools and districts will be back. On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio school leaders dont hate the STAAR just the grades attached Student performance on the STAAR the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness is not the only measure of a successful teacher and classroom used by districts. But they do use it. You get to have those discussions and hear what everybody thinks, but we always tell them that the data never lies, said Rolando Ramirez, the superintendent at Southside ISD. Josie Norris /San Antonio Express-News Because he augmented the T-TESS when he took over in 2020 to make evaluating teachers something that never really stops, the data also comes from weekly walk-throughs by campus administrators and from visits by administrators every three weeks. The yearlong evaluation process helps set goals and has served as a way to readjust the culture of the district with the overall goal of getting it out of the C rating it received in the 2018-2019 school year. Last week, the district was conducting a mock STAAR using state-released questions to get ahead of the test and gather performance benchmarks. That, too, became part of the ongoing teacher evaluations, this time with Ramirez and other administrators visiting campuses and classrooms. We tell teachers that the year is not made up of 45 minutes and thats how you are going to get your observation, Ramirez said. We make sure that we bring all the documentation from all the visits all year long. Staff understands that every single walk-through counts. Some districts, such as Somerset ISD, have made it a point to keep their evaluations as normal as possible in order to preserve consistency for teachers. The pandemic was already creating some disarray, (so) that we needed to shift our thinking and our practices to stay as consistent with normal routine, said Sheila Collazo, the districts associate superintendent of instructional services. It was a conscious effort for a school year that has been anything but normal. Cases from the coronavirus delta variant peaked just as it began. Most students were back in classrooms, their virtual learning options largely eliminated, but enrollment lagged in many districts. Rapid changes to masking and quarantine requirements at some districts left families confused. And in January, the fast-spreading omicron variant pushed understaffed schools against a wall, with some resorting to corralling multiple classes in a gym, watched by a single teacher. On ExpressNews.com: Battered by virus absences, San Antonios public schools are hanging on But for most districts, teacher evaluations already had returned the previous year. For the 2019-2020 school year, the TEA approved waivers allowing 782 districts to suspend evaluations, including about a dozen in the San Antonio area, among them Edgewood, Harlandale, Judson, Southside, Southwest, Northside and North East. The TEA approved only 149 waivers last school year, and only one, Judson ISD, was in the San Antonio area. System linked to pay Janette Romero, the evaluation coordinator at Harlandale ISD, said the district is closely following the T-TESS method to align individuals to a new state program that provides highly rated teachers between $3,000 and $32,000 in additional annual pay in some cases more based on their rating, the rural status of a campus and level of student need. Our administrators are constantly in the rooms observing, and I think teachers know the importance right now for kids, of having really strong activities, having positive classroom climate, really getting kids engaged, Romero said. We are going back to what we know, and we are kind of hitting it hard. We are doing what the kids need. In T-TESS, teachers can be rated as Distinguished, Accomplished, Proficient, Developing and Improvement Needed, based on four domains of planning, instruction, learning environment and professional practices. Its a key component of the Teacher Incentive Allotment created by the Legislature as part of the landmark 2019 school finance reforms in House Bill 3, which allocated more money for public education and changed how it gets distributed. On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio ISD is about to boost its best teachers pay a lot SAISD was an early adopter of the incentive system and is getting its first cohort of eligible teachers approved by the TEA. The district also was among those that didnt apply for waivers it didnt stop evaluating teachers during the pandemic. It cited the incentive program as the reason, said Alejandra Lopez, president of the San Antonio Alliance of Teachers and Support Personnel. The main concern, she said, is that it adds another stressor that teachers have to work under. We have teachers essentially describing to us what it means to go through an appraisal system within a framework of everything is normal, when we know in fact that everything is not normal, Lopez said. There was very little conversation from district leadership that showed that they were willing to be flexible. Alliance representatives meet with district administration every month, and Lopez said they have brought up the need to move to a less frequent evaluation system and one that doesnt rely strictly on the T-TESS. For one thing, it should consider what a teacher does to support their students social and emotional learning, she said. The T-TESS evaluation does very little to help situate what an educator is doing beyond instruction, Lopez said. Of course, our role as educators is to ensure that our students are learning and are understanding. But we also know that educators do so much more in the classroom to support their students and their families. Teachers interviewed for this story said that even when a district uses a standardized process such as the T-TESS, the results and the stress will vary, depending on the person who is executing it. Different administrators are looking for different things, said Zimmerman of Tafolla Middle School. Even though (evaluations) are all the same rubric, it really depends on your evaluator, because rubrics are subjective, even when they aim to be objective. SAISD administrators declined an interview request, but Jill Rhodes Pruin, the districts interim assistant superintendent of human capital management, explained the process in a written statement, emphasizing that it is not solely based on academic goals. When an appraiser observes a teachers classroom, he/she is verifying that the teacher is differentiating instruction asking questions at varied levels of cognition, allowing students to demonstrate mastery in different ways, etc., she wrote. By differentiating instruction, teachers are able to meet students academic and social-emotional needs in the classroom while still ensuring they are teaching the expected standards. While the pandemic has changed student needs, it was never uncommon for teachers to have to address such differences, Rhodes Pruin said, and evaluators are able to provide targeted feedback as a result of the observation to help teachers hone their instructional practices to support the achievement of all students. This feedback was cited by several district administrators as a big part of why evaluations are important even during a pandemic. Patricia Zamora, a leadership development specialist at Northside ISDs Department of Teaching & Learning, said the T-TESS provides many opportunities for feedback, adding, There are several opportunities to sit with your appraiser, with your administrator, to just talk about your practice, to talk about areas of growth and talk about celebrations. Heathcliff Lopez, an English teacher at MacArthur High School in North East ISD, views teacher evaluations as a formality it feels like an exercise to check the boxes in order to not get a bad score, he said. Feedback is always helpful, but the costs of added stress on teachers dont justify the benefits, Lopez said. During the pandemic, the evaluation should be more on the teachers terms: How do you feel? What is actually going to help you this year? Instead of, Let me just go into your room and evaluate you like normal. Because it isnt a normal time. danya.perez@express-news.net | @DanyaPH SAN ANTONIO A man already in jail and charged in a fatal West Side shooting is now accused of setting fire to a pickup truck that police say he used as a getaway vehicle. Armando Angel Mireless, 20, was charged Thursday with arson, according to court documents. He has been in jail since being arrested and charged on Nov. 2, 2021, with murder in the death of Tiffany Marie Molina, 28. The deadly incident which occurred Sept. 18, 2021, nearly a week before the alleged arson began with an argument between an unidentified woman, her childs father and Molina at a Motel 6 near West Military Drive and U.S. 90. Just after 3 a.m., San Antonio police said, Mireless picked up the unidentified woman in a black 2004 Dodge Ram, according to an affidavit supporting his arrest. He then drove up to Molina and began shooting toward her and her friends from inside the pickup, investigators said. Molina was wounded and taken to a hospital, where she died from her injuries, police said. Detectives immediately began looking for the pickup, which was seen in video footage of the entire incident captured by motel security cameras. On ExpressNews.com: 20-year-old man arrested in connection with fatal shooting at Motel 6 Mireless was in the Bexar County Jail when police interviewed him on Feb. 10 about the pickup. Mireless told police he wanted to get rid of the pickup after friends told him that police were looking for it, based on television news reports, according to the affidavit. He told a detective that he drove the pickup to a wooded area near 2015 Escala Parkway on Sept. 24 and that someone else ignited the fire, using gasoline and lighter fluid, the affidavit states. He said they made him get rid of it. Detectives noted in the affidavit that while Mireless denied igniting the fire, he described details on how the accelerants were poured on the pickup. On Oct 12, police interviewed a woman who said that Mireless left by himself to burn the pickup and that he was gone for about an hour. The witness said she saw lighter fluid on the passenger seat. Mireless remains in jail as of Monday, with bail totaling $400,000. jbeltran@express-news.net Bexar County Sheriff A 20-year-old man who the Bexar County Sheriffs Office had recently hired as a temporary jailer was arrested Saturday on a warrant for online solicitation of a minor with intent for sexual contact. The man, Alucard Harris, had been slated to start work on Monday but his conditional offer of employment was withdrawn after his arrest, the sheriffs office said. The armored catfish sucks literally. The invasive fish species, also known as the suckermouth catfish, is lurking along the riverbeds and banks of the San Marcos River and beyond. Armored suckermouth catfish are dark brown and speckled with black spots, and they like to burrow into the dirt on the sides of the river, disrupting the habitat. But it remains to be seen just how many are there and what can be done to stop them from completely wrecking their aquatic environment. So researchers from Texas State University, Texas A&M University and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department are teaming up to fight them, learn more about their habits and mannerisms, and come up with ways to control the slimy critters population in the delicate ecosystem. William Luther /Express-News The fish have been in the river since the 1990s, but its hard to know exactly when they showed up, said Joshuah Perkin, assistant professor in the department of ecology and conservation biology at Texas A&M University. Perkin is the lead researcher in the latest effort to track them. The fish are native to South America, but they have been introduced to the San Marcos River through aquarium dumping, he said. The armored catfish commonly known in the aquarium trade as Plecos due to their scientific name, Hypostomus plecostomusm are popular in aquariums because they have sucker mouths and like to stick to the sides and bottom of tanks to eat the algae. But they do the same thing in the San Marcos River eat the algae, that is, even the good algae that native species need to eat and that keeps the rivers ecosystem nice and balanced. They will cause erosion through the process of feeding and disturbing the bottom of the stream, theyll put silt into the water column, and they do cause bank erosion, Perkin said. Armored sucker catfish like to burrow into dirt and concrete along the riverbanks, which could be whats causing the banks to collapse and humans to have to repair them. And due to their hard or armored exterior, they have few natural predators in the river, except for maybe the occasional brave snapping turtle. William Luther /Express-News But their lack of predators, ironically, might be their fatal flaw: It makes them relatively easy for humans to catch. The fish dont typically try to swim away quickly when humans approach them, and some can even be caught with a divers bare hands, although theyre most often caught with a standard handheld net or a speargun. Biannual speargun fishing competitions held at the San Marcos River, as well as almost weekly diving expeditions by the Texas A&M research team, are working to pluck the pesky Plecos out of the river each year by the thousands. Once research divers pull them from the river, they can anesthetize them with nature-safe medicines and implant them with tracking chips before releasing them back into the river so they can track their movements and habits. Monica McGarrity, the senior scientist for aquatic invasive species at the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, said the goal of the research is to find out more about the armored catfishs behaviors, population size and habitation habits, to hopefully keep them at bay in the river. She said the catfish arent just in the San Marcos River, but in rivers across Texas and across the world, thanks to widespread aquarium dumping. While total eradication of the fish from the river might not be possible, she said, if you have the most effective methods, you can control the species to reduce its impacts on the native fishes. Annie Blanks writes for the Express-News through Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms. ReportforAmerica.org. annie.blanks@express-news.net. One San Antonian is trying to raise awareness about long COVID-19 symptoms after battling the virus. In September 2020, Rob Smith was 21 when he spent over a week in bed battling COVID-19. Now, 22, Smith says he has been dealing with long COVID symptoms, and that they are so much worse than his experience with the actual virus. On Expressnews.com: A look inside San Antonios future womens and childrens hospital, due summer 2023 His survivor story is one of many that are highlighted in the "We Can Do This" campaign by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to promote the COVID-19 vaccines. The 30-second advertisement is streaming on televisions across the country during March, and it's available to watch on YouTube. Smith grew up in San Antonio and graduated from Central Catholic High School in 2018. He's currently a full-time student studying economics at Stanford University in California. Smith used to play soccer while in high school, and used to run 5 to 6 miles a day before being diagnosed with COVID, but now he suffers from difficulty breathing and brain fog on a daily basis. "I've always considered myself a very healthy person," he said. "But walking up a flight of stairs is really difficult now, I get winded. I used to be able to sit through a two hour lecture at school, but now after fifteen minutes I lose focus really easily." Dr. Monica Verduzco-Gutierrez, medical director of Rehabilitation Medicine Services at University Health and professor and chair of the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at UT Health San Antonio, works closely with patients suffering from debilitating effects of long COVID-19. On Expressnews.com: Small town vaccination outreach is daily challenge for S.A. students Gutierrez sees the patients at two local long COVID clinics she helped establish, and she asked Congress to support clinical care of these patients in a February testimony before the House Ways and Means Committees health subcommittee. In her testimony, she mentioned that patients were still suffering from symptoms after "recovering" from COVID like dizziness that kept them in bed, and shortness of breath. She compared brain fog, like what Smith experiences, to "chemo brain," and said her patients' fatigue after COVID was a hundred times worse than their cancer-related fatigue. It was a few persons when I started clinics to see these patients, and now estimates say it could be upwards of 14 million to 19 million people in the United States, Gutierrez said in her testimony. Smith received the COVID-19 vaccine and booster once they became available, and he encourages others to get the vaccine in order to avoid COVID and its long term effects. He said he was not expecting COVID to affect him this much because of his young age and health, and he hopes his story and the advertisement highlight how serious these effects are. Researchers are still learning more about long COVID, but there is no known treatment yet. For now, Smith is learning to manage his symptoms and working to compile resources and information for those effected. Malak.Silmi@express-news.net If anyone had any doubt that Ukraine has its own national identity, the early days of the Russian invasion should have eliminated it. Theres been the stiff resistance of Ukraines fighters, the former president giving interviews in the streets of Kyiv in battle gear, the ordinary men and women insulting and defying Russian soldiers, and above all, the comedian-turned-president, the now legendary Volodymyr Zelenskyy, refusing to leave his capital as Russian forces bear down on the city seeking to capture or kill him. This is all so compelling because there is something inherently stirring about a people defending their homeland from a would-be imperial overlord. The fight to save Ukraine represents a righteous nationalism. The Ukrainians arent defending democracy per se or freedom in the sense of abstract rights although Vladimir Putins Russia is a threat to both but their land and birthright. They are struggling for national self-determination, and even national survival. Even in a globalized world, even when patriotism is not nearly as strong a force as it once was, even among Eurocrats who want to subsume Europes nations in an EU superstate, Ukraines struggle still strikes a profound chord. In his speech prior to the war, making a direct appeal to the Russian people, President Zelenskyy spoke of his memories of Ukraine. No one in Russia knows the meaning of these places, these streets, these names, these events, he said. These are all alien to you, unfamiliar. This is our land, and this is our history. We are not part of one whole, he explained. You cannot swallow us up. We are different. But this difference is not a reason for enmity. We want to determine our own course and build our own history peacefully, calmly, and honestly. Zelenskyy was speaking a nationalists language of love for his peoples history, land and traditions. As G. K. Chesterton once wrote, Cosmopolitanism gives us one country, and it is good; nationalism gives us a hundred countries, and every one of them is the best. Of course, Ukraines status as a nation is contested by Vladimir Putin, who claims that it rightfully belongs to Russia. His revanchist vision is often described an aggressive nationalism, but it is really a drive for empire. In his own lurid speech before starting the war, Putin laid out a spurious version of history wherein Ukrainian nationhood was an invention of the Soviet Union. He attacked the virus of nationalist ambitions, and claimed after the invasion began that Russian troops were only fighting against nationalist groups in Ukraine. Putin is armed with newer weapons, but hes acting every bit the traditional Russian imperialist. Already in the 15th century, a crude Russian state ruled an enormous swath of territory. By the end of the 19th century, it had become one of the largest empires ever in terms of sheer landmass. This empire was lost with Russias defeat in World I, reconstituted by the Soviets, and lost again at the end of the Cold War. Putin seeks to revive a version of this project and notably referred in his pre-war speech to the collapse of the historical Russia known as the USSR. Zelenskyy and the Ukrainians are fighting for independence against this behemoth and, in so doing, giving Ukraine new national heroes and national lore that will sustain it even if the worst comes. The philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau once wrote of Poland, another country constantly under threat from imperial Russia: The virtue of her citizens, their patriotic zeal, the particular form that national institutions can give to their spirit, that is the only rampart always ready to defend it, and which no army could breach. If you arrange things such that a Pole could never become a Russian, then I can assure you that Russia will never subjugate Poland. The Russian tanks may roll into Kyiv, but Russia wont ultimately triumph over Ukrainian nationalism. GM Korea CEO Kaher Kazem By Lee Kyung-min GM Korea said it would take legal action against the prosecution's recent travel ban on its CEO, Kaher Kazem. "We are exploring all possible measures to protest the prosecution's deeply regretful and unreasonable move," an official of the Korean unit of the U.S.-headquartered carmaker said, Monday. The comment came hours after the prosecution imposed the travel ban on Kazem, who has been appointed to lead the global carmaker's Shanghai office starting on June 1. The U.S. head office said on March 5 (local time) that Kazem was to join SAIC General Motors Corporation Limited, a joint venture between GM and SAIC Motor. This travel ban is the third move by the prosecution since November 2019, when it opened an investigation into GM Korea and four of its officials, including Kazem. The four as well as the corporate entity are standing criminal trial for the illegal control and supervision of 1,700 irregular workers hired by GM Korea's subcontractors between 2017 and 2019 after sending them to work at its plants in Incheon, Changwon in South Gyeongsang Province and Gunsan in North Jeolla Province. The prosecution's decision is all the more unreasonable, the official added, since the CEO has fully complied with summons requests over the past 16 months. "Not once has Kazem failed to appear before the court or the prosecutors for the investigation. He is not a Korean and has to make frequent trips overseas. The ban therefore is no less severe than physical detention," he said. The response followed the prosecution's second ban last May, only a month after a local administrative court ruled in favor of Kazem, who filed a suit to annul the ban. The U.S. head office has yet to finalize Kazem's successor, and no one will be eager to come to the country, seeing how things are playing out for the current CEO. "The issue of illegal supervision involving partner firms' hiring long predates the appointment of Kazem to lead the Korean office. It is a highly concerning series of developments to the head office and officials in Korea," the official said. Title 42 is a bipartisan disgrace. While the Trump administration ushered in Title 42 as a novel way to expel migrants during the pandemic, the Biden administration has maintained it. That may change or should change thanks to a recent ruling by a federal appeals court that limits the abuse of this obscure public health rule, which has left migrants and asylum-seekers in precarious and dangerous situations at the U.S.-Mexico border. The Trump administration used Title 42 to bar entry for asylum-seekers and immigrants under the pretense of concerns about the spread of COVID-19. For many, the hope was this policy would change with the Biden administration. However, faced with a surge of migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border, officials instead have said it falls to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to decide when to end Title 42, and so it has continued. As the New York Times has reported, Since the order was put in place in March 2020, more than 181,000 migrant families have been expelled under it. These families have either returned to the dangerous and hopeless conditions they were fleeing, or they have waited in perilous conditions at the U.S.-Mexico border. In its ruling, the panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit brings these atrocious conditions into high relief: For now, the executive may expel the plaintiffs, but only to places where they will not be persecuted or tortured. Its amazing such a sentence had to be written dont expel migrants to places where they will be tortured or persecuted or that such a standard had to be established through the courts. Hence, the bipartisan shame of Title 42. Beyond this, Title 42 plays into the long-standing trope that immigrants bring disease. When, in fact, as the New York Times reported, many public health experts have said this application of Title 42 has no public health benefit. After all, many immigrant families have been allowed into the United States the 181,000 families expelled under Title 42 since March 2020 represent about 25 percent of total families apprehended at the border during that time. Beyond that, there has been plenty of homegrown COVID here. And lets not forget, we can address COVID through testing and vaccines. There is no reason to expel migrants over COVID concerns when the federal government could test for COVID and then offer vaccination while the asylum process plays out. While Title 42 is a cruel response to the issue of immigration, its implementation underscores the need for comprehensive immigration reform. Meaningful reform would honor and expand the asylum process, bolster security along the U.S.-Mexico border, offer a pathway to citizenship for so-called Dreamers, invest in the Northern Triangle nations of Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador to address root causes of immigration, and bring stability to that region. The Biden administration did roll out such a comprehensive plan in January 2021 a plan we praised but it has, predictably, gone nowhere in this hyper-politicized environment. At the same time, Title 42 has endured, as has a lesser version of the Remain in Mexico policy. There should be a renewed sense of urgency to end Title 42. In a separate ruling last week, a federal district judge in North Texas ordered the Biden administration to stop exempting unaccompanied migrant children from Title 42. Title 42 is a stain on this administration and this nation. End it. Harris County election officials must still tally an additional 10,000 mail-in ballots, nearly a week after polls closed in a primary election plagued with problems, including hourslong delays tracked back to a Baytown precinct judges failure to return a piece of voting equipment. Over 10,000 mail-in ballots about 6,000 cast by Democratic voters and about 4,000 by Republicans were scanned by the Central County Committee but never added into the final results. The error occurred between 1 a.m. and 4 a.m. Wednesday, Harris County Elections officials announced late Saturday. We have reached out to and are working in coordination with the Secretary of States Office as we investigate the missteps that took place in this process, officials said. While we understand the seriousness of this error, the ability to identify and correct this issue is a result of a lengthy, rigorous process and is a positive example of the process ultimately working as it should. The Secretary of States office said they notified Harris County officials of the oversight on Friday after they noticed a discrepancy on the election night reconciliation form, which indicated a difference of 10,072 between the number of ballots counted and the number of eligible votes cast. We agree that this is the process working as it should, and we note that its only because this Election Night reconciliation form is now required for all 254 counties that we were able to identify the discrepancy and work with the county to find out exactly what happened, said secretary of state spokesman Sam Taylor. On Sunday, Harris County election officials also confirmed that a precinct judge at the Baytown Junior High polling place failed to return one of four pieces of voting equipment to the election center directly after the polls closed, contributing to delays that caused the final tally to come in 30 hours after the polls closed. That tally did not include the 10,000 mail-in ballots that were missed. Judges are required to return all pieces of equipment immediately after the polls close, according to Harris County Elections spokeswoman Leah Shah. When the Baytown precinct judge failed to return a scan a secured piece of equipment that holds mechanical ballots/votes after numerous requests from the elections office, a Precinct 3 constables deputy was sent to their home to retrieve it. Those votes have since been processed, and elections officials stressed that the integrity of those votes was not at risk. While delays are inconvenient and require a significant amount of resources to remedy, the security of the ballot is at no point in question, Shah said. From the moment a judge takes possession of the election equipment prior to election day, to the moment they return equipment on election night, there is a chain of custody and numerous safeguards in place to ensure the security of the ballot. The missteps are the latest in a series of problems involving last weeks primary. Over 1,600 ballot sheets were damaged on Election Day, slowing down the counting process, and the countys election website map, which shows voters where they can cast their ballots, went dark for 90 minutes right before the polls opened Tuesday. Some voting sites were also plagued by faulty machines and staffing issues, and just after polls closed on Tuesday, Secretary of State John Scott released a statement saying that Harris County Elections had requested an extension to the 24-hour deadline. Harris County Elections Administrator Isabel Longoria has disputed that report, though the final results did come in past the deadline. Mail-in voting especially has been a contentious issue since the passage of Texas Republican-backed voting bill last year which tightened restrictions on absentee voting in a supposed attempt to tamp down on voter fraud, despite a lack of evidence of any widespread fraud ever existing. About 40 percent fewer mail-in ballots were cast during this latest election cycle amid the confusion, and nearly 40 percent of the ballots initially cast by mail in Harris County were rejected due to the new ID restrictions. While the GOP has blamed the new election authority established in 2020 for the problems with Tuesdays primary, local and state Democrats say the bill has made it harder for Harris Countys independent election authority to effectively do its job. I have spoken to the Election Administrators office this morning to share we must rectify this mistake immediately, understanding the urgency of ensuring every vote is counted and voice is heard. We expect action to be taken quickly, said Odus Evbagharu, chair of the Harris County Democrats. Voters should know the Harris County Democratic Party is actively monitoring the situation. The Harris County GOP saw the issues with Tuesdays primary as another example of incompetence on the part of Longoria and Democratic officials. Every voter, regardless of party, should be able to have confidence that their vote has been properly counted. Unfortunately, this is another example of the serious mismanagement of Lina Hidalgos unqualified Elections Administrator. Isabel Longoria owes all Harris County voters an explanation, said Harris County GOP Chairman Cindy Siegel. The chairman of the board of directors of one of the nations biggest pipeline companies, who is also a major donor to Gov. Greg Abbott, is suing Democrat Beto ORourke for defamation, slander, and libel for criticizing his companys actions in the 2021 Texas winter storm and referring to his subsequent $1 million donation to Abbott as pretty close to a bribe. Kelcy Warren, chairman of the board at the gas pipeline company Energy Transfer Partners, filed suit against ORourke in San Saba County seeking more than $1 million in damages. The lawsuit alleges that ORourke is trying to publicly humiliate Warren and discourage others from contributing to Gov. Abbotts campaign. ORourke on Monday responded with a press conference just 5 miles from Energy Transfer Partners headquarters in Dallas calling the lawsuit frivolous and aimed at trying to stop him from telling the truth about what happened before and after the deadly storm on Abbotts watch. He is trying to stop me from fighting for the people of Texas, ORourke said. And just as we did before, we are not backing down right now. The legal battle comes just a week after Abbott and ORourke won their primary elections and are digging in for what is setting up to be the most competitive governors race in Texas in nearly 30 years. In Abbott, Republicans have an incumbent who is undefeated in six consecutive statewide elections and is by far their best fundraiser. Meanwhile, ORourke brings name recognition and fundraising skills that Democrats have lacked at the top of the ticket, having raised a record $79 million in a narrow loss to U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz in 2018. For months, ORourke has been blasting Abbott for accepting a $1 million contribution from Warren after the Texas power grid failure during the storm. The Wall Street Journal has reported that Energy Transfer Partners made an additional $2.4 billion last year when the states grid manager pushed power prices sky-high to end rolling blackouts. The freeze killed more than 200 people by the states estimate and resulted in billions in property damages. ORourke said all hes done is connect the dots for people so they see how Abbott received generous donations from companies that profited on the winter storms. During a campaign stop in San Antonio last month, ORourke said energy companies have essentially paid off Abbott for not being more aggressive and holding them accountable. Thats pretty close to a bribe by any definition that Im familiar with, ORourke said in San Antonio, though he did not call out Warren by name. Warren also took issue with ORourke retweeting a story from Dallas ABC affiliate WFAA in January detailing how another energy company, Luminant Corp., had filed a complaint against Energy Transfer Partners with the Texas Railroad Commission. Luminant claims that Energy Transfer Partners threatened to shut off Luminants gas supply unless it paid $22 million in fees connected to the 2021 storms. ORourke retweeted the story, with a comment: Thats extortion. In the court filing, Warrens attorneys argue that ORourkes heated rhetoric has been damaging to Warrens reputation and exposed him to public hatred, animus, contempt or ridicule, or financial injury. Warrens attorneys include other ORourke statements in the lawsuit, along with videos of him recounting stories of Texans who died during the storm while giant companies made profits. ORourke showed no signs of backpedaling on Monday, saying Warren made illegal windfall profits off the suffering, misery and deaths of our fellow Texans. Energy Transfer Partners released a statement saying Warren is not trying to stop ORourke from talking about the winter storm. What Mr. Warren is interested in stopping are the irresponsible, defamatory and highly offensive statements by Mr. ORourke related to his donation to Gov. Abbotts campaign, the statement from the company states. This is also the right of every Texan and every American to contribute to the campaigns of candidates they support without being defamed in the process. Mr. ORourkes statements are flat-out false, and they appear to have been made for political gain in a desperate attempt to overcome what appears to be a weakening campaign to unseat Gov. Abbott. The grid failures are a key issue for ORourke as he tries to make the case that Abbott should be fired as the leader of state government. In campaign ads and speeches, ORourke has faulted Abbott for not acting sooner to protect the grid despite years of warnings. And hes blasted Abbott for not doing enough to make sure last years crisis is not repeated. In the past year, state leaders have vowed to fix the problems, enacting new laws and rules supposedly shoring up the system that delivers power to Texas homes and businesses. Yet energy experts say there is still plenty to do to adequately prepare the state for future weather disasters. Abbott said the legislation he signed has better prepared the grid for extreme weather and allowed it to handle the cold snaps that hit Texas this year. The power grid is more resilient, more stable, and stronger than it has ever been in the history of our state, Abbott said during a campaign stop in San Antonio last month. Abbotts campaign said Monday that it had no role in Warren's filing: Our campaign is in no way involved in this lawsuit, said Renae Eze, Abbott's press secretary. In his suit, Warren claims to be a private citizen, although he was a highly controversial public figure just a few years ago when Abbott appointed him to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission. Environmental groups protested his appointment at a time Warrens company was fighting to build the Dakota Access Pipeline that was the subject of months of protests in North and South Dakota from Native Americans in 2016. Warren has become one of Abbotts biggest donors. Since 2019, hes given Abbott nearly $1.3 million for his re-election. He is one of Abbotts top four donors since 2019, according to state campaign finance records. jeremy.wallace@chron.com The Texas Education Agency will convene a task force to study chronic staff shortages that the states schools face, which predate the COVID-19 pandemic but have been exacerbated by it. Gov. Greg Abbott announced the formation of the task force Monday, writing that the group will be charged with examining how staff shortages are hurting Texas schools, crafting policy solutions to the problem and exploring whether teacher certification or hiring practices can be changed to allow for easier recruitment. The ongoing and increasing shortage of full-time and substitute teachers in schools across the state demands a thoughtful, creative conversation to develop strategies to attract, train, and retain the teachers our students need, Abbott wrote. Staff shortage problems existed in Texas schools before the COVID-19 pandemic, but hiring has been made more difficult during that period, particularly in rural areas, a TEA spokesman wrote in an email. The shortage has especially affected substitute teachers. Clay Robison, spokesman for the Texas State Teachers Association, said he hopes that Abbott is serious about addressing this issue, but that ultimately staff shortages come down to a lack of pay for Texas teachers. Robison said Abbott has contributed to the problem previously by not approving widespread teacher pay increases teacher pay in Texas remains below the national average as well as by the governors ban of mask mandates in schools. The pandemic made it worse, and the governor didnt help. He was a big hindrance during the pandemic, Robison said. Teachers were struggling. They were being heroic. They were teaching their classes and trying to keep their students and themselves safe at the same time, and the governor didnt even consider allowing mask mandates to help. There is also a large number of open school jobs created by the $18 billion in federal stimulus funds distributed to school districts. Decisions on how COVID-19 education funds are to be spent was delegated by the federal government to the school districts around the state that are receiving the funds. The purpose of the funds is to address learning loss for children who missed class time due to the pandemic or were forced into a virtual environment, but districts are given wide leeway to spend the funds how they see fit. Staff shortages for schools are not limited to the classroom. Nationwide, schools have struggled to hire enough bus drivers, which has caused longer waits for some students as schools around the state are forced to cut back on bus routes. The members of the task force will be named later this week, a spokesman for the agency said. In his letter announcing the task force, Abbott mentions a 2017 law that introduced merit-based pay increases for teachers, saying it was part of his effort to retain talented teachers in the workforce. Robison said this step was insufficient, as specific teachers should not be receiving raises until every Texas teacher is paid at least the national average. Now that hes been safely renominated, were glad that hes doing this, we just wish that hed done this a long time ago, Robison said. edward.mckinley@chron.com A new social media campaign has been launched with an aim to showcase the huge role that women in British farming play. Farming is traditionally a male-dominated industry, but there are 10,000s of women who work in agriculture, and one company is helping to celebrate that Breedr the precision livestock network - is urging women in British farming to stand up and be counted for their roles within the industry. As part of International Womens Day on Tuesday (8 March), the firm wants to help dispel the myth that agriculture is a male-only industry. Its calling on all farmers to share a photo of themselves proudly celebrating the female farmers in their life on social media, with the hashtag #BreakTheBias. Suzy Wheal, co-founder of Breedr, said the initiative had an aim to share the positive messages about the 'amazing role' women play in British farming. So many women work both as sole traders and alongside their partners and families, and its time to celebrate them as farmers and farm workers in their own right. The company has produced a series of Proud to be posters which can be downloaded for free online, these can be shared with the hashtag. Ms Wheal added: "This is a great opportunity to highlight the impact which female farmers have on the agricultural industry and hopefully inspire a new generation of girls to step up and get farming. Wed love as many women to take part as possible." Free range egg businesses are being urged to consider diversifying into broiler production by converting existing buildings to contract rear birds for a Welsh poultry business. Capestone Organic Poultry Ltd is aiming to increase production to 120,000 free range birds a week following acquisition by the LDC Group, Frances leading poultry supply company. Contracted farmers will play a major part in the Pembrokeshire poultry firm's expansion plans. There are already 15 farmers in Wales growing poultry for Capestone but it is now offering a new, less capital intensive supply route for new farmers who dont want to invest in new build. Capestones managing director Rob Cumine says the opportunity is a good one for any type of farm, but sees it as well matched to poultry farmers producing for other sectors, such as the egg market. Buildings used for this purpose could be converted to broiler units for rearing birds, he says. There are a number of reasons why this might appeal to those farmers, Mr Cumine suggests, including labour requirement. Our programme is less labour intensive than egg production, with a rest period every eight weeks, he says. The level of investment require would vary according to the existing facilities but Mr Cumine anticipates that it would be significantly lower than for a new build. We will have to make individual assessments on each applicants farm on whether a shed or unit is suitable for conversion, he explains. Growers will be offered a new unit premium on conversions, and there will be a high level of support from the team at Capestone. We will introduce farmers to the various suppliers they will need to use to get converted and provide the necessary expertise in what they will require, Mr Cumine adds. Farm businesses would need to commit at least one hectare (ha) of land per 10,000 birds to allow the birds to range. Outsourcing poultry production is commonplace in some regions, in particular northern Ireland and south-west England. The model provides farmers with additional income while allowing poultry businesses to expand without acquiring more land. It also represents a source of income that is not influenced by reductions in the Single Farm Payment. Capestone currently uses a mobile system to rear organic poultry at Walwyns Castle but wants to outsource some of its free range operations. This is an ideal opportunity for a farm diversification the requires minimal labour and good returns, says Mr Cumine. To meet welfare regulations on transport, partner farms must be within a three-hour journey time from Capestones site at Walwyns Castle. There is also a requirement for the farm to have suitable access for articulated lorries. Farmers interested in getting in touch can call 01437 781247 to speak to Viran Abeysena or Joe Rimmer, or by using the contact form on the Capestone website. Farmers and other owners of small woodlands have received new guidance to help them clear trees damaged by recent winter storms. The guidance is aimed at woodland owners who may not have experienced windblow of this scale before and are not sure of the steps needed to manage the damage. A top ten checklist, supported by a more detailed information note, is now available online, produced by Scottish Forestry and Confor, in consultation with NFU Scotland and Scottish Land and Estates. Storm Arwen, the most ferocious storm, was the first of the storms to hit Scotland this winter. It was followed by storms Malik, Corrie, Dudley and Eunice, which affected the already weakened and vulnerable trees. Scotland's environment minister Mairi McAllan welcomed the new guidance: There are many smaller woodland owners who have not dealt with such a clear up operation before. "This new guidance is aimed at them so that they have clear advice on dealing with the aftermath of Storm Arwen and the subsequent storms. Scottish Forestry has been deploying its staff to the areas most affected, with the body saying it is fast tracking necessary paperwork that is needed. Felling Permissions, which are needed for windblow, are being dealt with in around 14 days instead of the usual six weeks, it explains. The Forest Research agency has also been supplying satellite based data to help the industry quantify how much timber has been affected. Andy Leitch, deputy chief executive of forestry body Confor, said: "We welcome the very practical guidance note to support woodland owners to manage the recovery of timber from storm-damaged woodlands. "This is new territory for many of those affected and it is important to provide them with clear, pragmatic advice - as part of a coordinated approach to the wider impact of the winter storms. "As part of this package of support, Confor has published a list of member companies who are able to offer that advice." Guidance has been issued previously to help farmers and other small woodland owners make best use of quality hardwoods that have been brought down by the storms. The Northern Irish agri-food sector has highlighted the need for certainty on climate change legislation as the Assembly prepares to meet to discuss two key bills. On Tuesday, the Executives Climate Change Bill (No. 2) will undergo the final stage, with MLAs voting on whether or not to pass the Bill. If supported, it will become law. Meanwhile, Green party leader Clare Baileys Private Members Bill (No.1) will start the consideration stage on the same date (8 March), proposing a 2045 target for reaching net-zero. During the recent debate on the Executives Climate Change Bill, most parties - namely the SDLP, SF, UUP, DUP and TUV - all spoke in favour of farmers and supported a methane amendment. A separate target for methane has now been officially added to the Bill, with the Ulster Farmers' Union (UFU) saying it was "key to ensuring the protection of rural communities". It would allow the agriculture sector to "play a full part" in achieving the overall climate change ambition, the union said, however, it warned that it would "still require big changes on-farm". The UFU also said it was 'critical' that the Executives Bill gets over the line tomorrow to give certainty to farmers going forward. UFU president Victor Chestnutt said: There is a strong recognition from farmers that climate change legislation is needed, and theyre eager to get to work on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. "However, forcing farmers to deliver on targets that are over and beyond expert advice is totally unacceptable, especially when its undeniably clear that the impacts will be hugely significant. "The detrimental consequences that net zero targets would have on our sector, economy and rural communities have been widely documented," he warned. "Yet some still want to push through this hard-line approach despite being warned that it will have no positive impact on global warming mainly due to carbon leakage. Speaking on behalf of industry representatives, Dr Mike Johnston, chief executive of Dairy Council NI, said he welcomed the methane amendents to the Executive's Bill. However, he said it was 'extremely worrying' that Clare Baileys Private Members Bill is still going through the legislative system. "It seems senseless when we now have a Bill that can deliver for climate change and everyone in society, and also considering the time pressures on the NI Assembly as we move towards the end of the mandate. Our agri-food industry has been through the mill on the climate change debate and its time for a line to be drawn under it." This year's World Ploughing Contest which was scheduled to take place in St Petersburg has been cancelled due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Show organisers the World Ploughing Organisation announced the event's cancellation, calling the Ukraine war a "clear violation and breach of international law." The 67th World Ploughing Contest was scheduled to take place in St Petersburg on 13 and 14 August, hosted by the Russian Ploughing Organisation. On a social media post, the World Ploughing Organisation condemned Russia's attack on Ukraine. "On 24 February 2022 Russia attacked and launched an invasion on its neighbouring country Ukraine," the organisation said. "The World Ploughing Organisation strongly condemn Russia and its leadership for this atrocious conduct." The World Ploughing Organisation's slogan is "Pax Arva Collat - Let Peace Cultivate The Soil", but Russia's invasion is in "direct contradiction" of this, the group said. "Therefore, the World Ploughing Governing Board has decided to cancel the forthcoming 67th World Ploughing Contest in St. Petersburg, Russia." Next year's World Ploughing Contest will be held in the Republic of Ireland, the organisation confirmed. gettyimagesbank Chinese firms are staying put in Russia for the moment despite a growing exodus of Western companies albeit bracing for growing uncertainty taking a cue from Beijing's stance of refraining from criticizing Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine. Even as Apple, Nike, Netflix, fashion chain HM and many other Western companies have cut or paused business in Russia amid a tide of sanctions and international criticism of President Vladimir Putin's actions, Chinese firms so far have stayed largely silent about their operations in Russia. The Chinese government, which struck a "no limits" partnership accord with Russia just weeks before Moscow's Feb. 24 invasion, has blamed NATO expansion for the crisis and urged talks to resolve the situation. On social media, the Chinese public has shown overwhelming support for Russia's attack, which Moscow calls a "special operation". Chinese ride-hailing giant Didi Chuxing faced a public backlash in China last week after it announced it would pull out of Russia, with social media users accusing it of succumbing to U.S. pressure on Moscow. It later reversed the decision without giving an explanation. Lenovo, the world's No. 1 personal computer maker, was also subject to heavy criticism in China when a local Belarusian news outlet reported, without saying where it got the information, that it would cease supplying Russia. Lenovo did not respond to Reuters' requests for comment on the issue. The relatively small size of the Russian market for Chinese firms would however make it easier for them to change tack and join foreign rivals in departing, especially as Moscow faces economic collapse due to growing Western sanctions. "For most Chinese companies, Russia is just too small of a market for the business to be worth the risk of getting cut off from developed markets or being sanctioned itself," wrote Dan Wang, an analyst for Gavenkal Dragonomics, in a research note. Russia's smartphone market, for example, totaled 31 million units last year, or just one-tenth of China's domestic market size by comparison, according to research firm IDC. A man is silhouetted near the Huawei logo in Beijing, May 16, AP-Yonhap The international community must come together and work to secure world food production while reducing dependency on Russia, a fertiliser giant has said. The long-term consequences of the war in Ukraine will impact both rich and poor nations, Yara International, which operates in over 60 countries, warned. Russia and Ukraine are significant powers in a global and fragile food system, with Ukraine a leading agricultural nation and the worlds second biggest grain producer. Russia, also an agricultural powerhouse, has enormous resources in terms of nutrients, such as potash and phosphate - key ingredients in fertilisers, which enable crops to grow. Norway-based Yara International buys huge amounts of essential raw materials from Russia, and it also provides solutions to the agricultural sector in Ukraine. But the firm said that despite the limited number of alternatives, world governments must work out the 'dilemma' between securing food production while shunning Russia due to its aggressive invasion. "Now, with the geopolitical conditions out of balance, the biggest sources of raw material to Europes food production are being subject to limitations, and there are no short-term alternatives. "One potential consequence is that only the most privileged part of the world population gets access to enough food," said Svein Tore Holsether, CEO of Yara International. He said the firm had been directly hit by the conflict, both by having employees in the war zone in Ukraine and by a missile that hit its office building in Kiev. All staff were unharmed. And while higher food and fertiliser prices may positively impact Yara's bottom line in the short-term, Mr Holsether warned that the societal and economic consequences of the war would lead to significant destabilisation. "A world with unstable food supply is a world with famine in parts of the world, increased mortality, armed conflict, migration, riots, and destabilised societies which can further accelerate geopolitical tensions," he added. "It is therefore crucial that the international community come together and work to secure world food production and reduce dependency on Russia, even though the number of alternatives today is limited. "This constitutes a difficult dilemma between continuing sourcing from Russia on a short-term basis or cut off Russia from the international food chains." He warned the last option may have considerable social consequences. "These considerations are not to be taken by individual companies but need to be made by national and international authorities. "The urgency now lies in helping Ukraine and the Ukrainian people." It comes as the UK's four farming unions recently sent a letter of solidarity to Ukrainian farmers as they faced 'atrocious and unprecedented challenges'. The letter, written by the NFU, NFU Scotland, Ulster Farmers' Union and NFU Cymru, was sent to the Ukrainian National Agrarian Forum. Farming businesses across the UK have also been spurred on to help Ukrainians, such as establishing donation sites on-farm and setting up fundraising pages. Warrenton, VA (20186) Today Thunderstorms likely, especially this evening. Low 56F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight Thunderstorms likely, especially this evening. Low 56F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. Gender Equality Today For A Sustainable Tomorrow I Am Generation Equality Gender And Environment Image: Shutterstock Act For Equality (#ActforEqual) Why We Support Women Leaders FAQs About World Womens Day Q. Is today's world womens day? Q. What is the theme for International Women's Day? Q. What is the slogan of women's day 2022? Q. Why was International Women's Day created? Next Story : Glenn Maxwell Is All Set To Tie The Knot With His Long-time Love Vini Raman For generations, women have been dealing with issues that are bogging them down like patriarchy, pay gap, and casual misogyny that people have incorrectly internalised. It was with an intention of squashing these practices that we started celebrating world womens day. World womens day has been celebrated internationally on 8 March every year since 1975 to highlight the achievements of women in cultural, political and socio-economic contexts.World womens day ora different theme every year, and in 2022, the United Nations is highlighting the direct impact of climate change on the lives of women, and women leaders who are changing the conversation about climate with their sustainable initiatives. While we celebrate world womens day, theres so much about it that goes unnoticed in our conversations surrounding the topic. Heres everything you need to know about world womens day this year.1. Gender Equality Today For A Sustainable Tomorrow 2. I Am Generation Equality 3. Gender And Environment 4. Act For Equality (#ActforEqual) 5. Why We Support Women Leaders 6. FAQs About World Womens Day Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow is the United Nations theme for International Womens Day for 2022. With adequate research and data, there exists proof of the impact of gender equality on the impending climate crisis. It has been observed that the climate crisis is a womens issue. According to the UN, without, a sustainable and equal future remains out of reach. Climate crisis especially affects those who are more vulnerable and marginalised, and women are being counted among those observed to be more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change as they make up for a majority of the worlds poor and rely more on Earths natural resources.They are also at greater health and safety risks when sanitation systems become compromised as a part of the disappearing resources. Many catastrophic events like droughts that destroy crops and cause food scarcity to have a direct impact on the lives of women, who in many cultures and in many parts of the world are still the last members in the family to eat. This worsens the situation for women and young girls who are already in fragile living conditions.While women are vulnerable, they are also effective change-makers who are leaders who are involved in various change adaptation and mitigation programmes, and sustainability initiatives around the world. With Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow the UN aims at recognising and both at grassroots levels and in power positions who are leading the charge on tackling the climate crisis and advocating sustainability.The UN believes that without gender equality today, a sustainable future, and an equal future will remain beyond our reach.How often have you heard that women drivers arent good drivers? At least once a week when youre using public transport or walking on the pavement. Since childhood, weve faced or heard of situations where gender inequality exists - it could seem as normal as driving a private car or as severe as searching for job opportunities. Maybe weve seen it in school sometime or at some homes where women run the everyday chores. Examples are countless, and these often occur with the previous generations set notions about dividing responsibility between a woman and a man.But can we claim to be different? Can we, the women, proudly say we belong to a generation that strives for gender equality? Can this generations men cook at home and women go out for work? Questions, or expectations rather, will only have answers if we consider ourselves to be Generation Equality and make an individual choice for everyone by seeking the power to speak up. This world womens day, take a pledge to make a change wherever possible, whenever possible.Change begins at the grassroots level. As women of Generation Equality don't work towards eliminating those inequalities.The UNs theme can call for, by women. If youre wondering how the two are related, here's the reasoning. As drivers of social change, women head some organisations today, overcoming struggles of gender inequalities, and as the nest of families, they head day-to-day chores. In both cases, observe that women are heading organisational structures - be it a team or a family.The Climate crisis has the greatest impact on women or girls as their livelihoods are at risk. Women around the world depend more on natural resources than men. At the same time, they have lesser access to these resources, which include agricultural produce, water or fuel, and a greater responsibility to procure the same. Be it sanitation methods or security needs, women are at the compromising front. Hence, the upliftment of women in the correlated talk for sustainability and equality can give birth to solutions to problems men arent directly facing.To maintain a sustainable lifestyle, women need access to several resources. Their contribution in innovating sustainable methods to save the climate can make a big impact.As world womens day is around the corner, conversations about womens equality are rising. Every February and March, conversations peak, but what about the remaining months? They should be for acting upon whats spoken. Agree with us when we say that womens equality should be practised around the year and year after year. With each passing year, a difference will be seen in attempts of sustainability, entrepreneurship, education, sanitation and society as a whole.Make Act for Equal a motto you live by and be cautious of your surroundings. Equality can also be achieved byfarmers, funding women-run associations, equal pay in comparison to men and caring about womens well-being.Women's representation and leadership appear to drive better environmental outcomes at both the national and local levels. Countries with a higher proportion of women in parliament tend to implement stricter climate change policies, resulting in lower emissions. Women's participation in natural resource management at the local level leads to more equitable and inclusive resource governance and better conservation outcomes. And when women are fully included in community climate programmes, they tend to be more effective and efficient in their resource use.Women, on average, are more likely to consider their families and communities in decision-making processes, which is critical for producing the kind of holistic solutions required for effective climate action. Indigenous women, in particular, have specialised knowledge in agriculture, conservation, and natural resource management.Women's participation in decision-making processes is critical to effective climate action because they have unique knowledge and experience, particularly at the local level.World Womens Day or International Womens Day is celebrated every year on March 8 and is a holiday in most countries. It is observed to commemorate the achievements cultural, political, and socio-economic of women who have come before us and to encourage the works of the current generation so they can inspire those who come after them. The ultimate goal of celebrating International Womens Day every year is to reach a point in society where gender parity does not exist and patriarchy is an outmoded concept.The theme for International Women's Day changes every year according to the matter and is usually a reflection of the issue that feels most pressing at the time that it is decided. Last year, the UN made Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world, its a theme to highlight the works of women leaders. This year, though, the focus is solely on bringing awareness to the climate crisis issues and how they impact everyone but especially women with the theme, Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow.The slogan or theme for International Women's Day 2022 was announced on 3 December 2021 and is Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow. It is all about shining a spotlight on women and young girls around the world who are taking on the climate crisis and working toward climate adaptation and mitigation, and according to the UN, has been decided in alignment with priority theme for the upcoming 66th Commission on the Status of Women: Achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls in the context of climate change, environmental and disaster risk reduction policies and programmes.The fight for womens rights has been taking place since 1908 when a group of 15,000 women took the streets of New York City to fight for shorter working hours, equal pay, and voting rights. After the movement gathered steam in countries across the world, it was decided by the United Nations that March 8 would be observed as International Women's Day. The first time it was celebrated was in 1975. Since then, every year, Womens Day is held to celebrate the cultural, political and socio-economic advancement of women. Ethnic Rohingya people rest at a temporary shelter in Bireuen, Aceh Province, Indonesia, March 6. More than 100 hungry and weak Rohingya Muslims were found on a beach in Indonesia's northernmost province Sunday after weeks at sea, officials said. AP-Yonhap More than 100 hungry and weak Rohingya Muslims were found on a beach in Indonesia's northernmost province of Aceh, Sunday, after weeks at sea, according to local officials there. The group arrived on Jangka Beach near Alue Buya Pasi, a fishing village in the 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 the 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 wasn't 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, the police and military, while the local authorities including Indonesia's 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 and its neighboring Lhokseumawe, a coastal town in North Aceh. (AP) Category Select Category Apparel/Garments Textiles Fashion Technical Textiles Information Technology E-commerce Retail Corporate Association Press Release SubCategory Select Sub-Category Prabhas recently spoke out about his first encounter with Deepika Padukone. The actor will appear with Deepika in Project K, which will be shot across India. They've already filmed a schedule for the multilingual picture in Hyderabad. When they concluded the filming in December of last year, Prabhas even treated Deepika to a mouthwatering South Indian meal. Deepika Padukone reportedly confronted Prabhas about his shyness during their first encounter, according to Prabhas. Prabhas revealed to Deepika that he spends time getting used to new people while interacting with the media during the promotion of Radhe Shyam, his forthcoming film starring Pooja Hegde. Prabhas shared with a leading daily, "We met on the sets of Project-K. Deepika asked me if I am shy. I said, initially I am. Only after getting comfortable with people, I start talking to them continuously." Prabhas revealed that as he gets to know someone, he brings out his humorous side. He stated, "Sometimes, I irritate them by cracking jokes as long as they enjoy my company." The sci-fi film Project K, directed by Nag Ashwin, will be released in six languages: Telugu, Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, and English. SOEs Minister Erick Thohir (ANTARA/HO-Kementerian BUMN/pri) JAKARTA, Mar 5, 2022 - (ACN Newswire) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has given a period of one to two years for state-owned enterprises (SOEs) to make fundamental changes to increase their competitiveness.On October 14, 2021, Jokowi stated that he was pleased to witness the clustering of container terminal operator and port development firm Pelindo into one holding, which was PT Pelabuhan Indonesia, to cuts logistics costs and helps improve connectivity throughout Indonesia.According to Jokowi, the clustering forms into one great power, as it builds networking with partnerships abroad. "Through partnering with overseas companies who have networks, the (SOEs') link to all countries can become a huge power," the president remarked.Through clustering, SOE companies have shown above-standard or even excellent work performance that has contributed significantly to the state budget.According to data from the National Development Planning Board (Bappenas) in 2019, the estimated total budget for infrastructure development in the period of 2020-2024 was US$447 million or Rp6,445 trillion, and 21 percent of them came from or supported by SOEs.In the third quarter of 2021, the total assets of SOEs reached some US$610.5 million or Rp8,767 trillion, equivalent to some 57 percent of Indonesia's GDP.Moreover, in January - September 2021, the total consolidated revenues were closed at Rp1,613 trillion, or grew 14% compared to the same period in 2020.One of the efforts to enhance state firms' performances is through clustering and restructuring.Clustering efforts have been accomplished by reducing the number of SOEs from 107 to 41, and sector clustering from 27 to 12, where two deputy ministers each oversee six clusters.Currently, there are 12 sectors that 41 SOEs engage in: energy, oil, and gas; mineral and coal; insurance and pension funds services; plantations and forestry; and telecommunications and media.Additional industries include the food and fertilizer industry, tourism and supporting services, health industry, manufacturing industry, infrastructure, logistics, and financial services.On February 18, 2022, SOEs Minister Erick Thohir announced that he would again downsize the number of state-owned enterprises from 41 to 37 in the next two years.In addition, he expressed his hope that the next SOEs Minister can complete the reducing program to only 30 state-owned enterprises. With a roadmap for a ten-year period, he has targeted to make the scope of state firms more manageable.So far, the ministry has encouraged and carried out the SOEs transformation through reducing companies that are considered too large in number, and focusing on inefficient business sectors.Under his leadership, the transformation is focused on human capital through replacing underperforming board of directors with better ones, so many state-owned enterprises can generate profits for the state.Through restructuring, holdings, mergers, and acquisitions, Thohir has made SOEs' work performances more efficient.According to Thohir, the SOEs Ministry distinguishes the strategy of the three pharmaceutical SOEs, where Bio Farma focuses on vaccines, Kimia Farma is focused on chemicals, and Indofarma on herbs. Indonesia has extraordinary potential in the herbal sector, but it has not been explored, so the SOEs Ministry had tried to re-map the path in developing it."We know that we import 90 percent of the raw material for medicines, and even medical devices. The COVID-19 pandemic has woken us up that we need to create a roadmap for Kimia Farma to focus on chemicals and Indofarma to be positioned on herbs," he explained.Thohir said that since health and energy are under the same SOEs ecosystem, a connection between sectors needs to be built.On the other hand, oil and gas firm Pertamina has begun to build petrochemicals, and one of the derivatives of petrochemicals is to create paracetamol. If Pertamina is merged with a health state firm into one ecosystem, Indonesia would no longer need to import paracetamol.The ministry also consolidated and launched the tourism holdings and its sub holdings into one cluster, consisting of airport operator Angkasa Pura I and Angkasa Pura II, as well as some aviation and hotel companies.Thohir put together the infrastructure construction SOE and cement SOE into one cluster, as he viewed that the two need each other and are expected to synergize.Meanwhile, the tourism, logistics, and support cluster consists of Hotel Indonesia, temple tourism managing firm PT TWC, which manages the temples of Prambanan and Borobudur and Ratu Boko, and Indonesia Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC).State-owned Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI) also announced that it relied on clustering to strengthen the distribution of smallholder business credits (KUR), as well as to help boost the productivity of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) during the COVID-19 pandemic.Moreover, on February 23, three state-owned companies have agreed to collaborate on building green industry clusters in Indonesia that will prioritize the efficient and effective use of sustainable resources. The three state firms are electricity company PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN), oil and gas company PT Pertamina, and fertilizer company PT Pupuk Indonesia.The clustering efforts began in 2020, as many state firms decided to be merged. Thohir also significantly increased the performance target of SOEs to double their outputs in 2024, especially on profits, which are projected to reach some US$20.8 billion or Rp300 trillion.To be successfulPerformance of banks incorporated in the Association of State-Owned Banks (Himbara) throughout 2021 showed satisfactory results through well-implemented credit restructuring, economist and capital market practitioner Lucky Bayu Purnomo said.According to Purnomo, credit restructuring has resulted in more efficient and effective management of operational expenditures. In December 2021, the total profit of Himbara banks shot up to US$5 billion or Rp72.05 trillion, significantly increasing by 78.06 percent, compared to 2020 at US$2.8 billion or Rp40.34 trillion.Thohir said each Himbara bank has a specific business focus, such as BRI prioritizes the MSME and ultra micro-segments, Mandiri is dedicated to enhancing the national corporates and entrepreneurs, BNI on international business, and BTN focuses to reduce backlog numbers and help people, including millennials, to make it easier to purchase a home."We hope that Himbara's role can be more prominent and become the main national economic driver through enrichment in various segments that provides positive impacts for stakeholders and Indonesian society," he said.Previously, SOE holdings that had been formed were plantation holdings under PT Perkebunan Nusantara III, forestry holding under Perum Perhutani, fertilizer holding under PT Pupuk Indonesia, and cement holding under PT Semen Indonesia.Under Thohir's leadership, the holdings of SOEs that have been completed are the mining holdings under Mining Industry Indonesia (MIND ID), oil and gas holdings under PT Pertamina, pharmaceutical holdings under PT Biofarma, state-owned hospital holdings under Pertamedika IHC, insurance and underwriting holdings Indonesia Financial Group (IFG), and tourism and aviation holdings under Aviasi Pariwisata Indonesia or InJourney.Fixing SOEs through the establishment of holdings is a task that must be carried out sustainably to yield powerful government-owned corporations that can compete on the international stage.Photo: ANTARA / HO-Kementerian BUMN / priReporter: Kenzu Tandiah; Editor: Rahmad Nasution (c) ANTARASource: Indonesian Ministry of State Owned Enterprises / BUMNCopyright 2022 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved. HEFEI, China, March 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Sungrow, the global leading inverter solution for renewables, announced the SG6.0RS, a key product Sungrow's brand-new residential PV & ESS portfolio, won the Contemporary Good Design Award. Organized by The Red Dot Organization, this internationally prestigious award distinguishes this product as well as the same series residential through its excellent aesthetics and functionality. SG6.0RS and the same residential series ranging from the SG2.0-10.0 RS, is compatible for higher power panels, supports a maximum 3 MPPTs and achieves an input current up to 16A per MPPT. Hence the yield is even higher. The minimalistic design allows for convenient installation and application. The ultra-thin panel and compact design make this machine smaller and lighter than similar products. Only one person is needed to complete the installation. Designed for simpler usage, customers will see power, yield, and fault information from the LED display clearly and directly without using phones. As safety is one of Sungrow's top priorities, the product design team ensured comprehensive safety and protection for this product. Relying on the C5 anti-corrosion level, IP65 protection, AFCI 2.0 and excellent heat dissipation design etc., residential customers can trust this inverter for lifetime usage. Thus far, this new residential series has been sold to Europe, Australia, Middle East and other regions, supplying more than 30 thousand families' clean power usage. Since this product series is sold in the global residential market, its R&D made updates based off the demand of customers worldwide. Previously, residential inverter customers were bothered by inconvenient installation and complicated applications. In addition, many residential inverters generate loud noise and high temperature when utilized. Sungrow R&D team redesigned its residential series to solve these problems. The National Center for Industrial Design in Sungrow stated, "In many countries, residential users are the major consumers of electricity. As a result, we make it a mission to provide them with the most efficient, safe, and convenient experience in using clean energy. We achieve this by consistently working to improve their products with their customers and offering them the best possible solutions." The global residential solar energy market has grown during the last year, with approximately a 40 GWac installation capacity. Countries like the United States, Australia, and Germany, plan to increase the renewable energy share through the deployment of residential solar PV and ESS systems. Sungrow offers a wide range of residential solutions including PV Inverter SG2.0-10.0RS, hybrid inverter SH3.0-6.0RS and different types of batteries. To simplify residential customers' user experience, Sungrow also equips the PV and Storage systems with intelligent monitoring products like Winet-S and iSolarCloud. All prove to be efficient and reliable for home users worldwide. About Sungrow Sungrow Power Supply Co., Ltd. ("Sungrow") is the world's most bankable inverter brand with over 224 GW installed worldwide as of December 2021. Founded in 1997 by University Professor Cao Renxian, Sungrow is a leader in the research and development of solar inverters with the largest dedicated R&D team in the industry and a broad product portfolio offering PV inverter solutions and energy storage systems for utility-scale, commercial & industrial, and residential applications, as well as internationally recognized floating PV plant solutions, NEV driving solutions and EV charging station solutions. With a strong 25-year track record in the PV space, Sungrow products power installations in over 150 countries. Learn more about Sungrow by visiting: www.sungrowpower.com. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1760226/Sungrow_Power_Supply_Contemporary_Good_Design_Winner.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1344575/Logo.jpg LOS ANGELES (dpa-AFX) - Carl Icahn exited from Occidental Petroleum Corp. (OXY), selling the last of what was once an about 10% stake in the oil-and-gas producer, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday, citing a letter he sent to Occidental's board. The activist investor's two representatives on Occidental's board are also resigning. Icahn, who had been cutting the position, in recent days sold the remainder of it, the Journal reported. The move brings to a close one of Icahn's most dramatic recent clashes, which began when he criticized Occidental for outbidding larger rival Chevron Corp. (CVX) to strike a $38 billion deal to buy Anadarko Petroleum Corp. in May 2019. Icahn had been arguing for almost a year that the Anadarko deal was an ill-conceived defensive move and campaigning for the ouster of Chief Executive Vicki Hollub. He also took issue with the $10 billion of pricey financing from Warren Buffett that Occidental relied on to pay for the deal. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. - Companies are investing more in R&D to develop production methods such as hot metal extrusion and solvent casting to produce high-quality oral strips on a regular basis - The global market is expected to be driven by rise in the adoption of oral thin films in oral drug delivery systems and increase in prevalence of dysphagia ALBANY, N.Y., March 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The global oral thin films market was worth US$ 2.6 Bn in 2019. The market is expected to rise at a CAGR of 9.2% during the forecast period, from 2020 to 2030. The oral thin films market is likely to reach valuation of US$ 6.6 Bn by 2030. The global oral thin films market is expected to be driven by extensive R&D activities, increase in demand for thin film drug delivery systems, and strategic collaborations between new technology proprietors and major pharmaceutical firms during the forecast period. Oral thin films with vast surface areas have disintegration, fast wetting, and dissolution, resulting in incremental potential for pharmaceutical firms. They are taking advantage of commercial prospects to treat migraines and schizophrenia, as neurological illnesses are expected to generate the most revenue in the global oral thin films market. Request Brochure of Oral Thin Films Market Research Report - https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=42869 Mechanical qualities of drug eluting oral thin films, such as tear resistance and elongation at break, are key aspects for handling, production, and shipping, and are being taken into consideration by manufacturers. Oral thin films are being developed with the goal of achieving accurate dosing and flexibility, allowing them to be perforated as well as manipulated in size and thickness for the delivery of extremely uniformed dosages. Key Findings of Market Report Thin film drug delivery technologies are becoming more popular due to advantages such as a bigger surface area, precise medicine, and pleasing color & flavor when compared to standard drug delivery systems. Patients and medical professionals alike are said to favor thin-film medications, since they are patient-friendly and provide high-quality results. Patients benefit from oral thin film drugs, as they are easy to store and carry. In addition, these provide exact and accurate dosage, resulting in the desired beneficial result. As a result, the thin film drug delivery system market has garnered a lot of traction. The global market has been triggered further by a high degree of acceptability and amazing benefits. Request for Analysis of COVID-19 Impact on Oral Thin Films Market - https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=covid19&rep_id=42869 Based on product type, in 2019, the global oral thin films market was led by sublingual films, and this tendency is expected to persist during the forecast timeframe. The category is likely to grow due to a robust product pipeline, significant research initiatives, and increasing market acceptance of sublingual film. In 2019, the neurological diseases category accounted for a significant portion of the worldwide oral thin film market based on indication. The category is likely to be driven by an increase in the incidences of neurological illnesses. In 2019, the retail pharmacies distribution channel category led the market, due to growth in the number of retail pharmacies in developing countries, higher inclination toward retail pharmacies among end users and availability of an extensive variety of items During the forecast period, North America is expected to hold a dominant position in the global market. The regional market is driven by higher product availability, uptake of oral thin films, and existence of several suppliers in comparison with other regions. Get Exclusive PDF Sample Copy of Oral Thin Films Market Report - https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=42869 Global Oral Thin Films Market: Growth Drivers As a rising number of people adopt a sedentary lifestyle, companies are developing oral thin films that alter supplement dosing. Pharmaceutical companies in the global market have taken notice of the simple yet rapid method of producing oral strips compared to capsules and tablets. Attributed to the prevalence of regional and global companies and rise in demand for oral thin films, the market in Asia Pacific is likely to grow at a high CAGR during the forecast period. China and Japan are estimated to be profitable regions for the global market. In these nations, there is a substantial senior patient populace with dysphagia, as well as a rise in healthcare spending, which is likely to propel the regional market. Make an Enquiry before Buying - https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=EB&rep_id=42869 Global Oral Thin Films Market: Key Players Some of the key market players are Kyu Pharmaceutical Co Ltd Sunovion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. LIVKON Pharmaceuticals pvt. Ltd. ZIM Laboratories Limited Aquestive Therapeutics, Inc. Cure Pharmaceutical Global Oral Thin Films Market: Segmentation Product Sublingual Film Fast Dissolving Oral Film Buccal Film Indication Pain Management Neurological Disorders Nausea & Vomiting Opioid Dependence Others Distribution Channel Hospital Pharmacies Retail Pharmacies Online Pharmacies Modernization of healthcare in terms of both infrastructure and services have pushed the healthcare industry to new heights, Stay Updated with Latest Healthcare Industry Research Reports by Transparency Market Research: Nutraceutical Oral Thin Films Market: A nutraceutical is a fortified food or food product that provides protection against chronic disease along with physiological benefits. Nutraceuticals may be utilized to support the function or structure of the body, increase life expectancy, delay the aging process, improve health, or prevent chronic diseases. Echocardiography Market: The global echocardiography market was valued over US$ 1.4 Bn in 2019. The market is projected to expand at a moderate CAGR from 2020 to 2030. Echocardiography is a medical test that utilizes sound waves to create a live image of the heart known as electrocardiogram (ECG). This test enables doctors to monitor the condition of the heart of the patient and understand its function. Intramedullary Nails Market: The global intramedullary nails market was valued at US$ 0.73 Bn in 2019 and is projected to expand at a CAGR of ~5% from 2020 to 2030. Intramedullary fixation is valuable and appropriate for majority of fractures. With newer nail designs and attention to technique, nailing can be extended to both proximal and distal extra articular fractures. About Us Transparency Market Research is a global market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. Our experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports. 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Contact Rohit Bhisey Transparency Market Research State Tower, 90 State Street, Suite 700, Albany NY - 12207 United States USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453 Email:sales@transparencymarketresearch.com Follow Us: Twitter | LinkedIn Blog: https://tmrblog.com Browse PR - https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/pressrelease/oral-thin-films-market.htm Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1682871/TMR_Logo_Logo.jpg LONDON (dpa-AFX) - Rio Tinto (RTPPF.PK, RIO.L, RIO, RTNTF.PK) said it has reached a settlement with the Australian Securities and Investment Commission or ASIC regarding the disclosure of the impairment of Rio Tinto Coal Mozambique (RTCM), which was reflected in Rio Tinto's 2012 year-end accounts. Rio Tinto Coal Mozambique was acquired in 2011 and divested in 2014. As part of the court approved settlement, Rio Tinto will pay a A$750,000 penalty for a single contravention of its continuous disclosure obligations in the period 21 December 2012 to 17 January 2013. As part of the settlement between ASIC and Rio Tinto, there were no findings of fraud or any systemic or widespread failure by Rio Tinto. The case against Tom Albanese and Guy Elliott has been wholly dismissed. Rio Tinto settled with the United Kingdom's Financial Conduct Authority in 2017 relating to the same Rio Tinto Coal Mozambique impairment. A US court also dismissed a related US securities class action. Rio Tinto said it will continue to defend itself vigorously against the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's allegations. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. Foreigners line up at the check-in counter as they prepare to depart Hong Kong's Chek Lap Kok International Airport, March 6, after travel restrictions hit Hong Kong's white collar "expat" foreign workers hard. AFP-Yonhap For the last eight years Mathilde and her family have called Hong Kong home, but as COVID-19 tears through the city they are joining an exodus of foreign workers looking for an escape route. "We are leaving and we will come back to empty our house whenever that is possible," she told AFP, declining to give her surname and nationality. "All our close friends are leaving." For Mathilde it was the risk of being separated from her three Hong Kong-born children that was the final straw after two years of tough "zero-COVID" restrictions. "We want to get our children out of here above all," she said. Hong Kong used mainland China's "zero-COVID" strategy to keep the virus at bay, until the highly infectious Omicron variant broke through at the start of the year. But while other places that deployed similar tactics such as Australia, New Zealand and Singapore are learning to live with the virus, Hong Kong is doubling down even as it records tens of thousands of new infections each day. The city has been ordered by China, the only major economy still pursuing zero-COVID, to curb the outbreak at all costs. All 7.4 million residents will be tested later this month and authorities are building a network of isolation camps to house the infected, deepening fears that families will be separated in the months ahead. As a result, departures have skyrocketed with a net outflow of 71,000 people including 63,000 residents in February, the highest since the pandemic began. Patients lie on hospital beds waiting at a temporary holding area outside the Caritas Medical Center in Hong Kong, Feb. 16. AP-Yonhap Travel restrictions have been hard on Hong Kong's foreign workers, who make up nearly 10 percent of the population. Borders have been effectively sealed to visitors and residents who do return have faced two to three weeks in expensive hotel quarantines throughout most of the pandemic. "If there was a road map and we knew that there's some light at the end of the tunnel we might stay," said Heiko, a German entrepreneur who works in artificial intelligence. "Since this is not the case... we've decided to leave." Heiko's youngest daughter recently celebrated her second birthday. "Her entire life has been a sequence of lockdowns, multiple stays in quarantine hotels, closed playgrounds and closed kindergartens. She's met her grandparents only once," he sighed. Lucy Porter Jordan, a sociologist at the University of Hong Kong, said that, before Omicron, Hong Kong "had the restrictions but you also had the safety." "If you take that out of the equation, you end up with this kind of perfect storm." Most of those leaving, she added, were people with children and "people that have the means". Over the last fortnight Hong Kong has looked more like New York or London at the start of the pandemic than a city which had two years of hard-won breathing room to get ready. The government was caught flat-footed with few plans in place to deal with a mass Omicron-fueled outbreak. Hospitals and morgues were quickly overwhelmed and the city's current death rate is four times Singapore's, mostly accounted for by unvaccinated elderly residents. Panic buying has stripped shelves bare, schools remain shuttered and summer holidays have been brought forward so classrooms can be used for mass testing. Residents leave after getting tested for COVID-19 at a temporary testing center in Hong Kong, March 6. AP-Yonhap Companies and industry groups have been increasingly public in their talent-drain warnings. The European Union's local office estimates 10 percent of its nationals have left since the pandemic began. Multiple airlines have reported a surge of bookings in recent weeks while shipping container prices have doubled in a year. International shipping company SendMyBag told AFP outbound shipments from Hong Kong have increased four-fold compared with 2021. "Everybody is looking for tickets to go, people are fighting for the containers," said Lin, a mother of two grown children who declined to give her nationality. Lin is looking to move to Dubai after 12 years in Hong Kong and said many of her colleagues were doing the same. "A friend who's leaving next week had a three-year-old BMW and she said 'You know what, I'm just giving it to charity because no one will buy it anyway.'" The current exodus adds to a wave of migration already under way of local Hong Kongers, which began after China cracked down against democracy protests. Between June 2020 and June 2021 Hong Kong saw its biggest population decrease in 60 years, and there is little sign of that changing. "We are now only in the starting period of this wave," said Chung Kim-wah, head of Hong Kong's Public Opinion Research Institute. "Many more young people will choose to move away if they have a chance". (AFP) TOKYO, March 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Innophys Co., Ltd. (hereinafter "Innophys"), a venture company affiliated with Tokyo University of Science, released wearable work-assisting robotic suit "MUSCLE SUIT Every" in five member countries of the European Union (EU) -- Poland, Denmark and the three Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania -- on March 1. Photo1: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M106291/202202287861/_prw_PI1fl_9nRk5dHh.jpg The move, which is part of the company's efforts to promote sales of the "MUSCLE SUIT" series overseas, particularly in EU member countries, has brought the number of EU countries where Innophys operates to nine. The firm has already advanced into France, Spain, Italy and Sweden by signing contracts with local sales agents since the robotic suit obtained CE certification in December 2020. The company's sales agents in these five countries have exclusive rights to sell MUSCLE SUIT Every in their respective markets, and focus on promoting the sales of the product in manufacturing and logistics sectors. The company is determined to accelerate its business activities in EU member countries. Official global website on MUSCLE SUIT Every: https://innophys.net/musclesuit/ Information on its sales agents overseas: https://innophys.net/musclesuit/distributors-and-retailers/ About MUSCLE SUIT Every Photo2: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M106291/202202287861/_prw_PI3fl_4IZrWS00.jpg Photo3: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M106291/202202287861/_prw_PI2fl_bN0d0Fry.jpg Photo4: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M106291/202202287861/_prw_PI4fl_CLloVv7f.jpg MUSCLE SUIT Every is a work-assisting robotic suit that lightens the load on the user's back when the user performs hard work, such as maintaining a half-crouching position and lifting up a heavy item or person. The robotic suit, which weighs only 3.8 kilograms, provides up to 25.5kgf of assistive force to its user. The device can be used at various work sites, including manufacturing, farming, nursing care, logistics and construction, since its artificial muscle uses compressed air to provide assistive force without relying on electric power. By the end of April 2021, the number of products in the MUSCLE SUIT (R) series sold had surpassed 20,000 units, making it the fastest-selling (*) exoskeleton assist suit using artificial muscle in the world. (*) According to Innophys' research. URL: https://innophys.jp/en World-first solution will combine two power quality technologies to deliver renewable energy reliably and safely from the mainland power grid Zurich, Switzerland, March 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hitachi Energy, the global technology and market leader in power grids, announced today that it has been selected by Aker BP, the Norwegian oil and gas exploration and production company, as technology partner for the NOAKA power-from-shore project off the Norwegian coast. The entire project will be powered by up to 150 megawatts of power from the mainland grid - making it the world's longest power-from-shore AC connection at around 250 km. Hitachi Energy will perform detailed front-end engineering and design (FEED) studies for a power quality solution that will enable the Aker BP operated NOA Fulla field and the Equinor operated Krafla field in the North Sea to be powered from the mainland. The contract awarded to Hitachi Energy includes an option to deliver the power quality solution when the FEED studies are completed. By using power from the mainland grid, which is mainly renewable hydropower, minimizes NOAKA's carbon footprint. To ensure the smooth, reliable and safe transmission of electricity to the offshore platforms, Hitachi Energy's solution combines two power quality technologies that have never been used before for this type of application: a high-performance STATCOM, called SVC Light, and thyristor-controlled series capacitors. The MACHcontrol and protection system, will enable the two technologies to work in harmony as a single synchronized solution. This will be made possible by leveraging Hitachi Energy's extensive and unique know-how in power quality solutions as well as its domain integration capabilities. "We are delighted that Aker BP has selected our pioneering power quality solution, enabling this vital energy project to be powered with emission-free renewable energy," says Niklas Persson, Managing Director of Hitachi Energy's Grid Integration business. "This world-first solution will also enable progress toward mega-scale offshore renewable power installations, offering viable alternative pathways for connecting power from shore with AC over long distances." "Our ambition is to develop the NOAKA area with a minimum carbon footprint and a prerequisite for this is that the fields are supplied with power-from-shore," says Lars Hier, Senior Vice President and Asset Manager for NOAKA at Aker BP. "We selected Hitachi Energy as our trusted technology partner to provide a reliable and flexible grid connection and power quality solution to secure high reliability in our operations." Hitachi Energy's proposed solution comprises a new grid connection to house the STATCOM, thyristor-controlled series capacitors, shunt reactors and gas-insulated switchgear. The solution will also increase the transmission capacity of an existing 420 kV mainland grid connection with new gas-insulated switchgear and a power transformer. These are all technologies made by Hitachi Energy to secure exceptional levels of grid availability and reliability. Hitachi Energy: proven track record in long-distance power-from-shore Hitachi Energy supplied the world's first long-distance power-from-shore installation in Norway in 2005 using its HVDC Light high-voltage direct current technology. Since then, Hitachi Energy has supplied four of the five HVDC power-from-shore installations, all of which supply platforms off the Norwegian coast. In December 2021, Hitachi Energy won a contract to supply the most powerful power-from-shore solution in the Middle East and North Africa. The solution will deliver 3,200 MW of low-carbon power to two offshore production clusters, reducing the clusters' emissions by up to 35 percent. About Hitachi Energy Ltd. Hitachi Energy is a global technology leader that is advancing a sustainable energy future for all. We serve customers in the utility, industry and infrastructure sectors with innovative solutions and services across the value chain. Together with customers and partners, we pioneer technologies and enable the digital transformation required to accelerate the energy transition towards a carbon-neutral future. We are advancing the world's energy system to become more sustainable, flexible and secure whilst balancing social, environmental and economic value. Hitachi Energy has a proven track record and unparalleled installed base in more than 140 countries. Headquartered in Switzerland, we employ around 38,000 people in 90 countries and generate business volumes of approximately $10 billion USD. About Hitachi, Ltd. Hitachi, Ltd.. Attachment LONDON, March 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Wellbeing Software, a UK market leader in connected healthcare software, is pleased to announce that Robert Miller has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer. Robert begins his role at Wellbeing on March 7. Robert brings a proven track record of more than 30 years scaling health software companies both in the UK and internationally, running a broad array of global functions as a commercial and regional general manager focused on driving growth. A target-driven business leader with a technical background, he has significant experience in healthcare solution commercialisation and direct management experience across a wide range of healthcare businesses, forging strong partnerships in the health and diagnostics markets. Robert has joined Wellbeing (a Citadel Group company) from Allscripts, where he was responsible for Commercial Operations across all non-US businesses. Previous senior positions include SVP of Sales and Marketing at Clinithink and Group Commercial Director at iSOFT, one of the world's leading providers of innovative healthcare software, where he established operations in Asia and rose to become MD for North America and Group Commercial Director. Mark McConnell, Chief Executive Officer of The Citadel Group, commented: "I am delighted that Robert has joined Wellbeing Software as Chief Executive Officer. His appointment follows a rigorous recruitment process, and we firmly believe that Robert is ideally placed at the helm of Wellbeing as we continue the rapid growth of our business both in the UK and abroad. Robert brings extensive experience in improving both patient and customer outcomes on a global scale as well as a strong background in driving growth of large international healthcare businesses." Commenting on his appointment, Robert Miller said: "I am honoured to be given the opportunity to lead Wellbeing Software through the next exciting phase of its fast-paced development. The company has earnt a solid reputation for delivering a connected suite of enterprise health software to NHS trusts across the UK and the HSE in Ireland. I am looking forward to working with the innovative team at Wellbeing, continuing to provide the highest quality service for our customers and identifying and executing new growth opportunities." About Wellbeing Software Wellbeing Software is a healthcare technology provider with a presence in more than 80% of NHS organisations. With 30 years of experience in a range of key specialisations, including radiology and maternity information systems, electronic health records, and patient data management, the company enables the digitisation of healthcare services. Visit www.wellbeingsoftware.com About Citadel Group Founded in 2007, Citadel Group is a global software and services firm with leading market positions in Australia for public pathology, oncology data and practice management, and in the UK for radiology and maternity data management. Citadel is constantly seeking to harness world-class technology solutions to improve patient outcomes. This latest partnership allows Accruent and Milestone - Consulting to provide local ECM support to Meridian users in Portugal and other areas of the EU AUSTIN, Texas, March 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Accruent, the leading provider of solutions to manage the built environment, today announced that it has entered a partnership with Milestone - Consulting SA, a Portuguese provider of Specialized IT services solutions and consulting services that support SAP, analytics technology, CAD & ECM offering in the financial, manufacturing and engineering markets. In joining forces with this organization, Accruent will provide local support for both the current users of Accruent ECM Solutions like Meridian EDMS. Accruent will also provide specialized consulting services supporting the implementation of ECM solutions during engineering process analysis and document/content optimization. This partnership between Accruent and Milestone - Consulting, will provide added value to both Accruent and Milestone's current and future customers in the ECM world by widening the reach of each team. As Maria Pinto, CAD & ECM Business Unit Director at Milestone explains, "Milestone - Consulting is excited to team up with Accruent in providing ECM solutions adapted to customer needs for ever-greater efficiency in the engineering content and documentation management world. Our Business unit's focus on construction, industry and infrastructures provides a natural partnership that will help meet our customers' business requirements and search for more efficient and productive solutions" Both Accruent and Milestone - Consulting will bring their specialized expertise in the implementation of Document Management Systems into the partnership, including: Solid experience in the planning and architecture of information systems, combined with IT development capacity. History in successful implementation of EDM projects using expertise in technological and functional particularities of this area of information systems. Proven experience in the integration of workflow automation and in the developed information systems. Ability to apply implementation best practices and methodologies during IT planning and development, training, change policies, coordination and quality control. Ability to interact productively with the final customer, due to knowledge of their organizational models and other key insights. These skills will ensure that all EDM implementation processes will be executed effectively and that Accruent and Milestone - Consulting SA will deliver specialized services in the Accruent ECM dedicated software, Accruent Meridian. Meridian, an engineering document management (EDM) solution, provides a single source of truth for engineering documentation, offering configurable workflows to streamline collaboration with internal departments and ensure every document change is versioned and audited to demonstrate regulatory compliance. This solution will help Portugal's organizations to: Ensure global and immediate access to engineering documentation Seamlessly connect all internal and external stakeholders throughout the asset lifecycle Reduce downtime through asset intelligence and preventive maintenance that minimizes costly unplanned outages Decrease maintenance costs by streamlining work order completion and maximizing resource effectiveness Improve labor efficiency with better resource scheduling and faster repair times About Milestone - Consulting SA Milestone - Consulting SA has been in Portuguese, Peruvian and Swiss markets for over 10 years, offering a wide range of consulting services and technological solutions to closely and effectively support the digital transformation of its customers. It currently has more than 140 employees and more than 250 leading customers, including companies such as EDP, AXA, Staples, EDIA, Solvay, Brisa, REN, TAP and Cimpor. It offers solutions specifically for business operations, performance & analytics, infrastructure, and maintenance & support departments. In 2021, Milestone was recognized as the 6th Best Company to Work for in Portugal by Exame Magazine. It was also considered the 3rd Happiest Company to Work for in Portugal in a study carried out by Happiness Works 2021. Now more than 10 years old, Milestone's purpose continues to be to create a positive impact on its customers and a better future for its people through agility, innovation and technology. About Accruent accruent.com, @accruentllc Accruent is the world's leading provider of intelligent solutions for the built environment - spanning real estate, physical and digital assets, and the integrated technology systems that connect and control them. Accruent continues to set new expectations for how organizations can use data to transform the way they manage their facilities and assets. With major office locations in Austin, New Orleans, London and Amsterdam, Accruent serves more than 10,000 customers in a wide range of industries in more than 150 countries around the world. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1760525/Accruent_LLC_Execs_Shaking_Hands_Shutterstock.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/834621/Accruent_Logo.jpg VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / March 7, 2022 / Amarc Resources Ltd. ("Amarc" or the "Company") (TSX-V:AHR)(OTCQB:AXREF) is pleased to announce assay results from an initial, nine-hole drill program (4,300 m) completed in 2021 with Freeport-McMoRan Mineral Properties Canada Inc. ("Freeport"). Freeport is earning into the Company's 482 km2 JOY Cu-Au District ("JOY") located in the active Toodoggone portion of the Golden Horseshoe trend, north-central British Columbia ("BC") (Figure 1). Figure 1: JOY District - Covers Northern Extension of Kemess Belt Porphyry Cu-Au Developments "One of the key factors that drove our acquisition and consolidation of the JOY District was a recognition of the important-scale potential of the PINE copper-gold deposit," said Amarc President & CEO Diane Nicolson. "A significant number of historical core holes were available for reassessment, providing the scope for both reinterpretation and rediscovery. Building on these legacy assets, the three long core holes we completed at the PINE deposit in 2021 intercepted some of the highest grades over the longest intervals encountered to date and indicate the extension of copper-gold mineralization to significant depth. Also, valuable information derived from historical core holes combined with new surface mapping and geophysical surveys have confirmed additional potential for higher-grade zones within the known deposit, major lateral extensions and the discovery of proximal deposits." Nicolson said initial scout exploration drilling completed on other large-scale porphyry Cu-Au deposit targets within the JOY District, along with extensive Induced Polarization ("IP") geophysical surveys, have confirmed significant discovery potential. Amarc and Freeport have initiated detailed planning for a drill program at the PINE Deposit and aggressive drill testing of district targets in 2022. Highlights from 2021 PINE Deposit core drilling include: 101.90 m of 0.56% CuEQ 1 (0.23% Cu, 0.57 g/t Au and 2.4 g/t Ag) 29.00 m of 0.46% CuEQ (0.20% Cu, 0.44 g/t Au and 2.1 g/t Ag) 66.60 m of 0.40% CuEQ (0.21% Cu, 0.32 g/t Au and 1.5 g/t Ag) 244.10 m of 0.35% CuEQ (0.11% Cu, 0.41 g/t Au and 1.2 g/t Ag) 135.00 m of 0.44% CuEQ (0.14% Cu, 0.53 g/t Au and 1.2 g/t Ag) Copper equivalent (CuEQ) calculations do not use 100% recovery but conceptual recoveries based on those from producing and near development BC porphyry Cu deposits of Cu 85%, Au 72% and 67% Ag, and metal prices of Cu US$4.00/lb, Au US$1,800.00/oz Au and Ag US$24.00/oz. Further details are provided below with Table 1. Expanding the PINE Porphyry Cu-Au Deposit First ever drilling at the PINE Deposit by Amarc comprised three long core holes (up to 701 m in length) that successfully began to test the depth and lateral extent of known porphyry Cu-Au mineralization, with both dimensions remaining open to expansion (Table 1). These holes intercepted significant mineralization over a strike length of 1,100 m and to a vertical depth of at least 550 m (Figures 2 to 4), within an expansive 6 km2 hydrothermal mineralizing system as outlined by Induced Polarization ("IP") geophysical surveys. Notably, the PINE system has the potential to remain open to expansion for at least 1 km to the southwest, with most of this prospective area concealed under a cover of broadly distributed glacial deposits (Photo 1, Figures 2 and 3). Table 1: 2021 JOY Drill Hole Assay Results 1. Widths reported are drill widths, such that true thicknesses are unknown. Table 2 provides drill hole location information. 2. All assay intervals represent length-weighted averages. 3. Some figures may not sum exactly due to rounding. 4. Copper equivalent (CuEQ) calculations use metal prices of: Cu US$4.00/lb, Au US$1,800.00/oz and Ag US$24/oz and conceptual recoveries of: Cu 85%, Au 72% and 67% Ag. Conversion of metals to an equivalent copper grade based on these metal prices is relative to the copper price per unit mass factored by conceptual recoveries for those metals normalized to the conceptualized copper recovery. The metal equivalencies for each metal are added to the copper grade. The general formula for this is: CuEQ% = Cu% + (Au g/t * (Au recovery / Cu recovery) * (Au $ per oz/ 31.1034768) / (Cu $ per lb* 22.04623)) + (Ag g/t * (Ag recovery / Cu recovery) * (Ag $ per oz/ 31.1034768) / (Cu $ per lb* 22.04623)). 5. Intervals averaging greater than 0.3% CuEQ in bold; included intercepts italicized. 6. Ag results capped at 40 g/t. Photo 1: JOY District - Large Scale Porphyry Cu-Au Potential Hidden Under Thin Glacial Cover Figure 2: Pine Deposit Area - IP Chargeability Surveys have Confirmed a Large Mineral System Figure 3: Pine Deposit Area - Extensive PINE System Hosts Significant Expansion Potential Laterally and to Depth Figure 4: PINE Deposit Drill Area - Drilling and IP Surveys Confirm the PINE Deposit is Open Internally, Laterally and to Depth A majority of the 60+ mainly short and, frequently, widely spaced historical core holes at the PINE Deposit (80% of which extend to <200 m vertical depth) are collared within a restricted 900 x 600 m area. Reinterpretation of historical drill holes and the new holes drilled by Amarc show good potential to expand the PINE Deposit internally (between the widely spaced drill holes), laterally (beyond the footprint of current drilling) and to depth (Figures 3 and 4). Further to the open-ended nature of the PINE Deposit, there is also significant potential for the discovery of other centres of porphyry Cu-Au mineralization within the area of the overall PINE mineralized system. Amarc's hole JP21009, located 500 m northeast of the PINE Deposit, returned 244 m of 0.35% CuEQ1 (0.11% Cu, 0.41 g/t Au and 1.2 g/t Ag), including 135 m of 0.44% CuEQ (0.14% Cu, 0.53 g/t Au and 1.2 g/t Ag) (Figures 2 and 3), indicating high potential to the northeast. Historical drilling also indicates significant potential to the southwest of the PINE Deposit. For example, the historical hole located furthest away to the southwest but within the current known limits of the PINE system (PIN09-04) returned 105 m at 0.17% CuEQ (0.08% Cu, 0.15 g/t Au and 1.1 g/t Ag). Developing the JOY District Porphyry Cu-Au Deposit Targets In addition to the PINE Deposit and its internal, lateral and depth potential for expansion, the JOY District hosts five drill-ready, deposit-scale porphyry Cu-Au targets (including Canyon, Twins and MEX). Together, these assets indicate the potential to form a major cluster of Cu-Au mineralized porphyry systems (Photo 1 and Figure 5). Furthermore, other Cu-Au target areas in the JOY District (including GAP, CT, Finlay) will be advanced to drill readiness during the 2022 field season. Figure 5: JOY District - IP Surveys Have Outlined a Cluster of Large-Scale Mineral Systems at Canyon, Twins and Other Targets Amarc drilled five initial scout exploration core holes (271 m to 404 m in length) in 2021 to test four porphyry Cu-Au deposit targets confirmed by IP, airborne magnetics, geochemical and geological surveys. Three of these JOY District targets had not previously been drill tested. Like the PINE Deposit, the approximately 5 km2 Canyon porphyry Cu-Au deposit target is largely covered by a veneer of glacial deposits. The Canyon target is defined by a high contrast IP chargeability anomaly, outlining a sizable sulphide system centered on and flanked by magnetic highs. On the eastern and western margins of this target historical drilling returned porphyry-style Cu-Au and high-grade Au intersections, respectively, (Photo 1, Figure 5). Further details are available in the 'JOY Project 2020 Technical Report', referenced below. A single scout hole (JP21006) collared within the 5 km2 Canyon target area intersected 27 m of porphyry style mineralization grading 0.18% CuEQ1 (0.06% Cu, 0.21 g/t Au and 0.7 g/t Ag), indicating a peripheral location to a porphyry Cu-Au system. Hole JP21005, drilled over 1 km to the east did not return significant assays. Systematic drilling of the very extensive Canyon target is planned for 2022. At the Twins porphyry Cu-Au target, which is also mostly concealed under a thin layer of glacial cover, IP chargeability surveys have outlined a sulphide system that envelopes a number of magnetic highs, that extends over an area of 6 km2 that is open to further expansion to the south and east. The Twins target is centered on an outcrop of moderate to strongly altered monzonite intrusive that locally hosts porphyry-style chalcopyrite-bearing veinlets. Amarc's scout exploration hole (JP21004), the first ever drilled into the sizable Twins target, successfully discovered porphyry-type Cu-Au mineralization - intercepting 63 m of 0.18% CuEQ1 (0.09% Cu, 0.15 g/t Au and 0.5 g/t Ag), including 39 m of 0.22% CuEQ (0.11% Cu, 0.19 g/t Au and 0.6 g/t Ag). Systematic drilling of the extensive Twins target is planned for 2022. At the MEX Cu-Au deposit target, a single hole (JP21002) drilled by Amarc in 2021 intersected anomalous Cu and Au concentrations lateral to and below historical drilling, returning 153 m of 0.17% CuEQ1 (0.09% Cu, 0.13 g/t Au). At the North MEX target, a single hole (JP21003) was drilled to test a multi-element geochemical anomaly. No significant Cu or Au concentrations were encountered in that hole. About the JOY District Amarc's 100%-owned JOY District is located on the northern extension of the prolific Kemess porphyry Cu-Au District, which includes the former Kemess South mine, the permitted and development-stage Kemess North underground deposit, and the advanced-stage Kemess East underground deposit - all currently held by Centerra Gold Inc. Through its association with Hunter Dickinson Inc., Amarc's technical team was first to recognize the Kemess District's true porphyry potential, acquiring Kemess North and Kemess South as early-stage prospects and advancing both to significant porphyry Cu-Au deposits. Kemess South was sold in 1996 on beneficial terms to a predecessor of Northgate Minerals, which brought that deposit into production. The JOY District is readily accessed via resource roads servicing the southern end of the Toodoggone region, including Centerra's Kemess porphyry Cu-Au deposits and the historic Lawyers, Baker and Shasta epithermal precious metal mines now being redeveloped by Benchmark Metals Inc. and TDG Gold Corp, respectively. In May 2021, Amarc announced it had entered into a Mineral Property Earn-In Agreement (the "EIA") with Freeport-McMoRan Mineral Properties Canada Inc. ("Freeport"), a wholly owned subsidiary of Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (see Amarc release May 12, 2021 on its website at www.amarcresources.com and at www.sedar.com). In its Year 1, Freeport contributed $5.94 million to the 2021 JOY exploration program, and recently confirmed its continuation of the earn-in for Year 2 (see Amarc releases November 15 and December 15, 2021). Amarc is the Operator of the JOY District. Drill programs at the PINE Deposit and at other porphyry Cu-Au deposit targets in the JOY District are now being planned for the 2022 field season. Further in-depth information on historical and contemporary exploration activities completed within the JOY District prior to 2021 can be found in the Company's 'JOY Project 2020 Technical Report', filed under Amarc's profile at www.sedar.com or located on its website at https://amarcresources.com/projects/joy-project/technical-report/. Other News Amarc welcomes Tom Wilson as interim Chief Financial Officer, taking over from Jeannine Webb. Mr. Wilson has more than 43 years of experience in areas of financial planning and management, including corporate governance, and government and securities compliance for a range of public and private companies. The Company thanks Ms. Webb for her contributions. About Amarc Resources Ltd. Amarc is a mineral exploration and development company with an experienced and successful management team focused on developing a new generation of long-life, high-value porphyry copper-gold mines in BC. By combining high-demand projects with dynamic management, Amarc has created a solid platform to create value from its exploration and development-stage assets. Amarc is advancing its 100%-owned IKE, DUKE and JOY porphyry coppergold districts located in different prolific porphyry regions of southern, central and northern BC, respectively. Each district represents significant potential for the development of multiple and important-scale, porphyry coppergold deposits. Importantly each of the three districts is located in proximity to industrial infrastructure - including power, highways and rail. Amarc is associated with HDI, a diversified, global mining company with a 30-year history of porphyry discovery and development success. Previous and current HDI projects include some of BC's and the world's most important porphyry deposits - such as Pebble, Mount Milligan, Southern Star, Kemess South, Kemess North, Gibraltar, Prosperity, Xietongmen, Newtongmen, Florence, Casino, Sisson, Maggie, IKE and PINE. From its head office in Vancouver, Canada, HDI applies its unique strengths and capabilities to acquire, develop, operate and monetize mineral projects. Amarc works closely with local governments, Indigenous groups and stakeholders in order to advance its mineral projects responsibly, and in a manner that contributes to sustainable community and economic development. We pursue early and meaningful engagement to ensure our mineral exploration and development activities are well coordinated and broadly supported, address local priorities and concerns, and optimize opportunities for collaboration. In particular, we seek to establish mutually beneficial partnerships with Indigenous groups within whose traditional territories our projects are located, through the provision of jobs, training programs, contract opportunities, capacity funding agreements and sponsorship of community events. All Amarc work programs are carefully planned to achieve high levels of environmental and social performance. Qualified Person as Defined Under National Instrument 43-101 Dr. Roy Greig, P.Geo., a Qualified Person as defined under National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical content in this release. Quality Control/Quality Assurance Program Amarc drilled 30% HQ and 70% NQ size core in 2021. All drill core was logged, photographed and cut in half with a diamond saw. Half core samples from JOY were sent to Activation Laboratories Ltd. (Actlabs), Kamloops, Canada facility for preparation and analysis. At Actlabs Kamloops, samples were dried, crushed to 2 mm and 250 g sub-sample pulverized to 105 microns. The sub-sample was analyzed for Au by fire assay fusion of a 30 g sample with an ICP-OES finish and for Cu, Ag and 33 additional elements by 4 acid digestion of a 0.25 sample followed by an ICP-OES finish. At the Actlabs Ancaster Ontario facility, the sub-samples were analyzed for Cu, Au, Ag and 60 additional elements by Aqua Regia digestion of a 0.5 g sample followed by an ICP-MS finish. Both Actlabs facilities are ISO/IEC 17025 accredited. As part of a comprehensive Quality Assurance/Quality Control ("QAQC") program, Amarc control samples were inserted in each analytical batch at the following rates: standards one in 20 regular samples, in-line replicates one in 20 regular samples and blanks one in 50 regular samples. The control sample results were then checked to ensure proper QAQC. For further details on Amarc Resources Ltd., please visit the Company's website at www.amarcresources.com or contact Dr. Diane Nicolson, President and CEO, at (604) 684-6365 or within North America at 1-800-667-2114. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF AMARC RESOURCES LTD. Dr. Diane Nicolson President and CEO Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor any other regulatory authority accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward Looking and other Cautionary Information This news release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All such statements, other than statements of historical facts that address exploration plans and plans for enhanced relationships are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Assumptions used by the Company to develop forward-looking statements include the following: Amarc's projects will obtain all required environmental and other permits and all land use and other licenses, studies and exploration of Amarc's projects will continue to be positive, and no geological or technical problems will occur. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices, potential environmental issues or liabilities associated with exploration, development and mining activities, exploitation and exploration successes, continuity of mineralization, uncertainties related to the ability to obtain necessary permits, licenses and tenure and delays due to third party opposition, changes in and the effect of government policies regarding mining and natural resource exploration and exploitation, exploration and development of properties located within Aboriginal groups asserted territories may affect or be perceived to affect asserted aboriginal rights and title, which may cause permitting delays or opposition by Aboriginal groups, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions, as well as risks relating to the uncertainties with respect to the effects of COVID-19. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. For more information on Amarc Resources Ltd., investors should review Amarc's annual Form 20-F filing with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov and its home jurisdiction filings that are available at www.sedar.com. Table 2: 2021 Drill Hole Information Photo 1: JOY District - Large Scale Porphyry Cu-Au Potential Hidden Under Thin Glacial Cover Figure 1: JOY District - Covers Northern Extension of Kemess Belt Porphyry Cu-Au Developments2 2Sources: BC MINFILE Number 094E 066, LAWYERS "Technical Report on the Kemess Underground Project and Kemess East Project, BC" for Aurico Metals Ltd., Golder Associates, July 2017; Kemess UG and Kemess East at C$17.30/t NSR cut off; Kemess South past production (ore milled) Figure 2: Pine Deposit Area - IP Chargeability Surveys have Confirmed a Large Mineral System Figure 3: Pine Deposit Area - Extensive PINE System Hosts Significant Expansion Potential Laterally and to Depth Figure 4: PINE Deposit Drill Area - Drilling and IP Surveys Confirm the PINE Deposit is Open Internally, Laterally and to Depth Figure 5: JOY District IP - IP Surveys Have Outlined a Cluster of Large-Scale Mineral Systems at Canyon, Twins and Other Targets SOURCE: Amarc Resources Ltd. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/691696/Amarc-Provides-Update-on-JOY-Copper-Gold-District-BC-Initial-2021-Drilling-Expands-Pine-Deposit-Intersecting-1019-M-of-056-CuEQ1-Additional-Large-Scale-Porphyry-Copper-Gold-Deposit-Targets-Confirmed WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Welltower Inc. (WELL) said it plans to implement a holding company reorganization that would structure Welltower as an Umbrella Partnership Real Estate Investment Trust, or UPREIT. A new holding company will become the publicly traded parent company and will inherit the name Welltower Inc. The current real estate investment trust will exist as a subsidiary of New Welltower. New Welltower common stock will trade on the NYSE on an uninterrupted basis under the existing symbol, WELL. Welltower said the reorganization is intended to align its corporate structure with other publicly traded U.S. real estate investment trusts and provide a platform for Welltower to more efficiently acquire properties in a tax-deferred manner. The reorganization is not anticipated to have any impact on the financial position of Welltower. The reorganization also will not impact the payment of the dividend, the company said. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. ST. JOHN'S, NL / ACCESSWIRE / March 7, 2022 / Sokoman MineralsCorp. 'Sokoman' or the 'Company' (TSXV:SIC)(OTCQB:SICNF) today announced that the Company intends to complete a non-brokered private placement of flow-though units (the 'Private Placement') for gross proceeds of up to $5,000,000 with $4,000,000 allocated to Mr. Sprott. The Private Placement is expected to close on or before March 16, 2022. On closing the Company will issue up to 12,500,000 flow-through shares units ("FT Units") at a price of $0.40 per FT Unit, for gross proceeds of $5,000,000. Each FT Unit consists of one common share of the Company and one common share purchase warrant (a "Warrant"), each Warrant being exercisable for an additional common share of the Company, each of which will not qualify as a flow-through share, at an exercise price of $0.45 for 24 months from the date of issue. The FT Units will entitle the holder to receive the tax benefits applicable to flow-through shares, in accordance with provisions of the Income Tax Act (Canada). All securities issued pursuant to the Private Placement will be subject to a four-month and a day hold period. In connection with the Private Placement, the Company may pay finders' fees in cash or securities or a combination of both, as permitted by the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange. The Private Placement is subject to approval by the TSX Venture Exchange. The Company will use an amount equal to the gross proceeds received by the Company from the sale of the FT Units, pursuant to the provisions in the Income Tax Act (Canada), to incur eligible "Canadian exploration expenses" that qualify as "flow-through mining expenditures" as both terms are defined in the Income Tax Act (Canada) (the "Qualifying Expenditures") on or before December 31, 2023, and to renounce all the Qualifying Expenditures in favour of the subscribers of the FT Units effective December 31, 2022. The proceeds from the sale of the Units will be used to advance Sokoman's various exploration projects. About Sokoman Minerals Corp. Sokoman Minerals Corp. is a discovery-oriented company with projects in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The Company's primary focus is its portfolio of gold projects; flagship, advanced-stage Moosehead, Crippleback Lake (optioned to Trans Canada Gold Corp.) and East Alder (optioned to Canterra Minerals Corporation) along the Central Newfoundland Gold Belt, and the district-scale Fleur de Lys project in northwestern Newfoundland, that is targeting Dalradian-type orogenic gold mineralization similar to the Curraghinalt and Cavanacaw deposits in Northern Ireland. The Company also recently entered into a strategic alliance with Benton Resources Inc. through three, large-scale, joint-venture properties including Grey River, Golden Hope and Kepenkeck in Newfoundland. Sokoman now controls, independently and through the Benton alliance, over 150,000 hectares (>6,000 claims - 1500 sq. km), making it one of the largest landholders in Newfoundland, in Canada's newest and rapidly-emerging gold districts. The Company also retains an interest in an early-stage antimony/gold project (Startrek) in Newfoundland, optioned to White Metal Resources Inc., and in Labrador, the Company has a 100% interest in the Iron Horse (Fe) project which has Direct Shipping Ore (DSO) potential. Mineralization hosted on adjacent and/or nearby properties is not necessarily indicative of mineralization hosted on the Company's property. To learn more, please contact: Timothy Froude, P.Geo., President & CEO 709-765-1726 tim@sokomanmineralscorp.com Cathy Hume, Director, Investor Relations 416-868-1079 x 251 cathy@chfir.com Website: www.sokomanmineralscorp.com Twitter: @SokomanMinerals Facebook: @SokomanMinerals 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. Investors are cautioned that trading in the securities of the Corporation should be considered highly speculative. Except for historical information contained herein, this news release contains forward- looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially. Sokoman Minerals Corp. will not update these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof. More detailed information about potential factors that could affect financial results is included in the documents filed from time to time with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities by Sokoman Minerals Corp. SOURCE: Sokoman Minerals Corp. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/691819/Sokoman-Announces-Non-brokered-Private-Placement-with-Eric-Sprott-as-Lead-Investor Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 7, 2022) - Bayhorse Silver Inc, (TSXV: BHS) (OTCQB: BHSIF) (FSE: 7KXN) (the "Company" or "Bayhorse") is establishing three new stope working faces at the Bayhorse Silver Mine, Oregon, USA. The first development stope working face at the Big Dog Zone has exposed a 2.5 foot wide, and 10 foot high seam of high grade silver mineralization from the floor of the working face to the back, and is open to both depth and elevation. The current stope working face has been panel sampled across and down the face prior to blasting, returning combined silver assays of 1,642 g/t (54.8 oz/t). Two prior faces sampled before blasting returned 549 g/t (17.65 oz/t) and 112.6 g/t (3.63 oz/t) respectively. Panel samples are considered select samples and may not represent actual mined silver grades. The Big Dog Zone development stope working face is currently providing feed to the Mill as drifting progresses. The two other development stope working faces are being established up the 24.5 meter (88 foot) plus raise into the Goldilocks Zone. Multiple stope working faces are established to ensure consistency of mill feed. The second stope being developed is 50 meters (165 feet) to the West of the Big Dog working area, 20 meters (63 ft) to the North, and 25 meters (82 feet) higher in elevation, where the Company intersected 3.65 meters (12 feet) of 844 g/mt (24.67 oz/mt) of which the highest grade interval was 0.6 m (2 ft) of 2,180 g/t (63.656 oz/t), as reported in the Company's news release, BHS2021-19, During its 1984 mining program, Silver King Mines reported 21% of the mined grades were from 20 oz/t to 100 oz/t, 73% of the mined grades were between 6 oz/t and 20 oz/t, with 6% being under 6 oz/t, that was the cut off grade at that time. The Company is using these historic averages as a guide in its current mining program. Along with the establishment of the three development stope working faces in the Mine, the Company is continuing with its standard practice definition drilling at both the Big Dog and Goldilocks Zones to ensure the stopes have continuity of mineralization in both zones for drifting and mining. This definition drilling includes short diamond drill holes ahead of the drifting, and long holes into the face, as we develop the mining stopes. This ensures the mining teams are able to accurately proceed with blasting operations to stay within the mineralized horizon. Bayhorse CEO, Graeme O'Neill, comments, "Knowing we have sampled very high silver grades at both the Big Dog and Goldilocks Zones gives us great confidence we can expeditiously complete the first shipment of silver/copper concentrate. The assay values at the Big Dog mine face are similar to that mined in 1984, when mining ceased after silver prices dropped to less than $5.00 per ounce and made mining uneconomical." Graeme also comments "Physical silver, copper, and gold, are currently seeing strong demand, with steadily increasing prices, that can only benefit the Company." As reported in the Company's news release, BHS2022-03, the Company has begun rehabilitating the historic 24.5 meter (80 foot) raise deep inside the mine, where a new drill station will be established to permit additional drilling both up dip to further determine the extent of the silver mineralization in the planned stopes. The Company is not basing any decision to produce on a feasibility study of mineral reserves demonstrating economic and technical viability and advises there is an increased uncertainty and specific economic and technical risk of failure with any production decision. These risks include, but are not limited to, (i) a drop in price of commodities produced, namely silver, copper, lead and zinc, from the pricing used to make a production decision; (ii) failure of grades of the produced material to fall within the parameters used to make the production decision; (iii) an increase in mining costs due to changes within the mine during development and mining procedures; and (iv) metallurgical recovery changes that cannot be anticipated at the time of production. This News Release has been prepared on behalf of the Bayhorse Silver Inc. Board of Directors, which accepts full responsibility for its content. Dr. Stewart Jackson, P.Geo., a Qualified Person and Consultant to the Company has prepared, supervised the preparation of, and approved the technical content of this press release. On Behalf of the Board. Graeme O'Neill, CEO 866-399-6539, 604-684-3394 About Bayhorse Silver Inc. Bayhorse Silver Inc. is an exploration and production company with a 100% interest in the historic Bayhorse Silver Mine located in Oregon, USA. With state of the art Steinert Ore-Sorting technology reducing waste rock entering the processing stream by up to 85%, we have created a minimum environmental impact facility capable of mining 200 tons of mineralization per day and the ability to process and supply 3,600 tons per year of silver/copper concentrate ranging between 7,500 to 15,000 g/t using standard flotation processing at its milling facility in nearby Payette County, Idaho, USA, with an offtake agreement in place with Ocean Partners UK Limited. The Company also has an option to acquire an 80% interest in the Brandywine high grade silver/gold property located in B.C. Canada. The Company has an experienced management and technical team with extensive mining expertise in both exploration and building mines. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/115809 New Series D Funding Raises Company Valuation to $2.1 Billion BERLIN, March 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Forto, a leading provider of digitized freight forwarding and supply chain solutions, today announced that it has raised $250 Million in a pre-emptive Series D investment round led by Disruptive. Also participating in the round are existing investors including Softbank Vision Fund 2, G Squared, Northzone, Unbound, and A.P. Moeller Holding. The current round places the company valuation at $2.1 billion. According to Forto CEO and Co-Founder Michael Wax, this earlier-than-anticipated investment will further advance the company's plans to enhance its offering for customers on a global scale. "We recognise that this is an exceptionally challenging period for many of our customers. As our business remains well-funded from our previous round in 2021, this new round will simply allow us to accelerate the execution of our existing strategy, particularly on our geographic expansion," commented Wax. "It will allow us to further widen our customer offer, bring our technology platform support to customers in new markets, and capitalize on new opportunities as they arise." The latest investment comes just eight months after a June 2021 announcement of a $240 million investment round led by Softbank Vision Fund 2. The new funding builds upon the company's significant financial position, with the total investment raised over $600 million to date. This fresh commitment from both new and existing investors serves as a clear validation of the company's vision, robust business model, and successful strategy, which are all focused on building better logistics and supply chain experiences. Forto is using its digital platform to simplify interactions, remove process friction, and increase visibility around the supply chain - in turn empowering customers to make smarter commercial decisions. It strives to make the movement of goods around the globe simpler and more certain, while simultaneously helping the logistics industry become more sustainable. Disruptive, a leading technology investment firm based in the United States (Austin, TX), explained the opportunity it sees in Forto: "the last few years have presented significant challenges and well-publicized uncertainty around the worldwide movement of goods. They have clearly highlighted the need for further visibility and control across the supply chain, and for Forto's transformative solutions," commented Alex Davis, CEO of Disruptive. "Forto has significant potential to drive real change and improve global logistics experiences for customers across industries and touching all sectors of the shipping industry." Forto has a worldwide presence with offices across Germany and Asia (including Shanghai, Ningbo, Shenzhen, Singapore and Hong Kong). In 2021, the company expanded its European presence with offices in Copenhagen and Aarhus in Denmark, Madrid in Spain, Rotterdam in the Netherlands. It also opened an office in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. In 2022, Forto plans to further expand its footprint to customers in Poland, Belgium, Sweden and southern Europe. Forto will continue to grow the company, with the addition of further industry-leading expertise in technology and logistics and the expansion of the senior leadership team to underpin this growth. In addition to the appointment of logistics industry experts to lead its regional expansion efforts, Forto recently appointed Jochen Freese, formerly Chief Commercial and Marketing Officer for CEVA Logistics, as Executive Vice President of Procurement and Business Development. The company will also continue to advance its work to make global trade more sustainable. It aims to make climate action easy for customers, which starts with visibility on emissions and information that empowers them to make impactful data-based decisions. The goal is for sustainable choices to become the default. The transaction remains subject to statutory closing conditions and is expected to conclude in the next few weeks. About Forto Forto advances the vision to deliver a highly transparent, frictionless, and sustainable digital supply chain. Forto platform technologies address the entire process stream, from offer, booking, document administration, tracking and tracing to pro-active exemption processing and analysis, supporting our customers with greater visibility, insight, and control. Leading manufacturers and e-commerce brands are among the 2,500 customers using Forto's digitally-focused offerings as part of their supply chain delivery. Headquartered in Berlin, Germany, the company currently has more than 750 employees with 16 locations across Europe and Asia including offices in Berlin, Copenhagen, Hamburg, Ho Chi Minh City, Madrid, Rotterdam, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Shanghai. For more information, visit www.forto.com. Contact: Alexandra Koehler Senior PR Manager Tel: +491737540475 E-mail: alexandra.koehler@forto.com Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1760803/Forto_Logistics_GmbH_and_Co_KG.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1533091/Forto_Logo.jpg COLORADO SPRINGS, CO / ACCESSWIRE / March 7, 2022 / Fortitude Gold Corp. (OTCQB:FTCO) (the "Company") declares its monthly dividend of $0.04 per common share payable on March 31, 2022 to shareholders of record as of March 21, 2022. Fortitude Gold is a gold producer, developer, and explorer with operations in Nevada, U.S.A. offering investors exposure to both gold production and dividend yield. Dividends may vary in amount and consistency or be discontinued at the Board of Directors' discretion depending on variables including but not limited to operational cash flows, Company development requirements and strategies, construction, spot gold and silver prices, taxation, general market conditions and other factors described in the Company's public filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. About Fortitude Gold Corp.: Fortitude Gold is a U.S. based gold producer targeting projects with low operating costs, high margins, and strong returns on capital. The Company's strategy is to grow organically, remain debt-free and distribute substantial dividends. The Company's Nevada Mining Unit consists of five high-grade gold properties located in the Walker Lane Mineral Belt and a sixth high-grade gold property in west central Nevada. The Isabella Pearl gold mine, located on the Isabella Pearl mineralized trend, is currently in production. Nevada, U.S.A. is among the world's premier mining friendly jurisdictions. Cautionary Statements: This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. If you are risk-averse you should NOT buy shares in Fortitude Gold Corp. The statements contained in this press release that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. When used in this press release, the words "plan", "target", "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "intend" and "expect" and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements include, without limitation, the statements regarding the Company's strategy, future plans for production, future expenses and costs, future liquidity and capital resources, and estimates of mineralized material are forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements in this press release are based upon information available to the Company on the date of this press release, and the Company assumes no obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties, and there can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate. The Company's actual results could differ materially from those discussed in this press release. In particular, the scope, duration, and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mining operations, Company employees, and supply chains as well as the scope, duration and impact of government action aimed at mitigating the pandemic may cause future actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by any forward-looking statements. Also, there can be no assurance that production will continue at any specific rate. Contact: Greg Patterson 719-717-9825 greg.patterson@fortitudegold.com www.Fortitudegold.com SOURCE: Fortitude Gold Corporation View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/691842/Fortitude-Gold-Declares-March-Monthly-Dividend Educators call for more attention to the prevention and treatment of depression among adolescents (Global Times) 09:01, March 07, 2022 A patient suffering from depression waits to see the doctor in a hospital in Taiyuan City, north China's Shanxi Province. Photo: Xinhua At this year's two sessions, many lawmakers have called for more attention to be given to the prevention and treatment of depression among adolescents and encouraging the establishment of social support systems and an artificial intelligence (AI) platform to safeguard the mental health of adolescents. One of the proposers, Yu Minhong, a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee and chairman of New Oriental Education and Technology Group, submitted a proposal on the prevention and treatment of adolescent depression to the ongoing conference this year, thepaper.cn reported. According to the China National Mental Health Development Report (2019-20), the detection rate of depression among adolescents in 2020 was 24.6 percent among which mild and major depression were 17.2 percent and 7.4 percent, Yu cited in his proposal. In 2009, the rate was separately 16.8 percent and 7.4 percent, according to the report. Moreover, some adolescent suicide cases have also been linked to depressive symptoms or depression, Yu noted in his proposal. Yu proposed to truly reduce the "twin pressures" of homework and tutoring on children. Public organizations regarding charity and philanthropies are encouraged to take the lead in establishing a third system of mental illness treatment - the social support system. Besides, special attention should be paid to improving the ability of faculty members to identify students' mental and psychological problems and to apply professional knowledge to deal with these problems. Focusing on the same issue, Liu Qingfeng, a deputy to the 13th National People's Congress and board chairman of iFlytek, a leading Chinese AI firm, proposed to enhance screening for depression among youngsters and include the payment in medical insurance. Liu also suggested introducing AI technologies in managing depression and other psychological diseases and establish an AI platform to screen these problems for nationwide elementary and middle schools. The treatment fee should also be included in medical insurance, Liu suggests. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) A woman wearing a mask carries a baby at a bus station along with workers who crowded the terminal to return to their cities, March 22, 2020, after many facilities in Bangkok were closed due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Thailand is scrambling to encourage its people to have more babies to arrest a slumping birthrate. Reuters-Yonhap Thailand is scrambling to encourage its people to have more babies to arrest a slumping birthrate, offering parents childcare and fertility centers, while also tapping social media influencers to showcase the joys of family life. The campaign comes as the number of births has dropped by nearly a third since 2013, when they first started declining. Last year saw 544,000 births, the lowest in at least six decades and below the 563,000 deaths, which were also swelled by COVID-19 fatalities. While Thailand's demographic path is similar to other Asian economies such as Japan or Singapore, as an emerging market relying on cheap labor and a growing middle class the implications for Southeast Asia's second-biggest economy are far more profound. "The data reflects a population crisis ... where the mindset towards having children has changed," said Teera Sindecharak, an expert on demography at Thammasat University. Senior health official Suwannachai Wattanayingcharoenchai told Reuters the government recognized a need to intervene. "We are trying to slow down the decline in births and reverse the trend by getting families that are ready to have children faster," he said, describing plans to introduce policies so that newborns get the full support of the state. The plans include opening fertility centers, currently limited to Bangkok and other major cities, in 76 provinces and also using social media influencers to back up the message, officials said. Such policies may come too late for people like Chinthathip Nantavong, 44, who decided with her partner of 14 years not to have children. "Raising one child costs a lot. A semester for kindergarten is already 50,000 to 60,000 baht ($1,520 to $1,850) and then it reaches millions later," she said, adding that other countries have better care facilities and welfare policies. People line up to receive tickets for free COVID-19 swab testing at Wat Phra Sri Mahathat Woramahawihan in Bangkok, July 9, 2021. AFP-Yonhap Thailand is not alone in the region struggling with low fertility rates, but is less wealthy than some more developed countries that have been forced to rely on migrant workers to support their economies. Experts said it is hard to reverse a situation where social conditions have changed and attitudes towards having children are now colored by concerns over rising debt and elderly care. Thailand is heading towards becoming a "super-aged society" where the number of people over 60 will account for more than a fifth of the population, academic Teera said. About 18 percent of Thailand's population is aged over 60. The ratio of working-aged to elderly people last year was 3.4, but by 2040 officials forecast it could be 1.7. "The manufacturing sector will face productivity slumps ... so we have to develop skilled labor and adopt the use of automated technologies," the head of the state-planning agency, Danucha Pichayanan, told a recent business forum. Thailand is a major regional manufacturing sector for automotive and electronics. Danucha also noted the demographic trend could also strain government finances and experts have said welfare for the elderly is not seen as sufficient even today, with monthly allowances of 600 to 1,000 baht. A Thai nurse puts face shields on newborn babies as a precaution against the COVID-19 pandemic at Princ Hospital Suvarnabhumi, in Samut Prakan province, Thailand, April 8, 2020. EPA-Yonhap "It's become more difficult in deciding to have children," said Teera, noting in the last decade the economy had been sluggish, as income growth slowed while living costs increased. Political division, rising debt and education costs were also major factors determining attitudes towards having children, and short-term remedies may not be enough, experts said. Household debt has grown to nearly 90 percent of gross domestic product, from 59 percent in 2010, Bank of Thailand data showed. Thailand has also been rocked by political instability over most of the past two decades, with two military coups and large anti-government protests. But for many like Chinthathip, who has chosen not to have children, the expense remains the main issue. "The middle class, office workers or people that are trying make ends meet think the same way," said Chinthathip. "Right now we have a cat and it's not as costly as a child." (Reuters) Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. Study showed clinically meaningful impact on common symptoms of overactive bladder (OAB) compared to placebo from baseline to week 12 Urovant Sciences, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sumitovant Biopharma Ltd., today announced positive topline results from its Phase 2a, double-blind, placebo-controlled exploratory study of URO-902, an investigational, novel, locally injected gene therapy product (plasmid human cDNA encoding maxi-K channel), in patients with overactive bladder (OAB), who were not well managed by oral therapies. "URO-902 showed a clinically meaningful and statistically significant effect on a number of relevant outcome measures in OAB including number of micturitions, urgency episodes, and quality of life indicators compared to placebo, 12 weeks post-administration," said Cornelia Haag-Molkenteller, MD, PhD, executive vice president and chief medical officer of Urovant Sciences. "URO-902 was well tolerated, compared to placebo. The most common adverse event was urinary tract infection, in both treatment groups." We are encouraged by these positive results and pending the completion of the study in Fall 2022 and we look forward to discussing next steps for the URO-902 clinical development plan." The Phase 2a study included 80 female patients and was designed to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of a single, physician administered dose of URO-902 of 24 milligrams (mg) and 48 mg, compared with placebo with a primary timepoint at week 12 post-administration. Patients were followed for up to 48 weeks post-administration. URO-902 has the potential to be the first gene therapy for patients with OAB. "These promising results suggest that URO-902 could potentially offer a new treatment option for patients with overactive bladder who have been inadequately managed by oral pharmacologic therapy," said Kenneth Peters, MD, principal investigator, and chief of the department of urology at Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak; Medical director of the Beaumont Women's Urology and Pelvic Health Center and professor and chair of urology of the Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine in Rochester, Michigan. The company plans to present the topline results of the study at the American Urological Association annual meeting being held May 13-16, 2022 in New Orleans, LA. About the Phase 2a Study The study was a randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of a single physician administered dose of URO-902, a novel gene therapy being developed for patients with OAB who have not been adequately managed with oral or transdermal pharmacologic therapy for OAB. URO-902 is administered via direct intradetrusor injections into the bladder wall under local anesthesia in patients who are experiencing OAB symptoms and urge urinary incontinence (UUI). The Phase 2a trial enrolled 80 female patients in two cohorts: the first cohort received either a single administration of 24 mg of URO-902 or matching placebo, and the second cohort received 48 mg of URO-902 or matching placebo into the bladder wall. Multiple outcome measures were explored, including the effect on the number of micturitions, urgency episodes, and quality of life indicators compared to placebo, 12 weeks post-administration, as well as an assessment of the safety and tolerability of this potential new therapy. Patients were followed for up to 48 weeks after initial administration. About URO-902 URO-902 has the potential to be the first gene therapy for patients with OAB. If approved, this innovative treatment may address an unmet need for patients who have not been adequately managed by oral or transdermal pharmacologic OAB therapies and are concerned with potential urinary retention with other minimally invasive therapies or surgical interventions related to existing third-line OAB treatments. About Urovant Sciences Urovant Sciences is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing innovative therapies for areas of unmet need, with a dedicated focus in Urology. The Company's lead product, GEMTSA(vibegron), is an oral, once-daily (75 mg) small molecule beta-3 agonist for the treatment of adult patients with overactive bladder (OAB) with symptoms of urge urinary incontinence, urgency, and urinary frequency. GEMTESA was approved by the U.S. FDA in December 2020 and launched in the U.S. in April 2021. GEMTESA is also being evaluated for the treatment of OAB in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia. The Company's second product candidate, URO-902, is a novel gene therapy being developed for patients with OAB who have failed oral pharmacologic therapy. Urovant Sciences, a wholly owned subsidiary of Sumitovant Biopharma Ltd., intends to bring innovation to patients in need in urology and other areas of unmet need. Learn more about us at www.urovant.com or follow us on Twitter or LinkedIn. About Sumitovant Biopharma Ltd. Sumitovant is a global biopharmaceutical company leveraging data-driven insights to rapidly accelerate development of new potential therapies for unmet patient conditions. Through our unique portfolio of wholly-owned "Vant" subsidiaries-Urovant, Enzyvant, Spirovant, Altavant-and use of embedded computational technology platforms to generate business and scientific insights, Sumitovant has supported the development of FDA-approved products and advanced a promising pipeline of early-through late-stage investigational assets for other serious conditions. Sumitovant, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma, is also the majority-shareholder of Myovant (NYSE: MYOV). For more information, please visit our website at www.sumitovant.com or follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn. About Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Co., Ltd. Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma is among the top-ten listed pharmaceutical companies in Japan, operating globally in major pharmaceutical markets, including Japan, the U.S., China, and other Asian countries. Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma is based on the 2005 merger between Dainippon Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., and Sumitomo Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. Today, Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma has more than 7,000 employees worldwide. Additional information about Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma is available through its corporate website at https://www.ds-pharma.com. About GEMTESA GEMTESA is a prescription medicine for adults used to treat the following symptoms due to a condition called overactive bladder: urge urinary incontinence: a strong need to urinate with leaking or wetting accidents urgency: the need to urinate right away frequency: urinating often It is not known if GEMTESA is safe and effective in children. IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION Do not take GEMTESA if you are allergic to vibegron or any of the ingredients in GEMTESA. Before you take GEMTESA, tell your doctor about all your medical conditions, including if you have liver problems; have kidney problems; have trouble emptying your bladder or you have a weak urine stream; take medicines that contain digoxin; are pregnant or plan to become pregnant (it is not known if GEMTESA will harm your unborn baby; talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant); are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed (it is not known if GEMTESA passes into your breast milk; talk to your doctor about the best way to feed your baby if you take GEMTESA). Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Know the medicines you take. Keep a list of them to show your doctor and pharmacist when you get a new medicine. What are the possible side effects of GEMTESA? GEMTESA may cause serious side effects including the inability to empty your bladder (urinary retention). GEMTESA may increase your chances of not being able to empty your bladder, especially if you have bladder outlet obstruction or take other medicines for treatment of overactive bladder. Tell your doctor right away if you are unable to empty your bladder. The most common side effects of GEMTESA include headache, urinary tract infection, nasal congestion, sore throat or runny nose, diarrhea, nausea and upper respiratory tract infection. These are not all the possible side effects of GEMTESA. For more information, ask your doctor or pharmacist. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. Please click here for full Product Information for GEMTESA. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220307005756/en/ Contacts: Urovant Sciences Alana Darden Powell Vice President, Corporate Communications 949-436-3116 alana.darden@Urovant.com media@urovant.com Sumitovant Biopharma Maya Frutiger Head of Corporate Communications media@sumitovant.com Harvia Plc Press Release 7 March 2022 Harvia Plc confirms that it suspended its operations in Russia in the beginning of March due to the war in Ukraine and the rapidly changed situation. The company condemns Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Sales in Russia accounted for 6.4 percent of Harvia Group's revenue in 2021 (EUR 11.5 million). The Group employs 27 people in Russia. Harvia does not have a production facility in Russia. "We condemn the war in Ukraine and are shocked by the human suffering it has caused. We are supporting those affected by the war in Ukraine and are doing everything we can to help our local partners in Ukraine," says Tapio Pajuharju, CEO of Harvia Plc. The company is monitoring the developing situation and the potential effects on Harvia closely. Should there be any direct and material financial impact according to Harvia's assessment, the company will announce them without delay. Further information: Tapio Pajuharju, CEO, tel: +358 50 577 4200 Ari Vesterinen, CFO, tel. +358 40 505 0440 Harvia in brief: Harvia is one of the leading companies operating in the sauna and spa market globally, as measured by revenue. Harvia's brands and product portfolio are well known in the market, and the company's comprehensive product portfolio strives to meet the needs of the international sauna and spa market of both private and professional customers. Harvia's revenue totaled EUR 179.1 million in 2021, of which 79% came from outside Finland. Harvia Group employs more than 800 professionals in Finland, China and Hong Kong, Romania, Austria, United States, Germany, Estonia and Russia. The company is headquartered in Muurame, Finland, adjacent to its largest sauna and sauna component manufacturing facility. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 7, 2022) - PNG Copper Inc. (CSE: PNGC) ("PNG Copper" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it settled outstanding indebtedness with a director of the Company by issuance of units ("Units"). The Company settled outstanding indebtedness of $108,711.46 ("Debt Settlement") with the director through the issuance of 1,553,020 Units. Each Unit consisted of one (1) Common Share and one (1) Common Share purchase warrant ("Warrant"). Each whole Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one additional Common Share at an exercise price of C$0.10 per Common Share, for a period of five (5) years from the date of issuance. The issuance of Units in relation to the Debt Settlement is a "related party transaction" pursuant to Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). The issuance of Units is exempt from the requirement to obtain minority approval pursuant to paragraph 5.7(1) a. of MI 61-101, as the Debt Settlement does not exceed fair market value by more than 25% of the market capitalization of the Company. All Units issued and issuable pursuant to the Debt Settlement will be subject to a hold period of four months and one day from the date of closing. About PNG Copper Inc. PNG Copper Inc. is a mineral exploration company focused on acquiring, exploring, and developing quality mineral properties in Papua New Guinea. The Company's core values are respect for the Community, the Landowners, the environment and operating a safe workplace for its employees. The Company is also committed to best practice standards of Corporate Governance. For further information please visit the Company's website at pngcopper.ca or contact: PNG Copper Inc. Paul Rokeby, Chief Financial Officer Tel: +1.705.465.1880 p>This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of any of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful, including any of the securities in the United States of America. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for account or benefit of, U.S. Persons (as defined in Regulation S under the 1933 Act) unless registered under the 1933 Act and applicable state securities laws, or an exemption from such registration requirements is available. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION, DISTRIBUTION OR DISSEMINATION DIRECTLY, OR INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/115850 TORONTO and CHICAGO, March 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- BMO Financial Group (TSX: BMO) (NYSE: BMO) today announced that it has filed its 2022 Notice of Annual Meeting of Shareholders and Management Proxy Circular with applicable securities regulators. It further announced the release of its 2021 Sustainability reporting suite. Proxy Circular BMO's Annual Meeting of Shareholders will be held on Wednesday, April 13, 2022, at 9:30 a.m. EDT. The meeting will be held virtually, although - subject to public health guidelines and compliance with the bank's health and safety protocols - it may also have a limited in-person option at BMO Institute for Learning (IFL), 3550 Pharmacy Avenue, Toronto, Ontario. Further details on this possibility will be released at a later date. The Management Proxy Circular contains key information for shareholders on the meeting, including the items to be voted on, which are the election of directors, the appointment of auditors, the advisory vote on the bank's approach to executive compensation, and four shareholder proposals. A detailed description of these items is contained in the circular. BMO is using notice-and-access to deliver the circular to its shareholders and this year, is using notice-and-access to deliver BMO's annual report to its beneficial shareholders. The circular and annual report can be found online: on the BMO Annual Meeting website at www.bmo.com/home/about/banking/investor-relations/annual-general-meeting; on the website of BMO's transfer agent, Computershare Trust Company of Canada at www.envisionreports.com/BMO2022; on SEDAR at www.sedar.com; and on EDGAR at www.sec.gov. Shareholders can request paper copies free of charge as described in the circular and the notice-and-access notices. BMO encourages shareholders to vote by proxy as early as possible to ensure their shares are represented at the meeting. Shareholders can join the meeting and ask questions through a live webcast or listen by teleconference. Shareholders can access the webcast platform, related instructions and dial-in information (listen only) on the Annual Meeting website. Please check the website regularly for updates. 2021 Sustainability Reporting Suite BMO is publishing its 2021 Sustainability reporting suite, including the 2021 BMO Climate Report. The BMO Climate Report is the first published since BMO announced its Net-Zero Climate Ambition to be its clients' lead partner in the transition to a net zero world, and joined the Glasgow Finance Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ). The 2021 Sustainability reporting suite provides environmental, social and governance (ESG) disclosure, with a focus on issues identified by stakeholders as most affecting the bank's sustainability. The report also includes the Public Accountability Statements for Bank of Montreal and its applicable subsidiaries: Bank of Montreal Mortgage Corporation, BMO Life Assurance Company and BMO Life Insurance Company. The Sustainability reporting suite can be downloaded at our-impact.bmo.com/reports. About BMO Financial Group Serving customers for 200 years and counting, BMO is a highly diversified financial services provider - the 8th largest bank, by assets, in North America. With total assets of $1.02 trillion as of January 31, 2022, and a team of diverse and highly engaged employees, BMO provides a broad range of personal and commercial banking, wealth management and investment banking products and services to more than 12 million customers and conducts business through three operating groups: Personal and Commercial Banking, BMO Wealth Management and BMO Capital Markets. For News Media Inquiries: Paul Gammal, Toronto, paul.gammal@bmo.com, (416) 867-3996; For Investor Relations Inquiries: Christine Viau, Head, Investor Relations, Toronto, christine.viau@bmo.com, (416) 867-6956; Bill Anderson, Director, Investor Relations, Toronto, Bill2.Anderson@bmo.com, (416) 867-7834; Internet: www.bmo.com; Twitter: @BMOMedia The Epiq Service Cloud, with significant enhancements to the Epiq Access, Epiq Discovery, Epiq Processing, EpiqTMX and Epiq Legal Transformation solutions, along with a broader set of third-party solutions, will further advance the management of legal services NEW YORK, March 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Epiq, a technology-enabled services leader to global corporate legal departments and law firms, announced today it has unveiled its Epiq Service Cloud, including enhanced proprietary Epiq Access, Epiq Discovery and Epiq Processing platforms, as well as broadened support for third-party applications. The Epiq Service Cloud is a suite of productivity and intelligence tools, services and dashboards that provides a centralized digital experience for Epiq's proprietary technology and other third-party industry tools. It is designed to assist with the effective and efficient management of legal technologies and legal services. Currently, more than 300 Epiq clients are leveraging the Epiq Service Cloud, with client growth at over 10% per month. The Epiq Service Cloud is powered by modern applications and technologies to empower corporate legal departments and law firms to meet deadlines, capture institutional knowledge and derive actionable insights from comprehensive data analytics. Built on state-of-the-art secure, private and public cloud-based infrastructure, the all-in-one platform provides advanced legal business intelligence, convenient service request modules, spend management dashboards, data transfer tools and on-demand project status updates. It includes a broad suite of applications, including several for eDiscovery, such as a self-service tool for managing data for internal investigations and subject access requests. It also includes several business-of-law applications and services designed to provide general counsel and legal operations professionals with more visibility into department and project-level service, cost and risk. These include Legal Spend Analysis, Legal Invoice Analytics and Review, and "Metrics that Matter" dashboards for at-a-glance, executive-level insights. "Everything we do to service our clients is based on the cohesive service and technical architecture of the Epiq Service Cloud," Epiq Legal Solutions President and General Manager Roger Pilc said. "It transforms the way that legal work is done and helps legal teams get to quicker and better insights, while empowering tremendous value from increased productivity, efficiency, and better outcomes." With simple-to-use single sign-on (including federated security that works with an organization's existing identity management system), users can, from a single interface, access both Epiq proprietary and third-party tools that support the legal function. Proprietary tools include Epiq's own SaaS and self-service offerings, including Epiq Discovery, Epiq Access, Epiq Processing, EpiqTMX, and Epiq Case Insights. Supported third-party tools include Relativity, RelativityOne, Reveal, Reveal AI, Brainspace, GoAnywhere, Blackout, Veritone, Linquistic Systems Inc., and many others. The Epiq Service Cloud also allows users to access spend management and "Metrics that Matter" dashboards, view and analyze details behind their historic eDiscovery and outside counsel expenses, transfer files of all sizes, and securely manage end-user access to applications and data. Concurrent with the launch, Epiq has enhanced Epiq Access, the user interface for the Epiq Service Cloud. Epiq Access' self-service features provide clients with simplified project and user management and comprehensive reports. Features now include a new robust work request module; hosting, processing, and spend management dashboards; and easy-to-use multifactor authentication for internal, third-party, and outside counsel users. The Epiq Service Cloud is also a key enabler of Epiq's growing business-of-law-related services. Epiq's spend management dashboards leverage the Epiq Service Cloud's data architecture to provide insights into department spending and can reduce the effort involved in managing complex e-billing data. Backed by data science and utilizing Microsoft Power BI, these dashboards give legal departments a deeper look into cost-savings opportunities and data-driven strategies to advance the way legal work gets done. The Epiq development team built the Epiq Service Cloud on Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services and private cloud infrastructure to maximize scalability, uptime, and throughput. The team also intentionally leveraged its development team's substantial expertise from the SaaS software, artificial intelligence, data and data management, security, and e-commerce industries to apply the most advanced technology and technology practices available. In addition to Microsoft and AWS, Epiq partnered with Snowflake, VMware, Okta, and others to deploy the Epiq Service Cloud; Optiv, Cloudflare, and Mandiant to supplement internal security teams; and Zerto for disaster recovery. "Our scalable data architecture consists of a state-of-the-art data warehouse, at-scale processing, industry-leading security, simplified single sign-on and unified dashboards not traditionally found in legal tech," said Shah Karim, Epiq Legal Solutions' chief technology officer. "The modernization of legal industry data and processes will make it easier for corporate legal teams to work within their enterprise environments and for law firms to better manage business processes." To learn more about the Epiq Service cloud, visit us online here. If you will be at Legalweek in New York City, you can stop by Epiq booth #2106 for a quick demo. About Epiq Epiq, a global technology-enabled services leader to the legal industry and corporations, takes on large-scale, increasingly complex tasks for corporate counsel, law firms, and business professionals with efficiency, clarity, and confidence. Clients rely on Epiq to streamline the administration of business operations, class action and mass tort, court reporting, eDiscovery, regulatory, compliance, restructuring, and bankruptcy matters. Epiq subject-matter experts and technologies create efficiency through expertise and deliver confidence to high-performing clients around the world. Learn more at https://www.epiqglobal.com. CBRE Group, Inc. (NYSE:CBRE) today announced a decision to discontinue most of its business in Russia in response to the horrific attack on Ukraine. The company has begun the process of exiting its office in Moscow, which provides leasing, investment, property management and valuation services, and terminating two existing affiliate relationships in the country. Consistent with its contractual obligations, CBRE will continue to manage facilities and provide other essential services for existing multi-national clients that are operating in Russia. CBRE is working diligently to support its loyal and hardworking colleagues in Russia who will transition from the company. CBRE regrets the impact that this transition will have on those employees, who are leaving the company through no fault of their own. The discontinued operations in Russia constitute less than 1% of CBRE's global revenue in 2021. CBRE has strongly denounced Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The company continues to provide physical and direct monetary assistance for employees of CBRE's affiliate in Ukraine who are in need. In addition, CBRE people have given generously to the company's global fundraising campaign to benefit the UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency's equitable humanitarian relief efforts. About CBRE Group, Inc. CBRE Group, Inc. (NYSE:CBRE), a Fortune 500 and S&P 500 company headquartered in Dallas, is the world's largest commercial real estate services and investment firm (based on 2021 revenue). The company has more than 105,000 employees (excluding Turner Townsend employees) serving clients in more than 100 countries. CBRE serves a diverse range of clients with an integrated suite of services, including facilities, transaction and project management; property management; investment management; appraisal and valuation; property leasing; strategic consulting; property sales; mortgage services and development services. Please visit our website at www.cbre.com. We routinely post important information on our website, 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 in the Investor Relations section of our website at https://ir.cbre.com. Accordingly, investors should monitor such portion of our website, in addition to following our press releases, Securities and Exchange Commission filings and public conference calls and webcasts. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220307005866/en/ Contacts: Steve Iaco Media 212.984.6535 Kristyn Farahmand Investors 214.863.3145 Edmonton, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - March 7, 2022) - TrustBIX Inc. (TSXV: TBIX) (OTCQB: TBIXF) ("TrustBIX" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that further to its press releases dated February 2, 2022 and March 1, 2022, the Company has received TSX Venture Exchange final acceptance and satisfied the remaining closing conditions to complete the acquisition of Insight Global Technology Inc. ("Insight"). Hubert Lau, CEO of TrustBIX, said, "Together with Insight, we will be combining our BIX technology and incentive solutions with Insight's edge-to-enterprise supply chain solutions. With this expanded suite of offerings, we continue our commitment to expand our Gate-to-Plate technologies for our customers." Alex Barendregt, founder of Insight, stated, "We are more than excited for this great opportunity to bring together our technology platforms to be deployed as a unified solution within TrustBIX. We look forward to closely working with the TrustBIX team in implementing this complimentary line of business." Pursuant to the terms of the definitive agreement, TrustBIX will acquire 100% of the issued and outstanding shares of Insight for up to 30,000,000 common shares of TrustBIX priced at $0.18 per share (the "Consideration Shares"). The Insight shareholders will receive 10,000,000 Consideration Shares (subject to certain resale restrictions) on closing, and an additional amount of up to 20,000,000 Consideration Shares (subject to applicable escrow and resale restrictions) may be issued by the Company based on the satisfaction of certain financial metrics over the twelve months after the closing of the transaction, as follows: a further 5,000,000 Consideration Shares on Insight attaining Net Revenue of $500,000 and Target Profit of $150,000; a further 7,500,000 Consideration Shares on Insight attaining cumulative Net Revenue of $750,000 and cumulative Target Profit of $225,000; and a further 7,500,000 Consideration Shares on Insight attaining cumulative Net Revenue of $1,000,000, cumulative Target Profit of $300,000, and achieving a minimum of 50% recurring revenue (continuing subscriptions and rollover renewals of the Insight Solution). Net Revenue includes the sales of Insight products and related services, net of returns, discounts, shipping, taxes, duties and other such amounts. Target Profit is defined as Net Revenue, minus cost of goods sold, including installation and support, and direct operating expenses, including all sales and technical activities. Net Revenue and Target Profit are calculated in accordance with the Company's accounting standards and corporate policies. Any Consideration Shares which have not been released pursuant to the escrow agreement within twelve months of the closing date, shall be cancelled without recourse. About Insight Insight is an edge-to-enterprise supply chain solution that brings asset situational awareness to dealers, rental fleets, and civil construction managers. The platform allows customers to track, protect, and identify movement of assets using self-powered and self-reporting cellular tags and cloud-based suite of tools. Assignment of tags to assets permits usage reporting for inventory control and auditing tools with out-of-the-box readiness or integration with existing enterprise systems. About TrustBIX (TSXV: TBIX) (OTCQB: TBIXF) As an innovative leader, TrustBIX provides agri-food traceability and chain of custody value solutions. The Company's goal is to create a world where we trust more, waste less and reward sustainable behaviour by addressing consumer and agri-food business demands. The proprietary platform, BIX (Business InfoXchange system), is designed to create trust without compromising privacy through innovative, blockchain-derived use of technology and data. By leveraging BIX and its unique use of incentive solutions, TrustBIX delivers independent validation of food provenance and sustainable production practices within the supply chain - Gate to Plate. ViewTrak Technologies Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary, provides a suite of hardware and software solutions to the livestock industry in Canada, United States, Mexico and China, such as Auction Master Pro, Market Master, Feedlot Solutions and pork grading probes. For more information, visit www.trustbix.com, or follow TrustBIX on Twitter @BIXSCdn, LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/company/bixsco-inc-/ and Facebook at www.facebook.com/BIXSco. Forward-Looking Information This press release contains certain forward-looking information and reflects the Company's present assumptions regarding future events. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause the Company's actual results, levels of activity, performance, and/or achievements to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Certain statements contained in this document constitute forward-looking statements and information within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation. When used in this document, the words "may", "would", "could", "should", "will", "intend", "plan", "propose", "anticipate", "believe", "forecast", "estimate", "expect" and similar expressions used by any of the Company's management, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect the Company's internal projections, expectations, future growth, performance and business prospects and opportunities and are based on information currently available to the Company. Since they relate to the Company's current views with respect to future events, they are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Many factors could cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements that may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Given these risks and uncertainties, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update any such factors or to publicly announce the result of any revisions to any of the forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect future results, events or developments except as required by applicable securities legislation, regulations or policies. FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Hubert Lau President and CEO Telephone: (780) 456-2207 Email: info@trustbix.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy of accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/115830 TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / March 7, 2022 / Talent acquisition firm The Caldwell Partners International Inc. (TSX:CWL)(OTCQX:CWLPF) today announced an international alliance partnership with Johnson Partners, a next generation consulting firm working in board search, executive search and leadership succession with offices across Australia. In connection with the alliance, Johnson Partners has acquired the business of Caldwell's non-owned New Zealand licensee, and integrated Caldwell's Australian team, expanding Johnson Partners' position as one of the leading executive search firms in Australasia. Johnson Partners will become Caldwell's exclusive external search partner for Australia and New Zealand, and Caldwell will become Johnson Partners' exclusive external search partner for North America and the United Kingdom. "Johnson Partners is one of the region's most successful and influential executive search firms, widely recognized for their long-lasting collaborative partnerships with clients," said Chris Beck, president of Caldwell. "This reciprocal alliance is beneficial in several ways. First, it will allow us to jointly conduct transformative searches across the globe at the very highest levels of management and operations, with a keen eye towards delivering outstanding outcomes for our clients. Second, we believe this considerable expansion with the Johnson Partners team will drive greater worldwide revenue opportunities for Caldwell, further creating value for our shareholders." "Caldwell's breadth and reputation for combining innovative technology with outcome-oriented service and high-level expertise makes them the ideal organization to partner with on a global basis" said Jason Johnson, managing partner of Johnson Partners. "This is a ground-breaking agreement for our firm, enabling us to be the leading board advisory and executive search firm with premier capability, track record and performance in Australasia, and opening up collaborative opportunities with Caldwell's partner teams in the Americas and Europe. Similarly, this gives Caldwell expanded reach into Asia Pacific through a partnership with a leading firm that is expanding in the region. This ensures a global network well positioned to support our clients for international cross-border work at board, chief executive and C-suite levels." As Caldwell's New Zealand operation was a licensee relationship and not owned, there was no consideration between Caldwell and Johnson Partners with respect to the transaction. Caldwell's licensing agreement with Caldwell New Zealand has been cancelled and succeeded by the international affiliate partnership with Johnson Partners. About Johnson Partners Johnson Partners is a next generation consulting firm working in board search, executive search and leadership succession. Founded by Jason Johnson, one of the region's most successful and influential executive search consultants, the firm focuses on a new client-inspired model that is transforming the executive search industry. Johnson Partners connects the world's top organizations with the premier leadership they need to transform their organizations, outperform the competition and achieve their business goals. About Caldwell Partners Caldwell Partners is a technology-powered talent acquisition firm specializing in recruitment at all levels. Through two distinct brands - Caldwell and IQTalent Partners - the firm leverages the latest innovations in AI to offer an integrated spectrum of services delivered by teams with deep knowledge in their respective areas. Services include candidate research and sourcing through to full recruitment at the professional, executive and board levels, as well as a suite of talent strategy and assessment tools that can help clients hire the right people, then manage and inspire them to achieve maximum business results. Caldwell Partners' common shares are listed on The Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX:CWL) and trade on the OTCQX Market (OTCQX:CWLPF). Please visit our website at www.caldwell.com for further information. Forward-Looking Statements Forward-looking statements in this document are based on current expectations that are subject to the significant risks and uncertainties cited. These forward-looking statements generally can be identified by use of statements that include phrases such as "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "foresee," "may," "will," "likely," "estimates," "potential," "continue" or other similar words or phrases. Similarly, statements that describe our objectives, plans or goals also are forward-looking statements. The Company is subject to many factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by the relevant forward looking statement including, but not limited to, software that we license from third parties, our ability to successfully recover from a disaster or other business continuity issues, successfully integrating or realizing the expected benefits from our acquisitions, adverse operating issues from acquired businesses, our ability to attract and retain key personnel; exposure to our partners taking our clients with them to another firm; the performance of the US, Canadian and international economies, including the impact of pandemic diseases; competition from other companies directly or indirectly engaged in executive search; liability risk in the services we perform; potential legal liability from clients, employees and candidates for employment; cybersecurity requirements, vulnerabilities, threats and attacks; damage to our brand reputation; our ability to align our cost structure to changes in our revenue; adverse governmental and tax law rulings; our ability to generate sufficient cash flow from operations to support our growth and fund any dividends; technological advances may significantly disrupt the labour market and weaken demand for human capital at a rapid rate; foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations; affiliation agreements may fail to renew or affiliates may be acquired; marketable securities valuation fluctuations; increasing dependence on third parties for the execution of critical functions; volatility of the market price and volume of our common shares; potential impairment of our acquired goodwill and intangible assets; and disruption as a result of actions of certain stockholders or potential acquirers of the Company. For more information on the factors that could affect the outcome of forward-looking statements, refer to the "Risk Factors" section of our Annual Information Form and other public filings (copies of which may be obtained at www.sedar.com). These factors should be considered carefully, and the reader should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Although any forward-looking statements are based on what management currently believes to be reasonable assumptions, we cannot assure readers that actual results, performance or achievements will be consistent with these forward-looking statements, and management's assumptions may prove to be incorrect. Except as required by Canadian securities laws, we do not undertake to update any forward-looking statements, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time by us or on our behalf; such statements speak only as of the date made. The forward-looking statements included herein are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary language. For further information, please contact: Investors: Chris Beck, President and Chief Financial Officer Caldwell cbeck@caldwell.com +1 (617) 934-1843 Media: Caroline Lomot, Director of Marketing Caldwell clomot@caldwell.com +1 (516) 830-3535 Jason Johnson, Founder & CEO Johnson Partners +61 414 793 980 jason@johnsonpartners.co SOURCE: Caldwell Partners International, Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/691640/Caldwell-Announces-International-Alliance-Partnership-with-Australia-Based-Johnson-Partners (ASX:POD) With a strategy to rapidly develop an alternative supply of the Platinum Group Metals (PGMs) to the global market, Podium Minerals (ASX: POD $0.35) is an exploration and resources development company focused on PGMs and gold and base metals. Currently, world supply of PGMs is dominated by Russia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe which contribute over 90% of platinum and 80% of palladium mine production and with the recent crisis in the Ukraine, Russias supply maybe affected and the door opened wider for Podium Minerals to provide an alternative supply. The company is focused on its 100% owned Parks Reef Project which consists of a 15km long strike of PGM, gold and base metal mineralisation. The project is located between Cue and Meekatharra in the Mid-West Region of Western Australia. The share price for Podium tracks closely that for Platinum, Palladium and gold. From 2018 through to the end of 2020 the price formed a large base that was extended into early 2021 and promoted the steep rise to the peak at 86c in May 2021. The combination of the steepness of the rise and overheated momentum saw the price top out and fall into decline. The price has oscillated lower over several months but recently found support above the 30c zone. In the short-term an initial buy signal would register at 41c and suggest the ability for the price to rise towards its next barrier zone between 46c and 50c and then slightly higher at 55c. Once clear the stock would gain the potential to head into the 60-70c range and then take out the 86c peak and possibly much higher towards $1.30. The risk to this scenario would be a drop below 28c negating or delaying the upward path. Ends Some of the best years of my life I miss those people. Good times and memories, but I have moved on. Not my best days, but I have made peace with them. Glad to be away from those people I dont miss the high school experience. Vote View Results Disco Growth Network Disco (formerly known as co-op commerce), a San Francisco, CA-based network of brands that work together to learn more about their customers, increase merchandising distribution and lower customer acquisition costs, raised $20M in Series A funding. The round was led by Felicis Ventures with participation from Shopify, Sugar Capital, Bessemer Venture Partners, Indicator Ventures, RiverPark Ventures, and several others, including Ankur Nagpals Vibe Capital, Packy McCormicks Not Boring Fund, and some DTC founders and operators. The company intends to use the funds to continue to create an ecosystem of brands and innovative products as well as grow the team considerably. Disco, now 27 people strong, anticipates scaling to 75 by year end, including engineers, product specialists, marketing experts, customer success, and sales. Led by Conner Sherline, Founder and CEO, Disco provides advanced AI-driven partnership software to make recommendations to millions of consumers across hundreds of brands each month. Its post purchase network learns which brands pair best together and what customers have the highest propensity to buy from a specific retailer. Within its 18 month history, the company has increased its product offering and is now a full product suite and platform that supports upsells, cross-promotion, audiences, intelligent insights, seamless brand partnership and more to come. Disco, a Shopify Plus Certified App, also integrates with any online storefront, including those utilizing Shopify, Magento, WooCommerce, Big Commerce, SalesForce Commerce Cloud, WordPress and even custom builds with more than 600+ independent brands. In its first year of business, Disco saw over $1B of transactions across its brand network and over 40M shoppers. Members of the Disco Growth Network include leading direct-to-consumer brands like Rhone, Lovevery, Parade, Made In, and Faherty. FinSMEs 07/03/2022 Immutable, a Sydney, Australia-based platform for trading NFTs on Ethereum, raised $200m in Series C financing. The round, which brings its valuation to $2.5 billion, was led by Temasek, with participation from Animoca Brands, and Tencent, new backers ParaFi Capital, Princeville Capital, Arrington Capital, Mirae Asset and Liberty Global and existing backers King River Capital, Prosus Ventures, AirTree Ventures, Declaration Partners, Fabric Ventures, Possible Ventures and Alameda Research. The company intends to use the capital to plans to use the funds to hire an additional 200 new employees globally over the next 12 months in sales, marketing, engineering and product, to scale to meet the increasing demand for its platform, to expand into new verticals, to support gaming partners, to acquire new customers, and to explore M&A opportunities. Founded in 2018 by James Ferguson, Robbie Ferguson and Alex Connolly, Immutable provides Immutable X, which is an NFT technology platform focused on Layer 2 liquidity solutions that bring scalability to the Ethereum NFT ecosystem. The protocol, powered by StarkWares StarkEx innovative technology, can process 9000 transactions per second (TPS) with zero gas fees. Immutable X has already announced integrations with marketplaces such as OpenSea and Mintable, and is powering some of the largest NFT projects and games including Gods Unchained (the second largest blockchain game by players) Guild of Guardians, Ember Sword, ESL Gaming, GreenPark Sports, Illuvium, Vee Friends, TikTok and more. Immutable is also a developer and publisher of NFT games, including Gods Unchained and Guild of Guardians. The company, which has a team of 165 people, aims to accelerate plans for global expansion, investing in the Immutable X platform, and scale the Immutable Gaming Studio, including its flagship games Gods Unchained and Guild of Guardians. Current companies building on Immutable X include GameStop, TikTok, Opensea, Ember Sword, Illuvium, GreenPark Sports, and Gary Vee (Vee Friends). Earlier this month, GameStop announced a strategic partnership with Immutable to launch its new NFT marketplace on the Immutable X platform. The partnership includes a $100M co-fund between the juggernaut and startup, targeting the advancement of high-impact NFT gaming projects. To support the rapid global expansion plans, Immutable onboarded four new C-suite executives, including: Gill Findlay, Chief Operating Officer, bringing experience as a partner from AirTree Ventures, and C-suite leadership from Vamp and Australian unicorn SafetyCulture. John Boris, Chief Growth Officer, bringing experience as CEO of IfOnly, CMO of Shutterfly, and C-suite leadership roles from LonelyPlanet and other leading US-based tech-enabled companies. Justin Hulog, Chief Studio Officer, bringing experience from Riot Games, where he was General Manager, Southeast Asia, and Say Media where he held several key leadership roles. Katherine Rau, Chief People Officer, bringing experience from her leadership position at Culture Amp and other leading Australian tech companies such as Unlockd and Catch.com.au. FinSMEs 07/03/2022 Mrgn Labs, the New York-based core contributing team to Marginfi, a decentralized margin protocol for Solana DeFi, raised $3M in Seed funding. The round was led by Multicoin Capital and Pantera Capital with participation from Sino Global Capital and Solana Ventures. The company intends to use the funds to drive community and ecosystem development, launch the protocol into DevNet in Q1, and support institution and partner integrations. Led by Edgar Pavlovsky, Founder, Mrgn Labs develops Marginfi, a decentralized portfolio margining protocol for trading on Solana. The protocol gives traders a unified account to access margin, compose a portfolio, and improve capital efficiency across underlying trading protocols. With Marginfi, traders can manage a custom portfolio across different DeFi protocols through a single trader account. For example, Marginfi allows traders to combine a long perpetual position on Drift, with a short options position on Zeta, and a pari-mutuel position on Hxro Network. Traders can then manage these underlying positions through their Marginfi account, using a margining engine that both accounts for the separate positions weighting while also providing boosted yield on idle margin. The team at Mrgn Labs also plans on launching several trader-focused initiatives at the intersection of curated retail and institutional traders in Q1 leading up to its DevNet launch. FinSMEs 07/03/2022 Zignaly, a Singapore-based social investment platform, secured a $50m capital commitment from Luxembourg-based GEM Global Yield LLC SCS. The company intends to use the funds for global expansion. Led by CEO Bartolome Bordallo, Zignaly provides a platform that lowers the barrier to entry for investors who are looking to add digital assets to their portfolios. The company serves the industrys top traders and funds, and enables them to share their track record and expertise so members on the platform can let the experts handle all of the heavy lifting while sharing in the profits with a win/win for both member and trader.reap in the profits. Zignalys multi-chain, multi-exchange infrastructure (and native ZIG token) supports sales and IDOs on chains including Ethereum ERC20, BSC, Polygon, Solana, Harmony, Avalanche and other blockchains. Additionally, the company recently launched ZIGPAD, a brand new launchpad-style incubator and investment network designed to facilitate fundraising for blockchain projects and cross-chain IDOs with minimal knowledge or expertise in smart contracts. To date, members of the platform have invested more than USD $120 million in the portfolios of more than 300 of the platforms vetted expert crypto traders and fund managers. The platform raised a $3 million funding round in March 2021 led by Parataxis Capital and joined by Sino Global, Okx Blockdream Ventures, Disrupt.com, LVT Capital & few others. FinSMEs 07/03/2022 The Allen City Commission called a special meeting Feb. 14 to address the towns current contract with the Prestonsburg Police Department. After the dissolution of the Allen Police Department, the PPD entered into a contract with The City of Allen to provide police protection within city limits in addition, to serving The City of Prestonsburg. Since that time, several members of the commission have questioned whether police protection has been adequate. This prompted Prestonsburg Mayor Les Stapleton and PPD Capt. Ross Shurtleff to attend the Feb. 14 special meeting. I did some investigating with our 911 system. This is not counting the state calls that came in, it's just our 911. Weve written 240 citations, made 87 arrests, worked 19 collisions, weve had 11 felonious investigations and weve had two domestic violence reports that meet the JC-3 criteria which basically means a significant other or child, Stapleton said. Stapletons findings covered the time period between February 15, 2021 through February 11, 2022. The PPD has responded to 221 calls within Allen city limits, with an average response time of 6.23 minutes. Our guys have been instructed to call out whenever theyre down here at Allen. Its on their time cards. Their time cards are electronically kept, it cant be changed once it goes through the system. So, we know how often theyve been up here, we know how often they are, said Stapleton. Stapleton also took issue with statements made on social media taking aim at the department. Apparently, social media has sort of blown up with this and theres been some people who know nothing about police operations, police work period, that think they do, have gotten involved and theyve started sounding off about how bad were doing and everything else, said Stapleton. Stapleton then submitted a letter of termination to the commission, which will effectively end the agreement between The City of Allen and the PPD. The letter included a 60-day notice. Right now, Ive got a letter here, its a 60-day notice that were going to be pulling out of this contract, Stapleton said. Allen Mayor Sharon Woods immediately responded, What can we do to keep you in it (contract)? My officers have been coming down here religiously. Matter of fact, I had one tell me today he loved going down there, because when he writes tickets, nobody has insurance, so we tow the cars in, Stapleton said. Mayor Woods praised the work of the PPD, and acknowledged the citations were possibly a record for the town. Thats the most tickets thats ever been written in The City of Allen, Woods said. When we first did this, it was to help you all out, because I dont want to see you all founder, I know that youve been working hard trying to get your finances in place and try to get things where they need to be. Stapleton continued, But this has kicked me in the teeth, and it kicks my officers everyday in the teeth who come down here and Im not going to let our officers be beat up for it anymore and thats where Im at. Stapleton, who retired after a long career in the Kentucky State Police, knows too well, the scrutiny police officers face. Everybody thinks they work for me, but I work for them. I get them the resources, I get them the proper training, I get them the equipment they need and they do the job. So, ultimately, I work for them and for me to let them keep taking this beating, I cant do it. Stapleton continued, I think its better we part ways right now so theres no hard feelings. The PPD will continue to patrol The City of Allen until May 9, at which time the contract will be officially terminated. The City of Allen must now begin the search for a new department or officers to protect and serve. The L.A. Dodgers The L.A. Angels Both the Dodgers and the Angels Neither one of them Vote View Results In Defence of Marxism is committed to safeguarding your privacy. At all times we aim to respect any personal data you share with us, or that we receive from other organisations, and keep it safe. This Privacy Policy (Policy) sets out our data collection and processing practices and your options regarding the ways in which your personal information is used. This Policy contains important information about your personal rights to privacy. 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Fort Wayne, IN (46808) Today Thunderstorms early, then variable clouds overnight with still a chance of showers. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. Low 47F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%.. Tonight Thunderstorms early, then variable clouds overnight with still a chance of showers. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. Low 47F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. My heart grieves as I watch the news coming out of Ukraine. Texts from Ukrainian friends of 20 years from our sister city of Uzhhorod detailing the situation in Uzhhorod, Kyiv and Kremenchuk as the Russian army invades their peaceful country. A mixture of emotions as friends, many who are like family, are coming to grips with the reality of the current situation in their country. On Feb. 19, the Corvallis Sister Cities Association hosted a Zoom call with some 20 Ukrainian friends and 60-some Americans affiliated with CSCA. At that time, there was some speculation about a major invasion, but most Ukrainians were of the impression that it would more likely be an expansion of what had been going on for the last eight years in the eastern part of Ukraine. Uzhhorod is the most western city in Ukraine, located in the southwestern part of the country on the Slovakian border and just a few kilometers north of the Hungarian border. Until the morning of Feb. 24, no one was worried about Uzhhorod being attacked. However, I learned from a friend who recently built a new house near the airport that he was moving back to the city center in case the airport was attacked. How quickly things evolve. In the past, items of conversations with Ukrainian included grandkids, health, birthdays, vacations, politics, etc. Not unlike conversations with American friends and family. Now we are discussing missile strikes and evacuation plans very surreal indeed! Ukraine is a peace-loving country that surrendered its nuclear weapons at the end of the Cold War in exchange for assurance of protection from the U.S., other Western allies and, ironically, Russia. Known as the Budapest Memorandum, it was not ratified by Congress and, as a result, is not enforceable. There is much conversation in the media about whether intervention is in the strategic and economic interests of the U.S. I will leave that discussion to the pundits. What I have observed in my 20-plus years of interaction with Ukrainian people and their civil institutions is a country that has eagerly adopted U.S. values and systems. Look closely at Ukraines economic, education, social service, environmental and criminal justice systems and you will see a strong influence from America. Their values are the same as ours. Ukrainians want economic security, health for their families and for their children to be successful! They have a strong belief in the importance of families, democracy, self-reliance and God. They have made tremendous progress in their journey to democracy in a relative short time. Many people have asked what they can do support Ukraine. In the short term, I would encourage individuals to let their senators and representative know their feelings about Ukraines situation and Russias behavior. In the longer term, there undoubtedly will be many humanitarian issues in Ukraine needing monetary support. I first visited Uzhhorod two days after 9/11. The outpouring of support and concern for America after the tragic attack on our country was incredible. Today it is our turn to reciprocate. Pete Bober is a retired community college administrator, community volunteer and long-term member of the Corvallis Sister Cities Association. He has traveled to Ukraine many times, working on a variety of projects between Corvallis and Uzhhorod. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021. Braden Manning, Gettysburg baseball: Braden went 9-for-13 with 2 doubles, 2 triples and 7 RBI over 4 games. He also struck out 11 batters in a win over South Western. Amy Anderson, Delone Catholic softball: Amy went 5-for-12 with 6 RBI, 3 runs scored and a triple over 3 games. She also struck out 17 batters and went 2-1 in those games. Parker Sanders, Bermudian Springs Tennis: Parker won 3 matches on his way to a fourth-place finish in the YAIAA Class 2A Singles Tournament. Andrew Koons, Fairfield baseball: Andrew went 5-for-11 with 8 RBI, 4 runs scored and 2 home runs over 3 games, including a grand slam. He was also the winning pitcher against Biglerville. Ben Angstadt, Biglerville baseball: Ben went 8-for-17 with 7 RBI, 4 runs scored, a double and a home run over 4 games for the Canners. Vote View Results Gillette, WY (82718) Today Windy with a mix of clouds and sun. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 58F. Winds SE at 20 to 30 mph.. Tonight Cloudy skies with periods of light rain late. Low 39F. Winds SE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%. MELBOURNE, Australia, March 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to the leading digital marketing agency Melbourne-wide, Zib Digital, one of the most critical aspects of effective content marketing is managing paid, owned and earned media. Each type of media works together to drive traffic and conversions, with some requiring a higher investment and others having a more impactful return on investment (ROI). Each type of media has its place in the lead-generation process and businesses will have the most success leveraging all three. So, what exactly is the difference between the three types? Zib Digital explains. Paid media includes any type of advertising such as social media ads, paid search and retargeting. Paid media drives users to owned media, provides fast lead generation and enhances brand exposure. The ROI marketers can expect on paid media varies depending on the quality of the strategy and the industry - the more competitive, the higher the cost. Zib Digital explains that owned media represents all content a brand or business controls, such as a website, social media posts and email marketing. As Zib Digital points out, a strong digital presence requires a dedication to providing content that resonates with the target audience. The key benefits of owned media include having total control of content and design and the ability to build trust and relationships with audiences. Earned media is the digital form of word of mouth and can include mentions, shares, reposts, reviews, recommendations and more. The top SEO agency Melbourne-wide explains that a strong SEO strategy increases earned media as it improves organic search rankings. To leverage any type of media, Zib Digital says content is king, which requires the creation of relevant, valuable content and consistent publishing. Some organisations simply don't have the resources or experience to do this, which is when outsourcing is the best idea to get results. As the leaders in SEO Melbourne-wide, Zib Digital has a large team of experts made up of specialists in SEO, Google Ads, social media, design, development and digital marketing. To learn more about they can help achieve results for any business, contact Zib Digital. Zib Digital Phone - 1300 942 633 Related Images Image 1: Digital Marketing Agency Digital Marketing Agency This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. Attachment MELBOURNE, Australia, March 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Managing a family business can be extremely rewarding, but it doesn't come without its challenges. Family dynamics can be tricky to navigate and conflicting views and opinions may be difficult to reconcile. Leading Xero accountant XO Accounting shares their expert advice for continuing to grow a family business while avoiding conflict as much as possible. According to XO Accounting, having a solid plan for a family business is absolutely essential. While financial planning is wise for any business owner, a long-term plan can often be the reason a family business stays afloat through multiple generations. Experts recommend prioritising the interests of customers and employees to ensure a positive business culture. It is also advisable to account for market uncertainties that could arise in the future. XO Accounting reminds family business owners that setting quarterly or short-term goals is just as important as a plan that looks further ahead into the future. On top of financial planning, XO Accounting urges business owners to set in stone a comprehensive business management plan. This includes agreeing on business ownership structure, management control and operational oversight, hiring policies for family members and compensation plans for family members active in the business. This plan will be the key to managing performance and avoiding conflicts of interest. XO Accounting also suggests including a succession plan in the overall business management plan; this will determine who the company will be led by and who it will be left to in the future. A succession plan should clearly define roles held by family members, outline a governance system, set standards for business ethics and company culture, list the procedures for productive conflict resolution, and put a focus on long-term goals for the next generations. XO Accounting warns that the worst thing a family business can do is assume that all family members will share the same set of values and agree on all business decisions. Having plans in place can help to avoid serious conflict and set the business up for long-term success. For more expert business advice or resident director services, contact XO Accounting today. XO Accounting Phone - 1 800 106 141 Email - info@xoaccounting.com.au Related Images Image 1: Xero accountant Xero accountant This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. Attachment Pune, India, March 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global anticoagulants market size is projected to reach 45.50 billion by the end of 2026. According to a report published by Fortune Business Insights, titled Anticoagulants Market Size, Share & Industry Analysis, By Disease Indication (Pulmonary Embolism (PE), Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT), Atrial Fibrillation, Heart Attacks, Others), By Route of Administration (Oral, Injectable), By Distribution Channel (Hospitals Pharmacies, Retail Pharmacies, Online Pharmacies, Others) and Regional Forecast, 2019-2026, the market was worth USD 21.45 billion in 2018 and will exhibit a CAGR of 9.9% during the forecast period,2019-2026. Anticoagulants are widely used across the healthcare industry for the treatment of several cardiovascular and health-related disorders. They are effectively used to treat blood clots avoid blockage of blood flow that is caused due to these drugs. The demand for anticoagulants has risen dramatically in recent years, owing to its exceptional properties. Anticoagulants are included in major drugs that are prescribed for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. The properties of anticoagulants have led to a high product adoption in diverse industries. The increasing emphasis on the severe effects of unattended cardiovascular diseases will fuel the demand for anticoagulants. Request a Sample Copy of Market Research Report: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/request-sample-pdf/anticoagulants-market-101807 Key Industry Developments: February 2019: Novartis AG and Blackstones Life Sciences announced the launch of Anthos Therapeutics, a product aimed at the development of new and pipeline drugs that are comprised of anticoagulants. October 2019: Janssen Pharmaceuticals received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration for usage of Riveraxoban, a drug aimed at the treatment of thromboembolic complications. Report Scope & Segmentation Report Coverage Details Forecast Period 2019 to 2026 Forecast Period 2021 to 2026 CAGR 9.9% 2026 Value Projection USD 45.50 Billion Base Year 2018 Market Size in 2026 USD 21.45 Billion Historical Data for 2015 to 2017 No. of Pages 149 Segments covered By Disease Indication, By Route of Administration, end-Users and Geography Growth Drivers Increased Awareness and Innovation of Blood Thinners is likely to propel the Global Market Increasing Need for Advanced and Effective Drugs to Drive the Global Market Pulmonary Embolism (PE) Segment is Likely to Generate the Highest Growth Rate To get to know more about the short-term and long-term impact of COVID-19 on this market, Please Visit: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/industry-reports/anticoagulants-market-101807 The report offers insights into the latest anticoagulants market trends. It highlights leading companies in the market and discusses the strategies that these companies have adopted in recent years. The competitive landscape scenario has been discussed in detail. Additionally, the report encompasses several factors that have contributed to the growth of the market in recent years. Forecast values of the market have been provided for the period of 2019-2026. The market has been segmented on the basis of several criteria including route of administration, distribution type, and disease indication. Factual figures have been evaluated through trusted sources. Other forecast valued have been gathered through interviews and opinions of experienced market research professionals. Increasing Number of Company Mergers Will Aid Market Growth Several growth stimulating factors have been analyzed and discussed in detail. Among all factors, the increasing number of company mergers have had the highest impact on the market. In February 2019, Novartis AG and Blackstones LifeSciences announced the launch of Anthos Therapeutics. The company is aiming for the research and development of drugs that include anticoagulants as a prime pipeline candidate. Increasing number of drug approvals is another factor that has constituted an increase in the global anticoagulants market size in recent years. Janssen Pharmaceuticals Rivaroxaban is an example of a recent drug approval that has had a direct impact on the market. Quick Buy - Anticoagulants Market Research Report: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/checkout-page/101807 North America to Emerge Dominant; High Prevalence of Cardiovascular Disease to Create Several Growth Opportunities The market is segmented on the basis of regional demographics into North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East and Africa. Among these regions, North America will emerge dominant in the coming years. The high prevalence of cardiovascular disease, coupled with the increasing emphasis on the research and development of new drugs will open up a huge potential for the companies operating in the market in this market. As of 2018, the market in North America was worth USD 10.10 billion. Besides North America, Europe will witness significant growth in the coming years, owing to the high incidence of deaths caused due to cardiovascular disease in several countries across this region. The high demand for anticoagulants in emerging countries such as Germany, France, and UK will have a positive influence on the growth of the market in this region. Some of the leading companies that are operating in the global market are: Bristol-Myers Squibb Company Pfizer Inc. Bayer AG Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Eisai Co., Ltd. Other Prominent Players Have Any Query? Ask Our Experts: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/speak-to-analyst/anticoagulants-market-101807 Table of Content from Anticoagulants Market: Introduction Research Scope Market Segmentation Research Methodology Definitions and Assumptions Executive Summary Market Dynamics Market Drivers Market Restraints Market Opportunities Key Insights Prevalence of Major Cardiovascular Diseases by Key Countries Overview of Novel Oral Anticoagulants (NOACs) Pipeline Analysis Key Industry Developments Such as Mergers & Acquisitions New Product Launches Regulatory Scenario in Key Countries Reimbursement Scenario by Key Countries Global Anticoagulants Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast, 2015-2026 Key Findings / Summary Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast By Disease Indication Pulmonary Embolism (PE) Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) Atrial Fibrillation Heart Attacks Others Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast By Route of Administration Oral Injectable Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast By Distribution Channel Hospitals Pharmacies Retail Pharmacies Online Pharmacies Others Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast By Country North America Europe Asia pacific Latin America Middle East & Africa TOC Continued. Ask for Customization of this Report: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/customization/anticoagulants-market-101807 About Us: Fortune Business Insights delivers accurate data and innovative corporate analysis, helping organizations of all sizes make appropriate decisions. We tailor novel solutions for our clients, assisting them to address various challenges distinct to their businesses. Our aim is to empower them with holistic market intelligence, providing a granular overview of the market they are operating in. Contact Us: Fortune Business Insights Pvt. Ltd. 308, Supreme Headquarters, Survey No. 36, Baner, Pune-Bangalore Highway, Pune - 411045, Maharashtra, India. Phone: US :+1 424 253 0390 UK : +44 2071 939123 APAC : +91 744 740 1245 Dublin, March 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Nutrunner Market by Type, Distribution Channel and End-user Industry: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2021-2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global nutrunner market was valued at $789.4 million in 2020, and is projected to reach $1,168.5 million by 2030, registering a CAGR of 4.1% from 2021 to 2030. A nutrunner is required where the fastening and loosen of screws or nut and bolts is critical. It enables the operator to measure the torque applied to the fastener to match it to the specification of an application. A reaction device is equipped outside the gearbox, and is designed to absorb torque and allow the tool user to operate it with minimal effort. The torque output is adjusted by controlling air pressure. Electrical, pneumatic, and hydraulic nutrunner tools are utilized when precise torque is required for fastening a nut and bolt or when nut needs to be removed or replaced. Rise in construction application such as fixing doors and windows and installation of solar panels drives the market growth. In addition, increase in industrial application such as engineering and machine manufacturing propels the market growth. Furthermore, various governments are focusing on strengthening their defense unit by manufacturing advanced aircraft and navy ships, which will create demand for nutrunner tools. Owning to such factors, the nutrunner market will expand at a notable pace during the forecast period. Nutrunner are used during assembly of aircraft and ships. They are required for fastening and tightening of automotive parts with nuts and bolts. Hence, expansion of the automotive sector is expected to provide lucrative growth opportunities for the market growth. For instance, in December 2020, The US government contributed $27 billion to the shipbuilding budget for 2022 and $28.5 billion for 2023. In addition, Naval Sea Systems Command claims that by the end of 2021, the U.S. Navy will have commissioned seven ships. As a result, nutrunner tools will be required for ship manufacturing and assembling its part. Such factors are projected to fuel market expansion during the forecast period. The global nutrunner market is segmented on the basis of type, distribution channel, end-user industry, and region. On the basis of type, the market is segregated into electric nutrunner, pneumatic nutrunner, and hydraulic nutrunner. On the basis of distribution channel, it is categorized into in store and online. Depending on the end-user industry, it is fragmented into construction, industrial, automotive, and others. Region wise, the market analysis is conducted across North America (the U.S., Canada, and Mexico), Europe (the UK, France, Germany, Italy, and rest of Europe), Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, India, South Korea, and rest of Asia-Pacific), and LAMEA (Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa). Competition Analysis Some of the key players operating in the global nutrunner market include Aimco Global, Atlas Copco AB, Bosch Rexroth AG, Dai-Ichi Dentsu Ltd, Estic Corporation, Ingersoll Rand Inc., ITH bolting Technology, Maschinenfabrik Wagner GmbH & Co.AG, Sanyo Machine Works Ltd., and Stanley Engineered Fastening. Key Benefits The report provides an extensive analysis of the current and emerging nutrunner market trends and dynamics. In-depth market analysis is conducted by constructing market estimations for the key market segments between 2020 and 2030. Extensive analysis of the nutrunner market is conducted by following key product positioning and monitoring of the top competitors within the market framework. A comprehensive analysis of all the regions is provided to determine the prevailing opportunities. The global nutrunner market forecast analysis from 2020 to 2030 is included in the report. The key market players within nutrunner market are profiled in this report and their strategies are analyzed thoroughly, which help understand the competitive outlook of the nutrunner industry. Key Topics Covered: CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION CHAPTER 2: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY CHAPTER 3: MARKET OVERVIEW 3.1. Market definition and scope 3.2. Key findings 3.3. Market player positioning, 2020 3.4. Porter's five forces analysis 3.5. Market dynamics Drivers 3.5.1.1. Development of the automotive sector 3.5.1.2. Operational efficiency of pneumatic nutrunners 3.5.1.3. Rise number of industrial and domestic customers Restraint 3.5.1.4. Complexity of tool 3.5.1.5. High initial and maintenance cost Opportunity 3.5.1.6. Advancements in technology 3.6. COVID-19 impact analysis CHAPTER 4: NUTRUNNER MARKET, BY TYPE 4.1. Overview Market size and forecast, by type 4.2. Electric nutrunner 4.3. Pneumatic nutrunner 4.4. Hydraulic nutrunner CHAPTER 5: NUTRUNNER MARKET, BY DISTRIBUTION CHANNEL 5.1. Overview 5.2. In store 5.3. Online CHAPTER 6: NUTRUNNER MARKET, BY END-USER INDUSTRY 6.1. Overview 6.2. Construction 6.3. Industrial 6.4. Automotive 6.5. Others CHAPTER 7: NUTRUNNER MARKET, BY REGION CHAPTER 8: COMPANY PROFILES For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/e7jpds Attachment Dublin, March 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global LED Light Engine Market (2021-2026) by Product Type, Installation Type, Form Type, End-Use Application Type, Geography" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The Global LED Light Engine Market is estimated to be USD 31.2 Bn in 2021 and is expected to reach USD 63.0 Bn by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 15.06%. Market Dynamics The Global LED Light Engine Market is growing need for energy-efficient lighting systems. Increasing government initiatives and regulations for infrastructural development, such as smart cities and other projects based on the Internet of Things (IoT), are driving the market's growth. Additionally, low cost of devices, reduction in LED prices, and expansion of LED technology over conventional lighting solutions are fuelling the development of the market. On the other hand, a lack of awareness for installing LED costs and developing alternate technologies restrict the market's growth. The development of wireless technology is creating opportunities for the market to grow in the forecasted period. Furthermore, increasing adoption and demand from the horticulture market, creating innovative LED light engine products for various applications, including the harsh environment in marine room lights, etc. Moreover, the lack of common open standards and policies are the challenges that may negatively affect the market's growth. Market Segmentation The Global LED Light Engine Market is segmented further based on Product Type, Installation Type, Form Type, End-Use Application Type, and Geography. By Product Type, the market is classified into Lamps and Luminaries. By Installation Type, the LED Light Engine market is classified into New Installation and Retrofit Installation. By Form Type, the LED Light Engine market is classified into Flexible and Rigid. By End-User, the LED Light Engine market is classified into Indoor Lighting and Outdoor Lighting. By Geography, Asia Pacific is projected to lead the market. Company Profiles Some of the companies covered in this report are General Electric Company, Hubbell Incorporated, LG Innotek, Legrand, OSRAM Licht AG, Samsung Electronics Co Ltd, Signify Holding B.V, Wipro Enterprise Private Limited, Wolfspeed, Inc, and Zumtobel Group, etc. Countries Studied America (Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, United States, Rest of Americas) Europe (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Rest of Europe) Middle-East and Africa (Egypt, Israel, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, Rest of MEA) Asia-Pacific (Australia, Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Taiwan, Rest of Asia-Pacific) Competitive Quadrant The report includes a Competitive Quadrant, a proprietary tool to analyze and evaluate the position of companies based on their Industry Position score and Market Performance score. The tool uses various factors for categorizing the players into four categories. Some of these factors considered for analysis are financial performance over the last 3 years, growth strategies, innovation score, new product launches, investments, growth in market share, etc. Why buy this report? The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the Global LED Light Engine Market. The report includes in-depth qualitative analysis, verifiable data from authentic sources, and projections about market size. The projections are calculated using proven research methodologies. The report has been compiled through extensive primary and secondary research. The primary research is done through interviews, surveys, and observation of renowned personnel in the industry. The report includes an in-depth market analysis using Porter's 5 forces model and the Ansoff Matrix. In addition, the impact of Covid-19 on the market is also featured in the report. The report also includes the regulatory scenario in the industry, which will help you make a well-informed decision. The report discusses major regulatory bodies and major rules and regulations imposed on this sector across various geographies. The report also contains the competitive analysis using Positioning Quadrants, the analyst's competitive positioning tool. Key Topics Covered: 1 Report Description 2 Research Methodology 3 Executive Summary 4 Market Influencers 4.1 Drivers 4.1.1 Growing Need for Energy-Efficient Lighting Systems 4.1.2 Increasing Government Initiatives for Infrastructure Development 4.1.3 Low Cost or Reduction in LED Prices 4.2 Restraints 4.2.1 Lack of Awareness for Installing Costs of LED 4.2.2 Developing Alternate Technologies 4.3 Opportunities 4.3.1 Growing Adoption and Demand from Horticulture Market 4.3.2 Development of Wireless Technology 4.4 Challenges 4.4.1 Lack of Open Common Open Standards and Policies 5 Market Analysis 5.1 Porter's Five Forces Analysis 5.2 Impact of COVID-19 5.3 Ansoff Matrix Analysis 6 Global LED Light Engine Market, By Product Type 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Lamps 6.3 Luminaries 7 Global LED Light Engine Market, By Installation Type 7.1 Introduction 7.2 New Installation 7.3 Retrofit Installation 8 Global LED Light Engine Market, By Form Type 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Flexible 8.3 Rigid 8.3.1 Linear 8.3.2 Round 8.3.3 Others 9 Global LED Light Engine Market, By End-Use Application Type 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Indoor Lighting 9.2.1 Commercial 9.2.2 Residential 9.2.3 Industrial 9.2.4 Others 9.3 Outdoor Lighting 9.3.1 Architectural 9.3.2 Highways and Roadways 9.3.3 Public Places 10 Global LED Light Engine Market, By Geography 11 Competitive Landscape 11.1 Competitive Quadrant 11.2 Market Share Analysis 11.3 Strategic Initiatives 11.3.1 M&A and Investments 11.3.2 Partnerships and Collaborations 11.3.3 Product Developments and Improvements 12 Company Profiles 12.1 Acuity Brands, Inc 12.2 Everlight Electronics Co Ltd 12.3 Fagerhult Group 12.4 Fulham Co, Inc 12.5 Fusion Optix 12.6 Gerard Lighting Group 12.7 Glamox AS 12.8 Halla A.S 12.9 Helvar Merca Oy Ab 12.10 Hubbell Incorporated 12.11 Ideal Industries, Inc 12.12 LEDVANCE GmbH 12.13 Ledrabrands, Inc 12.14 Legrand 12.15 LG Innotek 12.16 LUMITECH Lighting Solution GmbH 12.17 Lumileds Holding B.V 12.18 Lutron Electronics Co, Inc 12.19 MaxLite 12.20 Nichia Corporation 12.21 OSRAM Licht AG 12.22 RS Components 12.23 Samsung Electronics Co Ltd 12.24 Savant Systems, Inc 12.25 SDA Lighting 12.26 Seoul Semiconductor Co Ltd 12.27 Signify Holding B.V 12.28 Soraa, Inc 12.29 TRILUX GmbH & Co KG 12.30 Truck-Lite Co, LLC 12.31 Wipro Enterprise Private Limited 12.32 Wolfspeed, Inc 12.33 Zhaga Consortium 12.34 ZLight Technology 12.35 Zumtobel Group 13 Appendix For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/nof4rq Attachment Dublin, March 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Laser Cleaning Market - Competitive Analysis and the Impact of Covid-19 with Ansoff Analysis" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The Global Laser Cleaning Market is estimated to be USD 710.6 Mn in 2021 and is expected to reach USD 956.79 Mn by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 6.13%. Market Dynamics The market increases usage in restoration and conservation purposes such as Art Restoration the Global Laser Cleaning Market. The growing preference for laser cleaning systems and techniques over traditional methods drives the market's growth. Also, the ever-increasing automotive industry will increase the demand for laser cleaning systems, such as increasing use in tire mold cleaning and brake line decorating techniques, fuelling the market's growth. On the other hand, the high cost of system installation and the lack of skilled professionals restrict the market's growth. Furthermore, technical complexities in handling the system, especially for High-Powered Lasers, negatively affect the market's growth. Moreover, increasing demand in various applications such as industrial including the automotive sector, aerospace and aircraft, cleaning processes, and restoration and conservation purposes will create opportunities for the market to grow in the forecasted period. Market Segmentation The Global Laser Cleaning Market is segmented further based on Application Type, Laser Type, and Geography. By Application Type, the market is classified into Conservation and Restoration, Cleaning Process, Industrial Usage. By Laser Type, the Laser Cleaning market is classified into Gas Laser and Solid Laser. By Geography, America is projected to lead the market. Company Profiles Some of the companies covered in this report are II-VI Incorporated, Adapt Laser Systems LLC, Advanced Laser Technology, Anilox Roll Cleaning Systems, Clean Lasersysteme GmbH, General Lasertronics Corporation, IPG Photonics Corporation, Laserax, Inc, Laser Photonics Corporation, Trumpf Group, and White Lion Dry & Ice Laser Cleaning Technology, etc. Countries Studied America (Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, United States, Rest of Americas) Europe (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Rest of Europe) Middle-East and Africa (Egypt, Israel, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, Rest of MEA) Asia-Pacific (Australia, Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Taiwan, Rest of Asia-Pacific) Competitive Quadrant The report includes a Competitive Quadrant, a proprietary tool to analyze and evaluate the position of companies based on their Industry Position score and Market Performance score. The tool uses various factors for categorizing the players into four categories. Some of these factors considered for analysis are financial performance over the last 3 years, growth strategies, innovation score, new product launches, investments, growth in market share, etc. Why buy this report? The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the Global Laser Cleaning Market. The report includes in-depth qualitative analysis, verifiable data from authentic sources, and projections about market size. The projections are calculated using proven research methodologies. The report has been compiled through extensive primary and secondary research. The primary research is done through interviews, surveys, and observation of renowned personnel in the industry. The report includes an in-depth market analysis using Porter's 5 forces model and the Ansoff Matrix. In addition, the impact of Covid-19 on the market is also featured in the report. The report also includes the regulatory scenario in the industry, which will help you make a well-informed decision. The report discusses major regulatory bodies and major rules and regulations imposed on this sector across various geographies. The report also contains the competitive analysis using Positioning Quadrants, the analyst's competitive positioning tool. Key Topics Covered: 1 Report Description 2 Research Methodology 3 Executive Summary 4 Market Influencers 4.1 Drivers 4.1.1 Increasing Usage for Conservation and Restoration Purpose 4.1.2 Rising Demand due to Growing Automotive Industry 4.2 Restraints 4.2.1 Lack of Technical Expertise 4.2.2 High Cost Associated with System Installation 4.3 Opportunities 4.3.1 Increasing Demand in Various Applications 4.3.2 Growing Adoption of Laser Cleaning System Over Traditional Method 4.4 Challenges 4.4.1 High Amount of Technical Complexities 5 Market Analysis 5.1 Porter's Five Forces Analysis 5.2 Impact of COVID-19 5.3 Ansoff Matrix Analysis 6 Global Laser Cleaning Market, By Application Type 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Conservation and Restoration 6.2.1 Arts 6.2.2 Heritage 6.2.3 Infrastructures 6.3 Cleaning Process 6.3.1 Automotive 6.3.2 Aerospace and Aircraft 6.4 Industrial Usage 6.4.1 Nuclear Plant 6.4.2 Refineries 7 Global Laser Cleaning Market, By Laser Type 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Gas Laser 7.3 Solid Laser 8 Global Laser Cleaning Market, By Geography 9 Competitive Landscape 9.1 Competitive Quadrant 9.2 Market Share Analysis 9.3 Strategic Initiatives 9.3.1 M&A and Investments 9.3.2 Partnerships and Collaborations 9.3.3 Product Developments and Improvements 10 Company Profiles 10.1 II-VI Incorporated 10.2 Adapt Laser Systems LLC 10.3 Advanced Laser Technology 10.4 Allied Scientific Pro 10.5 ALT Laser Ltd 10.6 Anilox Roll Cleaning Systems 10.7 Andritz AG 10.8 ATCORE Tech Solutions 10.9 Clean Laser systeme GmbH 10.10 EMAG GmbH & Co. KG 10.11 Foshan HSG Laser 10.12 General Lasertronics Corporation 10.13 Glorystar Laser 10.14 Han's Laser 10.15 IPG Photonics Corporation 10.16 Laserax, Inc 10.17 Laser Photonics 10.18 LASCAM System 10.19 Light Mechanics 10.20 Optola 10.21 Perfect Laser Co Ltd 10.22 P- Laser 10.23 Scantech Laser Pvt Ltd 10.24 SENFENG LEIMING LASER 10.25 Spectrum Plastic Group 10.26 Suresh Indu Laser (SIL) 10.27 Techno Laser 10.28 Trumpf Group 10.29 White Lion Dry & Ice Laser Cleaning Technology 10.30 Wuhan Huagong Laser Engineering Co Ltd 10.31 Wuhan Chutian Laser Group Co Ltd 10.32 Wuhan TA Laser Machinery Co Ltd 11 Appendix For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/cfrna Attachment Pune, India, March 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment market size is projected to reach USD 208.34 billion in 2028, at a CAGR of 31.1%. The global Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment market size was USD 24.52 billion in 2020. Rising initiatives by the governments and increasing focus on the development of charging infrastructure performance are expected to bolster market development. Electric vehicle supply equipment is used extensively to charge electric vehicles (EVs) in commercial and residential locations. It is installed to charge electric vehicle batteries securely and reduce risks. Furthermore, rising initiatives by governments for the promotion of electric vehicle usage are expected to foster market development. Moreover, increasing focus on developing charging infrastructure performance is expected to boost industry development. These factors may propel the market development during the forecast period. Request a Sample Copy of the Research Report: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/request-sample-pdf/electric-vehicle-supply-equipment-market-105729 Report Coverage Details Forecast Period 2021-2028 Forecast Period 2021 to 2028 CAGR 31.1% 2028 Value Projection USD 208.34 billion Base Year 2020 Market Size in 2020 USD 24.52 billion Historical Data for 2017-2019 No. of Pages 200 Segments covered Charging Type, Charging Type, Installation Type, Application and Region Growth Drivers Favorable Government Subsidies and Policies to Drive Market Growth Technological Advances and Rising Investments to Boost Market Development in Asia Pacific Market Growth Drivers: A rising focus on the development of low emission vehicles is expected to boost electric vehicle adoption, thereby increasing the equipments adoption. Zero or low registration fees, purchase tax, road tax, and import tax exemption are expected to bolster market development. Further, governments provide favorable subsidies and policies to increase the adoption of electric vehicle supply equipment adoption. For example, the Scottish government invested approximately USD 30 million from 2011 to 2019 for electric vehicle charging station development throughout Scotland. In addition, rising fuel prices lead to the adoption of electric vehicles by consumers. These factors may drive the electric vehicle supply equipment market growth. However, high installation costs associated with the equipment is expected to impede market development. Shutdown of All Operations to Foster Market Development This market is expected to be negatively affected during the COVID-19 pandemic due to the shutdown of all operations globally. The sudden surge in COVID-19 infections and the emergence of new variants are expected to hinder the market progress. Further, restrictions on travel and the imposition of stringent regulations have significantly reduced the equipments adoption. However, the adoption of half capacities, production machinery, and social distancing is expected to boost market development. These factors are likely to fuel market development during the forecast period. Click here to get the short-term and long-term impacts of COVID-19 on this Market. Please visit: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/electric-vehicle-supply-equipment-market-105729 Charging Type, Charging Station Type, Installation Type, Application, and Region are Studied By charging type, the market is trifurcated into level 1, level 2, and level 3. As per charging station type, it is classified into inductive charging, supercharging, and normal charging. On the basis of installation type, it is bifurcated into fixed charger and portable charger. Based on application, it is divided into residential and commercial. Geographically, it is clubbed into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the rest of the world. Technological Advances and Rising Investments to Boost Market Development in Asia Pacific Asia Pacific is expected to dominate the electric vehicle supply equipment market share due to rising investments and technological advances in the product. The market in Asia Pacific stood at USD 9.43 billion in 2020 and is expected to grow progressively in the coming years. Furthermore, the rising emphasis on adopting electric vehicles and electric vehicle charging infrastructure is expected to foster the electric vehicle supply equipment industry. In Europe, rising focus on reducing carbon emissions and the adoption of electric vehicles is expected to boost the deployment of electric vehicle stations in the region. This factor may propel sales. Quick Buy - Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment Market Research Report: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/checkout-page/105729 The Report Lists the Key Companies in the Global Market ABB Ltd. (Zurich, Switzerland) ChargePoint, Inc. (California, U.S.) ClipperCreek, Inc. (California, U.S.) bp pulse (Milton Keynes, U.K.) Eaton Corporation (Dublin, Ireland) Leviton Manufacturing Co., Inc. (New York, U.S.) SemaConnect, Inc. (Maryland, U.S.) Schneider Electric SE (Rueil-Malmaison, France) Siemens AG (Munich, Germany) EVgo Services LLC (California, U.S.) Have Any Query? Ask Our Experts: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/speak-to-analyst/electric-vehicle-supply-equipment-market-105729 Global Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment Market Segmentation: By Charging Type: Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 By Charging Station Type: Normal Charging Supercharging Inductive Charging By Installation Type: Portable Charger Fixed Charger By Application: Commercial Residential By Geography North America (USA, Canada) Europe (UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Scandinavia and Rest of Europe) Asia Pacific (Japan, China, India, Australia, Southeast Asia and Rest of Asia Pacific) Latin America (Brazil, Mexico, Rest of Latin America) Middle East & Africa (South Africa, GCC, and Rest of Middle East & Africa) Get your Customized Research Report: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/customization/electric-vehicle-supply-equipment-market-105729 Table Of Content: 1. Introduction 1.1. Research Scope 1.2. Market Segmentation 1.3. Research Methodology 1.4. Definitions and Assumptions 2. Executive Summary 3. Market Dynamics 3.1. Market Drivers 3.2. Market Restraints 3.3. Market Opportunities 4. Key Insights 4.1. Key Industry Developments - Merger, Acquisitions, and Partnerships 4.2. Porters Five Forces Analysis 4.3. SWOT Analysis 4.4. Technological Developments 4.5. Value Chain Analysis 4.6. Impact of COVID-19 on Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment Market 5. Global Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast, 2017-2028 5.1. Key Findings / Summary 5.2. Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast By Charging Type 5.2.1. Level 1 5.2.2. Level 2 5.2.3. Level 3 5.3. Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast By Charging Station Type 5.3.1. Normal Charging 5.3.2. Super Charging 5.3.3. Inductive Charging 5.4. Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast By Installation Type 5.4.1. Portable Charger 5.4.2. Fixed Charger 5.5. Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast By Application 5.5.1. Commercial 5.5.2. Residential 5.6. Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast By Region 5.6.1. North America 5.6.2. Europe 5.6.3. Asia Pacific 5.6.4. Rest of The World 6. North America Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast, 2017-2028 Analysis, Insights and Forecast, 2017-2028 Continued About Us: Fortune Business Insights offers expert corporate analysis and accurate data, helping organizations of all sizes make timely decisions. We tailor innovative solutions for our clients, assisting them to address challenges distinct to their businesses. Our goal is to empower our clients with holistic market intelligence, giving a granular overview of the market they are operating in. Contact Us: While Sheetz will continue selling gasoline outside inside, its Berks County convenience stores will soon be powered in part by renewable energy. In February, the Altoona-based chain reached a long-term deal with Constellation Energy Corp. that will power the equivalent of nearly 70% of its Pennsylvania stores through investments in solar energy projects by January 2024. Advertisement That includes all 10 Sheetz locations in Berks, according to Nick Ruffner, the companys public relations manager, as well as others in the surrounding region. The length of Sheetzs commitment is 15 years, confirmed a spokesperson for Constellation. Advertisement Sheetz is dedicated to being a responsible steward of our environment, Travis Sheetz, president and CEO of Sheetz, said in a statement. Through this purchase agreement and partnership with Constellation, Sheetz will be able to power more than 160 stores and approximately 40 other facilities with renewable energy, significantly reducing our environmental impact in Pennsylvania. The agreement will not require any on-site installations at participating stores. How it works What Sheetz is doing is actually quite a bit different from directly sourcing energy from equipment such as solar panels on premises, explained Dave Snyder, communications manager for Constellation. Rather, through Constellations Offsite Renewables program, or CORe, the chain is essentially investing in the development of a solar farm which otherwise might not get built without the support of a large entity. Constellation plays the role of facilitator for these types of transactions, Snyder said. We connect customers looking to source renewable energy with renewable energy developers in search of off-takers for their projects. We enter into the PPA, the power purchase agreement, with the developer ... so, in essence, Sheetz is able to gain access to renewable supply through the simplicity of a retail power contract with Constellation. Not only is Sheetz benefitting from reducing its own carbon footprint its helping to create the infrastructure of the future as well. Advertisement While solar power isnt directly powering Sheetzs locations, the companys long term commitment will introduce significant renewable supply to the local grid, which improves resiliency, and makes a tangible positive impact on the environment, Snyder said. While CORe doesnt currently offer such a program to residential customers at this time due to scale, it is something local governments are able to participate in. Pennsylvania reached an agreement with Constellation in 2021 to source 50% of its annual consumption through CORe. According to the energy companys website, the program can be advantageous to on-premise installations because many renewable energy options are difficult to implement, carry unwanted risks, and dont make a strong enough sustainability statement. Why its good Sheetz will receive approximately 110 million kilowatt hours of energy per year from the purchase agreements, allowing the company to avoid nearly 78,000 metric tons of carbon emissions associated with its energy use annually. Thats the equivalent of taking nearly 17,000 cars off the road, based on U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates, according to a news release. Advertisement Businesses across the country are taking steps to be more sustainable, reduce their carbon footprint and mitigate their impact on climate change, Snyder said. Sheetzs agreement with Constellation ladders up to that trend. For Sheetz, its also an opportunity to continue its stated mission of reducing its impact on the environment. The company touted other steps it has already taken, including finding energy-saving solutions in stores, investing in alternative fuels, making good donations, reducing waste and supporting environmental organizations. Business Buzz Daily The daily update for the Lehigh Valley business person. > For nearly 70 years, our company has striven to make a positive impact on the communities we serve, Ruffner said. A big part of this commitment is to encourage and create a clean, healthy environment. While were still early in this journey, we are continually taking steps, like this initiative, to reduce our overall impact. Sheetz will also continue seeking ways to reduce its carbon footprint, Ruffner continued, including potentially with future additions of on-site renewable sources. Advertisement ___ (c)2022 the Reading Eagle (Reading, Pa.) Visit the Reading Eagle (Reading, Pa.) at readingeagle.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. FOUNTAIN INN, S.C., March 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Miniaturization and standardization have been driving the rising demand for deep-drawn metal components in the medical industry. STUKEN North America has successfully expanded its business in this area. Packaging solutions for medical devices and drug delivery have become a significant mainstay. The company aims to strengthen its position further by achieving certification according to ISO 13485. First steps towards implementation have been taken. The US healthcare market is growing, and it is growing fast. According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, national health spending is projected to reach $6.2 trillion by 2028. One factor driving this growth is the aging population. Older people are more susceptible to catching diseases. Another driver is the trend towards self-medication and OTC ("over-the-counter") products. As a consequence, products are designed for easy handling, for example by making components smaller. With rising demand, mass production becomes economical - and so does deep drawing. In recent years, STUKEN North America has successfully expanded its business with packaging solutions for medical devices and drug delivery. Last year, the South Carolina-based company received the "Best Supplier Award 2021" from one of their medical customers. "The share of sales with medical parts will continue to increase in the coming years. In order to be even better attuned to the needs and requirements of this market, we recently started preparing for the ISO 13485 certification," explains Dr. Dennis Gossmann, Vice President and General Manager of STUKEN North America. "With this certification, we create additional confidence and make it easier for our customers to get approval for their medical devices. With quality assurance, conformity to standards, complete documentation and traceability we prove that we are a reliable partner." Further investments in technologies for the medical market are planned for the coming years. This includes cleaning and finishing processes. That way, STUKEN North America can offer everything from a single source: Ready-to-use solutions from an efficient and largely internal process chain with extremely high and reliable quality. On top of this, a dedicated team makes sure that the focus is always on the customer's requirements, for example, with comprehensive customer service and innovative technical support in the development phase. "The certification according to ISO 13485 and the investment into new technology are part of the STUKEN groups global commitment to the medical industry. As part of this network, we can draw on the extensive know-how from our already certified German headquarters," says Gossmann. Press contact Hubert Stuken GmbH & Co. KG Sandra Gohner-Baake, Marketing Manager, Alte Todenmanner Strae 42, 31737 Rinteln, Germany Phone: +49 5751 702 0, marketing@stueken.de www.stueken-medical.com Related Images Image 1: STUKEN Components for the Medical Industry STUKEN supplies its customers with reliable components for medical tools, for the application of medicines, for primary packaging and for medical housings. This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. Attachment MIAMI, March 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Global Crossing Airlines Group, Inc. (JET: TSX-V; JET.B: TSX-V; JETMF: OTCQB) (the Company or GlobalX) announces that it has selected New Zealand based Pacific Simulators (PacSim) to provide them with an FAA Level 5, NextGen Airbus A320 Flight Training Device (FTD). GlobalX, headquartered in Miami, FL, has chosen the PacSim FTD to improve their training outcomes and to provide a seamless transition for pilots when moving to the Full Flight Simulator. The PacSim FTD is a fully enclosed cockpit which incorporates original Airbus parts for durability, reliability, and that real aircraft feel. GlobalX CEO, Ed Wegel was impressed with the PacSim device and business case and said, We evaluated every FTD manufacturer and compared functionality, maintenance and price - PacSim was the clear winner on all counts. This Level 5 FTD will save us on our pilot training costs, increases our simulator scheduling flexibility and gives us complete control over a significant portion of our pilot simulator training. We will be looking to add a second Level 5 FTD from PacSim as we grow our fleet. GlobalX has been steadily growing their Airbus fleet over the past 12 months and by the end of 2022 will have ten A320/A321 passenger aircraft and four freighter aircraft. Iain Pero, PacSims Sales Director is extremely pleased with the partnership, GlobalX has seized the opportunity to enter the market during a pandemic. Ed and his team have made some very astute business decisions around their aircraft and training and PacSim is proud to have been selected as part of this growth. Delivery is planned for June 2022. About Global Crossing Airlines GlobalX is a US 121 domestic flag and supplemental Airline flying the Airbus A320 family aircraft. GlobalX flies as a passenger ACMI and charter airline serving the US, Caribbean, and Latin American markets. In 2022, GlobalX will enter ACMI cargo service flying the A321 freighter, subject to DOT and FAA approvals. For more information, please visit www.globalxair.com. For more information, please contact: Ryan Goepel, Chief Financial Officer Email: ryan.goepel@globalxair.com Tel: 786.751.8503 About Pacific Simulators PacSim is a Flight Training Device Manufacturer (TDM) with its Head Office located in Christchurch, New Zealand and offices in Australia, USA, India, and Argentina. PacSim manufacture a range of generic and certified fixed base simulators based on the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737. For more information please contact: Mr Iain Pero, Director of Sales and Marketing Email: iain@pacificsimulators.com Phone +61 412 893 777 Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information This news release contains "forward-looking information" concerning anticipated developments and events that may occur in the future. Forward-looking information contained in this news release includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the Companys intention to fly as an ACMI and wet lease charter airline, Companys projected aircraft fleet size and delivery dates, details of future charter operations, the destinations that the Company intends to service, the terms of the arrangement with PacSim and the expected delivery date In certain cases, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects" "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or " or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved" suggesting future outcomes, or other expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions, intentions or statements about future events or performance. Forward-looking information contained in this news release is based on certain factors and assumptions regarding, among other things, the receipt of financing to continue airline operations, the accuracy, reliability and success of GlobalXs business model; the timely receipt of governmental approvals; the success of airline operations of GlobalX; the legislative and regulatory environments of the jurisdictions where GlobalX will carry on business or have operations; the impact of competition and the competitive response to GlobalXs business strategy; and the availability of aircraft. While the Company considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available to it, they may prove to be incorrect. Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such factors include risks related to, the ability to obtain financing at acceptable terms, the impact of general economic conditions, domestic and international airline industry conditions, the impact of the global uncertainty created by COVID-19, future relations with shareholders, volatility of fuel prices, increases in operating costs, terrorism, pandemics, natural disasters, currency fluctuations, interest rates, risks specific to the airline industry, the ability of management to implement GlobalXs operational strategy, the ability to attract qualified management and staff, labour disputes, regulatory risks, including risks relating to the acquisition of the necessary licenses and permits; and the additional risks identified in the "Risk Factors" section of the Company's reports and filings with applicable Canadian securities regulators. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The forward-looking information is made as of the date of this news release. Except as required by applicable securities laws, the Company does not undertake any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking information. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) has reviewed or accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. From the makers of INSTI, bioLytical launches a new platform, iStatis, created to ensure every person in the world has access to reliable testing bioLytical has received Health Canada authorization to sell its iStatis COVID-19 Antigen Test across Canada for professional use in point-of-care settings The test is portable and can be performed in a multitude of settings with easy-to-understand results Test performance in clinical studies demonstrated high accuracy, with industry-leading sensitivity and specificity bioLytical's quality system is MDSAP and ISO 13485 certified RICHMOND, British Columbia, March 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- bioLytical Laboratories Inc. (bioLytical), a global leader in rapid in-vitro medical diagnostics, announced today that it is launching a new testing platform, iStatis, which has received Health Canada authorization for its iStatis COVID-19 Antigen Test, allowing its immediate entry into the Canadian market. Building on its innovative INSTI testing platform, bioLytical launched iStatis to continue creating reliable access to testing. With additional lateral flow technology in its portfolio, bioLytical can reach more people with its COVID-19 antigen test that provides peace of mind with its industry-leading accuracy. We are excited to announce the addition of iStatis with our new COVID-19 rapid antigen test, said Rob Mackie, Chief Executive Officer of bioLytical. With this new platform, we are able to expand our reach, creating more equitable access to testing. With the scarcity of available antigen tests, we saw an opportunity to ensure that Canadians have a reliable test they can trust. Rapid testing is an instrumental tool in the fight against the pandemic, providing an additional way to identify infection and reduce the spread of the virus. Conducting regular rapid testing provides an extra layer of defense against the spread of the virus along with other public health measures such as physical distancing, masking, and handwashing. With new variants expected to continue, testing will continue to play an integral role in reducing the spread of the virus and keeping Canadians safe at home, at work, and in society. With COVID-19 expected to remain, Canada needs secure access to reliable and trusted testing. With overwhelmed healthcare systems across the country, lack of access to PCR testing, and a low supply of rapid tests, the iStatis COVID-19 Antigen Test will help play a role in identifying infection and helping Canadians make safe and informed decisions regarding their health. With its high accuracy, portability, and ease of use, the iStatis COVID Antigen Test allows healthcare professionals the ability to test in multiple environments, reducing the burden on busy hospitals and medical facilities. bioLytical will manufacture the iStatis COVID-19 Antigen Tests in its MDSAP and ISO 13485-certified facility in Richmond, British Columbia, to sell and distribute across Canada. As a global leader in ultra-rapid infectious disease diagnostics, bioLytical is working to ensure our iStatis COVID-19 Antigen Test kits are available to Canadians so they can know their status. bioLytical Laboratories Inc. is a privately-owned Canadian company focused on the research, development, and commercialization of rapid in-vitro medical diagnostics using its proprietary INSTI technology platform and its lateral flow line, iStatis. bioLytical has won several local and industry awards, including B.C. Exporter of the Year in 2019. We have been named Lifesciences B.C.s Growth Stage Med Tech Company of the Year and are featured on B.C.s Fastest-Growing Companies for five years in a row, including the Globe and Mails Fastest Growing Companies list in 2020. bioLytical moved to a significantly larger, state-of-the-art facility in Richmond, B.C., in 2020 to accommodate the extraordinary growth achieved through our team. Providing accurate results in one minute or less, the INSTI range includes the INSTI HIV-1/HIV-2 Antibody Test, INSTI Multiplex HIV Syphilis Ab Test, INSTI HIV Self Test, INSTI Covid-19 Antibody Test, and the INSTI HCV Antibody Test. bioLytical sells its products in Europe, North America, South America, Africa, and Asia. In 2022, bioLytical launched iStatis, its new lateral flow testing platform to create additional access to testing worldwide. By delivering accurate results in real-time, INSTI and iStatis generate meaningful outcomes for medical professionals, patients, and public health organizations worldwide and is a key partner in tackling some of the worlds most severe healthcare challenges. Please visit www.istatis.com and www.insti.com and www.biolytical.com for more information. References https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/coronavirus-disease-covid-19/testing-screening-contact-tracing/workplace.html A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d449568c-b104-4fd8-8eb7-e5ea5893d807 English French TORONTO, March 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- This spring, individuality shines through in Gaps campaign, celebrating a dimensional cast of unique individuals radiating the profound joy that comes with the freedom of being your true selfyour best self. Originating from all over the world, Gaps individuals have defined themselves -- a collective of distinct backgrounds, experiences and truths unified by community and self-expression. As a brand rooted in modern American optimism, we celebrate what it means to be your true self today, says Mary Alderete, global head of Gap marketing. This campaign is an honest reflection of individuals shaping culture by embracing their own pathsnot what has been historically or traditionally defined for them, but what they define to be true for themselves. The campaign creative captures these creators pioneering a more inclusive, accepting world and putting their own distinctive stamp on American style. Concepted by Gap Global Creative Director Len Peltier and shot by renowned fashion photographer Zoey Grossman (@zoeygrossman), the creative features noteworthy champions for social justice, environmentalism, womens rights and more. Gaps individuals are breaking the mold, forging newfound personal freedoms and furthering progressive change. They are individuals living their truth, as described so powerfully in the campaign creative by non-binary trans-visibility artist Kai-Isaiah Jamal in their verse, Dream of Freedom. Dream of Me: And if there do be a dream The dream has to include me Otherwise aint gonna sleep Or close my eyes just to be If it do be a dream I hope this dreams dream Is for me to be free Gaps campaign cast includes: Dapper Dan (@dapperdanharlem) legendary Harlem-based fashion designer and style influencer known for introducing high fashion to the hip hop world (@dapperdanharlem) legendary Harlem-based fashion designer and style influencer known for introducing high fashion to the hip hop world Shalom Harlow (@shalomharlow) supermodel and student of the healing arts since age 8, Shalom is training in somatic psychology and somatic therapeutic modalities to help others in their chronic health challenges (@shalomharlow) supermodel and student of the healing arts since age 8, Shalom is training in somatic psychology and somatic therapeutic modalities to help others in their chronic health challenges Kai-Isaiah Jamal (@kai_isaiah_jamal) non-binary trans-visibility artist breaking down barriers broadening the cultural understanding of identity (@kai_isaiah_jamal) non-binary trans-visibility artist breaking down barriers broadening the cultural understanding of identity Indira Scott (@indira) creator, humanitarian, and model pushing the agenda of self-love by empowering communities through representation and awareness (@indira) creator, humanitarian, and model pushing the agenda of self-love by empowering communities through representation and awareness Georgie Badiel-Liberty a .k.a The Water Princess (@georgiebadiel) Burkinabe model, childrens book author and activist who has taken on the issue of the lack of potable drinking water in her West African homeland of Burkina Faso (@georgiebadiel) Burkinabe model, childrens book author and activist who has taken on the issue of the lack of potable drinking water in her West African homeland of Burkina Faso Yumi Nu (@_yumi_nu) Japanese-Dutch model, and musician launching a new EP, Hajime, in summer 2022 (@_yumi_nu) Japanese-Dutch model, and musician launching a new EP, Hajime, in summer 2022 Clementine Desseaux (@bonjourclem) entrepreneur, model and body-positive activist working for women with women for self-acceptance and CEO of All Womxn Project (@bonjourclem) entrepreneur, model and body-positive activist working for women with women for self-acceptance and CEO of All Womxn Project Chito (@chito.international) Seattle-born, New York and Mexico City-based fine artist (@chito.international) Seattle-born, New York and Mexico City-based fine artist Raph (@iamraph) French American singer-songwriter telling stories of love, loss, coming of age, and the generosity of the human spirit (@iamraph) French American singer-songwriter telling stories of love, loss, coming of age, and the generosity of the human spirit The Spearman Brothers: Michael and Daniel Spearman (@spearmanbrothers_horns) musicians composing music inspired by modern Black dance music educating and mentoring the youth (@spearmanbrothers_horns) musicians composing music inspired by modern Black dance music educating and mentoring the youth Bryant Giles (@bryantdgiles) fine artist and designer creating contemporary, unapologetic interpretations of todays social climate through intricate visual layering exploring themes of mental health, identity, and existing within flawed systems (@bryantdgiles) fine artist and designer creating contemporary, unapologetic interpretations of todays social climate through intricate visual layering exploring themes of mental health, identity, and existing within flawed systems David illy Bennett (@illson44) bboy break-dancer and artist passionate about living life to the fullest and inspiring others (@illson44) bboy break-dancer and artist passionate about living life to the fullest and inspiring others Ryan Yoo / boylife (@gelatowilliams) New York based recording artist spreading love Within the creative, Gaps cast showcase their individual style and their power of self-expression through Gap icons for spring. Versatile classics, like khaki shorts, tapered and wide leg khakis, 90s loose-fit denim and khakis, are styled back to varsity sweaters, vintage soft hoodies, oversized parkas, poplin shirts and classic pocket tees with pops of bold, optimistic colour grounded in neutrals. 100% of Gap denim and khakis are made through Washwell, Gaps water saving program that uses at least 20% less water compared to conventional garment-wash methods. Gaps spring campaign debuts tomorrow across out-of-home media and digital, TV and streaming video. Follow along on @gap #HowYouWearGap PRESS CONTACTS Gap: Jessica Shamess, Jessica_Shamess@gap.com ABOUT GAP @gap and @gapkids Gap is an authority on modern American style. Founded in San Francisco in 1969, Gap continues to build on its heritage grounded in denim and khakis made through Washwell, Gaps water saving program that uses at least 20% less water compared to conventional garment-wash methods. Gap is a lifestyle brand that includes adult apparel and accessories, Gap Teen, Gap Kids, babyGap, Gap Maternity, Gap Body, GapFit, Yeezy Gap and Gap Home collections. The brand connects with customers online and in company-operated and franchise retail locations globally, and also serves value-conscious customers with exclusively designed collections for Gap Outlet and GapFactory Stores. Gap is the namesake brand for leading global specialty retailer, Gap Inc. (NYSE: GPS) which includes Old Navy, Gap, Athleta and Banana Republic brands. For more information, please visit www.gapinc.com Photos accompanying this announcement are available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/20b925e4-89ac-4ae4-907b-55d74584ba8b https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/82037d14-7f91-41c6-b462-1ad6eaa33b47 Silver Spring, MD, March 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Competitive Power Ventures (CPV) today announced that CPV Maryland, LLC (CPV Maryland), the owner of the CPV St. Charles Energy Center (CPV St. Charles), has received the 2021 North American Power Deal of the Year Award from Proximo for its $450 million Term Loan B (TLB) refinancing that closed in May 2021. CPV Maryland was the only rated single asset leveraged loan refinancing in North America successfully executed in the TLB market in 2021. A CPV project has earned this honor for the second year in a row, with the CPV Three Rivers Energy Center being named the 2020 winner in the same category. The Proximo Awards are voted on by their editorial team, which assesses and reviews hundreds of submitted nominations. The winners are selected based on the risk developers and lenders took to close the project. The editors also take into consideration how innovative the structuring was and whether the deal is templatable for the future. "CPV is one of the top-flight power developers active in the United States, and for it to win a Proximo Deal of the Year Award two years running reflects the esteem with which it is held in the United States power finance market, said Tom Nelthorpe, Managing Editor, Proximo. The CPV Maryland refinancing was well timed and strongly executed, and Proximo is honored to recognize CPV for the second year in a row." We are honored to receive this prestigious award from Proximo two years in a row, said CPV Chief Financial Officer Paul Buckovich. Our ability to timely refinance CPV Maryland in the context of PJM capacity auction delays and COVID-related challenges is a testament to the ingenuity and perseverance of the CPV team. We are grateful for the support from our equity partners Marubeni, Osaka Gas, and Toyota Tsusho, and the coordinated management among the transactions first-class execution team of MUFG (Lead Left), Joint Lead Arrangers BNP Paribas, Credit Agricole, and Mizuho, and the dynamic duo of Latham Watkins and Milbank. The 20+ strong group of commercial bank and institutional lenders confirmed the wide range of market support for the transaction. CPV St. Charles is a $775 million, 745-megawatt power generation facility featuring GEs highly efficient fast-start 7F.05-Series gas turbines and a D-11A steam turbine with associated generators, making it one of the most efficient generating facilities in Maryland and the nation. The facility is representative of CPVs steadfast commitment to modernize power generation in the safest, most environmentally responsible and cost-effective manner possible. Newer natural-gas-fueled power plants like CPV St. Charles offer quick, flexible generation that can support the inherent intermittency of renewables, maintain grid reliability, and help drive North Americas transition to a lower carbon future. Located in Waldorf, MD, CPV St. Charles is capable of powering approximately 700,000 homes and helping to avoid an estimated 3.9 million tons of CO2 annually, the equivalent of taking more than 782,269 passenger vehicles off the road. The facility, which has been in operation since 2017, has created substantial local and regional benefits, including hundreds of millions of dollars in private investment and significant new revenues for local governments and businesses. In support of the community, CPV St. Charles has awarded $40,000 in the form of Project Lead The Way Implementation Grants to support STEM-based initiatives in the Waldorf Public Schools. The project has also donated $10,000 to the Southern Maryland Food Bank and supports emergency responders in Waldorf and the surrounding communities. About CPV CPV Group LP, a partnership majority owned by OPC Energy Ltd., is uniquely positioned to leverage global technology and financial partnerships to help modernize Americas power generation. Together with our investors, partners, host communities and other key stakeholders, we are driven to improve our energy infrastructure by developing and operating power generation facilities using cutting edge, clean and highly efficient technologies. Headquartered in Silver Spring, MD, with an office in Braintree, MA, the company has ownership interest in 5,500 MW of clean generation across the United States and the companys Asset Management division manages 7,335 MW of generating facilities in nine states. Our focus on Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) and sustained track record of success have enabled us to grow into one of North Americas premier energy companies. For more information: www.cpv.com and follow CPV on Twitter and LinkedIn. Attachment Washington, D.C., March 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Combined Federal Campaign of the National Capital Area (CFCNCA) will host their annual Finale and Awards Ceremony on March 9, 2022. During the event, the success of the 2021 campaign in the Greater-Washington Area will be recognized and agencies will be honored for their contributions. Our campaign saw an increase in donations pledged this year thanks to our heroes, volunteers, and changemakers who committed to making a difference through the CFC, said Vince Micone, Co-Chairperson of the CFCNCA. We honor those who generously and selflessly give year after year through their work, personal time and our campaign, so all can have the gift of hope for tomorrow. Federal employees and retirees raised over $37.3 million for the over 5,000 participating charities in the CFCNCA, and pledged nearly 44,000 volunteer hours. The Finale & Award Ceremony airs Wednesday, March 9 at 11 A.M. EST live online. We look forward to honoring our Heroes and Chairperson Awardees who represented the best of the CFCNCA, said Ann Van Houten, Co-Chairperson of the CFCNCA. These leaders guided our response to the needs of our community, nation and world by enthusiastically supporting causes that make a difference every day. Our awardees exemplify the spirit of our campaign, and we are proud to announce and reward the ways they are the faces of change. The three 2021 CFCNCA Chairperson Awardees are: Leadership Award: U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo is honored for her leadership and exemplary public service, contributing the Departments most significant CFC results to date. During the 2021 campaign, Commerce employee pledged generously, exceeding 120% of their fundraising goal. Her active engagement and leadership were critical to this accomplishment. Spirit of Service: Arleas Upton Kea retired from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation at the end of 2021, having served for over 35 years including roles as Deputy to the Chairman and Chief Operating Officer. For over twenty of those years, Ms. Upton Kea served as FDICs CFC Vice Chairperson. She has held a lifelong commitment to her country and is a true changemaker within the CFC and beyond; she looks forward to continuing her CFC service now as a federal retiree. Spirit of Community: Marcus Johnson is a musician, board member, charity partner, and community leader. Mr. Johnson has been part of the CFC community for over 25 years, embodying the spirit of a changemaker. He is a board member at Duke Ellington School of the Arts, helping educate over 550 students in both traditional curriculum and performing arts; and is a board member at National Center for Children and Families, where over 30,000 families in the DC area receive much-needed support. Campaign Contest Awardees, guest speakers from The Childrens Inn at NIH, Foundation for the Advancement of Music & Education, Office of Personnel Management, Army Womens Foundation, National Philharmonic, and more will be featured throughout the broadcast. To attend the live Finale & Awards Ceremony, tune in online from 11 A.M. EST on Wednesday, March 9 on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and CFCNCAs website. Last years campaign was particularly significant to us as we celebrated the 60th anniversary of the CFC. During the past 60 years, federal employees have helped others by contributing over $8.6 billion to causes of importance to them. Because of these donations, lives have been changed around the world. We are proud that even in tough times for many families, federal employees have continued to respond to our annual call to service every fall with contributions and commitments to volunteer, said Micone. And we welcome any new employees to the federal government and military service to start their giving legacy with the CFC, said Van Houten. Especially for the incoming generations, its more important than ever to lift each other up and be the face of change. New federal employees, or those who have transferred to a new Department or Agency, can make a pledge through the CFC in their first 30 days, even outside of the solicitation period. Learn more and follow campaign news and updates at GiveCFC.org. About the Combined Federal Campaign of the National Capital Area The Combined Federal Campaign (CFC), overseen by the Office of Personnel Management, is one of the world's largest and most successful annual workplace charitable giving campaigns, with 36 CFC zones throughout the country and overseas raising millions of dollars each year, and over $8.6 billion in its 60 years. The Combined Federal Campaign of the National Capital Area (CFCNCA) is the local campaign for federal employees and retirees in the Washington Metropolitan Area and surrounding regions. It is the largest CFC in the country based on the number of pledged gifts; in 2020, it generated more than $37.2 million and more than 48,000 volunteer hours for thousands of participating charities. For more information, visit CFCNCA.GiveCFC.org. Connect with the campaign via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. # # # Attachments Orange, CA, March 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CBT, a woman-owned Domain Expert Integrator, today announced it will expand its leadership position in IoT and information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) convergence by joining the top partners in the world, building best-in-class solutions with Nokia. As a result of this relationship, CBT adds industrial-grade private wireless capabilities including 4G/LTE, 5G, Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS), and MulteFire radio access together with a range of optional Nokia Industrial Devices for connectivity to IoT and communications applications. CBT and Nokias Industrial-grade Private Wireless networks provide the next-generation connectivity customers need to meet the requirements of Industry 4.0 applications to increase automation, ensure safety and security, and achieve new levels of quality, efficiency, and productivity. These capabilities bolster CBTs industry-leading portfolio of IoT and IT/OT convergence solutions, including Connected Worker, Worker Health & Safety, Condition Monitoring & Predictive Maintenance, Asset Integrity, and Video as a Sensor. I am very excited about the relationship with Nokia and synergistic fit into the solution portfolio at CBT, said Lonnie Ludwig, Vice President of Solution Development at CBT. We pride ourselves on working with best-of-breed partners and Nokia is no exception. Private 5G/LTE and the solution set that Nokia provides combined with CBTs expertise as a Domain Expert Integrator in IoT and IT/OT convergence will provide our customers with unique value and differentiation in their specific markets. The power of dependable, ubiquitous, and safe connectivity is no longer a good to have, it is a must. Looking forward to an amazing partnership! Vikas Trehan, VP of North America Channel Sales at Nokia, said: We are pleased to welcome CBT to the Nokia Global Partner Program. By joining the program, CBT will be able to leverage Nokia private wireless connectivity solutions to help their enterprise customers achieve high productivity and efficiency by accelerating their digital transformation initiatives. To learn more about the benefits of IoT and IT/OT convergence solutions powered by industrial-grade private wireless from CBT and Nokia, customers can schedule a Quickstart ideation session with CBT or reach out directly to the team at cbtinfo@cbtechinc.com. About CBT: CBT is an unparalleled design-thinking and integration-engineering company. It utilizes unique expertise to bridge the gap between OT and IT and accelerate smart operations in manufacturing, utilities, oil and gas, and healthcare. CBTs solutions are powered by next-generation innovations from an industry-leading partner ecosystem, led by Nokia, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, PTC, AMD, NVIDIA, Intel, ABB, Guardhat, RealWear, and many more. As a first mover and Domain Expert Integrator, CBT has a proven track record of taking customers from ideas to execution in production environments. Its solutions go beyond the data center to deliver business transformation across the enterprise. For more information, visit the CBT website, blog, LinkedIn, and Twitter pages. Attachment FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., March 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fort Lauderdale has become a hotbed of accidents in recent years, mainly due to the large population influx from different parts of the country. With a bigger population comes more car accidents. This is why 1-800-Injured is proud to now offer legal help to car accident victims in Fort Lauderdale. Potential clients can now visit 1-800-Injured in their downtown Fort Lauderdale office by appointment. About 1-800-Injured 1-800-Injured is a lawyer and medical referral service that relieves the stress of finding a personal injury attorney after an accident. They help injury victims connect with reputable car accident lawyers in Fort Lauderdale, FL, with ease. Car accident victims are subject to traumas that can last long after the accident has occurred. Many victims do not know where to turn for help, but with 1-800-Injured, car accident victims have access to a network of experienced lawyers who are dedicated to getting the best possible outcome for a case. 1-800-Injured is a lawyer and medical referral service that helps victims of negligence get the help they deserve. Insurance companies regularly lowball accident victims in an attempt to avoid paying out on legitimate claims. This is where the experience of a personal injury lawyer comes in handy. 1-800-Injured has a network of experienced lawyers who know how to deal with insurance companies and get victims the compensation they deserve for their injuries. Car accident victims in Fort Lauderdale can now contact 1-800-Injured to be quickly paired with a reputable attorney in the area. 1-800-Injured Fort Lauderdale 1-800-Injured's new office is located right in downtown Fort Lauderdale near the Riverwalk and the NSU Art Museum. Traveling from the airport, they are about 4.5 miles from Fort Lauderdale International Airport (FLL). The new office is located in the Bank of America Financial Center on Las Olas Blvd. There is a parking garage (Las Olas City Center Garage) on SE 2nd Street. Contact Information 1-800-Injured 401 E Las Olas Blvd Suite 1472 Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 info@1800injured.care (954) 361-7006 Related Images Image 1: 1-800-Injured 1-800-Injured logo This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. Attachment Washington, March 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Last week, the Small Business Digital Alliance (SBDA) announced its National Members and a slate of upcoming events. The SBDA is a joint public-private co-sponsorship between the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and Business Forward, Inc. , connecting small businesses with critical digital tools to start and expand their business to scale for success. The SBDAs national members are some of the countrys most well-respected companies representing a wide range of specialized industries, from technology and e-commerce and telecom to financial services and benefits. Members of the SBDA include Amazon, Square (Block, Inc.), Comcast, Google, Meta, PayPal, Principal Financial Group, TriNet, Venmo, Verizon, Visa, and ZenBusiness. See Below for What They Are Saying around the country: National Members Doug Herrington, Senior Vice President of North America Consumer, Amazon: "Over 20 years ago, Amazon made the decision to open our stores virtual shelf space to third-party sellers. That decision has proven not only to be a win for customers who want vast product selection, low prices, and fast delivery, but also for millions of small businesses that can now reach more customers, increase revenue, and create jobs in their local communities. Today, we are building on that success by collaborating with the U.S. Small Business Administration and Business Forwards Small Business Digital Alliance as a national member. Amazons pioneering e-commerce tools, resources, and educational materials will be available through SBDA to every small business owner who wants to start or grow their business online. Teresa Ward-Maupin, Senior Vice President of Digital and Customer Experience, Comcast Business: Were delighted to partner with Business Forward and the Small Business Digital Alliance to further empower and strengthen investments in small businesses. As the backbone of our economy, small businesses deserve every tool available to not just survive but thrive. Comcast remains committed to advancing digital equity and providing resources to underrepresented and women-owned small businesses through Comcast RISE. We look forward to working with this new coalition in support of small businesses nationwide." Lisa Gevelber, Founder, Grow with Google: Google wants to ensure that all small businesses have access to tools that can help them recover and unlock new opportunities for growth. We've trained more than eight million Americans on digital skills that have helped them grow their careers and businesses and we've done this hand-in-hand with a network of more than 8,000 national and local partners across the country who offer free, hands-on workshops. As a founding member of the U.S. Small Business Administration and Business Forwards Small Business Digital Alliance, were helping even more underrepresented businesses access digital tools, training, and resources. Sheryl Sandberg, Chief Operating Officer, Meta: Digital tools have been a lifeline for small businesses as theyve navigated the past two years. As we look toward recovery, its more important than ever to help small businesses gain access to the tools they need to grow their business online. Meta is proud to support the SBA and Business Forward in this endeavor. Jim Magats, SVP Payments and Small Business Solutions, PayPal: Small businesses are the foundation of our global economy and the backbone of our local communities. They are job creators, community builders, enablers of opportunity and drivers of innovation, competition, and diversity. When these businesses thrive, so do local communities and economies. In the last two years, we have seen the importance of digital payments and commerce tools in enabling small business resilience and growth. Thats why PayPal and Venmo are so excited to join the Small Business Digital Alliance as national members. Through this collaboration with the U.S. Small Business Administration and Business Forwards Small Business Digital Alliance, we will work together to champion and support our nations growing small business sector by hosting educational webinars, participating in policy briefings, and continuing our work to democratize access to the digital payments and commerce tools that small businesses need to launch, grow and thrive. Kara Hoogensen, Senior Vice President of Specialty Benefits, Principal Financial Group: Principal is excited to partner with the Small Business Digital Alliance. Small businesses are increasingly relying on digital platforms, and our digital solutions help build awareness, improve education, and simplify the financial planning experience. We put the customer at the center of what we do, making protection solutions easy and widely available for small businesses. Lauren Weinberg, Global Head of Marketing and Communications, Square: Square is excited to be a part of the Small Business Digital Alliance as we work together to provide technical access to entrepreneurs, specifically through webinars and innovative product solutions for communities across the country. Samantha Wellington, SVP, Chief Legal Officer, Corporate Secretary, TriNet: TriNet has long provided thought-leadership and educational content for small and medium-sized businesses ("SMBs") through various mediums that align with the objectives of the Small Business Digital Alliance. For us, it is a priority that we share stories and on-the-ground perspectives which shape the future of work and provide timely information relevant to the ever-evolving workplace. We look forward to leveraging our experiences with the SMB community, sharing resources, and partnering with other stakeholders at the SBDA to help SBMs thrive. I am hopeful that the SMB community will seize the opportunities that the SBDA will make available to start, expand, and evolve their businesses." Rose Stuckey Kirk, Chief Corporate Social Responsibility Officer, Verizon: "Focused on the economic impact that small businesses have faced, we've learned that they need the right tools, resources, and trusted guidance to thrive in today's digital economy. To help provide continued support, Verizon recently launched Verizon Small Business Digital Ready a free resource that will be included in the SBDA offering. Developed with small business owners, this online curriculum is open to any business for free. Being a national member of SBDA affords us the opportunity to support even more small businesses as they continue to build out their digital operations." Veronica Fernandez, SVP, Head of North America Visa Business Solutions, Visa: "Small businesses are the backbone of the U.S. economy. Those that embraced digital capabilities during the pandemic were able to pivot and survive better than others, and were generally, more optimistic for their futures. By collaborating with the new Small Business Digital Alliance, we want to continue growing our support of small businesses and provide access to the digital resources they need to scale their business and meet customer needs. Ross Buhrdorf, CEO & Co-Founder, ZenBusiness: Helping the next generation of business owners achieve their dreams is core to our mission, which is why we are incredibly proud to be able to bring our expertise to such a critical initiative. Our economy is being re-written by the rise of the entrepreneur, and we look forward to providing the guidance, tools, and mentorship to help these heroic visionaries change their lives and change the world. Local Organizations and Small Business Leaders C. LeRoy Cavazos-Reyna, Vice President of Government and International Affairs, U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce: As the more than 32 million small businesses in America seek their road to recovery from the global pandemic, now more than ever, digitization, digital literacy, and all tools in the digital arsenal are critical to our economic vitality. The USHCCs network of more than 260 technical assistance chamber members is embracing programs that close our existential digital divide. Together, we must work to make sure that small businesses have ample access to all avenues of digitization and use it to help entrepreneurs scale. Ned Staebler, President & CEO, TechTown: "Every business needs digital tools to reach existing customers, open new markets, develop new products, and connect with investors and strategic partners. Bridging the digital divide is a crucial part of TechTowns work to promote equitable growth, break cycles of intergenerational poverty, and generate community wealth in Detroit. Were excited to work with the Small Business Digital Alliance to remove barriers faced by small businesses in Detroit." Media INC | Need an E-Commerce Makeover? New SBA Resource Hub Has Free Tools for You : Working with the economic policy-focused nonprofit Business Forward , the SBA is launching a new initiative called the Small Business Digital Alliance , it announced in a press release last week. The online initiative is expected to offer a variety of free resources for business leaders, all aimed at helping them expand their e-commerce footprint . The site will also aim to help small-business owners stay abreast of policy changes and governmental resources with monthly news updates. See additional coverage in Greater Baton Rouge Business Report Corridor Business Journal (Iowa) | Small Business Digital Alliance announces national members: The Small Business Digital Alliance (SBDA) announced its national members. The SBDA is a new public-private co-sponsorship between the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and Business Forward, Inc., a non-profit organization working with small business leaders in support of policies promoting Americas economic competitiveness, focused on connecting entrepreneurs with critical digital tools and resources to start and expand their businesses to scale for success, including in the burgeoning e-commerce economy. Dallas Business Journal | SBA Administrator: We want communities taking advantage of the resources we have to offer: The SBA also offers support to small businesses as they continue adapting to e-commerce. Recently, the agency launched the Small Business Digital Alliance. The initiative collaborates between the SBA and nonprofit organization Business Forward Inc. The program will provide companies with digital resources and training to scale their e-commerce business successfully. ExecGov | SBA Launches Initiative for Supporting Small Businesses E-Commerce Growth: The Small Business Administration has teamed up with non-profit organization Business Forward for an initiative aimed at helping small businesses expand their reach into the digital world. ... The new Small Business Digital Alliance will train entrepreneurs on how to use various digital technologies for expanding their e-commerce blueprint, recruiting employees from a diverse pool, enhancing business operations, and raising capital, SBA said Friday. --- Co-sponsorship Authorization No: 22-5-C: The SBAs participation in this cosponsored activity is not an endorsement of the views, opinions, products, or services of any cosponsor or other person or entity. All SBA programs and services are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. This website is provided as a public service under co-sponsorship Authorization # 22-5-C. It is not an official U.S. government website, and it may contain links to non-U.S. government information. The inclusion of such links does not constitute or imply an endorsement by the SBA. The SBA is not responsible for the content, accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of linked information. ### ABOUT SBDA The Small Business Digital Alliance (SBDA) is a joint co-sponsorship agreement between the SBA and Business Forward that brings together major players, influencers, and companies in the tech, e-commerce, benefits, and other industries to help small businesses connect with digital tools and reach new customers through expanded opportunities through trainings, tools, and expansion of their digital networks free of charge. To learn more, visit www.smallbusinessdigitalalliance.com . ABOUT BUSINESS FORWARD Business Forward is a non-profit organization working with 250,000 local business leaders from across America who support innovative and market-based solutions to our countrys biggest challenges. With the help of Business Forward, business leaders have briefed more than 650 mayors, governors, members of Congress, and senior Administration officials on how to create jobs and accelerate our economy. Learn more at www.businessforward.org . ABOUT SBA BRISBANE, Australia, March 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As the premier SEO Agency Brisbane-wide, Zib Digital is well-versed in the intricacies of SEO, using proven strategies to deliver long-term results that help websites to be found on Google. According to Zib Digital, with only 10 spots available on a Google search results page, businesses that aren't on page one will have a tough time driving organic traffic to their website. SEO gives businesses the power to be the answer to potential customers' questions. In addition, SEO contributes towards a business being an authoritative voice in their field, which drives brand trust and loyalty. Zib Digital explains that SEO is about both quality and quantity. Keyword analysis, backlink building and content creation are all elements of SEO that need to be combined to create a successful strategy. When it comes to keywords, they can be single words or phrases that people frequently use when searching for a product or service. Zib Digital says keyword research is critical and once keywords have been determined, they need to be strategically placed in the content. The leader in SEO Brisbane-wide says backlink building will also improve credibility of a website. Backlink building should be done strategically, carefully and ethically, to ensure content doesn't get lost. Quality backlinks that point to a website from external sources indicate to Google that the site is valuable and high quality. Content is king when it comes to SEO, according to Zib Digital. Content should be educational, interesting, relevant and shareable. Content includes web page content, videos, blogs, whitepapers, social media posts and more. Content drives SEO by directly engaging with current and potential customers and drives traffic to a website. Not only does SEO increase visibility, rankings and organic traffic, it also helps to position a business as an authority, while creating a better visitor experience. With a team of highly skilled and dedicated SEO experts, Zib Digital has helped thousands of businesses with their SEO strategy. To find out more about the leading digital marketing agency Brisbane wide and how they can help build a successful strategy, contact Zib Digital. Zib Digital Phone - 1300 942 633 Related Images Image 1: SEO Brisbane This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. Attachment The U.S. Supreme Court quietly announced Monday that it would not review Bill Cosbys sexual assault case, leaving him a free man and ending a two-decade legal drama that shifted the cultural landscape, destroyed the groundbreaking Black actors reputation, and sent him to prison for several years late in life. The high court, without comment, declined to review a stunning decision out of Pennsylvania that released Cosby from prison in June over the word of a former prosecutor who said he had made a secret promise to Cosbys lawyers that he would never be charged. Advertisement A Cosby spokesperson expressed sincere gratitude to the justices on behalf of Cosby and his family for the announcement and said he was the victim of a reprehensible bait and switch by the district attorney and judge in the case. This is truly a victory for Mr. Cosby, but it shows that cheating will never get you far in life, spokesperson Andrew Wyatt said in a statement, once again taking aim at the court officials in Montgomery County, as he had throughout both criminal trials. Advertisement The 84-year-old Cosby, according to Wyatt, remains in good health despite being legally blind. Many people are calling for projects for him, and he is considering a final standup tour, Wyatt said. Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele said asking the high court to revive the case was the right thing to do, even if it was a long shot. He thanked accuser Andrea Constand for her courage and wished her well. Constand and her lawyers, in a statement, called the decision an unfortunate outcome for everyone, especially sexual assault survivors. They noted that the existence of the agreement or promise was vigorously disputed in the [court] habeus proceedings, and determined by the trial judge not to exist. Cosby never signed an immunity agreement in the case. And Steeles predecessor, Bruce L. Castor Jr., never put anything in writing or told anyone in his office about it. He never mentioned it in public until new evidence emerged and the case was reopened a decade later. He said he made the deal with a Cosby lawyer who was by then deceased. A secret agreement that permits a wealthy defendant to buy his way out of a criminal case isnt right, Steele argued in court in 2016 as he pressed to send the case to trial. Montgomery County Judge Steven ONeill found Castors testimony on the point not credible and sent the case to trial. However, the state Supreme Court later ruled that whether or not the supposed deal was ironclad, Cosby thought it was when he gave eye-popping and potentially incriminating testimony in a lawsuit later filed by Constand. The principle of fundamental fairness that undergirds due process of law in our criminal justice system demands that the promise be enforced, Justice David N. Wecht wrote last year, ordering Cosbys immediate release after nearly three years in prison. Advertisement During the 2006 deposition, a seemingly free-wheeling Cosby gave long, stream-of-consciousness answers to questions from Constands lawyers. He detailed his sexual involvement with a string of young women, a few still in their teens, over the years. And he recalled giving several of them, including Constand, alcohol or pills while he remained sober. I dont hear her say anything. And I dont feel her say anything. And so I continue and I go into the area that is somewhere between permission and rejection. I am not stopped, Cosby said in the deposition, describing a sexual encounter that came after he gave her three pills for stress, which she said knocked her out. Breaking News Alerts As it happens Get updates on the coronavirus pandemic and other news as it happens with our free breaking news email alerts. > He was arrested in the Constand case on Dec. 30, 2015, just days before the 12-year statute of limitations expired. Steele reopened the case after The Associated Press went to federal court to unseal Cosbys long-buried testimony in Constands lawsuit. Cosby, after giving four days of damaging testimony, had paid her $3.4 million to settle the case. He went on trial in the criminal case in June 2017. The jury could not reach a verdict. Less than a year later after media reports about media mogul Harvey Weinsteins sexual abuse of women galvanized the #MeToo movement a second jury convicted Cosby of drugging and molesting Constand. The AP does not typically identify people who say they are victims of sexual assault unless they grant permission. Constand, now an advocate for sexual assault survivors, has done so. Advertisement Scores of women have come forward to say Cosby also sexually assaulted them, but Constands is the only one that led to an arrest. His insurer, against Cosbys wishes, settled a Massachusetts lawsuit involving seven accusers for an undisclosed amount after the 2018 conviction. At least two other lawsuits remain pending against the actor. Castor, who said he made the deal with Cosbys lawyer, later represented former President Donald Trump at his second impeachment trial, at which Trump was acquitted of inciting the violent mob that stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. Castor said he declined to arrest Cosby in 2005 based in part on his belief that both parties could be held in less than a flattering light. Constand later sued Castor for defamation and won a settlement from him. Castor countersued Constand, but the judge threw it out. SYDNEY, March 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to the leading plumber Port Stephens-wide, The Plumbing Life Saver, there are 'rogue' plumbing companies in operation that exaggerate quotes for extra work and costs. Homeowners should conduct thorough research to ensure tradespeople are fully licensed, and it's a good idea to read reviews from previous clients too. The Plumbing Life Saver says they commonly hear from customers who have been unfairly treated and taken advantage of in the past. While the majority of companies and individuals operating in the industry are reputable and professional, The Plumbing Life Saver says unfortunately there are some that may not be doing the right thing. The Plumbing Life Saver says in some cases work that is not entirely necessary is being carried out at significant cost to homeowners, as well as the needless supply or replacement of equipment and devices. For example, in some cases, a plumber may recommend replacing an entire hot water system at significant cost, when it could actually be repaired at a much lower cost. As most consumers are not technical experts, they may be vulnerable to being misled, which is why it pays to do thorough research and only engage a company that is backed by solid recommendations. Providing 24/7 availability 365 days a year, including Easter and Christmas holidays, The Plumbing Life Saver has earned an enviable reputation as the leading local plumber specialising in blocked drains Port Stephens-wide. In addition to blocked drains, the company also offers toilet plumbing, hot water services, sewer line jetting services, leaking tap repairs, gas plumbing services and more. In addition to offering the highest quality workmanship, The Plumbing Life Saver provides unbeatable customer service that is both professional and approachable. The team will always put the needs of the customer first and happily talks through all work that is being carried out. The team at The Plumbing Life Saver are trained and certified to cope with a range of challenges, no matter how big or small. To find out more about the leaders in all plumbing services, including hot water Port Stephens-wide, contact 0448 669 938 The Plumbing Life Saver today. Related Images Image 1: Plumber port stephens This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. Attachment MANSFIELD [mdash] Patricia Ann Thursby-Daniels, 77, of Mansfield, Texas, formerly of Elkhart, Indiana, died Sunday April 10, at Mansfield Hospital in Mansfield, Texas. She was born May 30, 1944, in Elkhart, Indiana, to Robert James and Opal Mae (Allison) Thursby. On Feb. 14, 1965, she marrie A customer fills her tank Monday, March 7, 2022, with regular unleaded gas for $4.49 a gallon at a Sunoco station in Whitehall Township. (Rick Kintzel/Morning Call) Gas prices in Pennsylvania and the Lehigh Valley continued surging over the weekend, breaking records that stood for nearly 15 years. The price is hurting everyday drivers, but also those who sell gasoline and those who make a living on the road. Advertisement The average price for a gallon of regular gasoline in the state was $4.24 Monday, according to AAA. Thats up nearly 20 cents from Friday, when it was just above $4. In the Lehigh Valley, the average price Monday was about 4 cents higher, at $4.27. Advertisement By comparison, a year ago the average price was $3 statewide and $2.94 in the Lehigh Valley. Were seeing a reduced volume of customers at our pumps, said Shell gas station owner Paul Kumar on Route 100 North, just south of Interstate 78, in Upper Macungie Township. Definitely less traffic than before the prices went up. Thomas Solivan of Allentown owns QuickTripZz, a company he started last month with two vehicles providing rides for Lehigh Valley residents unable to afford Uber, Lyft or taxi fares. I have to raise my prices a bit just to be able to keep my vehicles running and make sure my drivers have a little more for gas, Solivan said. I had to bump up from $5 to $8 for in-town rides, just due to the fact that regular gas is already at $4.25 per gallon at the high end. Solivan said these prices hurt not only his business, but those to whom he offers a service they likely cannot afford elsewhere. These are people just trying to get somewhere as basic as the laundromat so they can wash their clothes, he said. Raymond Collazo, who began E-Z Cab Service last year and operates out of his Emmaus Avenue home in Allentown, was similarly frustrated. Breaking News Alerts As it happens Get updates on the coronavirus pandemic and other news as it happens with our free breaking news email alerts. > Its terrible, said Collazo, who drives one of the companys two vehicles while his brother drives the other. I just put $40 in my car, which is only 9 gallons. Its crazy. What can we do? We dont want to raise fares on our customers, but we have to do what we have to do. Advertisement Nationally, average gas prices surpassed $4 Sunday for the first time since 2008 and on Monday were about $4.07. The record is $4.10 a gallon set on July 17, 2008. The previous records in Pennsylvania and the Lehigh Valley were just over $4, also set in 2008. Gas prices have been on the rise for the last year, but have surged along with the price of oil in the last few weeks as Russia invaded Ukraine. As for when relief might be in store for motorists, GasBuddy.coms 2022 Fuel Price Outlook forecast prices to peak in June before dropping to around $3 per gallon by the end of the year. But as the crisis in Ukraine continues and the United States and its European allies consider a ban on the import of Russian oil, all bets are off. Whats the average price of gas in every Pennsylvania county? View the map below. The Associated Press contributed to this story. Goshen, IN (46526) Today Rain showers this evening with overcast skies overnight. Low near 45F. Winds N at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Rain showers this evening with overcast skies overnight. Low near 45F. Winds N at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 40%. Muhlenberg College will host the first debate of Democratic candidates vying to run for U.S. Senate on April 3, the school announced on Monday. (Courtesy of Muhlenberg College /Contributed photo) Muhlenberg College will host the first debate of Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate next month, the school announced Monday. State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta and U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb have been confirmed for the event April 3. Attendance by the third Democratic candidate, Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, is under discussion, according to a news release from Muhlenberg. Advertisement Hosted by City & State PA, Pennsylvania Kitchen Table Politics, the Muhlenberg College Institute of Public Opinion and the Muhlenberg College Democrats student organization, the 75-minute debate will be in front of a live audience and will be broadcast. The event will take place 3-4:15 p.m. April 3 before 175 invitation-only guests. More details about the broadcast will be released later. Advertisement Moderators for the debate will be: Christopher Borick, professor of political science and director of the Muhlenberg College Institute of Public Opinion; Jenny DeHuff, editor-in-chief of City & State PA; Ari Mittleman, founder and host of Pennsylvania Kitchen Table Politics. Republican Sen. Pat Toomey announced last year he would not seek another term. Pundits believe Pennsylvania could be one of Democrats best shots of picking up a seat in the Senate after President Joe Biden narrowly carried the state in the 2020 election. There are more than a dozen GOP candidates running to replace Toomey. ALLEGHENY COUNTY Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan newsroom powered by The Philadelphia Inquirer in partnership with PennLive/The Patriot-News, TribLIVE/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and WITF Public Media. Sign up for our free newsletters. Roughly 25,000 fewer children in Pennsylvania are benefiting from a program that helps low-income families find affordable child care compared with before the coronavirus pandemic, fueling concerns about the loss of vital support systems for parents. Advertisement Enrollment has reached a record low during the last two years, according to the Wolf administration. And while its unclear where those tens of thousands of kids are now receiving care, the decline suggests low-income parents and particularly women continue to face the painful choice between earning a paycheck or looking after a child. Theres no reason to think its down because all of a sudden everyones doing just fine and doesnt need any help finding child care or affording child care, said Elliot Haspel, a child care policy expert with the Robins Foundation in Virginia. Then that means that there are more families whose situations are more fraught than there were before. Advertisement For parents like Gioia Maynor, a single mother who lives outside Pittsburgh, the states Child Care Works program has been a blessing. Child care costs often approach or exceed $1,000 a month. The program allowed Maynor to lower the bill for her 2-year-old sons care by hundreds of dollars a month. Parents are responsible for copays Maynor says hers have been below $300 a month and potentially some other fees. The program even helped Maynor, 38, research which centers could provide the right services for her son, who has a speech delay. Maynor said she doesnt have other family members who could help with full-time child care. Without the state program, she likely wouldnt be able to work at her security job at a law firm. This program is excellent, Maynor said. It gives, you know, hope for single moms and dads. But while Maynor and her son have benefited from the program, experts and advocates are trying to figure out why fewer families are taking advantage of it. Enrollments in Child Care Works decreased from about 114,000 in March 2020 to less than 89,000 in January 2022, the Wolf administration said in recent budget documents. Thats a 22% drop. Those figures include children who are enrolled in more than one child care provider, according to a Department of Human Services spokesperson. But monthly reports on the number of individual children served by the program showed a similar decline. Child care policy experts say many children who were eligible for child care subsidy programs didnt benefit from them even before the pandemic. The pandemic raised the stakes, forcing many providers to close for months and causing them ongoing difficulties with attracting and retaining staff and maintaining full hours. Advertisement While national unemployment rates continue to improve, federal data from January shows the number of people in nonfarm jobs was down by 2.9 million compared with February 2020, when the pandemic was just beginning. Researchers at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis recently examined why the countrys labor force participation rate remains the lowest since the 1970s, and found it was due to an acceleration in retirements and an increase in people being out of the workforce for home or family care. At the federal level, an expanded child tax credit which provided many families monthly payments of $250 or $300 per child expired in December, and efforts to overhaul the countrys child care system stalled in Congress. For low-income workers, the choice can be particularly stark because they often have less flexibility to telecommute or change their hours. Not being able to return to work can have lasting implications for individuals and the economy, according to C. Nicole Mason, president and CEO of the Institute for Womens Policy Research, a national think tank. Child care remains a chief barrier to womens full employment, Mason said. The help thats out there The Wolf administration says Child Care Works, funded with state and federal money, makes it possible for low-income families to find reliable child care near their home or work and provides financial assistance to lower the cost. Participating parents must work at least 20 hours a week or meet similar requirements if they are in school or a training program. Qualified families can receive thousands of dollars in savings each year. Copays are based on family size and income not how many kids are enrolled in care. A family of three with an annual income of roughly $20,000 would pay $18 a week, for example. That copay would go up to $65 if the familys income were around $50,000. A family of four with the same income would pay a few dollars less per week. Advertisement Families apply to the program through a regional center. If they are approved for the subsidy, they then search for a child care facility with openings. During the pandemic, state officials dedicated hundreds of millions of dollars in federal relief money to the program. Gov. Tom Wolf raised rates for providers twice, including at the start of this year. He also lowered copays for families, saying in October that the state was investing in equitable quality child care for all Pennsylvanians, no matter where they live or their income. But the administration has resisted a proposal from Start Strong PA, a statewide child care advocacy campaign, to spend a few million dollars advertising the program. The push would be similar to what the state does for its Childrens Health Insurance Program. Weve got a lot of one-time dollars coming into Pennsylvania through COVID relief from the federal government, said Jen DeBell, executive director of the Pennsylvania Association for the Education of Young Children, a statewide advocacy group. We think its a good use of money to make sure that Pennsylvanians are aware that theres help out there. Tracey Campanini, deputy secretary for the states Office of Child Development and Early Learning, told Spotlight PA and WESA that an advertising campaign wasnt necessary. Regional centers already do good work spreading awareness of the program, she said, and spending a few million dollars on a promotional campaign would mean the program could serve hundreds of fewer students. Advertising is really expensive, and it doesnt really go that far in terms of what its able to do, Campanini said. Advertisement She said her office doesnt know whats driving the enrollment drop, or whether the trend is good or bad. Staffing shortages among child care providers are likely playing a role, Campanini acknowledged, but other factors also could be at play, such as the rise of remote work. The same level of demand for child care may not exist in all communities the way that it did in the past, Campanini said. An empty classroom at Hug Me Tight Childlife Centers in Pittsburgh. (Kristina Serafini / TribLive for Spotlight PA) Low wages and empty classrooms Before the pandemic, the waitlist for Child Care Works stretched into the thousands. Now that list has shrunk to zero. But advocates and providers say the public data doesnt tell the full story. The industry-wide staffing shortage in child care has led to fewer available classroom spots for children. That means a parent might qualify for financial help but not be able to find an opening. Ive got classrooms galore, said Wanda Franklin, director of Hug Me Tight Childlife Centers in Pittsburghs Hill District. But theyre empty. Franklins staffing problems mean fewer teachers to oversee kids. Enrollment in her center is around 12 children. Before COVID hit, there were about 60 kids in her care. Franklin and other providers say theyre constrained in what they can pay staff because increased fees get passed along to parents. Advertisement It wouldnt be right, she said. No one could afford it if I tried to raise the rate. Low pay was a problem in the industry before the coronavirus. The median wage for a preschool teacher in Pennsylvania was less than $14 an hour in 2019 and even lower for some other child care jobs. But the situation has worsened recently as other sectors have increased their wages to attract workers. We cant pay people enough to attract them from companies that can raise their rates a little bit more, said Stephanie McIntosh, director of Creative Learning Childcare in Erie County. Walmart can raise [the price of] their cereal by a dime or McDonalds can raise their cheeseburger. We cant raise child care enough to compete from a wage perspective. A September survey of more than 1,100 Pennsylvania child care programs found that 92% reported staffing shortages. Providers estimated more than 34,000 additional children could be served if they were fully staffed, according to the survey, the most recent conducted by child care advocates with Start Strong PA. Federal relief money has helped the states child care providers keep their doors open, and some of that money has helped boost pay for workers. But Pennsylvanias child care industry continues to bounce back more slowly than other parts of the economy. There were 44,200 employees working at child care jobs in December 2021, according to preliminary federal statistics. Thats 4,300 fewer jobs or nearly 9% less than two years ago. Wanda Franklin, director of Hug Me Tight Childlife Centers in Pittsburgh, says the center has seen a sharp decline in enrollment during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Kristina Serafini / TribLive for Spotlight PA) Nearly impossible Rebecca Paull has worked with low-income students at Reading Area Community College for more than 16 years through the Keystone Education Yields Success program. KEYS is a statewide initiative that offers academic support, career counseling, financial aid guidance and other resources for people in certain public assistance programs. Advertisement She frequently works with adult students who also qualify for help with child care payments. But during the pandemic, Paull said, providers have reduced hours and its become even harder for students to find evening and weekend care. I pride myself on being able to think outside the box and help students resolve issues, Paull said in an email, but the dilemmas that we are facing in the child care system are nearly impossible to resolve. At Butler County Community College, KEYS program facilitator Karen Jack said a mother of four children began looking for child care about seven months before the start of this semester. The woman spent months waiting for openings for her kids, and ultimately decided not to attend school. It just became too hard, Jack said. In our area, there were a lot of centers that werent taking new children because they didnt have staff. Last Call Daily Get top headlines from The Morning Call delivered weekday afternoons. > Jordan Klingensmith, 24, began classes at a Butler County Community College campus in January as part of the KEYS program. She hopes to become a registered nurse. She and her boyfriend are raising two children under age 5 together in Lawrence County. Her boyfriend doesnt have a job and handles child care. Paying for rent, bills, and clothes for the kids all takes a toll. Advertisement Financially, were struggling, Klingensmith said. She is interested in child care assistance programs but said any work requirements could create an additional hurdle. They cant afford child care on their own, but she said its hard for her boyfriend to start a job without first having child care. The states public assistance programs allow some flexibility for work requirements but can be difficult to navigate, according to Peter Zurflieh, an attorney with the Community Justice Project, a statewide legal aid group. A lack of child care can cause lasting damage, Zurflieh says, especially for people with lower incomes. The difference, Zurflieh said, is that if youre a low-income person and you cant get access to education and training to get a good job, or you cant take advantage of a job opportunity, you remain in poverty. WHILE YOURE HERE... If you learned something from this story, pay it forward and become a member of Spotlight PA so someone else can in the future at spotlightpa.org/donate. Spotlight PA is funded by foundations and readers like you who are committed to accountability journalism that gets results. Aston Martin will develop bespoke high-performance battery cell technology alongside Britishvolt. The collaboration, formalized in a Memorandum of Understanding, further supports the ultra-luxury manufacturers plans to launch its first battery-electric vehicle in 2025. The collaboration with Britishvolt, the UKs leading investor in lithium-ion battery cell technologies, brings together UK engineering leaders to create the next generation of cell and battery technology designed specifically for high-performance cars. A joint research and development team from Aston Martin and Britishvolt will design, develop, and industrialize battery packs, including bespoke modules and a battery management system. The two organizations will work together to maximize the capability of special cylindrical high-performance cells being developed by Britishvolt for use in high-performance Aston Martin electric vehicles. Aston Martins first plug-in hybridthe mid-engine supercar Valhallawill commence deliveries in early 2024. By 2026, all new Aston Martin product lines will have an electrified powertrain option, with a target for its core portfolio to be fully electrified by 2030. The collaboration with Britishvolt is complementary to Aston Martins strategic technology agreement with Mercedes-Benz AG. Any investment will be funded by existing capital expenditure commitments to developing electric vehicles. U.S. human rights situation in 2021: Politicians play games in sham democracy, trample on peoples political rights People's Daily Online) 09:29, March 07, 2022 One year into his presidency, U.S. President Joe Bidens approval rating continues to slide. The American people have found that Biden hardly delivered on any of his commitments after being elected. (Cartoon by Lu Lingxing) In 2021, the human rights situation in the U.S., a country that already has a notorious record, worsened. On Feb. 28, 2022, China issued its The Report on Human Rights Violations in the United States in 2021. According to the report, American-style democracy has descended into becoming nothing more than a sad game of shuffling between this or that set of interests. Political donations bring about transfers of interests after elections, political polarization further intensifies antagonisms and divisions in U.S. society, and legislation and gerrymander restricting voting eligibility have become tools for parties to suppress public opinion. The operation of the U.S. political system is moving away from the public will and social demands, the right of the majority of the public to participate in politics is essentially being deprived, and international confidence in the U.S. democratic system continues to decline. More than 420 bills with provisions that restrict voting access have been introduced in 49 U.S. states. Only 7 percent of young Americans view the country as a healthy democracy, while public trust in the government has fallen to historical lows not seen since 1958. On Jan. 6, 2021, hundreds of protesters set out to storm the Capitol Hill in the U.S. Capital, Washington, D.C., in an attempt to disrupt the results of the 2020 presidential election. Its generally believed that the U.S. Capitol riots marked the ruination of the myth behind U.S. democracy. (Cartoon by Lu Lingxing) In an opinion article published on June 12, 2021, the Washington Post said that in the past few years the world has been horrified by the chaos, dysfunction and insanity of American democracy, which was seen by U.S. allies as an indication of America as a shattered and washed-up has-been. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that what happened on Capitol Hill was disgraceful. German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said the Capitol riot was the result of lies and more lies, of divisiveness and contempt for democracy, of hatred and incitement even from the very highest level. A research study has revealed that just 14 percent of Germans and fewer than 10 percent of citizens in New Zealand saw American democracy as a desirable model for other countries. Despite the fact that U.S. democracy has proven to be a complete failure and its global image is now badly damaged, the U.S. government held the so-called "Leaders' Summit for Democracy" in a high-profile effort to politicize democracy and use it as a tool to form cliques and force other countries to take sides, all in an attempt to split the world. The so-called "Leaders' Summit for Democracy" is in essence a summit that has undermined global democracy, having been widely criticized and condemned by the international community. French political scientist Dominique Moisi said that it is always difficult to preach what one does so badly on ones own. USA Today, the New York Times, and other American media have also commented that American democracy is "falling apart," suggesting that the U.S. must first address its own failings, and with critics questioning "whether the United States could be an effective advocate for democracy amid problems at home." The U.S. holds the so-called "Leaders' Summit for Democracy" in December 2021 in an attempt to split the world under the guise of democracy, despite the fact that the country has a notorious record of its own as a democracy. (Cartoon by Lu Lingxing) Related: U.S. human rights situation in 2021: American people pay heavy price for U.S. governments manipulation of COVID-19 prevention and control U.S. human rights situation in 2021: Indulging in racial discrimination in U.S. exacerbates social injustice U.S. human rights situation in 2021: Abuse of force, sanctions violate human rights in other countries (Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun) Americans may soon be able to buy over-the-counter hearing aids without an exam or fitting by a hearing health care professional. That may seem like good news for the 3.75 million adults who suffer some form of hearing loss. However, there are sound reasons (no pun intended) to think twice before going online or heading to a store for better hearing. First, some history. Advertisement Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) and Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), introduced the bipartisan OTC Hearing Aid Act they felt would make hearing aids more accessible and affordable for the consumer. The act was signed into law in 2017. In 2021, the Food and Drug Administration issued a proposal establishing a new category: OTC hearing aids for people over 18 with mild to moderate hearing loss. They may be available in the fall. My colleagues and I are aware this legislation is well-intended. However, as a doctor of audiology for more than 30 years, I have several concerns. First, hearing loss is a medical condition. Someone with vision loss, for example, sees an eye doctor. Those with hearing loss should see an audiologist, not visit a big box store. Hearing aids, like eyeglasses, need to be prescribed and fitted. Advertisement Gregory Delfino (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO) Janine Ramirez, hearing aid specialist with the Hear Again America co., examines Phyllis Lange's ear on Oct. 20, 2021, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The Food and Drug Administration announced that people with mild or moderate hearing loss could soon buy hearing aids without a medical exam or special fitting. The agency says 37.5 million American adults have difficulties hearing. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) (Joe Raedle / Getty Images) The new law states over-the-counter hearing aids are designated for adults with mild to moderate hearing loss. How does someone know the degree of hearing loss without a test, by a qualified provider in a controlled environment (sound booth)? A questionnaire that asks what a person can and cant hear is completely subjective. And it gives only a glimpse into the severity of the hearing loss, not an accurate assessment. Like fingerprints, everyones ears are different, from the shape of the ear canals to the type and degree of hearing loss. Once a person is fitted with hearing aids, an audiologist performs a painless, noninvasive procedure known as real ear measurement. REM is considered the gold standard in audiology. It ensures the instruments are delivering proper amplification at all sound levels and in every environment. This is imperative, since improperly programmed hearing aids can do more harm than good. If they are set louder than necessary, the sound can cause permanent damage. Sustained loud noise is the most common cause of hearing damage. Even if a person shows the retailer his/her audiogram, theres no substitute for a professional working with the patient in-person to program the instruments. Another consideration is that hearing loss can be the result of many things, including wax build up, a foreign object in the ear or an infection. An extremely serious cause of hearing loss is whats known as an acoustic neuroma. Its a slow-growing tumor that presses on the hearing nerves in the inner ear. Without treatment, these tumors can be deadly. Hearing aids wont help and these conditions will only progress. Hearing aids are not one size fits all. The type of hearing loss and the ear canals anatomy determine whether a person needs a custom earmold or a dome in the ear. Domes are prescribed in cases of high-frequency hearing loss (like a childs voice), and earmolds are used for people with low-frequency loss or loss across all frequencies. However, audiologists consider other factors. People with vision loss, lack of dexterity or debilitating arthritis, for example, can handle an earmold much easier than a tiny dome that is difficult to see/maneuver. As for cost, a pair of FDA-approved, digital hearing instruments from an audiologist can cost $1,000 or less. Most practices have no-interest payment plans and you can now lease hearing aids, just like you would a car. Whatever the cost, checkups and a starter kit of supplies are included. Most importantly, the audiologist is available to answer questions, make adjustments and provide support. As audiologists, we earn a doctoral degree from accredited universities and are bound by a strict code of ethics. We refer patients who cant afford hearing instruments to nonprofit organizations such as Easter Seals and Lions Clubs that have hearing health care programs. We send veterans to Veterans Affairs. Our mission is not simply to sell hearing aids but to help people be successful on their lifelong journeys to healthier hearing. There is no safe alternative to hearing instruments prescribed and fitted by a qualified, caring professional. Advertisement Dr. Gregory Delfino is an audiologist at Audiology Services in Bethlehem and Nazareth. There were 28 people hospitalized on Monday with COVID-19, according to a news release from the Joint Information Center. There were no children in the hospitals. Two people were in intensive care units, and one was on a ventilator. No test results were released on Monday, a holiday, as community testing sites were closed on Sunday, the release stated. Test results will be reported on Tuesday. There were 11 people at Guam Memorial Hospital, including one in the ICU and one on a ventilator. There were 16 people at Guam Regional Medical City, including one in the ICU. One person was hospitalized at Naval Hospital Guam. Of those hospitalized, 18 were vaccinated and 10 were not vaccinated, the release stated. Vaccination clinics Vaccination clinics will continue this week at the following times and locations: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday through Saturday: Guam Community College Multipurpose Auditorium, Mangilao. Register at tinyurl.com/vaxguam . 9 a.m. to noon Tuesday through Saturday: Department of Public Health and Social Services Southern Region Community Health Center, Inalahan. Call 671-828-7604/5/7518 to schedule an appointment. Last appointment is 30 minutes before closing. Walk-ins welcome. Curbside vaccination available for people with disabilities. Register at tinyurl.com/covidstopswithme . 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday: Department of Public Health and Social Services Northern Region Community Health Center, Dededo. Call 671-635-4418/7400 to schedule an appointment. Register at tinyurl.com/covidstopswithme . 3-6 p.m. Tuesday: Finegayan Elementary School. After-school vaccination clinic open to the community. Walk-ins welcome. Minors must have birth certificate, parents must have government-issued photo ID. 3-6 p.m. Wednesday: Price Elementary School. After-school vaccination clinic open to the community. Walk-ins welcome. Minors must have birth certificate, parents must have government-issued photo ID. 3-6 p.m. Thursday: Upi Elementary School. After-school vaccination clinic open to the community. Walk-ins welcome. Minors must have birth certificate, parents must have government-issued photo ID. 3:30-6 p.m. Friday: M.U. Lujan Elementary School. After-school vaccination clinic open to the community. Walk-ins welcome. Minors must have birth certificate, parents must have government-issued photo ID. Free community testing 8 a.m. to noon and 1-3 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday: Old Carnival Grounds, Tiyan. COVID-19 testing will be offered by appointment through tinyurl.com/covidstopswithme . Four adults per vehicle. Bring a photo ID. Travel-related testing will not be offered. No symptoms are necessary for testing. 9 a.m. to noon Tuesday through Saturday: Department of Public Health and Social Services Southern Region Community Health Center, Inalahan. By appointment only for individuals with COVID-like symptoms. Four adults per vehicle. Bring a photo ID. Travel-related testing will not be offered. Call 671-828-7604/5/7518. Register at tinyurl.com/covidstopswithme . 9 a.m. to noon Tuesday through Saturday: Department of Public Health and Social Services Northern Region Community Health Center, Dededo. By appointment only for individuals with COVID-like symptoms. Four adults per vehicle. Bring a photo ID. Travel-related testing will not be offered. Call 671-635-7525/6. Register at tinyurl.com/covidstopswithme . Treatment available 8 a.m. to 4 p.m through Saturday: Monoclonal antibody therapy treatment is available at the mAb Treatment Center at the Mangilao Senior Citizens Center. Patients must receive a referral from a physician to qualify for treatment at this center. To schedule an appointment, call 671-988-4627. Individuals are encouraged to schedule within 10 days of when symptoms started for best results. Vaccination status As of Saturday, a total of 135,237 of Guams eligible population, residents 5 years and older, is fully vaccinated. In addition, 55,626 booster shots have been administered, the Joint Information Center reported. The trial for Hansen Helicopter Inc. executives facing fraud charges is set to begin today. Hansen Helicopter Inc. owner John Walker, Director of Maintenance Phillip Kapp and Director of Operations Kenneth Crowe are accused of acquiring scrapped, destroyed or otherwise not airworthy aircraft, then falsifying records and defrauding federal authorities for profit, according to charging documents. The three men and the helicopter company as a whole are scheduled to begin trial this morning at the District Court of Guam before Chief Judge Frances Tydingco-Gatewood. Charges Walker, Kapp and Crowe each face close to 100 charges that include conspiracy, fraud, bribery and money laundering in connection with their work at Hansen Helicopter Inc., documents state. Some of the charges are connected to the three men conspiring to defraud agencies of the United States after a Hansen aircraft crashed and pilot Rafael Antonio Cruz Santos was killed on Sept. 2, 2015, documents state. Following the crash, Kapp documented he performed the necessary inspections and maintenance for the helicopter that crashed, when he did not. Crowe submitted the false logbooks to the Federal Aviation Administrations investigation into the crash, documents state. The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Senate will consider the six articles of impeachment against Gov. Ralph Torres individually, during open hearings that will happen on weekdays, between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., according to the impeachment rules adopted by the Senate. Before that happens, a specially appointed Senate committee can examine the articles of impeachment to determine if they are supported by evidence, the rules state, and recommend that any insufficient articles be permanently dismissed. The CNMI House in January voted to impeach Torres on allegations of felony theft, corruption and neglect of duty. The House approved six separate articles of impeachment related to those allegations. It would require a two-thirds vote of the nine-member Senate to convict Torres, a Republican who has been governor since 2015. The Senate has a Republican majority. Within 14 days of being summoned for the impeachment trial, Torres must file a notice of appearance and answer to the articles of impeachment, the rules state. If Torres does not submit an answer to the articles of impeachment, the Senate will assume he has denied what is stated in the articles, but Torres and his legal counsel will not be allowed to attend the impeachment trial, the rules state. According to the impeachment rules, the Senate president will serve as presiding officer in the impeachment trial and the House speaker shall serve as impeachment prosecutor. If the speaker does not want to be the prosecutor, the Senate president can appoint another House member as the prosecutor. The impeachment prosecutor will be the only person allowed to present evidence, question witnesses, make motions or address the Senate, the rules state. The rules state the Senate president can call a meeting with the impeachment prosecutor, Torres or his legal counsel to set a start date for the impeachment trial. The Senate calendar does not indicate there will be a trial this month. Senators are scheduled to meet in regular session Thursday. The rules state the impeachment trial will begin with opening statements by the prosecutor and Torres or his legal counsel, with closing arguments after all evidence has been presented to the Senate. The Senate has the authority to subpoena witnesses for the impeachment trial, and anyone who refuses to participate can be prosecuted for contempt. The prosecutor will present evidence for each article, and Torres and his legal counsel then will be allowed to present their evidence. Clear and convincing To prove each article of impeachment, the impeachment prosecutor must prove each article of impeachment by clear and convincing evidence, the rules state. Clear and convincing evidence is the standard of proof that is greater than the preponderance of the evidence but less than proof beyond a reasonable doubt required in a criminal case. The Senate, after closing arguments, can vote to meet behind closed doors to discuss the impeachment, but any final action must happen publicly, the rules state. The Senate will consider the following articles of impeachment: Article 1 Commission of a felony, theft of utility services. Torres allegedly used his position to obtain more than $177,000 in taxpayer-funded utility benefits for his privately owned residences, including utilities for a commercial piggery operating on his property. Article 2 Commission of a felony, theft. Torres allegedly used public funds to travel to campaign events in Oregon and Guam. He allegedly reimbursed himself for $919 in fuel, which he said was for a public safety boat, with no evidence that it was used for a public safety boat. He allegedly was reimbursed $690 for lodging expenses, despite receiving per diem for that trip. Article 3 Corruption, unlawful first-class and business-class travel. Allegedly used his position for at least 54 first-class or business-class airline tickets for himself or his wife, which is against CNMI law. By allegedly approving his wifes travel, who is not a government employee, Torres violated the law as the travel was not for a public purpose. Article 4 Corruption, misuse of government resources. He allegedly was fraudulently reimbursed for personal expenses, including a private birthday lunch, rifle cases, hunting and camping supplies, coolers and electronics. He allegedly used his position to request or approve 85 boating trips, using public safety resources for recreational purposes, including fishing trips. Article 5 Neglect of duty, negligence during crisis. He allegedly took more than 120 off-island trips during times of natural disaster and austerity, including a three-week fishing trip to the Northern Islands in 2020. Article 6 Neglect of duty, contempt of the Legislature. Torres failed to comply with legislative subpoenas related to the House investigation of his actions. A man will be sentenced Thursday in the 2020 killing of a woman whose body was left on the side of a street in Toto. Katner Herry will be sentenced for charges connected to the death of 37-year-old Lucianna Polly in January 2020. According to charging documents, Herry became angry and punched Polly several times in the face after she poured beer on him. Herry told the police he blacked out while chasing Polly but admitted to knowing that he killed Polly. Police were called after a group of neighborhood children found Pollys body with severe bruising and massive swelling on her face, documents stated. Herry was initially charged with murder and aggravated assault. A week later, a sexual assault charge was added, PDN files state. An autopsy revealed Polly died from multiple blunt force trauma to the head, and her death was ruled a homicide, PDN files state. Herry previously pleaded guilty to manslaughter, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years. Herry will be sentenced before Superior Court of Guam Judge Alberto E. Tolentino. Former Gov. Carl TC Gutierrez is the president and CEO of Guam Visitors Bureau, permit czar, and chairman of the Governors Economic Strategy Council. Send comments or questions to GVB at communityrelations@visitguam.org. : AliceQ (), : WaterWorld : This is ridiculous, See you at PrisonGuo Liar! : should be paid by Guo Wengui : BBS (Sun Mar 6 20:57:06 2022, ) In the past few days, the huge fine surrounding Guo Wengui has kept him in a state of high stress, even using sleeping pills that have "no side effects" . After all, Guo Wengui himself has never been one to respond positively to such negative news, but today, Mr. Tang Han's tweet shows that Guo Wengui did not pay the fine, but chose to find ways to continue to bypass it, and even chose to file for bankruptcy for this reason, listening to the slanderous words of ants treat the U.S. law as a child's play? The company has been banned from leaving the United States because of various lawsuits, as Guo Wengui revealed in his live broadcast that he could not travel to the United Kingdom and Japan, which "invited him". In the past few days, there has been controversy over whether or not Guo Wengui will pay the fine. 134 million dollars is by no means a small amount for Guo Wengui, who has just returned 480 million dollars in GTV fraud and paid more than 30 million dollars in fines, with H-coin not being able to replenish the huge deficit, and when the news was announced on the 9th, Guo Wengui had said on air that he would "sue the court" because the regulations invoked by the court and the resulting sentence violate the law, the yacht does not belong to them, so the court cannot require them to pay the fine for the yacht. Such an operation looks very exciting, only to have no effect on the injunction that has been issued, the fine that should be paid will not be less than one point. The yacht, which originally belonged to Guo Wengui, was transferred to another person's name, proving how hypocritical Guo Wengui is, and according to Mr. Tang Han's documents, Guo Wengui is even more hypocritical by claiming to the court that he is bankrupt and has a monthly income of nearly $20,000, which comes from gifts from family, relatives and friends. Let's not talk about how many relatives and friends Guo Wengui has left, but just looking at Guo Wengui's claim of "no income", we can see that he is a complete hypocrite. After all, Guo Wengui is a self-proclaimed tycoon and uses this identity to go out and cheat, giving ants the illusion that he is not short of money on the one hand, and the illusion that he can make money and has good projects on the other. The bankruptcy list submitted by Guo Wengui, about the compensation of Cheng Shuiyan, Guo Baosheng and others , as well as some of the lawsuits of the awakened little ants, Guo Wengui asked for a write-off, such a ridiculous request, I am afraid that only this madman on the verge of pressure will come up with. It can be seen that since the experience of GTV refund, Guo Wengui can be said to be a penny do not want to pay out, and even used a "personal bankruptcy" such bullshit reason to avoid punishment. You know, the first step to personal bankruptcy is to auction personal property to liquidate debts, Guo Wengui is trying to use the characteristics of his own name no property to escape debt. But one thing he didn't learn from the GTV investigation and yacht seizure is that the American judiciary doesn't look at personal property, but at the ultimate beneficiary.GTV made Guo Wengui rich, and even though he let others act as legal persons through layers of proxy, he was the boss, but the SEC's investigation still lifted the fog and caught him as the "boss behind the scenes". "Lady may, a yacht wholly purchased by Guo Wengui, was transferred to someone else's name afterwards, but Guo Wengui has been enjoying his life on it, which is why the New York court ruled that it was Guo Wengui's property and forced it to be frozen as an offsetting property. After so many examples, Guo Wengui still did not learn a lesson, because his heart "criminal thinking", think that as long as the law does not matter, they can exploit the idea, to avoid punishment and get away with it. For this criminal, I only hope that this time the New York federal court can give him a good lesson, with the means of jail to let this crook completely understand that crime is to pay the price. But the price should be paid by Guo Wengui himself, not by the ants who were cheated and kept in the dark. Now Guo Wengui is taking the money from the ants and seeking more benefits for his selfish self, transferring the money to his family trust and trying to continue to "live in luxury" after he is released from prison, which is extremely unfair to the ants who have worked hard all their lives and have been cheated for a while. Therefore, I hope that the court, while speeding up the case, will freeze Guo Wengui's existing property as much as possible, and use legal means to force Guo Wengui to return the fraudulent money while trying his series of fraud cases, especially the recent H-coin case, so that the ants will not suffer greater losses. As for this fraudster, I just hope he spends the rest of his life in prison and never comes out to harm people again! -- :WWW mitbbs.com [FROM: 103.] Haiti - FLASH : Security alert from the American Embassy in Port-au-Prince The U.S. Embassy advises that there are still a high threat of violent crime and kidnapping throughout Port-au-Prince, to include the Tabarre neighborhood. The U.S. Embassy has restricted non-official travel of its staff for security reasons. Additionally, the U.S. Embassy reminds U.S. citizens that kidnapping is widespread, and victims regularly include U.S. citizens. Kidnappers may use sophisticated planning or take advantage of unplanned opportunities, and even convoys have been attacked. Kidnapping cases often involve ransom negotiations, and U.S. citizen victims have been physically harmed during kidnappings. Victims families have paid thousands of dollars to rescue their family members. Violent crime, such as armed robbery and carjacking, is common. Travelers are sometimes followed and violently attacked and robbed shortly after leaving the Port-au-Prince international airport. Robbers and carjackers also attack private vehicles stuck in heavy traffic congestion and often target lone drivers, particularly women. Haiti has the highest (Level 4) Travel Advisory (Do Not Travel) for kidnapping, crime, and civil unrest. The travel advisory for Haiti, available at travel.state.gov, notes that kidnapping is widespread, and victims regularly include U.S. citizens. Those deciding to travel and/or remain in Haiti should carefully consider the information available on travel.state.gov regarding the extremely high risk of the kidnapping threat in Haiti. The U.S. Embassy urges U.S. citizens who travel to Haiti despite this warning to register their trip with the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program. STEP is a free service that allows U.S. citizens and nationals traveling and living abroad to enroll their trip with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate so that we can provide important security and other information to the U.S. citizen community. Actions to take : Use extreme caution while traveling in the country. When driving, make sure your car doors are locked and windows up. If possible, avoid driving at night. Avoid visiting establishments after dark without secure, on-site parking. Be alert to your surroundings, and pay attention to people approaching your car while stopped in traffic. Avoid public displays of wealth (nice car, jewelry, smartphones). HL/ HaotiLibre Haiti - Culture : Port-au-Prince and Jacmel host the 1st edition of the Black Summit As part of strengthening ties between Haiti and Africa, promoting African values and Afro-descendants, the Office of the United Nations Youth Organization of Africa in Haiti (BOJNUAH), announces the 1st edition of the Black Summit, which will be held from March 10 to 13, 2022, in Port-au-Prince and Jacmel around the theme "Historical contribution of Blacks in the construction of the world". According to Amos Cincir (Special Representative in Haiti) and Olsen Barthelemy (Communication Director) of BOJNUAH, the Black Summit in Haiti intends to promote African and Afro-descendant culture, which is essential for the development of the continent and of Haiti but also for humanity in general. This initiative also aims to highlight the many living cultures of the African continent and African diasporas around the world, and promote them as a lever in the service of sustainable development, dialogue and peace. For Marc Derverson Beauvoir, Director of Projects and External Cooperation, this event aims to highlight the importance of multi-sectoral and multi-stakeholder partnerships and their positive impact for the effective implementation and monitoring of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development between Haiti and Africa... Learn more about BOJNUAH: BOJNUAH has been established in Haiti since February 2017 and is represented by Haitians. Its mission is to target, in particular actions related to the African continent and in Haiti, it is centered on youth and sustainable development. This decentralized institution whose head office is in Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso (West Africa), aims to bring the greatest added value to its vision of the world and that its representatives can work daily to build a bridge between the African continent and Haiti, through young people. HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - Diaspora Covid-19 : Daily Bulletin #717 GLOBAL SITUATION 2019-2022: Epidemiological situation: Monday March 7, 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 446,741,398 cases (+1,232,923 in 24 hours ), the day before (+1,599,963) Number of infected countries: 224 *Healings: 379,941,563 people have been cured of Covid-19 worldwide (+1,433,099 in 24 hours), the day before (+1,556,786) *Deaths: 6,020,846 people died of Covid-19 worldwide (+4,931 in 24 hours), the day before (+5,603) *Active cases (minus deaths and recoveries) in the world is currently 60,778,989 cases (-205,107 in 24 hours), the day before (+175,930) Average cure rate in the world: 85.04% (+) Average mortality rate in the world: 1.34% (-) World: Number of daily confirmed cases (Day 1) Vaccination: 10.95 billion doses of vaccine injected (+30 million doses injected in 24 hours. Update March 7, 2022 (latest data available). HAITI: Epidemiological situation: According to the Ministry of Public Health, +18 new cases of Covid-19 and its variants have been confirmed in Haiti as of March 3, 2022 (latest partial data available ) for a total of 30,400 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 (+32 cases as of March 1, 2022). Heals: 25,485 (+45) Cure rate: 83.83% (+) Deaths: 825 deaths (+5) (West +1, Center +3, Artibonite +1) Death rate: 2.71% (+) 5th Wave (Omicron Dominant): Total of the 5th wave (starting December 27, 2021) amounts to 4,405 confirmed cases and 59 deaths Haiti: Active Cases Trend: (less recoveries and deaths) (Day 1) Screening since the start of the pandemic: 181,024 tests (+437 in 2 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 (+0); Petion-ville 613 (+0); Port-au-Prince 405 (+0); Tabarre 282 (+0); Cross-Bouquets 230 (+2) Confirmed cases by department (2022 / 2021 / 2020): West: 2022: 2,509 cases; (2021: 9.890); (2020: 6,945 cases) North: 2022: 262 cases; (2021: 664); (2020: 677 cases) Center: 2022: 219 cases; (2021: 1.001); (2020: 508 cases) Artibonitis: 2022: 168 cases; (2021: 855); (2020: 593 cases) Northeast: 2022: 147 cases; (2021: 404); (2020: 314 cases) Southeast: 2022: 236 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: 293 deaths (2020: 104 deaths) North: 53 deaths (2020: 34 deaths) Center: 77 deaths (2020: 13 deaths) Artibonite: 40 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: 31 deaths (+2) 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: 137 deaths (3) 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, latest information available) https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35051-haiti-covid-19-list-of-149-vaccination-centers-open-in-the-country.html DIASPORA: Epidemiological situation: USA: *Cases since first case (February 29, 2020): 80,917,522 cases (+4,903 in 24 hours), the day before (+16,968) *Healings: 54,753,181 healings (+158,237 in 24 hours), the day before (+250,010) National Cure Rate: 67.66% (+) *Deaths: 984,020 deaths (+183 in 24 hours), the day before (+351) National death rate: 1.21% (=) *Active cases (minus deaths and recoveries): 25,180,321 (-153,517 in 24 hours), the day before (-233,393) Tests: 956,529,658 last data available. USA: Number of daily confirmed cases (Day-1) Vaccination: 555.29 million doses of vaccine injected since December 14, 2020, date of the first injection in the United States (+300,000 doses in 24 hours). Updated March 7, 2022 (latest data available). DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Confirmed cases since March 1, 2020: 575,949 cases (+66 in 24 hours) the day before (+291 in 24 hours). First case (March 1, 2020) Healings: 570,146 healings (+419 in 24 hours), the day before (+194) National Cure Rate: 98.99% (-) Deaths: 4,371 deaths (+0 in 24 hours), the day before (+1) Death rate: 0.75% (=) Positive rate over 4 epidemiological weeks: 3.57% (-) Active cases: (excluding deaths and recoveries) 1,432 cases (-353 in 24 hours) the day before (+96) 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: +44 new cases in 24 hours National District: +10 new cases in 24 hours Santo Domingo: +4 new cases in 24 hours San Juan: + 2 new cases in 24 hours Santiago: +1 new cases in 24 hours Tests (since the 1st case): 3,143,848 tests (+5,216 in 24 hours), the day before (+5,886) Vaccination: 15.31 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 7, 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 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): 23,057,326 cases (+45,328 cases in 24 hours), previous (+53,678) *Healings: 21,596,027 healings (+26,443 in 24h), previous (+86,442) National Cure Rate: 93.54% (+) Deaths: 139,275 deaths (+32 in 24 hours), previous (+120) Death rate: 0.60% (=) Active Cases: 1,322,024 (+18,853 in 24h), previous (-32,884) Test: 246,629,975 (last data available February 27, 2022) France: Number of daily confirmed cases: (Day-1) Vaccination: 141.15 million doses of vaccine injected since December 27, 2020, date of the first injection in France (+60,000 doses injected in 24 hours. Update March 7, 2022 (latest data available) Previous bulletin : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-36114-haiti-diaspora-covid-19-daily-bulletin-716.html See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30319-haiti-health-origin-of-the-first-2-cases-of-covid-19-in-haiti.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30165-haiti-flash-first-case-of-covid-19-in-the-dominican-republic.html HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - News : Zapping... Floods 2 dead (partial toll) The torrential rains that fell on the night of Friday March 4 to Saturday March 5 in the municipalities of Limbe and Bas-Limbe killed at least 2 people : Delarue Gracia in Chamette, 1st communal section of Bas-Limbe and Helene Pierre in Rural Guard, 1st communal section of Bas-Limbe. See also : https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-36113-icihaiti-weather-floods-in-the-north-many-damages.html NOTICE Consultat of Haiti French Guiana The Consulate General of Haiti in French Guiana informs Haitian nationals that from Monday, March 7, 2022, the recovery of documents (passports, extract from archives, mandates...) will only be done after noon from 1:30 p.m. The other services always remain open in the morning. This decision was taken in order to improve reception conditions. Assassination : Words from Martine Moise "8 months since the tragedy ! A odious assassination that lacerates me and of which I still cannot understand the meaning https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34162-haiti-flash-president-jovenel-moise-assassinated-by-mercenaries-official-updated-7am-+-video.html . Only the sponsors and the executors hold the motive. That's why they all need to be found. We owe it to the Nation. Jistis Pou Jovenel," Martine Moise Floods : Road cut in Port-de-Paix The flooding of the Trois-Rivieres River has cut off access from Port-de-Paix to the lower North-West, the road is under water preventing all traffic. Senator Lambert invites the PM Joseph Lambert, President of the Senate invited Prime Minister ai Ariel Henry on Wednesday March 9 to discuss, among other things, the reasons for the failure of the talks with the members of the Montana accord https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35970-haiti-politic-the-montana-delegation-sets-preconditions-for-the-resumption-of-dialogue.html and explore solutions to resume negotiations. During this meeting, it will also be a question of the situation of generalized insecurity in Haiti. Artistic creation through the ANKRAJ project As part of the implementation of the "Angaje-Kreye-Aji" (ANKRAJ) project which will take place in the departments of the West of the South, the Swiss Embassy attended this week an artistic creation workshop with young people from various backgrounds in partnership with the Thames association. This project aims, among other things, to support young people in order to improve their artistic skills and their opportunities for personal development. HL/ HaitiLibre By William Schwartz | Published on 2022/03/06 CL&Company recently released behind-the-scenes still of Ahn Ji-ho, who is represented by the agency. The photos in question come are from the photoshoot done for the actor for the Cine21, a weekly film magazine in South Korea. The checkered designs in the relevant photos give the eighteen-year-old actor a very neat look, hinting at a transition from his generally cute current image to a more adult one. Advertisement Ahn Ji-ho has long been known as a younger child actor, making his debut in "Vanishing Time: A Boy Who Returned" in a story centering around supernatural events afflicting various children on an island. More recently, he is best known for being a part of the larger ensemble of the high school zombie drama "All of Us Are Dead" on Netflix. His next project is the ensemble drama "YOUTH" where he will play an abandoned boy who loves dancing. Written by William Schwartz Login or sign up to follow actresses, movies & dramas and get specific updates and news Login Sign Up Email Password Password Username Your E-mail will only be used to retrieve a lost password. Stay logged in Help Published on 2022/03/07 | Source New character posters added for the upcoming Korean movie "B Cut" (2022) Advertisement Directed by Kim Jin-young With Kim Dong-wan, Jeon Se-hyun, Kim Byung-ok, Choi Jae-hwan,... Synopsis The one who tries to hide VS the one who wants to reveal A shocking scandal unfolds around the B Cut that must be revealed in order to survive! One day, a woman visits Seung-hyeon, who runs a smartphone repair and data recovery company. Actress Min-yeong, who once captivated South Korea, asks for the restoration of a B-cut, which should not be released to the world. Min-yeong's B-cut stimulates Seung-hyeon's curiosity, and he finds out that it will cause a huge scandal in Korea! The secret of the B-cut that someone wants to hide and that must be revealed is unlocked. Release date in Korea : 2022/03 (The Center Square) The Indiana General Assembly has passed a bill requiring school boards in Indiana to provide an opportunity for public comment at every regular meeting. The bill says school boards must allow members of the public who show up at school board meetings to provide oral public comment, though it leaves it up to boards to impose their own time limits on speakers. House Bill 1130 also says school boards can hold their regular meetings online only if there is declared emergency and there is a particular danger or threat that would make an in-person meeting impractical or risk the health of safety of those attending. The bill was authored by Rep. Tim OBrien, R-Evansville, and passed the House in January, 92-1. It passed the Senate this week, 34-11, with five Republicans joining six Democrats in opposing it. The House approved the Senate version Wednesday, clearing the way for the bill to go to Gov. Eric Holcomb for his signature. HB 1130 was introduced following a year in which school board meetings in many parts of the state became heated, with parents showing up in greater numbers than ever before to speak against school mask mandates, explicit books in school libraries, and changes in curriculum after teacher training on critical race theory. Carmel Clay Schools in Hamilton County suspended public comment at school board meetings in August after a meeting where parents took to the microphone to draw the boards attention to books in elementary school libraries, including some focused on introducing young children to transgenderism. When parents staged a protest at the first public meeting with no comment period, board members walked out, and the board switched to holding virtual meetings. The Carmel Clay school board did not resume in-person meetings that included a public comment period until January. When asked whether she supported the passage of a state law requiring public comment, a Carmel mom, Jackie OKeefe, who has two kids in public school, said, One hundred percent. One hundred ten percent. OKeefe said she understands why the school board wanted to take a break from public comment but it did not have anything to fear. There was nothing that was threatening, she said of parent comments at meetings. Rhonda Miller, the head of Purple for Parents Indiana, a group thats been on the front lines of the push by parents to draw attention to issues in schools, said she was glad to see the Indiana General Assembly at least pass this bill after it abandoned its critical race theory bill Monday. I am thankful that they did that, because there have been cases were school boards shut people down, Miller said. Miller pointed to Whitley County, west of Fort Wayne, where the school board recently issued new rules restricting public comment, allowing a total of 30 minutes going forward for entire public comment period, with each person limited to three minutes. Schools are definitely playing games with parents on being able to address concerns, Miller said. HB 1130 originally said school boards had to give each person at least three minutes to speak during public comment periods, but it was amended to remove the provision and left it to school boards to set a time limit. Sen. Fady Qaddoura, D-Indianapolis, one of the six Democrats who opposed the bill, said it seemed to go against what his Republican colleagues say about supporting local control. We either eliminate school boards from the state of Indiana and we become the largest school board in the state or let them do their job, Qaddoura said on the Senate floor just before the bill passed. This is micromanagement. We shouldnt be in the business of micromanaging localities. The Indiana School Boards Association testified in support of the bill in early February. School boards and school communities that do it well want and seek parental participation," said Terry Spradlin, the association's executive director. "They want and seek community stakeholder involvement, and so we support fully an individuals First Amendment rights to speak and be heard." The association, however, opposed requiring that each person be given up to three minutes to speak on each topic, saying meetings could go on for several hours if this were required. Hartford City, IN (47348) Today Thunderstorms and gusty winds early, then variable clouds overnight with still a chance of showers. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. Low 48F. NW winds at 20 to 30 mph, decreasing to 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%.. Tonight Thunderstorms and gusty winds early, then variable clouds overnight with still a chance of showers. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. Low 48F. NW winds at 20 to 30 mph, decreasing to 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Arizonas clemency board has declined to recommend that the death sentence of a prisoner be delayed or reduced to life in prison in what would be the states first use of the death penalty in nearly eight years. The decision marks one of the last steps before Clarence Dixons execution in the 1978 killing of college student Deana Bowdoin. The execution is scheduled for May 11. The boards decision keeps the execution on track, at least for now. A hearing is scheduled Tuesday in Pinal County to consider whether Dixon is mentally fit to be executed. Prosecutors have said the hearing will likely lead to a delay in the execution. The University of Montanas removal of the mask mandate in February was seen by many as a symbolic end to the COVID-19 pandemic thats ravaged campus for the last two years. But the struggle and the resilience weve seen at UM over these years wasnt for nothing. Weve learned what it me Editor: There are alot of things I would like to talk about but this one is a head Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Henderson, NC (27536) Today Scattered thunderstorms early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. Low around 65F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. Low around 65F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%. HENLEY Town Council will save 10,000 per year thanks to a new waste compactor at Mill Meadows. The cost of rubbish disposal has risen by almost 9,000 to 27,000 a year since 2019. Town clerk Sheridan Jacklin-Edward told a meeting of the councils recreation and amenities committee: These costs have been attributed to the pandemic, which encouraged more socialising outdoors and takeaway food and drinks. But they have been more than matched by the related increase in parking income. The vast majority of the expenditure has been attributed to the disposal of general waste, which is made up of rental charges for the compactor skip, the cost to take it away and return it and the cost to dispose of the waste generated. In July, the council is to switch its contract from Grundon to Oxford Direct Services, which is owned by Oxford City Council. A new compactor from Oxford Direct Services will have a sensor which will tell the company when the compactor has reached 75 per cent capacity and will automatically schedule a collection a few days later. The company will not send the waste to landfill but instead it will go to the Ardley Energy Recovery Facility near Bicester. The plant treats about 326,300 tonnes of non-recyclable waste each year and can generate enough electricity to power more than 59,000 homes. Mr Jacklin-Edward said the mileage of the waste disposal lorries would be reduced through having a larger compactor and fewer collections. He said: As the vehicle will be carrying greater weight, the fuel consumption will be higher. However, fewer collections would still be more environmentally beneficial and reduce HGV movements in Henley. The new tenderers fleets are moving towards electric vehicles where possible. Our chosen company leads this with 20 per cent of their fleet being electric vehicles, which will rise to 25 per cent by 2023. The 10,000 will be used to reduce the councils yearly deficit. However, while we are already increasing our spending on maintaining and improving the councils services and amenities, if it is felt the savings should be spent on further town improvements, this is always an option. Meanwhile, the committee approved noticeboards with information about the towns pudding stone in Gravel Hill. These stones are a natural rock formation thought to be more than 50 million years old. The name comes from the stones raisin-like appearance, which is similar to a fruit cake. The information board will provide a brief geological background to the pudding stone and its significance. It will be on the West Street side of the grass area close to the stone. This will be the seventh historic information board in the town. It will be A2 size with a single support, which is smaller than previous ones, which are A1 with a double support. The design and manufacture of the board will cost 850 plus VAT compared with 1,200 for each of the previous six. Vivienne Greenwood, who is a member of the Henley Archaeological and Historical Group, will oversee the design and wording on the board. AN elderly mans police record for committing an alleged non-hate crime has been expunged. Douglas Kedge, of Lea Road, Sonning Common, asked police to clear his name after the Court of Appeal ruled that such a practice was an unlawful interference with freedom of expression. The 85-year-old was reported to the police by a woman in Northumberland whom he wrote to as he disagreed with a letter she wrote to The Times. He was then telephoned by a police officer and told the woman had complained that his letter amounted to a hate crime. Now Thames Valley Police have told Mr Kedge that they will remove the words hate crime from the record of the complaint and change his status from suspect to mentioned. The retired teacher said he was reasonably happy with this response but still wanted all police forces to expunge records that were clearly not hate crimes. The issue began in November 2020 after the newspaper published an article about a storyline in the ITV soap Emmerdale in which two characters decide to terminate a pregnancy after discovering the child could have Downs syndrome. The woman responded with a letter saying that the episode was a deliberate attempt to perpetuate prejudice against Downs children. Mr Kedge said he wrote to her at her home as he considered her views to be nonsense. He said: I found her address online and politely said that her comment was out of order and it was most offensive to the producers of Emmerdale. The next thing I know I had a call from the police. She had said to them she had found the letter threatening and was uncomfortable with the fact I found her address. Mr Kedge said the officer who called him assured him the force believed no criminal offence had occurred but asked for his date of birth as the incident had to be placed on public record. The College of Policing, which issues guidance to police dealing with hate crimes under the Public Order Act 1986, states: Where it is established that a criminal offence has not taken place, but the victim or any other person perceives that the incident was motivated wholly or partially by hostility, it should be recorded and flagged as a non-crime hate incident. In January, Mr Kedge wrote to Thames Valley Chief Constable John Campbell following the Court of Appeals decision in the case of Harry Miller in December. Mr Miller, a former police officer from Lincolnshire, was visited by police in January 2020 after a complaint over alleged transphobic tweets he made. This was then recorded as a non-crime hate incident. The court ruled that the College of Policing guidance had been wrongly used and it had a chilling effect on Mr Millers freedom of speech. Thames Valley Police, replied to Mr Kedge saying: We have now had the time to consider the request and have determined that the following changes have been made to the occurrence, which we hope addresses your concerns. Your status within the occurrence has been changed from suspect to mentioned, which means you are merely linked to the occurrence. The status of the record has been changed to no crime. The flag denoting this record as a hate crime has been removed. We believe these changes balance Thames Valley Polices need to preserve information to outline the steps taking in respect of a specific occurrence and your concerns about the nature and context of the information held. Mr Kedge, a former chairman of Sonning Common Parish Council, said all police forces should follow this example. He said: I understand that different forces are reacting in different ways to the judgement. What Im hoping for now is that the Home Office and College of Policing will push all forces to expunge these sorts of records that are clearly not hate crimes. Thames Valley Police have gone three-quarters of the way and have certainly been helpful but I think the whole system could go further and something needs to be done about the College of Policing. I hope they will come to their senses and authorise other forces to totally expunge all non-hate crime incidents, especially ones that are as ridiculous as mine. Mr Kedge had said previously that the court judgement went a significant way in countering the current cult of self-determined victimhood. He said: This is not only about myself. Over the past five years around 120,000 people have had non-crime hate incident records raised against them by the police. They have all been regarded as suspects. Mr Kedge said it was dangerous madness that the recording of non-hate crimes had become an accepted part of the criminal system. It is only a step away from what might be expected in an undemocratic, repressive regime, he said. Who is responsible for this disturbing and deeply troubling situation, the violation of lawful free expression? Will they be named and held accountable? They certainly need to be. Free access for current print subscribers As a home delivery subscriber, you get free unlimited digital access to premium content on HenryHerald.com, including local news, local sports, obituaries, legal notices, local features, and the e-edition. All you need is your print subscription account number and your last name. Don't know your subscription number? Email access@henryherald.com with your delivery address. Activate your account now. Since the start of the semester, the Student Advocacy Resource Center has received five times as many reports of roofies, or drug-facilitated assaults, than usual. The druggings happened at four different bars, and beg an important question: what should I do if a friend or I get roofied wh An exhibitor prepares coffee for visitors during the coffee festival in Cairo, Egypt, on March 5, 2022. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa) "We aim to develop the culture of coffee in Egypt and market our new products to coffee lovers," said Mohammed Amir, a manager of a local coffee brand, at the three-day Coffestival held in Egypt's capital Cairo. 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 specialty coffee brands, cafes, distributors and caffeine lovers. An exhibitor makes coffee during the coffee festival in Cairo, Egypt, on March 5, 2022. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa) 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 tons of coffee annually, and the most populous Arab country imports all its coffee consumptions because of its unsuitable climate for coffee cultivation. An exhibitor makes a cup of coffee during the coffee festival in Cairo, Egypt, on March 5, 2022. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa) 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. An exhibitor makes coffee during the coffee festival in Cairo, Egypt, on March 5, 2022. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa) 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 specialty roasters and coffee shops to enjoy a unique coffee culture. People taste coffee during the coffee festival in Cairo, Egypt, on March 5, 2022. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa) "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. Anderson, IN (46016) Today Windy with thunderstorms, some locally heavy early, then cloudy after midnight. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. Low 49F. NW winds at 20 to 30 mph, decreasing to 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%.. Tonight Windy with thunderstorms, some locally heavy early, then cloudy after midnight. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. Low 49F. NW winds at 20 to 30 mph, decreasing to 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Submit Liu Shan sits in her office. (Photo provided by Tencent Media Lab) BEIJING, March 7 (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." The second plenary meeting of the fifth session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling) BEIJING, March 7 (Xinhua) -- China's top political advisory body on Monday morning held its second plenary meeting of the annual session. Wang Yang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, attended the meeting. Twelve members of the CPPCC National Committee spoke at the meeting. Ge Huijun called on political advisors to shoulder their due responsibilities and faithfully practice socialist consultative democracy. Wang Yiming expressed confidence in China's economy. He said the Chinese economy remained resilient amid pressure, adding that the sound fundamentals remained unchanged in the long run despite short-term downward trend. Wang Hong said thriving industries are the foundation for rural revitalization and sustainable development in rural areas. She highlighted the importance of local characteristics, the integration of the rural and urban areas as well as entrepreneurial farmers in developing rural industries. Liu Zhendong underscored the significance of small and medium-sized enterprises in the economy, calling for efforts to tackle the pains and difficulties troubling these enterprises. When sharing his views on promoting fairness in education, Huang Zhen said that efforts are needed to deepen education reform, and narrow the gap in elementary education between urban and rural areas. Sun Dongsheng shared his thoughts from his experience as the deputy head of China's delegation to the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. He called for carrying forward the Olympic legacy and promoting the Olympic spirit to boost confidence in development and inject momentum into national rejuvenation. Wang Yang also attended a virtual meeting of the fifth session of the 13th CPPCC National Committee on Monday afternoon. Another 12 members of the CPPCC National Committee spoke at the meeting. The second plenary meeting of the fifth session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Xin) Wang Yiming, a member of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), delivers a speech at the second plenary meeting of the fifth session of the 13th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Ding Lin) Ge Huijun, a member of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), delivers a speech at the second plenary meeting of the fifth session of the 13th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Ding Lin) Gao Peiyong, a member of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), delivers a speech at the second plenary meeting of the fifth session of the 13th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Ding Lin) Wang Hong, a member of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), delivers a speech on behalf of the Central Committee of the Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang at the second plenary meeting of the fifth session of the 13th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Ding Lin) Liu Zhendong, a member of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), delivers a speech on behalf of the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce at the second plenary meeting of the fifth session of the 13th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Ding Lin) Huang Zhen, a member of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), delivers a speech on behalf of the Central Committee of the China Association for Promoting Democracy at the second plenary meeting of the fifth session of the 13th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Xiang) Sun Dongsheng, a member of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), delivers a speech at the second plenary meeting of the fifth session of the 13th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Xiang) The second plenary meeting of the fifth session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Yin Gang) Photo taken on March 7, 2022 shows the main venue of a video conference held by the fifth session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), during which some political advisors deliver speeches, in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu) Photo taken on March 7, 2022 shows the main venue of a video conference held by the fifth session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), during which some political advisors deliver speeches, in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Liu Bin) Ossiano at Atlantis, the Palm, has launched a new dining chapter in March helmed by chef Gregoire Berger. Widely regarded as one of the most creative and innovative chefs in the UAE, Berger departed the seafood restaurant in January 2021, only to return a year later. Ossiano's new menu, available from March to summer 2022, will focus on Berger's memories of travel and childhood, starting off in the oceans of Brittany and moving through several coastal cities across the world. Upon his return to Ossiano, Berger has assembled a stellar young team of talent, including chef Aurelien Durand, Berger's right-hand sous chef, hailing from the kitchens of Joel Robuchon and Anne Sophie Pic, as well as Hungarian Eszter Palagyi, the youngest female chef in Central Europe to win a Michelin-star at the age of 30. Both the front and back of house teams are invited to participate in a vast range of training programmes including performing arts, marine biology and culinary skills, ensuring each has the ability to bring performance and didactic dialogue to the dining experience. At 34 years old, Berger has already made waves on the global culinary stage with his unconventional dishes refined with traditional French technique that has become his signature. Berger has set himself apart in the busy Dubai dining scene with his visionary approach to pairing ingredients and application of art to food. TEHRAN, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said Monday that the remaining differences between Iran and the West in the Vienna talks are "less than the number of fingers on one hand." "If the U.S. approach is reasonable, the quick agreement is available," he made the remarks in his weekly press conference, stressing that Iran will never accept or adhere to a deadline for negotiations. Regarding the likelihood of direct talks with the United States, Khatibzadeh said that "we make decisions based on U.S. behavior, not on vague messages or without knowing what the outcome will be." "Asking for a direct negotiation only makes sense if we know the reason for the meeting," he said, adding that "so far, we have not seen any change in the behavior of the United States, and the maximum pressure on the Iranian people has continued." Referring to the recent cooperation agreements reached between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the spokesman said that the trip of the IAEA director-general to Iran was within a technical framework, and within the format of Vienna talks. Iran had answered the questions of the agency, but it was necessary to answer these questions again within a technical framework and within a certain period, he said. "There is a direct link between the closure of these questions and the (possible) agreement in Vienna talks," he pointed out. Talks between Iran and the world powers in the Austrian capital of Vienna over the revival of the Iranian nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), have reached the climax, with the parties expected to make few political decisions for a new accord. Iran signed the JCPOA with world powers in July 2015. However, former U.S. President Donald Trump pulled Washington out of the agreement in May 2018 and reimposed unilateral sanctions on Iran, which prompted the latter to drop some of its nuclear commitments one year later and advance its halted nuclear programs. Since April 2021, eight rounds of talks have been held in Austria's capital Vienna between Iran and the remaining JCPOA parties, namely Britain, China, France, Russia plus Germany, with the United States indirectly involved in the talks, to revive the landmark deal. Buciuman began her career as a diamond receptionist at the world-renowned Waldorf Astoria, acting as a front office associate, as well as managing the day-to-day experiences of Hilton Honors Diamond members. In 2015, she joined The Ritz-Carlton brand at its Palm Beach location and progressed her career primarily in leadership roles for hotel operations, from Front Office Manager to earning a promotion to Assistant Director of Housekeeping and Laundry. Following a move to Georgia, Buciuman received a number of awards and accolades at The Ritz-Carlton, Buckhead including The Ritz-Carlton Cobalt Award in 2014 for successful implementation of a Marriott and Ritz-Carlton Rewards memberships and revenues program. During her tenure at the resort, she was promoted to Executive Assistant Manager where, under her leadership, the Rooms division and Spa achieved their all-time highest profitability since the opening of the hotel in 1984. Prior to joining The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay, Buciuman served as Director of Operations at the St. Regis Atlanta where she spearheaded the successful completion of the hotel's $20-million renovation. Additionally, Buciuman lead her team to achieve the #1 ranking in customer engagement metrics within the St. Regis portfolio in North America for an impressive four years in a row from 2018-2021. In addition to her robust hospitality leadership experience, Buciuman has received numerous accolades including The J.W. Marriott Award of Excellence Honoree recognition and was identified as an Emerging Leader for Marriott International in 2014. Further, she was the recipient of the 2013 Steven Porter Emerging Hospitality Leader by the Georgia Hotel & Lodging Association. Additionally, Buciuman's experience with The Ritz-Carlton extends to her participation on The Ritz-Carlton Rooms Division Advisory Board from 2016-2017. Steve Martin is Vice President of Human Resources for Marcus Hotels & Resorts. He is responsible for supporting and overseeing operational human resources issues and strategic initiatives for the companys entire hotel portfolio. Martin has over 20 years of human resources and hospitality industry experience. He joined The Marcus Corporation in 2000 as Corporate Human Resources Director of the companys former Baymont Inns & Suites limited-service lodging division. During his career with the company he served as the Director of Human Resources for the Hilton Milwaukee and held several human resources roles for The Marcus Corporation including Director of Benefits and most recently, Assistant Corporate Director of Human Resources. Prior to joining The Marcus Corporation, Martin worked for Hyatt Hotels & Resorts, Radisson Hotels, and Embassy Suites. Martin is a member of the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) and holds the Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) designation from the HR Certification Institute. He graduated with a bachelors degree in hospitality, restaurant, and institution management from Iowa State University. After almost a decade developing the technology behind its version of commercial space tourism, World View is beginning to hone the guest experience for the voyages launching in 2024. The Arizona-based company hired Dale Hipsh as president of tourism and exploration in February. Most recently the senior vice president of hotels at Hard Rock International, Hipsh is a veteran hospitality executive who worked on the development of Atlantis Paradise Island Resort, Grand Hyatt Wailea and Ritz-Carlton Bali among other properties. He is charged with crafting the guest experience both on terra firma and inside the capsule lifted about 19 miles into the sky by a helium balloon. The first flights will take off from near the Grand Canyon, with plans for more "spaceports" at the Great Barrier Reef, the Pyramids at Giza and other renowned sites. Hipsh recently spoke with Travel Weekly senior editor Tovin Lapan about his plans. Q: What made you want to jump from earthbound hospitality to space tourism? A: Throughout my career, I feel like I've continued to level up, from the Hyatt to the Ritz-Carlton to the Atlantis to the Hard Rock. Something like this comes along, and you have the opportunity to blaze a new trail in a completely new space within the hospitality industry. I grew up in the ballooning space. My family was gas ballooners. We were hot air ballooners. We sponsored the Rosie O'Grady's Balloon of Peace, Joe Kittinger's solo transatlantic crossing in a stratospheric balloon. So when this opportunity came up, it felt like kismet, it really did. Q: What details about the experience can you share? A: We look at it as a five-day experience so that we have the adequate amount of time to not only prepare you for the ascent into near space but also amplify the experience. One of the most important parts of what we're doing is the goal of our customers experiencing the overview effect. In conversations with astronauts and those who've been in the International Space Station and been lucky enough to experience the overview effect, it is most likely to occur when someone sees something they recognize from space. So what we're going to be doing in the Grand Canyon and the Great Barrier Reef and the other wonders is really anchoring your experience in that place. I want you to experience the majesty of this incredible massive-scale thing on the planet in relation to you. So, when you ascend, you see that the Grand Canyon becomes so much smaller in that context. Read the full article at travelweekly.com Key Takeaways Airbnb has taken a number of steps to support our Host and guest community Throughout the ongoing crisis in Ukraine, Airbnb has taken a number of steps to support our Host and guest community. Last night, our co-founder and CEO Brian Chesky announced the decision to suspend our operations in Russia and Belarus. Airbnb is suspending all operations in Russia and Belarus Brian Chesky (@bchesky) March 4, 2022 This means that we are blocking Host calendars from accepting new bookings in both countries until further notice. We will also restrict users in Belarus and Russia from making new reservations as guests. This follows Airbnb.orgs announcement earlier this week that it will offer free, short-term housing to up to 100,000 refugees fleeing Ukraine. These stays will be funded by Airbnb, Inc., donors to Airbnb.org an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and the generosity of Hosts through Airbnb.org. We encourage anyone interested in getting involved with Airbnb.org to go to airbnb.org/help-ukraine. To date, we have seen an overwhelming response to this effort, with more than half a million visitors to this page. We are also making efforts to support our community members in Ukraine who remain in the country. Airbnb is temporarily waiving guest and Host fees on new bookings in Ukraine at this time. We have also implemented our Extenuating Circumstances policy in Ukraine so that Hosts and guests can cancel penalty free for qualifying reservations We are so humbled by the inspiring generosity of our community during this moment of crisis. In the past 48 hours, as weve waived our fees for new reservations, weve noticed a grassroots movement to book Airbnb listings in Ukraine with the objective of supporting local Hosts. People are booking Airbnbs in Ukraine they dont intend to stay in just to help Hosts https://t.co/L6B11ioSXb Brian Chesky (@bchesky) March 3, 2022 On March 2 and March 3, there were more than 61,000 nights booked in Ukraine around the world, including more than 34,000 nights booked by US guests. In 48 hours, 61,406 nights have been booked in Ukraine. That's $1.9M going to Hosts in need Such a cool idea from our community. Thank you https://t.co/MEitgKB5Eo Brian Chesky (@bchesky) March 4, 2022 Finally, we continue to take our compliance obligations extremely seriously. We are removing listings in the Donbas region in compliance with applicable sanctions and they are currently not available to book on the Airbnb platform. We will continue to update the public and our community with our efforts to support the people of Ukraine during this time of crisis. And we certainly hope that as we look to the future, a path to peace is forged. About Airbnb Airbnb was born in 2007 when two Hosts welcomed three guests to their San Francisco home, and has since grown to 4 million Hosts who have welcomed more than 1 billion guest arrivals across over 220 countries and regions. Travel on Airbnb keeps more of the financial benefits of tourism with the people and places that make it happen. Airbnb has generated billions of dollars in earnings for Hosts, most of whom are individuals listing the homes in which they live. Among Hosts who report their gender, more than half are women, and one in five employed Hosts are either teachers or healthcare workers. Travel on Airbnb also has generated more than $4 billion in tax revenue around the world. Airbnb has helped advance more than 1,000 regulatory frameworks for short-term rentals, including in 80% of our top 200 geographies. In late 2020, to support our continued expansion and diversification, we launched the City Portal to provide governments with a one-stop shop that supports data sharing and compliance with local registration rules. We continue to invest in innovations and tools to support our ongoing work with governments around the world to advance travel that best serves communities. About Airbnb.org Airbnb.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to facilitating temporary stays for people in times of crisis around the world. Airbnb.org operates independently and leverages Airbnb, Inc."s technology, services, and other resources at no charge to carry out Airbnb.org"s charitable purpose. The inspiration for Airbnb.org began in 2012 with a single host named Shell who opened up her home to people impacted by Hurricane Sandy. This sparked a movement and marked the beginning of a program that allows Hosts on Airbnb to provide stays for people in times of need. Since then, the program has evolved to focus on emergency response and to help provide stays to evacuees, relief workers, refugees, asylum seekers, and frontline workers fighting the spread of COVID-19. Since then, Hosts have offered to open up their homes and helped provide accommodations to 100,000 people in times of need. Airbnb.org is a separate and independent entity from Airbnb, Inc. Airbnb, Inc. does not charge service fees for Airbnb.org supported stays on its platform. Airbnb Press Airbnb Press Office Airbnb Accor is advancing through 2022 with a continued focus on expanding its presence across Greater China, offering more hotels to travelers and loyalty members than ever before, from acclaimed brands such as Raffles, Fairmont, Sofitel, MGallery, Pullman, Grand Mercure, Novotel, Mercure, and ibis. Accors new project signings in China reached an all-time high in 2021 leading to more than 520 hotels now in operation and an additional 350 under development. Accor is also on track to drive even greater momentum and growth success this year. Raffles Shenzhen Photo by Accor Surpassing 500 hotels in Greater China truly is a milestone of which we are extremely proud. This achievement is a result of the powerful connection that Accors brands and our dynamic team members have forged over the past 35 years with owners and guests throughout this region, said Gary Rosen, CEO, Accor Greater China. We are really excited about our strong momentum in 2022 and beyond. On average, every five days a new Accor-branded hotel is opened in the region to meet the ever-growing demand for high-quality hospitality experiences. Accor provides one of the most diverse brand portfolios in the world, positioning us well to continue introducing more brands, more hotels, and more experiences for leisure and corporate travelers across Greater China. Chinas emergence as an economic leader has redrawn the lines of global tourism, with China set to overtake the US as the worlds largest economy within the next decade. According to research from Euromonitor International, China is on track to become the worlds #1 global tourism destination by 2030, while continuing to be a world leader in fueling outbound tourism to other countries. Meanwhile, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has hailed China as the worlds #1 domestic tourism market. The WTTC cites Chinas 62% absolute growth in domestic tourism since 2008, pushing it up the list from fourth position to the top spot today. This dovetails neatly with the China Tourism Academys forecast for 2022, which anticipates a return to nearly 70% of pre-Covid levels of domestic travel this year. Fairmont Sanya Haitang Bay Photo by Accor China is one of the fastest-growing and most competitive economies in the world for hotel development and Accor is proud to lead this important market, said Agnes Roquefort, Chief Development Officer, Accor. Accors brand portfolio is a key differentiator for the Group and will be a driving force in our success. Close to 40% of our hotels in China are at the luxury and premium level, while we retain a stronghold in the midscale and economy segments. This puts us in an enviable position and combined with our deep local knowledge and the expertise of our regional development and commercial teams, we have a flexible and highly compelling value proposition to offer owners and developers. Ocean Spring Resort Chengdu - MGallery Photo by Accor Across Greater China, Accors top flagship hotels are well-known and beloved by travelers, including Raffles Shenzhen, Fairmont Peace Hotel, Sofitel Legend Peoples Grand Hotel Xian, Sofitel Guangzhou Sunrich, DongFengYun Hotel MiLe MGallery, Pullman Shanghai South, and Novotel Guangzhou Airport. Some of the most popular, high-profile openings of 2021 included Fairmont Sanya Haitang Bay, Sofitel Hangzhou Yingguan Hotel, Pullman Jiaxing Pinghu Excellence Hotel, Ocean Spring Resort Chengdu MGallery, Novotel Zhengzhou Airport Hotel and Grand Mercure Pingxiang Kaiguang Hotel. Raffles at Galaxy Macau Photo by Accor Looking ahead to the remainder of 2022, The Year of the Tiger will bring some highly-anticipated new flagship hotels to life, such as Raffles at Galaxy Macau, Fairmont Xiamen, and Sofitel Shanghai North Bund. This year will also see the grand return of the beloved landmark, Swissotel Beijing, following three years of extensive renovations and restyling. Accors newest luxury brand, Emblems Collection, will open its first hotel in the world in December 2022 - a magnificent flagship hotel, Guiyang Art Centre Hotel, Emblems Collection, in Guizhou province. The new brand has a goal to create a unique global portfolio exceeding 60 boutique hotels and luxurious resorts by 2030, which will certainly include additional properties in China. Le Guiyang Art Centre Hotel, Emblems Collection Photo by Accor MGallery Hotel Collection is a brand to watch with not one, buttwo hotels opening in Hong Kong this year. The Silveri Hong Kong MGallery creates a serene retreat on Lantau Island, while AKI Hong Kong MGallery complements the neighborhood buzz of Wan Chai with a stylish energy. Upcoming MGallery destinations include Shenzhens vibrant Dalang District; Wuxi Dangkou Ancient Town; as well as Guangzhou. One of Chinas top performing premium brands, Pullman, has multiple new properties slated to open in 2022, including Pullman Nanchang Xinlv, Pullman Shenzhen North Station, Pullman Chongqing Beibei, and Pullman Wuhan Airport New City. These are in addition to Pullman Dali, Pullman Haikou and Pullman Suzhou Taicang which have been open since January 2022. Greater China has more Pullman Hotels & Resorts than any other country in the world, with nearly fifty hotels in operation, a record number of new project signings, and no signs of slowing. The power of Accors midscale and economy brands is also noteworthy. Novotel, a longtime favorite amongst travelers, continues to push forward with innovative new design concepts and exciting openings like Novotel Guangzhou Airport and Novotel Chengdu Tianfu Living, bothset to open in 2022. Other upcoming destinations for the beloved brand include Novotel Wuxi Wanshan Lake, Novotel Xi'an Aden, and Novotel Qingdao Downtown. Not to be outdone, one of Accors top midscale brands, Mercure, has been singled out as one of the fastest growing brands in the world, according to a past ranking from Brand Finance. Mercure currently has more than 110 hotels in Greater China, and nearly 100 more in development. Additionally, Accors trailblazing economy brand, ibis, now offers more than 200 hotels in Greater China, a truly remarkable achievement. Accor was founded on the premise of building innovative brands and boldly expanding them throughout the world, added Mr. Rosen. As we progress through 2022, all of us at Accor look forward to sharing even more exciting news about our growing portfolio in Greater China and around the world, as we embrace each opportunity with the strength, confidence and adventurous spirit that the Year of the Tiger inspires. About Accor Accor is a world leading hospitality group consisting of more than 5,300 properties and 10,000 food and beverage venues throughout 110 countries. The group has one of the industry"s most diverse and fully-integrated hospitality ecosystems encompassing more than 40 luxury, premium, midscale and economy hotel brands, entertainment and nightlife venues, restaurants and bars, branded private residences, shared accommodation properties, concierge services, co-working spaces and more. Accor"s unmatched position in lifestyle hospitality one of the fastest growing categories in the industry is led by Ennismore, a joint venture, which Accor holds a majority shareholding. Ennismore is a creative hospitality company with a global collective of entrepreneurial and founder-built brands with purpose at their heart. Accor boasts an unrivalled portfolio of distinctive brands and approximately 260,000 team members worldwide. Members benefit from the company"s comprehensive loyalty program ALL - Accor Live Limitless a daily lifestyle companion that provides access to a wide variety of rewards, services and experiences. Through its Planet 21 Acting Here, Accor Solidarity, RiiSE and ALL Heartist Fund initiatives, the Group is focused on driving positive action through business ethics, responsible tourism, environmental sustainability, community engagement, diversity and inclusivity. Founded in 1967, Accor SA is headquartered in France and publicly listed on the Euronext Paris Stock Exchange (ISIN code: FR0000120404) and on the OTC Market (Ticker: ACCYY) in the United States. For more information visit group.accor.com, or follow Accor on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Phyllis Sio Accor UAE - The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) has announced new dates for the next PATA Annual Summit. Originally scheduled to take place live and in-person in March, the forum will now be held from October 25- 27, 2022 in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE. The event will be the first time that the not-for-profit travel trade association, the largest spanning Asia-Pacific, will host its Annual Summit in West Asia. Hosted by Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA), the three-day event brings together international thought leaders, industry shapers and senior decision-makers who are invested in driving tourism to, from and within the Asia Pacific. The PATA association network consists of both public and private entities representing every facet of the travel ecosystem - government, tourism offices, hotels, airlines, MNCs, SMEs, universities, and other travel-related companies with interests in the Asia Pacific region, The event, comprised of conference presentations, leadership task force sessions, workshops, PATA board meetings and a travel mart component, will be hosted in various locations across the Emirate, including the Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah, The Ritz-Carlton Al Wadi Desert and Al Hamra International Exhibition & Conference Center. Exploring the theme Reconnecting the World, the program will provide a platform for PATAs public and private sector members and partners to convene on critical industry topics, including destination recovery strategies, sustainability and resilience, human capital development, women in travel and innovation. We are delighted that we will still be organising the PATA Annual Summit in Ras Al Khaimah this year and bring together our industry network to discuss opportunities and best practices to enable recovery and sustainable growth, said PATA CEO Liz Ortiguera. The team is working hard to put together an event programme, under the theme Reconnecting the World, that will take on a format that is more experiential and will maximize in-person connections and engage an appreciation for this beautiful destination. I invite all of our members, partners, Chapter members and industry colleagues to join us for this long-awaited opportunity. Raki Phillips, CEO of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, added As we navigate through a new era of travel and tourism, platforms such as the Pacific Asia Travel Association Summit provide invaluable insights that help guide our industry moving forward. We are pleased to host the summit in Ras Al Khaimah, the nature-based destination with exceptional connectivity and access that resonates well with Asian travellers. Combined with global hospitality brands and world class meeting venues, we are confident that the PATA Annual Summit this fall will be a great success. Considered as the fastest growing destination in the Middle East, Ras Al Khaimah set a global benchmark by being the first city in the world to be certified safe by the SafeGuard Label from Bureau Veritas and the Safe Travels Stamp from the World Travel and Tourism Council. It was also named the Gulf Tourism Capital for both 2020 and 2021 by the Gulf Cooperation Council. With over 7,000 years of fascinating history, traditions and culture, Ras Al Khaimah promises an authentic and easily accessible Arabian experience. A haven of year-round sunshine, the Emirate features pristine beaches, lush mangroves and terracotta dunes, as well as fertile, green oases and the dramatic, awe-inspiring vistas of the majestic Hajjar mountains. From cultural escapes to eco-tourism and adrenaline-fueled adventures to beach retreats, Ras Al Khaimah caters to a full suite of travellers. The unique natural beauty of the Emirate, combined with its world-class tourism infrastructure and portfolio of global hospitality brands, makes it the perfect destination for both leisure and adventure travel as well as for business travellers. To register for the event, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pata-annual-summit-2022-tickets-227553537757. For more information, visit www.PATA.org/pas-2022 or email [email protected]. The Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) was established in May 2011 under the government of Ras Al Khaimah. RAKTDA aims to develop the Emirates tourism infrastructure and establish Ras Al Khaimah as a world-class destination for leisure and business travel, creating sustainable investment opportunities and enhancing the quality of life for its residents. In order to achieve its goals, the Authority has a government mandate to license, regulate and monitor the Emirates tourism and hospitality industry. www.visitrasalkhaimah.com | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTube Hashtag: #VisitRasAlKhaimah About PATA Founded in 1951, the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is a not-for-profit membership association that acts as a catalyst for the responsible development of travel and tourism to, from and within the Asia Pacific region. The Association provides aligned advocacy, insightful research and innovative events to its member organisations, which including government, state and city tourism bodies; international airlines and airports; hospitality organisations, and educational institutions, as well as thousands of young tourism professional (YTP) members across the world. The PATA network also embraces the grassroots activism the PATA Chapters and Student Chapters, who organise numerous travel industry training programmes and business development events across the world. Thousands of travel professionals belong to the 32 local PATA Chapters worldwide, while hundreds of students are members of the 28 PATA Student Chapters globally. The PATAmPOWER platform delivers unrivalled data, forecasts and insights from the PATA Strategic Intelligence Centre to members' desktops and mobile devices anywhere in the world. PATA's Head Office has been in Bangkok since 1998. The Association also has official offices or representation in Beijing and London. Visit www.PATA.org. Paul Pruangkarn Manager - Communications +66 2 658 2000 PATA Amazon has quickly grown to be one of Houstons top employers, adding several distribution centers and thousands of employees in the past few years as people turned to online shopping during the pandemic and demand for its services surged. Now, the Seattle-based online retailer is making it easier for employees to gain new job skills through partnerships with an expanded network of colleges and universities, including two in Houston. Amazon has named nine Texas colleges as partner schools in its Career Choice Upskilling program designed to help hourly employees advance their careers at Amazon or elsewhere. More than 750,000 operations employees in the United States are eligible for fully funded college tuition, including most of the companys more than 20,000 employees in the Houston area. Amazon covers the cost of tuition and books. Evan Luscher, director of operations at Amazons newest robotics fulfillment center in Richmond, southwest of Houston, says the free tuition is a perk that helps Amazon in hiring but that the company also views it as the right thing to do. Employees, who earn starting wages of about $18 an hour, are not limited to studying fields related to their jobs and arent required to pay tuition back, even if they leave the company after graduating. The Richmond facility, where 3,500 people work alongside robots to sort, select and ship packages to customers, has an on-site classroom where educational programming will eventually be offered, Luscher said. Under the new partnerships, hourly employees in Texas will have access to education from Houston Community College and Lone Star College locally, Alamo College, Austin Community College, Dallas College, Tarrant County Community College, Texas State University, the University of Texas at Dallas and the University of North Texas. The schools are among Amazons more than 140 university partners and additional online providers.. On HoustonChronicle.com: Amazon to close 2 Houston stores in strategy shift Our employees can pursue industry certifications leading to in-demand jobs in transportation, IT, health care, administration and business services, and mechanical and skilled trades, said Daniel Martin, a spokesman for Amazon. Employees will also be able to pursue associates and bachelors degrees in any field of study from one of our partner schools, as well as foundational skills such as English language proficiency, high school diplomas and GEDs. The partnerships are the latest enhancement to Amazons Career Choice program, which funds college tuition, books and other educational expenses and programs. More than 3,000 workers in Texas, where Amazon employs 90,000 people, have taken advantage of the free tuition program so far. Starting in January, employees needed to work at the company only 90 days to be eligible for the benefit, down from one year. Launched in 2012, the Career Choice program is one of nine free skills training and education programs the company offers to its employees as part of its Upskilling 2025 pledge, a $1.2 billion commitment to provide new skills to more than 300,000 Amazon employees by 2025. katherine.feser@chron.com twitter.com/kfeser Mexicos media, accustomed to connecting dots around its president, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, has connected at least one too many, according to the oil field services company Baker Hughes. The dots painted a picture of the Houston company doing business with Pemex, Mexicos state-owned oil company and enriching the presidents family with a luxurious Houston home in exchange for expanded contracts. In Mexico, the controversy has become known as #Houstongate. But that picture is inaccurate, said Bob Perez, a regional vice president for Baker Hughes in Mexico. There is no relationship between the Houston property at the center of the scandal and the uptick in business between Baker Hughes and Pemex joint ventures have grown organically as Mexico increased its spending on oil production, Pemex said in a statement. Youre connecting dots that arent connected, Perez said. Baker Hughes, the worlds second largest oil field services company, has done business in Mexico for 60 years. Its role in the scandal began in 2019, when the Mexican president's son began living in a spacious home belonging to the company's former Canadian president, Keith Schilling, at a time when it was negotiating an expanded partnership with Pemex. On HoustonChronicle.com: Mexicos Pemex takes ownership of Deer Park refinery Both companies have denied any connection between the rental and the negotiations. After the Mexican media latched onto the story, questioning how the son of a president who touts austerity came to live in such a place a spacious home with an oversized pool that rents for a reported $5,600 a month. Baker Hughes hired an outside firm to conduct an internal investigation. The investigations conclusions, released last month, discredited allegations of impropriety. The presidents son, Jose Ramon Lopez Beltran, said in a statement on Twitter that his money comes from his job as an attorney in Houston, where he works for luxury real estate developer KEI Partners. My income comes 100 percent from my work in Houston, he said in a statement written in Spanish and translated to English. There was not and there will be no conflict of interest. Investigation launched For Baker Hughes, ethics and safety both for people and the environment are paramount, Perez said. Those are the two non-negotiables in the company. The Houston law firm that handled the investigation, R. McConnell Group, specializes in helping companies build anti-corruption policies, according to its website. It found Schilling rented his home after relocating to Canada and used a realtor, who negotiated a lease with a broker representing Carolyn Adams, Lopez Beltrans wife. Ms. Adams did not mention Jose Ramon Lopez Beltran as an occupant of the residence, R. McConnell Group said. Adams, in a statement posted on Twitter, also denied any imprpoprieties, sharing screenshots of text messages with a realtor regarding the home. Let the truth be told, because assumptions are not facts, and you have to know how to differentiate between opinion and information, she said in a statement traslated from Spanish. I hope everyone who created this unfortunate FAKE NEWS finds peace in their hearts. Market rate Schilling left Baker Hughes in 2020 for a job as chief executive of Basic Energy Services, a Fort Worth oil field services company. The law firm said the $5,600 rent paid for the Conroe property was consistent with other listings of similar homes in the area. It found no evidence Baker Hughes knew about the rental, nor did it find evidence Schilling had any involvement in the companys dealings in Mexico. More: Read the latest oil and gas news from HoustonChronicle.com It is common for employees working on temporary assignment to lease their primary residence, the law firm said, noting the citys concentration of energy companies with locations around the world. Especially in Houston. amanda.drane@chron.com A shooting left one man in critical condition early Monday outside a Cypress-area nightclub, deputies said. Authorities responded around 2:30 a.m. to the shooting at 1100 Tower Oaks. The man was sitting in the drivers seat of a tan Ford Explorer, his car still in reverse, said Sgt. Ben Beall of the Harris County Sheriffs Office Homicide Unit. NEWS IN YOUR INBOX: Sign up for breaking news email alerts from HoustonChronicle.com here. Deputies believe the man was trying to back out of the parking lot of of Tijuana Nightclub when he was shot at, possibly six to eight times, Beall said. He had a gun inside his vehicle but did not shoot any rounds himself. The man, 31, is not expected to survive. The club was already closed when law enforcement arrived, the sergeant said. The man was LifeFlighted to Memorial Hermann and is in critical condition. Deputies are locating surveillance video of the shooting. RAMALLAH, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Ishtaye condemned on Sunday the killing of a 14-year-old boy by Israeli soldiers in Abu Dis, a town southeast of Jerusalem, the official Palestinian news agency (WAFA) reported. Ishtaye warned of what he termed as "the dangerous repercussions of the escalation of killings and field executions committed by the Israeli forces in the Palestinian territories." According to Palestinian eyewitnesses, the boy named Yamen Jaffal was critically wounded by Israeli soldiers during clashes that broke out in the town with Palestinian protesters when an Israeli army force stormed the town to arrest Palestinian activists. The eyewitnesses added that the soldiers prevented Palestinian ambulances from reaching the boy and then arrested him while he was in critical condition. Jaffal later succumbed to his wounds, according to the health ministry. Meanwhile, an Israeli army spokesman said in a statement that an Israeli army force noticed two Palestinians throwing Molotov cocktails at an Israeli army post in the area, adding that the soldiers opened fire at them; one was injured, and the other ran away. Earlier on Sunday, a 19-year-old Palestinian was killed by Israeli police in the old city in East Jerusalem after he tried to stab two Israeli police officers, according to Israel Radio. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Four Houston Police Department officers fired after they shot and killed a mentally ill man in April 2020 argued Monday they should win their jobs back. At an arbitration hearing, lawyers representing Sgt. Benjamin LeBlanc, officers Patrick Rubio, Omar Tapia and Luis Alvarado argued they acted properly when they shot a combined 21 rounds at Nicolas Chavez. This was a successful case, because every officer went home safe, no other civilian was injured, and officers acted professionally, empathetically, and in like with their training, attorney Lisa Andrews said. Politics is whats driving the citys actions. They defended the officers actions by noting that the citys Independent Police Oversight Board and the police departments Administrative Disciplinary Committee both found the officers did not deserve to be disciplined. The officers responded to calls about a man behaving erratically, and found Chavez, 27, in crisis, stabbing himself with a "sharp object" and yelling that he wanted to die. The officers were fired for what former police chief Art Acevedo said was their decision to shoot Chavez, who was suffering from an apparent mental break, after hed already been shot with less-lethal weapons and sustained two gunshot wounds. Chavez died following their 15-minute encounter in east Houston. Prior to his death, Chavez had already been shot, stunned and was unable to get up on his own, Acevedo said. 'I cannot defend that': 4 officers fired as HPD releases footage of fatal shooting of Nicolas Chavez You dont get to shoot somebody 21 times, Acevedo said in September, in a statement regarding their firing. Because, at the time, Mr. Chavez was at his greatest level of incapacitation. The incident, which gained widespread attention after video recorded by a bystander surfaced online, prompted protests and scrutiny from across the nation. Acevedo fired the four men, saying their actions were not objectively reasonable. After Acevedo fired the four , they appealed the termination, which is now undergoing arbitration, a legal proceeding in which union attorneys and the city select a neutral arbitrator to review the case and determine the fate of the officers. A grand jury declined to indict the officers on criminal charges. A federal judge also dismissed a lawsuit Chavez relatives filed against the city and the officers On Monday morning, attorneys for both sides assembled in a conference room in City Hall annex. On one side of arbitrator Lori LaConta sat four attorneys representing the fired police officers; on the other, Chief Troy Finner, and two attorneys supporting the citys case. One, attorney Rick Navarro, reiterated Acevedos past statements and argued that the shooting and actions officers took that day were not objectively reasonable. Union attorney Aaron Suder argued before a packed audience that the city's case was based on statements that were "flat out lies." Suder said bodycam video showed officers did "everything right" during the majority of the encounter, noting that they used less than lethal weapons such as bean bag rounds and tasers, and tried to find a long pole to try to disarm Chavez. No-billed: No indictments for four former HPD officers fired over death of Nicolas Chavez Suder argued that Chavez told officers that he was going to die that night and wanted police to shoot him, and described his behavior as a "textbook case of excited delirium," a term police use to describe some people in highly agitated and combative state and who they say are frequently under the influence of certain drugs. But the term is controversial, and organizations such as the American Medical Association oppose its use, arguing current evidence does not support excited delirium as an official diagnosis and have criticized its justification by law enforcement for use of excessive force. Union attorneys played body camera recordings of the confrontation, in which officers can be heard pleading with Chavez to give up the weapon in his hand, later determined to be a piece of rebar. They argued that the then-recent killing of George Floyd had frayed relations with police across the country and that when Acevedo contemplated disciplining the officers, he obliged an angry mob and what he thought Mayor Sylvester Turner wanted him to do. Suder also refuted statements Acevedo made about the range at which stun guns are effective. He criticized Acevedo and the department for arguing that the officers did not follow poicy but had only changed the policy after the actual shooting. They fired them for not doing what they hadnt been re-trained to do, he said. Attorneys expect arguments to last about seven days and a decision reached within about six weeks. st.john.smith@chron.com Bexar County Sheriff A 20-year-old Texas man who the Bexar County Sheriffs Office had recently hired as a temporary jailer was arrested Saturday on a warrant for online solicitation of a minor with intent for sexual contact. The man, Alucard Harris, had been slated to start work on Monday but his conditional offer of employment was withdrawn after his arrest, the sheriffs office said. About two weeks ago, Bill Konigsberg, author of six young adult novels, was at his computer when he read a social media post by another author whose book had been challenged by two parents in a north Texas school district. He clicked on a link in the post and found copies of 282 forms challenging 282 books in McKinney ISD in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. As he read the challenges, he noticed the language in each challenge was the same in response to a question asking what the complainant objected to in the book: Contains 1 or more of the following: Marxism, incest, sexual explicit material in written form and/ or visual pictures, pornography, CRT, immoral activities, rebellious against parents, and the material contradicts the ISDs student handbook. The list, it turned out, included several of Konigsbergs books. One, however, did not make sense to the author who lives in Phoenix: His latest, The Bridge. The novel, about suicide and depression, seemed like the least reasonable choice to challenge, in his view. His first five books had LGBTQ protagonists, and almost all of them already have been acquainted with objections. This one was not about LGBTQ issues, though. He started writing it around 2017, following a series of teen suicides in Arizona, he said, digging deep within his own feelings to create a piece of literature he hopes could convince a young person they are not alone, that they have a choice not to die. Where his other books took him about a year to write, he said, this one consumed two years. It is written very, very carefully to be a book of hope, Konigsberg said. But also to help young people who have suffered from depression understand that they are not alone. That is terribly important. I know that I have suffered from depression as a teenager I did and in my adult life, too and the worst part of it is the isolation. On HoustonChronicle.com: Texas lawmaker launches probe of school libraries books on race, sexuality Since The Bridge was published in 2020, Konigsberg has received so many emails from young people who said his words made them feel less alone, and convinced them to live another day. Still, there he was, on a February day, reading a protest to the same book for purportedly being laced with Marxism, sexually explicit material and other hot-button wrongs popular among Republican politicians and adults who often insist they are concerned as parents, not activists. He had seen other authors whose books had been challenged or removed from school libraries receive congratulations from people on social media, but he did not see his situation as a cause worth celebrating. I felt a little sick to my stomach, Konigsberg said. This is a book that I believe in with all my heart, and I believe that it saves lives. While he read over the reasoning for the challenges, his brain began concocting an argument. So, he decided to do what usually helps him organize his thoughts. He started writing. The result was a 2,290-word open letter to the two parents in McKinney ISD who took issue with his book, responding to each of their concerns from the Marxism (its author is a capitalist) to the critical race theory (My book doesnt touch on this) to the alleged immoral activities (Wow, thats quite an umbrella there). I want to say up front that I believe your intent here is to protect your children. I echo your concern; I also want safety for children, Konigsberg wrote in the beginning. Its one of the main reasons I write books for young adults. Konigsberg figured perhaps his fans would read the letter. Instead the letter has received some 100,000 hits on his website. This is a very serious issue, he said. But the people on the other side of this issue are people. I tried in the letter to reason with them and to treat them as people. The two people on the other side of this specific issue, Paul and Rachel Elliott, parents of an elementary school student, had not responded to his letter as of Wednesday, he said. In an e-mail responding to an interview request from the Chronicle, the couple wrote: Thank you for the inquiry. At this time, we politely decline to comment. They told WFAA, a news station in Dallas, they had read all the books, which is required by the form requesting learning material be reconsidered. It took some time, Rachel told the station, but I love my daughter, and I love the 23,000 other students within this district. I believe they're all worth it. On HoustonChronicle.com: Texas GOPs book hunt mostly targets LGBTQ issues, not critical race theory The district did not respond to requests from the Chronicle for information regarding the Elliots challenges. The couple had not won any of the challenges and the district had not removed any of the books as of two weeks ago, according to WFAA. Meanwhile, Konigsberg in an interview struggled for a few seconds to describe his feelings about The Bridge being included in such an effort, as well as the list of about 850 titles state Rep. Matt Krause, R-Fort Worth, asked districts if they owned. Krauses list included some of Konigsbergs books. Have you ever been wronged? he asked. Its like, I know that I have done something good for the world and somebody is telling me its bad, and thats like somebody telling me that the sky is yellow rather than blue; its very confusing and infuriating. Still, he would like to start a reasonable but firm conversation, he said an exchange of ideas about what everyone believes in but maybe without much yelling. alejandro.serrano@chron.com While Yuliya Rogovska attended a rally to support Ukraine in College Station on Saturday, Russian bombs destroyed homes two doors from her parents home in Korosten, a little more than two hours northwest of Kyiv. The 43-year-old Texas A&M University staff member and mother of five had begged her mother and other family members to leave Ukraine. So did her husband, Artem Rogovskyy, whose family lives in Kyiv, the capital city. Both sets of relatives refused, resolved to stay in the country they love. Rogovska and Rogovskyy were also steadfast as they stood in front of Houstons City Hall on Sunday, pressing the U.S. government to help create a no-fly zone over their home country. It doesnt feel real, its like watching a horror movie, Rogovska said. Life is going on here like normal, but theyre under attack, with 10 to 15 bombs going off near them every day. Hundreds of people gathered in front of City Hall on Sunday in a show of support to Ukraine as the Russian invasion of the country entered its 11th day. Russian forces have begun to increasingly target civilians an nonmilitary infrastructure throughout the country as their efforts to take over the country have meet fierce resistance from the Ukrainian military and citizens taking up arms. The United Nations Human Rights Commission verified 1,123 civilian casualties Sunday. In Houston, many of the women at the gathering wore traditional vyshyvanka shirts and draped the blue and yellow Ukrainian flag over their shoulders. Some carried signs equating Russian President Vladimir Putin to Hitler, and one woman carried one that red Putin will hang in Red Square. A pastor prayed before the group in Ukrainian, while Vitalii Tarasiuk, the consul general of Ukraine in Houston, began a chant of no-fly zone that lasted nearly two minutes. Ukrainian children should look to the sky only to see balloons flying, not bombs falling, he told the crowd. We will gather more and more and more in support of Ukraine until the Russian aggression stops. Already, protesters in Houston have held demonstrations outside the Russian Consulate and at energy companies continuing to do business with Russian energy companies. A handful protested outside the Sugar Land offices of Schlumberger, the worlds largest oil field services company, alleging it was continuing to work with Russian oil giant Rosneft. Despite pressure to avoid Russian fuel and Russian companies, Shell said Friday that it had bought a cargo of Russian crude oil, saying it would choose alternatives to that nations oil wherever possible but was not able to do so immediately because of the large role Russia plays in the global oil supply. That infuriated Luba Dub, a superintendent at a construction company who helped start the HTX4UKRAINE group about a week ago to support the country. We have words for the energy industry, she said. Shame on Shell. She said that while energy companies are looking out for their bottom lines rather than the interest of Ukraine and democratic rule in Europe, a different calculus runs through her mind $30 for Israeli bandages for troops, $600 for a category 4 ballistic vest and helmet, $100,000 to get a FedEx plane full of supplies to Poland and to help fill a second plane full of aid. Medical Bridges, a nonprofit that specializes in global medical donations, is helping in the effort. We need people to not just open up their hearts but open up their wallets and really think about what is the price and what is the cost of freedom, Dub said. Nearby, a young woman named Anastasia listened as she held a sign that said, I am Russian, and I am against the war. She did not give her last name, saying she feared retribution against her family, half of which is in Russia and half of which is in Ukraine. She said while her family in Ukraine is hiding in basements terrified, her Russian family is against the invasion but faces up to 15 years in jail if they speak out. She said she felt a responsibility as a Russian citizen to be at the protest, to tell others that it is Putins war, it is not a war between Russia and Ukraine. She said Russians real enemy was the propaganda machine that squelches news about the war and lies about Putins motives for invading Ukraine. She knows that by being at the protest and speaking out, she might as well throw out my (Russian) passport. And shes OK with that. Id be honored if I could go to Ukraine or get a Ukrainian citizenship, she said. I wish Russians were half as brave as Ukrainians are now. shelby.webb@chron.com Jay Jordan A teenage boy Sunday night was flown to the hospital after a possible drive-by shooting in northeast Harris County, Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said. The incident occurred in the 11900 block of Greenrock Lane, close to North Lake Houston Parkway and Lockwood. Texas is well known for its deep-red policies and conservative leaders, yet the state may send a handful of progressive Democrats to Washington next year. From Dallas to Austin to the Rio Grande Valley, far-left candidates are popping up in congressional races, including some in reliably blue districts that would likely elect them in November, if they make it past the primaries. The list features some of the Texas Houses most liberal members, community activists and Greg Casar, the self-avowed Democratic socialist from Austin who pioneered the citys defund the police move last year. We don't just need progressives coming from each of the coasts, said Casar, also an architect of Austins loosened homeless camping laws that were reinstated by the citys voters earlier this year. I think it's so important for progressives to come from places like Texas that are bearing the brunt of failed Republican leadership in the state. Political experts say the increase in viable candidates is both a reflection of the increasing polarization across the country and of the popularity of young progressives in Congress, especially U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York. If they can win March 1 primary races, progressive candidates are likely to claim at least two and possibly three or more Texas seats next year. IN-DEPTH: With 31 lawmakers moving on, Texas Legislature has room to get redder There's a real shot, said Jen Clark, a professor of political science at the University of Houston. Its not necessarily just folly, and they're just entering the race just to raise issues. Because those are solid blue districts, they do have a real chance if they reach out to the voters and can make a convincing case. Texas Republicans say theyre more than ready for that challenge and it might even make their campaigns easier. Some candidates are salivating at the chance to take on progressives in the general election, said Austin-based GOP strategist Brendan Steinhauser. They want to brand them as radical leftists out of touch with Texans, especially moderates and swing voters, Steinhauser said. We think that if the Democrats nominate those types of candidates in that B category, we're going to have a lot of success and there are going to be races on the table that otherwise may not be. Tom Reel, San Antonio Express-News / Staff photographer Right-wing extremism gives sense of urgency Casar is running in the 35th Congressional District, which stretches from Austin to San Antonio. It is currently held by U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, who decided to swap districts after boundary changes made in redistricting. He faces state Rep. Eddie Rodriguez also a progressive, but not a Democratic socialist in the primary, along with two other Democrats. Casar is undoubtedly the farthest-left candidate of the group, but Rodriguezs record is similar: He is ranked among the most liberal members of the state House, where hes served for nearly two decades, and he helped lead the Democrats dramatic walkouts over the summer in an effort to delay the GOPs priority elections bill. Whoever comes out on top is likely to also win in the November general election, as 72 percent of voters in the district picked Democrat Joe Biden in 2020. TEXAS TAKE: Get the latest news on Texas politics sent directly to your inbox every weekday The progressive momentum this year is, in part, related to a nationwide sense of urgency kindled by right-wing extremism that snowballed during the Trump administration, Rodriguez said. That filters down to Texas, he said, where GOP politicians this year implemented new voting restrictions and approved a near-total abortion ban in a remarkably partisan legislative session. There are already five members of Texas Democratic congressional delegation in the House Progressive Caucus, and one is retiring next year: U.S. Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, who represents the 30th Congressional District in the Dallas area. The incumbent, who is the longest-serving House member in Texas, has already given her endorsement to state Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Dallas the most liberal member of the Texas House. Eight other Democrats are also vying for the nomination in the 30th, including at least three who self-identify as progressive: Abel Mulugheta, Arthur Dixon and Jessica Mason. What progressive means in 2021 All seven candidates who spoke to Hearst Newspapers for this article embrace the term progressive, even if they have different definitions for it but all of them spoke either of grassroots organization or the idea of putting people first instead of corporations. On most of their priority lists: Improving access to health care (in many cases, Medicare for all); addressing climate change (in many cases, the Green New Deal); expanding abortion access; increasing voting options; legalizing marijuana; implementing gun control; facilitating a path to citizenship for people living in the country without authorization; promoting social equity and diversity. But those policy items a few of which are popular among Texans, according to recent polling arent always well-received in Texas and elsewhere. The term progressive on its own can evoke images of more extreme, national politicians; and, for that reason, Crockett said she shies away from using it on the campaign trail. People don't even understand what it is to be progressive, and everybody defines it a little differently, Crockett said. But if there is a narrative that has been put out there that this is what it is to be progressive, and someone has a negative connotation of it then it does you a disservice. Republicans would argue that progressive policies have earned that reputation, especially in Texas. While the GOP-led Legislature passed a slate of conservative legislation this year, local officials in Democrat-controlled cities have been working to undo their policies. Weve been building the bench at the local level, and now I think its really important for there to be more progressive representation thats willing to stand up against the status quo at the federal level, Casar said. But even if Texas progressives expand their presence in Congress, they likely wont have a broad impact on policy, said Matt Mackowiak, a GOP strategist and chair of the Travis County Republican Party. He has been a longtime Casar critic, asserting that his camping and police initiatives in Austin have been disastrous. Hes going to be another Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez squad member focused on extreme policy ideas that are going to have 10 or 15 or 20 votes at most, Mackowiak said. Progressive battlegrounds in South Texas In 2020, immigration attorney Jessica Cisneros raised $1 million in her challenge to longtime U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar of Laredo, one of the Democrats most moderate House members. She lost by less than 4 percentage points. Tom Reel, Staff / Staff photographer Now, Cisneros is back for round two. This time around, we're not starting from scratch, Cisneros said. People know who I am. They know what I stand for. They know the people-centered progressive policies that I'm running on. National Republicans are targeting Cuellars district in 2022, hoping to flip the seat after making gains in majority-Latino communities in 2020. Former President Donald Trump earned about 46 percent of the vote there in 2020, and President Joe Biden, 53 percent. Polling shows Democrat policies are not popular in Texas, said Torunn Sinclair, a spokeswoman for the National Republican Congressional Committee.Theyre not popular in Texas, and theyre not popular across the country. ... No matter who makes it through a Democrat primary, theyre going to have a tough time winning in 2022. In the neighboring 15th Congressional District, incumbent U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez of McCallen is stepping aside to run instead in the 34th Congressional District, after redistricting made the 15th redder. Six Democrats are now vying for the nomination in the 15th Congressional District, where Trump won 51 percent of the vote last year. One of them, 30-year-old Michelle Vallejo, has earned the support of local nonprofits for her progressive platform, and she says her top priority is Medicare for All. Back in the 34th District, where Biden beat Trump by about 15 percentage points, Gonzalez one of the more moderate House members is also facing a progressive challenger in Beatriz Reynoso, an Air Force veteran who is campaigning on raising the minimum wage. And then there are the districts where Democrats have little to no chance of winning in the general election, but progressive candidates run anyway. Texas, especially our established Democratic Party, needs to shift the complete focus and invest in these red areas, invest in these unwinnable elections and non-viable candidates, said Claudia Zapata, a community activist running in the 21st Congressional District currently represented by U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Austin. The willingness to run even for unlikely offices speaks to the energy of the progressive movement nationwide, experts say and its a trend likely to grow in Texas as the state increases in population and diversity. A lot of this really does come from progressives who feel that the Democratic Party their strategy, whatever it is, it hasnt been working, said Mark Kaswan, a government professor at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. We've had 25 years of Republican control of the state, so maybe it is time to take a different approach. cayla.harris@express-news.net The sweet, smokey, sacred aroma of barbecue in all its glorious forms brisket! turkey legs! burgers! wafts through an afternoon crowd of thousands, past parents holding the sticky palms of wide-eyed kids, over a knot of teenagers mapping out their adventures, up to the Tippe Top reaches of the Ferris wheel, which seems to crown a beloved Houston scene that some of us werent sure wed ever see again. Welcome back, Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. We missed you. How wonderful, and how strange, to see you again. How sweet to indulge in the time-honored hat tip to Texan lore and culture, past and present, a 90-year-old ritual that is, all at once, a sporting event, carnival, festival of food and music, agriculture exhibition and western wear shopping mall. Well admit, the whole massive crowd-pressed-into-an-enclosed-space thing is a little jarring for those of us who have kept clear of such places for two years. Though the carnival is open-air, it takes a certain confidence to rub shoulders again around a bull ring. But walking through those gates, taking in the newness and the nostalgia, were reminded of how far weve come since those frenetic days in 2020 when the closing of the same gates marked the point at which the pandemic truly got real in Houston, the point at which life as we knew it faded from view. On Sunday, March 8, 2020, as the world count of COVID-19 cases hit 109,993, a total of 109,857 people passed through the rodeo gates. There were 450 cases in the U.S. and 11 confirmed in Texas, all apparently from travel. The virus still felt, for most, like it was far away, even as some leaders such as Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo were increasingly concerned. Three days later, with teenagers still in mid-preparation to show horses and heifers, officials shut it all down, the whole beloved shebang, which annually draws millions of visitors and hundreds of millions of dollars to the economy. For those of us who are Texans through and through you know just how much we love the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, Mayor Sylvester Turner said that March 11. You know this decision has not come easily, but the health and safety of the people in our region is paramount. Gates didnt open at all in 2021, although we commend rodeo officials for ensuring that a limited livestock show happened anyway for the youth who spend all year raising animals and readying their projects. Last year, $21.7 million was awarded to 2,100 Texas students. The rodeos return now comes at a time when COVID hospitalizations and deaths have declined, mask guidance has been relaxed nationwide and big crowds are on the rise. For small, family-owned rodeo vendors such as Jamie Cronk, the event couldnt have come soon enough. It takes six months, she says, for her business, Texian Leathers, to sell at their store what they bring for the three weeks. For Pamela Fulbright-Scheyer, the annual pilgrimage to the rodeo is a tradition that dates back to when it was still called the Houston Fat Stock Show, a name that changed in 1961. She remembers piling into the family station wagon after school and heading over to celebrate Go Texan Day, and on a recent day, she and her husband Mark took their granddaughter to get an elaborate face painting and her personal favorite to see the chickens and do the pony rides. She didnt get to come here for two years, and doesnt even remember when she was here last, Fulbright-Scheyer said of five-year-old Elizabeth. Through the decades, even as Houstons surrounding counties have become increasingly urban, rodeo officials have found a way to keep the event relevant. President and CEO Chris Boleman told us on-site last week that in addition to their work to provide education funding for Texas youth, theyre also striving to ensure that a fuller, racially inclusive story of western heritage and agriculture production is told vaqueros, Black cowboys and all and that Go Tejano Day and Black Heritage Day help serve that mission. Go Tejano Day was held over the weekend, complete with the much-anticipated Mariachi Invitational and traditional Mexican folk dance. And on Friday, Bun B will headline Black Heritage Day. Its no accident that the rodeos range of musical genres keeps expanding, with musical appearances from Los Tucanes de Tijuana, Lil Flip and Gwen Stefani as well as the legendary George Strait and the crowds each day are nearly as diverse as Houston. Of course, no rodeo would be complete without some kind of controversy. This year, the U.S. Attorneys Office Southern District of Texas will perform an Americans with Disabilities Act compliance review of the rodeo after receiving complaints that the organization allegedly violated the ADA. The allegations include failures to provide accessible parking, seating and routes. In a statement, rodeo officials said they were cooperating and are committed to meeting or exceeding ADA requirements. As well they should. The rodeo is for all Texans. And also for any non-Texan who wanders in. Army specialist Enrico Graham, stationed at Fort Polk, Louisiana, attended her first rodeo Wednesday for Military Appreciation Day. Its a really welcoming environment, Graham said between carnival games. Its been good to be out here enjoying ourselves and I definitely want to come back next year. Next year. What a comforting notion, to be able to look that far ahead and make out something of a horizon. This is indeed a hopeful moment, Texans, one worthy of celebration as we return to something resembling normal. So, first-timers, long-timers and old-timers, dust off your boots and cowboy hats and make your way down to the rodeo. Smooch on the Ferris wheel, cheer for the bull riders and chuckle at the mutton-busters, indulge in perverse, deep-fried concoctions that far exceed your weekly calorie allowance, and then, make your way to the livestock tent and take a moment to watch as a newly hatching chick slowly emerges from its shell, pushing mightily out into the world, and reminding us all in the most exquisite way, that life goes on. Eric Dick, who ran unsuccessfully for City Council in 2019, was behind a deceptive endorsement mailer during that campaign that falsely suggested a group of Black Democrats had endorsed him and a slate of other candidates, the Texas Ethics Commission has ruled. The commission voted last month to fine Dick $30,000 for the mailers, which it said violated the Texas Election Code because they did not include the required disclosure showing who paid for them and misrepresented the true source of the material. It also found Dick filed misleading campaign finance reports, suggesting he had spent more than $125,000 in the final stages of the campaign that he did not actually spend. The commission voted to notify the State Bar of Texas of the violations. The commission is drafting a final ruling, which it will adopt at its next meeting in May. The finding and the allotted punishment, voted on Feb. 24, are final. Dick, a Republican attorney who serves on the Harris County Department of Educations board of trustees, has denied wrongdoing. Originally, he told the commission he had nothing to do with the mailers. At the hearing last month, his attorney, Chris Carmona, told commissioners Dick was acting on behalf of a client when he commissioned them. Carmona also said Dick reported the expenditures out of an abundance of caution. In a statement Friday, Carmona said the Feb. 24 hearing amounted to a political farce run by a bunch of cronies and fat cats, and said Dick has every intention to appeal to the Supreme Court of the United States. Dick did not attend the hearing, Carmona said. Commission staff found Dick paid more than $25,900 for two mailers purportedly from a group called the Harris County Black Democratic News. The mailers endorsed Dick, among other candidates, and were sent to more than 100,000 people in Houston. Council races are nonpartisan, but party dynamics often factor into the campaigns. The mailers featured photos of prominent Black politicians on the front, including former President Barack Obama, U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, state Rep. Senfronia Thompson, state Sen. Borris Miles, and Mayor Sylvester Turner, among others. On the back, they announced endorsements for a slate of council candidates, including Dick. There was no disclosure on the materials, required by state law to show who paid for them. Miles and Thompson at the time denounced the mailers, which they called misleading, and said they had nothing to do with them or the Harris County Black Democratic News. NEWSLETTERS Join the conversation with HouWeAre We want to foster conversation and highlight the intersection of race, identity and culture in one of America's most diverse cities. Sign up for the HouWeAre newsletter here. As part of its investigation, commission staff contacted the U.S. Postal Service permit holder listed on the mailers, a company called Minuteman Press. The owner told the commission that Dick is a longtime client, and he paid for the endorsement mailers to be published and distributed, said Natalie McDermon, assistant general counsel for the TEC. The company provided invoices for the mailers that Dick paid, along with emails and texts in which Dick requested the mailers, approved the design and arranged for payment. In another email, McDermon said, Dick told the printer it did not need to put a political disclosure statement on the materials because they purportedly were coming from a news organization. The evidence shows that the true source of the mailers at issue in these complaints is Eric Dick, McDermon said. He paid for these mailers, he contacted the printing company about these mailers, he even determined when and where these mailers would be distributed to thousands of Houston residents. Dick initially told the commission he had nothing to do with the promotional materials. After the evidence was provided to him, his attorney argued the Harris County Black Democratic News was the true source, and Dick was involved only as its attorney. The true source of the mailers, its right there on the mailers: Harris County Black Democratic News, Carmona said at the hearing. The commission separately voted to fine Phillip Bryant, the owner of Harris County Black Democratic News, $6,000, for failing to disclose the source of the mailers. It should have said the mailers came from Dick and the Harris County Black Democratic News, McDermon said. The commission also found Dick improperly listed more than $125,000 in expenditures on his campaign finance reports that never actually occurred. Dick told the commission he thought he had to report potential obligations for payments. The companies listed for those payments, such as PFS and WS Services, had addresses that matched Dicks attorney, the Carmona Law Firm, and his fathers business, Dick Investments, LLC, respectively, according to McDermon. The evidence has shown that Eric Dick reported $125,750 in expenditures that never occurred, McDermon said. Carmona argued his client merely was being cautious. This isnt a case where hes hiding funds, where he didnt disclose things, said Carmona. He over-reported things, again, out of an abundance of caution. Dick ultimately lost the runoff to At-Large Council Member Sallie Alcorn, 53 percent to 47 percent. He also drew scrutiny during that race for appearing to plagiarize most of his websites campaign platform from mayoral hopeful Tony Buzbee, including biographic details. Dick ran in this months primary elections as a Republican candidate for county treasurer. He lost in that contest. He also ran unsuccessfully for City Council in 2015 and 2011. dylan.mcguinness @chron.com RTHK: Ukraine rejects corridors going to Belarus and Russia Ukraine on Monday rejected Moscow's offer of humanitarian corridors to Russia and Belarus, Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said. "This is not an acceptable option," she said, after Russia proposed safe passage for civilians from Kharkiv, Kyiv, Mariupol and Sumy. The civilians "aren't going to go to Belarus and then take a plane to Russia". The Russian army said earlier on Monday it was opening humanitarian corridors from the four Ukrainian cities. Russian army spokesman Igor Konashenkov said local ceasefires had begun at 0700 GMT to allow civilians to escape. Fighting was still ongoing Monday in the four -- the capital Kyiv, the second city Kharkhiv in the east, the southeastern port of Mariupol on the Sea of Azov and Sumy, near the eastern border with Russia. But the fact the corridors led into Russia or its ally Belarus raised questions over the safety of those who might use them. Two recent attempts to allow thousands of civilians to leave the besieged city of Mariupol have ended in disaster, with civilians under fire and both sides accusing each other of violations. Russian President Vladimir Putin has vowed to "neutralise" Ukraine "either through negotiation or through war", and expectations remain low for a third round of Russian-Ukrainian talks set for Monday. (AFP) This story has been published on: 2022-03-07. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Challenges await sample-return expedition to Mars By ZHAO LEI (China Daily) 10:04, March 07, 2022 Chinese scientists and engineers will need to solve a host of technological challenges to accomplish an ambitious sample-return mission to Mars, said Wu Weiren, a key figure in the country's deep-space exploration program and also a top political adviser. A senior scientist with the China National Space Administration and academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Wu said the mission, which is being planned, will likely involve several steps that resemble procedures in China's Chang'e 5 lunar mission. First, a landing capsule will touch down on the Martian surface and collect and seal samples. Next, it will lift an ascender to transfer the samples to a spacecraft orbiting Mars, and then the orbiter will release a reentry craft to carry the samples back to Earth. "The spacecraft for a sample-return mission to the Red Planet will be much heavier than lunar probes as it will carry a greater amount of fuel to fly a very long distance," Wu said on the sidelines of the fifth session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. "Therefore, we need to build a powerful carrier rocket to transport the spacecraft." According to the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology in Beijing, the country's major rocket maker, its engineers are developing a super-heavy rocket named Long March 9 for the nation's prospective manned lunar programs and other deep-space expeditions. China started its first independent Mars mission-Tianwen 1-in July 2020. The probe landed a rover on the Martian surface in May last year. The 1.85-meter-tall, 240-kilogram rover, named Zhurong, has now worked on the Martian surface for nearly 10 months-far outliving its three-month life expectancy. The rover, which has traveled more than 1,600 meters, has transmitted a great deal of scientific data, video clips and pictures taken en route to its destination-an ancient coastal area on the Red Planet. "In the long run, we want to send spacecraft to explore the rim of our solar system, which is about 15 billion kilometers from us, before 2049, the year to mark the centenary of the People's Republic of China," Wu said. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) MOSCOW, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin and European Council President Charles Michel discussed humanitarian issues in Ukraine during a phone conversation on Monday, the Kremlin said in a statement. Putin stressed in the phone conversation that the Russian military is taking all possible measures to save the lives of civilians, and the main threat comes from Ukraine's nationalists, who "use the tactics of terrorists, hiding behind civilians," the statement said. Putin said that while Russian forces have declared a ceasefire several times to facilitate the evacuation of civilians along humanitarian corridors, Ukraine's nationalists used violence to prevent civilians from leaving, according to the statement. He called on the European Union to "make a real contribution to saving people's lives, and to put pressure on the Kiev authorities and force them to respect humanitarian law," the statement added. Former Vice President Mike Pence is attacking four Texas Democrats in his political organizations first advertisement blitz, a $10 million effort advocating for American energy independence amid Russias invasion of Ukraine. The ad, titled Horrific Decision, targets 16 members in total. It asks viewers to urge their representatives to back an expansion of domestic energy production, decreasing reliance on Russian oil and bucking Russian President Vladimir Putin in the process. The targeted members include three Texas Democrats in safely blue seats Colin Allred of Dallas, Lizzie Fletcher of Houston and Vicente Gonzalez of McAllen and Henry Cuellar, whose South Texas district could flip red this fall. In order to set the United States back on a path of energy independence, we need Congress to stand up to Putin and stand up for American energy, Pence said in a release. Its time for President Biden to demonstrate American strength by restarting the Keystone Pipeline, restoring oil and natural gas leases, and issuing sanctions and imposing embargoes on all oil and gas exports from Russia. PRIMARY ELECTIONS: Progressive Texas Democrats are having a moment but a red wave is coming The purchase gives the former vice president air time in Texas biggest markets: Houston, Dallas and San Antonio. Pence founded the advocacy group, Advancing American Freedom, last April and is reportedly considering a presidential run in 2024. The ad buy comes as lawmakers across the aisle call on the White House to ban oil and gas imports from Russia. The Biden administration has rejected a full embargo so far, citing the likely price surges involved. Democrats have long opposed the Keystone XL pipeline for its environmental impacts and impacts on tribal lands. The White House has noted that even if it were to authorize the pipeline, it would take years to see results and would not have any impact on the Russia-Ukraine crisis. cayla.harris@express-news.net The number of women leaving Texas to obtain abortions has grown tenfold since lawmakers here banned the procedure after early pregnancy, according to new research from The University of Texas at Austin. The findings, coupled with a huge uptick in online orders for abortion pills, suggest that the states widespread crackdown has not yet led to a large decline in procedures. While abortions at Texas clinics did fall by about half after the new restrictions took effect in September, many women still sought out to end their unwanted pregnancies through other, often more challenging paths. The law has not reduced the need for abortion care in Texas. Rather it has reduced in-state access, said Dr. Kari White, lead investigator at the universitys Texas Policy Evaluation Project. More than 5,500 Texans traveled to abortion clinics in six surrounding states between September and December of last year, according to the study. Thats nearly 1,400 trips per month, up from about 130 per month in the same period in 2019. The latest tally is likely an undercount, since some clinics did not participate and the study did not include trips to states farther from Texas. The states new law, known as Senate Bill 8, prohibits abortions after fetal cardiac activity is detected, at around six weeks of pregnancy. Its enforced by private citizens, who can sue anyone who helps a woman violate the law, from a doctor to a taxi driver, for at least $10,000 in damages. The law makes no exceptions for pregnancies that result from rape or incest. IN-DEPTH: Anti-abortion laws used to exempt cases of rape and incest. Not anymore in Texas The law has been initially upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court, opening the door for other anti-abortion states to copy Texas while the high court considers rolling back federal abortion protections later this year. Abortion rights advocates are already preparing for states to cut access in more than two dozen states across the South and Midwest, and providers are rushing to build out clinic space in northern and coastal states more friendly to abortion rights. The new findings from Texas may be an early picture of the scramble to come for women in other states. The vast majority of trips out of Texas were to Oklahoma and New Mexico, where clinics are on average several hundred miles from most Texans. Oklahoma has its own trigger abortion ban in place if the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision protecting the right to abortion until about 23 weeks of pregnancy. Women interviewed in the study said they faced heavy obstacles in seeking out abortions since the law took effect, including delays at clinics in and out of Texas. One in four said they had visited crisis pregnancy centers, which often discourage women from getting abortions. Researchers interviewed 65 women in total. NEWSLETTERS Join the conversation with HouWeAre We want to foster conversation and highlight the intersection of race, identity and culture in one of America's most diverse cities. Sign up for the HouWeAre newsletter here. One 23-year-old in South Texas said she went to a pregnancy center first because it offered free ultrasounds, and was then put through a series of tests and medical referrals that pushed her past the six-week mark. She ended up driving 14 hours to get an abortion in New Mexico. At the pregnancy resource center, they were like, Hey, you know what, theres a faint heartbeat Were gonna send you to the OB/GYN team, so you can get ahead and started with [prenatal care], said the woman, as reported by the studys authors. She is identified by her first name only. Right after, I went to the OB/GYN and got the transvaginal sonogram or ultrasound. Theyre like, Yeah, theres nothing here, they lied to you. Data released last month in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed a nearly three-fold increase in daily requests to Aid Access, an Austrian nonprofit that ships and provides information about abortion pills. That resulted in about 900 requests per month between October and December. Anti-abortion rights activists have acknowledged the shifting landscape, and say there is more work to be done down the road at blocking new means to abortion. What were seeing in Texas right now is kind of a preview of the post-Roe world, said John Seago, the political director at Texas Right to Life. Even though elective abortion is not completely prohibited, were starting to see the factors that will be part of that state whenever abortion is made illegal completely. jeremy.blackman@chron.com Texas was already in the spotlight for voting woes before Election Day March 1 due to a new law that added identification rules for casting ballots by mail that tripped up thousands of voters. And then on Election Day, reports on social media went viral that either Republicans or Democrats were denied the right to cast ballots in person. One person tweeted a photo of a hand-scrawled note at an unspecified voting site that said, "Sorry - no Democrat voting (not staffed)." A Fort Worth-based voter tweeted, "Democratic machines were broken," and that she was directed to vote at another location. She later tweeted that she voted elsewhere. A 24-second Twitter video of a Houston voting site, viewed more than 1 million times, showed a voter asking about casting a Republican ballot. An election worker responded, "I dont have staff, so we are closed right now." The worker added, "You can vote Democrat not Republican. I am sorry." In this case, there was some substance to these claims, although it would be misleading to suggest there was widespread disenfranchisement. We found no evidence of that. What was happening in Texas? It has to do with how Texas conducts primaries, with separate Democratic and Republican staff overseeing voting for their own parties. Staff shortages in multiple counties meant that voters of one party couldnt vote at a particular site, at least temporarily. But they were often directed to another site. Counties faced staff shortages on Election Day Texas state law allows joint primaries where voters from both counties share voting equipment at the same voting site, or split primaries with separate equipment for Democratic and Republican voters at the same site. The two parties reach an agreement on whether to have joint or split primaries. The county political parties hire the election judges who work at the voting sites on Election Day. News reports showed that multiple counties faced staff shortages. The Texas Tribune reported that voting sites in Dallas, Tarrant and Hidalgo counties reported missing either a Republican or Democratic Party election judge. In other counties, there were staff shortages but not closures. In Tarrant County, there were 10 Democratic judges and two Republican judges missing on election morning. Tarrant County elections administrator Heider Garcia told ABC affiliate WFAA that the elections office asked Republican judges to help out and set up Democratic machines, but at a few locations the judges refused. In those cases, officials moved Democratic poll workers from other sites. As of 11 a.m., all locations were open. A CBS station in Tarrant County showed a sign on the door of a voting site stating "Democrat party officials havent arrived. Republican primary only right now." The reporter tweeted that Democrat voters were directed to other voting locations within a couple of miles. Most counties use voting centers that arent precinct specific. That means voters who cant cast a ballot at one site can generally go to a nearby site. The viral video from the Houston site where a voter was told they could vote Democrat but not Republican was posted by a Texas private investigator early on election morning. But Republicans did cast ballots at the site that day. Harris County elections spokesperson Leah Shah told us the site was the Hardy Senior Center, where 207 Democratic ballots were cast and 82 Republican ballots. (The county is predominantly Democratic.) "It looks like the Republican judge was short-staffed," said Nadia A. Hakim, a spokesperson for Harris County elections. "Since the parties didnt decide on hosting a joint election, it was their responsibility to fill the vacancies. In past primaries, the parties have made use of the emergency period thats 20-days out from election day, where the office steps in to help with staffing. They did not for this election." Common Cause Texas, a voter advocacy group, received reports of voters from both parties who had to wait to vote due to staff shortages, mostly in Tarrant and Harris counties, said executive director Anthony Gutierrez. (The Common Cause Education Fund has provided financial support to PolitiFact.) Gutierrez said there is no central tracking system to show staff shortages or equipment concerns. We found no way to quantify how many voters were ultimately unable to vote in person on Election Day. The secretary of states office heard sporadic reports of a lack of workers, said Sam Taylor, a spokesperson. "But county election officials and parties quickly worked to fill gaps in staffing to ensure all polling locations were adequately staffed with the appropriate number of workers on each side," Taylor said. Various reasons cited for staff shortages Why were there shortages of election workers? Experts cited several reasons. Some may not have felt comfortable with relatively new equipment. Theres also worries COVID-19; threats faced by election workers nationwide; or SB 1, the much-debated Texas law that includes civil penalties for election workers who violate provisions. Then there is the usual public apathy. In Harris County, elections officials and political parties pointed fingers at each other. The county said both parties had trouble recruiting workers. Democrats blamed Republicans for forcing split primaries. Republicans said the county was at fault for equipment problems such as voters not able to submit a second page of their ballot. Robert Stein, a political scientist at Rice University who studies elections, said it was likely a combination of factors. "No matter what had transpired, it would have been difficult: The county changed election equipment, there was a change in state election law, and a change in training of poll workers," Stein said. "All those things made for a perfect storm." PolitiFact Texas reporter Nusaiba Mizan contributed to this article. Sources Chicago, IL (60637) Today Windy with intermittent light rain this evening. Clouds will linger overnight. Low 41F. Winds N at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Windy with intermittent light rain this evening. Clouds will linger overnight. Low 41F. Winds N at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 60%. As an existing print subscriber it is easy to get FREE access to all our online content. When you click get started below it will walk you through creating an online account to attach your print subscription number to. After your account is created it will ask you to either add a subscription for online access or click on the print subscriber button. Click the print subscriber button header and it will open a dropdown, now click on get started. The page will reload and you will be prompted to enter an account number and a zip code. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO USE THE NUMBER OFF OF THE MOST RECENT ISSUE OR ANYTHING AFTER JANUARY 28, 2019 TO GAIN ACCESS! OLD ACCOUNT NUMBERS WILL NOT WORK The account number and zip code are easily available on your most recent issue of the High Plains Journal or Midwest Ag Journal in the address fields as is shown here. Sometimes the account number has extra zero's in front of it, just ignore those. Subscribing to our services is a three step process. First you have to create an account and then you have to pick if you want to subscribe to digital and or print. Some people only want to be a digital subscriber to get access online and others want to also receive the print edition. If you are already a print subscriber and want online access, it is free, you simply have to create an online account and then attach your print subscription account number to the online account you create. BEIJING, March 7 (Xinhua) -- China is ready to play its part and contribute its share to lasting peace and stability in Afghanistan as its neighboring country, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Monday. Preparation is underway for the third meeting of foreign ministers of Afghanistan's neighboring countries, Wang added. Hudson, NY (12534) Today Cloudy with occasional light rain late. Low near 50F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Cloudy with occasional light rain late. Low near 50F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%. Home improvement company Window World is moving into the former TD Bank property this year. Window World Opening Location in Adams by End of the Year ADAMS, Mass. Window World of Western Massachusetts plans on opening its third location at 10 Center St. Tim Drost, owner and home improvement specialist at Window World, said the business is beginning the necessary steps with the town to open and plans for operations to start by the end of the year. Window World purchased the former bank building for $350,000 in February. "We've done work in the Berkshires for many, many years. We would just come out of our Westfield location," he said. "The family has thought about it for multiple years and, looking in all the towns in the Berkshires, we really liked the feel of the town." Drost said the new location should make it much more convenient for people living in the area to shop at Window World. He explained the business already gets significant interest from people in Berkshire County. "Between windows and doors and siding, we probably install close to $5 million with the business already," he said. "We do a lot of work in that area now. So we feel strongly about the growth in that area." In addition to the showroom at 10 Center St., Drost said Window World is also looking for a potential warehouse location. "We'll probably look to purchase other properties in Adams within the next year," he said. "We're going to establish some roots in the town, for sure. It was a multiple-year decision, and we felt that the areas and the towns that we work in that Adams was a perfect location for us." Aside from the store itself, one way the company will benefit Adams, according to Drost, is Window World's multi-year carpenter apprentice program. He said this program has been successful in their other stores. "We have multiple people on our teams that come from Belchertown and went through the apprentice program or are still in the program. So I think it will be good for the community," he said. Beyond just the location, Drost said the ongoing growth in Adams was another reason they chose the town for their third location. "The past couple of years, there's been a lot of stuff done in Adams. The revitalization of the town and the investment in the town and in the older homes. And we like the feel of that," he said. "Our other locations are more in a small town. Belchertown is a similar feel, and we're a family business, and that's where we like to do business. In that type of community." The 10 Center St. building has been vacant since 2013 when TD Bank closed. SVMC Emergency Nurse Recipient of Daisy Award Registered nurse Bentley Munsell was the February recipient of the DAISY Award BENNINGTON, Vt. Bentley Munsell, a registered nurse in the Emergency Department, was the February recipient of the Daisy Award for Extraordinary Nurses at Southwestern Vermont Health Care. "Bentley's combination of skill and experience, along with his gentle and compassionate manner, are so reassuring to patients," said Pamela Duchene, SVHC's chief nursing officer and vice president for Patient Care Services. "He is able to set people at ease and deliver the important information patients need in a way they easily understand, even when they are initially quite scared or upset. We are so grateful to have him on the team." Duchene gave the award during a surprise presentation in the Emergency Department at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center on the morning of Feb. 17. Munsell received two nominations from patients. The first nominators are a couple who arrived to the Emergency Department distraught at having discovered a new symptom of a serious condition. "Bentley was very reassuring and guided us through the process," the nominators wrote. "The empathy this nurse showed to us [made] a huge impact on how the rest of the visit went." The second nomination was from a family whose 3-year-old son needed stitches. "Bentley was the first [person] we met upon entering [the Emergency Department], and I am grateful for that," the family wrote. "It was scary for us, but [Bentley] kept his cool and made us feel so comfortable." Munsell was "shocked" when he received the award during a surprise ceremony in the Emergency Department. "I just come to work and try to give the best nursing care I can," he said. "My colleagues who have been recognized are exceptional. To be recognized alongside them I am honored." Munsell holds bachelor degrees in biology and psychology from Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North Adams, Mass., and a bachelor's in nursing from University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He is a student in the master's degree program in nursing at Chicago-based Rush University. He has worked at SVMC since 2015, when he started as an Emergency Department technician. He became a nurse at SVMC in 2018, after having earned his nursing degree. Munsell serves on the Night Shift Council and the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee and chairs the Nursing Advisory Council, a committee that works to advance nursing and nursing care across the health system. In addition, he is a certified emergency nurse with the Board of Certification in Emergency Nursing. The Daisy Award is part of a national merit-based recognition program established by the Daisy Foundation. It celebrates nurses' education, training, and skill. Nominations can be submitted by patients, families, physicians, and colleagues. All nominations are blinded, so that they are anonymous before being reviewed by a selection committee. One nurse is then chosen as the Daisy Award winner. Daisy Awards are presented on a regular basis, usually bi-monthly or quarterly. China honors its commitment to cooperation with Africa and never makes empty promises, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Monday. Over the years, China has built over 10,000 km of railways, up to 100,000 km of highways, nearly 100 ports, and innumerable hospitals and schools in Africa, Wang told a press conference. "These are not 'debt traps,' but monuments of cooperation," Wang said. Each year, Chinese foreign minister starts his overseas visits with a trip to Africa, reflecting the country's firm support for Africa's development and rejuvenation, according to Wang. This year, China will fully deliver its pledge of providing 1 billion doses of vaccines to Africa, help Africa enhance its capacity for localized vaccine production, and help Africa meet its goal of vaccinating 60 percent of its population in 2022, Wang said. Produced by Xinhua Global Service Why IFJ is monitoring Cambodias media In January 2020, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen celebrated his 35th year in power, making him Asias longest-serving leader. At a meeting with local journalists on January 14, 2020, he boldly declared that he had no intention of stepping down and would be prime minister for the next 10 years. As a constitutional monarchy, Cambodias constitution proclaims the country a liberal, multiparty democracy. However, the government of Prime Minister Hun Sen and his Cambodian Peoples Party (CPP) are intent on securing leadership by undermining political opposition, civil society groups and the independent media. Hun Sen entered the cabinet as a foreign minister for the Peoples Republic of Kampuchea, a new government installed by Vietnam, in 1979. In 1985, when he was 32 years old he was unanimously elected as prime minister by the National Assembly to replace Chan Sy, who passed away while in office in December 1984. In 1991, the four warring factions, including CPP agreed to sign the Paris Peace Accords which consisted of political settlements to end the conflict in the country. Article 15 in the agreement requires all sides to observe and respect human rights and fundamental freedoms. As part of the Paris Peace Accords, free and fair elections were overseen by the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) in May 1993. While Hun Sen lost the elections, he refused to accept the results. In a fragile power sharing arrangement, Hun Sen shared power with his political rival, the Funcinpec Party's Prince Norodom Ranariddh. In July 1997, Hun Sen staged a military coup, ousted his co-prime minister and killed Princes military and political allies. While Hun Sen boasts about the Cambodias democratic credentials, the reality tells a different story. He has told journalists and civil society groups to hold the government to account by reporting on corruption and injustice, yet crackdowns on freedom of expression and punishes those critical of the government. A Cambodian staff (C) of Radio France Internationale (RFI) in Khmer Service, works during the Inauguration of Radio France Internationale (RFI) in Khmer Service station in Phnom Penh on June 20, 2013. Credit: Tang Chhin Sothy/AFP The steep decline of Cambodias democracy intensified in the lead up to the 2018 election. There has been increasing pressure on independent media following the closure of numerous independent news outlets. The politicised judiciary has enabled abuses of power by the government, and the introduction of restrictive legislations has raised concerns. These have included amendments to articles 34 and 42 of Cambodias Constitution to require that every Cambodian defend the motherland and empower the government to take action against political parties if they do not place the country and nations interest first. And Cambodias lese-majeste law which was adopted by parliament in February 2018 This law requires political parties as well as Khmer citizens to primarily uphold the national interest. This law, with a punishment of up to five years in prison and a US$2,000 fine, has since been used to silence government critics and restrict press freedom. Freedom of expression has been further curtailed, as the government has extended its power to monitor and control online news content, including websites and social media. This aims to obstruct and prevent the publication of content that the government says is intended to create turmoil and to undermine national defence, national security, relations with other countries, the economy, public order and nations cultural. The broad term fake news has been used to suppress government critics. A proposed Fake News Law will tackle articles that cause hostility or anger or writing that makes the problem become worse. But it appears the law is more geared towards punishing journalists who expose injustice and corruption in Cambodian society. There are also concerns with access to information. Officials are able to reject requests for information that may harm national security. This has led to a refusal to provide information, hampering the ability of journalists to reporting freely, safely and independently. With a worrying decline in press freedom and democratic rights in Cambodia, the IFJ and its affiliate in Cambodia will continue on its mission to promote press freedom and the peoples right to know. Despite many protocols, guidelines and proposals, journalists still face a daily threat and impunity continues to make the situation worse. In the last 6 years more than 600 journalists have been killed. Nine in 10 cases remain unpunished. Impunity reigns. Hundreds of journalists are imprisoned and on a daily basis journalists are attacked, beaten, detained, harassed and threatened. There are growing threats to digital safety with cyber-attacks, hacking, online harassment, especially of women journalists, all creating a safety crisis for news professionals. It is this and a growing frustration with a lack of action and, in too many cases, a lack of will to tackle the crisis of impunity - which has driven the IFJ to launch this campaign for an International Convention dedicated to the protection of journalists and media professionals. What you can do: Read the draft Convention Download the Q&A/briefing paper Add your organisation's name to support the campaign Lobby your government and political parties to support the Convention Invite an IFJ representative to address your meeting to discuss the protection of journalists. Recent media coverage: UN-Konvention zum Schutz von Journalisten nach Totung von Khashoggi gefordert Welt Federatia Internationala a Jurnalistilor a lansat o campanie pentru infiintarea unei Conventii internationale pentru securitatea si independenta jurnalistilor Stiri Pe Surse Rights group pushes for U.N. convention to protect journalists Rappler ONU: campagne pour une Convention internationale pour la securite des journalistes RTL info The growing trend among media organisations to use right-grabbing contracts has become a matter of great concern for the International and the European Federation of Journalists (IFJ/EFJ). What is a right-grabbing contract? A contract where a media employer asks you to sign away all your authors' rights/copyright for an unlimited time, in any media, or on any platform, for a single payment - usually just the fee you are paid for writing the original story. This means that you will not get any extra remuneration if your article, photograph or broadcast is reproduced or sold elsewhere (e.g. to a database, other media in the same media group or externally). In addition, your contract may also insist that you waive your moral rights and thus prevent you from the right to be named as the author or to oppose any modification that threatens the integrity of your work. This can also imply that you are allowing your employer to sell your story to another media which you may not approve of. As a result, the IFJ/EFJ have launched a worldwide campaign against right-grabbing contracts and to demand fair payments to journalists. How to enforce journalists authors rights: I. Inform journalists about their rights The authors rights of journalists are protected by international treaties and national laws. These rights not only include the economic rights (the right to earn money from a creative work) of authors but also their moral rights. Moral rights are guaranteed in national laws. The national legal frameworks in most European countries recognise unwaivable moral rights of authors. The exceptions are the UK, Ireland and the Netherlands where moral rights can be waived and publishers therefore frequently demand this. Moral rights are defined in international treaties and national laws. Article 6b of the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works stipulates that: "...the author shall have the right to claim authorship of the work and to object to any distortion, mutilation or other modification of, or other derogatory action in relation to, the said work, which would be prejudicial to his honour or reputation." II. Say NO to right-grabbing contracts, advocate collective agreements. Journalists should never sign right-grabbing contracts. Journalists who sign the right-grabbing contracts not only lose the right to use their works autonomously, but also the (moral) right to protect the integrity of their works. The IFJ/EFJ encourage member unions to advocate for collective agreements or model contracts that include an authors rights clause. The clause shall stipulate that: All authors rights in the work shall remain with authors who will retain their exclusive rights. The licence granted to publish or broadcast the work will be limited to the first publication/broadcast only. Unless there is express written agreement to the contrary, the licence shall expire within a certain period as permitted by national law after the delivery date. The publisher/broadcaster shall not make the copies available without the permission of the author after the licence expires. Any modification of the work shall be subject to prior authorisation by the author. Publisher/broadcasting company agrees that the following credit line (name of the author, date) shall accompany every publication or broadcast of the material. What is a rights-grabbing contract? Contrary to international and national laws, right-grabbing contracts often demand journalists sign away their authors rights, including both economic and moral rights. These contracts demand that journalists shall: assign to the publisher a worldwide, exclusive right to use, reproduce, display, modify and distribute his/her work in all types of platform, known or future; to use, reproduce, display, modify and distribute his/her work in all types of platform, known or future; allow the publisher to transfer his/her works to third parties without additional payment to the author and exploit his/her works in any way the publisher deems necessary. In an evolving media landscape, the influence of China in reshaping the entire global information environment cannot be understated. As the worlds media confronts the economic and professional fallout of digital disruption and now the Covid-19 pandemic, Chinas international strategy to exert influence on foreign media has become increasingly sophisticated and influential. Over the past decade, this international engagement has seen local media outlets from Africa to Europe to Latin America sign MOUs with Chinese media and with Chinas perspective on major issues amplified in a way like never before. Likewise, the ability of China-backed outlets to buck market trends, influence alternative narratives and invest heavily in new digital products is tilting the media playing field in new directions that warrant closer examination. IFJ is working to build awareness, dialogue on media engagement on China media issues at the international level on issues of labour rights and future of media, while also continuing to strengthen and support media freedom monitoring and advocacy in the East Asia region. This portal has been established to help understand Chinas rising global media voice. It brings together innovative and ground-breaking IFJ-led research, news and experiences from IFJ affiliates around the world, as well as NGO partners engaged in the China and media development space. An important aim of this work is helping journalists and their unions to better understand the risks and rewards for working with China. BEIJING, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday stressed running the military in accordance with the law and enhancing the rule of law in national defense and military building. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks while attending a plenary meeting of the delegation of the People's Liberation Army and People's Armed Police Force, at the fifth session of the 13th National People's Congress, China's top legislature. The International and European Federations of Journalists (IFJ-EFJ) unreservedly condemned 2016's bloody coup attempt and the use of force against citizens, journalists, media and many democratic institutions. The failed coup was followed by a state of emergency and excessive and indiscriminate measures to purge all individuals believed to be connected to the attempt. The Turkish authorities are now jailing journalists, shutting down radio and TV channels and censoring the internet in an attempt to silence criticism. 140-plus journalists are in jail and over 150 media have been banned since mid-July. Thousands of journalists have lost their jobs and arrest warrants have been issued for dozens of media workers. Some families of journalists, who are in hiding or have fled, have been arrested to force them to surrender. Media workers, journalists and press freedom campaigners all over the world have joined protests calling for the release of all jailed journalists in Turkey. Press freedom is essential for democracy, we demand Turkey sets the journalists free! Journalism is not a crime - Gazetecilik suc degildir ! A list of detained journalists is available here, and all the alerts submitted to the Council of Europe platform for the protection of journalism and the safety of journalists, here. As part of our campaign we are providing practical support and solidarity to our affiliates in Turkey who are fighting to maintain their rights and freedoms day in day out. We have assisted with solidarity missions, financial support for those facing poverty or oppression and we have been observers at trials. We continue to lobby national and international institutions to demand the release of all journalists and the re-opening of media. Affiliated unions have lobbied Turkish embassies in their countries as well as raising the issue with government ministers. GET ACTIVE Send a letter to the Turkish ambassador in your country and/or your national government (sample letters) Send a contribution to the IFJ Safety Fund in order to support individual requests from Turkey (Bank account BE64 2100 7857 0052; Swift Code GEBABEBB; communication Solidarity Turkey) Share our campaign on social media and websites the Did you know? Journalism is not a crime #JournalismIsNotACrime visual Follow our updates on Twitter and Facebook Join the IFJ-EFJ solidarity campaign with the Turkish journalists now! UN Member states acknowledged in the 1995 Beijing platform the important role media plays in shaping the publics perception of women in society and their role in the advancement of women, but recent studies highlight how little progress has been made and the continued use of gender-based stereotypes in the media. Women usually make up more than half of all journalism students. However, they represent less than half of the media work force, struggle to reach leading positions, and comprise the majority of those in precarious jobs with lower wages. They also tend to report on fewer topics related to politics and economics, instead covering health and education and so-called soft news issues. In addition, they are increasingly the targets of cyberviolence. Gender equality IS a union issue. The role that female colleagues should play in the media, as well as their presence in our own organisations must form part of what we call the future of journalism. This years campaign around the 8th of March is an opportunity for the IFJ and its members to demonstrate how women can overcome these obstacles, to showcase women's successes in the media world and in our labour unions. Lets make women more visible in our media and our unions! Our campaign also denounces the associated discrimination that women face from issues of equal pay and lack of job security to biased recruitment processes. It will feature data, stories and tips to make fundamental changes and see more women in senior roles or in particular types of reporting. The International and European Federations of Journalists (IFJ-EFJ) are calling on media employers to ensure the protection of reporters they send to war zones. The IFJ, EFJ and their affiliates in Ukraine, NUJU and IMTUU, note that many correspondents in Ukraine do not have bulletproof vests, ballistic helmets or medical kits. Newsrooms continue to send reporters to Ukraine without specific insurance and protection, while bulletproof vests are becoming increasingly difficult to obtain in Europe. Most European journalists travel to Ukraine via Krakow (Poland), where they thought they would be able to buy protective equipment. But it is impossible to buy a bulletproof vest in Poland without a special permit. Cases of young journalists being under-equipped, under-protected and under-paid are on the increase, said the IFJ and EFJ. We call on the employers of these journalists to take responsibility by providing them with the necessary equipment and by paying them according to the risk they take. We also ask them to consider Ukrainian fixers as full members of their teams. The IFJ offers an insurance policy that covers journalists even in war situations. In addition, EFJ and IFJ affiliates in Ukraine have set up schemes to assist foreign journalists in difficulty. Our affiliates can be reached via these contact email addresses: National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU) Independent Media Trade Union of Ukraine (IMTUU) Within just a few days, a UK Sky News crew, as well as a Swiss independent journalist, were attacked by Russian forces in Ukraine. The European and International Federations of Journalists (EFJ-IFJ) strongly condemn the targeting of media workers as part of the war in Ukraine and call for the establishment of a special international tribunal for war crimes in Ukraine. On 6 March, Swiss freelance photoreporter Guillaume Briquet was shot and robbed by Russian soldiers while operating in the Mykolayiv region, in southern Ukraine. The journalist was driving his armored car with clear press marking and had just passed the Ukrainian checkpoint located at the Premier Oil gas station when Russian forces attacked: Several bullets hit the vehicle and resulted in facial and forearm injuries. After being obliged to stop, Russian warrants took his documents, cash, laptop, photo, video, and other valuable objects for his work and safety. According to Ukrinform, the national news agency of Ukraine, Briquet went to the territory of the Kirovohrad region as soon as possible where the Ukrainian police of Kropyvnytsky helped him reach a medical facility to receive medical care. This is the second Russian army attack on international media workers in just a few days. On 28 February, a British television crew for Sky News was ambushed while covering the war in Ukraine. Despite their shouting that they were journalists, they were shot at various times: a bullet hit Chief correspondent Stuart Ramsay in his lower back while camera operator Richie Mockler was shot twice in his flak jacket. They eventually found refuge in a nearby garage and Ramsay and his team were safely repatriated to the UK on Friday 4 March. On 26 February, two Danish journalists had also sustained gunshot wounds after unknown gunmen targeted their car in Ukraine. IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger said: Attacks against journalists should be strongly condemned by international authorities. These events show the urgent need for a collective effort to protect media professionals in war zones: these crimes should not stay unpunished. EFJ General Secretary Ricardo Gutierrez said: After the attack on a Sky News crews vehicle by a Russian ambush group near Kyiv on Monday, this new targeted attack on a Swiss photojournalist shows that the warring parties do not hesitate to target journalists on assignment. These are war crimes. The EFJ calls for the establishment of a special international tribunal. The international community must prosecute the perpetrators of these crimes. On Monday 28 February, the Spanish journalist Pablo Gonzalez was arrested in the south-western Polish city of Rzeswow, accused of being an agent of Russian intelligence. The International and European Federations of Journalists (IFJ and EFJ) and its Spanish affiliates urge the authorities to release Gonzalez and condemn the increasing attacks on journalists in Ukraine. UPDATED on 24/03 Gonzalez, a journalist specializing in the post-Soviet world, is a regular contributor to the Spanish daily Publico and has been reporting on the Ukrainian refugee crisis from the border of Ukraine and Poland for several Spanish media outlets, including La Sexta TV. The arrest was carried out by agents of the Polish security services (ABW) in the early hours of Monday 28 February, his lawyer confirmed on Twitter. He later confirmed that the authorities had justified the arrest, saying Gonzalez had carried out actions against the Polish state. In early February, Gonzalez was interrogated by Ukrainian security forces, accused of being a pro-Russian for his work with Gara newspaper but was released shortly afterwards and asked to leave the country. In Poland, a spying charge carries up to ten years in prison. Since his arrest, we have asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to take all steps to ensure that Pablo Gonzalez is released, said Nemesio Rodriguez, President of the Federation of Spanish Journalists Associations (FAPE). FSC-CCOO has called for his immediate release and said that the humanitarian crisis that Poland is experiencing due to the arrival of Ukrainian refugees cannot be an excuse for not respecting the freedom of the press and journalists. We also want to appeal to the Spanish and worldwide media about the working and safety conditions in which journalists are being sent to cover the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Most of them are poorly paid freelancers with no insurance or protection. Some of them have to work for three media outlets at the same time to make ends meet, adds the union. The Federation of Journalists Trade unions (FeSP) has also called for Gonzalez's release so that he can continue to report, adding that the Polish authorities must give explanations for such an anti-democratic outrage. The association of Journalists in Spain (UGT) has demanded that the Spanish government take the necessary steps with the Polish government for the immediate release of Pablo Gonzalez and has stated that the accusation of espionage does not hold water, so we understand it has been a misunderstanding and that Gonzalez must be released as soon as possible. The President of the Spanish government, Pedro Sanchez, assured in Congress that consular protection would be provided to the Spanish reporter. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed Publico newspaper that consular help to the Basque journalist had already begun: there has already been telephone contact with him from the Consulate, once the Polish Prosecutors Office has informed us of the situation of this prisoner. The Federations call on the Polish government to drop all charges against Pablo Gonzalez and release him without further delay. It is unacceptable for a member state of the European Union to detain a journalist in such an arbitrary manner. It is an attack on press freedom and democracy. Polish authorities have ordered Pablo Gonzalez to be remanded in custody until 29 May. Caltex, marketed by Chevron Philippines Inc. (CPI), is proud to announce the #Caltexunstoppablestar TikTok rap challenge, aimed at inspiring musicians and fans to share their creativity and remind people that their dreams are unstoppable. Set to run on TikTok from February 18, 2022 to March 31, 2022, the rap challenge celebrates the joy of driving and the freedom of journeys. The challenge features a unique 60-second rap song co-written and co-produced for Caltex by SonaOne and performed by artists across three countries: Philippines, Thailand and Malaysia. The rap is divided into four 15-second sections, each increasing in speed and difficulty. With the addition of TikToks AR filters, users can rap along and create their own unstoppable rap video to express how they cannot be stopped from enjoying their journey. To join, rappers must create their own challenge video while rapping along to Caltex unstoppable song. Participants must follow the instructions below: Follow Caltex on Tiktok @Caltexph and search for the hashtag #Caltexunstoppablestar Click Join this hashtag and create your own version of Caltex and Matthaiosrap song. Flex your creativity by using the Caltex official filter on your video and use the official hashtag #Caltexunstoppablestar on your video caption. Share it with your friends on Tiktok and other social media platforms using the hashtag #Caltexunstoppablestar. Posts should remain public until the end of the promotion. A total of ten winners will be chosen via raffle draws happening on March 8 and April 6. Prizes for grabs are Caltex Starcash (worth 5k and 10k), bottles of Techron Concentrate plus and a latest Apple iPad 9th Generation. Participants can send in as many entries as they want for more chances of winning. With #Caltexunstoppablestar Tiktok rap challenge, our customers and casual users will have a little fun with us via our TikTok challenge, whether listening in their car, on a journey, or from the comfort of their homes. They will be reminded they can keep going, as fuel stops become one less thing holding them back. said Billy Liu, CPI Country Chairman. The rap challenge is in partnership with Def Jam Southeast Asia and Universal Music Group for Brands. Hip-Hop is highly influential across the region, said Calvin Wong, CEO of Universal Music Group Southeast Asia. With some of Southeast Asias biggest rappers including Malaysias Joe Flizzow, Thailands Daboyway and Philippines Matthaios performing on the track, were excited to see how fans and users take the song to the next level through this partnership. #Caltexunstoppablestar Rap Challenge More information can be found at: www.caltex.com.ph/tiktokchallenge. DTI Fair Trade Permit No.: FTEB-136661 Series of 2022. Of the 12 billionaires I've met (yes, I keep count), Mark Cuban seems the most relatable. Partly that's because he's entirely self-made. As a result, Cuban's advice often seems more applicable to the average person hoping to achieve success in their chosen pursuit. He's done what we hope to do -- and as a result, he knows what really matters. Like: 1. Sales Skills Matter What would Cuban do if he had to start over again? "I would get a job as a bartender at night and a sales job during the day," he says, "and I would start working. Could I become a multimillionaire again? I have no doubt." The reason is simple: Everyone needs to be able to explain the logic and benefits of a decision. To convince other people an idea makes sense. To show investors how a business will generate a return. To help employees understand the benefits of a new process. To motivate, and inspire, and lead. Because sales skills are, in essence, communication skills -- and communication skills are critical to any business or career. Which means spending time in a sales role, whether formally or informally, is an investment that will pay off forever. 2. Constant Learning Matters What does Cuban feel will drive the next wave of business change? Artificial intelligence. As Cuban says: If you don't know A.I., you're the equivalent of somebody in 1999 saying, "I'm sure this Internet thing will be OK, but I don't give a shit." If you want to be relevant in business, you have to, or you will be a dinosaur very quickly. If you don't know how to use it and you don't understand it and you can't at least at have a basic understanding of the different approaches and how the algorithms work, you can be blindsided in ways you couldn't even possibly imagine. That's not just posturing; Cuban put his mind and money where his mouth is. He frequently recommends books about artificial intelligence, like Competing in the Age of AI: Strategy and Leadership When Algorithms and Networks Run the World. And he's committed millions to expand his AI Bootcamps Program, an organization that teaches artificial-intelligence skills at no cost to high school students in low-income communities across the country. "The world's first trillionaires," Cuban says, "are going to come from somebody who masters A.I. and all its derivatives and applies it in ways we never thought of." While most of us don't dream of becoming a trillionaire, no matter what your industry, no matter what your pursuit, things always change. Things always evolve. They key is to know how to change with them. Which you can only do if you're constantly, actively learning. 3. Being Nice Matters Think about the best boss you ever had. Odds are they were demanding. They had high expectations. They may have provided occasional doses of tough love. But I'm guessing they were also nice. Not soft, not lenient. But even so, nice. That's a lesson Cuban had to learn. As he says: I went through my own metamorphosis. Early on in my career, I was like bam, bam, bam, bam, bam -- I might curse. I might get mad. I got to the point ... I wouldn't have wanted to do business with me when I was in my 20s. I had to change. And I did. And it really paid off. One of the most underrated skills in business right now is being nice. Nice sells. He's right. When you're nice, other people are more forgiving of your mistakes. Other people are more tolerant of your lack of experience or skill. Other people are more willing to work with you, help you, encourage you, and, if you're a leader, follow you. 4. Finding Your Passion Doesn't Matter Ask 10 people if they love what they do -- ask 10 people if they've found their passion -- and at least eight will likely say no. Sound depressing? Not to Cuban, who feels "follow your passions" is "one of the great lies of life," and is the "worst advice you could ever give, or get." According to Cuban, passion doesn't come first. For Cuban, passion comes later: A lot of people talk about passion, but that's really not what you need to focus on. When you look at where you put in your time, where you put in your effort, that tends to be the things that you are good at. And if you put in enough time, you tend to get really good at it. If you put in enough time, and you get really good, I will give you a little secret: Nobody quits anything they are good at, because it is fun to be good. It is fun to be one of the best. But in order to be one of the best, you have to put in effort. So don't follow your passions. Follow your effort [my italics]. That's why Cuban completed Amazon's machine learning tutorials. That's why he spent time building his own neural networks. That's why, at one point, he kept the book Machine Learning for Dummies in his bathroom. "The more I understand A.I., the more I get excited about it," Cuban said. In short, Cuban didn't discover a passion for artificial intelligence. He developed it. Oddly enough, according to a 2014 study published in the Academy of Management Journal, that's how the process often works for entrepreneurs. While it's easy to assume that entrepreneurial passion drives entrepreneurial effort, research shows the reverse is also true: Entrepreneurial passion increases with effort. The more work entrepreneurs put into their startups, the more enthusiastic they get about their businesses. As they gain momentum, gain skill, and enjoy small successes -- even if those "successes" only involve ticking off items on their seemingly endless to-do lists -- their passion grows. Can passion spark effort? Absolutely. But effort can also spark passion, which in turn sparks greater effort, and greater passion, until one day you wake up and realize you are doing what you love. The war in Ukraine is now a full-fledged humanitarian crisis. The United Nations estimates that more than 1.7 million refugees have fled Ukraine in the first 11 days of the conflict. They're going to neighboring countries like Poland, Romania, Moldova, and Hungary, which have largely opened their borders to those seeking safety. While different nation's have necessarily stepped up to help, businesses are also lending a hand. Here are a few ways companies are offering donations, a place to sleep, or other acts of charity to help Ukrainians in need: Offering temporary housing Airbnb announced on February 28 that it would provide temporary housing for up to 100,000 Ukrainian refugees, with the stays funded by Airbnb and supported through donations to the company's nonprofit arm, Airbnb.org. The company is also actively seeking volunteer hosts, particularly in Poland, Germany, Hungary, and Romania. CEO Brian Chesky also recently pointed out another way its platform is helping: After a tweet that recommended booking Airbnbs in Ukraine as a way of getting funds directly to Ukrainians went viral, the company confirmed that it was waiving all guest and host fees on the bookings, so it was not profiting on the crisis. Donating profits to charity A straightforward way other businesses are getting involved is by donating to relief efforts in Ukraine, by matching employee donations, devoting profits to a cause, or making a charitable contribution directly as a company. Over the course of two days, the Mansfield, Missouri, seed company Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company donated 100 percent of its sales to the nonprofit World Help, which is working with Ukrainian organizations to provide food and water to refugees. Baker Creek raised $1.6 million, in its largest charitable effort to date. As founder and owner Jere Gettle wrote on Baker Creek's website, this cause hits close to home: His great-grandparents, German immigrants to Odessa, fled Ukraine because of Soviet aggression in the early 20th century. Setting up charitable funds The San Francisco-based expert-on-demand company JustAnswer, which has about a quarter of its workforce in Ukraine, set up a crisis fund, which will go toward the Ukrainian armed forces and refugees, with donations facilitated by the Ukrainian charity Lviv Cluster. JustAnswer raised over $50,000 in under 24 hours, and CEO Andy Kurtzig says the company is also matching the first $50,000 raised by JustAnswer employees and experts. Evacuating employees The Tel Aviv-based website builder Wix has about 950 employees based in Ukraine, which led CEO Nir Zohar to take serious action, he told The Washington Post. An internal team of about 20 Wix employees worked together to book travel and lodging to help about 500 Ukraine-based Wix employees and their families to flee the country amid the conflict, and is in close contact with the workers who remain in Ukraine. Wix kept a close eye on the developing conflict weeks before Russia invaded the country, and started helping employees evacuate to Poland the second week of February. Since Ukraine restricted men ages 18 to 60 from leaving the country, Wix is unable to evacuate all of its remaining employees, but is still actively helping families flee, paying employees their salaries in advance, and providing refugees with food, cash, diapers, and other essentials. Getting customers involved Since 1963, The Independent has helped create a great community! Since our founding in September of 1963, The Independent has been dedicated to giving Livermore, Pleasanton, Dublin, and Sunol readers the news they need to be in-the-know about what's going on in the Tri-Valley region. BEIJING, March 7 (Xinhua) -- China honors its commitment to cooperation with Africa and never makes empty promises, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Monday. In its regulatory filing, Shree Ram Proteins Limited informed the investors and exchanges that the company will be diversifying its operations and setting up a new oil refinery. The Company has ordered a state-of-the-art refining plant for the new business segment.Company stated that the total estimated Capital Expenditure for this new facility will be approximately Rs22 to Rs24 crore which shall be contributed through internal accruals.The company will be launching Rape Seed Oil, Groundnut oil, and Cottonseed oil by the end of January 2023. It comes under the category of edible refined oil and shall cater to the companys domestic market.The new project is expected to increase the turnover of the Company by Rs150-200 crores annually and increase the bottom line by Rs15-20 Crores annually.The Company's project is also eligible to avail various State and Central government incentives in the form of capital and interest subsidies and waiver of electric duty. This investment is fully in line with our existing line of business and will provide operating efficiencies between the business segments.Shree Ram Proteins is engaged in the manufacturing of de-oiled cottonseed cake and other related products. The Company is among the very few manufacturers of this product in India. The Company has been in operations since 2008 and has an established presence in western India.Shree Ram Proteins was trading lower at Rs112, down by Rs2.25 or 1.97% against its previous closing price of Rs114.25. It touched the intraday high and low of Rs114.90 and Rs108.55 respectively, so far. Scientists from India and the UK have managed to explain how plasma, the fourth state of matter shoots up like jets called spicules in one of the three atmospheric layers of the suns chromosphere. Shutterstock Also read: New Solar-Powered Smartwatch Comes With 'Unlimited Battery': How It Works The research that was led by astronomers from the Indian Institute of Astrophysics highlight that the behaviour is caused due to convection in the lower layer of the atmosphere, similar to that of a boiling vessel of water that pushes the plasma straight into the chromosphere. Earlier it has been believed that the physics behind the short spicules is different from that of taller and faster ones. This study however has challenged this belief showing that solar convention can form all kinds of jets all by itself. A better understanding of spicules is crucial among plasma astrophysicists as it could help them explain the process by which the plasma is supplied to the solar wind and how the solar atmosphere heats to a million degrees celsius. Researchers found that the physics behind paint jets, when excited on a speaker, is comparable to how solar plasma jets react. The way paint jets shoot out upon a bass speaker is similar to how jets shoot out in the chromosphere. To the unaware, when a liquid is placed above a speaker and turned on, the surface below the liquid becomes unstable and starts to vibrate after a certain frequency. However, liquid-like shampoo or paint would cause unbroken jets when the speaker is excited as its long polymer chain offer it directionality. Researchers compare this to solar plasma jets as they found that jets are kept intact against instabilities by magnetic field in the sun and by polymer chains in the polymeric solution respectively. NASA Also read: Engineering Student Builds Solar Panels That Don't Need Direct Sunlight, Uses UV Light Sahel Dey, from the Indian Institute of Astrophysics, explains, The solar plasma can be imagined as threaded by magnetic field lines, much like the long chains in polymer solutions. This makes both the systems anisotropic, with properties varying with the direction in space. Murthy OVSN, the co-author of the study from the Azim Premji University, added in an official release, Spurred by the visual similarity between the solar spicules and the jets of paint on the speaker, we investigated the roles of magnetic fields on the sun using numerical simulations of the solar plasma. In parallel, we explored the role of polymer chains by using slow-motion videography. Keep visiting Indiatimes.com for the latest science and technology news. Real-time social media posts from local businesses and organizations across Northern Virginia, powered by Friends2Follow. To add your business to the stream, email cfields@insidenova.com or click on the green button below. BEIJING, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Calmness and rationality, instead of moves that pour oil on the flame and escalate tensions, are needed to resolve complex problems, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Monday while elaborating on China's position on resolving the Ukraine crisis. Wang stressed the need to remain committed to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and respect and protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries; to uphold the principle of indivisible security and respect the legitimate security concerns of relevant parties; to rely on dialogue, negotiation and peaceful means for dispute resolution; to aim for long-term regional stability and forge a balanced, effective and sustainable European security mechanism. Vermont State Police say the recent multi-car pileup on I-89 likely was the largest motor vehicle crash in state history. Thirty-six vehicles were directly involved in the crash Feb. 28 in heavy and blowing snow and icy road conditions. Another 20 or so vehicles went off the highway to avoid crashing and had to be pulled back onto the road. One person was killed. Officials said Friday they are continuing to compile a list of all those involved and plan to release that information as the investigation continues. Nearly two dozen law enforcement agencies, rescue groups and towing companies responded to the crash, which closed a portion of the highway for nearly nine hours. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Auto Law Enforcement Vermont New Jersey environmental officials are fighting fire with fire, using so-called controlled burns to reduce the risk of future wildfires by burning pine needles, dead leaves and other dry underbrush. Removing potential fuel from the forest floor deprives future fires of material that would make them more serious and spread faster. It is a time-honored technique of forestry management and fire prevention used around the world, and is especially important in the Pinelands, an ecologically fragile 1.1-million acre nature reserve in the center of the most densely populated U.S. state. The small fires being set this week in various parts of the Pinelands come as the state has been experiencing a dry spell that could lead to more and bigger fires. We have had a pretty dry run the last few months, said Shawn LaTourette, the states environmental protection commissioner, shortly before setting some small fires Wednesday in a section of Bass River Forest in Little Egg Harbor Township, near the border of Ocean and Burlington counties. That concerns me, he said. This area has the largest fire history in the state, added Trevor Raynor, a section warden with the New Jersey Forest Fire Service. The area being set ablaze on Wednesday was not far from where four Eagleswood Township firefighters died in a blaze in 1977, and where five members of the Civil Conservation Corps died in a 1936 fire. The forest floor was densely blanketed in pine needles, dead leaves, dry twigs and underbrush that could provide explosive fuel to a future wildfire. Burning it using small fires under controlled, closely watched conditions is like an insurance policy against future fires becoming worse than they otherwise would be. LaTourette used a drip torch _ a metal canister of gasoline with a long, thin spout _ to pour fuel onto leaves and pine needles in a defined area called a plow line, with the prevailing wind blowing against the fire to keep it small instead of fanning it from behind and pushing it through the forest. When a defined burn box has been completely consumed, firefighters will douse it from pumper trucks maintained by the forest fire service. The goal is to proactively burn 20,000 to 25,000 acres per year. There were over 900 wildfires in New Jersey last year, most of them either deliberately set or accidentally caused by people, authorities said. They added that fire is a natural part of the Pinelands ecosystem, and helps encourage pine trees to open their cones and drop seeds to spur the growth of new trees. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Wildfire New Jersey Bank of East Asia (BEA) said late on Friday it has agreed to sell its non-life insurance and healthcare services businesses to a unit of AIA Group Ltd. for an aggregate HK$2.168 billion ($278 million). BEA agreed to sell its medical, travel and general insurance services unit Blue Cross (Asia-Pacific) Insurance and all of its 80% interest in healthcare services unit Blue Care JV (BVI) Holdings to AIA to generate value for shareholders. AIA Group to Buy Life Insurance Business of Bank of East Asia The Hong Kong-based bank expected to book an aggregate profit of HK$1.534 billion upon completion of the deals, it said in a filing to the Hong Kong bourse. Asia-focused AIAs largest market is mainland China, which along with Hong Kong accounts for about half of its business. BEA shares have risen 11.8% so far this year as of last close, while AIA shares have gained 1%. ($1 = 7.8136 Hong Kong dollars) (Reporting by Donny Kwok; editing by Christian Schmollinger) Topics Mergers & Acquisitions This edition of International People Moves details appointments at Lockton, Arch Insurance International and AXA XL. A summary of these new hires follows here. Lockton Hires Starr Cos. Shephard for Aviation Lockton announced the appointment of Carl Shephard has been appointed a senior broker in Locktons aviation practice in London. He has more than three decades of experience in aviation insurance in the UK and U.S., as both a broker and underwriter. Shephard most recently was a consultant to Starr Companies aviation and aerospace teams; he previously built and led the aviation practice for SterlingRisk. He has also held leadership roles at Aviation Insurance Services of Nevada and Florida. *** Arch Promotes Bonneau to Chief Reinsurance & Exposure Officer Arch Insurance International, part of Arch Capital Group Ltd., has announced the promotion of Krista Bonneau to the position of chief reinsurance and exposure officer, with immediate effect. In this role, Bonneau will be responsible for developing and managing the ceded reinsurance and exposure management functions across Arch Insurance Internationals portfolio. Based in London, she will report to Hugh Sturgess, president & chief executive officer, Arch Insurance International. Most recently, Bonneau was senior vice president of Ceded Reinsurance. She joined Arch Insurance Co. in 2010 and became assistant vice president with the Ceded Reinsurance team in 2014. *** AXA XL Names Zhou amd Lui as Energy U/Ws in Canada AXA XL has appointed Kate Zhou as senior underwriter and Ian Lui as underwriter for its energy business in Canada. Based in Toronto, Zhou and Lui report to Jennifer Arezes, head of Property, Construction and Energy, Canada. Zhou joins AXA XL from Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance Co. of Canada where she served as technical account manager for Global Specialty Lines. Before that, she was the lead underwriter for AIGs Energy and Engineering Risk for over 12 years. She holds a degree in mechanical engineering from University of Shanghai, Shanghai, China. Lui who will report to Zhou, joins from FM Global where he held various risk and account management roles between 2012 and 2022. He is a graduate of Queens University Smith School of Business and holds a degree in chemical engineering from University of Toronto. In Canada, AXA XL provides energy companies with specialized property insurance solutions for their oil rig, oil & petrochemical, chemical, and power generation insurance needs. AXA XL also provides specialized risk engineering for energy companies and specialized claims handling capabilities to minimize risk and loss of property assets. Topics Reinsurance Aviation Canada AXA XL Lockton Kevin J. Rehnberg, chief executive officer of Argo Group International Holdings Ltd., announced on March 2, 2022 that he would be temporarily unable to perform his duties for health reasons. Effective March 3, 2022, Thomas A. Bradley, who served on Argos board of directors since 2018, including as chairman since 2020, assumed Rehnbergs authority, duties and responsibilities as CEO, according to a March 7 filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Bradley retired from Allied World Assurance Company Holdings AG in July 2017 where he had served as chief financial officer and executive vice president since 2012. Previously, he was executive vice president and chief financial officer for two other public companies, Fair Isaac Corp. and the St. Paul Cos., said his biography on the Argo website. Bradley also has held senior financial and operational positions at Zurich Insurance Group, including chief financial officer for North America and chief executive officer of the Universal Underwriters Group (now Zurich Direct Markets). He currently serves on the board of directors for Horace Mann Educators Corp. and previously served on the board of directors for Nuveen Investments Inc. Bradley received a bachelors degree in accounting from the University of Maryland and a masters in business administration from Loyola University of Maryland and is a Certified Public Accountant (inactive). We all wish Kevin the best as he focuses on restoring his health, said a letter from Bradley sent to Argo employees on March 7. He has made great progress toward transforming Argo Group over the past few years. The board of directors has absolute confidence in the strong leadership team Kevin has assembled and is impressed by the continued commitment among all employees across the company. Source: Argo Group Minnesota farmers and ranchers still reeling from last summers drought are asking the Legislature for urgency on relief, though lawmakers on either side of the aisle have yet to agree on what a final package should look like. Relief legislation in both chambers includes $5 million in grants for livestock farmers and specialty crop producers impacted by the drought and $5 million for zero-interest loans for losses not covered by insurance. But an additional $13.3 million for drought recovery on state-managed lands and local governments may be a potential snag that could delay the much-needed funds. Last summers drought ended for many farmers who saw late-season rain, and federal safety net programs helped them weather the dry conditions. But many livestock farmers and specialty crop producers are still struggling. The grants would help lessen the burden by paying for specific needs like feed and watering supplies, said Amber Glaeser, Minnesota Farm Bureaus director of public policy. Its not going to make farmers whole, she said. But its going to definitely help with paying some of those bills and making it through some of these incredibly tough times to kind of survive the year and get back on their feet. Cattle farmer Miles Kuschel saw hay production on his ranch fall by more than two thirds, which forced him to sell some of his cattle and move half of his herd out of the state to sustain them, he told lawmakers during a Senate agriculture committee hearing Wednesday. Dancing the Land Farm owner Liz Dwyer said she had to end her community-supported agriculture program that served 100 customers eight weeks early and also had to send underweight lambs and goats to the butcher a month early due to poor pasture conditions. The losses forced her husband to get a second job, she said. And they had to apply for food stamps and financial aid to cover preschool costs for their daughter. Our farm feeds thousands of families in our community and yet because of last year we cant even afford to fix our inefficient well, let alone approach recovery because there is no meaningful aid for specialty growers like me, Dwyer told lawmakers. Our story is harsh, and I know we arent the only ones feeling it. The $10 million Senate bill matches a proposal Democratic Gov. Tim Walz announced in September. But the governor held off on calling lawmakers back to the Capitol for a special session due to fears that Senate Republicans would fire Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm. The $13.3 million for the state Department of Natural Resources in the House package, which awaits a floor vote, would pay for replanting trees lost in the drought, as well as for equipment for using water more efficiently and to help sustain trees that are already planted. Democratic Rep. Rick Hansen, of South St. Paul, who authored the bill, said the funds would help communities around Minnesota as well as the states forestry industry. And he said the states $9.25 billion surplus gives lawmakers ample room to address issue now. In addition to helping out the private resource with agriculture, we have the responsibility of taking care of the public resource, so its logical that these would be put together, he said. I dont understand why if one sector is getting their money, why one would be upset with the public sector getting funds for the public resource. Republican Sen. Torrey Westrom, of Elbow Lake, the Senate agriculture committee chairman and author of the Senate bill, said that because time is of the essence, the grants shouldnt be paired with provisions that may require more debate. Our farmers need to be the target here. It needs to be quicker, and adding $13 million for the DNR should be a separate discussion, he said. That will come with probably a lot more controversy and questions and our farmers shouldnt be held hostage by the DNR, which is what the House is doing right now if they marry the two of them. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Legislation Agribusiness Minnesota Burns & Wilcox Adds Tameka Livatino and Erin Pritchett to Professional Liability Practice Group Burns & Wilcox has named Tameka Livatinoas underwriting director of architects and engineers, based in Chicago. With nearly 25 years of professional liability underwriting experience, Livatino specializes in miscellaneous professional liability, employment practices liability, and allied healthcare and tenant discrimination. In her new role, Livatino leads the strategic direction for the companys exclusive ProConstruct Program, including its underwriting risk analysis and marketing. Livatino the last three years of her career at Hiscox. Burns & Wilcox has named Erin Pritchett as a professional liability broker based out of the Detroit/Farmington Hills Corporate Headquarters in Michigan. With 15 years of industry experience, she specializes in architects and engineers and miscellaneous professional insurance specifically real estate and insurance agents and brokers. She most recently worked at PL Risk Advisors where she specialized in directors and officers insurance. J.M. Wilson Adds Chris Struck as Assistant Property & Casualty Underwriter J.M. Wilson has added Chris Struck as assistant property & casualty underwriter. Struck is responsible for assisting underwriters on new and renewal accounts for a wide variety of property and casualty risks, as well as strengthening relationships with independent insurance agents and company underwriters in Georgia, Indiana, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Prior to joining JM Wilson, Chris worked as a client service manager trainee for an insurance agency and held various positions for an insurance carrier. Founded in 1920, J.M. Wilson is a Managing General Agency and Surplus Lines Broker providing independent insurance agents access to specialty markets. Topics Agencies Underwriting Property Casualty Applied Financial Lines Names Noble, Owen and Dau Nebraska-headquartered specialty insurer Applied Underwriters has expanded its Applied Financial Lines unit with several key appointments. Kim Noble has been named vice president, Applied Financial Lines. Prior to joining Applied Financial Lines, Noble was a senior vice president at Thompson Flanagan in Chicago where she advised law firms on coverage, claims and risk management issues. Prior that, Noble led the lawyers and accountants programs at Argo Pro. She has more than 25 years of professional liability experience including managing errors and omissions programs at OneBeacon, GE Westport and St. Paul Companies. Thomas Owen is now vice vice president of Errors & Omissions, Applied Financial Lines. Owen has three decades of experience underwriting and managing teams writing professional liability, environmental liability and contractors business. Prior to joining Applied Financial Lines, he managed the Specialty Casualty Division at specialty MGA DUAL North America. Keith Dau has been named vice president, Applied Financial Lines. Before joining Applied Financial Lines, Dau was the senior managing director for Navigators Insurance where he was responsible for private management liability lines/wholesale distribution channel. He has 20 years of experience in professional and management liability including positions with Great American Insurance and Travelers. Applied Underwriters operates throughout the U.S., United Kingdom, the European Union and the Middle East. Industry Veteran Chamness Joins Sandbox Insurtech Ventures as an Advisor Sandbox Insurtech Ventures announced that Charles (Chuck) Chamness, former CEO of the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMIC), has joined the firm as an advisor. Based in Indianapolis, Chamness will collaborate closely with the Sandbox Insurtech leadership team and its portfolio companies to provide strategic counsel across the insurance industry. Chamness has more than 27 years of experience across board governance, executive management, government affairs, regulatory affairs, and public affairs. In July 2021, he concluded an 18-year tenure as president and CEO of NAMIC, a leading property/casualty insurance trade association.. Sandbox Insurtech Ventures is the insurance investing arm of Sandbox Industries, a venture capital firm that manages funds across insurance, healthcare and sustainable food and agriculture. Topics Human Resources The second plenary meeting of the fifth session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling) BEIJING, March 7 (Xinhua) -- The fifth session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), China's top political advisory body, held its second plenary meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Monday. The second plenary meeting of the fifth session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Ju Peng) The second plenary meeting of the fifth session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Yin Gang) Members of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) attend the second plenary meeting of the fifth session of the 13th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang) The second plenary meeting of the fifth session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang) The second plenary meeting of the fifth session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling) Zhang Zexi, a member of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), delivers a speech on behalf of the Central Committee of the Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League at the second plenary meeting of the fifth session of the 13th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Xiang) Sun Dongsheng, a member of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), delivers a speech at the second plenary meeting of the fifth session of the 13th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Xiang) Wei Mingde, a member of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), delivers a speech at the second plenary meeting of the fifth session of the 13th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Xiang) Tian Qinxin, a member of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), delivers a speech at the second plenary meeting of the fifth session of the 13th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Xiang) Huang Zhen, a member of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), delivers a speech on behalf of the Central Committee of the China Association for Promoting Democracy at the second plenary meeting of the fifth session of the 13th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Xiang) Shen Nanpeng, a member of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), delivers a speech at the second plenary meeting of the fifth session of the 13th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Xiang) Chen Mengshan, a member of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), delivers a speech at the second plenary meeting of the fifth session of the 13th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Ding Lin) Liu Zhendong, a member of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), delivers a speech on behalf of the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce at the second plenary meeting of the fifth session of the 13th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Ding Lin) Wang Hong, a member of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), delivers a speech on behalf of the Central Committee of the Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang at the second plenary meeting of the fifth session of the 13th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Ding Lin) Gao Peiyong, a member of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), delivers a speech at the second plenary meeting of the fifth session of the 13th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Ding Lin) Ge Huijun, a member of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), delivers a speech at the second plenary meeting of the fifth session of the 13th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Ding Lin) Wang Yiming, a member of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), delivers a speech at the second plenary meeting of the fifth session of the 13th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Ding Lin) Hurricane Harvey dumped more than 50 inches of rain on parts of the Texas coast in 2017. Then in 2020, ferocious winds from Hurricane Laura destroyed homes across coastal Louisiana. Hurricane Ida hit in 2021, leaving the entire city of New Orleans without power for days. Such extreme weather is becoming more common, and thats just one of the warnings for the Gulf of Mexico region in a United Nations report released last week. The devastating effects of climate change in the region also include rising seas, collapsing fisheries and toxic tides, even if humanity somehow manages to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial era. The hurricanes that we get, theres a higher probability that they can bloom up into major hurricanes, Louisianas state climatologist Barry Keim said, agreeing with the reports details on more dangerous weather. The report, an atlas of human suffering, details numerous ways in which climate change will affect the gulf. From Texas to Florida, which has the longest coastline of any state, the entire U.S. Gulf coast is under serious threat from rising seas as the planets polar ice caps melt, the U.N. report says. The region, home to major oil and gas production in Texas and Louisiana and tourist destinations in Mississippi, Alabama and Florida, tends to be conservative politically, and its mostly Republican leaders have stressed adaption to climate change _ higher roads, sea walls, preventing saltwater intrusion _ more than broad efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions or promote cleaner energy. For example, the Republican-led Florida House of Representatives refused to add clean-energy measures to a plan to bolster the state against sea level rise and flooding. The bills sponsor, GOP Rep. Demi Busatta Cabrera of the Miami area, said her aim is to do what we can fix today. Democratic Rep. Ben Diamond, who is running for a St. Petersburg-area congressional seat, was disappointed lawmakers didnt do more. Improved climate change resiliency is good, he said, but then theres also stopping the causes of those problems in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, in terms of reducing our carbon emissions. The Florida House bill does not get into that. People considering 30-year mortgages are already looking for homes and commercial buildings that pose lower flood risks. One study cited by the U.N. says the trend is evident in Floridas Miami-Dade County, where some buyers are shying away from expensive waterfront homes. In Miami Beach, streets already flood on sunny days, especially during the so-called King Tides, and the report says the Tampa Bay area, surrounded by shallow seas, and is considered one of the most vulnerable places in the nation for storm surges. Sea level rise poses an existential threat to much of Louisiana, because so much of the Mississippi River delta has been sinking due to human interventions. The loss of sediment from leveeing the river and saltwater intrusion caused by coastal oil and gas development are two big culprits, Keim noted. South Louisiana is probably the most vulnerable place to climate change in the United States, Keim said. Other parts of the Gulf face different problems, the report warns. Tourism and fishing industries depend on thriving habitats off the coasts of Florida and the Yucatan Peninsula, but coral reefs are bleaching due to warming ocean waters interacting with non-climate stressors. In Florida alone, the decline of the reefs could translate into $24 billion to $55 billion in economic losses by 2100, the report said. The report details efforts in the region to adapt to climate change. Miami-Dade released a strategic sea level rise response plan in 2021 that calls for adapting infrastructure, elevating roads, building on higher ground and expanding waterfront parks and canals. The city of Miami Beach has already spent more than $500 million installing pumps to flush water off the island, with no guarantees that this will keep the tourists feet dry. The city of Miami is spending potentially billions of dollars to keep the ocean at bay and limit saltwater intrusion into freshwater supplies. The most common question I get asked is whether Miami is going to be here in 50 years, whether its going to be here in 100 years, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez said at a recent news conference. This is the beginning of having a comprehensive plan to answer that question in the affirmative. In Louisiana, the states Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority has a plan with very specific projects, the U.N. report said, such as dredging to replenish wetlands and rebuilding barrier islands damaged by storms. Alex Kolker, an associate professor of coastal geology at the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium in Cocodrie, noted that on Feb. 1, Louisiana also announced a plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. Outbreaks of red tide, which are natural toxic organisms originally noticed by the Spanish explorers, have become more frequent and more deadly because of warmer air and water, experts say. The increasing outbreaks kill more fish and sea life and harm the tourist industry with smelly fish-strewn beaches, poor fishing and the possibility of harms to human health, especially among people with asthma or other lung conditions. From 2017 to 2019, according to a University of Florida study, tourism sectors lost $184 million in revenue because of red tide. The warmer water also fosters algae blooms, caused by pollution from agricultural, urban and other sources, that are getting worse along Floridas coasts, contributing to the lack of seagrass that has led to a record die-off of manatees in the past year. The state resorted to feeding one group of starving manatees romaine lettuce instead. You cant just go out and plant a bunch of seagrass, said Tom Reinert, regional director of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Florida Texas Louisiana Climate Change Hurricane Austin officials approved a nearly $3 million settlement March 3 for a teen who was seriously injured by police during 2020 protests over racial injustice _ the Texas capital citys latest response to criticism of its handling of demonstrations in which 19 officers have been charged with aggravated assault. Then-16-year-old Brad Ayala was watching the protest when an officer shot him in the head with a beanbag round. The settlement brings the total amount Austin officials have approved for people injured in the May 2020 protests to over $13 million. A spokeswoman for the city confirmed the total but declined further comment. Last month, the city agreed to pay $10 million to two people injured by police during protests that followed the May 25, 2020, police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Hours later, a Travis County grand jury indicted 19 officers for their actions during the protests. One of the of the indicted officers allegedly fired the beanbag round that hit Ayala. Two of the other indicted officers were involved in the other two cases that were settled. Local doctors warned Austin police of the danger of less lethal munitions following the protests. They say at least 19 people were hospitalized in Austin for injuries from such weapons. The police chief at the time, Brian Manley, vowed that officers would stop using beanbag rounds in crowd control situations. The prosecutor who is pursuing the charges against officers, Travis County Districty Attorney Jose Garza, campaigned in 2020 on a promise to take a tougher stance on police accountability. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Law Enforcement The news that a startup Florida insurance company will assume $400 million in policies from the now-insolvent St. Johns Insurance Co. without input from other carriers has set tongues wagging and emails flying among Florida insurance executives. In the charged atmosphere of Floridas distressed property insurance market, where five carriers have been liquidated in the last 30 months, insurers say every advantage is needed. And some executives want to know why state regulators didnt offer them the chance to take on some of the 147,000 policies and more than $90 million in cash from unearned premiums that newcomer Slide Insurance will receive under the terms of a recent court order and transition plan. Its a good outcome for St. Johns agents and consumers, thats true. But its also true that no one else had the opportunity to bid on at least a portion of their book of business, said Locke Burt, chairman and CEO of Security First Insurance, based in Ormond Beach. A number of executives told the Insurance Journal last week that the move by the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation was so quick and without consultation with the public or with other companies that it doesnt pass the smell test. Florida carriers are asking how Slide CEO Bruce Lucas seemed to know that St. Johns was going under before anyone else knew. With the unearned premium money flowing to Slide and most Florida carriers stuck with a 1.3% assessment to help the state guaranty association cover St. Johns existing claims it almost feels like long-time Florida insurers are subsidizing a startup competitor, or robbing Peter to pay Paul, one insurance executive said. Its an unfair advantage for Slide and it just seems like a sweetheart deal, said Bob Ritchie, CEO of Tampa-based American Integrity Insurance. Insurers are also worried that the assessment by the Florida Insurance Guaranty Association, due next month, could be the first of several: More insurers in Floridas distressed property market are expected to become insolvent this year, and even a small assessment on a carriers premium can mean millions of dollars must be paid unexpectedly and passed on to policyholders, many of whom already are facing higher premiums. Are we going to have to do that every time now, maybe six more times in the next year or so? one insurance vice president said. This industry does not have, sitting around in cash, 1.3% of all the direct written premium. Theres a cash flow problem in the industry now. For a smaller carrier, with $250 million in premium, for example, the St. Johns assessment amounts to $4 million that must be paid by April 1. For all Florida insurers affected, the assessment would come to a total of about $180 million, insurers said. Florida Insurance Commissioner David Altmaiers office did not immediately respond to requests for an interview about the Slide transaction. But Lucas told the Insurance Journal that Slide will have to pay the assessment, just like other members of FIGA. He also said there was nothing inappropriate about the transition of St. Johns policies to Slide, and that he had not spoken with Altmaier about it. We were just minding our business and rolling out our company and it just kind of fell into our lap, Lucas said Friday. These guys had a crisis and we were able to step in quickly to solve it. Lucas declined to say which regulators he or other Slide officers had spoken with or when, or who approached whom about St. Johns. But he said that Slide had been in talks with St. Johns officials recently. We were in discussions with St. Johns. They were interested in having a conversation, but its not like there was some big advance warning, he said. Its not like we were working on this for six months. We had a very short time window to make a decision. We made the decision based on the circumstances. The timeline of the final days of the 19-year-old, Orlando-based St. Johns gives an idea of how quickly the landscape changed. In early February, St. Johns, listed at one time as the eighth-largest P/C carrier in Florida, announced that it would stop writing new business in the state on Feb. 15. On Feb. 17, the Demotech rating agency withdrew St. Johns financial stability rating altogether due to a lack of adequate reserves. A day later, Slide, a Tampa-based insurtech still raising capital, agreed to take over St. Johns homeowners book of business. Slide did not receive its certificate of authority as a carrier until Feb. 24, OIRs website shows. One day later, on Feb. 25, the Florida Department of Financial Services Division of Rehabilitation and Liquidation asked the circuit court in Tallahassee to approve the transition of policies to Slide. That same day, the Office of Insurance Regulation finalized a consent order, formalizing the deal and a change in business plan for the startup, according to the documents. The transition plan protects St. Johns policyholders by providing transition coverage by Slide for policyholders of St. Johns whose policies will be canceled pursuant to a liquidation order, the consent order reads. The document also notes that OIR had reviewed Slides change in business plan, its planned catastrophe reinsurance program and its ability to provide coverage to St. Johns insureds. Slide has been funded with $25 million in surplus and has indicated it will have $39 million in surplus by the end of March, the document explained. Three days later, on Feb. 28, the circuit court approved the transition plan. That same day, the FIGA board of directors approved the 1.3% assessment, the second for 2022 to cover insolvent companies outstanding claims. St. Johns wrote policies in South Carolina, so that states guaranty association also was involved in approving the liquidation. When you think about everyone that had to be lined up, from Slide, to OIR, DFS, FIGA, and the South Carolina guaranty association, does it seem reasonable that it all happened in 48 hours or so? Burt asked. Lucas said the transition followed standard procedure, and that other takeovers of insolvent companies policies have moved just as quickly. Lucas was previously head of Heritage Insurance, which took just four days to assume thousands of homeowner policies when Sawgrass Mutual Insurance Co. was put into liquidation in 2017, he said. When a company knows they are impaired, a lot of times its related to reserves and it happens pretty quickly. You get your reserve report and, boom, youre out of time and theres nothing you can do about it, Lucas said. We had the bandwidth to do a transaction and do it seamlessly. The transition plan itself has raised questions for other carriers. The plan notes that FIGA will transfer to Slide most of the unearned premiums from St. Johns, minus some unpaid premiums and unearned commissions, that result from policy cancellations. The transfer started with $40 million from FIGA last week and another $50 million is due by March 15. The remaining amount should be handed over by mid-May. One insurance companys senior leader said that puts FIGA in the position of being a venture capitalist, helping to provide seed money for a startup. Taking on a $400 million book of business would generally require about $200 million in private funding, something Slide may not have had access to without the FIGA transfers, Slides competitors complained. Another approach would have been to let the state-run Citizens Property Insurance Corp. take on the St. Johns policies, then let Slide make a take-out offer on policies from Citizens, just as many other carriers have done. But with Florida policymakers concerned about Citizens rapid rate of growth, and with Citizens in the midst of a depopulation plan, that may not have been an option. With so many carriers facing huge losses and still-high litigation costs this year, the more carriers Florida has, the better, some officials might argue in supporting the Slide position. Current and former FIGA officials said the move to send millions in unearned premiums to one company is not that unusual, and has been approved a few times in the last two decades. Its done to protect St. Johns former customers, said Corey Neal, executive director of FIGA. The disgorgement of funds to Slide is needed in part so that Slide can refund premiums to St. Johns policyholders who decide to cancel instead of transitioning to the new company. But Ritchie, of American Integrity, questioned how many policyholders will want to cancel. Most will find it easier to sit tight while their homes remain covered, he said. Lucas noted that some of the cash is needed to manage St. Johns reinsurance coverage. The insolvent carrier had a 70% quota share with some reinsurers, he said, referring to the type of contract in which the reinsurer receives a percentage of the premium for the book of business that is reinsured, while agreeing to pay a percentage of losses and loss adjustment expenses. If the quota-share reinsurers dont turn over the money theyre holding, theres a shortfall, Lucas said. Insurance industry leaders also have questioned how long St. Johns former policyholders will be covered by Slide. Theres nothing in the transition plan that requires Slide to renew policies when they expire, as some insolvency transitions have required for at least the first few years, said Burt, of Security First. Lucas countered that Slide is free to non-renew just like everyone else. Ive done two other insolvency transactions, Lucas said. Not one of those had any non-renewal stipulations in it. Ive never even heard of that. Others in Floridas insurance industry also wondered why FIGA would so quickly agree to disgorge funds to Lucas company, given the fact that FIGA is now engaged in a legal dispute with Lucas former company over similar issues. That litigation also shows that questions about a relatively new insurers role in helping to salvage an insolvent carrier are not new. After Sawgrass Mutual became insolvent in 2017, the OIR signed off on a consent order transferring thousands of Sawgrass policies to Lucas Heritage Property & Casualty Insurance Co., established in 2012. But within months, the interpretation of that consent order and the transition plan became an issue. FIGAs attorneys argued in Leon County Circuit Court that Heritage had not assumed liability for as many Sawgrass claims as it should have under the agreement with OIR, leaving FIGA on the hook for more. Heritage answered that its assumption of claims before Sept. 1, 2017 was conditioned on Sawgrass Mutual transferring certain funds, including loss reserves and claim-handling fees. Heritage has shown it did not receive transfer of those funds, and thus did not assume the pre-existing claims, Heritage attorneys said in September 2021. That case is still pending. Lucas said that all of his competitors concerns about the St. Johns deal are unfounded. I think maybe some people are just trying to stir the pot, Lucas said. Topics Carriers Florida Nevadas largest utility plans to inspect power lines near a Reno neighborhood where a 2020 wildfire destroyed five homes and damaged two dozen others, a blaze that investigators blamed on arching power lines in gale force winds along the Sierras eastern front. The inspection of NV Energys distribution line will be conducted later this month in response to a request from litigants in an ongoing lawsuit over damages resulting from the Pinehaven fire, company spokeswoman Jennifer Schuricht said Friday. The Reno Gazette Journal first reported NV Energys plans. Schuricht said in an email to The Associated Press the line will return to service after the inspection is complete. She didnt provide any other details. She said the company still believes the November 2020 brush fire that burned more than 500 acresmost likely was sparked by a campfire that escaped in the nearby foothills of the Sierra. A status conference is scheduled March 9 in a consolidated case combining four lawsuits in Washoe District Court that more than a dozen insurance companies have filed against NV Energy since state and Reno fire officials completed their investigation of the Pinehaven fire January 2021. No one was killed or seriously injured. But more than 1,200 homes were evacuated in the Caughlin Ranch area, where power lines also were blamed for causing a wildfire in 2011. Reno Fire Marshal Tray Palmer said they investigated but ruled out the likelihood the Pinehaven fire was caused by a campfire, target shooters, motorcycles or ATVs. He said they didnt find any evidence of negligence on the part of the utility or signs of maintenance issues with the power lines that were blowing in winds up to nearly 80 mph. NV Energy, a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Energy, serves more than a million customers across Nevada. It first announced in June 2019 it would begin following the lead of California utilities that pre-emptively cut off electricity in high-risk areas as storms move in and wildfire danger becomes extreme. As part of a broader natural disaster protection plan, NV Energy has inspected more than 48,000 power poles in high-risk areas and made any necessary repairs, Schuricht said Friday. It also has stepped up efforts to reduce wildfire risk through partnerships with state and local agencies to remove brush, grass and other vegetation from under our power lines and other equipment, she said. And it continues to evaluate ways to make our system more resilient, including replacing wooden poles with iron and steel poles in some locations and undergrounding some of our highest risk circuits, she said. In neighboring California, Pacific Gas & Electric has been blamed for more than 30 wildfires since 2017 that wiped out more than 23,000 homes and businesses and killed more than 100 people. It has reached settlements with wildfire victims of more than $25.5 billion. Earlier this year, California regulators linked PG&E to the massive Dixie Fire in the Sierra Nevada last summer when a tree is believed to have hit the utilitys distribution lines in a sprawling, often rugged service territory covering 16 million Northern Californian customers. That fire burned nearly 1 million acres in Butte, Plumas, Lassen, Shasta, and Tehama counties. PG&E announced plans in July to bury about 10,000 miles (of its distribution and transmission lines over the next decade at a cost of $15 billion to $30 billion. In the few areas where PG&E has already been burying power lines, it has completed about 70 miles annually. Related: Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics California Catastrophe Natural Disasters Wildfire Dual events were held on both sides off the Atlantic to mark a prestigious award for the Port of Cork for its work developing the new container shipping route between Cork and Pennsylvania. The 2022 Ambassadors Award was awarded to the port company by the Irish American Business Chamber & Network on Friday for playing a pivotal role to strengthen the economic and educational ties between the US and Ireland. For the first time in its history, it has been awarded to three entities the Port of Cork, Independent Container Line (ICL), and Penn Terminals for their collaboration to launch and maintain the route. Its our pleasure to simultaneously host @PortofCork this side of the Atlantic with guests including @mmcgrathtd, Deputy Lord Mayor, Deputy County Mayor. #amb22 https://t.co/v2lwoBZCgw pic.twitter.com/kASVIHTcF5 Cork Chamber (@CorkChamber) March 4, 2022 The route commenced in May 2020 and is the only direct route from Ireland connecting to the US and serves Pennsylvania and North Carolina. Last year, approximately 20,000 containers of cargo were carried across the Atlantic with Irish exports such as medicine, lab tech, agri supplies, steel, nutrients, and infant formula. The weekly sailing has proven so successful that it is now serviced with bigger ships to cater for the demand. Conor Mowlds, chief commercial officer of Port of Cork Company accepted the award from Dan Mulhall, Irish Ambassador to the US in Philadelphia. He said that prior to this new service, the last time liners regularly travelled between Cork and America was to enable migration. "We are very proud to receive this award in recognition of the positive impact our Cork to the US sailing has had to enable enhanced export trade opportunities for Irish companies, large and small, with America," he said. We hope that the opening of our new Cork Container Terminal in the coming months, following an 86m investment, will allow for further expansion of services and increased cargo volumes to the US. Lisa Maloney, president of the Irish American Business Chamber & Network said: The Port of Cork Company and its fellow partners were the clear front runners for this award which is symbolic of the long and historically significant relationship that exists between the US and Ireland, a relationship that precedes the American Revolution. "I congratulate the Port of Cork and its fellow nominees ICL and Penn Terminals for the immense contribution their collaboration has made to strengthen the trade links between America and Ireland. Paula Cogan, President, Cork Chamber said: In the context of Brexit and the ever-changing challenges to international trade, supply chain stability and movement of goods, the Port of Cork has excelled in building strong new trade links with the US. This timely recognition is an appropriate milestone as this relationship continues to build. Lego Group, the worlds largest toymaker, has stopped shipments of products to Russia due to the war in Ukraine. The company will no longer deliver toys to the 81 independently owned stores in Russia that sell its products, Lego said in an emailed reply to questions on Monday. Ireland will have to re-examine its position as a neutral country in the wake of Russia's attack on Ukraine, the Taoiseach has said. Micheal Martin said the crisis would require a whole-of-Government humanitarian response which would be "challenging" as it "cannot be business as usual" and this should be prioritised right now. On Ireland's stance as a neutral country, Mr Martin said: "I don't believe in a knee jerk response to this in terms of the broader non-alignment issue, but we should, when this war ends, we should create a forum for a reflection on that, because the world has changed. "Russia has changed the multilateral order by this war. We've witnessed the growth in cyberattacks, the growth also in terrorist organisations. The whole situation has changed so much that we do need to reflect on all of that. About 1,800 Ukrainians have already arrived into Ireland, with about two-thirds of those having family connections here. However, Mr Martin said the number of people with links to Ireland was decreasing, which means the State will come under more pressure to provide accommodation, healthcare, education and other supports to those fleeing. "This is an exceptional humanitarian crisis, brought about by war, and it's a wartime situation and therefore our responses have to be different to a non-wartime situation. All of us will have to do everything we possibly can to make those services accessible to Ukrainians who are fleeing war," Mr Martin said. Given the lower Covid vaccination rates in Ukraine, the Taoiseach said a targeted approach would be needed to highlight the benefits of vaccination when people arrive here. Asked about efforts to get people to open their homes to Ukrainian families, Mr Martin said: "In the first instance, we want to try and secure accommodation, hotels and other potential locations where we can accommodate people in an emergency situation. And I think we have to take this step by step. We're getting a very good response from people and this week there will be a portal developed by the Department of Children to organise expressions and pledges of responses from the people in Ireland. "For example, in the health area, quite a number of health personnel have contacted us to say they're willing to help with children for example, with particular illnesses and do what they can on trauma, or in paediatrics, or just more general health. So I think there is a genuine response across different sectors of Irish society, which will be over and above what we do in our normal lives." He said work would be carried out to accommodate pensioners currently on a living alone allowance who want to take refugees in. But he stressed the priority was to provide State accommodation. Mr Martin added: "We're not politically neutral at all on this war. We believe in universal values of self-determination, sovereignty and the right to territorial integrity and the freedom of the individual as well. "I believe Putin ultimately does not believe in democracy, has a real antipathy towards democracy and doesn't want democracy in Ukraine." Gardai are to erect barriers outside the Russian embassy after a ramming incident at the gates sparked a diplomatic row between Russia and Ireland. A truck, which belongs to a company providing religious products, was deliberately reversed through the metal gates at the entrance to the embassy grounds at lunchtime on Monday. The driver was arrested at the scene by the sole garda stationed nearby at the time. In a video captured on a phone, the driver told the garda and the small group of protestors there he was doing it for a woman and her children who were killed in Ukraine on Sunday. Security sources said the incident marked an escalation in the threat against the Russian embassy. In a statement, the Russian embassy has alleged that garda officers stood idle as the large truck reversed into and through the metal gates. The embassy said it had written to the Department of Foreign Affairs informing it that the act is a blatant violation of international law on the sanctity of diplomatic missions and demanded that the Irish state ensure the safety of its staff and their families. The driver is being questioned on suspicion of criminal damage. A high-level security review has been established and a fresh risk assessment conducted, security sources told the Irish Examiner. That has already led to a decision to place barriers at the entrance, to prevent any such reoccurrence. While no one was injured in the incident, the actual breaching of the embassy is seen as a major issue both for both gardai and government. The fact the embassy was breached has to be taken very seriously, theres no doubt about that, said a senior security source. That will be seen as an escalation in the threat against the Russian embassy. Emergency services at the scene of the cash. Picture: Dominic McGrath/PA Wire A review is being conducted by district and divisional commanders and an updated risk assessment conducted. Intelligence will be gathered and the Garda National Criminal and Security Intelligence Service is expected to provide its assessment. A single garda was present at the time, parked up nearby. The garda presence is determined by the risk assessment, sources said. A Garda statement said: Gardai are investigating an incident of criminal damage that occurred at a property on Orwell Road this afternoon, Monday 7 March 2022 at approximately 1.30pm. One male was arrested and taken to Rathfarnham Garda Station where he is currently detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984. The suspect can be held for a maximum of 24 hours, excluding sleep breaks. In a statement, the Russia embassy said: On March 7, 2022, 13:30pm, a large truck came over to the gates of the embassy, pulled back and torn down the gates of the Embassy. The incident took place in the presence of Garda officers, who stood idle. It said: The embassy strongly condemns this criminal act of insanity directed against a peaceful diplomatic mission. It said the embassy viewed the incident as a clear and blatant violation of Article 22 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic relations of 1961. The convention states that the premises of a diplomatic mission shall be inviolable. It states: The receiving state is under a special duty to take all appropriate steps to protect the premises of the mission against any intrusion or damage and to prevent any disturbance of the peace of the mission or impairment of its dignity. The Embassy statement said it is in contact with the Department of Foreign Affairs, demanding that the Irish authorities take comprehensive measures to ensure the safety of its staff and their family members. A view of the Embassy of Russia in Dublin where red paint was poured on the coat of arms of the Russian Federation last week. Picture: Brian Lawless It added: The incident is cause of extreme concern. We believe that no people of sound mind could support such senseless and barbaric actions. Asked to respond, the Garda Press Office said: We dont comment on remarks by third parties. The Department of Foreign Affairs said: The Department does not comment on security issues or incidents. We are in ongoing contact with An Garda Siochana through established channels in relation to the security of foreign Embassies based in Dublin. The truck involved in the incident belongs to a company called Desmond Wisley Ecclesiastical Supplies, based in Co Leitrim. The company, which is based in Ballinamore, Co Leitrim, with an office in Limerick, supplies religious products across Ireland. According to its website, it has been in business for over 40 years and supplies a large range of products, including wine, bread, altar cloths, banners, candles and vestments. It follows an incident last week in which a Catholic priest admitted to throwing red paint at the gates A cattle dealer served with a child maintenance arrears ultimatum by a judge of sell a cow or go to jail, has handed 5,000 in 50 notes into court. At the Family Law Court, the cattle dealer told Judge Mary Larkin that a man he buys cattle for phoned him to help out on his child maintenance arrears debt. Judge Larkin had issued the ultimatum on the cattle dealer last month. The cattle dealer said that the friend gave him a loan of 5,000 in the form of a cheque which he cashed and handed into court. He said: He is a well-off person and he rang to help me out. Judge Larkin said that after the 5,000 has been paid over, the cattle dealer owes a further 1,600 in maintenance arrears. After the cattle dealer handed over the bundle of 50 notes, Judge Larkin told him: It was only when I threatened you with jail that you paid out the 5,000. The cattle dealer has fallen into arrears on his child maintenance payments of 100 a week as he cant afford the payments due to a lot of cattle dealing now going online due to Covid-19. The man said that he is currently paying 50 a week in maintenance for his two children. In response, Judge Larkin stated: You cant just do what you feel like - these are court orders for 100 per week. When are you going to bring it up to the correct amount?" The man said that he receives 203 per week in social welfare and an average of 80 per week for his cattle dealing work. Judge Larkin told the man that if he wishes to have his weekly maintenance payments reduced, he should provide financial statements that include the amount of stock he owns. Judge Larkin said: If you want to reduce the maintenance, you have to produce a full and complete statement of means. The cattle dealer said that there may be weeks when he doesnt buy any cattle or he may have a week when he sells 20 cattle at 10 a head. 'Relative poverty' The mans ex-partner and mother of their two children said that she is working 65 hours a fortnight but is living in "relative poverty". The mother said that she is paying the house mortgage and two other loans to keep the house going. She said: The 50 is not enough for the two children a week. The woman said that her former partner has close family relations who have 100 cattle that he manages for them. Judge Larkin told the man: You have obligations to pay for your children and the next day you are required to have 1,600 in court. I expect you to have it and I expect you to pay the 100 per week. Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, attends a deliberation of Hong Kong delegation at the fifth session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing) BEIJING, March 7 (Xinhua) -- The top priority for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) at the moment is to make all-out efforts to prevent and control the COVID-19 epidemic, Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng said Monday. Relevant departments of the central authorities and localities should give full support to the Hong Kong SAR, ensure the supply of daily necessities, strengthen manpower and material support in medical aid, and ensure the stability of people's lives and the society, Han said when attending deliberations of Hong Kong and Macao delegations at the fifth session of the 13th National People's Congress. Han, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said the Macao SAR should consolidate its achievements in epidemic control. He noted that in the past year, with the strong support of the central government and under the leadership of the chief executives and the SAR governments, Hong Kong and Macao have maintained overall social stability and made new progress in their democratic practices. The vice premier called for building Hong Kong into an international financial center and an international technology and innovation center, making good use of the opportunity of building the Hengqin Guangdong-Macao Deep Cooperation Zone, and actively integrating the two SARs into the overall national development. Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, attends a deliberation of Macao delegation at the fifth session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) THE parish priests contribution sums it all up. Live on the air, he was talking to Joe about the Ukraine situation when he took the opportunity to lash a can of red paint onto the fencing of the Russian embassy in Dublin. Much less extreme than the burning of the British embassy, then in Merrion Square, back in the spring of 1972. But Dolphins Barn parish priest Fr Fergal MacDonagh made his point. Got pictured beside the splotches of scarlet paint. Found his way into the next days media. Won his 15 minutes of fame. This is not to denigrate the cleric involved, although Yuri Filatov, the Russian ambassador, would undoubtedly view the 60-year-old as one of the protestors the ambassador condemned on state-controlled Russian TV as violent and aggressive. Fr MacDonagh exemplifies the governing assumption in the West that opinion matters. That stating your opinion can evoke a response that multiplies your power. That the more followers you have, the more likes you provoke, the more likely it is that the person you condemn will lose their power, will be forced to surrender and apologise, and that you will be the victor as a result. Fr Fergal MacDonagh addressing a rally against Russia's invasion of Ukraine on Saturday. The previous day, the priest splashed paint at the gate of the Russian embassy in Dublin while on the phone to Joe Duffy on RTE's 'Liveline'. Picture. Picture: Niall Carson/PA Or, as the American anthropologist Margaret Mead said: Never doubt that a small group of committed citizens can change the world; indeed, its the only thing that ever has. In theory, the committed citizens of Ukraine, in concert with small groups of supporters all over the western world, could more easily change the world than was the case in any previous invasion, this being the first such brutal incursion to happen in real time, shared on a constant news cycle largely unmediated by the great powers. That wasnt the case during the Second World War, where news announced by the BBCs Alvar Lidell was heavily edited, if not controlled, by government interests. Mild control by the Allied authorities was one thing. The more important difference between information-gathering and dissemination now and during the Second World War is how incredibly difficult it was, in the early 40s. To offer just one example; in 1942, a member of the Polish resistance was smuggled into the Warsaw Ghetto, where he witnessed at first hand the dead lying in the streets as a result of starvation, and was briefed by the Jewish leaders. This man got back out of the ghetto, an achievement in itself, and started a fraught journey across occupied Europe. It took him almost the rest of the year. Instant information and opinion Compare that with footage filmed in Kyiv which can be accessed within minutes by anybody except of course the Russian citizen, who is prevented from seeing it by Putins shutdown of Facebook, Twitter, and other social media platforms. In 1942, the objective was not to disseminate the data to everybody, but to deliver the information to the British prime minister and to the Vatican, who were believed by the Warsaw Ghettos leaders to be capable of changing their ghastly situation. After almost a year of covert travel and resourceful courage, Jan Karski the messenger handed over his information. His story fits neatly into the mythology of war: the guy who risks all to tell the truth and change the course of history except that the man himself said afterwards: Nothing important happened as a result of my mission. It didnt do any good. The question, today, when much faster delivery is possible at least in the West is whether aresthe memorably brave statements coming from individuals like Zelenskyy will be any more effective than Jan Karskis effortful heroism. The grim possibility is that although they have created a warm consensus on the part of millions in the West, they may achieve nothing more than that. Information does not always lead to action, and a warm consensus is a poor weapon against a despot with men and materiel to burn, and the clear willingness to burn both. Mythology of the last world war The mythology of the last world war has it won by dauntless Londoners sheltering in the Underground, by the Dambusters, by the oratory of Winston Churchill, and by the Yanks liberating one European nation after another, one concentration camp after another. Also by America dropping atomic bombs on Japan. British troops taking part in a victory parade in Berlin in 1945 rest under a mural based on a famous photo of Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin. The West is in denial about the extent to which Russia won that war. Picture: Keystone/Getty That mythology has been repeatedly hammered home in history books, movies, and TV series. It ignores the fact that the Russians won much, if not most, of the war and sacrificed immeasurably more than any European nation whether measured in numbers of soldiers, tanks, guns, and civilians destroyed than any European nation. Stalins leaders effective brutes like Marshal Zhukov made Americas George Patten look like a pacifist in their absolute determination. That determination was deployed in battle and in sustained horrors like the 872-day siege of Leningrad where more lives were lost than by the UK and the US, combined, in the course of the entire war. The primacy of opinion in the West is almost total. In the past half-decade, it has destroyed political leaders, entertainers, and others with expedition and efficiency. It predates social media, but has been fuelled by social media. The predictions of nameless respondents in opinion polls as to which party they will vote for in a forthcoming election can lead to the visitation of the leader of that party by grey eminences who tell him its time to go. Similarly, a movement like #MeToo can precipitate the legal destruction of a figure like Harvey Weinstein or the erasure of a major talent like Kevin Spacey. In the case of Spacey, he was never proven to have broken any law, yet public opinion moved so decisively against him as to finish his career. All of which feeds into the sense that because the overwhelming majority of people in the EU, the US, and its fair to assume in Poland and Romania want Ukraine to succeed, this David of a nation will face down the Russian Goliath and win, because that would be the proper moral conclusion. The fact is, however, that Putin is immune to Western opinion and can shape Russian opinion by what he ensures his people learn and dont learn. Those of his oligarchs living in the West may hate what he has done to their fortunes, but they will be mindful of his proven capacity to reach out and eliminate individuals dissenting from his master plan. Sadly, Mead's hopeful theory is not true The West loves Ukraine and is heartbroken by the pictures of brave men, their tears shining on drawn faces as they relinquish their wives and children to evacuation. The West hopes against hope that Margaret Meads statement proves to be accurate. Its a great quotation. Its a quotation that fits perfectly into the mythology of war and into the beliefs that may be core to what it is to be human. But it isnt true. Sadly, it isnt true. Burma Myanmar Junta Chief Not Seen in Public for More Than a Week Myanmar junta chief Min Aung Hlaing in Naypyitaw on January 31, 2022. / AFP Heres an interesting development from Myanmar: the countys coup leader, Min Aung Hlaing, has dropped out of sight. Various possible reasons have been offered for his disappearance from public view. Some military sources say he has contracted COVID-19, while others say he is suffering from cancer of the lumbar, or lower back, region. The only thing thats certain is that the Myanmar military chiefwho has gained international notoriety for ousting the countrys democratically elected government in a coup last year claiming electoral fraud, and killing more than 1,500 people for rejecting his rulehas not been seen in public for more than a week. Those who track Min Aung Hlaings movements will be aware that he is rarely off the public radar screen for long. Over the past year since his power grab, there have been a handful of instances in which he has been absent for a few days. Typically, he reappears at a cabinet meeting delivering a long, rambling speech, or resurfaces on a military base to lecture his subordinates and their families on why his coup was legitimate. But he has never gone missing for a whole week. He was last seen along with other senior regime members at a religious ceremony in the countrys capital Naypyitaw on Feb. 27. Since then there has been no sign of him, nor have there been any meetings of the regimes governing body, despite the fact that the country has been hit by devastating prolonged power outages and skyrocketing commodity prices. The mystery only deepened when his planned trip to Pyay in Bago Region this week was canceled at the last minute, according to military sources there. Min Aung Hlaing rarely postpones or cancels trips unless there is some major issue to deal with. Among the online responses sparked by the coup leaders unusual absence from public view is speculation that he is battling a spinal tumor. This theory has been fueled by photos taken of Min Aung Hlaing at a public appearance a few weeks ago showing him wearing a back brace. Whatever the truth may be, the news of his absence has delighted Myanmar people, who have endured serious hardships under his military dictatorship. On Myanmars most popular social media platform, Facebook, many users heartily embraced the idea that he has disappeared. Many of the comments are so harsh they could well give him a heart attack should he read them, reflecting the depth of Myanmar peoples hatred of him and the strength of their desire to see his demise. Many Facebook users voiced hope that the peoples death wishes against Min Aung Hlaing had finally come true. But others wanted more. Dont die now! Stay alive until we try you to hang, said one. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Junta Starts Seizing Properties of Activists Families Myanmar Regime Revokes Citizenship of 11 Prominent Resistance Figures Myanmar Junta Suffers Heavy Losses in Kayah State: Resistance Burma Myanmar Junta Starts Seizing Properties of Activists Families Regime troops in Mandalay in February. / The Irrawaddy In a bid to intimidate opponents, Myanmars junta is targeting the homes and other property belonging to the relatives of its opponents. One victim, Daw Khin Win, was made homeless by the junta and died a few days after being forced from her home. Her funeral was held in the street as the junta had sealed off her house. The mother-in-law of National League for Democracy (NLD) regional lawmaker U Moe Ma Kha was forced from her home in Taungoo Township, Bago Region, on Feb. 12. The regime seized her two houses and her clothes shop. BBC Burmese quoted U Moe Ma Kha, who has been in hiding since the coup, saying his mother-in-law was targeted because of him. She fell ill and died on Feb. 22 as a result of the juntas repression, the MP said. The family was forced to hold the funeral rituals in the street, U Moe Ma Kha told the BBC, adding that he worried for the safety of his remaining relatives. In another case, the 80-year-old mother of NLD lawmaker Daw Phyu Phyu Thin has been told to leave her house in Yangon by March 18 after the junta failed to find her daughter. Her mother lived alone. She told them this is her house asked why cant she just stay. But they told her to leave by March 18, a family source told The Irrawaddy. Daw Phyu Phyu Thin is a member of the Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH), formed by elected lawmakers who were prevented from taking their seats when the military staged a coup on Feb. 1 last year. The CRPH formed the parallel National Unity Government (NUG) in April last year to challenge the regimes legitimacy at home and abroad. The junta accused Daw Phyu Phyu Thin of high treason for taking part in the CRPH. I feel sorry for my family members who stood together with me and citizens since I became involved in politics but I feel more sorry to Generation Z who paid their lives in this revolution, the hero people defense forces who risk their lives to defend the nation and those children and women who were shot dead, and whose homes were set on fire, she posted on Facebook. Daw Phyu Phyu Thin pledged to fight until the military dictatorship falls. Since the Feb. 1 coup last year, hundreds of properties owned by anti-regime activists have been seized by junta forces. The NUGs foreign minister Daw Zin Mar Aung told The Irrawaddy that the seizure of property belonging to opponents of the junta and their relatives showed that the regime was becoming desperate. It is a sign that they are suffering. Since the start, we have expected this, she said, adding that deeper repression would only create stronger resistance. The NUG last week described the regimes daily property seizures as acts of cowardice and repression against civilians. Everyone involved in such illegal activity shall be held accountable, it added, calling on people to report all property seizures and details of those responsible to the NUGs Home Affairs Ministry. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Regime Revokes Citizenship of 11 Prominent Resistance Figures Myanmar Junta Suffers Heavy Losses in Kayah State: Resistance Regime Chiefs Plotting Kill All, Torch All Policy in Upper Myanmar Burma Myanmar Junta Suffers Heavy Losses in Kayah State: Resistance Two regime soldiers seized by Karenni resistance forces in Demoso Township, Kayah State, on Sunday. / Demoso PDF Around 85 junta soldiers were reportedly killed during two clashes with people defense forces (PDFs) in Demoso Township, Kayah State, during the weekend. Repeated fighting has occurred in the township this month since around 700 regime troops with armored vehicles moved into the township. Resistance groups said nine hours of fighting between PDFs from Demoso and neighboring Mobye in Shan State, the Karenni Democratic Front (KDF) and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force and more than 200 troops broke out near Phayar Nuogeto village in the east of the township on Sunday. Around 50 regime soldiers were killed and two captured by the resistance forces, said Demoso PDF. Firearms and ammunition were also seized and some resistance fighters were injured, the group said. It submitted photos of dead soldiers. The KDF told The Irrawaddy on Monday that more than 40 regime soldiers were confirmed dead and others were seen injured from a distance. If we fail in Demoso, we lose the whole state. The regime knows this and this is why it sends reinforcements to attack us, a KDF representative said. After sustaining heavy losses, the junta used two jet fighters in eight bombing attacks on Sunday afternoon. On Sunday, another prolonged clash was reported between the military and the Demoso PDF, Loikaw PDF and Karenni Generation Z in Thay Suu Lal village in the township. Demoso PDF said there were military casualties and four resistance fighters suffered minor injuries. The KDF said clashes continued in the east of the township as regime forces attempted to retrieve the bodies of soldiers killed on Sunday and used artillery on Monday morning. On Saturday, clashes between regime forces and several resistance groups occurred at Phayar Nuogeto and Thay Suu Lal village in the township. An estimated 35 regime soldiers were killed while four Karenni resistance fighters suffered minor injuries on Saturday, according to Demoso PDF. A drone used by the resistance group was shot down by the junta forces. Demoso was the first Kayah township to report armed resistance to the regime last year and much of the township is held by resistance groups. The regime is facing attacks from PDFs and many ethnic armed groups and has failed to control the country since it seized power last year. It regularly attacks anti-regime strongholds using airstrikes. You may also like these stories: Regime Chiefs Plotting Kill All, Torch All Policy in Upper Myanmar Junta Watch: Myanmar Military Not Worried as World Shuns Main Supplier Russia Myanmar Junta Denies Medical Treatment to Political Prisoners Burma Regime Chiefs Plotting Kill All, Torch All Policy in Upper Myanmar Junta leader Min Aung Hlaing (left) and his deputy Soe Win. The Myanmar junta is planning a kill all, torch all policy in Sagaing Region to crush Peoples Defense Forces (PDF) there, according to sources with knowledge of the plan. At a recent meeting, the military regime leadership decided to eliminate resistance forces in Sagaing Region before the annual Armed Forces Day on March 27, inside sources told The Irrawaddy. Prominent PDF leader Bo Nagar from Sagaings Pale Township said PDFs are closely monitoring the movements of junta forces in the area because they have also received the same information. What I am sure is that all the people in Sagaing Region harbor grudges [against the regime]. Their resentment will not diminish. At least 80 per cent of the people in Sagaing Region have witnessed their wickedness. We will never give up our revolution, said Bo Nagar. The PDF chief said that he has not yet decided on a counter-strategy, but will respond accordingly to the regimes attacks. Resistance groups in Sagaing have come under attack from both ground forces and airstrikes in recent months. Ko Poe Si, a resistance fighter from Sagaings restive Yinmabin Township, said junta troops have executed civilians and torched and looted houses while raiding villages. We will not surrender because we are fighting for federalism. We will keep fighting. I am concerned for monks, children and elderly persons. They [junta soldiers] have raped women and tortured and killed elderly people, Ko Poe Si told The Irrawaddy. However, he added that local PDFs lack the weapons to launch large-scale attacks on the Myanmar military. We cant carry out attacks on them. We can only ambush them using mines, and this is the way we have to fight them. We dont have the arms to counter-attack. We have to rely heavily on traditional hunting rifles and they cant be used for long-range attacks, said Ko Poe Si. On February 26, Chin Pone Village and nearby areas in Yinmabin were targeted by indiscriminate airstrikes and junta soldiers airlifted by helicopters. Junta forces were deployed in Chin Pone for two days. During that time they killed at least nine people and held over 80 primary schoolchildren captive so that they could be used as human shields in case of attacks by PDFs. The children, who were all under the age of 12 with many around five to seven-years-old, were detained while attending a kindergarten at the monastery. Five houses, five cars and some 60 motorbikes were torched by junta forces before they left for nearby Thabyayaye Village, where they also torched houses and killed villagers. The regime carried out 19 air raids in Sagaing from July 2021 to February 10, 2022, according to the Institute for Strategy and Policy Myanmar (ISP-Myanmar). There were clashes in 16 townships in Sagaing during that period, and at least 140 civilians were killed in junta massacres in those townships, according to a February 11 report from ISP-Myanmar. You may also like these stories: Junta Watch: Myanmar Military Not Worried as World Shuns Main Supplier Russia Myanmar Junta Denies Medical Treatment to Political Prisoners Both Sides Sustain Casualties as Fighting Rages Between PDFs and Myanmar Junta Burma Sagaing Region Internet Shut Down Amid Myanmar Junta Raids Thapyayaye village, Sagaing Region, which was reduced to ashes in a junta attack on February 28. / Myauk Yamar PDF Myanmars regime has cut internet access across Sagaing Region where armed resistance to the junta is strong. It is also launching airstrikes and torching villages. Residents said the internet was down across the sprawling regions 34 townships other than four towns and cities, denying news about the fighting. A Tabayin resident told The Irrawaddy that the internet was cut three days ago and he heard only Sagaing, Monywa, Kale and Shwebo had access. Internet access was cut last September in Ayadaw, Yinmabin, Kani, Pale, Ye-U, Taze and Budalin townships in the region. The regime carried out an estimated 19 air raids on the region between last July and mid-February, according to the Institute for Strategy and Policy in Myanmar. There were clashes in 16 townships during that period and at least 140 civilians were killed by junta forces, the institute reported in February. The junta has torched at least 6,158 civilian homes in the 13 months since the coup, mostly in areas with heavy anti-regime resistance. Sagaing Region suffered nearly 60 percent of the damage, according to the independent Data for Myanmar research group. Residents fear the lack of internet access will limit their ability to avoid junta raids and find shelter after being attacked. It is very difficult for the displaced, especially children and old people, to find safety if we dont get the news, said a Taze resident. He said they had previously asked for donations on Facebook but now they are left on their own. The regime uses airstrikes, artillery and allied Phyu Saw Htee militias to attack villages and burn houses. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Junta Chief Not Seen in Public for More Than a Week Myanmar Junta Starts Seizing Properties of Activists Families Myanmar Regime Revokes Citizenship of 11 Prominent Resistance Figures Guest Column Myanmars Democratic Resistance Can Winthe World Needs to Support It An anti-regime flash mob protest in Yangon in May 2021 / The Irrawaddy The world needs to support Myanmars democratic resistance because it can win, and its the right thing to do. It has now been more than a year since Myanmars military staged a coup to grab power, but it still hasnt consolidated control over the country. In that time widespread armed resistance has emerged while the military commits atrocities day after day trying to quell it. The strength of the military has long been overestimated. Analysts have all too flippantly cited its estimated 350,000 members and concluded it simply cannot be defeated. The military can be defeated because the generals managed to provoke a nationwide uprising. Myanmar is a country that is at war against one institution, the military. This is not a binary civil war with a neutral population watching both sides. It is a national uprising of the population against the military. The coup was a strategic blunder by the generals of existential proportions. Self-defense groups, locally known as Peoples Defense Forces (PDFs), are arming up. Resistance spans key states and is now entrenched in Bamar-heartland regions, plus the major cities of Yangon and Mandalay. Momentum has shifted against the military as Myanmars national uprising continues to escalate. By my calculations, attacks on the State Administration Council (SAC), as the junta is officially known, increased nearly 25 percent in January alone. Since February of last year, over 250 out of the countrys 330 townships have experienced at least some attacks on the military. In its own country, the military has been reduced to a foreign occupying force desperately trying to quell an uprising that gains strength daily. The military is simply not designed to counter a national uprising across multiple fronts. Key conflict dynamics are not running in its favor. First, armed resistance to military rule is now self-sustaining in terms of resourcing, safe havens and personnel, and cannot be easily extinguished by the military. The military has had no success forcing key ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) to sign ceasefires or to break their burgeoning relationships with the civilian National Unity Government (NUG) and PDFs. Second, PDFs are now firmly entrenched across the length of Myanmar. PDF attacks on SAC forces are widespread up the entire Ayeyarwaddy River valley, but particularly so in northern Magwe, Sagaing and Mandalay regions. PDFs are also firmly entrenched around Yangon and Bago cities as well as increasingly in southern Magwe. This is one of the biggest strategic threats that the SAC regime facesentrenched armed resistance across the majority Bamar heartland regions. Third, PDFs and EAOs have now established very consistent partnerships. Key to armed resistance has been the increasing assertion and steady expansion of the PDFs as well as steady military actions by a core group of EAOs, notably the Karen National Union (KNU), Kachin Independence Army (KIA), Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP) and Chin National Front (CNF). In Chin, northern Sagaing, Kayah, Karen, Mon and Tanintharyi, PDFs engage in routine joint operations with EAOs to attack military forces. Chin and Kayah states have seen remarkable partnerships form between new groups, notably the Chin Defense Forces and the Karenni National Defense Force, and long-established EAOs, the CNF and KNPP respectively. Moreover, the KIA is extensively partnered with PDFs across northern Sagaing, while the KNU is also effectively partnering with PDFs in Mon, Bago, Karen and Tanintharyi. Fourth, as the military-controlled state apparatus has weakened, resistance actors have put more emphasis on local administration because this is key to controlling territory along with military power. Achieving control in the context of national uprising depends on popular support as well as local knowledge and networks in addition to military force. This is crucial to resistance actors because they enjoy much stronger local relations and support than the junta but are outmatched in terms of conventional military force. They are therefore able to establish at least partial control even in areas where they are weaker militarily. In response to increasing armed resistance, the military is implementing a strategy of systematic violence against the Myanmar people. The military has sought to establish its authority by using extreme violence against all civilians it believes to be supportive of resistance forces. This is evident across the country today, where the military has responded to the presence of resistance actors by burning villages, livestock, rice stores and even people to sow fear and clear out entire populations. These trends are escalating because the junta believes the world is distracted by events in Ukraine. However, the militarys atrocities should not be confused for battlefield successes. Too much of the worlds strategic calculus of Myanmars prospects have been based on flawed assessments of the militarys strength and durability. If the nature of the conflict can be maintained as a national uprising, the military balance favors the resistance. Moreover, the international community has also, at times, slipped into the trap of believing the militarys claim that it is holding the country together, despite over six decades of misery and civil war it has inflicted on the country. The current crisis should be viewed as a unique window to support the emergence of a stable democracy, one that is no longer a constant cause of regional instability and both an embarrassment and distraction for ASEAN. Myanmars democratic resistance should not ask for international assistance based just on calls to support democracy and protecting human rights. Fundamentally, assistance should be asked for, and given, because the resistance, led by the NUG and the wider resistance coalition, has a tangible pathway to victory and can demonstrate the competence to deliver it. Russias invasion of Ukraine has highlighted a simple truth. There is no shame in supporting a people to rightfully defend themselves from barbarity and dictatorship. There is also perfect reason to be cautious about supporting foreign wars when they have no end in sight. The world is right to support Ukraines resistance with arms, but it must do more for Myanmar. The Myanmar people have shown more than enough courage and determinationi.e., a willingness to fight for themselves and their own countryto merit such support. They have a pathway to victory and that means ousting military dictatorship once and for all so the country can seek a more peaceful, prosperous future. Matthew Arnold is an independent policy analyst. He has been researching Myanmars politics and governance since 2012. You may also like these stories: The 60th Anniversary of the Myanmar Militarys First Coup is a Sad and Singular Occasion Myanmar Junta Denies Medical Treatment to Political Prisoners Both Sides Sustain Casualties as Fighting Rages Between PDFs and Myanmar Junta Cloud accounting provider Xero and airline loyalty program Qantas Business Rewards now allow their joint customers to earn Qantas points when buying certain add-ons from the Xero App Store, and to simplify their bookkeeping when booking Qantas flights. The initial batch of add-on providers offering Qantas points via Xero's App Store are ServiceM8, ApprovalMax, Chaser, Syft, EzzyBills, Finlert and Deputy. More providers are expected to join the program. Xero customers that are also Qantas Business Rewards members can earn between 7,000 and 21,000 Qantas points once they have been connected to the relevant apps for 90 days. In addition, a new integration between Qantas Business Rewards and Xero Connect means bills for Qantas flights can feed automatically into a nominated Xero account. "We're excited to be partnering with Qantas Business Rewards and uniting on a shared purpose of supporting people in business. We look forward to helping businesses manage their travel expenses as they return to the skies in 2022," said Xero Australia and Asia managing director Joseph Lyons. "Through this partnership, our first with an airline, we're providing additional benefits for using technology and apps that can help you run your business better, all while making admin easier. Whether you're on the ground or up in the air, we can't wait to bring these new rewards to Australian small businesses." Qantas Loyalty CEO Olivia Wirth said "The Qantas Business Rewards program is focused on helping members do business better, all while being rewarded for it. In partnership with Xero, we're giving business owners new ways to grow their points balances when using business apps in the Xero App Store. "It's now easier for businesses to manage their travel with Qantas, with invoices flowing directly into Xero accounting software. We know this is something our members will appreciate as business travel picks up in the coming months." Qantas Business Rewards is waiving the $89.50 sign up fee for Xero customers. Image: Robert Myers via Wikimedia Commons, CC-BY-SA 3.0 AU. 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. BEIJING, March 7 (Xinhua) -- China's State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday called on Japan to keep the bilateral relations on the right track, urging efforts to advance the ties in a peaceful and friendly direction. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic ties, which also presents an important opportunity for the two sides to review history and shape the future together, Wang said at a press conference on the sidelines of the fifth session of the 13th National People's Congress. Last year, leaders of both countries have reached important understanding on building bilateral relationship for the new era, charting the future course for the two countries, Wang said. Japan should abide by the principles and spirit established in the four political documents and act on the political consensus including viewing each other as cooperative partner and not posing any threat to each other, Wang said, taking note of the differences and challenges in bilateral relations. The senior diplomat urged Japan to keep its commitment and safeguard the political foundation of bilateral ties, as sensitive issues over history and Taiwan concern the foundation of mutual trust. "We hope that Japan will honor the series of solemn commitments it has made on these issues to avoid serious disruption to our bilateral relations," Wang said. He called on Japan to follow the overriding trend to jointly open up the broad prospects of bilateral relations and make due contribution to regional peace, stability and development. Stacker compiled a list of the 100 best sci-fi movies of all time based on our own Stacker score, a weighted index split evenly between IMDb and Metacritic scores. To qualify, the film had to be listed as sci-fi on IMDb, have a Metascore, and have at least 5,000 votes. Click for more. Jacksonville, TX (75766) Today Partly cloudy early followed by cloudy skies overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 68F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Partly cloudy early followed by cloudy skies overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 68F. Winds light and variable. The second plenary meeting of the fifth session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling) The second plenary meeting of the fifth session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Xin) The second plenary meeting of the fifth session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Yin Gang) Members of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) attend the second plenary meeting of the fifth session of the 13th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang) The second plenary meeting of the fifth session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang) Shao Hong presides over the second plenary meeting of the fifth session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen) Wang Yiming, a member of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), delivers a speech at the second plenary meeting of the fifth session of the 13th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Ding Lin) Ge Huijun, a member of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), delivers a speech at the second plenary meeting of the fifth session of the 13th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Ding Lin) Gao Peiyong, a member of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), delivers a speech at the second plenary meeting of the fifth session of the 13th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Ding Lin) Wang Hong, a member of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), delivers a speech on behalf of the Central Committee of the Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang at the second plenary meeting of the fifth session of the 13th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Ding Lin) Liu Zhendong, a member of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), delivers a speech on behalf of the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce at the second plenary meeting of the fifth session of the 13th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Ding Lin) The second plenary meeting of the fifth session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Yin Gang) Chen Mengshan, a member of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), delivers a speech at the second plenary meeting of the fifth session of the 13th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Ding Lin) The second plenary meeting of the fifth session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling) Shen Nanpeng, a member of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), delivers a speech at the second plenary meeting of the fifth session of the 13th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Xiang) The second plenary meeting of the fifth session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Ju Peng) Tian Qinxin, a member of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), delivers a speech at the second plenary meeting of the fifth session of the 13th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Xiang) Wei Mingde, a member of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), delivers a speech at the second plenary meeting of the fifth session of the 13th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Xiang) Huang Zhen, a member of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), delivers a speech on behalf of the Central Committee of the China Association for Promoting Democracy at the second plenary meeting of the fifth session of the 13th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Xiang) Sun Dongsheng, a member of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), delivers a speech at the second plenary meeting of the fifth session of the 13th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Xiang) Zhang Zexi, a member of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), delivers a speech on behalf of the Central Committee of the Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League at the second plenary meeting of the fifth session of the 13th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Xiang) Brian Moore, left, and Israel Sanchez-Cardona, both assistant professors of psychology in the Norman J. Radow College of Humanities and Social Sciences at Kennesaw State University, said a center they developed will fill a need for accessible behavioral health intervention resources in Georgia. Staff Writer Jonathan Roberts is a reporter and photographer for the Johnson City Press covering Jonesborough, healthcare and higher education. He is a member of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, and has been with the Press since 2019. Johnson City, TN (37604) Today Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Low 63F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Low 63F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%. Technology-powered hiking jacket industry brings wealth to county in Zhejiang People's Daily Online) 10:26, March 07, 2022 With the support of the local government, the hiking jacket industry in Sanmen county, Taizhou city, east China's Zhejiang Province, has embraced technology these years, becoming the pillar industry of the county and bringing wealth to local people. Photo shows hiking jackets on display in a center for hiking jackets in Sanmen county, Taizhou city, east China's Zhejiang Province. (Photo courtesy of the media center of Sanmen county) As the largest manufacturing base for hiking jackets in China, the county is now home to over 300 enterprises engaged in the production of this outdoor gear, with over 20,000 people engaged in the labor-intensive industry. Over 20 million hiking jackets are produced annually, equivalent to 60 percent of the total output of the county, generating an annual output value of more than 5 billion yuan (about $791.5 million). To boost the upgrading of the industry, the government of Zhejiang has encouraged universities and colleges to grant free usage rights for some of their patent licenses to eligible companies in the industry. A company called Lantu, for instance, is now free to use the color extraction patent of Zhejiang Sci-Tech University for one year, and has applied this technology to producing the official uniforms for volunteers of the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games. Photo shows hiking jackets on display in a center for hiking jackets in Sanmen county. (Photo courtesy of the media center of Sanmen county) The company saw an increase in its production of 500,000 hiking jackets in 2021, up by 50 percent year-on-year. The company has built another two plant buildings, and introduced some automated machines, such as button making machines, as it shifts to a company driven by technology, said Jin Lijun, general manager of the company. The ongoing upgrades have also brought more wealth to the workers. My monthly income has increased from about 2,000 yuan to about 6,000 yuan, said Xi Qiaoping, a worker from a company called Aoyou. Besides, a veteran worker from another company Senbo could earn over 10,000 yuan per month, according to an executive of the company. Workers produce hiking jackets inside a factory. (Photo courtesy of the media center of Sanmen county) Some designers engage themselves in the design of hiking jackets. (Photo courtesy of the media center of Sanmen county) (Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun) Tourists talk with a Cuban woman in the area of Old Havana, in Havana, capital of Cuba, Sept. 7, 2018. (Xinhua/Joaquin Hernandez) Cuba received some 86,000 foreign tourists in January, compared to 22,000 vacationists in the same period last year, according to the Cuban Ministry of Tourism. by Yosley Carrero HAVANA, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Wearing a Hawaiian shirt and below knee shorts, Spanish tourist Miguel Suarez enjoys a Cuban cigar before ordering at a restaurant in Havana's Old Quarter. The 52-year-old engineer, along with his wife and two adolescent sons, traveled to the Caribbean nation for a week, fleeing the hectic city life in Madrid, Spain. "People here are kind, food is good, and the island is beautiful," he said. "This is what we needed to relax and forget our daily problems." Mexican tourist Elena Cruz takes photos of fishermen alongside the city's seawall front and of American classic cars' taxi drivers desperately waiting for passengers. "This is my first time in Cuba," she said. "I am going to the seaside resort of Varadero in the coming days. I don't want to leave the country without dancing salsa." Almost two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, bars and cafeterias once bustling with foreign tourists look largely devoid of people, hotel facilities operate at low capacity, and most rental houses remain closed. Still, Cuba received some 86,000 foreign tourists in January, compared to 22,000 vacationists in the same period last year, according to the Cuban Ministry of Tourism. To Amelia Perez, a handicraft vendor on Obispo Street, the COVID-19 crisis has been a hard blow for her personal income as the current number of tourist arrivals is far lower than pre-pandemic levels. "It is not a good time for business. A couple of years ago, I used to sell a huge number of ashtrays, keychains, hats, and wallets, but now it is quite different," she said. The Cuban government has projected a 4-percent increase in the country's GDP for the year's end with the arrival of nearly 2.5 million tourists. According to official statistics, this Caribbean nation only received some 500,000 international visitors in 2020, far lower than the nearly 4.2 million in 2019 before the start of the pandemic in Cuba. Yadelys Garriga, who works as a tour guide for Havana's San Cristobal travel agency, told Xinhua that guided tours of the Cuban capital are few and far between nowadays. "A handful of tourists who visit the island are looking for sun and beach destinations," she said. "A considerable number of tour guides are now working in other fields until better times come." Jose Luis Perello, a university professor and tourism expert, told Xinhua that cruise ships are not arriving in Cuba as expected during the tourist high season on the island, which runs through April. "For this country, it is vital to recover its main issuing markets, including Canada and the European countries, as well as to strengthen the joint work with world airlines and tour operators," he added. Weather Alert ...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH THURSDAY AFTERNOON... * WHAT...Flooding caused by excessive rainfall is possible. * WHERE...Portions of southeast Kansas, including the following areas, Bourbon, Cherokee and Crawford. Portions of Missouri, including the following areas, Barry, Barton, Benton, Camden, Cedar, Christian, Dade, Dallas, Douglas, Greene, Hickory, Jasper, Laclede, Lawrence, McDonald, Newton, Ozark, Polk, St. Clair, Stone, Taney, Vernon, Webster and Wright. * WHEN...From Wednesday morning through Thursday afternoon. * IMPACTS...Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS... - http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... You should monitor later forecasts and be alert for possible Flood Warnings. Those living in areas prone to flooding should be prepared to take action should flooding develop. && Berkeley County Industrial Park Development Fund grants have been awarded by the Eastern West Virginia Community Foundation since 2009, including to James Rumsey Technical Institute to help purchase the road tractor pictured which is being used for the post-secondary truck driving program. State Reporter Eric covers state government and does special projects. Eric joined the JI in June 2014. He graduated from CCSU, and his hobbies include speaking truth to power and exposing hypocrisy. He is a fan of the New York Giants and Metallica. JAKARTA, March 7 (Xinhua) -- The Indonesian government has opened special visa on arrival services for international travelers from 23 countries to restore the tourism sector, the Directorate General of Immigration said on Monday. The 23 countries include Australia, the United States, the Netherlands, Brunei, the Philippines, Britain, Italy, Japan, Germany, Cambodia, Canada, South Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, France, Qatar, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam. "The special tourist visas can be obtained in Bali's I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport, but foreign tourists can leave the Indonesian territory through other immigration offices," the directorate's spokesman Arya Pradhana Anggakara told Xinhua. International travelers are only required to bring passports valid at least for six months, return or onward tickets to continue their journeys to other countries, proofs of hotel room reservation in Indonesia, health insurance, and certificates showing negative results of COVID-19. With the special visa, foreign travelers are allowed to stay in Indonesia for a maximum of 30 days and the permit can be extended once. Opinion Columnist Chris Powell has worked for the Journal Inquirer since 1967, first as a reporter, then as an editor, and now as a columnist. He was managing editor from 1974 until retiring from that position in 2018. JUSTICE INFO IN-DEPTH INTERVIEWS Massamba Gueye Director of the Ker Leyti House of Orality and Heritage I have no master, claims storyteller and teacher Massamba Gueye. He is proud to be part of a generation that went to university in Senegal rather than being educated in the West. This is also true for President Macky Sall, whom he advises on issues of culture and heritage. We must return everything without negotiating, Gueye insists. He says a Truth Commission is needed between Africa and Europe in order to realize this dream of a continent at peace. JUSTICE INFO: France has made a symbolic first restitution to Senegal by returning the sword of El Hadj Omar at the end of 2019. How do you think this was perceived by the Senegalese? MASSAMBA GUEYE: From a moral and human rights perspective, colonial acts are acts of violence. Based on this principle, there is nothing more unjust than to take cultural objects from a place and turn them into objects with only a narrative function. When you take spiritual instruments from a place and put them in European museums, you kill what I call their socialization function to make them carriers of a narrative. But these are not authentic narratives; they are the stories of their journey. To take a Ntomo Bambara mask and exhibit it at the Museum of Ethnography in Geneva is to kill a whole social function of a certain community and to make a society orphan of its spirituality. So as well as bringing back the physical objects, there is also the issue of reparation for cultural and moral damage. I think we need to approach the question from this angle. Returning the sword of El Hadj Omar, yes why not. It is an object coming home. But we must first be told how it left, because otherwise it means we are bringing back the symbol of our ancestors defeat. Yet in all the lessons we have learned here in Senegal since the 1960s, he was never defeated, but mysteriously disappeared in the cliffs of Bandiagara [present-day Mali]. Just the return of this sword can deconstruct the entire imagination of a population that had built pride. That is the sword of Damocles: we bring back objects but these objects come back to pollute a certain representation of events. We know that these objects were either stolen, captured in raids, or sold by certain greedy people living in Africa. For me, it is this story that we must build around the return of objects, so that their return does not become more vexing than their departure. When you steal and you are caught, you return. If the owner wants to burn, he burns, if he wants to throw away, he throws away, if he wants to desecrate, he desecrates, if he wants to make sacred again, he does so. So in some cases restitution is a reminder of humiliation? Yes, because I think bringing back the sword without a speech praising his valour is telling us that El Hadj Oumar lost it on a battlefield. Before returning the objects, is there a mea culpa somewhere? Did the thieves acknowledge that they stole these objects, and that by stealing these objects they killed communities, they killed life-giving practices? That is where there is a crime. There is a crime because of the spiritual loss, the rupture of an evolution and the impossibility of a transmission of knowledge. And this immaterial knowledge cannot be reinvented. It is a very serious crime and, for me, to collect thousands of objects to bring us two or three, no. And to ask us if we have museums to keep them, no. Where have we seen a thief ask the owner to create the conditions to bring back stolen goods? When you steal and you are caught, you return. If the owner wants to burn, he burns, if he wants to throw away, he throws away, if he wants to desecrate, he desecrates, if he wants to make sacred again, he does so. Theres something strange that we have not been paying attention to: they [the Europeans] call these objects cultural goods. In goods there is a financial notion but they are not goods, they are symbols and functions. Imagine that in 2022 a statuette is brought back to Senegal that had a religious function in a community that has now been evangelized or Islamized and that considers these objects to be animist objects. Is a family that formerly held those values ready to be reminded of its animism? There are disputes that can arise. Mandingo objects taken at a time when certain borders did not exist come back to West Africa, for example, which is divided between the Mandingos of Senegal, the Mandingos of Guinea, the Mandingos of Burkina, and the Mandingos of Abidjan. To which country should these objects that belong to a whole cultural community be given? For our cultural communities do not correspond to our administrative borders. Ill give you an example. There are cultural objects that have gone and that are linked to the therapy called NDoep, a therapy among the Lebous in certain villages like mine, which allowed the treatment of the insane. But the religious objects, the pestles, when they are removed from this space they become kitchen objects. Now, each pestle corresponds to a divinity, it is a persons psychologist, they will speak to it. But today, the village of Koki has become a centre of Islam with an Islamic institute that has 5,000 students who is going to tell them take back your animist past? These are the issues that we do not want to raise. France wants to restitute to salve its conscience, for its national good and its relations with Africa, and this can be good. France can delegate whoever it wants to do a report. But this report [by Felwine Sarr and Benedicte Savoy, commissioned by French President Emmanuel Macron and published in November 2018], done on Frances budget and with Frances terms of reference, does not commit me as an African. Even if this report is made by respectable people, it does not commit Senegal and does not commit Africa. Until now, Africa has not built a coherent discourse. It is intellectuals who speak out, but these intellectuals do NOT represent the communities. There has not been a single action taken towards the communities that own these objects. So, what is the demand of African states on this issue, and why is it so little heard? This question must be addressed by the African Union, because it concerns the memory of the continent. Everything that concerns slavery must be the affair of the African Union because, when colonization and slavery began, the countries did not exist. The African Union must speak out in a systematic way. There is an African Union commission that is trying today with some institutions to lay the foundations. But our request has yet to be formulated. We must say very clearly what we want and how we want it to happen, but we must not echo the will of the West, which has its own philosophy and history, which responds to an internal discourse on human rights and also the values of its new generations which are not responsible for certain things but are guardians of a memory. Until now, I see that this is a weakness for Africa, because Africa has not built a coherent discourse. It is intellectuals who speak out, but these intellectuals do NOT represent the communities. There has not been a single action taken towards the communities that own these objects. Nowhere? Nowhere. In Senegal there is no such thing. I work a lot on West Africa, I travel a lot, I organize a lot of cultural events and I am not aware that this exists in Benin, in Ivory Coast. Nowhere did we go to the communities to tell them: this is what was taken from you, this is what it has become, what do you want us to do? There was no such consultation. Today, we have an intellectual movement but we do not have a grassroots social movement to claim these objects. In Senegal, the only official request comes from the very influential Omar family Exactly. El Hadj Omar carries the label of a conqueror, but a conqueror for Islam, which is what I call the backbone of Muslim Senegal today. But what was confiscated from Serigne Touba [founder of the Mouride brotherhood] is claimed by his family. What was confiscated from El Hadj Malick [founder of the Tidjanes brotherhood] is also claimed by his family. We talk about cultural goods but we do not talk about the legal ownership of these mens possessions. Much has been written. All this must be repatriated to Senegal. Today, it is important to understand that Senegal is not focussing on El Hadj Omar. Senegal is focussing on all the objects that enriched Nantes and enriched the great collectors, including the collection of Leopold Sedar Senghor which is held by a Frenchman and which we cannot even have. Here we talk in French about the return of cultural goods, but we dont talk about it in Wolof, we dont talk about it in Joola, we dont talk about it in Serer. This means that, for the majority of people who speak these languages, it is a discourse by big intellectuals. We havent even asked them if they want this cultural property to come back. But it must come back. Why is this not being done? Because since the establishment of French schools, the westernized elite has always considered itself more intelligent and more aware of things, and that others should listen to them. We have this complex. The academics, those who went to the top schools, consider that the others have no say in this debate. This is why conferences and debates are held in French or English, but nothing in the national language. The great African intellectuals today are uncultured in their own mother tongue. And since they are uncultured, they do not want to bring the debate to that level. They want to keep the privilege of what I call the exoticism of Western-style discourse, continuing to drown the masses in poverty and ignorance. The break with the past that we need is not a change of regime, it is in relations with the population and the popular imagination. The country is managed in Western languages, but the real knowledge is in the local languages. Do you say this to the President of Senegal when you are advising him? I say it in public, I say it everywhere to the president, to the opposition, to the intellectuals. Even though I have a doctorate in literature, I think that we must work to listen to the people, to raise what they want. We have reproduced the whole pattern of the colonial administrative culture. Politics continues a system that allows it to perpetuate itself. The break with the past that we need is not a change of regime, it is in relations with the population and the popular imagination. The country is managed in Western languages, but the real knowledge is in the local languages. To come back to restitutions, what purpose do you think they can serve? For me, its a question of justice. We have to return cultural heritage because it belongs to us. Once we have identified that it has been stolen or sold illegally, we must return everything. And we should not be asked if we have a place to keep it or not. It is not the problem of the West. Today, ethnographic museums cannot continue to exist showing an esoteric Africa to Africans. Ethnographic museums set up during the colonial period must disappear. We must reinvent them. And afterwards? Afterwards, what we do with it is up to us. We are adults enough to do what we want with it. If we want to burn it, well burn it; if we want to exhibit it in schools or museums, well exhibit. But first lets get our things back. It is this paternalism that I have a problem with. What does the museum in its current form say to the African? It is also a form of continuation of elitism. For example, IFAN [Institut fondamental dAfrique noire] in Dakar is a colonial invention that continues to convey this same philosophy, what I call African exoticism. And if we go further, IFAN itself includes elements that do not belong to Senegal. Its the vast majority. So there is also this question of restitution from Senegal to these countries. We must be realistic: as much as Senegal has the right to come and ask France for its goods, Mali has the right to come and ask the Theodore Monod Museum [IFAN] for its things. Today, ethnographic museums cannot continue to exist showing an esoteric Africa to Africans. This is where I disagree with many intellectuals. Ethnographic museums set up during the colonial period must disappear. We must reinvent them. We will take everything back without negotiating. Its imperative. Today, this reinvention is being carried out in Dakar by the new Museum of Black Civilizations. But hasnt it declared its ambition to receive everything from the so-called ethnographic collections found in Europe if everything can be taken? I would not say if. We will take everything back without negotiating. Its imperative. Africas position on this cultural heritage is exactly like Israels with regard to Jewish property. Just the same. But what the Museum of Black Civilizations wants to do today is first and foremost to save what is still in Africa and was not collected. We talk about what is gone, but there is also what remains and is perishing. This museum has an affirmative approach. I am on its board of directors; this museum does not aim just to affirm Senegalese identity but also rethink the way we talk about Africa. For me, it is very useful. It is a museum that will show the human side. Picasso has his place in this museum, and he will soon be exhibited there. We dont need museums that show the characteristics of a people but museums showing that the human being is unique. I think we need to do two things. Bringing back the objects symbolically with apologies from the world is a question of pride. But at the same time we need to work on investigation, so that when these objects arrive we know about them. Returning cultural property is saying to the world: you dont have the right to take the objects of a people so your children can go on field trips, take pictures and say Black people are strange. We are not allowed to take white dolls to put in our museums. We dont have the right. The human is human. Its the richness of humans that must be shown in the spaces of the museums, not their differences. I think we need to do two things. Bringing back the objects symbolically with apologies from the world is a question of pride. But at the same time we need to do excavation work on the ground, work on conservation and investigation, so that when these objects arrive we know about them. It is useless to bring back objects that cant be understood because those who possess the knowledge have disappeared. What we need with the West for these objects is a truth and reconciliation commission like in South Africa. Can we talk about reparation for colonial damage or is it something else? It is more than reparation. No one can quantify today the financial cost and the income these objects have generated in museums in the West. I think what we need with the West for these objects is a truth and reconciliation commission like in South Africa. There is a moment when we have to stop the bleeding, sit down and recognize the wrongs, to say we stop this process and we start again from A to Z. But the cultural and moral damage cannot be quantified, it cannot be monetized. Who could lead? It is Africa. Its the African Union and the European Union that must address this issue. It should not be left to the fluctuating wills of the States but must be handled at the level of the institutions. And the UN must be there to arbitrate. This is my dream and I will continue to speak and train young people to carry this message. There is a stirring at the level of the African Union. A few weeks ago, the European Union organized a session at the Museum of Black Civilizations in Dakar to harmonize the demand. But its complicated with politics. A change of government, a coup detat in a country and everything falls apart. I think the world has missed a great opportunity to heal its relationships through the restitution of these goods, to heal the wounds born of colonization. I think we have missed a great opportunity to make peace for the world. Are there political leaders in Africa today who could lead this project, as was the case at the beginning of independence? Unfortunately, I dont see today in Africa a great leader of Senghors calibre or Gaddafis force of character who carries this great vision of how important our heritage is to our existence. We dont have that. I think that political leaders are more concerned with their re-election than with heritage. Even the restitutions, given how long weve been talking about them, if the African Union were to be taking it seriously, we would have had a written and signed African request on the table of the United Nations, with clear deadlines and terms of reference. Yes, there is a lack of political leadership to carry these issues forward. And that is why France, Spain, Portugal can choose what they want to restore. They can choose the African intellectual who should work on this subject. Africa has not yet chosen these people. As soon as France opened the door with the Ouagadougou speech [by President Macron in 2017], the first thing to do was demand that France and other countries recognize colonization as a crime against humanity in a very clear way. Each African country should have listed its property and demanded a deadline for restitution. But we did not do it. I think the world has missed a great opportunity to heal its relationships through the restitution of these goods, to heal the wounds born of colonization and allow a new generation to have a different kind of relationship. But France is going to be insulted here, ambassadors are going to be sent back, and this is going to reinforce the hatred here and there. I think we have missed a great opportunity to make peace for the world. Is it too late? Its not too late. But the sun is setting. If we dont do something concrete in the next two years, I think this page will be turned and taken over by something else. Interviewed by Franck Petit The head of Sri Lankas Roman Catholic Church on Monday urged the United Nations to investigate the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings that killed 279 people, calling the massacre a political plot. In an address to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith demanded a mechanism to probe the attacks, which have been blamed on local Islamic radicals. The first impression of this massacre was that it was purely the work of a few Islamic extremists, Ranjith said. However, subsequent investigations indicate that this massacre was part of a grand political plot. The Church has previously suggested that the attacks, which targeted three churches and three hotels in Colombo in April 2019, helped Gotabaya Rajapaksa win the presidential elections in November the same year. The government has not responded to the Churchs accusations. Ranjith, who initially supported Rajapaksas election as president, said there were attempts by the government to harass and intimidate those who clamour for justice. Catholic priests have been summoned and questioned at length by the Criminal Investigations Department over statements critical of the slow progress in investigations. Nearly three years after the horrendous crime, we are still in the dark as to what really happened on that Easter Sunday, the cardinal said. His address to the UN Council came a week after meeting with the pope. Sri Lanka is on the agenda of the UNs top rights body at the moment for a separate reason. Last year it set up a mechanism to gather evidence linked to alleged war crimes during the final stages of the islands Tamil separatist conflict, which ended in May 2009. Allegations that Sri Lankan troops killed at least 40,000 Tamil civilians in the final months of the war go back to a period when Rajapaksa was the top defence official under his elder brother president Mahinda. Both have denied allegations of war crimes. We earnestly call upon the UNHRC and all its member countries to support the continuation of evidence gathering initiated by the Council last year and to devise a means to ensure an investigation to unravel the truth behind the Easter Sunday massacre, the cardinal said. Last month, Sri Lankas High Court acquitted two top officials accused of crime against humanity for failing to prevent the Easter Sunday bombings. Russia did not attend a hearing Monday at the UNs top court where Ukraine asked for an immediate halt to Moscows invasion. The no-show was criticised by the head of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), and by Ukraine which said the empty Russian seats speak loudly. Kyiv filed the case shortly after Vladimir Putins February 24 invasion, accusing Russia of illegally justifying its war by falsely alleging genocide in Ukraines Donetsk and Lugansk regions. The court set two days for urgent hearings at the Peace Palace in The Hague but Russian ambassador Alexander Shulgin wrote to the court and indicated that his government did not intend to participate. The court regrets the non-appearance of the Russian Federation in these oral proceedings, ICJ President Joan Donoghue said. Ukraine wants the court to take provisional measures ordering Russia to immediately suspend the military operations, pending a full judgment in the dispute that could take years. The fact that Russias seats are empty speaks loudly. They are not here in this court of law, they are on a battlefield, waging aggressive war against my country, Ukraines representative Anton Korynevych told the court. This is how Russia solves disputes. Korynevych added that the court has a responsibility to act. Russia must be stopped, and the court has a role to play in stopping that, he said. Russia had been scheduled to give its reply on Tuesday. Absurd lie The ICJ was set up after World War II to rule on disputes between UN member states, based mainly on treaties and conventions. Its rulings are binding but it has no real means to enforce them. This case hinges on the 1948 UN Convention on Genocide, to which both Ukraine and Russia are parties. The ICJ was already dealing with a dispute between the two countries dating back to Russias 2014 annexation of Crimea and support for pro-Moscow rebels in Donetsk and Lugansk. Ukraine says Russia has now wrongly invoked the genocide convention with an absurd lie about genocide of Russian-speakers in Lugansk and Donetsk. Russias lie is all the more offensive, and ironic, because it appears that it is Russia planning acts of genocide in Ukraine, it said in its court filing. Experts said Ukraines effort to drag Russia to the world court over the invasion could have symbolic value, though it was unclear if Moscow would heed any order. It remains to be seen what will happen at the provisional measures stage but my bet is that the court will find that it has prima facie jurisdiction, Cecily Rose, assistant public law professor at Leiden University, told AFP. Not that Russia is likely to comply but still rhetorically and symbolically there is some power to this, added international public law professor Marko Milanovic, writing in the European Journal of International Law. The case is separate to a Ukraine war crimes investigation launched by the International Criminal Court (ICC), a different tribunal also based in The Hague. The ICCs chief prosecutor Karim Khan on Wednesday announced he was going ahead with an investigation into alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Ukraine since Moscows invasion. Russias chief negotiator in talks between Moscow and Kyiv accused Ukraine of blocking humanitarian corridors for civilians escaping advancing Russian forces, calling it a war crime. The nationalists who have seized positions in cities continue to hold civilians there, Russias chief negotiator Vladimir Medinsky told state television. He accused Kyiv of using the civilians as a human shield and said that this is undoubtedly a war crime. Just after 1300 GMT, Russian agencies reported that Ukraines delegation arrived on the Poland-Belarus border for a third round of talks with Russia that will focus on corridors. Ukraine on Monday dismissed Moscows offer to set up humanitarian corridors from several bombarded cities, after it emerged some routes would lead refugees into Russia and Belarus. Russia had said it would set up the corridors after unleashing another night of relentless attacks on the country from the air, land and sea. Medinsky said that in the talks, the Russian side would try again with the Ukrainian side to discuss the operation of the humanitarian corridors that we promised. He claimed the corridors are open and that the Russian army had stopped firing in the area of the evacuation routes. On Monday morning, the Russian army listed evacuation routes from the capital Kyiv as well as Mariupol, Kharkiv and Sumy all of which heave been under heavy Russian attacks in recent days. Kyiv rejected these proposals because the corridors led into Russia or its ally Belarus, raising questions over the safety of those who might use them. Two recent attempts to allow thousands of civilians to leave the besieged city of Mariupol have ended in disaster, with civilians under fire and both sides accusing each other of violations. Russian President Vladimir Putin has said his forces are fighting to de-Nazify Ukraine. The Korean Business Research Institute just revealed the most popular K-drama stars for March 2022. From Son Ye Jin to Kim Tae Ri to Nam Joo Hyuk, read on to see the full list! Son Ye Jin, Nam Joo Hyuk and Kim Tae Ri Top Most Popular K-Drama Stars For March 2022 In only a month after their respective dramas premiere, these actors and actresses prove their prominence after topping the Korean Business Research Institute's brand reputation rankings for drama actors this month. The rankings were determined through a data analysis of the media coverage, interaction, participation, and community indexes of 50 actors who participated in dramas that aired from February 6 to March 6. K-drama queen Son Ye Jin dominated the list of the most popular K-drama stars for March 2022. She currently stars in JTBC's Wednesday-Thursday drama "Thirty-Nine." According to Korean Business Research Institute, the actress recorded a brand reputation index of 6,510,613 and the most common words mentioned next to her name were Hyun Bin, Jeon Mi Do, and Kim Ji Hyun. Kim Tae Ri and Nam Joo Hyuk, who lead the tvN romance-sport series "Twenty Five, Twenty One," also took over the rankings of the most popular K-drama stars for March 2022. Kim Tae Ri ranked second, with a brand reputation index of 5,380,605, while her co-star Nam Joo Hyuk made it to the third spot. Their drama co-stars Choi Hyun Wook and WJSN's Bona also entered the top 30. Meanwhile, "Twenty FIve, Twenty One" remains consistent as the most buzzowrthy drama for four consecutive weeks. Top 30 Most Popular K-Drama Stars March 2022 1. Son Ye Jin 2. Kim Tae Ri 3. Nam Joo Hyuk 4. Song Kang 5. Park Min Young 6. Yeon Woo Jin 7. Ji Hyun Woo 8. Cha Seo Won 9. Lee Se Hee 10. Jeon Mi Do 11. Han Sun Hwa 12. Lee Sun Bin 13. Apink's Eun Ji 14. Kim Nam Gil 15. Soo Ae 16. Kim Ji Hyun 17. Park Ha Na 18. Kim Bum 19. Kang Ye Won 20. Lee Min Young 21. Apink's Naeun 22. Rain 23. Im Siwan 24. Kim Kyung Nam 25. Lee Moo Saeng 26. Yoo Seung Ho 27. Choi Hyun Wook 28. Ahn Eun Jin 29. Uee 30. WJSN's Bona Did you favorite actor/actress make it to the most popular K-drama stars March 2022 rankings? Tell us in the comments! Visit KDramastars for more Korean drama, movie and celebrity updates. Shai Collins wrote this article. Kdramastars owns this. Plot intensifies in "Forecasting Love and Weather" Episode 8. Han Ki Jun (Yoon Park) realizes his mistakes in his past relationship with Jin Ha Kyung (Park Min Young). He wants to reconcile with her but found out that his ex-fiancee has already moved on. 'Forecasting Love and Weather' Episode 8: Lee Si Woo Sends Han Ki Jun Home Because of Han Ki Jun's unexpected visit at Jin Ha Kyung's place, Lee Si Woo gets angry about the continued connection of the two. Han Ki Jun was too drunk and passed out on Ha Kyung's shoulder. Lee Si Woo then called Chae Yoo Jin (Girl's Day Yura) to tell he will send Han Ki Jun home. Yoo Jin was shocked to see her husband wasted. He keeps on apologizing while intoxicated, and Yoo Jin thinks he is guilty about their recent argument. She is then taken aback when Han Ki Jun repeatedly mentions Jin Ha Kyung's name. Lee Si Woo Worries About Jin Ha Kyung Jin Ha Kyung gets into a car accident while on her way to work. She immediately informs Um Dong Han (Lee Sung Wook) about her current situation and that he can supervise the meeting in her stead. Upon hearing the news, Lee Si Woo gets worried and can't focus at work. He keeps on contacting the director but fails to get a response. On the other hand, Jin Ha Kyung calls Han Ki Jun to ask about the car insurance, but instead of telling her via call, he goes straight to where she is. "Do you know how much worried i was? Why were you with him" I hate seeing them like this but i kina like it how jealous he was.. I must be crazy.. He have every right coz he was betrayed once too#ForecastingLoveAndWeatherEp8 #ParkMinYoung #SongKang #ForecastingLoveAndWeather pic.twitter.com/fhSTLdu8K5 (@withdramas) March 6, 2022 Lee Si Woo sees Ha Kyung was with Ki Jun. When they get a chance to talk, he lets out his emotions and tells her how worried he was. As he vents out, Jin Ha Kyung is stunned to know how Lee Si Woo feels for her. She explains what happened and feels sorry for not informing him. Han Ki Jun Clashes With Lee Si Woo Lee Si Woo crosses paths with Chae Yoo Jin and tells her about Han Ki Jun, knowing that the two of them lived together in the past. She is shocked and feels guilty again for not telling her husband about it. Lee Si Woo also tells her he is already in a relationship. Meanwhile, Um Dong Han asks Lee Si Woo to bring the documents to Jin Ha Kyung at the briefing room to be used for the press release. He and Chae Yoo Jin end up entering the room together, which makes Han Ki Jun angry. Because of the rumors, Han Ki Jun starts a fight with Lee Si Woo in front of the reporters. Jin Ha Kyung tries to stop them but the two end up in the disciplinary office and receive sanctions. Han Ki Jun Finds Out Jin Ha Kyung and Lee Si Woo's Relationship After he leaves the office, Lee Si Woo and Jin Ha Kyung go to the restaurant they usually visit. Han Ki Jun, on the other hand, gets suspicious of the two and decides to follow them. While Jin Ha Kyung puts ointment on Lee Si Woo's wound, she reconciles with him and promises to be honest from here on out. "being embarrassed in front of you is temporary. but i'd regret it forever if you misunderstood me." hakyung really think a lot of what siwoo said to her. she didn't want to do the same mistake&want them to be happy#ForecastingLoveAndWeather #ForecastingLoveAndWeatherEp8 pic.twitter.com/hgaR0b3tXa liy & no 1 promoter (@kimyoungdaes) March 6, 2022 Lee Si Woo gets surprised by Jin Ha Kyung's gesture. He gives her a kiss in front of the customers, making Jin Ha Kyung shy. Han Ki Jun, on the other hand, watches them from afar. Have you watched "Forecasting Love and Weather" episode 8? What are your thoughts about it? Share your comments with us! Visit KDramastars for more Korean drama, movie and celebrity updates. Kdramastars owns this article. Reported by Shai Collins. ACCRA, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Ghana on Sunday marked the 65th anniversary of its independence from British colonial rule with a national parade in Cape Coast, the capital of the Central Region. Addressing the parade, Ghanaian President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo reiterated the preparedness of his government to continue to protect the territorial integrity, peace, and security of Ghana amid the turbulence in the West African subregion. "Our efforts at transforming the Ghanaian economy and laying the foundation for progress and prosperity would be futile if we fail to secure our borders to give Ghanaians freedom to go about their daily activities in an atmosphere of peace and security," said Akufo-Addo. The president bemoaned the growing terrorist attacks from the Sahel region toward the southern coastal states, urging Ghanaians to cooperate with the security services in the discharge of their duty of protecting the country from external and internal aggression. "When citizens and security services work together to ensure our country is secured, we can channel our energies and resources into building a progressive and prosperous nation," added the president. This year's celebration marked the second time the national parade was held outside the capital of Accra, after the 2020 event held in Kumasi. The 64th-anniversary parade was called off due to the surge in COVID-19 early last year. The West African country became the first Sub-Saharan African nation to gain independence on March 6, 1957, under its founding President Kwame Nkrumah. There's no stopping Lee Jung Jae from raking international recognition after starring in Netflix's "Squid Game." For months, the 9-part episode thriller K-drama dominated worldwide charts and was named as the streaming giant's biggest show ever. Now, the Hwang Dong Hyuk directed series alongside the cast are rapping the success with countless awards. Lee Jung Jae Wins Independent Spirit Awards 2022 The renowned South Korean star bagged another international award for his role as player 456 Seong Gi Hoon in "Squid Game." Held at Santa Monica, California, the Independent Spirit Awards 2022 commemorated the creme de la creme of independent film and television in 2021. According to The Korea Herald, Lee Jung Gae scored Best Male Performance in a New Scripted Series at the 37th Film Independent Spirit Awards. He defeated fellow nominees, including "It's a Sin" star Olly Alexander, Murray Bartlett from "The White Lotus," Michael Greyeyes of "Rutherford Falls," and "THEM: Covenant" star Ashley Thomas. Interestingly, the "Chief of Staff" star is the second Korean artist who won an award at the annual ceremony after veteran actress Youn Yuh Jung took home Best Supporting Actress in 2021 for her stellar performance in "Minari." Lee Jung Jae's SAG Awards 2022 Win The actor's trophy at the 37th Film Independent Spirit Awards is his second win for the year. Lee Jung Jae recently made waves after scoring Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series at the 28th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards., marking his first nomination and first-ever SAG Award win. In his acceptance speech, the 49-year-old star expressed his deep gratitude to everyone who supported "Squid Game," including the global audience and of course, he thanked the team behind the Netflix series. The actor seemed stunned, accepting his award noting, "This is truly huge that it's happened to me," he said, adding, "I did write something, but I don't think I'll get to reading it." Apart from it, another "Squid Game" cast brought pride to South Korea-this time, it's none other than Jung Ho Yeon. Despite being a rookie actress, the 27-year-old beauty wowed the viewers with her impressive portrayal as North Korean defector Kang Sae Byeok a.k.a player 067. At the SAG Awards 2022, Jung Ho Yeon took home Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series and surpassed the biggest names in Hollywood, including Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon for "The Morning Show," Elisabeth Moss for "The Handmaid's Tale" and Sarah Snook for HBO's "Succession." What to Expect with Lee Jung Jae After' Squid Game' Amid his continued recognition and a series of guestings overseas, Lee Jung Jae has wrapped up his first directorial movie, "Hunt," where he also plays as the lead star. Joining the cast is his celebrity friend and fellow award-winning actor Jung Woo Sung and "Squid Game" co-star Heo Seung Tae. Apart from it, Lee Jung Jae is set to reprise his role in the highly anticipated "Squid Game 2." KDramastars owns this article Written by Geca Wills After her dreamy wedding with Choi Tae Joon, Park Shin Hye is gearing up for a new milestone in her life: motherhood. It seems like everyone is excited about the celebrity couple's firstborn child most, especially her mother-in-law. According to a media outlet, the Hallyu star received a special present from her mother-in-law. Park Shin Hye's Baby Receives Gold From Choi Tae Joon's Mother Before officially welcoming their son anytime this 2022, Park Shin Hye's baby now owns his first-ever gold jewelry. As noted by the outlet, a netizen shared the information on the Korean web portal Nate pann, revealing how the baby is loved not just by his parents but also by his grandparents. Apart from the usual baby items, Choi Tae Joon's mother also gifted her grandchild a pure gold anklet. In Korea, it is not a tradition to give presents at the baby's birth; however, it is somehow a sweet gesture acknowledged worldwide, especially to those first grandchildren. However, according to the website The Soul of Seoul, it is an old tradition to give gold rings to commemorate the child's first birthday. However, a few only practices this habit since the price of gold and jewelry has gone up and the pieces are only given by parents and close family members. Park Shin Hye's Baby: Everything We Know About the Hallyu Star's Pregnancy On November 23, 2021, the "Sisyphus: The Myth" star revealed bombshell news over her fan cafe. Park Shin Hye began by expressing gratitude towards her fans in a heartfelt message. For supporting her in her two-decade-long career as an actress. Although she admitted that she was nervous about sharing the news, the actress explained that she wanted to let her fans know first. As she continued the message, the 32-year-old star revealed that she is set to marry her longtime boyfriend, Choi Tae Joon. Apart from their much awaited union, the couple will also welcome their first baby noting "though I am cautious to say this as it is very early on, I was blessed with a baby. I wanted to tell you before anyone else." Moreover, she promised to show "a positive side" after starting her own family. The same goes for Park Shin Hye's now-husband, who also wrote a letter on his fan cafe. Showering the actress with good words, the "So I Married an Anti-Fan" star said, "Now, we would like to make our marriage vows and let this love that I'm grateful for bear fruit." He added that they "were blessed with a baby while preparing for the new chapter in our lives." After officially tying the knot on January 22, Park Shin Hye is thrilled to welcome motherhood. A week after the celebrity couple's wedding, the actress hints at the gender of her baby. Through a vlog by actress and Park Shin Hye's best friend Uhm Ji Won, the viewers were surprised to see congratulatory balloons, which read, "Hello baby boy!" in one of the clips that seemed to be a baby shower. IN CASE YOU MISSED: Park Shin Hye, Honey Lee and More Kdrama Stars Who are Welcoming a Baby this 2022 KDramastars owns this article Written by Geca Wills Zarqa Nawaz poses for a photo at the Regina Public Library in Regina, Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022. Creator of the TV series Little Mosque on the Prairie, Nawaz's latest work is a novel called "Jameela Green Ruins Everything." THE CANADIAN PRESS/Michael Bell Harmandeep Kaur, shown in a family handout photo, died after being attacked last weekend at the Okanagan campus of the University of British Columbia, where she worked as a security guard. THE CANADIAN PRESS-HO University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension is partnering with the Kenosha Public Library to bring the Nia: Pathways and Purposes for the Future program to Kenosha County youth. Focusing on students in grades 8-12 in the Black community, Nia is an outside-of-school program that will allow kids to explore their skills, interests, and options for after high school and help connect them with the resources available to pursue their goals and dreams. Nia is designed to encourage youth to explore opportunities, work with mentors, and learn about college, professional training, and work options before making decisions about their futures. It will take participants on trips around Kenosha County, to other cities, and even to North Carolina to expose them to careers, colleges, and cultural experiences. Nia is a Swahili word meaning purpose. Kenosha is one of three Wisconsin counties benefiting from the new program funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The USDAs Children, Youth, and Families at Risk program awarded $640,000 to the UW-Madison Division of Extension and North Carolina Agricultural & Technical University to launch Nia. The program will focus on serving youth in Waukesha, Rock, and Kenosha counties. Nia will also serve youth in limited-income rural communities in North Carolina, through historically Black university North Carolina A&T. The CYFAR funding will span five years. The first year is focused on building strong relationships with schools and community organizations and recruiting teens to participate in a Spring/Summer 2022 pilot program. About 10 youth in Kenosha will participate in the pilot and co-design the program alongside Extension and library staff. The full program will be rolled out this fall. In Kenosha it will be housed in the Southwest Kenosha Public Library, consisting of dynamic programming every Thursday after school and other trips and activities throughout the year. The most incredible aspect of the Nia program is the prioritizing of youth voice. said UW-Extension Youth Educator Erica Ness. We are planning a robust program in partnership with dynamic local organizations, business owners, and community leaders. However, it is the youth themselves, and in particular the youth involved in the pilot, who will decide what they want to see and do as part of Nia. The first event of the NIA program will be a tri-county excursion to Milwaukees Sherman Phoenix, a business incubator that features 30 mostly Black owned businesses on April 2, from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Youth will have the opportunity to tour businesses, meet community leaders, discover new locations, learn culture education, and more. To register, complete the youth registration forms at https://4h.extension.wisc.edu/4h-resources/youth-enrollment-paper-form/ and send to justin.lieck@wisc.edu by Friday This event is free of charge and lunch is included. Youth who might be interested in joining the program or want to learn more should contact Ness at erica.ness@wisc.edu or 262-857-1934. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sometimes you come across a building here in town that even most Kenosha natives dont know about. I really felt out of the loop when an image of a burnt sienna-building with ornamental glazed terra cotta and signage appeared in the Facebook group You Know You Are From Kenosha If. The building at 6315 31st Ave. is tucked away in a working class neighborhood a stones throw from the North Western tracks. The Wisconsin Oxygen and Hydrogen Co. made the front page of the Kenosha Evening News on Oct. 13, 1920, with the headline New $150,000 industry locates in Kenosha. By then the new building designed by the architectural firm of White, White and White and Company of Kenosha was nearly finished. The new factory would produce hydrogen and oxygen by the electrolytic method, store them in tanks and supply factories in southeast Wisconsin for use in welding. The company was modeled after the Indiana Oxygen Co. in Indianapolis. Indiana investors provided the capital for the venture, but the Kenosha operation remained independent. The plant went into operation in mid-December of 1920. Explosions light up sky On the night of Dec. 16, 1929, shortly after 11:30 p.m., the winter quiet of the neighborhood was ripped by two successive explosions. People ran outdoors in time to see a huge flame shoot straight into the air above the Wisconsin Oxygen and Hydrogen Co building, taking everything loose in the building with it. Ten minutes later, as the first responders arrived, a second explosion rocked the night, shattering more windows up and down the street. Entering from the north side of the building, hoses spraying, firemen discovered a naked body, the clothes blown off it, hanging from what was left of the rafters. It was the body of the night watchman, Joe Repsol, 22, who had been hurled up into the vaulted ceiling, catching on a steel bar. It was a nightmare relived for the Repsol family, as his father, John Repsol, had been killed in a mine explosion in Cherry, Ill. when Joe was 18 months old. Kenosha County Coroner A.B. Schmitz later determined that no inquest would be held in the death as it was accidental. No one in the area had been close enough to the explosion to tell what had actually happened. The explosions had taken the entire roof off the building and pieces of steel rafters and machinery were found in vacant lots a mile away. Another deadly blast Ten days after the Kenosha explosion, another blast involving a Wisconsin Oxygen and Hydrogen Co. product took place in Waukesha. The Creamery Package Co., which manufactures bottle-washing machinery for the dairy industry, had just started the day shift when a tank of oxygen-acetylene exploded. Emil Bramen was killed instantly when a 6 square-inch piece of tank sheared off his leg, continuing through a wall, where it pierced a piece of sheet metal. Another piece of the tank sliced Otto Adrian, who had just entered the workroom to get a drink of water. He lost both his hands and died at the hospital a short time later. Also injured was another worker, John Franz, who was using the acetylene torch when the tank exploded. Three other men in the room escaped injury. Waukesha County Coroner John Schaeffel deemed the deaths accidental. It was revealed in the subsequent inquest that Creamery Package had trouble with the tanks supplied by Wisconsin Oxygen and Hydrogen Co. for several weeks before the day of the deadly explosion. They claimed that the pressure in the tanks was too high for safetys sake. The tanks registered at between 1,800 and 2,500 pounds, instead of the customary 1,000 to 2,000 pounds. The management at the Waukesha factory took quick action to relieve the pressure in remaining tanks rendering them safe, but before it could be documented by county officials. Could the Kenosha explosion have been triggered by an overfilled tank, too? Three lawsuits were later filed seeking total damages of $42,200. The suits were settled out of court in February 1931 for a sum of $11,500. Another death Another exploding tank at the plant on the afternoon of Sunday, February 23, 1930 had Kenosha firemen bravely charging into the building and removed a flaming hydrogen tank. Damage was negligible. The final deadly industrial accident at the Kenosha plant caused the death of employee Walter Wisniewski, 29, who died April 28, 1932 after his clothes caught fire as he was crawling into an Oxygen holder to inspect the plates. Wisniewski had been employed there three years. In the fall of 1934, the Wisconsin Oxygen and Hydrogen Co. consolidated with the Compressed Industrial Gasses, Inc. and in early 1937 changed its name to that of its parent organization. According to the Wrights City Directory of Kenosha for 1941, it became the National Cylinder Gas Co. and somewhere along the way in the next 24 years, it no longer manufactured the gases, but distributed the gas tanks. By 1963 it only employed 17 workers (no other employee records exist today) and in 1966, the building became a warehouse for a local company, Kelsey Welding. Thanks to Ann Day of Salem Lakes who shared some research on the subject of the Wisconsin Oxygen and Hydrogen Co. and sent me down the rabbit hole. And, as always, thanks to Jonathan Martens, Exhibition and Collections Specialist at the Kenosha History Center. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 WINDHOEK, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Namibia has exported 22 of the 37 auctioned elephants to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), sold as part of conservation efforts amid an increase in population and rising cases of human-wildlife conflict involving elephants in the southern African nation. "The elephants arrived in UAE early Saturday morning and are reported to be doing well except for one cow which is seemingly weak," said the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism spokesperson Romeo Muyunda in an emailed statement Sunday. "All the auctioned elephants were sold to Namibian bidders thus the export of elephants was not the ministry's decision." The increase in elephant population has resulted in a surge in human-wildlife conflicts involving the large mammal which Muyunda says has put pressure on the ministry's responsibility as it tries to strike a balance between protecting high-value species like elephants and rhinoceros while managing the danger they pose when they encroach on areas of human habitation. From 2019 to 2021, the country recorded 960 cases of crop damages where 923 were caused by elephants while four people lost their lives to elephant attacks, Muyunda said, adding that the majority of people in communal areas depend on small scale crop farming for their survival where any disruptions affect them severely. In December 2021, Namibia put 170 "high value" wild elephants up for sale and has so far auctioned 57, of which, 37 had been captured. Fifteen of the captured elephants were relocated locally and 22 others were exported, while the remaining 20 are still to be captured. 12 Shares Share In health information technology circles, interoperability has become quite the buzzword. A Google search for Interoperability in Healthcare yielded 28 million results. Given its pervasiveness, its not surprising that the precise meaning of the term is often obscured. The 21st Century Cures Act defined three key components of interoperability: (A) the secure exchange of electronic health information with, and use of electronic health information from, other health information technology without special effort on the part of the user; (B) complete access, exchange, and use of all electronically accessible health information for authorized use under applicable State or Federal law; and (C) [technology that] does not constitute information blocking as defined in section 3022(a). To understand what all of this means in practice, consider use cases in three arenas: clinical, social services, and administrative. 1. Better care in clinical settings. When a patient is receiving services from a provider, interoperability means that all relevant information is readily available at the point of service to both the patient and the provider. In an ideal world, that means that no matter where other services were received, the provider has all past history, diagnostic tests, treatments, and even social determinants of health (SDOH) at their fingertips. Similarly, appropriate information is readily available for both staff and patients as needed. 2. Coordination of health care and social services is enhanced. Our most vulnerable populations generally face an alphabet soup of service organizations that support their housing, transportation, educational, financial, and other social needs. The impact of these issues on health outcomes cannot be overemphasized. It is estimated that socioeconomic and behavioral factors drive over 80 percent of health outcomes. Interoperability among social service organizations as well as between social services and health care services will be critical to reducing health disparities across our communities. With appropriate information available no matter where, how, or when an individual seeks assistance, we could truly achieve a vision of no wrong doorseamlessly matching services to each persons needs. This may sound like a pipe dream, but efforts are ongoing in communities across the country to create these linkages, and many health information exchanges (HIEs) are driving the flow of information across the landscape of health care and social services. 3. Driving efficiency in administrative function. A study published in Academic Medicine in 2017 revealed that physicians were spending 24 percent of their working hours on administrative tasks. Often these tasks relate to requirements for specific information from regulators and insurance companies. The burden of supplying clinical justification for prior authorizations is a relevant example. In a fully interoperable environment, clinical information would be available to the payer without the need to fill out forms or make phone calls. Many of todays manual administrative processes could be fully automated. This would drive waste from the system and expedite patients care by reducing information-flow delays. Foundation for success Interoperability will not solve the lack of coordination and cohesion in our current health care system. There are other critical gaps in health care infrastructure, such as a lack of transparency and the primitive nature of current quality measures. That said, achieving true interoperability will be a critical and foundational component of success in our collective efforts to achieve improved outcomes for patients and communities, reduced cost trends, and improved provider morale. Martin Lustick is a physician and senior vice-president and principal, NextGen Healthcare. Image credit: Shutterstock.com Why health care delivery is an exceptionally different industry [PODCAST] 4 Shares Share The business of health care delivery differs markedly from other consumer and service industries in many ways. First and foremost, the economics differ. Specifically, the payers of medical care are often different from the customers, the government and third-party insurers are the primary payers, demand is inelastic, quality metrics are typically unavailable, and the industry consists largely of nonprofits that avoid taxes. And thats just the start of the economic differences. These profound economic differences vis-a-vis other industries lead to fundamental deficiencies in health care governance, leadership, organizational design, infrastructure, and operations. We believe economic exceptionalism is the root cause. Joe Mandato is a venture capitalist. Ryan Van Wert is a pulmonary physician and health care executive. They share their stories and discuss their KevinMD article, Why health care delivery is an exceptionally different industry. Did you enjoy todays episode? Rate and review the show so more audiences can find The Podcast by KevinMD. Subscribe on your favorite podcast app to get notified when a new episode comes out. Reflect and earn 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 CME for this episode. Also available in Category 1 CME bundles. Powered by CMEfy a seamless way for busy clinician learners to discover Internet Point-of-Care Learning opportunities that reward AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s). Learn more at about.cmefy.com/cme-info Do you know someone who might enjoy this episode? Share this episode with anyone who wants to hear health care stories filled with information, insight, and inspiration. Hosted by Kevin Pho, MD, The Podcast by KevinMD shares the stories of the many who intersect with our health care system but are rarely heard from. MOSCOW, March 7 (Xinhua) -- The Russian armed forces announced a ceasefire and the opening of humanitarian corridors in four Ukrainian cities starting 10 a.m. Moscow time (0700 GMT) on Monday, according to the Russian Defense Ministry. Taking into account the "catastrophic humanitarian situation and its sharp aggravation in Kiev, Kharkov, Sumy and Mariupol," the decision was made at the personal request of French President Emmanuel Macron to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the ministry said in a statement. Russia has published evacuation routes from the four Ukrainian cities, and reported the information to the United Nations, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, and the International Committee of the Red Cross, according to the ministry. Moscow demands that the Ukrainian side establish all the conditions for the creation of humanitarian corridors and ensure an organized withdrawal of civilians and foreign citizens, it said. Since Russia announced a special military operation against Ukraine 12 days ago, the two sides have had two rounds of negotiations in neighboring Belarus in search of a solution to the crisis, with no clear breakthrough in the first one and an agreement to open a humanitarian corridor to evacuate civilians during the second one on Thursday. More than 150,000 in grants have been announced for project across Kilkenny, this morning (Monday). From 13,000 to repair the 200 year old church window in Ballyouskill, to lesser amount for wall rendering and joinery repairs in buildings that are an important part of Kilkenny heritage, the grants will allow the conservation of these buildings for future generations. Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan TD today announced that projects in Kilkenny will benefit through the Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS) administered by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Chairman of the Castlecomer Municipal District, Cllr Pat Fitzpatrick, welcomed these small grants that are so important to local communities. In particular he welcomed the largest grant in Kilkenny of 13,000 for conservation work at Ballyouskill church. Fine Gael TD, John Paul Phelan, has also welcomed the grants for 17 projects across Kilkenny city and county. This funding will finance necessary work across a wide range of sites and is a welcome boost. Our heritage sites are not just valued within these communities and have been for generations. But they are also landmarks of major local, regional, national and international importance and play a key role in making Kilkenny a very desirable heritage destination." Grants awarded in Kilkenny: St Canice's Deanery, Church Lane - Lime rendering - 9,500 Clock Tower, Kilrush, Freshford - Reinstatement of architectural features - 12,000 No. 10 The Parade, Kilkenny - External joinery repair, lime rendering, rainwater goods repair/replacement - 10,700 Church of the Assumption, Ballyouskill - Historic window glass conservation/protection - 13,000 De Loughry House, Butts Green, Kilkenny - Roof repair, structures & coverings including leadwork - 10,000 Church of the Immaculate Conception, Kilkenny Street, Castlecomer - External wall repair - 6,600 Byrnes Thatched Cottage, Kylevehagh Commons, Callan - Lime rendering - 11,000 3 Banim Terrace, Freshford Rd, Kilkenny - Roof repair, structures & coverings including leadwork - 9,000 Malzards Public House, Main Street, Stoneyford - External joinery repair - 9,500 Killinney Mill House, Killinney, Kells - Rainwater goods repair/replacement - 7,500 Andrew Ryan Public House, 3 Friary Street, Kilkenny - External joinery repair - 9,000 The Old Fever Hospital, Clintstown Road, Freshford - Lime rendering - 11,000 Old Creamery Windgap, Coolhill, Windgap - External joinery repair - 9,000 St. Kieran's College, College Road, Kilkenny - Roof repair, structures & coverings including leadwork - 9,000 Thatched Cottage, Newtown, Kilmacow - Thatching - 11,000 4 Banim Terrace, Freshford Road, Kilkenny - Roof repair, structures & coverings including leadwork - 6,500 Bridge View, High Street, Inistioge - External joinery repair - 2,500 Speaking today, Minister Noonan said: The funding will allow for conservation works to our built heritage, to help safeguard it for future generations. These awards will provide an economic stimulus in all 31 local authorities, providing employment to small businesses, skilled conservation specialists and tradespeople, ensuring a continued focus on the traditional crafts all of which help us to deliver on Heritage Ireland 2030, the new national heritage plan which I launched last month. St Patricks Festival Kilkenny announce two fire raising additions to their 2022 programme all in aid of St Vincent De Paul. A Fireworks Display will take place over the iconic Kilkenny Castle on March 18 and the Firestorm Fire and Dance Show by Rogu will happen outside Butler Gallery on St. Patricks Night, March 17. Tickets for both events are on sale now via stpatricksfestivalkilkenny.com. These events are part of a packed six-day St Patricks Festival programme that promises to light the Marble City. On St Patricks night Rogu brings you Firestorm. An explosion of fire, light, skill and the ridiculous outside Butler Gallery, in the heart of Kilkenny City. As the day closes after a fun-filled St Patricks Day this show will light up the night and mesmerize audiences bringing them on a journey where they wont know what comes next! From epic showdowns to ridiculous fantasy, from intense fire choreography to the dreamlike worlds of illusion and imagination. This is a show not to be missed! All proceeds from this event will benefit the St Vincent De Paul. Tickets are limited and are on sale now! Find out more here: https:// stpatricksfestivalkilkenny. com/events/firestorm-by-rogu/ . We are delighted to again support the St Vincent De Paul and to contribute to the work they do," says Mayor of Kilkenny Andrew McGuinness. "Rogu dance and fire shows are incredible and loved by children and adults alike! Its a great way to round off what promises to be an epic St Patricks Day in Kilkenny, as we finally return to the streets. Butler Gallery is a stunning venue, and its great to show off yet another of the Countys cultural attractions. Im looking forward to it already. Continuing with the fire theme, Fireworks are finally set to light up the sky over the iconic Kilkenny Castle on March 18. The event which began as part of Yulefest Kilkenny has previously been cancelled twice, first due to inclement weather and subsequently as a result of high Covid rates. The Organisers have not been deterred and the event now forms part of the St. Patricks Festival Kilkenny. Festival Director Marian Flannery said: Its great that this event can finally happen. There has been huge interest in the Fireworks and were delighted to expand capacity for this relaunched event. We were very disappointed to have to cancel it at Christmas but with the lifting of restrictions, I am delighted to be able to increase capacity of the event significantly. Tickets are available now at stpatricksfestivalkilkenny.com and all proceeds from the event will go to the St Vincent De Paul here in Kilkenny! Organised in association with Kilkenny County Council, the OPW and the St Patricks Festival Kilkenny, tickets for this relaunched event are now on sale and available from stpatricksfestivalkilkenny.com. Ticket holders from the first event have been contacted and are advised that their tickets remain valid for this relaunched event. Speaking on behalf of the OPW who are hosting the event in Kilkenny Castle Park, Anne Teehan said: The fireworks rising over Kilkenny Castle will be nothing but magical! Were looking forward to welcoming you all as part of the St. Patricks Festival Kilkenny and raising vital funds for the St. Vincent De Paul who do great work here in Kilkenny and all-around Ireland. St Patricks Festival Kilkenny has events for all the family from March 15-20, from the St Patricks Day Parade to a Festival Food Market, Big Wheel, Bandstand, Street Performers and its sister festival Tradfest Kilkenny. The city will be alive and with a mix of free and paid activities there is something for every budget. Whether its a day trip or a weekend Kilkenny is the place to be this St Patricks Day! More information about St Patricks Festival Kilkenny and this years programme can be found at www. stpatricksfestivalkilkenny.com or on Facebook at @StPatricksDayKilkenny Its not every day a rural community decides to quite literally get down into the trenches and build its own Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband network. But Piltown and Fiddown, close to the Kilkenny-Waterford-Tipperary border, is no ordinary community, so nothing was going to get in its way. The community and, more particularly, the voluntary Broadband 4 Our Community (B4OC) group has made history. Their dream has become a reality with the connection of the first homes and businesses in the community to the broadband network. In all, 750 homes and businesses in a 3.4 square kilometre area now have, or will soon have, access to at least 150MB speeds and a future-proofed high-speed broadband service they can afford. Brian Doyle, Jim O Brien, Paul Walsh and Brian Fell burying cable Better still, it is community-owned, community-driven and managed by B4OC, a locally-based not-for-profit company whose board of enthusiastic volunteers came together following a town hall meeting organised by Piltown Community Enterprise (PCE) in 2019. Their range of skills and expertise, together with a shared vision of the project and the benefits to their community both now and into the future, has brought the project to fruition, making it the first of its kind in Ireland. It means that businesses such as Iverk Produce/OShea Farms, one of the largest suppliers of fresh fruit and vegetables in Ireland, and a host of other small and medium-sized enterprises in the locality have the broadband service and infrastructure they need. Hundreds of families who struggled with speeds of between 1MB and 6MB also have the fibre power they need to work and study from home, to conference call and stream and really enjoy the benefits of living in rural Ireland. B4OCs vision and aim since the project was first mooted by Kilkenny LEADER Partnership (KLP) back in 2019 was to deliver true, future-proofed high-speed broadband for the community of Piltown and Fiddown, Project Manager, Jim OBrien, explains. The IT graduate, who returned to college in 2018 after a career in construction, lives locally and struggled to remotely access his course materials. He bought a dongle, moved to his garage and finally got 13MB speeds, up from just 5MB. Hes now B4OCs Project Manager and says the buy-in from local businesses and the wider community has been incredible. KLP and its philanthropic funding partner, the Tomar Trust, supplied technical assistance, planning, training and capital funding to the community to develop and advance the project. After that, the community drove on and did everything else. Businesses donated bits, gave us other items we needed at cost and dug deep with us. My own father-in-law is a retired fitter and he has been out in the trenches and up poles with me as we built the infrastructure. All of this has been built on private lands and sits into the landscape. Weve now completed Phase 1 and have a few phases to go now. Jim O Brien and Paul Walsh bring cable across the Pill River The two villages are among approximately 20 similar-sized villages and towns in Kilkenny classified on an EU standard set over a dozen years ago as having adequate broadband. Therefore, they are not included for investment under the National Broadband Plan. But much has changed in whats regarded as adequate broadband since 2010 and the reality on the ground now is far different. This is a network in which our community is invested, B4OC Chairman, Brian Doyle, explained. Given that laying fibre-optic cable is expensive, using the future-proofed FTTP model employed by the telecommunications industry was the only way forward. Doing it mostly ourselves meant that our costs were greatly reduced. This is a service by the community, for the community which is owned by the community and run in its interest. The B4OC group had its groundwork done, ever before the groundworks began. Through funding made available by Kilkenny LEADER Partnership, the long-established and well-regarded PCE put together a steering committee to investigate the viability of installing our own community fibre broadband infrastructure. Following the success of an Expression of Interest survey within the community, the group carried out an extensive feasibility study to establish the ways and means to build our own FTTP network. The project has received significant loan capital from local businesses as well as attracting a match-funding contribution from the philanthropic trust. Declan Rice, Kilkenny LEADER Partnership CEO said: Community development and ownership of futureproofed fibre to the premise (FTTP) networks should be as familiar as local group water schemes, of which there are many hundreds. Installing FTTP networks is not rocket science, in many ways its easier than a group water scheme to install. While a fibre network will require some seed money to get started, and needs wider landowner and community cooperation, as Piltown- Fiddown has shown, it can be done. By developing and crucially retaining ownership of the fibre network, a community takes charge of its digital future. It can set a cost that the community can bear, not that which the commercial market will maximise. And it can, in addition to having a maintenance fund, use some of the additional income to support other community projects. Piltown- Fiddown doesnt have to be the exception; it should just be the pioneer, Mr Rice said. Kate Foley works in the office at OShea Farms/Iverk Produce, one of the connected companies in the locality now reaping the rewards. Since we were hooked up we havent dropped connection once and have found it 100 per cent reliable. Vernon Buckley lives locally and says it has been transformative. There were times previously when I couldnt even send an email. Now I'm videoconferencing with students from Maynooth university based all over the country several days a week and watching Netflix with ease in my downtime, he says. The multi-skilled, voluntary board includes Brian Doyle (chairman), Mary Morgan (secretary), Jill Dowley (treasurer), Gerri Hickey (liaison officer), Kevin Barry (vice chairman), Paul Walsh, John Murray, Shane Hickey, Vernon Buckley and Pat Quinn. For more, log on to www.betterbroadbandforpiltown.com. A series of lectures on the Ros Tapestry will take place in Kilkenny Castle over the coming weeks. To mark the Anniversary of 1922 and the transfer of power from Britain, it is an opportune time to look back behind the stories depicted in the Ros Tapestry to the beginning of this period in history. This year is also the 850th Anniversary of King Henry IIs visit to Ireland and extended stay in Wexford from October to April in 1172. Henrys visit asserted his reign in Ireland and set in motion many of the events depicted in the Ros Tapestry and beyond, right up to the current day. The first lecture, on March 10, looks behind the The Siege of Wexford panel. This event was the precursor to the establishment of British rule in Ireland by Henry II. The next lecture is on April 7 and examines the role of women in medieval Ireland through the the marriage of Isabel de Clare and William Marshal, followed on May 5 by an exploration of pre-Norman heritage and how it continues to inform present day Ireland. The lectures take place at 7.30pm, with a tapestry viewing at 7pm. This lecture series is delivered by New Ross Needlecraft Ltd (Board of the Ros Tapestry) in partnership with the OPW in Kilkenny Castle. The tireless work of Kilkenny communities who showed endless dedication to projects in their towns and villages were applauded at a big awards ceremony. Kilkenny County Council welcomed people from neighbourhoods and groups all over the county when they held their Community Awards Night in the Parade Tower at Kilkenny Castle. Cathaoirleach Fidelis Doherty welcomed the attendance, recognising and acknowledging their efforts. Community organisations play a key role in driving the overall prosperity and wellbeing in every city and town, in every county across the country, she said. Kilkenny has a strong tradition of community co-operation and collaboration. It is important to recognise and reward those communities who come together to work with the Local Authority and state agencies to contribute to this prosperity. Great work It has been a very difficult two years for all but despite this it is great to see communities continue to do great work in Kilkenny, she continued. The Community Awards event gives us the opportunity to pay tribute to you - groups and individuals - who make a real difference and a valuable contribution, who go the extra mile and provide example and inspiration to others. We congratulate you, along with all other community groups within the county. The popular Kilkenny Co Council Grants Booklet was also launched on the night. Now in its fifth edition the booklet, which is also available to view online, will allow people to access grant details on their mobile phone, home computer and with other remote devices. This years booklet summarises the key elements of Kilkenny Co Councils grants with relevant contacts and the types of works eligible for funding. Kilkenny County Council CEO Colette Byrne also made a presentation on the night, giving an overview of projects that were completed and underway throughout the county. She congratulated all the groups for all the great work in their local communities and for those who also assisted on the ground in helping the most vulnerable during the pandemic. Awards Awards on the night were made to the following - Pride of Place, Tidy Towns and Tidy Estates. Pride of Place Awards The IPB Pride of Place, is an all-island competition that rewards people and groups who come together to shape, change and improve daily lives in their communities. Three communities represented Kilkenny for the 2021 competition - Windgap Village, the Older Persons Council and the KCAT Arts project. While the national event was postponed last year due to the pandemic the Kilkenny groups will have a day to look forward to when the rescheduled event in held in Killarney on May 16. The Older Persons Council will compete in the Community Wellbeing category. Since July 2020 the Kilkenny PPN, in conjunction with the Kilkenny Older Persons Council, has overseen and managed the delivery of Age Friendly tablets which are specifically designed to facilitate digital connection for older adults as well as mitigate social isolation which became more pronounced since the pandemic. Within this pilot scheme tablets have been provided to pilot groups and individuals around the city and county in Kilkenny with on average three to four users at each location receiving a tablet. With over 34 tablets presently in use, these tablets are provided to a host group and that host group supports the user to become confident and competent in using the tablet. This is a partnership approach where the Kilkenny PPN is working in conjunction with the Age Friendly network, Family Resource Centres, the Social Prescribing Programme Co-ordinator, the ETB and the HSE. KCAT Callan has been nominated in the Creative Space category. KCAT - which stands for Kilkenny Collective for Arts Talent - is an arts centre which has been in operation for 21 years. Over that time a community of creatives and artists has grown in reputation both nationally and internationally. Kilkennys third entrant is Windgap, which will feature in the Village category. In recent years a coming together of the various strands within the community has seen a revival within the village and this vibrant community spirit has enabled this community to embark on many exciting projects. Tidy Towns Four groups were honoured in the Tidy Towns awards. Keep Kilkenny Beautiful, is the tidy towns group for Kilkenny City which was established back in 1980. The committee works in partnership with the citys communities, council, businesses and voluntary bodies, enhancing the city and creating a wonderful place to live. Kilkenny City has won the overall national Tidy Towns title twice, in 1985 and again in 2014 Inistioge Tidy Towns are the oldest tidy towns group in the county, competing in the competition for over 67 years. The village represented Ireland in the Entente Florale competition in 2018 and received a gold medal. The Community Awards Night celebrated Inistioge being awarded their first gold medal in the national tidy towns competition. Tullahought Tidy Towns first joined the competition in 1991. Through the work of the committee and local residents have transformed the village by nurturing local features and taking on some ambitious projects like the building of the Viewing Tower. Tullahought Tidy Towns promotes its rich local heritage and is an active participant of Heritage Week annually. Although relatively new to the competition Listerlin Tidy Towns won the County Endeavour Award in the national towns competition as they improved their marks by 7% on their previous entry, the highest percentage increase in the county. They also scooped the South-East regional Covid-19 Community Award. Tidy Estates At local level, Kilkenny County Council Tidy Estates Competition aims to encourage residents to take an active role in improving the physical appearance of their estate. The winners of the 2021 competition, under the large, medium and small estate categories, were: Court docs: 2 from Mason City arrested after being caught in attempted burglary in Worth Co. HAVANA, March 6 (Xinhua) -- The number of daily coronavirus cases and deaths in Cuba has continued to fall in the past week as more than half of the country's population has received an additional COVID-19 vaccine dose. It comes as the Caribbean nation on Sunday registered 482 coronavirus cases and one more related death, taking the national counts to 1,072,956 and 8,500, respectively, according to the health ministry. At present, there are 2,365 active cases of COVID-19 in Cuba, with 23 in intensive care units. So far, 9.8 million of Cuba's 11.2 million residents have been vaccinated with domestic COVID-19 vaccines as some 6 million people have received a booster dose, the ministry said. The island country has already administered more than 35 million doses of Soberana 02, Abdala, and Soberana Plus COVID-19 vaccines. Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel noted the importance of the COVID-19 booster drive to keep the pandemic at bay in the coming months. Meanwhile, the number of local COVID-19 cases across the country has continued to drop for the fourth consecutive week. Francisco Duran, Cuba's top epidemiologist, urged people to take measures to minimize the risk of contagion with the virus among senior citizens, pregnant women, and children. While most COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted, mask requirements in public areas remain. In addition, passengers arriving in Cuba need to show PCR results from within 72 hours upon arrival and proof of vaccination against COVID-19. SOUTH African opposition leader Mmusi Maimane has predicted that the ruling Zanu PF party will lose the 2023 elections, saying the time for corrupt regimes is over. Maimane, who now leads One South Africa Movement after ditching the Democratic Alliance, said President Emmerson Mnangagwas administration would not make it next year, adding that neighbouring South Africa would not allow the rigging of elections in Zimbabwe. Next year, Zimbabwe will be free. As SA, we will not entertain any rigging, oppression of voters or denial of voter rights. South Africa pays the price of the oppression of Zimbabwe and we are done. Allow people to vote including their diaspora. The time for corrupt regimes is over, Maimane tweeted on Sunday. His statement came barely a month after a report by the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) also predicted that Zanu PF could lose next years elections to Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) led by Nelson Chamisa. The CIO, in a leaked memo, predicted that Mnangagwa had a 45% chance of winning the 2023 plebiscite. Zanu PF secretary for administration Obert Mpofu dismissed Maimanes prediction. Who is Maimane? Zanu PF has always won elections and it is about to win these elections. That is why people are making those heinous projections, Mpofu told NewsDay. CCC deputy spokesperson Gift Ostallos Sibiza said: The struggle for Zimbabweans is the struggle for South Africa because it has been bearing the economic challenges and burdens that we created. Political analyst Effie Ncube said: Well said by Maimane, but he is not in a position of power and so he is not in a position to speak on behalf of South Africa in terms of what the neighbouring country will do or not do in respect of contested election outcomes in Zimbabwe. I think that would be a bridge too far for Zimbabweans to pin their attention on the views of an opposition leader. He urged the opposition to mobilise, particularly in rural areas, in order to win the 2023 polls. Newsday Jasper, TX (75951) Today Partly cloudy skies this evening will become overcast overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 69F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies this evening will become overcast overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 69F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. HARARE magistrate Stanford Mambanje yesterday dismissed an application by Citizens Coalition for Change interim vice-chairperson Job Sikhala to be removed from remand in a matter where he is accused of publishing falsehoods. Sikhala, who was being represented by Jere miah Bhamu of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, has since 2020 unsuccessfully applied for removal from remand. However, the State has been reluctant to do so despite failing to furnish him with a trial date. In his latest application, Sikhala cited a similar case involving journalist Hopewell Chinono which was dismissed by the High Court. Prosecutor Lancelot Mutsokoti argued that if Sikhala was removed from remand, it would be difficult to summon him. In his ruling, Mambanje dismissed Sikhalas application, saying the State should be given the benefit of doubt. The matter was remanded to April 6. Newsday Support local journalism Local news, sports and entertainment when you want it. Please consider subscribing so we can continue to bring you the best local news, sports and entertainment coverage. MIDLANDS Provincial Affairs minister Larry Mavima has said non-governmental organisations (NGOs) operating in the country should not cry foul over the Private Voluntary Organisations (PVO) Amendment Bill which threatens to shut down their operations, but should go and render their services to war-torn Ukraine. Mavima said NGOs would be de-registered as the government no longer saw their relevance due to their involvement in politics. The PVO Amendment Bill, which will amend the PVO Act, is currently being debated in Parliament and is viewed as oppressive as it will criminalise the work of NGOs and give the Public Service minister powers to regulate their operations. It will also require them to disclose their sources of funding. Speaking during a devolution meeting in Gweru at the weekend, Mavima told local authorities to de-register non-compliant NGOs. How long should we continue relying on other people? The country is built by its own people. As much as possible we are now able to do a lot of things without NGOs. There was a time when NGOs were necessary. But we have to get out of this mentality. I was serious when I said if there are NGOs which feel that they have something; let them go to Ukraine where there are people in need of their services because there is war. Here we are a peaceful country. No one is bombing us, Mavima said. Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum director Musa Kika said the government could not function without NGOs. The government is being short-sighted and is choosing perceived political expediency over livelihoods, economic well-being, strengthened governance and all that civil society represents. We have no precedent anywhere in the world where the government operates successfully without civil society, bearing in mind that civil society are the people, citizens self-organising over issues of community and national importance. There is no sustainability in what the government is doing, so the comments attributed to the minister (Mavima) are unfortunate, Kika said. Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CiZC) spokesperson Obert Masaraure said: I think Mavima is highly misguided. Its unfortunate that Zimbabwe has such people as leaders who say a country doesnt need NGOs; a country with more than 7,9 million people living in poverty doesnt need NGOs? Even if you go to stable developed countries, they still have NGOs. He doesnt appreciate the role of NGOs. What Mavima doesnt pick is that there is a lot of humanitarian work that is being done by NGOs. They are feeding thousands of people who cannot afford to get a meal and are sending a lot of drop outs back to school. Newsday The improvement project will be funded from grant funds received from the Federal Aviation Administration (90% of the project costs) and Transportation Sales Tax Funds (10% local match). The council will also vote on an approved school resource officer (SRO) agreement to implement four SROs back into certain schools in the Columbia Public School district. SROs have not been in district since 2020 due to budget cuts. "The SRO agreement would restore school resource officers to our high schools after a one-year hiatus. This is absolutely critical to the safety and well-being of all our scholars and staff," CPS spokesperson Michelle Baumstark said in an email. SROs are police officers placed in schools to provide support and be a resource to the school while also building relationships with students and staff. "On Friday, at a high school in the Kansas City area, a school resource officer was able to stop what could have been a very tragic school shooting," Baumstark said. With the rise of gun violence at schools around the nation, some students want to implement more safety measures like SROs back into schools. Another proposal that will be discussed Monday night is a sanctioned homeless encampment on city-owned property. "The sanctioned camp would have certain rules in order to create a healthier living environment," council member Ian Thomas explained. Homeless encampment sites would be sanctioned areas around Columbia for those experiencing homelessness to go and set up their camps. "The homeless issue is not a very good situation because there are safety, hygiene and health issues when we don't have shelter space that's adequate," Thomas said. The council will discuss this proposal and specific locations throughout Columbia where the camps could potentially be, but no vote will be held. The pre-council meeting begins at 6 p.m. and council at 7 p.m. It will be streamed on KOMU.com, the above media player and the KOMU 8 News app. Daniel Santullis blood-alcohol content at that time was an astonishing 0.486, more than six times the legal limit to drive. THE South African All Truck Drivers Forum (ATDF) has called for abolition of the Zimbabwe Exemption Permit (ZEP) in a bid to bar all foreign truck drivers from working in the neighbouring country. The ATDF is now demanding that the ZEP grace period for renewal of permits, which expires on December 31, 2022 be abolished. Zimbabwe Community in South Africa chairman, Nqabutho Mabhena yesterday said the ATDF must be guided by the South African governments decision to offer a grace period to ZEP holders. The truckers have the right to raise the issues affecting them, but we remain guided by the position taken by the SA government on November 24, 2021 that ZEP holders will have a grace period of 12 months to stay in that country, Mabhena said. The SA Labour minister Thulas Nxesi was clear that the rights of migrants must be protected and we expect the State to protect migrants who are in South Africa. Mabhena said foreign drivers were still allowed to work in neighbouring South Africa. If the South Africa government bans migrants from working in the trucking industry that would be a different issue, but currently those with permits are allowed to work in the trucking industry, he said. Groups of truck drivers marched through the streets of Pietermaritzburg and Johannesburg on Monday to hand over a memorandum of demands to the offices of the National Bargaining Council for the Road Freight and Logistics Industry. The ATDF said its demands for the ZEP grace period to be abolished were in line with its stance on foreign truck drivers. It has been protesting through road shutdowns and highway blockades, calling for foreign truck drivers to be barred from the road freight industry, arguing that truck driving should be reserved for South Africans because its not a scarce skill. ATDF general-secretary Sifiso Nyathi said the call to abolish the ZEP permits would be directed to Nxesi and the Home Affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi. This is not a matter for the bargaining council but one that needs the urgent attention of [ministers] Nxesi and Motsoaledi, Nyathi said. In November 2021, the South African Cabinet decided not to renew the Zimbabwean Exemption Permits. About 182 000 Zimbabweans hold the permits and they were given 12 months to apply so that they can migrate to other visa regimes suitable to their individual circumstances. The decision to cancel the permits sparked outrage among their holders and rights groups who unsuccessfully took the government to court over the matter. Recently, Zimbabwean students in South Africa suffered a major blow after Pretoria withdrew a waiver allowing them to apply for permanent residence permits. Newsday By Kim Hyun-bin Hyundai Motor Group is donating $1 million to the Red Cross to provide humanitarian aid to Ukraine. The humanitarian crisis has been getting worse in Ukraine, with many vulnerable people and communities in need of urgent assistance. "The company will be making a $1 million contribution to the Red Cross to support their essential work in providing support where it is needed most," Hyundai Motor Group said. The move is an extension of the conglomerate's humanitarian aid efforts during major disasters around the world, including local relief and damage recovery. Hyundai Motor Group donated $500,000 to Indonesia, which was severely damaged by an earthquake and tsunami in 2018 and also gave money to local residents in southern Laos who suffered from flood damage in 2017. The automotive conglomerate also offered donations and daily necessities in response to other large-scale disasters such as the 2008 Sichuan earthquake in China, the 2009 Haiti earthquake, 2010 Chile earthquake, the 2011 U.S. tornado, 2013 typhoon damage in the Philippines, and heavy rains in Peru and Colombia in 2017. Active jack pumps increase pressure to draw oil toward the surface at the South Belridge Oil Field in unincorporated Kern County, Calif., Feb. 26. AFP-Yonhap Oil prices soared to their highest since 2008 due to delays in the potential return of Iranian crude to global markets and as the United States and European allies consider banning imports of Russian oil. Talks to revive Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers were mired in uncertainty Sunday following Russia's demands for a U.S. guarantee that the sanctions it faces over the Ukraine conflict will not hurt its trade with Tehran. China has also raised new demands, according to sources. In response to Russia's demands, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Sunday that the sanctions imposed on Russia over its Ukraine invasion have nothing to do with a potential nuclear deal with Iran. The United States and European allies, meanwhile, are exploring banning imports of Russian oil, Blinken said the same day, and the White House coordinated with key Congressional committees moving forward with their own ban. Brent rose $11.67, or 9.9 percent, to $129.78 a barrel by 6:50 p.m. (local time), while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose $10.83, or 9.4 percent, to $126.51, putting both contracts on track for their highest daily percentage gains since May 2020. In the first few minutes of trading Sunday, both benchmarks rose to their highest since July 2008 with Brent at $139.13 a barrel and WTI at $130.50. Both contracts hit their highest in July 2008 with Brent at $147.50 a barrel and WTI at $147.27. U.S. gasoline and distillate futures followed the surge in crude prices in the first few minutes after the market opened, rising to record highs. "Iran was the only real bearish factor hanging over the market but if now the Iranian deal gets delayed, we could get to tank bottoms a lot quicker especially if Russian barrels remain off the market for long," said Amrita Sen, co-founder of Energy Aspects, a think tank. Analysts from JP Morgan said this week oil could soar to $185 per barrel this year. "The idea was not to sanction oil and gas because of their essential nature, but oil is getting sanctioned by private actors not wanting to pick it up or ports not wanting to receive it and the longer this goes on the more supply chains are going to buckle," said Daniel Yergin, author and vice chairman of SP Global ahead of the CERAWeek conference in Houston. Russia exports around 7 million bpd of oil and refined products or 7 percent of global supply. Some volumes of Kazakhstan's oil exports from Russian ports have also faced complications. Analysts at Bank of America said if most of Russia's oil exports are cut off, there could be a 5 million barrel or larger shortfall, and that means oil prices could double from $100 to $200 a barrel. IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi gives a press conference at the Vienna Airport upon returning from Tehran, in Vienna, March 5. AP-Yonhap By Kaushik Basu NEW YORK During my years as a policymaker in India and at the World Bank, one of the few leaders I met whom I came truly to respect was Madeleine Albright. The former U.S. secretary of state was a master strategist, but behind the strategizing lay empathy and a moral compass. That is why we should take seriously her recent essay on the need for urgent global action to fight authoritarianism, which the all-out invasion of democratic Ukraine by Russia's autocratic leader, Vladimir Putin, only serves to underscore. History is replete with grotesque forms of human oppression, including slavery, racism, and oligarchies crushing people's aspirations. Today, the continued rise of authoritarianism in countries such as Brazil, Turkey, and of course Russia highlights the need to shore up democracy. What is new is that this effort now must be global. Even as the shadow of authoritarian misrule spreads, there is a growing aspiration for democracy among ordinary people seeking greater freedom and dignity. A Pew Research Center survey of 17 advanced economies in 2021 shows disaffection with the lack of individual freedom in authoritarian states at an all-time high. Additionally, according to the survey, a median of 74 percent of people in these countries had no confidence in Putin doing the "right thing in world affairs." There is also hope in Albright's interesting observation that leaders with totalitarian inclinations tend to rise and fall in waves. Force out one, and others may tumble, too, as happened when the end of authoritarian rule in the Philippines in 1986 was followed by similar developments in Chile, South Africa, Zaire, and Indonesia over the next decade or so. This should encourage responsible governments today to initiate the process of reviving global democracy. Sadly, the record of the United States is far from clean in that regard. A recent study by the Roosevelt Institute's Kyle Strickland and Felicia Wong points to how America's neoliberal economic policies fueled discrimination and inequity in many countries. Moreover, in Chile, Cuba, Central America, and elsewhere, America has intervened, often brutally, not to support democracy but to protect U.S. corporate interests. Providing leadership to isolate authoritarian regimes and nurture democracy will thus require the U.S. to break with significant aspects of its past and take on this responsibility as its moral obligation to chart a new course for the world. But to rely wholly or substantially on the U.S. would be folly. To be sure, some U.S. presidents notably, Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman, Jimmy Carter, and Barack Obama have possessed a strong sense of global responsibility. Fortunately, many prominent Americans, including current political leaders, take a similar stance. Yet, as Donald Trump demonstrated, a U.S. leader can be elected by promising to "make America great again," and, once in office, define "America" as his friends, family, and cronies. While many justify the need for democracy as a means to other desirable ends, I believe that democracy is necessary in itself. If it were the case that democracy slowed economic growth, we should be prepared to grow a little less in order to let equality and freedom flourish. This is because the commitment to treat all human beings as equals, as democracy requires, is an ethical axiom. As Abraham Lincoln put it in a handwritten note in 1858, "As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy." That said, the evidence suggests that democracy is a key ingredient of economic advancement. By creating the space for dissent, criticism, and change, democracy nurtures creativity and innovation, and, through that, economic flourishing. Economic progress in countries that succumb to religious fundamentalism or authoritarianism almost invariably stalls. China seems to be an exception, but it is worth noting that democratic Taiwan's GDP per capita is nearly three times that of China. One of the best examples of what democracy can do is post-independence India, one of the world's most audacious experiments in creating and nurturing an open society. The country undoubtedly made some economic-policy mistakes over the last 75 years, and its annual growth rate in the early decades after independence remained low, at around 3 percent. But the democratic investment meant that, despite being a poor country, India did well in higher education, research, the arts, and other creative fields. The pickup in India's economic growth from the early 1990s onward had many causes, but it also reflected the democratic dividend. Because of the country's political openness and freedom of speech and criticism, the services sector, which relies on creative human capital, began to bloom, fostering the growth of firms like Infosys, Wipro, and Tata Consultancy Services. By 2005, India was among the world's four or five fastest-growing economies. Its sophisticated polity had made the country a global success story, poised for a remarkable run. This success has come under a cloud in recent years with an increase in restrictions on free speech and the media. Not surprisingly, India's GDP growth decelerated each year from 2017 to 2020. The close connections between democracy, creativity, and economic progress are subtle and long-term, but they are real. And they demonstrate clearly the need to encourage democratization worldwide. Kaushik Basu, a former chief economist of the World Bank and chief economic adviser to the government of India, is professor of economics at Cornell University and a non-resident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. This article was distributed by Project Syndicate (www.project-syndicate.org). Kendallville, IN (46755) Today A steady rain this evening. Showers continuing overnight. Low near 45F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%.. Tonight A steady rain this evening. Showers continuing overnight. Low near 45F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. The Indiana General Assembly has sent to the governor a fix for a quirk in the state's turn signal statutes that puts just about every motorist traveling the Crossroads of America at risk of being pulled over by police at just about any time. Under current law, drivers in Indiana are required to use turn signals any time they're about to make a turn or change traffic lanes. At the same time, the law mandates the turn signal begin at least 200 feet prior to the turn or lane change, or 300 feet if the vehicle is traveling in excess of 50 mph. Numerous legislators observed the second provision is impossible to comply with in most urban and suburban areas where streets often intersect less than 200 feet apart. In addition, they said there's no practical way for a driver to signal for 200 feet before, for example, pulling out of a parking lot or making a quick lane change due to a traffic hazard ahead. House Enrolled Act 1167, sponsored by state Rep. Jim Pressel, R-Rolling Prairie, deletes the 200 feet (or 300 feet) minimum turn signal distance and replaces it with a directive that motorists signal all turns and lane changes "a reasonable time" before completing them. Signaling a turn still will be required every time a motorist is about to make a turn or change traffic lanes. The House voted 69-2 Monday to approve the change. It last week passed the Senate, 44-0. If the proposal next is signed into law by Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb, it won't take effect until Jan. 1, 2023, to give the Bureau of Motor Vehicles sufficient time to revise its driver's guide and license test. The measure additionally clarifies where a motorist whose driving privileges are suspended in Indiana must file a petition for specialized driving privileges, if the person is interested in seeking permission to drive again on a limited basis under court supervision. Stray Kids has announced their plans to hold their second world tour, "MANIAC," and has also revealed the first set of cities and dates. Read on to know if your city is included in the list. Stray Kids World Tour 2022 "MANIAC" - Here's the First Batch of Cities and Dates On March 7 at midnight KST, a poster for Stray Kids' second world tour "MANIAC" was uploaded to the group's official social media accounts. The tour will kick off with a two-night concert in Seoul on April 30 and May 1. Stray Kids will next travel to Japan to perform in Kobe from June 11 to 12 and Tokyo from June 18 to 19. The boy group will later head to the United States, where they will hold several concerts. They will first bring performances to Newark on June 29, then in Chicago on July 1, Atlanta on July 3, Fort Worth on July 5, Los Angeles on July 9, Oakland on July 12, and Seattle on July 14. After that, Stray Kids' world tour 2022 will return to Japan to hold two concerts in Tokyo on July 26 and 27. In the poster, the phrase "and more" can be seen under the cities and dates, meaning the group will reveal more dates and locations for their upcoming tour "MANIAC." Stray Kids had their first world tour called "District 9: Unlock" from November 2019 to February 2020. It was only held in Seoul and eight cities across the United States. The rest of the tour was called off due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The group was supposed to hold shows in more countries throughout 2020, including Japan, Spain, Germany, the United Kingdom, Belgium, and France among others. Meanwhile, Stray Kids is currently preparing for the release of their new mini-album "ODDINARY," which is set for release on March 18 at 6 p.m. KST. Is Stray Kids going to your city for their second world tour "MANIAC"? Stray Kids Receives New Double Platinum Certification from Gaon In other news, Stray Kids was one of the K-pop artists who received a new Gaon certification in January 2022 for reaching a particular feat on the platform. The boy group earned a double-platinum certification for their holiday single album "Christmas EveL" after it sold more than 500,000 copies. "Christmas EveL" becomes their second work to be certified double platinum in South Korea, following "IN LIFE." It is also now their sixth album to receive a Gaon certification. To recall, "Christmas EveL" sold an impressive total of 654,658 copies on Gaon in the first month of its release. It went on to sell more than 700,000 copies as of 2021. Notably, its total sales amount last year was tracked in only a month after it came out on Nov. 29. As of Jan. 6 this year, Stray Kids' holiday single album has surpassed 740,000 copies sold on Gaon. The single features two title tracks "Christmas EveL" and "Winter Falls" as well as the B-side song "24to 25" and the English version of "DOMINO." Check out the music videos for "Christmas EveL" and "Winter Falls" here! For more K-Pop news and updates, keep your tabs open here at KpopStarz. KpopStarz owns this article Written by Mhaliya Scott A video of Jennie experiencing THIS at the airport is drawing attention and hilarity among fans! What happened? Keep on reading to know! BLACKPINK Jennie Had People Laughing After Getting Ignored by a Kid at the Airport Recently in the afternoon of March 5, BLACKPINK member Jennie was spotted arriving at Incheon International Airport. She is heading to Paris, France to attend luxury fashion brand Chanel's - in which the idol is a global ambassador - fashion show during the 2022 Paris Fashion Week. At the Incheon International Airport, Jennie garnered attention for her laid-back, yet stylish Chanel outfit. She rocked a grey dress-top, a bomber jacket, black leggings, black knee-high boots, black shoulder bag, and a black mask along with a high ponytail. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: BLACKPINK Jennie's Instagram Flooded With Malicious Comments by Chinese Netizens Being a world famous K-Pop star, Jennie is surrounded by cameras and fans as they try to get a glimpse of the "How You Like That" rapper as she heads to her boarding gate. And of course, many media outlets and fans would try to get Jennie to notice them and wave at the camera. However, one particular person at the airport did not seem to care about the idol! In particular, while Jennie was waiting to enter further into the airport, one female kid was also waiting in line in front of her. The adorable kid, who noticed the flashing cameras and people, began waving at the reporters and fans despite not knowing what was going on. Seeing this, Jennie cutely waved at the kid to say hi, however, the idol ended up only getting glanced at and ignored, while the kid continues to smile and wave at the reporters and fans! BLACKPINK Jennie Goes Viral for Her Interaction With the Kid The little interaction between Jennie and the kid immediately went viral on social media, with the clip garnering over 4.7 million views and more than 901,000 likes on the video sharing platform, Tiktok, in just a matter of a day. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: BLACKPINK Jennie Leaves YG Artists Impressed for THIS Reason Fans and non-fans alike could not help but laugh and find the situation adorable, with many leaving comments such as: "Oh, I am so jealous of that girl, I wish I could wave to Jennie Kim like that!" "Jennie is really kind, and she seems to love kids!" "Maybe she [kid] will regret it later for ignoring Jennie that day, haha," among similar others. Meanwhile, Jennie is scheduled to attend Chanel's fashion show to be held on March 8. Fellow member Jisoo is also currently in Paris attending the fashion week. Follow KpopStarz for more K-pop news and idol updates. KpopStarz owns this article. Written by Robyn Joan Russian forces to hold fire, open humanitarian corridors in some Ukrainian cities on Monday Xinhua) 13:36, March 07, 2022 MOSCOW, March 7 (Xinhua) -- The Russian armed forces announced a ceasefire and the opening of humanitarian corridors in four Ukrainian cities starting 10 a.m. Moscow time (0700 GMT) on Monday, according to the Russian Defense Ministry. Taking into account the "catastrophic humanitarian situation and its sharp aggravation in Kiev, Kharkov, Sumy and Mariupol," the decision was made at the personal request of French President Emmanuel Macron to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the ministry said in a statement. Russia has published evacuation routes from the four Ukrainian cities, and reported the information to the United Nations, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, and the International Committee of the Red Cross, according to the ministry. Moscow demands that the Ukrainian side establish all the conditions for the creation of humanitarian corridors and ensure an organized withdrawal of civilians and foreign citizens, it said. Since Russia announced a special military operation against Ukraine 12 days ago, the two sides have had two rounds of negotiations in neighboring Belarus in search of a solution to the crisis, with no clear breakthrough in the first one and an agreement to open a humanitarian corridor to evacuate civilians during the second one on Thursday. (Web editor: Peng yukai, Liang Jun) Some superheroes wear hospital gowns. And were not talking scrubs. A Roswell, New Mexico, man returned home after more than 500 days to a heros welcome. Advertisement This hero fought a singular battle, one lost by nearly a million other Americans and about 6 million people around the world. Donnell Hunter spent more than a year in the hospital sick with COVID, most of it on a ventilator, and returned home last week. Advertisement Donnell Hunter (KOB4) Hunter finally got to see his seven kids and meet his new grandchild. Ohh man, its a-- well. I cant even put it into words, Hunter told KOB4-TV about being home. One day back in September 2020 he got sick at work, he and his wife, Ashley Hunter, told KOB4 last month. They knew something was terribly wrong when he suddenly lacked the energy or the breath even to get out of his car. Hunter was diagnosed and admitted before vaccines were available. He spent the ensuing months at nine hospitals, his survival touch-and-go. Breaking News As it happens Get updates on the coronavirus pandemic and other news as it happens with our free breaking news email alerts. > There were times when I was just scared to go to sleep, Hunter told KOB. I knew I didnt feel good, but I couldnt pinpoint it. Next thing I know, I wake up in the ICU. Then the doctors tell me they dont know how I survived. Hunters wife, Ashley, helped him along. My wife, shes so stubborn, Hunter said. She kept praying me back to life. That saw him through months upon months of being on a ventilator, heavily sedated. He lost use of his limbs, his ability to speak, and even had to relearn how to eat and swallow. Advertisement The kidney transplant recipient his own failed when he was a teen still has lots of rehab ahead of him. But he returned home in style, with a police escort along roads adorned with welcome-home signs from his fellow Roswellians, KOB4 reported. At long last, he hugged his children. And then his progeny. I met my grandson for the first time. It was amazing, Hunter told KOB. Hes a year now, and he acts like he had been knowing me all his life. So as soon as I woke up this morning, he was the first thing on my mind. The worldwide death toll from the COVID-19 virus surpassed 6 million on Monday, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. The grim milestone was reached as the pandemic approaches its second anniversary this month, even as data show the number of daily deaths across the globe has dropped to about 7,000 from around 11,000 last month. Advertisement Advertisement Respiratory Therapist Nirali Patel works with a COVID-19 patient in the ICU at Rush University Medial Center on Jan. 31, 2022 in Chicago. (Scott Olson/Getty Images) While death rates are falling, officials stressed that the pandemic is not over yet. Some parts of the world are seeing their first outbreaks in the third year of the pandemic. Multiple remote islands in the Pacific have reported their first cases and deaths. Eastern Europe is seeing rising cases in countries like Poland and Romania. Many countries are facing high rates of hospitalization & death. With high transmission, the threat of a new, more dangerous variant remains real. We urge all people to exercise caution and all governments to stay the course, World Health Organization director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus tweeted on Sunday. Health care workers wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) transport a patient at a temporary holding area at the Caritas Medical Centre hospital on March 1, 2022 in Hong Kong, China. (Anthony Kwan/Getty Images) The U.S., Brazil, Russia and Mexico have reported the most deaths overall. The U.S has reported nearly 959,000 deaths, 66,940 of which were reported in New York State, since COVID started to spread in March 2020. Advertisement Despite Mondays staggering total, the number of global deaths is believed to be undercounted due to spotty records in many countries. In the U.S. alone, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention believes the true death toll to be about 33% higher. Officially, India has logged 500,000 deaths, but the delta variant hit the continent hard last year, leading experts to believe millions actually died from the virus. In Mexico, which has reported 300,000 deaths, an official analysis put the true number at 500,000. And the number of excess deaths caused by the pandemic such as people who did not receive treatment for another illness because hospitals were overwhelmed is believed to be between 14.1 million and 23.8 million, according to one analysis. Breaking News As it happens Get updates on the coronavirus pandemic and other news as it happens with our free breaking news email alerts. > . Advertisement The worldwide vaccination rate is about 57%, but varies wildly depending on the country. In low-income countries, the rate is under 15%. According to December 2021 data from the CDC, the risk of dying from COVID infection was 41 times greater for an unvaccinated person. There have been 446 million reported cases of COVID-19 globally, according to Johns Hopkins University. With News Wire Services The world is on the verge of reaching the morbid number of 6 million COVID-19 deaths on Sunday evening, though numerous analyses indicated that number has long been surpassed. As of late Sunday afternoon, the total compiled by Johns Hopkins University stood at 5,998,584, about 1,500 shy of the grim milestone. In the U.S. its approaching 1 million, the most deaths of any country worldwide, though that death rate has mercifully been dropping of late. Advertisement A worker handles a coronavirus test sample at a private testing site in Beijing, Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2022. (Mark Schiefelbein/AP) The total served as a sober reminder that the pandemic still has us in its grip. Even as many countries slowly segued out of emergency mode and into living-with-it mode, many others grappled with new outbreaks, high death rates and vaccination lags. In Ukraine and surrounding countries, refugees fleeing from the low-vax-rate country arriving in Poland and other nations on packed trains were potentially spreading the virus further, The Associated Press noted. The countries they are fleeing to Hungary, Romania and other Eastern European countries in addition to Poland have their own high death rates. And in Pacific Island nations that had so far escaped unscathed, infections have cropped up. Advertisement All around the world, the people who are dying are the unvaccinated ones, whether by choice or because they cannot access the lifesaving shots. In Hong Kong, for instance, deaths are soaring, AP noted. Medical workers in booths take nasal samples from people at a makeshift coronavirus testing site in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2022. (Ahn Young-joon/AP) Tonga saw its first COVID cases from aid workers arriving to help it clean up from the massive volcanic eruption and tsunami earlier this year, but with a high vaccination rate they have seen no deaths, AP reported. This is a disease of the unvaccinated look what is happening in Hong Kong right now, the health system is being overwhelmed, Tikki Pang, a visiting professor at the National University of Singapores medical school and co-chair of the Asia Pacific Immunization Coalition, told The Associated Press. The large majority of the deaths and the severe cases are in the unvaccinated, vulnerable segment of the population. There are a number of reasons for low vaccination rates, and they vary by country, as AP noted. In some countries, limited supplies are the issue, while in others that has been compounded by other factors, including health care systems whose infrastructure cannot handle the vaccine storage requirements; the unpredictability of when supply will be delivered; and hesitancy by those eligible for the shot. In Africa overall by the middle of last month saw less than 5% of those countries populations vaccinated, the World Health Organizations regional Africa office told AP. Yemen, Syria, Haiti and Papua New Guinea area also low in vaccination rate, AP said. The main problem among countries with low vaccination rates is poor infrastructure to distribute shots, Dina Borzekowski, director of the Global Health Initiative at the University of Maryland, told AP. What is absent are best practices to get vaccines to populations who typically live without safely managed sanitation systems or reliable electricity. As the world strives to get everyone vaccinated with richer countries finally easing up as booster vaccines are administered and their rates drop the fact remains that the 6 million death mark was probably reached months before the official count logged it, according to numerous analyses. Vaccine inequity continues to be the major sticking point, and one that threatens everyone, as Doctors Without Borders said in a recent statement. Advertisement Breaking News As it happens Get updates on the coronavirus pandemic and other news as it happens with our free breaking news email alerts. > Though more than half of all Americans are now fully immunized against COVID-19, fewer than six percent of people living in low-income countries have received even a single dose of the vaccine, Doctors Without Borders said. This stark inequity in access to vaccines is a direct threat to people at high risk of contracting COVID-19, and is enabling new virus variants to take hold. This is all eclipsed by the probability that deaths directly attributable to COVID are probably between 14 million and 23.5 million already, given whats known as the excess mortality rate deaths above what would normally be occurring without a pandemic that The Economist counted. 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, Edouard Mathieu, head of data for the Our World in Data portal, told AP. 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 world hit 1 million official coronavirus deaths seven months after the pandemic was declared, then the second million four months later, AP noted. Since then every three months another million people have died. That brings us to the end of October 2021, and 2 million more have perished since, officially. These totals dont even begin to describe the human toll of a scourge that has left as many as five million orphaned children, according to Time magazines analysis in November. This is of course on top of other grieving loved ones, burnt-out health care workers and patients suffering from long-haul symptoms and disability. Every dot is a heartbreak for us, Beth Blauer, associate vice provost for public sector innovation at Johns Hopkins University, and the data lead for its coronavirus resource center, told the Daily News of the data points she and her colleagues have been recording on Johns Hopkins infamous coronavirus case map for the past two years. These arent just numbers. Advertisement With News Wire Services In some of the texts, the girl told her boyfriend that she was going to Shreveport and she needed help getting out of the house she was at, the affidavit said. The following is a press release from Alternatives, Inc. and the Montana Department of Corrections: BILLINGS, Mont. - Alternatives, Inc. and the Montana Department of Corrections are issuing this statement to notify the public of an offender who walked away from the Alpha House Pre-release Center in hopes of enlisting assistance in his apprehension. At approximately 5:16 AM on 3/6/2022 this offender walked away from the Alpha House Mens Prerelease Center and was placed on escape status by the Montana Department of Corrections. A warrant has been issued for his arrest. Alpha House is a Mens Community Corrections Center located at 104 North 31st Street in Billings, Montana. The offender's personal information is as follows: Offender's name: Theodore Ricker DOB: 3/23/1999 Born in: Polson, MT Height: 5 ft. 9 in. Weight: 200 lbs. Hair: Black Eye color: Brown Race: Native American Mr. Ricker was sentenced for: Assault with weapon; Criminal endangerment; Unspecified out of Yellowstone County, Dist. 13. He was sentenced on 11/2/2020. He arrived at the Alpha House Prerelease program on 9/28/2021. The Department of Corrections requests assistance in locating this offender. The public should not approach him as he is facing a ten year sentence for Felony Escape. Information concerning his whereabouts should be reported to law enforcement immediately. Note: Pictures and personal information are available on the Montana Department of Corrections Correctional Offender Network at HTTP://app.mt.gov/conweb/. Mr. Rickers AO# is: 3025988. For additional information contact David O. Armstrong, CEO of Alterna The stars of Turning Red believe a movie about a girl who turns into a red panda has a chance to be transformative. Sandra Oh and Rosalie Chiang are thrilled to be a part of the coming-of-age Disney and Pixar flick that centers on an Asian-Canadian teenager named Mei Lee and her family. Advertisement Hopefully this film ... gives the experience to [people] just like Mei that you are the hero, a 13-year-old Chinese girl is a hero, Oh, 50, told the Daily News. For someone like myself, and my generation, we did not see ourselves in the center of the story, or the hero, and the fact that we have a lot more stories that are diverse, it just includes more people and it also makes storytelling just much more interesting. Advertisement The animated film, out Friday on Disney+, introduces Mei as a high-achieving middle schooler in Toronto whose ancestors had a mystical connection with red pandas. She suddenly starts transforming into the animal whenever she becomes overly excited, presenting new challenges even as she grapples with the complications of growing up. Sandra Oh voices Ming (left) and Rosalie Chiang voices Mei (right) in "Turning Red." (Pixar/PIXAR) When I was younger, I never really saw a coming-of-age film starring an Asian girl, said Chiang, 16, who voices Mei. When I watched coming-of-age films, I never was able to really relate to the character, she said. However with this, there were so many instances where I was like, Thats my life! I literally experienced that last week with my mom! My mom and I looked at each other kind of like, This is oddly similar. I think thats the beauty. The film explores the complex dynamic between Mei and her mother, Ming, who has high expectations for her daughter a scenario many Asians can relate to. This movie is just about her navigating through life, Chiang said of Mei. Shes trying so hard. Shes going through all these changes, and especially her relationship with her mother is changing. Before this movie, things were so much simpler, but then you throw in this giant red panda. "Turning Red" centers on a 13-year-old girl who turns into a red panda. (Pixar/PIXAR) Turning Red is co-written and directed by longtime Pixar filmmaker Domee Shi, who drew from her own experiences growing up as a Chinese-Canadian girl in Toronto. Shi previously directed the 2019 Oscar-winning Pixar short film Bao. Oh, who voices Ming, believes anyone can relate to the story told in Turning Red. Advertisement It has a lot of love in it, and it has a lot of anger in it, Oh said. Theres a scene when Mei is in the bathroom with her friends, and Mei is starting to say, Listen, I have done this for her, Im perfect, Im this, and its just like, enough of it, said Oh a Golden Globes winner for the series Greys Anatomy and Killing Eve. That is so perfect, because on the other side, theres Ming just going, Why is she talking to me this way? Who does she think she is? Im her mother. I just think that represents, very realistically, this time in a young persons life. Sandra Oh (left) and Rosalie Chiang at the premiere of Disney and Pixar's "Turning Red" at El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood on March 1. (Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney) [ Lin-Manuel Miranda shares why Oscar nomination for Encanto feels so magical ] The actors say the red panda represents many different parts of a persons life, with Oh listing puberty, sexuality, doing things wrong, depression and anxiety as a few. Its very interesting, when we hear from people, [to hear] every persons very different take on what the panda is to them, Oh said. But Id say, to maybe sum it up, messiness and change. "Midwest Freedom" Truckers convoy stops in Iowa City on the way to D.C. Are you planning to attend NH Pumpkin Festival this year? If not, what would make you attend? LAKE OF THE OZARKS, Mo. Camdenton resident Scott Riedel has officially filed his candidacy to run for State Senate, against incumbent Justin Brown. In a press release about the filing, Riedel wrote, "[A]s Your State Senator in the Missouri Legislature I intend on doing the following: Defund Planned Parenthood, eliminate the Gas Tax and Personal Property tax, defend and protect the Second Amendment, end the teaching of the Critical Race Theory and all related materials, protect freedom of religion even in a COVID environment, end the vaccine mandate, protect prescription drug patients from tracking by the Federal government, prevent the introduction of sexual orientation into schools and from being forced on businesses, ensure election integrity, and protect and defend Missouri from Federal intrusion." Riedel served 31 years in the U.S. Army, completing two combat tours in Iraq, and retired as a Lieutenant-Colonel. A 41-year-old man was arrested Friday, March 4, after reportedly driving over 100 mph on Highway 12 in the wrong direction. On Saturday at approximately 11:50 p.m. the Walworth County Sheriffs 911 Communications Center received a report of a vehicle traveling the wrong way on Hwy 12, at Interstate 43, near the City of Elkhorn, according to a release from the Sheriffs Office. The vehicle was reported to have been traveling eastbound in the westbound lanes of Highway 12 at speeds nearing 100 mph. The communications center immediately broadcast an attempt to locate the vehicle to area sheriffs deputies and municipal police agencies. The suspect vehicle was located on Highway 12 eastbound in the westbound lanes by the City of Lake Geneva Police Department at speeds over 100 mph. Lake Geneva Police followed the vehicle and reported it had crashed near Clover Road and Highway 12 in the Town of Bloomfield. The suspect struck no other motorists. The driver of the vehicle was identified as Christopher Jeffery Pinnow, 41 of Fort Atkinson. Pinnow, who was not injured in the crash, was arrested for several criminal charges and confined to the Walworth County Jail. He faces charges of first-degree recklessly endangering safety, possession of THC, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of narcotic drugs. Sheriffs Deputies were assisted by the City of Lake Geneva Police Department, Bloomfield Police Department, and the Village of Genoa City Police Department. Officials from the Fontana Joint School District No. 8 are asking district residents permission to increase the districts revenue limit during the next four school years. Members of the Fontana Joint School District No. 8 Board approved, Jan. 24, to place a referendum question on the ballot during the April 5 spring election to increase the districts revenue limit by $1.2 million during the 2022-2023 school year and the 2023-2024 school year; $1.4 million during the 2024-2025 school year; and $1.6 million during the 2025-2026 school year. The Fontana School District No. 8 includes Fontana Elementary School, 450 S. Main St. in Fontana, and serves the Village of Fontana, Town of Delavan and Town of Walworth. Fontana Elementary School includes students from kindergarten through eighth grade. The referendum question reads: Shall the Joint School District Number 8, Village of Fontana, Towns of Delavan and Walworth, Walworth County Wisconsin, be authorized to exceed the revenue limit specified in Section 121.91, Wisconsin Statues, by $1,200,000 per year for the 2022-2023 school year and the 2023-2024 school year, by $1,400,000 for the 2024-2025 school year and by $1,600,000 for the 2025-2026 school year, for non-recurring purposes to maintain the Districts educational programs, small class sizes, individualized instruction and staff and to complete building maintenance and repairs. District Administrator Mark Wenzel said the reason for the referendum is to help maintain the districts current programs and because of the districts continued decreasing enrollment. Wenzel said when he taught at Fontana Elementary School from 1981 to 2014, the districts average enrollment ranged between 275 students and 295 students. He said, currently, the district has an enrollment of about 200 students. He said part of the reason for the decreased student enrollment is because the population in the Fontana area has declined during the past few years. Up to four years ago, we had two sections of every grade level, now we have one section of every grade level, Wenzel said. Were in a situation that almost every school district is in now theres fewer students. Wenzel said because of the Fontana areas high property values, the district does not receive much funding from the State of Wisconsin. We receive very little money from state aid, so were pretty much financed by the taxpayers of our communities, Wenzel said. We receive less than 1% of our budget from state aid. So youre left with having to ask your community to help support your school. The additional funding would be used to help maintain the districts current programs and staffing levels, if the referendum is approved. District residents approved a referendum question in 2018 to allow the district to increase its revenue limit in 2018-2019, 2019-2020, 2020-2021 and 2021-2022. Wenzel said funding from that referendum has been used to establish a full-time Spanish program, hire a full-time social worker, increase staff for the music program, complete renovation and maintenance projects to the school building and establish a daycare program. In order to maintain our programming, our staffing and the things we offer the community, we need to continue that into the future, Wenzel said. Fontana is not going to see a lot of growth as far as student population. So in order to keep our doors open, we have to move forward with another four-year, non-recurring referendum. District officials plan to mail out informational fliers to residents during the next week, host an informational meeting March 16 at the elementary school and send out additional informational fliers during the end of March to educate residents about the referendum question. Wenzel said if the referendum is not approved, district officials plan to place another referendum question on the ballot in November. We will revisit and revise if needed, and we will probably go out in November again, Wenzel said. We really have to pass the referendum or theres going to be significant changes at our school if it doesnt. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Members of the Republican Party of Walworth County have asked the county board to adopt an ordinance to prevent "dark money" from being used for election-related purposes. Walworth County Republicans unanimously approved a resolution during their annual caucus meeting, Feb. 3, to request that the Walworth County Board establish an ordinance to prevent "dark money" from being used to "help run elections in the county." "Dark money" has been referred to as "funds raised for the purpose of influencing elections by nonprofit organizations" or "campaign money whose sources are not disclosed." "What we're talking about is private funding of our elections and private funding of government 'get out and vote' efforts," Chris Goebel, chairman of the Republican Party of Walworth County, said. "We don't believe there should ever be private funding that goes into those efforts." Goebel said both the state assembly and state senate approved legislation to prevent "dark money" from being used for election-purposes in the State of Wisconsin; however, he said Gov. Tony Evers vetoed the bill. "Both the state assembly and senate passed legislation to stop the 'dark money' from running our elections but Gov. Evers vetoed the bill," Goebel said in a news release. "Since (Gov. Tony) Evers refused to take this step to safeguard our elections State Rep. Tyler August has authored legislation calling for a Wisconsin Constitutional Amendment to put the issue to the people." Goebel said representatives Amy Loudenbeck and Cody Horlacher, and state senators Steve Nass and Julian Bradley are in support of August's proposed legislation. He said Walworth County Republicans are asking the county board to adopt an ordinance to prevent "dark money" in Walworth County until state legislation is approved or the state constitution is amended to officially end the practice in Wisconsin. "We're asking for an ordinance as a stop gap until there could be a constitutional amendment or legislation to stop it," Goebel said. He said Walworth County Board of Supervisor candidates: Craig Shellman, District 6, Joanne Laufenberg, District 7, Dennis Karbowski, District 8, and Sheila Reiff, District 11, also are in support of the county board adopting the ordinance. The resolution has been sent to the county clerk's office to voted on by the county board. Goebel said he has not heard from any of the county board members about whether they will support the resolution. "My hopes are high that they have an interest in putting in that stop gap until there's either state legislation or a constitutional amendment," Goebel said. "It's just not a Republican thing. It's for the security of the entire vote in the county." Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. With humor and heart, Zippy Duvall told Pennsylvania farmers Tuesday night that they have an important role in the politics and fabric of the nation. Yet another last-minute change could be coming to New York Citys notoriously complex high school admissions process, Schools Chancellor David Banks said Monday in an interview with the Daily News Editorial Board. Banks said he plans to announce in the coming days whether he will once again shake up an admissions process that was already revamped just over a month ago. The application deadline for city eighth-graders is Friday. Advertisement At issue are admissions rules for the citys selective high schools, which have long used a combination of grades, test scores and other factors to pick students. Those schools previously had the freedom to design their own specific rubrics for how to evaluate eighth-grade applicants. New York City Department of Education David Banks speaks at DOE Headquarters on March 2, 2022 in Manhattan. (Barry Williams/for New York Daily News) But in a change unveiled in late January, Education Department officials streamlined the process by issuing a single, centralized rubric to govern admissions at most selective schools a change officials said could also increase Black and Latino enrollment at selective schools. Advertisement The goal was to open up an opportunity to allow more Black and Brown kids to get into some of these selective schools, but Ive been looking at that and looking at some of the data on that, and you should hear something in the coming days whether or not we are going to make a change to that or not, Banks said. Breaking News As it happens Get updates on the coronavirus pandemic and other news as it happens with our free breaking news email alerts. > The citys selective institutions schools like Millennium High School in Manhattan and Leon Goldstein High School in Brooklyn offer some of the citys most coveted academic programs and a wide array of resources for students. But the schools which are separate from specialized high schools like Stuyvesant High School that rely on a single entrance exam for admissions have also been criticized for contributing to racial segregation. Any additional changes so close to the deadline would create more chaos for already-stressed city parents and eighth-graders, who might have to reevaluate their high school choices based on new admissions criteria. For most selective schools, the system unveiled in January groups students into four tiers based on the average of their highest grades across four core classes last year or this fall and runs an admission lottery with kids in the highest tier getting first crack. Under the new system, grades between 85 and 100 earn the same rubric score drawing pointed criticism from some parents that kids with the very highest grades would get no advantage over those with slightly lower marks. But proponents of the changes argue theres no meaningful distinction between how eighth-graders with Bs and those with As will perform at selective high schools and say the changes will help make the process more equitable. Education officials told Queens parents that the changes would increase the admission of Black and Latino students to selective high schools by an estimated 13%. Panaji (Goa) [India], March 7 (ANI): Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Monday expressed confidence that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will come back with a full majority in the state. CM Sawant said, "BJP is coming back with a full majority. BJP will get 18-22 seats in Goa and will form the government. I strongly believe people will once again choose the double engine government." Also Read | Manipur Assembly Elections 2022: Repolling to Be Held in 6 Booths in Ukhrul and Senapati on March 8 Due to Violence. He added that the Goa BJP government's priority is to complete the infrastructure projects of the double engine government. "We will fulfil the 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat Swayampurna Goa' under this mission", said Sawant. Goa went for assembly polls on February 14. The counting of votes will take place on March 10. Also Read | Exit Poll Results 2022 Highlights: BJP Set to Retain UP, Manipur; AAP Likely to Surprise by Winning Punjab, Tight Fight in Uttarakhand, Goa, Say Assembly Election Surveys. "As per exit polls also, BJP will return to power in UP, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur and will have good performance in Punjab", said Sawant. In March 2017, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 13 seats and the Congress 17 in the 40-member assembly. The BJP formed an alliance with Goa Forward Party (GFP), Maharastrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and two Independents, following which they had claimed a majority in the 21 in the 40-member house. At that time, the Goa government led by Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar came to power. This year, Aam Aadmi Party, Trinamool Congress, BJP, Congress, MGP, GFP among others will be contesting the polls. (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, Mar 7 (PTI) The Supreme Court Monday directed its registry to list before a bench headed by Justice U U Lalit the plea of Balwant Singh Rajoana, convicted in the 1995 assassination case of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh, seeking commutation of his death penalty into life imprisonment. A bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana took note of the submissions of senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Rajona, that his plea has not come up for hearing for the last six-seven months and, he is in jail for the last 25 years. Also Read | Exit Poll Results 2022 Live Updates: Check Latest Predictions For Assembly Elections in UP, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Manipur And Goa. Rohatgi sought urgent listing Rajona's plea before an appropriate bench which was allowed. Upon being mentioned by Mukul Rohatgi, senior counsel appearing for the petitioner, we direct the Registry to list the matter before a Bench comprising Hon'ble Mr. Justice Uday Umesh Lalit, said the bench, also comprising justices A S Bopanna and Hima Kohli. Also Read | International Womens Day 2022: PM Narendra Modi to Address Seminar at Women Saints Camp at Dhordo in Kutch. Earlier, the top court had questioned the Centre over the delay in sending a proposal to the President for commuting the death sentence of Rajoana. It had asked the government to apprise it as to when the authorities concerned will send the proposal to the President under Article 72 of the Constitution. The article deals with the power of the President to grant pardon, suspend, remit or commute sentences in certain cases. Rajoana, a former Punjab Police constable, was convicted for his involvement in an explosion outside the Punjab civil secretariat that killed Beant Singh and 16 others on August 31, 1995. The top court has been hearing Rajoana's plea seeking commutation of death sentence to life term on the ground that he has been in jail for 25 years. A special court had in July 2007 awarded the death sentence to Rajoana in the case. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Patna, Mar 7 (PTI) The Bihar Assembly on Monday witnessed repeated clashes between MLAs of the BJP, which is part of the ruling NDA in the state, and the opposition over issues relating to the Muslim community. The question hour saw BJP MLAs on their feet demanding fencing of shamshan ghats' (cremation grounds) on government expenses, provoked by an RJD legislator raising the issue of kabristaans' (burial grounds). Also Read | Plane 'Escaped Collision' Due to the Pilot's Efficiency: Mamata Banerjee on Flight Facing Mid-Air Turbulence While Returning From Varanasi. RJD MLA Shamim Ahmad had said delay in fencing of burial grounds often left these vulnerable to mischief from anti-social elements, and requested that legislators be allowed to facilitate the work from their local area development funds. Minister Bijendra Kumar Yadav rose to reply on behalf of the government and submitted that district-level committees headed by respective collectors were in place to identify sensitive burial grounds. Also Read | Uttar Pradesh ABP C-Voter Exit Poll Results 2022: BJP Projected to Retain Power in UP with 236 Seats. He, however, said so far the government has not considered the option of allowing legislators to get the job done through their respective funds. The House plunged into turmoil as some BJP MLAs rose in their seats, demanding that the government also similarly undertake fencing of the shamshaan ghats' and temples. This is the type of communalism for which the BJP is known. Raking up shamshan', Pakistan at the drop of the hat, rued RJD MLA Nehaluddin outside the House later. Haribhushan Thakur Bachaul, the BJP MLA who was recently in news for suggesting that Muslims should be stripped of voting rights if they refused to sing Vande Mataram', told reporters we raised the issue of shamshan' and mandir because these to need to be secure. We will continue doing so. Post-lunch, the House got down to debate on the second supplementary budget, but chaos followed again after BJP MLA Kumar Shailendra used an unparliamentary word for Muslims. Opposition MLAs trooped into the well raising slogans in protest. Former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, who is with the ruling NDA, said it was indeed objectionable to use disparaging words about a community. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary concurred and urged Speaker Vijay Kumar Sinha that the remark be expunged from the proceedings of the House. The Speaker said suitable action will be taken in the matter, though the opposition remained dissatisfied and staged a walkout. The debate carried on with the opposition in absentia, and the second supplementary budget was passed by voice vote. (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, Mar 7 (PTI) The Delhi High Court on Monday dismissed former West Bengal chief secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay's challenge to the transfer of his application concerning proceedings against him from Kolkata to New Delhi by the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT). A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Jyoti Singh said there was no reason to interfere with the transfer, and clarified that it was not expressing any opinion on the merits of the proceedings against him. Also Read | Poco M4 Pro First Online Sale Today at 12 Noon via Flipkart. Bandyopadhyay had moved the Kolkata bench of the CAT to challenge the proceedings initiated against him in a matter related to not attending a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss the effects of cyclone 'Yaas' at the Kalaikunda Air Force Station on May 28 last year. The proceedings against the petitioner were initiated by the Ministry of Personnel and Public Grievance and Pensions. Also Read | Asus 8z To Go on Sale Today in India via Flipkart, Check Offers Here. Counsel for the petitioner had argued that the transfer order was passed in complete violation of the principles of natural justice, equity and fair play as he was not even granted a right to file his written objections and the Centre's plea was allowed on the very first day of its listing. He had claimed that convenience of the officer has to be considered while issuing the order and the petitioner ordinarily and permanently resides in Kolkata and the entire cause of action occurred within the jurisdiction of the Kolkata Bench of CAT. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, had said till the time proceedings are virtual, it does not matter it happens in Kolkata or Delhi and the court can record his request or joint request that the hearing shall be held virtual before the CAT. Bandyopadhyay, who was not released by the state government, chose to retire on May 31, 2021, his original date of superannuation before having been given an extension of three months from that date. The Union government had filed a transfer petition before the principal bench of CAT, which on October 22 last year allowed the transfer of Bandyopadhyay's application to itself in New Delhi. On January 6, the Supreme Court had set aside a Calcutta High Court order which quashed the CAT transfer order and granted Bandyopadhyay the liberty to assail the same before the jurisdictional high court. The apex court had delivered its verdict on a plea filed by the Centre challenging the October 29, 2021 order of the Calcutta High Court. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi [India], March 7 (ANI): The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday said that it has arrested one Chhattisgarh-based businessman Subhash Sharma, in connection with a Prevention of Money Laundering case of a bank fraud of Rs 54 crore. ED initiated a money-laundering investigation on the basis of multiple FIRs registered by Chhattisgarh Police and CBI against Subhash Sharma and others for fraudulently obtaining loans from various banks through companies owned and controlled by him, law enforcement agency said in a statement today. Also Read | Uttar Pradesh ABP C-Voter Exit Poll Results 2022: BJP Projected to Retain Power in UP with 236 Seats. The law enforcement agency further said that the total Proceeds of Crime (POC) involved in the above FIRs is around Rs 54 Crore. Investigations by ED revealed that during the period from December 2009 to December 2014, the loans obtained fraudulently by the companies owned and controlled by Subhash Sharma were diverted and used for investment in non-intended businesses and part of the Proceeds of Crime was also utilized to purchase immovable properties in the name of shell entities. Also Read | Manipur ABP-C-Voter Exit Poll Results 2022: BJP Likely to Win 23 to 27 Seats. Most of the companies of Subhash Sharma did not have any business activities and were created only for the purpose of transfer/routing of loan funds received in his companies to other companies. Two PAO attaching movable and immovable properties valuing Rs. 39.68 Crore derived out of the Proceeds of Crime has been issued. The Special Judge of PMLA Court in Raipur and Chhattisgarh has granted 10 days of ED custody of the arrestee Subash Sharma. Further investigation into the case is underway. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Indore (Madhya Pradesh) [India], March 7 (ANI): 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. Also Read | Mukul Arya, Indias Representative at Ramallah, Passes Away; External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar Expresses Condolences. 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." Also Read | IPL 2022 Schedule, Free PDF Download Online: Get Indian Premier League 2022 Fixtures, Time Table With Match Timings and Venue Details. 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) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Jammu, Mar 7 (PTI) BJP national president Jagat Parkash Nadda on Monday reviewed his party's functioning in Jammu and Kashmir and praised its members for working towards strengthening the organisational structure. Nadda arrived in Jammu and Kashmir to a rousing welcome, his first visit to the region after the abrogation of Article 370 and its bifurcation into two Union territories in August 2019. Also Read | Punjab ABP C-Voter Exit Poll Results 2022: Congress Seen To Lose 11% Vote Share in State, AAP To Gain 15% To Form Govt. During his day-long visit, the BJP chief along with his family paid obeisance at Mata Vaishno Devi shrine. Later, he, accompanied by national general secretaries Tarun Chugh, Vinod Tavre and Jammu and Kashmir BJP chief Ravinder Raina addressed a meeting of senior party leaders in Katra. Also Read | NDTV Poll of Polls Puts BJP Ahead in Uttar Pradesh, Manipur and Goa; AAP to Win Punjab. BJP National Secretary Narinder Singh, Union Minister Jitendra Singh, MP Jugal Kishore Sharma were also present. Addressing the meeting, Nadda shared his past experiences in Jammu and Kashmir when he was discharging organizational duties here. He said a BJP activist never takes rest and works all year round for the masses. Nadda also congratulated the BJP activists in Jammu and Kashmir who strived in odd conditions to strengthen the organisational structure. Nadda said that the BJP has come a long way to become a major political party in the Union Territory and attributed this to the dedication and zeal of party activists. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Bijapur (Chhattisgarh) [India], March 7 (ANI): One security personnel was injured in an IED blast in the Ilmidi area of the Bijapur district earlier today. A police official said today that a District Force constable was injured in an improvised explosive device (IED) blast in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district today. Also Read | Exit Poll Results 2022 Live Updates: Check Latest Predictions For Assembly Elections in UP, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Manipur And Goa. The injured jawan has been admitted to the district hospital in Bijapur and is stable, the official added. Further probe in the matter is underway. (ANI) Also Read | International Womens Day 2022: PM Narendra Modi to Address Seminar at Women Saints Camp at Dhordo in Kutch. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi [India], March 7 (ANI): A special flight, carrying 160 Indian evacuees from Ukraine, landed here on Monday from Budapest in Hungary. The Air Asia flight, which evacuated the citizens, evacuated the stranded students from Hungary and landed at the airport at around 4-4.30 am. Also Read | Mukul Arya, Indias Representative at Ramallah, Passes Away; External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar Expresses Condolences. Harishma, a student who is a Bengaluru resident, said, "It was really difficult. We travelled for three days through the metro tunnel. After we reached Ukraine border, the Indian Embassy evacuated us and brought us back. They had made all the arrangements such as food and water. I am happy that I am back in the country." Gowardhan, another student, said, "After we crossed Ukraine border, the Indian Embassy provided all the facilities. I am thankful to the embassy for evacuating us." Also Read | IPL 2022 Schedule, Free PDF Download Online: Get Indian Premier League 2022 Fixtures, Time Table With Match Timings and Venue Details. 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) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is looking for a new captain to lead the offices troubled sex crimes unit, which has been slammed by abuse victims as dysfunctional and unsympathetic. We want a real leader in the space whos got deep expertise, Bragg told the Daily News in an interview. A person who knows how to build this kind of case, knows what it looks like in the courtroom, knows the rules of evidence, all of those key lawyering skills, but also knows the core of humanity. Advertisement Alvin Bragg speaks during a rally outside Gracie Mansion in the Upper East Side on July 10, 2021 in Manhattan. (Barry Williams/for New York Daily News) The new hire will have their work cut out for them. In 2021, 563 misdemeanor and felony sex crimes were arraigned in Manhattan, according to data shared with The News. Before the pandemic, in 2019, the sex crimes unit handled 752 misdemeanor and felony sex crimes. Advertisement The sex crimes units standing among abuse survivors requires rehabilitation, Bragg acknowledged. The handling of several prominent cases under Braggs predecessor, Cy Vance Jr., continues to dog the office. Marissa Hoechstetters first interaction with the DAs office was in 2011 when she came forward as one of the first women to accuse ex-Columbia University Dr. Robert Hadden of assaulting her during a gynecology exam after the birth of her twin daughters. I knew I was telling the truth and that this was a place that was going to help me. I thought I would be able to help prevent a serial perpetrator from harming others, said Hoechstetter. But Hoechstetter was outraged when Hadden pleaded guilty to criminal sex act in the third degree and forcible touching on Feb. 24, 2016, for abusing two women on the exam table. He admitted the assaults served no valid medical purpose in a no-jail plea deal. The slap on the wrist required Hadden relinquish his medical license and register as a level one sex offender the lowest possible risk rating. More than 200 women have since come forward to say Hadden abused them under the guise of medical care over his 30-year career at the helm of Columbia and New York-Presbyterians obstetrics and gynecology unit. Hes now awaiting trial on similar federal charges and has pleaded not guilty. Unfortunately, my case is not particularly unique, said Hoechstetter, who advised Bragg as a member of his transition team. You also see lots of survivors coming out of that office who are dissuaded from moving forward, who see resolutions that are unsatisfactory to them, who are interrogated as though the assumption is that theyre not telling the truth. Advertisement Marissa Hoechstetter speaks at a rally in support of the Adult Survivors Act on Feb. 28, 2020 in New York City. (Scott Heins/Getty Images) Jeffrey Epstein and Harvey Weinstein are two other notorious sexual predators who critics say were mishandled by the sex crimes unit. In January 2011, one of Vances prosecutors argued for Epsteins sex offender status to be reduced from level three to a level one. Vances team later excused the assistant district attorneys request to ease restrictions on the notorious child sex abuser as an incorrect interpretation of the statute. Before the unit secured Weinsteins 23-year conviction on sexual assault and rape charges in March 2020, it declined to prosecute the producer for alleged abuse of Italian model Ambra Battilana Gutierrez. An NYPD wiretap recording of the disgraced Hollywood bigshot admitting to groping Gutierrez wasnt enough to convince prosecutors they had a case. Robert Hadden, the gynecologist accused of sexually abusing patients, in Manhattan Supreme Court on Feb. 23, 2016. (Alec Tabak/New York Daily News) Breaking News As it happens Get updates on the coronavirus pandemic and other news as it happens with our free breaking news email alerts. > According to NYPD data, most rape and sexual assault reports are not solved. And the majority of sex crimes that occur in the U.S. are not reported at all, research shows. Bragg said he wants to change that by including survivors voices within the walls of the DAs office and by working closely with the NYPD to foster an environment where victims of assault feel heard. The starting premise is that the person is coming forward and telling the truth not unduly challenging someone, said Bragg. So we can help ensure the entire process is not redundant in a way that is triggering or is further trauma-inducing. Advertisement Harvey Weinstein arrives at Manhattan Criminal Court Feb. 24, 2020. (Barry Williams/for New York Daily News) The new boss of the sex crimes unit will also have to improve staff morale. The office couldnt provide figures on recent turnover, but sources said prosecutors have left the DAs office by the dozens since last year many of them from the sex crimes unit. The division includes five attorneys who supervise 50 to 60 specially trained assistant district attorneys from the offices trial division. In terms of staff morale, this is going to be a key issue, said Bragg. This is challenging work, arguably the most challenging work there is. New Delhi, Mar 7 (PTI) A Pakistani drone carrying over 4 kgs of suspected contraband was shot down by the Border Security Force (BSF) along the international border in Punjab's Ferozpur sector on Monday, an official said. The quadcopter was detected around 3 am after troops heard a humming sound. They illuminated the area with "para bombs" to aim at the drone, a BSF spokesperson said. Also Read | Asus 8z To Go on Sale Today in India via Flipkart, Check Offers Here. He said a small green coloured bag was attached to the drone and it contained four packets in yellow wrappings and one small packet in a black wrapping. The gross weight of the suspected contraband item is about 4.17 kgs, with packing material, and the packet wrapped in black weighs about 250 grams, the spokesperson said. Also Read | Google May Postpone Pixel 6a, Pixel Watch Launch Until Late July 2022 in the US: Report. The drone's model is DJI Matrice 300 RTX. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Kolkata, March 7: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said another aircraft had come in front of her plane when she was returning to Kolkata from Varanasi and her plane 'escaped collision' due to the pilot's efficiency. "Plane escaped collision due to pilot's efficiency. The plane climbed down 8,000 ft when another plane came in front of my aircraft suddenly. Not received any report from ATC and DGCA so far", said Mamata Banerjee on her chartered flight running into turbulence. The Bengal government sought a report from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Saturday after the CM's chartered flight experienced mid-air turbulence, injuring her back. "I suffered injuries on my back & chest. I still have pain", added the Bengal CM. Mamata Banerjee Says Pilot Averted Collision With Another Plane, Days After Air Turbulence. Mamata alleges that while she was returning from Lucknow last week, just ahead of landing, her flight took a dip of 8000 ft, due to another flight on the same path. Banerjee was returning from Uttar Pradesh after campaigning for the Samajwadi Party. CM Banerjee was on board a Dassault Falcon 2000, which is a 10.3-tonne lightweight plane with a capacity of carrying a maximum of 19 people, including two flight attendants. (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, Mar 7 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear on March 11 a plea of Malayalam news channel 'MediaOne' against the Kerala High Court order upholding the Centre's decision to ban its telecast on security grounds. A bench comprising Chief Justice N V Ramana and Justices A S Bopanna took note of the submissions of senior advocate Dushyant Dave, appearing for the news channel, that the plea needed an urgent hearing. Also Read | Poco M4 Pro First Online Sale Today at 12 Noon via Flipkart. This is too serious. For 11 years, we have been functioning and we have 350 employees and millions of viewers. We have been shut down because of some secret files from the Home Ministry. Both the single judge and the division bench of the high court have justified this (action of the government) behind my back, the senior lawyer said. This is too serious and the issue involved is right to information and freedom of press, he said. Also Read | Asus 8z To Go on Sale Today in India via Flipkart, Check Offers Here. List on Friday before an appropriate bench, the CJI said. Earlier, the Kerala High Court upheld the Centre's decision to bar telecast of the Malayalam news channel and had dismissed the plea of Madhyamam Broadcasting Ltd -- which operates MediaOne -- challenging the central government's January 31 decision. The high court had said that the decision of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to deny security clearance was based on intelligence inputs received from various agencies. The central government had also said that the MHA denied security clearance over national security concerns based on intelligence inputs. The channel had contended that MHA clearance was only required at the time for fresh permission/license and not at the time of renewal. It had also contended that, according to the uplinking and downlinking guidelines, security clearance was only required at the time of application for fresh permission and not at the time of renewal of licence.PTI SJK (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, Mar 7 (PTI) An IAF flight carrying Indian student Harjot Singh, who was shot in Ukrainian capital Kyiv a few days ago, landed at the Hindon airbase here on Monday evening, officials said. Minister of State for Civil Aviation V K Singh and around 200 Indians, mainly students, also returned to India on the flight that landed at 6.15 pm, they said. Also Read | International Womens Day 2022: PM Narendra Modi to Address Seminar at Women Saints Camp at Dhordo in Kutch. V K Singh was in Poland to facilitate the evacuation of students. The Ukrainian airspace has been shut since February 24 due to the Russian military offensive. Indian citizens stuck in Ukraine are being airlifted once they cross to neighbouring countries such as Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and Poland. Also Read | Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections 2022: Akhilesh Yadav Is Coming to Power in UP, Says Tejashwi Yadav. On February 27, 31-year-old Harjot Singh, along with his two friends, boarded a cab for the western Ukrainian city of Lviv in a bid to escape Kyiv. He was shot four times, including in his chest. Harjot Singh's family in Delhi had told PTI on Sunday that they were "very, very happy" that he was returning and were eagerly awaiting his arrival. The Ministry of External Affairs had on Friday announced that the government would bear medical expenses of Harjot Singh. On March 1, medical student Naveen SG from Karnataka was killed in shelling in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv when he ventured out to buy food for himself and his peers. Eight flights with more than 1,500 Indians will operate from Ukraine's neighbouring countries to India on Monday, according to the Ministry of Civil Aviation. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Azamgarh (Uttar Pradesh) [India], March 7 (ANI): In an unusual sight in Azamgarh, an elderly man arrived at a polling booth here on Monday pulling a hand cart, carrying his wife who nursed a fracture and another physically disabled woman. The 76-year-old man Harilal Prajapati said he did not want to miss an opportunity to have a say in the formation of the government. Also Read | Realme C35 With 50MP Triple Rear Camera Setup Launched in India; First Sale on March 12, 2022. Prajapati said that other means of transport would not have been viable for them as he himself was suffering a back problem, and the women accompanying him would not have been able to make it on her own. Speaking to ANI, he said he did not have any particular aspirations from the political parties. Also Read | Nawab Malik Sent to 14 Days Judicial Custody Till March 21 in Money Laundering Case. "I have back problem and my wife also not well, hence, used this cart. We have no expectations. Can Rs 500, 1,000 (given by state) cure us?" he asked. The man also said that he would rather survive on his hard-earned bread. Prajati's wife Ajhu, aged nearly 70, said that he fractured her hand after a fall and also injured other parts of her body. "We don't want to waste our votes, that's why came on a cart," she said. Phoolpati, who is physically disabled, said that she came to vote with the hope of the government providing them welfare. Polling for the last phase of the Assembly elections is underway in Uttar Pradesh. Azamgarh recorded a voter turnout of over 35 per cent till 1 pm on Monday. A total of 613 candidates are in the electoral fray for the 54 Assembly constituencies spread across nine districts of Mau, Azamgarh, Jaunpur, Ghazipur, Varanasi, Chandauli, Mirzapur, Sonbhadra, and Bhadohi (Sant Ravidas Nagar). Voting for the last phase of the seven-phased Uttar Pradesh elections began at 7 am today and will continue till 6 pm. The counting of votes will take place on March 10. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Agra (Uttar Pradesh) [India], March 7 (ANI): Three persons have been arrested in Uttar Pradesh's Agra for smuggling marijuana from Nepal, police informed on Sunday. 18.980 kilograms of marijuana worth Rs 95 lakh, one mobile and four roadways tickets have been recovered from the accused, Agra SP (Protocol) Shiv Ram Yadav informed. Also Read | YouTube Music Users Can Now Share Songs With Snapchat on Android. "The accused are under interrogation, further investigation is underway," 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) Damascus [Syria], March 7 (ANI/Xinhua): As many as 13 soldiers were killed on Sunday when their bus was ambushed in the countryside of the 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. Also Read | Russia-Ukraine War Live Updates: Closing Ukraine's Airspace In Current Circumstances May Spark World War III, Says EU Leader Charles Michel. 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. Also Read | Afghanistan Shocker: 5 Members of Family Beheaded in Herat Province. 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. (ANI/Xinhua) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Taipei [Taiwan], March 7 (ANI): 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. Also Read | Russia-Ukraine War Live Updates: Closing Ukraine's Airspace In Current Circumstances May Spark World War III, Says EU Leader Charles Michel. 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. Also Read | Afghanistan Shocker: 5 Members of Family Beheaded in Herat Province. 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) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi [India], March 7 (ANI): Ministry of External Affairs is "deeply shocked" over the sudden death of India's Representative at Ramallah, Mukul Arya. Terming Arya a "young and dedicated officer", the official spokesperson of MEA, Arindam Bagchi, said that his passing away will leave a void. Also Read | Ukraine Plans To Blow Up Nuclear Plant, Blame Russia for Radioactive Contamination. "We are deeply shocked at the sudden demise of Shri Mukul Arya, India's Representative at Ramallah. A young and dedicated officer, his passing away will leave a void. Heartfelt condolences on behalf of the Ministry to his family members," Bagchi tweeted. "Our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this difficult time. @MEAIndia will extend all possible support to them," he said in another tweet. Also Read | Angelina Jolie Reaches Yemen to Help Refugees, Dedicates Heartfelt Instagram Post to Highlight the Crisis. Earlier, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar 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. More information is awaited in this regard. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Islamabad [Pakistan], March 7 (ANI): 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. Also Read | Russia-Ukraine War Live Updates: Closing Ukraine's Airspace In Current Circumstances May Spark World War III, Says EU Leader Charles Michel. 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. Also Read | Afghanistan Shocker: 5 Members of Family Beheaded in Herat Province. 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) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) The Manhattan District Attorneys office is scrutinizing the NYPDs arrest of an advocate for homeless people on charges that prosecutors swiftly rejected, the Daily News has learned. The bizarre Nov. 10, 2021, confrontation between the volunteer, Derrick DeMaria, and Lt. Jermaine Oden and Police Officer Md. Khader in Tompkins Square Park was captured on cellphone video obtained by The News. Advertisement DeMaria says he was assisting people as the cops booted them from the East Village park. A criminal complaint accused DeMaria, 33, of snatching a comforter belonging to a homeless person from Khader as the cop removed property from a park entrance. DeMaria then defied orders from Khader and Oden to give the comforter back to the cops, the complaint charges. Advertisement Cellphone video captures Derrick Demaria's arrest at Tompkins Square Park in Nov. 2021. (Provided by Paul L. Mills) But late last year, prosecutors concluded that simply didnt happen and declined to bring charges. Video from the scene obtained by The News also puts the police account into question. It does not appear that there was ever an effort to physically grab the property back from the defendant. Based on our investigation, it appears the lieutenant never requested the property back from the defendant, Assistant District Attorney Samantha Levitz wrote in a Nov. 24 email. DeMaria spent eight hours in a cell at the nearby 9th Precinct stationhouse, where police charged him with obstructing governmental administration. The charge was dismissed Nov. 29. Derrick DeMaria plans to sue over his bizarre arrest in Tompkins Square Park. (Molly Crane-Newman/New York Daily News) Levitz disclosed to DeMarias lawyer Paul Mills that an interview with Khader, the arresting officer, conflicted with the arrest report he filled out, according to Mills. None of this had happened, and its all on the bodycam, said DeMaria, a volunteer with Washington Square Park Neutral Aid. Video footage shows cops allowed volunteers to take the homeless peoples belongings. Oden is seen observing the volunteers rolling up large bundle of blankets less than two minutes before making an aggressive about-face, ordering DeMarias arrest for holding the same items. DeMaria said the cop accused him of possession of stolen property. Advertisement Are you kidding me? a handcuffed DeMaria says on the cell phone footage. Derrick DeMaria, an advocate for the homeless, says he was arrested on bogus charges last year. (Provided by Paul L. Mills) Police initially charged DeMaria with criminal possession of stolen property on top of the obstruction charge. Both misdemeanors can carry up to one year in jail. But the NYPD dropped the latter charge after DeMaria was released with a desk appearance ticket. On Jan. 27, DeMaria met with the Manhattan DAs police accountability chief, Nicholas Viorst, who wanted to know his side of the story. At the prosecutors office, DeMaria watched a second video of his arrest captured by NYPD body-cameras, which he reviewed with Viorst, he said. [Viorst] contacted me, he said they had been going through some old files and that something about my case stood out to him, said DeMaria. The police accountability unit contacted DeMaria again Feb. 4, but it has not reached out since, according to a source familiar with the case. The status of the probe was unclear. The DAs office declined to comment. Advertisement Mills said he believed the cops just wanted to get his client out of the way while they finished kicking homeless people out of the park and throwing their belongings in a garbage truck. Police and prosecutors routinely bring charges that have no foundation and they have no intention of prosecuting, said Mills. Breaking News As it happens Get updates on the coronavirus pandemic and other news as it happens with our free breaking news email alerts. > Homeless people in Tompkins Square Park in November 2021. (Anadolu Agency/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) DeMaria plans to sue the city for the arrest. He filed a notice of claim for $225,000 in damages with the Comptrollers office in February. On the campaign trail, Bragg said stronger police accountability would be one of his top priorities as DA. He vowed that cops who commit crimes would not get special treatment from his office. Advertisement Mills said he hopes Braggs office will hold the cops who arrested his client accountable. If somebody snatches you up off the street and hustles you into a vehicle and drags you off to another location where you dont want to be, thats a felony crime in the state of New York called kidnapping, okay? said Mills. And the badge means nothing unless its a lawful arrest. An NYPD spokesperson said they would review DeMarias lawsuit if and when it is filed. The Police Benevolent Association declined to weigh in on Khaders behalf. A spokesman for the lieutenants union did not immediately respond to a request for comment. London, Mar 7 (AP) Queen Elizabeth II met with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday, smiling and greeting him in front of a large bouquet of blue and yellow flowers, the colors of the Ukrainian flag. The audience was the queen's first in-person engagement since she tested positive for COVID-19 on Feb. 20. Buckingham Palace declined to comment on the flower arrangement, but royal watchers say the queen and her family leave little to chance when making public appearances. Also Read | International Women's Day 2022: From Kamala Harris to Ursula Von Der Leyen, Here is a List of Powerful Women Leaders Around the World. Trudeau was in the UK for talks on the Ukraine war with Prime Minister Boris Johnson and their Dutch counterpart, Mark Rutte. Elizabeth, who is also the Queen of Canada, has visited the North American nation more than 20 times during her 70-year reign. She met with Trudeau at Windsor Castle, where she has spent most of her time since the outbreak of the pandemic. Also Read | Russia-Ukraine War: At Least 13 Ukrainian Civilians Killed in Airstrike on Bread Factory in Kyiv, Says State Emergency Service. The pair have known each other for some time. Trudeau, 50, met the monarch several times as a child because his father, Pierre Elliott Trudeau, was one of Canada's longest-serving prime ministers. Pictures from the engagement show Trudeau warmly clasping Elizabeth's hand in both of his, with the vase of blue and yellow flowers directly in the background. They both smile warmly. Trudeau said he had had the privilege of knowing the queen for about 45 years, and I can tell you that in my conversation with her this morning she was as insightful and perspicacious as ever. The palace's Feb. 20 announcement that Elizabeth had tested positive test prompted concern about the 95-year-old monarch. The palace has declined to offer day-to day commentary on the monarch's health, citing her right to privacy. But palace officials have said that Elizabeth has been fully vaccinated and has had a booster shot. (AP) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Washington [US], March 7 (ANI): Russian President Vladimir Putin is looking to recruit Syrian soldiers to fight in Ukraine amid the escalating conflict in Kyiv, The Wall Street Journal reported citing US officials. United States officials told the Journal that Moscow is specifically recruiting Syrian fighters for their expertise in urban combat fighting. Also Read | Ukraine Plans To Blow Up Nuclear Plant, Blame Russia for Radioactive Contamination. An American assessment indicates that Russia, which has been operating inside Syria since 2015, has in recent days been recruiting fighters from there, hoping their expertise in urban combat can help take Kyiv and deal a devastating blow to the Ukrainian government, according to four American officials. The move points to a potential escalation of fighting in Ukraine, The Wall Street Journal said citing experts. Troops loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who is backed by Russia, have been fighting a fierce battle in urban centres for nearly a decade, giving them a skill set hard to find among Russian troops, The Hill reported. Also Read | Angelina Jolie Reaches Yemen to Help Refugees, Dedicates Heartfelt Instagram Post to Highlight the Crisis. One official said while it's unclear how many Syrian fighters will join the battle, some are already in Russia preparing to enter the conflict, per the Journal. The involvement of Syrian troops would further internationalize a war that began with Russia's invasion on February 24. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said last week that over 16,000 foreign fighters have volunteered to defend the country, calling it an "international legion." Ukraine's Defense Ministry also put out a call for foreign volunteers on Facebook, asking for applicants with combat experience who have "citizenship other than Ukrainian, but ... are standing with Ukraine against (the) Russian invasion," The New York Post reported. 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. Meanwhile, the third round of talks between Russia and Ukraine may take place today. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Moscow, Mar 7 (PTI) Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday assured Prime Minister Narendra Modi that his forces are doing everything to evacuate the stranded Indian citizens, mostly students, from the war-torn eastern Ukrainian city of Sumy, according to his office. During the 50-minute telephonic conversation, Prime Minister Modi conveyed his "deep concern" over the safety and security of the Indian students stuck in Sumy city and sought their evacuation at the earliest. Also Read | 'China, India Have Encountered Some Setbacks in Bilateral Ties', Says Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Around 700 Indian students are stranded in Sumy amid intense fighting between Russian and Ukrainian troops and India has been urging both sides to create a "humanitarian corridor" for their safe evacuation. President Putin, in the telephone conversation with Prime Minister Modi, said that Russian military personnel are doing everything to evacuate Indian citizens from Sumy, the state-owned TASS news agency reported, citing the Kremlin. Also Read | Crude Oil Price Soars Past $130 A Barrel, Highest Since July 2008 Amid Russia-Ukraine Crisis. "It has been noted that the Indian students who were held by the radicals in Kharkov managed to leave the city only as a result of strong international pressure on the Kiev authorities," the Kremlin alleged. "Russian military personnel are making every effort to ensure the evacuation of Indian citizens from the city of Sumy, it said. Modi thanked the Russian side "for the measures taken to ensure the return of his compatriots to their homeland, it added. On Saturday, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said in New Delhi that India's main focus is now on evacuating the students from Sumy, and that the safe exit of Indians from Kharkiv and Pisochyn is almost complete. "We are deeply concerned about Indian students in Sumy, Ukraine. Have strongly pressed Russian and Ukrainian governments through multiple channels for an immediate ceasefire to create a safe corridor for our students," Bagchi said. Bagchi also said the main challenge remains the ongoing shelling and violence in Sumy and lack of transportation. Last week, the Indian students in Sumy had posted videos saying they have decided to leave for the Russian border and that the Indian government and the embassy in Ukraine will be responsible if anything happens to them. Following the embassy's assurance, the students did not leave the eastern Ukrainian city that has seen intense fighting between Russian and Ukrainian troops. Putin told Modi that Ukrainian nationalists "continue to prevent the withdrawal of civilians from dangerous zones, the Kremlin said. "Vladimir Putin informed the Prime Minister of India that, given the aggravation of the humanitarian situation, the Russian Armed Forces announced the introduction of a regime of silence today and the opening of humanitarian corridors," it said. Asked about Putin's comments on Thursday that some Indians are being held hostage by Ukrainian forces, Bagchi had on Friday again rejected the claim, saying India does not have any such information or reports. On Thursday too, Bagchi rejected claims by both Russia and Ukraine that Indian students are being held hostage in Kharkiv. It was the third telephonic conversation between the two leaders after the military conflict began in Ukraine on February 24. India has brought back nearly 16,000 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 in New Delhi. 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 Ukraine for their exit to Romania, Hungary or Poland. Prime Minister Modi has expressed deep concern about the ongoing conflict and resultant humanitarian crisis and reiterated his call for immediate cessation of violence. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Nicosia, March 7: As Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues unabated, many countries of the Middle East are seriously concerned about the inevitable shortage of grain as Russia and Ukraine together account for 30 per cent of global wheat exports. Russia is the world's largest exporter of wheat, with Ukraine in fourth place, while the two countries together account also for 19 per cent of corn exports. The war in Ukraine, if it continues for several weeks more, will also prevent Ukrainians from planting the wheat, while the sanctions imposed by the West will prevent Russia from selling its produce. As a result, the prices of grain will continue to rise steeply, causing sharp rises in the prices of bread, milk, meat, and other products. Also Read | Russia-Ukraine War Live Updates: Closing Ukraine's Airspace In Current Circumstances May Spark World War III, Says EU Leader Charles Michel. According to data taken from the FAO's 2020 balance sheet, Lebanon buys 81 per cent of its national wheat consumption from Ukraine and 15 per cent from Russia. Egypt buys 60 per cent of the wheat it consumes from Russia and 25 per cent from Ukraine. Turkey has a similar proportion: 66 per cent of wheat imports come from Russia and 10 per cent from Ukraine. Several Middle East governments and especially those of Egypt, Lebanon, Libya, and Turkey will find it extremely difficult to pay for the increased prices of grain and may be forced to reduce or even abolish subsidies for bread, risking violent popular protests, which may topple some of them. Egypt is struggling desperately to find alternate sources of wheat after the Russian invasion of Ukraine has put supply to the country in jeopardy. As last year the country imported about 85 per cent of the wheat it needed from Russia and Ukraine, the government of Abdel Fattah al-Sisi will need to find urgently alternative sources of supply. Last week the Egyptian government had to cancel an international tender for the supply of wheat from France, as only one tender was received, instead of a minimum of two offers required, and Cairo rushed to invite a new tender 48 hours later. But, in view of the fact that last week the price of wheat reached a 14-year high, there is no doubt that it would have to pay much more for the same quantities. The price of bread has been a politically explosive issue in Egypt as on several occasions in the past 50 years it triggered angry protests, to which the Police usually responded by firing shots over the heads of demonstrators. Particularly strong protests were staged in March 2017 in Alexandria, Giza and many other areas after the government cut the supply of subsidized bread amid an economic crisis. Also during the so-called "Bread Intifada" in January 1977 violent protests broke out and the Egyptian security forces killed 70 people and wounded more than 550 protesters, but in the end the government was forced to re-institute the subsidies. Bread subsidies are considered a red line among Egyptians and people in other countries in the Middle East, as they are a staple for every family in the region. Bread is sold at very low prices, for example, a subsidized flat loaf costs 0.05 Egyptian pounds, less than one US cent, which covers only a small part of the real cost of producing it and the government coffers cover the rest. Lebanon is facing a huge problem with grain supplies, as it imports more than 80 per cent of the grain it needs from the Black Sea and does not have a strategic stockpile of grains due to the enormous explosion in the port of Beirut in August 2020 which destroyed its only large grain silo. Furthermore, as its economy has been facing a large-scale, multi-dimensional crisis, including a banking collapse, a liquidity crisis, and sovereign default, it may not be able to pay the skyrocketing prices for the grain it needs. Turkey's economy has been faltering in the past three years, and the sharp devaluation of the Turkish lira has forced the majority of its estimated 81 million people to increase consumption of wheat-based products at the expense of the protein, increasing in this way the need for grain. Moreover, the approximately 5 million refugees hosted in Turkey have bread as their main food. All this is coupled with the fact that Turkey is a major producer of pasta, flour, biscuits and semolina. Turkey is now a key player in the international wheat market, as its grain imports have increase to record levels. In 2021, Turkey imported 64.6 percent of its wheat from Russia and 13.4 per cent from Ukraine. Ankara would desperately need to find enough wheat to cover its needs. This year's Ukrainian harvest may be considered lost due to the war and the closing of its Black Sea and Sea of Azov ports, while Russia will find it extremely difficult to export its grain, as major shipping giants including Switzerland-based MSC, Denmark's Maersk and France's CMA CGM have announced last Tuesday that they would halt cargo bookings to and from Russia until further notice. Currently, the world grain markets are in a paralyzing state of uncertainty. Traders do not want to make deals that may be affected by the sanctions imposed on Russia and may find themselves in trouble either with the sanctions of the international community or their clients. So, apart from the serious violation of international law and the big humanitarian crisis it created, Russia's invasion of Ukraine will have serious repercussions also on the international grain markets and will affect millions of people who due to steep price rises may be forced to reduce the consumption of bread and thus may be close to famine, as in the case of Yemen. In the end, everything will depend on how long this war will last. Russia could be able to maintain its grain production to the previous levels but would face great difficulties in exporting it, while Ukraine's grain production will disappear from the international markets at least for several months. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Moscow [Russia], March 7 (ANI): Russian Defense Ministry said a total of 150 civilians were used as a human shield in Mariupol while the Ukrainian nationalists opened fire on the Donetsk People's Republics (DPR) fighters from behind the civilians' back. Igor Konashenkov, Russian Defence Ministry spokesperson in a statement said, "Yesterday at around 17.00 Moscow time, on Pobedy Avenue in Mariupol, DPR servicemen collided with a unit of Ukrainian armed nationalists. The militants drove more than 150 civilians ahead of them, hiding behind them as a 'human shield'," reported Sputnik. Also Read | 'China, India Have Encountered Some Setbacks in Bilateral Ties', Says Foreign Minister Wang Yi. The Russian armed forces announced a ceasefire from 10:00 am (07:00 GMT) for the residents of Ukraine's capital Kyiv, Mariupol, Kharkiv, Sumy to leave the cities, local media reported citing interdepartmental coordination headquarters for humanitarian response in Ukraine on Monday. "Given the catastrophic humanitarian situation and its sharp aggravation in the cities of Kyiv, Kharkiv, Sumy and Mariupol, as well as at the personal request of French President Emmanuel Macron to Russian President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, the Russian armed forces announce ceasefire for humanitarian purposes from 10;00 March 7, 2022, and open humanitarian corridors," the response centre said in a statement. Also Read | Crude Oil Price Soars Past $130 A Barrel, Highest Since July 2008 Amid Russia-Ukraine Crisis. During the ceasefire, Russia will control the evacuation of residents from the cities of Ukraine with the help of drones, the statement read cited by the Sputnik News Agency said. Meanwhile, Russian armed forces have already disabled nearly 2,400 military targets of Ukraine since the start of the operation."In total, 2,396 military targets of Ukraine were hit during the operation, including 82 command posts and communication centres of the Ukrainian military, 119 S-300, Buk M-1 and Osa air defence missile systems, 76 radar stations," Russian defence ministry spokesman said on Monday.The destroyed facilities also include 827 tanks and other armoured combat vehicles, 84 multiple rocket launchers, 304 field artillery pieces and mortars, 603 units of special military vehicles, 78 unmanned aerial vehicles.The forces shot down 14 planes, helicopters and drones of Ukraine, including Bayraktar combat drones, 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) Cairo, Mar 7 (AP) The United Nations and the United States on Monday called for the lifting of a blockade on oil production at two of Libya's key oil fields as prices soared to over USD130 a barrel. Stephanie Williams, the U.N. special adviser on Libya, said blocking oil production from the Sharara and el-Feel fields deprives all Libyans from their major source of revenue. She tweeted: The oil blockade should be lifted. Also Read | 'China, India Have Encountered Some Setbacks in Bilateral Ties', Says Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Richard Norland, the U.S. ambassador to Libya, also called for an immediate end to the shutdown. The closures have caused Libya's daily oil production to drop by 330,000 barrels, according to the state-run National Oil Corporation. Before the shutdown, Libya's production stood at around 1.2 billion barrels a day. The North African nation has the ninth-largest known oil reserves in the world, and the biggest oil reserves in Africa. Also Read | Crude Oil Price Soars Past $130 A Barrel, Highest Since July 2008 Amid Russia-Ukraine Crisis. The closure cost Libya more than USD34.6 million daily in lost revenues, the state-run company said. Its chief, Mustafa Sanallah, blamed the shutdown on an armed group that is led by Mohamed Bashir al-Garg in the mountainous town of Zintan, around 136 kilometers (over 84 miles) southwest of the capital, Tripoli. Local media reported that al-Garg, who also commands a force guarding oil facilities in the area, said the closures were due to dire living conditions and demanded authorities in Tripoli provide services to people in the region. The shutdown came as Brent crude, the international pricing standard, hit USD139.13 per barrel before falling back Monday, to be traded at USD130.29 a barrel, as Russia's war on Ukraine sent oil prices soaring. The oil blockade in Libya has come amid a mounting standoff between the country's two rival administrations that threatens to drag the nation into another round of infighting. (AP) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi, March 7: The ruling BJP is set to retain power in the crucial state of Uttar Pradesh with a tally of 236 seats, as per the ABP C-Voter Exit Poll. However, the BJP will return to power with a reduced margin in the 403-member UP Assembly, with a loss of 89 seats after winning 325 seats in 2017. The Samajwadi Party will put up an impressive show and is likely to get 140 seats, up 92 from its previous tally of 48 seats, but far short to challenge the Yogi Adityanath-led BJP in Uttar Pradesh. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) is projected to win 17 seats, while six seats will go to the Congress. The BJP is holding on to its vote share at 40.5 per cent, down by a mere 0.9 per cent. The SP is gaining 10 per cent vote share at 33.6 per cent. The sample size for the Exit Poll was 1.04 lakh in Uttar Pradesh. Uttar Pradesh Exit Poll Results 2022: BJP Set to Win UP Assembly Elections, SP to be Distant Second, Predict Surveys; Check Detailed Predictions. In other states, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is ahead in Punjab, the Congress is within striking distance of the majority mark in Uttarakhand, while Goa is again throwing up a hung Assembly, as per the Exit Poll. Arvind Kejriwal's AAP is way ahead of the Congress and Akali Dal in Punjab, as per the Exit Poll. AAP is projected to get 56 seats in the 117-member Punjab assembly, within kissing distance of the majority mark. The ruling Congress is slated to get 25 seats while the Akali Dal is projected to get 23 seats. The X factor in Punjab elections is that a large number of marginal seats will be decisive. In Uttarakhand, the Congress is very close to the majority mark and is projected to get 35 seats in the 70-member Assembly. The ruling BJP is projected to get 29 seats. The others category in Uttarakhand is likely to get 5 seats of which 3 is likely for BSP. The BJP is losing vote share by 5.7 per cent at 40.8 per cent, while the Congress is gaining the similar numbers at 39.3 per cent. Goa is projected for a hung Assembly with no party or block getting a majority. The ruling BJP is marginally ahead of Congress with 15 seats in the 40-member Assembly. The Congress alliance is at 14 seats. The MGP is getting 7 seats and AAP is getting 3 seats in Goa, as per the Exit Poll. Exit Poll Results 2022 Highlights: BJP Set to Retain UP, Manipur; AAP Likely to Surprise by Winning Punjab, Tight Fight in Uttarakhand, Goa, Say Assembly Election Surveys. BJP's vote share is at 32.7 per cent, followed by the Congress at 30.2 per cent, AAP at 14.5 per cent and MGP at 10.5 per cent. In Manipur, there is no clear verdict. The BJP is the single largest party at 25 seats in the 60-member Assembly, followed by Congress at 14 and NPP at 12. Thre current survey findings and projections are based on C-Voter Exit Poll/Post Poll personal interviews conducted on pollling day and after polling day among 18+ adults statewide. The sample size was 17,480 for Uttarakhand, 16,533 for Punjab, 5,502 for Goa and 5,269 for Manipur. The projection comes with 95 per cent Confidence interval. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 07, 2022 09:51 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). Budapest, Hungary | I've been talking to control room in Delhi... 4 buses with a capacity of 50 each are on their way to Poltava. Logistical arrangements are also being done for other students in Poltava. Food & other arrangements are in place: Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri pic.twitter.com/RjQAykk50s 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.) Police busted a terror module of proscribed terror outfit JeM in Awantipora & arrested 4 terrorist associates. Preliminary probe revealed that they were involved in providing shelter, logistic support & transportation of arms/ammunition to terrorists: Jammu and Kashmir Police 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.) United Nations: 1,207 civilian casualties of Russias war in Ukraine, 406 people killed and 801 injured. Most casualties were caused by the use of explosive weapons with a wide impact area, including heavy artillery, multi-launch rocket systems, missile and air strikes. The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) March 7, 2022 (SocialLY brings you all the latest breaking news, viral trends and information from social media world, including Twitter, Instagram and Youtube. The above post is embeded directly from the user's social media account and LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body. The views and facts appearing in the social media post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY, also LatestLY does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.) A storied war memorial was destroyed in a fiery one-car crash in Brooklyn early Sunday. The driver of a BMW sedan crashed into the World War I monument in the traffic circle of Bartel-Pritchard Square at the southwest entrance to Prospect Park about 4:10 a.m., cops said. Advertisement After the car plowed into the 57-year-old memorial, the vehicle erupted in flames, police said. The monument was located at Bartel-Pritchard Square at the southwest entrance to Prospect Park. (Brian Niemietz/New York Daily News) Medics transported a 23-year-old woman to Lutheran Hospital for pain and bruising. A man at the scene refused medical attention. Advertisement There were no other injuries and police are still investigating who was behind the wheel of the car. The memorial, erected in 1965, was a tribute to two Brooklyn natives and friends, Emil Bartel and William Pritchard, who died in combat in France during World War I. The monument was located at Bartel-Pritchard Square at the southwest entrance to Prospect Park. (Brian Niemietz/New York Daily News) Bartel lived nearby the crash site on Windsor Pl. near 11 Ave. in Windsor Terrace. Pritchard lived on Linden St. near Central Ave. in Bushwick. The close friends both enlisted in Brooklyns 13th Regiment of the National Guard. Overseas, they served together in the 59th Regiment, Coast Artillery before their deaths. On Sunday afternoon, the polished black granite monument, dedicated to soldiers in the community who died in the line of duty and inscribed with For Valor and Sacrifice, was wrecked, as were nearby benches and flowerbeds. Police have made no immediate arrests or issued any summonses for the crash. According to recent city data, 2,209 people were injured in city-wide vehicle crashes this year as of Jan. 31. As of Thursday, 15 vehicle occupants have died in crashes across the five boroughs. San Francisco: 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 $300 and have the A15 Bionic SoC at the helm, reliable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has outlined his "predictions" for the new iPhone SE, reports GSMArena. Apple iPhone SE 5G, iPad Air 5 & New Mac Mini Likely To Be Launched on March 8 Event. Kuo says the upcoming iPhone will come in 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB storage options and three colours - white, black, and red. Kuo also said that the iPhone SE 2022 will enter mass production this month, and Apple is estimated to ship 25-30 million units of the smartphone in 2022. The Apple iPhone SE 3 will feature 5G connectivity instead of 4G seen in the iPhone SE 2020. The smartphone is also expected to come with improved performance with upgraded internals. In addition, Apple is also planning a redesigned 27-inch iMac with a mini-LED display for release in the first half of 2022. The new 27-inch iMac is expected to support ProMotion. The new 27-inch iMac is expected to be powered by the same M1 Pro and M1 Max chips that debuted in the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro last year. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 07, 2022 08:33 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). Seoul, March 7: Samsung Electronics said on Monday that a recent cyber-attack by a hacking group on its system did not cause major harm to its business and customers. In a statement posted on the company's internal forum, Samsung said no personal information of its customers and employees was stolen and there will be no impact on its business operation. "There has been no personal data breach, although leaked information includes some source codes necessary to run the Galaxy phones," Samsung said, without elaborating further. Nvidia Says Employee, Company Information Leaked Online After Cyber Attack. On Saturday, South American hacking group Lapsus$ claimed it successfully hacked the tech giant's system and obtained confidential data, including various source code related to authentication features, among others. It claimed it leaked up to 190 gigabytes of stolen data online, available for download via torrent, reports Yonhap news agency. The tech giant said it stepped up its security system to protect information as soon as it learned of the attempted hacking attack. "We are looking for every means to stop additional data breach and protect employees and customers. We sincerely apologise for causing concerns," it said. 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. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 07, 2022 05:32 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). New Delhi, March 7: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan lashed out at foreign diplomats who pressured his country to join a UN resolution condemning Russia over its military attack on Ukraine, accusing the envoys of treating Pakistanis like "slaves". At a rally on Sunday, Khan shot back at a March 1 letter from diplomats representing 22 missions, including countries in the European Union along with Japan, Switzerland, Canada, the UK, and Australia, which called on Pakistan to drop its neutrality and join them in condemning Moscow, RT News reported. Russian President Vladimir Putin meets Pakistan PM Imran Khan Amidst Ukraine Conflict. "What do you think of us? Are we your slaves that whatever you say, we will do?" questioned Khan, before asking EU ambassadors whether they wrote "such a letter to India", which also remains neutral, RT reported. Khan claimed that Pakistan had suffered for previously supporting NATO's military action in Afghanistan and declared: "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." On march 2, Pakistan, along with 34 other countries, abstained from voting on the UN's resolution condemning Russian "aggression against Ukraine". India, Bangladesh, China, Iran, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan also abstained, RT reported. Khan met Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin on February 24, the day Moscow launched its military operation in Ukraine, to discuss bilateral ties and regional issues. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 07, 2022 03:00 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). Texas Governor Greg Abbott has announced an extension for the SNAP benefits in the state, with the Texas Health and Human Services Commission ready to provide over $310 million in emergency food assistance benefits for March 2022. More than 1.5 million Texas households are expected to receive the SNAP benefits, according to Cross Roads Today News report. The emergency March allotments will be handed on top of over $6.13 billion benefits that were earlier provided to Texas residents since April 2020. SNAP Is a federal program that gives food assistance to eligible low-income families and individuals in various states, including Texas SNAP benefits in Texas are placed on a Lone Star Card and can be used just like a credit card at any store However, it cannot be used to buy tobacco, alcoholic drinks, pay for food bills that families or individuals owe. It cannot be also used to buy things that cannot be consumed. The amount of money people or families can receive depend on family size. With each additional person beyond five, there will be an extra $625. Most people ages 16 to 69 must abide by work rules to get SNAP benefits, which would mean that they should look for a job or be in an approved work program. If they have a job, they cannot quit their employment without a good reason. READ NEXT: SNAP Benefits 2022: Schedule of March Benefits in California, EBT Cardholders Gets New Online Options SNAP Benefits California The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is known in the state of California as CalFresh. CalFresh is the same program focusing on giving aid to low-income individuals and families who are eligible for the benefits. California also distributes its SNAP benefits through an electronic benefits transfer or EBT card, acting like a prepaid debit card that is automatically loaded each month, according to a Go Banking Rates report. In California, SNAP benefits are distributed every 10 days of the month, with the specific day corresponding to the last number of an individual's or a family's case number. For those with case numbers ending with 1, the EBT card should have been loaded on March 1 with their benefit. Those with case numbers ending in 7, 8, 9 and 0 can expect their payments from March 7 to 10, respectively. To be qualified, one must be a resident of California and have a current bank balance under $2,001 or have a current bank balance under $,3001 and share the household with either a person or person age 60 and over or a person with a disability. Applicants can apply online. It is available in English and Spanish, with the Chinese language still pending, according to the state's Department of Social Services site. Applicants can also call the CalFresh info line which is currently available in English, Spanish, Cantonese, Vietnamese, Korean and Russian. People can also ask for a speech and/or hearing assistance and call 711 Relay. Pandemic Aid in U.S. States Several policies and programs were introduced to cushion the impact of the pandemic to people, according to a CNBC report. New York, Oregon, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada and Washington D.C. allow renters to temporarily pause an eviction if they can show that they are in the process of seeking relief through rental assistance. A new tool by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau can help residents apply. A student loan break was also continued, while there are more health insurance options. READ MORE: SNAP Benefits 2022 Schedule for California, Florida, Texas and More: When to Get Food Assistance Each Month This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Mary Webber WATCH: Exact Dates Food Stamps Are Paid in All States March 2022 - from Credit Viral Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked SpaceX founder Elon Musk for sending a truckload of Starlink antennas to Ukraine, which Russia is invading. On Sunday, Zelensky took to Twitter to thank Musk for the equipment sent to Ukraine to provide internet to some of the country's war-torn cities, The Daily Mail reported. "Talked to @elonmusk. I'm grateful to him for supporting Ukraine with words and deeds," Zelensky tweeted, adding that another batch of Starlink systems for destroyed cities will arrive next week. 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 It was still unclear how many Starlink systems would be sent to Ukraine. The Ukrainian government also did not disclose where the equipment would be set up. The Ukrainian president further noted that he talked with Musk about "possible space projects." However, Zelensky did not specify what they talked about, but he added that he would talk about it after the war against Russia. READ NEXT: Elon Musk Warns 'High' Probability of Ukraine Starlink to Be Targeted Amid Russian Invasion Elon Musk Sends Starlink Systems to Ukraine Amid Russia's Invasion Considered SpaceX's first consumer product, Starlink is one of the fastest and most robust satellite internet systems powered by a network of thousands of small low-orbit satellites. On February 26, Ukrainian Vice Prime Minister and minister of digital transformation, Mykhailo Fedorov, asked Elon Musk for help with its internet amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine. He asked Musk to provide Ukraine with Starlink stations from SpaceX. The billionaire replied: "Starlink service is now active in Ukraine. More terminals en route." Ukraine said it had received the donated Starlink satellite internet terminals on Monday. Musk reportedly sent a truckload of Starlink antennas to Ukraine last week that can be used to connect to Space X's satellite-based internet service as some areas in the country experienced internet outages. Alp Toker, who heads the internet monitoring firm NetBlocks, told CNN that many parts of still has access to their normal internet connections, despite attacks on other communications infrastructure, such as a TV tower in Kyiv by Russian invaders, However, it noted that the heaviest disruptions were observed in the eastern part of Ukraine like in Mariupol, Melitopol, Kharkiv, and past the Luhansk and Donetsk regions toward the country's-controlled regions and Severodonetsk. Concerns on Elon Musk's Starlink Systems According to BBC, Elon Musk's Starlink works after plugging it in the dish or terminal, and it will automatically connect itself to the nearest Starlink satellite in the sky. The satellite then connects with the nearest ground station or gateway that supplies the internet. These gateways are located around the world. However, Musk warned that the Starlink satellite broadband service could be "targeted" in Ukraine. He tweeted that Starlink is the only non-Russian communications system still operational in portions of Ukraine. Thus, he noted that the "probability of being targeted is high." "Please use with caution," Musk added. The "important warning" came days after an internet security researcher warned that satellite communication devices might become "beacons" that Russia could target for airstrikes. John Scott-Railton, a senior researcher at the University of Toronto's Citizen Lab who has spent years studying hacking and surveillance in conflict zones, tweeted that Elon Musk's assistance was "good to see" but warned users to be careful. In a series of 15 tweets detailing the risks, he noted that "Russia has decades of experience hitting people by targeting their satellite communications." "...if #Putin controls the air above #Ukraine, users' uplink transmissions become beacons... for airstrikes," he said. Musk has asked users to use Starlink only when necessary and put the antenna as far away from people as possible. He also told the netizens to "place light camouflage over antenna to avoid visual detection." Musk further noted that spray paint also works, "provided no metal participles in paint." A Twitter user asked Musk if the Starlink system could really be under the threat of a Russian cyberattack. Musk said "yes," as it did already happen to almost all Viasat Ukraine user terminals, which "were rendered permanently unusable," on the first day of the Russian invasion. When the SpaceX chief was asked if "there anything to stop it on Starlink," Musk responded with just two words: "Game on." Meanwhile, Toker noted that Musk's telecommunications equipment also carries the risk of being "traced and triangulation" through radio frequency emissions. Toker added that Starlink would not get Ukraine back online when the country experienced a "nation-scale" blackout, CNN reported. However, Toker said Elon Musk's Starlink "can provide hotspots for crucial services," such as supporting journalists, resistance groups, and public officials. READ MORE: Donald Trump Says Vladimir Putin Did Not Invade Ukraine on His Watch as They Get Along 'Great,' Threatens Russia With Nuke Attack This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Joshua Summers WATCH: Elon Musk Warns Russians Could Strike This Over Ukraine - From Fox Business Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said if the administration of President Joe Biden had only slapped sanctions on Russia's President Vladimir Putin sooner, "there would not have been war." During a Zoom call with 280 U.S. senators and House members on Saturday morning, Zelensky said, "if you had started sanctions months ago, there would not have been war." A Senate source revealed this to the New York Post. But Zelensky still thanked the United States for its assistance and pleaded for additional American military aid for his country. The Ukrainian president also asked the U.S. to help establish a no-fly zone over Ukraine. He also begged the lawmakers for help getting Eastern European countries to send Russian-made fighter planes to Ukraine so that Zelensky's air force pilots could fly them in combat. Zelensky noted that Ukraine needs jets because its air force was destroyed on day one of Russia's invasion. Rep. Nicole Malliotakis confirmed that Zelensky told them they needed a no-fly zone or planes. Malliotakis then noted that if NATO is not going to provide a no-fly zone, it should provide planes. "That is something where NATO can help," Malliotakis said. After the call concluded, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer promised that he would do all he could to help the administration to facilitate their transfer. He then added that the "people of New York and its large Ukrainian community stand" with Zelensky. "Mr. President, we are inspired by you and the strength and courage of the Ukrainian people," Schumer said as he praised Zelensky. Zelensky has expressed support for a potential US boycott of Russian oil. Senator Josh Hawley told Fox News that the Ukrainian president repeatedly said "an embargo on Russia, and particularly their oil and natural gas, was absolutely critical." NBC News reported that Zelensky attended the Zoom call with the lawmakers ahead of Congressional debate over a $10 billion emergency funding package request that will provide humanitarian aid and security assistance. READ NEXT: Pres. Joe Biden's Administration Handed China Intelligence on Russia's Invasion; China Told Russia the U.S. Intel: Report Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky on Joe Biden Imposing Sanctions Amid Russia's Invasion Despite growing criticism from Kyiv and domestic rivals, the Biden administration has refused to impose sanctions on Russia ahead of its widely anticipated invasion of Ukraine, Reuters reported. Last month, U.S. officials argued that releasing a series of sanctions on Vladimir Putin's government before he invades would just "guarantee such a crisis happens immediately." U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said at the time that the purpose of the sanctions in the first instance was to try to hinder Russia from going to war. Blinken added that "as soon as you trigger them, that deterrence is gone." Zelensky earlier said that if the U.S. and its allies are sure that Putin would invade Ukraine, they should apply sanctions now. During the Munich Security Conference last month, Zelensky said: "You tell me 100% that there will be war in a few days' time. What are you waiting for?" Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky Thanked Biden Administration for Imposed Sanctions on Russia's Leaders During the Zoom call with U.S. lawmakers, Volodymyr Zelensky still thanked the U.S. for its imposed sanctions, saying it has affected Russian business leaders, CBS News reported. The Ukrainian president asked lawmakers for more lethal aid, asking the U.S. to cut off Visa and Mastercard from Russia. On Sunday, Antony Blinken issued a commitment to increase pressure on Russia through sanctions and give more aid to Ukraine. However, he warned that Russia still held a military advantage that western allies found hard to counter. The defense secretary added that the war may still go on for a while, The Guardian reported. Blinken has spent the weekend visiting NATO member nations in eastern Europe that have taken in refugees from Ukraine. He has met with refugees fleeing the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which currently stands at 1.5 million refugees. Pressed on U.S. sanctions on Russia, Blinken defended Washington's failure to cut off Russian imports of oil by the U.S. He said they were adding to sanctions "virtually every day" and had already spoken to Joe Biden on Saturday and cabinet members about the "oil" issue. The White House on Saturday night issued a report of Biden's call with Zelensky. The White House said the Biden administration is "surging security, humanitarian, and economic assistance to Ukraine and is working closely with Congress to secure additional funding." READ MORE: Former White House Doctor Rep. Ronny Jackson Reiterates Call for Pres. Joe Biden to Take Cognitive Test, Saying "He Is Not Fit to Be President" Amid Russia-Ukraine Crisis This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Mary Webber WATCH: Zelensky Pleads With US Lawmakers for Help - From ABC News Brazil's Sao Paolo official Arthur do Val was scrutinized by the public after he made sexist remarks on the women of Ukraine who left their country amid its war with Russia. Do Val, a congressman from Sao Paolo, Brazil, traveled to Ukraine with rightwing activist Renan Santos to help the refugees cross the borders of Ukraine, The Guardian reported. Their trip in the European region had a blessing from Brazil's former judge and minister, Sergio Moro, who hoped to challenge Jair Bolsonaro in the presidential election. Nunca imaginei que um dia nessa vida ainda faria Coqueteis Molotov para o exercito Ucraniano. Com @RenanSantosMBL pic.twitter.com/8bE3tulA0U Arthur do Val - Mamaefalei (@arthurmoledoval) March 4, 2022 However, their diplomatic trip was placed in shambles on Friday when the Brazilian media shared an audio clip where the congressman was heard referring the women of Ukraine to "goddesses" and "easy," per New York Post. "I've just crossed the border on foot between Ukraine and Slovakia. Bro I swear to you... I've never seen anything like in terms of beautiful girls. The refugee queue... it's like 200 meters long or more of just total goddess," Arthur do Val reportedly said in the recorded audio clip. The Brazilian congressman then compared the refugee queue they witnessed to the nightclubs in Brazil, claiming that the line in Brazil "doesn't come close" to the queue of women they see in Ukraine. Do Val then claimed that the refugee women from Ukraine are "easy" because they are poor and that he is coming back to the country once the war is over, per The Guardian. READ NEXT: Russia-Ukraine Crisis: Volodymyr Zelensky Responds to Elon Musk's Starlink Help Amid Invasion Wife of Ukraine's Former Brazil Ambassador Condemns Arthur do Val's Comments After Do Val made his sexist remarks on Ukrainian women refugees, the Brazilian congressman is now facing expulsion,which was proposed by the public. On Sunday, New York Post noted that about 56,000 people signed on an online petition to remove Do Val from Sao Paolo's 94-seat parliament. Meanwhile, the wife of Ukraine's former ambassador to Brazil, Fabiana Tornenko, took to Twitter to condemn what Do Val said about the women of Ukraine, per The Guardian. Tornenko posted a tearful video of herself where she called Do Val a "shameless cretin." O safado do @arthurmoledoval do MBL foi em territorio ucraniano, p/ se promover as custas das dores do povo ucraniano e ainda sai defamando nossas mulheres.Quero te dizer que voce e um canalha! Voce nao tem nenhum direito de se referir a nenhuma mulher dessa forma, seu cretino! pic.twitter.com/aXuiqZEDx9 Fabiana Tronenko (@FabianaTronenko) March 5, 2022 "Show some respect you punk... you've no idea what the Ukrainian people are going through," Tornenko said in the video. President of Brazil's Workers' party, Gleisi Hoffmann called what Arthur do Val said "nauseating." "This is the kind of person who elected Bolsonaro! He must be stripped off power," Hoffmann underscored. Do Val commented on the criticism he faced after his claims as he apologized for what he said. The Brazilian congressman blamed what he said for three days without drinking water and having a shower. "My mind was racing, I talked nonsense," Do Val said, per The Guardian. Number of Ukraine's Refugees Amid War with Russia Do Val made his comments as the refugee count on Ukraine continues to rise on Sunday amid the war with Russia. United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi shared the estimated refugee count to CBS News on Sunday. "As of today we've passed the terrible mark of 1.5 million refugees in 10 days, essentially from Ukraine into five neighboring countries," Grandi shared. The high commissioner also said that most of the refugees were composed of women and children, contending that men aging from 18-60 years old must remain in Ukraine to defend their country against Russia. Grandi added that most of the refugees were "traumatized and frightened." "One and a half million is difficult enough to manage even for relatively stable and prosperous countries in Europe... This is an extremely messy situation, all over Ukraine," the UN high commissioner pointed out. READ NEXT: Donald Trump Says Vladimir Putin Did Not Invade Ukraine on His Watch as They Get Along 'Great,' Threatens Russia With Nuke Attack This article is owned by Latin Post. Written By: Joshua Summers WATCH: The Face Of Ukraine's Refugee Crisis - From TODAY The missing Florida woman, identified as 57-year-old Cynthia Cole, was found murdered with her body discovered in the septic tank of her own home. Officials are eyeing Keoki Hilo Demich, who did handyman work for the killed Florida woman, according to Law and Crime report. Detectives spent hours excavating Cole's backyard and located the body submerged in the contents of the septic tanks about four feet underground. Demich was arrested and was charged with second-degree murder shortly after finding the body, according to an ABC News report. Cole was reportedly last seen at a community music and arts event known as the Jammin' Jensen in Downtown Jensen Beach on February 24. The investigation is still ongoing. The medical examiner's office still needs to make a positive identification. However, the sheriff's office investigators said that they have every reason to believe that the body belongs to Cole. Deputies did not release any information on the suspected cause of death. In addition, they also did not suggest a motive. Officials noted that they will update the community with additional information once it becomes available. Cole's case was posted on Facebook by Martin County Sheriff's Office. Online court records including probable cause affidavit or attorney information are currently unavailable for Demich. The sheriff's office also posted on March 3 an attempt to locate a missing person notice. Cole was identified on a Facebook post to be 5'5 and weighing 117 pounds, with red hair and light-colored eyes. She was also seen to be wearing an orange shirt. She was reported to drive a 2015 Gray Jeep Cherokee with Florida tag DNF89. READ NEXT: SNAP Benefits 2022: Schedule of March Benefits in California, EBT Cardholders Gets New Online Options Missing Persons Rate in Florida There were 661,000 missing person cases reported in 2012, with more than 659,000 of them were resolved in a year. Researchers noted that the number of missing person cases has declined over the past decade due to better communication that has made it easier to keep in touch with and track persons. More than 17,000 missing person cases and 13,000 unidentified body cases remain open in the U.S. Florida is the second state with the largest number of missing person at 1,252. California was at the top of the list with 2,133, according to a World Population Review report. However, California's rate of missing person is fairly average at 5.4 missing person per 100,000 people. Hernando County Sheriff's Office stated in an email that the office does not prioritize missing person cases as every "missing person case is high priority." Spokesperson Denise Moloney added that each one of the county's missing person cases is investigated diligently and thoroughly by one of their highly trained Major Case detectives. Dr. Erin Kimmerle is an associate professor of anthropology at the University of South Florida said that most long-term missing person cases are not investigated properly. Kimmerle also leads a Forensic Institute that helps law enforcement agencies around the country solve cold and missing person cases. National and Florida Crime Information Center shared that there are more than 1,500 people currently missing. Some of those missing people have been missing since the 1960s. READ MORE: SNAP Benefits 2022 Schedule for California, Florida, Texas and More: When to Get Food Assistance Each Month This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Mary Webber WATCH: Cynthia Cole Missing Florida Woman Body Found In Septic Tank #CynthiaCole #BodyInSepticTank - from the Crime Wall Residents in over a thousand homes were evacuated in Florida on Sunday as state authorities continue to control wildfires that ravage different areas, including Bay and Gulf Counties. According to the Associated Press, Florida firefighters continue to battle the Bertha Swamp Road Fire and the Adkins Avenue Fire on Sunday, as 1,100 homes were evacuated due to the blazes. To date, the Bertha Swamp Road Fire has charred about 9,000 acres of land as of Sunday and is currently 10 percent contained. Meanwhile, the Florida authorities initially reported that the Adkins Avenue Fire said was as big as 1,400 acres. However, authorities downgraded the size of the wildfire to 841 acres. It has been 35 percent contained as of Sunday. Despite the decrease in its size, the wildfire in Adkins Avenue forced the evacuation of people from at least 600 homes as it continues to blaze. READ NEXT: California Helicopter Crash: 1 Dead, Another Injured After Tragedy in Newport Beach Third Wildfire in Florida Erupted Forcing Evacuations in Nursing Home As the Adkins Avenue Fire and the Bertha Swamp Road Fire continue to char the Florida lands, a third wildfire--known as Star Avenue fire--erupted near Panama Cit. It forced evacuation from a nursing home, per WJHG. According to reports, public transportations were utilized by authorities on Sunday to evacuate residents from the Clifford Chester Sims State Veterans' Nursing Home. The said facility is known to have 120 beds for its residents. In addition, busses were also placed on standby if ever there is a need to evacuate the inmates of Bay County Jail. The said prison is known to house at least 1,300 inmates. Local authorities were unsure when the residents will be able to go back to their homes. "I know there has been frustration with people not being able to get back into their homes... but we have had things that have popped up on a minute's notice and really caused problems," Bay County Sheriff Tommy Ford said, per The Hill. Ford furthered that they would let people go back into their homes as soon as they can. Bay County Fairgrounds was designated as a shelter for those who have been evacuated. The said area is located at 2230 15th street, according to WJHG. Meanwhile, some of the Bay District schools announced that they will be closed on Monday in the light of the tragedy, including Tommy Smith Elementary School, Merritt Brown Middle School and Waller Elementary School. WJHG noted that all other schools in district schools will remain open. Florida Authorities Battle 3 Wildfires As of Sunday, it remained unclear how the three wildfires in Florida started. Reports noted that Florida Forest Fire Service dispatched a helicopter in the area of the Adkins fire and dropped over 103,000 gallons of water since Friday. Meanwhile, bulldozers were deployed to plow the fire lines, per Associated Press. WJHG said that the helicopters dispatched to Adkins fire responded to the Star Avenue Fire as soon as it erupted. As of 4 p.m. on Sunday, the Star Avenue Fire is reportedly 45 percent contained. Freighters from all over Florida were also to battle the blazes. Currently, nearly 150 wildfires are burning more than 12,100 acres of land throughout Florida, per AP. READ NEXT: Colorado Pilot Fighting Wildfire Dies in Plane Crash After Making One Final Pass Over the Blaze, Officials Say This article is owned by Latin Post. Written By: Joshua Summers WATCH: Central Florida Fire Crews to Help Fight Bay Count Wildfire - From WKMG News 6 ClickOrlando The bizarre charges against Lawrence Ray have divided his family, pitting those who support the accused Sarah Lawrence College sex cult leader against those who see him as a monster. Advertisement Among those opposed to Ray, whose trial begins Tuesday in Manhattan Federal Court with jury selection, are his ex-wife and brother, who are now dating, according to a member of the Ray family who declined to be named. Jury selection begins in the trial of Lawrence Ray on Tuesday. (HONS/AP) The family member says shes also not among Rays supporters. Advertisement I didnt expect that from him. ... He was a totally different person from what I knew, she said. Rays ex-wife, Teresa, declined to comment. Im not interested in commenting on anything going on, said a sighing Teresa Ray when reached by the Daily News. Firmly in Lawrence Rays camp is his biological father, who prosecutors say worked with his son to try to intimidate witnesses in the case. Nobody turns on my son. Im 82 years old. I dont care they could give me 15 to 20 years, Rays father allegedly told one witness. Lawrence Ray, 62, is charged with mentally and physically abusing a small group of college students. In one of many strange twists in the case, he allegedly met many of his victims in 2010 through his daughter, when she was a student at the small liberal arts college north of New York City in Westchester County. People [in the family] took different sides, said the Ray family member who asked not to be named. Its a very mixed feeling. Prosecutors in Rays trial are expected to elicit salacious and disturbing testimony from his accusers, with only the jury granted access to certain graphic audio and video. Advertisement As part of Rays conspiracy, he forced some members of his cohort to have sex, make videos of themselves having sex and record false confessions about how they had wronged Ray, prosecutors said. Ray used the confessions as blackmail material should they ever consider leaving his orbit, according to the feds. Advertisement In yet another strange twist, Ray served as best man at the 1998 wedding of former NYPD Commissioner Bernie Kerik. Kerik and Ray later had a falling-out and evidence in the case has revealed that Ray remains obsessed with the former top cop. Ray has said Kerik poisoned him. Court filings hint that Ray was obsessed with being poisoned, which he blamed for health problems. Prosecutors say Ray even convinced some of his victims that they had poisoned him. Kerik adamantly denied ever poisoning Ray, laughing at the idea. He noted that he first became concerned when he found out that Ray had bought the domain names for websites using the names of Keriks daughters and renewed them every year. I was shocked. Thats when I really got concerned. ... I was concerned for my family, Kerik said. Ray had his followers do all manner of work for him, from installing an irrigation system in a property in North Carolina to maintaining the home in New Jersey where he lived when he was arrested in bed with his daughters former college roommate, according to the feds. Advertisement In this 2020 file photo, a sign along a hedge row marks the campus of Sarah Lawrence College in Yonkers, N.Y. (Luke Sheridan/AP) One of the college students, Isabella Pollok, became a trusted confidant of Ray and was indicted by the feds last year. She and Ray forced their victims to do manual labor for no pay, and even made one female victim perform sex work, record it and give them the earnings, prosecutors charge. Breaking News As it happens Get updates on the coronavirus pandemic and other news as it happens with our free breaking news email alerts. > Ray faces a maximum of life in prison if found guilty of all charges. Advertisement The family member said she was stunned by the indictment against Ray, which she said described a relative she didnt recognize. Ive known him since I was young since I was 20. He was always a hard worker. If he could help someone out he was always there, the family member said. I was pretty much shocked. ... Its just a horrible situation. Historic buildings in Laois are set to get a share of 96,000 for conservation works to help safeguard the buildings for future generations. A total of 512 heritage projects across every county in the country will benefit this year from 4m in funding through the Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS) administered by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The Laois buildings to benefit are as follows. Emo Gate Lodge 12,500 OConnell House, Mountmellick - 7,000 Lea Church, Killenard - 12,500 Preston House, Abbeyleix - 6,000 Portrane House, Stradbally - 5,000 St. Pauls Church (French Church), Portarlington - 7,000 Tenakill House, Portlaoise - 15,000 Vicarstown National School - 8,000 Thatched houses are: Ballacolla - 6,900 Rathleague - 6,900 Rosenallis - 8,750 Cullohill - 450 Through grants of up to 15,000, the BHIS assists owners of heritage structures including those on the local authorities Record of Protected Structures and those in Architectural Conservation Areas to meet their obligations to care for their properties. The funding can be used to undertake repair work, contributing to the upkeep and maintenance of heritage structures. Examples include roof, wall and joinery repair, draught-proofing windows, lime rendering and the repair of stained-glass windows. Laois Offaly TD and Minister of State in the Department of Finance Sean Fleming said built heritage is one of the main attractions for visitors to Ireland so its conservation also reinforces and promotes our tourism industry as well as contributing to the regeneration of urban and rural areas. He added that it contributes to the vitality of our towns, villages and countryside, instils a sense of pride of place, and enhances the quality of our everyday lives. "We have some wonderful examples of heritage buildings in Laois and this funding in addition to conserving these buildings will give employment to the many small businesses, skilled conservation specialists and tradespeople involved in heritage-related construction activity," he said. The funding was welcomed by Laois Offaly Green Party Minister of State Pippa Hackett. Laois has some wonderful churches and old houses which are worth maintaining and preserving. We also have a tradition of thatching which is a skill we shouldnt lose, so Im particularly pleased to see funding for thatched houses included, said Minister Hackett. Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan TD. I am delighted to announce 4m investment in our built heritage through the Built Heritage Investment Scheme for 2022, which will assist the owners and custodians of 512 historic and protected structures across the country. The funding will allow for conservation works to our built heritage, to help safeguard it for future generations. "These awards will provide an economic stimulus in all 31 local authorities, providing employment to small businesses, skilled conservation specialists and tradespeople, ensuring a continued focus on the traditional crafts all of which help us to deliver on Heritage Ireland 2030, the new national heritage plan which I launched last month, he said. A statement added that the protection of our built heritage was one of the priorities in the recently-published cross-government strategy for the protection of Irelands heritage, Heritage Ireland 2030. Furthermore, partnership is a key theme of Heritage Ireland 2030, and the BHIS is one of two built heritage funding schemes, run in association with the 31 local authorities and their Architectural Conservation Officers and Heritage Officers, working in partnership with the Department to protect our built heritage. It said that another aspect of the 2022 scheme is a continuation of a micro-grant stream introduced in 2020 to increase the resilience of historic structures to withstand the effects of climate change. It's claimed this allows local authorities to make smaller awards to owners of historic properties to carry out routine maintenance to offset the impact of climate change on their buildings". Independent TD for Laois-Offaly Carol Nolan has said that Government must now move to immediately re-examine a series of decisions that it took in mid-January with respect to the horticultural peat sector. Deputy Nolan was speaking as the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue confirmed that he is to engage in a wide-ranging dialogue with Irish farmer organisations aimed at dramatically increasing the level of grain crop outputs following the devastating war in Ukraine: All of our hearts are breaking for the people of Ukraine and indeed the ordinary people of Russia who have been dragged into a demented war of aggression, said Deputy Nolan. We now know however that the issue of food security is front and centre in Irish and European policy. This must be reflected in the actions that our Government can take immediately and without delay, said Deputy Nolan. One of those key decisions must involve the reaction of Government in January when it chose to ignore the recommendations contained within its Working Group Report on Horticultural Peat-a decision that everyone within the sector agreed would only escalate the collapse. Before the Ukrainian crisis broke, our own horticulture sector characterised the Government response to the Report as an economic catastrophe. Those concerns have now been magnified by the clear need to maintain and develop our own indigenous levels of food security and food cultivation. "I am calling on Government to urgently revise its response to the Horticultural Peat Report and I am specifically asking both the Minister for Planning and the Minister for Agriculture to accept the recommendations of the Report so that we can avoid the calamitous outcomes that will inevitably overtake and collapse the sector in their absence, concluded Deputy Nolan. A Leitrim lorry was reversed through the gates of the Russian Embassy in south Dublin today. No injuries were reported. The driver was arrested at the scene after he exited the vehilce and handed out photos of what he said were Russian atrocities in Ukraine. According to national news reports the driver said,I want the Ambassador and his colleagues to leave this country, leave this free country. Its about time we stood up. The man identified himself as a working man from Leitrim and commented that he was going to be arrested shortly. Ive done my bit lads. Its about time the rest of Ireland done their bit, he said as he was led away by gardai. Pictures and video footage of the lorry show it to have a Leitrim Registration plate and advertising Ballinamore business Desmond Wisley Ecclesiastical Supplies. One person arrested after a truck crashed into the gates of the Russian Embassy in #Dublin. pic.twitter.com/hlR54MLGZe Breaking News 24/7 (@Worldsource24) March 7, 2022 Gardai are investigating an incident of criminal damage that occurred at a property on Orwell Road this afternoon, Monday 7th March 2022 at approximately 1.30pm, a Garda spokeswoman said. One male was arrested and taken to Rathfarnham Garda Station where he is currently detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984. Investigations are ongoing. The Embassy, which is located on Orwell Road in Dublin 6 has been the scene of daily protests since Russias invasion of Ukraine ten days ago. Red paint has repeatedly been thrown on the entrance by protesters. Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan, TD, today (March 7th, 2021) announced 94,712.75 in funding for seven historic buildings in Leitrim. The funding includes the following: Kinlough Catholic Church, Mitigation of damp - 15,000; Oughteragh Church of Ireland, Ballinamore, Historic window glass conservation/protection - 7,355; Dromahair Goods Shed, Roof repair, structures & coverings including leadwork - 15,000; St.Patrick's Church, Dromahair, Roof repair, structures & coverings including leadwork- 12,357.75; St.Mary's, Glenfarne, Historic window glass conservation/protection- 15,000; St Columbas Church of Ireland, Corrawallen, Interior structural repair - 15,000; Dunleavy Shop, Mohill, Structural Stability - 15,000. This scheme provides much needed funding to support owners and custodians of historic and protected structures to safeguard and maintain their properties. The BHIS is one of two built heritage funding schemes run by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage in association with the 31 Local Authorities. Through grants of up to 15,000, the BHIS assists owners of heritage structures including those on the local authorities Record of Protected Structures and those in Architectural Conservation Areas to meet their obligations to care for their properties. Dr Blaithin Gallagher - Constituency Spokesperson and National Coordinator of the Green Party/An Comhaontas Glas said: I welcome this funding announced by our Green Party Minister, Malcolm Noonan TD, which will support some of our historic structures in Leitrim. It is important that we safeguard our rich built heritage, preserve and maintain buildings in use and help to bring many others back into use. Several jobs will also arise from the funding allocated to this scheme, which in turn will have It will also have a knock-on economic benefit in our community by increasing employment opportunities at a local level, generating jobs for heritage contractors and other skilled crafts and tradespeople. Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan, TD said: This is a deeply impactful scheme, conserving our built heritage, providing thousands of hours of traditional building skills and professional services. I'm delighted to announce this year's round of funding and to see the beautiful buildings of Leitrim being supported through these grants. I commend the local authority for their work in assessing applications and working with premises owners to get the best from this programme." THE BEDFORD Townhouse and Cafe in Limerick city has applied for planning permission to extend their premises. The boutique hotel and cafe have applied to Limerick City and County Council under their owners Limerick Travel Limited for development at 11 and 12 Bedford Row. The Bedford Townhouse are planning to claim back some of the space they currently share with Limerick Travel to expand their cafe operations. Limerick Travel will continue with business as normal as the alterations needed to add more capacity will be minor. The timeframe for the project is to be confirmed, however the team are hoping to start work later this year. The planning application also includes the construction of a new internal lobby between the cafe area and guesthouse accommodation circulation area and all associated works. At the moment the premises includes two doors and two windows however the owners plan to remove one of these windows to provide a new access door for outdoor seating. One of the proprietors of the Bedford Townhouse, Denise Brazil, told the Limerick Leader that plans to expand their outdoor space include new pergolas from Limerick City and County Council. The new structures have already started to pop up around the city including on Thomas Street and Bedford Row. They are part of measures to continue to encourage people to partake in outdoor dining and the structures will have retractable roofs and toughened glass screens. They will also include additional lighting, planting and street furniture is planned, with water bottle refill stations. A teenager critically wounded in a Bronx police-involved shooting was barreling at an NYPD cop in an SUV when the officer opened fire, body cam video reveals according to a police source. You can see the car is driving straight at him on the body camera, the source said of Sundays incident. Advertisement The account suggests the officer who shot the teen in the head was within NYPD guidelines for the use of deadly force. The suspect, Luis Manuel-Monsato, 18, was struck once in the head and is in critical condition at Lincoln Hospital. If he survives he will face criminal charges, another police source said. Advertisement We dont actually know anything thats happening, a distraught cousin of the teen told the Daily News, declining to give her name. Its just devastating. We dont know why, how like we dont know anything. Police respond to the scene of a police involved shooting on Boston Rd. and E. 165th Street in the Bronx on Sunday, March 6. (Gardiner Anderson/for New York Daily News) Manuel-Monsato lives in Clifton, N.J., and does not appear to have an arrest record in New York City, cops said. NYPD policy discourages shooting at moving vehicles unless something other than the vehicle is being used as a weapon. But there are exceptions, based on circumstance. The drama unfolded about 8 p.m. at E. 165th St. and Boston Road in Morrisania. The officer watched a black Jeep blow through several red lights as the driver zoomed north on Boston Road. Police respond to the scene of a police involved shooting on Boston Rd. and E. 165th Street in the Bronx on Sunday, March 6. (Gardiner Anderson/for New York Daily News) When the driver finally stopped at a light at E. 165th St. two unmarked NYPD cars surrounded the Jeep, one in the front and the other in the back. Thats when Manuel-Monsato allegedly hit the gas, speeding in reverse toward one of the cops, who then opened fire, striking the teen once in the head. The copss partner also opened fire but she did not hit anyone. A neighbor, who gave his name as Raymond G, 59, said he was talking on the phone with his son when he heard more than seven shots, looked out the window and saw cops pumping Manuel-Monsats chest while other officers chased additional men who fled the Jeep. Advertisement The Daily News Flash Weekdays Catch up on the days top five stories every weekday afternoon. > All I heard was some screeching noise and then all the sudden I heard a Stop! Raymond G. said. And bang bang bang, and the car hit the wall so when I looked out thats when I saw the action. I saw three individuals trying to run. They were trying to run out the car and thats when they got caught. Police respond to the scene of a police involved shooting on Boston Rd. and E. 165th Street in the Bronx on Sunday, March 6. (Gardiner Anderson/for New York Daily News) The car came to a rest on the sidewalk in front of the AME Zion Church. Three passengers were taken into custody but it appears they will not face charges. The Sunday night incident is the third in less than a month in which NYPD cops have shot at moving vehicles. On Thursday night, a sergeant shot at a reckless driver who nearly struck him and other officers during a Brooklyn car stop of another vehicle. The shot hit the back of the car that nearly hit the cop in Flatlands. The driver lost control, struck a parked car and ran off. A passenger was taken into custody. On Feb. 15, a robbery suspect nearly clipped a cop in East Harlem. The cop fired one round but didnt strike anyone and the suspect got away. On Nov. 3, a Brooklyn cop fired at least six shots at a Honda CR-V driven by a man trying to run him over in reverse after cops tried to stop and question the driver about a string of auto break-ins. The driver and passenger abandoned the vehicle in East New York and ran off. Advertisement All the shootings are being investigated by the NYPD. CERVICAL check cancer campaigner Vicky Phelan has revealed she has been suffering from complications related to her radio therapy - and will "pull back" to spend time with her family. In a wide-ranging update posted to her 130,000 Instagram followers, the inspirational mum-of-two also said she will no longer be able to travel to Croagh Patrick to support the Climb with Charlie event next month. Vicky admits that following her latest round of treatment, she has never felt so sick or in as much pain as she has been over the last fortnight. "The radiotherapy increased the amount of pain I was in and also incapacitated me leaving me unable to walk without assistance. I am only now, in the past few days able to walk without either a four-wheeler or a Zimmer frame. Walking long distances is still beyond me but I hope I will get there again. I only finished my last session of radiotherapy last Monday and it can take a couple of weeks for the effects to be felt so I am really hoping that I will be moving around a bit more freely in a couple of weeks time but I am also acutely aware that I may never regain what I had," she said. As a result of this, Vicky, who lives in Annacotty, has said she has had to take the tough decision to not journey to Croagh Patrick in April to support the Climb with Charlie fundraiser for Pieta and the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association, the event set up alongside former RTE News reporter Charlie Bird. "I am simply not well enough either physically or mentally. The past few weeks have really knocked the stuffing out of me and I need to focus on just getting well again. I have already been in touch with Charlie and he has been great about it," she said. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Vicky Phelan (@vickykellyphelan) Vicky, who received the Freedom of Limerick last month, said she will also be posting less on social media about her condition. "I need to focus on spending time with my family and friends. I hope that people understand. Unfortunately, my condition has become unpredictable and is impacting more and more on my everyday life," she said. "Thank you ALL for your continued support and for all your well wishes. I really do appreciate the support," she concluded. Vodafone New Zealand Ltd. said it is seeking a buyer for its mobile towers, aiming to free up capital for its business and shareholders. Vodafone New Zealand, which is half owned by infrastructure investor Infratil Ltd., has nearly 1,500 mobile towers across New Zealand that can provide mobile-phone coverage to about 98% of the country. As the necessary infrastructure to support digital economies grows in importance, and as telecommunications companies look to unlock value that can be reinvested, separate ownership of passive mobile tower assets has become increasingly common," the company said Monday. Vodafone competitor Spark New Zealand Ltd. is also trying to sell a stake in its mobile towers after Telstra Corp. last year got 2.8 billion Australian dollars (US$2.06 billion) from selling a 49% stake in its 8,200 towers in Australia. It is returning about half of the sale proceeds to shareholders via a share buyback. UBS and Barrenjoey are Vodafones advisers for the towers sale. Vodafone said its towers are expected to generate annual operating earnings of about 51 million New Zealand dollars (US$34.9 million). This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text WASHINGTON : Moscow is recruiting Syrians skilled in urban combat to fight in Ukraine as Russias invasion is poised to expand deeper into cities, according to U.S. officials. An American assessment indicates that Russia, which has been operating inside Syria since 2015, has in recent days been recruiting fighters from there, hoping their expertise in urban combat can help take Kyiv and deal a devastating blow to the Ukraine government, according to four American officials. The move points to a potential escalation of fighting in Ukraine, experts said. It is unclear how many fighters have been identified, but some are already in Russia preparing to enter the conflict, according to one official. Officials declined to elaborate on what else is known about the deployment of Syrian fighters to Ukraine, the status or precise scale of the effort. According to a publication based in Deir Ezzor, Syria, Russia has offered volunteers from the country between $200 and $300 to go to Ukraine and operate as guards" for six months at a time. Chechen forces have also been deployed to Ukraine, according to a Reuters report citing Ramzan Kadyrov, the leader of the Chechen Republic and an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Fighters are also pouring into the country to fight on the side of the Kyiv-based government. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said last week that 16,000 foreigners have volunteered to fight for Ukraine, part of what he described as an international legion." With volunteers from other countries flowing into Ukraine, the conflict there could become a new center of gravity for foreign fighters, said Jennifer Cafarella, national security fellow at the Institute for the Study of War in Washington, D.C. The Russia deployment of foreign fighters from Syria into Ukraine internationalizes the Ukraine war, and therefore could link the war in Ukraine to broader cross regional dynamics, particularly in the Middle East," she said. Tens of thousands of Russian troops are inside Ukraine and mortar, missile and other attacks are occurring daily in the northern, eastern and southern regions of the country. Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians have fled the cities, which were home to roughly two-thirds of the population before the invasion began Feb. 24. Ukraine remains in the hands of Mr. Zelenskys government, and the largest cities, Kyiv, the capital, and Kharkiv in the east, remain under government control. Russia has taken over the port city of Kherson, and Ukraines other cities now face an assault from Russia. Syrian fighters have spent nearly a decade fighting urban warfare, while Russias largely conscripted force lacks this skill set. Ms. Cafarella said Syrian forces deployed to Ukraine could also be asked to work a support role, based on how they worked in Syria with the Wagner Group, a mercenary force that some see as a proxy for the Russian government. Charles Lister, a Syria expert at the Middle East Institute in Washington, D.C., questioned how useful the recruits from the Middle East could be in Ukraine. Mr. Lister said there are some Russian-trained Syrians who were involved in hunting members of Islamic State who might be in Ukraine, but generally Moscow didnt consider Syrian fighters to be good at urban warfare. Bringing Syrians into Ukraine is like bringing Martians to fight on the moon," Mr. Lister said. They dont speak the language, the environment is totally different." Russia has been a key backer of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad since it entered that conflict, largely through airstrikes, as well as Russian armed forces. The Wagner Group, which arrived in Syria shortly after Russia entered the conflict on behalf of the Assad regime, has conducted support operations such as seizing oil and gas fields and securing other government infrastructure, such as airports. Russia, which positioned nearly 200,000 troops along the Ukrainian border in the weeks leading up to the invasion, said Wednesday 498 of its troops have been killed and another 1,597 have been injured, a rare public admission of battlefield losses. Others have put the figures much higher, including the Ukrainian armed forces general staff, which, according to a Reuters report, said the estimate for Russian troop deaths was closer to 11,000. History is filled with notorious pirates that terrorized the seven seas . The exploits of these ship plunderers remain famous to this day, but they were very different from the friendly pirates seen in the "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie franchise and other films. Many of history's most famous pirates began as privateers state-sanctioned sailors for hire who attacked their countries' enemies at sea and harassed commercial ships in designated zones. But those being plundered saw those guns for hire as pirates. Others who started out in state-sanctioned work became pirates when the lure of g old was too great, and they struck out under their own flag to illegally raid rich merchant vessels. Some pirates were so successful that they became feared by sailors around the world. Here are eight of the most notorious pirates in history. Blackbeard An illustration of Blackbeard the pirate. (Image credit: Future) Blackbeard is probably the best-known pirate in history, even though his life is shrouded in mystery. Much of what we know about him and other pirates of his time comes from a 1724 book, published under the name Capt. Charles Johnson, called " A General History of the Pyrates ". Charles Johnson is a pseudonym, not the author's real name, and the book is often attributed to author Daniel Defoe, who wrote famous novels such as "Robinson Crusoe." However, nobody is sure who wrote it, according to Smithsonian Magazine . Some of the book is backed up by government documents of the time while scholars have proven other parts to be false, so it isn't an entirely reliable source. The book says Blackbeard was born in Bristol, England, under the name Edward Thatch, and served as a privateer during the War of the Spanish Succession (1701 to 1714). In 1716, he turned to pirating in the Caribbean Sea and off the coasts of South Carolina and Virginia in his ship, named "Queen Anne's Revenge." He earned a fearsome reputation in these regions, which, according to historian and journalist Colin Woodard, Blackbeard used to his advantage. "He did his best to cultivate a terrifying image and reputation, which encouraged his foes to surrender without a fight," Woodard previously told All About History magazine. Thatch's huge beard "came up to his eyes," and while in action, he carried "three brace of pistols, hanging in holsters like Bandoliers; and stuck lighted matches under his hat," in order to cloud himself in an ominous haze of smoke, according to the 1724 account. Blackbeard was killed in November 1718 after his ship was ambushed by Royal Navy officers near Ocracoke Island in North Carolina, according to the National Park Service . Related: Abandon ship! 18th-century pirate Blackbeard deliberately grounded his leaky boat Ching Shih An illustration of Ching Shih. (Image credit: Future) One of the most successful pirates in history was a woman named Ching Shih, sometimes called Cheng I Sao or Zheng Yi Sao. Born into poverty as Shih Yang in Guangzhou, China, in the late 18th century, Shih was a sex worker until she married a pirate named Ching I in 1801 and took the name Ching Shih, which meant "the wife of Ching," according to a case study by the University of Oxford's Global History of Capitalism project . The pair began consolidating control of the region's rival pirate gangs into a confederation, according to a 1981 article in the journal Historical Reflections by Dian Murray. Ching died in 1807 and widow Shih seized sole control of the pirate confederation. According to Murray, Shih secured control of the pirates through careful alliances and a strict code of laws. "The code was severe. Anyone caught giving commands on his own or disobeying those of a superior was immediately decapitated," Murray wrote. At the height of her power, Shih, also called the "Pirate Queen," controlled a fleet of 1,200 ships crewed by about 70,000 pirates. Shih broke up the confederation in 1810 and negotiated a generous surrender deal with the Chinese government. Not only were the pirates pardoned for their crimes, but some were allowed to keep their vessels and joined the Chinese army. Some even took positions in the government, according to Murray. Related: 10 influential women in history Sir Francis Drake A portrait of Sir Francis Drake. (Image credit: Wynnter via Getty Images) Sir Francis Drake was a noble to some and an outlaw pirate to others. Born in Devon, England, around 1540, Drake became the first Englishman to circumnavigate the globe as a sailor, according to the BBC . But this feat was not a planned exploration but rather a byproduct of his goal to raid Spanish ships. The robbing of Spanish ships was legitimate from an English perspective, but to the Spanish, Drake was a menacing pirate they nicknamed "El Draque," according to an article on the University of Plymouth website by Elaine Murphy, an associate professor of maritime and naval history at the university in England. Drake brought back plenty of treasure from his circumnavigation and shared his riches with Queen Elizabeth I, by whom he was knighted. He was also a leading naval commander who fought against the Spanish Armada, a fleet of Spanish ships that attempted to overthrow the queen in 1588. Drake's legacy is further muddied by his involvement in slavery. He helped start the English slave trade in Africa by making multiple trips to Guinea and Sierra Leone with his cousin and naval commander Sir John Hawkins and enslaved up to 1,400 African people, according to Murphy. Drake died of dysentery off the coast of Panama in 1596. Related: Colombia moves to salvage immense treasure from sunken Spanish galleon Black Sam Bellamy An illustration of Samuel Bellamy with the wreck of the Whydah from Pirates of the Spanish Main series for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes, dated around 1888. (Image credit: Sepia Times/Contributor via Getty Images) Samuel Bellamy may have lived to only 28 years old, but he made a name for himself during that short life. Likely born in Devon at the end of the 17th century, Bellamy began working on the high seas at the beginning of the War of the Spanish Succession when he was 13 years old and later became a pirate captain, according to the New England Historical Society . As a pirate, Bellamy captured 53 ships, including the Whydah Gally, a slave ship carrying a fortune in gold, silver and other goods. The Whydah Gally left England in 1716 and took 312 enslaved people from the west coast of Africa to Jamaica. Bellamy captured the ship as it returned to England, by then emptied of slaves and filled with profits, according to the Field Museum in Chicago. He was likely the highest-earning pirate of all time, Forbes reported in 2008. Forbes estimated that all the booty he took would have been worth about $120 million in 2008 dollars. Bellamy made the Whydah Gally his flagship in 1717, but he went down with it in a storm that same year. His nickname was "Black Sam" Bellamy because he wore black wigs tied back with a black bow. Bellamy also styled himself as the "Robin Hood of the Sea" by stealing from the wealthy. According to the New England Historical Society, he ran his ship democratically, treated his crew members as equals and spared the lives of captives. Related: Sunken 17th-century 'pirate ship' discovered, alongside gunpowder-packed grenades Bartholomew Roberts A colorized engraving of Bartholomew Roberts, or Black Bart, on the coast of Guinea. (Image credit: Culture Club/Contributor via Getty Images) Bartholomew Roberts, nicknamed "Black Bart," was a tall, handsome and flamboyantly dressed 18th-century pirate from Wales. He initially worked on merchant ships but swapped trades to become a pirate and was soon elected captain of his own ship and crew, according to the Royal Museums Greenwich in London. Roberts took upward of 400 ships during his life, including in the Caribbean and off the coast of Africa. He often took slave ships and then demanded gold from their captains in exchange for their return. When one such slave captain refused, Roberts reportedly burned their ship with 80 slaves trapped on board, according to the World History Encyclopedia . Black Bart's crimes came to an end in 1722, when he was killed by the British Royal Navy off the coast of Gabon in West Central Africa while his crew members were too drunk to defend the ship, According to the Royal Museums Greenwich. A total of 52 members of his crew were then hanged in the largest pirate trial ever held, according to the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. Captain Kidd A painting of Captain Kidd welcoming a woman onto his ship in New York Harbor by Jean Leone Gerome Ferris. (Image credit: PhotoQuest/Contributor via Getty Images) Scottish sailor William Kidd, or Captain Kidd, is famous for walking the blurry line between privateer and free agent. Born in Scotland around 1645, Kidd was employed as a privateer by the British government in 1689 and even commissioned to arrest pirates. However, he was ultimately hanged in London in 1701 for murder and piracy himself, according to Britannica . Kidd famously captured a merchant ship, the Quedagh Merchant, off the west coast of India in 1698. The ship was filled with gold, silver, valuable silks and satins, and other Indian merchandise. Learning he'd been branded a pirate, Kidd left the ship in the Caribbean in 1699, traveled to New York to clear his name and was captured. Historians disagree on whether he was actually guilty of piracy. The wreckage of the Quedagh Merchant was discovered in 2007, Live Science previously reported . Related: Buccaneer bones: Possible pirate skeleton found under Scotland schoolyard Anne Bonny and Mary Read A colorized engraving of Anne Bonny and Mary Read. (Image credit: Culture Club/Contributor via Getty Images) Anne Bonny (or Bonney) and Mary Read were two famous female pirates as menacing as their male counterparts, if not more so. The daughter of a plantation owner, Bonny was born in Ireland in 1698 before moving to South Carolina, according to the Royal Museums Greenwich . Anne left her life behind for the Caribbean in the early 1700s and hit the open ocean. She started pirating disguised as a man on the ship of Calico Jack Rackham, a pardoned buccaneer. Read, born in London, joined the crew, also dressed as a man, when the ship she was working on was captured by Rackham. Bonny and Read became friends, pillaging together on the high seas. They sported jackets and long trousers, and fought with a machete in one hand and a pistol in the other. A victim of their piracy testified that they were very active on the ship and "wiling to do any thing," according to Smithsonian Magazine . Rackham's ship and crew were captured off Jamaica in 1720 and put on trial, but Bonny and Read avoided the gallows because they were both pregnant. Read died in prison with a fever, while Bonny survived. Her father secured her release from prison and brought her back to South Carolina, where she lived until age 84. Additional resources Learn more about the real Caribbean pirates by reading Colin Woodard's " The Republic of Pirates: Being the True and Surprising Story of the Caribbean Pirates and the Man Who Brought Them Down " (Mariner Books, 2008). You can also listen to a short audio series about historical pirates called " The Truth About Pirates, " by Royal Museums Greenwich, on SoundCloud. For more information on the discovery of Captain Kidd's ship, the Quedagh Merchant, check out the Indiana University website . Bibliography Captain Charles Johnson (pseudonym), "A General History of the Pyrates," 1724. Colin Woodard, Smithsonian Magazine, "The Last Days of Blackbeard," Feb. 2014. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/last-days-blackbeard-180949440/ Elaine Murphy, University of Plymouth, "More pirate than patriot? Examining Sir Francis Drake's legacy of exploration." https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/ba-history/elaine-murphy Forbes, "Top-Earning Pirates," Sep. 19, 2008. https://www.forbes.com/2008/09/18/top-earning-pirates-biz-logistics-cx_mw_0919piracy.html?sh=f5064487263b Global History of Capitalism project, University of Oxford, "Ching Shih and the Pirates of the South China Coast: Shifting Alliances, Strategy, and Reputational Racketeering at the Start of the 19th Century," Feb. 2021. https://globalcapitalism.history.ox.ac.uk/files/case20-chinesepiratespdf Karen Abbott, Smithsonian Magazine, "If Theres a Man Among Ye: The Tale of Pirate Queens Anne Bonny and Mary Read," Aug. 9, 2011. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/if-theres-a-man-among-ye-the-tale-of-pirate-queens-anne-bonny-and-mary-read-45576461/ Live Science Staff, "Captain Kidd Ship Found," Dec. 13, 2007. https://www.livescience.com/2132-captain-kidd-ship.html Murray, D. "One Woman's Rise to Power: Cheng I's Wife and the Pirates," Historical Reflections, Volume 8, Fall 1981. https://www.jstor.org/stable/41298765 National Park Service, "Blackbeard (aka Edward Teach)," Sep. 28, 2016. https://www.nps.gov/people/blackbeard.htm New England Historical Society, "The Boatload of Ginseng That Launched the China Trade," 2022. https://www.newenglandhistoricalsociety.com/great-new-england-shoemakers-strike-of-1860/ Royal Museums Greenwich, "Bartholomew Roberts: larger than life, better than fiction," Aug. 4, 2016. https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/blog/curatorial/bartholomew-roberts-larger-life-better-fiction Royal Museums Greenwich, "The Female Pirates (From an Old Print) [Anne Bonny, 1698 - 1782, and Mary Read, c. 1695 - 1721]." https://www.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/rmgc-object-157040 Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, "Captain Bartholomew Roberts." https://ocean.si.edu/human-connections/history-cultures/captain-bartholomew-roberts The BBC, "Sir Francis Drake (c.1540 - c.1596)," 2014. https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/drake_francis.shtml The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, "William Kidd," May 19, 2021. https://www.britannica.com/biography/William-Kidd Click here to read the full article. Amy Bergs two-part HBO documentary Phoenix Rising finds Evan Rachel Wood reflecting on her abuse allegations against Marilyn Manson. New details from the documentarys second part (airing March 16 on HBO) have emerged courtesy of Insider and the New York Post, including Woods allegation that Manson told her to make him dinner right after she got an abortion. Wood became pregnant with Mansons child while making the 2011 HBO miniseries Mildred Pierce. He flew out for the abortion. I was just so scared and sad, Wood says in the documentary. I obviously believe in a womans right to choose, but that doesnt mean it wasnt devastatingThe second it was over [he] was like, Make me dinner. And I remember being like, Im supposed to be resting my body has gone through this trauma, theres aftermath here. And he didnt care. Wood alleges in the documentary that Manson refused to wear a condom, ever during their relationship, adding, And it was very much sex on demand, and it was going to cause more problems if I said no. You dont have time to use birth control when somebodys just penetrating you while youre asleep or if theyve given you a pill that made you black out. Wood and Manson made their relationship public in 2007 when she was 19 years old and he was 38. The two had a brief engagement before their relationship ended in 2010. Wood speaks to her activist friend Illma Gore in the documentary and says she tried to commit suicide after her relationship to Manson ended. Manson, whose real name is Brian Warner, filed a lawsuit against Wood earlier this month. The musician citied defamation over Woods sexual abuse allegations against him and called them a malicious falsehood. In a statement to Insider about the new allegations made in part two of Phoenix Rising, Mansons attorney Howard King said, As we detailed in our lawsuit, nothing that Evan Rachel Wood, Illma Gore or their hand-picked co-conspirators have said on this matter can be trusted. This is just more of the same. But, then again, what else would you expect from a group who have spread falsehood after falsehood about Brian and even went as far as to forge an FBI letter to further their phony claims? In the first part of Rising Phoenix, which debuted at the Sundance Film Festival in January, Wood says she was essentially raped on-camera while filming the 2007 music video for Mansons Heart-Shaped Glasses. The video features Wood having sex with Manson while fake blood rains down on them. Wood was 19 years old when she filmed the music video and alleges that she was fed absinthe on set to the point that she was barely conscious to object when Manson had sex with her on camera. In a previous statement to Variety, Mansons attorney Howard King said: Of all the false claims that Evan Rachel Wood has made about Brian Warner, her imaginative retelling of the making of the Heart-Shaped Glasses music video 15 years ago is the most brazen and easiest to disprove, because there were multiple witnesses. HBO will premiere Phoenix Rising on back-to-back nights. Part 1, Phoenix Rising: Dont Fall, debuts Tuesday, March 15. Part 2, Phoenix Rising: Stand Up, debuts Wednesday, March 16. Both episodes will be available to stream on HBO Max beginning Tuesday, March 15. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. A fortnight ago, documentary filmmaker Vera Krichevskaya was anticipating the Russia release of her latest feature, F@ck This Job, a spirited, behind-the-scenes portrait of the countrys last independent broadcaster, TV Rain. But just days before the films Moscow premiere, Russian military forces invaded Ukraine. On March 3, TV Rain bowed to political pressure and said it would suspend operations indefinitely. Amid the turmoil, Karo, Russias largest cinema chain, dropped the film; a splashy, red-carpet premiere was cancelled in the wake of a bomb threat. Krichevskaya, who arrived in Russia on the eve of the screening, fled the country. Since then, shes been working frenetically from Tel Aviv, assisting former colleagues at a station she helped launch to safely make it out of Russia. It is a completely new reality, the director told Variety. When I opened my eyes [after the invasion], I thought it was a dream. F@ck This Job charts the rise and fall of TV Rain (Dozhd in Russian), the rambunctious, free-spirited broadcaster that until last week was one of the last holdouts of an independent Russian media. Told through the story of its founder, the champagne- and tango-loving socialite Natasha Sindeyeva, it follows the remarkable growth of the station during a turbulent decade when Russian President Vladimir Putin was determined to snuff out independent voices. The film, whose festival run has included the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA) and DOC NYC, was released in the U.K. last week and broadcast on the BBC (with the title Tango With Putin). Krichevskaya will be in attendance on March 19 for a screening at the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival. The director is a former business partner of Sindeyeva and her husband and TV Rain co-founder, the banker Alexander Vinokurov. In recent days, she said shes watched with dismay as the Russian military escalates its bombardment of Ukraine and the government moves to silence any opposition back home. I dont have capacity in my mind to process everything that is going on, she said. Last week, the Kremlin ramped up its efforts to crack down on coverage of the war with a series of draconian and Orwellian decrees. According to stringent new regulations announced on March 4, the dissemination of fake news could be punishable by up to 15 years in prison. (The use of the words war and invasion is currently forbidden to describe what the Kremlin refers to as a special military operation.) Facebook and Twitter were blocked by the government, while most foreign media organizations suspended operations inside the country. Describing the current crackdown as a completely new page for Russian media, Krichevskaya said the measures have stifled what remained of dissent under an increasingly authoritarian Putin. Right now, there is no space for any independent voices. Founded in 2010, during a brief period of openness under then-president Dmitry Medvedev, TV Rain sought to present a hopeful vision of a forward-thinking, progressive Russia. Dubbing itself the optimistic channel, it became a bastion of independent journalism, a launching pad for young journalists and a thorn in the side of the Kremlin and the countrys political elite. It quickly grew into a formidable presence in the Russian media landscape, commanding an audience of millions. The network frequently fell afoul of government regulators and lawmakers its first ban came just one week after the channels launch although it showed a tenacious ability to adapt. When backlash to a provocative online survey about the siege of Leningrad forced TV Rain from the airwaves in 2014, the network set up shop in Sindeyevas Moscow apartment. It turned to subscriptions, donations and advertising revenue from its YouTube channel to stay afloat. That business model kept the network going for the better part of a decade. The government nevertheless continued to tighten the screws. Before the shutdown last week, TV Rain had been designated a foreign agent by the Kremlin; a banner that runs across its website still up and running as of March 7 and all of its social media posts and YouTube videos reads: The following article and/or post was created and/or disseminated by a foreign media outlet carrying out the functions of a foreign agent and/or a Russian legal entity carrying out the functions of a foreign agent. After the livestream of its final broadcast which saw the channels staff gathered around a studio news desk the feed cut to several seconds of a performance of Tchaikovskys Swan Lake, a symbolic reference to when Soviet state broadcasters played the ballet on a loop for three days straight during the failed attempt to topple Mikhail Gorbachev in 1991. Whether the station will broadcast again remains in question. We need strength to exhale and understand how to work further, Sindeyeva wrote on social media after the livestream of the networks final news report. We really hope that we will return to the air and continue our work. The network head and her colleagues have since fled the country, but Krichevskaya said the group is already trying to figure out a way for TV Rain to resume transmission. We need to relaunch coverage of the war. It is crucial now, she said. Right now, all the Russian nation, they dont have sources of what is going on. We need to fill this vacuum as soon as possible. Krichevskaya, who moved to the U.K. not long after Russias invasion and annexation of the Crimean Peninsula in 2014, has returned often in the years since to document the political and civic life of her homeland. Among her feature films are The Man Who Was Too Free, a documentary about the prominent opposition figure and outspoken Putin critic Boris Nemtsov, and The Case, which tells the story of Anatoly Sobchak, Putins political mentor and the first democratically elected mayor of St. Petersburg. Almost daily throughout her exile, said the filmmaker, she asked herself if she was wrong to leave. The war in Ukraine, however, has quelled any doubts. It looks like I made a proper decision, she said. The shutdown of TV Rain has not only dealt a blow to free speech in Russia, but has upended the lives of so many of Krichevskayas former colleagues. All these people were driven so many years by their love for Russia. These people I show in my film are real patriots, she said. They want to have Russia as a part of the world, with normal, healthy values. For these people, white is white and black is black. Right now, this journey became a tragedy for each of them personally. In the days since TV Rain was forced off the air, Krichevskaya has received thousands of messages from everyday Russians expressing their support and praising the crucial role the network played in what remains of civil society in their country. People in their routine lives, they do not understand how important it is to have independent media, said the filmmaker. Independent journalism is the backbone of any society. The example of Russia and Dozhd now is a clear example of how essential it is. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. Barcelona-based Scenic Rights, the leading literary rights broker for Spanish-language film and TV series, has officially opened its Mexico City office as it continues to expand its purview across key territories, including Madrid, Los Angeles and most recently, Prague. The Mexico City office opening, delayed twice by the pandemic, kicks off operations on Monday March 7. According to Scenic Rights CEO, Sydney Borjas, the companys Mexican branch will oversee more than 30 book to film-TV project adaptations, mostly into series. Ana Karen Larios, previously a foreign rights manager at VF Literary Agency, has been tapped as Scenic Rights content manager in Mexico and will report to the agencys Chief Operating Officer Ignacio Diaz. Scenic Rights MX is being launched in collaboration with Miguel Rosenfeld as an associate, who has extensive experience in managing writers for TV. The literary agencys presence in Mexico underscores the growing importance of the country as a film-TV hub, with various players, especially the deep-pocketed streaming giants, tussling for premium content IP, as well as talent, crew and facilities. The Mexican series Hernan, produced by Dopamine and released by Prime Video, A&E, and TV Azteca, and Toda la Sangre, backed by Pantaya, Starzplay. Spiral International and Fremantle Mexico, counted on the support of Scenic Rights for their development. In addition, the TV series adaptations of Laura Esquivels novel Swift as Desire by Buendia Estudios and Laura Restrepos novel Isle of Passion by Gato Grande and Traziende are currently under development and promoted by Scenic Rights in Mexico. The rights broker is also bringing projects linked to international studios based in Europe and the U.S. Scenic Rights opened its offices in Prague in January this year as part of its global strategy to bring successful literary works to the screen, both big and small. It handles more than 200 operations in a dozen countries in Europe and the American hemisphere. The company has forged strategic agreements with top publishing houses led by Penguin Random House, Planeta, Unidad Editorial, Anagrama and Hispanic literary agencies Kerrigan, Casanovas & Lynch, Carmen Balcells, Schavelzon-Graham and The Colchie Agency. Led by Borjas and Diaz, Scenic Rights has access to over 20,000 literary works for film, TV and digital makeovers. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. Matt Reeves and production designer James Chinlund have worked together before The Batman. The pairs collaboration has been focused on creating grounded worlds, based in reality. That approach was no different for building the world of the new DC adaptation. Reeves wanted fans to feel like they were in a complete world in which a viewer could feel like they could get on a bus and go to Gotham. We wanted this idea that it was somewhere around us, says Chinlund. With that, Chinlund, onboard from the get-go, was in constant communication about constructing this gritty, crime-ridden city of Gotham and bringing it to life. The Batmobile Despite its many incarnations, the Batmobiles sleek ride remains iconic. That led to one of the key decisions by Chinland when approaching this project. Through many conversations with Reeves, the pair knew they wanted it to be a car. It wasnt going to be like a tank or a specialized weapon, Chinlund explains. Rather, the notion was that Bruce Wayne had built the car himself, turning his back on Wayne Industries. He was not James Bond, he was a singular vigilante. Chinlunds design of the car was motivated by Reeves note early on that it was relentless [and] motivated by a mission. Every design choice you see in the car is born out of the function required, Chinlund shared. Notably, while the front has a reinforced steel bumper and frame because he needed to be able to push his way through any obstacle, the back of the car was left open because they didnt need to protect that area Wayne Manor Chinlund and Reeves were excited that this journey saw Bruce Wayne as an urbanite. A lot of the previous Gothams have had Bruce situated in a mansion in the suburbs. He comes in to fight crime and goes back to the suburbs. Bruce is of the city, a part of the fabric, Chinlund says. That led to the idea that the famous Batcave was an old private train station that the Wayne family had once situated under Wayne Tower. That made perfect sense as a center for operations for Bruce and it allowed us to explore all the beautiful decay and patina which set the tone for the rest of the film. The rich Gothic architecture of the U.K specifically Liverpool, Glasgow and around London served as the perfect stand-in for Gothams Wayne Tower skyscraper. Liverpool, particularly, just has the most incredible patina and I found it very, very inspiring for us as we started to build the world. Chinlund explains, this Gotham was booming. It was similar to many American cities like Pittsburgh and Chicago, that they had this real sort of heyday. He looked at buildings of the 1920s, 30s and 40s, which allowed him to play with a pastiche of architectural styles. Its where ornament really is king. He even looked at movie palaces in Los Angeles for inspiration, which helped create the decaying masterpieces of Gotham. That was the base layer of Gotham that Chinlund was looking for in his efforts to not make it give the impression that it was frozen in time. Additionally, the city had attempts at economic revival, and then those two, for reasons of corruption and graft had fallen apart. It allowed us to litter the skyline with these unfinished skyscrapers so skeletal rusting iron forms, Chinlund said. When you see the skyline you really see all the grit up there in the skyline. The Iceberg Lounge Serving as the Penguins lair, the Iceberg Lounge is also one of Gothams coolest places to be seen. Once inside, its a maze of corruption and scum for the citys finest. Between the different levels, the lounge called for a massive backlot build. There was the exterior, the space inside and just this maze of sets, Chinlund says. This set was close to Chinlunds heart, as someone who has experienced club life In New York. Not only was it exciting to bring it to life, but it was important to get it right. Freeway architect Robert Moses further inspired the aesthetics. Legend has it that he had an office under the Triborough bridge, and all the money from the tolls flowed in a tube through his office, and it always stuck with me, Chinlund explains. The beauty of working with Reeves so early on was it gave the two a real opportunity to collaborate: When we were still writing, we could kick that back and forth and play with space. Its one of my proudest achievements on the film and its super visceral. Aside from the multiple stage builds, Londons abandoned Printworks space, now a nightclub, was also used as part of the set. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Chinese-aided landmark hospital inaugurated in eastern Cambodia Xinhua) 14:04, March 07, 2022 TBOUNG KHMUM, Cambodia, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia inaugurated a China-funded landmark hospital here on Monday, which would greatly contribute to improving health care services in the country's eastern and northeastern regions. Officially named the Tboung Khmum Cambodia-China Friendship Hospital, the five-storey hospital has 300 beds and is equipped with high technology medical equipment for checkups, treatment and surgery. Located in Tboung Khmum provincial town, the hospital was built by the China Railway Construction Group Co., Ltd. and funded by the Chinese government. Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen and Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Wang Wentian presided over the inauguration ceremony, which was attended by more than 1,000 people. Hun Sen said the hospital was another testament to the fruitful cooperation between Cambodia and China under the frameworks of the comprehensive strategic partnership and the Cambodia-China community with a shared future. "Such a huge hospital has never been available in Cambodia's provinces before," he said. "It is the largest modern hospital in Cambodia's provinces, except in capital Phnom Penh." He said the hospital would play an important role to improve the well-being of people in the country's eastern and northeastern regions. Speaking at the event, Ambassador Wang believed that the hospital would serve people better as it was equipped with modern medical technologies. "This is emblematic of the China-Cambodia friendship," he said. "I'm confident that the hospital will play an important role to protect people's lives and well-being." (Web editor: Peng yukai, Liang Jun) A suspect has been arrested for the 2020 caught-on-camera fatal shooting of a Brooklyn bar patron who had walked off with the gunmans borrowed lighter, police said Monday. Ex-con Daequan Woods was nabbed Saturday and charged with murder and gun possession for allegedly killing 28-year-old Daquan Blount about 1:20 a.m. Aug. 12, 2020. Advertisement Woods, 41, loaned Blount a cigarette lighter inside the New Heights Bar and Restaurant near St. Marks and Schenectady Aves. in Crown Heights, police said. Daquan Blount walked out of the New Heights Bar and Restaurant around 1:20 a.m. Aug. 12, 2020 carrying the borrowed lighter, with the infuriated lender chasing him down the street and squeezing off five fatal shots on St. Marks Ave. near Schenectady Ave., police said. (Jeff Bachner/for New York Daily News) But Blount refused to return it and walked out of the bar, followed by an angry Woods. Advertisement Whats that s--t you said? Woods could be heard asking, according to police. Security video shows the two fighting, with the killer firing once as the pair ran around a parked car. Blount collapsed to the ground and the shooter then fired two times at point-blank range before running off, police said. Daquan Blount (Obtained by Daily News) Blount, a father of five including a baby boy, was hit in the arm and abdomen. Medics rushed him to Interfaith Medical Center but he could not be saved. Woods was identified soon after as the alleged shooter, picked out of a photo array by a witness, police said. He was arraigned in Brooklyn Criminal Court Sunday and ordered held without bail. Detectives investigate the scene on St. Marks Ave. and Schenectady Ave.. (Brittany Kriegstein/New York Daily News) Woods has 10 prior arrests, police said. Records show he was conditionally released from state prison in Oct. 2017 after serving two years for attempted burglary and attempted drug sale convictions. The victims family said Blount had just bought a house in New Jersey, wanted to be a chef and loved his family. Hed give you his last if he had to, said a cousin, Maurice Lindsey. He was just hanging out. He was killed over some nonsense. Two men have been arrested in connection with a maquinitas establishment that was giving out illegal payouts and was operating without City of Laredo permits, according to Laredo police. Adrian Maldonado, 26, and Raul Mendoza, 52, were arrested on Feb. 24 and charged with gambling promotion. Maldonado was additionally charged with keeping a gambling place. In July, police received information that an eight-liner business known as the Tutti Frutti Snack Bar amusement on 2719 Jaime Zapata Memorial Highway was making illegal cash payouts to customers. Members of the LPD Narcotics and Vice Unit launched an investigation. City records of the Building Development Services Department showed no business application form for Tutti Frutti. A City of Laredo zoning enforcement supervisor would confirm that Tutti Frutti was operating without any city permits, states an arrest affidavit. On Nov. 4, authorities set up surveillance as an undercover officer went inside Tutti Frutti to investigate if illegal cash payouts were given to winning customers. The undercover cop observed 30 to 40 slot machines. The undercover cop selected a slot machine and inserted $5 to start playing. About 40 minutes later, the undercover cop won $10. A male employee gave the undercover cop two $5 bills, according to court documents. The (undercover cop) noted that the employees of the unregistered amusement center did not offer to pay the (undercover cop) for winning with any type of merchandise other than an illegal cash payout consisting of U.S. currency, states the affidavit. Furthermore, the undercover officer did not see prizes on display in the gaming area that could be awarded to winning customers. Authorities added that the undercover cop did not observe City of Laredo Business/Health permits posted in the establishment. Based on the investigation, police would obtain a search warrant for Tutti Frutti on Nov. 8. Narcotics and vice officers along with the patrol division and the Webb County District Attorneys Office would execute the warrant at the Tutti Frutti on Nov. 10. Five men including Maldonado and Mendoza were detained without incident. Police said Maldonado was in possession of a set of keys that had a key to unlock the safe located in the cashier/office along with a key to open the lock that secured the side entrance to Tutti Frutti. From the Tutti Frutti, authorities seized assorted documents, a notebook ledger, five cellphones, 37 slot machines and $8,574. Ten slot machines were not operational, court documents state. During the investigation, Mendoza was identified as the person who would fix the gaming machines. Maldonado provided conflicting statements. But he eventually mentioned that he takes control of the eight-liners but only when the boss asks him to, states the affidavit. / The victim in a fatal shooting in south Laredo on Friday has been identified as Alonso Gonzalez-De Hoyos, 25, authorities reported Saturday. Friday, authorities reported there was a shooting by the Sonic in the 2000 block of U.S. 83. Laredo Fire Department crews responded to the scene and encountered a man in his 30s with no signs of life. This election cycle, plenty of talk statewide and even nationally has been on who will get Texas District 28 Democratic nomination between longtime incumbent Rep. Henry Cuellar and progressive challenger Jessica Cisneros. Cisneros gave Cuellar who has been in the role since 2004 a rare challenge for the spot in 2020, racking up 48.2% of the vote. Considering Cisneros had another year to build upon her challenge and Cuellar had his home and office raided by the FBI in January, the possibility of Cuellar being unseated seemed to be a real possibility. Yet the 2022 primary election finished with Cuellar and Cisneros heading for a runoff election on May 24 after they received 48.5% and 46.8% of the vote, respectively. But theres more to it than that. Digging into the data shows some interesting developments this time around. Heres some of the most intriguing developments when it comes to the numbers from the 2022 primary regarding District 28: Voting was down considerably While theres certainly been a lot of interest regarding the District 28 seat, the voters of that district didnt exactly show up to the polls to reflect that. The primary election in 2020 came in a presidential election year, which led to significantly more voting in the District 28 race. Cuellar gathered 38,834 total votes to claim the 51.8% majority. Cisneros was right behind him with 36,144 votes, giving the two a combined 74,978. But in 2022, Cuellar gathered just 23,552 votes, and Cisneros also saw her total dip to 22,745. While Tannya Benavides was an added competitor this time around, her 2,289 votes hardly made up the gap. Overall, the difference is significant, as the 48,586 votes cast toward this race in 2022 is 26,392 fewer as compared to 2020. The total was also seen in Webb County with 28,753 votes being cast in 2020 for the two candidates compared to 20,176 for all three this election. Cuellar made gains in Webb County despite FBI investigation While many wondered if the FBI investigation would irreparably harm Cuellars campaign, Webb County voters didnt seem to be impacted much. Cuellar won Webb in 2022 racking up 59.49% of the vote compared to Cisneros 37.47% and Benavides 3.04%. The more than 22-point win in Webb is significantly higher than the margin of victory in 2020 when Webb County gave Cuellar 55.1% of the vote compared to Cisneros 44.9%. As for total votes, Cuellars votes in Webb County did fall to 12,003 after reaching 15,853 in 2020. However, Cisneros was instead the one who had the most significant dropoff this year as she received 7,560 votes this time as opposed to 12,900 the previous election. Benavides presence may have cost Cisneros While Benavides had just 4.7% of the overall vote in the primary, her impact in the race may have been more significant than many realize. Overall, Benavides racked up 2,289 votes. As another progressive Democrat, her political stances much more closely align with those of Cisneros than the longtime Blue Dog Democrat in Cuellar. Its not too farfetched to believe the majority of those voters would have preferred Cisneros. Meanwhile, Cuellar finished with just an 807-vote advantage over Cisneros in the race. Thus if Benavides had not participated in the election and at least 68% of her votes went to Cisneros, District 28 would have had a new representative. More specifically, Cisneros would have needed to pick up 1,483 of those 2,289 votes to defeat Cuellar. Greater San Antonios impact in the District 28 race Redistricting this year gave San Antonio a bigger say in the election process for Cuellars spot, and it was evident during the primary election. While Cisneros wasnt close to Cuellar in Webb County, she dominated Bexar. Cisneros picked up 73.4% of the vote, landing 8,768 in total. Cuellars had just 2,473 votes, as he was actually closer to Benavides 700-vote total than he was of winning the county. Similarly, Guadalupe County went heavily in favor of Cisneros, who recorded 2,779 votes for a 73.6% advantage. Cuellar had only 662 votes in Guadalupe while Benavides had 333. Overall, the two counties combined for 11,547 votes going to Cisneros as opposed to 3,135 for Cuellar and 1,033 for Benavides. Can Republicans flip the District 28 seat? This week, Sabatos Crystal Ball, a nonpartisian political analysis site at the University of Virginia, changed its rating from the District 28 seat from Leans Democratic to Toss-up. Among the reasons listed were Cuellars FBI raid and Cisneros progressive leaning. So can District 28 flip red? Well, if the numbers from the primary election are any indicator theres absolutely no chance. In the election, Cassy Garcia forced a runoff in the seven-person field going up against last years lone runner in Sandra Whitten. Garcia gained 23.5% of the vote compared to Whittens 18%. They finished ahead of Steven Fowler (13.5%), Willie Vasquez Ng (13.3%), Ed Cabrera (13.3%), Eric Hohman (11.9%) and Rolando Rodriguez (6.5%). But as a whole, Republican votes didnt come close to approaching their Democratic counterparts. In fact, all seven totaled 24,967 votes, which together barely edged both Cuellar (23,552) and Cisneros (22,745) individually. Democrats had 48,568 combined votes, nearly doubling the GOPs total. Zapatas status as a red county During the 2020 election, there was a lot of interest statewide in the fact that border county Zapata flipped red potentially signaling that the GOP was better reaching Hispanic voters. But in the 2022 primary, Zapata didnt look like a red county in the slightest when it came to the District 28 race. In fact, Whitten won the county while only picking up 54 total votes. And none of the other six candidates even eclipsed double digits as they combined for 38. The seven together couldnt even outpace Benavides, as the third-ranked Democrat alone had 156 votes. Cuellar won Zapata County with 2,489 votes while Cisneros came in second at 794. DALLAS (AP) A man charged with killing 18 older women in the Dallas area over a two-year span said in a newspaper interview that he is innocent and will be acquitted in the case. Billy Chemirmir remains in the Dallas County Jail as he awaits an April 25 retrial after the first jury to hear a murder case against him deadlocked. In November, his murder trial in the death of 81-year-old Lu Thi Harris ended in a mistrial. During a phone interview from jail last week, Chemirmir denied all the charges against him and told The Dallas Morning News that he is 100% sure I will not go to prison. I am not a killer, Chemirmir told the newspaper. Im not at all what theyre saying I am. I am a very innocent person. I was not brought (up) that way. I was brought (up) in a good family. I didnt have any problems all my life. Chemirmir was arrested in March 2018 after 91-year-old Mary Annis Bartel said a man forced his way into her apartment at an independent living community for seniors in the Dallas suburb of Plano. When police tracked Chemirmir to his nearby apartment following the attack on Bartel, he was holding jewelry and cash. Documents in a large red jewelry box police say he had just thrown away led them to a Dallas home where Harris was found dead in her bedroom, lipstick smeared on her pillow. Police allege that Chemirmir used his work as a caregiver to stalk luxury senior living communities in Dallas and Collin counties, posing as a worker to get into the apartments of elderly women before smothering them with a pillow and stealing their valuables. Chemirmir told the newspaper he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. He said that other family members, who have declined to the speak to the newspaper, operate other senior living homes in the Dallas area where no suspicious deaths have been reported. If I was a killer, I couldve killed all those ladies, he said. Nobody has been killed there. Chemirmir told the newspaper he was born and raised in Kenyas Rift Valley and that hes the son of a wealthy farmer. Chemirmir said he began working as a caregiver in Kenya and he moved in 2003 to the U.S., where he sold cars and began working as a senior caregiver in Dallas. Cheryl Pangburn, whose mother, Marilyn Bixler, was killed in 2017 and is suspected of being one of Chemirmirs alleged victims, said she was disappointed that he was reaching out to journalists to try and sway public opinion toward him. You hope that he feels some kind of remorse, and the fact is he feels nothing, Pangburn said. I cannot comprehend that the human mind can work that way. Lockport, NY (14094) Today Cloudy with periods of rain. Low 49F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a half an inch.. Tonight Cloudy with periods of rain. Low 49F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a half an inch. A serial thief with a over 100 previous convictions has pleaded guilty to carrying out over half a dozen further shoplifting offences in Longford town. Francis Gavin (34), 3 Canal Bank, Longford was remanded in custody by Judge Bernadette Owens at last Tuesday's District Court sitting after pleading guilty to a series of thefts at various retail stores between November 2019 and February 17 this year. The first of those, which took place at Homesaver's resulted in the theft of six hairdryers, worth of a total of 180 along with other items which totalled almost 250. On January 8 this year, the court heard how Mollaghan's Furniture was similarly targeted by the accused, leading to the theft of 38 worth of bed linen. Twenty-four-hours later, the father of one entered Lidl, along Longford town's Dublin Road shortly before lunchtime to steal an air fryer worth 99. Three further shoplifting offences were likewise read into the court record over the course of the past four weeks. Judge Bernadette Owens was told some of the offending was also committed while Mr Gavin was on bail. His solicitor Frank Gearty said Mr Gavin, who was in custody when brought before last week's District Court sitting, had encountered a troubled time battling a chronic drug addiction. He has a very severe compulsion and need for these tablets, said Mr Gearty. Sgt Mark Mahon for the State, said Mr Gavin had 113 previous convictions to his name, the most recent of which arrived in November 2020 for theft. Mr Gearty, in giving the court further insight as to his client's background, was a man who had brought untold anguish on his family. He (Mr Gavin) is now living with his mother and she has brought 500 bail money to court which can go to the victims, no strings attached. He has destroyed himself and his reputation with what he has done. Mr Gearty said Mr Gavin was acceptive he had a terrible record and how his actions had both embarrassed and ashamed his mother. Judge Owens said prior to passing any form of sentence, the court was obligated to try and identify the root of what lay behind Mr Gavin's offending and determine what type of drug rehabilitation services would be made available to the accused at the culmination of his sentence. On that basis, she remanded Mr Gavin in custody until a sitting of Longford District Court on March 8 2022. Wrongful murder convictions cost city taxpayers $43 million in lawsuit settlements in the last seven months including a $13 million payout to a man who spent 25 years in prison, city records show. They went to prison, lost all of that time, lost their youth, lost the events in their lives, said lawyer Bruce Barket, whose client Samuel Brownridge got the $13 million payout, the biggest of the six recent awards. Advertisement Samuel Brownridge who was exonerated after serving 25 years in prison for a murder he didnt commit. (Obtained by Daily News) And the entire time they were there it was not clear that they were ever going to be released. Brownridge was locked up for the 1995 execution-style killing of Darryle Adams in St. Albans, Queens. Advertisement He says in a federal lawsuit that an NYPD detective buried evidence pointing to his innocence including that an eyewitness who fingered him had earlier identified two other men as the killers and that an intellectually disabled man who named him as a killer was coerced into claiming he witnessed the slaying. At a court hearing before he was exonerated in 2020, Brownridge vividly described his feelings about the wrongful conviction. I sit down sometimes, and I say to myself, Why me? My 20s, my 30s, and half of my 40s are gone, he said. I sit in my jail cell every night waiting for this day to come, Brownridge said. To many of you, this may look like a victory, but as I am here before you today, I cannot help but see the loss. Brownridge got $5 million in a separate settlement with state government, Barket said. Five other men who spent years in prison after being wrongfully convicted of homicide have also been compensated by the city in the last seven months. Huwe Burton spent 20 years in prison on charges of killing his mother in their Bronx apartment. Huwe Burton speaks in Bronx Supreme Court. (Luiz C. Ribeiro/for New York Daily News) Burton, who was 16 at the time of the 1989 slaying, got $11 million after claiming that detectives coerced him into confessing. Advertisement He says the real killer was Emanuel Green, a downstairs neighbor with a violent criminal and psychiatric history. Green told police he helped Burton stage the crime scene to look like a rape and robbery. A week after the killing Green was caught driving the victims stolen car. He was murdered before Burton went to trial. Eric Wildon Rodriguez, who spent 25 years behind bars, got a $7 million settlement from the city in December. William "Wildon" Eric Rodriguez was freed from prison after his conviction was overturned. (Jeff Bachner/for New York Daily News) The sole witness to finger Rodriguez in a 1993 Brooklyn murder was drug-addled and also testified in two other homicide cases. Additionally, prosecutors never told the defense that the DAs office provided the witness with weekly food stipends, a hotel room and rent for an apartment. Bladimil Arroyo, who was freed in 2019 after nearly two decades behind bars, got a $5.35 million settlement in December. Advertisement Arroyo had confessed to stabbing a man to death outside a Brooklyn strip club in 2001. But an autopsy later determined the victim was shot leading prosecutors to realize decades later that the cops fed him the detail that the victim was stabbed. Calvin Buari listens during a court hearing in the Bronx at which lawyers asked to vacate his double murder conviction in 2017. (Bebeto Matthews / AP) Calvin Buari got $4 million after spending 22 years in prison for the 1992 murder of two brothers in the Bronx. In a federal lawsuit, he accused detectives of enlisting the actual killer to take the stand against him as a witness. Rhian Taylor spent nine years in prison for a 2007 Queens murder before he was granted a new trial and acquitted. In September he got a $3 million settlement from the city. Taylor learned one of the witnesses against him got a better deal for his testimony than the lead prosecutor disclosed and another had a lengthier criminal record than disclosed, including an out-of-state perjury conviction. Rhian Taylor poses for a photo last year in Manhattan. (Barry Williams/for New York Daily News) The Daily News Flash Weekdays Catch up on the days top five stories every weekday afternoon. > Civil rights lawyer Joel Berger said the big-dollar payouts dont deter prosecutors or police since the money doesnt come out of their pockets. What do we do about the officers who caused this? Are they still out there on the street? You know, whos going to stop them from doing it again? Berger asked. In the end who pays the poor victims? The taxpayers. The officers themselves are totally unscathed. Advertisement Those wrongfully convicted of murder are not the only people the city can be forced to compensate for wrongful prosecution and police misconduct. Over the past five years, the city paid out $211.5 million to settle nearly 2,500 police misconduct cases including cases where 21 plaintiff awards exceeded $1 million. Berger called on the citys new Corporation Counsel, Sylvia Hinds-Radix, to take a harder look at cases involving police misconduct and to disband the Law Departments Special Federal Litigation Division, which is known for its hard-edged tactics defending cops in civil rights lawsuits. Wrongfully convicted people gathered with family and friends outside City Hall in November to seek more action from the city's five district attorneys. (Luiz C. Ribeiro/for New York Daily News) A Law Department spokesman said the city already pays close attention to wrongful conviction cases. There has been an uptick in the number of these civil cases in recent years because of enhanced efforts by district attorneys to investigate wrongful convictions, the spokesman said. We conduct case-by-case evaluations based on the facts and circumstances of each case and settlements are made in the best interest of the City Community, Charity & Cause, Press Releases By Catherine Eve Published: March 06 2022 The 2023-2024 Grievance Filing deadline has been extended to May 2, 2022. The Nassau County Legislature has extended the deadline for Nassau County property owners to file an assessment grievance. If youre a property owner and disagree with your propertys Tentative Assessed Valued issued by Nassau in January 2022, you now have until May 2, 2022 to file an Application for Correction of Assessment with the Assessment Review Commission (ARC). Property owners who believe their property value is too high compared to similar homes in their neighborhood have a right to challenge their assessment, which is the basis of 2023/2024 school taxes and 2024 general taxes. The Assessment Review Commission (ARC) is an independent agency, separate from the Nassau County Department of Assessment, which is responsible for annually reviewing all applications for correction of assessment filed in Nassau County. These corrections have resulted in substantial savings for the taxpayer. Homeowners who wish to challenge their assessments on their own can visit the Nassau County website or attend a free, in-person Tax Forum and learn how to file a grievance. See the Town of Hempstead website for a complete listing of Tax Forums which will be held throughout March and April at libraries and parks throughout the Town of Hempstead. Reservations are required and seating is limited and provided on a first-come, first-served basis. To make a reservation, please email taxforums@tohmail.org or call (516) 414-6598. For grievance filing details, visit https://www.nassaucountyny.gov/arc or call the ARC at (516) 571-3214. Looking to stay up to date about all of the news stories and local headlines that are important to Long Islanders? We've rounded up the top coverage for all of the important topics from multiple sources around Long Island, so you can be sure you've got the most recent update on the top stories for Long Island. Have an idea for a news story? Email us at news@longisland.com Columnists Press Releases Food, Wine, & Dining By Ls Cohen Published: March 07 2022 Chef Michael Guerrieri brings his healthy sandwiches on Portuguese Pao Saloio bread to Long Island. A healthy sandwich shop called Smartwich just opened inside Francescos Bakery, serving up a variety of hand-helds on Pao Saloio bread. Italian born chef Michael Guerrieri was raised in New York but discovered Pao Saloio bread while living in Lisbon 18 years ago. Described on the restaurants website as being similar to a baguette with a Portuguese twist, their handmade bread is baked fresh daily. Taking the sandwich to another level, the Smartwich is a food item Chef Guerrieri conceived in Portugal and brought here to Long Island. The idea was to provide affordable personalized smart sandwiches and meals for people on the go. Gourmet doesnt always need to be served on a warm dish, Chef Guerrieri said in his bio. It was time for a serious sandwich using fresh ingredients and without using fatty sauces. Smartwich sandwiches include the Mozzarella, with cooked sweet peppers, tomato, arugula, and vinaigrette; Chicken breast, with pastrami spread, avocado, cooked onions, watercress, and rosemary olive oil; and the Vegan, with kale, spinach, seasonal squash, carrots, bell peppers, red onion, cabbage, red beans, and mustard herbed vinaigrette. On Yelp, William G B., from Hicksville, gave it five stars. This is an absolute must try, wrote. All Smartwiches are made fresh on handmade Portuguese crunch bread. Anu A, from Manhattan, also loved it. I came across this place unexpectedly and I am blown away...By far the most delicious sandwiches I have EVER had, he wrote. My favorite is the roast beef sandwich. I couldn't be happier with my experience here and therefore would highly recommend. Location: 640 S Broadway, Hicksville. Ensure you get a print copy of the Loudoun Times-Mirror delivered weekly to your home or business! Complete online access is included with all print subscriptions purchased online. Plus, up to four other members of your household can share online access through this subscription with their own, individual linked accounts at no additional charge. (Are you a current advertiser? Ask your sales rep for our special advertiser rate code!) (Alliance News) - The following is a round-up of London-listed company director and manager changes announced on Monday and not separately reported by Alliance News: ---------- CPPGroup PLC - Leeds-based products and services for financial services and insurance sectors - Promotes Finance Director David Bowling to chief financial officer, effective immediately. Bowling has been with CPPGroup for 10 years. He replaces Simon Pyper, whom CPPGroup last month promoted to chief executive officer to replace the departing Jason Walsh. ---------- Property Franchise Group PLC - Bournemouth, Dorset-based lettings and estate agency franchising firm, formerly known as MartinCo - Replaces Glynis Frew as managing director of Hunters with Gareth Williams. Frew also will step down from the Property Franchise Group board but will remain with the company as franchise training & development director. Says Williams is "an established member of the group's senior management team". Property Franchise Group completed the acquisition of Hunters Property PLC in March last year. ---------- Caracal Gold PLC - gold producer in East Africa - Hires Dan Kazungu as non-executive director, starting Monday. Kazungu served as Kenya's ambassador to Tanzania and prior that as cabinet minister for mining. Caracal's main project is the Kilimapesa gold mine in Kenya, and it is expanding operations in neighbouring Tanazania. Kazungu also worked at technology firms IBM Corp and Lenovo Group Ltd. ---------- By Tom Waite; thomaslwaite@alliancenews.com Copyright 2022 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. Tintra PLC - Windsor, Berkshire-based firm building banking and infrastructure technology systems - Finalises a further subscription under the current funding round for 37,128 new ordinary shares priced at 504 pence each, raising USD250,000. Notes that the subscription was made by a private equity professional based in New York City. It is anticipated to subscribe for a further USD2.0 million on the same terms. The documentation is currently in process. Expects to complete both subscriptions and receive the funds during this month. Plans to use the funds for the development of its artificial intelligence platform and regulatory licensing build, as well as for general working capital purposes. The subscription is part of the company's fundraising plans that were laid out on November 4. Tintra aims to raise a total of USD10 million with several other subscriptions. Current stock price: 180.60 pence, up 6.2% on Monday 12-month change: up sharply from 65.00p By Abby Amoakuh; abbyamoakuh@alliancenews.com Copyright 2022 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. (Alliance News) - UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to embark on a week of intense diplomatic efforts with foreign leaders to build a united front against Vladimir Putin, while at home ministers scramble to go "faster and harder" with sanctions levelled against the Kremlin. Johnson will host Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte at Downing Street on Monday. Johnson is expected to put more pressure on international leaders to take further action to remove Russia from the Swift payment system, while pushing them to back his six-point plan to tackle Russian aggression. Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said amendments to the Economic Crime Bill which is set to be fast-tracked through all stages in the Commons on Monday would "give us the chance to bring even more crippling sanctions against Putin and his regime". In Ukraine, a second temporary ceasefire designed to allow citizens to escape two cities failed to hold, as fresh photographs showed the desperation of those trying to escape the war. Russia became more isolated from the West as further companies severed ties with the state. On Sunday, Tiktok blocked its Russian users from posting new videos and Netflix said it was suspending its service in Russia. Earlier in the day, American Express Co said it would suspend services in the country, and PricewaterhouseCoopers is separating its firm in Russia which has a staff of around 3,700 from the rest of its global network as a result of the invasion of Ukraine. The UK government said it would pump an extra GBP74 million into Ukraine to support the country's "indomitable people" through the humanitarian crisis being faced on the ground. The aid, provided through the World Bank, could go towards supporting public sector salaries, allowing vital state functions to keep operating, or supporting social safety nets and pensions for the Ukrainian people. Meanwhile, Home Secretary Priti Patel wrote to Interpol requesting the suspension of Russia's access to its systems. Johnson said: "While only Putin can fully end the suffering in Ukraine, today's new funding will continue to help those facing the deteriorating humanitarian situation." However, the government will likely come under criticism for the speed of moves made at home. The Home Office revealed on Sunday that only "around 50" visas had been granted under the Ukraine Family Scheme as of 10am on Sunday. Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper tweeted: "This is too slow. Too many hoops for desperate families to have to jump through. Home Office completely failing to understand urgency of crisis." But Patel said the UK was "doing everything possible" to speed up efforts to grant visas to Ukrainians fleeing the conflict, and told The Sun she was examining a "humanitarian route" to allow all Ukrainian refugees who want to come to the UK to do so. In Parliament, Labour is set to put pressure on ministers to further reduce the time period before foreign-owned UK property needs to be registered under new plans. The party said Russian oligarchs still had a "get out of London free" card as even though the grace period under the measures designed to tackle so-called dirty money had been cut from 18 months to six, the opposition was calling for this to be reduced further to just 28 days. Shadow business secretary Jonathan Reynolds said: "The invasion of Ukraine and continued Russian aggression demands action now, not in six months' time." But the Foreign Office insisted the new scheme would "allow the government to move faster and harder when sanctioning oligarchs and businesses associated with the Russian government". The PM said: "Punishing sanctions are meaningless until properly implemented, and these changes will allow us to pursue Putin's allies in the UK with the full backing of the law, beyond doubt or legal challenge." It comes after Johnson, in a nearly 1,300-word essay in the New York Times, said that the West had "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." Johnson will launch into a week of what No 10 called "focussed engagement" with his global counterparts, starting with Trudeau and Rutte. source: PA Copyright 2022 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. Ovoca Bio plc ("Ovoca" or the "Company") Statement regarding Russian business operations Dublin, Ireland, 7 March, 2022 - The Board of Ovoca Bio, an international biopharmaceutical company focusing on women's health, today issues a statement in response to events in Ukraine and Russia. Ovoca is an Irish incorporated and headquartered company, whose shares are admitted to trading on the AIM Market of the London Stock Exchange and Euronext Growth Dublin. Ovoca has a truly international team and operations, with a presence in Ireland, the UK, Australia and Russia. Ovoca has no operations or activities in Ukraine. Over 90% of Ovoca's 2021 cashflow is international and originated outside of Russia. In 2021, 60% of the Company's operating cash flow fell under subsidiaries in Australia and Ireland - these entities are not exposed to Russia and are not materially affected by current events. OVB (Ireland) Ltd, an Irish subsidiary of Ovoca, holds the rights to all international Intellectual Property outside of Russia. The Ovoca Bio group of companies has two subsidiaries registered in Russia: IVIX LLC, a subsidiary of Ovoca, which holds Russian Marketing Authorization and patents for Orenetide (BP-101) in the Russian market. IVIX LLC was accountable for only 10% of the total Ovoca operating cash flow in 2021. The IVIX R&D office is operating as usual. Comtrans LLC, a dormant Ovoca subsidiary, with no operations or assets. Neither of the Ovoca subsidiaries registered in Russia are state or government-funded and are not currently subject to EU/US/International sanctions or restrictions. The Company confirms that no member of the Board, management or its substantial shareholders are on the list of sanctioned individuals. Ovoca's current strong cash position with over US$ 9.5 million (in cash and cash equivalents) is held in UK, Irish and Australian banks, and supports the Company in pursuing its ongoing and planned R&D activities throughout 2022. Ovoca also has a holding of 125,000 shares in Polymetal International PLC ("Polymetal"), a Jersey registered company, headquartered in Cyprus and quoted on the London Stock Exchange. The Board of Ovoca is concerned about the situation in Ukraine and Russia and the tragic consequences unfolding there and is hopeful for a peaceful resolution as soon as possible. The Board is closely monitoring the situation and its impact on Ovoca and will provide a timely update should any additional risks to the business be identified. End For further information: Ovoca Bio plc Kirill Golovanov (Chief Executive) Tel +353 1 661 9819 info@ovocabio.com Davy (Nominated Adviser, Euronext Growth Advisor and Broker) John Frain / Daragh O'Reilly Tel: +353 1 679 6363 Consilium Strategic Communications Chris Gardner, Chris Welsh ovocabio@consilium-comms.com Tel: +44 (0)20 3709 5700 About Ovoca Bio Ovoca Bio is a European-based biopharmaceutical company with a focus on women's health. The Company is currently developing a novel treatment for women with hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD), a condition characterized by a distressing lack or loss of sexual desire affecting an estimated ~4 million premenopausal women in the US alone. The Company's lead product, Orenetide (BP-101), a novel synthetic peptide administered through a nasal spray, is clinically validated, with Phase II and Phase III studies conducted in Russia demonstrating statistically significant improvement in a number of key efficacy outcomes, including an increase in female sexual desire and reduction of symptoms of distress associated with HSDD. Ovoca Bio has been granted marketing approval in the Russian Federation and is seeking to develop the drug for major global markets - in particular the United States and Europe. 7 March 2022 RPS Group plc ('RPS' or the 'Group') Update on strategic progress in Sustainability Designing and delivering ESG strategies; driven by increasing global demand RPS, a leading multi-sector global professional services firm, is pleased to provide an update on the strategic progress that has been achieved in recent months in relation to one of the Group's core thematics, Sustainability. This is the final in a series of announcements, the other two being Natural Resources (released on 15 July 2021) and Urbanisation (released on 14 October 2021). Natural Resources, Urbanisation and Sustainability are the key market drivers that underpin demand for RPS' services and skills. As demand for sustainable operations becomes increasingly critical for both public and private sector clients across the globe, these key areas continue to benefit from investment. RPS is supporting clients around the world to meet their sustainability ambitions, from working with clients in North America to set their strategic direction for Environmental, Social and Governance ('ESG') planning, to supporting clients in reducing their greenhouse gas emissions in the UK and Ireland. At the same time, the Group continues to apply its specialist expertise to drive RPS' own ESG and sustainability ambitions. Developing and executing clients' ESG strategies in North America In RPS' North American segment, work with Private Equity firms has expanded to include ESG as a standard scope for due diligence transactions, alongside building ESG frameworks into asset management throughout the holding period. This new lifecycle work involves ESG key performance indicators, policy development, policy implementation, and greenhouse gas reporting for Scope 1 and 2 emissions. In 2021, RPS entered a scope of work with the Riverside Capital Appreciation Fund ('RCAF'), a North American focused buyout strategy that is part of The Riverside Company ('Riverside'). The project entailed completing a portfolio-wide assessment of environmental, social, and governance related factors: RPS has been engaged to work with Riverside to implement an ESG strategy that consists of setting KPIs for the most recent and subsequent vintages of RCAF. RPS will provide portfolio level KPIs, and industry specific ESG guidance. Furthermore, RPS has completed an ESG assessment on nine of RCAF's US-based portfolio companies and gathered data on the developed portfolio level / industry specific KPIs. In some cases, RPS has been and will be engaged further to conduct a full ESG assessment to identify potential company specific ESG KPIs to be tracked by the portfolio company moving forward. Supporting clients' Net Zero Carbon ('NZC') commitments in the UK RPS has seen increased interest in NZC and carbon neutrality requests, as more corporations are required to put detailed plans in place to achieve their goals. Examples of the work done with clients to date include Shaftesbury PLC, a client RPS has been working with since 2002. In that time RPS has assisted in developing and implementing its sustainability strategy. Shaftesbury is a Real Estate Investment Trust which invests exclusively in the heart of London's West End, with a portfolio of around 600 buildings clustered in high profile locations, which together make a significant contribution to the heritage of this historic part of London. In 2021 RPS supported Shaftesbury to develop its NZC commitment, launched in November 2021, which outlines Shaftesbury's commitment to NZC by 2030. A copy of the presentation can be found here. The relationship is ongoing and RPS is now supporting Shaftesbury in the development of a target embodied carbon benchmark for its refurbishment projects. Further information on RPS' previous work with Shaftesbury can be found here. Accelerating RPS' ESG credentials and ambitions RPS was pleased to appoint Matt Farnsworth as Global Director of ESG and Sustainability in September 2021. Since his appointment, the Group has made significant headway in progressing its own ESG ambitions. In late 2021, the Group joined the UN Race to Zero and Business Ambition for 1.5C campaigns; set out its Net Zero pathway; readied the Group for disclosing its credentials on large government frameworks (PPN/06-21); raised RPS' CDP score up to B- and set Science Based Targets ('SBTs') for its action on climate change. In early 2022, RPS' SBTs were officially approved as ambitious and verified by the Science Based Targets initiative. A further update regarding ESG and Sustainability will be provided at RPS' next scheduled update, the publication of the Group's FY-2021 Results on Wednesday, 16 March 2022. For further information: RPS John Douglas, Chief Executive Tel: +44 (0) 1235 863 206 Judith Cottrell, Group Finance Director www.rpsgroup.com Media enquiries: Buchanan Henry Harrison-Topham / Chris Lane / Tilly Abraham Tel: +44 (0) 20 7466 5000 RPS@buchanan.uk.com www.buchanan.uk.com Notes to Editors Founded in 1970 and built on a legacy of environmental and social engagement, RPS is a diversified global professional services firm of over 5,000 consultants, designers, planners, engineers, and technical specialists. As an established technology enabled consultancy, RPS provides specialist services to government and private sector clients. RPS is focused on natural resources, urbanisation, and sustainability - creating shared value for all stakeholders. Solving problems that matter to a complex, urbanising, resource-scarce world. Listed on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange (LSE: RPS), RPS is classified within the Professional Business Support Services subsector. For further information, please visit www.rpsgroup.com Today Mainly clear. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 67F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Tonight Mainly clear. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 67F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Tomorrow Intervals of clouds and sunshine. High around 90F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. A police officer shot and critically wounded the driver of a Jeep SUV after stopping the vehicle for allegedly running several red lights in the Bronx Sunday night, NYPD officials said. The 8 p.m. confrontation on E. 165th St. and Boston Road in Morrisania was caught on police body cameras and was under investigation, NYPD Chief of Department Kenneth Corey said at a news conference. Advertisement According to Corey, officers on patrol saw the the black Jeep driving past several red traffic lights as it cruised north on Boston Road. The SUV stopped at a light at E. 165th St., and an unmarked police car with the warning lights on angled itself in front of the vehicle as a second unmarked police car, also with its lights on, approached from behind, Corey said. Advertisement Police respond to the scene of a police involved shooting on Boston Rd. and E. 165th Street in the Bronx on Sunday. (Gardiner Anderson/for New York Daily News) As the officers exited their vehicle, the Jeep backed up and sped directly toward one officer who discharged his weapon at the vehicle, striking the driver, Corey said. The officers immediately began to render lifesaving aid to the driver. Three other people inside the Jeep were taken to the 42nd Precinct for questioning, he said. The driver was taken by EMS to Lincoln Hospital, where he is listed in critical condition. The officers body worn cameras were activated, and the videos are being reviewed. This investigation is ongoing, Corey said. The departments policy is not to shoot at a moving vehicle unless something other than the vehicle is being used as a weapon, Corey added. However, there is a carve-out in there that gets reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the first deputy commissioners use-of-force review board. Images from the scene show police investigating the vehicle as it remained on the sidewalk by the AME Zion Church at the intersection. Green Mountain Academy for Lifelong Learning is thrilled to welcome back Williams College Professor Julie Cassiday to lead the second of this three-part series on masterworks of detective fiction. The talk will take place on Tuesday from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. via Zoom. Elon Musk is already putting his money where his mouth is, he just had a conversation with Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky. He also made sure that the Klitschko brothers got that Stalink equipment he sent in order to ensure Kyiv has free sattelite internet during this crisis. While there might be many tech moguls and celebrities who make the decision to help through words or videos, they make the issue about themselves. But Elon Musk has always been a proactive businessman. President Zelensky confirmed he spoke with the Starlink and Tesla owner and discussed more Starlink technology to the more affected areas in Ukraine during this conflict. But Musk didn't only talk about the current issues Ukraine is facing, he also discussed the future with the president. As the owner of state of the art technology, Elon Musk has a unique opportunity to talk directly to heads of state in order to offer his many different commodities. Keep in mind that Musk doesn't only own Tesla or Starlink. He is also in charge of other companies such as Space X or Paypal. In their conversation, it would be obvious that Musk would bring up possible future proyects that are directly related to speace endeavours. President Zelensky confirmed they did discuss that but he won't mention anything until the conflict has passed. No further details about the conversation were revealed other than what the president worte on his official Twitter account. Klitschko brothers showcase their Starlink equipment for Kyiv. In Kyiv, the constant attacks persist as the Klitschko brothers remain at the forefront of the city's protection. Mayor Vitali Klitschko appeared in a picture with his brother Wladimir and all the Starlink equipment sent by Musk to their city. Elon already committed to delivering more of this tech to cities that are more remote and have suffered even greater attacks from Russia. Humanitarian aid and other commodities are flooding into Ukraine from all over the world, proving almost every country is united against this invasion from Russia. A Ukrainian soldier carries an elderly woman crossing the Irpin river on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine. A Ukrainian soldier carries an elderly woman crossing the Irpin river on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine. Emilio Morenatti AP It has now been 12 days since Russia launched its military operation in Ukraine. The situation has been escalating in the last week although a ceasefire is expected to begin in most Ukrainian cities as of today. We will look to keep you up to date with the key information about what is going on in this live blog. Russia Ukraine Live Blog Stay up to date with the latest developments in Ukraine in this live blog. 07:00 GMT / 01:00 CST: Philippine economy will suffer from Russia-Ukraine war Speaking before President Duterte and Cabinet members Monday night, Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III said the Philipine economy will suffer indirectly from the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. Dominguez named four major channels that will be "collateral damage," including the country's financial market, commodity market, fiscal health and investments. He added that investors from the West will be more conservative with previously planned investments. Dominguez said the government will need to protect its citizens and critical sectors amid the economic impact. Although the Philippines is not involved in the war, the country will face an increase in oil and food prices and a surge in interest rates. While Dominguez stressed that he doesn't expect the crisis to last long, but said there will be some lingering effects. "First, oil and food prices are expected to go up as Russia is the largest exporter of natural gas and wheat, while Ukraine is the fourth largest exporter of corn. As the conflict continues, Ukraine and Russia's main trading partners, predominantly the European Union, will look to trade with other countries such as US and China, where we are buying both wheat and corn, thereby pushing up the prices of commodities in these markets as well," Dominguez said. "Second, the conflict will also likely cause a surge in interest rates or cost of borrowing which was already expected to go up even prior to the crisis because of the US Fed's tightening monetary policies. The conflict will increase the perception of risk in investments." 06:00 GMT / 00:00 CST: Russia announces another ceasefire Vassily Nebenzia, the Russian ambassador to the United Nations, announced plans for another ceasefire in Ukraine that will start at Tuesday at 10 a.m. Moscow time (07:00 GMT). The announcement comes after Ukraine rejected an earlier Russian plan that proposed evacuation routes to Russia and Belarus. Kyiv called the earlier plan "completely immoral," and Nebenzia is now saying that the new humanitarian corridors will lead away from Kyiv, Chernihiv, Sumy and Mariupol, with no demands that citizens be sent to Russia or its territories. Civilians in besieged Ukranian cities will now be able to evacuate in the direction of their choice. Kyiv has yet to comment on the ceasefire. 05:00 GMT / 23:00 CST: Russia is now the most sanctioned country in the world According to a report by Bloomberg, citing figures from global sanctions-tracking database Castellum.ai, Russia is now the most sanctioned country in the world. Russia surpassed North Korea and Iran in just 10 days since its invasion of Ukraine, becoming the target of 2,778 new sanctions for a total of 5,530. 04:00 GMT / 22:00 CST: Czech President to award state honor to Ukraine's president Czech President Milos Zeman said on Monday he will award the highest state honors to Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy for his courage and bravery in the wake of Russia's invasion. Zeman, who has supported closer ties with Russia since taking office in 2013, is now calling Vladimir Putin a "madman" for invading Ukraine. 03:00 GMT / 21:00 CST: Over 1.7 million people have fled Ukraine According to UNICEF reports, 1.7 million have already fled Ukraine since Russia's invasion. That number is expected to increase as the war continues. 02:00 GMT / 20:00 CST: Pentagon believes Russie recruiting Syrian fighters One day after the Wall Street Journal reported that Vladimir Putin was recruiting Syrians skilled in urban combat to fight in Ukraine, the Pentagon is now announcing it believes the reports are true.Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby said he is unaware of the numbers or caliber of the Syrian fighters. 01:00 GMT / 19:00 CST: Nuclear research facility in Kharkiv damaged by shelling The Director General of the International Atomic Energy said a nuclear research facility in Kharkiv was damaged by shelling on March 7. There are still no reports of an increase in radiation levels at the site. 00:00 GMT / 18:00 CST: Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein close stores in Russia According to the Wall Street Journal, the parent company of Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein is temporarily closing its stores in Russia and Belarus in response to the war on Ukraine. They will also be suspending commercial operations in those two countries. 23:06 GMT / 17:16 CST: Sen. Lindsey Graham reasserts assassination call on Vladimir Putin According to a new report by TMZ, they caught up with the senator at Reagan National Airport and asked him to respond to the backlash he received last week after floating the possibility of taking Putin out. Not only did the senator brushed it off, but added that just about everybody in the world sees what the Russian president is doing, and can clearly see the guy's a war criminal who must be stopped. Read more here 22:36 GMT / 16:36 CST: Ukrainian President Zelensky returns to his office for the first time since conflict began Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has posted a video of himself in his office in Kyiv Monday night, the first time he has been seen there since the invasion began on Feb. 24. Full translation: Monday. Evening. You know, we used to say: Monday is a hard day. There is a war in the country. So every day is Monday. And now we are used to the fact that every day and every night are like that. Today is the 12th. 12th evening of our struggle. Our defense. We are all on the ground, we are all working. Everyone is where they should be. I am in Kyiv. My team is with me. The territorial defense is on the ground. The servicemen are in positions. Our heroes! Doctors, rescuers, transporters, diplomats, journalists... Everyone. We are all at war. We all contribute to our victory, which will definitely be achieved. By force of arms and our army. By force of words and our diplomacy. By force of spirit, which the first, the second and each of us have. Take a look at our country today. Chaplynka, Melitopol, Tokmak, Novotroitske and Kherson. Starobilsk. Everywhere people defended themselves, although they do not have weapons there. But these are our people, and that's why they have weapons. They have courage. Dignity. And hence the ability to go out and say: I'm here, it's mine, and I won't give it away. My city. My community. My Ukraine. Every Ukrainian man and woman who protested against the invaders yesterday, today and will protest tomorrow are heroes. We shout at the invaders together with you. We stand in the squares and streets with you. We are not afraid with you when the invaders open fire and try to drive everyone away. YOU do not back down. WE do not back down. And the one who repeated: "We are one people" - certainly did not expect such a powerful reaction. In the south of our country, such a national movement has unfolded, such a powerful manifestation of Ukrainianness that we have never seen in the streets and squares there. And for Russia it is like a nightmare. They forgot that we are not afraid of paddy wagons and batons. We are not afraid of tanks and machine guns. When the main thing is on our side, truth. As it is now. Mariupol and Kharkiv, Chernihiv and Sumy. Odesa and Kyiv. Mykolaiv. Zhytomyr and Korosten. Ovruch. And many other cities. We know that hatred that the enemy brought to our cities with shelling and bombing will not remain there. There will be no trace of it. Hatred is not about us. Therefore, there will be no trace of the enemy. We will rebuild everything. We will make our cities destroyed by the invader better than any city in Russia. Enerhodar. Chornobyl. And other places where barbarians just don't understand WHAT they want to capture. WHAT they want to control. Your work, your hard work on critical objects is a real feat. And we see it. We are sincerely grateful for it. The Ukrainian army holds positions. Well done! It inflicts extremely painful losses on the enemy. Defends. Counterattacks. If necessary - can take revenge. Necessarily. For every evil. For every rocket and bomb. For each destroyed civilian object. Today in Makariv, Kyiv region, they fired at the bread factory. For what? The old bread factory! Think about it - to fire at the bread factory. Who should you be to do that? Or to destroy another church - in the Zhytomyr region. The Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin built in 1862. These are NOT people. There was an agreement on humanitarian corridors. Did it work? Russian tanks worked instead. Russian "Grads". Russian mines. They even mined the road, which was agreed to transport food and medicine for people and children in Mariupol. They even destroy buses that have to take people out. But ... At the same time, they are opening a small corridor to the occupied territory. For several dozen people. Not so much to Russia, as to propagandists. Directly to their TV cameras. Like, that's the one who saves. Just cynicism. Just propaganda. Nothing more. No humanitarian sense. The third round of negotiations in Belarus took place today. I would like to say - the third and final. But we are realists. So we will talk. We will insist on negotiations until we find a way to tell our people: this is how we will come to peace. Exactly to peace. We must realize that every day of struggle, every day of resistance creates better conditions for us. Strong position to guarantee our future. In peace. After this war. Apart from the dead people and the destroyed cities, the war leaves destroyed the aspirations that once seemed very important, but now ... You don't even mention them. Almost three years ago, as soon as the election took place, we entered this building, this office, and immediately began planning our move. I dreamed of moving from Bankova. Together with the government and parliament. To unload the center of Kyiv and in general - to move to a modern, transparent office - as befits a progressive democratic European country. Now I will say one thing: I stay here. I stay in Kyiv. On Bankova Street. I'm not hiding. And I'm not afraid of anyone. As much as it takes to win this Patriotic War of ours. Today I signed a decree to present state awards of Ukraine to 96 Ukrainian heroes - our military. Including... The Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky of the second degree is awarded to: Major Oleksandr Oleksandrovych Sak. Commander of the mechanized battalion who entered the battle with the battalion tactical group of the enemy and won thanks to a rational approach to combat and non-standard tactics. Captain Rostyslav Oleksandrovych Sylivakin. Commander of the mechanized battalion, which successfully fought the overwhelming forces of the enemy, liberating Ukrainian towns and villages in the Sumy region. The Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky of the third degree is awarded to: Lieutenant Ihor Serhiyovych Lozovyi. Acting as part of the group, he stopped a column of enemy vehicles numbering about 150 units, which was moving in the direction of the Zhytomyr-Kyiv route. Destroyed. Lieutenant Vitaliy Viktorovych Poturemets. He showed exemplary courage and composure in the battle, destroying a column of enemy equipment near the city of Kyiv. He was wounded. The Order "For Courage" of the third degree is awarded to: Master Sergeant, Commander of the Automobile Platoon Valentyn Viktorovych Baryliuk. Thanks to his brave actions and personal determination, the tank unit received fuel in time and left the encirclement, destroying the enemy on the way. All 96 of our heroes are like these five! Our gratitude to all the military. Our gratitude to the Armed Forces of Ukraine! Our gratitude is boundless. Glory to Ukraine! 22:02 GMT / 16:02 CST: Russian General assasinated 21:55 GMT / 15:55 CST: Russia proposes new ceasefire in 5 Ukrainian cities Russia has proposed a new ceasefire starting 10 a.m. Moscow time, which is 2 a.m. ET Tuesday, which indicates it's ready to open evacuation corridors from Kyiv, Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv and Mariupol, Russian media reports quoting the Russian Coordination Headquarters for Humanitarian Response in Ukraine. Ukraine has yet to formally agree to the ceasefire proposal. 21:42 GMT / 15:42 CST: Ukrainian foreign minister to meet with Russian counterpart on Thursday Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba has confirmed he plans to meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Thursday, March 10 to hopefully put an end to armed conflict. 21:03 GMT / 15: 03 CST: Russian troops clash with protestersin Chaplynka, Ukraine Protesting residents of Chaplynka are the latest Ukrainians to clash with Russian military forces occupying their town. Russian troops are seen, setting up in a line at an intersection on the eastern side of Chaplynka, more than 300 miles south of Kyiv. 20:41 GMT / 14:41 CST: Church in Zavorychi on fire after military strike The St. George's Church in Ukraine's Zavorychi was on fire Monday, videos show, after an alleged Russian military strike. 20:07 GMT / 14:07 CST: 20,000 foreign volunteers want to join special unit to fight Russian troops According to the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, more than 20,000 volunteers and veterans from 52 countries have expressed their desire to join a special unit created to carry out combat missions to counter Russian aggression. Brigadier General Kyrylo Budanov, commander of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry expressed his gratitude to the fighters and said they are mostly experienced fighters who have participated in many peacekeeping campaigns around the world. 19:00 GMT/13:00 CST: Zelenskiy to speak to UK parliament Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy will speak virtually to British MPs tomorrow at 5pm. "Every parliamentarian wants to hear directly from the president, who will be speaking to us live from Ukraine, so this is an important opportunity for the House," said Commons speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle. 18:30 GMT/12:30 CST: Russian strike kills eight Ukrainian troops A Russian air strike in the Mykolaiv region killed a total of eight Ukrainian soldiers on Monday, according to the city's governor. 18:00 GMT/12:00 CST: Third round of peace talks unsuccessful The third round of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine has come to an end in Belarus, as reported by Russian state media. According to the Ukrainian negotiator Mykhailo Podolyak, the talks did not "significantly improve the situation" as a whole. 17:30 GMT/11:30 CST: Van crashes into Russian embassy in Dublin An individual has been arrested after a large van crashed through the gates of the Russian embassy in Dublin. There were no injuries. 17:00 GMT/11:00 CST: Ukrainian mayor shot dead The mayor of Hostomel, Yuri Prylypko, has been shot and killed while he was out distributing aid, according to Ukrainian officials. 16:30 GMT/10:30 CST: 4,000 people still need to be evacuated from Kyiv The Ukrainian interior ministry has revealed that at least 4,000 people still need to be evacuated from the outskirts of the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv. 16:00 GMT/10:00 CST: Damage to Ukraine's infrastructure Ukraine has confirmed that it has suffered 10 billion dollars (7.62bn pounds) worth of war damage to its infrastructure. 15:30 GMT/09:30 CST: More sanctions from Canada Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau has announced new sanctions for 10 individuals due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. 15:00 GMT/09:00 CST: More UK aid for Ukraine UK prime minister Boris Johnson has confirmed that another 175 million pounds will be provided to Ukraine in aid, most of which will go directly to the Ukrainian government. 13:40 GMT/07:40 CST: Russian lieutenant colonel issues 'apology' to Ukraine A lieutenant colonel of the Russian National Guard, captured by the Ukrainian army last Thursday, attended a press conference in which he 'condemned' Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and said that he began to question the orders for military attacks against Ukraine when he saw boxers Oleksandr Usyk and Vasyl Lomachenko take up arms to defend their country. Astakhov Dmitry Mikhailovich was captured along with two other Russian soldiers. He claimed that he was speaking freely and that the Ukrainians had not pressured him to make his statement, although that seems highly unlikely to be the case. 13:00 GMT/07:00 CST: Donald Trump 'suggests' US bombs Russia with fighter jets carrying Chinese flag Former president Donald Trump has allegedly called for the United States to bomb Russia with fighter jets carrying the flag of China. Trump, according to a Washington Post journalist, stated that the United States could apply Chinese flags to F-22 planes and then "bomb the s**t out of Russia," which would set off a conflict between China and Russia. 12:10 GMT/ 06:10 CST: Macron holds Putin talks French president Emmanuel Macron held a meeting with both Russia and Ukraine's leaders which included discussions about avoiding protected areas and a potential ceasefire. "I spoke with President Putin and then with President Zelensky. We are striving to preserve the integrity of Ukraine's civilian nuclear plants, in addition to other priority demands we presented to Russia: a ceasefire and the protection of civilians," Macron tweeted. 11:30 GMT/05:30 CST: Does Putin have bowel cancer? There are various theories behind the main reasons for Russia's recent initiation of a military operation in Ukraine, yet the latest to have surfaced brings into question the health of president Vladimir Putin. These rumours stem from comments made by a senior Royal Navy admiral last week when speaking to children at Portsmouth Grammar School, although they remain unsubstantiated. 09:30 GMT/03:30 CST: China-Russia trade increases The sanctions imposed on Russia by the western world are not exactly having the outcome many expected, with Moscow strengthening ties with Beijing as a result. 08:45 GMT/02:45 CST: Russia to open humanitarian corridors in Kyiv and other cities Russia has assured that it is willing to open humanitarian corridors in several cities in Ukraine, including the capital of Kyiv from 08:00 CET, according to the Interfax agency. The measure will try to be carried out in the cities of Kharkov, Mariupol and Sumi, after the failure of yesterday, Sunday. 08:00 GMT/02:00 CST: Russian ceasefire begins at 09:00 AM Russian ceasefire will reportedly start at 09:00 AM local time in parts of Kyiv, Sumy, Kharkiv and Mariupol. The announcement comes in the wake of an Indian request as Modi told Putin it was unacceptable that innocent Indian civilians were in danger amid the Ukraine war. A suspected gunman has been arrested in the monthsold shooting death of a Brooklyn dad slain just weeks after his youngest brother was killed in a gang beef, police said Sunday. Daishawn Benjamin, 33, was fatally shot in front of a Brownsville deli Oct. 27, just weeks after his brother, Kizer Williams, was gunned down a few yards away. Advertisement NYPD officers on the scene outside the Ziggy Deli Grocery on Mother Gaston and Belmont Aves. in Brooklyn on Oct. 27, 2021. (Luiz C. Ribeiro/for New York Daily News) Benjamin was shot multiple times in the torso and died at Brookdale University Hospital. Arrested in the gruesome bloodshed is Waajid Pierce, 48, who lives in Bushwick. He was charged with murder and is being held at Rikers Island pending his next court date. Advertisement Pierce was picked up by the NYPDs violent felony squad at MacArthur Airport in Ronkonkoma, L.I., on Wednesday after returning from Florida, police sources said. Daishawn Benjamin (Obtained by Daily News) Benjamin lived in East New York, about a mile and a half from where he was killed. He was the father of and primary caregiver for his two daughters, ages 8 and 1, and worked at Barclays Center and Kennedy Airport, his grieving family said at the time of his death. Benjamins brother, Kizer Williams, was shot in the chest and leg Oct. 3, 2021, in the Seth Low Houses on Powell St. in a gang-fueled attack, police said. He also died at Brookdale shortly after the attack. Police are still searching for Williams shooter. Its a hard pill to swallow. First his brother Kizer, and now Daishawn, Benjamins devastated aunt, Brenda Benjamin, said at the time. We cant believe its our turn again. The state of California has denied Cain Velasquez bail and he will therefore remain incarcerated until his trial is over. The 39-year-old former UFC heavyweight champion was arrested on February 28 after being involved in a high-speed chase while firing several rounds from a .40-calibre pistol at another vehicle, in which Harry Goularte Jr. was riding. Goularte Jr. is accused of sexually abusing a four-year-old relative of Velasquez. However, the judge in the trial refused to release Velasquez on bail. "[He carries] a high likelihood of physical harm not only to complaining witnesses, but also to Santa Clara residents in general," claimed the judge. Goularte Jr.'s stepfather, who was in the vehicle that was rammed several times and shot at, was hit by a bullet, but was successfully treated in hospital. Support for Velasquez Many big-name personalities have come out in support of Velasquez, including Colby Covington after beating Jorge Masvidal at UFC 272. "Let's talk about Cain Velasquez," Covington said. "Free Cain, man. What he did, a lot of people wouldn't have done the same thing, but I respect the s*** out of him. I mean, having your kid be molested, we talk about that all the time, that we would do [what Velasquez did]. "But he was in that situation, and he actually did it. So free Cain, much respect and love, and I hope you get out soon." Ronda Rousey is another who sent a message of support for Velasquez, tweeting that she would have done something similar. "I would have done the same thing if not worse," she tweeted. The popular podcaster Joe Rogan, who commentates on UFC fights, spoke with former UFC fighter Michael Bisping about the Velasquez incident. "I mean, my only wish is that he did it with his hands," Rogan said, referencing the fact Velasquez tried to shoot at Goularte Jr.'s vehicle. "My only wish is that he just ran the car off the road, pulled that guy out of the f***ing car, and beat him to death. F*** you. "That is a sickness. There's like a certain sickness that people have, that human beings have, as sicknesses of the mind. But that one, the molesting a f*cking baby? The molesting children is the sickest of all of those sicknesses." Weather Alert ...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH THURSDAY AFTERNOON... * WHAT...Flooding caused by excessive rainfall is possible. * WHERE...Portions of Arkansas and Oklahoma, including the following counties, in Arkansas, Benton, Carroll, Crawford, Franklin, Madison, Sebastian and Washington AR. In Oklahoma, Adair, Cherokee, Choctaw, Craig, Creek, Delaware, Haskell, Latimer, Le Flore, Mayes, McIntosh, Muskogee, Nowata, Okfuskee, Okmulgee, Osage, Ottawa, Pawnee, Pittsburg, Pushmataha, Rogers, Sequoyah, Tulsa, Wagoner and Washington OK. * WHEN...From Wednesday morning through Thursday afternoon. * IMPACTS...Excessive runoff will likely result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations, especially in areas that have already received heavy rainfall over the past few days. Several main-stem rivers could go into flood. A few locations could see significant flash flooding. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS... - A slowly moving upper low will move across the area Wednesday into early Thursday. Multiple rounds of thunderstorms are likely with the potential for very heavy rainfall. Widespread 2 to 3 inches of rain is expected with locally higher amounts of 5 to 6 inches. The heavier rain will begin to shift east of far southeast Oklahoma and northwest Arkansas early Thursday afternoon. - http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... You should monitor later forecasts and be alert for possible Flood Warnings. Those living in areas prone to flooding should be prepared to take action should flooding develop. && A stabbing in Philadelphia on Sunday left three people hospitalized, including two children, police said. A 10-year-old boy sustained stab wounds to his head and leg; a 15-year-old boy was stabbed twice in his head; and an adult woman suffered multiple wounds to her body, according to NBC10 Philadelphia, which cited authorities. Advertisement The incident occurred on the 3200 block of Knorr Street, officials said. Philadelphia Police have not identified any of the victims, nor have they publicly named a suspect. Advertisement A man turned himself in to police before 5:30 p.m. on Sunday in connection with the incident about three hours after the stabbing occurred, NBC10 Philadelphia reported. The woman, whom police said was in her 30s, was reportedly in critical condition after being taken to Frankford Torresdale Hospital, while the boys were said to be stable after arriving at the same medical facility. Authorities havent shared any potential motives or said whether the suspect knew any of the victims. Its unclear if the victims knew each other. Officials with the Philadelphia Police Department did not immediately respond to a Daily News request for comment. A former Florida police sergeant has confessed to forcing sex on at least three women while on duty. Jesus Manuel Menocal Jr., a 34-year-old former sergeant with the Hialeah Police Department, has pleaded guilty to three counts of depriving women of their civil rights under color of law by sexually abusing them, the Department of Justice announced Saturday. Advertisement The allegations date back to at least 2014 and one includes a 14-year-old girl, according to prosecutors. Menocal admitted to kissing one woman and forcing her to touch his exposed penis, forcing a second woman, who was in the middle of a psychiatric crisis, to perform oral sex on him and coercing a third into oral and vaginal sex. In a fourth instance, for which he was not charged, Monocal ordered another woman to take off her shorts and underwear inside the Hialeah Police Department building, he admitted. Advertisement I thought you wanted to f--k me, Menocal told one woman, 17, after asking her about her sex life and then telling her to strip, according to prosecutors All incidents happened while he was on duty. Former Hialeah police office Jesus Menocal Jr., center rear, stands with his wife and attorneys outside Miami federal court. (Jay Weaver/TNS) Menocal sexually exploited the very people he swore to protect, U.S. Attorney Juan Antonio Gonzalez of the Southern District of Florida said in a statement. The Daily News Flash Weekdays Catch up on the days top five stories every weekday afternoon. > He betrayed his oath as a police officer and cast a dark shadow over the outstanding work done by the fine law enforcement professionals who serve our communities. Such egregious civil rights violations will not be tolerated. Menocal was not fired until December 2019 when he was arrested, despite multiple complaints dating back years. Hialeah Police Chief Sergio Velazquez blamed departmental policies, according to the Miami Herald. Between 2014, after the first complaint, and 2019, Menocal was given a raise and promoted to sergeant. Sources told the Herald that Menocal was allowed to take a plea deal rather than face trial because there was concern that his victims would not hold up under cross examination. Some were sex workers when Menocal assaulted them. Jesus Menocal is a predator who disgraced the badge he once wore by using his status as a police officer to sexually abuse women, Assistant Special Agent in Charge John J. Bernard of FBI Miami said in a statement. Advertisement His actions are depraved and serve only to diminish the hard work and professionalism of the vast majority of South Florida law enforcement officers who follow their oath of office and whose conduct is above reproach. Menocal was released on bond and will return for sentencing on May 12. He faces up to three years in prison. Meadville, PA (16335) Today Thunderstorms this evening giving way to periods of light rain late. Low 52F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight Thunderstorms this evening giving way to periods of light rain late. Low 52F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Advertisement The 2022 Theme Facts on Gender Bias Nearly 70% of the poverty line consists of women. It is estimated that women in urban areas head 40% of the poorest households. Although 50% to 80% of the world's food production is predominated by women, they own less than 10% of the land. Gender-based violence, worsening sexual and reproductive health, and increasing child marriages may get worsened with climate change. Appreciate Their Efforts! UN Women - (https://www.unwomen.org/en/about-us) International Women's Day 8 March - (https://www.un.org/en/observances/womens-day) With several ongoing efforts towards women's rights, white women in the U.S. were granted the right to vote on August 18, 1920, through the ratification of the 19th Amendment. Finally, in 1965, the incessant productive determinations led to Voting Rights Act for all women.However, the UN celebrated theduring International Women's YearFinally, in the 2000s the new-age feminism became prominent with the rising internet era.This year's theme for observance 2022 iswhich recognizes and celebrates the leadership of women and girls and honors their impact on a defensible future.The 2022 year remains pivotal in the greatest global contexts like climate change Various organizations gather to express the value of women in today's society. The day strives to educate the public on global issues concerning women and their rights.The United Nations has planned to host a virtual event for International Women's Day on March 8, 2022, from 10to 11.30 am UTC-5.states UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization).Source: Medindia Actor Harry Key, who hails from Australia and has worked as an extra in several Bollywood films, recently hosted an Ask Me Anything (AMA) session on Reddit. During the session, Harry, who goes by the name of Bollywood Gora on Reddit, talked about his experience of working in the Hindi film industry and shared several secrets. The actor, who worked in Bollywood films like Dostana, We Are Family, Dum Maaro Dum among others, talked about facing the casting couch and revealed the name of the hottest Indian actress he has worked with. Talking about what he liked the most about working in Bollywood, Harry said, "What I loved, and still love, are the people. Indian people are so warm, so welcoming, so friendly and willing to go out of their way to help you. So much that it gets annoying sometimes. People would invite me into their homes, make me chai, ask me excessively personal questions, demand I stayed for dinner. It was great. The people come first in my list of favourites. Food comes second". On being asked if the casting couch is real in Bollywood, the actor answered, "Pretty real. Particularly for girls. Girls would really, really struggle with this, apparently even the famous Indian ones, but certainly the white ones. Continually get taken out to dinner by a 'producer' who wanted to talk about a role for a film; and the dinner would be in the Marriot or somewhere where he'd already taken a room upstairs. As far as I could tell the only real way around it for girls was to make do with small roles or get hitched with someone quite famous". He added, "For guys, I didn't deal with much except when I did any modelling. I mean, except for people getting handsy on-set, which was kinda common (I was touched up two, maybe three times). But in modelling, it's explicit as f*ck". Recalling an incident, he stated, "I was on set for a film, and a really famous fashion designer was there because he was friends with the director or someone. He starts talking to me about whether I want to do modelling and I said "I suck at it, but a ramp show does seem like a lot of fun", so he takes my name and connects with me on FB. That night, he starts sending some pretty crazy explicit messages, basically saying "If you don't fuck me/suck me off, you ain't getting any work" (just with him, not threatening to ruin my career I should add)". "I mentioned it to an Iranian guy the next day on another set for another thing, he was a model, and he unloaded. Said his agent was about to send him back to Iran because he wouldn't 'play ball' and as a result, wasn't getting any ramp work. Said it was pretty much the understood thing that if you wanted to get ramp shows and serious modelling work, you pretty much had to bend over for it; then recounted about seven or eight really dodgy incidents which were kinda rap*y as f*ck," he further stated. A Reddit user asked, "Did the crew treat him differently?" Harry answered, "They were really nice actually. I made a point of saying thank you and having a chat with people and not treating people like shit, so I generally got on really well with the crews. Particularly as once you're inside, it's a small pool. You end up seeing the same lighting/camera/set/costume people again and again. But it's kinda cheating - because Indian people are generally quite nice to Westerners so it was easy". During the AMA session, Harry also shared the name of the hottest Indian actress he has worked with and said, "Priyanka Chopra. Hands down, heart-stoppingly gorgeous. Even in person. I worked with her in Dostana and from that set was cast in a Nokia commercial with her." Answering about actors who play pranks on sets, the Australian actor revealed, "I remember Abhishek Bachchan was a bit of a kid. On the set of a film called Dostana, he threw water bottles and would hide from people and stuff like that; but no seriously good pranks". Taking a dig, he added, "Except the stunts. The stunts were almost always like "Hey we're going to put your life at risk" and if you got cranky later at the level of risk, the response tended to be "But everything turned out okay didn't it?" which often felt like the Bollywood version of 'It's a prank brah'". For the unversed, Harry played a small role of an auctioneer in the 2008 hit Dostana. In the film, he makes Abhishek and John strip dance after they break a piece of art at the charity auction. A Maine couple has been charged with child endangerment after their 7-month-old baby inhaled fentanyl they allegedly left lying around the house. Deputies from the Oxford County Sheriffs Office responded to a 911 call in Bethel Thursday and found the baby choking on fentanyl, according to a statement released Sunday. Advertisement The infant was treated with Narcan inside the ambulance, then rushed to a nearby hospital. (Shutterstock) The parents, 27-year-old Echo Dunn and 38-year-old Robert Pilgram, told police that they believed the baby had been exposed to fentanyl left in a straw by their bed, according to the Oxford County Sheriffs Office. Advertisement The Maine Department of Health and Human Services has taken temporary custody of the baby. Bollywood star Sonakshi Sinha, who recently returned to India from Dubai after being a part of Salman Khan's Da-Bangg Tour with Pooja Hegde, Disha Patani, Aayush Sharma among others, is currently in the news for the wrong reason. Well, she is in legal trouble as a non-bailable warrant has been issued against her. Yes, you read that right! According to reports, the Rowdy Rathore actress has been accused of alleged fraud of Rs. 37 lakhs. An event organiser from Delhi, named Pramod Sharma, had organised an event and Sonakshi was supposed to be the Chief Guest. To be a part of the ceremony, she charged Rs. 37 lakhs but did not show up on the D-Day. As Sonakshi failed to attend the event in Delhi, Sharma requested the actress' team to return the money. Reportedly, her manager refused to pay the money back to the organiser. He allegedly reached out to the actress multiple times, however, all his efforts went in vain and that's when the organiser filed a fraud case. Sonakshi is said to have travelled to Moradabad to record her statement in this matter once, however, she remained absent thereafter. Now, the court has issued a warrant against her due to her continued absence. We wonder how the actress will react to the whole controversy. On the film front, Sonakshi was last seen in Ajay Devgn-starrer Bhuj: The Pride of India. Also starring Sanjay Dutt, Nora Fatehi, and Ammy Virk, the film premiered last year on Disney+Hotsar. Currently, she has films like Kakuda and Double XL in her kitty. While Kakuda is a horror-comedy, starring Riteish Deshmukh and Saqib Saleen as the male leads, Double XL revolves around fat shaming. It tells the story of two plus-size women played by Huma Qureshi and Sonakshi. As per the ongoing buzz, Sonakshi will also be a part of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's much-hyped Netflix series Heera Mandi. However, an official announcement is still awaited. AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann, background, greets mental health advocates as they enter the federal courthouse in Jackson, Miss., for a hearing on updates about the status of the lawsuit over mental health services in the state July 12, 2021. The U.S. Justice Department claims Mississippi has failed to provide adequate services in the community for adults with mental illness. An early morning fire at a fuel facility in the Curtis Bay area of Baltimore killed one employee, according to the citys fire department. The three-alarm blaze broke out at the Petroleum Management Inc. facility and quickly engulfed four employees working inside, Blair Adams, spokeswoman for the Baltimore Fire Department, told the Daily News. Advertisement One of the employees, who has not been publicly identified beyond an adult male, caught on fire and was pronounced dead at the scene despite the life-saving efforts of a colleague. The other three people were uninjured. Advertisement Baltimore firefighters battled a blaze at a fuel facility in Curtis Bay on Monday. (Jerry Jackson/TNS) The firefighters union reported that the fire started around 7 a.m. and fuel was reported in the storm drains. Petroleum Management provides a full range of environmental services ranging from recovery of hazardous and non-hazardous materials to remediation constriction and project management, as well as fuel filtering and quality maintenance, according to its website. A spokesperson for Petroleum Management did not immediately return a request for comment from the Daily News Monday. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. Part of many substance abuse treatment programs is requiring participants to gain employment, unless they are prevented from doing so by a disability. Officials with area treatment programs said they have established relationships with businesses that will hire their clients. Drug Court coordinator James Green said some businesses want to hire participants in the program, because those workers are being drug-tested and held accountable for their actions. The high demand for workers has made the job market positive for people in recovery. Due to the lack of people wanting to work, our guys have not had a hard time finding jobs, said Amy Pride, chief executive officer of Boulware Mission. Businesses are willing to give our guys a second chance and employ them, she said. A lot of our guys are good guys. They just need a second chance. Sarah Adkins, director of Owensboro Regional Recovery, said the treatment center doesnt have a list of businesses known to hire people in recovery, but that officials know which businesses are interested in hiring their clients. We have, over the years, developed a relationship with employers, Adkins said. They are always open to hiring. The general labor shortage has helped ORR clients in the job market. The (clients) we have right now are not having any problem finding jobs, Adkins said. Clients looking for work seem to be able to interview and find a job within a couple of days, she said. Green said Drug Court doesnt keep a list of employers. He said some businesses see a benefit to hiring program participants. We require (participants) to find employment, and we recommend them to employers who have hired Drug Court participants in the past, Green said. We know they are recovery-friendly. We tell our (participants) to be up-front and let them know they are in Drug Court. A lot of employers would rather hire someone in Drug Court, where they know they are tested twice a week for drugs. We have had some program graduates who started working (at a local business), he said, and they are in upper management right now. Pride said Boulware has human relations professionals from Toyotetsu Mid America who teach job skills classes at the program every other month. The class includes learning how to fill out job applications and how to manage interviews. Independence Bank officials teach clients about managing their money. Once a clients treatment program is complete, they are assigned to a case manager, who helps them find employment. A lot of locally- or individually-owned companies will hire our guys, especially ones with trades, Pride said. When they do get jobs, we monitor them. They have to provide us with a check stub as part of their case management and have to pay off their case management and treatment fees. By the time the person is ready to leave the facility, the goal is for them to have paid off debts and have $2,000 in savings for housing deposits and utilities, Pride said. Pride said clients with jobs have to be upfront about being in case management with their employers, so supervisors will understand when a worker has to be late because they had to attend a court date, for example. Also, workers coming out of a program have to make time to focus on their recovery and cant work six to seven days a week. They still need to attend meetings, Pride said. James Mayse, 270-691-7303, jmayse@messenger-inquirer.com, Twitter: @JamesMayse While leaving situations of abuse might be difficult, OASIS is there to help survivors get back on their feet, whatever their needs might be, according to Executive Director Andrea Robinson. The process to become established and self-supportive, she said, is not easy after leaving situations of abuse, and many will return to their abuser up to nine times before finally leaving for good because of how many obstacles they face in leaving. Reasons for returning might vary, she said, but typically relate back to financial stability, blackmail, fear, a lack of resources and custody concerns. But domestic violence is a prevalent issue, with more than 2,000 individuals seeking nonresidential services through OASIS each year. And although the process to leave situations of abuse is often complex, Robinson said OASIS is there to provide assistance. Whether it is with transitional housing, shelter or providing case management services, or its rent and utility assistance, the goal of OASIS is to work with clients through a trying and complex time. Some of the biggest challenges many survivors face once they leave situations of abuse, according to Robinson, are finding shelter, employment and, for those who have children, child care. When survivors come into the care of OASIS, Robinson said one of the first steps is to determine their level of need for housing how urgent is it, what their needs are whether they need multiple bedrooms or need to move out of the region to place distance between themselves and their abuser if someone in the household has a disability and their accessibility to public transportation. Once needs are identified, she said, staff will work with clients on getting them housed, but there can be some barriers to that. The biggest challenge is housing availability, she said. Other challenges, according to Robinson, might also be prior eviction, debts, utility balances and overall financial stability. Additionally, she said, with OASIS typically involved in the re-housing process by providing funding, many landlords would be aware that the renter is a survivor of domestic violence and may be hesitant to rent to them. Homeowners may not want to lease to victims because they dont want the abuser to come there, she said. They dont want to deal with the problems that the victim may face. One thing OASIS is able to do is provide not only shelter, but temporary transitional housing as individuals wait for long-term housing to become available or while they work to become financially stable, she said. The organization is also able to provide funding through various grants to assist clients with rent and utility payments, purchasing necessary household items and other needs to help clients get back on their feet as they transition to more long-term housing situations. Robinson said OASIS can provide financial assistance through its rapid rehousing program for up to two years, depending on the circumstances of the client and their needs. We know that providing a month or two of rent is usually not enough to help them with long-term stability, she said. It takes a long time to get into the situations that our victims are in, so its not something that is easy to just turn around and get out. Once clients move into long-term housing arrangements outside of OASIS, they are still able to access OASIS services, according to Robinson, whether it be case management, financial assistance or other services, many of which are geared toward assisting clients with financial stability. There are some other barriers, however, outside of financial security, according to Robinson, that might interfere with clients being able to stand on their own. The No. 1 barrier is, if youre a mother, is finding employment and daycare, she said. Not only is finding employment and daycare difficult, but daycare is also expensive, so if a mother is actively seeking employment, not only is it hard to afford child care, but finding a job with no child care also becomes an issue and is an additional barrier that has been increasingly trying during the COVID-19 pandemic due to daycares being closed to nonessential workers, Robinson said. If you had a child and you were trying to get work during COVID-19, it would be nearly impossible, she said. There were jobs available, but kids werent in school they were doing virtual school, but parents didnt have options for daycare unless they were essential personnel. There are other barriers to employment, as well, outside of just child care. Many survivors face interference at work from their abusers and may have previously lost a job because of it, meaning they might not have a good reference from their previous employer, Robinson said. Another might be that the survivor left their home in an emergency situation and were not able to obtain important documents, such as social security cards or birth certificates, or the abuser might have taken them to prevent the survivor from leaving, she said. According to the Kentucky Coalition Against Domestic Violence, 83% of domestic violence survivors reported their ability to work was negatively impacted by an abusive partner. Between 10-50% of survivors indicate that they were forced to change or quit jobs or schools due to abuse, and 72.1% say they have been harassed at work by a stalker. There is legislation in the works to assist survivors of domestic abuse, to ensure them access to unemployment insurance if they lose their job due to interference from their abuser or if they had to relocate because of an abuser, according to Robinson. The bill, House Bill 83, would charge benefits to the states pooled account, not to employers, according to KCADV. To receive benefits, survivors would have to provide documentation, including police or court records, sworn statement, statement from shelter workers, attorneys, healthcare providers and clergy. The bill, Robinson said, would be a huge win for domestic violence survivors. Christie Netherton, cnetherton@messenger-inquirer.com, 270-691-7360 Although COVID-19 has created a significant financial burden for hospitals throughout the country, Owensboro Health Regional Hospital is searching for ways to move forward as the world approaches the endemic phase, starting with the staffing crisis, according to CEO Mark Marsh. At the beginning of the pandemic, Marsh said the healthcare world did not know exactly what it was dealing with, so there were many different treatments and medications to treat upper respiratory viruses used, as well as CT scans, laboratory testing and more expensive medications that were being used to figure out what exactly worked best and what the world was up against. Manpower, he said, is a significant issue that has gotten a lot of attention in recent months, but it was already an issue very early on, as hospital staff worked longer hours awaiting what would come and working to figure out the best ways to treat patients. And as more patients started flooding into hospitals with COVID-19 symptoms, he said they required higher levels of care with longer stays, up to five weeks at times, requiring even more increased staffing levels. All of these things combined, he said, began wearing on hospitals nationwide financially. Not to mention, Marsh said, many elective surgeries and hospital appointments were postponed due to the emergency, so there was a significant amount of income lost while COVID-19 expenses kept incurring. We were losing other patients who couldnt get in because this became a manpower issue, he said. Thats an issue throughout the entire country. Then, as staff became more and more strained as the pandemic wore on, Marsh said many hospitals began relying on traveling nurses to help fill in the gap. But that came at a cost. At OHRH, according to March, traveling nurses get paid around $130-150 an hour. The average nurse at OHRH, he said, works around 35 hours a week. At hospitals located in larger, more metropolitan cities, he said the cost of traveling nurses could reach up to even $300 an hour. The cost of traveling nurses, he said, has probably been one of the biggest hospital expenses throughout COVID-19. Although there has been some government assistance along the way, Marsh said it has not been enough to truly offset the pandemic expenses. Throughout COVID-19, with government assistance funds through the CARES Act, he said the hospital has brought in about $40 million and has lost around $47 million. Despite some financial challenges, Marsh said he is proud of how the hospital has withstood the pandemic, not having to layoff any staff members for COVID-19-related reasons or financial issues, something not many hospitals can attest to, he said. And thats easier said than done, because weve had our financial challenges, he said. COVID has caused hardships for hospitals. Marsh said the hospital is starting to work on moving forward. For one, he said, with less resources being allocated toward caring for COVID-19 patients, they are able to be refocused on other areas of need. Additionally, he said elective surgeries and appointments are no longer being deferred, which will enable the hospital to start providing more necessary routine care to the community once again and generate more revenue for the hospital that has been lost throughout significant COVID patient surges. Were trying to get back into a more routine level of functioning, like we did pre-COVID, he said. He said one of the big focuses at this time is also working to increase staffing levels. The hospital is not only working to recruit more healthcare workers, but is also working alongside area schools to help cultivate interest in the healthcare field. There is also a bill that has been introduced in Kentucky by Rep. Susanne Miles, House Bill 751, which is seeking to create the Commonwealth West Healthcare Workforce Innovation Center in Owensboro, which is geared towards working with colleges throughout western Kentucky, specifically the Kentucky Community and Technical College System. The goal of the bill is to help increase staffing levels in area hospitals, he said. Were going to build our future workforce, Marsh said. This is going to be something where we can actually reach out and grow and work directly with the schools. This is a solution. Christie Netherton, cnetherton@messenger-inquirer.com, 270-691-7360 NOTE: This is a story included in a series on Reed City Area Public Schools' therapy dogs and their owners. REED CITY With the latest addition of Lucy the pitbull to the therapy dog team at Reed City Area Public Schools, it pays to know who was among the first of the pack. Lucy has been a positive addition to the therapy dog team at RCAPS, but she certainly wasnt the first dog sniffing around the district. Toby, a golden retriever, was one of the first therapy dogs introduced in the district. Toby works district-wide with students and staff, providing help and comfort wherever it's needed. Dave Zielinski, who formerly worked at Reed City as a science teacher and owns Toby, said hes well versed in therapy dog work. This (Tobys) third year, Zielinski said. I taught at the school for 25 years, and for the last two years. I brought him the first year a little bit once he turned one, just a little bit here and there like once or twice a week. Last year when the pandemic hit, the administration in my building asked me to bring him every day. He is very social, outgoing, he lives to work with kids, he loves it. He doesn't meet anybody that he doesn't try to make his friend." Zielinski said Toby enjoys the busy environment. I think any school is a good environment for (therapy dogs), Zielinski said. We're pretty unique in that our superintendent is embracing us with open arms. We obviously have been doing it for a few years, we just haven't really advertised it that much. So I think the trust that he and the other administrators had, even though it's kind of unknown, sometimes you know how an animal's going to respond to those environments." Toby has become a part of the culture, he added. No joke, if I walk in with my background in the school and everybody knew me and I grew up here, nobody knows who I am anymore, and that's with just being a year retired. But everybody knows who Toby is. I walk into the elementary, high school, the middle school, and everyone knows him. It's kind of like walking into cheers. Counselor Amy Decker said she has been impressed with the impact Toby makes on students. We use him a lot with our kids that are struggling, you know, especially with the pandemic and everything, Decker said. (Toby) works with a lot of the emotional well-being, and the mental health wellbeing. Toby is exceptional, I don't know if Dave told you that or not, because people don't typically like to sound like they're bragging about their dog. We do two things, they will do walk-throughs with Toby and hell do identifications." He will identify kiddos who are struggling and just provides support, she added. The other thing Dave does is hell pull kids (for time with Toby). We have kids that we know struggle, whether it's with home issues or things, whatever might be going on in that day, or just in a general sense in life. Dave will pull those kids in, he and Toby will walk with them. Toby just provides a ton of emotional support helps mental health-wise, and helps to calm kids down. It just really helps the students staffs wellbeing, and the kids really look forward to it. Decker said from her perspective as a school counselor she has noticed how the kids will really open up to Toby. They will talk to Toby and they will tell him what's going on, Decker said. Share thoughts and feelings that, especially as adults in the building, we may never have heard them express. So he does that and then he does also work at the elementary, and the high school. And the days that he's there doing walk-throughs. He has certain students that he walks with because it really acts as a calming, settling (presence) for the kids. He really is exceptional when you're watching him, in comparison to the other dogs that I've been around. Tobys ability to help adult staff members is also notable to Decker. Toby can help with some of the emotional overloads that staff members face. Were all human, and our staff has stuff going on in their own lives outside of school that they keep suppressed because they're there to do their job, Decker said. But they're feeling stressed and certainly in with a pandemic, and the stressors that have been placed on school, he's been a great support." "We as adults recognize that he's seeking us out because we're stressed and we kind of joke about it, but I think it helps us put it into perspective that we might not realize it, but you know, we're wearing it. If nobody else can tell, Toby can tell you no he will come in and come right at you. If he thinks you're stressed, he won't leave it. He helps he helps everybody. According to Reed City Middle School Principal Dave Carlson, the schools discipline referrals are 15-20% less on the days the dogs make contact with kids. Carlson explained that the dogs make an incredible contribution to the learning environment. These animals help students calm down and regulate themselves in ways that another person cannot, Carlson said. These sessions allow kids the opportunity to de-escalate their behavior. Often, kids don't realize that they are on edge because they don't understand themselves well enough. Toby can give us an indication that a student is agitated or struggling emotionally by the way he reacts to them. We have seen some tangible results by having therapy dogs in the building." The adults in the building appreciate having them around too, he added. Most people enjoy taking a moment to connect with a friendly animal. It engages them with something positive and helps them live in the moment, even if it's a brief moment. We are truly thankful to have therapy dogs at Reed City middle school. One teen is dead and two others are critically injured in an apparent drive-by shooting outside a Des Moines, Iowa, high school, police said Monday. The three were hit by gunfire that appears to have come from a passing vehicle, police said in a short statement Monday afternoon, not specifying whether the victims were students at the school or not. Advertisement Potential suspects have been detained, police said. No charges have been filed at this time. Police confirmed that they were on the scene outside East High School with multiple shooting victims outside of the school, reported KCCI-TV. Advertisement The victims were two boys and one girl, fire department spokesperson Ahman Douglass told CNN. Breaking News As it happens Get updates on the coronavirus pandemic and other news as it happens with our free breaking news email alerts. > Streets around the school were shut down Monday afternoon, and a school-wide lockdown was lifted in time for students to be dismissed on schedule. The scenes secure, and I just heard word that weve gotten some potential suspects detained, Des Moines Police Sgt. Paul Parizek told KCCI. Thatll be a piece that moves through the night. A reporter for WHO-TV in Des Moines said the gunshots happened at 2:48 p.m., a fact confirmed by Parizek, and that there was a gigantic crime scene cordoned off near the school. THREE GUNSHOT VICTIMS. All teenagers. Gunshots happened at 2:48pm. All three in critical condition. Happened right on school grounds. Gigantic crime scene at 13th and Buchanan. Shooting near East High School in Des Moines. pic.twitter.com/zHlR4mYofG Justin Surrency (@JustinSurrency) March 7, 2022 Local news outlet Patch.com said the school district had confirmed the shooting and were in contact with staff and parents. The lockdown ended later that afternoon, and Des Moines Public Schools tweeted that students were dismissing on time. Agents from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) of Kansas City were also on the scene, the agency said on Twitter. This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates. File photo MANISTEE Trinity Lutheran School is scheduled to host its 72nd annual Roast Pork Dinner this weekend. Dinners are available through carry-out or delivery. Meals can be picked up at the school on 420 Oak St. in Manistee from 5-6:30 p.m. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 Office of the Attorney General / Contributed photo Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Office of the Attorney General / Contributed photo Show More Show Less 3 of 3 PORTLAND Attorney General William Tong, Long Term Care Ombudsman Mairead Painter, State Sen. Norm Needleman, D-Essex; and State Rep. Christie Carpino, R-Cromwell; visited the Portland Senior Center Monday for a discussion about the elder justice hotline and issues facing older adults today. The Office of the Attorney General, in cooperation with the Coalition for Elder Justice in Connecticut, launched the hotline in July to help older adults in Connecticut seek information, assistance and justice, according to a press release. A California college student who vanished after renting a Tesla for a road trip from San Francisco to Irvine was found dead Sunday afternoon. Chris Liang, a 21-year-old University of San Francisco student, was reported missing on Feb. 28 after taking off on an impulsive trip down the coast of California. Advertisement The erratic nature of this trip combined with his mental health issues has made our family extremely concerned for his safety, his brother wrote on Instagram. This is his first time driving since he got his license in March and he has never booked a hotel in his life. Im terrified and heartbroken. Chris had texted his brother around 2 a.m. to tell him of plans with a friend to to do something that really wasnt within his boundaries to do for this friend, the older brother, Jerry Liang, told KPIX. Advertisement Christopher Liang After that, Jerry Liang said he had been unable to contact Chris or track his phone. The Tesla was supposed to be returned on Wednesday. Liang was found dead Sunday afternoon inside the Tesla, which was overturned in a ditch along the interstate west of Los Banos, according to the Fresno County Sheriffs Office. A cause of death has not been publicly announced. We greatly appreciate everyones help and prayers, Jerry Liang wrote on Instagram. We ask that everyone respect our privacy as we go through this difficult time. BRISTOL A man trying to sell a car through Facebook Marketplace had the vehicle stolen at gunpoint during the test drive on Sunday, according to police. Around 5:30 p.m., officers responded to a reported theft of a motor vehicle in the area of Stafford Avenue. Police said the 21-year-old victim was not injured. Police said the victim told officers he advertised his 2019 Dodge Charger for sale on Facebook Marketplace and set up a time to meet with a prospective buyer. Police said the prospective buyer wanted to take the car for a test drive in the Cumberland Farms parking lot in Forestville. The suspect got into the drivers seat of the car for sale, with the victim in the front passenger seat, and an accomplice got into the backseat, police said. After driving for a short distance, the victim told police, the individual in the backseat pulled out a gun and forced the owner to hand over the key fob. The victim was able to get out of the car and suspects fled the area in the stolen vehicle. Police said the two suspects showed up at the Cumberland Farms in a dark-colored Infiniti, driven by a third person. The stolen vehicle was last seen headed north on Interstate 91 toward into Massachusetts, police said. The incident remains under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 860-584-3011, or the anonymous tips line at 860-585-8477 or by email at BPDCrimeWatch@BristolCT.gov. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 After the Storm / Contributed photo Show More Show Less 2 of 3 After the Storm / Contributed photo Show More Show Less 3 of 3 MIDDLEFIELD After The Storm is a nonprofit foundation whose mission is to assist cancer survivors in the aftermath of their diagnosis and treatments by helping restore balance to their lives. The Rockfall-based foundation, founded by Christine Willett, has several fundraising events scheduled this year, with profits going to help support integrative medicine/therapy programs at several local hospitals, according to a press release. In past years, this has included the Center for Survivorship and Integrative Medicine at the Middlesex Cancer Center in Middletown, Midstate Medical Center, Griffin Hospital, Bristol Hospital and Norwich Hospital. You may recognize Emmy-winner Julia Garners face and distinctively nasal voice from Ozark, but in the nine episodes of Inventing Anna she plays enigmatic grifter Anna Sorokin a.k.a. Ann Delvey. For years, brazen Anna passed herself off as the daughter of a German tycoon, gliding through Manhattans opulent hotels, restaurants and night clubs, clad in expensive couture. Posing as an heiress, she cleverly befriended socialites, high-fashion designers and moneyed tech moguls. Told in flashbacks, manipulative, twenty-something Annas mysterious story is being investigated by Vivian Kent (Anna Chlumsky), a whiny, very pregnant writer, desperately trying to restore her tarnished journalistic reputation. Encouraged by older colleagues (Anna Devere Smith, Terry Kinney, Jeff Perry) banished to Scriberia, Vivian interviews Anna whos being held without bail on Rikers Island, pending trial. To research Annas background, Vivian stalks former friends, colleagues and gullible victims, including a photo editor (Katie Lowes), banker (Alan Reed), fitness trainer (Laverne Cox) and boutique hotel concierge (Alexis Floyd), plus Annas lawyer (Arian Moayed) and boyfriend (Saamer Usmani). Wrestling with a bizarre Slavic/Germanic accent, Garner infuses Anna with sneering, haughty impatience and glacial indifference. Confident and calculating, Anna converts every conversation into a scamming transaction. In contrast, Anna Chlumskys Vivian is awkwardly annoying. Produced by prolific Shonda Rhimes (Greys Anatomy), the formulaic, fictionalized series utilizes social media as both a metaphor and narrative device. It explores how influential people use Instagram to hide in plain sight, as the slow-building con stretches on and on and on, repeating the disclaimer: The whole story is completely true - except for all the parts that are totally made up. FYI: Jessica Presslers How an Aspiring It Girl Tricked New Yorks Party People and its Banks was published in New York magazine in May, 2018. Currently Anna remains in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements custody, fighting deportation to Germany. Reportedly, Netflix paid Anna $320,000; in turn, she paid $198,000 in restitution, $24,000 in state taxes and $75,000 in attorneys fees. On the Granger Gauge of 1 to 10, Inventing Anna is a slyly stealthy, swindling 6, streaming on Netflix. Susan Granger has been an on-air television and radio commentator and entertainment critic for more than 25 years. Raised in Hollywood, Granger appeared as a child actress in movies with Abbott & Costello, Red Skelton, Lucille Ball, and Lassie. She currently resides in Westport. Contained within steel-lined pools and concrete casks that overlook Long Island Sound, hundreds of tons of spent nuclear fuel rods from the Millstone Nuclear Power Plant have been sitting for decades with nowhere to go creating a mounting problem for the plants owners and Connecticuts heavy reliance on nuclear power. The lack of a long-term storage option for spent nuclear fuel led Connecticut lawmakers to impose a moratorium on new nuclear facilities in 1979, when four operating nuclear reactors were providing power to the state. Only two of those reactors remain operational today, both at Millstone, where they generate nearly 40 percent of the electricity produced in Connecticut. Yet as Gov. Ned Lamont embarks on an ambitious plan to reach zero carbon emissions from power plants by 2040, some lawmakers have proposed thawing the states longtime freeze on nuclear energy. A new bill with the support of top lawmakers on the Energy and Technology Committee would lift the moratorium at existing nuclear facilities and allow the states first new reactors in decades to be built at the Millstone site in Waterford. Millstones owner Virginia-based Dominion Energy has not announced any plans to build new reactors at the 550-acre plant. However, the utility came out in support of a partial lift on the moratorium last week, and in testimony submitted to lawmakers said it was investing in technology for smaller modular reactors that could play a critical role in achieving deep decarbonization in the decades to come. The proposal comes as hopes of a nuclear renaissance in the United State have largely fizzled in recent years. Plans for more than a dozen new reactors across the country fell by the wayside amid a surge in cheaper natural gas, while projects that were greenlit collapsed under billion-dollar cost overruns and political scandal. Abroad, the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident in 2011 perpetuated public fears of a meltdown or radioactive leak. Citing those issues, state Sen. Norm Needleman, D-Essex, said last week that it was unlikely Dominion or anyone else would propose building a new full-scale reactor at Millstone. However, he said he could envision a number of smaller reactors at Millstone that could eventually contribute as much as 1,000 megawatts of electricity, enough to power nearly 1 million homes. The smaller reactor designs, which have yet to be built anywhere in the United States, produce about one-third of the electrical output of conventional reactors like the two operating units at Millstone. The technologys potential has attracted prominent investors such as Bill Gates, while the federal government has pumped millions of dollars into research and design. Were definitely looking at nuclear as an option we should be exploring if these modular units are smaller and safer, said Needleman, co-chair of the Energy and Technology Committee. Environmental concerns Despite the hype around small modular reactors, however, some environmentalists warn that the new technology poses similar risks to traditional large-scale reactors, while failing to be cost effective. Theres plenty of evidence that nuclear would take longer, would be more expensive and would produce more emissions than renewable sources, said Samantha Dynowski, the Connecticut state director of the Sierra Club. Small modular reactors also continue to produce spent nuclear fuel waste, though at a slower pace than conventional nuclear reactors. Without a long-term storage solution at the federal level, any spent fuel rods produced by a new reactor at Millstone would have to be stored on site, where concerns have already been raised about facilities that were designed nearly a half-century ago to serve as temporary storage. The Lamont administration said last week that it would not oppose a partial lift on the states nuclear moratorium while it continues to advocate for long-term solutions for the disposal of nuclear waste. Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Commissioner Katie Dykes said in testimony submitted to the Energy and Technology Committee last week that the administration views the production of nuclear power at Millstone as critical to the states efforts to phase out carbon emissions from its electric grid. The state reached a power-purchasing agreement with Dominion three years ago to keep the plant operating until at least 2029. DEEP recommends continued engagement with the federal government, national advisory committees and other stakeholders on the emerging technological innovations around advanced nuclear power to ensure potential impacts on public health and safety and the environment are adequately addressed, Dykes said. Safe nuclear storage At the federal level, the Department of Energy is continuing to search for an alternative to long-stalled plans to store spent nuclear fuel at a repository under Yucca Mountain in Nevada. The latest effort, which would involve a number of interim storage facilities at locations around the country, has earned the support of U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, whose eastern Connecticut district includes both Millstone and the decommissioned Connecticut Yankee Nuclear Power Plant site in Haddam Neck. There were 2,349 tons of spent nuclear fuel contained at both sites as of 2020, according to the most recent report by the Nuclear Energy Institute. It shouldnt be in low-lying coastal areas where the geology is not compatible with stuff that has a half-life of millions of years, Courtney said last week. The frustration level in Haddam and Waterford is very deep, because they feel like theyre kind of trapped in terms of having to have this material. On Friday, the Department of Energy completed its request for input by local governments and other stakeholders regarding interim storage sites. Courtney said he anticipated that officials from Waterford and the nuclear energy industry would submit responses, though he said he was not aware of any municipalities in Connecticut or New England that had expressed interest in serving as a host site for spent nuclear fuel. Waterford First Selectman Rob Brule did not respond to a request for comment Friday about the Department of Energys plans or the legislation to lift the moratorium on new nuclear facilities at Millstone. Needleman said last week that the lack of a long-term solution to the issue of spent fuel made a complete removal of the states moratorium on new reactors too heavy a lift. Unless the feds deal with the spent fuel issue, theres not going to be any ability to move it around, he said. However, Needleman and the other co-chair of the Energy and Technology Committee, state Rep. David Arconti, D-Danbury, said last week that the partial removal of the moratorium could serve as a signal to the industry that investments in new technology could pay off in states that have previously shut the door to nuclear power. The impetus for the bill is for us to have the conversation, How does Connecticut and the region set itself up for a reliable zero-carbon future? Arconti said. Connecticut is one of 13 states that has enacted a moratorium on new nuclear facilities. Absent legislation, the moratorium could also be lifted in the event that the DEEP commissioner certifies that new technology or other means are available for the disposal of nuclear waste outside of existing sites. Xi extends greetings to women ahead of Intl Women's Day (People's Daily App) 14:41, March 07, 2022 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 sent the greetings as he participated in a joint group meeting at the fifth session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference(CPPCC), the top political advisory body. (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Liang Jun) A 10-year-old having a little fun on a long flight almost set off a huge scare Sunday afternoon. An Alaska Airlines flight from Seattle to Orlando was held on the taxiway for almost an hour after landing at Orlando International Airport after officials received a warning about a possible hijacking, according to WFTV. Advertisement But instead of a terrifying ordeal, the threat turned out to be an Airdropped message from the child to another passenger on the plane, sources told the outlet. The mother was bawling clear, profusely apologizing to everybody, passenger Logan DAmato told WFTV. Advertisement An Alaska Airlines flight was held for about an hour. (Ted S. Warren/AP) Police escorted the mother and child off the plane and the rest of the passengers were eventually allowed to disembark from their 3,000-mile flight. Its unclear if any charges will be filed or if any other measures will be taken. Knowingly reporting a false hijacking is illegal. We take safety seriously and we apologize for the inconvenience for our guests, Alaska Airlines told the Daily News in a statement Monday. A spokesperson for Orlando International Airport did not immediately return a request for comment. As raucous pro- and anti-Trump crowds flooded into Washington for the presidential inauguration in Jan. 2017 , the D.C. police department's citywide surveillance cameras stopped recording. Within seconds, 123 of its 178 surveillance cameras, including those monitoring the streets around the White House and the headquarters of multiple federal agencies, had been "accessed and compromised." The intelligence gap lasted for three days, from Jan. 12 to Jan. 15. Coming on the heels of Russia's covert intrusions into the 2016 campaign, officials at first feared Vladimir Putin -- or other bad actors, from China, Iran or North Korea -- had dramatically upped their game to create more chaos in American society and its politics. As it would turn out, it was none of them. A couple of lowlife Romanian hackers had stumbled into the system and used it in a ransomware demand for a paltry $60,800 in bitcoin in exchange for releasing control of the system. The suspects were tracked down 11 months later and extradited to D.C., where they pleaded guilty. The incident still chills veteran agents who've spent decades worrying about such things. It could happen again, in spades, if the crisis over Ukraine overheats into a direct military contest between Russia and the United States, say veteran intelligence officials. Decades ago, defectors from Russia's GRU military intelligence agency said that its agents had planted weapons caches in the U.S. and Europe for sabotage attacks should a shooting war break out. One said it was "likely" that GRU operatives placed "poison supplies near the tributaries to major U.S. reservoirs," including the Potomac River that supplies Washington, D.C. with drinking water. The defectors corroborated each others' accounts, but it's unclear whether any caches here were ever discovered. Swiss authorities reported finding a cache that had an exploding mechanism to destroy the evidence should an unauthorized person try to unearth it. But the January 2017 blinding of DC surveillance cameras "highlights the fact that police, fire, EMS, cities and municipalities are as vulnerable as private sector entities to cyber attacks," says Ammar Y. Barghouty, a retired, highly decorated FBI agent who ran a program responsible for computer threats from terrorist organizations. Like many a homeland security official over the past quarter century, Barghouty, now director of cyber consulting for The Soufan Group, says key infrastructure organizations "should implement best practices" to defend against cyber attacks. Yes, but it's late, says Bill Evanina, a career FBI special agent who became director of National Counterintelligence in the Obama administration. Utilities and financial networks began "raising their drawbridges" as the Ukraine crisis deepened, he and others say, but the Russians had "already prepped the battlefield for many years," he tells SpyTalk. "They've been installing malware in critical infrastructure for more than a decade," said Evanina, who also once headed the Counterespionage Group at the CIA. With Putin threatening war over Western sanctions and the possible transfer of Polish warplanes to Ukraine, Evanina says his "biggest concern is the utilization of intelligence operatives here to do close-access harm." By that he means Russian agents sliding up to targets with electronic devices to throw their operating systems out of whack or offline -- or more, physically cutting their cables and peppering its control offices with expert sniper shots. Such happened in April 2013 at the Metcalf power facility adjacent to Silicon Valley, an incident that 60 Minutes revisited on Feb. 27. Investigators found that the unidentified perpetrators "shot 100 rifle rounds into 17 transformers, crippling the substation for a month and causing $15 million in damage," NBC's Bay Area affiliate reported in 2015. "The attack lasted just 19 minutes but sparked widespread concern that it was either an act of terrorism or a trial run for an even bigger assault on the nation's power grid." Later investigations showed the shots had been fired and cables cut with unusually high precision. Few physical security upgrades were taken at power stations around the country in the attack's aftermath, 60 Minutes found. It wasn't Middle East terrorists who attacked Metcalf, U.S. intelligence agancies concluded. The Obama administration stopped short of publicly blaming Moscow, but officials told a congressional committee behind closed doors that only three actors were capable of carrying out such a sophisticated operation: the U.S., Israel and Russia -- and it wasn't Israel. The Russians have been suspected of carrying out more anomalous attacks on U.S. power stations in recent years. Meanwhile, in 2020, the SVR, Russia's foreign intelligence agency, was fingered in the hacking of the SolarWinds IT management company, which "may have exposed the networks of more than 18,000 corporations and government agencies [and] inserted malware into an update of Orion, the company's software platform that monitors network traffic," a Columbia University panel said. Then, six months later, Russians carried out a massive ransomware attack on Colonial Pipeline, which controls about half of the fuel flowing to the U.S.'s East Coast. Moscow blamed Russian "criminals" for the attack. Like Evanina, retired CIA senior official Gregory Sims sees all this as Russia prepping the battlefield should war break out. "Russian doctrine clearly suggests that these vulnerabilities are being exploited not only to harvest intelligence but to reconnoiter critical U.S networks to lay the groundwork for disrupting or destroying them," Sims wrote in January. U.S. national security leaders, he said, would be well advised to expect the unexpected, a shock on the order of Japan's sneak attack on Pearl Harbor or Al-Qaeda's audacious 9/11 plot. "In the summer of 1941, U.S. officials knew that war with Japan was a real possibility, especially after imposing an oil embargo in response to Japanese military actions in French Indochina, a crippling blow given that Japan then imported 80 percent of its oil from the United States," Sims wrote for The Cipher Brief, a web site populated by retired intelligence officials. "What was surprising was not that Japan attacked in December 1941, but that it dared to attack the U.S. Pacific Fleet in its home port at Pearl Harbor." "Sixty years later, in the summer of 2001," Sims added, "warning signs about another foe, this time Al-Qaeda, were also 'blinking red.' The intelligence community repeatedly warned policymakers of indications that Al-Qaeda was planning a spectacular attack. Yet once again, the failure was not in anticipating an attack, but in failing to imagine its breathtaking audacity." Now the lights are "blinking red" in the cyber realm, but Sims says officials should widen their lens. Going Deep "It is worth pondering, for example, that Russia has developed, at tremendous expense, a sophisticated capability using exotic and highly specialized nuclear submarines and ships to attack the extensive network of undersea cables which carry 97% of global communications traffic, including the equivalent of $10 trillion in financial transactions daily," wrote Sims, who served multiple tours as a CIA station chief or deputy chief before retiring in late 2018. "A coordinated, large-scale attack on this network would have the potential to wreak enormous economic, political, and social havoc on both sides of the Atlantic," Sims added. "In Putin's calculation, might that not be an appropriate response to a Russian ejection from SWIFT or other sanctions designed to cripple the Russian economy?" Anything's possible, say other veteran intelligence officials, considering Putin's excited state of mind, but the Kremlin's recent history of covert activities suggests its attacks will remain in the cyber realm, its "center of gravity," as former DHS intelligence chief Brian Murphy puts it. Cyber-saboteurs could blow up gas pipelines or open the floodgates of a massive dam. As for weapons caches, Murphy told SpyTalk in an interview, "We would hear things occasionallyfrom sources who heard something, from sources with less than credible access. I never heard anything come from it." Then again, he says, "it wouldn't surprise me," because Iranian agents here had been caught in the past extracting ammonium nitrate and other chemicals from cold packs to make bombs. A decade ago, the FBI and DHS put out an alert to local law enforcement to be on the lookout for suspicious accumulations of cold packs. One can expect the Russians to be more sophisticated than that. The GRU defectors who told their sabotage tales years ago corroborated each others' accounts, but it's unclear whether any caches here were ever discovered. Swiss authorities reported finding a cache that had an exploding mechanism to destroy the evidence should an unauthorized person try to unearth it. But, as Evanina told SpyTalk, just disabling a half dozen major transportation hubs, like airports, via mobile cyber devices could create chaos across the country. "As you know, we panic like nobody in America, right?" he said. "So my biggest concern is the utilization of intelligence operatives here to do close-access harm." The U.S. recently booted 13 Russian diplomats suspected of espionage activities, just the latest expulsions going back to the Obama administration. Alas, it's not only the Russians that authorities have to worry about. Only two weeks ago, three white supremacists pleaded guilty to conspiring to take down power grids in three different regions in order to accelerate "economic distress and civil unrest." But the main worry right now is Russian intelligence agencies, because of their demonstrated expertise, sophistication and long record of aggression against American institutions, from infrastructure to elections. "I think Putin is prepared to do whatever it takes," Gregory Sims tells SpyTalk. "His state of mind should concern the world." This article by Jeff Stein first appeared on Spytalk.co. SEOUL, South Korea North Korea performed data transmission and other key tests needed to develop a spy satellite, state media said Sunday, in the second such tests in about a week, indicating the country intends to conduct a prohibited long-range rocket launch soon. The moves come as North Korea has been carrying out a spate of ballistic missile launches - including one detected by its neighbors on Saturday - in what experts call an attempt to add new weapons systems to its arsenal and pressure the United States into making concessions amid stalled diplomacy. On Sunday, the Norths Korean Central News Agency said it conducted another important test the previous day under its plan to develop a reconnaissance satellite. It said authorities tested the satellites data transmission, reception and ground-based control systems. The KCNA dispatch didnt directly mention any missile or rocket launches to conduct such satellite-related tests, but it apparently referred to the Norths ninth round of missile launches this year, which Seoul, Washington and Tokyo spotted on Saturday. Outside experts believe North Korea fired a ballistic missile carrying a camera to perform the tests described in the KCNA report. Last Monday, North Korea said it tested a camera designed to be placed on a reconnaissance satellite and released space-based photos of Earth, a day after its rivals said it conducted a ballistic missile launch. A spy satellite is among a long wish list of new weapons systems that Korean leader Kim Jong Un has vowed to introduce to cope with what he calls U.S. hostility. To operate a reconnaissance satellite, North Korea must launch a long-range rocket to put it into orbit. But the U.N. bans such a launch by North Korea because it considers that as a cover for testing its long-range missile technology. Its unclear if North Korea has developed a sufficiently capable camera to be installed on a spy satellite, as the satellite photos the country released last Monday didnt include high-resolution imagery. After Saturdays test, North Korea didnt immediately disclose new satellite photos, suggesting the country failed to photograph higher-resolution images than earlier ones, said analyst Cheong Seong-Chang at the private Sejong Institute in South Korea. While it may succeed in what it calls a reconnaissance satellite launch, it would still likely take a very long time for North Korea to obtain militarily meaningful reconnaissance technology because of powerful international sanctions that restrict its import of high-tech equipment and its poor civilian technology, Cheong said. North Korea put its first and second Earth observation satellites into orbit in 2012 and 2016, but some foreign experts say neither one transmitted any imagery back to North Korea. Those satellite launches were still believed to have contributed to North Koreas missile development program. In 2017, North Korea carried out three intercontinental ballistic missiles tests that analysts say demonstrated its potential ability to launch nuclear strikes on the American homeland. Experts say North Korea will likely conduct a spy satellite launch ahead of a major political anniversary in April, the 110th birthday of state founder Kim Il Sung, the late grandfather of Kim Jong Un. Negotiations between Pyongyang and Washington have remained largely stalled for about three years due to disputes over U.S.-led sanctions on North Korea. Earlier this year, North Korea test-fired a variety of sophisticated nuclear-capable missiles including one that analysts say places the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam within its striking distance. How to use the mindat.org media viewer Click/touch this help panel to close it. Welcome to the mindat.org media viewer. Here is a quick guide to some of the options available to you. Different controls are available depending on the type of media being shown (photo, video, animation, 3d image) Controls - all media types Zoom in and out of media using your mousewheel or with a two-finger 'resize' action on a touch device. Use the mouse or your finger to drag the image or the view area of the image around the screen. < and > at the left and right hand side of the screen move forwards and backwards for the other images associated with the media you selected. Usually this is used for previous/next photo in a gallery, in an article or in search results. Keyboard shortcuts: use shift + the left and right arrow keys. < and > in the bottom center are used for switching between the photos of the same specimen. Keyboard shortcuts: use the left and right arrow keys. > in the bottom center, raises the information box giving details and further options for the media, < at the top of this box then hides it. Keyboard shortcuts: use the up and down arrow keys. ? opens this help window. Keyboard shortcuts: use the H key or the ? key. Other keyboard shortcuts: 1 Fit image to screen 2 Fill screen with image 5 Display at full resolution < Make background darker > Make background lighter space Hide/dim titles and buttons Scalebar If the field of view (FOV) is specified for the photo, the scalebar appears in the left bottom corner of the viewer. The scalebar is draggable and resizeable. Drag the right edge to resize it. Double click will reset the scalebar to it's default size and position. If the scalebar is in default position, double click will make it circular. Controls - Video Video files have a standard set of video controls: - Reset to start, - Skip back, - Play, - Pause, - Skip forwards. Keyboard shortcuts: You can stop/start video play with the P key. Controls - Animation (Spin Rotation) Animation (usually 360 degree spin rotations) have their own controls: - enable spin mode. Note that while images are loading this option will not be available but will be automatically activated when the animation has loaded. Once active you can spin the image/change the animation by moving your mouse or finger on the image left/right or by pressing the [ or ] keys. The button switches to move mode so that you can use your mouse/fingers to move the image around the screen as with other media types. The button, or the P key will start playing the animation directly, you can interrupt this by using the mouse or finger on the image to regain manual movement control. Controls - 3D Stereoscopic images If a stereoscopic 3D image is opened in the viewer, the 3D button appears in the bottom right corner giving access to "3D settings" menu. The 3D images can be viewed in several ways: - without any special equipment using cross-eyed or parallel-eyed method - with stereoscope - with anaglyph glasses. - on a suitable 3D TV or monitor (passive 3D system) For details about 3D refer to: Mindat manuals: Mindat Media Viewer: 3D To enable/disable 3D stereo display of a compatible stereo pair image press the 3 key. If the left/right images are reversed on your display (this often happens in full-screen mode) press the 4 key to reverse them. Controls - photo comparison mode If a photo with activated comparison mode is opened in the viewer, the button appears in the bottom right corner giving access to "Comparison mode settings" menu. Several layouts are supported: slider and side by-side comparison with up to 6 photos shown synchronously on the screen. On each of the compared photos a view selector is placed, e.g.: Longwave UV . It shows the name of currently selected view and allows to select a view for each placeholder. Summary of all keyboard shortcuts Fort Madison, IA (52627) Today Cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low around 40F. Winds NNE at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low around 40F. Winds NNE at 10 to 20 mph. Milwaukees GM David Stearns joins the show to talk about how hes begun shaping the Brewers in his first three months on the job. He covers an array of topics, including the teams efforts to acquire controllable talent, the status of veteran catcher Jonathan Lucroy, and what hes hoping for out of the 2016 season. MLBTRs Steve Adams then hops on with host Jeff Todd to talk through the current market outlook for talented infielders Ian Desmond and Howie Kendrick. While there are still plenty of possibilities for both players, the requirement of draft compensation and a dwindling number of contenders with clear needs may have sapped some of their leverage. Click here to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, and please leave a review! The podcast is also available via Stitcher at this link. The MLB Trade Rumors Podcast runs weekly on Thursday afternoons. The MLB Trade Rumors Podcast has been going strong for over a year now. You can check out our Soundcloud page to listen to past episodes. Unfortunately, our podcast producer has to step down, which means we are in the market for a replacement. We are seeking a new producer to put together each weeks episode and ensure the best possible sound quality. If youre interested and have relevant experience, please email mlbtrhelp@gmail.com explaining your qualifications and technical setup/process. Please also include links to sample shows that you have produced, and dont hesitate to let us know if you have any ideas about how to improve the current show. A member of the Angelina hitmaker group Stephen Fiawoo, known in showbiz as Praye Tietia has called out Ghanaians in the Diaspora for their attitude towards local artistes which he claims is part of the reasons that have contributed to low hype and lack of market for Ghanaian musicians internationally. In an interview with this reporter, Praye Tietia mentioned that Ghanaians living abroad cannot be left out when enumerating the causes of the seeming low patronage of local artistes in events in the diaspora. He explained that other nationals, especially Nigerians support their artistes in several ways which should be emulated by Ghanaians. Praye Tietia said Nigerians attend events by merely receiving notice or an idea of the event so far as their native musician is on the programme. They enjoy listening to their music more than other peoples music. Praye Tietia also mentioned that all stakeholders in the industry including the artistes themselves and organizers of events have a major role to play to promote local artistes to an acceptable international level. 06.03.2022 LISTEN March 04, 2021 marked the 50 years of Bangladesh-Sri Lanka bilateral ties. On the eve of Bangladesh's independence, on March 4, 1972, Sri Lanka officially recognized Bangladesh. The early recognition by Sri Lanka provided the newly emergent country with much-valued support. Since then, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have been enjoying cordial bonds of friendship based on our historical linkages, mutual respect, multiple commonalities and spirit of good neighbourliness. Sri Lanka has been a popular name in world politics since the post-colonial period. Despite the huge potential, educated and hardworking manpower, some internal problems have repeatedly stumbled upon the country. At present, the country with a population of 21.8 million has a GDP of 60 billion, an annual growth rate of 7.5 percent and a per capita income of 3,852 (2019) dollars. Growth is expected to recover to 3.4 percent in 2021. After the end of years of bloody civil war in 2009, the country's policymakers are focusing on economic and infrastructural development. Sri Lanka is on track with two of Asia's emerging economies, China and India. Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa came to Dhaka as an invited guest on the golden jubilee of Bangladesh's independence and the centenary of the great founder of Bangladeshs independence Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on behalf of the country's people in March 2021. Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are important members of SAARC, BIMSTEC and the Commonwealth. Now is the time to strengthen bilateral relations in the new geopolitical realities of South Asia. However, the priority sectors for cooperation between the two countries are agriculture, tourism, trade, investment, banking, information technology and education. Bangladesh is currently negotiating a Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) with Sri Lanka. Bhutan has also a Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) with Bangladesh. Bhutan and Bangladesh signed the Preferential Trade Agreement in December 06. People of Bangladesh and Bhutan are benefitting from it. Now huge of Bangladeshi products are open in Bhutan. Bangladesh apparel, medicine, goods are being exported and Bhutanese fresh foods are being imported now. The door opens up. The signing of the FTA with Sri Lanka will boost trade relations between the two countries and will be part of history. About 25,000 Sri Lankans are working in Bangladesh. Most of them work in the readymade garments sector. The two countries can work together to create mid-level skilled officers in the readymade garments sector. Sri Lankas Textile and Apparel Institute already has an agreement with Bangladeshs BGME Fashion Institute in Chittagong. Sri Lanka has also achieved world-class technological advancement in the banking and the stock market. Bangladesh has a trade deficit with Sri Lanka. Bangladesh has a demand for medicines, paper and cement in Sri Lanka. 45 Sri Lankan companies have invested 300 million (in the garment sector) in Bangladesh. On the other hand, Bangladeshis have invested only 20 million in the Sri Lankan pharmaceutical sector. The higher education sector can be one of the most important sectors of cooperation between the two countries. Sri Lanka's higher education is world-class. They have increased the reliance on technology in education. They are successful in establishing Vocational College. Sri Lanka is also very successful in job-based technology education. There is talk of increasing cooperation among foreign service academics. A joint study on Indian Ocean security strategy could be conducted between the Bandaranaike Center for International Studies and the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies. In addition, the two countries will benefit from the consensus on the issue of climate change as well as joint research in the production of agricultural seeds suitable for the changing climate. The two countries can work together to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) targets by 2030. Now Bangladesh is going to be a full member of the Colombo Security Conclave. Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and other regional countries can work closely to ensure maritime cooperation. Incumbent Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa is an influential Sri Lankan politician. He had earlier visited Bangladesh in 2011 as President. World politics is gradually shifting to the Asia-Pacific region. Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have joined the BRE project proposed by China. Although Sri Lanka is debating China's debt, Bangladesh is taking a balance. The India-Japan-Australia quad has been set up against China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) project. This is the message that South Asia is going to be the background for the domination of the superpowers in the coming days. Sri Lanka and Bangladesh both saw the incidents of the Easter Church attack in 2019 and the Holy Artisan attack in 2016 respectively. Bangladesh is now considered a role model of counter-terrorism around the whole world. Bangladesh and Sri Lanka both can work in this regard because this is a threat to sustainable development. Tourism and tackling covid-19 can be the common sectors to serve the mutual interest. Recently, the President of Maldives said that Bangladesh and Maldives can work together to establish a peaceful and trade-friendly Indian Ocean region. Sri Lanka could also be an important partner in this regard. In these circumstances, Bangladesh will need the experience, support and consensus of countries like Sri Lanka to remain steadfast in its separate foreign policy in the spirit of 'friendship to all, malice to none anyone' (Principle of Bangladeshs foreign policy). Bangladesh faces and bears the burden of Rohingya refugees who are the citizens of Myanmar. They were displaced by their own government in 2017. Bangladesh has sheltered them temporarily. Now it is high time to repatriate them to their homeland Rakhine in Myanmar. The Sri Lanka government can support Bangladesh in this regard. Sri Lank can support Bangladesh at every common international form to pressurize Myanmar in favor of repatriation. Sri Lanka was one of the initiators of the non-aligned bloc that took place in world politics in the middle of the last century through the Bandung Conference, outside the US and Soviet domination. Neutral alliances of smaller countries are once again becoming important in the tug of war between the major superpowers in the region. Therefore, there is no alternative to building a sustainable bilateral relationship between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to meet the challenges of future world politics. This bilateral relationship could lead to future alliance neutrality in the region. 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. Meanwhile, French Defence Minister Florence Parly is in Romania speaking with NATO troops. 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. 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. Nuclear security 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. "Nobody threatens Russia" Meanwhile, French Defence Minister Florence Parly went to Romania. The deployment of NATO soldiers should allow the allies to show "flawless unity" after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, she said, adding that the commitment of the allies "is not offensive, it is defensive. The Alliance does not threaten Russia. Europe does not threaten Russia. Nobody threatens Russia." She spoke in front of a thousand soldiers of seven NATO nations at the Mihail Kogalniceanu military base near Constanta in the south of the country. "But it is up to us to show Russia that our unity is flawless when it comes to defending our allies, she said. (With AFP) The Upper East Regional Minister, Stephen Yakubu has called on the chiefs, teachers, opinion leaders and the youth in the region to launch a crusade against poor sanitation in their towns and communities. The Minister made the call whiles addressing the congregation at the 65th Independence Day celebration in Navrongo under the theme, Working together, bouncing back better. According to Mr. Yakubu, cleanliness they say is godliness, adding that filth is affecting the development of the region. He noted that chunk of the resources meant for development are mostly channelled into tackling sanitation related issues. Our cities, towns and villages are all engulfed in filth resulting in the occurrence of diseases such as cholera, malaria and other associated diseases. All these diseases which constitute a threat to our lives can be avoided if we keep our environment clean. I, therefore, wish to make a clarion call on all our teachers, chiefs, opinion leaders and the youth to launch a crusade against these anti-social tendencies that can derail our peace for development, he said. Mr. Yakubu also cautions the youth to be mindful of their comments on social media in order not to threaten the peace of the area. The occasion was attended by the Governor of the South-Central Province of the Republic of Burkina Faso, Prefect of Tone of the Savannah Region of the Republic of Togo, Municipal Chief Executive of Kassena Nankana Municipal, Heads and Commanders of Security Agencies in the Upper East Region, Regional Director of Ghana Education Service, teachers, and pupils from selected schools within the Kassena Nankana Municipality, the media and other relevant agencies. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds on Sunday described devastating damage from deadly tornadoes that ripped through the state over the weekend as officials identified six of the seven victims two of them children. The victims died in storms Saturday; six were in Madison County, where a tornado hit near the city of Winterset. Advertisement It was unimaginable, the destruction that we were able to witness on the brief tour that we just went through, Reynolds said at a press conference. Our hearts and our prayers go out to the families who lost loved ones, and those who were impacted by the storm. Emergency officials identified the six victims in Madison County as Michael Bolger, 37; Kenley Bolger, 5; Owen Bolger, 2; Cecilia Lloyd, 72; Rodney Clark, 64; and Melissa Bazley, 63. The deaths included people from three households, but there was no elaboration. Advertisement Six others in the Winterset were getting treatment for injuries. The tornado generated wind speeds between 136 mph and 165 mph and damaged at least 52 homes within its nearly 14-mile path, officials said. A seventh person who was killed by a tornado in Lucas County has not been publicly identified, but authorities said the victim was inside an RV at Red Haw State Park in the city of Chariton. Multiple others were injured in Lucas County. Damage in Winterset, Iowa, is pictured on Sunday. (Bryon Houlgrave/The Des Moines Register via AP) (Bryon Houlgrave/The Register/AP) Reynolds approved the use of state resources for Madison County by instituting a disaster proclamation. She praised the local response to the storms and thanked volunteers who showed up to make hamburgers, help clear debris and provide emotional support. Two hundred to 300 Iowans, not only from Madison County and Winterset, but from communities and towns all across the state that were on the ground the minute it was light and they could start helping. Its just unbelievable, Reynolds said. I tried to walk through and thank them for being there, and over and over the response was, Were Iowans, and thats what we do. We show up, we take care of our family, we take care of our neighbors and we take care of our community. Breaking News As it happens Get updates on the coronavirus pandemic and other news as it happens with our free breaking news email alerts. > About 10,000 people had lost power in Des Moines due to the storms. The citys branch of the National Weather Service said Sunday three thunderstorms created an unspecified number of tornadoes Saturday. The seven confirmed fatalities are the most tornado-related deaths in Iowa since 2008, when nine were killed. This is the worst anyone has seen in a very long time, Diogenes Ayala, the emergency management director, told The Associated Press. Advertisement Madison County resident Jenn ONeal said in a live-streamed video that her home sustained broken windows and that her flower farm was destroyed, according to the Des Moines Register. It was scariest thing Ive ever experienced, ONeal said. Our ears started popping. It sounded like a vacuum. Resident Wendy Burkett recalled seeing the tornado, telling the Des Moines Register there was debris flying around and it was getting louder and louder. With News Wire Services Some twenty-five students dropped unconscious after standing in the scorching sun for hours to participate in the 65th Independence Day commemoration organised by the Ningo-Prampram District Assembly (NiPDA) in the Greater Accra Region. Medical personnel of the National Ambulance Service assisted by the Ningo-Prampram District Health Directorate administered first aid to revive the unconscious students. Five of the students, who were female had severe complications were rushed to the District Health Directorate where their condition was stabilised. They have since been discharged after receiving medical treatment. Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, Mrs Linda Asamany Kporku, the Ningo-Prampram District Health Information Officer who led the team of medical personnel to the parade grounds, attributed the cases to standing for long hours in the sun, anxiety, and failure to eat. "They are all fine, they didn't have any serious conditions, none of them were seriously ill that we needed to transfer to the hospital, we treated all and discharged them," she added. She advised teachers to always ensure that, the students eat before proceeding to participate in the march past to avoid fainting, noting that, "for the anxiety, they just have to encourage them that there is nothing to fear during a match past." Mrs Kporku thanked the Ghana National Ambulance Service for their support and cooperation. A total of 32 contingents constituting over 800 students from public and private Basic, Junior, and Senior High Schools, 31 members of the Basic Police Cadet Corps with Five Commanding Officers and the Ebenezer Methodist Brigade Band participated in the parade. Chiefs clad in their traditional apparels, Heads of Departments, Security Commanders, Teachers, and a cross-section of the public thronged the St. Anglican School Park in Prampram on Sunday to mark this year's Independence Day Celebration. Mrs Sarah Adibrosu, Ningo-Prampram District Education Director charged students to be hungry for academic excellence as education is a major tool to develop the area and the community at large. She expressed concern that most of the students were involved in child labour activities - farming, fishing, Okada riding, amongst others, leading to absenteeism from class, and called on parents to support their children to learn. Mrs Adibrosu appealed to authorities to help the education directorate to enhance teaching and learning explaining that, the schools lacked desks, teacher's accommodations among others. Mr AL-Latif Tetteh Amanor, the Ningo-Prampram District Chief Executive, speaking on the theme: "Working Together, Bouncing Back Better," said the Government has offered full scholarship to brilliant students to study engineering at the tertiary level. He commended the students for always responding to the call of their teachers to partake in the parade. "After seeing your performance today, I am convinced that the district has a lot of talents which can be harnessed for the growth of the district and the nation as a whole," he added. The Abia D/A Basic School and the Afienya Youth Leadership and Skills Training Institute were adjudged the first for their excellent performance in the Basic School and SHS categories respectively. GNA Dignitaries and spectators at the 65th Independence Anniversary celebration today were mesmerised by the spectacular display of drill skills by the security agencies, which attracted prolonged and loud applause from all angles of the Cape Coast Stadium. The Ghana Airforce, Police, Prisons, Immigration, Ambulance and National Fire services as well as the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority and the Ghana Armed Forces treated the audience to splendid performances. The Armed Forces used the occasion to showcase some aspects of their military training including photo exhibition, demonstration, equipment and air displays. Some military aircrafts on display were the M1-17 Helicopter, Z9-EH Helicopter, K8 China Aircraft Jet Fighter and the Old Presidential Aircraft. The public were held spell bound as one of the helicopters settled in the sky for some minutes for military personnel to swiftly descend in a row, using a rope down with their ammunitions hooked to their sides as though on the battlefield. Another display by two helicopters, which flew the National Flag and the banner for the 65th Anniversary, was an icing on the cake. The fully packed stadium with school children, high profile personalities, political stalwart, saw a heavy presence of security personnel at vantage points ensuring there was sanity at the ceremonial grounds. The various security agencies showcased their vehicles, ammunitions and equipment that support their operations. They were complemented by nine Senior High schools, four Junior High Schools and one special school for the parade, which was crowned with a march by the various identifiable groups including fishers, farmers and traders. All the 16 regions were represented with a colourful display of their rich culture and produce/products. The stadium went agog when the various cultural troops in their fanciful attires and the masquerades took turns to perform to the amusement of the President and the dignitaries. This year's celebration is on the theme: "Working Together, Bouncing Back Together", which is a clarion call on Ghanaians to put their shoulders to the wheel to advance the country's growth. GNA Alhaji Shani Alhassan Saibu, Northern Regional Minister Government is working assiduously for the economy to bounce back to provide services needed by the citizenry and meet statutory obligations to make life better for all. He said the government's achievements that stabilised the economy in 2017 and 2018 were unfortunately undermined by the COVID-19 pandemic. He was speaking at the 65th Independence Day parade at the Jubilee Park in Tamale on Sunday. It was on the theme: Working Together, Bouncing Back Better. The parade was made up of eight contingents from the various security services, 23 Primary, Junior High and Senior High Schools, school cadets and other voluntary organisations. It was sponsored by Obarsi Pharmacy, Kinapharma Pharmacy, Ricky Pharmacy, Dokuloku Pharmacy, Superlite Pharmacy and Fan Milk Ghana Limited. The parade, commanded by Squadron Leader Eugene Owusu Nyame from the Airforce Base Tamale, saw contingents neatly dressed as they marched and created a Ghana at 65 art with their riffles. Alhaji Saibu said the contribution of the citizenry was required to propel the agenda of bringing back the economy on track. He called on the citizenry to bear and cooperate with government to implement necessary policies to collectively work together to challenge the status quo. He said: We must rally behind the government during this period and support such important initiatives like E-Levy to be able to generate our own resources internally and reduce the burden of relying on others." He said government's readiness to revive the economy with the collective efforts of citizens was the reason for the chosen theme for the 65th anniversary celebrations. GNA Economic management outcomes depend on many factors including leadership. It is unfortunate to think that putting together highly educated citizens or members of the political party in government means expected outcomes are certain. If that is the only factor in economic management, then throughout history the American, Russian, Japanese, Canadian, German, French economies for example would not have recorded recession, depression, debt distress, financial distress, and sectoral crises. Touting is not equivalent to expected delivery. When the economy was showing deep signs of vulnerability in the area of huge debt, exchange rate volatility, the response was aggravated touting by mentioning names of people in government. Another sign before Covid -19 was that instead deploying policies to support the efforts of the Bank of Ghana to manage the currency, the government usurped the constitutional mandate of the Bank of Ghana to establish exchange rate management committee which could not deliver. It is time for government to publicly accept the fact that in currency management, there internal and external factors which must be addressed with different strategies. Ghanaians are expressing disappointments in economic management outcomes in recent times. The government has joined the queue by saying the economy is broke without providing what makes the economy broke. The discussion has assumed some comparisons that should be corrected. There are some who think that if you are dealing with a global pandemic, issues relating to mismanagement do not arise. Some described the energy crises and the problems under the NDC as mismanagement because it was not caused by Covid-19 and the deep micro and macro level distress of the economy under the NPP is not mismanagement and is just because of Covid-19. This perspective is incorrect. It is possible that funds provided to tackle the pandemic have been managed in a manner that is not reflective of what should have been the case. Borrowing excessively in the name of Covid -19 without the willingness to conduct Covid-19 expenditure audit to ensure transparency, disclosures and accountability is a colossal fiscal mistake that will continue to strengthen the believe of people that mismanagement contributed to the crisis Ghanaians are experiencing now. The principles of accountability and confidence are not waived in the management of the economy during a pandemic. We all know that the pandemic has increased global fiscal deficit, public debt, rising costs among others including Ghana but does not in any way means zero corruption, responsible expenditure and accounting for funds disbursed are no longer requirements in public financial management. Economic management during the pandemic has generally been expected to be difficult but it also came with faster access to funds to manage the economy. This easy access to available funds from national and international sources such as IMF and World Bank was not available to the economic mangers under NDC when crude oil prices went down to the floor including gold and cocoa prices. Under Covid-19 economic management, on average gold, cocoa and crude oil prices are performing well and apart from 2020, revenue has been encouraging. In the face of these facts, inability to convince Ghanaians that the results we are seeing is the best, means mismanagement is part of the financial distress of the country. Therefore, the argument that the financial distress is justified because it is the outcome of a global pandemic is not acceptable. It is sad that we seem to be attacking the credibility of individuals who were part of the NDC government as though they are not permitted to talk about the hardships and erosion of confidence in pandemic economic management and leadership of the country. It is most annoying that people who are holding juicy positions in government, sometimes in institutions that benefited from prudent and value for money application of public debts in the past government. Government should be encouraged that in times of widespread hardships, freedom of speech and expression provide reliable data as to how the people rate the government and perhaps areas around which new policies should be developed to address the needs of the people. Insulting and using vulgar words against people is an abuse of the privilege to serve Ghana in government. The economic management outcomes today are not merely pandemic outcomes but also a reflection of some level of mismanagement. Now, key government officials believe the economy is broke. Citizens are asking questions as to why the economy is broke?. Some genuinely do not believe Ghana is broke because a broke person who is not minded to stop or drastically cut down on offensive expenditure is mismanaging his life. The unwillingness to demonstrate real commitment to prioritizing necessary expenditure mirrors mismanagement. When these issues are addressed, then citizens will agree with government and reduce the degree of mismanagement tag. Insulting and threatening citizens who express their frustration about the hardships and erosion of incomes and economic opportunities is mismanagement of the privilege to serve. Fati Walet Mohamed Issa, a young documentary filmmaker from Mali's volatile north, says her goal is to shine a light on the plight of women in the conflict-torn Sahel state. "Women are often either taken out of school to get married, or they are not allowed to go to school," the 24-year-old, wearing a tunic and a veil, tells AFP. Mali is a conservative Muslim-majority nation of 21 million people, where swathes of the country are in the hands of jihadists, and pressure for women to conform to traditional gender roles is strong. But Issa is uncowed. She has recently finished shooting a 10-minute film in a Tuareg encampment in Timbuktu. It and other pieces made by women have now had a screening in the historic city -- a rarity indeed for female filmmakers in the remote northern region. The documentary is entitled "Tamadjrezt" -- "Regret" in the Tamasheq language of Issa's Tuareg ethnic group. "I want to talk about them, about us," she says, referring to women. In 2012, Tuareg separatists launched a rebellion in Mali's desert north, which spiralled after it was commandeered by jihadists. Islamist fighters have since spread to central Mali as well as neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger. Thousands of soldiers and civilians have been killed and two million people have been displaced by the Sahel-wide conflict, of which Mali remains the epicentre. Issa explains that she shot her film alone, because "technical teams were afraid to come." Mali. By AFP Her documentary follows a 15-year-old girl named Fatma, whose family fled to neighbouring Mauritania because of the conflict but then returned home. Fatma attended a school built of straw, which didn't survive the torrential downpours of Mali's rainy season. Despite her wishes, her father refused to allow to continue her schooling elsewhere. "For us, women and girls have to take care of the home," Fatma tells the camera. 'A lot to do' Issa herself comes from the same traditional nomadic Tuareg background as Fatma, where education for girls is not deemed a priority. The filmmaker herself fled to Mauritania and returned to Mali, and also had to pause her schooling because of the conflict. But last year, Issa applied and was selected by an American NGO called Accountability Lab to make a short film about the status of women, which resulted in "Tamadjrezt". The films were screened at the Ahmed Baba Cultural Centre in Timbuktu last December. By FLORENT VERGNES AFP She screened it in mid-December, alongside nine other films commissioned by the NGO, which dealt taboo topics such as prostitution or domestic violence. Zeina Mohamed Ali, a project manager at Accountability Lab, explained that the NGO wanted to give a voice to women, whom she said "are not listened to enough." At the film showing, dozens of people from the local community watched attentively. "It inspired me," Mariama Walet, a 28-year-old woman in the audience, said afterwards. "It hurts me when I see how far behind we are in protecting women and girls". Zeina Mohamed Ali, one of the organisers of the mini film festival, pictured at the cultural centre in Timbuktu. By FLORENT VERGNES AFP Issa, who has a young child, told AFP that her ambition is keep making films that speak to her community, and especially women and girls. Mali has a rich cinematic tradition, with several well-known female directors. Tuareg female directors are few, however. "People are too ruled by tradition here," Issa said, adding that she had come to the realisation that films could teach people "something else". "There's a lot to do," she added. Younous Wakai Djimmy admits he felt a little unsettled when he set foot on the soil of his native Chad last August for the first time in 13 years. He spent years in the arid wastes fighting the country's iron-fisted president, Idriss Deby Itno, and then took the path of exile abroad. Now the rebel is back home -- thanks to a deal reached with Deby's son and successor, Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno. Deby, a 37-year-old four-star general, took over at the helm of a junta last April after his father died from wounds sustained fighting insurgents in the north of the country. One of his earliest schemes was to extend an olive branch to fighters, allowing them to return home if they laid down their weapons. The initiative is part of a plan for what the younger Deby calls an "inclusive national dialogue" to address the country's many problems and chart the return to civilian rule. Wakai Djimmy is a former leader of the Union for Forces for Democracy and Development (UFDD), one of the biggest armed opposition groups. Hotspots: Clashes erupted last year between the army and rebels in western and northern Chad. By Aude GENET AFP He joined in 2005, "when Chad was a dictatorship." When the offer of a return emerged last year, Wakai Djimmy swiftly contacted the authorities -- "I want to give the new president the benefit of the doubt." An agricultural engineer by training, he is looking for a job, but says with a wry smile, "I don't put my record as a rebel on my CV (resume) -- that could discourage people from hiring me." Suspicions His return and that of other rebels -- several hundred, the government says -- is causing ructions among former comrades-at-arms. Deeply suspicious of Deby's motives, hardliners accuse Wakai Djimmy of selling out for cash, and other returnees have been branded traitors. "I haven't touched a cent," said Wakai Djimmy, telling his former comrades, "it's time to stop this war so that Chad can advance." Another prominent ex-rebel is Kingabe Ogouzeimi de Tapol, 62, who just a few weeks ago was the spokesman for the Front for Change and Concord in Chad (FACT) -- the Libyan-based group that launched the offensive that killed Deby's father last April. Handcuffed rebels from the FACT Front for Change and Concord in Chad armed group are displayed along with captured weapons and vehicles at army headquarters last May. By Djimet WICHE AFP He spent 30 years in Switzerland, where he gained asylum and became a pastor, while at the same time carrying out duties for a succession of rebel groups. Currently staying at a luxury hotel in N'Djamena, he came back in late January, and had a very public handshake with Deby -- a meeting that led FACT to exclude him for "high treason and dealings with the enemy". Ougouzeimi's response is that rebels should shift their strategy. But he also admits he was ground down by exile, despite the "very good life" he had in Switzerland. "It's time to use other levers than war," he said, adding emotionally: "I came back because I was unable to visit my mother's grave -- she died while I was in exile." Divide and rule? The huge country has a long history of volatility since gaining independence from France in 1960. It has a large but shifting constellation of rebel movements, of different ethnic affiliations and goals. The elder Deby himself came to power in 1990 at the head of a rebel force which rolled into the capital. In 2008 and again in 2016, columns of fighters came close to forcing him out in turn, but each time were thwarted by airstrikes by France, a close ally. Kelma Manatouma, an expert on Chad at Nanterre University in Paris, said that by encouraging the homecomings the younger Deby seeks "to decapitate the armed groups, or at least divide them" -- an allegation rejected by the government. Twenty rebels and political opponents convicted of treason and other charges were released in January under the amnesty scheme. By Djimet WICHE AFP Deby has invited 23 groups to the national forum in N'Djamena in May, which is designed to set the country on course to "free and democratic elections." So-called precursor talks between the government and rebels were scheduled to have take place last weekend in Doha, the capital of Qatar, but have been delayed. The latest date for starting them is now March 13. Despite the accusations against them, some returnees argue Deby's death is a chance to turn the page. One such voice is that of Mahamat Doki Warou, a former political advisor to the Union of Resistance Forces (UFR). After returning in August, he met with the younger Deby, who appointed him speaker of the transitional parliament -- a body set up by the junta to replace the previous legislature, which was dissolved. "I had big differences with Idriss Deby, but I've got nothing against his son, and I want to give Chad a chance to end these years of war," he said. The Bishop of Sekondi Diocese of the Anglican Church Rt. Rev. Alexander Asmah has advised members of communities along the highways to desist from responding quickly to explosion accidents. Rt. Rev. Alexander Asmah made the remarks when the Sekondi Diocese of the Anglican Church organised a church service with the victims of Appiatse explosion. The Church after the service donated some assorted items to the victims to support them in their daily living. The items include maize, beans, gari, cowbell milk powder, cooking oil, bathing and washing soaps, washing powders among others. Bishop Alexander Asmah in his sermon emphasised that Africans are full of hospitality which makes them care for each other. The Bishop supported his sermon with Matthew 2:1 which says Out of Egypt have I called my son. He stated, "so we should be one's helper." The Tufuhene of Bepoh, Nana Kwame Asamoah who on behalf of Nana Atta Kojo Bremebi Chief of Bepoh received the items thanked them for the kind gesture. He therefore appealed to the general public for support to better the living condition of the people of Appiatse. Fifty-four (54) Ghanaians who escaped war-torn Ukraine after the attack from Russia have arrived home thanks to the intervention of the government. Some Ghanaians in troubled Ukraine particularly students have fled since the war started. After successfully crossing various borders, some Ghanaians secured shelter in countries including Poland and Romania. On Monday morning, some 54 Ghanaians who crossed to Romania arrived home. They were received at the Kotoka International Airport. It can be recalled that through the efforts of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, some 17 Ghanaian students were evacuated and safely landed in Ghana, becoming the first batch of people to be evacuated. According to Kwaku Ampratwum-Sarpong who is the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration efforts continue to be made to bring home more Ghanaians. He however notes that some Ghanaians have turned down the chance to be evacuated to Ghana. The unfortunate thing is a large number of them who were originally scheduled to have travelled this evening and arrived tomorrow have decided that they were not coming. About fifteen of them have decided that they were not taking advantage, Kwaku Ampratwum told journalists. Nhyiaeso MP, Dr. Stephen Amoah 07.03.2022 LISTEN The Member of Parliament for Nhyiaeso, Dr. Stephen Amoah has explained why people must not be wishing for a coup in Ghana. Speaking to TV3 in an interview, the Parliamentarian argued that a coup does not know political colours. He said when coup happens, everyone in the country will suffer. The Nhyiaeso lawmaker stressed that Ghanaians must always cherish the peace and political stability in the country. This country if there is coup all of us will suffer. Nobody should think that maybe it will affect party in government. Dont even dream of coup, dont, Dr. Stephen Amoah shared during an engagement on the Key Points show. The Nhyiaeso MP continued, Nobody knows the preparation of another person so people shouldnt think they will sit there and hit scorn on the other people to put defensive mechanism to protect their lives and fundamental, human right, their relatives, and friends. So people should not because nobody knows the other person. That is why no matter what I speak I am careful, and I respect people. In the last few months, the conversation on coup which has taken place in some ECOWAS member states has dominated the airwaves in Ghana. FixTheCountry leader Oliver Mawuse Barker-Vormawo was arrested by the Police and standing trial for posting on social media that he will stage a coup if the controversial electronic transaction levy is passed by the government. Similarly, the Bono Regional chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Abronye DC was also arrested by the Police for falsely accusing former President John Dramani Mahama of having intentions to stage a coup. Hes in a post-COVID state of mind. Mayor Adams went restaurant hopping in Manhattans East Village on Monday to celebrate the end of the citys indoor vaccine mandate while imploring New Yorkers to stop living in fear of a potential future COVID-19 outbreak. Advertisement The food tour brought a jubilant Adams to four neighborhood eateries including Ukrainian mainstay Veselka, where he lunched on vegetarian borscht, pierogis and stuffed cabbage as well as a skatepark and a deli. He walked to each stop with a flock of reporters and local elected officials in tow for what amounted to a nearly two-hour in-motion press conference. We may have to do this again with COVID, but in the meantime, we cant sit at home hoping that it doesnt come while our city is not prospering, Adams said outside Veselka when asked if hes concerned that his removal of the indoor vaccine mandate could trigger a coronavirus resurgence. Advertisement New York City Mayor Eric Adams has lunch at Veselka Restaurant in Manhattan, New York on Monday, March 7, 2022. (Office of the Mayor) The mandate, known as Key2NYC and implemented last August, officially ended Monday morning, meaning people can now patronize restaurants, bars, gyms and other indoor establishments in the city without having to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination. Some public health experts pleaded with Adams for weeks to not do away with the mandate, arguing its a relatively small burden that incentivizes vaccination and hedges against potential future outbreaks amid fear that new variants of the virus could still emerge. But Adams countered during his East Village extravaganza that business owners can still require proof of vaccination for customers if they want. Personally, though, Adams said he doesnt care if hes around unvaccinated people anymore. Were going to continue to encourage them to get vaccinated, but if theyre not, I am not offended, he told reporters while walking to a skatepark in the neighborhood, where he briefly attempted to ride a board borrowed from a local skater. New York City Mayor Eric Adams rides on a skateboard in Manhattan, New York on Monday, March 7, 2022. (Chris Sommerfeldt) Today @NYCMayor Eric Adams joined @NYC_SBS Cmr. Kevin D. Kim, @MBPMarkLevine, @ManhattanCofC Pres. & CEO Jessica Walker, and CM @CarlinaRivera for a tour of Manhattan restaurants to mark the suspension of Key to NYC requirements. Thank you Mayor Adams for focusing on recovery! pic.twitter.com/d8D8qv4s7I NYCSmallBusiness (@NYC_SBS) March 7, 2022 Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine, who joined Adams for the Monday festivities, struck a more prudent tone. I think its important to remind the public that while weve made enormous progress on the pandemic, were still seeing about 500 cases a day in the city and so we want people to be cautious, said Levine, who was a major proponent of Key2NYC while chairing the City Councils health committee before his BP election last year. Asked if he wouldve preferred that Adams kept the mandate, Levine demurred: This is not my event, so Im not going to overly pontificate, but lets just say I think our messaging is united in the fact that folks still need to be vaccinated, they still need to be safe. Advertisement As Hizzoner enjoyed the East Village dining scene, the state Department of Health reported that another 17 New Yorkers died from COVID-19 on Sunday, including four people in the city. In total, nearly 40,000 people have died from COVID-19 in the Big Apple. New York City Mayor Eric Adams speaks with several small business owners in the East Village on the suspension of Key to NYC. He concludes his tour with lunch at Veselka to show solidarity with New York's Ukrainian community Manhattan, New York on Monday, March 7, 2022. (Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office) Adams has pressed the case that scrapping public health precautions will help resurrect the citys economy. But Dr. Jay Varma, former Mayor Bill de Blasios top pandemic adviser, said he doesnt buy that argument. Celebrating the removal of Key2NYC requires you to believe against all evidence that feasible, acceptable, affordable, beneficial COVID19 protections are bad for business, rather than viruss ability to cause unpredictably large surges of illness and death, Varma tweeted Monday. New York City Mayor Eric Adams has lunch at Veselka Restaurant to show solidarity with New York's Ukrainian community in Manhattan, New York on Monday, March 7, 2022. (Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office) Tom Birchard, co-owner of Veselka, said he supports Adams shutdown of Key2NYC, but agreed with Varma that the mandate didnt hurt his bottom line. It wasnt ever that much of a hardship because people were so incredibly cooperative, Birchard said. Advertisement While giving the unvaccinated a pass, Adams got into a spat with a heckler over another public health issue while outside MaLa Project, one of the restaurants he visited. Stop smoking those cigarettes, Adams told the heckler, who was smoking while shouting criticisms at the mayor. You have to go higher in your life and not smoke cigarettes, so lets do that together, OK? The District Chief Executive for Obuasi East Honorable Faustina Amissah has added her voice to the calls by the Government for Ghanaians to honour their tax obligations to accelerate development. Honourable Amissah made this call when she delivered the keynote address at the 65th Independence Day anniversary celebrations held at Boete in the Obuasi East District. It would be recalled that the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, at a town Hall meeting at Sekondi, appealed to citizens to honour tax obligations, required by the State. One of such taxes is the E-levy which according to the Minister, will help mobilise revenue for development, hence citizens should rally behind its implementation. Reiterating the call by government, Hon Amissah said for the Ghanaian economy to bounce back from the shackles of COVID-19, there is the need for the citizenry to exercise patriotic responsibility by paying their taxes promptly so that the Ghanaian economy can bounce back to the right footing so that it can stand the test of time. Touching on the theme for the celebrations " Working Together, Bouncing back better ", the DCE called for unity and the need to eschew divisiveness. She said, " the theme is very appropriate judging from the devastating effect of Coronavirus on the economy of the country and that of the rest of the world, we cannot bounce back when we are not united". GHANA CARD TO BE USED FOR MAJOR TRANSACTIONS IN THE DISTRICT Hon Faustina Amissah in an interview with the Media at the sidelines of the event revealed that by the end of July, 2022, the Ghana card will be used for major transactions in the District. She however encouraged residents to register and acquire their cards irrespective of the challenges they will encounter at the registration centers. LET'S BELIEVE IN OUR CAPABILITIES The Member of Parliament for Obuasi East Constituency, Honorable Patrick Boakye Yiadom has said that he disagrees with the assertion by section of Ghanaians that independence came too early. Dr.Boakye said Ghanaians must start to believe in their capacity and capabilities. He said, " it is about time Ghanaians realised that we have the wherewithal to develop as a country and become the beacon of hope for Africa." He again admonished Ghanaians to take charge of their destiny and contribute towards the development of the country. MARCH PAST COMPETITION At the end of the march past competition which climaxed activities for the celebrations, Bryant Mission was crowned winners in the Primary category with 76.66 points whiles Rising Sun Academy and Lovely Home Academy won the 2nd and 3rd positions respectively. In the Junior High school category, Boete MA emerged winners with 88.33 points with the 2nd position going to Independence JHS. St Cyril Anglican placed 3rd. Presentation of our lady Girls Cadet was also adjudged winners in the Cadet category with 68.33 points. Tetrete Okuamuah Sekyim II, the paramount chief of Wassa Amenfi Traditional Area in the Western Region, has stated that the region's traditional leadership is committed to promoting and improving quality and competitive education at all levels in order to make it more appealing and competitive. According to him, education is the main backbone of Ghana's future rapid development, and he will urge all to support by investing in the sector, as traditional leaders are always ready to collaborate with stakeholders responsible for the sector by releasing lands to pave the way for the construction of educational infrastructures across the region. Tetrete Okuamuah Sekyim II, who represented the Western Regional House of Chiefs and served as Chairman for the event, made this statement during the 2022 Seventh Annual Edition of the Western Region Independence Day Inter-District JHS Quiz Competition, which was organized by traditional leaders for the fourteen (14) Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) and held at Shama District on Friday, March 3rd, 2022. He reassured that the region's traditional leaders will continue to support education at all levels, urging multinational corporations to support the sector in order to make education more appealing in the region. "We, the region's traditional leaders, will always contribute our quota to the government's effort to promote and improve education in the country, and we will encourage all to do same Tetrete Okuamuah Sekyim II, who is also the patron of the annual quiz organizing and planning committee, praised the sponsors, who included Goldfields Ghana Ltd, headline sponsors and gold sponsors Karpowership Ghana, Ghana Gas, Takoradi International Company Ltd (TAQA), Mantrac Ghana, BCM Mining and Civil Construction Group, for their dedication to promoting education in the region. The Aboadzie Volta River Authority (VRA) International School of the Shama District was crowned champion, 2021 defeating champions St Augustinus Preparatory School of Axim in the Nzema East Municipal, who finished fourth, and their strong rivals Christ Leading of the Ellembelle District with 47 points. The winners receive a brand-new HP laptop, a trophy, a Multipurpose printer, plagues, gold medals, text and exercise books, mathsests, three tablets, school bags, and certificates for all contestants, whereas Christ Leading, the first runner-up, receives a brand-new HP laptop, silver medals, tablets for the contestants, books, certificates, plagues, and school bags for all contestants. As runners-up, Goldfields International School from Tarkwa in the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality received a brand-new HP laptop, books, tablets, certificates, school bags, bronze medals, and plagues. Contestants from fourth to fourteenth place received books, certificates, school bags, plagues, and other prizes. HRH Obrempong Hima Dekyi XIV, Paramount Chief of Upper Dixcove Traditional Area and Executive Chairman of the annual Organizing and Planning Committee, thanked all stakeholders for their contributions to the success of the event, which aimed to commemorate the region's Independence Day, promote healthy academic competition, and foster unity and togetherness among the region's fourteen Metropolitan Municipal and District Assemblies through a quiz competition. He urged Nananom's strong commitment to ensuring that education in the region becomes very appealing and competitive through close collaboration with the region's government and corporate institutions, and he praised other supporting sponsors such as Aker Energy Ghana, Engineers and Planners (E&P), Westfields, Volta River Authority (VRA), Nezo Oilfield and Suppliers Ltd, Samartex Plywood Company Ltd, Seaweld Engineering Ltd, Wayoe Engineering and Construction Ltd, Seedco Construction, Office of the Members of Parliament for Shama, Ellembelle, Jomoro, Evalue Ajomoro Gwira, Prestea Huni Valley, Tarkwa Nsuaem, the Nzema East Municipal Assembly, Shama District Assembly as well as Kasapreko Company Ltd for their immense support towards a successful event. Mr. Ebenezer Dadzie, the District Chief Executive (DCE) of Shama, expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the traditional leaders for their well-planned initiative to promote education in the region and assured them of his office's readiness to collaborate with similar associates who are committed to promoting education in the future. Mr. Solomon Ocansey, Senior Community Relations Officer of Goldfields Ghana Ltd headline sponsors of the event, assured of his company's commitment and readiness to support the region's traditional leadership in promoting education, saying, "Goldfields is proud to associate itself as lead sponsor with such flagship educational programme since 2020, which is being spearheaded by Nananom of the Western region." He urged the students to persevere in their academic endeavors. On behalf of Acting President of the Council Nana Kwamina Wienu II, Nana Pansor IV, Senior Divisional Chief of Suporm Dunkwa and Ninfahene of the Shama Traditional Council, thanked the organizers and other stakeholders for hosting the district's seventh edition in 2022. He also urged the students to take their education seriously so that they can become useful members of society in the future. Ms. Sandra Amarquaye, Corporate Communication Assistant Manager of Karpowership Ghana, praised the traditional leaders for organizing such an event to promote education in the region and assured the traditional leaders of her company's support for education in the region. Mrs. Felicia Agyebea Okai, Western Regional Director of Education, whose speech was read on her behalf, praised Nananom and all stakeholders for the successful organization of the quiz event, which has been running for seven years, and encouraged everyone to support the initiative. She reaffirmed her office's commitment to working with individuals, organizations, and businesses to advance the region's educational sector. The competition also recognized Ms. Adwoa Entiwah Ntim of the Volta River Authority (VRA) International School and Ms. Dahlia Nyanzu of the Christ Leading School, Essiama for receiving both the HRH Tetrete Okuamuah Sekyim Special awards as best contestant and best female of the competition, an award initiative sponsored by Tetrete Okuamuah Sekyim and wife, who were both in attendance. Thousands of people took part in Sunday's march on the French Mediterranean island of Corsica, in solidarity with independence militant and convicted murderer Yvan Colonna, himself grievously injured in a recent attack by a fellow prison inmate. The suspected attacker is facing terrorist charges and an investigation is underway. The police estimated the number of participants in Sunday's protest in Corte at 4,200. March organisers said 15,000 people took part. Banners in French and Corsican read "Bless you Yvan", "France Shit!" and "French State Assassination". Local government leader Gilles Simeoni, who took part in the protest, said people were angry and unhappy at the treatment of Colonna. "They don't understand," he said. "Paris would do well to listen." There were violent clashes between police and some demonstrators as the otherwise peaceful protest came to an end. Stones and other projectiles were thrown at the security forces. They replied using tear gas and water cannon. The ambulance services said they had treated 25 people for injuries, 15 of them needing hospitalisation, but none in serious condition. Four police officers were injured. There were four arrests. On Monday, several schools on the island were blocked in protest over the Colonna affair. For years, Colonna's supporters have demanded that he be imprisoned in a Corsican jail, to facilitate visits by members of his family. Transfer requests have always been refused. Colonna attacker under scrutiny Meanwhile, more details have emerged surrounding the violent attack on Yvan Colonna last Wednesday, supported by closed circuit camera footage. Serving a life sentence for the 1998 murder of Corsican police chief, Claude Erignac, Colonna, was attacked and strangled by a fellow detainee in the mainland prison near Arles while he was working out. Colonna remains in a coma in a hospital in the southern French city of Marseille. He is 62 years old. "Once again, islamist fanaticism has been at the centre of another terrorist crime in our country," Jean-Francois Ricard, the prosecutor in charge of the National Anti-Terrorist Prosecutor's Office, told the press on Sunday. The 35-year-old suspect in the attack, identified as Franck Elong Abe has formally been charged with "attempted murder and terrorism" and will be the subject of further investigation. The inquiry will "retrace in detail the background of the attacker, to determine his contacts, notably those who shared his ideology, and to shine a light on the interactions he had which may have played a role in the attack," Ricard said. It is alleged that the accused attacked and injured Yvan Colonna because of the Corsican nationalist's "blasphemous statements". Several other prisoners in Arles convicted on terrorism charges have been questioned by police investigating the attack. The prosecutor underlined that Abe had shown violent behaviour towards himself and others and that there had been "numerous" incidents involving violence in the first 5 jails where he had been incarcerated. In recent times, many people have shown great interest in my articles elucidating the scientific aspects of Christian activities. As a Theologian and Naturopathic Researcher, I am a major proponent of the fact that spirituality is paramount in holistic health. Some people have asked if there is any science behind tongues speaking. There have also been some enquiries concerning the efficacy of speaking in tongues and its benefit to the human immune system. There is some evidence to suggest that praying in the spirit; also known as speaking in tongues; may enhance immunity by some chemicals released from a part of the brain. In this article, I intend review the science behind tongues speaking. I know there are some people who do not believe in tongues speaking and other Christian activities, but I have, in recent times, proved from scientific perspectives, the benefits of Christian activities. I recently wrote on how Christian worship impacts the human brain. This is information that may be deduced from what we know about the way the brain functions. We do know the part of the brain affected most noticeably by extended prayer represents a significant portion of the brain and its metabolic activity. Therefore, voluntary speech during extended vocal prayer causes a major stimulation in these parts of the brain (mainly the hypothalamus). Newberg, (2013) agrees that the hypothalamus has direct regulation of four major systems of the body, namely: The pituitary gland and all target endocrine glands The total immune system The entire autonomic system and The production of brain hormones called endorphins and enkephalins, which are chemicals the body produces and are 100-200 times more powerful than morphine. In a nutshell, a very significant percentage of the central nervous system is directly and indirectly activated in the process of extended verbal and musical prayer over a period of time. This results in a significant release of brain hormones which, in turn, increases the bodys general immunity. It is further enhanced through joyful laughter with increased respiration and oxygen intake to the brain, diaphragm and other muscles. This same phenomenon is seen in physical activity in general, such as running and walking. We know from the Word of God that there is a true joy that builds and sustains. Nehemiah tells us that the joy of the Lord is our strength. There is joy in the presence of Jehovah. We, as believers having entered into that wonderful presence of our Lord, know this to be true. What we must continue to remember is that the joy of the Lord spoken of in the Word is so much more than any manifestation. We can truly have that unspeakable joy in the face of any trials we may encounter, if our joy is grounded in a knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. On the impact of scientific understanding on tongue on the human body, I ask that you read this article with an open mind. My intention is to bring praise to God for such a gift and pray that those of you who have received such a gift use it for His glory. To those who do not think it is relevant, think again. To those who have it but do not use it, use it. To those who abuse it; speak with understanding. Grace and peace to you. The Science Speaking in Tongue Edifies. Carl Peterson (2011), M.D. a brain specialist, conducted a study examining the relationship between the brain and praying or speaking in tongues. He found that as we pray in the Spirit or worship in the Spirit, the brain releases 2 chemical secretions that are directed into our immune system, giving a 35 to 40 percent boost to the immune system. This promotes healing within our bodies. Interestingly, this secretion is triggered from a part of the brain that has no other apparent activity in humans and is only activated by our Spirit-led prayer and worship. Speaking Tongues influences on stress response among Apostolic Pentecostals One study conducted by Lynn et al., (2013) measured stress via salivary cortisol and -amylase among 52 Apostolic Pentecostals in New Yorks mid-Hudson Valley. In this study, saliva samples were collected at four predetermined times on consecutive Sundays and Mondays to establish diurnal profiles and compare days of worship and non-worship. This data was reanalyzed using separate analyses of covariance on -amylase and cortisol levels to control for individual variation in Pentecostal behavior, effects of Sunday biomarkers on Monday, and other covariates. The data in this study suggests that glossolalia (speaking in tongues) is associated with a reduction in stress in response to normal stressors and significantly associated with positive mood and calmness. Clearly the reduction of stress is very helpful to ones immune system and entire health. Another retrospective study by Francis and Robbins, (2003) involved nearly 1,000 clergy members of a British evangelical group. The researchers found that the 80 percent who practiced glossolalia had greater emotional stability and less neuroticism. Speaking in Tongues Signifies Praying with the Holy Spirit In one study, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania took brain images of five women while they spoke in tongues and found that their frontal lobes; the thinking, willful part of the brain through which people control what they do; were relatively quiet, as were the language centers. While speaking in tongues, there was a decrease of activity in the frontal lobes and an increased activity in the thalamus (ie, the "third brain", where it is believed by some that spiritual experiences take place). Language areas are in the frontal lobes. The language that emerged during the state of glossolalia was highly structured, filled with clearly articulated phrases. This research finding is very interesting as it suggests that the language was being generated in a different way, or possibly from someplace other than the normal processing centers of speech. For Christian believers, this experience could be taken as proof that another entity had actually spoken through them. Newberg, (2013) summarized this position in his book Born to Believe (Pages 200 and 201). The Medical Doctor, Newberg notes: The amazing thing was how the images supported peoples interpretation of what was happening, the way they describe it, and what they believe, is that God is talking through them, he said. What Does God Do to Your Brain? Fig 1. Brain scan of a nun at rest and during prayer showing decreased activity in the parieta lobe that may be associated with the loss of the sense of self. Newberg(2021) agrees that the moment we encounter God, or the idea of God, our brain begins to change. Going to church might involve confession, communion, singing, chanting, praying, tithing, talking with other members, reading sacred scriptures, or volunteering in charitable work. Newberg discover that each one can change the way one think and feel about God. He notes: Praying silently affects one part of the brain, while praying out loud affects another part. And if you repeat the same prayer over and over, one part of the brain may be activated in the first few minutes, another part might quiet down ten minutes later, while other brain functions will change after forty or fifty minutes of intense prayer. Newberg further agrees that many people reported that their spiritual experiences altered their beliefs. He was however surprised that as spiritual interests increase, church attendance declines. The Future of God God is a noun, and nouns stimulate the where and what part of the brain, specifically regions in the parietal lobe (Newberg, 2021). Newberg (2021) study asserts that mainstream churches are liberalizing their theologies. Evangelicals are moving away from the rhetoric of fundamentalism, and New Age churches are growing throughout the country. Even in Muslim countries, support for extremist politics and beliefs is beginning to decline. He notes: New ideas challenge us to think more deeply about personal values and survival, and the more you think about the mysteries of human nature, the more likely it is that you'll have an epiphany that can improve the inner quality of your life. Does God Have a Heart? Students pray together on Fountain Mall in front of a sign that reads "I'd rather have Jesus" What defines Gods personality? a team of sociologists at Baylor University (https://www2.baylor.edu/) answered this question in a nationally representative sample of Americans to describe which qualities symbolized their impression of God, they discovered that four distinct personalities emerged. Newberg(2021) agrees that these personalities not only tell us a great deal about our religious landscape, they also illuminate the inner neurological landscape of the American soul. In the Baylor study, which was co-facilitated by the Gallup organization, 34 percent of the participants were evangelical Protestants, 22 percent were mainline Protestants, 21 percent were Catholics, 5 percent were associated with black Protestant congregations, and 2.5 percent identified themselves as Jews. Approximately 5 percent associated themselves with other religions such as Buddhist, Christian Science, Mormon, Hindu, Jehovah's Witnesses, Muslim, Christian Orthodox, and Unitarian. Another 10 percent considered themselves unaffiliated with a specific denomination or creed. Responders were spread over all ages, from eighteen on up, and represented a variety of levels of education, socioeconomic status, and locations throughout the United States. According to the Baylor research, some see God as kindly and loving, but twice as many Americans see God as punitive and stern. Some see God as distant and unconcerned, but many experience God as being actively involved in their lives. In fact, 20 percent even believe that God favors a specific political party. For example, during the 2004 presidential campaign, 30 percent were convinced that God looked favorably on George W. Bush. When they put the data together, the Baylor researchers concluded that the Americans sampled tended to embrace one of four different personalities of God: authoritarian, critical, distant, or benevolent. But these four categories could not be easily assigned to any specific denomination or sect. For example, some evangelicals embraced a benevolent God, most saw God primarily as an authoritarian, and a few saw God as a distant entity who does not involve himself in human affairs Take away Scientifically conducted studies have demonstrated the positive effects of speaking in tongues. Interestingly, these studies were conducted by renowned Medical Doctors in the field of neuroscience. Thus, it is increasingly evident that tongues speaking improves the immune system, as declared by Lynn, (2013) and many others. Old God Never die. I conclude with Michael Gerson quote in The Washing Post: A fresh perspective offers plenty to challenge skeptics and believers alike. There is science in tongue speaking. The author is the President of the Nyarkotey College of Holistic Medicine & Technology (NUCHMT) and the African Naturopathic Foundation. E-mail: [email protected] References As Russia opens humanitarian corridors from several Ukrainian main cities, hundreds of African and Indian students trapped in the eastern city of Sumy hope that they will finally escape the last 12 days of hell. Nigerian medicine student, Precious Olawale, described her traumatic experience to RFI. We really, really need to go home. We wake up to the sounds of bombs. More than five bombs went off on Saturday as at early as 5 am. All of us are just sick and tired. People are crying, some have had panic attacks, 21-year-old Precious Olawale told RFI. A fourth-year medicine student at Sumy State University, she certainly did not expect this nightmare when she left her hometown of Abeokuta, in the southwestern Ogun State in Nigeria, three years ago. Olawale says there are around 400 Nigerian students stranded in Sumy who have had to stay in bunkers 20 out of 24 hours because they are scared for their lives. Russia's defence ministry announced a ceasefire on Monday to allow evacuation of civilians through humanitarian corridors from Ukraine's main cities, including Kyiv, Kharkiv, Mariupol and Sumy. Nigeria's Foreign Affairs minister, Geoffrey Onyeama, tweeted on Sunday that the Nigerian students will be evacuated on Monday. But the big challenge, he wrote, is procuring buses for the north-eastern town of Sumy, some 50 kilometres from the Russian border. On Monday morning, Olawale told RFI that she has not heard anything about a possible evacuation. We are waiting. We don't know exactly when we can leave. She said that the students who have been evacuated are those who have managed to cross the border into Poland, Romania, Hungary and Slovakia. The African and Indian students in Sumy have been unable to leave so far because the roads are blocked and the trains have stopped running. There are also military checkpoints where students are sent back when they try to leave, she said. Someone told us it was by Ukrainian soldiers. On Monday morning, Olawale told RFI that her anxiety levels were far too high for her to have a proper sleep. My well-being is in shambles. Our living conditions are really bad because our food is running out. We've had no water for three, four days and we had to melt snow to get water. There was a time when electricity was out and we couldn't charge phones, we couldn't reach our families until it was fixed. Mr Emmanuel Gemegah, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Keta, has described claims the proposed introduction of electronic transaction levy (E-levy) will impose more hardship on the vulnerable as misleading. He said the aged and less endowed in society could make mobile money transfers up to about GH3,000.00 in a month without paying a pesewa charge on them. Mr Gemegah, who was speaking at the 65th Independence Day parade at Keta, said the transfer of GH100.00 daily was non-taxable and that people could utilise this exemption to send as much as about GH3,000.00 monthly without any charge by transferring GH100.00 every day of the month. He said Ghana as a middle-income country needed to raise revenue to match the increasing demand for developmental projects to improve the lives of citizens, saying it was important to expand the tax net to include almost all adult citizens hence the proposed introduction of the E-levy. The MCE called on the people, including schoolchildren, to become ambassadors of the E-levy to make Mr Kwame Dzudzorli Gakpey, Member of Parliament for the area, accept and vote for the passage of the bill to allow the government to collect more revenue for development projects. Fortunately, the government's proposal on E-levy has exempted the aged and the less endowed in our society. Therefore, we have no excuse not to impress on our representative in Parliament to work with the government side to pass the bill so that, as a country, we can bounce back better from the effect of devastating COVID-19 on our economy. The parade, which was attended by municipal security chiefs, heads of departments, traditional leaders and municipal executives of the New Patriotic Party and the National Democratic Congress, had pupils, students, cadet corps and other identifiable groups put up wonderful performances. It was held on the theme: Working Together, Bouncing Back Better. GNA 07.03.2022 LISTEN Observing comments and reactions from Africa spearheaded by South Africa in support of the war in Ukraine standing openly or in ignorance by Russia against Freedom, Democracy and the right of self-determination makes the world wonder and question. Friends do not take each other hostage or attack one another to war only "friendly" (when Adolf Hitler invaded Austria and Slovenia) neighbours or rivals are seen by history to be fought over. Russia is a natural resource-rich country same as Africa. It got its "independence" through struggle and by paying a heavy blood price in 1917 during the October revolution while Africa had to wait for at least one more generation to be liberated. Russia opted for Democracy before any other system regardless of being unprepared for the process of elections and political parties just like Africa. Russia by history and people's expectations needs always be governed by a strong leader matching the African mentality. Russia knew the spirit of local farm owners owning farmworkers only too well like Africans' slavery of their people in the hands of their businessmen or as a commodity up for sale to faraway lands. While other nations in Europe in a short time have learnt to enjoy the benefits of modern governance with the ever-decreasing level of corruption Russia and Africa alike have not abstained the hunger and greed to gain fortunes through the means of corruption. Russia and Africa see more manipulated elections in various ways while seeing it as part of a never-ending process towards full fletched democracy and honest governance. To be a Superpower or great continent by size and blessed given opportunities do not necessarily reflect the wisdom long-lasting greatness requires. Muscles are strong and energetic in a young body but increasingly weaker over time. Germany decided to use the war in Ukraine as a wake-up call to strengthen its military forces with a 100 Billion extra budget ready to fight any unseen war. In addition, Germany will invest up till 2026 an extra 200 Billion in infrastructure like LNG to end the dependency on Russian oil and gas which would cut down Russian revenues and GDP well over time. As time passes Africa will see the same trend visible today already in the agricultural sector with more to come. Therefore it is understandable that Vladimir Putin sent yesterday personal greetings to Ghana's President congratulating the nation on its 65th Independence Day...Greetings from Moscow from giant Billionaire to small Millionaire all in the name of greed. A combined team from the Ghana Digital Centres Limited [GDCL] and the Ghana Cares Secretariat at the Ministry of Communications and Digitalization (MoCD), led by Hon. Kwadwo Baah Agyemang and Mr. Kusum Aboagye visited the Cape Coast and Takoradi Regional Innovation Centres to ascertain their current state as part of the ongoing process to gather information and data on the company's facilities across the country. Before the Cape Coast and Takoradi visits, the Chief Executive Officer had earlier last month paid working visits to the Ho, Koforidua and Kumasi Regional Innovation Centers. The GDCL has a mandate to create an enabling environment for Digital and Technology businesses to thrive as well as provide digital skills training for the teeming youth. This will not only make them employable but also enable them have access to affordable real estate for Tech Startup companies and also serve as a platform for the youth to develop their creative and entrepreneurial abilities. Both facilities in Cape Coast and Takoradi have a conducive ecosystem within their catchment communities to attract the right participants and resources for digital innovation and entrepreneurship. All these will be made possible through funding support from Ghana Cares Unit at the Ministry. Consequently, the company is earnestly pushing to operationalize the Regional Innovation Centres around the country to help fulfill its mandate. The Offinso North District in the Ashanti region has marked the 65th Independence Day celebration dubbed, "working together, and bouncing back at the district capital, Akumadan. A total of 930 school children and students from 31 schools participated in the 65th anniversary in the District. The occasion saw a lot of dignitaries in the District including the Member of Parliament for Offinso North Hon. Augustine Collins Ntim. Chiefs and elders from all the major towns of the district, all security, Ghana Education Service, and heads of other departments. The District Chief Executive for the area Mr. David Kwasi Asare, addressing the people, admonished Ghanaians to exude positive attitudes to work, be it governmental or private for accelerated development. Mr. Asare called on the people to maintain peace in the area for development to thrive adding, embrace peace by leaving in unity and be law abiding. The DCE said the contribution of the citizenry was required to propel the agenda of bringing back the economy on track. He called on the citizenry to bear and cooperate with government to implement necessary policies to collectively work together. The DCE said governments readiness to revive the economy with the collective efforts of citizens was the reason for the chosen theme for the 65th anniversary celebration. The Offinso North Education Director, Mr. Michael I.Darbbey-Tannian commended efforts of government, the Member of Parliament for the area and the district assembly for ensuring quality education in the district. According to him, the contribution of infrastructural development by the Member of Parliament Hon. Augustine Collins Ntim to secondary education cannot be underestimated and appealed to him to do more at the basic level too. He also acknowledged the contribution of the assembly led by the DCE Mr. David Kwasi Asare towards the development of basic schools in the district. Mr. Darbbery-Tannian, therefore, called on parents to invest in their childrens education since that is the best investment a parent could give to a child. In his remarks, the Member of Parliament for Offinso North constituency, Hon. Augustine Collins Ntim commended the chiefs and people of the area for supporting him in bringing developmental projects to the constituency. He assured the people that, he would do all he can to take care of the infrastructural development of schools in the district. He therefore, announced that the President, Nana Akufo Addo will be there to commission the Local Government Institute that will provide high education for workers in the district and the country as a whole. Across Section Of Heads Of Departments Mp. Collins Ntim Delivering His Speech A Section Of Our Traditional Authorities School Children At The 65th Independence Parade2 07.03.2022 LISTEN NPP 'World Bank' boiling as some aggrieved members of the ruling New Patriotic Party NPP in the Ashanti Region have called for the head of the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the party Bernard Antwi Boasiako popularly known as Wontumi over chaos in the ongoing polling station elections. Their call follows the mass disqualification of some polling station aspirants who were hoping to contest in the elections in some constituencies in the Region. The angry members from the Kwadaso, Bantama, Atwima Kwanwoma, Manhyia North, Ejisu constituencies among others believe Chairman Wontumi's failure to lead the party to organize a free, fair and peaceful polling station elections shows clearly that he's not fit to be a leader of the NPP fraternity in the region again. Kwadaso Constituency There was a fracas in the wee hours of Monday, March 7, 2022 at some electoral areas in the Kwadaso Constituency where polls were expected to be held to elect NPP polling station executives. The chaos occurred after some armed military men stormed the constituency to ostensibly manipulate the election in favour of the favourites of the incumbent Member of Parliament Dr Kingsley Nyarko. One of the aggrieved party members George Owusu Ansah in an interview with this reporter on Monday, March 7, 2022 disclosed the situation resulted in a near disruption as some members of the party moved to halt the conduct of the elections which they claim started around 4:00 am. He noted that the abysmal performance of Chairman Wontumi if not checked will lead the party into opposition come 2024. Ejisu Constituency Some NPP members at the Ejisu Constituency also agitated over what they termed as an unfair process in the election of polling station executives. To the chagrin of some of the contestants, the election of polling station executives was done at dawn in some areas of the constituency. Some of the aggrieved party members fingered the Wontumi leadership in the Region for failing to do his work and called for a swift change in the party's leadership in the Region. Manhyia North Constituency The elections at Manhyia North constituency was not any different as party members accused the leadership of trying to rig the elections in favour of the incumbent Member of Parliament Hon Akwasi Konadu. They alleged that some military men stormed the constituency and intimidated them from exercising their constitutional right, blaming Chairman Wontumi for the chaos. Atwima Kwanwoma constituency Some polling station aspirants at Atwima Kwanwoma constituency also clashed with the party's leader over what they described as unfairness in the polling station elections. The disqualified aspirants The process also saw some military men storming the area. Some angry party members who spoke to this reporter said the party may fall short in the 2024 elections if it fails to replace the current regional chairman. Mayor Adams promised Monday to eventually roll back the mask mandate for the citys youngest school kids as pressure built for him to do so now that students older than 5 can forgo face coverings in class. In a string of early morning television and radio appearances, Adams said he wants to see what the impact is from his decision to rescind the mask requirement for K-12 students before moving to drop the rule for preschoolers. Advertisement Were going to examine the data to make sure that there are no spikes, and then were going to come back and visit those children from 2 to 5. So were going to do this in a very safe way because I dont want to close the city down and I dont want to endanger our children, Adams said on Fox 5. Pre-K students arrive for the school day at Phyl's Academy in Brooklyn, New York. (Mark Lennihan/AP) Hizzoner justified the staggered approach by noting that those younger than 5 still cant get vaccinated against COVID-19. Considering coronavirus hospitalization rates ticked up among the unvaccinated youngsters earlier this year, Adams said it would be reckless to do away with the mask rule for them off the bat. Advertisement We are going to get there. We will lose the masks. Were gonna see if theres any spike in K-12, then well come back for the babies, he said on NY1. Some preschool parents are not convinced by Adams argument and planned to gather in City Hall Park later Monday to protest his decision to keep the mandate in place for their kids. One of those parents, Daniela Jampel of Queens, argued its unfair to place the masking burden on the citys youngest children. Here is my 4-year-old, bravely carrying the entire weight of the pandemic on her tiny shoulders. I hope this picture makes people feel safer as they go about their maskless lives, Jampel tweeted at Adams along with a photo of her masked daughter and the hashtag #unmaskmytoddler. Meantime, city students older than 5 were able to head into their classrooms Monday morning for the first time since 2020 without a face mask on. Monday also marked the first day when restaurants, bars, gyms and other establishments in the city will no longer need to screen customers for proof of vaccination for indoor activities. Adams touted the cancellation of the public health precautions as a sign of the citys recovery from the pandemic. COVID had its chance, really hijacking our city, traumatizing us, he said. Its now time for New Yorkers to have their chance to enjoy their city again. Last Friday, The Technical Working Committee of the Ghana Startup Bill had paid a courtesy call on the new Chief Executive Officer of the National Entrepreneurship and Innovations Program (NEIP) at his office at Cantonments, Accra. Leading the team was Mr. Franklin Owusu Karikari, Head of Business Support at the NEIP, who also doubles as the committee chairman. Other committee members present were Sherif Ghali, Coordinator, Freda Yawson, Technical Advisor, and Solomon Adjei, Communications Director. The Coordinator, Mr. Sherif Ghali, took the CEO through the content of the 6th draft of the Bill. He outlined the series of stakeholder consultations and amendments the Bill went through. He also presented the committee's 2022 work plan to the CEO and asked for his steadfast support, just as his predecessor did. On his part, Mr. Kofi Ofosu, the newly appointed CEO of NEIP, welcomed the Bill and committed his support towards the processes leading to the passage and implementation of the Bill. He commended the team and admonished them to continue the process and ensure all relevant stakeholders were captured in the Bill. The technical working committee comprises NEIP, Ghana Startup Network, Ghana Chamber of Young Entrepreneurs, Ghana Hubs Network, Private Enterprise Federation, Eye4Policy, and Accra Digital Center. The Ghana Startup Bill outlines the incentive framework necessary for developing entrepreneurship and decent job creation, per Sustainable Development Goal 8. The Bill has components such as Tax Holidays for startup businesses, Human resource support, Officing support, Gender inclusivity, and Funding and mentorship for Ghanaian startups. When this Bill is passed, it is believed that it will accelerate job creation in support of the Government's vision to curb the perennial unemployment canker facing the Ghanaian youth. A roadside bomb killed two UN peacekeepers in central Mali on Monday as the Malian army reported a deadly clash with jihadist insurgents and France said it had killed a rebel leader. "This morning, a supply convoy... struck an improvised explosive device north of Mopti," the spokesman for the UN's MINUSMA force, Olivier Salgado, said on Twitter. Four other peacekeepers were wounded, he said. MINUSMA did not immediately give the nationalities of the casualties, but a security source said they were members of the force's Egyptian contingent. The mission's chief, El-Ghassim Wane, vigorously condemned the attack and called on the Malian authorities "to spare no effort" in identifying those behind it. The incident comes as the United Nations is assessing the impact on MINUSMA from France's decision to withdraw from Mali following a rift with its ruling junta. The 13,000-member mission is one of the UN's biggest and most dangerous peacekeeping operations. A total of 171 of its troops have died from hostile acts, it says. MINUSMA's deployment was launched in 2013 to help shore up the fragile Sahel state in the face of jihadist attacks. Troubled country Born in the north of the country, the insurgency spread two years later to the volatile centre and then to neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger. In Mali alone, thousands have died and hundreds of thousands have fled their homes. Separately, the Malian army said its troops had repelled an attack on Monday by "terrorist groups" at Gao in the north of the country. Mali. By Vincent LEFAI AFP In a tweet, the Malian Armed Forces (FAMA) said nine jihadists had been killed for the loss of two of its soldiers, in fighting that was ongoing. France, meanwhile, said its anti-jihadist force in Mali had killed Yahia Djouadi, a "senior leader" of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) responsible for finance and logistics. Djouadi, an Algerian also known as Abu Ammar al-Jazairi, was killed overnight from February 25 to 26 around 160 kilometres (100 miles) north of Timbuktu, the French army said in a statement. He was killed by ground forces supported by a Tiger attack helicopter and two drones, it said. MINUSMA future Diplomats in New York last month said the future of MINUSMA, whose annual mandate comes up for renewal in June, may be compromised by recent developments in Mali. The military junta that seized power in Mali in August 2020 has embraced a partnership with Russia and fallen out with France, the country's traditional ally. As a result, France is pulling its forces out of the country as part of a major reconfiguration of its anti-jihadist operations in the Sahel. French forces have helped underpin MINUSMA's operations with air and medical support. Sweden last week announced that it would withdraw its 220 soldiers from Mali in 2023, a year earlier than usual. A Danish Hercules transporter that was to deploy with the UN peacekeeping mission in Mali will instead be earmarked for NATO duties. By Royal Danish Air Force Photo S Royal Danish Air Force Photo SAFP Earlier Monday, Denmark said that it would "delay" sending a C130 Hercules transport aircraft that had been scheduled to join MINUSMA on a deployment running from May to November. Instead, the plane will be retained in Denmark "so that it can be ready to respond to any request from NATO" in the light of the Ukraine crisis, Defence Minister Morten Bodskov told a press conference. Denmark has contributed to MINUSMA -- the Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali -- since 2014, committing a transporter to its operations three times, most recently in 2019. France is preparing to redeploy some 2,400 troops away from Mali to other jihadist-hit countries in the Sahel. The pullout is set to last six months, but during that time, "operations continue against armed terrorist groups, especially against the top leaders of Al-Qaeda, GSIM and the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) group," the army's statement in Paris said. The Office of the Speaker of Parliament has denied media reports that Speaker Alban Bagbin travelled to Dubai for medical review with his children. The Office of the Speaker in a statement stressed that Mr. Bagbin has never included his children in any of his trips. According to the statement, the travel expenses for Mr Bagbins trip to Dubai is in accordance with what is prescribed for the Speaker of Parliament long before he became Speaker, and also for analogous members of government such as the President, Vice President and the Chief Justice. It also added that the Speaker has no hand in the computation of his per diem and it is available as part of the official records of the state. 4. For purposes of clarity, the statement noted that Mr Bagbin traveled with the medical doctor in charge of Parliament Medical Centre, his spouse as carer and two other officials of Parliament as the least in practice. There is no advance party, no children, and certainly no other member on his entourage, the statement clarified. The Office of the Speaker said it finds it intriguing that the focus is on the Speakers travel and the efforts at exaggerating the cost, meanwhile, there is complete silence on the travels of other members of government, the frequency of which is far higher than that of the Speaker. Even within the hierarchy of Parliament, there are members of the leadership whose frequency of travel is far higher than that of Mr. Speaker. It is also on record that Rt. Hon. Bagbin, in his 14 months as Speaker, is the least travelled of all previous Speakers of Parliament within the same time frame, the statement said. The Office of the Speaker advised that any ill publication about Mr Bagbins travel is a political mischief and should be ignored and treated with the contempt they deserve. Source: Classfmonline.com Malaria is an old disease. Yet it continues to have devastating impacts on poor people, especially in Africa. To fight the disease, countries primarily use insecticide-treated bed nets to control the mosquitoes that transmit malaria parasites, or medicines to treat malaria patients. These measures have been highly effective over the years. But now they are threatened by mosquitoes resisting the insecticides, and parasites resisting the drug treatments. Malaria patients are currently treated using artemisinin combination therapy (ACT) . However, patients need timely and accurate diagnosis. This helps to ensure effective treatment and prevents wastage of expensive medicines. For this purpose, the World Health Organization (WHO) currently recommends either the use of microscopes by trained technicians, or rapid diagnostic tests. Microscopy has been practised for more than a century. It's generally very reliable for detecting and identifying specific malaria parasites. But it requires highly skilled experts, reliable equipment, and stable electricity as well as high-quality reagents. Providing these can be a challenge, especially in rural areas. Thus in 2010, WHO recommended that malaria-endemic countries should introduce rapid diagnostic tests in all healthcare facilities as the main diagnostic platform. This strategy has significantly enhanced malaria management by guiding appropriate medication. A more recent concern, however, is that parasites are becoming resistant to the methods used for malaria diagnosis. Current rapid diagnostic tests detect a specific parasite protein (HRP2) in the patient's blood. But evidence shows that malaria parasites in some locations have changed their genetic make-up so that they no longer produce this protein. This results in diagnostic resistance. Rapid diagnostic tests can't detect these changed parasites even in patients who are severely ill with malaria. This presents a major public health threat to malaria-endemic countries as well as the ongoing global elimination efforts. There are steps that can be taken to avoid a worst case scenario. These are: improving surveillance, responding quickly to diagnostic resistance, finding alternative diagnostic methods, and global and national cooperation. Status of diagnostic resistance Malaria parasites lacking the HRP2 protein have been detected globally . In countries in the Horn of Africa, notably Eritrea , the rapid diagnostic tests based on that protein missed 60%-80% of infections in 2016. Switching to a different test for two years resulted in a remarkable reduction to less than 42% . In Ethiopia, undetectable parasites now make up about 10% of all malaria infections . The new alternative tests are expensive, not readily available and are often less sensitive. Read more: The warning lights are on for malaria medicines in Africa Other African countries have also reported the presence of diagnostic resistance . The levels are still below the WHO thresholds required for changing the rapid diagnostic tests. This is good news for now. But changes can occur rapidly because undetectable parasites generally remain untreated and can continue spreading in communities. In Tanzania undetectable parasites have been reported sporadically. Preventing a worse problem There are four ways to deal with diagnostic resistance before it gets worse. First, intensified surveillance is highly recommended. All countries should use new molecular methods recommended by WHO to map the existence of parasites that don't produce HRP2 protein. Surveillance will enable health authorities to act on diagnostic resistance before it reaches unmanageable levels. The WHO is closely monitoring the status of diagnostic resistance globally. It has put forward guidelines on how and when countries need to investigate the incidents. Experts and reference laboratories with technical capacity for analysing the parasites have also been identified. Second, the national malaria control programmes in all countries should monitor the quality and performance of rapid diagnostic tests. If there are any suspicious reports or complaints, they should act immediately. Inability of tests to detect malaria infections results in untreated patients who can further spread the parasites. Third, where parasites with diagnostic resistance are known to be circulating, governments should provide management guidelines. Alternative diagnostic methods should be made available. These could be microscopy or another kind of rapid diagnostic test. Service providers should be made aware of the problem and what they can do about it. This will ensure suspected malaria patients with negative results are investigated and managed properly. The patients should be re-tested and reports should be submitted to local health authorities to ensure adequate monitoring of the situation. Finally, malaria programmes, research institutions and experts must work together to address this issue. It's especially urgent now when most countries are transitioning from the era of control to elimination. Scientists must look for new ways of detecting malaria parasites so that there are other options when the current tests are no longer useful. New methods and efforts to eliminate malaria by targeting mosquitoes and effectively treating patients to prevent onward transmission must be strengthened and scaled-up by all countries. The WHO and global community should support malaria-affected countries to strengthen their capacity to tackle this challenge. Catherine Bakari, a PhD student based at the National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR) in Tanzania, contributed to this article. Deus Ishengoma receives funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the World Health Organization, US President's Malaria Initiative, and the US National Institute of Health. Fredros Okumu receives funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Wellcome Trust, UK among others, By Deus Ishengoma, Principal Research Scientist, National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR) And Fredros Okumu, Director of Science, Ifakara Health Institute Nigeria's growing population of over 200 million people is facing an ever-growing fuel crisis despite its vast oil reserves . The shortage of refining capacity at existing oil refineries is the main driver of Nigeria's fuel crisis, which hampers the socio-economic development of the country. It places a high subsidy burden on the government and has long made Nigeria dependent on imported petroleum products. The country uses little renewable energy. The fuel crisis has also led to the proliferation of artisanal refineries in the oil-producing Niger Delta region, with huge environmental and health challenges . The recently signed Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021 aims to pave the way for increased investment in Nigeria's crude oil refining capacity. It also seeks to address the grievances of oil-producing communities: unemployment, lack of socio-economic development and environmental pollution. The Act made a provision for a less cumbersome process for granting operational licenses to investors in the downstream oil operation, which could increase investment interest in modular refineries. Recently, there has been increased interest from the Nigerian government's petroleum ministry in modular refineries as a means of addressing the deficit of petroleum products. Modular refineries are simplified crude oil refineries with capacities ranging from 1,000 to 30,000 barrels per day. They are well-suited for remote areas. Over 30 licences for modular refineries were issued in 2015 by the Department of Petroleum Resources (now Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission). But very few operate effectively , because of inconsistencies surrounding policy and regulations in Nigeria's investment space . There is however no clarity in the petroleum industry Act to remedy these inconsistencies. Currently, modular refineries are considered useful to help meet energy demand in the country. But in view of the global call for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, they are a short term solution. At the 2021 climate change conference in Glasgow, Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari pledged to achieve net zero emissions by 2060 . This would mean de-carbonising the oil and gas sector . Modular refineries as a solution The modular refinery technology has appeal on several fronts. It is simple and easy to replicate. These refineries can be constructed within 12 to 20 months. They can be built in phases at a low cost and provide flexibility for upgrades based on an investor's preference. They can pay for themselves in one to five years, depending on the type of refined products. Nigeria refines almost none of its own crude oil. The cost of importing refined petroleum products exceeded petroleum exports by US$43.56 billion in 2020 . If modular refineries reduced or eliminated fuel importation, they would save money spent on importation and subsidies and reduce pressure on foreign exchange. The refineries are normally sited close to oil production facilities. This creates opportunities for more Nigerian firms, which are the main players in the onshore marginal oil fields. Local people could be engaged in making, installing and operating the refineries. This would provide employment, which is much needed in the oil-bearing communities. The low technology requirement allows local engineers and technicians to participate. The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board , promotes local content in the oil and gas industries, has envisaged 70% of the fabrication activities within the modular refinery space will be done locally. The reduced pipeline network requirement has the potential to increase direct jobs in the form of truck drivers, sales support and other support services, which will be required to deliver the refined products to the last mile. The sector could also drive petrochemicals research and development in the local universities. Challenges Although modular refineries may help in meeting Nigeria's growing demand for petroleum products and have a number of other potential benefits, they bring challenges too. Policy and regulations: There is a lot of uncertainty and inconsistency surrounding policy and regulations in Nigeria's investment space. This has been blamed for a US$15 billion loss annually in foreign investments. This experience could discourage investors and may be the reason many modular refinery licences have expired . Social challenges: Lack of integration of the existing illegal artisan refineries into the mainstream of the modular refineries could create tension and result in oil theft and armed conflict. Read more: How young people in the Niger Delta are being left out of development Carbon emissions: Oil refining contributes about 5% to 10% to global total emissions. It could increase with the proliferation of modular refineries, which are less efficient than conventional refineries. Nigeria's emissions commitments might require the modular refinery operators to introduce greening technologies. Technical challenges: Premium motor spirit, or petrol, is the product in greatest demand in Nigeria. Making it in a modular refinery requires catalytic reformers and fluid catalytic cracking unit or hydro-cracker units. These units present most of the technical challenges in existing refineries in Nigeria. Solutions Some of the identified challenges could be addressed as a short term solution to the energy crisis. Steps might include: coordinating regulations to build investors' confidence incorporating existing local technologies artisanal refineries into the mainstream collaboration between the modular refinery operators and institutions of higher learning in the country to develop better catalysts. But the long term solution to the energy crisis would be to incorporate green technologies into modular refinery operations. This is important so as not to undermine Nigeria's efforts to de-carbonise the country. Another solution could be the use of renewable energy in the transport sector to reduce the demand for refined petroleum products. Chukwumerije Okereke receives funding from the French Development Agency (AFD), European Climate Foundation (ECF), Global Challenges Research Fund, UK, and World Resources Institute (WRI). Ogheneruona E. Diemuodeke receives funding from the DFID 9UK Government; GCFR (UK Government); Horizon (European Commission), and TetFund (Nigerian Government). Nnaemeka Vincent Emodi does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. By Nnaemeka Vincent Emodi, Research Fellow, The University of Queensland And Chukwumerije Okereke, Professor of Environment and Development, University of Reading And Ogheneruona E. Diemuodeke, Senior Lecturer, University of Port Harcourt The Ghana police service has today announced the involvement of two policemen in the bullion van robberies attack in the country since February 2021. The police in a statement said as part of investigations into the countless robbery attacks on bullion vans that occurred at Kingsway in February 2021, Baatsona Spintex in March 2021, Jamestown in June 2022 and the attempted robbery at the North Industrial Area in February 2022 the two policemen and others were found culpable. Subsequently, more investigations are being made and an announcement should follow once the police make a new breakthrough. See full details here. Sudanese security forces have raided the offices of an independent committee probing a 2019 crackdown in which more than 100 demonstrators were killed, the head of the inquiry said Monday. "The committee's offices have been taken over by security forces, who have allowed other civilian authorities to enter,' lawyer Nabil Adeeb said in a statement. Committee members were 'not allowed to retrieve the inquiry's material', he said. 'The committee has decided to stop its operations until after its offices have been evacuated by those who raided it. "We need to ensure that no documents have been tampered with, and conduct a security check to ensure there remains no equipment which could be used to reveal security secrets.' Last October, military chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan led a coup that derailed a fragile power-sharing arrangement between the army and civilians that had been painstakingly negotiated after the 2019 ouster of longtime autocrat Omar al-Bashir. This is the second such committee targeted since the coup, after a panel set up to recover wealth looted by the Bashir regime was suspended in November. Two panel members, accused of embezzlement by Burhan in the media, are behind bars awaiting formal charges. Pro-democracy activists have accused Burhan's new military administration of seeking to reinstall the security and political apparatus of the old regime. An initial investigation into the 2019 crackdown had incriminated the feared paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), commanded by General Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, Burhan's number two. The 2019 sit-in had initially demanded the removal of Bashir. After the autocrat stepped down in April of that year following months of demonstrations, protests continued to demand the transfer of power to civilian rule. On June 3, 2019, armed men in military fatigues violently dispersed a protest camp outside army headquarters. The crackdown left 128 people dead, according to medics linked to the protest movement. Later that year, civilian premier Abdalla Hamdok, who assumed power at the head of a transitional government, set up the investigation committee into the crackdown. The inquiry had yet to announce findings when Hamdok's civilian government was toppled last October. Protests are ongoing in the country to demand a return to civilian rule and justice for those killed in demonstrations, including at the June 2019 sit-in. 07.03.2022 LISTEN The Police in Accra have confirmed the arrest of one suspect in connection with the murder of a 42-year-old man at Ashalaja, near Amasaman. The gang is believed to have attacked the man identified as Joshua Lartey, the Oshipi of Ashalaja on Sunday, March 6, 2022. The now deceased was said to be on his way home when he was attacked by the gang and shot dead. Following preliminary investigations, the Police have succeeded in arresting one of the suspects and are in pursuit of the five others. The Accra Regional Police Command has arrested one suspect while pursuing five other suspects for the murder of a 42-year-old man identified as Joshua Lartey, the Oshipi of Ashalaja at Achiaman, near Amasaman yesterday, Sunday, March 6, 2022, a press release on the Facebook page of the Ghana Police Service has said. The five suspects include; Rashid Mohammed alias Gizzo, Brown Amoah Akwanor, Nii Obene, Ayitey Animle alias Asa Brother and Mushe Akwanor. The Police press release discloses that officers while acting on intelligence gathered, proceeded to the house of one of the suspects, Rashid Mohammed at Sowutoum but met his absence. A search conducted in the house led to the retrieval of two pump-action guns, one G3 weapon, one revolver, and one cap gun from a locked room. His wife, suspect Maradia Salihu who was in the house at the time has been arrested to assist in the investigations. As investigations continue, the general public is urged to provide information that may lead to the arrest of any of the suspects. 07.03.2022 LISTEN The Ghana Police Service has announced a major breakthrough in the ongoing investigations into the several bullion van attacks recorded in the country in the past year. In a press release issued and posted on the Facebook page of the security agencies, it says it has learned that two Police officers are involved. The Ghana Police Service, after several months of painstaking intelligence-led operations at the highest level, has made a major breakthrough in the investigations into multiple Bullion Van Robberies recorded in the Greater Accra area. Preliminary investigations have established the involvement of two policemen among a number of other suspects. The investigations are continuing and we expect to soon bring all culpable people to face justice, parts of the release from the Police read. The Police in the release, further assure the general public that they will continue to work hard to rid our country of criminal activities that disrupt the peace and stability of the nation. More information on the ongoing investigations will be released to the public in due course. Find more in the Police press release below: NATO which stands for North Treaty Trading Organisation established in 1946 after World War 2 to reintegrate global economy and scientific industrialisation which got setbacks as a result of the devastation cause by WW2, especially in Europe. Both WW1 and WW2 arise as a result of a hasty decisions taking by the power blocks or alliances. In the case of WW1 which started between Austro-Hungarian and Bosnia-Serb after Austro-Hungarian accused Bosnia-Serb of assassinating their heir in the persons of Archduke Franz Ferdinad and as result declare War on the Serbs. Prior to the WW1 there were two powerful blocks namely the Triple Entente which comprises of Russia, Britain and France and the other block known to be Triple Alliances comprises of Germany, Austro-Hungarian, and Italy. Russia who happens to be in one of the blocks came to the aid of the Serbs to fight Austro-Hungarian who happens to be member of the other block therefore forcing Germany to also declare their support to Austro-Hungarian, subsequently these actions rope in the remaining continent/ countries into the War as result of the block each country sympathise with. WW1 recorded casualties both military and civilians 9 million and 5 million respectively. Similarly, WW2 had the same pattern to that of the WW1 after Germany invaded Poland under the Nazis Regime led by Adolf Hitler. Germany was part of the Axis Alliances, on the other hand France and Great Britain who happens to be part of the Western Alliances came to the aid of Poland. This response from the Western Alliances led to clashes between the two blocks and further spread to the rest of the world as a result of block a country allied herself with. WW2 was more devastated than that of the WW1, the war recorded about 85 million casualties, and this resulted a greater setback in area of economic and scientific advancement. These two wars drew Europe backwards as a powerful continent and therefore the need to come out with a standardised military blocks apart from the various intergovernmental organisations such as the UN, European Union, African Union and the rest of the unions to prevent countries from having appetite of invading another sovereign country since the New block (NATO) would be more inclusive than the initial blocks form prior to WW1 and WW2. Countries within Eastern Europe led by Russia attempted to establish a rivalry military block in 1955 that is Warsaw Treaty, but this block could not survive after East Germany merge with west Germany to become Republic of Germany and later on joint NATO which has its membership beyond the boundaries of Europe, which comprises America and Canada. The establishment of NATO as a standardised military blocks has ensured a measurable amount of peace within the globe specially within Europe which happens to be prone War continent, though Russia attempted once again uniting Eastern Europe through the establishment of Soviet Union which could not survive because of lack of well establish structures and the ambitions of Russia to rely on this block to become most powerful country across the globe. NATO which was establish just aftermath of WW2 has 30 country members and per the organisation Treaty Article 5 attacking any member country means attacking the rest of the members and the organisation has a modality of coming to a country's aid, specially countries that are not being part of NATO even though in the past NATO had intervene in non-member countries like Libya civil war but a conclusive decision had to reach before any action is taking. The question I seek to sort in this article of mine is, are those asking for NATO to intervene in Russia-Ukraine war by calling for no flight zone within Ukraine air space or territory justifiable since most of them argued similar interventions were done in certain battles example Afghanistan, Libya, Syria etc The Russia-Ukraine war has seen a lot of calls from countries and some leaders for NATO To intervene by declaring Ukraine territory or air space as no-fly zone which means Russia Air flight can be gun down since most of the Russian attacks is launched through the air space in order to mitigate the death being recorded specially on part of Ukrainian innocent children and women. NATO has rather opted economy sanctions as a measure in compiling Russian oligarchy or billionaire and their citizens to force their president in the persons of Vladimir Putin to cease fire and rather go for diplomatic ways of settling their differences. The second stands taking by NATO which is led by America is the best measure considering the geopolitical nature of the globe in an event NATO led by America declares Ukraine territory as no flight zone area it would trigger other non-American Allied countries particular China and North Korean to poke their nose into the war which eventually might have a dire consequence to the peace of the world. NATO through its 30 member states and their Allied specially within Eastern European countries like Finland and Czech Republic together with other continent must continue to distance themselves from having any international relations with Russia as a country and these measures would compile Russia through her leadership Putin to go for other options to ensure world peace. Other non-military blocks such as the UN which has 193 members of which Russia happens to be part had also taken some Stance of distancing itself from Russian and this was seen on 4th March 2022 in one of their diplomatic foreign meetings when it got the turn for Russian Foreign ministers to give a speech the entire reps within the conference hall walk out. MICHAEL YIRAN On Monday, the Supreme Court sided with Bill Cosby by upholding a Pennsylvania courts decision to toss out the iconic comedians conviction on sex assault charges against Andrea Constand in 2018 because of due process rights violations. The high court, without comment, declined to review a decision out of Pennsylvania that released Cosby from prison in June 2021 over the word of a former prosecutor who said he had made a secret promise to Cosbys lawyers that their client would never be charged. Advertisement A spokesperson for Cosby, Andrew Wyatt, expressed sincere gratitude to the justices on behalf of Cosby and his family for the announcement and said he was the victim of a reprehensible bait and switch by the district attorney and judge in the case. The 84-year-old Cosby, according to Wyatt, remains in good health despite being legally blind. Many people are calling for projects for him, and he is considering a final standup tour, Wyatt said. Advertisement [ Bill Cosby asks Supreme Court not to reopen sexual assault case ] District Attorney Kevin Steele in Pennsylvanias Montgomery County said that asking the high court to revive the case was the right thing to do, even if it was a long shot. He thanked accuser Andrea Constand for her courage and wished her well. Constand and her lawyers, in a statement, called the decision an unfortunate outcome for everyone, especially sexual assault survivors. They noted that the existence of the agreement or promise was vigorously disputed in the (court) habeas proceedings, and determined by the trial judge not to exist. Actor and comedian Bill Cosby returns to the courtroom after a break with his spokesman Andrew Wyatt at the Montgomery County Courthouse, during his sexual assault trial sentencing in Norristown, Pennsylvania, U.S. September 24, 2018. (POOL/Getty Images) Cosby was arrested in the Constand case on Dec. 30, 2015, days before the 12-year statute of limitations expired, in which she accused him of drugging and assaulting her at his home in January 2004. He was convicted in 2018 and sentenced to up to 10 years in prison. He spent nearly three years behind bars before Pennsylvanias high court ordered his release because his rights had been violated. [ Cosby freed after court tosses sex conviction ] Scores of women have come forward to say Cosby also sexually assaulted them, but Constands case is the only one that led to an arrest. Against Cosbys wishes, his insurer settled a Massachusetts lawsuit involving seven accusers for an undisclosed amount after the 2018 conviction. At least two other lawsuits remain pending against the actor. With News Wire Services The Ghana High Commission in South Africa on Sunday, 6th March 2022 embarked on a health walk to commemorate Ghana's 65th Independence anniversary. The event saw hundreds of participants take off from the premises of the mission and meandered through the street of Arcadia in Pretoria. The health walk brought together Ghanaian associations, business organizations and fitness instructors. Addressing the Ghanaian citizens in South Africa, Ghana's High Commissioner to the Republic of South Africa, His Excellency, Charles Owiredu stated that the health walk is to create awareness of Ghana's 65th independence anniversary. "The coronavirus pandemic has brought many restrictions such as social distance, lockdown and many so the mission decided to organize a health walk to announce to the public that today is Ghana's birthday, we are celebrating our 65th Independence anniversary," Mr. Charles Owiredu stated. He also underscored the significance of such activities to the total well being of an individual and called on Ghanaians to make their health a priority. The theme for this year's Independence anniversary is "working together, bouncing back better". The former Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration of Ghana reiterated the commitment of the government of Ghana to the welfare of Ghanaians abroad. "The establishment of a Diaspora Affairs Directorate at the Office of the President in Jubilee House shows the government's commitment to partner with Ghanaians in the Diaspora to move the country forward," The High Commissioner indicated. 07.03.2022 LISTEN The Concerned Youth of Amasaman Constituency (COYOAMAC) on Monday, March 7, 2022, called off its scheduled demonstration. On February 24, 2022, the group served notice of plans to picket today to express displeasure at the government for closing down the tollbooth at Kpobiman. Following a crunch meeting with opinion leaders "within Amasaman" COYOAMAC pulled out of the demonstration at the last minute. The youth in the latest press release signed by its President Abroni Thomas stresses that it will continue to oppose the Electronic Transaction Levy (E-Levy). To get people on board, the group says it will organise a forum at Amasaman market on June 4 to rally others to oppose the new levy. We have, however, decided to embark on a forum at Amasaman Market, come June 4th, 2022, where we shall publicly educate and galvanize the support of the ordinary Ghanaian against the NOTORIOUS E-LEVY. COYOAMAC will not stop until the right thing is done, and until this insensitive NOTORIOUS E-LEVY meet an unfortunate and unceremonious demise, the press release reads in parts. Below is a copy of the press release: For Immediate Release 7th March, 2022 SUSPENSION OF PICKETING AND SUBMISION OF PETITION. Concerned Youth of Amasaman Constituency would like, as a matter of urgency, to inform the general public on its decision to suspend, its scheduled activity on the above topic. This decision was necessitated after a crunch meeting with opinion leaders "within Amasaman" who intimated to us of their intent to call upon the Honorable MP for Amasaman to rescind on his position, previously professed on the NOTORIOUS E-LEVY. COYOAMAC still stand firm, on its decision and will not relent in anyway, whatsoever, in frustrating every attempt to syphone money from the ordinary Ghanaian.-through the NOTORIOUS E-LEVY, not even our MP. We have however, decided to embark on a forum at Amasaman Market, come June 4th, 2022, where we shall publicly educate and galvanize the support of the ordinary Ghanaian against the NOTORIOUS E-LEVY. COYOAMAC will not stop until the right thing is done, and until this insensitive NOTORIOUS E-LEVY meet an unfortunate and unceremonious demise. Thomas Abroni. (DJ YOGO). President (COYOAMAC) Abroni Thomas (DJ YOGO) PRESIDENT, (COYOAMAC) Moultrie, GA (31768) Today A few clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 65F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight A few clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 65F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Reverend Terry Garrett, in his 64th year, Surrendered his Soul Tuesday from Tulsa. His Sacred Farewell, 10:00 AM, April 30, 2022, Worship Community Center, and until then, he will rest in Oak Hill Cemetery, Talladega, Alabama. biglowfunerals.com Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of living in a bubble and called for dialogue to end the Russian invasion. In an exclusive interview with ABC News airing Monday, Zelenskyy suggested Putin is surrounded by yes men and lacks accurate information about the war in Ukraine. Advertisement President Putin needs to start the dialogues and stop living in the informational bubble without oxygen, Zelenskyy told anchor David Muir. He is in this bubble. ... You dont know how realistic that information is that hes getting. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky gestures as he speaks during a press conference in Kyiv, Ukraine on March 3, 2022. (SERGEI SUPINSKY/AFP via Getty Images) Zelenskyy did offer a glimmer of hope when asked about Russian demands that Ukraine declares that it will not join the European Union or NATO and grant independence to two breakaway regions and the Crimea, which Russia grabbed in 2014. Advertisement Even as he trashed the new statements as an ultimatum from the Kremlin, Zelenskyy said Ukraine has its own possible resolutions to the three issues. This is another ultimatum, and we are not prepared for ultimatums, said Zelenskyy, who wore an olive-green military-style outfit. But we have possible resolutions for these three items, key items. The Kremlin has announced its demands for ending the war in Ukraine: -Ukraine must change its constitution to guarantee it won't join any "blocs", i.e. NATO + EU. -Must recognise Crimea as part of Russia. -Must recognise the eastern separatist regions as independent. Patrick Reevell (@Reevellp) March 7, 2022 Despite the brutal invasion, some analysts say Russia and Ukraine are not necessarily far apart on the three key disputes. Ukraine was not expected to join NATO anytime soon, and Russia has been in de facto control of parts of the eastern Donbas region for years, along with Crimea. Zelenskyy has won wide praise for his tough-talking interviews given from undisclosed hideouts in the beleaguered capital of Kyiv. The former TV actor has refused offers by the U.S. and other allies to evacuate him, preferring to stay and lead his nations struggle to rebuff the Russian invasion. Firefighters with Horry County and Conway fire departments were battling a 3-acre outdoor fire on Highway 90 near East Cox Ferry Road Monday afternoon. Highway 90 is shut down in the area. Horry County Fire Rescue spokesman Tony Casey said the call came in at 3:23 p.m. A shed was heavily damaged, along with multiple vehicles and tractors. No injuries have been reported, he said. However, the fire still isnt contained, and Casey said its unclear when the fire will be put out and the highway reopened. People in the area should expect to see smoke, he added. The cause of the fire is undetermined at this time. Horry County is currently under a burn ban and on Sunday, the South Carolina Forestry Commission issued a statewide Red Flag Fire Alert, effective 6 a.m. Monday. The state forestry commission issues red flag alerts when weather conditions cause an elevated risk of wildfire, and noted that most forecasts throughout the state were calling for higher-than-normal winds and wind gusts. The commission said in a news release that it recorded 106 wildfires that burned more than 1,500 acres between Thursday and Saturday, adding that there were more wildfires in the first three months of 2022 than last fiscal year of July 2020 through June 2021. Check back for updates. A Cook County judge has found the director of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services in contempt for the fifth and sixth time this year for housing two girls in locked psychiatric facilities unnecessarily. Director Marc Smith faced four previous contempt citations for failing to place children in proper homes in violation of court orders. Each of the six contempt citations included a $1,000 a day fine for Smith. After being found in contempt, the agency found placement for three of the children and the initial contempt citations were purged and the fines waived. In one case, the girl was readmitted to the hospital. In the latest cases, Cook County Judge Patrick T. Murphy held Smith in contempt on Thursday for failing to comply with court orders to move two girls out of locked psychiatric facilities. In one case, an 11-year-old girl has been ready for discharge since April 30. She remains in the psychiatric hospital more than 300 days later. The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services determined the girl needs a residential placement, but failed to move her there. Murphy ordered the girl to be removed from the hospital in February and put into a residential placement, but she remained there. In the other case, a 15-year-old girl was held in a psychiatric hospital. She was ready for discharge on Dec. 6. The state department recommended a specialized foster home, but despite a court order on Jan. 27, the girl remained at the hospital. The judge ordered another $1,000 a day fine in these cases but stayed them until Wednesday. Cook County Public Guardian Charles Golbert said finding a state agency director in contempt of court is rare. A Department of Children and Family Services placement shortage crisis has become so extreme, he added, that for the first time in more than 30 years that Golbert has been practicing in juvenile court, the court created a special docket for kids stuck in locked psychiatric hospitals. This docket has become known as the placement crisis docket and is sometimes also referred to as the stuck kids call', Golbert said in statement. Smith appeared before a House Human Services Appropriations Committee on Thursday and answered pointed questions about the contempt citations. Rep. Kathleen Willis, D-Addison, challenged Smiths assertion that kids were being moved out of improper placements quickly. You're not placing them very quickly. OK. You will not be held in contempt of court if you were placing them very quickly, she said. These are cases that are languishing for months that are waiting, so why are we not being proactive, knowing that these children are going to be released from psychiatric care. And what's holding it up? Why does it wait until an order of contempt of court gets placed on you to suddenly go quickly on this? Smith countered that 20 kids held in psychiatric hospitals beyond medical necessity are being placed in proper placements every month. He also said parents place their children with DCFS because they are unable to access mental health resources for their children. I appreciate that we have a judge who is trying to use what authority and power he has to impact change, Smith said. But it is really a partnership that we are offering. I'm willing and able to do the work that we're doing for this and to address this issue aggressively. The truth of the matter is, this is a universal issue that we all have to work on taking the lead, but this is an ongoing community-based issue. And that's falling into our system. Rep. Rita Mayfield, D-Waukegan, also questioned Smith about the death of Damari Perry, who lived in Mayfields district. Perry, 6, was found dead in an alley in Gary, Indiana. Damari was taken into the states care in 2015, but was returned to his mothers care, along with his siblings, two years later. Two subsequent abuse allegations were received by Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, including an allegation that the mother wrote a note threatening to harm Damari. On Dec. 29, prosecutors said Damari was punished with a shower in cold water. He vomited, went unresponsive and later died. Jannie Perry, the boys mother, and two siblings face charges in connection with his death. Since Damaris death, two other children have died after the Department of Children and Family Services received allegations that they were abused. Sophia Faye Davis, 1, of Dawson died on Feb. 8 after a visitation with her father. Her fathers girlfriend, Cierra Coker, is facing charges of aggravated battery of a child and first-degree murder. Cassy Needham, the childs mother, took the child to a hospital a month earlier after she discovered Sophia had injuries, including a broken arm, after a visit with the childs father and Coker. Zaraz Walker, 7 months, of Bloomington was reported missing on Feb. 12. Kimberlee Burton, Zarazs mother, told relatives the child had died while sleeping with her and she had left Zarazs body in a Bloomington cemetery. The babys remains were not found. Burton had previously been investigated for abuse and neglect related to her other four children. At the time of Zarazs disappearance, the Department of Children and Family Services had an open case but could not find Burton. Burton is being held on $250,000 bond on a felony charge of concealment of a death related to Zaraz. She also faces child endangerment charges for leaving her 5- and 6-year-old children alone. The fourth child lives elsewhere and has been determined to be safe. Legislators questioned agency heads about an audit that found the state agency did not make timely determinations of whether reports of child abuse and neglect were credible. Under the law, it has 60 days to make those findings. I have a lack of confidence in DCFS in your current administration, and your leadership abilities over there, Mayfield said. So I have some problems. Mayfield said her time on the human services appropriations committee has featured several conversations about Department of Children and Family Services funding and needed reforms. Every year, you guys come back and ask for more money. You tell us the same stories that you're going to hire more case managers. You're going to address these issues and nothing happens. Your budget is one of the largest budgets in the state of Illinois, and we're just not getting our money's worth. These are taxpayer dollars, Mayfield said. On her first day working for the Jacksonville Area Museum and the MacMurray Foundation, McKenna Servis discovered an original signature of one of the 20th centurys most influential Americans. I was given the collection of a MacMurray student to process, and it included her weekly letters home to her parents, Servis said. During the summer, the student went to work in Washington, D.C., for the FBI, and my first day on the job I discovered several original J. Edgar Hoover letters that had been in her folder, confirming that she had worked for the FBI over the summer. Servis first day on the job as an intern last summer now has turned into the position of museum manager, the first paid employee of the new Jacksonville Area Museum. Servis oversees the day-to-day operations of the museum, curates its collections, and helps to develop exhibits and programs. She also works for the MacMurray Foundation as part of her duties and oversees the preservation and interpretation of the former colleges collections. The Hoover letters arent the only discovery that Servis has made at the museum. I stumbled upon an original William Jennings Bryan signature in the museums collection, Servis said. It was a letter to Richard Yates saying that he could not come to one of the Yates gatherings. Bryan and Yates are such a big deal at Illinois College, and there I am, holding something that they have touched. Illinois College is special to Servis, 22, because she is a senior there and plans to graduate in May with a double major in political science and history and a concentration in public history. She wants to pursue a masters degree in public history, possibly at the University of Illinois Springfield, all while continuing to work at the museum. Servis is a Petersburg native and PORTA High School graduate who decided to attend Illinois College because it was close to home and had a small-community feel to it. She applied for an internship through the college at Lincolns New Salem State Historic Site and that experience convinced Servis that public history is what she wants to do as a career. I was always in period clothing, out in the village interpreting but also learning hands-on demonstrations, Servis said. I learned how to make rope, cook over a fire, all sorts of skills from the 1830s. I eventually learned how to blacksmith but I didnt take to it as quickly as I took to other some things, it was just a lot more complicated, plus it was summer and it was just too hot. The most enjoyable thing was learning how to dye wool and what they would use, anything from onion skins to bugs to create fabric dyes, Servis said. Watching visitors react to us as we did things from the 1830s was really cool. More Information If you have a suggestion about someone who should be profiled, send their name and any contact information available to communitynews@myjournalcourier.com. See More Collapse Servis was offered a summer job at New Salem following her internship, and that confirmed she was on the right career path. She also continues to serve on the New Salem Lincoln League board. It reaffirmed that not only do I have an interest in this, but I was good at it, Servis said. Being able to be good at something that you love to do was my a-ha moment. About a year ago Servis learned that the Jacksonville Area Museum was looking for summer interns as the institution geared up for its fall opening. There were several applicants for the two paid internships, and Servis had to go through an interview process to determine if she was the right fit. The interview process was nerve-racking, I had to write a statement of purpose, send in my resume, then I was interviewed through Zoom by three board members, Servis said. Im still here so I think I did well. Servis and fellow Illinois College student Timothy Blackwell spent the summer helping the museum board get the institution ready for its public opening. The hands-on experience of actually putting a museum together is a chance that I will probably never have again, Servis said. We had a lot of freedom and felt like the board trusted us. We had confidence in our choices because of the freedom we were allowed to have. Servis also experienced the often chaotic preparations it takes to open a new museum while working alongside an all-volunteer board. I think the only thing that screamed we are run by volunteers was the behind-the-scenes work of us frantically trying to get everything together, Servis said. But what we all did together is incredible, and the public knows that. Servis internship ended in August and she was retained by the MacMurray Foundation on a part-time basis to help organize the massive amount of material from the closed college that is being housed at the Jacksonville Area Museum. Several months later, Servis learned that the museum and the MacMurray Foundation intended to hire a museum manager to run the institution, and that she was being strongly considered for the post. Several interviews and board meetings later, Servis was hired as the museum manager. She started on Jan. 2. I dont know if there is a word for how I feel, it almost seems unreal that I am involved in something that is so important to Jacksonvilles history, Servis said. It makes my many late nights here all worth it. Servis is the person who usually greets museum visitors but she also is busy behind the scenes, processing and organizing the museum and MacMurray Foundation collections. She has started to enter those collections into a Past Perfect museum collection software database and has organized the artifacts and materials to make them easier to locate and preserve. Servis also is working with board members to develop expanded Capps Clothing and William Jennings Bryan exhibits. Servis family has been just as invested in the museum as I have; they were here before and after the museum opened, Servis said, adding that she hopes to remain in Jacksonville for a while after shes finished with her education. Jacksonville Police ARRESTS, CITATIONS Hope L. Seward, 23, of 616 N. West St. was arrested at 9:09 p.m. Saturday on a charge of endangering the life or health of a child after being accused of failing to provide an infant with proper medical care. Sarah R. Parker, 33, of 519 Myrtle St. was arrested at 7:16 p.m. Saturday on a charge of criminal trespassing to a residence after being accused of entering a house in the first block of Fairway View Drive without permission. Jerret B. Belford, 18, of 1464 Matson Road was arrested at 12:26 a.m. Sunday on a driving under the influence charge after being stopped in the 400 block of South Clay Avenue. ACCIDENTS Prince A. Stevenson, 57, of Jacksonville was cited on a charge of operating an uninsured vehicle after the car he was driving and one being driven by Rachel E, Hinkle, 36, of Auburn collided at 12:34 p.m. Saturday at North Main Street and Morton Avenue. THEFTS, BURGLARIES A package was taken from the porch of a residence in the 1900 block of Plum Street about 11 a.m. Wednesday, according to a report filed at 11:30 a.m. Friday. A trampoline that was believed to have been stolen from a residence in the 1000 block of Hackett Avenue was found at 11:03 p.m. Saturday. It appears it was blown away by the wind. OTHER REPORTS Two juveniles were struck by unknown objects, likely from an air gun, by someone driving by in the 1200 block of South Main Street at 2:04 p.m. Saturday. Police are investigating a report that someone punched out a car window and hit a person inside in the 1000 block of West Morton Avenue about 7:45 p.m. Friday. Police are investigating a report that someone punched a person in the face in the 600 block of East Chambers Street about 10 p.m. Friday. A man was taken to his house after being found asleep on the sidewalk on South Central Park Plaza at 12:09 a.m. Saturday. A counterfeit $100 bill was used to buy merchandise at a business in the 200 block of East Morton Avenue about 4:20 p.m. Friday. Compiled by David C.L. Bauer Ukainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks to the press in the town of Bucha, northwest of the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, on April 4, 2022. (Ronaldo Schemidt/Getty-AFP) LVIV, Ukraine The humanitarian crisis in Ukraine deepened Monday as Russian forces intensified their shelling and food, water, heat and medicine grew increasingly scarce, in what the country condemned as a medieval-style siege by Moscow to batter it into submission. A third round of talks between the two sides ended with a top Ukrainian official saying there had been minor, unspecified progress toward establishing safe corridors that would allow civilians to escape the fighting. Russias chief negotiator said he expects those corridors to start operating Tuesday. Advertisement But that remained to be seen, given the failure of previous attempts to lead civilians to safety amid the biggest ground war in Europe since World War II. Well into the second week of the invasion, with Russian troops making significant advances in southern Ukraine but stalled in some other regions, a top U.S. official said multiple countries were discussing whether to provide the warplanes that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been pleading for. Advertisement A Ukrainian police officer runs while holding a child as the artillery echoes nearby, while fleeing Irpin on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, March 7, 2022. (Emilio Morenatti/AP) Russian President Vladimir Putins forces continued to pummel cities with rockets, and fierce fighting raged in places. In the face of the bombardments, Zelenskyy said Ukrainian forces were showing unprecedented courage. The problem is that for one soldier of Ukraine, we have 10 Russian soldiers, and for one Ukrainian tank, we have 50 Russian tanks, Zelenskyy told ABC News in an interview that aired Monday night. He noted that the gap in forces was diminishing and that even if Russian forces come into all our cities, they will be met with an insurgency. In one of the most desperate cities, the encircled southern port of Mariupol, an estimated 200,000 people nearly half the population of 430,000 were hoping to flee, and Red Cross officials waited to hear when a corridor would be established. The city is short on water, food and power, and cellphone networks are down. Stores have been looted as residents search for essential goods. Police moved through the city, advising people to remain in shelters until they heard official messages broadcast over loudspeakers to evacuate. Hospitals in Mariupol are facing severe shortages of antibiotics and painkillers, and doctors performed some emergency procedures without them. The lack of phone service left anxious citizens approaching strangers to ask if they knew relatives living in other parts of the city and whether they were safe. In the capital, Kyiv, soldiers and volunteers have built hundreds of checkpoints to protect the city of nearly 4 million, often using sandbags, stacked tires and spiked cables. Some barricades looked significant, with heavy concrete slabs and sandbags piled more than two stories high, while others appeared more haphazard, with hundreds of books used to weigh down stacks of tires. Advertisement Every house, every street, every checkpoint, we will fight to the death if necessary, said Mayor Vitali Klitschko. In Kharkiv, Ukraines second-largest city, with 1.4 million people, heavy shelling slammed into apartment buildings. I think it struck the fourth floor under us, Dmitry Sedorenko said from his Kharkiv hospital bed. Immediately, everything started burning and falling apart. When the floor collapsed beneath him, he crawled out through the third story, past the bodies of some of his neighbors. Klitschko reported that fierce battles continued in the Kyiv region, notably around Bucha, Hostomel, Vorzel and Irpin. In the Irpin area, which has been cut off from electricity, water and heat for three days, witnesses saw at least three tanks and said Russian soldiers were seizing houses and cars. A few miles away, in the small town of Horenka, where shelling reduced one area to ashes and shards of glass, rescuers and residents picked through the ruins as chickens pecked around them. Advertisement What are they doing? rescue worker Vasyl Oksak asked of the Russian attackers. There were two little kids and two elderly people living here. Come in and see what they have done. In the south, Russian forces also continued their offensive in Mykolaiv, opening fire on the Black Sea shipbuilding center of a half-million people, according to Ukraines military. Rescuers said they were putting out fires caused by rocket attacks in residential areas. At The Hague, Netherlands, Ukraine pleaded with the International Court of Justice to order a halt to Russias invasion, saying Moscow is committing widespread war crimes. Russia is resorting to tactics reminiscent of medieval siege warfare, encircling cities, cutting off escape routes and pounding the civilian population with heavy ordnance, said Jonathan Gimblett, a member of Ukraines legal team. Russia snubbed the court proceedings, leaving its seats in the Great Hall of Justice empty. Efforts to set up safe passage for civilians over the weekend fell apart amid continued Russian shelling. Before Mondays talks began, Russia announced a new plan, saying civilians would be allowed to leave Kyiv, Mariupol, Kharkiv and Sumy. Advertisement But many of the evacuation routes headed toward Russia or its ally Belarus, which has served as a launch pad for the invasion. Ukraine instead proposed eight routes allowing civilians to travel to western regions of the country where there is no shelling. People cross an improvised path under a destroyed bridge while fleeing the town of Irpin close to Kyiv, Ukraine, March 7, 2022. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP) Later, Russias U.N. Ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, told the U.N. Security Council that Russia would carry out a cease-fire Tuesday morning and appeared to suggest that humanitarian corridors leading away from Kyiv, Mariupol, Sumy and Chernigov could give people choice in where they want to go. The U.N. humanitarian chief, Undersecretary-General Martin Griffiths, addressed the Security Council and urged safe passage for people to go in the direction they choose. Zelenskyys office would not comment on the Russian proposal, saying only that Moscows plans can be believed only if a safe evacuation begins. The office said Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk planned to make a statement on the issue Tuesday morning. The battle for Mariupol is crucial because its capture could allow Moscow to establish a land corridor to Crimea, which Russia seized from Ukraine in 2014. The fighting has sent energy prices surging worldwide and stocks plummeting, and threatens t he food supply and livelihoods of people around the globe who rely on crops farmed in the fertile Black Sea region. Advertisement The U.N. human rights office reported 406 confirmed civilian deaths but said the real number is much higher. The invasion has also sent 1.7 million people fleeing Ukraine. On Monday, Moscow again announced a series of demands to stop the invasion, including that Ukraine recognize Crimea as part of Russia and recognize the eastern regions controlled by Moscow-supported separatist fighters as independent. It also insisted that Ukraine change its constitution to guarantee it wont join international bodies like NATO and the EU. Ukraine has already rejected those demands. Zelenskyy has called for more punitive measures against Russia, including a global boycott of its oil exports, which are key to its economy. If (Russia) doesnt want to abide by civilized rules, then they shouldnt receive goods and services from civilization, he said in a video address. Breaking News As it happens Get updates on the coronavirus pandemic and other news as it happens with our free breaking news email alerts. > He has also asked for more warplanes. Deputy U.S. Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said officials are trying to see whether this is possible and doable. While the West has been rushing weapons to Ukraine such as anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles, some officials fear that sending warplanes could be seen by Moscow as direct involvement in the war. Advertisement One possible scenario under discussion: Former Soviet bloc nations that are now NATO members could send Ukraine their own Soviet-era MiGs, which Ukrainian pilots are trained to fly, and the U.S. would then replace those countries aircraft with American-made F-16s. Russias invasion has nearby countries terrified the war could spread to them. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken began a lightning visit to the Baltic states of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, former Soviet republics that are NATO members. Blinken hoped to reassure them of the alliances protection. NATO has shown no interest in sending troops into the country and has rejected Zelenskyys pleas to establish a no-fly zone for fear of triggering a wider war. Associated Press reporters from around the world contributed to this report. A new study has determined the Amazon rainforest is approaching a tipping point of die-off, wherein the region will be irreversibly changed into a savanna. More than 75% of the rainforest has shown signs of dieback in the last two decades, according to the study published in Nature Climate Change. Advertisement Deforestation and climate change are likely the main drivers of this decline, Technical University of Munich professor and study co-author Niklas Boers said. An officials from Para State, northern Brazil, inspects a deforested area in the Amazon rain forest during surveillance in the municipality of Pacaja, 620 km from the capital Belem, on September 22, 2021. (EVARISTO SA/AFP via Getty Images) The researchers found that satellite images of the rainforest showed that bigger and bigger parts of the biome were no longer fully recovering from fires and drought, with areas closer to human activity seeing the biggest losses of resilience. Advertisement The rainforest can look more or less the same, yet it can be losing resilience making it slower to recover from a major event like a drought, University of Exeters Tim Lenton, another co-author, said. Its unknown how much more damage the rainforest can take before the environ is permanently altered. The Amazon rainforest is a highly complex system, so its very difficult to predict if and when a tipping point could be reached, University of Exeters Chris Boulton, the studys lead author, said. Many researchers have theorized that a tipping point could be reached, but our study provides vital empirical evidence that we are approaching that threshold, Boers said. Many interlinked factors including droughts, fires, deforestation, degradation and climate change could combine to reduce resilience and trigger the crossing of a tipping point in the Amazon. The Amazon is home to about 25% of Earths biodiversity and is a primary trapper of carbon dioxide, meaning the losses in the region will have global impacts. Previous studies said dieback could occur early in the next century, but could accelerate even faster if greenhouse gas emissions did not slow down. 3 1 of 3 Provided by DPS Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Texas Department of Public Safety Show More Show Less 3 of 3 The reward has been increased for a man from Swisher County on the Texas 10 Most Wanted Fugitive list. James Mark Bishop of Tulia was last arrested in 2020 for continuous assault of a child and indecency with a child. He has been wanted since July 2021 when the Tulia Police Department issued two warrants for those offences. The Texas County Sheriffs Office in Oklahoma also issued a warrant to revoke his probation for five counts of knowingly downloading child pornography, according to a news release from the Texas Department of Public Safety. Courtesy of CVS Health CVS Health, the health care company behind the over 9,900 pharmacy stores across the U.S., is investing $15.3 million into a Northside affordable housing development in San Antonio. The company is teaming up with Indiana-based developer Pedcor Investments and San Antonio Housing Trust to fund the 312-unit Crosswind Apartments to be located at 4114 N Loop 1604 East, according to a news release. Crosswind Apartments will feature 13 three-story residential buildings that will have one-, two-, and three-bedroom units. Every week, we explore a different Texas ghost story or venture into the unknown. This week, we tackle San Antonio's famous haunted house, Gillespie Mansion. RELATED: A flying creature has spooked the South Texas area for decades The gruesome story surrounding the stately looking Gillespie Mansion, once a dwelling in San Antonio's North West side, is at its core a classic haunted house tale. Depending on where you zoom in, it also sets the scene of a cheesy '80s horror movie. More for you Halloween costumes under $30 that don't suck In the years somewhere between John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan, Gillespie, popularly known by the folkloric and not so P.C. moniker "midget mansion," was a late-night destination for San Antonio teens looking to trespass, drink their parents Lone Stars and experience brushes with the paranormal. The site is said to be haunted, a result of the violent murders that happened there. Maybe this isn't the first time you've heard this San Antonio story, maybe you're one of the ones whose visited the site before. In the 1920's the grand house on a hill is said to have been purchased by a Navy Captain stationed in nearby Galveston, Texas. After a short time, he and his family jumped ship (nautical speak for moved out). The occupants that replaced the military family at the residence, the Gillespies, were said to be wealthy as a result of the father's earnings from a career in Hollywood. The husband and wife duo were distinct, and known throughout the community for their unconventionally short stature. Some sources say Mr. Gillespie even adapted the interiors of the massive home to have shorter ceilings, counters and door handles to accommodate their size. All was well, that is, until one dark evening. One night, the story goes, the father of the family returned home in a boiling rage. With his anger stemming from pitfalls in his business career approaching the depression, or mistreatment from the outside world, it is said he grabbed the nearest knife and violently slit the throats of his wife and two daughters. Other versions claim he shot his loved ones, one by one, each with a single bullet. He stuffed their bodies in the nearest closet and sealed it shut. After finishing, he quietly retired to the master bedroom, where he ended his own life with a bullet to the brain. Neighbors, noticing something was awry, eventually notified the authorities. Mr Gillespie of Gillespie manor was found laying in a pool of his own blood. In the years following the incident, new homeowners reported sounds of scratching and moaning, particularly from the house's second story. In the 70s, reports of satanic teen murders clung to Gillespie Mansions legacy. In a 2009 MySA story, spinning the greatest hits of various San Antonio Ghost Stories, the late UTSA folklorist Rhett Rushing says that no one can really tell if this story is true or not. "There's no documentation that this ever happened. What we do know is up through the 1970s, it was a place where teenagers would come and dare each other to go to the house," Rushing definitively states. Sifting through newspaper records from this era, I was unable to find any reports of the murder. On a whim, I reached out to the San Antonio Office of Preservation, to see if they had any information on the stately home. Still, nothing. As with all ghost stories, the lack of material evidence doesn't necessarily mean the horrific eve didn't happen, as archives are not fully complete. And sometimes, stories are stories for a reason. Even if fake, the horror of the incident has already burrowed itself in the city's collective memory. The legend of it all doesn't exactly beg to be disturbed. Facebook groups dedicated to the site are filled with writings of the fond and spooky memories of the Boomer generation that once poked around the ruins and crumbling pillars of the haunted Greek Revivalist home. Deborah Moore Wolff used to work at the Mama's Cafe off I-10. Sometimes, she would visit the ruinous mansion after she would get off a shift late at night. "I would go by myself. I felt it was special and I felt peace, even though it was burnt down," Wolff tells mySA. She would also often visit the site to explore the grounds with her younger brother. She alleges the grounds were spooky, but very inviting. As a young woman, she took the photo featured above. The exact address of the manor is disputed, though absolutely cemented in the city's North West side, near the Medical Center. The coordinates are said to be either off Callaghan and I-10, at the Preston Peak Apartments, which can be found at 4114 Medical Drive in San Antonio, Texas, or at 8139 Donore Place. Flickr/Chester Paul Sgroi In a Facebook post, one user reported paranormal occurrences at the Preston Peak Apartments, where they identified as a resident. All these years later, my guess is that this story is still in the San Antonio airwaves because of so many peoples shared histories exploring the grounds. However, something about the violent and grotesque nature of the tale, and the association with decrepit buildings with decrepit spirits, likely plays into a morbid curiosity. RELATED: Tales of Texas Ghosts: The spirits of the historic Menger Hotel "It's something we can't control. We can't control what happens after death, and we don't know. It gives us a teaser, a taste of the afterlife," says Rushing from the grave in the 2009 MySA story. "Human beings think in stories. That's how we order the world around us. Humans can't stand chaos. As long as there have been people, we make a story to explain the chaos, the things we don't understand." In local TV news, a few names will automatically pop in your head when you think of a certain station. When it comes to the KENS 5 weather team, Bill Taylor is usually one of the first for me. As a San Antonio native I watched local newscasts religiously, so I am pretty familiar with local TV personalities, especially the ones considered staples of the TV business. Taylor is definitely one of them. If you're not from San Antonio or new to the area, a quick Google search of Bill Taylor may land you researching another Bill Taylor, the former ambassador of the United States to Ukraine. So to avoid the confusion, let me explain why the "real" Bill Taylor has been named "Best Meteorologist" for a few years now. READ ALSO: KENS-5 meteorologist Bill Taylor transforms into Mother Ginger in 'The Nutcracker' Taylor's curiosity of weather peaked during a meteorology class while studying at McNeese State in Lake Charles, Louisiana. "Being from New Jersey and recently moving to South Louisiana, I noticed very quickly how much more important the weather is in that region of the country. It was hardly a story in the northeast, but in the south different story," Taylor said. He knew a few people at a NBC affiliate KPLC in Lake Charles, so Taylor auditioned for a part-time weekend weather job. While working, Taylor received his degree in communications but his interest in weather continued to grow. He decided to study meteorology at Mississippi State University. "Once beginning to learn the science, I wanted more and more," he said. "Its one of those subjects that becomes more and more interesting as you go." While continuing his studies, Taylor got a job at NBC affiliate WFSA in Montgomery, Alabama. It wasn't long before his passion for meteorology led him to KENS 5, where he has served viewers for nearly 25 years. When weather breaks in San Antonio, residents turn to local meteorologists like Taylor for coverage. So what happens behind the scenes during severe weather? "I first make sure Im in touch with the LIVE National Weather Service Chatroom. A great resource with area emergency managers and seasoned government meteorologists on what is happening," Taylor explained. "Then its time to make sure were getting information out via crawls and live updates on KENS 5 before then setting up a continuous-live broadcast on Facebook and YouTube from our KENS 5 Digital Center." Back in the day, viewers would get severe weather alerts through a TV bulletin or a live cut-in. Now it's changed with social media and smartphones. You can get urgent weather coverage or even a daily forecast straight to your phone. "We have additional platforms available to get life-saving information out to viewers and followers sooner! And we have the ability to go deeper," Taylor said. The weather chief produces segments every weeknight at 9 p.m. on Facebook Live, which have become great forums of discussion. "It's not just the daily forecast but the science of meteorology," he said. "We have the ability to interact with the viewer, answer questions personally something we could never really do in television." Taylor shares another important piece of information on social media the pollen count which he says has evolved over the years. His creativity flourished with the use of a chalkboard. READ ALSO: Former KENS 5 daytime host gets candid about life after leaving San Antonio "I first noticed our chalkboard swine on the door of our home pantry and thought pollen pig Im a big fan of alliteration. Then it just went over to pollen pet when my daughter suggested I use her cute little pug Theo," Taylor said. "Now Im using photos of viewers and social media followers pets. It's been a real treat to see so many beautiful dogs, cats, goats, pigs and even miniature ponies." Another platform you might see Taylor on? TikTok. He made his TikTok debut last year with his daughters, even gaining some praise on social media by his fellow colleague Jeff Brady. "He's a slave to the rhythm," Brady joked on Twitter. Predicting the rhythms of San Antonio weather isn't easy, and getting it 100 percent right can be tough. Though it's easy to become jaded by the forecast (we ARE still waiting for some rain around these parts), Taylor takes his predictions to heart. If it's Taylor's forecast specifically, he says he will gladly explain to viewers what led to inaccuracies. "If someone wants, and has a moment for a serious answer, I first explain that meteorology remains an imperfect science. Our computer model forecasting system is better than ever before," he said. "But there will be the occasional moment when nature will humble mankind and show us the unexpected." As San Antonians know first-hand, mother nature can give us catastrophic weather events, like the February winter storm. The nature of the storm even stunned Taylor, who knew a major weather event was coming. "Whenever we near the end of summer, and get into the first few weeks of fall, a very-popular question is whether or not were expecting a cold winter," Taylor said. "And the other popular question, 'do you think well get snow this winter?'" Based on La Nina weather pattern, Taylor said he would answer those questions with answers like, no it should be a mild winter with little chance of seeing snow. But then he says came the February polar vortex the likes we haven't seen in 40 years. "A really big piece of humble pie from Mother Nature!" he said. "And as rare as it was it could most-definitely happen again." While viewers are likely to find Taylor in front of weather map on TV, he "dragged" his way onto another stage. READ ALSO: 'It was a total surprise:' KENS5 morning anchor Sarah Forgany expecting her first child Taylor played Mother Ginger in a performance of The Nutcracker at the Tobin Center. "What a great time in drag! Just to be on stage with such phenomenal talent was a privilege," he said. Though he's quite open with his viewers the rapport is unmatched he keeps a tender side. "I think the secret side is my softness. Raising three girls has definitely softened my heart." Taylor admits waterworks are possible if theres an emotional moment in a movie, show or even commercial. "Im watering-up fast!" he joked. It's Taylor's kind heart that has led him to head one of the most recognizable charity programs, Bill's Elves. After noticing thousands of children in the Child Protective Service program were not experiencing the gift-giving and cheer of the holiday season, KENS 5 management decided to do something. More than 15 years later, Bills Elves continues to spread the love and joy of the holiday season. "Im so grateful for the generosity of South Texas," he said. "And for me to be alongside the unconditional love people pour into children, they dont even know, is such a blessing!" Another blessing Taylor is grateful for is being able to so many thing right here in the Alamo City. "When I have moments when Im thinking about how fortunate I am, it really warms my heart," he said. "To have the opportunity to do this for so long, in fact its 25 years this December, I have always felt that is award enough." Richard W. Rodriguez, FRE / Associated Press With nominees set for the Texas governor election this November, both candidates are making the rounds to make sure their voices are heard. The Hill Country is no exception. Democratic nominee Beto O'Rourke is holding a town hall at Johnson City Coffee Co. from 2 to 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 12 for his "People of Texas" campaign. Johnson City Coffee Co. is located at 108 W Main Street Suite 82, Johnson City, TX 78636. Bexar County Sheriff's Office Bexar County officials are searching for a suspect or suspects who shot and killed a horse overnight on January 11 in the far Southeast Side of San Antonio. The owner of the horse, Conejo, called the Bexar County Sheriff's Office after finding the animal dead. According to a Monday, March 7 BCSO Facebook post, the owner had last seen Conejo alive when he fed him the night before. However, in the morning, he found Conejo had been shot and killed in the 1800 block of FM 1937. Firefighters work to extinguish a fire after an airstrike hit a tire shop in Lviv, Ukraine, Monday, April 18, 2022. Russian missiles hit the city of Lviv in western Ukraine on Monday, killing at least six people, Ukrainian officials said, as Moscow's troops stepped up strikes on infrastructure in preparation for an all-out assault on the east. (Mykola Tys/AP) The U.S. is moving to investigate possible war crimes Russian forces have committed during their brutal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations said Sunday. Russian forces have reportedly bombed hospitals, kindergartens and orphanages, and the civilian death toll has been rapidly increasing since the invasion began on Feb. 24, though the exact number is not known. Advertisement An apartment building damaged following a shelling on the town of Irpin, 26 kilometers west of Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, March 4, 2022. (Oleksandr Ratushniak/AP) Any attack on civilians is a war crime, Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said on ABCs This Week. And were working with our partners to collect and provide information on this so that we can investigate this and have it ready in the event that war crimes are brought before this government. Russian President Vladimir Putin (Andrei Gorshkov/AP) An attempt to evacuate Ukrainians along a humanitarian corridor from the southern city of Lviv was halted on Sunday due to the ongoing assault, according to Ukrainian Interior Ministry Adviser Anton Gerashchenko. Advertisement After imposing severe sanctions on Russia, Greenfield-Thomas said, the U.S. was weighing additional measures. In this photo taken from UNTV video, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield addresses an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council on Ukraine to deplore Russia's actions toward the country and plead for diplomacy, Wednesday Feb. 23, 2022, at U.N. headquarters. (United Nations/AP) Were continuing to discuss with European colleagues how we can impose more sanctions and ensure that theyre felt by the Russian people, she said. With News Wire Services Kin Man Hui /Staff photographer After a weekend-long fundraiser in support of the Ukranian Army by local Ukrainian-run bakery Laika Cheesecakes, the small business revealed they raised over $72,000 in donations and revenue from San Antonians looking to extend their support to the war-torn nation. After extensive local coverage, even CNN picked up the story over the weekend. During the three-day-long even from February 25 to February 27, thousands of people stood in a line spanning several blocks to make a purchase or donation at the tiny brick-and-mortar. Every dollar spent by patrons that weekend went toward a special account of the National Bank of Ukraine to help bolster the efforts of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The bakery is still accumulating donations, locally and nationally. (Natural News) Democrats are cheering on the Ukrainians in their war against Russia following the invasion of Vladimir Putins troops last week. In particular, Democrats as are most Republicans tout Ukrainians sense of pride and nationalism, noting that they are standing up and fighting for their country in a way that is truly inspiring. In addition, Democrats cheered when news broke that the Ukrainian national government as well as many local leaders were passing out fully automatic rifles to their citizens and encouraging them to use those firearms to defend their homes. If only these same Democrats felt that way about their own citizens Americans who are equally prideful and proud of their country instead of holding them up for ridicule, derision, mistrust and disdain. If only these same Democrats revered our Second Amendment the way they revere Ukrainians taking up arms in self-defense. One of the most fascinating developments over the past week has been watching political pundits and social commentators celebrate virtues in Ukraine, from armed resistance to national loyalty, that are frequently criticized in America, Delano Squires writes in an op-ed published this week at The Blaze. My sense is that the ruling class assumes our citizens would have the same response to a hostile foreign invasion. They may be right, but the biblical principle of sowing and reaping suggests a very different outcome, Squires added. He went on to cite a tweet from taxpayer-subsidized NPR which referenced the war in Ukraine and suggested ways Americans bothered by it could cope. Russias attack on Ukraine means theres a stressful news cycle ahead of us. The reality of conflict is always a shock to the system. Here are 5 ways to cope, the ridiculous tweet said. Squires noted: The entire thread was completely on-brand for NPR, from the thumbnail illustration of an androgynous person of color laying in the fetal position to the language of personal therapy emanating from the subsequent tweets. It was an easy alley-oop for the conservatives on Twitter who shared the post to the followers, but the post was an important snapshot of the character traits being cultivated in our society. Specifically, Americans are too pampered, too shielded, and too unaccustomed to the bona fides of the world in which we live that many most? have a distorted and unrealistic view and thus would legitimately be unable to handle a similar situation facing Ukraine. And worse, our people have been programmed to behave like that following decades of successive left-wing attacks on the American psyche and social fabric. Everything is an issue. Every word has to be measured to ensure it doesnt hurt anyones feelings. Feelings even those of a tiny minority have become far more important than the constitutional guarantees of free speech and expression. The left has decreed normal male behavior to be toxic masculinity that has to be subdued and bred out of our culture. There are plenty of LGBTQ heroes but none who demonstrate the traits of manhood or womanhood inherent in humans for the past two millennia. And so on. We have become a fragile nation increasingly unable to deal with the realities of life. The 2016 election of Donald Trump made this crystal clear. Colleges across the country offered students play dough, coloring books, hot chocolate, and bubbles to cope with the stress of an election outcome, Squires continued. Previous generations of young men between 18 and 22 stormed the beaches of Normandy, fought the Viet Cong in Da Nang, and were beaten during Freedom Rides for civil rights in America. Early adulthood now is characterized by safe spaces and comfort animals, he adds. In conclusion, Squires drives the point home that over the years, the left has painted America as a crappy, vile place that literally no one would want to fight and die for to everyones detriment. A country that promotes national alienation, paints masculinity as inherently toxic, and rewards fragility, neuroses, and anxiety is in no position to fight external battles. It must first address the corrosion that is occurring within its borders. Its hard to envision bravery from people who crumble under the weight of microaggressions or go into a state of panic when they see someone without a piece of cloth covering their nose and mouth, he wrote. War creates a fog for those in it, but it is clarifying for people fortunate enough to live in peace. Sources include: TheBlaze.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) Hungary, one of Europes most grain-rich countries, is halting all grain exports effective immediately. Just hours after Russia announced a ban on fertilizer exports, Hungary dropped a bomb on the world with this decision, which is expected to send already record-high wheat prices even higher. Zero Hedge is warning that the entire world should now expect wheat prices to double over the next few weeks as it becomes clearer what is actually happening to the global food supply. Our suggestion: buy flour, rice, barley and any other grains you can now, rather than waiting one month to buy them because you have to, its editors wrote. Turkey, Egypt and Tunisia are almost entirely reliant on Russia and Ukraine for their wheat imports. It turns out that both Russia and Ukraine are also cutting off grain exports for the time being. Some expect an Arab Spring-style food crisis to emerge in North Africa unless the Russia-Ukraine crisis gets resolved. Since Russias counter-sanctions have cut off fertilizer to much of the world, there will likely be a food crisis everywhere, it is important to note. Worse still, natural gas is required in the manufacturing process for most nitrogen/fertilizer products so the recent surge in European NatGas prices to record highs will only exacerbate the cost of fertilizer from any halt from Russia, Zero Hedge further warned. And with wheat prices already at all-time highs, all hell is about to break loose not only among food producers, but soon in your local grocery store once U.S. consumers realize that food prices are about to double, triple and x-ple more. Is the global food system about to collapse? This is a serious situation, to say the least. Many people, if not most, do not recognize how the globalization of everything has created an interdependence where if one piece falls out of place, the entire thing collapses. A handful of Eastern European countries, along with Russia, supply much of the grain, energy and fertilizer that the rest of the world needs in order to survive. And this latest kerfuffle in Ukraine is essentially pulling the plug on the supply chain of all those things. Since the entire world is now a Zenga tower, all it takes is a few blocks being pulled to take the whole thing down. Or if you are familiar with the house of cards concept, think Russia, Ukraine and Hungary as being among the lower cards that hold the whole thing up. Two years plague, then war, then famine, wrote someone at Zero Hedge, the plague being the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) plandemic and the war and famine being what we are now facing with the Russia-Ukraine debacle. Its like theyre following some kind of script. Theater of war, theater of courts, theater of politics. The script is the Bible, responded someone else. It tells you what comes next, and it aint pretty. For the true people of God, someone else responded to the second response, it is going to be glorious. Ever wonder how all those folks could be signing praises while lions were tearing them apart? Theres truth in that stuff when its allowed to take root. Another person simply quoted scripture from Romans 8: For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. To keep up with the latest news about the escalating global food crisis, visit Collapse.news. Sources include: ZeroHedge.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) An unapologetic medical dictatorship took full control in the United States just two years ago, when Federal Coronavirus Task Force leader, Mike Pence, gave National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Director Dr. Anthony Fauci full authority to restrict the population by edict. Under the Fauci-led medical dictatorship, discriminate lockdowns were issued, travel restrictions were imposed, civil liberties were threatened, individuals were unlawfully detained, private businesses were shuttered and prison-like social distancing edicts were woven into the fabric of everyday life, destroying livelihoods and abusing childrens minds and bodies. But the mental abuse and physical restrictions were only the beginning, as government agencies and government authorities conspired with pharmaceutical companies, medical device manufacturers and diagnostics companies to impose harmful medical experiments, bio-surveillance and unlawful detainment on the population. During this coercive process of racketeering and abuse, dozens of efficacious treatments were withheld, the information quashed. Todays running COVID-19 death toll represents, to a large extent, an atrocious level of compounding medical error, malpractice and wrongful death. The state medical boards followed suit with this medical dictatorship, proclaiming that there are no approved treatments for flu-like symptoms and viral infections that were suddenly all being coded as COVID-19. The hospitals went along with the no-treatment plan, putting people on ventilators early on and separating family members, while administering drugs that cause organ damage. Doctors who spoke out and treated patients early on were ultimately persecuted, their communication channels shut down, their licenses threatened. Dr. Meryl Nass stands up to the medical tyranny, spreads truth about the government withholding treatments Dr. Meryl Nass, an internal medicine specialist with 40 years of experience, is one of several doctors being persecuted for successfully treating patients with ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), among other efficacious solutions. The Maine medical boards claim that Dr. Nass is spreading COVID-19 misinformation for the simple act of treating patients successfully early on. The medical boards ordered Dr. Nass to undergo a psychological examination. She is currently speaking about the abuse, how the government suppressed effective COVID treatments and targeted physicians who prescribed them. One of the first treatments to be ignored was chloroquine. The medical community knew about the effectiveness of chloroquine for treating severe acute respiratory syndrome, because it was used successfully during the 2003 SARS epidemic and the 2012 MERS outbreaks. The CDC had previously concluded that chloroquine has strong antiviral effects on SARS-COV infection, suggesting both prophylactic and therapeutic advantage. Fauci himself knew about the drugs effectiveness against SARS back in 2014, when the NIAID concluded that the drug was safe and effective. That NIAID study actually found 66 different drugs to be effective at inhibiting SARS and/or MERS in vitro. In 2020 and beyond, the NIH, the FDA and the CDC refuse to acknowledge the safety and effectiveness of chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine, ivermectin and a host of other anti-viral medicines. In 2020, treatment options became political weapons. Hydroxychloroquine was suppressed in the media and in the hospitals to attack the sitting president, who recommended its use. Meanwhile, as HCQ was politically demonized, patients suffered and died on mindless hospital protocol that profited from fraudulent COVID-19 diagnosis, unethical non-treatment, hasty non-nutritive care, unwarranted family separation, faithlessness and deadly ventilator use. Furthermore, because the government withheld treatments, the federal health agencies were able to push through emergency use authorization for experimental COVID-19 vaccines. In short, an untold amount of people were not properly treated in 2020. These people were essentially left to die because of the coercion that was used to quash treatments and push faulty vaccines into existence. A centralized medical authority is the greatest threat to public health Dr. Nass is committed to preserving the doctor-patient relationship to help her patients access both hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin another drug which has been proven to inhibit the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein from binding to ACE2 receptors in human tissue. However, the Maine Board of Licensure in Medicine is currently targeting Dr. Nass for causing vaccine hesitancy and prescribing the two medicines (even though it is perfectly legal for doctors to prescribe off-label drugs). The board wrote that Dr. Nass can no longer practice medicine because doing so constitutes an immediate jeopardy to the health and physical safety of the public who might receive her medical services, and that it is necessary to immediately suspend her ability to practice medicine in order to adequately respond to this risk. A centralized medical authority, which demands blind obedience of doctors and medical professionals and beholden to pharmaceutical racketeering and global vaccine experiments, is not only the greatest source of misinformation. IT IS the greatest threat to public health. This is one of the main reasons why the national emergency remains in place. The hospitals enjoy immunity from liability if the COVID-19 emergency is continually upheld. This permits perpetual medical malfeasance and deception, with no recourse, accountability or justice. Sources include: WND.com NaturalNews.com 1 NaturalNews.com 2 (Natural News) The Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) plandemic would seem to be on its last legs throughout much of the world, except in Hong Kong where the government is launching another wave of testing to keep the case numbers as high as possible. According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), Hong Kong is planning to hold a large-scale lockdown in second half of March that will follow another round of aggressive and mandatory testing in the coming days. Since we already know that PCR tests are fraudulent, the inevitable outcome of this testing drive will be another manufactured casedemic. The SCMP is already calling all of this a fifth wave since it is fully known that the predetermined outcome will be many more false positives. These false positives will of course do what they are intended to do: scare more people into believing that the Fauci Flu is still a threat and that masking and vaccinating are still necessary to mitigate that threat. Hong Kong is on the verge of another lockdown The government of Hong Kong wants to compress the testing period from a planned 15 or 21 days to just nine days. During that condensed window, all residents will be required to undergo three tests as part of the mass testing requirement. The mass testing is expected to start after the middle of this month, and a large-scale lockdown will be imposed during the period, a source familiar with the matter is quoted as saying. We are still deliberating different scales of lockdown. Exemptions will be granted for personnel responsible for maintaining essential services. During the lockdown, Hong Kongs stock market is expected to remain open. However, many other non-essential things such as workplaces are being asked to close during that time. The only people exempt from the mass testing requirement are frontline medical staff, those who work in disciplined services, journalists and staff at care homes and financial institutions. Residents will be allowed [out] to buy food and medical supplies, but we are still considering different options, such as whether residents are only allowed to buy food in supermarkets or if takeaway is allowed, a second source is quoted as saying. But the latter option would mean some restaurants may still need to open. Since the start of what the government of Hong Kong is also calling a fifth wave, an estimated 1.7 million people have caught COVID. This wave is expected to peak in the coming week or so with roughly 183,000 infections per day, though officials say that they have only been able to confirm about 35,000 infections per day so far. Daily deaths are projected to peak around 156 per day in mid-March for a total of 4,546 by the end of April, assuming nothing major changes between now and then. Therefore, if compulsory universal testing (CUT) were to be implemented pursuant to the dynamic zero COVID policy, it should be deployed towards mid- to late-April when case numbers are anticipated to already be at very low levels in order to maximize its utility in achieving true elimination, or zero COVID,' researchers say. Chief Secretary John Lee Ka-chiu basically admitted that a lockdown is coming for Hong Kong, though the details of it have not yet been announced. We absolutely understand that citizens are eager to know the details, he said. We also know that we must inform everyone ahead of time so that they can make preparations. The government will definitely do our best in ensuring supplies of food and daily necessities, so everyone should not worry about it. At this moment, Hong Kong has sufficient supplies. More of the latest news about the plandemic can be found at Pandemic.news. Sources include: SCMP.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) While most Americans watching the conflict unfold in Ukraine following the invasion of more than 100,000 Russian troops last week, most no doubt believe they are doing so in the comfort of believing they are aloof from the consequences. But thats not necessarily true, according to the head of U.S. Strategic Command (STRATCOM), the division of the U.S. military responsible for Americas nuclear deterrence and response. STRATCOM head Adm. Charles Richard noted this week that it has become vitally important for the U.S. to develop the capacity to defend itself against both Russia and China at the same time in what appears to be a revival of the Cold War-era two-front strategy of fighting and winning two major wars at the same time. Today, we face two nuclear-capable near-peers who have the capability to unilaterally escalate a conflict to any level of violence in any domain worldwide, with any instrument of national power, and that is historically significant, Richard told the House Armed Services Committee on March 1, The Epoch Times reported. He went on to highlight the fact that while the need to deter both countries simultaneously had only risen to the level of a major concern by April 2021, today it has now become a reality. That need is now an imperative, Richard said in a dire tone. The outlet reported further: In April 2021, he told lawmakers at another congressional hearing that the United States for the first time in history was on a trajectory to face two nuclear-capable, strategic peer adversaries at the same time. Months later, he said the United States was witnessing a strategic breakout by China, adding that the Chinese regimes explosive growth and modernization of its nuclear and conventional forces was breathtaking. Last fall, I formally reported to the secretary of defense, the PRCs [Peoples Republic of China] strategic breakout, Richard said. Their expansion and modernization in 2021 alone is breathtaking. Make no mistake; Chinas strategic breakout is cause for action, he said during a speech at the Space and Missile Defense Symposium in Alabama in August. What matters is they are building the capability to execute any plausible nuclear employment strategy, the last brick in the wall of a military capable of coercion, Richard said, going on to reference Chinas rapidly advancing hypersonic capability, which is developing to a point where current U.S. missile defenses may not be sufficient to detect and track them. In 2019, the PRC [Peoples Republic of China] test-launched more ballistic missiles than the rest of the world combined, he said. China has an active nuclear weapons testing program, Richard continued, citing a new tunnel being built at Chinas nuclear testing site known as Lop Nur. You add all this up and what you get is something that is inconsistent with a minimum deterrence posture, said Richard, noting that for decades Chinas strategy was only to maintain a nuclear stockpile sufficient enough to deter an attack. The four-star admiral also said what Chinese officials say in denying their programs is meaningless. Youve got to look at what they do, not what they say, he said. The breathtaking growth in strategic nuclear capability enables China to change their posture and their strategy. In November, the Pentagon warned that China could deploy as many as 1,000 deliverable nuclear missiles by 2030. And thus far, Beijings military has not toned down in its pursuit of hypersonic weapons, Gen. Glen VanHerck, head of the U.S. Northern Command, said. Theyre aggressively pursuing hypersonic capability, tenfold to what we have done as far as testing within the last year or so, significantly outpacing us with their capabilities, he said at the hearing this week. As for current U.S. military capabilities, Richard expressed optimism. I am satisfied with the posture of my forces. I have made no recommendations to make any changes, he said. The nations nuclear command and control is in its most defended, most resilient lineup that its ever been in its history. The world is getting more dangerous, and having a doddering, demented old man as our president is contributing. Sources include: TheEpochTimes.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) In an industry dominated by pesticides and synthetic products, traditional farming offers an alternative approach to protecting crops and the soil. It provides sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges, such as biodiversity loss and land degradation, without relying on harmful industrial methods. Here are seven indigenous practices that promote sustainability in agriculture: 1. Thai rotational cropping The Hin Lad Nai community in the Chiang Rai Province in northern Thailand restores degraded soil through crop rotation, or the planting of different kinds of crops sequentially on the same plot of land. After periods of cultivation, community members plant the indigenous Pdav tree in degraded land. Used commonly for soil regeneration, Pdav wards off invasive weeds and grows rapidly. In just a few years, it starts shedding its leaves, which enriches the soil by keeping it cool. The trees fruit also provides fodder for domestic animals while its flowers are favored by bees and other pollinators. And after five years, the tree can be felled for firewood and the land farmed productively again. 2. Iroquois intercropping Intercropping is the simultaneous cultivation of two or more crops on the same plot of land. Farmers commonly intercrop corns, beans and squash the three sisters a practice that is attributed to the Iroquois people in the southern Great Lakes in what is now the U.S. and Canada. The crops complement each other in many ways. Corn acts as a pole for the beans to climb around while beans fix nitrogen in the soil so the other plants can take it up. Squash, on the other hand, has big leaves that shade the soil to prevent evaporation and weed growth. It also has spiny leaves that discourage pests from entering the area. In addition, the crops rarely fall prey to the same diseases since each plant belongs to a different family. 3. Aboriginal controlled-burning practices Aboriginal communities in the Kimberley region in Western Australia manage wildfires by lighting small fires in targeted areas at the start of the dry season. The slow-burning fires reduce fuel loads in the undergrowth and create fire breaks, which prevent the spread of large wildfires. This fire management method has been proven effective. For instance, when European colonizers drove Aborigines from their land long ago, large and uncontrolled wildfires started to break out late in the dry season, destroying ecosystems and affecting farmland. 4. African drought-resistant planting Decades ago, the small West African nation of Burkina Faso revived a traditional farming technique called zai after a series of severe droughts. The technique involves planting in holes dug into the soil and filled with organic matter such as crop waste and manure. The technique increases termite activity in the soil, which consequently retains more moisture when the occasional rain comes. Stone bunds built around the pits also slow water runoff. (Related: Ancient crops may hold the key to sustainable farming, improving soil health.) Since then, farmers have been planting in zai pits to combat drought. Some even established a network of zai schools to share their knowledge and train other farmers. 5. Maori seed-saving protocols The Maori people of New Zealand are currently working with organizations to prevent the extinction of plant species by turning to their traditional collection protocols. This comes after a wind-borne fungus hit New Zealand in 2017. Known as myrtle rust, the fungus blighted species in the myrtle plant family, threatening to obliterate around 50 percent of the countrys native trees and plants. Communities are now trying to save the affected species by collecting seeds under the guidance of Maori, whose traditional knowledge systems provide a good basis of which infected trees are the best to gather seeds from. Traditional farming is a clean approach to planting that offers sustainable ways to protect crops and the soil, working with the natural environment and weather patterns. Given the harmful effects of agrochemicals on health and the environment, its important to find solutions like the ones listed here to address farming challenges sustainably. Learn more about sustainable farming practices at OrganicFarming.news. Sources include: Resilience.org Britannica.org PermacultureNews.org (Natural News) President Biden on Tuesday announced a new Test to Treat initiative during his State of the Union address which will allow Americans who test positive for COVID-19 at a pharmacy to obtain free antiviral pills on the spot. (Article by Megan Redshaw republished from ChildrensHealthDefense.org) Biden said the new initiative is a ??key part of a revamped national strategy to return the country to normal. But what he didnt say is that the initiative is also a windfall for pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer and Merck. Pfizer stands to make $54 billion in sales from its vaccine and antiviral COVID pill, Paxlovid. Merck expects to make up to $7 billion in profits from molnupiravir, a drug whose research and development was funded by taxpayers. Biden said he ordered millions of pills from Pfizer, paid for by U.S. tax dollars, to allow them to be passed out for free. If you get Covid-19, the Pfizer pill reduces your chances of ending up in the hospital by 90%, Biden said. Ive ordered more pills than anyone in the world has. Pfizer is working overtime to get us a million pills this month and more than double that next month. The federal government in June 2021 signed a $1.2 billion contract with Merck for 1.7 million courses of molnupiravir, even though the experimental treatment was still in clinical trials. Merck on Feb. 8 announced a new contract, showing the government upped its commitment, agreeing to purchase 3.1 million courses of the drug, with the option to purchase more. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for both Paxlovid and molnupiravir antiviral oral treatments used to treat mild or moderate COVID. A White House official, who preferred to remain anonymous, told The New York Times hundreds of one-stop shops in March will open across the U.S. in retail locations including CVS, Walgreens and Kroger, with plans to grow the program over time. The Test to Treat Initiative will also include new actions to educate the public about the availability of new treatments and the importance of starting them soon after the onset of symptoms, provide information to health care providers about these new treatments and distribute antiviral pills directly to long-term care facilities, the official said. Reacting to Bidens State of the Union address, Dr. Meryl Nass, a physician and member of the Childrens Health Defense (CHD) scientific advisory committee tweeted: 1/2 Biden just promised that people could get a test at a drugstore and if positive, they could get a ($700) medicine for free to treat their COVID. Meaning Pfizers or Mercks drugs; the USG bought plenty of each. MERYL NASS, MD (@NassMeryl) March 2, 2022 Nass also expressed concern Bidens plan allows people to bypass medical doctors, who are tasked with warning patients about the risks of these genotoxic drugs. 2/2 Think about this. Biden promises if COVID positive you get treated free, without a doctor. Without a learned intermediary to warn you about the risks of the Mercks genotoxicity drug that can cause mutations. Ongoing demolition of medicine MERYL NASS, MD (@NassMeryl) March 2, 2022 Dr. Madhava Setty, senior science editor at The Defender, said the Biden administrations test-to-treat plan is an audacious attempt to undermine the doctor-patient relationship. Are physicians going to let our government directly treat patients at so-called one-stop shops with yet-to-be-approved agents? Setty asked. Not for long. Setty said: Doctors care deeply about their patients health. Once we as physicians take an open look at the breadth of this overreach we will put up stiff resistance. Despite the erosion of trust the public has for the medical system, people still trust doctors opinions more than the bureaucrats who are openly colluding with Big Pharma. This plan will backfire in our governments face for all to see. The presidents test-to-treat scheme will result in the continued widespread use of rapid tests. The indiscriminate use of these imperfect diagnostic tools has been shown by the FDAs own analysis to do one thing: exaggerate case counts and prolong a pandemic that is, by all accounts, over. This is a desperate attempt to squeeze yet more taxpayer money into the pockets of the Pharmaceutical cartel while exposing millions of people to the unknown risk of their unapproved products. The Defender in January published an in-depth analysis of the repercussions of the widespread use of rapid antigen tests. Setty continued: With testing and treatment made readily available to the public, we should expect that there will be many who choose to participate simply for reassurance. This will inevitably lead to the needless testing of the asymptomatic and will extend this pandemic nightmare. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., CHD chairman and chief legal counsel, told The Defender taxpayers are paying billions for vaccines that dont work, they get COVID anyway and then they pay billions more for an inferior treatment. Pfizer is getting fat while Americans get sicker and poorer, Kennedy said. The president needs to stop listening to Pharma lobbyists and advisors and do his own research on public health. Experts express concerns over molnupiravir Mercks molnupiravir, sold under the brand name Lagevrio and developed with Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, is an antiviral medication that inhibits the replication of certain RNA viruses, including SARS CoV-2. As The Defender reported in December, when Merck filed for EUA of molnupiravir, its study suggested the drug reduced the risk of hospitalization by 50%. But updated data showed only a 30% reduction in hospitalizations among additional participants. Many members of the FDAs advisory committee at the time weighed the risks and benefits of a drug, with several committee members recommending Mercks EUA be revisited and potentially withdrawn if another treatment becomes available later. Dr. Sankar Swaminathan, physician, professor and chief of infectious diseases at the University of Utah, voted against granting EUA to Mercks drug. Swaminathan said more research was needed on how the drug will affect human DNA and the potential for it to cause birth defects. ??Dr. James Hildreth, president and CEO of Meharry Medical College and member of Bidens COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force, expressed concerns about mutant variants escaping, telling the panel: Even if the probability is very low, 1 in 10,000 or 100,000, that this drug would induce an escape mutant from which the vaccines we have do not cover, that could be catastrophic for the whole world actually. Dr. William Haseltine, a virologist formerly at Harvard University, told the publication Science: You are putting a drug into circulation that is a potent mutagen at a time when we are deeply concerned about new variants. I cant imagine doing anything more dangerous. If I were trying to create a new and more dangerous virus in humans, I would feed a subclinical dose [of molnupiravir] to people infected. Nass said even if molnupiravir reduced hospitalizations by 30%, it is less useful than monoclonal antibodies and works nowhere near as well as multiple other drugs for COVID. Nass said molnupiravirs mechanism of action is inducing mutations in viruses, but maybe in us too, as postulated by several FDA committee members. Its simply another dangerous drug that will help the federal health agencies look like they are doing something while doing nothing to curtail the pandemic, Nass said. And because it is being authorized, instead of being licensed, anyone injured by the drug cannot sue for damages and is unlikely to collect any benefits. Ivermectin shown to be superior, less expensive Studies have shown the safety and efficacy of inexpensive drugs, such as oral hydroxychloroquine and povidone-iodine throat spray and ivermectin and doxycycline monotherapy, for treating COVID. According to a study on Cornell Universitys preprint website, researchers used computational analyses to evaluate the performance of 10 medications against the Omicron variant. They found ivermectin outperformed all of them, including Pfizers Paxlovid which cost taxpayers $5.29 billion and costs $529 per course of treatment. In other words, Pfizers billion-dollar drug received EUA despite the availability of a similar drug proven to be more effective and which is cheaper. Ivermectin has been shown to reduce the viral load by inhibiting replication, reduce infection by 86% when used preventively, reduce recovery time, protect against organ damage, lower the risk of hospitalization and death. It costs between $48 and $95 for a course of treatment depending on location. Ivermectin is also exponentially cheaper than molnupiravir, but due to generic drug substitution rules at pharmacies, Merck which also manufactures ivermectin could spend millions of dollars to get a COVID indication for ivermectin and then effectively get zero return. What company would ever make that investment? asked David Henderson, senior fellow with the American Institute for Economic Research, and Charles Hooper, president and co-founder of Objective Insights, Inc., during the FDAs December 2021 meeting to authorize molnupiravir. Ivermectin is an old, cheap, off-patent drug. Merck will never make much money from ivermectin sales, they said. Also during the FDA meeting, Dr. Pierre Kory, chief medical officer for Front Line COVID-19 Critical Care Alliance, said: We plan on giving money to a drug company for a drug that is in no way going to surpass what we already have available right now and can be used. That money should instead be given to supply ivermectin to the country. This is a colossal waste of taxpayer money. American taxpayers funded the development of molnupiravir through a $19 million grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Mercks cost to produce one molnupiravir treatment is $17.74 but the U.S. government agreed to pay $712 per treatment. Study finds rapid COVID tests produce high number of false positives One concern with passing out antiviral COVID pills at the one-stop-shops opening across the U.S. is the increased probability of someone receiving a false positive COVID test and unnecessarily taking an experimental medication that could cause harm. The FDA on Tuesday issued a warning about three rapid COVID tests the agency said should not be used because of the potential for producing false results. The three tests are: Celltrion DiaTrust COVID-19 Ag Rapid Test SD Biosensor Inc. STANDARD Q COVID-19 Ag Home Test Flowflex SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Rapid Test (Self-Testing) The FDA is concerned about the risk of false results when using those tests, the agency said. These tests have not been authorized, cleared or approved by the FDA for distribution or use in the United States. A study published on Jan. 7 in the Journal of the American Medical Association revealed more than 40% of the positive results from a large sample of rapid antigen tests were false positives. Out of 1,322 positive rapid test results, 1,103 individuals were asked to take a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test to confirm the results. The study found 462 (or 42%) of the 1,103 positive test results were false. These results inform the discussion of whether rapid antigen tests will result in too many false positives that could overwhelm PCR testing capacity in other settings, the researchers wrote. Researchers said tests administered too early or late in the infectious state, or being done incorrectly, could contribute to false-positive results. Read more at: ChildrensHealthDefense.org Something suspicious is going on with the word equity. It seems like everybody is for it, even people with opposite interests. Whether it be democratic socialists like me, disgraced former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, conservative billionaire mega-donor Stephen Ross, or staunchly anti-labor mega-corporation Amazon (for whom the terms primary meaning is stock), nobody seems to oppose equity these days. Obviously, its important for us to clarify just what the term means. Advertisement As the chair of the City Councils Committee on Women and Gender Equity, I see this question as consequential, not theoretical. The answer has clear bearing on what business the committee takes up, what hearings we hold, what lines of questioning we pursue and what legislative recommendations we make. Many people are most familiar with equity in the context of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, (DEI) a formulation often touted by corporations and other top-down organizations to shield themselves from criticism, or lawsuits. The idea behind DEI is to create pathways for more gender and ethnic diversity in positions of leadership. Advertisement While on its face a laudable goal, this form of equity risks entrenching the unfair power dynamics that generate such inequitable outcomes in the first place. The fact is, these institutions are organized into hierarchies. Corporate boards, executive leadership, highly paid management positions these are foremost instruments of exploitation and control. Granting inclusion in them to more diverse cross-sections of our society recalls Dr. Martin Luther Kings lament that Black Americans appeared to be integrating into a burning house. This kind of representative stratification is incompatible with my understanding of equity. For me, the goal isnt merely eliminating barriers to ascending the strata, but rather flattening the hierarchy altogether. Is a diverse ruling class as bad as a ruling class entirely dominated by property-owning men of European ancestry? No. But compared to a system without a ruling class at all, a system wherein the diverse and inclusive masses dont make up an underclass, it is sorely deficient. If equity is to be a worthwhile word, it will have to mean de-stratifying the systems that impose sexist and racist hierarchies on our society. That means creating democratically run businesses; collectively owned housing stock; public provision of community-based resources; decarceration; a drawdown of the surveillance and policing apparatus; guaranteed human rights to care, nutrition, employment and education. These are equitable solutions to the challenges we face. In the context of gender, my purview as committee chair, this means providing supports for survivors of gender-based violence, harassment and abuse and dignified conditions for workers in traditionally gendered professions, including currently unpaid and invisible care work. It means shifting resources and power away from patriarchal systems of violence and punishment and toward the compassionate, life-giving systems which we have sidelined and devalued for too long. Advertisement The Daily News Flash Weekdays Catch up on the days top five stories every weekday afternoon. > It means expanding access to affordable, quality child care and ensuring that child-care workers, who are majority women of color, receive the pay and dignity they deserve, and investigating the ways that the COVID-19 pandemic has had gendered economic impacts. It means not simply advocating for the most wealthy and powerful women to be on par with the most wealthy and powerful men, but rather championing the needs and hopes of the marginalized, oppressed and exploited: queer, trans, gender non-conforming and non-binary New Yorkers, Black, indigenous and other women and femmes of color, and women and femmes of all immigrantion documentation statuses, those incarcerated and institutionalized, those impoverished and precarious, those with disabilities, those performing sex work and other criminalized jobs and more. Lets get specific. If New York City wants to truly embrace equity, in its most meaningful, impactful sense, there are a number of policy priorities we should be pursuing. We should guarantee universal just cause protections for our workforce, so that no employer can fire a worker without a valid reason. We should fully fund our current public housing stock and focus our development strategies on building permanently affordable, democratically-managed social housing. We should significantly expand our Healthy Women, Healthy Futures program to guarantee doula and midwifery care to all pregnant New Yorkers. We should pass a budget that dramatically scales up our investment in the Crisis Management System to prevent violence before it occurs, rather than merely punishing it after the fact. We should once again make CUNY tuition-free, the way it was always supposed to be. These will be big fights, to be sure, not won quickly or easily. And this is far from an exhaustive list of priorities. But winning them will mean so much more than slotting diverse faces into high places. It will mean enormous enhancements to public safety and public health. It will mean strong and vibrant families and communities, where neighbors arent fearful or desperate. It will mean building the New York City we all deserve. Thats an equity I can get behind. Advertisement Caban represents Astoria, Jackson Heights and other neighborhoods in the City Council. (Natural News) Did Joe Bidens handlers actually want to start World War Three? They are the same posse who contrived the Russian Collusion hysteria of 2016-19, then launched Covid-19 and the even more deadly mass vaccination response to it and have now successfully goaded Russia into cleaning up the international hub of grift and mischief known as Ukraine. One thing established for sure as fact: the Joe Biden family received plenty of cash off that grift wagon, and those handlers have neatly ring-fenced it from official scrutiny. Where does that leave the so-called president of the US in the current crisis? (Article by James Howard Kunstler republished from Kunstler.com) The scant news coming out of Ukraine is so infected with propaganda that its impossible to know exactly whats going on there these early days of the Russian invasion. Some interested parties say that Russia is getting its ass kicked by a Ukrainian resistance. More temperate reports suggest that Russian forces are proceeding methodically to capture and neutralize Ukraines meager military assets. Apparently, Ukraine and Russia are holding a diplomatic parlay today at the Belarus border. You might style that as peace talks, but who knows? There are no real functioning international news agencies anymore. The current CIA-approved narrative wants you to believe that Vlad Putin seeks to reassemble the old Soviet Union and will move next to capture the Baltic States: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania. I doubt this since all those countries have their own cultures rather emphatically hostile to Russia and required onerous operating subsidies from Moscow back in the Soviet day. Ukraine will surely be enough of a burden for Russia going forward. An alternate narrative to the CIAs scare story would follow the Occams Razor rule that the simplest explanation is probably the truth namely, that there was no other way to stop Ukraines shelling and mortar attacks against the ethnic Russian population in the Donbas which, by the way, was carried out with US-gifted armaments. And there was no other way to disabuse the USA from the idea that Ukraine should join NATO and thereby become a missile launching base on Russias border. Western Civs response so far is to cut off its nose to spite its face. A sidebar to the CIA-approved narrative is that the West should shut-down Russias export economy in response to their action in Ukraine. Of course, the EU members know that they cant take a pass on Russian oil and natgas, unless they want to eat cold bratwurst and linguini in the dark. But this reality hasnt stopped the USA from militating for that. Likewise, shutting Russia out of the SWIFT money transfer system will only achieve chaos in global trade and international banking but chaos is what you get with Joe Bidens Party of Chaos running things. These are the folks who worked tirelessly to drive America insane since 2016 and now theyre capping their hat-trick of mind-fuckery with the specter of World War Three. Notice how neatly their engineered mass formation psychosis segued from Trump/Russia to Covid-19 and now the threat of going nuclear over Ukraine. My theory of the case would be as follows: Americas Deep State provoked Russia in Ukraine to cover up its own massive crimes against American citizens which now verge on being fully exposed. The timing on Ukraine couldnt have been more seemingly fortuitous. America indeed the whole world has awakened to the apparent reality that mass vaccination is killing off a lot of people before their time. The news is out, coming not from the public health bureaucracy but from such unexpected sources as actuaries in the insurance industry who collate quarterly death rates and morticians observing unusual morbid oddities in the bodies they prepare for burial. This comes at the very same time as reports that the CDC deliberately falsified Covid-19 death and injury statistics, both for the disease itself and for the mRNA vaccines. The FDA is also implicated in approving falsified vaccine trial data. One result of all that is the crash of Moderna and Pfizer stocks, as the geniuses on Wall Street suss out the mountain range of litigation that looms in the distance. But they must know and hundreds of appointed and elected officials must know that the blowback from Covid-19 doesnt stop with mere civil lawsuits but extends to criminal cases of supreme consequence: deliberate mass murder, extending to the highest levels of officialdom in many countries. To this day the CDC and state health departments are pushing vaccines, despite massive mounting evidence that the shots cause organ damage and mess up immune systems at a rate, and to a degree, astronomically above any previous vaccines. They must know that the official standard-of-care using remdesivir and intubation was overwhelmingly likely to kill hospital in-patients. They must know that early treatment protocols using cheap off-label drugs were highly effective and that banning early treatment to maintain Emergency Use Authorization for killer vaccines amounted to mass homicide. It will get harder and harder to ignore widespread untimely death going forward as the vaccines work their vicious hoodoo on the boosted population, and even the most obdurately spellbound vaccine cheerleaders will have to endure such surges of cognitive dissonance that heads are sure to explode. So, the Ukraine invasion was the best means at hand to cover-up all that, and the longer the US government can feed that monster, and keep it going, the more they can shift the focus off the monumental frauds and homicides they carried out and will be criminally liable for. Secondarily to all that, of course, is the emerging picture of pervasive corruption and crime among the three-letter agencies that special counsel John Durham is getting ready to feed to the dumpster fire of institutional failure that US politics has become. Ukraine is a manageable localized problem in a distant part of the world and Russia is going to manage it. The American crisis of confidence in its own operating system is something else. Read more at: Kunstler.com (Natural News) While the doddering Joe Biden and his hapless regime of foreign policy amateurs struggle to deal with Russias aggression against Ukraine, the country where son Hunter Biden made so much money, other Western nations are taking definitive action, and that includes France. Or so it was thought. Turns out the bluster wasnt such a good idea, and it proves how useless NATO has become. Late last week, Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire declared the country would wage an all-out economic and financial war on Russia after President Vladimir Putin ordered his forces to invade Ukraine. That said, while such an economic assault is expected to punish Russia, Le Maire shortly backed off from his remarks, probably on instruction from French President Emmanuel Macron over fears it could lead to war between Russia and NATO though that isnt likely one that Putin would win without resorting to nuclear weapons, an exchange that would leave his own country in ashes. Responding to Moscows decision to go to war with Ukraine, Washington and its closest allies have imposed a string of sanctions aimed against Russias central bank, government officials (including President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov), and barred some Russian banks from the SWIFT international payments system, Canada-based Global Research reported. When describing the sanctions, Le Maire said they are proving to be extremely effective. However, it was his next comments that raised eyebrows in an interview with France Info Radio, the outlet noted further. Were waging an all-out economic and financial war on Russia. We will cause the collapse of the Russian economy. The Russian people will also pay the price, Le Maire stated. In short, Le Maire intimated his country would wage economic war on all 140 million Russian citizens, which drew a heated response from a former leader, President and Prime Minister Dmitri Medvedev. Today, some French minister has said that they declared an economic war on Russia. Watch your tongue, gentlemen! And dont forget that in human history, economic wars quite often turned into real ones, he wrote on Twitter. Today, some French minister has said that they declared an economic war on Russia. Watch your tongue, gentlemen! And dont forget that in human history, economic wars quite often turned into real ones Dmitry Medvedev (@MedvedevRussiaE) March 1, 2022 Following the dust-up in an interview with Agence France Presse, Le Maire said he misspoke and that the term war was not in line with Paris effort to de-escalate tensions regarding Russias war with Ukraine. We are not in a battle against the Russian people, he said. Nevertheless, Putins government earlier in the week moved to put temporary curbs on foreigners who sought to take some of their investments out of Russia, halting an exodus of capital that was led mostly by Western-imposed economic sanctions that cut Russian banks off from the SWIFT international payments system. What the Europeans do not realize is that Moscow sees this current crisis as an existential battle for survival. When Putin announced on TV his special military operation,' he issued a stern warning, Global Research noted. To anyone who would consider interfering from the outside if you do, you will face consequences greater than any of you have faced in history, Putin said. Following that warning, comments Putin made in 2018 began circulating in diplomatic and media circles: [I]f someone decides to annihilate Russia, we have the legal right to respond. Yes, it will be a catastrophe for humanity and for the world. But Im a citizen of Russia and its head of state. Why do we need a world without Russia in it? Global Research went on to point out that Russia controls a large percentage of oil and gas flows into Europe, and that should the economic pressure get to be too much for Moscow, Putin can merely decide to cut the Europeans off completely, which would destroy the continents economy and lead to mass death by freezing. But letting Putin continue to finance his war effort with Western dollars is equally counterproductive if the objective is to get him to stop his invasion. If this entire episode demonstrates anything it is this: The countries that comprise NATO are essentially neutered by reliance on Russian energy, and Putin knew this before he attacked. Sources include: GlobalResearch.ca NaturalNews.com (Natural News) A survey done by Israels Ministry of Health (MOH) found that Israelis reported more vaccine injuries after getting the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine booster doses. The survey followed the Jewish nation approving a third and fourth dose for its citizens. The MOH released the results of its survey on Feb. 10. More than 4,000 individuals were invited to participate, with 2,049 completing the interview process. The respondents were interviewed between 21 and 30 days after they received their COVID-19 booster doses. The survey identified several categories of vaccine reactions for both men and women. It also scrutinized a subset of female respondents regarding their menstrual cycle before and after getting boosted. According to the MOH poll, six different categories of pre-existing diseases became worse following injection with the COVID-19 vaccine booster. Heart disease worsened in 5.4 percent of respondents, hypertension exacerbated in 6.3 percent of respondents and seven percent of survey participants claimed the booster aggravated their lung disease. Furthermore, 9.3 percent of respondents said their diabetes was exacerbated following the booster dose. Depression and anxiety disorder became worse post-booster in 26.4 percent of survey participants, while 24.2 percent of respondents who had autoimmune disease said the COVID-19 vaccine booster exacerbated it. (Related: Israel now has more covid infections per capita than any country in the world, even as booster shots are being widely administered there.) About five percent of respondents reported a neurological adverse event. Almost four percent of respondents reported an allergic reaction after the booster. Aside from these, the MOH poll also found general post-vaccination reactions and local reactions at the injection site. Fifty-nine out of 615 female respondents under 54 years old 9.6 percent said they experienced menstrual irregularities after the booster. Prior to getting the COVID-19 vaccine booster, more than 88 percent of women in this sub-group had a regular menstrual cycle. But after getting boosted, 31.1 percent sought medical treatment for their irregular menstrual cycles. Israel approved third, fourth COVID vaccine doses The release of the MOHs poll followed its decision to approve subsequent COVID-19 vaccine doses. According to the Times of Israel, the Jewish nation began its COVID-19 booster campaign at the beginning of August 2021. The third dose was initially made available to Israelis aged 60 and older. It was later expanded to include anyone 30 years old and up. The initial decision to approve a third shot came amid the spread of the B16172 delta variant first identified in India. Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett exhorted citizens to get boosted, saying this is a privilege that no other country has. Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz agreed with the prime minister, saying in a press conference: We must continue vaccinating at a fast pace. It is critical for success. MOH Director-General Nachman Ash later announced that health officials approved the fourth COVID-19 vaccine dose in December 2021. The move to approve a fourth shot came amid the spread of the B11529 omicron variant first identified in South Africa. While more infectious than the earlier delta strain, omicron causes milder symptoms in infected individuals. According to Ash, those with weakened immune systems would be the first ones to get injected with the fourth vaccine dose. He remarked that the MOH would observe the data before deciding to approve a fourth dose for the general population. We will continue to track the data on a daily basis, and we will see if we need to broaden this recommendation to more of the population, said Ash. More related stories: COVID-19 cases in Israel continue to rise despite vaccines, booster shots and freedom-crushing restrictions. IT NEVER ENDS: Israel says FOURTH booster vaccine will be required to keep covid green pass active. Israels covid plandemic czar tells citizens to prepare for upcoming FOURTH booster shot. Booster shots expire in 6 months, revoking vaccine passport freedoms in Israel. Israel says covid booster shots will now be ENDLESS. Watch below the video of Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett urging people to get boosted. This video is from the Iynikas World channel on Brighteon.com. VaccineInjuryNews.com has more about the injuries caused by COVID-19 vaccine boosters. Sources include: ChildrensHealthDefense.org TimesOfIsrael.com CBSNews.com Brighteon.com (Natural News) Internal documentation from Pfizer reveals that the companys Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccine is anything but safe and effective. Starting on page 30 of a newly uncovered company document, an exhaustive list of serious adverse reactions to the shot is fully outlined. That list spans over eight full pages. Pfizer intended for this information to remain hidden from the public, warning that dissemination of this information outside of Pfizer, its Affiliates, its Licensees, or Regulatory Agencies is strictly prohibited. The information contained in this document is proprietary and confidential, the document further states. Except as may be otherwise agreed to in writing, by accepting or reviewing these materials, you agree to hold such information in confidence and not to disclose it to others (except where required by applicable law), nor to use it for unauthorized purposes. Fortunately for the public, the restricted document was leaked. We now know that Pfizers Fauci Flu shot causes an array of serious health problems including 1p36 deletion syndrome, which the National Library of Medicine (NLM) describes as a disorder that typically causes severe intellectual disability. 1p36 deletion syndrome is pretty severe, it turns out, leaving most affected individuals unable to speak, or speak only a few words. Those who succumb to it can also have temper tantrums, bite themselves, or exhibit other behavior problems. The full list of Adverse Events of Special Interest caused by Pfizers covid injection is far too long to publish here, but you can read it in full at Newspunch. Will the plandemic criminals ever be held accountable for their crimes against humanity? As you will see, there are hundreds upon hundreds of side effects caused by the shots that the corporate-controlled media is refusing to acknowledge. The government is just as bad when it comes to hiding the truth about these serious risks. The truth has been available for anyone wanting to look, wrote someone at Newspunch about the situation. It seems more of it comes out every day and is getting traction online and in some media. I cant help but compare this to the CIA information management programs weve seen in the past, this same person added. Remember 911? Much outrage followed by an official report. Now there exists enough widespread skepticism over the conspiracy that allowed 911 to create a Truth commission and subpoena all involved. This will likely never happen, though, because it just never does. The culprits almost always get away with their crimes because too few people are willing to take them to task and hold them accountable. Its all in the past! Leave well-enough alone, the same commenter wrote about how the tactic usually works. Same pattern developing here Bush, Fauci, Biden, and even Trump will be buried with honors and remembered as heroes. Someone else thanked God for this and other information releases that have helped those who are paying attention avoid injuring or possibly killing themselves with these deadly injections. I am so happy that I have faith in Him and not in man, this person added. God is great. Love Him so much. Just days after the Pfizer injection was unleashed under Operation Warp Speed back in late December of 2021, Dr. James Lyons-Weiler confirmed that the Pfizer injection causes autoimmune disease. At the time, though, everyone was focused on the stolen election, so it all got buried. They know word of mouth is the MOST potent form of information dispersal, so its pointless trying to [cover it up], wrote another commenter about how the plandemic jig is just about up. The latest news coverage about Fauci Flu shot injuries can be found at ChemicalViolence.com. Sources for this article include: Newspunch.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) It cant be a coincidence that so many things have gone so wrong in so little time. We see the Biden Administration doing on a national level what Socialist Sociologists Cloward & Piven did to New York City setting impossible demands, structurally and financially, on its welfare system to overload it. (Article by Skip republished from TheBlueStateConservative.com) In short, to create Chaos. Liberalism thrives on chaos. As long as there is chaos, Liberals can claim to be the solution, regardless whether they themselves are the cause of the chaos. Chaos makes individuals feel they need something stronger than themselves and Collectivists then offer the ruse of order at the price of individual freedoms. Liberal Logic 101 Lenin said that in chaos, there is opportunity. The opportunity for Communism was to wreck the existing Government (in that case in Russia, a monarchy) so that they could swoop in and take over. Power is what was sought, and Power is what he and his fellow travelers got. Human nature doesnt really change even if the Democrats-Progressives keep saying that evolved word. After all, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau would be considered a Progressive if he lived here in the State, and he is showing that they, as a group, have not evolved at all they all seek the Power that Lenin grabbed. There is truth to the maxim that within every Progressive, a Totalitarian is trying to get out. Cloward & Piven (and Saul Alinsky) just decided that another means than outright arms was the way to create chaos. Now we see Chaos spread across so many areas, in so many industries, and across so many facets of our lives. The Left has effectively politicized everything thus, there are no traditional norms to act as bulwarks against their actions and machinations. They are hoping (and depending on) that Society is now in such a state of being that it is like glass: strong vertically but with sufficient force, applied from the side and with a sharp blow, it will shatter. They are creating the problem and have their solutions waiting in the wings. This is the Hegelian Dialectic: Hegelian dialectic is PROBLEM-REACTION-SOLUTION and how it works is like this: The government creates or exploits a problem in which attributes blame to others. The people react by asking the govt for protection and help (safety and security) to help solve the problem. Then, the government offers the solution that was planned by them long before the crisis occurred. Whats the outcome? The outcome of all of this is: the rights and liberties are exchanged for the illusion of protection and help. The Canadian Govt created the mask/mandate problem. The working class (truckers) complained and protested with their Freedom Convoy. The Government complained and asked for safety and security for itself (imagine that, Govt calling itself a victim while scapegoating Powerless truckers). Their solution was to call the truckers domestic terrorists and insurrectionists and then strip them of their finances, property, and rights. Worse, they deputized their financial industries to do their dirty work for them (e.g., Corporatism) just like we are seeing Big Tech doing it here in the US. So what are we to do and what are YOU willing to do? Read more at: TheBlueStateConservative.com Life abounds in the sea beneath our boat. Dr. Judith Brown and Andrew Airnes are pointing below the surface of Loch Slapin on the Isle of Skye on a beautiful Sunday morning, pointing to where they want to produce more than 100 tonnes of high-quality animal protein hung from four ropes. A new generation of food producers considers mussel farming as having exciting promise for feeding a burgeoning population while restoring natural biodiversity that has been harmed or lost by pollution and unsustainable fishing methods, thanks in part to its amazing efficiency. Mussel farming using hanging ropes generates a permanent marine habitat and ecology. According to Airnes, it increases biomass by 3.6 times and biodiversity by 1.6 times. Clingy Mussels According to Brown, mussels cling to whatever they can find in the water; in this case, four 220 meter-long doubleheader ropes. They discharge spat [juvenile mussels] when they are quite little, and they attach to items hanging in the water. Mussel aquaculture effectively provides the substrate on which they would typically adhere. There are no further inputs save maintaining the ropes and spreading the mussels when they are young to spread them out - unlike practically all other farming systems. Without any extra food, water, or treatments, the mussels develop at their natural density. It's "like walking from a plowed field into a forest," says John Holmyard of Offshore Shellfish, the UK's first offshore rope-cultured mussel farm off the Devon coast. Several organisms live in and on the mussels. It may be a small number of worms or mollusks... or a large number of fish. We even had bluefin tuna on the farm last year, chasing the mullet, which track the crustaceans, which feed on the mussel sludge." Also Read: Using Seawalls to Fight Sea Level Rise May Cause Environmental Harm in the Long Run Investigating Ecologial Consequences Dr. Emma Sheehan, an associate professor of marine ecology at Plymouth University, has been investigating Holmyard's ecological consequences since 2013, stating that scientists have been interested in seeing how these mussel farms interact with the marine ecology as a whole over time. There were species there - many scavenging species - but there was little diversity. "We've discovered that [the farm] is providing a home for a variety of species, including hundreds of thousands of brown crab, scallops, and other species with limited habitat." Danielle Bridger and Llucia Mascorda Cabre, PhD students, are gathering data from the farm and comparing it to data from neighboring Lyme Bay control sites. In comparison to the control regions, the total variety and richness of mobile species had grown by a third inside the farm after eight years. Although it is still early days on Skye, Brown and Airnes claim that a thorough examination of their ropes reveals a robust and happy food chain from top to bottom. "All of a sudden, you have the entire trophic chain... from the larger fish through sharks and down to tiny mollusks." We've observed large shoals of pollack, a lot of wrasse, shrimp, and lumpsucker when diving and checking out the spots. Small-spotted cat sharks have been observed around the locations. "Suspended mussel ropes create that environment," adds Brown. Mussels play a crucial role in enhancing the overall quality of the water by providing food, shelter, and structure for other marine creatures. Each mussel is thought to be capable of filtering 25 liters of water each day. "They eat nutrients and help to prevent eutrophication [overgrowth of plants and algae]. They maintain the water clean for everything else," Airnes explains. A Sustainable Solution Much of the water on Scotland's west coast is grade A, while significant swaths of the UK's shoreline are badly contaminated. Sheehan believes mussel farms can help restore ecosystems and natural filtration that existed before fishing. Expanding meat vertically in the water column also opens up new options for alternate land use and solutions to the world's growing nutritional needs. According to a recent report, there are no feed or antibiotic requirements for mussel culture, and the GHG [greenhouse gas] emissions connected with suspended mussel production are a fraction of those involved with terrestrial meat or even farmed salmon. Small brown crabs scurry over ropes of healthy, adolescent mussels being taken from the crystal clear seas near Skye before falling back into the ocean. Cormorants dry their wings on the grey floats that hold the ropes floating in the water as a golden eagle flies overhead. "We don't pretend for a second that what we're doing is a natural thing," Holmyard says later, "but it's a very decent analogy for it." Related Article:Millions of Properties in California May Be Underwater by 2050; Lawmakers Suggest Solutions For similar news, don't forget to follow Nature World News! Wildfires across the Florida Panhandle have led to widespread evacuation, travel disruption, and infrastructural damage over the weekend. Firefighters are battling approximately 150 wildfires wherein the Adkins Avenue fire and the Bertha Swamp Road fire are the largest of them all. Local authorities are reportedly alarmed about the occurrence and magnitude of these wildfires as early as March; since Florida has yet to enter its full wildfire season, which typically runs from April to May. So far, there were no immediate reports of casualties during the wildfires. Bay County Fires According to ABC News, the so-called Adkins Avenue fire and Bertha Swamp Road fire have already engulfed a total land area of 9,841 acres (3,982 hectares) in Bay County, Florida, over the weekend. Along with around 150 wildfires, Florida prematurely entered its wildfire season from April to May. The wildfires, in general, have led to the widespread displacement of more than 1,000 homes in Bay County located in the Florida Panhandle or Gulf coast. The authorities are not certain when residents can return to their homes since the wildfires have been raging from Friday to Sunday, March 4 to March 6. The total land area affected by the wildfires is 12,100 acres (4,900 hectares) across the state. Emergency services and evacuation operations are ongoing due to the large-scale threat posed by the wildfires, with evacuations likely to continue in the coming days. Also Read: Study Shows How Wildfire Triggers Major Forest Changes The Adkins Fire and Bertha Fire As of Sunday afternoon, the 841-acre Adkins Avenue fire is still not extinguished as firefighters have only controlled the fire under 35% containment. As per the Panama City News Herald, the fire has caused an ongoing evacuation order and affected some Panama City and Springfield areas. Helicopters from the Florida Forest Service dropped over around 470,000 liters of water to quell the Adkins Avenue fire-which has been engulfing the area since Friday, as per ABC News. In addition, firefighters across the state have been deployed into the area. Meanwhile, the Bertha Swamp Road fire is only 10% contained, according to the Bay County, Florida Emergency Services, as cited by the Panama City News Herald. This wildfire is larger than the Adkins Avenue fire. Wildfire Season and Causes Although the wildfire season in Florida normally falls between April and May, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) said wildfires in the states can transpire throughout the year. The FDACS highlighted escaped debris burning as one of the major causes of wildfires in the state. Wildfires can come in the form of bush fires and forest fires. These fires often result in environmental damage, including the destruction of wildlife populations, natural habitats, and ecosystems. The contested causes of wildfires attribute to human-related activities. According to the National Park Service (NPS), almost 85% of wildfires across the United States are caused by human activities, including arson, campfires, and discarded cigarettes. When it comes to natural causes, the NPS mentioned lightning can also trigger a wildfire. Related Article: Wildfire 'Double-Hazard' Zones: Growing Communities in the US Western States Face Risks During El Salvador's civil war, which began in the 1970s, a wounded Victor Hernandez sheltered behind the fronds of a banana tree from falling bombs. The kid soldier, a member of the indigenous Maya Ch'orti tribe, hobbled toward Guatemala, toward freedom, using a limb of the tree as a crutch. He informed his daughter, Jessica Hernandez, who tells the tale in Fresh Banana Leaves: Healing Indigenous Landscapes Through Indigenous Science, "I think that this banana tree saved my life." It's ironic, he says, because banana trees aren't native to El Salvador. Why western environmentalism won't save indigenous people According to Sciencenews, Hernandez is an environmental scientist, who compares her father's experience to that of the banana tree. The journey of the banana tree from Southeast Asia via colonial European ships required the adaptable plant to adapt to its new habitat in the Americas. Similarly, her father adjusted to being relocated, finally settling in the United States, despite receiving less-than-welcome receptions along the way. Banana trees have appeared frequently in the life of Indigenous scholars, scientists, and communal activists Hernandez, as per Audubon. When her father was forced to be a child soldier in El Salvador's civil war, he thanked the trees for supplying him with food and shielding him from bombs. Banana leaves play an essential role in her family's heritage meals, such as tamales. And, as the book's core theme, the plants are thematically relevant to Hernandez because they reveal nuances that Western ideals of conservation sometimes overlook. Some conservation experts are increasingly pursuing a community-based approach to conservation, in which Indigenous people engage in project design rather than becoming study participants. However, Hernandez contends that this does not go far enough: in such research, non-Indigenous persons frequently end up speaking for Indigenous communities. Read more: Artificial Intelligence Helps Banana Growers Protect The World's Most Favorite Fruit Hernandez's important ideas is that nature as a kin Fresh Banana Leaves just scratches the surface of Hernandez's Indigenous wisdom, which she has learned from personal experiences and information passed down through her family and community. She claims that including it all would "need one book each year of existence." However, she takes care to illustrate the complicated reasoning required to recognize that information. As a starting point, it is critical to recognize the comprehensive vision of Indigenous knowledge systems. Agroecology, or the guardianship of self-sustaining agricultural ecosystems, contrasts with conventional Western techniques of dividing agricultural tracts and limiting development by fighting nature, such as pesticide usage. When she speaks about ecological mourning, she is referring to the wish that many Indigenous peoples have to return to their ancestral territories. Another way to look at it is via the ties the indigenous people have with nature, particularly with plants, animals, and nonliving kin. When the effects of climate change destroy them, there is a period of grief for all Indigenous peoples. A large number of settlers have lost touch with nature. They regard nature as a commodity, failing to recognize that many people respect natural resources for reasons other than economic worth. Among Hernandez's most important notions is that of nature as kin, which would exclude the utilitarian approach popular in Western environmentalism, which is based on conserving nature's value to people or a supposed purity of wildness. Her tribe's name, Binniza, reflects the alternative: it means "cloud people," implying that "our function on earth does not cease when we are gone, since we continue to offer water to our plant and animal cousins in the form of rain." Humans and nature support one another, both during and the afterlife. Related Article: Deadly Erection-Giving Spider Crawls Out of Banana In Bristol The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has issued a warning for more severe wet weather in NSW, including an east coast low bringing heavy rain and probable flash floods. Emergency services have been swamped in parts of Sydney, including Hawkesbury-Nepean, Richmond, Menangle, and Windsor, and more severe flooding is expected. New South Wales issued another evacuation alerts As a second east coast low approaches in as many weeks, New South Wales has issued eight evacuation alerts for its central coastal area, including sections of Sydney, with forecasts of further heavy rain and the risk for flash floods. On Monday morning, the Bureau of Meteorology issued a severe weather warning, stating that six-hourly rainfall totals between 70 and 120 mm are probable. According to ABC News, Jane Golding, a BOM meteorologist, stated that she knows east coast lows are dangerous weather systems, and while the storm hasn't formed into an east coast low yet, but as it does, they will be fine-tuning the warnings. The Clarence River remains at a significant flood level in the state's north as people of the Northern Rivers clean up following last week's disastrous storms. Golding said thunderstorms with huge hailstones, severe winds, and heavy rain might affect the Northern Rivers region, but they would be "hit and miss" rather than widespread. There have been four confirmed deaths in the region so far, with other individuals remaining unaccounted for. According to NSW Police Superintendent Scott Tanner, it is hard to provide a precise number since some persons may no longer be at their place of abode. Also Read: Australia Prompts Immediate Evacuation of 200,000 Due to Flash Floods Warning New South Wales issues evacuation warnings due to extreme flooding According to The Guardian, the NSW State Emergency Service has issued evacuation notices for sections of the Hawkesbury-Nepean River, which is still flowing at high flood levels in North Richmond. On Monday morning, the levels remained stable. #Sydneys Hawkesbury River region has many roads closed like this one: pic.twitter.com/r6AcIPqThP Peter Hannam (@p_hannam) March 6, 2022 "We're encouraging everyone to be particularly cautious over the next three days," said Shellie Smyth, a spokesman with the SES. "If an East Coast Low forms over New South Wales, the main effect would most likely be on Tuesday." On Sunday, dams in the Sydney area were 99.9% full, with the majority of them leaking. Warragamba Dam, the largest of them, has been leaking since Wednesday morning. The spill rate reached 315 gigatonnes per day last week, up from 450 gigatonnes per day during the March 2021 floods. Hundreds of volunteers from other states have arrived to help, and helicopters from the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and Rural Fire Services (RFS) are delivering vital supplies to towns. Meanwhile, inhabitants in Huonbrook, inland from Brunswick Heads on the north coast, are still shut off owing to massive landslides. There are network disruptions, as well as phone and internet service interruptions, increasing their isolation. Locals and people in the neighboring areas are interacting with one another using two-way radios and checking in frequently. On Monday, the emphasis will move to the Hunter and mid-north coast, where river levels remain high at Maitland, Singleton, Dungog, Gloucester, Wingham, and Taree. Furthermore, Golding stated that on the plus side, the bad weather was expected to dissipate by Wednesday. Carlene York, Commissioner of State Emergency Services (SES), said the priority had been to help individuals in Penrith, the Hawkesbury, and Mount Druitt, as well as to clear evacuation orders in the Northern Rivers. Related article: Shark Sightings Reported in Sydney Beaches After Torrential Rain and Floods Hounds are being left in woods and roads, including along Hampton Roads in Virginia as part of an influx of post-hunting season dog abandonment cases over recent days. An animal rescue group has suspected hunters to have dumped their companion hounds perceived to be unreliable or incompetent. Dozens of the hunting dogs were abandoned but the challenge of finding each one a shelter proved to be an ordeal since animal shelters are overcrowded in the area. Voluntary adoption into a new home of the hounds is still being taken against the so-called method of euthanasia or mercy killing. Animal Rescue in Virginia The Virginia animal rescue group Coastal Paws rescue has received multiple calls of hounds being dumped in the rural parts of Hampton Roads, Virginia, as per the WTVR local news. However, dozens of abandoned dogs have no place to stay yet since animal shelters are overcrowded. The Coastal Paws rescue is attempting to rule out the option of euthanasia since it is still seeking a home and adoption measures for the hounds. The Virginia animal group said the hounds were left to fend for themselves but deserve a chance to have a conducive shelter and care. The influx of hounds being abandoned along Hampton Roads had local authorities set their gaze on hunters and owners who reportedly abandoned the hounds when they deemed them not fit or capable enough to perform their roles based on their standards. According to Raquel Linger, who runs Coastal Paws rescue, the group believes that hound owners abandoned their fur companions after the hunting season, as per WTKR local news. Linger added dog abandonment cases involving hounds do occur between hunting seasons. Potential talks of euthanasia are on the table due to the overcrowded animal shelters, but Linger has declined the practice to be implemented. As a result, Linger and her animal rescue group gas created fosters to provide preventative care measures, including neuter surgeries. Also Read: Abandoned Dog Turned Cat Rescuer Leaves Sweet Legacy to Feline Friends Hounds and Their Role Hounds share a common ancestry of being used as a hunting dog consisting of certain physical and metabolic features designed for detecting and chasing an animal target, according to the American Kennel Club (AKC). The AKC emphasized hounds utilize their extraordinary sense of smell to track a scent and follow a trail. Furthermore, other hounds possess great stamina to run for a prolonged period of time compared with other dog breeds. Some of the examples of dog breed of hounds are the American Foxhound, American English Coonhound, Azawakh, Basenji, Basset Hound, Norwegian Elkhounds, and Pharaoh Hounds. Hounds have been known to be a common companion of their owners, especially during the hunting season. Related Cases in the US Cases of dog abandonment or surrender do not only apply to hounds, but the practice has also been prevalent in other breeds of dogs and pet animals across the US over recent years. The cause of abandonment ranges between personal reasons from owners and factors related to pet problems. According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), approximately 6.5 million companion animals, including cats and dogs, are received by animal shelters across the US each year. These animals can either be stray animals, rescued animals from abuse, or surrendered animals. Related Article: Excessive Hunting Leads to Moratorium on Brown Bear Kills in Alaska Chinese FM meets press on foreign policy, relations Xinhua) 15:05, March 07, 2022 Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi attends a press conference on China's foreign policy and foreign relations via video link on the sidelines of the fifth session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Xin) BEIJING, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a press conference Monday afternoon on the sidelines of the fifth session of the 13th National People's Congress. Wang is expected to answer questions of journalists from home and abroad on China's foreign policy and foreign relations. Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi attends a press conference on China's foreign policy and foreign relations via video link on the sidelines of the fifth session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Yin Gang) Journalists attend a press conference held by Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi via video link in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2022. Wang answered questions of journalists from home and abroad on China's foreign policy and foreign relations during the press conference on the sidelines of the fifth session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing. (Xinhua/Lu Ye) (Web editor: Peng yukai, Liang Jun) Advertisement Advertisement Two media giants on Sunday suspended service in Russia, which has become increasingly isolated since it launched its invasion of Ukraine. Streaming service Netflix cut service to Russia, and social media site TikTok suspended live-streaming and uploading of new content. Given the circumstances on the ground, we have decided to suspend our service in Russia, a spokesperson for Netflix told the Daily News. Russia joins China, North Korea, Syria and Crimea the Ukrainian province that Russia annexed in 2014 as the only territories that do not have access to the hugely popular streaming site. TikTok said it was suspending live-streaming and uploading of new content in Russia, citing the countrys new fake news law. Moscow has launched a media crackdown during its invasion of Ukraine, with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday signing a law criminalizing content deemed to be fake news. Russia also has blocked Facebook and Twitter. In light of Russias new fake news law, we have no choice but to suspend live-streaming and new content to our video service while we review the safety implications of this law, the China-based company tweeted. Our in-app messaging service will not be affected. Netflix has been shut off in Russia. (Matt Rourke/AP) American Express announced it was suspending operations in Russia and in its ally Belarus after similar moves by Visa and MasterCard. Advertisement We are compelled to act following Russias unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, and the unacceptable events that we have witnessed, Visa Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Al Kelly said in a statement issued Saturday. Since the Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine, the U.S. and European countries have sanctioned Russia, closed their air space to Russian planes and blocked the biggest Russian banks. Numerous consumer brands also have announced they wont do business in Russia anymore. The Daily News Flash Weekdays Catch up on the days top five stories every weekday afternoon. > The moves have wreaked havoc on Russias economy, with Moodys downgrading the countrys credit rating to junk. But the pain hasnt been confined to Russia. Global supply chains have gotten snarled, stocks throughout the world have tumbled and gas prices are up. With News Wire Services California is separated by the San Andreas Convergent Boundary, a 1,287-kilometer-long (800-mile) breach. It runs north to south over theterritory, near to numerous metropolitan areas, and been accountable for several of the greatest seismic loading in the United States. The Caused of US' Most Devastating Earthquakes Geoscientists utilized modifications in organic compounds generated by friction to existing issues of seismic events in rock formations accumulated from depth only within fault's middle portion to properly comprehend how the San Andreas Fault performs overall. When this occurs nearby important facilities, the consequences may be catastrophic such as the wildfires that ignited by a tremor in San Francisco in 1906 claimed many and the tremor in Santa Cruz, California, in 1989 that assessed at an intensity of 6.9 and inflicted over 60 fatalities. Today, recent research reveals evidence that the slow and motionless part of the famed subduction zone stage several powerful earthquakes relatively recent in the past. According to US Geological Survey geologist, Morgan Page in Science Alert report, the encroaching segment is a tough position to do paleoseismology since scientific data for seismic activity can be conveniently wiped away by the creep. Moreover, understanding that a moving segment of the San Andreas Fissure may scrape its molars when pushed is proof alone that California must stay constantly watchful of the monstrosity that lies below its heel. Los Angeles County, to the further south, has likewise experienced its due bit of mortality and disaster when surrounding parts of fault break way significantly. There seems to be significantly reduced probability of a large seismic event happening in this area since there is very insufficient to drive the zones to halt and generate tension. There is a far calmer border among these two, one in which the slabs cuddle at a tranquil rate of 26 millimeters annually in what is termed as aseismic creep. What seems to be a continuous breach in the strata from the ground is really three discrete thresholds in which the Pacific and North American plate boundaries collide. The northern and southernmost pieces are pressed along by titanic pressures, discharging in surges immediately when minor segments make room to the strain. Together, the two mechanisms showed evidence of seismic activity in a sedimentary sequence geographical area only over 3 kilometers beneath the ground. Whilst report's scientists argue that we need not be concerned, the observations must function as a reminder to spend greater interest to earthquake shaking in central California with in coming years. Also read: $13 trillion Stimulus Fund Amidst Pandemic Could Have Been Invested in Climate Change The Terror Brought by San Andreas Fault The foundation of the planet is a complicated jumble of geomorphological gear, with massive buried layers and a network of links among limits and fractures. "If this withstands," Page says, "this is the first indication of a large earthquake ground motion bursting in this section of the fault." Furthermore, the appropriate type of geophysical crack to the north or south may reverberate down to the center in patterns which would enable for unprecedented shaking. In addition, no earthquake greater than magnitude 6 has ever been reported in ancient times. The researchers were then able to calculate the timeframe of the seismic events by analyzing the proportions of unstable potassium and argon elements. This type of task aids researchers to recognize out what the largest potential occurrence is, and it assist everyone plan ahead. Surprisingly, a few of the earthquakes happened only about 3 million years ago. Minor differences in silent, serene segments of a fault can make a large difference in those other distant areas. Related article: Mystery Occurring in East Antarctica Affects Millions of Lives Across the Planet WILTON Keith Denning, a town resident since 2017, announced Monday hes running for the 42nd House District seat to represent Wilton and sections of New Canaan and Ridgefield. Denning is a former member of the Wilton Board of Zoning Appeals and most recently ran for Board of Selectmen last year. Staying active in our community has always been a big part of my life, so I know how important it is that we have a representative in Hartford we can rely on, Denning said in a release on Monday. We need someone who can move the needle, make it easier to do business, cut taxes for our families, ensure excellent schools and keep New Canaan, Ridgefield and Wilton safe. Denning is the latest Wilton resident in recent weeks to throw his name in for the house seat as recently elected selectwoman Kim Healy announced her campaign efforts in February. The newly-configured state House district encapsulates all of Wilton, as well as parts of neighboring New Canaan and Ridgefield. The district had previously been in southwestern Connecticut and included Preston, Ledyard and Montville. Denning arrived in Wilton roughly five years ago having worked many years as a certified registered nurse anesthetist in Ohio and Missouri. Denning was a clinical educator with the University of Cincinnati School of Nurse Anesthesia and a chief anesthetist at two surgical clinics before moving to Connecticut where he currently serves on the State Board of Nurse Anesthetists. I'm a healthcare provider, so I had a front-row seat to how bad the pandemic truly was. From being laid off after elective procedures were stopped, to returning to work to care for COVID patients and having to quarantine away from my grandchildren, I was right there in the worst of it, Denning said in the campaign announcement. I'm looking forward to being a leader as we move past it. In particular, I intend to lead on the emotional health needs of our children. In his selectmen campaign, Denning spoke of how his values push him to seek opportunities to help beyond his job requirements. He has volunteered to take medical missions abroad, including to Nicaragua, Paraguay, Cambodia Russia and the Middle East. He also served as the chairman of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati Catholic Social Justice Commission for two years to foster a better relationship between the city of Cincinnati and its police department. Some of Dennings priorities when running for selectman echoed the importance of diversifying housing options in town and adopting a sound Wilton Center Master Plan, which is scheduled for later this year. Wilton Democratic Town Committee Chairman Tom Dubin said that Dennings talent lies in bringing people together. He knows how to put progress over partisanship, said Dubin. Hes smart and deeply thoughtful about the important issues facing Wilton, New Canaan and Ridgefield and hes going to make a fantastic representative in Hartford. New Castle, PA (16103) Today Showers with a possible thunderstorm early, then variable clouds overnight with still a chance of showers. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. Low 58F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%.. Tonight Showers with a possible thunderstorm early, then variable clouds overnight with still a chance of showers. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. Low 58F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. New Castle, PA (16103) Today Showers and thundershowers this evening, then cloudy with rain likely overnight. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. Low 57F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall may reach one inch.. Tonight Showers and thundershowers this evening, then cloudy with rain likely overnight. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. Low 57F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall may reach one inch. Verizon Business has added VMware to its global managed-SD-WAN portfolio as part of its Network as a Service (NaaS) strategy. Verizon made the announcement at the Mobile World Conference event in Barcelona. Verizons Managed SD-WAN is designed for hybrid-cloud environments and uses application-aware routing to make sure customer data takes the right path to its destination. This allows customers to use their private network for demanding, latency-sensitive apps while sending less critical data over public networks. VMware SD-WAN features orchestration around centralized policy, monitoring, reporting, and analytics via Verizon Enterprise Center. It also offers SD WAN gateways with controllers. VMware Gateways are points of presencelocated around the world to provide physically close, low-latency connectivity to customer edge devices. Verizon says it will deploy VMware SD-WAN Edge to set routing policies that the orchestrators push to edge devices. The next generation of modern apps will run at the edge and enterprises must modernize their underlying network to support them By adding this solution to its SD-WAN portfolio, Verizon is streamlining its enterprise customers transition to the edge, Craig Connors, vice president and general manager of VMwares SASE business, said in a statement. VMware has offered SD-WAN as part of its Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) package since 2020. Last year it announced partnerships with Versa and Zscaler. For its part, Verizon also has SD-WAN agreements with Cisco and Fortinet. And Verizon isnt the only legacy carrier pushing into SASE and SD-WAN. Last summer, Comcast bought out leading SD-WAN provider Masergy, which gave Comcast a big boost in the market. Motorists fuel up in two gas stations at the corner of West Gore Street and South Orange Avenue, on Monday, March 7, 2022. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/ Orlando Sentinel) (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/Orlando Sentinel) Prices at the gasoline pumps rose Monday to more than $4 in Florida and could rise higher, according to AAA Auto Club Group, and Orlando is not far behind. The Sunshine States new average is part of the national averages soaring record that now exceeds $4 per gallon of regular unleaded gasoline, a price average not seen since July 17, 2008, according to AAA. Advertisement Unfortunately, more price hikes are on the way, and drivers may soon begin to see record high prices at the pump, said Mark Jenkins, AAA spokesman. Orlando prices are just less than the state and national averages at $3.98, but its average may soon top the $4 threshold. Orlandos current average is a major jump from last weeks, which was about $3.49. Advertisement AAA speculates that another jump of 10 to 15 cents is yet possible with the price of regular unleaded gasoline at a Florida pump costing about $4.12. Increases are likely as war between Ukraine and Russia continues, Jenkins said. According to the International Energy Agency Russias exports of crude oil account for 12% of the global trade, and with imposed sanctions on the country impeding sales, countries around the world are likely to feel pain at the pump. Sanctions and regulations against Russia have limited its ability to sell its oil on the global market, thus intensifying global supply concerns in what was already a very tight market due to the pandemic, he said. During the first full week of Russias invasion of Ukraine, the price of regular gas rose by almost 41 cents, AAA found. Jpedersen@orlandosentinel.com Newburyport, MA (01950) Today Cloudy skies early, then off and on rain showers overnight. Low 44F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Cloudy skies early, then off and on rain showers overnight. Low 44F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%. Help support your local hometown newspaper/website. Independent local news reporting matters. Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription, for as little as $3, so we can continue to provide independent local reporting on our communities. Two cultural icons, Salvador Dali and Sigmund Freud (Gabriel Garcia, left, and Thomas Muniz) meet in "Hysteria," onstage in an Ensemble Company production. (Mike Kitaif / Courtesy photo) No one could say playwright Terry Johnson, or The Ensemble Company for that matter, isnt ambitious. Make that ambitious combined with audacious. In Hysteria, onstage in an Ensemble Company production, Johnson examines such deadly serious topics as childhood sexual abuse and the unraveling of a mans life work while at the same time creating a classic British country-house farce, complete with double entendres, a mountain of lies, assumed identities and various stages of undress. Advertisement Did I mention theres also a strong surrealist element? Salvador Dali is one of the shows characters. A mysterious woman (Shelby Mae Randle) bursts into the study of Sigmund Freud (Thomas Muniz) in "Hysteria," onstage in an Ensemble Company production. (Mike Kitaif / Courtesy photo) Under the direction of Matthew MacDermid, the Ensemble Company production gets a lot of things right in this sometimes uneasy marriage of comedy and pain. The farcical elements dont always have the crispest delivery or amped-up pacing of the best of that genre, but the actors find the needed emotional depth to keep the audience invested when the laughter stops. Advertisement Its 1938 as the play opens, and psychologist Sigmund Freud has agreed to meet with Dali a real-life occurrence even though hes not a fan. But before the celebrated artist arrives, there are other guests to contend with: Freuds physician, irate over an essay about Moses and the foundation of Judaism that Freud plans to publish, and a mysterious young woman with an even more mysterious agenda. Over the course of the evening, Freud tries to keep the presence of the woman from the doctor, humor Dali's flamboyant eccentricities and make peace with his failing health and the end of his career. But events of the past namely, his recanting of his theory of hysteria, in which he originally surmised the condition was caused by childhood molestation. Later, however, he said his female patients supposed abuses were actually false memories, triggered by unconscious sexual desires. Dr. Yahuda (Joseph Zimmer) tends to Sigmund Freud (Thomas Muniz) in the Ensemble Company's "Hysteria." (Mike Kitaif / Courtesy photo) In light of the #MeToo movement, its hard to hear men telling women that their truths are not real and its especially awkward in a scene or two in Hysteria. But Shelby Mae Randle, as the young woman, nicely conveys an inner strength and the conviction of her beliefs. As Freud, Thomas Muniz barely gets a second offstage. He eloquently displays Freuds growing confusion and the mans inner turmoil. Joseph Zimmer is the doctor, cast in the straight-man role for the farcical moments. Hes believable as an old family friend but the back-and-forth timing between him and Muniz doesnt zing like it could. The funniest role goes to preening Dali, and Gabriel Garcia has a field day with the affected speech and mannerisms. Playing him as a narcissistic peacock who still has a childlike sense of wonder, Garcia gives the artist delightful comic complexity. Gabriel Garcia has fun in a flamboyant turn as artist Salvador Dali in the Ensemble Company's production of "Hysteria." (Mike Kitaif / Courtesy photo) In the end, the Ensemble Companys Hysteria is a lot like reading a paper by Freud or soaking in a painting by Dali. You have the nagging suspicion you arent understanding it all completely, but you can sense the brainpower behind its essence. And in this case, you find yourself entertained as well. Hysteria Length: 2:20, including intermission 2:20, including intermission Where: The Ensemble Company at Penguin Point Productions at Oviedo Mall The Ensemble Company at Penguin Point Productions at Oviedo Mall When: Through March 13 Through March 13 Cost: $16-$20 $16-$20 Info: penguinpointproductions.com/tickets Find me on Twitter @matt_on_arts, facebook.com/matthew.j.palm or email me at mpalm@orlandosentinel.com. Want more theater and arts news and reviews? Go to orlandosentinel.com/arts. For more fun things, follow @fun.things.orlando on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. A flight was grounded for an hour Sunday at Orlando International Airport after a non-credible threat from a 10-year-old passenger caused police to investigate, according to multiple news outlets. At around 5:30 p.m., MCO received information from an Alaska Airlines flight, inbound from Seattle, that there was a possible threat on board, according to a report by WKMG. Advertisement A 10-year-old passenger airdropped a message to another passenger describing a threat to the flight. The passenger passed the information onto Alaska Airlines, which led to police surrounding the plane while the threat was investigated. Eventually, police found the threat to be a non-credible prank. The childs family was escorted off the plane while the childs mother repeatedly apologized to the other passengers. Advertisement Read more at WKMG. All thats been found of the plane that dropped from the sky on a journey to Key West on Sunday are pieces. The couple who were onboard the single-engine 2020 Vans RV-12 plane, Ali Tufo, 36, and Tommy Campana, 37, are still missing. Advertisement The U.S. Coast Guard said Friday they suspended the search effort Thursday night. The two pieces of the plane pulled to the surface from the ocean floor were found in the search area, about 15 miles north of Big Pine Key. A diver with the Monroe County Sheriff's Office holds a piece of a plane that went missing on Sunday, Feb. 27, 2022, with two people onboard. The debris was found Thursday on the ocean floor, about 15 miles north of Big Pine Key, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. Crews have suspended their search. (U.S. Coast Guard 7th District Southeast) Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of Alexandra Tufo and Thomas Campana, Cmdr. Lindsey Seniuk, the search and rescue mission coordinator for the Coast Guards 7th District, said in a news release. This was a challenging case, and it made the decision to suspend that much harder after our partners found the debris field. Advertisement Ali Tufo, 36, left Palm Beach County on a small, single-engine plane Sunday morning with her boyfriend, Tommy Campana, 37. (Courtesy of Lana Tufo) The multi-agency search, including the Monroe County Sheriffs Office Dive Team, a Coast Guard cutter and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, started Tuesday afternoon. [ RELATED: A couple left for a trip to Key West. Days later, they, and the plane they flew, have yet to be found. ] Tufo and Campana left the Palm Beach County Park Airport on Sunday morning to travel to Key West, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Crews found an oil sheen Thursday in the search area and the plane pieces not long after. Columnist Tom Kacich is a columnist and the author of Tom's Mailbag at The News-Gazette. His column appears Sundays. His email is tkacich@news-gazette.com, and you can follow him on Twitter (@tkacich). Do the math: Buying a home now is possible Longview, TX (75601) Today Considerable cloudiness. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 68F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Considerable cloudiness. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 68F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. DEERFIELD BEACH A man stabbed at Quiet Waters Park in Deerfield Beach Sunday afternoon was taken to the hospital in stable condition, according to Broward Sheriffs Office Fire Rescue. It wasnt immediately clear if the stabbing was intentional, but a Fire Rescue spokesman said the man was in his 30s and taken to Broward Health North with multiple stab wounds. Advertisement The stabbing was initially a trauma alert, but the man, who officials didnt immediately identify, was in stable condition Sunday evening, according to Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Michael Kane. The investigation is ongoing, but the Sheriffs Office said they responded to reports of a fight around 4:40 p.m. and that the suspect, who they didnt name, was taken into custody. The Florida Renaissance Festival was happening at the park, but Sheriffs Office investigators and a festival spokesman said the stabbing occurred outside of the festival grounds. Advertisement An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated the location of the stabbing. It has been updated to reflect the correct location. Austen Erblat can be reached at aerblat@sunsentinel.com, 954-599-8709 or on Twitter @AustenErblat. In fall 2020, when college students across the nation returned to their campuses after the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown the previous spring, many worried that the influx of people would put the surrounding communities at risk. But new research, conducted in Centre County, Pa., home to the Penn State University Park campus, and in the surrounding communities, reveals that despite a rise in cases among returning students, the use of behavioral interventions protected the local non-student population from experiencing a similar spike in cases. Our research challenges a lot of the assumptions that were made about the COVID-19 risks to non-students in college communities following a return of college students to campuses. Ultimately, Penn State's return to campus operations did not cause excess COVID-19 cases per capita in non-student residents around the university." Nita Bharti, Huck Early Career Professor and Assistant Professor of Biology, Penn State In fact, she added, non-student residents of Centre County experienced fewer COVID-19 cases per capita than neighboring counties, likely due to the community's self-imposed stay-at-home behaviors. Bharti explained that about 30,000 students returned to campus in fall 2020, down from about 40,000 in the year prior to the pandemic. Penn State provided COVID-19 testing for these students from August 7, 2020, onward and reported anonymized cases in a public dashboard. The researchers compared these data to publicly available, county-level COVID-19 cases from the Pennsylvania Department of Health for Centre County, as well as the six adjacent counties. In addition, the researchers compared movement and activity patterns derived from mobile devices within Centre County to the neighboring counties. Specifically, they used SafeGraph's mobile device-derived daily visit counts to certain points of interest, such as businesses or attractions, within the counties to obtain an estimate of mobility outside the home. The results were published on Feb. 28 in Scientific Reports. According to Bharti, in Centre County, COVID-19 cases increased in the student population soon after students returned to campus in August 2020. "This increase among students was not surprising given the challenges students faced with distancing and quarantining," she said. Interestingly, she added, the outbreak among students did not result in an outbreak in the local community above what would be expected, given that the pandemic was rapidly spreading throughout the U.S. at the time. By contrast, the neighboring communities experienced higher case counts, even though they do not contain large universities. Bharti said the lower case counts in Centre County were likely due to the fact that non-student residents restricted their movements to a greater extent than residents of the surrounding communities. "Self-imposed stay-at-home behaviors among Centre County residents may have limited transmission between students and non-student residents of Centre County and slowed transmission among non-student residents," said Bharti. "Students, on the other hand, had a higher rate of cases per capita because they weren't able to distance and quarantine as effectively as non-students. Our findings are important because they clearly show that applying the same restrictions and guidelines to different populations will not be equally effective." The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a coronavirus with a single-stranded RNA (ssRNA) genome that belongs to the Coronaviridae family which includes four genera: Alphacoronavirus, Betacoronavirus, Gammacoronavirus, and Deltacoronavirus. Enveloped positive ssRNA viruses are classified as Nidovirales. The spike (S), membrane (M), envelope (E), and nucleocapsid (N) proteins are the primary structural proteins necessary for the structural stability and virulence of SARS-CoV-2. These proteins are encoded by the SARS-CoV-2 enveloped positive-sense ssRNA. SARS-CoV-2 binds to the host cell by attaching its S protein to the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor through its S1 region's receptor-binding domains (RBD). In addition to the ACE2 receptor, the transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2) also mediates viral entry into the host cell. Study: Nucleic Acid-Based COVID-19 Therapy Targeting Cytokine Storms: Strategies to Quell the Storm. Image Credit: ktsdesign / Shutterstock.com About the study The use of microRNAs (miRNAs) to interfere with the expression of viral proteins provides a diverse framework for controlling SARS-CoV-2 infection. Furthermore, several studies have found that the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-induced cytokine storm can be reduced by targeting these miRNAs. In a recent Journal of Personalized Medicine study, researchers examine current nucleic acid-based treatments against COVID-19 and their methods of action, as well as prospective future possibilities considering the emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern. Nucleic acid-based vaccines Nucleic acid techniques have received much interest in the realm of next-generation vaccines. In 1990, the first proof of concept for a DNA vaccine was carried out, which involved the injection of DNA or RNA molecules into a mouse model. These molecules expressed luciferase, beta-galactosidase, chloramphenicol acetyltransferase, and reporter genes in vivo, which can be identified for up to two months following infection. Since 1990, several institutes have conducted research on vaccines, cancer immunotherapies, and immunological treatments for autoimmune and allergy conditions using plasmid DNA and messenger RNA (mRNA). Given the increased frequency of epidemics, advancements in DNA and RNA vaccine production approaches have also been crucial. The first vaccine to receive global authorization for use against COVID-19 was the PfizerBioNTech BNT162b2 vaccine. The PfizerBioNTech BNT162b2 vaccine is a lipid nanoparticle-formulated, nucleoside-modified RNA (modRNA) that encodes the full-length SARS-CoV-2 S protein with two proline alterations to secure it in the prefusion conformation. Structure scheme of SARS-CoV-2 and its mechanisms of cell entry and replication (adapted from Al-Hatamleh et al., 2020 Many vaccinations induce an immune response by introducing a weakened or inactivated pathogenic organism to the body. However, the Pfizer mRNA vaccine introduces a piece of genetic information from SARS-CoV-2 into the host cells, thus inducing an immune response. The mRNA from the vaccine is released into the host cell cytoplasm following injection, where it gets broken down and destroyed after viral proteins are formed on the cell surface. The genetic code from the vaccine provides instructions to the host cells to manufacture S proteins. These S proteins induce an immune response, which results in the production of neutralizing antibodies and robust interferon- (IFN-) -producing and interleukin-2 (IL-2)-producing CD8+ cytotoxic T-cells and CD4+ type 1 helper T (Th1) cell responses, with the capacity to identify and respond to any subsequent SARS-CoV-2 infection. Nucleic acid-based therapeutics There is considerable potential in the use of miRNAs to reduce the cytokine storm. During an active SARS-CoV-2 infection, there are multiple mechanisms that could be utilized to control a cytokine storm by miRNAs. For example, miRNAs could be used to manipulate the implicated inflammatory signaling pathways or even modulation of the inflammatory response-related host miRNAs. It was therefore proposed that miRNA mimics could be used as cytokine storm anti-inflammatory agents by targeting the 3UTR of pro-inflammatory mRNAs. The endothelial dysfunction and inflammatory response associated with COVID-19 were shown to be regulated by miR-26a-5p, miR-29b-3p, and miR-34a-5p. MiR-26a-5p has also been discovered to downregulate IL-6 and ICAM-1, whereas miR-29b-3p has been found to downregulate IL-4 and IL-8, all of which are low-expressed during infection. As a result, these three miRNAs, particularly miR-26a-5p, which targets IL-6 and may lower mortality, could be possible options for reducing the cytokine storm. Implications The vaccination of a very high percentage of the global population with COVID-19 mRNA vaccines will produce vital data on non-viral RNA delivery, immunological response, safety, and efficacy. Researchers may be able to leverage these discoveries to develop a more efficient strategy in the future by incorporating small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), miRNA mimics, antagomirs, or even genes in the same or similar lipid nanoparticles that are used in vaccines for health applications and gene therapy. Among the therapeutic nucleic acid (TNA)-based methods, miRNAs are highly flexible and efficient options that have considerable promise in reducing the cytokine storm. Additionally, COVID-19 is linked to many miRNAs in the host or those encoded by SARS-CoV-2, some of which may even impair the immune system. As a result, the cytokine storm can be controlled by targeting these miRNAs that are directly involved in the pathogenesis of COVID-19. Are the cardiac complications associated with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines worse than the disease itself? In order to answer this question, it is necessary to understand their true incidence and association with the vaccine. A new study published on the preprint server medRxiv* provides valuable evidence towards this end, using surveillance data to provide the best estimates of these outcomes. Study: Myocarditis and Pericarditis following COVID-19 Vaccination: Evidence Syntheses on Incidence, Risk Factors, Natural History, and Hypothesized Mechanisms. Image Credit: myboys.me / Shutterstock.com Introduction The onset of COVID-19, caused by infection with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), led to a worldwide outbreak of infections, sickness, and death. The emergence and rapid transmission of SARS-CoV-2 prompted the development of vaccines to potentially create herd immunity and limit the spread of SARS-CoV-2. However, doubts raised by the unprecedented speed of vaccine approval, the novel platforms used for their development, and the rapid spread of conspiracy theories, accompanied by a severe shortfall of vaccine supplies to developing areas of the world, hindered the expected speed of vaccine coverage. During this lag period, attention shifted to the potential adverse effects associated with COVID-19 vaccines. The cardiac events following COVID-19 vaccination have been of particular concern, including myocarditis and pericarditis. The current study summarizes the results of an analysis of more than 8,000 cases of these complications while presenting a possible mechanism by which they arise. The first reports of myocarditis and pericarditis arose in April 2021 and triggered the development of a system to monitor these and other events of special interest occurring subsequent to vaccination with a nucleic acid or messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) vaccine from either Pfizer or Moderna. Currently, myocarditis occurs in 1-2, and 11, cases per 100,000 person-years, in the United States and the United Kingdom, respectively. Conversely, the rates in these countries after vaccination are 1.4 and 0.2 per million, respectively. In both situations, myocarditis is more common in young males. Study findings The scientists included systematic reviews, evidence reviews, and evidence underpinning proposed mechanisms. An earlier review by the same authors showed negligible rates of myocarditis and pericarditis after vaccines other than the mRNA vaccines and in adults aged 40 years or over. With mRNA vaccines, there were differences in the incidence of myocarditis in different age groups, as well as vaccine dosage, and between sexes. In the present study, 14 studies were reviewed, all of which came from several mostly Westernized developed countries. The results showed that in females of any age and in children aged 5-11 years old of either sex, myocarditis occurred in less than 20 cases per million after the second dose of the Pfizer vaccine. However, this side effect occurred in 25-82 per million male adults between 18-39 years of age; however, doubts on this estimate remain. The third vaccine dose was followed by myocarditis in less than 20 cases per million in adults aged 40 years and over. There is little certainty about the incidence of this side effect in females of this age, as well as in individuals between 13 and 39 years of age. Pericarditis is covered in very little detail; therefore, its incidence after Pfizer vaccination remains uncertain. The Moderna vaccine provides a higher dose of the spike antigen than the Pfizer vaccine and is likely associated with a higher incidence of myocarditis in males and females aged 18-29 years and in males alone aged 18-39 years. In older adults, there is little difference. The risk of these events may be lowered by increasing the interval between doses to at least 31 days. An interval of 56 days or more, for example, may be most beneficial in young males between the ages of 18-29 years in reducing the incidence. Children were more likely to present with myocarditis presented with symptoms after receiving their second dose. Notably, almost all children recovered from this side effect. Over 90% of myocarditis cases after vaccination were reported in males aged 20-29 years, though the youngest was 12 and the oldest 56 years old. The average lag from the last dose to the onset of symptoms was two to four days, with common symptoms including chest pain, pressure, or increases in troponin. Heart dysfunction was observed in less than a third of patients. Although 84% of heart dysfunction cases were hospitalized, intensive care unit admission was uncommon, with most patients being discharged within two to four days. Mortality was less than 1% among unconfirmed patients and less than 2% among unconfirmed cases. Pericarditis was mentioned in three reports, the vast majority of which were unconfirmed and mostly in males. The median interval from the last vaccine dose to symptom onset was 20 days, mostly after the second dose. Hospitalizations occurred in between 30% to 70% of cases but rarely required intensive care unit (ICU) admission, with the median length of stay being one day and mortality occurring in less than 0.5% of cases. The mechanisms of cardiac inflammation following COVID-19 mRNA vaccination included autoimmunity, serum sickness, hypersensitivity to one or more components of the vaccine, low levels of double-stranded RNA, increased blood viscosity leading to heart inflammation, and inflammation induced by heavy exercise. Sex steroids were often implicated by researchers to account for the male-female divide. Implications The highest risk of vaccine-associated myocarditis is in young adults and adolescents at a rate of up to 140 per million. Children between five and 11 years of age, as well as females of all ages, are at low risk. The Moderna vaccine may be linked to a higher incidence of myocarditis as compared to Pfizer in adults between 18 and 29 years of age. In males who are between 18 and 29 years of age, increasing the interval between the first and second doses to at least eight weeks resulted in a significant reduction in the incidence of myocarditis. Overall, there is little data on long-term outcomes, though the illness appears to resolve spontaneously, completely, and rapidly. The various pathogenetic mechanisms all lack one or more convincing explanations. However, it remains true that myocarditis is mostly found in young males, who are nonetheless at small risk. Similarly, the illness is mostly mild and self-limiting. The use of the Pfizer vaccine may reduce the risk in this subgroup still further, especially if the intervals between doses are increased. The understanding that myocarditis is far more common, serious, and damaging following COVID-19 as compared to vaccination should be clearly communicated to young males and their caregivers, guardians, or parents. Furthermore, this patient population should be given information on the proven ability of vaccines to reduce the clinical severity and mortality rate of COVID-19, as it may facilitate and encourage proper decision-making. Ongoing surveillance of adverse vaccine effects is key to shaping future strategies for booster doses, especially as SARS-CoV-2 continues to mutate. Myocarditis patients should be closely monitored to identify and trace long-term sequelae if any. A mechanistic understanding of this complication will require multiple centers to be involved in carrying out prospective studies. *Important notice medRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information. By combining CRISPR technology with a protein designed with artificial intelligence, it is possible to awaken individual dormant genes by disabling the chemical "off switches" that silence them. Researchers from the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle describe this finding in the journal Cell Reports. The approach will allow researchers to understand the role individual genes play in normal cell growth and development, in aging, and in such diseases as cancer, said Shiri Levy, a postdoctoral fellow in UW Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine (ISCRM) and the lead author of the paper. The beauty of this approach is we can safely upregulate specific genes to affect cell activity without permanently changing the genome and cause unintended mistakes." Shiri Levy, postdoctoral fellow, UW Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine The project was led by Hannele Ruohola-Baker, professor of biochemistry and associate director of ISCRM. The AI-designed protein was developed at the UW Medicine Institute for Protein Design (IPD) under the leadership of David Baker, also a professor of biochemistry and head of the IPD. The new technique controls gene activity without altering the DNA sequence of the genome by targeting chemical modifications that help package genes in our chromosomes and regulate their activity. Because these modifications occur not in, but on top of genes, they are called epigenetic, from the Greek epi "over" or "above" the genes. The chemical modifications that regulate gene activity are called epigenetic markers. Scientists are particularly interested in epigenetic modifications because not only do they affect gene activity in normal cell function, epigenetic markers accumulate with time, contribute to aging, and can affect of the health of future generations as we can pass them on to our children. In their work, Levy and her colleagues focused on a complex of proteins called PRC2 that silences genes by attaching a small molecule, called a methyl group, to a protein that packages genes called histones. These methyl groups must be refreshed so if PRC2 is blocked the genes it has silenced. it can be reawakened. PRC2 is active throughout development but plays a particularly important role during the first days of life when embryonic cells differentiate into the variouscell types that will form the tissues and organs of the growing embryo. PRC2 can be blocked with chemicals, but they are imprecise, affecting PRC2 function throughout the genome. The goal of the UW researchers was to find a way to block PRC2 so that only one. In January, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its guidance for reducing SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) transmission in schools and day care settings. But the increased focus on minimizing the spread of COVID-19 hasn't stopped the need for research on other respiratory illnesses, such as influenza virus (flu) and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which are also known to spread in child care settings. According to the CDC, the flu infects 9 million to 41 million people in the United States each year and leads to the hospitalization of 7,000 to 26,000 children. Linsey Marr, the Charles P. Lunsford Professor in Civil and Environmental Engineering, is leading a team of researchers from the University of Michigan, the University of Pittsburgh, Emory University, and Georgetown University to investigate the transmission of flu in child care settings. Their project, MITIGATE FLU, which stands for Multidisciplinary InvesTIGation to Ease inFLUenza, received $8.8 million in funding from a grant through Flu Lab, an organization that supports bold approaches to defeat influenza. Marr said the team hopes to understand how behavioral and environmental factors affect transmission rates and identify the most effective interventions. We know a lot about the structure of the flu virus and what happens to it in the body, but we still don't have good answers to basic questions about transmission, like, 'How much is transmitted by breathing in aerosols versus touching a contaminated surface?' and 'Why is it seasonal?Some of these same questions have also been raised about COVID-19." Linsey Marr, Charles P. Lunsford Professor in Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech The team has divided its research into three distinct, but related, projects. The first project focuses on improving the detection of the flu in an indoor environment. Currently, the flu virus collection and detection methods are limited by poor particle recoveries and inconsistent results from sample to sample. "Our goal is to innovate flu virus detection in these indoor settings to help us understand when children are exposed to the viruses and how many viruses they are exposed to," said project lead Krista Wigginton, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Michigan. To do this, the team will develop a robot that collects samples in a classroom via interactions with children. Researchers also will develop new methods for differentiating flu viruses that are infectious versus non-infectious. "Combined, these innovations in detection approaches will provide insight into the amount of infectious viruses present within the indoor environment in close proximity to children," said Wigginton. "This will aid in the development of interventions that reduce the amount of infectious viruses in the air." The second project, led by Seema Lakdawala at the University of Pittsburgh and Anice Lowen at Emory University, examines the efficiency of virus transmission modes, including aerosols, droplets, and contaminated surfaces, by using ferrets and engineered viruses. Further research will determine what non-pharmaceutical interventions are most effective for blocking each transmission mode. "Our goal is to create a new way to study the transmission of respiratory viruses that better mimics human settings and behaviors," said Lakdawala. "We hope to translate observations from animals to child care centers during outbreaks of respiratory viruses including flu and coronaviruses to block the continuing spread of viruses among kids and to our communities." Conventional animal model systems have not been effective at clearly differentiating among transmission routes. Therefore, the team's engineering and aerosol experts have built a new system that incorporates tunable environmental parameters, ventilation rates, and detection sensors. Marr and Lakdawala have found in previous studies that the flu virus survives in aerosols across a wide range of ambient humidity. This project will extend those findings to ferrets by exploring the effects of humidity and temperature on modes of transmission. Researchers also will test interventions, such as humidifiers, air purifiers, ventilation rates, and simple engineering barriers, that could ultimately be translated to child care settings. The third project focuses on environmental factors driving flu transmission in child care settings. According to Andrew Hashikawa at the University of Michigan, who co-leads this project with Emily Martin, children attending group child care are known to have high rates of acute respiratory illness due to their naive immune systems. Their high susceptibility to infection makes these child care centers an important setting in which to evaluate respiratory illness-reducing interventions. The team will leverage the Michigan Child Care Related Infections Surveillance Program (MCRISP), an ongoing illness surveillance network of regional childcare centers in the state of Michigan, and the Michigan Household Influenza Vaccine Evaluation study (HIVE), which works with families to conduct ongoing active surveillance of viruses in the community. "We have shown that respiratory infections spread between children in child care centers, and these infections have major impacts on families," said Martin, an associate professor of epidemiology at Michigan's School of Public Health. "We believe that by developing interventions for the child care environment, we can reduce this transmission." By studying the presence and quantity of virus detected on surfaces and in ambient air, the research team will compare classrooms with portable air cleaners, humidifiers, or improved ventilation to those without. "These three projects are strongly synergistic and will hopefully allow us to make a big leap in understanding transmission of the flu and how to reduce it," said Marr. "Ultimately, we hope to reduce the impact of flu on human health and associated economic costs." With this goal in mind, the MITIGATE FLU team will not only push forward strategies to stop the spread of flu each year but also provide a framework for the study of other respiratory viruses, such as RSV and coronaviruses. Biologists from ETH Zurich have discovered speargun-like molecular injection systems in two types of bacteria and have described their structure for the first time. The special nanomachines are used by the microbes for the interaction between cells and could one day be useful as tools in biomedicine. Many bacteria have sophisticated molecular injection devices that are used to do some amazing things. For example, a bacterium inoculates certain molecules into a worm larva via such a nanomachine composed of proteins, which triggers the transformation of the larva into an adult worm. Other bacteria use such molecular weapons to kill foreign strains of bacteria or insect larvae, or they defend themselves against scavenger cells. Researchers in the group of Martin Pilhofer, Professor at the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biophysics at ETH Zurich, who specializes in such molecular injection machines, have just described two novel injection systems in the journal Nature Microbiology: one made by cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae, and one by the marine bacterium Algoriphagus machipongonensis. The newly discovered so-called contractile injection systems (CISs) work fundamentally differently than previously described devices and have a few unique features. As a result, they also provide information about the evolutionary differences between different injection system classes. These CISs work like molecular syringes. When the outer sheath module of the nanomachine contracts, an internal, hidden tube filled with proteins is shot out. These proteins are either injected into the environment or directly into a target cell. A surprising anchoring in the cell One novel CIS, which the researchers found in cyanobacteria, was not anchored in the cell membrane or loosely floating inside the cell, as expected, but was attached to the so-called thylakoid membrane, where photosynthesis takes place in these bacteria. That was the biggest surprise for us." Gregor Weiss, Study Lead Author, Cyanobacterial Injection System, ETH Zurich Despite this unusual localization, the CIS anchored in the thylakoid membrane referred to as tCIS fulfill their purpose. If cyanobacteria are stressed, for example by excessive salt concentrations in the water or ultraviolet light, the outer cell layers detach. This exposes the outward-facing tCIS, ready to fire upon contact with potential target cells. The molecular spear guns are also unexpectedly common, which according to Weiss indicates an important role in the life cycle of cyanobacteria. He suspects that the tCIS could play a role in the programmed cell death of individual cells in these multicellular cyanobacteria. Extracellular injection system On the other hand, the ETH researchers Jingwei Xu and Charles Ericson, who also work in Pilhofer's group, discovered and describe a CIS produced by the marine bacterium Algoriphagus machipongonensis, which is not anchored in the cell at all, but is instead released into the environment to act on target cells in the area. Among other things, the researchers used cryo-electron microscopy to determine the structure of this specific subtype of ejected CIS (eCIS) in very high resolution, which no other working group had previously been able to do. "The newly discovered nano machines give us clues that contractile injection systems are more common than previously thought," says Ericson. From molecules to whole bacteria These studies are special because of their interdisciplinary, diverse approach: from bacteria collected in natural ecosystems to atomic-level models of their respective CIS. "This work shows very nicely how different techniques can be used to get an idea of how these systems and structures work," explains Weiss. In addition, the study shows that there is a need to move from laboratory strains to environmental samples in order to understand the role of injection systems in the life cycle. Future use in biomedicine The two studies help researchers understand how CIS-producing organisms affect their environment. In addition, different sites in these systems shed light on how each CIS is organized for a specific purpose: specialized hair-like receptors allow targeted binding of target cells, variable loading of these molecular sparguns causes different cellular effects, and distinct anchoring mechanisms allow the CISs completely different modes of action. With this in mind, it is conceivable that future researchers will use the modular structure in biomedicine by redesigning it so that a molecular speargun could target specific cell types and fire drugs or antimicrobials. The coronavirus pandemic is now stretching into its third year, a grim milestone that calls for another look at the human toll of covid-19, and the unsteady progress in containing it. The charts below tell various aspects of the story, from the deadly force of the disease and its disparate impact to the signs of political polarization and the United States' struggle to marshal an effective response. Covid rocketed up the list of leading killers in the U.S. like nothing in recent memory. The closest analogue was HIV and AIDS, which ranked among the top 10 causes of death from 1990 to 1996. But even HIV/AIDS never reached higher than eighth on that list. By contrast, covid shot up to third in 2020, its first year of existence, covering only about nine months of the pandemic. Only heart disease and cancer killed more Americans that year. The leading causes of death are relatively stable over long periods of time, so this is a very striking result, said Dr. William Schaffner, a professor of preventive medicine and health policy at Vanderbilt University. Covid generally hit people of color harder, a pattern experts trace back to historical disparities in income, geography, medical access, and educational attainment. This tells us something about our society it's a kind report card, Schaffner said. Studies have shown that illness and prevention are even more strongly correlated with educational background than with income. There was some effort to correct the disparities, said Arthur Caplan, a professor of bioethics at New York Universitys Grossman School of Medicine. But these were band-aids on a system that remains broken. Older people tend to be more vulnerable to disease than younger people, because of weaker immune systems and underlying health problems. That's been especially true with covid. Many other infections affect the very young and the very old disproportionately, but covid-19 stands out in being so age-dependent, said Dr. Monica Gandhi, a professor of medicine at the University of California-San Francisco. Children were remarkably spared from severe disease in the U.S., as they were worldwide. Deaths among older Americans, however, were especially widespread in the early days of the pandemic due to the close contact of seniors living in nursing homes. Some will argue that [the] old are frail anyway, but I find that morally repugnant, Caplan said. The deaths of so many older people makes me extremely sad. The good news, experts say, is that older Americans were the most likely to get vaccinated, with a 91% full vaccination rate for those between ages 65 and 74. This almost certainly prevented many deaths among older people as the pandemic ground on, Schaffner said. Although the pandemic has had its peaks and valleys, due to largely seasonal factors and the emergence of new variants, it has continued to produce deaths at a fairly steady rate since its beginning two years ago. The pandemic is impressive in how it just keeps going, Schaffner said. The slow grind is why we're exhausted, Caplan said. It's like we can't make a significant dent, no matter what we do. There have been five distinct peaks: the initial one in April 2020, a summer spike in August 2020, a winter spike in January 2021, the initial outbreak of the delta variant in September 2021, and the omicron surge in January 2022. The on-off nature of the pandemic has led to a lot of the confusion and grumpiness, Schaffner said. Caplan compared it to the exhaustion of the American public when hearing body counts during the Vietnam War. Once a natural disaster like a hurricane or a tornado has passed, Schaffner added, it's gone and people can rebuild. With covid, it's just been a matter of time before the next wave arrives. The coronavirus also affected the whole world, unlike a localized disaster. Such factors stretched the capacity of the public health system and our governance, Schaffner said. Not surprisingly, the number of deaths in each state was heavily dependent on the size of the state's population. California and Texas each lost more than 80,000 people to covid, while Vermont lost 546. But once you adjust for population, distinct differences emerge in how various states fared during the pandemic. The seven states with the worst death rates include densely populated New Jersey, an affluent, educated Northeast state, and Arizona, a fairly diverse Southwestern state. The other five are Southern states that rank among the 11 states with the lowest levels of educational attainment and median income: Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Tennessee, and West Virginia. Among the states with the lowest death rates, Hawaii and Alaska (and, to an extent, Vermont and Maine) are isolated and may have had an easier time keeping the virus out. For all the grumbling you hear about federal mandates and enforcement, you can't help but look at this list and see that the pandemic has been handled state by state, Caplan said. The world's performance in battling covid is analogous to the United States': Some places did it well, and others did not. And in the international context, the United States' record was not so hot. When comparing death rates around the world, it's clear how much worse the U.S. has fared than other wealthy industrialized nations. The countries that have a higher death rate than the U.S. are largely medium-size and middle-income. The industrialized Western nations that are the United States' closest peers all managed to do better, including the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, and Canada. Meanwhile, other affluent countries did far better than the U.S. did, including Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan (which have more experience with airborne diseases and greater public tolerance for masking), and two island nations: Australia and New Zealand. In general, Schaffner said, countries that performed better than the U.S. tended to have sustained, single-source, science-based communication. They communicated well with their populations and explained and justified why they were doing what they were doing. It's impossible to look at the United States' response to covid without factoring in the extent to which it became politicized. Almost from the beginning, basic communications about the severity of the disease and how to combat its spread broke down along partisan lines. The way Americans responded also followed a partisan pattern. Most states that voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 had above-average vaccination rates. Most states that voted for Donald Trump in 2020 had below-average rates. Among the outliers in that pattern were Arizona, Nevada, Michigan, and Georgia, which supported Biden but had below-average vaccination rates. All four had very tight races in 2020; and Trump won three of them in 2016. The outliers on the other side were Florida and Utah, which supported Trump but had higher-than-average vaccination rates. Efforts to promote vaccination as advancing the common good got beaten back by arguments about autonomy and individual freedom, Caplan said. The rejection of vaccines by many Americans helped bring down U.S. vaccination rates compared with other countries as well. The U.S. full-vaccination rate of just under 66% was higher than the world average of about 54%, but not especially impressive considering the United States' wealth and the fact it was producing many of the key vaccines in the first place. Essentially every other high-income country has vaccinated a higher share of its residents than the U.S. has. The fact that the United States has both a lower rate of full vaccination and a higher death rate than other high-income countries makes me wonder how we might have done as a country if our pandemic response had not been so politicized and polarized, said Brooke Nichols, an infectious-disease mathematical modeler at Boston University. In a recent study posted to the journal Molecular Biology Reports, researchers illustrated the current progress and obstacles in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine development. The novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-driven COVID-19 pandemic has caused an unprecedented global public health catastrophe. COVID-19 management is critical due to its high transmission, death rates and socioeconomic consequences. Vaccines are the most effective strategy to control and end the COVID-19 pandemic in the absence of SARS-CoV-2-specific therapies. Currently, several pharmaceutical manufacturers around the globe are striving to create potent vaccines to fight the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. About the study In the present review, the scientists summarized basic techniques employed for the development of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidates and each vaccine's mode of action, benefits, and drawbacks. The team also explored the application of nanomaterials and nanotechnology in the formulation of COVID-19 vaccines. Findings and discussion The results of the review show that the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine design comprises various processes such as selecting antigens, vaccine platforms, routes, and cycles of vaccination. The COVID-19 vaccines developed so far are directed towards the SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain (RBD), spike 1 (S1)/S2 protein subunit, and S gene based on the experiences gained from the SARS and the Middle East respiratory syndrome-CoV (MERS-CoV) outbreaks. Various potent neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (nMAbs) targeting the SARS-CoV-2 RBD are under clinical trials. Non-neutralizing Abs (NAbs) were generated against SARS-CoV-2's membrane (M), envelope (E), and S proteins. Nevertheless, E and M proteins have never been investigated as vaccine targets against SARS-CoV-2 due to their low immunogenicity for humoral responses. The use of other structural proteins such as nucleocapsid (N) or non-structural proteins as vaccine antigens might induce far more stable T cell and humoral-mediated immune responses. This inference was due to the ambiguous role of the non-NAbs and Abs with insufficient neutralizing capacity in Ab-dependent enhancement (ADE) disease. COVID-19 vaccines based on SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid, protein subunit, and the inactivated virus cannot be given via the respiratory mucosa because of their necessity for potentially dangerous immune adjuvants and recurrent administration. On the contrary, the SARS-CoV-2 recombinant viral-vectored vaccines, mainly those based on the chimpanzee adenovirus (ChAd) and Ad type 5 (Ad5), were both highly effective and safe when delivered through the respiratory mucosa. A heterologous or homologous COVID-19 vaccination regimen was required to sustain the protection against SARS-CoV-2 due to the uncertainty of vaccine-induced protection in humans long-term. Live attenuated vaccine based on Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) was under investigation for its usage in COVID-19 prevention. However, live attenuated vaccines were more reactive than recombinant protein-based vaccines, and they can infect or revert the virulent strain in people with compromised immune systems. Inactivated COVID-19 vaccines can be easily manufactured and ramped up utilizing well-established infrastructure and methodologies. Unlike live attenuated vaccines, inactivated viral vaccines exhibit few safety concerns and deliver a broad spectrum of native viral antigens. Nonetheless, adjuvants and several administrations were necessary to activate the immune system and ensure that these vaccinations were fully effective since entirely inactive viruses did not replicate. They were also poor stimulators for cytotoxic CD8+T cells. Such risks can be overcome by using TH1 cell skewing altered alum or other adjuvants such as CpG. Sinopharm is presently conducting a phase 3 study of BBIBP-CorV. Preliminary clinical trials of recombinant viral vector vaccines indicated significant Ab and cell-mediated immune responses following a single dose of adenoviral vectored vaccines such as Ad26.CoV2. S and Ad5nCoV. A phase 4 clinical trial is ongoing for the non-replicating ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine. In SARS-CoV-2 protein subunit vaccines, a full-length viral S protein or RBD or a combination of RBD with a carrier protein was used. However, they only trigger humoral immune responses. Hence, they require adjuvants in the formulation and repeated administrations. A full-length recombinant SARS-CoV-2 S nanoparticle vaccine named Novavax is in the phase 3 trial. Virus-like particles (VLPs) were an excellent choice for COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing because of the lack of infectious genetic material and functional protein. Yet, they require repeated dosing and adjuvants similar to protein subunit and inactivated vaccines. The messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA)-based COVID-19 vaccines were more appealing than other COVID-19 vaccination techniques because of their minimal cost and quick manufacturing procedure. Nevertheless, they might be linked to adverse reactions (ADRs) because of their high immunological capacity. SARS-CoV-2 mRNA-based vaccines were manufactured by prominent biotechnology firms like CureVac, Moderna, Pfizer, and BioNTech. Plasmid deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) vaccines were not very immunogenic and thus required many doses and the use of an adjuvant. Additionally, they were associated with adverse effects such as dysplasia by prompting mutations in the host genome and the formation of anti-DNA Abs. Inovio Pharmaceuticals has designed a phase 1 clinical trial to assess the effectiveness of a synthetic DNA vaccine expressing the SARS-CoV-2 S protein. Since vaccine development based on antigen-presenting cells (APCs) was too expensive and time-consuming for large-scale production, technology utilizing artificial antigen-presenting cells (aAPCs) was developed. Several preclinical and clinical trials have been ongoing for developing aAPCs-based COVID-19 vaccines. Extra cold chain requirements for cell-based vaccines and injection techniques impede large-scale implementation of these vaccines, chiefly because a satisfactory response requires repeated administration. Nanoparticles (NPs) containing immune-regulating compounds and antioxidants can supply therapeutic agents to inflammatory sites, thus reducing inflammation, cytokine responses, and oxidative stress in COVID-19 patients. Since the size of SARS-CoV-2 was nanoscale, nanotechnology can be employed to combat COVID-19. Drug NPs can give novel and cost-effective COVID-19 therapy options by boosting bio-degradation and compatibility and being eco-friendly. The MERS-CoV S protein-based NP vaccines with the adjuvant mixture of the matrix protein (M1) demonstrated effectiveness in reducing MERS-CoV multiplication in the lungs of mice in a trial on VLNPs in mice. The high titer of NAbs against S protein in mice implies that they were immune to the virus. Thus, virus-like NPs (VLNPs) with the S protein might be efficacious against MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 as both viruses employ the same mode of infection and invasion into host cells. Gold-based NPs (AuNPs) may be a viable approach for developing CoV vaccines as they can induce CD4+ T cell expression and eventually lead to tumor necrosis factor- (TNF-) and interferon- (IFN-) expression. However, the induction and generation of protective Abs and eosinophilic infiltration were unaffected by the AuNPs-adjuvanted toll-like receptor (TLR) vaccination in a study evaluating AuNPs and TLR agonists containing recombinant SARS-CoV-2 S in mice. Polymer-based (PB)-NPs play a critical role in the VLNP anti-MERS-CoV development, which might mirror the virus' function. As a result, utilizing PB-NPs to develop effective COVID-19 vaccines represents a focal point for further investigations. To date, the best protection against SARS-CoV-2 is offered by RNA-based COVID-19 vaccines. Various preclinical studies examining the effectiveness and immunogenicity of lipid NP (LNP)-mRNA vaccines encoding the SARS-CoV-2 S protein or S RBD have been conducted. An experiment in mice found that the SARS-CoV-2 S protein RNA incorporated LNP vaccine boosted immune responses against SARS-CoV-2. The benefits of employing NPs in vaccine manufacturing include the improvement of conjugated or adsorbed drugs antigenicity, the stimulation of adaptive and innate immunity, efficient controlled release properties, and cell targeting. However, the use of NPs in vaccines has some drawbacks including the requirement of adjuvant, multiple doses, lagged immune responses, and cellular toxicity. The DNA, protein subunit, and inactivated COVID-19 vaccines exhibited fewer local and systemic ADRs than the granular, non-replicating vector, and RNA vaccines. Further, the highest adverse effects linked to reactogenicity were demonstrated by the mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines. The most frequently reported local side effect of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines was injection site pain, and the common systemic ADRs included headache and fatigue. Conclusions The study findings depicted different strategies associated with SARS-CoV-2 vaccine development ranging from nucleic acids and protein subunits through VLPs. None of the COVID-19 vaccines developed so far imparted 100% protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection. Thus, even with vaccination, there was a potential of infection, although it will most likely be very mild or asymptomatic, with extremely low likelihoods of serious disease or death. During pandemics like COVID-19, in addition to the general criteria for successful vaccine development, such as efficacy, safety, and duration of protection, the rapid production of a vaccine with a high generation capacity as well as distributing and administering the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine to vulnerable people, are all significant challenges. Constant mutational changes in the SARS-CoV-2 structure were another bottleneck in COVID-19 vaccine development. Together, despite the high pace with which people are vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2 globally, the emergence of variants demonstrating significant immune escape raises questions about the existing vaccines effectiveness. Thus, novel COVID-19 vaccine research and development by companies and universities should be backed by strict proteomic and genomic surveillance. It helps to quickly identify SARS-CoV-2 mutations and scrutinize their effects on transmission rate, the severity of pathogenicity, and immune escape resulting in improved COVID-19 vaccine development and pandemic control. In a recent study posted to the medRxiv* preprint server, researchers assessed the disparities in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) case fatality rates (CFRs) among different races in the United States (US). Background During the initial year of the COVID-19 pandemic, racial disparities in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection-associated deaths garnered substantial interest. However, it is unclear whether inconsistencies in mortality rates were due to differences in COVID-19 incidence, CFRs, or both. Among US residents, minorities such as Latinx and Afro-Americans/Blacks had significantly higher COVID-19 incidence and mortality rates than Whites. However, CFRs of Blacks were only slightly greater than that of Whites. This finding indicated that disparities in COVID-19 death rates were due to discrepancies in infection rates. It had also been observed that although COVID-19 incidence was higher among Hispanics and Blacks, the associated deaths were low and similar to Whites after the data were adjusted for sex, age, and urban/rural geographical location. Some studies observed that while the probability of hospital admissions was twice as high for Blacks than Whites, the in-hospital COVID-19 mortality was identical to that of Whites. While the COVID-19-associated hospitalization odds were equivalent among Hispanics, Whites, and Blacks, mortality rates were higher among hospitalized Whites. Thus, although multiple studies assessed the racial disparities in COVID-19 incidence and mortality in the US, the results have not been uniform. About the study The present study examined differences in SARS-CoV-2 infection CFRs among US residents of different races such as Americans, Latinx, Whites, and African Americans/Blacks from March 2020 to February 2021. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) COVID-19 Case Surveillance Public Use and The Atlantics COVID Tracking Project (CTP) datasets were used for CFR estimation. While CDC data facilitated age adjustments, the COVID racial data tracker of the CTP enabled comparison between different races. Age-stratified and overall CFRs were used for comparison between Whites and the minorities. Only 38 states that reported deaths, as well as cases, were included for CFR estimation. Additionally, a model of monthly COVID-19 deaths was used for CFR ratio estimation after data adjustment for gender, age, time, and states. CFRs values denoted the proportion of COVID-19 deaths compared to the reported cases. State-wise CFRs of different races were derived, and an overall national CFR value was estimated using the random-effects model. The mixed-effects Poisson model was used for CFR estimation post data adjustment for age, state, time, and gender for individuals aged 18 years and above. The I2 statistic was used to determine heterogeneity in the study population. Results and discussion Both datasets showed an identical pattern in the CFRs over time, with the CTP curve trailing behind the CDC curve by about 12 months. Significantly higher CFRs were observed for individuals 65 years and above (13.5%) as compared to those aged 1849 years (0.1%) and 5064 years (0.8%), respectively. The extent of cases among individuals younger than 65 years was greater among Latinx (93%) and Blacks (89%) compared to Whites (80%). The disparities were even greater for the cases below 50 years (78% for Latinx and 69% for Blacks as opposed to 58% for Whites). Age stratified, state-wise CFRs were averagely higher among 50-64 and 18-49 age groups among Latinx and Blacks than Whites. The comparative CFRs of Blacks with Whites were 2.1, 0.9, and 3.9 for age groups 5064, 65 and above, and 1849 years, respectively. The corresponding CFRs of Latinx with Whites were 9.8, 3.0, and 0.9, respectively. Significant inter-state variability was observed in both datasets in CFRs and CFR ratios between different races. The inter-state and intra-state variance values were 0.31 and 0.26, respectively. A 67% intra-state rise in CFR was noted within a month. CFRs comparing females to males was 0.76. An overall I2 value greater than 95% indicated sample heterogeneity. Conclusion To summarize, the overall COVID-19 CFRs in the US were higher for Whites compared to Latinx and Blacks; the age-adjusted CFRs were greater among the minorities aged below 65 years. CFRs significantly varied across the states and time. The study findings highlight the need to develop healthcare policies tailored to the racial groups based on their COVID-19 case fatality disparities. *Important notice medRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information. If you listen to the nation's largest Alzheimer's disease advocacy organizations, you might think everyone living with Alzheimer's wants unfettered access to Aduhelm, a controversial new treatment. But you'd be wrong. Opinions about Aduhelm (also known as aducanumab) in the dementia community are diverse, ranging from "we want the government to cover this drug" to "we're concerned about this medication and think it should be studied further." The Alzheimer's Association and UsAgainstAlzheimer's, the most influential advocacy organizations in the field, are in the former camp. Both are pushing for Medicare to cover Aduhelm's $28,000 annual cost and fiercely oppose the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' January proposal to restrict coverage only to people enrolled in clinical trials. Nearly 10,000 comments were received on that proposal, and a final decision is expected in April. "With respect, we have no more time for debate or delay," the Alzheimer's Association national Early-Stage Advisory Group wrote in a Feb. 10 comment. "Every passing day without access to potential treatments subjects us to a future of irreversible decline." For its part, UsAgainstAlzheimer's called CMS' proposal "anti-patient." Yet the scientific evidence behind Aduhelm is inconclusive, its efficacy in preventing the progression of Alzheimer's remains unproved, and there are concerns about its safety. The FDA granted accelerated approval to the medication last June but ordered the drugmaker, Biogen, to conduct a new clinical trial to verify its benefit. And the agency's decision came despite a 10-0 recommendation against doing so from its scientific advisory committee. (One committee member abstained, citing uncertainty.) Other organizations representing people living with dementia are more cautious, calling for more research about Aduhelm's effectiveness and potential side effects. More than 40% of people who take the medication have swelling or bleeding in the brain complications that need to be carefully monitored. The Dementia Action Alliance, which supports people living with dementia, is among them. In a statement forwarded to me by CEO Karen Love, the organization said, "DAA strongly supports CMS's decision to limit access to aducanumab to people enrolled in qualifying clinical trials in order to better study aducanumab's efficacy and adverse effects." Meanwhile, Dementia Alliance International the world's largest organization run by and for people with dementia, with more than 5,000 members has not taken a position on Aduhelm. "We felt that coming out with a statement on one side or another would split our organization," said Diana Blackwelder, its treasurer, who lives in Washington, D.C. Blackwelder, 60, who was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's in 2017, told me, "To say that millions of people afflicted with a disease are all up in arms against CMS's proposal is just wrong. We're all individuals, not a collective." "I understand the need for hope," she said, expressing a personal opinion, "but people living with dementia need to be protected as well. This drug has very serious, frequent side effects. My concern is that whatever CMS decides, they at least put in some guardrails so that people taking this drug get proper workups and monitoring." The debate over Medicare's decision on Aduhelm is crucial, since most people with Alzheimer's are older or seriously disabled and covered by the government health program. To learn more, I talked to several people living with dementia. Here's some of what they told me: Jay Reinstein, 60, is married and lives in Raleigh, North Carolina. He was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease three years ago and formerly served on the national board of directors of the Alzheimer's Association. "I understand [Aduhelm] is controversial, but to me it's a risk I'm willing to take because there's nothing else out there," Reinstein said, noting that people he's met through support groups have progressed in their disease very quickly. "Even if it's a 10% chance of slowing [Alzheimer's] down by six months, I am still willing to take it. While I am progressing slowly, I want more time." Laurie Scherrer of Albertville, Alabama, was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's and frontotemporal dementia in 2013, at age 55. Early on, she was prescribed Aricept (donepezil), one of a handful of medications that address Alzheimer's symptoms. "I became totally confused and disoriented, I couldn't think, I couldn't concentrate," she told me. After stopping the medication, those symptoms went away. "I am not for CMS approving this drug, and I wouldn't take it," Scherrer said. At discussion groups on Aduhelm hosted by the Dementia Action Alliance (Scherrer is on the board), only two of 50 participants wanted the drug to be made widely available. The reason, she said: "They don't think there are enough benefits to counteract the possible harms." Rebecca Chopp, 69, of Broomfield, Colorado, was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's in March 2019. She's a former chancellor of the University of Denver. Chopp is a member of a newly formed group of five people with dementia who meet regularly, "support one another," and want to "tell the story of Alzheimer's from our perspective," she said. Two people in the group have taken Aduhelm, and both report that it has improved their well-being. "I believe in science, and I am very respectful of the large number of scientists who feel that [Aduhelm] should not have been approved," she told me. "But I'm equally compassionate toward those who are desperate and who feel this [drug] might help them." Chopp opposes CMS' decision because "Aduhelm has been FDA-approved and I think it should be funded for those who choose to take it." Joanna Fix, 53, of Colorado Springs was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease in October 2016. She, too, developed serious complications after taking Aricept and another dementia medication, Namenda (memantine). "I would love it if tomorrow somebody said, 'Here's something that can cure you,' but I don't think we're at that point with Aduhelm," Fix told me. "We haven't been looking at this [drug] long enough. It feels like this is just throwing something at the disease because there's nothing else to do." "Please, please take it from someone living with this disease: There is more to life than taking a magic pill," Fix continued. "All I care about is my quality of life. My marriage. Educating and helping other people living with dementia. And what I can still do day to day." Phil Gutis, 60, of Solebury, Pennsylvania, has participated in clinical trials and taken Aduhelm for 5 years after being diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's in 2016. He's convinced the medication has helped him. "I don't know how to describe it other than to say my head feels so much clearer now," he told me. "I feel much more capable of doing things now. It's not like I've gained my memories back, but I certainly haven't deteriorated." Gutis thinks CMS' proposed restrictions on Aduhelm are misguided. "When the FDA approved it, there was this sense of excitement oh, we're getting somewhere. With the CMS decision, I feel we are setting the field back again. It's this constant feeling that progress is being made and then whack." Christine Thelker, 62, is a widow who lives alone in Vernon, British Columbia. She was diagnosed with vascular dementia seven years ago and is a board member for Dementia Advocacy Canada, which supports restrictions on Aduhelm's availability. "Most of us who live with dementia understand a cure is not likely: There are too many different types of dementia, and it's just too complicated," Thelker told me. "To think we're just going to take a pill and be better is not realistic. Don't give us false hope." What people with Alzheimer's and other types of dementia need, instead, is "various types of rehabilitation and assistance that can improve our quality of life and help us maintain a sense of hope and purpose," Thelker said. Jim Taylor of New York City and Sherman, Connecticut, is a caregiver for his wife, Geri Taylor, 78, who has moderate Alzheimer's. She joined a clinical trial for Aduhelm in 2015 and has been on the drug since, with the exception of about 12 months when Biogen temporarily stopped the clinical trial. "In that period, her short-term memory and communications skills noticeably declined," Jim Taylor said. "We're convinced the medication is a good thing, though we know it's not helpful for everybody," Taylor continued. "It really boosts [Geri's] spirits to think she's part of research and doing everything she can. "If it's helpful for some and it can be monitored so that any side effects are caught in a timely way, then I think [Aduhelm] should be available. That decision should be left up to the person with the disease and their care partner." 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) (MIKE FENDER / THE NEWS HERALD/AP) Veterans at a nursing home were evacuated, joining residents from hundreds of homes, as firefighters and emergency workers battled two massive wildfires Sunday in an area of the Florida Panhandle that was still recovering from destruction caused by a Category 5 hurricane over three years ago. The 8,000-acre Bertha Swamp Road fire and the 841-acre Adkins Avenue fire threatened homes and forced the evacuation of residents of at least 750 homes in Bay County over the weekend. The Adkins Avenue fire destroyed two structures and damaged another 12 homes late 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. Advertisement On Sunday, a 120-bed, state-operated nursing home for veterans in Panama City was evacuated as fire encroached nearby. Public transit was being used to move the residents at the Clifford Chester Sims State Veterans Nursing Home. Local authorities said they didnt know when residents would be able to return to their homes. Advertisement 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 recognize 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 it was 35% contained Sunday morning. Fire officials initially said it was 1,400 acres but adjusted the size downward Sunday afternoon to 841 acres (340 hectares). Breaking News As it happens Be the first to know with email alerts on important breaking stories from the Orlando Sentinel newsroom. > The much larger Bertha Swamp Fire started in neighboring 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. Fire officials said 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. 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 Sunday 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 in damage in the U.S., and it left behind 72 million tons of destroyed trees that have provided fuel for the Bay County wildfires, according to the Florida Forest Service. Advertisement Currently, there are nearly 150 wildfires burning more than 12,100 acres 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 and Julie Walker in New York City contributed to this report. In a recent study posted to Research Square*, researchers conducted a global survey to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of physicians towards coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Physicians' perceptions on healthcare policies, vaccination concerns, experiences, and future recommendations were explored. Background Healthcare professionals (HCPs) have been the frontline workers in the management of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections, working round the clock abiding by global COVID-19 protocols. Thus, KAP and vaccination concerns of HCPs must be thoroughly evaluated as understanding physician experiences could enable the identification of deficiencies in COVID-19 interventions and policies. Previous KAP studies on COVID-19 have been conducted majorly within the early periods of the disease at national levels. Data from the studies may not be representative of the present KAP of physicians all over the globe. About the study In the present study, the team conducted an international cross-sectional analysis to investigate physician KAP. They also explored physicians' perspectives on global healthcare policies and their advice for the future. A mixed-methods questionnaire-based survey was distributed online via social media to physicians across the globe from August 9th to August 30th, 2021. The final questionnaire (S1 file), with data from COVID-19 World Health Organization (WHO) Online Resources, updated until July 7th, 2021, comprised eight sections: sociodemographic characteristics, information sources, knowledge, practices, perspective on vaccinations, perspective on policies implemented, attitudes, and personal reflections. In total, 16 items were structured to assess the knowledge of physicians regarding COVID-19 and vaccines. Correct answers were allotted 1 point, and incorrect answers were given 0 points. A total of the scores indicated the physician's knowledge. Based on Bloom's cut-off value, the knowledge was categorized as good and poor, based on a percentage greater than 60% and below, respectively. The practice section contained five questions that aimed to evaluate the preventative measures followed by the physicians. There were three answers to this section: 'occasional," never, or 'always.' The former two scored 0 points, whereas the latter was given 1 point. A total of the points denoted the total practice score. Based on Bloom's cut-off value, physicians' practice was classified as good and poor based on scores greater than or less than 80%, respectively. Physician responses were evaluated by three infection control specialists. A pilot test was performed based on ten physician responses to assess the clarity, acceptability, relevance, and readability of the survey. Pilot study data and unfinished surveys were excluded before the final statistical analysis. Descriptive statistics and inductive thematic analysis were used to obtain the results. Results and discussion In this study, 399 physicians practicing general medicine, surgery, or internal medicine from 62 nations responded with almost equal participation from high-income countries (54%) and middle or low-income countries (46%). Although most physicians (87.5%) had good knowledge regarding COVID-19 and vaccinations, only 54% followed strict adherence to COVID-19 preventative measures. Most physicians were knowledgeable about the disease transmission (71.5%), actions taken for patients (72.5%), and the nature of vaccines (89.5%). However, poor knowledge regarding the nature (52%) and treatment (59.9%) of disease was identified. The majority of physicians obtained information from government websites (51%). Other information sources included news media and social media. Most respondents worried about their workload, mental stress, future, and acquiring COVID-19 as well as infecting close contacts. More than half of the physicians reported a negative COVID-19 experience. However, most physicians (87%) expressed their willingness to work in healthcare facilities during the pandemic. Approximately one-third of respondents indicated that the policies implemented by health facilities and public health agencies, and health facilities were inadequate. The practice most and least followed by the majority of physicians were handwashing with soap or hydro-alcoholic gels and wearing gloves while working, respectively. Over 60% of physicians were concerned about vaccine distribution, whereas 50% of physicians were worried about the long-term side effects of vaccines. More than 70% of physicians considered the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine as the most effective vaccine. Almost 50% of physicians reported that the AstraZeneca (Vaxzevria and Covishield), Janssen, and Sputnik V vaccines were associated with many complications. Almost all physicians (96%) were vaccinated, whereas only 4% of physicians were reluctant to get vaccinated. Conclusion The study findings showed that although physicians were knowledgeable about COVID-19 and vaccinations, enhanced adherence to COVID-19 protocols among HCPs is required globally. As physicians in the study recommended, COVID-19 management must involve the reinforcement of healthcare systems with increased investments in resources and HCP training, appropriate delegation of decision-making duties, minimizing dissemination of irrelevant information, and acknowledging a worldwide responsibility. *Important notice Research square publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be considered conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information. In a recent study posted to the medRxiv* preprint server, researchers evaluated the impact of virus-neutralizing antibody (vnAb) titers against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) knowledge on deciding the timing of booster vaccination and social behavior. Background The global spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has led to significant morbidity and mortality. To control the pandemic, vaccines have been developed that confer immune protection by antibody generation in the host. The vnAb titers are the most robust serological correlates of immune protection against SARS-CoV-2 infections. Most clinically approved antibody tests qualitatively detect antibodies that bind to viral proteins. The qualitative measurement of vnAbs, the antibodies that most significantly correlated with infection prevention, is lacking. About the study In the present study, the researchers conducted a retrospective survey-based study to ascertain the impact of vnAb titer awareness on decisions related to booster vaccine timing and social interactions. Complimentary IMMUNO-COV tests were offered to employees of two companies between January 1, 2021, and December 4, 2021. Data regarding their age, gender, dates of first, second, and booster vaccination, and the vaccine(s) administered were obtained. Blood samples were collected from the participants post-vaccination on self-chosen dates and subjected to IMMUNO-COV analysis for the quantification of their vnAb titers against SARS-CoV-2 Delta and Wuhan strains. The employees were asked to voluntarily fill out a questionnaire for assessing the impact of knowing their vnAb titers on deciding booster dose timing and social conduct. Based on the information obtained and the IMMUNO-COV test results, the team evaluated the rate of vnAb decay, vnAb alterations post booster dose, and the association between age and vnAb titers. The collection days post booster vaccination or a new SARS-CoV-2 infection were excluded from the assessment of vnAb decay kinetics. The IMMUNO-COV titers were calibrated to International Standard (IU/mL) based on World Health Organization (WHO) to facilitate cross-comparison with published studies. For easier understanding and interpretation of the vnAb titers, historical IMMUNO-COV values were inserted into models of protection reported by Khoury et al. that predict an individuals protection level against SARS-CoV-2 infections. Results and discussion A total of 214 blood samples were obtained from 56 employees after primary vaccination. All the participants were either double vaccinated with the mRNA-1273 vaccine (Moderna) or the BNT162b2 vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech) or single vaccinated with Ad26.CoV2.S vaccine (Janssen) vaccine. Moreover, 66% (37/56) of employees received a booster dose of Ad26.CoV.S (2/37), BNT162b2 (32/37), or mRNA-1273 (3/37) within five months post-initial vaccination. The vnAb titers initially rose after the initial vaccination and declined rapidly thereafter. However, excluding titers that increased after booster doses or new infections, 29 of 52 (56%) employees had vnAb titers constantly exceeding 200 IU/mL up to half a year after initial vaccination. This indicates substantial (exceeding 75%) protection levels against Wuhan strain but a lower (50%) protection level against the Delta variant. Booster vaccinations were received by 37 of 56 (66%) participants and caused a 60.2-fold increase in vnAb titers. In 23 of 24 (96%) participants, boosted vnAb titers peaked above 900 IU/mL. The pattern of initial vnAb titer increase followed by decrease may be due to an initial outburst of antibody-secreting host cells followed by immune regulation by long-term B cells. The vnAb decay half-lives averaged about 1.7 months and 2.2 months for the initial two-four-month and four-six-month periods, respectively, and declined to 1.6 months during the six-eight-month period after vaccination. The average age of employees that consistently maintained vnAb titers above 200 IU/mL was 36 years, lower than the average employee age with lower vnAb titers (44 years). This indicates that vnAb levels decrease with advancing age. Most participants (66%) indicated that knowing their vnAb titer had a moderate to significant impact on their social interactions and decision-making regarding the timing of booster vaccination. Conclusion The study findings indicate that vnAb awareness positively impacts an individuals decision on booster vaccination timing and their social behavior. Future studies with larger sample sizes, sample stratification, uniform time intervals between vaccination and serological testing should focus on comparing vnAb decay rates post-vaccination with different vaccines. *Important notice medRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information. Dr. Mark Ghaly, head of California's massive Health and Human Services Agency, continues to wear a mask in grocery stores and will dine outside but not indoors at restaurants even as California, like much of the nation, has lifted its mask mandate and many other pandemic restrictions. This was among the topics explored March 4 as KHN Senior Correspondent Samantha Young met with Ghaly for a wide-ranging 30-minute interview hosted by the Sacramento Press Club. Young spoke with Ghaly, Gov. Gavin Newsom's top health adviser, about the administration's plans for moving forward as covid case rates and hospitalizations ebb. Vaccines, testing, and masking are all part of the governor's strategy, Ghaly said, as covid becomes endemic and Californians learn to live with the virus. A pediatrician and father of four, Ghaly said the covid vaccine should be required for schoolchildren, similar to other mandatory childhood vaccines. "Our schools are better off because we have these requirements" for preventing diseases, Ghaly said. California will allow children to be in classrooms without a mask after March 11, but Ghaly said he hasn't yet talked with his kids about what they'll do. Click here to listen to the full conversation. This story was produced by KHN, which publishes California Healthline, an editorially independent service of the California Health Care Foundation. Thought Leaders Dr. Paresh Malhotra Consultant Neurologist Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust In this interview, we speak to Dr. Paresh Malhotra about what the future holds for patient centricity within clinical trials, and the benefits for this focus. Please could you introduce yourself and tell us what inspired your career into brain science? Hi, I am an academic Neurologist based at Imperial College London-dividing my time between research clinical work centering on dementia and cognitive disorders. When I did my medical training, I was taught by some inspirational Neuroscientists such as Prof Colin Blakemore. I was also able to do an additional intercalated year and did a project in Neuropharmacology with Prof Trevor Sharp. This fascinated me and helped me make up my mind about the direction I wanted to pursue. After qualifying as a doctor, I have been lucky enough to work alongside some brilliant clinical neuroscientists and they have been a continual source of inspiration and encouragement. Clinical trials are extremely important to the scientific community but many trials still lack in putting patients at the center of them. Why is this? When academic researchers start designing clinical trials, I think it is often possible to 'lose sight of the wood for the trees'. The immediate and most pressing focus becomes obtaining funding for a trial, then the next step is to maximize feasibility, and then to ensure adequate recruitment as well as trial completion on time. The prize becomes a major paper or papers. And sometimes a nice result starts to be too focused on an outcome with a new and exciting biomarker. So this set of priorities starts to be foremost in researchers' minds when in reality, at the center of any trial has to be the patients who take part in the study itself and those patients who may receive a treatment based on the results in the future. Image Credit: Den Rise/Shutterstock.com How has patient-centricity changed within clinical trials over the last 10 years? Have you seen this becoming a more important focus for companies and researchers? In academic medicine, at least, I think patient-centricity has undoubtedly become more of a focus in the design and implementation of trials. The NIHR (National Institute of Health Research) has really helped institute patient and public involvement as a key stage in clinical research in the UK. This is an explicit and important part of the grant application process, and researchers are actively encouraged to cost and plan for patient and public involvement. This was already the way some charities and funding bodies worked but it is now an integral part of the clinical research landscape and an essential consideration in setting up any study with patients, particularly clinical trials. Since COVID hit, I think this has become even more important and not just because of the impact of COIVID-related research per se. The way we live and work has changed, such that many people work at home and travel a lot less. Also, people can access medical data about themselves online and collect measures using smartwatches and other devices. Following on from all this, patients and their families expect a different approach to medical care and clinical trials. Why do you believe it is important to put patients at the forefront of research? What are some of the benefits this has not only for the patients but the trial itself? Patients and their families are best placed to really know what their problems are! Sometimes researchers are understandably excited by their own hypothesis or perhaps a particular new test or treatment that they might have devised, but these really don't matter in a trial if they have no relevance to patients' lives. If we engage with patients and their problems, we are far more likely to develop and test interventions that make a difference. We are also more likely to recruit and engage patients so that they are more likely to stay in a trial. Crucially, they are also more likely to recommend participation to members of their personal networks. These are critical to any trial's success. Another huge focus area people are turning to within the clinical trial space is inclusivity and diversity. Why is it important to have diversity within a trial and be able to accurately represent underserved populations? Many of the findings in medical research that we think of as hard facts are in fact the results of studies carried out with extremely homogeneous groups that do not reflect the society in which we live. At the most basic level, this may consist of a major gender disparity. As someone who prescribes medications and recommends treatment for an extremely mixed and diverse population, I want to be sure that these therapies are appropriate for the whole of that population. In addition, having the opportunity to take part in relevant research is an important part of receiving a diagnosis and being a patient in a healthcare system. Access to that research, particularly clinical therapeutic trials, should be available to the whole population and not limited by demographics, geography, or language. There is a long way to go before this is the case, but I think now that it is becoming a recognized problem, we can at least start taking the first steps. This is something that is being addressed by the NIHR and also needs to be considered by researchers when planning trials. Image Credit: fizkes/Shutterstock.com The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has taught us the importance of collaboration and how, by collaborating together, scientific and medical advancements can be achieved quickly. How important is collaboration within the clinical trial setting? Why is it important for there to be clear communication between patients and researchers? As you might expect, I think collaboration is essential for any clinical trial. It is fundamental because successful trials genuinely require engagement from all team members with a diverse set of skills. At a broader level, the more that researchers from institutions across academia, industry, and the third sector can get together and collaborate, the more likely a trial is to be representative and of a large enough scale to make a difference to future practice. Involving patient representatives and advocacy groups at the earliest stages is essential. Ensuring that they have a voice on the Trial Steering Committee makes a big difference. Clear communication between patients and researchers makes participation easier for the patient and enables researchers to collect appropriate outcome measures. In my own field of dementia and cognitive impairment, family members and carers are particularly important in the whole process, and their advice should always be listened to. They have provided us with invaluable advice about things like the tolerability of scans, the length of testing sessions, and the need for regular breaks. In addition to formally requesting this input, I think it is of paramount importance that the patient-facing team tries to make a real connection with participating patients and their families. That human touch can make all the difference to people who might be anxious about taking part in a trial. What do you believe the future of patient centricity within clinical trials to look like? I think patient-centricity will be as fundamental as ethical approval. Patient and carer input is already part of trial design and funding in many cases, and this will become the norm. At the level of the individual patient, researchers will try to make the process of participation as patient-centric as possible. Of course, it will not be possible to remove all hospital visits from all trials, but these will be minimized and remote monitoring and measures will be ubiquitous. COVID has already enabled some of this, but I think the trend will continue. There is a lot of hype concerning wearables and some of it is justified, particularly with respect to monitoring things like oxygen saturations and obtaining remote ECGs. In neurology and dementia, I believe that there will be a move towards passive outcome measures where possible, allowing researchers to get as close as possible to measuring how an intervention changes a patient's life and activities. For instance, a passive measure of walking speed might tell quite a lot about a patient's mobility without the need for questionnaires and lengthy in-person assessments. Since starting your career in neurology, what has been your proudest achievement? I feel extremely proud every time one of my Ph.D. students is successful at their viva, and that I've really achieved something whenever we get the first patient enrolled in a new study. These moments are the culmination of several years' hard work and collaboration and it's a great privilege to be part of them. Are there any exciting projects upcoming that you are involved in? If so, what are they? We are now halfway through the NIHR NorAD trial, which I lead at Imperial. In this Phase 3 RCT, we are evaluating a repurposed medication that is normally used in ADHD for the treatment of cognition in Alzheimer's. It has been hard work, especially through COVID, but I'm very proud of the team that I work with for getting the project going and then keeping it running. I also work with the UK DRI Care Research and Technology Centre at Imperial and the University of Surrey. Together we are trying to advance home monitoring and remote testing as much as possible, harnessing some of the amazing technological research that goes on at Imperial and potentially incorporating this into trials. This will make a real difference to how we monitor progression and measure treatment effects in dementia. Where can readers find more information? About Dr. Paresh Malhotra Currently: Reader in Cognitive & Behavioural Neurology, Imperial College London Deputy Head, Division of Neurology, Imperial College London Consultant Neurologist, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust Divisional Director, Northwest London NIHR Clinical Research Network Associate Member, UK Dementia Research Institute Member, Alzheimer's Society Research Strategy Council Member, NIHR Translational Research Collaboration in Dementia Previous: Fellowship of the Royal College of Physicians of London 2015 HEFCE Clinical Senior Lectureship 2011 Visiting Scholar University of Sydney 2010 Ph.D. University of London 2007 Qualified in Medicine from University of Oxford 1998 Research: Jeffersonville, IN (47130) Today Mostly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 54F. W winds at 15 to 25 mph, decreasing to 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Mostly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 54F. W winds at 15 to 25 mph, decreasing to 5 to 10 mph. What's Included With a Digital Only subscription, you'll receive unlimited access to our website and e-edition. Our digital products are available 24/7 and are accessible anywhere, anytime. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please call our customer service team at 574-583-5121 or email cgrace@thehj.com. Eatonville elected Angie Gardner as mayor, ousting six-year incumbent Eddie Cole, while two council races decided by a handful of votes still avoided runoffs. The small town north of Orlando is Americas oldest Black municipality. Eatonville is known for its contentious politics and close results, the product of having only about 1,500 registered voters. Advertisement For example, incumbent Rodney Daniels defeated Tarus Mack by three votes to win Seat 3 on the town council, but the race isnt subject to a recount because the margin fell outside half a percentage point, which automatically triggers a recount under state law. Daniels had 243 votes, compared to Macks 240, which was a .62% margin. Ten voters cast under votes in the race, which means they didnt select either candidate. Advertisement For Seat 2, Theo Washington held onto his seat by five total votes over Ruthie Critton. Like in Seat 3, Washington had a margin of 1.03%, giving him enough to avoid a runoff. Seven voters didnt make a choice in the race. Breaking News As it happens Be the first to know with email alerts on important breaking stories from the Orlando Sentinel newsroom. > Supervisor of Elections Bill Cowles said the canvassing board certified the results Saturday night, making the results official. Unlike previous years, there were no outstanding provisional ballots or people who needed to cure signatures, which could have changed results later. Theres no other ballots out there, Cowles said. Theres nothing else to change it. Gardner defeated Cole, who was first elected in 2016, in a rematch of their 2018 race. That year, Cole won about 53% of the vote, while Saturday, Gardner won 57% of ballots. Gardner, who later won a seat on the town council, cast a vote in favor of censuring Cole in 2020 for neglecting his duties, in a matter involving the towns Community Redevelopment Agency. Also on Saturday, Wanda Randolph won the Seat 5 race by more than 100 votes over Marilyn Davis Sconions. Of the citys 1,485 registered voters, 493 cast ballots, making turnout 33.2%. rygillespie@orlandosentinel.com (Newser) We are changing the paradigm. We are detaching the meat from the animal. Of course, that is essentially what butchers have always done, but it carries different meaning coming from Dr. Uma Valeti, cardiologist and cofounder of Upside Foods, a prototype lab/restaurant specializing in cell-cultured chicken. New York Times food writer Kim Seversons taste review was ambiguous. I sampled a slightly grainy chicken pate, she writes. Generous seasoning masked the flavor of the meat. However, professional tasters and other panelists in this YouTube of the Worlds First Cultivated Meat Blind Tasting were fooled by the taste, texture, and smell. One called it "a historical moment." Still, it is downright hard to make it sound appealing. That has been a core problem for tissue engineers and their marketing teams ever since the Burger Professor of Maastricht University introduced a patty grown from cow stem cells in 2013. His $375,000 price tag was another problem at the time. Costs are way down now, but production remains relatively flat on a global scale. Singapore is the only country to grant regulatory approval. The FDA is writing rules. Global investors are not waiting, however, including ADM, which bet $347 million recently and happened to change its motto to Unlocking Nature, Enriching Life. Analysts with McKinsey say the industry could grow to $25 billion by 2030 (compared to $1.4 trillion for the meat industry). In an interview with Modern Farmer, investor Rahim Rajwani of Atelier Meats remains confident, saying, I think the ick factor goes away strictly through education and, ultimately, through taste profile. The biggest selling point involves the enormous environmental impact of the actual meat industry, which accounts for 60 % of greenhouse gas emissions from food production, per the Guardian. That is why investors are betting on cell-cultured meat, but not everyone is eager to give up the traditional approach to detaching the meat from the animal. The Times notes potential issues around culture, ethics, health, and general unintended consequences stirring a nascent anti-lab-meat movement. Furthermore, the jury is still out on the environmental impacts, per this Vox report. (Read more stem cells stories.) (Newser) 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 Saturday. After a pursuit, the crash Wednesday 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, the AP reports, who was driving a pickup truck and was not involved with the pursuit. Jaramillo had initially said she had been carjacked at knifepoint, authorities said, and she was released after being treated at a hospital for injuries that were not life-threatening. 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, New Mexico State Police said. 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 not anyone else, news outlets reported. Jaramillo also faces charges of reckless homicide by vehicle, receiving and transferring a stolen vehicle, and tampering with evidence, according to the Santa Fe District Attorneys office. "I believe the arrest of Jeannine Jaramillo has made our community safer," said Tim Johnson, chief of the New Mexico State Police. "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 who she said had abducted her from an apartment complex following an argument. (Read more police chase stories.) (Newser) As Russia's invasion moves deeper into Ukraine, the country is looking to expand its ranks of urban fighters, US officials say. As such, Russia has been recruiting Syrians skilled in urban combat to come and join the fray, offering $200 to $300 for six months, officials tell the Wall Street Journal. Some are reportedly already in Russia, planning to join the invasion. Chechen forces have also reportedly been deployed to Ukraine. But Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says 16,000 foreigners have volunteered to fight on his side as well. More of the latest on the Russia-Ukraine conflict: Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian civilians were trying to escape to safety when Russian shelling pummeled cities in Ukraines center, north, and south, forcing them to take shelter and leave corpses in the streets. Ukraine officials described the failed evacuation efforts in Kyivs suburbs as "catastrophic," the AP reports. The number of Ukrainian refugees is now at 1.5 million, the fastest-growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War II" per the UN. A third round of talks is planned for Monday. See more of the latest developments at the AP. As the Russian government cracks down on what citizens and media outlets can say about the invasion of Ukraine, Netflix and TikTok have suspended most of their services in the country, the AP reports. "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," TikTok says in a statement. Visa, Mastercard, and American Express are cutting service in Russia; Samsung Electronics is halting product shipments to the country alongside tech companies including Apple, Microsoft, Intel and Dell; and two of the so-called Big Four accounting firms, KPMG and PricewaterhouseCoopers, are ending their relationships with their Russia-based member firms. The US and its European allies are considering sanctions on Russia's oil and gas exports, or even a complete ban on imports. (And President Biden is reportedly considering a visit to Saudi Arabia as the US scrambles to figure out a replacement plan, should that come to pass.) The Wall Street Journal argues even a US ban on Russian oil imports is likely not enough. US and European officials are also discussing plans for a Ukrainian government in exile, should Zelensky have to flee the country, CNN reports. (Read more Russia-Ukraine conflict stories.) (Newser) Since his election in 2020, President Biden hasn't spoken with Saudi Arabia's crown prince and de facto ruler directly, connecting only with his father, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. It's not clear whether that might change any time in the near future, but what is clear, according to sources who spoke to Axios, is that Biden's advisers are considering a presidential trip to Saudi Arabia this spring. Hans Nichols writes that any such trip "would illustrate the gravity of the global energy crisis driven by Russia's invasion of Ukraine," with Biden's aim likely being to smooth things over between the US and Saudi Arabia and convince the latter to boost its oil production. A White House spokesperson called the report "premature speculation." But the Russia-Ukraine crisis does have US officials scrambling when it comes to oil, with the possibility of sanctions on Russian oil or even a complete banwhich would elevate gas prices even furtherlooming. Some politicians have suggested Venezuela's oil could replace Russia's, and administration officials were in that country this weekend meeting with President Nicolas Maduro's government. Sources tell Reuters, however, that talks on the possibility of easing oil sanctions on Venezuela didn't get very far. Venezuela is one of Russia's closest allies in Latin America. News of the possible Saudi Arabia visit comes as the average price of a gallon of gas in the US went above $4 for the first time since 2008. (Read more Saudi Arabia stories.) (Newser) He's accused of being one of Texas' most prolific serial killers, but Billy Chemirmir says there's no way he'll be convicted. The 48-year-old gave an interview to the Dallas Morning News via two phone calls from his Dallas County jail cell, where he's awaiting trial. Chemirmir, who will go on trial for the murder of 81-year-old Lu Thi Harris after a mistrial in November, faces not just that capital murder charge but 17 others in the deaths of 17 other women. But he insists, "I am not a killer. Im not at all what theyre saying I am. I am a very innocent person. I was not brought [up] that way. I was brought [up] in a good family. I didnt have any problems all my life." He says he's received messages from God regarding his eventual acquittal. He talked with the News about growing up in Kenya as one of 28 children born to a wealthy farmer and his three wives, and his immigration to the US in 2003. He eventually started working as a senior caregiver, and he's accused of targeting some of his female victims that way, going door-to-door at high-end senior living communities and persuading victims to let him inside before smothering them with pillows. He is accused of stealing jewelry from his victims, sometimes selling it online before the women had even been found murdered. But he denies everything, and says the medical examiner was "under pressure" to reinvestigate older deaths that were originally listed as heart attacks. He also accuses his defense team as "ineffective" and says he may soon ask for new representation. Read the full interview here. (Read more Billy Chemirmir stories.) (Newser) After her appearance Sunday at the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Ala., to mark the 57th anniversary of "Bloody Sunday," Vice President Kamala Harris flew back to the DC area, arriving at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland close to 9pm. That's when, per base officials, two intruders tried to gain access to the military facility, leading to one person's arrest and another fleeing the premises, reports CNN. Per a pool report, Harris arrived at the airfield on Air Force Two around 8:47pm, and had boarded the Marine Two helicopter with her husband, second gentleman Doug Emhoff, less than five minutes later, leaving the base by 9pm. Right around that time, a vehicle drove through the security checkpoint and "failed to adhere to commands of security personnel," per a Sunday night statement from the base. The statement notes that barriers were immediately erected, and that when the vehicle stopped, two people got out and started running. One person was caught, while the other managed to get away; the base was locked down during a subsequent search. Security officials and outside authorities did "a full sweep" of the base "and found confirmatory evidence that the base intruder on the loose had departed the installation," per a Monday morning update. Base officials say the person who was apprehended was a 17-year-old male "in possession of a firearm." It's not clear what the intruders' motive was for the breach. During the lockdown, law enforcement searched both the grounds and vehicles on the premises, including one that held reporters, per the New York Times. With Harris and Emhoff on the flight back from Alabama were Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge, and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan. Meanwhile, President Biden also traveled this weekend, to Wilmington, Del., but he flew directly back to the White House on Marine One. (Read more Andrews Air Force Base stories.) (Newser) Update: Shell on Tuesday apologized for buying 100,000 metric tons of Russian crude oil while promising to end involvement in all Russian hydrocarbons from oil to natural gas. "Despite being made with security of supplies at the forefront of our thinking," the decision to purchase a cargo of Russian flagship Urals crude from Swiss trader Trafigura at a record discount, "was not the right one and we are sorry," CEO Ben van Beurden said, per CNBC and Reuters. "The company will stop all spot purchases of Russian crude oil. It will also shut its service stations, aviation fuels and lubricants operations in Russia," a company statement adds. Our original story from Monday follows: Days after announcing it would exit joint ventures with Russian state-owned energy giant Gazprom in response to Russia's "senseless act of military aggression" against Ukraine, Shell said it had no choice but to buy discounted Russian oil. On Saturday, the British oil giant acknowledged purchasing a cargo of Russian crude oil a day earlier. It was a "difficult" decision, but there could be "no alternative" without disrupting supplies to Europe, the company said, per the BBC. That drew no sympathy from Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba. "Doesn't Russian oil smell [of] Ukrainian blood for you?" he tweeted, calling on "all conscious people around the globe to demand multinational companies to cut all business ties with Russia." Shell previously announced it would exit $3 billion worth of projects with Gazprom and "related entities" in Russia, which includes selling a 27.5% stake in the Sakhalin-2 offshore liquefied natural gas plant and a 50% interest in two oil field projects in western Siberia. On Saturday, it said it remains "appalled by the war in Ukraine"hence why it has stopped most activities related to Russian oil, which makes up 8% of its working supplies. But "without an uninterrupted supply of crude oil to refineries, the energy industry cannot assure continued provision of essential products to people across Europe over the weeks ahead," Shell said, per Insider. "Cargoes from alternative sources would not have arrived in time to avoid disruptions to market supply." The company said profits from Russian oil will go toward helping the people of Ukraine. "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 continued, per Bloomberg, adding it was "in intense talks with governments ... around this issue of security of supply." Many traders have refused to buy discounted Russian oil even as Western countries have been hesitant to sanction Russia's oil and gas industry for fear of rising prices around the world. On Sunday, however, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the US is in active talks with European partners about banning Russian oil imports while maintaining a "steady global supply." (Read more Shell stories.) (Newser) The deadly tornadoes that swept through central Iowa over the weekend caused "unimaginable destruction," per Gov. Kim Reynolds. But for one family, the tragedy hit particularly hard, as four members hiding out in a house in Madison County perished during the storm. KMBC reports that 37-year-old Michael Bolger, his 5-year-old son Kinlee, and his 2-year-old son Owen died after the tornado, believed to be at least an EF-3-level twister, touched down in Winterset. The Bolgers were visiting from Missouri. The children's mother, Kuri Bolger, and another son survived the tornado. Also killed in the home were 63-year-old Melissa Bazley, identified by WHO 13 as Kuri Bolger's mother. Bazley's husband and adult son survived. KETV notes that the survivors made it through by huddling in a pantry in the center of the home. Two neighbors with homes down the street from the Bazley family also died: Rodney Clark, 64, and Cecilia Lloyd, 72. Other neighbors who made it through said the tornado came out of nowhere. "We were outside and I saw the tornado just behind our hill," Josie Beeson tells KETV. "It just popped right over and landed on top of our home. Thankfully we made it downstairs in time." A GoFundMe for the Bolger family has been set up, with nearly $190,000 raised as of Monday morning. "There will be a long road ahead" for mom Kuri Bolger, who's said to have suffered serious injuries but is now stable, and her surviving son, Brysen, who has already been released from the hospital after being treated for minor injuries, the fundraiser page notes. "Please help however you can during this tragic and challenging time." Meanwhile, in Lucas County, about 55 miles southeast of Des Moines, a tornado plowed through Red Haw State Park in Chariton, Iowa, killing one person in an RV, says the state's Department of Natural Resources, per KMBC. (Read more tornado stories.) (Newser) About 34 million years ago, native fauna disappeared from Western Europe, as mammals from Asia took over. The extinction, known as the Grande Coupure or "great break," might as well have been called the great puzzle. For decades, researchers have been unable to explain how animals from eastern Asia reached Western Europe, as the regions were then separated by sea, per the Big Think. Now, we may have the answer, due in part to some "very weird fossil animals" unearthed in the Balkan region, paleogeologist Alexis Licht, lead author of a new study, tells Business Insider. They show that six million years before the extinction, a forgotten island continent shifted to connect Europe and Asia, and the consequences were enormous. Fifty million years ago, the land making up the Balkans and much of Turkey formed an island home to unique species not seen anywhere else, according to researchers, who examined distinctive fossils from the region. But around 40 million years ago, tectonic shifts combined with a 230-foot drop in sea levels to turn Balkanatolianamed in honor of the Balkans and Turkey's Anatolia peninsulainto a land bridge or series of land bridges connecting Asia and Western Europe, reports NBC News. The result was an invasion of Asian rodents and hoofed mammals, including distant ancestors of modern-day horses, which wiped out the fauna of Western Europe and Balkanatolia, as the fossil record shows. Adding to that record is a newly discovered jawbone belonging to the what may be the oldest Asian-like ungulate (a four-legged hoofed mammal) in Anatolia. It dates to 38 million to 35 million years ago, well before the Grande Coupure, per Science Alert. "This time frame fits everything else we've found in the Balkans," Licht tells NBC. While other Asian animals may have also reached Europe through dry, cool, desert passages in Central Asia, Balkanatolia would've offered a more favorable route. However, as the study published this month in Earth-Science Reviews notes, "past connectivity between individual Balkanatolian islands and the existence of this southern dispersal route remain debated." (Read more discoveries stories.) (Newser) Delegations from Ukraine and Russia were to meet again on Monday for the third time, even as the Russian military offensive intensifies. In the meantime, Moscow declared another ceasefireprevious ones have fallen apart quicklyand announced six evacuation routes for residents of some of Ukraine's biggest cities, reports the Washington Post. On the surface, that may sound like hopeful news, but Ukraine has pointed out what it sees as a major problem with the routes: Most of them lead to Russia or to its close ally, Belarus, notes the AP. A spokesman for Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky called the Russian move "completely immoral," per Reuters. His deputy prime minister, Irina Vereshchukk, called it unacceptable," and UK Europe Minister James Cleverly put it this way: Providing evacuation routes into the arms of the country that is currently destroying yours is a nonsense." Ukraine instead wants the routes to go to areas of western Ukraine where there is no shelling or to nations not allied with Moscow. Over the weekend, two attempted mass evacuations of the city of Mariupol were scrapped because ceasefires intended to ensure safe passage didn't hold. (Read more Russia-Ukraine conflict stories.) A Florida Fish and Wildlife officer found four large black bears in the backyard of a Central Florida home eating what appeared to be food left out for them. FWC received numerous complaints regarding residents feeding bears in Seminole County, according to an FWC weekly report from Feb. 18-24. Advertisement FWC Officer Dominique Infante noticed four bears were eating food from a residents backyard, with food that seemed to have been placed out for the bears. Two people were also watching the bears eat from about 50 yards away. They admitted to the officer they had fed the bears daily over the last couple of months because they were afraid the bears would starve, according to the FWC report. Advertisement The officer told them about the dangers of feeding bears and the harm it puts the community in before issuing the two individuals a citation for their actions. FWC did not identify the residents. (Newser) In China's view, what's happening in Ukraine is neither a war nor an invasion but a complex "situation." That was the word used by Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday as he announced that Beijing was willing to mediate, reports Reuters. "Three feet of ice does not form in a single day," said Wang, citing a traditional Chinese expression as he spoke about the "complex" causes of the conflict. More: Strong ties: Wang made clear that Beijing views Russia as a strong ally. In fact, he described Moscow as China's most important strategic partner," per the AP. He also stuck with China's policy of not criticizing Russia's actions in Ukraine. "The friendship between the two peoples is ironclad," he said, adding that no matter what happens, the "China-Russia partnership" will endure. Mediation: For the first time, China offered to get directly involved in talks, reports the Washington Post. "China is willing to continue playing a constructive role in urging peace talks and is willing when necessary to work together with the international community to launch required mediation," said Wang. Last week, a top EU official said "it must be China" in regard to negotiating a peace deal, notes the Post. For the first time, China offered to get directly involved in talks, reports the Washington Post. "China is willing to continue playing a constructive role in urging peace talks and is willing when necessary to work together with the international community to launch required mediation," said Wang. Last week, a top EU official said "it must be China" in regard to negotiating a peace deal, notes the Post. Earlier meeting: Chinese leader Xi Jinping met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Beijing on Feb. 4, and they issued a joint statement afterward affirming "strong mutual support for the protection of their core interests." Specifically, Russia backed China's view that Taiwan is an "inalienable part of China, and opposes any forms of independence of Taiwan." China, meanwhile, supported Russia's opposition of NATO expansion. On Monday, Wang rejected a comparison between Taiwan and Ukraine, because Taiwan is "an inalienable part of China's territory." Context: The Wall Street Journal has an analysis providing a 30,000-foot view of the shifting global politics at play among China, Russia, and the US. The circumstances have changed drastically since the dawn of the Cold War, writes Michael R. Gordon: "Russia and China have built a thriving partnership based in part on a shared interest in diminishing US power. Unlike the Sino-Soviet bloc of the 1950s, Russia is a critical gas supplier to Europe, while China isn't an impoverished, war-ravaged partner but the world's manufacturing powerhouse with an expanding military." (Read more China stories.) (Newser) The founder and CEO of a new Spanish-language conservative network says Democrats are "scared" of Americanowith good reason. "Democrats took Hispanics for granted for too long, and no one thought to create a home for us in conservative media," Ivan Garcia-Hidalgo tells NBC. "There is an appetite for this. You see it on social media. You see it in elections." The network launches on SiriusXM radio Tuesday, with a launch on streaming TV planned for this summer. The network's home base is Miami, home to a large population of conservative Cuban Americans. Garcia-Hidalgoa staunch Trump supporter who has expressed support for the former president's election fraud claimsrejects accusations that the network will spread disinformation on COVID-19 and other issues. A Hispanic Republican consultant, speaking under condition of anonymity, tells NBC that to ensure the first-of-its-kind network's appeal is as "broad-based" as possible, Americano's lineup does not include many of the far-right commentators popular on Spanish-language radio in the Miami area. The network has ties to former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, a moderate, as well as the Trump campaign. Miami-based Fernand Amandi, who worked with Barack Obama's campaign, says the launch of Americano should be "a Defcon 1 moment" for Democrats worried about the growing number of Latinos voting Republican. The party's response to GOP outreach to Latinos, whether it is disinformation or traditional campaigning, has been to do the "bare minimum," Amandi tells NBC. While the Latino vote still favors Democrats by a wide margin, recent polls show that Republicans are holding on to the gains made in 2018 and 2020, CNN reports. (Read more radio stories.) (Newser) A missing University of San Francisco student has been found dead in the wreckage of the Tesla he rented for what his brother calls an impulsive and "erratic" road trip. In an Instagram post late last week, Jerry Liang said family members were extremely worried about 21-year-old Chris Liang, who hadn't been heard from since Monday, when he told them he planned to drive more than 400 miles from San Francisco to Irvine, Fox 11 reports. He said Chriswho was driving for the first time since getting his license in March last yearhad missed the rental car date's return date Wednesday and his phone was inactive. "The entire premise of this trip was pretty insane," Jerry Liang told CBS San Francisco. He got his drivers license last March. Hes never driven since. Hes never driven from NorCal all the way to SoCal. Hes never booked a hotel on his own." He said relatives were very worried because Chris struggles with mental health issues. He said he had received a strange text from his brother early Monday saying he was going to meet "with a friend to do something that really wasnt within his boundaries to do for this friend." He said Chris said later Monday that he was at a charging station in Firebaugh, around 150 miles southeast of San Francisco. Jerry Liang said his brother had complained to a friend about the Tesla malfunctioning for around 20 minutes. Chris Liang was confirmed dead late Saturday after his body was found in the overturned vehicle in a ravine near Los Banos, around 30 miles of west of Firebaugh, Fresno County Sheriff's Office spokesman Tony Scott tells SFGate. The California Highway Patrol said the vehicle "ran off the road for an unknown reason" and came off a cliff sometime between last Monday and Saturday. (Read more California stories.) (Newser) Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo said Monday that the state will formally recommend against COVID-19 vaccinations for healthy children. Ladapo made the announcement at a roundtable event organized by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis that featured a group of doctors who criticized coronavirus lockdowns and mandate policies, the AP reports. It was not immediately clear when the state would release its health guidance. "The Florida Department of Health is going to be the first state to officially recommend against the COVID-19 vaccines for healthy children, Ladapo said at the end of the discussion. "Were kind of scraping at the bottom of the barrel, particularly with healthy kids, in terms of actually being able to quantify with any accuracy and any confidence the even potential of benefit, he added. The move was Florida's latest break from White House coronavirus policy, as US health officials and approved of and encourage the use of a COVID-19 vaccine in children as young as 5. Vaccines have not been authorized for children under 5. DeSantis, who is running for reelection and is considered a potential 2024 presidential candidate, has risen to prominence in the GOP through his resistance to vaccine mandates and other public health guidance pushed by the federal government. Late last month, Ladapo and DeSantis announced new policy recommendations that discouraged mask-wearing and directed physicians to exercise their own judgment when treating virus patients, including the use of emerging treatments and off-label medications. Ladapo cited a recent study from the New York State Department of Public Health, yet to be peer-reviewed, that found the vaccine's effectiveness at preventing hospitalizations among kids 5 to 11 dropped sharply in a six-week period, WPTV reports. The CDC, which says COVID is one of the top ten causes of death for children, recommends vaccination. (At an event last week, DeSantis told students to take their "ridiculous" masks off.) TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com Education Minister, Dr Majid bin Ali Al-Nuaimi, has announced that the attendance rate of students who have chosen in-person learning today reached 80.06%. Dr Al-Nuaimi underlined the Education Ministrys keenness to implement the necessary precautionary health measures, commensurate with the Green Alert Level, as well as to provide educational services to all, whether at schools or remotely, through digital applications, the educational portal or televised lessons. This minister made the statements while visiting today Bait Al Hikma Primary Girls School and Badr Al kubra Primary Boys School. During the visits, Dr. Al-Nuaimi met the two schools administrative and teaching staff, who briefed him about the progress of the learning process, and the educational projects they are implementing. The minister commended the efforts being exerted by both schools to ensure the smooth progress of the educational process, wishing them continued success. TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com Representatives Council Speaker Fawzia bint Abdullah Zainal has lauded the active role of Bahrains diplomacy in promoting Arab relations, under the leadership of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and his directives to boost pan-Arab work and solidarity. She affirmed that her current presidency of the Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union will comprise projects and meetings aimed at enhancing Arab cooperation to face challenges. This came as Speaker Zainal received yesterday Bahraini Ambassador to the Syrian Arab Republic, Wahid Mubarak Sayar, on the occasion of his appointment as Head of Bahrains diplomatic mission to Syria with the title Ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary. The meeting was held in the presence of Deputy Chairman of the Foreign Affairs, Security and National Defence Community, MP Isa Yousef Al Doseri. The Speaker praised the experience of Ambassador Sayar in diplomatic work, wishing him every success. The Bahraini Ambassador expressed utmost thanks and gratitude to Speaker Zainal for her tireless efforts to promote the role of Arab parliamentary diplomacy and boost Arab cooperation to achieve common interests and aspirations. Parliamentary dialogue The Shura Council, led by Chairman Ali bin Saleh Al Saleh, has concluded its participation in the 11th Congress of the Association of Senates, Shoora and Equivalent Councils of Africa and the Arab World (ASSECAA) and the Parliamentary Dialogue Forum of Senates and Equivalent Councils of Africa, the Arab World, Latin America and the Caribbean, held in Rabat on March 3-5. The participants in the parliamentary dialogue forum adopted the Shura Council Chairmans proposal to name the communique as the Declaration of Rabat, the Capital of South-South Cooperation. Al Saleh said that Morocco had succeeded in bringing together African, Arab, Lain American and Caribbean parliaments for the first time. He commended the efforts exerted by Morocco to host the two meetings, and ensure their success. He praised the recommendations of the two high-profile parliamentary meetings to enhance cooperation among the participating countries, especially in the development, economic and commercial fields. A shopper rolls her eyes at the customer wearing a mask inside Publix. A client is annoyed her stylist still insists on donning a face covering. A high-schooler feels awkward being the only one with a mask at a party. After the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention relaxed guidelines and the omicron wave diminished, theres a new chapter unfolding in the fierce debate over masks: People now seem more likely to be shamed, or made uncomfortable, for wearing a mask than not having one. Advertisement The issue was thrust into the spotlight this week when Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis asked high school students in Hillsborough County to remove their masks during his news conference. It ignited a barrage of pro- and anti-mask comments on social media. Honestly, its not doing anything, and weve gotta stop with this COVID theater, DeSantis told the students. So if you want to wear it, fine, but this is ridiculous. Advertisement The intense debate about masks has been an outgrowth of the coronavirus pandemic, turning schools, grocery stores and government meetings into battlegrounds for disagreement in Florida. [ RELATED: DeSantis tells high school students to take off masks, calling it ridiculous and COVID theater ] As COVID-19 case levels keep dropping, more people are deciding they no longer need a mask. But Michele Perez, of Sunrise, says she still wears a mask everywhere. Sometimes she wears two. Recently she was in Publix and another shopper looked right at her and rolled her eyes. I could have gotten into it with her, but I just took my cart and went in the other direction, Perez said. Across the country, mask mandates are falling fast, but Florida never had one and the governor has taken a strong position against them. On Thursday, Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo insisted there is no evidence masks make a difference. He held up a cloth mask during a news conference and said, These things are not saving lives. They are not going to end the pandemic. Shoppers leave a Dollar Tree store wearing masks in in Oakland Park on Thursday, March 4, 2022. (Amy Beth Bennett / South Florida Sun Sentinel) Just as Floridians argue no one should be told what they must wear, the new debate centers on no one should be made to feel uncomfortable for protecting themselves. Kevin Brown Jr. kept his mask on at the governors news conference, even after DeSantis comment. I was thinking I dont know if I should take it off or leave it on cause its the governor, Brown told News Channel 8 in Tampa. He asked us to take it off but I thought about it, and its my right to have my mask on. His father, Kevin Brown, spoke out in support of his son. I tell him its his choice, so he made that choice and the governor has no right to tell no kid or no one who they can or cant wear a mask. He doesnt have that right. Advertisement In South Florida, with the positivity rate below 5%, the use of facial coverings is optional at Miami-Dade County and Broward County Public Schools. Leah Schneider, a Davie high school senior, said most teens no longer wear them to school or in crowded hallways, and that choice is mostly respected. But wearing one to a party or out with friends can get awkward, she said. People would ask, Why are you wearing that? Experts believe there is social psychology involved in mask shaming. The idea you are being judged for wearing or not wearing a mask to a wedding, a party, the grocery store might deter you from doing so, even if you think its the right thing to do. Sasha Laurence, of Tamarac, refuses to be shamed. She has a 3-year-old who cant get vaccinated and an elderly mother who also is ineligible. Laurence, who works at a hair salon, recently got into a disagreement with a customer who refused to put on a mask while having her hair washed and was annoyed that Laurence had one on. She told me we are all going to die eventually, and I told her I am not going to die if I can help it, Laurence said. Laurence said her 13-year-old son wears a mask to middle school. Advertisement A woman enters a Publix grocery store wearing a mask in Oakland Park on Thursday, March 4, 2022. (Amy Beth Bennett / South Florida Sun Sentinel) I would feel bad if anyone tried to shame him for it because he is just trying to protect the family, Laurence said. But people bully adults so I dont really know what to expect. Public health experts say the messaging on masks hasnt been consistent, and early on they became politicized. Democrats are more likely to wear masks than Republicans, polls show. Some opponents view mask promotion as an overreaction to the coronavirus. Dr. Marissa Levine, a University of South Florida College of Public Health professor, said masks do have a significant impact on curbing the spread of respiratory infectious disease, and certain people may still need to protect themselves. You have a lot of areas of the state with high community transmission and you still have lot of people at risk so wearing a mask can be good, she said. I would tell anyone who is mask shaming to withhold judgment because at end of day, you dont know everything thats going on with that individual, Levine said. We need to be kind to each other. Theres a lot of anxiety in the world. If a mask helps someone feel better, why would you shame them? Political Pulse Weekly Get latest updates political news from Central Florida and across the state. > Anti-mask activists say theyve been the ones bullied until now. Advertisement Cindy Falco-DiCorrado, who is running for mayor in Boynton Beach, was arrested in January 2021 after she shouted at customers and employees about their rights to stay mask-free at a West Boca bagel shop. Last month she was found guilty by a six-member jury of two misdemeanor counts of trespassing and resisting an officer without violence. Although she faced jail time, the judge withheld adjudication, and told Falco-DiCorrado she would have to pay standard court costs, but no fines. It was against my body; my body, my choice, the fervent Republican said of her decision to refuse masks. Debbie Larch, of Plantation, said people may have different levels of risk tolerance and mask wearing is a reflection of that. I think its a personal decision. When I wear a mask I do feel protected. I feel weird going to Costco not wearing one. For the most part, people are respectful. Sun Sentinel health reporter Cindy Goodman can be reached at cgoodman@sunsentinel.com. Date-rape assaults involving the illicit administration of drugs are on the increase. In typical cases, a man invites women out to eat or drink, laces their drink with a soporific drug, then sexually abuses them while they are unconscious or unable to resist. Some victims are unaware they have been assaulted due to the effects of the drug on the memory. Police are urging people to get in touch if they suspect they may be a victim of this type of crime, as it is possible to detect drugs via hair analysis, among other methods, long after an incident has occurred. According to the National Police Agency, police registered 60 cases of date rape involving sleep-inducing drugs in 2020. Yet this number is suspected to be the tip of the iceberg, as some victims do not know they have been assaulted or are hesitant to file a police report due to having hazy memories of the event. Drugs used for the purpose of sexual assault are known as date-rape drugs. Drinking alcohol can intensify the effects of such drugs and cause confusion. The drugs can also cause temporary amnesia. RIDGEFIELD Caitlin and Maher Madhouns children were ecstatic when they got off the bus from their first day mask-optional day in school, and they later described it as wonderful. Caitlin Madhoun took a photo of her children, noting it was a historic moment. Their 4-year-old daughter Nora, a preschool student, is too young to be vaccinated, but their sons, Jayden, 9, and Landon, 8, go to Scotland Elementary School in Ridgefield and are vaccinated against COVID-19, as are many of their peers, their mom said. We feel good, we feel safe, said Caitlin Madhoun, a registered nurse at Stamford Hospital. Her husband, Maher Madhoun, is the director of clinical operations at Stamford Hospital and part of Ridgefields COVID task force that advised the Ridgefield school board in its decision to allow families to decide whether to have their children wear masks. With low transmission rates in Fairfield County, this is the optimal time to move to mask optional, Maher Madhoun said. Were going to be shifting to an endemic phase (of COVID), he said. I think this is the best time to do this. In schools across the Danbury area, the transition to mask optional went smoothly last week, with officials saying students and teachers enjoyed being able to see each others faces. Its raised everybody's spirits, New Fairfield Superintendent Pat Cosentino said. It makes a big difference when youre in a classroom as a teacher and you see smiling faces. It's really just improved morale and kind of let everybody know that maybe we're making our way through the pandemic, that the worst is behind us, she said. Still, lifting of the mask mandate, which happened for most schools on Monday but for Danbury on Tuesday, came with mixed emotions. In one sense, it's a sign that were in an endemic rather than a pandemic, and we're moving forward away from the restrictions that were put in place when our cases were not so good, said Rachel Chaleski, Danburys school board chairwoman. And the other sense some may feel afraid and still very cautious of the virus as they may have watched their families or friends or neighbors suffer from the virus or even pass away. To wear a mask or not? The number of students continuing to wear masks varies across schools and districts. On the first day of mask optional on Tuesday in Danbury, roughly half of students still wore masks, but that may have been because the school board dropped the mandate late the night before, Superintendent Kevin Walston said. Additional students decided to take off their masks the next day, he said. There appears to be renewed energy in walking into schools right now, he said. That energy kind of permeates through our staff and students, and overall I think our families for the most part are also very happy about another step to normalcy. Teachers reported that between one-third to one-half of students still wore masks last week, said Erin Daly, head of the teachers union in Danbury. Theres been more teachers in the elementary schools wearing masks than the overall population of teachers, and obviously I think that's due to their worry about their unvaccinated students, said Daly, a third-grade teacher at Pembroke Elementary School. Chaleski said shes heard more elementary students have been ready to takeoff their masks. It's harder for them in so many ways, she said. Its just very restrictive for them and their learning process. Her children had different opinions. One was excited to take the mask off, while the other was reluctant. But ultimately they both went to school with their masks, Chaleski said. They kept it on for most of the day. I think that will start to evolve as more students take the mask off and the weather hopefully becomes nicer. In Ridgefield, the high school had fewer masks than the elementary schools, Superintendent Susie DaSilva said. Bethel saw the opposite, with a greater number of elementary students removing their masks than in middle and high schools, Superintendent Christine Carver said. Its a gigantic step toward normalcy, she said. I do think theres people that have some apprehension around it, but I think for the most part were ready. More students and staff are not wearing masks in Brookfield, New Fairfield and Region 12 than those keeping them on, superintendents said. Generally speaking, staff and students are adjusting to no universal mask wearing with ease, Brookfield Superintendent John Barile said in an email. Walston visited several schools last week for Read Across America Day. He wore his mask initially when going into a classroom, but took it off if the teacher wasnt wearing one because it was a sign the classroom was comfortable being maskless. He estimated 80 percent of students in the classrooms he visited werent wearing masks. In all six classrooms, he took his mask off when reading. Daly still wears her mask to be a model for my students who are still choosing to wear a mask, she said. I don't want them to feel their alone in this for their decision. Effect on kids Concerned that students could be bullied for wearing or not wearing a mask, schools have emphasized with children that they should respect their classmates choices and be kind to each other. For example, Ridgefield schools provided elementary families and faculty with a slideshow that emphasizes this, DaSilva said. Not everyone wears a hat on a cold day, the presentation states. Sometimes kids don't wear a hat because together with their family, they decided they don't have to. Masks are now a family choice, too. Region 12, which covers Bridgewater, Roxbury and Washington, focused on psychological safety as the schools transitioned to mask optional, Superintendent Megan Bennett said. Our psychologists and counselors did a wonderful job preparing students to be tolerant of other people's masking choice, she said in an email. They discussed varying home circumstances and personal choices for health as well as the health conditions that allow us to shift to a recommendation and not requirement of masks. Chaleski has asked Danbury school boards Policy Committee to meet to review its bullying policy in light of going mask optional, as well as an uptick in behavioral issues due to COVID. I would imagine peer pressure plays a role (in mask wearing), so weve asked our administrators and staff across the district to just be vigilant in supporting this choice and also being supportive of each other in this choice, Walston said. Officials said they havent had any issues come up. Daly said she told her students that there is no right or wrong decision and that its a personal choice. The students have been very respectful and kind to one another thus far, Daly said. The Madhouns children complained occasionally about wearing a mask in gym class, but otherwise never fought needing to wear one, their mom said. With their parents in the health care fields, they knew it was something they had to do, she said. Four-year-old Nora Madhoun, who goes to preschool at St. Marys in Ridgefield, had never been in school without her mask. She once asked why Peppa Pig, the popular cartoon character, wasnt wearing a mask at school, her dad said. She became somewhat accustomed to it, Maher Madhoun said. But I do think its good for kids to see other kids without masks, facial expressions, same thing with teachers. Over the summer, they didnt recognize some of their peers at the pool without their masks. Maher Madhoun said he saw kids at drop-off last week that he didnt recognize either. You only see them with their little eyes, Caitlin Madhoun said. COVID spread Its too early to tell whether removing masks has led to an increase in cases. Maher Madhoun expects cases could rise slightly, but not by significant numbers. I think what's going to happen is theres naturally going to be a small blip, but I don't see that as being an issue, he said. It really depends on what's happening in the community at large Caitlin Madhoun added there could be more cases of illnesses like colds, but in general, were pretty safe, she said. Chaleski said shes worried another variant will lead to another increase in cases. Daly said theres greater concern of COVID spread at the elementary level because vaccination rates are lower there. But she, too, expects kids to get sick with non-COVID illnesses. We're anticipating seeing more illness spread among children, whether it's COVID or other things, she said. Our nursing staff has already anticipated that happening. Thats going to be the natural progression of building everyones immunity up. COVID cases have typically bumped up after vacation weeks, but Bethel schools only had a long weekend, rather than a full week off at the end of February, said Melanie OBrien, Bethels school board chairwoman. She hopes warmer weather, vaccines and mitigation strategies like staying home when sick would prevent cases. I hope we dont see a spike, but I just hope people take precautions and take care of each other, she said. RIDGEFIELD The Board of Selectmen voted this past week to request monies from the towns American Rescue Plan fund to fulfill a handful of capital projects on the books. The request totals roughly $1.7 million, which would be used to bring improvements to the Venus Building, replace a HVAC system at Barlow Mountain Elementary School and purchase vehicles for the highway and fire departments. The items were taken out of the towns capital budget to be considered separately of the annual budget, First Selectman Rudy Marconi said. The request has been sent to the Board of Finance for consideration, which, if approved, would then merit a town meeting to get the final OK from voters. These are things that we really need to get passed, Selectwoman Maureen Kozlark said during Tuesdays meeting. Coming in at just under $300,000 is the purchase of a quick-attack truck for the Ridgefield Fire Department. It differs from other roving apparatus since its smaller in size, which would improve RFDs ability to respond to calls, according to Fire Chief Jerry Myers. We can handle any emergency that gets thrown at us provided we can get to it, he said. Ridgefield is a series of very small roads. With trees and wires coming down (in) inclement weather, it is exponentially harder to move our larger vehicles around these obstacles. The truck is equipped with pumping capabilities, rescue tools, a full complement of paramedic gear, generator electrical lighting and four-wheel drive, Myers said. There were times during fast-moving winter storms where the departments larger vehicles would get stuck in the snow, he added. But with the quick-attack truck, members can more easily drive over snow and ice-covered roads, under downed wires and trees and through flooded areas. This is especially helpful when attempting to reach residential homes with steep driveways or long, narrow access-ways, Myers said. (Being) able to get up in there is a lifesaver, he added. The truck brings a lot of very necessary capabilities to the department (and) tremendous value for the town. Another vehicle on the selectmens wish list is a more than $234,000 Mack dump truck for the Highway Department. Some of the towns ARPA monies could also be allocated toward enhancing the Venus Building. The selectmen have requested $90,000 to install an ADA-compliant LULA elevator there and more than $500,000 to replace its HVAC system. The last item on the list would also replace the HVAC system for the pool at Barlow Mountain Elementary School. Back in the late '70s, the town experienced a decrease in enrollment and sold the building to the YMCA, Marconi said. When the Y went out of business in the '90s, the organization sold the building back to the town, which included a pool they had added. It turned out to be a great deal (since we) bought it back for less than what we sold it for, but it needs heating, ventilation and air conditioning replacement, Marconi said. The Board of Finances next meeting is Tuesday, March. 15, at 7 p.m. alyssa.seidman@hearstmediact.com Lenoir, NC (28645) Today Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 61F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 61F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. We Are China Highlights from news conference of State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi Chinadaily.com.cn) 15:30, March 07, 2022 Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi attends a press conference on China's foreign policy and foreign relations via video link on the sidelines of the fifth session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Xin) State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi answers questions about the country's foreign policy and diplomatic relations at a press conference on Monday during the fifth session of the 13th National People's Congress, China's top legislature. On the Beijing Winter Games - Beijing Winter Games was a success - Inspiring to see countries unite under Olympic spirit On Ukraine - China hopes third round of talks can bring progress - Rationality needed to find solution in Ukraine - China proposes initiative to avoid humanitarian crisis On world stability - Cold War mentality fuelling division - Peace is foundation for global development - Economic globalization is a trend of our times - China always serves as anchor for stability On China-Russia relationship - China-Russia relationship is valued for its independence On Chinese nationals in Ukraine - Emergency evacuations of Chinese nationals being organized On China-US relationship - US needs to put verbal assurances into practice - Major country competition is not the right choice On China-Europe relationship - Some forces fabricating threat of China - China sees Europe relationship strategically On the Belt and Road Initiative - 118 members in BRI family - BRI cooperation moving forward with bright prospects On US Indo-Pacific strategy - US disrupting peace, stability in Indo-Pacific On the Global Development Initiative - Progress of implementation of Global Development Initiative - China believes true development is development for all - China values role of all parties in 2030 Agenda On China-ASEAN relationship - China-ASEAN relations have no limits - China, ASEAN need to set the pace in region On China-Japan relations - China is aware of challenges in relationship - Sides must honor commitments in relations On diplomatic service - Serving the people and addressing their concerns is a bound duty of China's diplomacy On Korean Peninsula issue - Parities concerned must meet each other half way to resolve Korean Peninsula issue - US actins important in Korean Peninsula issue On China-Central Asian countries cooperation - China to work with the five Central Asian countries to build an even closer community with a shared future On US democracy - US summit in 2021 violated the spirit of democracy - World recognizes China's democracy On Taiwan - Taiwan question differs in nature from Ukraine issue - Scheme to use Taiwan to contain China 'doomed to fail' On BRICS - BRICS to form a high-quality partnership to drive global development - Asia's time has come in global governance On China-India relations - Forces have looked to stoke tensions between China and India On Middle East peace process - China always plays constructive role in Middle East region On relations with South Pacific nations - China will continue to treat South Pacific Island countries as equals On progress of Code of Conduct in South China Sea - China still has full confidence in finalizing Code of Conduct in South China Sea On Afghanistan - The US should lift sanctions and unfreeze Afghanistan's assets - China will continue to provide assistance to the Afghan people based on their needs On China-Africa cooperation - China honors commitment for cooperation with Africa On relations with countries from Latin America and the Caribbean - The region needs fairness, justice and mutually beneficial cooperation, not power politics, hegemony or bullying - China will continue to deepen friendship and cooperation with the the LAC On China-Indonesia relations - Strategies of China, Indonesia are merging On CPC's tasks in new era - More and more countries hope to learn about the "secrets" of the CPC's success - China's diplomatic service will continue to tell the stories of the CPC well to the world (More content to follow. Please refresh the page later.) (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Liang Jun) TALLAHASSEE On Monday, the Florida Senate passed a measure that would more broadly cloak information about people and businesses involved with state executions and the drugs used for lethal injection, sending it to Gov. Ron DeSantis. Current law includes a public-records exemption to shield information about people such as executioners and the prescribers of drugs for lethal injections. The proposal would broaden that to cover people or entities involved in any step in the execution process. Advertisement The bill (HB 873) also would obscure the identities of anyone involved in administering, compounding, dispensing, distributing, maintaining, manufacturing, ordering, preparing, prescribing, providing, purchasing or supplying drugs, chemicals, supplies or equipment needed to carry out executions. Department of Corrections officials contends the additional secrecy is needed so they can continue executing Death Row inmates by lethal injection, as drug manufacturers and distributors refuse to allow their pharmaceuticals to be used in putting people to death. Advertisement The bill, which passed the House last week, would ensure that the corrections department will be able to obtain the drugs necessary to carry out executions in the future, Senate sponsor Doug Broxson, R-Gulf Breeze, said before the Senate passed the measure in a 28-10 vote Monday. The bill required a super-majority vote to pass because it includes a public records exemption. Six Democrats Loranne Ausley, D-Tallahassee; Janet Cruz, D-Tampa; Tina Polsky, D-Boca Raton; Linda Stewart, D-Orlando; Victor Torres, D-Orlando; and Darryl Rouson, D-St. Petersburg joined almost all Republicans in supporting the measure. Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, was the only Republican who opposed the bill. Brandes, in his final year in the Senate and has crusaded for criminal justice changes, argued that information about the death penalty in Florida, which has one of the nations broadest open records laws, should be open to the public. If theres one place, one place where the state should be transparent in everything that it does, its the process of putting somebody to death, Brandes argued before Mondays vote. We should provide transparency in the drugs that we use, the cocktail that we use, how we purchased those drugs, the distributor that we got them from, so that everybody understands everything that we can about the process by which Florida uses to exercise the highest penalty that we have. This bill puts that in the shadows. If the state has a difficult time purchasing the drugs used for executions, thats part of the process, Brandes continued. We should not have to lie to the manufacturers. We should not have to hide from the distributors. We should not have to do some backroom drug deal in order to get the drugs necessary to execute somebody in Florida, he added. Florida, one of 27 states that allow the death penalty, added lethal injection as a form of execution after a botched electrocution of Death Row inmate Allen Lee Davis in 1999. New survey shows gap between desire to end violence and ability to support victims TORONTO, March 7, 2022 /CNW/ - Ahead of International Women's Day, a national poll by the Canadian Women's Foundation finds 23 per cent of Canadians feel intimate partner violence is "none of my business if it doesn't directly involve me." Furthermore, 46 per cent say that gender-based violence (GBV) "feels too big for me to play a role in ending it." "While most people in Canada agree that we need to break the silence about gender-based violence, there remains conflicting ideas about the role we can personally play to end it," says Paulette Senior, President & CEO of the Canadian Women's Foundation. "Given the reality that those facing abuse often disclose to people they know rather than to authorities, the disconnect between knowing something needs to be done but not knowing what to do can have a serious impact." Thirty-five (35) per cent of GBV survivors report not disclosing abuse because they felt there was no one they could tell, and 27 per cent felt they would not be believed. Thirty-two (32) per cent did not disclose because they felt they would be judged, blamed, or shamed. Twelve (12) per cent were afraid to report abuse, fearing their abusers might find out a number that increased to 28 per cent for racialized survivors. "In addition to calling out violence, we must ensure everyone has the confidence and competence to support survivors from all backgrounds and communities. We must act on the core values we hold about ending abuse," says Senior. "Survivors of GBV are not as well-supported as they deserve to be, but with the right interventions, we can change that." Eighty-six (86) per cent of people in Canada believe they are able to support someone facing physical abuse, but only 66% of those who disclosed experiences of this abuse felt supported. Similarly, 80% believe they are able to support someone facing sexual abuse and 85% believe they are able to support someone facing emotional abuse, but only 63% of those who disclosed sexual abuse and 70% of those who disclosed emotional abuse felt supported. Canadians believe that workplaces and educational institutions also have a role to play in addressing GBV. Ninety (90) per cent believe that decisionmakers, community leaders, and workplaces should take proactive steps to better support those facing abuse. Eighty-eight (88) per cent believe that ways to support those experiencing GBV should be taught in schools. The Canadian Women's Foundation's Signal for Help is a powerful tool that can be used by anyone experiencing violence. The one-handed signal can be made without leaving a digital trace, and it has gone viral since its 2020 launch. The Signal indicates a person's desire to be checked in on safely. The Foundation offers free tools for how to give proactive, judgement-free support to survivors of abuse in its Signal for Help Responder guide available for individuals and organizations. This International Women's Day, become a Signal for Help Responder by downloading the guide at SignalResponder.ca. The Signal for Help Responder project is funded by Women and Gender Equality Canada. Nous sommes egalement disponibles en francais. ABOUT THE CANADIAN WOMEN'S FOUNDATION The Canadian Women's Foundation is a national leader in the movement for gender equality in Canada. Through funding, research, advocacy, and knowledge sharing, we work to achieve systemic change. We support women, girls, and gender-diverse people to move out of violence, out of poverty, and into confidence and leadership. Since 1991, our generous donors and supporters have contributed more than $150 million to fund over 2,500 life-transforming programs throughout Canada. Editor's Note: When referring to the Canadian Women's Foundation, please use the full name. Please do not abbreviate or use acronyms. SURVEY METHODOLOGY Maru/Matchbox conducted a survey on behalf of The Canadian Women's Foundation. The survey was conducted from February 7th to 11th, 2022 among a representative sample of n=2,024 Canadians. The sample was weighted to census. Released by Maru Public Opinion, this research was conducted by Maru/Matchbox who used its panel and data services provider Maru/Blue to survey a randomly selected sample of Canadians who are members of its Voice Canada online panel, and then weighted the results to be nationally representative. The detailed findings are at: www.marugroup.net/public-opinion-polls/canada. Although the research sample for this study includes asking if Canadians know transgender and gender nonbinary individuals who have experienced violence, sample sizes are not large enough to draw general conclusions about their experiences. SOURCE Canadian Women's Foundation For further information: FOR INTERVIEWS WITH THE CANADIAN WOMEN'S FOUNDATION, CONTACT: STACEY RODAS, [email protected], (647) 938-8270; TAYLOR MURPHY, [email protected], (647) 573-6630; MEETU MADAHAR, [email protected], (416) 817-4668 More than half of all Canadians (51%) surveyed say they do not talk about fraud prevention and protection with people they know TORONTO, March 7, 2022 /CNW/ - A new survey released by TD Bank Group for this year's Fraud Prevention Month reveals four-in-ten Canadians polled (37%) have been targeted by fraudsters in the last year, with most fraud attempts happening over the phone (64%), followed by emails and text messages (58%). One-in-four Canadians surveyed (26%) say they have received investment advice online from people they do not personally know, including via social media and/or direct messaging platforms. TD fraud expert, Sophia Leung, Head of Protect Platform, which oversees fraud strategy and cyber-threat management, advises people to research information sources extensively before making an investment decision that might lead to major financial loss due to fraud. "Investment scams can have a huge impact on victims where they are misled into giving large sums of money, at times almost their entire life-savings, toward phony investments opportunities," says Leung. "Canadians should continue to exercise caution when receiving investment advice from people they don't know, especially as reliance on technology and communication devices continues." According to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, Canadians lost a combined total of $163.9 million to investment scams in 2021 making it the costliest reported scam in the country during that time period.i Raising awareness through conversations The TD survey found that 52% of Canadians feel vulnerable to fraud, with eight in ten (82%) believing that increased online activity heightens risk. However, 51% of Canadians say discussions around fraud risks and fraud prevention do not come up in conversations with people they know, including friends and loved ones. "Fraudsters will continue to adapt and evolve their tactics, so it's important to continue to educate and learn about the best ways to protect against fraud and help avoid financial loss," says Leung. "By regularly sharing and discussing more openly about our experiences of receiving fraudulent calls or messages, we can help people to be more aware of the scams that are out there, especially when the conversations happen with people we trust." For Canadians looking to better protect themselves and their loved ones from financial fraud, TD recommends the following tips and advice: Verify if a request is legitimate If you receive a phone call claiming to be from a government agency/financial institution requesting confidential information, your participation in an investigation, or explicitly asking for you to lie to your friends, family or others, it could be fraud. When in doubt, hang-up and dial the number on the back of your debit/credit card or visit the organization's website to find authentic contact information. If you receive a phone call claiming to be from a government agency/financial institution requesting confidential information, your participation in an investigation, or explicitly asking for you to lie to your friends, family or others, it could be fraud. When in doubt, hang-up and dial the number on the back of your debit/credit card or visit the organization's website to find authentic contact information. Practise skepticism Approach unsolicited advice with suspicion and take your time to research sources, including checking business and professional licence registration, before making a financial decision, especially if you are feeling pressure to do so in a hurry. Be sure not to open links from email addresses and phone numbers you do not recognize. Approach unsolicited advice with suspicion and take your time to research sources, including checking business and professional licence registration, before making a financial decision, especially if you are feeling pressure to do so in a hurry. Be sure not to open links from email addresses and phone numbers you do not recognize. Have conversations with family and friends If you receive fraudulent phone calls or messages, talk about it. Help protect others by sharing your experiences of encountering fraud to educate and raise awareness. Be sure to also read and share TD fraud resources and advice to help keep you and your family safe and informed. If you receive fraudulent phone calls or messages, talk about it. Help protect others by sharing your experiences of encountering fraud to educate and raise awareness. Be sure to also read and share TD fraud resources and advice to help keep you and your family safe and informed. Pay attention to your fraud alerts By using free services like TD Fraud Alerts, you'll receive text messages to notify you of suspicious activity on your personal banking accounts. By using free services like TD Fraud Alerts, you'll receive text messages to notify you of suspicious activity on your personal banking accounts. Lock or block your credit card when required Manage your card by using the TD app to lock a misplaced credit card, or block international in-person purchases when you're not travelling outside of Canada . Manage your card by using the TD app to lock a misplaced credit card, or block international in-person purchases when you're not travelling outside of . Protect your PIN and passwords The only person who should know your passwords and PIN is you, not even your family members. Your bank would never ask you for this information. Don't ever give out personal confidential information or account/login credentials to a third party, whether in person, over the phone or online. The only person who should know your passwords and PIN is you, not even your family members. Your bank would never ask you for this information. Don't ever give out personal confidential information or account/login credentials to a third party, whether in person, over the phone or online. Check your statements, online accounts and banking apps regularly Taking these steps will help alert you more quickly to fraudulent transactions. Money management apps, like the TD MySpend app, can be helpful tools and provide notifications of spending transactions in real-time, making it easier for you to recognize fraudulent transactions fast. About the TD Fraud Survey TD Bank Group commissioned Ipsos to conduct a national online survey of 1,001 Canadians aged 18 years and older. Responses were collected between February 4 and 7, 2022. The poll is accurate to within 3.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. About TD Bank Group The Toronto-Dominion Bank and its subsidiaries are collectively known as TD Bank Group ("TD" or the "Bank"). TD is the fifth largest bank in North America by assets and serves more than 26 million customers in three key businesses operating in a number of locations in financial centers around the globe: Canadian Retail, including TD Canada Trust, TD Auto Finance Canada, TD Wealth (Canada), TD Direct Investing, and TD Insurance; U.S. Retail, including TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank, TD Auto Finance U.S., TD Wealth (U.S.), and an investment in The Charles Schwab Corporation; and Wholesale Banking, including TD Securities. TD also ranks among the world's leading online financial services firms, with more than 15 million active online and mobile customers. TD had CDN$1.8 trillion in assets on January 31, 2022. The Toronto-Dominion Bank trades under the symbol "TD" on the Toronto and New York Stock Exchanges ________________________________ i Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre: https://www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/features-vedette/2022/02/frauds-10-fraudes-eng.htm (Accessed on March 4, 2022) SOURCE TD Bank Group For further information: For further information or to set up an interview: Ryan-Sang Lee, Corporate and Public Affairs, TD Bank Group, [email protected] The seats in the Azamgarh district are also of interest in the state as the district is dominated by Yadavs and Muslims and has traditionally been an SP stronghold. Polling for the last phase of the assembly elections is underway in Uttar Pradesh today. The state recorded 46.40% voter turnout till 3 PM for the seventh phase of the state assembly elections. Pindra, Ajagara, Shivpur, Rohaniya, Varanasi North, Varanasi South, Varanasi Cantt, and Sevapur are the hot seats in this final phase of polling as the seats are under the Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency of PM Narendra Modi who has been elected twice from the seat in 2014 and 2019. Both BJP and SP have fielded Brahmin candidates from the Varanasi South constituency. Kameshwar Nath Dixit is contesting the seat for Samajwadi Party. Contesting the seat from BJP is Uttar Pradesh Minister and sitting MLA Neelkanth Tiwari. Exuding confidence in poll victory, Tiwari on Monday said that the people of Kashi share a special bond with Prime Minister Narendra Modi under whose leadership several developmental works have taken place in the city, including the redevelopment of the Vishwanath Dham (temple complex). Speaking to the media after casting his vote, Tiwari said, There is no fierce battle between the SP and the BJP on the Varanasi South seat. The Opposition has tried all tactics. They have tried the SP-BSP alliance and the Congress-SP alliance in the past. They also fielded a big leader from here, who has been a three-time MP. The seats in the Azamgarh district are also of interest in the state as the district is dominated by Yadavs and Muslims and has traditionally been an SP stronghold. The party managed to bag 5 of 10 seats in 2017 in the district. Azamgarh was the biggest challenge for BJP in the 2017 election as it won only one seat. BJP has fielded Akhilesh Mishra against SPs Durga Prasad Yadav in Azamgarh this time. In a phone call that lasted for about 35 minutes, PM Modi thanked President Zelensky for the help extended by the Government of Ukraine in the evacuation of Indian nationals from Ukraine. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday held a telephone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky amid the ongoing conflict with Russia and sought continued support from his government for the evacuation of Indian nationals from Sumy. The Prime Minister also appreciated the continuing direct dialogue between Ukraine and Russia, Government of India sources cited by ANI informed. In a phone call that lasted for about 35 minutes, PM Modi thanked President Zelensky for the help extended by the Government of Ukraine in the evacuation of Indian nationals from Ukraine. This comes after Russia accused Ukrainian forces of holding foreign students hostage in conflict zones to use them as human shields. However, the Indian foreign ministry said that it has not received any reports to support the Russian claim. Notably, PM Modi will also be speaking to Russian President Vladimir Putin today. The Russian armed forces announced a ceasefire on Monday from 10:00 AM (07:00 GMT) for the residents of Ukraine capital Kiev, Mariupol, Kharkiv, Sumy to leave the cities, local media reported citing interdepartmental coordination headquarters for humanitarian response in Ukraine on Monday. Earlier, Russia, upon Indias request, temporarily halted military operations in Kharkiv to establish a humanitarian corridor to help Indian nationals move out of the city. Russia said that any country allowing Ukrainian military aircraft to use their airstrips would be considered belligerent in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Russia has warned Ukraines neighbouring countries and NATO members against letting Ukraine use their airfields for military aircraft landings and take-offs. Russia said that any country allowing Ukrainian military aircraft to use their airstrips would be considered belligerent in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Warning the countries, Russian defence ministry spokesperson Igor Konashenkov said on Sunday., We know for sure that Ukrainian combat aircraft have flown to Romania and other neighbouring countries. He added, 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. NATO earlier rejected Ukraines demand to police a no-fly zone over the country and warned that such a move could provoke widespread war in Europe with Russia. NATO Secretary-General Jens 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. 3 1 of 3 Arnold Gold / Hearst Connecticut Media Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Arnold Gold / Hearst Connecticut Media Show More Show Less 3 of 3 NEW HAVEN Members of the Avelo Airlines Leadership Team are in town all week for a leadership conference as well as an announcement of new destinations Tuesday but Monday morning they took time to help the New Haven Boys & Girls Clubs on Columbus Avenue by painting its gymnasium and art studio. We did everything that they asked us to do, said Andrew Levy, Avelos chairman and chief executive officer. He said Avelo was just looking for a way to give back to the community. A cardinal is perched on the boardwalk at Oakland Nature Preserve on Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021. Voters in the town will have an opportunity to cast a ballot in a contested race for the first time in 16 years. (Patrick Connolly/Orlando Sentinel) Voters in the cities of Apopka and Belle Isle will choose mayors in municipal elections Tuesday while voters in Oakland, the small Orange County town about a 30-mile drive west from Orlando, will have an opportunity to cast a ballot in a contested race for the first time in 16 years. No Oakland candidate has had an opponent since 2006 when American Idols elimination song, Bad Day, topped the U.S. pop charts. Advertisement I believe people feel like were doing a good job, said Joseph McMullen, explaining the lack of political discord in Oakland, where he was first elected in 2006 to the nonpartisan town commission. This is a small town. We want to stay small, keep our small-town feel, our small-town charm. This election cycle, McMullen secured his fourth term without opposition. Advertisement But fellow incumbent Rick Polland, 65, who has twice been unopposed in re-election bids, had to put up campaign signs this time. Matthew Bunevich, 35, who moved to town in April 2020 from Orlando, said he chose to run to make his new community better. Oakland commissioners are paid a yearly stipend of $599, about $50 a month. Oakland, which has some dirt roads and a town-run charter school, grew by 1,000 residents to 3,516 from 2010 to 2020, U.S Census data shows. The town has 2,778 registered voters, Orange County Supervisor of Elections Bill Cowles said. Oakland is known for its oak canopies and the Oakland Nature Preserve. Uncontested races are common in smaller towns. For instance, Edgewood Mayor John Dowless and council member Richard Horn, both incumbents, won new terms as neither drew an opponent this year. Windermere Mayor Jim OBrien got a second two-year term when no one qualified to oppose him and Town Council candidates Andy Williams and Molly Rose also won without challenges. Belle Isle has a contested mayors race but three council candidates won unopposed. In Apopka, the mayor also is fighting for re-election but incumbent Seat 5 city commissioner Alexander Smith drew no challenger. Advertisement Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. To find your polling place, visit https://www.ocfelections.gov/index.php/find-my-polling-place. Here are the contested races Tuesday: Apopka Mayor Bryan Nelson, nephew by marriage of John Land who was Apopkas mayor for 61 years, is bidding for another four years. He is opposed by city commissioner Kyle Becker, vice president of a financial technology company who has served six years on City Council. First-time candidates Erick Mock and Nick Nesta are vying to replace Becker on council. Incumbent Seat 2 commissioner Diane Velazquez, a retired police detective, is opposed by first-time candidate Wes Dumey. Belle Isle Political Pulse Weekly Get latest updates political news from Central Florida and across the state. > Seeking a second term, incumbent Mayor Nicholas Fouraker faces a challenge from Holly Bobrowski, a retired flight attendant honored by Fouraker as Belle Isles first-ever Citizen of the Year in 2020 for her community service and volunteerism. Advertisement Maitland Three candidates are vying for one open seat on the Maitland City Council. The candidates are Colleen Lilling, a school crossing guard; retired science teacher and former council member Bev Reponen; and attorney Lori Wurtzel. Winter Park In Winter Park, voters are faced with a half-dozen amendments to the citys charter, which mostly share one theme: supermajorities. If approved, it would take four commissioners to sign off on moves like selling city land, rezoning park space or increasing density on developments. Currently, three commissioners, or a simple majority of the five-member board, have to approve. Voters also will decide two city commission seats. Incumbent Todd Weaver, an aerospace engineer, is hoping to hang on to Seat 4, and is opposed by Elijah Noel, a businessman. In Seat 3, Kristopher Cruzada, an attorney, is taking on Anjali Vaya, a business owner. Eatonville Eatonville voters decided city races Saturday, choosing Angie Gardner as the towns new mayor over incumbent Eddie Cole. shudak@orlandosentinel.com WEST HAVEN A bill in the General Assembly might make it possible for West Haven police to put an armored vehicle on the streets. Its an effort several years in the making, according to local and state officials. West Haven Police Chief Joseph Perno said the city has attempted to obtain a vehicle that would assist in emergency situations since 2011. In 2012, parts of the citys coastline were inaccessible because of flooding from Superstorm Sandy; for several hours during the storm, the citys wastewater treatment plant was inaccessible because of flooding, and later could only be accessed with emergency vehicles. State Rep. Charlie Ferraro, R-117, said West Haven has made efforts to transfer a mine-resistant ambush protected vehicle from Farmington Police for about three years. They want to procure an emergency rescue vehicle, like an MRAP vehicle, because of the wide wheelbase and its ability to operate in flooded conditions and deep snow, he said. Farmington obtained the vehicle through the 1033 program, a federal program wherein municipalities can apply for surplus military equipment. However, a 2020 statewide police accountability bill now prohibits Connecticut municipalities from acquiring certain items through the program. In past sessions, Ferraro said the citys efforts were thwarted by a missed application deadline. Now, the states police accountability review state Sen. James Maroney, D-14, has proposed a bill that would give the legal authority for Farmington to transfer its MRAP to West Haven, as the existing statute does not make clear how such a transfer would be authorized. The bill was referred to the states Public Safety committee and a public hearing is scheduled for Thursday. Its primary purpose would be use as a rescue vehicle, Maroney said. State Rep. Dorinda Borer, D-115, a member of the Public Safety Committee, said she is inclined to support the bill because West Haven authorities have requested it. Were a shoreline community, and weve had significant challenges reaching populations in superstorms, she said. However, at least one member of West Havens state delegation has said he is undecided on the issue and would like more information. For years, state Sen. Gary Winfield, D-10, has been an advocate for police and prison reform and was a leading proponent of the 2020 police accountability bill. Winfield said he recognizes that a massive, armored vehicle on city streets could have uses beyond emergency rescuse, such as crowd control. Winfield said he is not foreclosed to anything but his support for bringing an MRAP under West Haven police control would be conditional upon the limits placed upon the use of that vehicle. I am open to a conversation, he said. The language in Maroneys proposed bill does not make any mention of restrictions on municipal usage of the vehicle. Theres no intention to further militarize the police department with this vehicle, Ferraro said. This vehicle has been completely stripped of any armaments, with no hardware to attach those armaments, and for future use the vehicle is to be outfitted with first aid equipment and supplies and to attach gurneys to it in the case of an evacuation. Ferraro said that, from his discussions, West Haven would also be willing to share use of its vehicle with other shoreline communities. The only militarized component is that its armored, he said. A request for comment to the Farmington Police Department was not returned Monday. Correction: This article has been updated to correct a quote by state Rep. Charlie Ferraro. He said the vehicle West Haven wants has been completely stripped of any armaments. brian.zahn@hearstmediact.com NEW HAVEN More than 350 Yale students are using their fluency in dozens of languages to help residents who dont speak English to navigate the courts, family services and even prisons. Sophie Huttner, who helped found the Yale Interpretation Network in 2018 and serves as president, said, We were founded basically because we had realized that there was this gap between the services that were available to people in New Haven and the ability for people who didnt speak English to access those services. Interpreters must be provided to non-English speakers in court, but they are not provided for meetings with lawyers. Professional interpreters can be expensive. Family members are not always available and, in domestic cases, may not be appropriate to act as interpreters. The members of YIN also see their volunteering as a way to serve the people of New Haven, offering an objective, consistent presence in sometimes difficult cases. Theres a level of anonymity and a level of professionalism that our interpreters can provide while also allowing nonprofits to access interpretation services that are often otherwise somewhat out of their budget, Huttner said. Weve grown to over 75 languages, which is really remarkable, she said. I am a big linguistics fan and I sometimes have to look up the languages that we have in our database, which is just amazing. Huttner said, Our informal motto is From Albanian to Zulu, and interpreters are available for those that speak Amharic, the official language of Ethiopia, Bengali, Arabic, Mandarin, Pashto, Russian, Swahili and Haitian Creole. Among the organizations that use YINs services are the New Haven Health Department, Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services, the Center for Family Justice and the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society. Chriss Tuyishime, a sophomore from Kigali, Rwanda, is interested in ethics, politics and economics. He isnt a lawyer or a U.S. citizen, but he speaks Kinyarwanda, Rwandas national language, and so has been able to help a woman in a court case. Its sad the things that they cant do just because they cant speak the language, he said. So I just have that opportunity and I enjoy [contributing] in that way. But he also found it emotionally difficult. The experience was fulfilling in the sense that I felt like I was doing something impactful with my skills, Tuyishime said. But in the moment, it was also very difficult. It was very great, heavy emotions, because sometimes the client was talking about things that hurt them a lot, and they would speak in so much pain. Murilo Dorion is a junior from Sao Paolo, Brazil, majoring in sociology. Portuguese is the national language of Brazil, but Dorions parents immigrated from Chile and speak Spanish. While he interprets in both languages, Dorion said, Spanish is a little bit harder because I speak mostly Colombian and Chilean Spanish and the community here has a lot of Dominicans and Mexicans who have a different dialect. Interpreting for Brazilians has given Dorion an insight into inequality both here and at home, he said. Brazilians come to Connecticut through very, very vastly different pathways, with very, very different levels of support, from very different places. I think I came here from a place of privilege of being able to attend Yale, have a structural support while a lot of people who end up having conflict with the justice system, dont have those levels of support. I think thats one reflection of inequality back in Brazil that manifests in Connecticut as well. He said volunteering as an interpreter, dealing with domestic and immigration cases has been an interesting way to engage with the Brazilian community outside of the Yale bubble. Coming to Yale as an international student, translating forms for his parents was stressful enough, Dorion said. I cant imagine how stressful it would be if I said something and no one understood what I was trying to say. Thats just my worst nightmare. Maureen Abell, a lawyer with New Haven Legal Assistance, said she was grateful to YIN and to Dorion when she needed a Portuguese translator to help a client in a jail in Plymouth, Mass. Abell had been speaking Spanish with her client since both of them had some knowledge of the language, but found it difficult in court to respond to the judges questions about her clients position. Dorion, with just two days notice, took a day to go to Plymouth to interpret. When Murilo agreed we were about a week and a half out from trial, Abell said. But even just the one long meeting we were able to have with him just helped so much for me to realize how much of the story I hadnt gotten, how much Id been misunderstood, how much more there was that he hadnt been able to explain. Abell said the interpreters also will be upfront when they encounter legal terms they dont know or dialects theyre not familiar with. I really cannot speak highly enough of the quality of the service that they provide, she said. Theyre friendly, theyre so willing to help. I cannot recommend them highly enough for people that qualify to use their services. Kimberly Wenceslao, a junior from Lynwood, Calif., whose parents immigrated from Mexico, said interpreting for Spanish speakers has probably been one of the most symbolic moments of my time here at Yale. When I first started it almost was pretty selfish of me in the sense that it was a way for me to feel like I could finally have a conversation with someone in Spanish because I dont get to do that as much on campus, she said. She said some of the people she interprets for remind her of her parents and people she grew up with. My parents, my family would be the family that is using these resources back home in Los Angeles, she said. It feels amazing to be able to help in whatever skill sets you have to these communities that are in need. And its the least thing we can do as Yale students within the city, as well, as residents of the city during our time here. Shreeya Singh, a native of Gujarat, India, interprets in Urdu, a Pakistani language, even though it is not her native tongue and she immigrated to the United States when she was a toddler. Her family lives in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Im a native Hindi and Gujarati speaker but Hindi and Urdu are so similar in dialects, sort of have similar roots, she said. Urdu tends to be spoken more widely in Pakistan rather than India, where Hindi speakers are the majority, but there is enough overlap between the two dialects that I can understand Urdu when its spoken, Singh said. She cant read it though. Urdu script is in Arabic script essentially, written right to left, and then Hindi is a Sanskrit-based script written from left to right, she said. Singh graduated in December and will be heading to Oxford University as a Rhodes scholar in September, studying public policy. She recently helped a woman at a domestic violence center who had been totally dependent on her partner. While hearing the womans story was difficult, I think the experience was one of being so humbled to be able to use the skill to help someone but also to realize theres this whole network that YIN has thats really filling in the gaps that make peoples lives so, so difficult and it was empowering to know that at least she was getting the access to legal services that she needed through YIN, she said. Speaking Urdu also is somewhat of a political act for Singh. Increasingly as South Asia is more polarized, Indian politics are really leaning towards excluding Muslims from India and from citizenship, she said. It is quite contentious actually to speak Urdu in India and Urdu poetry has been banned because its often considered revolutionary. Huttner, a junior studying global affairs, is from Montclair, N.J., and as an avid language learner can interpret in Spanish and Portuguese. She said she wants to study law and interpreting has exposed her to the legal system in a way no other club at Yale could. What I love about it is that it makes me see just how many people we have on our campus here at Yale who are so passionate about helping other people in our community, she said. And to see how much diversity we have and how people are so eager to use their backgrounds and their skills to help others has been really an incredible experience. To access the groups services, go to interpretationnetwork.org. edward.stannard@hearstmediact.com; 203-680-9382 Niagara Falls, NY (14301) Today Cloudy with periods of rain. Low 48F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a half an inch.. Tonight Cloudy with periods of rain. Low 48F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a half an inch. Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has come under attack following the death of 22-year old Oluwabamise Ayanwola. Bamise, who was r... Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has come under attack following the death of 22-year old Oluwabamise Ayanwola. Bamise, who was reported missing after boarding a BRT bus from Chevron Bus stop was found dead on Carter Bridge by Ogogoro community in Lagos Island, Police spokesman Adekunle Ajisebutu confirmed. Bamises case went viral after her mother in a video called on the government to help save her daughter. She had boarded a BRT bus with number 240257 at Chevron Bus stop en route Oshodi when she sensed danger and asked her friends to pray for her. Lagos residents demanding justice for Bamise called on Sanwo-Olu to take charge of the case. Lamenting the increasing level of insecurity in the state, Nigerians wondered what form of transport is safe if a citizen can be kidnapped in a government-owned transport. Here are some comments; @Trendwithola Dear Gov. Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, the death of Bamise should never be swept under the carpet like the death of the innocent #EndSARS protesters. We would not give up on both. What is now safe? Ordinary BRT from #LEKKI. This is so scary. @FalanaAdeniyi They kidnapped and killed Bamise Ayanwole and took her body parts. This is the height for me. The BRT driver Nice Andrew Omininikoron with bus number 240257 is nowhere to be found. Sanwo-Olu, Police must do something oh. @UnlimitedEniola Bamise Ayanwole has been found dead. Some claimed parts of her body are missing. We are expecting the Lagos State government and the police to do the needful and fish out her killer. @SavvyRinu Bamise entered a BRT in Lagos and never came out alive. The state government in charge of security has kept mum till now. @Sardney Bamise deserves to live, all she wanted was to cater for herself and family. The state public transport is meant to be the safest form in any working community, sadly reverse is the case. Youd be surprised at how many innocent Lagosians have gone missing. @TunnyKvng Bamise took the necessary precautions. She entered a relatively safe BRT bus, called friends, took pictures and videos and yet she was killed in cold blood. Nigeria failed her. RIP Bamise. @AmakaEze Bamise wasnt chilling with Big Boys yet this, So Brt is no longer safe, seems the Nigerian government want girls to start equipping themselves with self-defence equipment. This is so sad, Chevron Lekki is a no-no, her killers must be exposed. @Novieverest Young ladies are abducted and killed because they follow rich men that are not in their class.No, young women are killed because society isnt safe and justice never prevails. Bamise was in a government-owned BRT. @Remmzor People are running away from one chance and all not knowing Government-owned (and registered) buses are the new way to carry out their evil doings. May God forgive Bamise and grant her peace. @Lollypeezle BRT was supposed to fade Danfo and Okada away while reducing one chance, kidnapping and robbery. Saddening that the same BRT has been compromised. Those who killed Bamise must not go free. LAMATA and LBSL must not go scot-free. Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has faulted the Nigeria Police Force over the arrest of Abubakar Marshall, a lawyer to activist Omoyele ... Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has faulted the Nigeria Police Force over the arrest of Abubakar Marshall, a lawyer to activist Omoyele Sowore. Falana also debunked claims by police that Sowore jumped bail, saying that the activist had presented himself for any possible arraignment. Marshal was arrested on Friday for allegedly failing to produce Sowore on February 25. Sowore, the publisher of Sahara Reporters, was arrested on February 24, following a petition of criminal defamation, injurious falsehood publication of news known to be false, against him. His arrest followed a petition by billionaire Ned Nwoko, through his lawyers, Trifold Law & Partners, against Sahara Reporters Foundation. Lawyer Marshall had stood as surety for Sowore after he was granted an administrative bail with a promise to produce him on February 25. Falana said, In a bid to justify the illegal arrest of Abubakar Marshall Esq. the Police claimed that the lawyer contravened an unspecified provision of the Criminal Code because he failed to produce a client, Mr. Omoyele Sowore at a police station in the Federal Capital Territory. It is public knowledge that the movement of Mr Sowore has been restricted to the Federal Capital Territory for the past two years on the orders of the Federal Capital Territory. Since his abode is well known to the security agencies, it is grossly misleading to claim that his surety has contravened any provision of the Penal Code. However, in spite of the indiscretion of Abubakar Marshall to stand surety for Mr. Sowore, his arrest, detention and prosecution by the Federal Capital Territory Police Command cannot be justified under the law It is trite law that a surety cannot be arrested, detained and charged with any criminal offence before any court in Nigeria on the ground that a suspect has jumped bail or failed to report for investigation or arraignment. The penalty is that the surety is legally obligated to pay the sum stated in the recognisance or bail bond. Before the bail bond can be forfeited the surety is entitled to show a cause or justify before a Court why it should not be forfeited. However, if the surety fails to pay the sum stipulated in the bond the court shall proceed to recover it from the surety like a fine under the Administration of Criminal Justice Act. In view of the several decisions of Nigerian courts on the contractual nature of suretyship, Abubakar Marshall has not committed any offence whatsoever. The authorities of the Federal Capital Territory Police Command are advised to withdraw the criminal charge erroneously filed before the Upper Area Court in Kubwa. However, since Mr. Sowore is not on the run he has decided to report himself to the Police for any possible arraignment. Mai Mala Buni, governor of Yobe state and now-ousted chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) caretaker committee, took steps to sc... Mai Mala Buni, governor of Yobe state and now-ousted chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) caretaker committee, took steps to scuttle the partys national convention scheduled for March 26. Amid the crisis in the ruling party over the national convention, Buni had held on tightly to the position of APC chairman. TheCable reports that his desire to stay in office nearly jeopardised plans for the national convention. The Yobe governor has been feet-dragging on preparations and issues bordering on the convention. Unknown to members of the party, Buni and John Akpanudoedehe, national secretary of the APC caretaker committee, had hatched a plot to hold on to the control of the party. TheCable also reports that they used a third party to obtain a court order temporarily restraining the ruling party from holding its convention until a substantive suit has been heard and determined. The suit, filed by one Salisu Umoru at the high court in the federal capital territory (FCT), had the APC and Buni as respondents. That the 1st Defendant/Respondent can only conduct its national convention after the hearing and determination of the substantive suit pending before this honourable court, the court order read. That in the interest of justice accelerated hearing of the substantive suit is hereby ordered. That this matter is hereby adjourned to the 10th day of January 2022 for hearing of the substantive suit at High Court No. 15, Kubwa, FCT-Abuja. BUHARI ASKS NIGER GOVERNOR TO REPLACE BUNI After learning of Bunis ploy and the court order, President Muhammadu Buhari directed Abubakar Sani Bello, governor of Niger, to replace the Yobe governor who is currently on a medical trip in Dubai. A highly-placed source disclosed that the president got to know about the court order a week ago. The president asked the Niger governor to replace Buni when he became aware of the document, the source said. Buni and Akpanudoedehe who is the national secretary will have to vacate their offices immediately. Speaking with reporters at the APC national secretariat in Abuja on Monday, Bello said he has been acting as the partys chairman for a while. BUNI OUT IN THE COLD? Buharis decision on Buni has set off a chain reaction resulting in the isolation of the Yobe state governor by his formerly-sympathetic colleagues. Muhammad Badaru, Jigawa governor; Nasir el-Rufai, Kaduna governor; Atiku Bagudu, Kebbi governor; and Yahaya Bello, Kogi governor, are believed to have turned their backs on Buni, another source said. Buni does not have anybody to speak for him now. The APC governors who supported him have taken sides with Mr President, the source added. Culled: TheCable Russia has given Ukraine two conditions to stop the ongoing war which entered Day 12 on Monday. The country asked its neighbour to g... Russia has given Ukraine two conditions to stop the ongoing war which entered Day 12 on Monday. The country asked its neighbour to give up three regions and scrap its Army, Mirror reports. The Kremlin wants Ukraine demilitarised and demanded that Donetsk and Lugansk become independent states. The regions have witnessed battles between Russian backed separatists and Ukrainian forces for eight years. The Federation has also demanded that Ukraine recognise Crimea as part of Russia. A spokesperson for the Russian government listed the conditions ahead of todays peace talks. An Osun State High Court has refused the bail applications of Rahman Adedoyin, the Chairman of Hilton Hotel, and six other suspects involv... An Osun State High Court has refused the bail applications of Rahman Adedoyin, the Chairman of Hilton Hotel, and six other suspects involved in the murder trial of Timothy Adegoke Delivering the ruling on Monday morning, the Osun State Chief Justice, Justice Adepele Ojo declined to grant the application on health grounds brought by the counsel to the defendant, Kunle Adegoke. Ojo based her refusal on the fact that the correctional centre has the facilities to cater for the health needs of the defendants since his health condition is not too serious. Timothy Adegoke was a postgraduate student of the Obafemi Awolowo University, who died in the Hilton Hotel, Ile-Ife, in November 2021. Details later Just four years ago, Republican officeholders from across Central Florida gathered in Orlando to back Conservatives on the Right Side of Equality, a new group dedicated to building bridges between Republicans and the LGBTQ community. A new generation of Republicans was coming to the fore, said then-Longwood Mayor Ben Paris, who were focused on moving toward equality and away from the Republican Party of the past. Advertisement Four years later, however, gay rights groups are in an uproar over the Republican-backed dont say gay bill thats expected to pass this week and head to Gov. Ron DeSantis desk for his signature. The schism between the GOP and the LGTBQ community is at its highest levels since the gay marriage battles of the 2000s. Those involved with that outreach from four years ago, meanwhile, are now struggling to figure out what happened. Advertisement I think its bull----, said Jennifer Thompson, a former Republican Orange County Commissioner who attended the 2018 event, when asked about the bill that Republicans say protects parental rights. I think its bull----, said Jennifer Thompson, a former Republican Orange County Commissioner who backed the gay rights group "Conservatives on the Right Side of Equality" in 2018, when asked about Florida's so-called 'Don't Say Gay' bill. (Geisha Barazarte / Orlando Sentinel file) I just dont understand why we would need legislation like that, Thompson said. I think theres so many other pressing things that matter in our community that to me, it just feels like a dozen steps backwards. And I think we have more important things to focus on. Looking back on the 2018 event, Thompson recalled the atmosphere as like Kumbaya, like, Everybodys finally on the same page, we have this new brand of leaders coming out [and] everybody gets it. We know where our focus should be, and equality should get to the point that we dont have to talk about equality. Now, she said, It just feels like its absolutely [headed] in the opposite direction. The Orlando event in May of 2018 was the fifth in Florida for Conservatives on the Right Side of Equality, branching out from Miami to Tallahassee. The group was supported by the SAVE Foundation of Miami-Dade County, one of the states oldest nonpartisan LGBTQ advocacy groups. The outreach took place in the aftermath of the Pulse shootings that killed 49 at a gay nightclub, leading to overwhelming pledges of support for the community in Central Florida. Republican Orange County commissioners Thompson, Pete Clarke and Betsy VanderLey were in attendance, along with Orange County mayoral candidate Rob Panepinto. From Seminole County came Paris and Longwood Commissioner and future mayor Matt Morgan. State Reps. Mike Miller, R-Winter Park, then running for Congress, and Rene Plasencia, R-Orlando, not only attended but also signed a pledge to end workplace discrimination in Florida. Advertisement Republican officeholders from Central Florida attend an Orlando event held by the gay rights group Conservatives on the Right Side of Equality in 2018. (Steven Lemongello) Patrick Slevin, former mayor of Safety Harbor and then-project manager of the group, said every official there either signed the pledge or gave their support for LGBT workforce protections. Tony Lima, then of the SAVE Foundation, said he had heard from Republicans and conservatives who hadnt yet joined their pledge but who were glad something like this exists. We continue to create a groundswell of support, Lima said at the time. When more and more visible Republican leaders are advocating for LGBT rights in the workforce, youll see others who may not be sympathetic right now join the fray, steadily but surely. On Monday, Lima, now the executive director of the LGBTQ group SunServe, ripped into Republicans over the bill, which prohibits discussion of sexual orientation or gender identity in schools up to the third grade and limits it to age-appropriate in higher grades. The new bill popped out of nowhere, Lima said. The difference between then and now, he added, was that in 2018, Florida didnt have a governor whos trying to follow in the footsteps of Donald Trump, and a GOP agenda that is creating a lot of fear mongering among the dying conservative base, in order to try to ensure that theres a win for people like Ron DeSantis. Thats all thats happening here. Its a big political play. Advertisement In 2018, he said, There was absolutely a sense of optimism. There are plenty of Republicans in Florida that four years ago were very supportive, and all of a sudden, theyre not supportive. Or even, most importantly, not being vocal about it. Political Pulse Weekly Get latest updates political news from Central Florida and across the state. > Other than Thompson, none of the Republicans at the 2018 event, many of whom are no longer in office, would either comment on the issue or return a request for comment. Plasencia, one of the few Republican House members to vote against the dont say gay bill, did not return a request for comment. Theyre hiding now, Lima said. Theyre hiding because they know that if they go against the GOP grain, theyre gonna find trouble moving forward, either to get elected again or as a lobbyist. Theyll just make their lives miserable. ... Thats what the Republican Party does. Slevin, now a corporate consultant, said Conservatives on the Right Side of Equality disbanded several years ago and he has not been following the controversy over the new bill. I think there was work that was left undone, Slevin said. Advertisement Slevin also put some of the blame on the left. I found that there were a lot of conservative Republicans who had open minds at wanting to find some solutions, he said. And I found some liberals that didnt want to [accept] the solutions that we were pursuing as a group. And so they just kind of canceled one another out. And it was unfortunate for the LGBT community. Watertown, NY (13601) Today Periods of rain. Low 52F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a half an inch.. Tonight Periods of rain. Low 52F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a half an inch. Routes are still being finalized. But the men known for sauntering down Magazine Street in tuxedos while giving out kisses and green flowers will be back to celebrate St. Patrick's Day on Saturday, March 12. UPDATE: Some St. Patricks Day events in New Orleans on hold again, routes may change for others Likewise, the crew that hands out cabbages from shamrock-covered floats on Metairie Road will return to that tree-shaded byway on Sunday, March 13. St. Patrick's Day parades, among the first events canceled when the COVID-19 pandemic descended in March 2020, are back in force this spring. In New Orleans, the venerable Irish Channel St. Patricks Day Club parade is returning Saturday for its 75th anniversary stroll. It is scheduled to begin at Magazine and Felicity streets at 1 p.m. after a noon Mass at St. Mary's Church, Constance and Josephine. (As of Monday, City Hall confirmed that routes for St. Patrick's parades could change, pending how many police officers sign up for voluntary, paid detail shifts to to work them. Check NOLA.com for the latest.) A great following Jeff Delatte, a board member for the club, said members, spectators and parade participants alike were disappointed that the parade was canceled in 2020 and 2021. Its going to be really a great feeling and a shift back to what weve been doing for the last 75 years, Delatte said. Delatte said the club has built up a great following over the years and that everyone is excited to have spectators come back to the route to celebrate. He said the club is looking forward to being able to support local businesses on the route, because the event and its spectators give back to the community as they patronize retail shops and restaurants along the way. The parade takes Magazine Street to Jackson Avenue, heads up to St. Charles Avenue, turns down Louisiana and eventually ends up at Jackson Avenue and Magazine, where it disbands, Delatte said. Celebrate and give Five thousand people are parading Saturday, March 12, with the clubs largest membership yet of more than 1,400 members, Delatte said. Grand marshal duties will be shared by Sean Burke, Kelly Burke and Brad Burke. Mardi Gras was such a great turnout, Delatte said. Were trying to get the word out that well be out there as well. Near the route, daylong block parties will take over the streets near Parasol's (Third and Constance streets) and Tracey's (2604 Magazine St.) More than anything, though, Delatte said club members have missed providing for charities through events like the parade. An annual block party held at Annunciation playground for St. Michaels Special School is back and scheduled for March 17 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; a bowling fundraiser is set for July. Veggie tales On Sunday in Old Metairie, the Metairie St. Patrick's Day Parade will put 48 floats, 50 truck floats, 13 marching groups and a gaggle of local politicians on the street starting at noon at Rummel High School, said Dan Civello, the parade's captain. The parade marks its 50th outing this year, Civello said, with about 3,000 participants. The theme is "50 Years and Still Metry." A week before the parade was set to roll, members were ordering truckloads of cabbages, onions and carrots to toss out along the route. The vegetable-laden units will be heavy, Civello said, but that won't slow down the 3.6-mile procession. "Occasionally, we may get a broken axle, but we can get it fixed within 30 minutes," he said. The Metairie procession will also include marching groups such as the Shady Ladies, Celtic Highlanders and Jefferson City Buzzards. Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser is the grand marshal and his wife, Cher Nungesser, is the queen. The St. Patrick's Day Classic before the parade is a 2-mile qualifier for the Crescent City Classic, beginning at 10 a.m. The organization prides itself on keeping the parade clean, safe and family-friendly, Civello said rules that have made it so popular that it's hit the parish size limit and now has a waiting list. Smiles for miles When asked what he likes about the Metairie Road route, Civello, who marched in the very first parade in 1971, said, "Everything." He listed the tree-lined route, the friendly families, the azaleas starting to bloom. But most of all, he loves the good times the parade brings to the community, he said: "The smiles." Events continue next week with more St. Patrick's Day parades, and the Italians get in on the act as St. Joseph's Day is also celebrated. MARCH 17: The New Orleans Downtown Irish Club parades from the Faubourg Marigny through the French Quarter and the CBD starting at 7 p.m. Thursday, the actual St. Patrick's Day. The walking club sets out from Washington Park at Frenchmen and Royal streets and heads for the Quarter, stopping at six bars along the way. MARCH 19: The Italian-American St. Joseph's Parade celebrates in the French Quarter starting at 6 p.m., leaving from Convention Center Boulevard and Girod Street with 16 floats, nine marching bands and walking groups. MARCH 20: The 40th annual Louisiana Irish-Italian Parade will bring 31 floats, 58 truck floats, bands and marching groups to the Veterans Boulevard parade route at noon Sunday, March 20. Participants throw fresh produce and snacks plus beads and trinkets. APRIL 2: The St. Bernard Parish Irish, Italian and Isleno Parade will roll down Judge Perez Drive in Chalmette, stepping off at 11 a.m. with 43-plus floats and 300,000 pounds of produce. In this series, Lagniappe presents a different work each week from the collection of the New Orleans Museum of Art, with commentary from a curator. Now on view at the New Orleans Museum of Art is a singular 1954 self-portrait by Margaret T.G. Burroughs, a painter, poet, printmaker, political activist and institution builder born in St. Rose. Burroughs spent much of her professional career living and working in Chicago, where she was a co-founder of the DuSable Museum of African American History, the nations first independent museum celebrating Black culture, with her husband, Charles. Acquired from the collection of Dr. Stella Jones, the painting is Burroughs only self-portrait, and reflects her lifelong commitment to highlighting the contributions of Black artists to art history, and the role African art played in the history of modern art. Here, she paints herself gazing directly out at the viewer, surrounded by a Mbuya mask of the Pende Culture of Congo on the left and a framed abstract painting on the right. The Mbuya mask is associated with strengthening female ancestral connections. Juxtaposing this mask with the tools of European painting (brushes, a framed canvas, and a palette), Burroughs shows how her work merges different cultural traditions. Throughout her art, Burroughs forges an alternate lineage for her work and for modern art in general rooted in African rather than European art history. CORRECTION: Last week's Artbeat was attributed incorrectly. It was written by Lisa Rotondo-McCord. Ukrainian director Valentyn Vasyanovychs Atlantis begins in eastern Ukraine in 2025. A note says that it is one year after the end of a war with Russia. That was not entirely prophetic for the 2019 film, which won a top prize at the Venice Film Festival. Post-Soviet Russia long had designs on regaining control of Ukraine, and it annexed Crimea in 2014. Now, Ukraine is battling a Russian invasion of a much broader scale than Vasyanovych seems to have imagined. Atlantis is a visually stunning but minimalist drama, with a deliberately slow pace. Its dystopic, as most of its characters work in the war-torn region of eastern Ukraine, trying to remedy the collateral damage of war. For some, that means finding buried land mines. For others, there is the recovery of unidentified bodies. For those suffering PTSD, very little is bearable. Sergiy is a former soldier who takes a job delivering water. The war has so degraded the land that safe water must be trucked into the region. He drives his massive truck through the wrecked rural roads and abandoned industrial buildings. Hes also warned to bring his own toolkit, as everything seems to break down or barely work in the former war zone. Essentially, people are on their own. Thats also true as foreign companies close down factories, leaving workers more cut off from the outside world. Along his route, Sergiy meets a crew with a broken-down van. Katya is part of a team that recovers bodies. They work to recover remains and identify the deceased for the families. The grim cataloguing of their tattered uniforms boots and stripes has an air of intrigue about who was fighting for which side. There also are other clues about the circumstances of their role in the war or their death. Katya says that she was pursuing a degree in archeology before the war, and now shes using her skills to figure out whats happened a handful of years before, rather than thousands. Vasyanovych shoots most scenes in long static shots. The camera rarely moves as the action seems to unfold on a portrait or a stage. Despite the films drab color palette, the earth tones, of both grass plains and muddy industrial hubs, are lush, and its a strangely beautiful portrait of a bleak environment. At times, Vasyanovych contrasts them with brilliant red and orange fire, such as a vat of molten steel in a factory or a small fire heating water in the cold of winter. A few scenes in darkness shot with infrared cameras take on the specter of spying and the hidden secrets of people caught up in war. There is minimal dialogue, but Vasyanovychs setting speaks volumes. Some of the men struggle with the transition from war to peace. Sergiy practices shooting at targets in an icy field. Others cant handle the tedium of their previous jobs. The bomb detonation team still lives under the threat of death. The pace of the film reflects the slow process of healing. The film is not overtly political and focuses on the actions of a handful of people. Camaraderie is a powerful thing when the bond is over the terror or loss of war, even as the scarred survivors bear it silently. The film is a search for hope, but one that acknowledges it will take time for seeds planted in such rugged ground to grow. Atlantis opens Friday, March 11, at Zeitgeist Theatre & Lounge. In Ukrainian with English subtitles. Efforts to support Ukraine ramp up in New Orleans Opponents to Russias invasion of Ukraine will rally at Lafayette Square March 8 at noon to demonstrate solidarity with the countrys people a The 2020 New Orleans Original Brass Fest might have been one of the last in-person local festivals before the city issued its stay-at-home order amid the growing coronavirus pandemic. The Rebirth Brass Band, Mamma Digdowns Brass Band, the Original Pinettes and more played the festival in Louis Armstrong Park on March 7, 2020, and within days, Mayor LaToya Cantrell issued a state of emergency for the city. Save Our Brass Culture Foundation, a nonprofit that organizes Brass Fest and works to support New Orleans brass band culture, took the festival virtual the next year. The late WWOZ host Charles Action Jackson, trumpeter Shamarr Allen, Big Chief Romeo Bougere of the 9th Ward Hunters and more performed in the bubble for livestreaming audiences. Now, the New Orleans Original Brass Fest returns to Armstrong Park on Saturday, March 12, for its fourth annual festival, featuring Glen David Andrews, Da Truth Brass Band, DejaVu, Young Fellaz, Trombone Shorty Foundation Brass Band and more. Andrews also will play songs from the Lil' Rascals Brass Band's album "Buck It Like a Horse." The festival will celebrate the lives of several New Orleanians who have recently died, including Action Jackson, Hot 8 co-founder Bennie Pete and trumpeter Terry Gibson Jr. I want to continue doing ceremonies where were honoring musicians, says Ersel Garfield Bogan III, Save Our Brass Culture Foundation founder. If you walk through Armstrong Park from the front gate toward Mahalia Jackson auditorium, you see names of brass bands and musicians. They did that when they rebuilt the park. I want to see if we can keep that ceremony going every year. Brass Fest 2022 kicks off with a show at 9 p.m. Friday, March 11, at The Rabbit Hole, a recently opened venue on Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard. Bogan and his band Funkn Around will perform along with The Stooges Brass Band the group that gave Bogan his start and DJ Nile Ashton. And Save our Brass Culture will host a Red Cup & Crawfish event on Sunday, March 13, at Culture Park on Franklin Avenue. Bogan, who is a trombonist and drummer, attended John F. Kennedy High School and the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, and wasnt yet out of high school when Stooges started and pulled together players from Kennedy and St. Augustine High School. It was rival bands come together to make a union. That was crazy. We were only friends on the weekend, Bogan says with a laugh. Bogan, who has recently been splitting time between New Orleans and North Carolina, started the Save Our Brass Culture Foundation several years ago as a way to preserve brass band traditions, teach students history and work with musicians on business and financial skills. The foundation also wants to help musicians access quality physical and mental health care. This is a for-brass by-brass organization, Bogan says. I know firsthand what the community and culture needs. I felt like a lot of stuff was being undone when it came to showing and teaching the culture to people that eventually came in and didnt know the history. Bogan has in the past produced block parties and brass band shows. He put together the first Original Brass Fest in 2019 as a way to put brass band culture front-and-center in Armstrong Park. We are really hurting ourselves as musicians if were not passing the culture along, Bogan says, and not doing a good job as to show [people] where the culture was. The 2022 Brass Fest runs 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, March 12, in Louis Armstong Park. Tickets are $10 at eventbrite.com. Find information about Save Our Brass Culture Foundation at saveourbrass.org. Editor's note: The print version of this article incorrectly states the Lil Rascals Brass Band would be performing Saturday. Glen David Andrews is in fact performing songs from "Buck It Like a Horse." Taking her to Jazz Fest We'll go to brunch I gotta go to church with her A nice card / flowers / phone call Vote View Results Jefferson Parish Parkways clean-up crew leader Brian Joseph was plucking the last scraps of litter off the grassy expanse along Clearview Parkway on a recent Thursday morning when a garbage truck rounded the corner, a black bag of trash on the roof of its cab. The bag stayed in place as it passed the area Joseph spent three hours cleaning, but there was little doubt it would soon fall to the ground and scatter its contents along the street. With the wind blowing, that will topple over and spread everywhere, Joseph said matter-of-factly. Louisiana has always had a well-earned reputation for litter. But Joseph and other officials say the problem got considerably worse during the pandemic and was exacerbated further by Hurricane Ida. Changes in consumption habits over the last two years, from an increase in take-out food containers to a surge in online shopping, have only added to the trash already generated by an overreliance on single-use plastic bags, cups, straws and utensils. Meanwhile, staffing at the city and parish level, already outmatched by the litter problem in many cases, has suffered due to budget cutbacks, government officials say. To Joseph and Bryan Parks, the head of Jeffersons parkways department, the problem seems never-ending. I dont want to sound like Im complaining about it; were not, Parks said. Were gonna pick it up; were gonna do our job. But the average person driving by doesnt realize the scale of everything we do. And were not (even) stopping it, were just chasing it. Systemic problems The use of inmate clean-up crews, which in Louisiana have traditionally been a backbone of clean-up efforts, have also dropped off during the pandemic, officials said. Hurricane Ida, meanwhile, generated a monstrous amount of storm and construction debris, fueling freelance trash hauling, overstuffing garbage trucks and further taxing municipal trash collection efforts throughout the metro area. "I don't think you can understate the impact these back-to-back natural disasters have had on the cleanliness of our communities," said Susan Russell, executive director of Keep Louisiana Beautiful. But state and local officials have been ramping up their efforts, and the fight against litter got a boost in January when Gov. John Bel Edwards directed a statewide task force to come up with recommendations to curb the problem by July. Edwards has also asked the Legislature for another $1.5 million a year on top of the current $40 million budget for anti-litter initiatives. Those efforts have been moved under the office of Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser, who has begun meeting with local governments across the state. Enforcement needed Dawn Hebert, president of Keep New Orleans Beautiful, said a key problem at the local level is a lack of enforcement of existing laws, which allows individuals, businesses and apartment complexes to litter with impunity. As it stands today, "the city wont scoop (litter) up if its loose on the ground, it sits there until some good Samaritan decides, 'Im going to clean this up because Im tired of looking at it, she said. New Orleans officials agree that enforcement has been a challenge, but say they're working to rectify that problem. Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up The City Council passed an ordinance in December to allow the administration to deputize sanitation employees to cite chronic litterers, said Jonathan Wisbey, the head of a team Mayor LaToya Cantrell has tasked with tackling litter abatement. That's needed because the understaffed New Orleans Police Department has struggled to enforce anti-litter laws, he said. Another recent change allows drop-off dump sites to be located outside of industrially zoned areas, offering more options to people looking to drop off their trash. There are no plans to open those sites next to residences, Wisbey said. The city is also working to improve its systems for tracking litter offenses and issuing warnings, fines and summonses to problem businesses and residents. Importantly, New Orleans dedicated $900,000 in federal pandemic aid last year toward clearing illegal dump sites. Like with enforcement, "none of this works if the city doesnt do its job and put its money where its mouth is, Wisbey said. Wisbey said the city's small litter abatement team could expand if other changes prove effective. As it stands, there are five "sanitation ranger" positions citywide, and only three of those jobs are currently filled. Trucks shedding trash In Jefferson, Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng said the litter problem has strained a parks department already suffering from a staffing shortage. The parkways department, which handles litter clean up, is down about 10 people from the pre-pandemic level of 45 positions. Between 7 and ten government staffers handle litter across the parish, while the West Bank Expressway from Terrytown to the bridge is handled by the parish's grass contractor, who fills an average of 100 bags of litter every three days. Lee Sheng said she's constantly hopping out of her car and taking pictures of problem spots to send to the parkways department. "Its been noticeable, and it's been frustrating, she said. "There is much more garbage hitting us at a time when the manpower isn't there." Another issue is the litter that blows out of unsecured trucks that haul garbage along parish thoroughfares, often to one of the three landfills in Waggaman, just before the St. Charles Parish line. To keep up with the post-Ida glut of trash and debris, trash haulers have been overstuffing their trucks and using every available vehicle, including some without the proper netting to secure loads. While problem spots like the one along the I-10 service road near Bonnabel Boulevard could be caused by any kind of vehicle, the road out to the landfills gets a steady buildup of litter, which the parish considers a telltale sign that garbage trucks are a big part of the problem. Parks, the parkways director, said even empty garbage trucks leaving the dump can have pieces of plastic and trash blowing out of them. "Weve got a small portion of the population that doesnt know to take the trash home and dispose of it properly, but theres no way its (responsible for) the volume we see in some areas," Parks said. "We feel pretty strongly its not people throwing stuff out of their vehicle." Lee Sheng met with the Louisiana State Police in December to discuss cracking down on the trucks that drop litter along state highways, she said. She also plans to meet with the parish's garbage contractors this month about that problem, and has talked with the parish's court system and Jefferson Juvenile Services about tapping residents ordered to do community service to clean up the mess, she said. Looking ahead Russell, of Keep Louisiana Beautiful, said that although the problem is much greater than just individuals throwing wrappers on the ground, individual littering becomes magnified when trash is so prevalent. Similarly, lax enforcement and poor maintenance of infrastructure send the signal that it doesn't matter if another piece of litter hits the ground. Russell, who is a member of Edwards' task force, said Louisiana needs a comprehensive approach that is permanently funded, holds people and businesses accountable, and provides local governments with clear guidance on policies and standards. While clean-up efforts are important, "you have to be doing it as part of an overall preventative strategy," Russell said. "Doing that without doing the other things is a losing battle. When marijuana flower hit the shelves of Louisianas nine licensed medical marijuana pharmacies in January, one might have expected huge numbers of new patients from places like Baton Rouge and New Orleans, with high populations and generally progressive politics. But state data shows the highest uptake has been in some unlikely parts. Calcasieu, Beauregard, St. Tammany, Lafayette and Tangipahoa parishes, respectively, have the largest share of residents who bought a legal marijuana product in January and February, the first two months flower was available. They range from about 1% in Calcasieu to 0.6% in Tangipahoa. The February data runs through the 23rd. The user trends largely track those seen from 2019, when the medical marijuana program began, through the end of 2021. By comparison, just 0.4% of residents in East Baton Rouge Parish bought a marijuana product in January or February, ranking it 19th in the state, behind DeSoto Parish. Orleans, where the smell of cannabis is nearly ubiquitous, ranks 35th and Jefferson ranks 39th. There are various theories for some of the hotspots. Kevin Caldwell, Southeast legislative manager for the Marijuana Policy Project, said the explanation may boil down to simple dollars and cents. The black market for pot is well established and relatively affordable, especially compared to the prices of products on Louisianas marijuana pharmacy shelves. Thats especially true in Louisianas cities. Some legal strains of flower cost more than $60 for an eighth of an ounce, well above the $30-$40 eighths people can find on the street. Pharmacy owners have pointed to some strains that cost less, though the supply has been uneven in the first couple months, with limited options and restrictions on the amount people can buy. When we look at Orleans, Jefferson and East Baton Rouge, these are communities where the illicit marketplace has been present for decades, Caldwell said. I think in those situations patients have an option. Do they go to the illicit marketplace where theyve been getting their medicine for years? Or do they go to the medical program, with high prices and a lack of options? Of the 20 parishes with the highest rate of medical marijuana use, only five Calcasieu, St. Tammany, Lafayette, Caddo and East Baton Rouge have populations higher than 200,000. Outer-ring suburbs like Tangipahoa and Livingston, as well as small urban areas like Rapides and Terrebonne and more the more rural Allen and Webster parishes all have relatively high rates of medical marijuana use. Some of those places only have a few hundred patients, but relatively high uptake rates. Rep. Larry Bagley, R-Stonewall, noted that many people in rural parts of the state, especially up north, have to drive hours to get to the nearest pharmacy. The state only licensed nine pharmacies; while they are spread across different geographic areas, the distance to the nearest pharmacy in the the rural, sparsely populated northern parts of the state tends to be longer. Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Bagley also said that patients from Texas have been asking him how to take part in the program. Malcolm Broussard, executive director of the Louisiana Board of Pharmacy, said the current law doesnt bar out-of-state patients; in fact, data shows that around 660 of the 43,609 people who have gotten medical marijuana legally in Louisiana about 1.5% are from other states. Those arent included in the parish data. Bagley posited the high uptake rates from the north shore could be driven by a relatively wealthy retiree community. Those are some of the biggest users, those who have gotten older, cancer patients, arthritic patients, Bagley said. Those are the patients using it the most because theyre having the most success with it. Compared to other urban areas in Louisiana, Lafayette has seen high enthusiasm for medical marijuana. Its uptake rate of 0.6% in the first two months of 2022 was fourth-highest in the state. Eric Vidrine, who owns the regions only marijuana pharmacy, The Apothecary Shoppe, said people in the Acadiana region have been overwhelmingly receptive to the idea. He said patients hes seen dont like the prescribing of opioids and benzodiazepines for pain or anxiety. I feel like its across political persuasions, he said. People are fascinated with it and are open to it. Vidrine and others involved in Louisianas program expect roughly 3% of the states residents to eventually take part in the medical marijuana program, assuming it hits similar rates to other mature medical marijuana markets. John Condos, who owns Medicis Pharmacy in Lake Charles, said he doesnt know why nearby Beauregard Parish has seen such a high uptake rate. But in southwest Louisiana, he attributes the rise in medical marijuana use largely to an increase in doctors setting up shop and recommending the drug in the area. He said his pharmacy was among the first to allow online ordering, and also has promoted educational content on social media. Pharmacies arent allowed to advertise their products but can educate patients about it. With Calcasieu (Parish, where Lake Charles is located), weve had some recommending physicians come out, he said. Weve probably caught up, where we were a little slower (at first), now people have access to recommending physicians. Editor's note: This story has been updated to correct Lafourche and Lafayette Parish's rate of medical marijuana use. Lafourche is 0.37%, not 2.5%. Lafayette is 0.6%, not 1.6%. 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 As business deals go, it seemed like a profitable fit: two big players in the New Orleans housing game, teaming to soak up high demand for tourist rentals. But the deal that low-income landlord Joshua Bruno and short-term rental giant Sonder USA struck in late 2017, with Sonder agreeing to lease all 26 apartments in a Mid-City complex from Bruno, soon devolved into a dispute that is headed for a federal trial Monday. Sonder's lawsuit asserts guests at the complex at 635 N. Scott St. got a taste of a New Orleans that some tenants of Bruno's other properties describe as an everyday health hazard. One Sonder guest slipped and fell on a floor made slick from roofing chemicals and pooling water, according to the 2018 suit. Sonder reported mold growing on the walls of one unit and air conditioning leaks in another. The company hired an inspector who reported elevated levels of mold in more than half the units. But Sonder alleges that Bruno, through his 635 N. Scott St. LLC, dismissed the inspectors findings, made baseless allegations against Sonder and its tenants and refused to accept responsibility for maintaining the units. Bruno refused to remediate the mold or fix the air-conditioning system, Sonder alleges, saying Bruno hid the mold problem and breached the contract. Over three weeks in October 2018, Sonder moved its short-term rental guests to other properties. Contamination The company wants out of the 5-year leases, which set rents at $1,500 per month for each of 25 one-bedroom units, and $2,000 for the buildings lone two-bedroom apartment. Sonder took possession of 25 apartments over time as long-term tenants moved out, then furnished them as short-term rentals. Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Sonder is now unable to use the fixtures, furnishing and equipment it installed in the units because of their long-term exposure to moisture and, in some cases, mold contamination, the suit states. In a counterclaim, Bruno alleges that Sonder began defaulting on rent payments in the spring of 2018. Bruno's attorneys describe Sonder's mold report as "highly suspect," rejecting the notion that the units were uninhabitable; Brunos own inspector concluded that the detected mold colonies were a result of Sonders failure to properly manage and maintain the leased property." Bogus excuse Brunos attorneys allege that Sonder breached the contract and violated Louisianas Unfair Trade Practices Act, by manufacturing cause to break the leases. The real reason, Bruno argues, was Sonder's inability to lease up the units and their failure to procure the appropriate and required short-term rental permits from the city of New Orleans. Sonder received short-term rental permits for all 26 units in early 2018, according to court records. U.S. District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown, nominated to the federal bench by President Barack Obama, will preside over the jury trial, which is expected to run four days. Brown last month rejected a plea from Brunos attorney to move the trial to Baton Rouge because of recent news media coverage related to his stewardship of five moribund New Orleans apartment houses that he recently placed in bankruptcy to avoid foreclosure. Bruno argued, to no avail, that the news coverage, including allegations from current and former tenants, has tainted the jury pool in the 13-parish Eastern District of Louisiana by repeatedly portraying him as a slumlord. New Orleans saw a rash of nonfatal shootings overnight Saturday, along with an incident in the French Quarter in which a man was slashed with a broken bottle by someone who wouldn't stop trying to pet his dog. Six people were injured in separate shootings since Saturday afternoon, and there were two robberies and an attempted robbery that was foiled when the victim pulled a gun. Here are the preliminary details from the New Orleans Police Department: The first shooting occurred at 3:44 p.m. Saturday in the 1900 block of Touro Street, where a man was shot by unknown assailants who fled in a blue truck. At 12:31 a.m. Sunday, a man was shot at Chef Menteur Highway and Reynes Street by someone in a vehicle that fled the scene. The man drove himself to the hospital. At 2:18 a.m., a man was sitting in a vehicle in the 4000 block of Tulane Avenue when another man got in. The first man tried to remove the keys from the ignition and the two began fighting, though he managed to get out of the car. At that point, the owner of the vehicle, who was not inside it when the intruder got in, fired at the vehicle while the intruder drove away. The vehicle was found later at a separate location, and the victim who was inside the car was taken to the hospital by paramedics. The NOPD did not state the nature of the man's injury, but the incident was classified as an aggravated battery by shooting. At 3:17 a.m., a man was exiting Interstate 610 at Elysian Fields Avenue when he saw a homeless man and offered him money. The homeless man declined, and the driver heard gunfire and discovered he had been wounded in his right arm and went to the hospital. Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up At 5:18 p.m., police said they were investigating a shooting at Canal and Magazine streets in which a man was struck in his buttock by gunfire. Among the other crimes reported, a woman walking in the 3500 block of Tulane Avenue at 10:16 a.m. Saturday was pushed to the ground by an unknown assailant, who took her cash and fled. Then at 11:55 a.m., a woman was taking items from the trunk of her car in the 3400 block of Baronne Street when two males approached. One grabbed the strap of her purse and attempted to take it from her but she pulled a gun, causing both subjects to flee. At 9:23 p.m. Saturday, a man entered a vape shop in the 3100 block of Gentilly Boulevard and asked for change, then lifted his shirt to show a firearm when the clerk opened the register. The man took cash and fled. In the French Quarter incident, a man was walking his dog at 12:09 a.m. Sunday at Bourbon and St. Louis streets when a man police identified as Brandon Willis, 32, tried to pet his dog. The man told Willis not to, but he tried to pet the dog again, and then took a broken bottle and cut the dog owner's forearm. Willis was arrested and the man was taken to the hospital in a private vehicle. Two Slidell high schools are on lockdown Monday morning as authorities search for a 35-year-old man they say ran from police during an attempted traffic stop. Update: Kidnapping suspect now in custody; lockdowns lifted Northshore High School and Pope John Paul II Catholic High School have both been placed on lockdown, police said at 8:30 a.m. Slidell police and St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's deputies are searching a large area, ranging from Walmart (Natchez Drive), Fremaux Avenue, Interstate 10 and the Kingspoint area. Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Authorities are looking for Jimmy Graham, who is a suspect in a Georgia kidnapping, according to Slidell police. They say he fled from police around 7 a.m. Monday after an attempted traffic stop on East I-10 Service Road near Fremaux Avenue. Graham has a large tattoo that says "Don't Tread on Me" across his throat and neck, according to an undated photo released by police. No details were immediately available about the kidnapping charge or what led to the attempted traffic stop. Anyone in the search area is asked to remain vigilant, police said, and call 911 immediately if they see Graham or know anything about his whereabouts. Check back for more details as they develop. A kidnapping suspect who fled from authorities in Slidell Monday morning, prompting the lockdown of two high schools, has been caught, was captured almost three hours later. Jimmy Graham, 35, who is a suspect in a Georgia kidnapping, fled from Slidell police around 7 a.m. after an attempted traffic stop on East Interstate 10 Service Road near Fremaux Avenue. The ensuing search prompted lockdowns at Northshore High School and Pope John Paul II Catholic High School, police said. The lockdowns were lifted after police said around 9:45 a.m. that Graham was in custody. Slidell police and St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's deputies and K-9 units searched a large area, including Natchez Drive, Fremaux Avenue, I-10 and the Kingspoint area. Louisiana State Police and Homeland Security also joined in the search, Slidell police said. They didn't say where Graham was found or what led to his capture. They also did not release any details about the charges he could face. Check back for more details at they develop. The chemical plant explosion that recently injured at least six people, forced several schools into lockdown and sent a dark plume of smoke over Lake Charles was terrifying for Roishetta Ozane, but it didnt surprise her. The flares, the loud noises, the explosions that shake your home were used to that, said Ozane, who lives four miles from the plant. Also not surprising: This latest incident happened at a facility owned by Westlake Chemical, a Houston company with four large plants that store billions of pounds of toxic chemicals just outside Lake Charles. A review of federal and state records reveals that Westlake has a long track record of chemical spills, fires, air quality violations, failed safety inspections, and accidents that have burned and battered dozens of workers in Louisiana. Despite repeated promises to clean up its act, two of Westlakes most dangerous incidents happened over the past five months. The Jan. 26 tank explosion at the Lake Charles South complex was almost identical to one that occurred just five months ago at Westlake Petrochemical, a large plant about five miles away. Broken bones, burns and busted eardrums were among the injuries suffered by at least 23 workers during the Sept. 27 blast. There is a pattern going on with Westlake, said Kyle Findley, an attorney representing several injured workers. But the common theme is always that something could have been done to prevent these events. Westlakes facilities have the potential to produce much bigger disasters ones that could imperil tens of thousands of people. Lake Charles South has the potential to release enough toxic gas to harm more than 210,000 people, according to company estimates in a special risk management plan The Times-Picayune | New Orleans Advocate was permitted to view after a lengthy Freedom of Information Act request process. Federal regulators require such plans for facilities that store large amounts of extremely hazardous substances. The plans, which cannot be photographed or copied for security reasons, spell out worst case scenarios in which large-scale chemical disasters are triggered by fires, floods, hurricanes and other hazards. In the 2021 plan for Lake Charles South, Westlake told regulators that an accident could spew up to 660,000 pounds of toxic gas across 25 miles -- an area that encompasses all of Lake Charles and more than a dozen smaller towns. A large share of the release would likely be chlorine gas, a substance used as a weapon in World War I. It can cause lung damage; skin, eye, nose, throat irritation and other health problems. An unknown amount of chlorine gas blanketed Lake Charles when Hurricane Laura triggered a fire and vast plume of greenish-gray smoke at the BioLab Inc. complex, one of Lake Charles Souths neighbors, in 2020. Most of the citys residents had evacuated prior to the hurricane, and no serious injuries were reported. Another nearby Westlake facility has an overlapping risk zone. Lake Charles North, a vinyl chloride monomer producer about two miles from Lake Charles South, could harm about 211,000 people with a large release of hydrogen chloride, a gas that can corrode eyes and lungs. The Lake Charles area has more than 40 facilities listed in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencys Toxics Release Inventory, a database in which plants self-report hazardous chemical releases in the air, in water, or on land. The frequency of mishaps and the looming prospect of something much worse keeps residents on edge, Ozane said. Westlake has had so many violations throughout the years, and we dont see things getting better, she said. And their places are huge. When something blows up at them, people around here think everythings going to blow up. Four months, two explosions Just before 11 a.m. on Jan. 26, a loud boom shook the Lake Charles area. A thick blanket of black smoke swept over the Westlake industrial area before forming a mushroom-shaped cloud visible several miles away. More than 7,000 students in more than a dozen schools were ordered to shelter in place to prevent exposure to toxic gases. While the cause of the explosion is still unclear, the source was obvious: a storage tank at the Lake Charles South complex on PPG Drive. The million-gallon tank had been used to store ethylene dichloride, a chemical that can harm the human nervous system, liver and kidneys, and can cause breathing and heart problems, nausea and vomiting if inhaled. The tank was nearly empty, but the fumes trapped inside are highly flammable, a Westlake spokesman said. Air monitoring stations near the plant indicated air quality remained safe immediately after the explosion, a state Department of Environmental Quality spokesman said. Derwin Degruy was working as a welder at the Lake Charles South complex when the tank exploded. The force and the intense heat and flames knocked Degruy, a New Orleans native and former Delgado Community College student, off his feet. Disoriented and fearing for his life, (Degruy) fled from the explosion in an attempt to escape the danger, his lawyers wrote in a lawsuit filed two days after the explosion. Degruy was one of five workers hospitalized. He suffered injuries to his lungs, head, neck, shoulders and back. A sixth injured worker was treated near the explosion. Westlake declined to comment for this story. In a statement after the Jan. 26 explosion, a company spokesperson stressed that Westlakes first priority was the safety of our employees and contractors, and the communities around the plant, and offered condolences to injured workers. Our thoughts and prayers are with the injured individuals and their families, the statement said. More than three times as many workers were injured in the eerily similar Sept. 27 blast at Westlake Petrochemical, which manufactures ethylene, styrene and polyethylene. While Westlake initially reported six injuries, at least 23 workers are suing the company for a range of wounds, including permanent disfigurement from burns to faces and arms. Gregory Green, a Houston resident who was operating a pressure washer at Westlake Petrochemical, was engulfed in flames and knocked unconscious by the blast, his lawsuit says. His list of injuries include a broken leg and pelvis, ruptured eardrums and second-degree burns on 40% of his body. Three lawsuits, which each seek damages of at least $1 million, allege Westlake failed to maintain a safe workplace, including: Failure to inspect and properly attend to poorly maintained equipment, causing leaks of flammable gases. Failure to properly design, build and secure pipelines that leaked flammable gases. Failure to limit welding and other hot work that ignited flammable gases leaking from faulty equipment. Environmental news in your inbox Stay up-to-date on the latest on Louisiana's coast and the environment. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Both events could have been prevented if Westlake didnt have hot work going on next to flammable gases leaking, Findley said. This is not a unique facility. Many plants produce these products. They have similar engineering and similar safety precautions. What stands out is that one company has had two explosions in one area in a very short timeframe. The two explosions came just months after Westlake agreed to pay the DEQ $35,000 to settle several safety and environmental violations dating back to 2010 at Lake Charles South. One of the most dangerous incidents listed in the settlement appears to be rooted in shoddy repair work. According to the DEQ, workers at Lake Charles South found flammable chemicals leaking from a vinyl chloride unit in late 2012. They installed a temporary clamp over the leak, but a week later the clamp was also found to be leaking. Workers put a larger clamp on the first clamp. On Christmas Eve, the entire system failed, resulting in a fire that hospitalized at least one worker and released more than 54,000 pounds of hydrogen chloride, vinyl chloride and other toxic gases. Westlake promised to upgrade its equipment and revise its maintenance and operating procedures. The facilitys record didnt improve. Over the next year, DEQ inspectors noted five violations of accident prevention rules, eight mandatory inspections that were not conducted, improperly installed valves and vents, and at least 11 chemical leaks. Amid this spate of problems at Lake Charles South, the DEQ and Westlake came to a settlement on another batch of chemical leaks, safety violations and other incidents going back another decade. The $400,000 Westlake agreed to pay in this earlier settlement came with a stipulation that the company had to spend about $200,000 for a leak detection and repair program. But the leaks continued. A month after the agreement, a pipe ruptured, triggering another fire and spewing 180,000 pounds of hydrogen chloride, vinyl chloride and other toxic gases. The fires toxic smoke forced the shutdown of Interstate 10 and the evacuation of about 130 people at a neighboring plant. About 5,000 residents downwind of Lake Charles South were urged to shelter indoors. One resident was hospitalized and about 30 others sought treatment for smoke inhalation and chemical exposure, according to EPA records. In February 2015, the plants equipment failed again, this time releasing chlorine gas. Emergency alerts went out and nearby residents and workers took cover. Afterward, Westlake proposed several changes, including better worker training, equipment upgrades and improved maintenance procedures. A few months later, the EPA hit Westlake with one of the companys largest fines ever $997,000 for a host of violations at Lake Charles South, including repeated failures to inspect pipes and other equipment. Echoing DEQs 2013 order, the EPA ordered Westlake to invest at least $100,000 to upgrade the plants leak detection systems. Flaring and fish kills Westlake Petrochemical, site of the September explosion, also has a record of dangerous mishaps. In a 2019 settlement that cost the company $95,000, the DEQ said the plant had repeated toxic gas leaks caused by malfunctions and faulty or missing valve closures. The plant had repeatedly relied on flaring, a process used to burn dangerous chemicals when equipment breaks down. While the flares were aimed at avoiding larger releases, the burning of the chemicals exceeded state emission rates. EPA records indicate equipment failures at Westlake Petrochemical caused fires in 2008 and 2009 and an ethylene leak that lasted for more than two days. Westlake Polymers, a 56-year-old polyethylene plant that sits between Westlake Petrochemical and Lake Charles South, was cited by the DEQ for inadequate emissions monitoring, excess emissions and leaks that were discovered but not fixed for several days. In one 2007 case, a production unit was found to be leaking toxic chemicals but repairs were delayed for more than 15 days because the plant had run out of parts, according to the 2019 settlement. Water pollution has also been a chronic problem at Westlakes plants. The DEQ and Westlake have been haggling for years over water-related violations at the companys plants in the Lake Charles area. In a 2016 compliance order, DEQ documented several instances of wastewater overflows caused by heavy rainfall, inaccurate water quality testing and chemical spills dating back to 2002. Westlake Polymers appears to have the worst water pollution record of the four plants near Lake Charles. It has spilled oil, bleach and plastic pellets, known as nurdles, into Bayou dInde, which has been considered unsafe for swimming and fishing since the 1980s, and other small waterways linked to the Calcasieu River. Fish kills have been traced to the facility at least twice. Other parts of the state have been shaken by accidents at Westlake-operated plants. In 2012, an explosion at a Westlake vinyl plant in Ascension Parish sent a cloud of toxic gas and hydrochloric acid over the town of Geismar. The blast shut roads, closed a 34-mile stretch of the Mississippi River and forced nearby residents to take shelter for more than two hours. The plant has continued to have accidental leaks, including one from corroded pipes in 2019 that released more than 4,000 pounds of ethylene dichloride, a flammable and toxic gas. Slaps on the wrist Environmental groups say Westlake has been allowed to break health and safety rules and harm Louisiana communities without suffering significant consequences. All they get are slaps on the wrist, over and over, said Darryl Malek-Wiley, an environmental justice organizer with the Sierra Club. They get a $400,000 fine, but so what? That might be a lot of money for you or me, but to a company making millions or tens of millions every year, its pocket change. According to Westlakes most recent earnings report, the company raked in a record income of $2 billion last year. A DEQ spokesman said the agencys enforcement actions against Westlake have reflected the seriousness of the companys violations. The departments response is that the settlement agreement and/or civil penalties are equitable for the violations, DEQ said in a statement. The agency declined to elaborate further. Westlakes facilities stand out among other petrochemical plants for their advanced age and states of disrepair, environmental groups say. As DEQ has pointed out in settlements with the company, a lack of maintenance and facility improvements have contributed to many leaks and other accidents. Theyre old, dirty and nasty, said Russel Honore of the Green Army environmental group. Westlakes been leaching all kinds of stuff into ponds and bayous and now theyre exploding, and the state of Louisiana still allows them to operate. Westlake does appear to have a worse track record than other large petrochemical companies with large plants in Louisiana. According to the Corporate Research Projects violation tracker, Westlake racked up at least 16 serious environmental and safety violations over the past 20 years. Dow, the largest petrochemical company operating in the state, had 11. BASF and Sasol, also among the top petrochemical employers in Louisiana, each had fewer than five. Honore said federal and state regulators should increase the number of air monitors to catch more toxic releases and put a full-time government inspector in each plant. He noted that meat-processing plants must have an inspector present to operate. Youve got to have an inspector to cut meat, so why cant we do the same at a plant thats doing stuff that can kill and injure people in our communities? he said. What more needs to happen? What more do we need to know? Because with Westlake, the record speaks for itself. A city of Kenner internal investigation has found three possible instances in which a former top aide to Mayor Ben Zahn may have falsified his pay records in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida. Former Deputy Chief Administrative Officer Chad Pitfield was fired last month after the FBI subpoenaed his payroll records from the city and from the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office. He has been under scrutiny for months after a series of media reports revealed he had received approximately $86,000 in disaster pay on top of his regular $140,000 salary. A copy of the city's investigation, obtained by The Times-Picayune through a public records request, confirms earlier reporting by WVUE-TV that showed Pitfield filed time sheets showing he was working for the city at the same time he reported working for the Sheriff's Office as a reserve deputy. On Sunday, Nov. 7, Pitfield submitted time sheets showing he worked for the city from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m, the report says. That same day, however, JPSO records showed that Pitfield worked from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and again from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. as a reserve deputy at Lafreniere Park. Similarly, on Nov. 21, also a Sunday, Pitfield reported working from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Ida-recovery work for the city, but was working a 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. detail at Lafreniere Park, the report says. On Feb. 1, Pitfield sent an email to other Kenner officials saying he had put incorrect dates on those two forms and that the Nov. 7 hours were really worked on Nov. 3 and the Nov. 21 hours were worked on Nov. 25. But earlier correspondence among city officials -- their names are redacted in the report -- showed that he had requested leave on Nov. 3 and said he didn't work Nov. 25, which was Thanksgiving Day. The investigation also flagged Dec. 7, when Pitfield listed working for the city from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. but also reported working as a deputy from 5 p.m. to 10 pm. that evening. The report noted another nine instances in which Pitfield's time working for Kenner ended at the exact same time as a deputy detail began. Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up "The distance between the city and his Jefferson Parish posts are fairly short, so the time discrepancy is more than likely minimal," the report says. "However, it is necessary to mention given the number of times this occurred between 9/28 and 11/23." Pitfield's attorney, Brian Capitelli, dismissed the report, saying the findings were an effort to boost Zahn's political fortunes in the upcoming city elections. Zahn faces one challenger, Kenner Police Chief Michael Glaser, in the March 26 election. "Chad Pitfield worked tirelessly seven days a week for months in the Hurricane Ida recovery effort to assist the citizens of Kenner," Capitelli said in a statement. "After a full investigation, the Mayor now contends that three days were incorrect. This is nothing more than a Hail Mary by the Mayor in an attempt to save his political career." Zahn and other city officials initially defended the disaster payments to Pitfield and some other Kenner employees. They pointed out last December that the disaster payments are spelled out in a 2002 city policy and that city employees, notably Pitfield, had put in grueling hours in the aftermath of the hurricane, which hit Kenner hard. But in mid-February, as the media scrutiny mounted and federal agents delivered the subpoena at Kenner's makeshift City Hall at the Esplanade Mall, Zahn said he was firing Pitfield for changing public records that had showed hours he worked as a reserve deputy sheriff when they conflicted with hours he claimed to have worked for the city of Kenner. Pitfield declined to be interviewed in the city's investigation, the report said. The report has been forwarded to the Louisiana Legislative Auditor and the Jefferson Parish District Attorney's Office. When youve developed a potentially fatal dependency, should you take steps that deepen it, or work to kick the habit? For at least a decade Earth has been sending climate signals, such as rapidly rising seas, larger hurricanes and record wildfires, demonstrating that our dependency on fossil fuels is harming our health, economies and for some communities in coastal Louisiana even their existence. Now Vladimir Putin has given us another powerful reason to kick the fossil fuel habit with his murderous invasion of Ukraine. For years Putin has weaponized Europes dependence on Russia for 40% of its gas and 25% of its oil. And he has pointed that weapon at Europe since the invasion began. That threat initially caused waffling for support of Ukraine in Europe and beyond. Oil prices had already been skyrocketing as economies began a comeback from the COVID pandemic. But after a few days, something truly hopeful for the future of the planet began happening. Europe said Nyet! to Putin and any future for his fossil fuels or from any other source. It has accepted that near-term higher energy costs will be necessary to stop Putins aggression, and it knows this move will also help speed its transition to renewable fuels that can reduce some climate impacts already underway. Last week at the same time Germany Europes largest economy dramatically increased its defense spending, it also announced it has advanced its goal for 100% renewable energy by 15 years from 2050 to 2035. Other nations are said to be working on similar plans. And the unmasking of Putins worldview was not the only assist given last week to the necessity for ending our addiction to fossil fuels. Just as Russian rockets and artillery began killing Ukrainians for wanting freedom, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released its latest report on how quickly fossil fuels are racing us toward a future of unstoppable disasters. Its conclusion is as brutally realistic as Putins tanks. Climate change is a threat to human well-being and planetary health, the authors write. Any further delay in concerted anticipatory global action on adaptation and mitigation will miss a brief and rapidly closing window of opportunity to secure a livable and sustainable future for all. This follows its August report that there is no doubt human-produced emissions from fossil fuels are the major cause of climate change and only rapid reductions in their use can slow the rate of change and reduce some of its impacts. Of course, the U.S. oil and gas industry saw opportunity in Putins attack on Ukraine. The American Petroleum Institute and almost every GOP politician screamed that more production was needed immediately to help Europe resist Putin. It even claimed regulations by the Obama and Biden administrations to help the transition to cleaner fuels caused a lack of supply. Yet production under Obama was higher than during the George W. Bush years. And drilling permits under Biden are proceeding faster than they did under Donald Trump, though that may change if the administration succeeds in suspending leasing. Oil and gas production rates almost always are the result of the world market. For two years the global recession and the rise of natural gas caused by the pandemic dropped the price-per-barrel to almost negative rates. Thats why Americas petro-patriots only scream that they want to make us energy independent when the price soars of oil but stop singing the national anthem when it gets down to $30. Russias criminal invasion of Ukraine has brought into sharp focus why Americas military leadership has long been saying climate change is one of the top five national security threats. Reducing our addiction to fossil fuels will be necessary to contain both. Yes, it will be costly. Yes, it will be disruptive and require transitions from old, established industrial sectors to new ones. But if larger, more damaging hurricanes, rapidly rising seas, sunny-day flooding, a permanent cycle of forest fires and soaring insurance rates havent been enough to convince holdouts, maybe the unmasking of Putin will. The endgame for appeasement in either battle is a very bleak future if any at all. Racism isnt pretty. Its ugly, especially during war. Racism hurts more when youre trying to get people to support you and some of your own people are being racist. Unfortunately, as Ukraine is winning international support for its fight against Russian President Vladimir Putin, it's losing some support based on racist actions. Imagine an international power attacking the United States and watching people rush to the Canadian and Mexican borders, or head to bus and train stations and international airports, to get out as fast as they can. All everyone wants is to get out, yet border agents, ticket takers and others say only Americans are allowed to avoid danger by leaving. Ukraine has welcomed students and professionals from Nigeria and elsewhere in Africa for decades since it became an independent nation. Like the United States, thousands have flocked to Ukraine for higher education. The United States has more than 1 million international students enrolled at our colleges and universities. Imagine telling those students they cant leave because theyre not American. What if someone looks African, Chinese, Indian or Japanese? What if they have an accent unlike the Louisiana or West Virginia accents we might hear as more American? Does that make it right to deny them an escape? Its aggravating and frustrating to watch the #AfricansInUkraine hashtag trending on Twitter and see videos of questionable treatment of Black people. Like so many videos posted on social media, its hard to know exactly what's going on at the time because theres little or no context. Still, its hard to ignore the pushing, shoving and rough handling of people who look like me and people I know. Since the conflict began, there have been reports that Ukraine, Polish and other officials along Ukraines borders have refused to allow Africans and other non-Ukrainians to exit the war-torn nation. Some Black people have been pulled out of bus and train lines and even pulled off of train cars. Some have had to walk for hours because they couldnt get a ride. Readers and viewers count on journalists to accurately report these stories. Thats why I cringed when I watch coverage of Russias invasion of Ukraine and heard otherwise professional journalists imply that White Europeans are more valuable and worthy than Black people and other people of color. Listen to Charlie DAgata, a senior correspondent with CBS News as he reported from Kyiv: With all due respect, this not a place like Iraq or Afghanistan that has seen conflict raging for decades, he stated. This is a relatively civilized, relatively European I have to choose those words carefully too city where you wouldnt expect that or hope that its not going to happen. With all due respect, seems people like this think American and European means White. Thats laughable because America doesnt belong exclusively to the United States and Europe doesnt belong exclusively to the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Sweden. Just for starters, 12.5% of the United States population is Black and 5.6% is Asian. Depending whether North Africans are included, Europe has somewhere between 9.6 million and 22 million Black people. Unfortunately, racism exists in lots of places, including Europe. The U.S. Helsinki Commission, also known as the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, has discussed, studied and sought to blunt European racism for years. In 2008, there was a hearing titled "The State of (In)visible Black Europe: Race, Rights, and Politics,'' which looked at the impact of discrimination and racism millions of Black and African diaspora people face daily. After a 10-nation Black European delegation explored ways to fight these problems, the commission issued a 296-page report with recommendations in 2014. In 2020, there was a call for action to deal specifically with anti-Black racism in Europe. As is often the case with racism, its important for leaders to acknowledge and to take steps to deal with it when they see it, but its more important for people to acknowledge whats in their heads and hearts and eliminate hatred and prejudice. Racism divides and destroys unity, especially when a group of people want what others want: comfort, peace, safety and opportunity. These unfortunate incidents cause cracks and fissures for people who might otherwise feel strongly about supporting Ukraine in its fight against Putin and his Russian aggressors as they destroy the country's infrastructure, communities and culture. Count us in by not counting us out. The text of a Supreme Court opinion and even the justices votes can change, sometimes dramatically, between the time they take a first vote on the case during a private conference following oral arguments and when the decision is announced. That happened in the 1992 abortion case Planned Parenthood v. Casey, which reaffirmed the right to abortion. Initially, as Evan Thomas recounted in his biography of Justice Sandra Day OConnor, it seemed there were five justices willing to overrule Roe v. Wade. But that May, Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote to Justice Harry Blackmun that there had been some developments. Kennedy and OConnor and Justice David Souter had been meeting secretly to save a womans right to abortion, Thomas wrote. HealthDay News -- Alexa may soon be able to help patients contact a doctor. The service from Amazon and telemedicine provider Teladoc Health will be available around the clock on Amazon Echo devices, the Associated Press reported. After telling Alexa they want to talk to a doctor, customers will get a call back from a Teladoc physician. In some cases, doctors will be able to prescribe medications, according to details announced Monday. Whether patients get a call back on the same day they make their request to Alexa may depend on the availability of doctors, Teladoc spokesman Chris Savarese told the AP. Amazon will not be able to access, record, or store the content of the ensuing call, he noted. The cost will depend on the patient's insurance. Without coverage, the fee will be $75. The service will be audio-only to start, but the companies said they expect to soon add video, the AP reported. Amazon already dispenses prescription drugs and is expanding a program called Amazon Care that was launched in 2019 and offers telemedicine visits with the option of an in-person visit. Some hospitals already use Alexa as a voice assistant in patient rooms, and the U.K. National Health Service uses the voice assistant to help answer medical questions with advice from the service's website. Associated Press Article Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. Get Our Free Newsletters Never miss a headline with NorthcentralPa.com newsletters. Sign Up Today! Morning Headlines: Would you like to receive our daily morning newsletter? Afternoon Update: What's happening today? Here's your update! Daily Obits: Get a daily list straight to your email inbox. Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - The UN Secretary-General's Special Adviser on Libya, Stephanie Williams, expressed concern Monday over reports of closure of oil fields in the country and the continued suspension of civilian air flights HealthDay news -- Your blood type may strongly influence your risk of severe COVID-19, new research suggests. After screening more than 3,000 blood proteins, scientists linked six with an increased risk of severe COVID-19 and found eight that could help protect against severe disease. One of the proteins (ABO) linked to severe illness determines blood type, suggesting that blood types (groups) play a major role in whether people develop severe forms of COVID-19, according to the authors of the study published March 3 in the journal PLOS Genetics. "The enzyme helps determine the blood group of an individual and our study has linked it with both risk of hospitalization and the need of respiratory support or death," said study co-author Christopher Hubel. He is a research associate at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King's College London, in the United Kingdom. "Our study does not link precise blood group with risk of severe COVID-19, but since previous research has found that [the] proportion of people who are group A is higher in COVID-19-positive individuals, this suggests that blood group A is a more likely candidate for follow-up studies," Hubel noted in a college news release. The researchers also identified a causal link between three adhesion molecules and a lower risk of hospitalization and need for respiratory support. The three adhesion molecules are involved in the interaction between immune cells and blood vessels, so this new finding supports previous research suggesting that late-stage COVID-19 is also a disease involving the linings of blood vessels. This is the first study to assess such a large number of blood proteins for their connection to COVID-19, and the findings could lead to new ways to treat and prevent severe illness, the study authors suggested. Co-author Alish Palmos, a postdoctoral research associate at IoPPN, said the team used a purely genetic approach to establish causal links to development of severe COVID-19. "Honing in on this group of proteins is a vital first step in discovering potentially valuable targets for development of new treatments," Palmos said. And co-author Gerome Breen, a professor of psychiatric genetics at IoPPN, added that the study provides a short list for the next stage of research. "Out of thousands of blood proteins we have whittled it down to about 14 that have some form of causal connection to the risk of severe COVID-19 and present a potentially important avenue for further research to better understand the mechanisms behind COVID-19, with an ultimate aim of developing new treatments but potentially also preventative therapies," Breen said. More information For more on risk factors for severe COVID-19, go to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. SOURCE: King's College London, news release, March 3, 2022 Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. Get Our Free Newsletters Never miss a headline with NorthcentralPa.com newsletters. Sign Up Today! Morning Headlines: Would you like to receive our daily morning newsletter? Afternoon Update: What's happening today? Here's your update! Daily Obits: Get a daily list straight to your email inbox. Bloomsburg, Pa. -- Humane Society Police Officer Gregory Jordan placed multiple visits to the home of the Stahl family, including Charles, Arlene, and Dierdre Stahl at 428 W. 9th St, Bloomsburg between Aug. 4 and Aug. 10 of 2021 to investigate allegations of animal abuse. The investigation began Aug. 4 when a codes officer reported approximately 15 cats and a dog living in unsanitary conditions. The home was officially condemned Aug. 3. Officer Jordan first came in contact with a medium sized Cairn Terrier type dog which was tethered. "The dog had visible hair loss on its rear end as well as visible irritation and inflammation on its legs," Jordan wrote. The dog, Oscar, belonged to Deidre Stahl, Charles Stahl's daughter. The cats allegedly beloged to Charles Stahl. Officer Jordan described a strong odor of cat urine, ammonia, and waste, filthy and stained carpeting, and a couch with cushions that had appeared to have been torn apart by the cats. Cats were located in the home's basement, in an upstairs loft area where cats could hide in a crawlspace, a hole in the wall where more cats were found hiding, according to the affidavit. Jordan questioned the pet owners about veterinary care. Deidre Stahl indicated that Oscar had been seen by Fishing Creek Veterinary Hospital "sometime in the last year" for allergies. "Deidre Stahl was drinking out of a champagne flute type glass, slurring her words and appeared to be intoxicated at the time," Jordan wrote. "She began shouting to me that nobody was taking her dog," he wrote. After that first visit, Mr. Stahl signed surrender slips for eight cats and did not want to surrender other cats at that time. He was advised that conditions were currently not clean and sanitary and that the remaining cats needed to be moved to sanitary shelter immediately. Authorities returned to the residence again on Aug. 5, finding 14 live cats and a dead cat in the basement. An additional 5-7 cats were located in an attic/loft crawl space. The officer described large amounts of cat feces in the attic/loft crawl space and in the kitchen behind the stove. Mr. Stahl agreed to sign a consent form to search for additional cats hiding in the walls and floor over the next week. On Aug. 10 authorities returned. Brandon Stahl, Charles Stahl's son was at the home, and he signed over five additional cats. He informed authorities that the family had moved into a room in the Relax Inn, 2711 Columbia Blvd., Bloomsburg. Two additional cats were found at that location. Eventually the family moved to a new residence at 1293 Lions Gate Blvd. Officer Jordan visited that location to alert Mr. Stahl that one of the surrenderd cats gave birth to three kittens, who were also surrendered. Overall, PSPCA headquarters recevied all of the animals, where they were examined by veterinary staff. The cats all were found to have fleas and brown waxy aural discharge. Some had dental disease, upper respiratory infection, dermatitis, earmites, tapeworms, anemia, and were found to be underweight. Mr. Charles Stahl was charged with a third degree felony aggravated cruelty to animals charge for failing to provide necessary veterinary care, causing serious bodily injury. He also faces misdemeanor and summary charges for animal neglect. Docket sheet Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. Get Our Free Newsletters Never miss a headline with NorthcentralPa.com newsletters. Sign Up Today! Morning Headlines: Would you like to receive our daily morning newsletter? Afternoon Update: What's happening today? Here's your update! Daily Obits: Get a daily list straight to your email inbox. HealthDay News -- President Joe Biden has announced a new plan to expand mental health and drug abuse treatment that would devote millions to suicide prevention, mental health services for youth and community clinics providing 24/7 crisis care. Health insurers would also have to cover three mental health visits a year at no added cost to patients under the plan, which was introduced during Biden's State of the Union speech earlier this week. To turn the plan into reality, Biden must win backing from lawmakers of both parties. Mental health and substance abuse are connected in every state, and the pandemic has triggered rising rates of depression and anxiety. Lets get all Americans the mental health services they need, Biden during his speech. More people can turn for help. And full parity between physical and mental health care if we treat it that way in our insurance. Hannah Wesolowski, of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, welcomed the plan. This represents an important agenda that impacts every American, she told the Associated Press. For months, lawmakers have been signaling bipartisan support for the idea. In the Senate, the Finance Committee and the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee have held hearings with a bipartisan focus, the AP reported. In the House, the Energy and Commerce Committee and the Ways and Means Committee also held hearings. Such a sustained focus on mental health issues is rare, advocates noted. I cannot remember a time when every committee of jurisdiction has held hearings on mental health, Charles Ingoglia, president of the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, told the AP. Sometimes we have gone years between dedicated hearings on mental health. Bidens plan includes a special focus on school-age youth. The upcoming budget will call for $1 billion to help schools hire counselors, psychologists and other health workers. The budget will also propose $5 million for research on the effects of social media on kids. In addition to that, the federal government will launch a new suicide prevention hotline number -- 988. Bidens plan calls for nearly $700 million to bolster local crisis centers that can handle follow-up. The plan also calls for making permanent an experimental program that has expanded access to 24/7 mental health and substance abuse services. Called Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics, they are modeled on federally funded community health centers that have become a foundation for basic medical care in low-income communities. The behavioral health centers rely on peer counselors who have survived their own trauma to pull others out of crisis. The approach has bipartisan support, the AP reported. Last but not least, the plan aims to increase the number of mental health professionals in this country by devoting $700 million to programs that provide training, scholarships and educational loan repayment. Biden also wants to establish professional standards for peer counselors,. Dr. Megan Ranney says she would expect to see relief for the emergency rooms where she practices in Rhode Island if the plan becomes reality. People with mental health and substance abuse problems would have more ways to get help before things spin out of control. The crisis doesnt happen overnight, Ranney told the AP. Its usually something that has been smoldering for a while. And then when it does get bad enough, they have nowhere to go and they end up spending days to weeks in the emergency department. More information Visit the National Institute of Mental Health for more on mental health. SOURCE: Associated Press Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. Get Our Free Newsletters Never miss a headline with NorthcentralPa.com newsletters. Sign Up Today! Morning Headlines: Would you like to receive our daily morning newsletter? Afternoon Update: What's happening today? Here's your update! Daily Obits: Get a daily list straight to your email inbox. Williamsport, Pa. South Williamsport Police officers said they pursued a vehicle as it left the parking lot of the Moose Lodge after a call for a disturbance was placed. Authorities identified the driver as David Michael Harding, 56, of Williamsport after they ran the vehicle's registration. According to the report, officers could detect the odor of alcohol as they approached the vehicle. Harding was taken into custody after police said he failed a sobriety test. He was eventually released after being taken to the hospital for evaluation. Harding was suspected of causing damage at the Moose Lodge and threatening a member. The caller allegedly told police Harding was inside the establishment throwing tables and trying to fight. After being released from the hospital, Harding allegedly called the person he attempted to fight and threatened them several times. According to an affidavit, during the conversation, Harding told the man Im going to make you feel pain. Im going to kill your grand kids. Harding was charged with third-degree felony terroristic threats, third-degree misdemeanor harassment, and DUI. Court records show Harding posted $25,000 unsecured bail after a preliminary arraignment with Judge Gary Whiteman. Harding will face Whiteman again on March 28 for a preliminary hearing on the charges. Docket sheet Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. Get Our Free Newsletters Never miss a headline with NorthcentralPa.com newsletters. Sign Up Today! Morning Headlines: Would you like to receive our daily morning newsletter? Afternoon Update: What's happening today? Here's your update! Daily Obits: Get a daily list straight to your email inbox. Instant unlimited access to all of our content on www.northcoastcitizen.com. The North Coast Citizen E-Edition Newsletter emailed to you each week, the night before the paper hits the street! This subscription is for NEW or RENEWING online subscribers. The charge will appear as "Country Media Inc." on your credit card statement. 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 Napoleon, OH (43545) Today Heavy thunderstorms early, then variable clouds overnight with still a chance of showers. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. Low 48F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%.. Tonight Heavy thunderstorms early, then variable clouds overnight with still a chance of showers. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. Low 48F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Google has received approval for a patent for skin interface technology. The filing suggests that Google might use this tool to control earbuds and smartwatches through tap and swipe gestures on the skin near the gadgets. 4 Reviews , News , CPU , GPU , Articles , Columns , Other "or" search relation. 3D Printing , 5G , Accessory , AI , Alder Lake , AMD , Android , Apple , ARM , Audio , Benchmark , Biotech , Business , Camera , Cannon Lake , Cezanne (Zen 3) , Charts , Chinese Tech , Chromebook , Coffee Lake , Comet Lake , Console , Convertible / 2-in-1 , Cryptocurrency , Cyberlaw , Deal , Desktop , E-Mobility , Education , Exclusive , Fail , Foldable , Gadget , Galaxy Note , Galaxy S , Gamecheck , Gaming , Geforce , Google Pixel , GPU , How To , Ice Lake , Intel , Intel Evo , Internet of Things (IoT) , iOS , iPad , iPad Pro , iPhone , Jasper Lake , Lakefield , Laptop , Launch , Leaks / Rumors , Linux / Unix , List , Lucienne (Zen 2) , MacBook , Mini PC , Monitor , MSI , OnePlus , Opinion , Phablet , Radeon , Raptor Lake , Renoir , Review Snippet , Rocket Lake , Ryzen (Zen) , Science , Security , Single-Board Computer (SBC) , Smart Home , Smartphone , Smartwatch , Software , Storage , Tablet , ThinkPad , Thunderbolt , Tiger Lake , Touchscreen , Ultrabook , Virtual Reality (VR) / Augmented Reality (AR) , Wearable , Wi-Fi 7 , Windows , Workstation , XPS , Zen 3 (Vermeer) , Zen 4 Ticker A patent filed by Google suggests it is working on skin interface technology that it could use in future iterations of the Pixel Buds and Pixel Watch. The application was approved on March 3rd by the World Intellectual Property Office (WIPO). Google believes this technology will avoid unpleasant noises or sensations caused by physical touches or taps on wearable devices. Alongside earbuds and smartwatches, the patent suggests that Google could use this technology on virtual reality headsets or smart glasses. The skin interface technology uses accelerometers built-in to the wearable device to detect mechanical waves. These waves are created by the friction from a user's gesture. Gestures could include swiping or tapping on your skin close to the gadget to pause music, control the volume or to answer calls, for example. Artificial intelligence would be used by the device to determine which gesture the user has made. This tool would also prevent the gadget from reacting to non-gesture movements, such as scratching near the device or nodding your head. Google is not the first company to be interested in skin gesture technology. The recently released Sony LinkBuds have a similar feature, Wide Area Tap, which allows you to pause or play music and control the volume by tapping near your ear. Honor has also historically filed a patent for somewhat similar skin interface technology. It is unclear whether or when Google will bring this technology to market. Buy the Sony LinkBuds on Amazon PANAMA CITY, Fla.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 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 United States. Local authorities say they dont 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 minutes 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 percent contained Sunday. Fire officials initially said it was 1,400 acres but adjusted the size downward Sunday afternoon. 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 percent 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 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 yesterdays weather, Joe Zwierzchowski, a spokesman for the Florida Forest Service, said Sunday 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. Currently, there are nearly 150 wildfires burning more than 12,100 acres 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. News and commentary on organized crime, street crime, white collar crime, cyber crime, sex crime, crime fiction, crime prevention, espionage and terrorism. Director Mimi Cave was driving one day when she got an email from a name she didnt recognize. It was Sebastian Stan, writing under a pseudonym. I just couldnt help myself, Stan wrote. Shed been considering him to star opposite Daisy Edgar-Jones in her feature debut Fresh, which is loosely about the horrors of modern dating. Attached was a video, a kind of supplementary audition, of him dancing around a kitchen with a steak knife. It wasnt unrelated to the part. His character, Steve, has a pivotal dance moment in a kitchen set to Animotions Obsession. And Cave had a background in dance and directing music videos for cool indie outfits like Lucius, Sleigh Bells and tUnE-yArDs. What Stan didnt know at the time was that the part was already his. I had to pull my car over, Cave said, laughing. Wed already decided we were going to cast him but this just put the nail in the coffin. He was obviously super into it and excited and inspired. It may only be March, but Stan is already having a big year with his transformational, tattooed turn as Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee in "Pam & Tommy and as a possibly too-good-to-be-true boyfriend in Fresh, both of which are available on Hulu. Fresh, in particular, had Stan doing deep dives on relationships, reading Alain de Bottons treatise on marrying the wrong person, and other complex men in recent history that should probably go unnamed its one of those the-less-you-know-going-in-the-better movies. It has that fun kind of spontaneous, naturalistic banter that you would see in Before Sunrise. Two people meeting and kind of calling each other out and sort of being honest and aware how awkward meeting someone is without even knowing them, he said. You want to know what happens to these two people. Then it takes a turn and becomes even more fascinating. Stan is probably best known for his Marvel association hes played Captain Americas frenemy Bucky Barnes/The Winter Soldier for over a decade now, in films and on the Disney+ show The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. I learned so much from Marvel, Stan said. I still credit Marvel with kind of allowing people to give me a chance and sort of consider me for things. But hes also been amassing an impressive list of co-stars and directors over the past 20 years. Part of that has to do with the fact that Stan has never cared about the size of the role. Hes always readily taken smaller parts for the opportunity to work with people like Jonathan Demme (Rachel Getting Married and Ricki and the Flash), Darren Aronofsky (Black Swan) and Steven Soderbergh (Logan Lucky). I would much rather be a part of a project that asks questions, that people will talk about or thats good and have one scene instead of being in every frame in something that doesnt seem to resonate, Stan said. Hes played sons to Meryl Streep (Ricki and the Flash) and Sigourney Weaver ("Political Animals"), infamous boyfriends to Margot Robbie (I, Tonya) and Lily James (Pam & Tommy), and support to Nicole Kidmans detective (Destroyer) as well as Jessica Chastain's super spy ("The 355") and astronaut ("The Martian"). The way Stan tells it, one morning he woke up and realized hes just better in roles opposite very strong women. Things are good right now for Stan, but he also isnt ready to kick up his feet. You have to remember, Im from Eastern Europe, Stan said. I grew up always thinking that the other shoe is going to drop. Stan was born in Romania in 1982. He and his mother left amid the 1989 revolution and moved to Vienna for a few years, though neither spoke German at the time. When he was 12, they moved to Rockland County, New York, and Stan started getting serious about acting, attending the storied Stagedoor Manor summer camp, which boasts alumni like Natalie Portman and Robert Downey, Jr both of whom hed end up working with later. His Broadway debut in 2007's Talk Radio was what got him on Demmes radar and gave him the chance to meet the likes of Al Pacino and Paul Newman. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 This year's documentary category has a history-maker in it. "Flee" is the first film in Oscars history to be nominated for Documentary Feature, International Feature and Animated Feature. It's a remarkable recollection of a gay man's past fleeing Afghanistan for Denmark as a refugee. It could get a lot of support here because voters will know it's not likely to beat "Drive My Car" or "Encanto" in the International and Animated categories. Right there with it, though, is "Summer of Soul," which uses incredible footage from the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival in New York that was lost in a basement for dozens of years. Support for that one will come because of its director, Questlove from the band The Roots. "Ascension," "Attica" and "Writing with Fire," while all great, likely are just happy to be nominated. Its sweet times in Southwest Michigan as the sap is rising and sugar shacks are busy producing the states oldest agricultural crop. And for those who are up for a road trip, the Michigan Maple Syrup Association is again hosting its Michigan Maple Syrup Weekends. The further north you go, the later the sap runs and so the event is divided into three regionsthe Southern Lower which is everything south of U.S. 10 which runs from Ludington to Bay City, Northern Lower Peninsula (north of U.S. 10), and the Upper Peninsula across the Mackinac Bridge. Michigan Maple Syrup Weekends run in the Southern Lower Michigan region which includes Southwest Michigan on March 19 and 20, Northern Lower on the following weekend and end the weekend of April 2-3 in the Upper Peninsula. Ty-Kat Sugar Shack in Galien, Michigan, a small village just across from the Indiana state line is one of the 24 members of the Michigan Maple Syrup Association that are participating in the Michigan Maple Syrup Weekends this year. Its a good place to start for those from Northwest Indiana. Denise Klopfenstein started Ty-Kat as both a way to return to the family rootsher grandparents owned a sugar shack that was destroyed by a tornado in the 1940s and to give her son Tyler, who was 12 at the time, a way to enjoy the outdoors. On March 19 and 20, they will be doing syrup (or liquid gold as it is often called) demonstrations. If you cant make it then, text or call or send a message on Facebook, to find out when theyll be boiling sap in the future as they welcome visitors. Ty-Kat maple syrup is sold year round at the familys Payne Heritage Country Store located on their farm right next to their Sugar Shack. The family owned store is open on Saturdays and Sundays year round and also sells the honey they harvest and the meat they raise. We only carry items made from family based businesses such as Crystal Springs Creamery, Ebels Little Town Jerky and Walnut Creek product, says Klopfenstein, noting they also have handmade goats milk soap and bath products as well as candy. We also make gift baskets, from our products. They also sell Freakin Pickles made in a family-run, gourmet pickle business in Gres, Michigan that currently comes in 12 flavors including Old Fashioned Dill, Garlic Dill, and Hot Garlic Dill. So shopping there is a way to stock up on Indiana and Michigan artisan products. According to the association, Michigan ranks #5 in the nation for maple syrup production with more than 3.6 million gallons of sap harvested annually. The sap, produced by tapping maple trees when the weather is just right in the spring, is then boiled down to make the syrup. It takes about 40 gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup. Overall, Michigan typically produces about 90,000 gallons of syrup annually. Like wine, the terroir or soil where the trees grow gives the syrup its flavor. So does the type of maple tree. Sugar maples are the best because they have the highest sugar content2%. But other maple trees can be tapped for sap including black, red, silver and ash leafed even though their sap only contains about one percent sugar. Luckily, Michigan has an abundance of sugar maples, more than three times the amount of Vermont (the number one producer of maple syrup in the U.S.) and Quebec another major producer. But Michigan maple syrup is in demand as local wineries, breweries, and distilleries come up with different ways to use it when crafting their drinks. To check that out, stop at the Journeyman Distillery just a short drive from Galien. Once the home to the revolutionary Featherbone factory where they made corsets out of turkey feathers instead of whale bones, the large building is now a restaurant, bar and distillery. One of the ingredients in the Journeyman Fig Old Fashioned is their Journeyman Bourbon Maple Syrup. Though Ty-Kat is the only Southwest syrup maker participating in this years Michigan Maple Syrup Weekends there are other sugar camps in Southwest Michigan. John Newell of Primal Woods in Hartford harkens to the past but also uses the technologies of today during sugar time. Newell, who moved to a wide patch of woods surrounding a lake from Napierville, Illinois to escape the corporate life may wear an ear pod to handle the constant stream of calls he gets every day. He goes online checking the 10-day weather forecast to determine what days the sap will be rising and uses a state of the art evaporator to process the sap to syrup, but when it comes to collecting the sap he is decidedly old fashioned. I thought why not do it like they used to? says Newell who hires Elmer Beechy, an Amish farmer who lives nearby. Beachy, along with several of his sons, brings along two large Belgians and hitches them to the sap collecting cart that Newell built. The horses, as huge as they are, navigate through the trees, stopping while the Beechys gather the sap buckets hanging from the oaks and empty the buckets of sap into the large container sitting on top of the cart. Were weather dependent, he says as the wood fire of the evaporator heats up the evaporator to 219 degrees, the boiling temperature of sugary sap. Indeed, sap really starts to flow when the outdoor temperatures are above freezing during the day and below freezing at night. People can visit the farm to watch the entire process but its best to call ahead to make sure the sap is rising. An interactive map listing the participating in the Michigan Maple Weekend along with directions can be found online at MichiganMaple.org. Each of the 24 farms offers a variety of activities that are designed to be family friendly and educational. Besides the chance to watch the process of producing syrup from sap, many of the farms offer tapping demonstrations and sampling of maple candies and other foods made from syrup as well. Because the woods in spring can be a mucky business, its important to wear boots. Primal Woods is located at 60734 46th Ave, Hartford, MI. 269-222-0101; primalwoods.com. Newell welcomes visitors but calling first is a must. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Need to get away? Start exploring magnificent places with our weekly travel newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. LAPORTE Two of three Michigan City firefighters charged following a violent out-of-control drinking party just over a year ago have pleaded guilty, dodging felony convictions and jail time, court records show. Darren Scott Kaletha, who was 51 when charged, pleaded guilty to two reduced misdemeanor battery counts in return for prosecutors dropping felony counts of battery resulting in serious bodily injury and strangulation, according to the plea agreement. He was sentenced Thursday to two years behind bars with all the time suspended and to be served on probation, records show. The sentences are to be served concurrently, which amounts to one year of probation. Brad Kreighbaum, who was 42 at the time of charging, pleaded guilty to an A misdemeanor battery count in return for prosecutors dropping a felony charge of battery resulting in serious bodily injury, his plea agreement says. He was sentenced to 270 days behind bars with all the time suspended and to be served on probation. The third firefighter, Austin Swistek, who was 24 when charged with misdemeanor counts of obscene performance and battery, has a May 9 hearing scheduled on a motion to dismiss, court records show. Police were called to Kaletha's house in the 100 block of Earl Road at 12:22 p.m. Nov. 5, 2020, for a report of an unconscious person, who turned out to be an off-duty firefighter, court document say. The firefighter, who fell from a chair and hit his head on the floor, was taken to the hospital. Police then were called back out at 1:04 p.m. the same day and found Swistek with a bloody hand trying to open a car door, charges say. Police, who described Swistek as intoxicated and "very hard to understand," walked him back to the nearby party. At 2:12 p.m., police were called to the local Franciscan Health hospital, where Swistek reported he had been battered at the party by Kaletha and Kreighbaum. The incident was investigated by the Indiana State Police, which resulted in 53 pages of charging documents. Citing interviews with several of the partygoers, the charging documents state that after the first firefighter was taken to the hospital, Swistek broke a beer bottle and cut his hand before fleeing the house and being brought back by police. Kaletha, who later spoke to police with an attorney, said he tried to "neutralize" Swistek when he became out of control, court records show. When asked if there was a fight between the two men, Kaletha said, "No, he was absolutely the aggressor to me." Kaletha then told investigators that, while embarrassing to share, he later learned that when he went to his bed after drinking cocktails to "sleep it off," Swistek came in, took his clothes off and pretended to carry out a sex act on him, police said. The incident was reportedly caught on video that was shared with Kaletha's wife and other partygoers. "I directly asked Scott if he punched Austin because of the video," the investigator said. "Scott said he did not know about the video and he did not punch him due to the video." Another firefighter at the party said he witnessed the alleged faux sexual assault, police said. A female partygoer reportedly told police she saw "all out fighting" between Kaletha and Swistek. Kaletha argued he was acting in self-defense when he struck and choked Swistek, police said. He also reportedly said he saw Kreighbaum punch Swistek. Kreighbaum declined to give an interview as part of the investigation, police said. The fire chief and deputy at the time were relieved of their leadership roles by the mayor in the wake of the incident, but they remained on the department. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A Winfield man who last year pleaded guilty to reckless homicide after a 4-year-old boy found the man's gun and used it to shoot himself in the head is entitled to no reduction in his five-year sentence, according to the Indiana Court of Appeals. Brett A. Beatty, 33, was ordered to serve two years in prison, two years in community corrections and one year on probation for his role in the Aug. 5, 2017, death of Eric Cole at a residence Beatty and his girlfriend Rachel Griffin shared in the 7700 block of East 120th Avenue, records show. According to court records, Beatty agreed to watch Eric and Eric's older sister for their mother, who was Beatty's employee and friend. Beatty left the children in Griffin's care to get a haircut without telling Griffin about a .40-caliber Smith & Wesson handgun under their bed or properly securing the gun, records show. According to court records, Eric found the gun while Griffin was in another room and shot himself in the forehead at close range while his sister was present. Beatty argued in his appeal that Lake Superior Judge Natalie Bokota improperly weighed aggravating and mitigating factors when determining his sentence and issued an inappropriate sentence given the nature of Beatty's offenses and his character. The appeals court rejected both claims in its 3-0 ruling. Appeals Judge Melissa May, writing for the court, said Bokota followed statutory guidelines by more heavily weighting the young age of the victim and Beatty's role as caregiver as aggravating factors in determining Beatty's sentence over the numerous mitigating factors, including Beatty's lack of a criminal record, his guilty plea, and the improbability the crime will occur again. "The tender ages of the victims and their dependent status make Beattys offenses uniquely worse than the typical version of each crime," May said. Similarly, May said Beatty's five-year sentence for reckless homicide, which is two years more than the advisory sentence, but less than the six-year maximum, is appropriate given the total circumstances of the crime. "A gun is a dangerous instrument, and Beatty was an irresponsible gun owner," May said. "Despite his unfamiliarity with firearms, Beatty chose to retain the handgun in an unlocked case. Rather than placing the case in a safe, locked room, or out of the reach of small children, he stored it on the floor underneath his bed." "This reflects negatively upon his character. Thus, we cannot say in light of the nature of Beattys offenses and his character that his sentence is inappropriate." Beatty still can ask the Indiana Supreme Court to consider reviewing his case and adjusting his sentence. Otherwise, records show Beatty is due to be released Dec. 15, 2022, from the Indiana Department of Correction to begin his two years under supervision by Lake County Community Corrections. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. GRIFFITH The solution for a longtime problem with the Deep Tunnel Project is on the drawing board, the Town Council said. The tunnel is a 10-foot wide underground stormwater pipe between the Cady Marsh Ditch and Little Calumet River. Using a massive horizontal boring machine, the tunnel was dug out in 2006 to allow the transfer of huge amounts of water from the ditch directly to the river. During times of heavy rain, the tunnel offers relief to flooding situations that occur along the ditch. But the project, which was done by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, has not been without its problems since it went into operation in 2007. "We have a rake there that hasn't worked since 2013," said Public Works Director Andy Raab. This equipment is designed to keep the tunnel opening clear of debris and other material. The solution, in part, will be a particular rake system that will keep the opening clear and use a conveyor to send the debris to a commercial dumpster. "By installing a proper raking system, this should eliminate the need to manually clean the inlet using the heavy machinery as is done now," said Council President Rick Ryfa, R-3rd. The design will be done by Hubbell, Roth & Clark for $132,000, plus an additional $8,000 for bid phase services. The Town Council is anticipating that 80% of the $1.7 million construction cost, and the engineering work, will be paid by the Little Calumet River Basin Development Commission. In 2014, an emergency replacement of the Arbogast Avenue bridge was required because of erosive conditions at its base. Griffith officials said the damage was caused by increased water flow in the Cady by the tunnel project. In other business, the council gave Ryfa authority to give a notice of award to Rieth-Riley Construction Company, of Gary, to do the upcoming improvements to the Erie Lackawanna Bike Trail trailhead. The firm will do the project for $556,453. The trailhead sits in the 100 block of South Broad Street, north of the big railroad crossing. "Things are going to start very soon," Ryfa said. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. LAKE STATION Lake Station Fire Department responded to a fire at East Central Avenue on Sunday afternoon. Two houses and a garage were impacted. There were no injuries from either house. Lake Station received assistance from Hobart Fire Department and New Chicago Fire Department. Portage Fire Department was requested but was not dispatched. Lake Station Fire Department said it began as a garage fire, moved into the home and then impacted the house next door. Hobart Fire Department said they do not have any more information at this time. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. VALPARAISO Fifty years ago, when Project Neighbors first started, the organization could buy a house in Valparaiso for about $40,000, fix it up and rent it for the affordable price of $350 a month. Last week a half lot was sold in Valparaiso for $125,000, Project Neighbors Executive Director Paul Schreiner said. The scarcity of land and the high-demand of housing leads to the decreasing likelihood that we continue to successfully create the affordable products that we have, Schreiner said. Through volunteers and fundraising, Project Neighbors works to strengthen the Valparaiso community by offering childcare, healthcare, educational support and their centerpiece affordable housing. The group buys old homes, refurbishing some and demolishing and rebuilding others, before renting the units to low-income residents. To help build generational wealth, the group sometimes sells the properties to tenants. It has produced over 100 units of housing and currently manages 46. The demand for Project Neighbor's services "is constant," but Valparaiso's low vacancy rate and high cost of land paired with the soaring price of construction materials has made meeting that demand a difficult task, Schreiner said. Housing Opportunities, a nonprofit that provides emergency shelter, resources and affordable housing to residents throughout Porter and LaPorte counties, is feeling similarly squeezed. The organization owns and rents out about 200 units at reduced rates and subsidizes rent for around 60 families living in properties owned by traditional landlords. The average stay in their rentals is over three years. "Typically we run 98 to 99% occupancy every year and we do not have a ton turnover, and that is simply because of the affordability of it," Housing Opportunities CEO Jordan Stanfill said. "Once someone gets into a two-bedroom at $650, then that is usually the most affordable place they can find." The cost of vibrancy Over the past 25 years, Valparaiso has worked to transform the downtown into a hub of commerce, cuisine and recreation. "Elevate Valpo," a recent study and plan created to guide future development, found that dense downtown housing is needed to sustain local business. A 121-unit complex, called the Linc, is currently planned for the north side of Lincolnway between Michigan Avenue and Morgan Boulevard. Valparaiso's downtown is now in high-demand, as is much of the rest of the city. A residential market analysis published by the city in 2021 found an 830-unit deficit for non-student, very-low income renters. The study also said as the city continues to grow diverse housing types at various price points need to be developed. The 22 representative apartment complexes examined in the study had an aggregate vacancy rate below 2%, compared to Indiana's rental vacancy rate of 9.7% and a national rental vacancy rate of about 5.6%. The study also found that from 2000 to 2018, Valparaisos population has grown by 20%, exceeding the growth rate for Porter County as a whole. While researchers have found that simply creating more housing, even high-end housing, drives down overall rental costs, in Valparaiso, zoning puts a firm limit on density. Zoned out The housing study reported that the majority of homes in Valparaiso are in single-unit structures. The city is a patchwork of different residential, commercial and industrial zones. Multifamily housing is only fully permitted in areas zoned Urban Residential and Campus. It is allowed with a special-use permit in Residential Transition areas and on a limited basis in areas zoned Commercial, General, Commercial Business District and Central Place. Where multifamily areas are limited, developers often build denser complexes on smaller patches of land to maximize investments. When the small patches of land are pricey, say $125,000 for a half lot, the developer has to build higher-end housing, "otherwise it is just an impractical investment in the land," Schreiner explained. The easiest way to reduce development costs and subsequently the price of rent is to simply build smaller houses, Schreiner said. When Schreiner was working as a general contractor in the early 1980s, he started off building "starter homes" modestly sized, affordable homes primarily for young families. As the cost of land has "skyrocketed," building smaller starter homes has become increasingly difficult. In 1973 the median size of a new single-family home was 1,525 square fee, in 2020 it was 2,333 square feet. Building smaller, more affordable housing is simply not feasible for many developers, Stanfill said. The only way organizations like Housing Opportunities and Project Neighbors can swing it is through federal and state subsidies. "Everything is more expensive. The land prices are increasing substantially and so it makes it harder to do small developments," Stanfill said. "We typically do not like to do large development of affordable housing all in one location, but sometimes you have to do that just to get that return." Rising prices While land prices are a huge barrier, sometimes that is just the beginning. After the environmental study, environmental mitigation, the energy study, the building permit and demolishing the existing structure, Schreiner can "easily spend $10,000 to just get to the starting line." Once the construction starts, Project Neighbors is able to save about 40% of the total costs by using volunteers, but materials are an additional financial burden. Pandemic-related supply-chain disruptions have caused building material costs to increase "at the speed of light" a sheet of plywood that would have once cost $12 is now $50, Schreiner said. The affordable housing plight is a "national crisis," Stanfill said, and it has become harder and harder to find available land across Porter and LaPorte counties. Currently, over half of all the income-restricted rental units in the County are clustered in Valparaiso, with only 20% of the countys total population. One solution has been to work directly with land owners. Stanfill said when they are contacted about available land before it is listed on the market, Housing Opportunities has a far better chance as there is no competition with for-profit developers. Valparaiso Councilman Robert Cotton, D-2nd, said the city should give tax abatements and other incentives to encourage affordable housing. He also said the city needs to focus on building housing for current residents, not "building a city that will be pleasing to someone who does not live here." The Uptown East apartment complex located near Valparaiso University will soon be converted to "workforce housing," for residents earning between 50% and 80% of Valparaisos area median income. While Housing Opportunities and Project Neighbors are working to ready more housing everyday, many residents need an affordable place to live now. "Ultimately the solution for most of this is not mental-health counseling, it is not substance-abuse relief, it is simply the need for more housing, and not housing in general but housing that can be occupied for $600 to $700 a month," Schreiner said. "Those other factors that tend to create unstable lives, many of them heal when you have stable housing. Love 1 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Today, The Times is launching an exciting new service for our readers. Veteran meteorologist Matt Holiner will be offering daily weather forecasts that will be shared on our website at nwitimes.com/weather, Facebook page and through email alerts. The forecasts will arrive to readers at 7 a.m. each weekday. Friday forecasts will offer a look ahead at the weekend. Holiner also will bring breaking weather alerts to readers via streaming video and news stories on nwi.com using the latest technology to address urgent weather patterns and how they affect our readers. Holiner, who joined The Times news team in late 2021, most recently worked as a television broadcast meteorologist for ABC in the Rio Grande Valley in Texas. Weather in Northwest Indiana and the Chicago area can change quickly. Stay informed before heading out the door each day with the latest updates from Holiner at nwitimes.com/weather. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 While dental X-rays account for less than 3 percent of all the radiation that Americans get through medical imaging, every effort should be made to minimize their use. Damage from repeated exposure to radiation from medical imaging can accumulate over a lifetime, and the more radiation a patient receives, the greater the chances of developing cancer. There are various types of dental X-rays, including: Bitewing X-rays, which deliver a relatively low dose of radiation and can reveal cavities between teeth, an area that dentists cant visually inspect. By the time that decay is visible to the naked eye, a root canal may be required. They are called bitewings because you bite down on a wing-shaped device to hold the X-ray film in place. Panoramic X-rays, which require a special machine that rotates around the head to provide a detailed image of all the teeth and the underlying bones in a single X-ray. They are commonly used to plan extractions or braces, and deliver three to four times the radiation exposure that four bitewings do. Periapical X-rays, which capture images of two or three teeth at a time, down to the root. They can reveal an abscess caused by an infection or root caries, which are lesions at the tooth bottom that are more common starting in middle age. Film is placed on a holder, then put vertically in the mouth, as close to teeth as possible. The amount of radiation compares to bitewings, said Dr. Sanjay Mallya, the president of the American Academy of Oral & Maxillofacial Radiology. Dental cone-beam CT (CBCT) scans, which provide 3-D X-ray images of the teeth, their roots and the jaw but deliver more radiation than conventional dental X-rays. The Food and Drug Administration cautions that CBCT scans should be used only to provide clinical information that cannot be provided by other exams that deliver less radiation exposure. Many of the best-known cultural milestones about the AIDS epidemic in the United States the play Angels in America, or the movie Philadelphia, for example centered on the urgent protest movement of the 1980s and 1990s and the experience of (often white) gay men. These are heart-wrenching stories of love and unfathomable loss. Yet the impact of the crisis on women, families and children living with H.I.V. and AIDS, especially among people of color, is less frequently portrayed. The photographer and performer Kia LaBeija, who was born H.I.V. positive in 1990, experienced the crisis as a child living with her mother, Kwan Bennett, an AIDS activist. (Bennett died of complications of the disease in 2004.) For LaBeija, the stigma of H.I.V. was a part of her childhood: skipping first period in high school because of the side effects of her medications, worrying about how to disclose her status in her first romantic relationships. At Fotografiska New York, the artist, born Kia Michelle Benbow, is currently presenting her first solo museum show, which features intimate, glamorous self-portraits, documentary shots from her time in New Yorks ballroom scene, and personal ephemera from a childhood spent at the height of the AIDS epidemic in New York. These are edited excerpts from a recent interview. I feel disappointed that countries who claim to value progression are still using century-old tactics for gaining power and control over independent states. It shows that agreements between countries for peace and civil discussion do not take value over a leaders own wants and desires, no matter how many disagree with them. This also makes me appreciate American systems such as checks and balances, because even when we had a president instated who currently praises Putin for his decision, he would have never been able to execute such an order on his sole will alone. Gilana E., Valley Stream North High School I cant stress this enough, Putin is to blame for the Ukraine crisis, not the Russian people. In fact, many Russians dont support this war, many protesters have been detained for disloyalty to the state. The sad part is that, knowing the horrors subjects dissidents to, these brave protesters will probably never see the light of another day. Dont blame ethnic Russians for it, either, because that crosses the line into flat out racism. Putin is a dictator, meaning the populace and military have no say in his decisions. Sadly, America has made this mistake before, detaining those of Japanese descent after the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 7, 1941. The people responsible for this act were emperor Hirohito and Prime Minister Hideki Tojo. The US, which prides itself on its tolerance, was still predisposed to blame the attack on Japanese society as a whole. And after WW2, Americans hated Germans for the horrible crimes of Hitler and the Nazis. But Germans arent all anti-semitic Nazis. I myself am half German. Blaming Russians for Putins actions is similarly wrong. I have Russian friends who have expressed outright contempt for Vladimir Putin. Does it really make sense to blame an ethnic group for something one of its members did? Would it make sense to label todays Southerners as slaveholders when said practice is illegal, or as racists when many of them arent? No. So do not discriminate against the citizens of Russia and ethnic Russians for Putins abhorrent actions. Devin, Elkhorrn North High School, Omaha, NE Honestly these past few days ever since this happened Ive been feeling ill to my stomach. The idea that Russia is currently in a war with Ukraine because Russia sees Ukraine as a threat is horrible. Hundreds if not thousands are losing their lives everyday. People are losing friends, brothers, sisters, husbands, wives, sons, daughters, fathers, and mothers. This brings me back to two things Ive read recently in class regarding the Other. The first thing is how we react to each other. There are three options, we either isolate ourselves from them, go to war with them, or they could receive them with open arms and try to understand them. In this case Russia declared war on Ukraine and now thousands have to lose their lives over a war thats going to hold no meaning in the future. The thing is people fail to see both sides of the perspective. Obviously Russia is in fear due to the idea that Ukraine might join NATO. They fear that everyone is out to get them. They fear the extinction of their country. Thats the thing about human nature, we fear everyone that is different to us. We choose to wipe out those who oppose us before they wipe us out first. Its a sad reality but wars will always be fought as long as there is a different ideology. Demarcus, Block 1 Hoggard High School in Wilmington, NC I know that most people will tell you that the reason we learn history is so that we do not repeat the same mistakes but this is a prime example of a mistake that is being repeated. I think sometimes it takes a slap in the face for us to realize why we are trying to prevent these mistakes. My generation has never seen anything like this so up close and personal. I think we will be more willing to work in the future to avoid a recurrence of the same issues because we are seeing the devastation that follows. Kylie, Block 2, Hoggard High School in Wilmington, NC _________ Should Other Countries Intervene? With the Russian invasion of Ukraine comes one of the most important questions our nation has been faced with in decades. Do we support the sovereignty of a country we have no obligation to defend, or do we allow one of our greatest rivals aggressively take over their neighbor without protest? With lives on the line and the distant but ever looming threat of nuclear war, the wrong answer to this question could spell disaster for our nation and the world. Ukraine is not a member of NATO, and thus the United States are not required to provide the European nation any assistance whatsoever. There is no clause saying we have to engage in the conflict and further antagonize and increase already high tensions with Russia. But if we sit by, idly observing an unprovoked and wholly unnecessary invasion of a free and independent nation, we are not the shining beacon of the modern world we claim to be. Democracy is under attack, and to be true to our tenets as a nation, we must push back against the tyranny that threatens the Ukrainian people with all we have. Boris, Glenbard West HS, Glen Ellyn, IL Mr. Cuomo has denied the allegations. As he has before, he portrayed his conduct toward women as a result of shifting generational norms, saying he may have been old-fashioned and out of touch and adding that, Ive learned a powerful lesson, and I paid a very high price for learning that lesson. The claims that the former governor engaged in inappropriate behavior were documented in a damning report in August following an investigation conducted by outside investigators and overseen by Letitia James, the state attorney general. Mr. Cuomo did not mention Ms. James by name on Sunday he referred to her as they but his camp has repeatedly attacked her since he resigned. A second investigation led by the State Assembly largely corroborated the reports conclusions. He accused CNN of firing his younger brother, Chris Cuomo, one of the networks top anchors, who came under fire for privately advising his older brother on how to respond to the allegations, because they were in the middle of a merger and afraid of the cancel-culture mob. I resigned as governor, the press roasted me, my colleagues were ridiculed, my brother was fired, Mr. Cuomo said during the half-hour speech. It was probably the toughest time of my life. Mr. Cuomo stepped down as the entirety of the New York political class clamored for his resignation and he faced the threat of impeachment. But on Sunday, he sought to blame politics for his resignation. He repeatedly noted how five district attorneys had not pressed charges against him after investigating some of the claims. He did not mention that some prosecutors said they had found the women credible, but concluded there were insufficient legal grounds to bring criminal charges. He pointed to the dismissal of those cases to argue that the entirety of the attorney generals 168-page report was a sham, an argument that critics have said is misleading. The political sharks in Albany smelled blood, he said, charging that they exploited the situation to overturn an election. No vaccine card? For diners in New York City restaurants starting this week, that is no problem. To mark the occasion, Rocco Sacramone is planning to put 300 balloons outside his restaurant, Trattoria Lincontro in Astoria, along with speakers that will play Frank Sinatras iconic New York, New York. Spring is in the air, and it could not be a better time for us right now, Mr. Sacramone said, adding: Were back! Last week, Mayor Eric Adams confirmed that beginning Monday the city would no longer require patrons in restaurants, bars and gyms and other places indoors to show proof of vaccination against the coronavirus, part of a sweeping rollback of restrictions that includes lifting a mask requirement in public schools. New Yorkers will still be required to wear masks in a number of settings, including on the subway, and in taxis. Masks and vaccination are still required at Broadway shows through April 30, and individual business owners may continue to require either as they see fit. The citys vaccine mandates for private employers and municipal workers remain in place. Walter R. Mears, a longtime reporter at The Associated Press whose on-the-spot analyses of American politics won him a Pulitzer Prize and a role in The Boys on the Bus, an enduring 1973 book about presidential campaign correspondents, died on Thursday at his home in Chapel Hill, N.C. He was 87. The cause was cancer, his daughter Susan Mears said. Mr. Mears joined The A.P. the week after he graduated from college in 1956, and he remained there for the rest of his career, except for a brief stint at The Detroit News. At The A.P., he rose to Washington bureau chief and executive editor, yet always returned to his chief passion deadline writing. I made my reputation as a man who could write and deliver copy almost instantly, he wrote in his memoir, Deadlines Past (2003). At the end of the last ice age, South America was home to strange animals that have since vanished into extinction: giant ground sloths, elephant-like herbivores and an ancient lineage of horses. A new study suggests that we can see these lost creatures in enchanting ocher paintings made by ice age humans on a rocky outcrop in the Colombian Amazon. These dazzling rock art displays at Serrania de la Lindosa, a site on the remote banks of the Guayabero River, were long known to the areas Indigenous people but were virtually off limits to researchers because of the Colombian Civil War. Recent expeditions led by Jose Iriarte, an archaeologist at the University of Exeter in England, have sparked renewed interest and heated debate over the interpretation of the animals in the paintings. The whole biodiversity of the Amazon is painted there, Dr. Iriarte said, both aquatic and land creatures and plants, as well as animals that are very intriguing and appear to be ice age large mammals. Dr. Iriarte and his colleagues, who are part of a project studying human arrival in South America, defend the case that the rock art depicts ice age megafauna in a study that was published on Monday in the journal Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B. But as the study itself acknowledges, the identification of extinct animals in rock art is extremely controversial and the site at La Lindosa is no exception. All of us have been tremendously impressed by how effectively the Ukrainian armed forces have been using the equipment that weve provided them, Laura Cooper, the Pentagons top Russia policy official, said. Kremlin watchers have also been surprised by this, and how they have slowed the Russian advance and performed extremely well on the battlefield. Even the elements have sided with the Ukrainian military in the wars early days. Bad weather in northern Ukraine has grounded some Russian attack planes and helicopters, a senior Pentagon official said. Many Russian vehicles that have driven off the main roads to avoid the stalled convoy have gotten stuck in the mud, making them more vulnerable to attack, officials said. But the U.S. intelligence also has its limits. Mr. Bidens ground rules forbid flying surveillance aircraft over Ukraine, so they have to peer in over the border, much as surveillance is often conducted over North Korea. There is reliance on new, small satellites providing images similar to those that commercial firms like Maxar and Planet Labs are providing. A War in Cyberspace That Has Barely Begun One of the odd features of the conflict so far is that it runs the gamut of old and modern warfare. The trenches dug by Ukrainian soldiers in the south and east look like scenes from 1914. The Russian tanks rolling through the cities evoke Budapest in 1956. But the battle of the present day that most strategists expected to mark the opening days of the war over computer networks and the power grids and communications systems they control has barely begun. American officials say that is partly because of extensive work done to harden Ukraines networks after Russian attacks on its electric grid in 2015 and 2016. But experts say that cannot explain it all. Perhaps the Russians did not try very hard at the outset, or are holding their assets in reserve. Perhaps an American-led counteroffensive part of what Gen. Paul M. Nakasone, the head of Cyber Command and the National Security Agency, calls a doctrine of persistent engagement in global networks explains at least some of the absence. Government officials are understandably tight-lipped, saying the cyberoperations underway, which have been moved in recent days from an operations center in Kyiv to one outside the country, are some of the most classified elements of the conflict. But it is clear that the cybermission teams have tracked some familiar targets, including the activities of the G.R.U., Russias military intelligence operations, to try to neutralize their activity. Microsoft has helped, turning out patches in hours to kill off malware it detects in unclassified systems. All of this is new territory when it comes to the question of whether the United States is a co-combatant. By the American interpretation of the laws of cyberconflict, the United States can temporarily interrupt Russian capability without conducting an act of war; permanent disablement is more problematic. But as experts acknowledge, when a Russian system goes down, the Russian units dont know whether it is temporary or permanent, or even whether the United States is responsible. Xinhua, February 24, 2022 UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations is appalled by the slaying on Thursday of eight workers on polio-vaccination teams in Afghanistan's northern Kunduz and Takhar provinces, a UN spokesman said. "We are appalled by the brutality of these killings, across four separate locations," said Stephane Dujarric, the chief spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. One vaccination team member was killed in Taloqan district in Takhar province, Dujarric said. Four other members of house-to-house groups were slain in two separate incidents in Kunduz city. Two vaccinators and a social mobilizer in the Imam Sahib district of Kunduz province also were killed. It is not the first time assailants have attacked vaccination teams. Dujarric said nine health workers were killed during national polio vaccination campaigns last year. The latest attacks are the first on polio workers since nationwide campaigns resumed in November 2021. The national polio vaccination campaign in Kunduz and Takhar provinces was immediately suspended. "The United Nations extends its deepest condolences to the families, friends, and colleagues of these courageous health workers," the spokesman said. A release from the UN mission in Afghanistan said, "Polio immunization campaigns are a vital and effective way to reach millions of children to protect them against polio. Depriving children from an assurance of a healthy life is inhumane." Lauren McLean, the mayor of Boise, Idaho, said that she has faced real and grave threats during her term, which has been marked by aggressive demonstrations against Covid-19 restrictions that she and other state officials put in place. In a nearly 900-word statement that her office shared on Thursday, Ms. McLean, a Democrat, said she had faced protests with torches and pitchforks outside her home and sinister thwarted plots against her. Ms. McLean said she was discussing the threats in public because violent intimidation had driven other officials to resign from their posts. I understand the decision to leave public office because I still feel intensely the fear, frustration, and helplessness of watching my two children quietly take in news of thwarted threats against me and learning that they, too, were being targeted and tracked online, Ms. McLeans statement said. Ms. McLean said that, after consulting with her family, she had decided to stay in office. She also said that she had made changes to her professional and personal life, including traveling with a security detail, ending her early morning trail runs and sharing less information about her family online. Petro Poroshenko, the former president of Ukraine and erstwhile rival to Mr. Zelensky before the war, also called on the West to provide a no-fly zone over Ukraine and said the battle with Russia was the beginning of a third world war. In an interview from Kyiv, Mr. Poroshenko said that Mr. Putin has declared war on the collective West. He said that Ukraine was fighting for everyone who believes in democracy and the rule of law and that the country deserved more help. Mr. Putin wants to destroy the West, which is to destroy NATO and the European Union and to turn back history to 1991, Mr. Poroshenko said. Ukraine is fighting for its freedom and democracy, but now we are fighting for the U.S., we are fighting for the U.K., fighting for the E.U., he said. Nobody should have any illusion, because if Ukraine falls, Putin will go further. And everybody should understand that Putin will go as far as we allow him to go. Mr. Zelensky encouraged citizens to keep fighting. The Ukraine that we know, love and protect will not give up to the enemy, he said. It takes a special heroism to protest when your city is occupied, even temporarily. In Kherson and other, smaller towns like nearby Nova Kakhovka, Kalanchak, Berdyansk and Melitopol, just north of Crimea, there have been protests against the Russian occupiers. Mr. Zelensky also had a warning for the residents of Odessa, a major port on the Black Sea in western Ukraine. They are preparing to bomb Odessa, he said. Russians have always come to Odessa, always felt in Odessa only warmth, only sincerity. And now what? Bombs against Odessa, artillery against Odessa, missiles against Odessa. It will be a war crime. Ukrainian forces appear to have beaten back a Russian advance on Mykolaiv, a key city between Odessa and Kherson, a smaller port that Russian forces took several days ago. Russias advances in the south, spreading out from Crimea, which it annexed in 2014, aim to cut Ukraines access to both the Azov and Black Seas. MYKOLAIV, Ukraine The remains of a Russian Tigr fighting vehicle sat smoldering on the side of the road, as Ukrainian troops lounged outside their trenches smoking cigarettes. Nearby, a group of local villagers was tinkering with a captured T-90 tank, trying to get it running again so that the Ukrainian Army might put it to use. For three days, Russian forces had fought to take Mykolaiv, but by Sunday, Ukrainian troops had driven them back from the city limits and retaken the airport, halting the Russian advance along the Black Sea, at least temporarily. By Monday morning Russian forces had resumed their attack. Few expected such strength from our people because, when you havent slept for three days, and when you only have one dry ration because the rest burned up, when its negative temperature out and there is nothing to warm you, and when you are constantly in the fight, believe me, it is physically very difficult, an exhausted Col. Sviatoslav Stetsenko, of the Ukrainian Armys 59th Brigade, said in an interview. But our people endured this. Taking Mykolaiv remains a key objective for Russian forces, and the thwomp of artillery in the distance on Sunday suggested that the Ukrainians had not pushed them back that far. But the unexpected Ukrainian success of defending this critical port, about 65 miles from Odessa, underscores two emerging trends in the war. On a recent Sunday around dusk, about 40 people, mostly from outside the immediate neighborhood, stood outside the gallery watching a performance that was part of an exhibition by the artist Jen DeNike, with rubber tires from the show as props. DeNike said that earlier that day, a passer-by popped in asking if the space was a tire shop. Several years ago, Singh, the founder of Central Fine, was reprimanded by building department officials for keeping his storefront too empty, when it was actually filled with an intentionally sparse piece by Sagri. I had to explain to them that that was an installation, Singh recalled. They were going to give me a $1,000 fine per day because it looked like an abandoned space. For the last few years, the neighborhood has also had Jada Art Fair, held concurrently with Art Basel Miami Beach, in a large building that was formerly a deli and restaurant. (At one point, there was also a funeral home at the location.). The most recent fair drew about 500 people to the space, according to one of its founders around 59,500 people less than Art Basels official number of attendees. To hear more audio stories from publications like The New York Times, download Audm for iPhone or Android. The soundtrack to Disneys Encanto had an inauspicious start on the Billboard 200 album chart, arriving at No. 197 after the animated films release in November, just below Bob Segers Greatest Hits and a Notorious B.I.G. reissue. But this week the soundtrack, featuring songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda and a score by Germaine Franco, notches its eighth week at No. 1 one of only three albums with a run this long in the last five years while Mirandas song We Dont Talk About Bruno slipped to second place on the Hot 100 singles chart after five times at the top. What happened in between is an object lesson in how songs become hits now, with tracks elevated by fans through streaming and social media, and radio often lagging behind the curve. The case, one of the first high-profile criminal prosecutions of the #MeToo era, drew widespread attention, in part because of Mr. Cosbys celebrity and in part because dozens of women had over a period of years leveled similar accusations of sexual abuse against the entertainer. But the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled last June that Mr. Cosbys due process rights had been violated when the Montgomery County District Attorneys office pursued a criminal case against him despite what the appellate court found was a binding verbal promise not to prosecute given to him by a previous district attorney. The former district attorney, Bruce L. Castor Jr., who said he believed Ms. Constand but was not sure he could win a conviction, said he had agreed years ago not to press charges against Mr. Cosby to induce him to testify in a civil case brought by Ms. Constand. He said the substance of his promise was contained in a news release he issued at the time that said he found insufficient credible and admissible evidence. But he held out the possibility of a civil action with a much lower standard of proof. Ms. Constand later received $3.38 million as part of a settlement in her civil case against Mr. Cosby. During the civil case, Mr. Cosby acknowledged giving narcotics to women as part of an effort to have sex with them, a statement that was later introduced as evidence at Mr. Cosbys trial. Following Mr. Cosbys conviction in 2018, an intermediate appeals court in Pennsylvania found that no formal agreement never to prosecute had ever existed, a position that aligned with what the trial court had ruled. But in a 6-to-1 ruling, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court found that Mr. Cosby had, in fact, relied on Mr. Castors assurances that he wouldnt be prosecuted, and that charging Mr. Cosby and using his testimony concerning drugs at the criminal trial had violated his due process rights. Between network, cable and streaming, the modern television landscape is a vast one. Here are some of the shows, specials and movies coming to TV this week, March 7 -13. Details and times are subject to change. Tuesday THE THING ABOUT PAM 10 p.m. on NBC. The slurp of a Big-Gulp-size beverage becomes something sinister in this true-crime limited series, which stars Renee Zellweger as a Missouri woman, Pam Hupp, who is implicated in a murder that ultimately reveals a larger illicit scheme. Its a juicy role for Zellweger, who squares off with Judy Greer (as a prosecutor) and Josh Duhamel (a defense attorney). For more true crime, see the two-part documentary UNDERCURRENT: THE DISAPPEARANCE OF KIM WALL, debuting on HBO at 9 p.m., which looks at the killing of Wall, a Swedish journalist, in 2017 while she was reporting a story aboard a submarine. THE GREEN KNIGHT (2021) 7 p.m. on Showtime. Youve probably already seen a movie about King Arthur or at least have heard the tales, or baked with the flour. Youre less likely to have seen the tale of Arthurs nephew Gawain the subject of the anonymous 14th-century poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight on the big screen. This aesthetically pleasing adaptation from the filmmaker David Lowery stars Dev Patel as Gawain, who goes on a quest to hunt down a giant. In his review for The New York Times, A.O. Scott called the movie sumptuous, ragged and inventive. Wednesday DOMINO MASTERS 9 p.m. on Fox. Ambitious domino builders square off in this new competition show, in which contestants vie to create the most impressive toppling-domino arrangements, Rube Goldberg style. Expect the exactitude required here where a false move can completely ruin a project to create some tense moments. Imagine a reality cooking show in which chefs have to juggle their culinary creations before the judges sit down to eat. I spoke with Corinne about advancing your career in the age of remote work. What are the challenges of building your career while working remote? Proximity bias is a real thing. The Society for Human Resource Management surveyed managers about remote work last year, and 42 percent admit theyve overlooked remote workers for assignments or projects because they just plain forget about them. People forget whats not right in front of them, particularly when theyre stressed out, which everyone has been for two years. Even if you have a lot of motivation and desire to make connections and establish yourself, it can be really hard to know how to do that practically if you havent been able to observe workplace dynamics the way you can in a physical office. When youre sitting at a desk, you can watch the way people talk to each other and get a sense of the relationships around you in a way thats just tougher to do on Slack. What can companies do to help? Prithwiraj Choudhury, an associate professor at Harvard Business School who focuses on the changing geography of work, has studied this. He told me about three common practices at companies that have managed remote work successfully. They took the time to compile information and practices in handbooks that employees could consult. They paired remote workers with mentors outside their department so that they could speak frankly without worrying about how it affects team dynamics. And they created what he called the virtual water cooler. Whats that? Essentially, its scheduling short, informal video chats. Choudhurys study looked at a firm that scheduled some interns to video chat with senior managers, others with other interns and others with no chats at all. The ones who got to have some informal face time with bosses got higher performance evaluations at the end of their internship and were more likely to get job offers afterward. What is your best advice for remote workers who are trying to advance their careers? Ask for peoples time. Just because your manager hasnt set aside time with you doesnt mean they dont want to talk. Everyone is distracted these days. Its OK to ask. Kyle Elliott, a career coach in California, put it like this: When you work remotely, and you want to be recognized, you have to make a conscious effort to remind the bosses that you exist. If you have the option to go into the office sometimes, and you can get there, take it. Its really helpful to see how things work behind the scenes and to understand peoples real-life personalities. It also offers useful information on how well your company does at managing remote workers. If way more decisions seem to get made by people who are meeting regularly in person, thats a sign that this organization may not be fully committed to developing its remote talent. Was there any way to prevent the horrific war in Ukraine? Recent history offers at least a partial answer, and its one that is also relevant to the future of global stability. But lets start with the past: In the summer of 1990, the autocratic leader of a country with a powerful military decided to take over a weaker neighbor. If the armed conflict had remained between only those two countries, the invaders would have easily won. Instead, an international military coalition, led by the United States, quickly came together. Its leaders declared that the invasion would not be allowed to stand, because one country could not simply annex another. Within months, the invaders had been defeated. There are certainly differences between Saddam Husseins Iraq in 1990 and Vladimir Putins Russia in 2022. Some of those differences make Russia harder to confront, especially its nuclear arsenal. But other differences suggest that Putins aggression toward Ukraine should have been more likely than Husseins takeover of Kuwait to inspire an international military coalition. WOBURN, Mass. Already far behind Asian manufacturers in building electric car batteries, U.S. automakers and their suppliers are racing to develop a new generation of batteries that are cheaper, can pack in more energy and charge faster. It is a global contest with huge economic consequences for automakers, small battery start-ups and car buyers, who in a few years will choose from a dizzying array of electric cars that use different kinds of batteries as the combustion engine era recedes. The chemical makeup of batteries a technical subject that was the province of engineers has become one of the hottest topics of discussion in the corporate boardrooms of General Motors, Toyota, Ford Motor and Volkswagen, as well as in the White House. With financial and technological support from the government, these giant companies are embracing start-ups working to remake the battery so they are not left behind by the industrial revolution unleashed by the electric car. 8am (Translated by RAWA), March 4, 2022 Balkh: Local sources in Balkh province say that two young girls have been mysteriously killed in the province, and their bodies have been found in the Shadian area of Mazar-e-Sharif. According to sources, the bodies of the two girls were found by locals on Thursday, May 12. Local sources told the 8am Newspaper that the girls had been shot dead. The bodies of the two victims were taken to the hospital for autopsy. Local officials have not yet commented on the matter, but investigations have begun to identify the two victims. ZURICH Swiss officials were applauded last week when they broke with the countrys tradition of neutrality by joining the United States, the European Union and others in imposing sanctions on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. But there was a large loophole in the joint effort. Switzerland is one of the worlds major hubs for trading commodities, and the government estimates 80 percent of Russias raw material and resources, such as oil, metals and grains, are traded in Switzerland, making the Alpine nation central to the sale of Russian exports. Although the country closely adopted the European Unions sanctions on banking and trade, commodities trading has been allowed to continue. Its a significant industry in Switzerland, employing around 10,000 people and accounting for over 4 percent of its economy, according to the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs. Major commodity and energy trading companies including Glencore, Gunvor and Mercuria have their headquarters in Geneva and the city of Zug. Rivals, like Singapore-based Trafigura, have major offices in Switzerland. When I applied to the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine to study public health, I received a rejection letter saying, This course tends to be for really senior level public servants, ministers or permanent secretaries from different countries around the world. You are very young so we are not accepting you on to this course. I was outraged. My husband and I were living in London at the time, so I marched into the school and demanded to see the dean, who at the time was Richard Feachem. I threw the letter on the desk and I said, What is the meaning of this? This is what I want to do and I am not leaving until I am doing what I applied to do. He sat back in his chair and said, I really look forward to the day you are running the world. He then directed me to someone in admissions. Youve been vocal about the need for more women in positions of power when it comes to the worlds Covid-19 response. How do we achieve that? It has slapped me in the face so much during this pandemic, the fact that the global health leaders are men. A lot of women tend to be No. 2s, so they dont quite have the decision-making power, the voice. I was at a conference in Rwanda, and there was a group of men who had invited themselves into this mentoring session that I was doing for young women. And they were standing right in front of the only table in the room. So I tapped each on the shoulder and said, Excuse me. And they sort of looked at me and said dismissively, Oh, yeah, hi. So I parted through them and I climbed on a chair, and then on a table. The conference erupted. I got the mic and I said, Right here, this is what were talking about. That even if you pull up a chair and you sort of get into the conversation politely, they look at you like, eh? So if they dont give you a seat at the table, pull up a chair. And if they dont make space, then get on the table. The main cognitive assessment where Covid patients showed a deficit was the trail-making test, a connect-the-dots type of exercise involving alternating letters and numbers. Covid patients took longer to complete the task, which might suggest weaknesses in focus, processing speed and other skills. Dr. Douaud said this diminished ability correlated with loss of gray matter in a specific region of the brains cerebellum. But the study doesnt prove cause and effect, said Dr. Spudich, who also said that the cerebellum, primarily associated with balance, coordination and movement, is not the first brain structure you think of to explain changes in ability on the trail-making test. One significant limitation to the study, Dr. Douaud said, is that researchers did not have information about peoples symptoms, including whether they lost their sense of smell. The researchers also could not identify whether any patients had long Covid, so its unclear if the findings relate to that long-term condition. Differences between infected and uninfected people increased with age. On the trail-making test, for example, performance was similar in both groups for people in their 50s and early 60s, but the gap widened significantly after that. I dont know if thats because younger people recover faster or they were not as affected to start with, Dr. Douaud said. Could be either or it could be both. Dr. Michael cautioned that the findings could not be extrapolated to the many younger people experiencing post-Covid brain fog and other cognitive issues. And since gray matter and tissue damage were measured at only one time-point after infection, we dont know if its just a transient change that gets better with recovery, he said. Outside experts and the studys authors said the range of brain areas where Covid patients experience more gray matter loss raised intriguing questions. Theres no one part of the brain that does one thing, Dr. Douaud said. There are parts of the brain in the infected participants with additional gray matter loss that have nothing to do with the smell, and the ones that are related to smell also are involved in other brain functions. Gabbie Fried, an actor and comedy writer, had lived in New York City for 10 years and had never been able to afford her own place. Then, last February, she found a one-bedroom apartment she liked on the Upper West Side. At $1,945 per month, it was tantalizingly close to her price range she moved in. Ms. Fried, 27, knew that a pandemic rebound was driving up housing costs and expected her rent would increase when her lease ended at the end of March. But when she learned what she would have to pay, she was floored. When I got home and opened that letter, saw an $800 increase, I had an absolute breakdown because I absolutely cannot afford that, she said. She is moving out. That kind of sticker shock is reverberating across the city. After the pandemic swept in two years ago, rents in New York and several other major American cities plunged, as fear of the virus and the lockdown of urban economies prompted waves of people to leave. But with the virus receding and a sense of normal life slowly returning, many big cities are regaining their appeal, helping fuel a nationwide surge in housing costs and pushing some residents out of homes they can no longer afford. Being criticized even strongly during a difficult discussion does not trouble me. We need more classrooms full of energetic debate, not fewer. But when criticism transforms into a public shaming, it stifles learning. Professors have noticed a shift in their classrooms. Brad Wilcox, a sociology professor here, told me that he believes that two factors have caused self-censorships pervasiveness. First, students are afraid of being called out on social media by their peers, he said. Second, the dominant messages students hear from faculty, administrators and staff are progressive ones. So they feel an implicit pressure to conform to those messages in classroom and campus conversations and debates. The consequences for saying something outside the norm can be steep. I met Stephen Wiecek at our debate club. Hes an outgoing, formidable first-year debater who often stays after meetings to help clean up. Hes also conservative. At U.Va., where only 9 percent of students surveyed described themselves as a strong Republican or weak Republican, that puts him in the minority. He told me that he has often straight-up lied about his beliefs to avoid conflict. Sometimes its at a party, sometimes its at an a cappella rehearsal, and sometimes its in the classroom. When politics comes up, I just kind of go into survival mode, he said. I tense up a lot more, because Ive got to think very carefully about how I word things. Its very anxiety inducing. This anxiety affects not just conservatives. I spoke with Abby Sacks, a progressive fourth-year student. She said she experienced a pile-on during a class discussion about sexism in media. She disagreed with her professor, who she said called Captain Marvel a feminist film. Ms. Sacks commented that she felt the film emphasized the title characters physical strength instead of her internal conflict and emotions. She said this seemed to frustrate her professor. Her classmates noticed. It was just a succession of people, one after each other, each vehemently disagreeing with me, she told me. Ms. Sacks felt overwhelmed. Everyone adding on to each other kind of energized the room, like everyone wanted to be part of the group with the correct opinion, she said. The experience, she said, made me not want to go to class again. While Ms. Sacks did continue to attend the class, she participated less frequently. She told me that she felt as if she had become invisible. The rise of anonymous speech facilitated by the information revolution, particularly on social media, increases the opportunities for foreign interference to influence American electoral choices, as we saw with Russian efforts in the 2016 and 2020 elections. Domestic copycats have followed suit: In the 2017 Doug Jones-Roy Moore U.S. Senate race in Alabama, Mr. Joness supporters acting without his knowledge posed on social media as Russian bots and Baptist alcohol abolitionists supporting Roy Moore in an effort to depress moderate Republican support for Mr. Moore. Mr. Jones, a Democrat, narrowly won that election, though we cannot say that the disinformation campaign swung the result. The cheap speech environment increases polarization and the risk of demagogy by individual candidates. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, who before entering Congress embraced dangerous QAnon conspiracy theories and supported the execution of Democratic politicians, need not depend upon party leaders for funding; by being outrageous, she can go right to social media to cheaply raise funds for her campaigns and political activities. We now live in an era of high partisanship but weak political parties, which can no longer serve as the moderating influence on extremists within their ranks. Cheap speech accelerates this trend. We cannot and would not want to go back to a time when media gatekeepers deprived voters of valuable information. Cheap speech helped fuel Black Lives Matter protests and the racial justice movement both before and after the murder of George Floyd, and virally spread videos of police misconduct can help catalyze meaningful change. But the cheap speech era requires new legal tools to shore up our democracy. Among the legal changes that could help are an updating of campaign finance laws to cover what is now mostly unregulated political advertising disseminated over the internet, labeling deep fakes as altered to help voters separate fact from fiction and a tightening of the ban on foreign campaign expenditures. Congress should also make it a crime to lie about when, where and how people vote. A Trump supporter has been charged with targeting voters in 2016 with false messages suggesting that they could vote by text or social media post, but it is not clear if existing law makes such conduct illegal. We also need new laws aimed at limiting microtargeting, the use by campaigns or interest groups of intrusive data collected by social media companies to send political ads, including some misleading ones, sometimes to vulnerable populations. Unfortunately, the current Supreme Court would very likely view many of these proposed legal changes as violating the First Amendments free speech guarantees. Much of the courts jurisprudence depends upon faith in an outmoded marketplace of ideas metaphor, which assumes that the truth will emerge through counterspeech. If that was ever true in the past, it is not true in the cheap speech era. Today, the clearest danger to American democracy is not government censorship but the loss of voter confidence and competence that arises from the sea of disinformation and vitriol. Whats worse, some justices on the court who otherwise fashion themselves as free speech libertarians have lately espoused positions that could exacerbate our problems. Justice Clarence Thomas, for example, has indicated that he would most likely treat social media companies like telephone companies and allow states to pass laws requiring them not to deplatform politicians who violate the companies terms of use (as Facebook and Twitter did to Mr. Trump), even those who constantly spread election disinformation and encourage political violence. Justice Thomas and Justice Neil Gorsuch have also signaled an interest in loosening up libel laws, as Mr. Trump has urged, making it harder for legitimate journalists to expose or criticize the actions of politicians. A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about disinformation and how it has been used as a cudgel to dismiss and silence opinions that some people might not like. This doesnt mean that disinformation isnt a problem the speed with which unverified, mislabeled or outright false news came out of Ukraine was a grim reminder of this but its become increasingly difficult to tell the difference between whats a purposeful attempt to mislead the public and whats being called disinformation because of a genuine difference of opinion. Plus, we really cant trust that technology can solve the trouble it creates. After the 2016 election, the tech giants attempted to fix the disinformation problem by placing labels on potentially harmful posts. This, in theory, isnt a bad idea if one can somehow corral and then sort every bit of online information. A 2020 study found that the filters for this sort of project could not catch all of the disinformation, which presented a problem: If you can identify only, say, 20 percent of the bad information and label it as such, what happens to the 80 percent? The researchers found that readers would be more likely to assume that the unlabeled disinformation was trustworthy. Given the difficulty of regulating every online post, especially in a country that protects most forms of speech, it seems far more prudent to focus most of our efforts on building an educated and resilient public that can spot and then ignore disinformation campaigns. An educational alternative Over the past five years, Finland has become one of the worlds leaders in disinformation education. High school students there are given a series of political topics and asked to compile lists of stories and commentary from across the internet. Theyre then tasked with investigating the veracity of claims. In some schools, even elementary school students are given a tool kit that provides them with ways to spot dubious information online. Our access to our own funds is being choked off and the debit and credit cards we need to function are being blocked. These actions are beyond required sanctions, reflect public relations values and are inhumane. Its one thing for governments to be involved in the idiocy of war, but common everyday people need not be sanctioned so severely. Andrew Ciofalo Moscow To the Editor: I normally swim early on Sunday mornings. But today I couldnt force myself to pack my pool bag and head out the door. I woke at dawn and watched the news. Harried reporters on MSNBC recounted the number of dead Ukrainian civilians and Russian soldiers. Images of bombed out homes and burning vehicles flashed across the TV screen. Young women with pale, frightened faces huddled in cold basements cradling newborns as food supplies dwindled. Thousands of people trudged wearily toward an unknown future, clutching small bags. I thought: Here we go again. History repeating itself like a bad dream because of a crazy man. I watched this tragedy from inside the safety of my home. I thought, why bother moving when a nuclear war might be right around the corner? I know this sounds horribly depressing, but my decision to stop the usual routine and remain motionless was actually quite life-affirming. I needed time to stand still. I needed to hear the soft rain falling on my roof, and watch the red-breasted robins flying from tree to tree outside my window. I needed time to pray for all the people and animals dying in Ukraine, and for the earths continuing survival. And so, on this day, knowing everyone and everything I love in life could vanish in the blink of an eye, I paused and gave thanks for the all that is. Whatever the reason, discussion of Judge Jacksons bona fides as a working mother has been notably absent among Democrats, who have been focusing on the consequential nature of her nomination. But critically, those qualities have also made her a target of the right. Already, Republican leaders have sniped about Mr. Bidens pledge to nominate a Black woman, ignoring or, in the case of Tucker Carlson, challenging her superlative credentials and record of public service. It will surely get worse as the confirmation process begins in earnest. Emphasizing Judge Jacksons status as a working mother could enhance her already compelling story as the confirmation battle heats up. It certainly worked for Justice Barrett. In addition to using Justice Barretts motherhood to burnish her credentials and frame her nomination as pathbreaking she was touted by President Donald Trump as the first mother of school-aged children ever to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court Republicans also invoked her status as a mom as cover from attacks on her judicial philosophy and a confirmation process hastily conducted in the midst of a presidential election. Senator Chuck Grassley, Republican of Iowa, breezily dismissed claims that she would vote to dismantle the Affordable Care Act by noting that as a mother of seven, Judge Barrett clearly understands the importance of health care. If the confirmation process is an opportunity to assess a prospective justices judicial philosophy and approach to the law, it is also a crucible for forging narratives about the nominee herself narratives that may insulate the nominee from attacks in the moment and beyond. In response to a barrage of questions about his judicial philosophy, Chief Justice John Roberts famously cast himself as a kind of judicial umpire, neutrally calling balls and strikes. To this day, he is credited as an institutionally minded jurist who, despite his conservatism, is frequently at odds with the more ideological members of the courts conservative bloc. Likewise, Justice Neil Gorsuch, who was nominated in the wake of the failed Merrick Garland nomination, was peppered with questions about his fidelity to the Trump administration. He cannily seized the opportunity to signal judicial independence and to distance himself from the president who nominated him. In this regard, leaning into Judge Jacksons status as a working mother could serve several ends, burnishing her impressive credentials and varied professional experiences while rebutting charges that diversity is the only reason for her nomination. And critically, Judge Jackson could provide a compelling account of working motherhood. In a 2017 speech at the University of Georgia, she lamented the difficulties of reconciling her career with the needs of children and family responsibilities. For many years, she was, as she put it, something of a professional vagabond, moving from place to place as family needs and circumstances changed. While she may have made it to the top of her profession, the path was not always easy and her dazzling outcome not always assured. Her ascent is not just a testament to her brilliance and professional acumen. It also speaks to her grit, resilience and drive to succeed admirable, relatable qualities that could overshadow the expected charges of identity politics. As Democrats prepare for Judge Jacksons confirmation, perhaps it is worth exploring the motherhood card. After all, recasting the nominee as both a legal superstar and an accomplished supermom has worked well before. Melissa Murray is a professor of law at New York University. This interview is part of our latest Women and Leadership special report, which highlights women making significant contributions to the major stories unfolding in the world today. The conversation has been edited and condensed. Marcia J. Rieke, 70, is the research group leader for the near-infrared camera, or NIRCam, on the James Webb Space Telescope, a $10 billion effort to explore the far reaches of the universe. As principal investigator, you were responsible for designing and building the NIRCam, and now its your job to make sure it will work almost a million miles from Earth. How nerve-racking is that? Being responsible for an instrument like NIRCam is like a repeated roller coaster ride. Theres the high point when you have the joy of seeing things work as you had hoped. Theres a low point, especially early on, when something breaks and the design needs to be modified. And then theres waiting for the next ride, such as launch. Of course, the highest points will be when fantastic data are gathered, great papers are written about the discoveries and the younger people on the team get great jobs. Political adviser seeks to remove stigma of vocational education 15:58, March 07, 2022 By Zou Shuo ( Chinadaily.com.cn Students at a vocational school study practical electronics in Handan, Hebei province, in April. [Photo/Xinhua] Institutional barriers must be shattered to improve the status of vocational education in China since it has long been stigmatized as an option reserved only for failing students, a political adviser said on Monday. Hu Wei, a member of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference and executive deputy director of the Shanghai branch of the China Vocational Education Association, said during a video link interview that vocational education and regular education need to be further integrated. More importantly, an independent exam should be established as the main channel for students to enroll in higher vocational schools and vocational colleges offering bachelors degrees, he said. Traditional universities and colleges, and even those that are well known, can enroll vocational students for technical majors through the independent exam, Hu said. People have long held the perception that high school enrollment exams categorize students into regular high schools and secondary vocational schools based on their test scores, and students with lower scores can only attend vocational schools, he said. This belief has exacerbated the exam-oriented competition and anxiety among students and parents and has deterred efforts to reduce the academic burden on primary and middle school students, Hu said. In order to reverse the stigmatization, vocational school graduates should be offered the same treatment in terms of employment opportunities, salaries and ability to obtain hukou, or residential permits, as graduates from regular universities, he said. Skilled workers are the backbone of Chinese brands, and they are cultivated through vocational education. High-quality vocational education teaches students both skills and knowledge, and it enables them to learn a trade and become decent people, he added. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind. Even as President Vladimir V. Putin tightened his grip on Russian society over the past 22 years, small pockets of independent information and political expression remained online. Any remnants of that are now gone. As Mr. Putin has waged war on Ukraine, a digital barricade went up between Russia and the world. Both Russian authorities and multinational internet companies built the wall with breathtaking speed. And the moves have ruptured an open internet that was once seen as helping to integrate Russia into the global community. TikTok and Netflix are suspending their services in the country. Facebook has been blocked. Twitter has been partly blocked, and YouTubes future is in doubt. Apple, Samsung, Microsoft, Oracle, Cisco and others have pulled back or withdrawn entirely from Russia. Even online video games like Minecraft are no longer available. The actions have turned Russia into a walled-off digital state akin to China and Iran, which tightly control the internet and censor foreign websites and dissent. Chinas internet and the Western internet have become almost completely separate over the years, with few overlapping services and little direct communication. In Iran, the authorities have used internet blackouts during protests. The actor Daniel Radcliffe will star in an Off Broadway revival of Merrily We Roll Along, a Stephen Sondheim musical that famously flopped on Broadway but in the decades since has become an oft-produced and beloved show. The new production, directed by Maria Friedman, is sure to be a tough ticket to get, given Radcliffes celebrity and the size of the venue: It is to be staged late this year by the nonprofit New York Theater Workshop at its 199-seat main stage in the East Village. Sondheim, in an interview days before his death last November, said he was looking forward to the production. Friedman, a British musical theater star with a long history of performing in Sondheim musicals, first directed Merrily at the Menier Chocolate Factory in London in 2012; that production, hailed by The Guardian with a five-star review, transferred to Londons West End in 2013, and Friedman then directed a run at the Huntington Theater in Boston in 2017. Merrily is an unusual show, written in reverse chronological order, about a trio of artists whose close friendship, and shared dreams, unravel over the years. The musical, featuring songs by Sondheim and a book by George Furth, ran on Broadway in 1981; it closed 12 days after opening. The abbreviated Broadway run was the subject of a well-received 2016 documentary film, Best Worst Thing That Ever Could Have Happened; Richard Linklater is now spending 20 years making a film adaptation of the musical starring Ben Platt and Beanie Feldstein. Both sides of the abortion debate anticipate that come July, the Supreme Court will have overturned Roe v. Wade and with it the constitutional right to abortion, handing anti-abortion activists a victory they have sought for five decades. But from Florida to Idaho, Republican-led state legislatures are not waiting: They are operating as if Roe has already been struck down, advancing new restrictions that aim to make abortion illegal in as many circumstances as possible. Under Roe, states cannot prohibit abortion before a fetus is viable outside the womb around 23 weeks into pregnancy. But bills moving through legislatures are outlawing abortion entirely, or at six, 12 or 15 weeks of gestation. On Thursday, Florida passed a 15-week ban even as opponents warned it was unconstitutional so long as Roe stands. In Oklahoma, a Senate committee approved a bill that would prohibit abortion starting 30 days after the probable start of a womans last monthly period. Some states are trying to ban or limit pills that induce abortion, which supporters of abortion rights had hoped would provide a safe and legal workaround. Several states have advanced laws like the one the Supreme Court allowed to take effect in Texas that puts enforcement in the hands of private citizens. Texas allows lawsuits against anyone from an Uber driver to a doctor who knowingly aids or abets a woman getting an abortion after the sixth week of pregnancy, rewarding $10,000 plus legal fees for successful suits. On Thursday, the Idaho Senate passed a bill that would award a minimum of $20,000 to family members who sue, including a sibling of the preborn child. The frenzy of activity in state legislative sessions over the past two months offers a glimpse of a post-Roe America, when the Supreme Court would return the question of abortion rights to the states. While some states closer to the coasts California, Vermont, New Jersey among them have moved to enshrine a right to abortion, far more are trying to restrict it. Six teenagers were charged with murder after a shooting outside a high school in Des Moines on Monday left a 15-year-old boy dead and two other teenagers hospitalized, the authorities said. The boy who was killed was the target of the shooting outside East High School on Monday afternoon, the Des Moines Police Department said in a Facebook post on Tuesday. The boy did not attend the school, which serves about 2,000 students in Iowas capital. The two teenagers who were injured, 16-year-old and 18-year-old females, are East High students and were not intended targets, the police said. The 18-year-old was listed in critical condition as of Tuesday morning, the police said. The 16-year-old had been upgraded to serious condition from critical condition. Contradicting guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Florida will soon recommend that healthy children not get vaccinated against Covid-19, the states surgeon general, Dr. Joseph A. Ladapo, announced on Monday. The Florida Department of Health is going to be the first state to officially recommend against the Covid-19 vaccines for healthy children, said Dr. Ladapo, who has expressed skepticism about the vaccines effectiveness. He made the announcement at the end of a 90-minute discussion convened by Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, titled The Curtain Close on Covid Theater. (Watch it before YouTube takes it down, read the post on the governors Facebook page linking to video of the event, an apparent reference to the removal of coronavirus misinformation from social media platforms.) During the discussion, Dr. Ladapo, a DeSantis appointee, and other panelists cited studies suggesting limited or rapidly waning protection against infection from the coronavirus vaccine in children, who already had lower infection rates than adults. A 17-year-old was arrested and another person got away after they drove through a checkpoint at the military base in Maryland that the president and the vice president use to travel to and from Washington, military officials said. The teenager, who was not identified, was armed when he was apprehended, they said. The security breach at Joint Base Andrews in Prince Georges County, Md., in suburban Washington, happened Sunday night at about the time that Vice President Kamala Harris and four Cabinet members landed at the base, which was put on lockdown for several hours. After the pair drove through the checkpoint at the bases main gate, the authorities stopped their vehicle with barriers, the base said in a statement. The two then fled the vehicle, which the authorities said was stolen. The 17-year-old was apprehended and remains in custody, and a sweep of the based determined that the second intruder had departed the installation. No shots were fired during the incident, the base said. Ms. Harris, her husband, Doug Emhoff, and the four Cabinet members Education Secretary Miguel Cardona; Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg; Housing Secretary Marcia Fudge; and Michael S. Regan, the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency had just arrived at the base on Air Force Two at the time of the security breach, according to reporters who were traveling with them. GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba The Biden administration on Monday repatriated to Saudi Arabia for mental health care a prisoner who had been tortured so badly by U.S. interrogators that he was ruled ineligible for trial as the suspected would-be 20th hijacker in the Sept. 11 attacks. The prisoner, Mohammed al-Qahtani, in his 40s, is the second to be transferred from the wartime prison under the administration. A government panel recommended recently that Mr. Qahtani, who had spent 20 years at Guantanamo Bay, be released after a Navy doctor advised that he was too impaired to pose a future threat particularly if he was sent to inpatient mental care. The doctor last year upheld an independent psychiatrists finding that Mr. Qahtani suffered from schizophrenia and post-traumatic stress disorder, and could not receive adequate care at the U.S. military prison. His long-serving lawyer, Shayana Kadidal of the Center for Constitutional Rights, said the transfer was long overdue. Consider first how an ordinary person (a reporter; a police officer; yes, even a lawyer) might describe Woodens 10 burglaries and how she would not, Justice Elena Kagan wrote for eight members of the court. The observer might say: On one occasion, Wooden burglarized 10 units in a storage facility, she wrote. By contrast, she would never say: On 10 occasions, Wooden burglarized a unit in the facility. Nor would she say anything like: On one occasion, Wooden burglarized a storage unit; on a second occasion, he burglarized another unit; on a third occasion, he burglarized yet another; and so on. Justice Kagan used an analogy. The occasion of a wedding, for example, often includes a ceremony, cocktail hour, dinner and dancing, she wrote. Those doings are proximate in time and place, and have a shared theme (celebrating the happy couple); their connections are, indeed, what makes them part of a single event. But they do not occur at the same moment: The newlyweds would surely take offense if a guest organized a conga line in the middle of their vows. Justice Kagan added, The same is true (to shift gears from the felicitous to the felonious) when it comes to crime. In general, courts should consider a range of circumstances in deciding whether crimes took place on a single occasion, she wrote. Among them are whether the offenses were close in time, part of an uninterrupted course of conduct and in the same place. WASHINGTON Angel Ortiz, in prison for robbery and attempted sexual abuse, had done his time. But before he could go free, a judge wrote, he faced an unwinnable game of real-estate Battleship. Mr. Ortiz was classified as a sex offender, and a New York law barred him from living within 1,000 feet of a school while on parole. Prison officials would not let him go until he identified a suitable address. They did almost nothing to help him. The corrections department provides an inmate with occasional access to a telephone, instructs the inmate to find and propose potential places to live, and then informs the inmate from time to time that the proposed addresses are unacceptable, the judge, Rowan D. Wilson of the New York Court of Appeals, wrote in a dissent in Mr. Ortizs case. Mr. Ortiz served an extra 25 months because he could not find a place to live. He wanted to return to New York City, where his mother and daughter lived. But most of the city was off limits because almost all residential areas are within 1,000 feet of a school. The Supreme Court on Monday allowed congressional maps that had been approved by state courts in North Carolina and Pennsylvania to stand, giving Democrats an advantage in this years election in two key states. In issuing the orders, the Supreme Court rejected requests by Republicans to restore maps approved by G.O.P.-controlled state legislatures. Those district lines were thrown out and replaced by courts in both states after challenges by Democrats. Under the new court-imposed maps in both states, Democrats are likely to gain more seats than they would have under the legislature-approved versions. But in the North Carolina case, there were signs that at least four of the courts more conservative justices could later rule that state courts are powerless to change congressional maps adopted by state legislatures. A Western intelligence report concluded that Chinese officials told their Russian counterparts in early February not to invade Ukraine before the end of the Winter Olympics in Beijing, though it was not clear whether Mr. Putin told Mr. Xi directly of any plans. Chinese officials rejected the claim that Beijing had forewarning as pure fake news. In any case, the invasion evidently surprised many in Beijings establishment, leaving officials scrambling to respond and to evacuate Chinese nationals. Even if Mr. Xi knew anything about Mr. Putins plan, some experts said, he perhaps expected Moscow to limit its actions to the regions in Ukraine adjoining Russia. They did not anticipate a full-scale invasion, said Yun Sun, the director of the China Program at the Stimson Center, who has studied Beijings actions in the lead-up to the war. You do not need to invade Ukraine to get what you want. So why bother? she said, summarizing what she described as a broad view among Chinese officials. The implications for China extend beyond Ukraine, and even Europe. Mr. Xis warm embrace of Mr. Putin only a month ago advertised their ambitions to build what they call a fairer, more stable global order one in which the United States is a lesser presence. Instead, their summit was followed by the kind of reckless, unilateral military intervention in an independent state that China has long denounced. Mr. Xis statement with Mr. Putin on Feb. 4 endorsed a Russian security proposal that would exclude Ukraine from joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. By opposing the expansion of NATO, China waded into tensions over how far Russias eastern European neighbors could forge alliances with the West. Putin may have done this anyway, but also it was unquestionably an enabling backdrop that was provided by the joint statement, the visit and Xis association with all of these things, said Andrew Small, a senior fellow with the German Marshall Fund in Berlin. He added: I must say that strengthening deterrence is no longer enough, and we need more defense here in place. Otherwise, it will be too late here, Mr. Secretary. Putin will not stop in Ukraine if he will not be stopped. Mr. Blinken sought to reassure the officials that, as fellow members of NATO, the Baltic States would be robustly defended should Russia try to move in. Citing the NATO collective defense pact that an attack on one is an attack on all, Mr. Blinken said the United States and the rest of the military alliance will defend every, every inch of NATO territory should it come under attack. There should be no doubt about that on anyones mind, Mr. Blinken said. It was a message he repeated throughout the day. There are already thousands of American troops in the Baltics, the majority of which were sent in the face of Russias recent aggressions, and Mr. Blinken noted that the Pentagon has sent F-35 fighter jets as it considers a more permanent presence of U.S. forces to the region. At the same time, the United States and other NATO states have rushed more than 17,000 antitank weapons, including Javelin missiles, to Ukraine in an effort to help the besieged country defend itself from Russias far more powerful military. Mr. Blinken said an estimated 70 percent of assistance provided by the United States is already in Ukraines hands. BARI, Italy As the Orthodox chants in Russian and the Ukrainian bishops voice echoed in the ancient crypt, the faithful lowered their scarf-wrapped heads to the marble floor, held candles over their Cyrillic prayer books or wept under low stone arches. All had come to pray at the tomb of St. Nicholas, revered by Orthodox Christians throughout the former Soviet bloc, in the basilica named for him in the port city of Bari, on Italys southern coast. Though more than 1,000 miles from the conflict in Ukraine, and united in their veneration for the saint, the congregation of mostly women in long winter coats made for a strangely out-of-place diorama of all that binds and that is tearing apart their ancestral homelands. A woman wearing the yellow and blue colors of Ukraines flag said she asked the saint for a miracle: to stop Russias invasion of her home country. A Belarusian woman nearby defended the Russian president, Vladimir V. Putin. So did the Serbian monk assisting the bishop in the prayers. The Russian faithful by the choir refused to assign blame for the war. IKAST, Denmark Haitham Kurdi, a 61-year-old asylum seeker from Syria, has been languishing for nearly six months in a deportation center in Denmark, where relatives say he has grown depressed and barely eats. He suffers from tics and has started talking to himself. Mr. Kurdi fled Syrias civil war in 2015, following his adult son, Mohammad, who arrived a year earlier. Initially he was granted temporary asylum, but the authorities revoked his residency permit last year after deciding it was safe for him and others from the Damascus region to return home. Being here is like dying slowly, Mr. Kurdi said in a recent interview from his tiny, dilapidated room at the Kaershovedgaard center in the town of Ikast in northern Denmark, where some asylum seekers who have been rejected are held. But the prospect of returning to Syria is so terrifying, he said, that he would never go back. As hundreds of thousands of Syrians found refuge in Europe around 2015, Denmark took in more than 30,000 of them. But since then, no European country has gone as far as Denmark to make Syrian refugees feel unwelcome. Ukraine turned to the United Nations highest court on Monday to try to stop Russias invasion, urging its judges to issue an injunction demanding that Russia end its violent incursion in the country. Anton Korynevych, the head of the Ukrainian delegation, told a hearing of the International Court of Justice at The Hague that millions are in danger from Russian attacks. He accused Moscow of defiling the Genocide Convention, the 1948 U.N. treaty prohibiting genocide, by falsely claiming that Ukraine was committing genocide against Russian speakers in eastern Ukraine as one of the pretexts for its invasion. Russia must be stopped, and the court has a role in stopping it, Mr. Korynevych told the 15-judge bench on the highest court for resolving disputes between states, adding that it was Russia that was committing genocidal acts in Ukraine. Russia boycotted the hearing. The presiding judge, Joan E. Donoghue, said, The court regrets the nonappearance of the Russian Federation in these oral proceedings. MYKOLAIV, Ukraine A day after Ukrainian forces pushed Russian troops back beyond the city limits of Mykolaiv, the Russians on Monday unleashed a ferocious artillery attack on the southern Ukrainian city, hitting residential neighborhoods with rockets and sending streams of people fleeing for safety. At about 5 a.m., the city awoke to a barrage that lit up the dark sky. Residents took shelter in basements and truckloads of Ukrainian troops rushed to the east of the city, where the fighting appeared to be heaviest. At one point during the day, a fierce tank battle erupted between Russian forces and Ukrainian troops defending Mykolaivs airport, with blasts that could be heard throughout the city. The initial, early morning attack killed at least eight Ukrainian soldiers, when a Kalibr cruise missile struck the barracks where they were sleeping, Vitaliy Kim, the Mykolaiv region governor said in a message on Facebook. Another 19 were wounded and 8 were still unaccounted for. They attacked our city dishonorably, cynically, while people were sleeping, Mr. Kim said. By evening though, the guns had died down, and Ukrainian officials declared that their forces had once again repelled the Russian onslaught. MONTREAL A Quebec restaurant that claimed to have invented poutine, the beloved trouser-busting dish of French fries, cheese curds and gravy, has decided to rebrand because of what it calls an unfortunate coincidence: President Vladimir V. Putins name in French is spelled and pronounced Poutine. Laurent Proulx, co-owner of Le Roy Jucep, the diner in central Quebec that said it served the worlds first poutine after it opened in 1964, said he had decided to temporarily remove the word poutine from its trademark and Facebook page. As a symbolic stand against Monsieur Poutines aggression, the restaurant announced this month that it was rebranding itself as the inventor of the fries-cheese-gravy. Image Poutine at Le Roy Jucep, in Quebec. Credit... John Zada/Alamy Mr. Proulx, a veteran of the war in Afghanistan, said he wanted to show his solidarity with Ukraine. Queen Elizabeth II met Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada on Monday in her first in-person official meeting after testing positive for the coronavirus last month, giving further reassurance about her recovery. Queen Elizabeth, 95, first tested positive for the virus on Feb. 20, but only reported experiencing mild cold-like symptoms. Buckingham Palace announced her return to work on March 1. The palace posted a photograph to Twitter on Monday of the queen, who is also queen of Canada, receiving Mr. Trudeau at Windsor Castle for an in-person audience, or one-on-one meeting. Some observers on Twitter pointed out that the flowers behind the queen were blue and yellow the colors of the Ukrainian flag. One of the paradoxical things about Vladimir V. Putins increasingly authoritarian rule of Russia was how relatively open society always remained. For all the states control of media, people could read or watch what they wanted, including foreign newscasts like BBC and CNN. The internet was largely unfettered, a portal to the rest of the world. Unlike, say, China, you could criticize the president with some assurance that the police would not knock at the door. Until now. As the war in Ukraine grinds on, Mr. Putin has strangled the vestiges of a free press to justify an invasion that has been almost universally condemned and with that moved closer to the stultifying orthodoxy of the Soviet Union. The result will be to isolate the country, as Mr. Putin has isolated himself, leaving it with a one-sided view of the world no longer subject to debate. CHISINAU, Moldova At a synagogue in central Chisinau on Monday, an Israeli social worker, Omer Hod, had a flash of historical vertigo. Ms. Hods ancestors had lived in Chisinau more than a century ago, surviving a devastating pogrom in 1903 before emigrating to what became Israel. Now their descendant had returned to the Moldovan capital this time not as a victim, but as a rescuer. Its like closure for me, said Ms. Hod, a 26-year-old from Jerusalem who had come to Chisinau to help with the evacuation to Israel of thousands of Jewish refugees from Ukraine. Back then, it was almost a shame to be Jewish, Ms. Hod said. Now, people want to show they are Jewish so that they can be evacuated. Today, as in the early 1900s, Jews are once again escaping violence in southeast Europe. But the context is radically different cathartically so for the many Israelis who have come here to join the relief effort. By SA Commercial Prop News An artist impression showing the entrance of the R850 million Mall of Tembisa on Gautengs East Rand. Tembisa residents will soon no-longer have the need to travel as far as Midrand and Kempton Park in search of quality retail therapy as construction of Mall of Tembisa commenced early April. The Mall is set to be built in the township's most densely populated area as retail boom continues. McCormick Property Development (MPD) confirmed yesterday that they are currently developing a new 42 889sqm shopping centre in Tembisa on Gautengs East Rand. Speaking to SA Commercial Prop News, the company said the R850 million mall is scheduled to open in the last quarter of 2020. ALSO READ: The Global Lift & Escalator Expo comes to South Africa The initial dolomite assessments undertaken in 2018 indicated pockets of dolomite which resulted in further assessments and pre-drilling of the site to assess and strategiseon the way forward. The centre will be located in the under-serviced north-western quadrant of the sprawling township of Tembisa, on the main thoroughfare of Olifantsfontein road. The project is being undertaken in conjunction with KJA Developments. As specialists in low cost housing, KJA will add the high-density residential components to what will ultimately be a mixed-use development, including logistic and commercial developments. ALSO READ: Click here if you need reasonable modern Office Space The Mall of Tembisa has been designed to take full advantage of its excellent visibility off the main road, without turning its back on the residential suburbs which surround it. Rainwater harvesting and solar photovoltaic panels will be contributing factors in developing the mall to world class standards. The mall will bring quality retail facilities to an area which currently has little in the way of shopping amenities and the rights exist to expand the retail portion to 80,000m 2 as demand dictates. We are excited to get going on this phase of the project as it takes us one step closer in our goal of delivering top class retail to previously under serviced areas, says Managing Director of MPD, Jason McCormick. Meanwhile, McCormick and bus company Putcos property arm, Putprop, have agreed to develop and co-own a shopping centre in Mamelodi, Tshwane and another in Dobsonville, Soweto. The properties are Portion 111 of Farm Mamelodi 608 and Portion 21 of Farm Vogelstruisfonten 233. The Mamelodi property measures 4.2178ha, while the Dobsonville property measures 5.0064ha. There are no structures on the Mamelodi property. ALSO READ: Sandton grows apace with R3bn Skyscraper McCormick, which builds malls in semi-urban areas and townships, was founded in 1983 by John McCormick. His son, Jason, is an executive at the group and in 2018 listed Exemplar REIT, a real estate investment trust with R5.5bn worth of retail assets, acquired from McCormick Development. Putprop was listed by Putco in 1988. About Tembisa Tembisa is a large township situated to the north of Kempton Park on the East Rand, Gauteng, South Africa. It was established in 1957 when black people were resettled from Alexandra and other areas in Edenvale, Kempton Park, Midrand and Germiston. The name Thembisa is a Nguni word meaning promise and hope was later misspelled as Tembisa. The settlement when it was founded carried with it a lot of hope and promise for a brighter future for its inhabitants. Though its initial residents were forcefully removed from parts of Kempton Park and Edenvale, for the purpose of clearing blacks from "white areas", settling in Tembisa also marked the end of years of harassment by apartheid authorities, and a reprieve from a life of squalor in their previous settlements. LVIV, Ukraine Trapped in his apartment on the outskirts of Kyiv during fierce battles over the weekend, the well-known Ukrainian poet Oleksandr Irvanets composed a few lines that encapsulated the national mood. I shout out to the whole world, he wrote in a short poem published online by his fans, who have since lost touch with the writer and were worried that he may have fallen behind Russian lines. I wont forgive anyone! If there is one overriding emotion gripping Ukraine right now, it is hate. It is a deep, seething bitterness for President Vladimir V. Putin, his military and his government. But Ukrainians are not giving a pass to ordinary Russians, either, calling them complicit through years of political passivity. The hatred is vented by mothers in bomb shelters, by volunteers preparing to fight on the front lines, by intellectuals and by artists. The emotion is so powerful it could not be assuaged even by an Orthodox religious holiday on Sunday intended to foster forgiveness before Lent. Called Forgiveness Sunday, the holiday is recognized in both the Russian and Ukrainian Orthodox churches. This interview is part of our latest Women and Leadership special report, which highlights women making significant contributions to the major stories unfolding in the world today. The conversation has been edited and condensed. Nadia Calvino, 53, an economist, is Spains first deputy prime minister and minister for economy and digitalization. Before joining the administration of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, a social democrat, in 2018, she was the director general of the budget for the European Commission. You recently gave a speech in which you declared: I will never again be in a photo in which I am the only woman. I will not take part again in a debate in which I am the only woman. Your comments went viral. What led you to make that statement? You know, I hadnt planned to say that. But Ive lately been participating in conferences where I looked around and found myself being the only woman in the picture with 15 men. Why is the number of women speaking on a panel important? Because we cannot make 50 percent of our population and our talent invisible. When it comes to public discussions, excluding a representative number of women limits approaches to issues. Also, its important for our girls and young women to see role models. This interview is part of our latest Women and Leadership special report, which highlights women making significant contributions to the major stories unfolding in the world today. The conversation has been edited and condensed. Rumiko Seya, 45, is the president of REALs, a nonprofit organization based in Japan that since 1999 has focused on conflict prevention and peacekeeping in the Middle East, Africa and Asia. REALs (Reach Alternatives) provides services and assistance in a number of places, but lately is involved in Afghanistan, which has been experiencing violence and life-threatening food shortages since the Taliban took over last summer. What has been REALs role there? We have received more than 800 requests for evacuation. We try to reach out to the most vulnerable, but because everyone is at risk, we cannot save everyone at the same time. So we have to prioritize people, which is hard for us because I know everyone is facing some kind of life threat. What steps has REALs taken? As the charter evacuation flights have dramatically decreased since last September, we started securing other exit routes and providing protection. There are many pregnant women who cant go to the hospital because they are afraid of being captured. So we send female doctors to their homes. Playboy model and Instagram star Carolina Lekker allegedly charges women up to $2,000 to approach their boyfriends on social media and test how faithful they really are. Carolina, who recently appeared on the cover of Playboy Africa, recently revealed that she supplements her income by putting her looks and flirting abilities in the service of women wanting to test their partners loyalty. For a fee that can reach up to $2,000 per client, she will approach unsuspecting men on Instagram and other social media platforms and get them to meet with her. If they end up falling into her honey trap, Lekker will keep the money and expose them to their partner, and if they refuse and prove their faithfulness, she will return the fee to the client. Photo: Carolina Lekker/Instagram I contact them first on Instagram and wait for them to respond. I keep making conversation until the conversation gets hotter, Carolina Lekker told the Daily Star newspaper. If after a lot of talking he wants to meet with me, I get the money and he doesnt pass the loyalty test. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Carolina Lekker (@carollekker_) Carolina, who currently lives in Barcelona, claims to have earned about $10,000 from the loyalty-testing service, money that she intends to spend on further enhancing her looks. She has already spent a reported $150,000 on plastic surgery, in her quest to achieve the most expensive body on Instagram. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Carolina Lekker (@carollekker_) Its not just unfaithful men that are being targeted on social media these days. Just a few weeks ago, we wrote about Xavier Long, a 20-year-old man from Alabama who claimed to earn thousands of dollars by approaching peoples girlfriends online and testing their loyalty. Jon Gingerich As Russias invasion of Ukraine continues, its becoming increasingly clear that any military gains Russia makes will be tremendously offset by a different kind of catastrophe: an inability by the Kremlin and President Vladimir Putin to create any kind of cohesive narrative to assuage the Russian people, let alone the global community. No matter what happens, Russia has already lost the messaging war. Its impossible to say exactly what global repercussions this crisis will have. The developments change by the hour, but already the immediate effects have been brutal. Europe is experiencing its greatest refugee crisis since World War II, oil prices have skyrocketed and the worlds financial markets have been battered. For Russia, the financial fallout has been severe. Stiff sanctions levied by the U.S. and EU have crippled Russias economy. Russias oligarchs have lost their savings, their yachts and their luxury condos abroad. Companies like Ikea, H&M, Nike, Dell and Apple have pulled out of Russia, a bad development for a country so dependent on imported goods. Airbnb, BP, ExxonMobil, Boeing, Ford and others have halted Russian operations. Amex, Visa and MasterCard have suspended all transactions. The U.S. office of Russian-propaganda TV network RT was shuttered after being dropped by DirecTV. Russias largest search engine, Yandex, is on the verge of collapse. CNN, the BBC and Canadian Broadcasting Corp ceased their Russia broadcasts. The ruble has been decimated. The International Olympic Committee has barred Russia from participating in sporting events. The entire world now considers Russia a pariah. Mission accomplished? This article is featured in O'Dwyer's Mar. '22 Food & Beverage PR Magazine (view PDF version) One gets the feeling Putin didnt plan this one too well. As far as his military objectives are concerned, a tougher-than-expected resistance from Ukrainian troops and Russias manifold military bumbleseverything from low soldier morale to fuel shortages to nearly setting fire to Europes largest nuclear power plantsuggest that maybe Russia has gotten in over its head. Still, Putin insists the invasion is going strictly in accordance to the plan and the schedule, and that all objectives that were set are being resolved or achieved successfully. Whatever you say, Vlad. Then theres the messaging. Putins justifications for the special military operation that Ukraine belongs to Russia (not true), or that its conducting a denazification of the countrydont carry weight. Everyone knows the autocratic Russian leader wants to reestablish the USSR and hes cagey about NATOs eastern advances into former Soviet-bloc territory. The wheels seem to be coming off Russias propaganda machine, so its no surprise that the Kremlin has resorted to cracking down on dissent at home. As it turns out, public opinion of the invasion in Russia isnt as strong as the Kremlin had hoped, with protests breaking out in many parts of the country. The Russian government has now warned that broadcasting fake news about the warwhich includes calling it a waris punishable by years-long prison sentences. The Kremlin has muzzled what remained of its free press, dismantling the last of Russias independent radio and TV stations. Russia has even blocked its citizens access to Facebook, joining the ranks of China and North Korea. Nobel-winning Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov said that everything thats not propaganda is being eliminated. Putins strategy for controlling the message is to control the people who receive it. Thats not how it works. Putin lives with a Jay Gatsby-like affinity for the past. Total censorship is impossible in an interconnected world; you cant put the lid back on that genies bottle. The USSR isnt coming back. This isnt the 1980s. Writing for the New York Times on March 3, opinion columnist Farhad Manjoo suggested several theories regarding why Russias propaganda efforts have fallen so flat this time. Perhaps the most obvious is that the invasion is just too ugly a pig to pretty upan act so baldly unjustified that no amount of propaganda could set it right, Manjoo said. But were seeing something else, too: that our fear of Russian domination over digital discourse may have always been a little overblown. So, whos left in Putins corner? Theres always Donald Trump, who called Putin a genius for just walking right in to Ukraine. The former President later said Russia wouldnt have invaded Ukraine if he was still in office. He then attempted to take credit for the military aid he gave Ukraines resistance. Trump, if youll remember, threatened to halt U.S. military aid to Ukraine in 2019 lest Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky investigate alleged acts of corruption by Joe Biden and his son, Hunter. Then theres Fox News host Tucker Carlson, who said Democrats in Washington have told you its your patriotic duty to hate Vladimir Putin. Carlsons commentary has run so close to Kremlin propaganda in recent weeks that his talking points have been rebroadcast on Russian state TV. As reported by the Washington Post, it appears the Kremlin's latest step is to take a page from the Fox playbook. The West isnt simply trying to close off Russia behind a new iron curtain. This is about an attempt to ruin our government, said Russian Foreign Intelligence Director Sergei Naryshkin, to cancel it, as they now say in tolerant liberal-fascist circles. Sound familiar? Tanzania has made significant efforts to promote womens empowerment and gender equality. National development plans have prioritised womens empowerment and taken a gender sensitive approach, while gender has been mainstreamed in selected sectoral policies. Yet, deep-rooted discriminatory social norms and practices persistently affect women and girls economic liberties and safety, according to the Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Country Report for Tanzania,launched today in Arusha. The report, developed by the OECD with support from UN Women Tanzania and the Government of Ireland, reveals several factors limiting womens economic opportunities in Tanzania. Social norms and traditional gender roles largely dictate that men should be the breadwinners and that women should work under the control of men. New data collected by Tanzanias National Statistical Offices, the National Bureau of Statistics and the Office of Chief Government Statistician reveal that Tanzanian women undertake three times more unpaid care and domestic work such as cooking, cleaning, washing, fetching the water and taking care of the children than men. As women are still expected to work for pay, these norms impose a double burden of paid and unpaid work on womens shoulders. This often forces them to choose flexible jobs in order to balance paid work with household duties, confining them to vulnerable and informal employment. The SIGI Country Report for Tanzania also highlights persistent barriers that threaten womens and girls physical autonomy. Tanzanian women are highly exposed to violence: 48% of them have survived intimate-partner violence at least once in their lives; 23% in the past year. The report reveals that violence against women is underpinned by its widespread social acceptance. Around 50% of Tanzanian men and women believe that a man is justified in hitting or beating his wife under certain circumstances such as if she burns the food, goes out without telling him, neglects the children or argues with him. Meanwhile, the practice of female genital mutilation and cutting (FGM/C) has been gradually eliminated but remains a serious cause for concern in certain regions of the country primarily in the northern part of Tanzania. Estimates from the SIGI Country Report for Tanzania suggest that, overall, more than 2 million Tanzanian women today experienced some form of FGM/C over the course of their life. Finally, while girl child marriage has drastically decreased over the last 50 years, progress has slowed down recently, calling for renewed efforts from authorities to eradicate the practice. In 2021, 16% of women aged 20-24 years had been married, divorced or widowed before turning 18. Social acceptance perpetuates and upholds child marriage, particularly in rural areas, with serious consequences for womens and girls health and socio-economic status, notably through higher adolescent pregnancy rates and lower educational attainment. Against this backdrop, and in addition to specific thematic policy recommendations, the SIGI Country Report for Tanzania proposes high-level and long-term actions to guide Tanzanias policy design: Update laws and eliminate legal provisions that discriminate against women and girls , notably regarding access to agricultural land, inheritance, girl child marriage, violence against women and female genital mutilation. , notably regarding access to agricultural land, inheritance, girl child marriage, violence against women and female genital mutilation. Integrate a gender perspective across all government ministries and sectors , including in the budget. To guide and co-ordinate these efforts, the report calls for the establishment of a national technical advisory group on gender with a clear mandate to provide support to line ministries and government bodies on womens rights, capacity development, research and policy advice. , including in the budget. To guide and co-ordinate these efforts, the report calls for the establishment of a national technical advisory group on gender with a clear mandate to provide support to line ministries and government bodies on womens rights, capacity development, research and policy advice. Maintain and expand Tanzanias current commitment and investment in sex-disaggregated data collection to identify gender gaps and gain a better understanding of how social norms evolve. Media queries should be directed to the OECD Development Centres Press Office: Bochra.Kriout@oecd.org; tel.: +33 145 24 82 96 or to UN Women Tanzania: hanna.mtango@unwomen.org; +255 699 596 932. Independent TD for Laois-Offaly Carol Nolan has said that Government must now move to immediately re-examine a series of decisions that it took in mid-January with respect to the horticultural peat sector. Deputy Nolan was speaking as the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue confirmed that he is to engage in a wide-ranging dialogue with Irish farmer organisations aimed at dramatically increasing the level of grain crop outputs following the devastating war in Ukraine: All of our hearts are breaking for the people of Ukraine and indeed the ordinary people of Russia who have been dragged into a demented war of aggression, said Deputy Nolan. We now know however that the issue of food security is front and centre in Irish and European policy. This must be reflected in the actions that our Government can take immediately and without delay, said Deputy Nolan. One of those key decisions must involve the reaction of Government in January when it chose to ignore the recommendations contained within its Working Group Report on Horticultural Peat-a decision that everyone within the sector agreed would only escalate the collapse. Before the Ukrainian crisis broke, our own horticulture sector characterised the Government response to the Report as an economic catastrophe. Those concerns have now been magnified by the clear need to maintain and develop our own indigenous levels of food security and food cultivation. I am calling on Government to urgently revise its response to the Horticultural Peat Report and I am specifically asking both the Minister for Planning and the Minister for Agriculture to accept the recommendations of the Report so that we can avoid the calamitous outcomes that will inevitably overtake and collapse the sector in their absence, concluded Deputy Nolan. An Offaly councillor has defended a decision to remove mature poplar trees from a roadside in Edenderry despite the disappointment of some residents. Cllr Noel Cribbin said the decision to remove the trees along the Edenderry to Rathangan road near the Derrycorris estate was a "health a safety issue." He explained: "The lovely entrance into Edenderry from Rathangan with the line of poplar trees, unfortunately, had to change due to the danger of the poplar trees that have grown so tall and with a poor root base that they could come down in bad weather. "Their poor root base is also causing trouble to the roads as their roots grow out under the road and are part of the reason for the poor road structure," he added. "The decision to take them down was a health and safety issue and this disappointed a lot of residents, however, the commitment was given by myself and the council that the trees would be replaced by native Irish trees like ash, birch, oak and so on and I am delighted to see that this is the case. "The programme was started last year when the first 20 were felled and replaced and again in the last week some more were felled," Cllr Cribbin explained about the much-loved poplar treeline. "The ground was also cleared of grass and overgrowth and will be resown with wildflowers which will bring a lovely splash of colour and prove to be a home for our bees and pollinators. "Big thanks to the Council and overseer John for doing such a fabulous job and for their work with Edenderry Tidy Towns members in turning a sad situation into a very positive outcome for all," Cllr Cribbin and Edenderry Tidy Towns PRO, concluded. One of the largest ever aid convoys is set to leave Ireland for Ukraine with over 150 tonnes of aid on Tuesday. Aid From Ireland is organising the massive undertaking. Sixteen trucks will leave Dublin port on Tuesday afternoon with the aid items. The transport companies of Ireland and Northern Ireland and their professional drivers want to send an advance message to Ukrainian families that help is on the way from Ireland. They also want to assure the children from all over Ireland that donated so generously to school and community collections that their donated items are in safe hands and will be delivered directly to where they are most needed. Aid from Ireland was set up by chief organiser Tommy Byrne, an Irishman living in Poland - and is a the name given to the enormous collective efforts of individuals and companies all over the island of Ireland who have come together to support the humanitarian efforts in Ukraine. Aid from Ireland branding will be displayed on all the trucks involved in this convoy. The trucks have been provided by transport operators from Ireland and Northern Ireland. Irish Ferries have donated shipping to get from Ireland to continental Europe. The transport and logistics companies are providing warehouse space and sorting staff completely free of charge. Many drivers are making the journey as unpaid volunteers. Some of the items included in the aid delivery include: 600 survival kits from Boojum, to include flash lamps and warm clothing; 10,000 Kg of porridge donated by Flahavans; 6 pallets of first aid and medical supplies supplied by Hibernian Healthcare. In addition, there have been significant donations collected from individual donations via schools and community appeals. Confirmed companies involved in the convoy are Caulfields Transport, Hendricks European, Virginia International Logistics, DSV, JMC Vantrans, McCulla Transport, Derry Transport, Blair European Transport Actress Pooja Hegde has been busy promoting her upcoming magnum opus 'Radhe Shyam'. The actress talks about her experience working for the movie with Prabhas. "I have played Prerana in the movie, a role I have been in love with. My role has different shades, and emotions. Prerana's role is a multilayered one, and I had to research the role. This had a great impact on my thinking as well", Pooja said. Talking on the crux of 'Radhe Shyam', Pooja reveals that she is a believer in astrology, and firmly believes in fortune-telling. When quizzed about her experience working with top Telugu heroes, Pooja stated that she has been overwhelmed at the kind of reception by them so far. "Prabhas, having such a huge fandom, is so humble. During the 'Radhe Shyam' shooting, many of our team had Covid infection. Prabhas made sure to send food to them all. My mother also felt happy about this lovely gesture". Coming to other actors, Pooja explained, "Jr NTR is an amazing actor, a perfectionist. His shots get okayed in a single take. On the other hand, Allu Arjun carries so much energy around, which makes him the perkiest person on the sets". On being quizzed about her upcoming ventures, Pooja said, "I have a project with Mahesh Babu, which is to be directed by Trivikram Srinivas. I also have some other movies in my kitty which will be announced soon". Pan-India movie 'Radhe Shyam' is up for a theatrical release on March 11 worldwide. It's nearly two weeks since the unthinkable and unbearable happened and I am writing this week's thought for the week from the border of Ukraine and Slovakia in a place called Vysne Nemecke. A place where over the last two weeks over 125,000 refugees have crossed over from their homeland of Ukraine. In total at this moment over 1.5 million people have crossed over the various Ukrainian borders into the countries that surround their country. One refugee Marianna that I talked to as she came across the border with two of her children and her mother said that, "Being on the Ukraine side of the border is living and waiting in hell and then coming across to the Slovakian side of the border is like arriving in heaven." I am here with my work bringing medical supplies into Ukraine and providing food, blankets, medical supplies and emotional support to people, women and children as they pass over the border from Ukraine into Slovakia brokenhearted and weary from their journey of leaving their homeland and loved ones behind them. In a way the Ukrainian people are already experiencing Lent and a different type of Lent that a lot of people have never seen in our present day existence since the 1940's. The people of Ukraine are suffering on a scale not imaginable only a short time ago. In response, all people of goodwill must pray for peace and work at creating peace, contact their leaders in power to ask them to strive for peace and make peace happen, and give humanitarian aid,charity and assistance if they can to the people of Ukraine as war rages in the Eastern European country. The needless killing of so many people lately in Ukraine and definitely in our world must cease now. It is abhorrent. It is unnecessary. It is evil. And it is inhumane. War and violence is never the answer. War and violence on this scale can only lead us all towards more death. Let us all call for an end to war and violence especially in trouble spots in our world and especially in Ukraine . David versus Goliath Our world at present seems to be spinning so erratically and becoming so unhinged. Everything feels so sad, uncertain, fearful, unknown, harrowing and disheartening. And feelings of dread, terror and worry once more, breathes its icy trail down the back of ones neck. With each day that passes, we have feelings of shock, fear, awe, hope, patriotism, anger and guilt at what is happening in Ukraine and indeed in other parts of our world. And with each day that passes, sadness creeps in more and more and hope dissipates. It seems we must expect unexpected evil and horror these days. As my Nana Scully used to say, "be shocked or astonished by nothing and be ready for anything and everything." Its a David versus Goliath type of war between Ukraine and Russia. But we are hopeful if you remember, who won that war? David, who was fighting for his principles. Ukraine too is fighting for those principles. Suffering, I am afraid for the Ukrainian people is no longer just in their imagination for it is now happening for real in a most truly shocking, horrible and evil way. Perhaps moments like this are a reminder for us all to take faith, hope, charity and love seriously, to ask ourselves what is important in our life. Is it the pursuit of another house, car, beauty item, expensive clothes or is it a top of the range new item? One day, each of us, sooner or later no matter who or what we are, will have to come to the time of reckoning, and ask ourselves: What did I do in my life and with my life? What is my contribution to my community and society? How did I help others, especially my loved ones and people in need? We as a people like to talk about the cross. We are good at preaching the cross but not always so great at living the cross. None of us wants to suffer, because its not natural to us humans to suffer. But when you experience suffering, you understand others better, because you know what they are going through. You understand the human pain and need, and most of the time, you are kinder and more loving because of that understanding. We always, as an Irish society, are compassionate to those who are less fortunate and always willing to help in the face of tragedy and suffering. All you have to do is to look how we are responding so brilliantly in helping the people of Ukraine in their moment of need. Let's continue to do it so hopefully David can win against Goliath! Like Everyone In the last few days, many people have shared social media posts that purports to explain why Ukraine matters. It lists lots of economic reasons, including mineral wealth, food production and many more areas of business. In my opinion, that explanation completely misses the point. Ukraine matters because it is full of human beings who deserve freedom, peace, love, care and self-determination. Like all of us, Ukrainians love their mothers and fathers, their children, their pets, their culture, their way of living. They laugh, they cry, they work, they play, they support and care for their families. They marvel at beautiful sunsets and sunrises, powerful art and paintings, scenic mountains of snow and moving reflective music. They dream of their futures and reminisce about lost loved ones. In short, in some way we are all Ukrainians. Over a lifetime of traveling mostly in troubled parts of our world, especially where much poverty exists, I have come to the conclusion that people are the same everywhere. Most are good, honest, and caring. Some aren't. For me I feel Its a really dark time for our world and we have to approach it with as much faith, hope, charity and love as possible. The way forward is going to be difficult and unclear, but day by day, moment by moment, if we keep returning to our heart and our faith, that feeling of sickness that accompanies irrationality, cruelty, dishonesty, evil and destruction of good relations and of decent negotiation and decent conversation can be transformed. We must continue to show our solidarity, our love, our charity, our faith, our hope, our support for the people of Ukraine and many other hotspots where war is taking place, and for decency and justice in the world order. Peace is a Choice Perhaps we have all taken peace for granted. The horrors being visited on Ukraine must be a wake-up call for all of us that peace is something we all need to work so hard at. What is happening in Ukraine is truly shocking and devastating, but, sadly, it is not surprising. We, if we are honest, have seen it coming. Ukraine now stands alone, unprotected by the treaties that protect us and allow us to believe that peace is a normal state of affairs. But it isnt. Peace is a choice. It is a decision that we need to make each day about the way we live and about our responsibilities to and with our neighbours, be that in our family, in our local community, or between the countries of our world. For there is no better thing that you can do in life than to help, love and care for someone especially someone in need whether that be a family member, neighbour, friend or helping the people of Ukraine. We need the policies of peace, the wisdom of peace, the tenacity of peace and the international resolve that will deliver real peace for our world and especially now for the people and children of Ukraine. Previous generations knew this. They knew it, because they had experienced the horrors of war that most of us havent. Right now, as well as generous, humanitarian aid and support for refugees, about which I hope many of us will continue to help and support, we must use all our know-how for peace, continue to use our diplomatic muscle and energy where we can for peace. Jesus urged his followers to be peacemakers, not simply peacelovers. This is an important distinction, because it is a call to action. First, in support of Ukraine and other troubled lands of our world, and especially support for the many innocent children and families, potential refugees living with this conflict and other conflicts and its consequences, and support for those who are bravely protesting on the streets of many of our cities around the world. But peace, lasting peace, requires more. It requires a new commitment to law and order, accountability and investment so that we make peace and choose peace, not just hope to keep it. The suffering of the people of Ukraine, the dictatorship ambition of Russia, our own acceptance of immorality that flows through our world has to stop and we have to help it stop now so that real peace can exist and come into our world and our lives. We should always pray because we believe Gods grace has the final word, not the horrors of sin and death. But we should also pray because that prayer will shape our will and will shape our resolve and will help us strive for that peace we all need in our world and especially in our lives. The prayers of all people of faith and goodwill are with the people of the Ukraine and with other countries where conflict and war exists, with our governments, and with all the leaders of the free world, as we all implore Russia to change course, but also determine to play our part in the active pursuit of peace in our world today. Praying for Peace We are all praying for the same outcome of peace and if you are not, you are on the side of evil. So, let us keep praying our prayers out, let us keep loving, let us keep caring, let us keep giving what we can when we can in a truly charitable way. In times of war, often there is only faith, hope, love and charity which cant be lost. It might be all the artillery we have so let's use it to the best of our ability to bring peace into our world and into our lives. So as I continue my work here in Vsyne Nemenche on the Ukraine and Slovakian border I am reflecting on a Lenten chant from the isle of Iona which simply prays - "Please Lord, kindle a flame in me to lighten the dark and take all fear away and bring Peace." Sometimes, in the midst of terror and grief and incomprehension, kindling a flame is all we can do to keep the darkness at bay and our hope alive so that hopefully peace will be re-kindled in our world and especially in Ukraine and other troubled spots in our world where some 36 other wars and disturbances are been fought at this present time. Today as I continue my work on the border, I hope to kindle that flame for our sisters and brothers in Ukraine and in 36 other parts and places of our world where there is much unrest. I will kindle it for those who have died and their loved ones, for those on the front lines, those hunkered down in bomb shelters, the many walking for hours in freezing weather as they try to escape the violence, the injured, the terrified, the lost, the broken, the children and, I kindle a flame, forever and always, in hope, in prayer, in longing for peace for our world. Thought for the week As your thought for the week, Let us always remember that the greatest victory took place on the cross. What looked like utter defeat, God turned it around into the greatest victory of all time. Let me finish with this prayer for Peace for our world and our lives. A prayer for peace........God of peace and justice, We pray for the people of Ukraine today. We pray for peace and the laying down of weapons. We pray for all those who fear tomorrow, that your spirit of comfort would draw near to them. We pray for those with power over war or peace, for wisdom, discernment and compassion to guide their decisions. Above all, we pray for all your precious children, at risk and in fear, that you would hold them and protect them. For those that are fleeing: Sanctuary. For those that are staying: Safety. For those that are fighting: Peace. For those whose hearts are breaking: Comfort. For those who see no future: Hope. Lord, make me an instrument of your peace, Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy; O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Peace to Ukraine, our country, our world and to our lives. Amen. A woman who managed to track down a Ukrainian man who came to her family home as a child under the International Chernobyl project is appealing for help. Jennifer Drum who is from Summerhill in Meath said the Knights of St. Columbanus in Tullamore arranged for Yaroslav to come to her parents home in Johnstownbridge. He returned each year for a number of years until he grew too old to come over, her mother also had an accident and eventually the family lost touch with him. However, Jennifer and her family never forgot Yaro as they called him, as he felt like a brother to them. ''We loved him,'' said Jennifer. ''All I had was a picture of a letter his dad sent over to thank mam for everything she did.'' Jennifer trawled through social media and she couldn't believe her luck when she found Yaroslav's wife through Instagram. ''He is living in the Rivne district of Ukraine. His village is poor, they kill their own animals for food. I don't think the Russians are bothered with it. He travelled to Kyiv for his work and would leave for two months at a time. But he can't do that now so he has nothing,'' said Jennifer. ''He was going to travel to Poland to work and then return to Ukraine but he didn't want to be a refugee even though he knew he would get a house and be looked after, he wanted to work and earn his own living,'' said Jennifer. Thanks to her own generosity and that of a few friends Jennifer raised 250 which she sent to him through Western Union. This was enough to help Yaroslav and his wife get out of Ukraine. He, his wife and three children are now travelling to Poland on Thursday and from there they will fly to Ireland where Jennifer and her husband will collect them at the airport at 12 o'clock next Saturday night. Jennifer who is also married with three children aged 8, 4 and 6 months is taking the family into her home. ''We had just converted the attic so they will go there. My husband can give Yaroslav work on the farm to keep him occupied.'' added Jennifer. The last time Jennifer saw Yaroslav he was just 8 he is now 31. ''We are hoping he gets through Poland and we can collect him on Saturday night. We can relax after that. He can't speak a word of English so we will have to use Google translate.'' Jennifer said she is nervous about taking the whole family in but she said it's a good feeling to be able to help. She has set up a gofundme page to allow people to donate to help Yaroslav to get on his feet. If you type in Jennifer Drum and Yaroslav and family you should be able to get to it. Jennifer set a modest goal of 2,000 and in just one day the fund raised 1,355. Olean, NY (14760) Today Cloudy with periods of rain. Low 57F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a half an inch.. Tonight Cloudy with periods of rain. Low 57F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a half an inch. What's Included With a Digital Only subscription, you'll receive unlimited access to our website and e-edition. Our digital products are available 24/7 and are accessible anywhere, anytime. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please call our customer service team at 716-372-3121 or email nfinnerty@oleantimesherald.com. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is set to depart for Europe today to meet with allies about Russias invasion of Ukraine. Some Ukrainians have crossed the border into Romania by foot, while others drove their luxury cars west. What they all had in common was a fear of Russian attacks in nearby Odesa. Sabina Fati reports from Giurgiulesti. Women and children have arrived in Cologne by bus from the Polish-Ukrainian border, exhausted but happy. Their feelings of joy and relief are mixed with immense anger toward Vladimir Putin and Russia's invasion. An 11-year-old Ukrainian refugee who travelled 600 miles across the country to the Slovakian border by himself has been reunited with his relatives. The Criminal Investigation Department (CID), the special investigation agency of the Karnataka Police, has taken over the probe of 'Mangalore Muslims' Facebook page case, on which posts surfaced celebrating the murder of Bjarang Dal activist Harsha in Shivamogga district last month. The decision to transfer the case to CID was taken after considering the law and order implications and the involvement of individuals in other states and other countries. The CID will have no jurisdictional issues as well as it will have infrastructure to deal with the case. The miscreants had also posted threatening messages to a news anchor and made a derogatory statement against a sitting state minister. The posts have gone viral and post Harsha murder, the messages raised tensions all over the state. The local Cyber, Economics and Narcotics Crimes (CEN) police filed a case in this connection. The local police have sought details from Facebook regarding the page. The police department had taken two police constables into custody for liking the page and later released them. The case was also booked against the 'Mangaluru Muslims Page' in 2016 for posting derogatory messages on Goddess Kateel Sridevi. Then, the police approached the Mumbai office of Facebook and after getting consent from the court, the page was blocked. The miscreants have changed the name of the page from Mangaluru Muslims to Mangalore Muslims and continued to post objectionable posts. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Hariram Shankar has confirmed that the case has been handed over to CID. Karnataka Police have established a social media monitoring center at the Mangaluru Police Commissioner's office to monitor social media posts and accounts which cause disharmony, provoke people in the society in coastal Karnataka region. The cell has taken shape in the backdrop of hijab row, which has led to publish provoking messages causing communal disharmony, especially in the communally sensitive coastal region comprising Dakshina Kannada, Uttara Kannada and Udupi districts with focus to Mangaluru city. The cell is already monitoring more than 1,000 social media accounts belonging to various religious, student, labour and political organisations. Further investigation is on. More than 100 people including President Vladimir Putin and corporate executives have been banned from travelling to New Zealand after the invasion of Ukraine.Those banned include figures nicknamed "Putin's Chef", "Putin's Cook"... A government minister has defended the UK's support for fleeing Ukrainian refugees after it was revealed by the Home Office only "around 50" visas had been granted. Boris Johnson has defended the UK's support for fleeing Ukrainian refugees and has said "nothing is off the table" when it comes to sanctioning Russian oligarchs. A row of seats reserved for Russian lawyers at the International Court of Justice was empty on Monday morning as the hearing opened. The court's president, American judge Joan E Donoghue, said Russia's ambassador to the Netherlands informed judges that "his government did not intend to participate in the oral proceedings." MotorAuthority 02 Mar 2022 As the situation in the Ukraine worsens, the FIA, motorsport's organizing body, announced on Tuesday that it will cancel all.. AquaOrange Software provides cloud web hosting, Pakistan domain registration, and email hosting such as Google Workspace, Microsoft365, Rackspace email services in Pakistan, and more. The business is a Google Workspace partner. Its services are backed by 24/7 support. Karachi, PK: According to announcements released by AquaOrange Software and Shahan Farid, the business provides a host of services, including Pakistan domain hosting, web hosting, cloud hosting, and email hosting. It serves ELDON [mdash] A graveside memorial service, with military honors, will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 14, 2022, at the Eldon Cemetery in Eldon, IA for Charles and Irene Stribling. Family and friends are welcome to attend. In a phone call on Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modithanked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for extending support in the evacuation of Indian nationals from the war-torn nation, government sources here said. "During the 35 minute-long telephonic conversation, the two leaders discussed the evolving situation in Ukraine and Prime Minister Modi thanked President Zelensky for the help extended by the government of Ukraine in evacuation of Indian nationals from Ukraine," the sources said. This was Modi's second interaction with the Ukrainian leader since Russia began its military assault on Kiev on February 24. The first conversation took place on February 26. The Prime Minister is also likely to speak to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday during which he will to seek the latter's support for a safe passage to evacuate Indian nationals, mostly students, currently stranded in the Ukrainian cities of Sumy, Odessa, Kharkiv and Mariupo, said the sources. This will also be Modi and Putin's second conversation since the onset of the war. They earlier spoke on the evening of March 3. Meanwhile, India has continued sending relief material to the war-torn nation as part of humanitarian assistance via Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft which are deployed for the evacuations of stranded Indians. Palestine, TX (75801) Today Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 68F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 68F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (PANA) - The Customs Postal Control Office here (CDP Ouaga) on Tuesday, 22 February, seized 480 grams of methamphetamine worth 19200,000 CFA francs while examining goods destined for export, an official source said Monday Photo: (Photo : Getty images ) A Ukrainian pediatrician refugee is providing care for children in Kyiv, the Ukraine capital through phone. He is also helping the children of refugees in the Ukraine-Hungary border, where he and his family is staying now with his relatives. The doctor, whose name has been omitted to protect his and his family's safety, is one of the millions of Ukrainians forced to flee their homes after Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine on February 24, as per Today. Helping refugees and patients in Kyiv through phone The doctor said they are staying at a relative's place not far from the Ukraine-Hungary border, where many people from the east and north regions of Ukraine are fleeing. The family, the doctor and his wife, their two sons aged five and one, said they spent nine hours getting through the mountain roads. The doctor added EU volunteers helped his family, providing them with cribs, diapers, baby food, and clothes. Russian forces attacked his hospital in Kyiv, and he admited that there is no possibility of getting back to Kyiv. He planned to drive his family to safety, then return to Kyiv to care for patients and fight Russian soldiers if necessary. However, he said the roads are impassable. Hence, he decided to join the border as a medical volunteer, providing assistance and coordination for refugees with kids. He also cares for his patients in Kyiv, keeping in touch with them through online consultations. For now, he monitors ten families with sick kids by phone who are in bomb shelters with limited medicines. The families are suffering from dehydration, croup, and fever. Three kids are suffering from gasoline vapor poisoning because their family was driving with canisters in the car for prolonged periods. One of his patients, a four-year-old, had a panic attack. Read Also: Ukrainian Woman Helps Dad Get His Kids to Safety and Reunite With Their Mom He said he fears for his patients, family members, and friends who are still in Kyiv and he remains determined to care for the children there in any way he can. Netizens in Ukraine said they need water and food badly and listed specific drugs such as dopamine, hidazepam, magnesia, and sodium chloride. They also said syringes, flashlights, batteries, and blankets are badly in short supply. For now, the doctor works with medical professionals in coordinating food, water, clothing, and medical supply drop-offs on a secure-communication channel that he can access through his phone. Hospitals being bombed Before the refugee doctor left Ukraine, Russians assaulted his hospital. In the morning, the soldiers found roofs and walls with specific marks that glow in the dark, similar to marks in places where the bomb attacks were. On February 24, at least four people were killed after a hospital in Ukraine was hit by a Russian bomb. At the Ohmadyt Children's Hospital in Kyiv, the young patients are being cared for in the hospital basement. On Monday, the hospital's chief surgeon, Dr. Volodymyr Zhovnir, had around 200 patients, a marked decrease from its usual 600 patients. The 200 patients cannot survive medical treatment at home and could not survive without medication, treatment, and workers, the chief surgeon said in Anadolu Agency. The hospital stocked a month's worth of medication but needed food for newborn babies. Related Article: Cryptic Pregnancy: College Student Gives Birth a Week After Learning She Was Pregnant Photo: (Photo : ANATOLII STEPANOV/AFP via Getty Images) A middle school substitute teacher from Arlington Public Schools in Virginia has been suspended after discussing Russia's Ukraine invasion in class and voicing his support for the Russians. In an interview with The Washington Post, John Stanton, 65, said that he likely got into trouble because he told his students that he agrees with the logic of Russia's President Vladimir Putin. The teacher believes that Putin "made a rational decision," although it sparked a conflict between two nations. Stanton also said that he was trying to give his students an alternative viewpoint into the Ukraine and Russia war because he feels it's one that's rarely heard or popular. He suggested that the students follow reports from state-run facilities despite being tagged as propaganda machines. Read Also: Russian Police Allegedly Detains School Kids Protesting the Ukraine Invasion Parents Say Teacher Was Inappropriate Concerned parents reportedly complained about Stanton's lectures and "Russian propaganda" in class, especially since he taught Spanish. Some of the other parents also felt it was not an appropriate discussion, given that they have a Ukrainian student in Stanton's class. Frank Bellavia, the spokesperson for Arlington Public Schools, confirmed that Stanton had been issued a suspension for the "remainder of the year." He received a letter indicating that he spoke of a sensitive subject between Russia and Ukraine. However, the teacher said he does not regret it and will not hesitate to express his opinion again if this means educating one more student. Reports also cited that Stanton writes for Pravda, a Russian newspaper supported by the Communist Party. His recent piece in the publication mentioned America's alleged control of NATO and the "US-sponsored coup in Ukraine" in 2014. Stanton could still petition for his reinstatement as a substitute teacher. However, he said it would be a pointless endeavor because there is a "censorship of opinions." However, he warned that sheltering kids with "one-sided information" will bear long-term consequences. How to Talk to Kids About the Russia-Ukraine Conflict U.K. psychologist Lee Chambers believes that there is no "one-size-fits-all" style to discuss the Ukraine war as every child will react differently. However, it's important to talk about this conflict as it's in all media accessible to the children, who are like sponges when it comes to absorbing information. Wendy Rice, another psychologist based in Florida, said that parents must be open to questions from their children, validate their concerns and fears, and focus on their safety. It will help to acknowledge if they express feeling scared, but moms and dads must also find a way to let their children know that it is also fine to express calm and optimism despite what's happening. Parents should also be aware of the kind of information their kids are exposed to and let them know that there are still people doing what they can to avert the war from escalating further. For older kids, suggesting practical ways to help, such as donating a part of their allowance to war charities, may also give them a sense of empathy. Related Article: Ukraine Pres. Volodymyr Zelenskyy Lent His Voice to Paddington Bear in Beloved Kids' Movie Photo: (Photo : Sean Gallup/Getty Images) Days after his parents and sister were shot dead by Russian forces, a five-year-old boy in war-torn Ukraine has also died, according to reports. The kid named Semyon was traveling in a vehicle with his family when it was brutally attacked on Saturday as they tried to flee the city of Kyiv following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Unfortunately for Semyon and his family, they encountered a Russian sabotage and reconnaissance group during their escape. According to Kyiv's deputy mayor, the terrorist group opened fire on the car, killing Semyon's parents, Anton Kudrin and Svetlana Zapadynskaya, and his 10-year-old sister Polina. Polina's death grabbed the headlines as she was the first child victim identified in the Ukraine onslaught. Ukraine has reported that Russian troops have killed at least 2,000 civilians since launching their military operation. Death toll rises in Ukraine as Russia continues war attacks Semyon and his 13-year-old sister Sofia were able to survive that initial attack. He was taken to Okhmatdyt Children's Hospital for treatment, but his young body succumbed to injuries on Wednesday, a family friend told the Daily Telegraph. That left Sofia as the only surviving family member following that deadly gun attack. However, she remains in critical condition, receiving treatment in another hospital, and unaware of the tragedy that has struck her family. Artem Melnyk, a friend of Kudrin, cannot hide his anger towards Russia when speaking about the incident. He asked them why do Russians shoot children and civil people? Melnyk said that the Kudrin family just wanted to leave Kyiv and stay alive, but they were attacked. Tatyana Zolotina, another family friend, described the Kudrin children as "sweet, funny, and kind." Zolotina said only one girl remains now and that they will never forgive Russia and the Russians for their death. Read Also: Ukrainian Pediatrician Refugee Helps Sick Kids in Kyiv Through Phone Polina and Semyon will not be the last children victims of this war Russian President Vladimir Putin has been accused of committing war crimes in Ukraine, with the carnage showing no signs of stopping. Amnesty International said that Russia used widely-banned cluster munitions on a pre-school in northeastern Ukraine, an act the group says "may constitute a war crime." The Russian explosives hit the nursery and kindergarten in Okhtyrka in Ukraine on Friday, with three people taking shelter inside the building killed in that attack, including a child. Semyon and Polina may be the first children victims identified during this conflict, but plenty more young Ukrainians are suffering early deaths because of Russia's unnecessary war in Ukraine. Heartbreaking images have emerged from the country showing children killed. They include a photo of a six-year-old Ukrainian girl killed after a Russian airstrike and a father crying next to the lifeless body of his teenage son. Related Article: Russian Police Allegedly Detains School Kids Protesting the Ukraine Invasion Photo: (Photo : Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) Many families have been torn apart by the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, with Russian President Vladimir Putin continuing to wage his deadly war in the country. That is the case for young Ukrainian siblings Kateryna and Vadym, who fled the war-torn country after being told by their parents to leave Ukraine with the fighting showing no signs of ceasing. The 18-year-old Kateryna and 12-year-old Vadym broke down in tears when talking to Sky News after they arrived in Poland. The emotional siblings were forced to leave their parents behind in Ukraine, who opted to stay and fight the Russian troops. Kateryna said, "They stay there to defend our country." She said their parents wanted them to go to Poland to escape the war, and now "they are here." Kateryna added that the situation in Ukraine is really bad, and the reality has set in that there is a war in their country. Children can't do anything in this war Kateryna then made a stirring appeal that would resonate with other people affected by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. She said, "Children can't do anything, so I really beg adults to protest in any way to stop this war. To stop this really bad thing in our country." The pair's long journey did not end in Poland, with the siblings confirming to the British news network that they had arrived safely in Slovakia, where they are now being taken care of by family and friends. Kateryna and Vadym are among the few lucky ones who have managed to escape Russia's deadly attacks on Ukraine. Sadly, many more Ukrainian children are trapped inside the country who are falling victim to Russia's aggression. Ukrainian authorities reported that two wounded children died when ambulances that were supposed to evacuate them from Bucha to Kyiv could not break through Russian fire. Their deaths come after three children succumbed to injuries following the shelling by Russian forces of a village south of Kyiv. Read Also: Russian Police Allegedly Detains School Kids Protesting the Ukraine Invasion Sick Ukrainian children add war to their problems Also affected by this conflict are sick Ukrainian children, who are forced to leave their country to get necessary treatment for their illnesses. That was the case for around a dozen Ukrainian kids, who managed to reach Poland via train with a makeshift hospital ward set up on board. Heartbreaking images showed mothers sitting alongside their chronically-ill children in the train wagon, which was adapted by authorities for medical transport. The sick children were treated at a hospital in Kharkiv before the Russian invasion. Kharkiv has been heavily targeted by Vladimir Putin's army, with buildings including hospitals shelled by Russian troops as they look to capture one of Ukraine's largest cities. Fortunately for them, they were able to escape the bombings with the children and their families whisked away to the city of Przemysl in Poland on Thursday. The civilian death toll continues to rise, though, with Putin's Russian forces now attacking residential areas to force Ukraine's surrender. Related Article: Ukrainian Pediatrician Refugee Helps Sick Kids in Kyiv Through Phone Photo: (Photo : Getty images ) A couple from San Antonio, Texas, adopted a Ukrainian boy with cerebral palsy. They flew to Ukraine to meet the boy and did everything to bring him back to the United States. With the raging war, the boy getting sick, flights getting canceled, and American citizens urged to evacuate; they almost did not make it out of Ukraine in time. Weeks after, the parents Kelci and Theron Jagge and their newly adopted son, Ruslan, are now back in the United States but with a miracle story to share, Epoch Times wrote. The adoption journey The couple, who has a biological daughter and son aged 11 and three, said they had never talked about adopting before, and not even when they saw a picture of Ruslan. But, that prompted them to research more about the needs of orphans in Ukraine, and they started donating. Eventually, the couple agreed to adopt Ruslan when their finances improved. In 2021, they started their adoption process. Before their first trip, the couple knew that things were getting worse in Ukraine. But since they considered Ruslan as their son already, they wanted to get him out of the warzone the soonest. By December, the couple traveled to Kramatorsk, Ukraine, to meet Ruslan for the very first time after seeing a picture of him for over a year. Kelci, the mom, said that she cried when they finally met Ruslan. At the time, Ruslan was heavily sedated and soon fell into pneumonia. On February 3, the family attended court. The judge later approved a waiver of the standard 30-day wait due to Ruslan's condition. By February 8, the paperwork was completed, and the couple could bring Ruslan out of the orphanage. Despite the looming airstrike, the family headed to Kyiv to ask help from Exodus, another non-profit, to secure Ruslan's visa for travel to the US. Read Also: KAWS, Eddie Martinez and other Big Artists Donate Art Works for Rare Childhood Disease Cure Getting the visa and the flight just in time The couple said the driver was racing down the road to get to the embassy in time. At 5 PM, as people were heading home, one lady and a couple of guards stayed behind. By 5:20 PM, the couple was called to get Ruslan's visa. The lady who processed the visa said it was a miracle that they got the visa on time. Little did the couple know that the embassy would be evacuated the next day. As they were ready to board the plane, the passport control said that Kelci and Theron's court waiver was invalid, and they could only leave the country after 30 days. The couple went back to their apartment as per the embassy's advice, while a facilitation team hired a lawyer for them. They were told that things would be 50 percent in their favor. On February 16, kind passengers allowed the couple to jump in the queue for their flight home as Ruslan's condition was worsening, and he was running out of medication then. When they arrived in the U.S., the couple rushed Ruslan to the hospital to be treated for his pneumonia. The doctors found parasites on the boy, who was also malnourished. While in the U.S., the couple learned that the head of their Ukrainian facilitation team, Serge Zevlever, died in Ukraine. Zevlever hired the lawyer for the family and accompanied them to the airport to make sure they would make it to their flight on time. With Zevlever's death, Kelci hopes that Ruslan grows safe in the U.S., knowing he is loved and cared for. Related Article: Mother Adopts Military Service Dog of Son Killed in Action When asked about the Rajasthan budget which is getting laurels across the nation, she said, "I have not seen the budget. I have been busy in the UP elections. So I can't say anything about it." Priyanka said, "In the Uttar Pradesh (UP) assembly elections, the public must have given a lot of thought before voting. Hope people have made the right decision." However, she added that the decision to extend support to the SP will be taken based on the emerging situation. "Let the results of the election come first. Only then can something be said." Will Congress bring new MLAs to Rajasthan to stop poaching? To this, Priyanka Gandhi said, "It is a question of the future. The conditions will get clear only after the results are out." Priyanka Gandhi, accompanied with senior leader Rajeev Shukla, reached Sanganer airport on Monday afternoon. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, PCC Chief Govind Singh Dotasara, Gujarat in-charge Raghu Sharma also reached the airport to receive Priyanka. From here Priyanka proceeded to the Chief Minister's residence. According to sources, Priyanka Gandhi is here to discuss the issue of poaching of MLAs of the five states which went to the polls. The results will be announced on March 10. Priyanka Gandhi will participate in a private event related to an NGO in a hotel in Jaipur and shall return to Lucknow on Tuesday morning at 8.30 a.m. As the world prepares to celebrate International Womens Day globally in March, Ghanas leading total beverage business, Guinness Ghana, is leading the charge with the Obaasima regional campus tours organised in collaboration with Obaasima Summit Foundation. The regional tours kickstart in the Greater Accra Region on Friday, February 25, 2022, at the R.S Amegashie Hall, University of Ghana Business School in Accra. This years edition of the campus tour is expected to be held on the campuses of some key universities across five regions, with the aim of building consensus around women empowerment and the progressive portrayal of women. The Obaasima Summit campus tours are aimed at empowering women on the need to uphold the tenets of teamwork, networking, excellence in public speaking, interviews and imbibing positive attributes while celebrating the success stories of women all over the country. The 2022 edition of the Guinness Ghana Obaasima Summit is themed PROGRESSIVE PORTRAYAL: BUILDING CAPACITY FOR ELEVATION. Speaking to the media, Director of Corporate Relations at Guinness Ghana, Sylvia Owusu-Ankomah pointed out that the tours represented a healthy way of connecting with different categories of women for immense impact. Guinness Ghanas focus for partnering the Obaasima Summit is to ensure the message of progressive portrayal reaches every corner of the country. Every woman must understand their strength and the tolls available to them to explore and impact the world with it. As a business, we are committed to providing and ensuring we have 50% representation of women in leadership roles and using our creative and media spend to support progressive voices. We are fully committed to attracting and retaining the best and most diverse talent within our workforce. Opportunities like the campus tours allows us to show women across the country what happens when a progressive business supports women, she intimated. Some notable speakers at the summit include the Corporate Relations Director of Guinness Ghana Sylvia Owusu-Ankomah, Executive Director of Obaasima Summit Foundation and General Manager of Pan African Television Ama Pratt, Managing Partner of Mahogany Consult Baaba Coffie, Secretary General-Ghana Commission - UNESCO Ama Serwaa Nerquaye-Tetteh, Head of Sales and Marketing at ATL Petra Aba Asamoah and Former Ambassador to Italy and Former Upper West Regional Minister Tangoba Abayage. ABOUT GUINNESS GHANA OBAASIMA SUMMIT The initiative, organized by the Obaasima Summit Foundation and Guinness Ghana Breweries PLC, is designed to equip female students with the requisite skillset to pursue their dreams in any preferred aspect of life. Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The beautiful display of the uniqueness of the Ghanaian culture and tradition is at its height in the historic city of Cape Coast as the nation gather for the 65th Independence Day celebration on Sunday. The celebration is on the theme: Working together bouncing back better. It is a splendorous show of prestige and grandeur as various statesmen, political stalwarts, Diplomatic Corps, security agencies and patriotic citizens, smartly dressed in Ghanaian colours thronged the citadel of education in Ghana. It is a seeming competitive exhibition of beauty, culture and patriotism as scores wore various designs of the national colours; tight-fitted jeans and T-shirts with caps and shoes to match. Even some toddlers, who accompanied their parents were not left out as they confidently moved around, reflecting the present and future of the country. From the drumming and dancing to the pre-celebration rituals, clothing and wonderful culture and eloquence revealed the incredible cultural diversity and uniqueness among Ghanaians. The colourful display reinforced the country's acclaimed accolade as the land of unique African tradition, freedom and justice as thousands of enthusiastic Ghanaians cheered in appreciation for the wonderful displays. The richly cherished kente cloth and national colours dominated the fashion scenes from the young to the old, the rich and the poor, Ghanaians and none Ghanaians. This buttresses the country's global recognition of kente cloth as a fabric of repute as beautifully decorated horses paraded the venue with the riders engaging in displays to the admiration of onlookers. Other dignitaries are more elaborate with their choice, opting for the more colourful yarns and designs that reflect the mood. Many dignitaries, including chiefs, have also been spotted in different colours of kente designs. Some school children and students are also seen clad in the traditional costume dansenkran and complemented with beads. The venue is draped in the national colours from the main entrance to the stadium and immediate surroundings painted to beautify the area. The pillars, vantage locations, trees, electricity poles, vehicles and roadside furniture are a sight to behold. The principal streets of the Cape Coast Metropolis as well as the Takoradi-Accra Highway have not been spared of the national colours. There is an unusual quietness in many parts of the ancient Metropolis as few vehicles plying the roads. The busy Abura highway and Kotokuraba business enclave, streets, pavements, and other adjoining trading centres appeared deserted with many stores closed. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video 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. '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.' The Pope also noted that there are 'no compromises with evil', much like there has been little compromise from President Putin on his devastating actions on Ukraine. '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.' 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. Source: Dailymail Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Mr. Assamoi Yao Oga, Maire, the District Chief Executive for Wawa 1 in the Republic of Togo, has described Ghanas political stability as the most peaceful and best in the sub-region. He said before the coming of Europeans, our forefathers had their own ways of living as Africans and this must be protected. He said Ghana and Togo shared a common boundary and do things in common, adding "we are brothers and sisters. Mr. Oga, who led a two-man delegation from the Republic of Togo to witness Ghanas 65th Independence Day parade at Kadjebi in the Oti Region, said Ghanaians should shun the blame game at the slightest opportunity because the forebears of the country persisted in the independence struggle and liberated the Gold Coast from colonial rule. He was also full of praise for the school children for their show of talent and skills during the parade. Mr. Wilson Agbanyo, the Kadjebi DCE, appealed to the schoolchildren to emulate the tenacity of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah to serve as driving forces to success in all their endeavours. He said they needed to persevere and resist all odds if they wanted to succeed in life. He also advised them to show gratitude to their parents and teachers for modeling them to be responsible citizens. The DCE also called on the teachers to avoid absenteeism and see their students as their own children and trained them to be good and responsible adults. Mr. Seth Seyram Deh, the Kadjebi District Director of Education, advised parents and guardians to invest in their childrens education for a better tomorrow. He said they ought to provide their wards with their school needs such as uniforms, shoes, books and other learning materials since the government could not do everything for them. Present were Mr. Bosiade Kodjo Francois, Maire for Wawa 2, Engineer Yao Gomado, MP for Akan, Nana Kwaku Dua II, and Krontihene of Kadjebi Traditional Area, among others. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Justice Emile Francis Short, a Former Commissioner of Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), says the laws that criminalise petty offences are vague, arbitrary, and highly dependent on police discretion for arrest. He said this, therefore, encouraged police corruption, extortion, arrest, and unlawful detention. Justice Short was speaking at the National Conference on Decriminalising Petty Offences in Ghana on the theme: Decriminalising Petty Offences: The State, the Offender, the Society. The Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI), Africa Office in partnership with the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), organised the event to discuss concrete steps to mainstream decriminalisation of petty/minor offences, which fall under misdemeanours in Ghana into the ongoing justice sector reform programme. He said the criminal justice system in Ghana discriminated against the poor and the vulnerable in many ways and the starting point was how the police treated these suspects, who do not know their human rights. He said invariably, they were kept in custody without being brought before the courts within the constitutionally mandated period of 48 hours. They suffer in silence because they cannot afford the services of a lawyer to compel the police to put them before the court within 48 hours, he added. Justice Short said even though the Supreme Court had in a landmark ruling directed that the 48 hours for detaining suspects would now include weekends and holidays, the police continue to detain some poor and vulnerable suspects over the weekends and holidays with the excuse that the courts were not working. He said when such persons were convicted by the court and sentenced to a fine or in default a term of imprisonment, many were unable to pay the fines and ended up in prison, compounding the congestion in the prisons. He said the enforcement of these offences had continued to subject citizens, many of whom were unaware of these criminal laws and their rights as protected by the law, to various abuses including prolonged pre-trial detentions, assault and mistreatment during arrest and detention, unfair sentencing practices, irregular fines, and unfair bail terms. Alfred Tuah-Yeboah, the Deputy Attorney General, said the enforcement of these offences had been shown to disproportionately impact the poor and enforce negative stereotypes. He said these individuals were also most likely to suffer imprisonment for inability to pay fines, a consequence that was avoided by the well-to-do because of their ability to discharge their pecuniary obligation. The Deputy A-G said efforts had been made to reduce the number of the prison population through initiatives like the Justice for All Programme. He said there was also a plea-bargaining arrangement in criminal cases that were also at advanced stages of consideration. Madam Mina Mensah, Director, CHRI Africa Office, said since 2017 the Africa Office as part of its Access to Justice programme had been advocating for the decriminalising of petty offences in Ghana as a part of an African Regional Campaign with support from Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA). She said the advocacy took its inspiration from a request by the African Commission on Human and People's Rights that States decriminalise certain petty offences that violated the fundamental principles of legality and non-discrimination under the African Charter. The Director said although policy makers in principle had agreed and stated publicly that the law needed to change the reality was that there was no appetite to put action to the rhetoric mainly because there was no pressure on the government to do so although Ghana was a signatory to the African Charter. On top of that government has not availed itself to the cost involved in arresting, detaining, and processing petty offenders and most policymakers are detached from the realities of the lives of petty offenders and prisoners at large, he added. She said CHRI in partnership with CHRAJ and other CSOs in the space promoted acceptance by policymakers to decriminalise petty offences as part of ongoing justice sector reforms to ensure a holistic approach to the age-old problems and decongest Ghana's overpopulated prisons. These initiatives have yielded some good results such as public statements by key justice sector agencies notably the Attorney-General (A-G), the Director of Public Prosecutions and the then Chief Justice calling for the need to review Ghana's criminal laws to expunge petty offences. Notwithstanding all these positive results, no concrete move has been made by the government to put in structures to decriminalise petty offences. Ghana's sentencing regime for petty offenders remain stiff and high., she said. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Nigeria says it will not allow its nationals to join the fight in Ukraine where Russian forces are bombing cities and rattling neighbourhoods with gunfire for over a week now. This follows reports of alleged recruitment of volunteers in the country to fight for Ukraine. Nigeria's foreign ministry said the Ukrainian embassy had denied any role in the alleged exercise. However, the embassy confirmed that a number of Nigerians had approached it indicating willingness to join the war, according to a statement on March 07, signed by Francisca Omayuli, spokesperson for the ministry. The embassy also distanced itself from claims that it was requesting $1,000 (800) from each Nigerian volunteer for an air ticket and visa. "Nigeria discourages the use of mercenaries anywhere in the world and will not tolerate the recruitment, in Nigeria, of Nigerians as mercenaries to fight in Ukraine or anywhere else in the world," the ministry's spokesperson said. Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abuja _________________________________ PRESS RELEASE pic.twitter.com/Wylxe8YSl9 Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nigeria (@NigeriaMFA) March 7, 2022 This comes days after Senegal warned against volunteers enlisting to fight against Russians in Ukraine. It also ordered the Ukrainian ambassador to take down a Facebook post that had called on Senegalese volunteers to enlist in the war. Source: africanews Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Sene West in the Bono East Region, Mr Kwame Twumasi Ampofo, has appealed to the government to provide adequate funding to the Community Water and Sanitation Agency ( CWSA) and the Ghana Water Company Limited for the provision of potable water in rural and urban communities. He cited his constituency to buttress his point which he said experienced acute water shortages during the dry season of every year. "The situation is so terrible during the dry season in some communities in my constituency where you would see residents competing with animals for water," he said. Mr Ampofo made the appeal in an interview with the press at the Parliament House last Thursday. He noted that when the two-state agencies were adequately resourced, they would be able to meet the demand for water supply in the country and resolve the rationing of water. Adequate funding Touching on the need for adequate funding for the CWSA to provide potable water in rural communities, Mr Ampofo said the agency must be given the power to go in for loans to expand water systems in rural communities to ensure that each and every person had access to clean and safe water. The MP for Sene, who had filed for a question on the floor of Parliament to know the measures being taken by the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources to address rationing of water in the country, said the sector minister, Mrs Cecilia Abena Dapaah, answered the question satisfactorily but called for more resources for the ministry to enable it address the water and sanitation issues of the country that also have health implication for the people. Mrs Dapaah, in her response to the question, said the government was implementing a number of water projects across the country which were at various stages. These, she said, included the Upper East Region Water Supply Expansion project which had been completed and would be inaugurated soon, the Tamale and Damango Water projects, the GAMA Sanitation and Water Project in Accra which has been completed, the Wenchi and Keta Water Supply projects for which contractors are yet to go on site and the Yendi Water Supply project currently at the international bidding stage. Other projects, she mentioned were the Sekondi/Takoradi Water Supply project, the Sunyani Water Supply project and Techiman Water Supply. Apply the laws Mr Ampofo, during the interaction with the press, also bemoaned the attitude of some Ghanaians who were into illegal mining and sand winning that had affected water bodies in the country. He called for the strict enforcement of the laws and the punishment of those who engaged in illegal mining and sand winning. He noted that if urgent steps were not taken to address the galamsey and the sand-winning menace that had destroyed some water bodies in the country, a time would come that Ghana would be importing water. Source: graphic.com.gh Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Nigerian, Ghanaian and Somali students are among hundreds of foreign nationals stuck in Ukraines north-eastern city of Sumy which has been pummelled by Russian forces for days. There is no food in the market, bank cash machines are not working and the students are drinking melted snow after running out of water. An Indian student, Vipin Yadav, who is part of the group trapped in the city, estimates about 1,300 foreign students are still trapped there including people from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Turkey. In a phone interview, Mr Yadav told the BBCs Danny Aeberhard that there was nothing to eat for the last four to five days. Nigerian and Ghanaian governments have been repatriating their nationals who are fleeing the conflict in Ukraine. The first groups arrived back home last week. More than 1,000 Ghanaian students were living in Ukraine until Russia invaded the country. The West African nation has so far made two repatriation missions. Nigeria is expected to evacuate 5,000 citizens who crossed from Ukraine to the neighbouring countries of Romania, Poland and Hungary. Source: asaaseradio.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video China on Monday March 7, reiterated its position on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, calling for all parties involved to engage in dialogue. China's Foreign Minister, Wang Yi said China's "rock-solid" friendship with Russia and said the prospects for cooperation between the two countries are very broad. At a press conference explaining Beijing's position on the conflict, Wang said the causes of the "Ukraine situation" were "complex" and had not happened overnight. "Solving complex problems requires calmness and rationality, rather than adding fuel to the fire and intensifying contradictions," he said. Wang called on both sides to settle disputes by peaceful means, through dialogue and negotiation, and "respect and protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries." "We must accommodate the legitimate security concerns of the parties involved," he said. The countries involved should keep in mind the "long-term peace and stability of the region and put in place a balanced, effective, and sustainable European security architecture," Wang said. Wang said Russia was Beijing's "most important strategic partner" and their bilateral relations were "conducive to world peace, stability, and development." "No matter how sinister the international situation is, both China and Russia will maintain their strategic determination and continuously push forward the comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination in the new era," he said. According to customs data revealed on Monday, Chinese trade with Russia saw a surge in the run-up to the war in Ukraine. Exports to Russia rose 41% in January and February compared to the same period in the previous year. This was the fastest rate among China's major trading partners in the first two months of the year, outpacing trade with the European Union and the United States. Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The ABP C-Voter Exit Poll indicates that the Congress is likely to form the next government in Uttarakhand. According to the Exit Poll, Congress is likely to win 35 seats in the 70-member Uttarakhand Assembly, while the ruling BJP is projected to win 29 seats in Uttarakhand. The Congress is falling short of the halfway mark of 36 by just one seat. Debutant Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is likely to win one seat. The key of the government is likely to be in the hands of Independents and others who are projected to win five seats. Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) is likely to win three seats. The Exit Poll projected a seat range of 32 to 38 for the Congress, and 26 to 32 for the BJP. Others are projected to win three to seven seats in Uttarakhand, while the AAP is likely to win zero to two seats. In the 2017 Assembly polls, the BJP had won 57 seats in Uttarakhand, the Congress managed only 11 seats, while two seats went to Independents. The Exit Poll also indicates a decline in BJP's vote share by 5.7 per cent from 46.5 per cent in 2017 to 40.8 per cent in 2022. The Congress' vote share is projected to increase by 5.8 per cent to 39.3 per cent in 2022 from 33.5 per cent in 2017. AAP is likely to get 8.7 per cent votes in Uttarakhand, while others are projected to get 11.2 per cent votes. Thre current survey findings and projections are based on C-Voter Exit Poll/Post Poll personal interviews conducted on pollling day and after polling day among 18+ adults statewide. The sample size for for Uttarakhand was 17,480. The projection comes with 95 per cent Confidence interval. Parliament is likely to consider the Electronic Transaction Bill (E-Levy Bill), 2021 next week. Mr Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, the Deputy Majority Leader, announced that the E-Levy Bill falls under the programmmes proposed for consideration by the House next week. Presenting the Business Statement of the House for the Seventh Week of the First Meeting of the Second Session of the Eighth Parliament of the Fourth Republic of Ghana, Mr Afenyo-Markin said it was important to bring to the attention of Members of the House that the E-Levy falls under the programmes they had proposed for the seventh week. So, as and when it is supposed to be taken, members would be noticed, the Deputy Majority Leader said. He added: So, once we see that papers and response could be laid and motions could be taken; papers and reports include bills that had come and committee works, so it is at large and all that. So, Mr Speaker, members should be rest assured that they will be on notice. There will be no surprises here. On the proposed scrapping road tolls contained in the 2022 Budget Statement, Mr Afenyo Markin said: So, if members want to know about road tolls, and why road tolls are not being taken, of course, in the 2022 budget there is zero rate for 2022. And then also even as we delay in the E-Levy, you know weve already passed the Appropriation Bill, Government is spending, and even as we delay as a house Government has already lost January and February revenues. So, I believe that when the time comes, we will do the needful to let the people of Ghana know that we mean business. Mr Kofi Iddie Adams, the Member of Parliament for Buem, said the Minority side wanted a specific date on which the E-Levy Bill would be considered by the House. He said his side had been insisting that the E-Levy Bill be brought to the House for Members to determine; stating that the Minority were not the ones causing the delay on the E-Levy and that the Finance Minister was out there doing consultations on it. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video A Senior Research Fellow of the Kumasi Technical University, Dr. Smart Sarpong, has condemned the coup statements by some individuals criticizing the administration of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. A convener of the #FixTheCountry movement, Oliver Barker-Vormawor is currently facing prosecution over alleged treasonable comments made by him. Mr. Oliver Barker-Vormawor, on his Facebook, disclosed an intent to stage a coup in Ghana posting ''if this E-Levy passes after this cake bullshit, I will do the coup myself. Useless Army!'' He was arrested by the Police and charged with treason felony with the Police saying the post contains a clear statement of intent with a possible will to execute a coup in his declaration of intent to subvert the Constitution of the Republic of Ghana. Discussing the issue during Peace FM's ''Kokrokoo'', Dr. Smart Sarpong sermonized the coup activists to change their language emphasizing a coup is never a solution to Ghana's economic challenges. He rather called for a collective effort by Ghanaians to develop the nation. One of such efforts, he noted, is for the citizenry to embrace the government's contentious e-levy policy as it is better for the nation to self-fund their projects. He further pointed out other alternatives to solving Ghana's problems for which a coup d'etat is never one. Admonishing the coup proponents, Dr. Smart Sarpong said; ''Solution is in the idea you will bring . . . so, we need solution; we don't need a soldier. We need solution. We don't need the Army! . . . Coup is never a solution!!'' Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Mr John Peter Amewu, the Member of Parliament for Hohoe, has called for unity and oneness in discussions on on the Electronic Levy (E-Levy) Transaction Policy. He said discussions on the levy should be focused on the rapid socio-economic development of the country and not along political party lines. Mr Amewu, who is also the Minister for Railway Development, said this during the Governments Town Hall Meeting on the economy and the E-Levy in Ho. E-levy should not bring confusion and hatred among the citizens. Politics is all about development and development can only materialize with the payment of taxes in the country, he said. The MP said there was no single alternative to domestic revenue mobilisation anywhere in the world and so the best form was to internally mobilize revenue for infrastructural development. "Everyone should endeavour to understand the issues concerning the policy because not everyone in Ghana currently pays tax, especially the informal sector of the economy," he added, saying it was the government's intention to ensure that the players in the informal sector also contributed to the payment of tax for development. The Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, called on the Clergy and Traditional Authorities in the Volta Region to help educate their followers and the youth about the policy. Mr Pius Hadzide, the Chief Executive Officer of the National Youth Authority, said young people in the country needed support to expand their creativity into entrepreneurship, hence the need for the government to generate revenue to support them. "How do we support the youth to develop, provide infrastructural development among others if the people are refusing to pay taxes to generate the needed revenue," he asked. Dr Archibald Yao Letsa, the Volta Regional Minister, said instead of going to borrow to sustain the economy, we need to have burden sharing, which should involve everybody. Some participants expressed concerns about hardships in the country and said it was important for everyone, including politicians, to sacrifice to revive the economy Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Mr Haruna Iddrisu, the Minority Leader in Parliament, has called for a structural audit of the Tamale overhead bridge to ensure value for money. Mr Iddrisu, who is also the Member of Parliament for Tamale South, said this would also ensure that the bridge served its intended purpose, which was to improve traffic flow in the central business area of the Tamale Metropolis. He, therefore, called on the Ministry of Roads and Highways, Department of Urban Roads and the supervisory consultant on the project to ensure that such audit was undertaken. Mr Iddrisu made the call when addressing journalists in Tamale on Saturday on what he described as "The people's concerns over the Tamale overhead bridge project." The Tamale overhead bridge, whose construction began in April 2019 formed part of the Synohydro deal to enhance traffic flow in the Tamale Metropolis. According to Mr Iddrisu, the people's concerns about the project included the fact that the roundabout at the central mosque intersection was so wide thereby narrowing the road around the intersection, which would adversely affect the free movement of vehicles, especially heavy-duty trucks. He said the positioning of the roundabout would not encourage free vehicular movement and would instead compound the traffic situation in the Metropolis. Mr Iddrisu called for the demolition of some structures along the project to enhance its expansion, saying "All the structures along the project should have been demolished and compensated for to pave way for quality execution of the project." Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video James DeHart, U.S. Department of State's senior advisor for security negotiations and agreements bureau of political-military affairs, speaks after a meeting with South Korean counterpart on the Special Measures Agreement (SMA) at the public affairs section of the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP Photo/Lee Jin-man, Pool Musicians perform at Peorias Second Saturdays in October 2021, while residents explore special vendors, outdoor games, art installations, and local food and beverage options. (Photo courtesy of the city of Peoria) Bengaluru Police Commissioner Kamal Pant on Monday issued prohibitory orders in and around schools and colleges in the city till March 22. The order says that any gathering, agitation or protest of any type within the 200 metre area of schools, PU colleges, degree colleges or other similar education institutions in Bengaluru city has been extended for another two weeks. Noting that in certain parts of the state, in the last few weeks, protests and agitations have been held in connection with the strict enforcement of uniform rules at schools and colleges, he said that since at many places, the protests have disturbed public peace and order, it is considered very essential to initiate proper security measures to maintain public peace and order in Bengaluru city. The issue is still alive and possibility of holding protests far and against over the issue can not be ruled out and hence the order has been issued, the Commissioner of Police said. Hijab row has surfaced in colleges of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, and Shivamogga districts. Girl students have objected to college authorities' decision to turn them away from attending exams for wearing hijab. The hijab row started as a small protest in the Udupi Government Girl's Pre-University College by six girls has turned out be a major crisis in the state. Presently, the High Court has completed hearing of arguments and reserved its verdict. Thank you for reading the Philadelphia Tribune. You have exhausted your free article views for this month. Please press the "subscribe" button below and see our introductory price of $0.10 per week for 10 weeks. Otherwise, we look forward to seeing you next month. Proponents of the Act have stated that its purpose is to give survivors their day in court, and allow them to discuss their cases publiclyeven if they had previously signed arbitration agreements that would bar public litigation of their claims. Typically, cases in arbitration do not become public, whereas court cases tend to put employers and companies in the public eye. The Act amends Title 9 of the United States Code (or the Federal Arbitration Act) and invalidates predispute arbitration agreements that preclude a party from filing a lawsuit in a court of law regarding sexual harassment or sexual assault. The forum (court verses arbitration) is at the election of the person alleging such conduct, or the named representative of a class or collective action alleging such conduct. Pursuant to the Act, no arbitration agreement that was entered into prior to the dispute (alleging sexual harassment or sexual assault) shall be valid or enforceable with respect to a case filed under federal, tribal or state law. Further, the Act applies to any dispute or claim that arises or accrues on or after the date of enactment of this Act. While the law appears straightforward, the scope of exactly what claims will be covered is unclear. We anticipate litigation regarding what claims constitute harassment claims under the Act. For example, if a former employee brings a claim of retaliation, this retaliation claim could be viewed as either ongoing harassment, or it may be viewed as entirely separate from the underlying harassment claim. It is also unclear under the Act what will occur if an employee asserts multiple causes of action, only one of which is sexual harassment and/or assault. In this instance, it is unclear which forum will be determinative, and whether non-harassment claims might be swept into an arbitration. Of note, a nearly identical bill (S. 2342, or the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act of 2021) is expected to come up for a vote on the Senate floor within the coming days. This bill has a more specific, lengthy definition of what constitutes a sexual harassment dispute, but it is otherwise virtually identical to the Act. Going forward, employers should update predispute arbitration agreements to ensure such agreements exclude sexual harassment and sexual assault claims brought under federal, tribal or state law. The law does not require employers to proactively modify past arbitration agreements; they will simply be deemed unenforceable with respect to sexual assault and sexual harassment claims. Nonetheless, including claims that cannot be legally subject to a predispute agreements could raise arguments that the arbitration agreement is overreaching, so future agreements should be modified. Regardless, with the passing of the Act, employers nationwide should prepare themselves for an increase in litigation and public exposure regarding employees claims of sexual harassment and sexual assault. Employers should ensure that their sexual harassment policies, training, and other harassment prevention efforts are up to date and subject to strict enforcement. We will continue to provide updates on this topic when they become available. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to speak to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday afternoon as Russia's war on Kiev has continued for the 12th day, government sources said here. Modi's interaction with Zelensky, the second since the Russian invasion began on February 24, will take place amid India's all out efforts to evacuate its nationals, mostly students, from the war-torn nation. The Prime Minister had spoken to the Ukrainian leader for the first time on February 26. According to the sources, Modi is expected to seek a safe passage for Indian students stuck in the cities of Sumy and Odessa during the call on Monday. Since the war began, Modi has also spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin twice during which he urged the latter to give a safe passage to Indian nationals from Kharkiv, Sumy and Odessa. Meanwhile, India has continued sending relief material to the war-torn nation as part of humanitarian assistance via Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft which are deployed for the evacuations of stranded Indians. On Sunday, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting shared a video of the relief materials being loaded in an IAF aircraft by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel. These supplies are being sent to Poland from where it would be moved to Ukraine. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, India has sent two trenches of humanitarian assistance that included medicines, medical equipment and relief materials, via IAF aircraft. While one flight carried six tonnes of material to Romania, and the second carried nine tonnes of material to Slovakia on March 3. On March 2 however, India had again abstained from a vote on Ukraine at the UN General Assembly "in view the totality of the evolving situation". This was the fourth abstention by New Delhi on a vote on the Ukraine issue at the UN -- the other three at the Security Council where India is an elected member. Welcome to Day 1c of the 1,100 Eureka Main Event at EPT Prague. Cards go in the air at 12 p.m. local time for the third of four opening flights in the return of the European Poker Tour to Prague. Day 1a drew 694 runners, of which 103 surviving players will move on to Day 2. The evening flight added another 374, bringing the total to 1,068 entries at the halfway mark. A total of 56 players moved on from Day 1b, and the prize pool has swelled to 1,219,200. Today's runners will look to join the other 159 players who have qualified for Tuesday's Day 2. Mateusz Szymanski is the overall chip leader after bagging 606,000 chips on Day 1a. He tops a surviving field that includes Alejandro Papo MC Lococo, Kenny Hallaert, and Ismael Bojang. The Day 1b chip leader is Daniel Lakerveld with 530,000, rounding out a list of Day 2 qualifiers from the flight that includes Dominik Panka and Masato Yokosawa. Players in the 1,100 Eureka Main Event will start with 30,000 in chips and play 40-minute levels. One re-entry is available for each player and registration will continue through Level 10. Day 1c will continue until 15% of the field remains and surviving players will return on Tuesday at 12 p.m. for Day 2. Keep it with the PokerNews team for live updates from all four opening flights, as well as other marquee events and high rollers throughout the festival at EPT Prague. Would you like to receive breaking news notifications from The Post and Courier? Sign up to receive news and updates from this site directly to your desktop. Breaking News Columbia Breaking News Greenville Breaking News Myrtle Beach Breaking News Aiken Breaking News N Augusta Breaking News Click on the bell icon to manage your notifications at any time. A charter bus carrying 32 sixth and seventh graders from St. John's United Methodist Church crashed into a ditch in Westminster Sunday afternoon. The group was on its way back from a confirmation retreat when the bus lost power, ran off the road and crashed into a ditch. "The bus driver had some mechanical issues with the bus, lost control, went into a ditch and turned partially over on its side," said Rev. Tim McClendon, senior pastor of St. John's United Methodist Church in Aiken. An adult and one child suffered minor injuries, but did not need to be transported to the hospital, according to church officials. "It was very frightening and upsetting, but it occurred when they were out of the mountains - so they didn't go down some ravine or anything like that," McClendon said. "So we're grateful for that." St. John's United Methodist Church Youth Director Bekah Muir, who was on the bus during the accident, said the group is thankful for Westminster first responders. "Within minutes, there were a horde of people there helping us and pulling us out," Muir said. "When we got out of the bus, there was what looked like a village - there were firemen, policemen and an ambulance. If anything, it showed us that everybody has a place and something to do to help. It was awesome, in a weird way." Muir also praised youth counselors for knowing what to do in an emergency situation and keeping everybody safe and calm. St. John's United Methodist Church sent one of its church buses to Westminster to pick up luggage. Parents are currently picking up their children. "We want to thank our friends at Lifeline Community Church and the volunteer firemen and fire department in Westminster, South Carolina," Muir said. Breaking news. This story will be updated as new information becomes available. Two years of COVID-19 precautions have put the brakes on many of the Aiken County Historical Society's activities, but the group took a major step toward its traditional offerings Sunday, holding its winter meeting. The Aiken County Historical Museum, in keeping with tradition, was the host site, and the featured speaker was Steve Silver, representing Aiken's synagogue, the Adath Yeshurun congregation, which has reached the century mark in its history. "It's good to be back," said Allen Riddick, the society's president, who confirmed his hope for "no more COVID" and expressed thanks for Silver's contribution to Sunday's program. Silver has been a major contributor in the effort to assemble "A Source of Light," a new exhibit on display for the next couple of months at the museum, with articles, pictures and other memorabilia relating to the lives of local Jewish residents reaching back into the 19th century. The exhibit was created in connection with the synagogue's 100th anniversary, which was in 2021, but events were largely postponed to early March of 2022, due to pandemic concerns. "We've had a great weekend," he said, noting that the exhibit had its opening Friday, and a historical marker was unveiled Saturday on Laurens Street, focusing on the role of Jewish merchants in the local economy, particularly in the 20th century. "More than that, we've had over 100 people who came in, most of them from out of town, to be with us for those two events, as well as a big gala party we had in the museum last night, and Saturday services at the synagogue and the panel discussion this morning, with most of those 100-some people coming from Boston, New York, Virginia, Florida, Georgia and even California - almost all of them descendants of the early Aiken Jewish families who were here, who are now living elsewhere," Silver said. "This project is four years in the making," Silver said, recalling an effort that started at a meeting of the Jewish Historical Society of South Carolina. His talk explored the contributions of such families as the Wolfs, Rudnicks, Efrons and Poliakoffs, as represented through such establishments as Sam's Supermarket, Wolf Liquor Store, Southhampton Saddlery, Julia's Dress Shop and two movie theaters -- the Patricia and the Rosemary. Silver also fielded questions on a variety of topics such as discrimination, the synagogue's growth, its leadership, along with the roles of individuals, including businessman Mandle Surasky (1898-1986), largely remembered as a two-term Aiken mayor and as the community's "Man of the Year" in 1966. Laurens Street was particularly important in terms of business, and many of the Jewish families, he said, lived on Pendleton Street, a short walk from the synagogue, which meant that kids in the community had plenty of encouragement to behave themselves, as they had plenty of interested onlookers from day to day. Sunday's meeting also included input from Riddick on the life of Vermont native Levi P. Morton, the 22nd vice president of the U.S., as the second in command (1889-93) to Benjamin Harrison. Riddick mentioned having recently found an Aiken newspaper article mentioning that "Levi Morton was setting up a ... winter residence in Aiken" - information that Riddick said he hopes to explore further. He pointed out that Morton also served in the diplomatic corps, as minister to France, and via that role, was selected to place the first rivet to begin construction of the Statue of Liberty, in 1881. Riddick also noted his fellow members of the historical society's board, including some newcomers, are Coleen Reed, Nancy Wilson, Michael Norton, Coleen Ree, Marty Baily, Bill McGhee, Kathy Widener, Kevin Kerr, Bea Peyser and Gilbert Kennedy. The meeting also included input from Jackie Bartley, with the Beech Island Historical Society. She promoted the 14th annual Historic Beech Island Tour, set for April 30, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. This year's event, a self-guided driving tour, will include 14 sites with Redcliffe Plantation State Historic Site among the most prominent. Among others are such locales as Silver Bluff Audubon Center and Sanctuary, Hammond Cemetery, Silver Bluff Missionary Baptist Church, Ivy Falls and Zubly Cemetery. Tickets are required. The society, led by Bartley (one of its founders), dates back to 1985 is based at 144 Old Jackson Highway, in Beech Island. Details are at (706) 833-3651 and beechislandhistoricalsociety.com. NORTH CHARLESTON Tattooed Moose opened in downtown Charleston in 2010; shortly after, the restaurant putting a gourmet spin on casual fare became a local favorite. A 2012 feature on Food Networks Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives placed the national spotlight on owners Mike and Jen Kulick, who added a second Tattooed Moose location on Johns Island in 2015. Now, after the original Morrison Drive restaurant closed, the "Moose is Loose" in Park Circle. The Tattooed Moose opened Feb. 8 at 4845 Chateau Ave., one block off East Montague Avenue in a converted warehouse that previously housed King of Pops headquarters and Patch Whisky's art studio. "While all the development around us has been good for business, it also squeezed out all of our parking," Mike Kulick said, discussing the decision to depart downtown Charleston. "Weve been toying with the idea of doing something in Park Circle forever." According to Mike Kulick, the Tattooed Moose's Johns Island location has proven the concept works outside of downtown Charleston, even amid the pandemic. That location's success led the Kulicks to mimic its layout in Park Circle by placing an emphasis on outdoor seating. "Having all that space in the front area in Johns Island saved us at the beginning of the pandemic," Mike Kulick said. "We were using the Johns location as sort of a benchmark for how successful one of these restaurants can be." Tattooed Moose Park Circle serves the same exact menu as the original, meaning patrons will find duck fat fries, jumbo chicken wings, the brunch burger, Porkstrami Reuben sandwich and more. The restaurant is also serving the sandwich that made it famous, Mike's Duck Club. The triple decker duck confit sandwich is topped with bacon, hickory smoked cheese, garlic aioli, lettuce, tomato and red onion and served on sweet Hawaiian bread. Owner of Caroline's Aloha Bar in the Avondale neighborhood of West Ashley, Kulick pointed out each Park Circle restaurant, including theirs, offers something a little different. He said he's grateful for the warm response since Tattooed Moose's opening. "The reception has been literally overwhelming," Kulick said. "We expected this would be a pretty popular location, but we might have underestimated our own popularity." Tattooed Moose Park Circle is open from 11:30 a.m.-2 a.m. daily. On Sunday, the restaurant serves brunch from 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Summerville, SC (29483) Today Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 67F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 67F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Pictured is a city-sponsored graffiti art wall in Goose Creek. The traffic box painting project and graffiti wall are both part of the city's efforts to promote public art in the community. MOUNT PLEASANT A new road destined to become an important connection in the town's transportation network should be under construction before spring turns to summer. At a cost of about $10 million, the two-lane road will run from U.S. Highway 17, just north of Long Point Road, to Rifle Range Road. Along the way it will intersect with the planned final segment of the Hungryneck Corridor and provide access to new town and county parks. Construction is expected to begin within 60 days, said Paul Lykins, the town's deputy director of Engineering & Development Services. He said development-related fees are paying the majority of the cost. Lykins said the road will be named after Vaughn Edward Kee. Kee was a 25-year-old town police officer who was struck and killed by a drunk driver during his first month on the job in 1985 while arresting a different DUI suspect on Coleman Boulevard. Years ago, plans called for the new road to connect directly to Long Point Road by moving the existing intersection on Highway 17 slightly north. That would have required shifting Long Point Road across a corner of Boone Hall Plantation. Community opposition quashed that idea while knocking more than $6 million off the price tag. Even without the once-proposed intersection, the new road will allow northbound traffic from Long Point Road to quickly cut over toward Rifle Range Road, rather than driving a longer distance on crowded Highway 17. The purpose is to provide more intersections to spread traffic out," said Lykins. "It provides better access and capacity to the transportation network and will provide access to county and park sites." The 245-acre park site was jointly purchased by the town and the Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission in 2010 for $20 million with most of the funding coming from the county's half-percent sales tax for transportation and green space projects. The town plans to use much of its half of the property for new playing fields, while the county's half will be focused on passive recreation and trails. Where the new road meets U.S. Highway 17 there will not be a new intersection. Instead, only northbound traffic will be able to turn onto the road from the highway, near what is now the entrance to Old Georgetown Road, and traffic coming from the road will only be able to turn right onto the highway. On Rifle Range Road there will be a new intersection north of the traffic circle at the Liberty Hill Farm subdivision. The developer of that subdivision, Stefan Hoyer, in 2016 agreed to give the town $1.5 million toward the cost of the connector road as part of the subdivision approval negotiations. It wasnt until (developer) Stephan (Hoyer) gave us the money that we could talk about taking it all the way to Rifle Range Road, said then-Councilman Paul Gawrych in 2017. In the end, you get a big grid. The big grid refers to the town's plan to complete the Hungryneck Corridor, a third north-south road through the town sitting between Rifle Range Road and Highway 17. All but the final section are already in use. The missing $14.6 million section of road will run from Six Mile Road near Home Depot to Hamlin Road near Jennie Moore Elementary School, connecting existing but underutilized parts of the Hungryneck Corridor that have different names the Sweetgrass Basket Parkway and Billy Swails Boulevard. The town hopes to seek bids for the final road section by the end of this year. Stories of different Tibetan women sharing name of goddess Xinhua) 17:48, March 07, 2022 LHASA, March 7 (Xinhua) -- "Drolma" is the name of a goddess in the Buddhist scripture, and is a popular name that many Tibetan parents pick for their newborns. Although they share the same name, Drolmas in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region each have different stories that show the great changes that have taken place in the region over the past decades. BORN IN A COWSHED Dechen Drolma, 66, was given her name as her parents expected her to live a happy life with the goddess' blessing. However, she did not feel such blessings in her youth. A former serf, Dechen Drolma was the fourth generation of her family that had been born in a cowshed in Khesum, a serf owner's manor in what is now the city of Shannan in Tibet. In old Tibet, decrees stipulated that women were "the lowest level among the lowest-ranked people," and the price of a woman serf's life was equal to a straw rope. As one of the 302 serfs in the manor, Dechen Drolma barely had enough to eat and was often beaten badly by her lord. Things did not change until March 1959, when Khesum became the first village in Tibet to launch the democratic reform, liberating all serfs from feudal serfdom and abolishing the decrees. "Gone were the days when I had to live in a cowshed," Dechen Drolma recalled, adding that her family was allocated with farmland, a house and livestock. Since then, Dechen Drolma has embraced a bright new life. She went to school in the village, and like others, her family later bought a farming tractor. Her eldest daughter is now engaged in the transportation business and her two younger daughters have found jobs in the city proper of Shannan. "Unlike me, my children no longer had to be born in a cowshed," said Dechen Drolma. In 2017, all impoverished residents in Khesum were lifted out of poverty. WITNESSING FIRST TRAIN IN TIBET Sonam Drolma, 41, has been working at the Lhasa railway station for 16 years. As a first-generation Tibetan railway worker in the region, she witnessed the arrival of the very first train in Tibet when the Qinghai-Tibet Railway was put into operation in 2006. Born in a valley in eastern Tibet, Sonam Drolma remembers how difficult transportation was when she was young. It took her four days to get to her primary school, three days of walking followed by another day traveling by truck. Once she got to junior high, it took her more than 10 days to get to school in central China's Hunan Province. Construction of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway section connecting Lhasa and Golmud started in 2001. When she learned that the Southwest Jiaotong University was recruiting students from Tibet to prepare for the railway line's operation, Sonam Drolma sent in her application immediately. "I wanted to see the train reaching my hometown when I graduated," she said. Now, railway lines have connected Lhasa, Nyingchi and Xigaze in the plateau region. The 435-km Lhasa-Nyingchi railway, the first electrified railroad operating in Tibet that opened in June 2021, had handled 621,000 passenger trips and carried over 7,900 tonnes of cargo by the end of 2021. At the Lhasa station, Sonam Drolma saw more students leaving home for school or university. "I envy them very much for the better traffic conditions now. Watching them going to faraway places, I feel that my work is important," she said. COURAGE TO PURSUE DREAMS When Losang Drolma told her mother that she decided to become a model, they had a big quarrel. Though she majored in law at university, she was so into modeling that she borrowed money to pay for the training. "My mother once thought walking on a stage was not a decent job," said Losang Drolma, 30. With her efforts, Losang Drolma succeeded in her modeling career and ranked fourth in China in an international model contest in 2011. She started a children's modeling and aesthetic training institution in 2016. Over the years, her students have stepped onto stages and runways during various fashion weeks. "I'm lucky that I can do something that I'm passionate about. I hope my students can also find their passion," Losang Drolma said. From 2016 to 2020, the number of market entities in Tibet more than doubled to 365,000, official figures show. A more open and inclusive social environment has also enabled more women to feel free to pursue their dreams. Losang Drolma later found out that her award certificate was placed in a prominent area of her home by her mother. "My name is Drolma. The name represents a group of women with energy. I hope more young people have the courage to pursue their dreams," said Losang Drolma. (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Liang Jun) Russian armed forces said on Monday that it will hold fire and open humanitarian corridors in some Ukrainian cities from 10 a.m. (Moscow time, about 12.30 p.m. IST) to allow civilians to escape, state media reported. According to Russia's military, the decision was taken at the "personal request" of French President Emmanuel Macron to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, Sputnik News reported. In a statement, the military said: "Given the catastrophic humanitarian situation and its sharp aggravation in the cities of Kiev, Kharkov, Sumy and Mariupol, as well as at the personal request of the President of the French Republic Emmanuel Macron to the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, the Russian Armed Forces announce a ceasefire and open humanitarian corridors..." The four mentioned cities are currently under a "significant" Russian assault operation, said the BBC. However, authorities in Ukraine are yet to confirm this development. Over the weekend, two efforts to open a route to allow civilians to evacuate from Mariupol in the country's south-east collapsed, said the BBC report. Ukrainian officials said this was because Russia continued to shell the city during the agreed ceasefire hours. COLUMBIA The S.C. Forestry Commission issued a statewide wildfire alert after officials saw an uptick in blazes over the weekend. A Red Flag Fire Alert went into effect at 6 a.m. March 7. The alert does not prohibit outdoor burning, but strongly encourages Palmetto State residents to refrain from burning until it's lifted. The alert is expected to last several days until weather conditions improve. Much of the state is currently experiencing the dry conditions ripe for sparking wildfires. The U.S. Drought Monitor indicates the coast, including the Charleston area, is particularly dry, but a drought isn't official in South Carolina unless a board of state officials determines that conditions warrant the designation. At the beginning of February, the S.C. Drought Response Committee announced that the state had actually exited the "incipient" drought phase. But abnormally warm and dry conditions still followed that month. Weather forecasts throughout the state are also calling for higher-than-normal winds, causing concern among meteorologists and firefighters. Residents in Charlestons tri-county area started the week with a particularly beautiful day March 7 depending on who you talk to, said Michael Stroz, a meteorologist with the National Weather Services Charleston office. Strong wind speeds around 25 mph cut through the steamy temperatures, forecast to approach 80 degrees with 40 percent humidity. Gusty, warm days paired with dry fuels on the ground could cause issues if people do burn something outside, Stroz said. March 8 isnt forecast to be as hot, and wind speeds are expected to be lower, he added. But given the drought, officials will likely be concerned about fire conditions until the state sees rainfall. Scattered showers are anticipated in Charleston by the afternoon of March 9, Stroz said. Rainfall amounts will increase through that evening and into the following day, though it likely wont be enough to entirely break the recent dryness. The Fire Commission has responded to a dramatic uptick in wildfire ignitions throughout the last 72 hours, officials said. The agency recorded 106 blazes throughout the state between March 3 and March 5, burning through more than 1,500 acres. More wildfires have been reported in the first three months of 2022 than the entirety of the last fiscal year, between July 2020 and June 2021, according to the agency. The frequency and size at which these wildfires occur have needed more firefighting resources and taken more time to get under control. One of our major concerns in addition to the elevated fire danger itself is that fire activity may exceed our capacity to respond, commission Fire Chief Darryl Jones said in a statement. These conditions could create a scenario where we have more fires than we have resources. At least three wildfires were reported in the Charleston tri-county area between March 5 and March 7. Crews responded on March 7 to Rosa Green Road off U.S. Route 17 in Awendaw where an estimated half-acre burned. And two days before, Charleston County sheriffs deputies were forced to shut down a portion of Savannah Highway in the Adams Run area after blazes swept through both sides of the road. Firefighters with the Awendaw-McClellanville Fire District on March 5 also requested assistance from the SCFC after 2 acres along Highway 45 in McClellanville went up in flames. State officials warned that while the Red Flag alert doesnt outlaw burning, it may trigger county or local ordinances which could further restrict outdoor fires. Residents should contact their local fire departments with questions. Real estate and home mortgage lending: two industries that go hand-in-hand, and now a new outpost for eachnew outposts of two regionally established brandshave entered the North Augusta market. Wilber Lane is a real estate agent with NextHome Realty, and Chip Turnbow is a lender with Homestar Financial. The two moved into the space at 1305 Georgia Ave. last November and opened the doors end of February. Having only a corridor between them cuts to the heart of linking the two businesses: it simplifies the home buying process, says a cheerful Turnbow. The right-hand side of what had, in a different time, been the WBBQ radio station (the satellite dishes and antennae, still owned by I Heart Radio, remain on site), is covered in the bright orange of the Next Home Realty brand, down to the two oranges sitting on Lanes desk. The left-hand rooms, by contrast, are cloaked in the deep blue and gold of Homestar Financial... although there is also an emissary from the other side: Luke, the orange dog mascot of Turnbows co-tenant across the hall. We want to get away from the idea that were stuffy salespeople because were not, says Lane. Lane started selling homes in 2004, having licensed first in Anderson, S. Car. Seeing a hot market in Seattle, he then took off for the west coast only to have the Great Recession drop on him within three months of relocating. Lane found his way back southand back to real estatein 2011. Turnbow signed on with Gainesville, Ga.-based Homestar Financial after serving in the Army and contracting at Fort Gordon. Lending has been in his family for more than 20 years, he said. Lane and Turnbow first connected last summer. Finding a commonality in their core values, they started thinking about informally linking their two businesses and eventually signed the lease on Georgia Avenue. We know how to help people and not think about the moneywe understand money and the good that it can do, but its not about the money; its about achieving your dreams, your aspirations, whatever that may be. And that requires a different approach, says Lane. When I train my people, we are relationship people. Not everybody [in the business] is like that. Buying a home, he says, should have a more connected, personal feel to it. Its why he says that he wants each of his 28 agents to be empowered on an individual level, not just at the brokerage level. The hall leading to Lanes office is bannered with the tagline Humans Over Houses, and its a philosophy that Turnbow, too, says he follows. A house is usually a persons largest financial asset, but its also the core of your family, he says. Often, home mortgage lenders assume buyers want only to know how much they might be approved for on a loan and what their maximum buying potential is, says Turnbow. But I think that that concept is really not always as helpful as it could be for the customer because in a lot of ways its not necessarily how much good that buys us, its what are they comfortable buying? What is good for them? What is the best financial plan for them as far as for investing into an asset, which for a lot of people their largest asset is their home. Turnbow, in working under the Homestar brand, keeps the full schedule of the mortgage lending business in house, from originating the loan to its processing, underwriting and closing. Many lenders outsource some of that work to a third party, he explains. Keeping it all under one roof and ensuring borrowers know the exact point in the process where their loan isand the name of whoever is working on it at any given momenthelps to make home buying more personal and more transparent for the customer while also expediting the loan itself, he adds. SUMMERVILLE Republicans in parts of Dorchester and Colleton counties will take part in a special primary election March 8 to fill the seat vacated when state Rep. Mandy Kimmons stepped down late last year. Robbie Robbins, a member of the S.C. Department of Transportation Commission and a former board chairman, will face Candace Jennings, a stay-at-home, home-school mother, in the GOP primary for the House District 97 seat. Both candidates live in Summerville. On the Democratic side, ReZsaun Lewis is the only candidate to file, meaning he has no competition for the nomination. He is also from Summerville and serves as executive director of Lowcountry Youth Services, a nonprofit. Polls will be open 7 a.m.-7 p.m. March 8. The district is highly concentrated within Dorchester County, including around the county seat of St. George but also covers parts of Summerville and Knightsville. Sign up for updates! Get the latest political news from The Post and Courier in your inbox. Email Sign Up! Kizzie M. Scott, executive director of Voter Registration & Elections in Dorchester County, said there will be no mandated voter precautions regarding COVID-19 in the polling places but that masks and wipes will be available for voluntary use. She expects a light turnout, and said absentee voting has been light so far, as well. The seat will be decided in a special election May 17. Kimmons of Ridgeville, a Republican, announced her sudden resignation from the House of Representatives in December, just weeks before the start of the 2022 legislative session. She won the District 97 seat from Democratic control in 2018 in a 7-point victory over Patsy Knight, who was running for her seventh term in office. Students enrolled at Spartanburg Community College can now attend Gardner-Webb University through a direct transfer program. The agreement, now part of Gardner-Webb's Bulldog Bound program, applies to SCC students earning the follow degrees: Associate of Arts Associate of Science Associate of Arts in Teacher Preparation Associate of Science in Teacher Preparation Associate of Fine Arts in Visual Arts Associate in Applied Science There is also a business pathway so students with an Associate of Applied Science in accounting or an Associate of Applied Science in management can get a bachelors degree in accounting or management through GWU. Gardner-Webb is in Boiling Springs, N.C., about 30 miles from downtown Spartanburg. It helps students to know that whatever their route or wherever they go, Spartanburg Community College is dedicated to converging all resources possible so that students can actually activate and live out their dreams, said Michael Mikota, SCC president. In 2002, Mikota graduated from GWU with a Master of Business Administration degree. He said SCC has similar agreements with other universities, including Clemson and University of South Carolina Upstate. Mikota and GWU President William Downs signed off on the Bulldog Bound agreement on Feb. 24. Just last April, we've had close to $2 billion in announcements and most recently with BMW announcing expansions and other growth aspects, Mikota said. We have to supply that labor force because we're the key provider for a lot of that technical skill set, as well as those managerial individuals that are purposely growing within their careers. Bulldog Bound is an admission agreement with community colleges that gives students a pathway to enroll in Gardner-Webb once they graduate from a community college. SCC students must enroll at GWU within one academic year of completing their associate degree. Seven colleges take part in the Bulldog Bound program, according to Kristen Setzer, vice president for enrollment management at GWU. Blue Ridge Community College, Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute, Cleveland Community College, Davidson-Davie Community College, Gaston College and Richmond County Community College are also part of the Bulldog Bound Program. Spartanburg Community College having a 40 percentage-plus growth and enrollment in a year is obviously a great reason to partner with them and to give those students an opportunity to finish their bachelor's degree, Setzer said. SPARTANBURG Morgan Square in downtown Spartanburg will be the focus of a potential redesign, with the city set to hire a consultant to help guide the process. The deadline for firms interested in being considered for developing a plan to redesign the square was March 4. City Communications and Marketing Manager Christopher George told The Post and Courier staff will make a recommendation to City Council in the "next couple of months" on which firm to select and the public input process will likely begin in late spring or early summer. "There is a lot to decide," George said. "First, we need to decide the scope of changes of Morgan Square. It could be something small and not too costly, or it could be larger and that would require more time and investment. It's something City Council would have to decide, with the public input process figuring prominently in that depending on how council wants to go." George said a firm specializing in urban design, yet to be selected, would facilitate public engagement and present a proposed design to City Council. "The first step in that will be pubic input sessions," George said. "There is no timeline on a final plan or when construction would begin." Since May 2020, the portion of West Main Street that borders Morgan Square has been closed to vehicle traffic, providing more space for outdoor activities. The street was first closed to provide outdoor dining for restaurants early in the pandemic. What emerged was a new pedestrian zone free of vehicles, providing residents with a space to gather and socialize without the distraction of traffic. Morgan Square has been a gathering place for years, with benches and oak and elm trees lining a walkway through the square. On Aug. 23, 2021, City Council voted 4-3 to keep the street closed to vehicle traffic for another 12 months. With the closure extended, city leaders will take a look at how the square might be redesigned. Mayor Jerome Rice met with two retailers on March 3 to discuss the issue. "We talked about some of the possibilities and some of the options that may still be out there," Rice told The Post and Courier. "Those conversations are ongoing. We would love to see some renderings of what the possibilities are. It will be a public process and everybody will have a say, and we want everyone to have their input heard." Rice said a portion of the city's American Rescue Funds could be used to pay for a redesign. He anticipates several public input sessions will be held in 2022, including a town hall meeting. Kathy Silverman, owner of The Local Hiker, said she is opposed to keeping West Main Street near Morgan Square closed permanently to vehicle traffic. The Local Hiker is located at 173 E. Main St., a few blocks from the square. "I am not opposed to redesigning and improving Morgan Square or creating additional programming there," Silverman said. "I am just adamantly opposed (to) a permanent closure of our Main Street to accomplish that when there are clearly other ways it can be done." There have been contradictions about our local government's strategy on COVID-19 testing and limitations for those who have come in close cont Read more Russian President Vladimir Putin and European Council President Charles Michel discussed humanitarian issues in Ukraine during a phone conversation on Monday, the Kremlin said in a statement. Putin stressed in the phone conversation that the Russian military is taking all possible measures to save the lives of civilians, and the main threat comes from Ukraine's nationalists, who "use the tactics of terrorists, hiding behind civilians," the statement said, Xinhua news agency reported. Putin said that while Russian forces have declared a ceasefire several times to facilitate the evacuation of civilians along humanitarian corridors, Ukraine's nationalists used violence to prevent civilians from leaving, according to the statement. He called on the European Union to "make a real contribution to saving people's lives, and to put pressure on the Kiev authorities and force them to respect humanitarian law", the statement added. No city matches Seattle for electing lunatic socialists to the city council as well as Congress (i.e., Rep. Pramila Jayapal). So having demonized police and letting the city descend into anarchic chaos, Seattle is now surprised and rattled by a sharp rise in crime, according to the Wall Street Journal this morning: Long one of Americas safest cities, Seattle had 612 shootings and shots-fired incidents last year, nearly double its average before the pandemic. The city has just experienced its two worst years for homicides since the 1990s, when murder rates were at all-time highs. Gunfire has erupted all across surrounding King County, not just in neighborhoods plagued by violence. . . Officials around the country are struggling to understand why. Maybe officials around the country are officially idiots. There are come clues: Nightly protests in the summer of 2020 after the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer pulled Mr. Diazs officers away from their focus on gun violence, he said. The city council responded by cutting millions from the police departments budget, including cutting the salary of then-chief Carmen Best, part of a national push to reallocate police funds to social programs. Demoralized officers have since left in droves, similar to other cities, said Travis Hill, a recently departed police sergeant who spent 14 years on the force. Letting protesters take over a precinct during the citys unrest in 2020 was particularly disheartening, he said. When you dont feel the city has your back, your proactive work goes down, Mr. Hill said. About 360 officers left Seattles force in the past two years, leaving about 950 in the department to battle the rise in shootings. At the beginning of the pandemic, Seattle had 1,305 officers. Stops and other activity initiated by officers dropped by 27% in 2021, and police response times reached historic highs, according to the department. Im sure another tax increase and more social workers will fix everything. The Reuters story is datelined Washington, but the reporting is by a Reuters staffer in St. Paul. Was a State Department official in St. Paul over the weekend? That may be a greater mystery than the deep thoughts of the Biden administration quoted by Reuters on the facilitation of President Bidens imminent nuclear deal with Iran by the friends of Vladimir Putin: New U.S. sanctions imposed on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine are not related to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal and should not have any impact on a potential revival of that agreement, a U.S. State Department spokesperson said on Saturday. The new Russia-related sanctions are unrelated to the JCPOA and should not have any impact on its potential implementation, the spokesperson said, referring to the 2015 deal by its formal name, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. We continue to engage with Russia on a return to full implementation of the JCPOA. Russia shares a common interest in ensuring Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon. Reuters estimates that the deep thoughts make for a 1 minute read, but you can stick the landing in about 10 seconds. [R]elated to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, by the way, is an essential component of the falsehood underlying the administrations efforts to arrive at another arrangement with Iran. Eric Mandel explains why in this illuminating Hill column. I assess with a high degree of confidence from a related Reuters story that the imminence of the deal is accelerating. Francois Murphy and Parisa Hafezi report Iran, IAEA agree timeline to remove obstacle to reviving nuclear deal. Reuters is the service that is tracking the crazed Iran deal developments most closely. Yet another Reuters story raises a potential obstacle: Iranian nuclear talks clouded by Russian demands (more here). The Wall Street Journal takes up the issue in their editorial The Russia-Iran nuclear nexus. I assess with a moderate degree of confidence that this is nothing that cant be resolved by the administration with the friends of Vladimir Putin. Mosaic devotes its monthly essay to an exposition of the nature of the Iranian regime. The essay is by Zeev Maghen, chair of the department of Middle East studies at Bar-Ilan University. His essay is What the West misses about Iran. Subhead: With a new nuclear deal on the way, attention is again turning to Iran. Four new books, plus the deal itself, suggest that America and Europe are blind to the regimes motivating spirit. I assess with a high degree of certainty that Maghen is correct if the blindness is understood to be instrumental or willful. Quotable quote (Zeev Maghen): While Shiism historically contains ample anti-Semitic currents, it is not indelibly anti-Semiticbut Khomeinism is. And it views Jewish sovereignty in the Middle East as an unacceptable offense, which must be eradicated at almost any cost. But Israel is only the Little Satan The world has cheered Ukraines determined resistance to Russian aggression, and even liberals have no problem with Ukraines government passing out automatic rifles to citizens. But some argue that Ukraine hasnt gone far enough, that its government should not have waited for an invasion to arm its populace and encourage resistance to an invader. The example of the Finns armed and effective defense against Russias 1939 invasion has been cited in this regard. And, in fact, some European countries have institutionalized the idea of a guerrilla citizenry. Take Sweden, for example. Americans tend to think of Swedes as rather wimpy and perhaps pacifistic. But, while the glory days of Gustavus Adolphus have receded into the dim past, Swedes are more patriotic than you might assume: Sweden, like Ukraine, Switzerland, and several other countries, has a total defence strategy. This means that it is not only members of the Swedish Armed Forces who are responsible for defending the country in the event of an invasion, but every individual adult and every institution in society. *** All government agencies, municipalities, voluntary organisations, regional councils, businesses, unions, trade bodies, and religious organisations are required to prepare for and, in the event of an invasion, take part in Swedens defence. The idea is that a strong pre-prepared resistance movement will act as a deterrent. An invader might be able to conquer large parts of the country, but maintaining an occupation will be difficult and costly. I think that is what we are seeing in Ukraine. Russia presumably can win the war eventually, but it has little chance of pacifying the population or benefiting from its purported victory. Sweden decided to begin rebuilding its system of Total Defence in 2015, following Russias annexation of Crimea. Since then, every public authority once again became responsible for taking part in defence and preparing and planning for a possible attack. Sweden reintroduced military conscription in January 2018. Interesting that Sweden has a draft, while we dont. Who has a duty to defend Sweden in the event of an attack? Everyone. According to If Crisis or War Comes, a brochure sent to 4,8m households in Sweden by the Civil Contingencies Agency in 2018, Everyone is obliged to contribute and everyone is needed. Under Swedens 1994 law on Total Defence, every Swedish citizen has a duty to take part in total defence from the start of the calendar year in which he or she turns 16 until the end of the calendar year where they turn 70. *** Even if you have had no formal training and have not volunteered to be part of the Home Guard or Hemvarnet, you might still be conscripted to fight in the event of an attack. You might also be conscripted into other government organisations, or posted by the Swedish Public Employment Service to do any job at all, from digging defensive trenches, to working as a driver, cook, or cleaner. *** Even if you are not called up, it is still your duty to resist the invader in any way that you can. If Sweden is attacked, resistance is required, the brochure states and this continues to be the case even if all state agencies are overrun and Swedens leaders announce a surrender. How effectively would Swedes be able to resist? Gun ownership is surprisingly common, at 23 firearms per 100 residents. I especially like this part: If Sweden is attacked by another country, we will never give up, the brochure asserts. All information to the effect that resistance is to cease is false. The Swedish government also encourages citizens to stock up on food and water as further preparation for a possible invasion. If invaded by Russia, would Swedes really carry on the fight with rifles and kitchen knives so as to make their country ungovernable? I dont know, but I wouldnt bet against it. Meanwhile, even Germany, the sleeping giant of Europe in military terms since World War II, is awakening to the need for self-defense. It seems that the Europeans have taken to heart President Trumps urging to take more responsibility for their own defense. Whatever the cause, it is all to the good. Activists and civil society campaigners have criticised the order given by Nigerias Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, to construction firm CCECC Nigeria Limited to award contracts to local companies he hand-picked. The campaigners, who spoke in separate interviews with PREMIUM TIMES, called on relevant regulatory agencies to look into the matter and address the concerns raised in the procurement process. PREMIUM TIMES reported how Mr Amaechi gave the directive to the Chinese construction company in a letter exclusively obtained by this newspaper, dated October 14, 2021. The letter was signed on behalf of Mr Amaechi by J.A Yusuf, Director of Rail Transport Services at the transportation ministry. The contracts are in connection with the Nigerian Railway Modernisation Project covering the Lagos-Kano and Kaduna-Kano sections. Hand-picked According to the letter, the minister hand-picked the companies in accordance with what Mr Yusuf described as Local Content Policy of the Nigerian Government. Titled Local Content Policy on Construction Materials and Equipment, the ministry claimed it received Expression of Interest from the various companies it listed in connection with the railway project. The ministry further directed the construction company to invite the hand-picked companies listed in the letter for contractual engagement. Aside from submitting the list of hand-picked companies to the construction firm, Mr Amaechi, through the Ministry of Transportation, attached to the letter a quotation showing the expense of purchasing materials in the local market. The quotation also listed all the companies and the specification and unit of materials they are expected to supply to the construction company. In addition, the quotation detailed the quantity of materials each company is expected to supply, as well as the market prices of the materials. Quick checks conducted on the status of the companies showed that they are domiciled mostly in Kano, Kaduna and Port Harcourt. Insiders at CCECC expressed worry over the controversial letter, adding that it is in contravention of the nations procurement laws. A source told this newspaper that CCECC management was disturbed by the development, and found it quite difficult to deal with. For months, PREMIUM TIMES searched for the Local Content Policy on Construction Materials and Equipment referenced by Mr Amaechi through the transportation ministry in its letter to CCECC, but this newspaper could not find any such document. Officials at the transport ministry declined to speak on the issue when contacted, and they failed to acknowledge if there was any such policy document. But government sources told PREMIUM TIMES that no policy or executive order could have given Mr Amaechi the express authorisation to unilaterally hand-pick contractors for a private company engaged by the government. Activists Fume In an interview with PREMIUM TIMES, the deputy chairman of the Joint Action Front, Achike Chude, condemned incessant cases of violation of procurement law in Nigeria. The issue of violation of procurement law fits within the greater context of corruption going on in the country, Mr Achike said. The (procurement) laws and policies were put in place to ensure transparency and accountability and to also avoid some sort of discrimination in procurement. It also ensures that there is quality and not just quantity and at the end of the day, and that Nigeria gets value for every naira spent. And so it was supposed to eliminate corruption in procurement. Thats why we have the procurement laws and the fiscal responsibility bill. These two were supposed to work hand-in-hand as instruments to curb corruption with regards to procurement. But unfortunately that has been observed in the breach, regardless of these policies. Mr Achike argued that there is a systemic breakdown in the country, not just in the public place but also in the private space. The reason why it is being violated is because everybody that matters in the scheme of things, from the level of MDAs and even anti-corruption agencies, is involved in the process. When there is a violation; who does something about it? There are deliberate obstacles put in the way to make it difficult for people to have access to this information and when they have access, and the anti-corruption agencies get to investigate, you realize that some of these investigations are corruptly induced. So it is not something within procurement issues but a systemic chain. Its sad. On his part, the chairman of the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA), Olanrewaju Suraju, described reports of Mr Amaechis conduct as embarrassing, calling for immediate sanction by appropriate authorities. Reports of abuse of office, undermining of due process and cronyism against Mr. Rotimi Amaechi on award of contract and overbearing influence over Agencies under his ministry suggest he still relishes in his alpha and omega power as a governor in Rivers State, he said. Advertisements It is embarrassing reading his penchant for shoddy management of affairs as a minister. The president, in his usual practice, has failed to respond to all the scandalous revelations while the Parliamentarians are too complacent or compromised to raise questions. It is important that Mr. Amaechi is charged by stakeholders to come clean on all the allegations and appropriate sanctions applied where infractions are established. Mr Amaechi has a record of violating the nations procurement laws. At various times, he has got himself mired in arbitrary conduct in his handling of procurement processes. Last year, a PREMIUM TIMES investigation showed how President Muhammadu Buhari and Mr Amaechi approved a huge national security-sensitive maritime contract to a medical company in a process the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) said was embarrassing and illegal. In a number of other contractual agreements involving the Nigerian Ports Authority, Mr. Amaechi has been found to have recklessly violated extant rules. Airtel Africa said its Kenyan unit, Airtel Kenya Networks Limited, entered a pact with the Communications Authority of Kenya on Monday in respect of its operating and spectrum services. The wireless carrier and mobile money operator obtained the regulators assent to replace its temporary licence with a 10-year frequency permit for 210 of spectrum in the 2100 MHz band, Airtel Africa said in a regulatory filing to the Nigerian Exchange Limited. In respect of settlements regarding 2015-2025 operating and spectrum licence, Airtel Kenya will pay a total of $20 million in four instalments over the next three years, the document said. In respect of the 210 MHz licence, 2022-2032, Airtel Kenya has agreed to a ten-year licence for $10m. Both permits, summing up to $30 million, will pave the way for the telco to leverage more opportunities in the East African nation, which is one of its biggest markets by revenue. Airtel Kenya grew revenues by 20.8 per cent compound annual growth rate between full year 2018 and full year 2021. Last year, Airtel Africa Nigerian unit lost in the bidding round during which 5G spectrum licences were awarded to rivals MTN Nigeria and little-known Mafab Communications Limited. Airtel Africa has its footprints in 14 countries on the continent. American corporation Kimberly Clark, makers of Huggies diapers, has opened a new $100 million plant in Ikorodu, Lagos, in a new move by the firm to wrestle some market share from other leading brands. In support, the Nigerian government and the Lagos State government pledged a combined N2.5 billion to develop adjoining infrastructure leading up to the factory site at Ikorodu. The pledge was made by the Minister of State, Budget & National Planning, Clem Agba, and Governor Babjide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos. Kimberly-Clark, which has its headquarters in Texas and has a presence around the world manufacturing hygiene and medical products, began operations in Nigeria in 2012, with the introduction of Huggies diapers into the Nigerian market in 2015 and Kotex sanitary pads in 2019. It faced stiff competition from pampers made by the U.S.-based Proter & Gamble, and Molfix, owned by the Turkish firm, Hayat Kimya. Kimberly-Clarks new facility has the capacity to create over 1,000 direct and 5,000 indirect jobs with potential to scale over the next three to five years of operation, the U.S. embassy said in a statement Monday. It will produce diapers under the Huggies brand name, with the primary goal of producing quality Nigerian-made products for mothers and babies across the country. The U.S. consul-general in Nigeria, Claire Pierangelo, said the country was proud to be one of the largest foreign investors in Nigeria as leading American brands expand their investment portfolio, providing job opportunities and supporting economic diversification objectives. Delivering remarks at the commissioning of the facility, Mr Pierangelo noted that Nigeria is a critical market for American companies and improving the investment climate would result in more milestones for both countries. U.S. Mission to Nigeria continues to work with our counterparts in the Nigerian government to promote an environment that is inviting to U.S. businesses. Through this model of cooperation, we will realize mutually beneficial outcomes increasing investment, capacities for job creation, and partnerships while improving the lives of workers and consumers, he said. Mr Pierangelo explained that the commissioning of the new facility showcases the commitment of the United States to deepen its trade and investment ties with Nigeria. She commended Kimberly-Clark for its investment in Nigeria and the companys contribution to improving hygiene and the health of the people of Nigeria. The commissioning was done by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. Mr Osinbajo said every new manufacturing plant is an important step towards the governments belief that private investments both local and foreign is the pathway to rapid economic growth. Kimberly-Clark West Africa has grown from just being an investor in Nigeria to a formidable partner in the actualisation of Nigerias economic objectives, by adding value through diversification, he said. The company has led, commendably, important social investments, including, sponsoring the education of the Dream catchers who danced here, just a few moments ago. This factory, I trust, will only signal the beginning of greater investment in this and other sectors. The Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) said it was proud to welcome Kimberly Clark and be associated with their success story. It said when Kimberly Clark set out to build the plant, they did not envisage that a global pandemic will catch up with the project however, in a show of resilience, they carried on with the 18-month long task of setting up even through the peak of the COVID pandemic. Speaking on the sidelines of the launch, NIPCs acting Executive Secretary/CEO, Emeka Offor, committed to providing Kimberly Clark aftercare services to support their operations. Other government officials at the event included Richard Adebayo, Minister, Industry, Trade & Investment; Pauline Tallen, Minister of Women Affairs; Mr Agba, Minister of State, Finance, Budget and National Planning; and Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Governor of Lagos. Maritime security is not limited to activities at sea inland waterways are also part of the maritime domain, says the African Union (AU). Africas Great Lakes, several of which are among the largest water bodies in the world, are the lifeblood for surrounding communities numbering tens of millions of people. This means that maritime security and blue economies require the attention not just of Africas coastal states but land-linked countries too. The continents lakes and rivers are increasingly threatened by illicit fishing, depredation of marine resources, illegal immigration and territorial disputes emanating from unclear borderlines. Most larger lakes, particularly lakes Victoria, Tanganyika and Malawi are transboundary bodies of water containing the borders of at least three countries. In some cases, these demarcations are disputed. Unless conflicts are amicably resolved, the waters risk becoming contested, causing insecurity among surrounding communities. For example, in Lake Edward, the arrest of Congolese fishermen accused of operating in Ugandan waters led to violent clashes between Uganda and Congolese patrols in 2019. At least 13 people died. Many lakes such as Edward lack a clear border a legacy of colonial policies and treaties. For similar reasons, there have been occasional clashes between Zambia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) on Lake Mweru over fishing rights. Both countries frequently arrest each others fisherfolk. Border disputes are rife on Lake Victoria, which is largely divided between Tanzania and Uganda. Kenya has a small yet significant portion as the 2,000 m2 Migingo island sits on the lakes contested Kenya-Uganda border, resulting in tension over ownership. The fishing industry on Lake Victoria employs about 800,000 people, with 70,000 locally made vessels operating in its waters. The small-scale fisheries sector alone brings in about $300 million in annual fishing revenue among the three bordering countries. Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing by organised crime syndicates endangers the livelihoods of communities around the lake. Climate change is another threat that has a significant impact on Africas waters. About 38.5 million people in the Lake Victoria Basin will experience climate-induced migration by 2050. Flooding and loss of crops on Lake Tanganyika due to increased rains and topsoil erosion could trigger a humanitarian crisis in Burundi. A similar dilemma confronts Lake Turkana, affecting communities in Kenya and Ethiopia, which border the worlds largest desert lake. The safety of life on the lakes is also a priority just as safety of life at sea is the subject of several international conventions. Boat accidents frequently occur on African lakes and rivers, made worse by overcrowding, unseaworthy vessels and a lack of search-and-rescue and life-saving aid. A January 2022 accident on the Congo River in the DRC claimed 50 lives. The river is one of Africas most important inland waterways, with 14,500 km of navigable water in the DRC alone. Like many of the continents largest rivers, it forms the boundary between several countries and enables agriculture, animal husbandry, fisheries and food production, hydroelectric power generation and transportation. Along with problematic colonial-era borders, the discovery of energy resources in shared lakes such as lakes Chad and Malawi could cause disputes if countries decide to act unilaterally. Significant oil and gas deposits have also been found in Lake Edward. This complicates an already tense situation and increases the pressure on all countries to reach resource-sharing and border-management agreements. Various organisations aspire to improve governance in these transboundary settings, including the Congo Basin Climate Commission, the Nile River Basin Initiative, the Zambezi River Authority and the Lake Chad Basin Commission. Several options exist for states and organisations. For instance, Tanzania established mobile courts to help curb illegal fishing in its seas, lakes and dams. To work though, law enforcement must be applied by all lake states, as weak efforts in one might undermine progress in another. The Institute for Security Studies has called for such coordination in response to illegal fishing in West Africa and Lake Kivu. Legal frameworks exist that oblige African countries to improve maritime security and safety standards. But most have not yet come into force due to insufficient ratifications. African states should throw their weight behind instruments such as the 2010 Revised African Maritime Transport Charter and the 2016 Lome Charter. Article 4 of the Revised African Maritime Transport Charter strengthens state party cooperation to ensure maritime transport safety along inland waterways. Article 7 defines the role of the Association of African Maritime Administrations, which builds the capacity of national maritime administrations. Article 3 of the Lome Charter commits signatories to improve fishing governance, promote navigation safety and combat fisheries crime. Initiatives such as the Congo Basin Climate Commission, which focuses on climate change and blue economies in several Central African countries, will help integrate regional efforts to mitigate climate change effects on Africas inland waterways. The commission needs the commitment of government, civil society and the private sector to succeed. African multilateral mechanisms, especially the AU Border Programme, must be capacitated to help states resolve existing and emerging maritime border disputes. Policies and regulations on illegal fishing need to be implemented not just in Africas seas but also inland waterways. Failure to do so will mean that blue economies along the continents rivers and lakes will be neither sustainable nor benefit Africans, as specified in Aspiration 1 of the AUs Agenda 2063. David Willima, Research Officer, Maritime, Institute for Security Studies (ISS) Pretoria This article is published with support from the government of Norway. (This article was first published by ISS Today, a Premium Times syndication partner. We have their permission to republish). Russias defence ministry has announced that the Russian military will on Monday hold fire and open humanitarian corridors in several Ukrainian cities at 10:00 Moscow time (0700 GMT), Al Jazeera quoted Interfax news agency as saying. The corridors will include the Ukrainian capital Kyiv and cities like Kharkiv, Mariupol and Sumy, where PREMIUM TIMES reported that hundreds of Nigerians are held up. The Nigerian foreign affairs minister had earlier given an indication of a possible safe corridor in Sumy when he said Nigeria would begin the evacuation of its citizens from Sumy Monday (today). PREMIUM TIMES reported that over 300 Nigerian students are held up in Sumy, a Ukrainian city that borders Russia and has witnessed repeated bombings by the Russian military. The safe corridors announced by Russia are being set up at the personal request of French President Emmanuel Macron and in view of the current situation in those cities, the Interfax report quoted by AlJazeera stated. The announcement comes after two attempts to evacuate civilians in Mariupol through the designated humanitarian corridors failed on Saturday and Sunday. Evacuations from the port city of Mariupol were scheduled to begin at noon local time during a ceasefire on Sunday, according to Ukrainian military authorities. Interior Ministry adviser Anton Gerashchenko said the planned evacuations were halted because of an ongoing assault. There can be no green corridors because only the sick brain of the Russians decides when to start shooting and at whom, he wrote on Telegram. Pro-Russian separatists and Ukraines National Guard accused each other of failing to establish a humanitarian corridor. The Interfax news agency quoted an official of the Donetsk separatist administration who accused the Ukrainian forces of failing to observe the limited ceasefire. Turkish President intervenes Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also urged President Putin to declare a ceasefire in Ukraine, open humanitarian corridors and sign a peace agreement, his office said. In a statement after an hour-long phone call, the Turkish presidency said Mr Erdogan told Mr Putin that Turkey was ready to contribute to a peaceful resolution of the conflict. The Turkish leader said that a ceasefire would ease concerns over the humanitarian situation. President Erdogan renewed his call of lets 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. Responding to Mr Erdogan, President Putin in the phone call said Russia would halt its military operation only if Ukraine stopped fighting and Moscows demands were met, the Kremlin said in a statement. Mr Putin said the operation was going according to plan and to schedule. The Russian leader said he hoped Ukrainian negotiators would take a more constructive approach at talks and take into account the reality on the ground, the statement added. Some Nigerian women are set to hold another protest at the National Assembly on Tuesday. The demonstration which some have described as the mother of all protests is aimed at calling on the federal lawmakers to reconsider all the gender bills that were rejected during the Constitution amendment last week. The co-convener of Womanifesto, Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, made this known during a meeting with other women groups. She regretted that on the first day of Womens History month March the Nigerian legislature voted to deny citizenship to the foreign-born husbands of Nigerian women but a Nigerian mans foreign-born wife gets automatic citizenship and lawmakers also denied Nigerians in the Diaspora the right to vote. She also lamented that lawmakers voted to deny women the ability to take indigeneship in their husbands state after five years of being together and also rejected 35 per cent appointed positions for women. The lawmakers, she said, also voted to deny women 35 per cent affirmative action in party administration and leadership as well as specific seats for women in the National Assembly. PREMIUM TIMES had reported how the lawmakers last Tuesday, voted on the 68 bills that seek to alter the Constitution. Of the 68 legislations, five bills sought to promote more opportunities for women in political parties, governance and the society at large. They were all rejected. One of the legislation sought to grant citizenship to foreign-born husbands of Nigerian women. Already, a Nigerian mans foreign-born wife is automatically a Nigerian citizen. Another sought to allocate 35 per cent of political positions based on appointment to women. There was also a separate legislation to create special seats for women in National and State Assemblies. Over 200 Nigerian women protested last Wednesday at the National Assembly against the rejection of the bills. The women had accused the lawmakers of choosing to deny women the opportunity of inclusion and representation in governance by voting against the bills. While the women say they have demanded a list of how each lawmaker voted during the process, they vowed to keep occupying the National Assembly until the bills are reconsidered. They accused the men of the ninth assembly of reinforcing the discrimination and political bias against women as enshrined in the Constitution. Besides recomitting and reconsidering all the five gender bills, the women are also asking the lawmakers to pass the Gender and Equal Opportunities bill currently before the Senate and immediately domesticate the African Charters Protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa, which Nigeria ratified in 2004. The National Assembly is also being asked to domesticate the UN Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), which Nigeria ratified in 1985. Nigerias male dominated legislature Nigerias legislature is male-dominated with a very poor women representation (which spreads across political and elective positions). Nigerian women have resolved continue to struggle to push back on the misogynistic attitude of some of the lawmakers and the pattern of neglect toward women concerns and disregard for womanity. We reject further dehumanisation of Nigerian Women. The constitution should cure the defect and we will continue to protest to show our dissatisfaction. We call on the Senate President and the Speaker to call an urgent meeting to discuss how to readdress the wrong if not we shall continue to occupy the National Assembly, they said. The protest is scheduled to hold across many cities in the country. Scholars have long seen in the monumental composition of Stonehenge evidence for prehistoric time-reckoning a Neolithic calendar. Exactly how such a calendar functioned, however, is unclear. In a new paper, Bournemouth University Professor Timothy Darvill argues that the numerology of Stonehenges sarsen elements materializes a perpetual calendar based on a tropical solar year of 365.25 days. The ensemble of sarsen structures at Stonehenge is unique in north-western Europe. In terms of its design and construction, Stonehenge resembles no other stone monument of the mid-3rd millennium BCE. Located on the chalk downlands of southern Britain, Stonehenge has long been thought to incorporate some kind of calendar, although its specific purpose and exactly how it worked remain far from clear. At the beginning of the 20th century, scholars proposed that the monument represented a May Calendar based on clock-stars. Later, they advanced its interpretation as a Neolithic computer, aligned to eight extreme positions of the Sun and the Moon, for the purposes of time-reckoning and predicting eclipses. Some scientists, meanwhile, favored a calendar of 16 months, using the solstices, equinoxes, May/Lammas and Martinmas/Candlemas as turning points in the cycle. These and many other interpretations, however, are all unsatisfactory, as they often use non-contemporaneous elements of the monument, reference astronomical alignments that do not withstand close scrutiny, or perpetuate the discredited idea of a Celtic Calendar. The clear solstitial alignment of Stonehenge has prompted people to suggest that the site included some kind of calendar since the antiquarian William Stukeley, said Professor Darvill, a researcher in the Department of Archaeology and Anthropology at Bournemouth University. Now, discoveries brought the issue into sharper focus and indicate the site was a calendar based on a tropical solar year of 365.25 days. Crucially, recent research had shown that Stonehenges sarsens were added during the same phase of construction around 2500 BCE. They were sourced from the same area and subsequently remained in the same formation. This indicates they worked as a single unit. As such, Professor Darvill analyzed these stones, examining their numerology and comparing them to other known calendars from this period. He identified a solar calendar in their layout, suggesting they served as a physical representation of the year that helped the ancient inhabitants of Wiltshire keep track of the days, weeks, and months. The proposed calendar works in a very straightforward way, Professor Darvill said. Each of the 30 stones in the sarsen circle represents a day within a month, itself divided into three weeks each of 10 days. Distinctive stones in the circle mark the start of each week. Additionally, an intercalary month of five days and a leap day every four years were needed to match the solar year. The intercalary month, probably dedicated to the deities of the site, is represented by the five trilithons in the center of the site. The four Station Stones outside the Sarsen Circle provide markers to notch-up until a leap day. As such, the winter and summer solstices would be framed by the same pairs of stones every year. One of the trilithons also frames the winter solstice, indicating it may have been the new year. This solstitial alignment also helps calibrate the calendar any errors in counting the days would be easily detectable as the Sun would be in the wrong place on the solstices. Such a calendar, with 10 day weeks and extra months, may seem unusual today. However, calendars like this were adopted by many cultures during this period. Such a solar calendar was developed in the eastern Mediterranean in the centuries after 3000 BCE and was adopted in Egypt as the Civil Calendar around 2700 and was widely used at the start of the Old Kingdom about 2600 BCE, Professor Darvill said. This raises the possibility that the calendar tracked by Stonehenge may stem from the influence of one of these other cultures. Nearby finds hint at such cultural connections the nearby Amesbury archer, buried nearby around the same period, was born in the Alps and moved to Britain as a teenager. Finding a solar calendar represented in the architecture of Stonehenge opens up a whole new way of seeing the monument as a place for the living, Professor Darvill said. A place where the timing of ceremonies and festivals was connected to the very fabric of the Universe and celestial movements in the heavens. The paper was published in the journal Antiquity. _____ Timothy Darvill et al. Keeping time at Stonehenge. Antiquity, published online March 2, 2022; doi: 10.15184/aqy.2022.5 Abba Kyari, a suspended deputy commissioner of police, and six others accused of illegal cocaine dealing, have arrived at the Federal High Court in Abuja, ahead of their arraignment. The National Drug Law and Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), on February 28, filed an eight-count charge bordering on unlawfully dealing with and tampering with cocaine. Mr Kyari and his alleged accomplices were brought to the court at 8:12 a.m in a Black Hiace bus on Monday under tight security by NDLEA operatives. The anti-narcotics agency also accused Mr Kyari, in a count which features only him as the sole defendant, of attempting to obstruct the NDLEA and its authorised officers by offering $61,400 to a senior anti-narcotics operative as an inducement to prevent the testing of the 17.55kg of cocaine. According to the NDLEA, four of Mr Kyaris co-defendants are police officers belonging to the Intelligence Response Team (IRT), a police unit that was being led by him until he was suspended following the charges filed against him in the U.S. last year. The four IRT operatives charged along with Mr Kyari are Sunday J. Ubua, an assistant commissioner of police; Bawa James, an assistant superintendent of police; Simon Agirgba, an inspector; John Nuhu, also an inspector. The other co-defendants are Chibunna Patrick Umeibe and Emeka Alphonsus Ezenwanne. U.S. authorities had last year named Mr Kyari among five alleged conspirators of Ramon Abass a.k.a Huspuppi, an Instagram celebrity, in a $1.1 million fraud perpetrated against a Qatari businessperson. This development has compelled Nigerias Attorney-General, Abubakar Malami, to file extradition charges against Mr Kyari at the Federal High Court in Abuja last week. The four IRT operatives charged along with Mr Kyari are Sunday J. Ubua, an assistant commissioner of police; Bawa James, an assistant superintendent of police; Simon Agirgba, an inspector; John Nuhu, also an inspector. The other co-defendants are Chibunna Patrick Umeibe and Emeka Alphonsus Ezenwanne. The two non-police officers among the defendants Messrs Umeibe and Ezenwanne were accused of conspiring with others at large, and importing 21.35kg of cocaine into Nigeria. The court is expected to commence sitting at 9:00 a.m. Two of Abba Kyaris co-defendants in the cocaine offences trial going on at the Federal High Court in Abuja have pleaded guilty. The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) had produced all the seven defendants, including Mr Kyari, a suspended deputy commissioner of police, before the court for arraignment on Monday. Chibuna Umeibe and Emeka Ezenwanne, who are non-police officers, stunned lawyers and the court audience when they admitted their guilt to counts 5, 6 and 7, after the court registrar read the charges to them. Im guilty my Lord, Messrs Umeibe and Ezenwanne said in their separate pleas to the three counts. They pleaded guilty to the charges of unlawful importation of 21.35kilogrammes of cocaine in the presence of their defence lawyer, E.U Okenyi, at Mondays proceedings. Meanwhile, Mr Kyari and the four other defendants, who are also police officers, pleaded not guilty to the eight-count charge. The four other co-defendants are police officers belonging to the Intelligence Response Team (IRT), a police unit that was being led by Mr Kyari until he was suspended following the fraud charges filed against him in the U.S. last year. The four other police officers facing the cocaine charges along with Mr Kyari and others are: Sunday J. Ubua, an assistant commissioner of police; Bawa James, an assistant superintendent of police; Simon Agirgba, an inspector; John Nuhu, also an inspector. Conviction, sentencing to wait After the defendants pleas, NDLEAs lawyer, Joseph Sunday, urged the trial judge, Emeka Nwite, to order a review of the facts of the case to set the stage for the conviction and sentencing of the two defendants who pleaded guilty. But Mr Kyaris lawyer, Kanu Agabi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and former Attorney-General of the Federation, opposed the prosecuting counsels request, suggesting that Messrs Umeibe and Ezenwannes guilty plea could be out of ignorance. He added if the court went ahead to convict and sentence the two men, it could jeopardise the defence of Mr Kyari and the rest of the defendants. But Mr Okenyi countered Mr Agabi, insisting that his clients guilty plea was not out of ignorance. The trial judge, Emeka Nwite, on Monday, adjourned the suit till March 14 and 28 for the hearing of Mr Kyaris and the remaining four defendants bail applications. The judge will also take a review of facts of the case to set the stage for the conviction and sentencing of Messrs Umeibe and Ezenwanne at the next hearing. Meanwhile, the court ordered the defendants to remain in NDLEA custody pending the hearing and determination of their bail applications. Police officers charges NDLEA prosecutors accused Mr Kyari and the four IRT members of illicit dealing in 21.35kg of cocaine between January 19 and 25, 2022, thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under section 11(c) of the NDLEA Act. Messrs Umeibe and Ezenwanne allegedly imported the 21.35kg of cocaine into Nigeria via the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, Enugu State, on January 19, 2022. In one of the charges, the anti-narcotic agency alleged that Mr Kyari and the four IRT operatives illicitly tampered with 21.35kg of cocaine by removing 17.55 kg of it and substituting same with some other substance. The offence is said to be contrary to and punishable under section 14(b) of the NDLEA Act. The prosecutors also accused Mr Kyari, in a count which features only him as the sole defendant, of attempting to obstruct the NDLEA and its authorised officers by offering $61,400 to a senior anti-narcotic operative as inducement to prevent the testing of the 17.55kg of cocaine. Three charges pleaded guilty to by Abba Kyaris co-defendants Messrs Umeibe and Ezenwanne pleaded guilty to the following counts: COUNT 5 That you Chibunna Patrick Umeibe, male adult and Emeka Alphonsus Ezenwanne, male adult on or about the 19th January 2022 at Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu Nigeria, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court without lawful authority imported 21.35kilogrammes of cocaine and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 14(b) of the National Drug Law enforcement Agency ACT CAP N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004. COUNT 6: That you Chibunna Patrick Umeibe, male, adult; and you Emeka Alphonsus Ezenwanne, male adult on or about the 25th January 2022 at Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court without lawful authority imported 21.35kilogrammes of cocaine and thereby committed an offence contrary to an punishable under section 11(a) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency ACT CAP N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004. Advertisements COUNT 7: That you Chibunna Patrick Umeibe, male, adult; and you Emeka Alphonsus Ezenwanne, male adult and one IK, now at large, on the 25th January 2022, at Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court knowingly possessed 21.35 kilogrammes of cocaine and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 11(d) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004. The price of crude oil on Monday hit $130 a barrel, the highest since July 2008, after the United States and European allies considered banning the importation of Russian oil in protest against Russias invasion of Ukraine. Brent crude futures jumped $12.61, or 10.6 per cent, to $130.72 a barrel by 0449 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude climbed $10.41, or 9 per cent, to $126.09, Reuters reported. Mondays intraday highs are near record levels seen for both contracts in July 2008 when Brent hit $147.50 a barrel and WTI touched $147.27. Over the past week, the prices of crude oil rose after the United States and its allies sanctioned Russia over the invasion of Ukraine. Russia is the worlds second-largest oil producer, mostly selling its crude to European refineries. It is also the largest supplier of natural gas to Europe, providing about 35 per cent of the supply there. On Sunday, the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the U.S. and its European allies are exploring 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, Mr Blinken was quoted by Reuters as saying in an interview on NBCs Meet the Press show on Sunday. Reuters quoted the CMC markets analysts as saying, A boycott would put enormous pressure on oil and gas supply that has already felt the impact of increasing demand. Prices are likely to rise in the short term, with a move toward $150 a barrel not out of the question, the analyst said. The rise is good news for Nigeria which relies on crude sales for most of its revenue. However, it is bound to create more problems for the country as higher prices will make fuel subsidies more expensive, with the likelihood of Nigerians having to pay more for fuel, transportation and goods. Fuel scarcity worsened across Nigeria weekend despite repeated assurances from the government that the crisis would soon be over. Queues persisted in Abuja, Lagos and several other cities throughout last week and early Monday as people scrambled to get petrol for their cars and their electricity generators at a time of rising temperatures. The crisis, which has lingered for weeks and in some places like Abuja, for several months continued despite the federal government saying it has sufficient stock of petroleum products for distribution across the country. This experience is too harsh on us. Nigerians are suffering and smiling because if you cry you will be punished, so we are pretending to be happy and we are not happy, a civil servant at the station who gave her name as Mrs Eze said. We are being deprived of what we are supposed to get. I think the reason why the government kept quiet is that everything is easy for them, you cant see them queuing up like this. Nigerians especially in Abuja have endured an unpredictable supply of fuel for nearly a year now, with filling stations operating at reduced capacity. The crisis started in 2021 after the government announced its plan to remove fuel subsidies. Marketers, who the regulators accuse of hoarding the product, have refused to resume normal operations even after the suspension of the subsidy removal plan. In February, the federal government said methanol found in recently imported fuel exceeded Nigerias specification. The development has resulted in a shortage of petrol and queues reappearing in major cities. It has since spread to all parts of the country. Traffic gridlocks appeared across major parts of Abuja as many service lanes were closed to traffic due to queues from petrol stations. The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation had last month assured Nigerians that the company had placed significant orders of over 2.1 billion litres of methanol-free petroleum to ensure that the long queues end in a few days. Last week, NNPC again assured Nigerians that it has distributed petroleum products nationwide to resolve the fuel scarcity that has lingered for weeks. Rather than improve, the situation has become worse. Many motorists have relied on far more costly black market supplies for their fuel needs, and have faced the risks of damaged engines from adulterated products. People who also spoke with PREMIUM TIMES said the development is undermining the countrys economic activities. During our visits to petrol stations in Abuja on Friday and Saturday, PREMIUM TIMES found that many filling stations remained closed. Those selling petrol were clogged with cars as drivers tried to make their way in. Filling stations at Banex, Jabi, Wuse and Lugbe areas of Abuja sold petrol at prices ranging from N162 to N200. Along the expressways, young men clutching petrol cans by the roadsides sold 10 litres of petrol for between N4000 and N5000 in Lugbe, Jabi, and Banex. Many motorists who spoke with PREMIUM TIMES said they sometimes sleep at filling stations to be able to buy the product. I have been here since last night, I slept inside my car so that I can get fuel but still Im yet to get the product, a taxi driver, Seun Ogundipe, told PREMIUM TIMES. I spent two nights in my house and one night at the fuel station. This is to enable me to get the fuel I need because I can not buy the black market, he said. At one of the NNPC outlets in Lugbe Airport Road, there was a huge crowd at the station Friday evening, as motorists struggled to buy petrol. A taxi driver who was at the NNPC filling station to fuel his car, who identified himself as Akanji, told PREMIUM TIMES that the situation at hand now is a big problem for him because he can no longer feed his family. This situation is a big problem for me because I cant get fuel to work. Im a taxi driver each day I deliver what I make to the owner of the vehicle. I can no longer feed my family because of this issue. Frustrating and spreading fast A civil servant at the station, who identified himself as Moses, said he had been in the queue since 9 a.m. and as of 5 p.m., he was yet to move close to the pump. Advertisements Honestly speaking, the issue has affected me negatively in the sense that I was supposed to be in my office today but because of fuel scarcity I have been in the queue for the past five hours trying to get fuel and until now I have not gotten the fuel, he said on Friday evening. And I must also tell you that it has affected everything, even the food we eat because, by the time you go to the restaurant to eat, you will discover that the plate of food that you normally buy at the rate of N1000 is now N1500 and when you asked them why is like that they we tell you they use the money to transport the foodstuffs from the market to the house. It is all-round creating effects on the masses. I must tell you that I am tired of complaining because it is obvious that the government doesnt know what to do, he added. At Optima filling station in Jabi, a commercial driver, Lukas Monday, lamented that frustration is growing in the country where an ongoing fuel shortage is causing disruption of economic activities. This is frustrating and it is growing so fast in Nigeria, this fuel scarcity is causing a massive disruption and blackouts, he said. A long queue was also seen at Mobil filling stations, A.A.Rano, AFDIN along Airport Road and Major Oil Jabi. While some fuel stations like Shema, Dan Oil along airport road visited by PREMIUM TIMES were under lock and key as on Saturday morning. The spokesperson of the NNPC, Garbadeen Muhammed, did not return a phone call seeking his comments as of Friday evening. A clash between the supporters of two governorship aspirants on Saturday disrupted a political ceremony in Kano State. Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje had inaugurated the executive committee of the All Progressives Congress in Rano local government area, a ceremony which left four persons dead and many others injured. Mr Ganduje had, at the ceremony, at the Rano Township Stadium, also distributed APC branded vehicles to the new party officials in Kano South senatorial district. The inauguration of the executive committees followed a court verdict last month that recognised party leaders elected at congresses conducted last year by loyalists of Mr Ganduje at the various levels in the state. However, a fight broke out at the event between the supporters of Murtala Garo, the Commissioner for Local Government Affairs, and those of Kabiru Rurum, a member of the House of Representatives representing Rano, Kibiya and Bunkure federal constituency. Both men are in the race to succeed Mr Ganduje as Governor on the ticket of the APC in 2023. One of the deceased victims, Hamisu Abdullahi, popularly known as Aga, was a resident of Kofar Gabas in Barkum town of Bunkure local government area. His younger brother, Abba Abdullahi, told PREMIUM TIMES that his remains were buried Saturday night, having died from deep cuts he sustained during the clash. He said the deceased, a butcher, had suspended his business following a phone call inviting him to attend the political event in Rano. He left behind a wife and a child, the family source added. Another victim, Dan-Mamadu Kaura, from Garo town in Kabo local government area, was a local government staffer. Mr Kaura, a Fulani cattle herder who lived at the outskirts of Garo town, was recently recruited as cleaner by Rimin Gado local government. Sources said he was at the event on the entourage of the Commissioner for Local Government Affairs, Mr Garo. Residents said the violent confrontation at the stadium was followed by an attack on the Rano General Hospital by armed thugs chasing injured members of the rival group who had been taken to the facility for treatment. Locals said the situation caused panic among residents and traders around the hospitals gate. A hospital source told PREMIUM TIMES that the hospital admitted at least six injured persons and recorded one death, that of a resident of Barkum community (Mr Aga). A resident of Rano town, Ibrahim Yusuf, said the two other persons killed at the event were not from Rano, but had come from Kano. Mr Yusuf said their corpses were evacuated by the police from the scene after the clash. PREMIUM TIMES reported how a similar incident occurred in Rano town in 2019 when Mr Ganduje flagged off his re-election campaign. According to the governors new media aide, Abubakar Ibrahim, Mr Ganduje inaugurated the partys executives in the sixteen council areas of the senatorial district. He said the governor also presented 16 vehicles to the local government party chairpersons in the senatorial district. According to the official, the event was attended by the state chairperson of the APC, Abdullahi Abbas, the Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Alhassan Ado-Doguwa, and the member representing Rano, Kibiya and Bunkure federal constituency, Mr Rurum. Other dignitaries at the event were Kawu Sumaila, a former lawmaker and presidential aide, and Mr Garo, amongst others commissioners and the governors aides. When contacted, the police spokesperson in Kano, Haruna Kiyawa, said he would get back to our reporter over the incident, but he had not done so as of the time of this report. Advertisements The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed reports of the removal of Yobe State Governor, Mala Buni, as its interim national chairman. As reported by some media platforms, Mr Buni was sacked on Sunday night following allegations by members of the committee and APC governors that he has been working against the interest of the party. Quoting unnamed sources, the reports also noted that Mr Bunis dismissal was allegedly approved by President Muhammadu Buhari before leaving for London as he appointed Niger State governor, Abubakar Bello, as a replacement. While the reports of change in the party leadership linger, PREMIUM TIMES on Monday saw dozens of armed police officers stationed in strategic areas of the party national secretariat in Abuja. The officers, who claimed to have been invited to maintain law and order, blocked the Blantyre Street in Wuse 2 where the APC headquarters is situated, and thereby denied passersby access to the route. Journalists were also required to present their organisations identity cards before accessing the road leading to the secretariat entrance. Reacting to the news, the APC, in a statement issued on Monday, said the report of Mr Bunis was sponsored and should be disregarded. The media report is fake news and should be disregarded. The APC is a progressive political party guided by rules. Leadership changes are not announced by sources through name dropping in the media. We urge our teeming supporters, members and indeed the general public to remain calm and support the Governor Mai Mala Buni-led APC CECPC conduct a rancour-free and credible National Convention deserving of our great party, the APC interim secretary, John Akpanudoedehe, said. Efforts to reach Mamman Mohammed, the media aide to Mr Buni were unsuccessful. Presidential spokesperson, Shehu Garba, did not respond to telephone calls from this newspaper. No information yet Niger Gov. CPS When PREMIUM TIMES contacted the spokesperson of the Niger State Governor, Mary Noel-Berje, she said she has no information in that regard. Since this story started flying around, he has been in continuous meetings and he is not out yet. In regard to this, I dont have any information to corroborate that yet. When he leaves the meeting, we will put out comprehensive information in respect to the report you are talking about, the governors spokesperson, Ms Noel-Berje told PREMIUM TIMES. Meanwhile, at 11:54 a.m., Mr Bello arrived at the Buhari House APC National Secretariat, with his entourage. When he arrived at the secretariat, the governor parked his official car in the position where Mr Buni parks. At the time of filing this report, Mr Bello was in a meeting with state chairmen of the APC, who had arrived earlier. It is not clear what the agenda of the meeting is. Two of the chairmen who spoke with PREMIUM TIMES but did not want to be quoted because they were not authorised to speak to the media, said they did not know details of their agenda for the day. The Niger State Governor is one of the 12-member interim committee the party appointed in June 2020. Caretaker appointment The Caretaker committee was appointed in June 2020 after the removal of the National Working Committee led by former Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole. The committee was given the mandate to organise a national convention in December that year but it has not been able to do so nearly two years after prompting allegations that it has a plan to remain in office. A defence lawyer, whose clients pleaded guilty to charges of illicit cocaine dealing involving Abba Kyari on Monday, has defended the decision taken by the two co-defendants. Mr E. U. Okenyi, who was present at the proceedings when the duo pleaded guilty to three of the eight charges at the Federal High Court in Abuja, said their decision was not based on ignorance. He said this while countering the submission by Mr Kyaris lawyer, Kanu Agabi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, that the duos guilty plea might jeopardise the rest of the defendants defence. The National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) recently charged Chibuna Umeibe and Emeka Ezenwanne along with Mr Kyari, a suspended deputy commissioner of police, and four other police officers with cocaine-related charges. PREMIUM TIMES reported earlier that the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) had produced all the seven defendants, including Mr Kyari, before the court for arraignment on eight charges on Monday. This newspaper reported how Messrs Umeibe and Ezenwanne stunned lawyers and the court audience when they admitted their guilt to counts 5, 6 and 7, after the court registrar read the charges to them on Monday. The duo pleaded guilty to the three charges of unlawful importation of 21.35 kilogrammes of cocaine with their lawyer, Mr Okenyi, present during the proceedings. Im guilty, my Lord, Messrs Umeibe and Ezenwanne said in their separate pleas to the three counts. But Mr Kyari and the four other police officers pleaded not guilty to the eight-count charge. My clients guilty plea not based on ignorance Following Messrs Umeibe and Ezenwannes guilty plea, NDLEAs lawyer, Joseph Sunday, urged the trial judge, Emeka Nwite, to order the review of facts of the case concerning the two defendants, to set the stage for their sentencing. But, in response, Mr Kyaris lead lawyer, Kanu Agabi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, objected to the prosecuting lawyers request. Mr Agabi, a former Attorney-General of the Federation, argued that should the court convict and impose a sentence on the duo, it would jeopardise Mr Kyari and the other four defendants case. My Lord, convicting and sentencing these two defendants who have pleaded guilty to the charge will be prejudicial to our clients case, Mr Agabi said. He contended that Messrs Umeibe and Ezenwanne might have pleaded guilty out of ignorance. However, counsel for the two defendants, Mr Okenyi, faulted Mr Agabis submissions concerning his clients admission of guilt. My clients couldnt have pleaded guilty to charges in which they are legally represented in court, Mr Ukenyi said. On his part, NDLEAs lawyer, Joseph Sunday, also opposed Mr Agabis argument, saying the conviction and sentencing of the two defendants cannot be put in abeyance till the conclusion of the five remaining defendants trial. It will be unfair to defer the conviction and sentencing of the two defendants till the conclusion of the trial of the defendants, Mr Sunday who heads the legal services department of the NDLEA told the court. In his intervention, the trial judge directed both prosecuting and defence lawyers to address the court on points of law concerning their arguments. Thereafter, Mr Nwite adjourned the suit till March 14 and 28, for the hearing of Mr Kyaris and the remaining four defendants bail applications. The judge will also take a review of the facts of the case to set the stage for the conviction and sentencing of Messrs Umeibe and Ezenwanne. Arraignment Mr Kyari and his alleged accomplices were brought to the court at 8:12 a.m in a Black Hiace bus on Monday under tight security by NDLEA operatives. The anti-narcotics agency also accused Mr Kyari, in a count which features only him as the sole defendant, of attempting to obstruct the NDLEA and its authorised officers by offering $61,400 to a senior anti-narcotics operative as an inducement to prevent the testing of the 17.55 kg of cocaine. According to the NDLEA, four of Mr Kyaris co-defendants are police officers belonging to the Intelligence Response Team (IRT), a police unit that was being led by him until he was suspended following the charges filed against him in the U.S. last year. Advertisements Our reporter also reported that Mr Agabi, a top-rated lawyer and Nigerias former attorney general hired by Mr Kyari, arrived in court for the arraignment proceedings around 9.12 a.m. on Monday. As part of preparations for the 2022 Hajj, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), has directed State Muslims Pilgrims Welfare Boards/Agencies and Commissions (SPWBs) to migrate Hajj fare deposits made by intending pilgrims into the Hajj Savings Scheme (HSS) platform with Jaiz bank. The HSS platform was approved as the unified registration option due to its profitability and transparent design in line with the commissions first come first served eligibility criterion. This option was well thought out as a parameter for justice to those who have made deposits earlier. Please note that the status quo with regards to pilgrims welfare arrangement remains the same under the states unless restructured by the host country. Accordingly, NAHCON calls upon SPWB/A/Cs to fast-track the migration of pilgrims funds into the scheme to enable prudent preparations for the Hajj season to begin considering the time factor. The commissions leadership acknowledges the quickness with which a couple of states have responded to the directive, describing it as a vital contribution for a smooth Hajj operation. Efforts being made by many more SPWBs Executives Secretaries towards migrating their pilgrims Hajj fares into the approved channel is also recognized. Others yet to commence are advised to do so immediately to avoid last-minute omissions resulting from hastiness. NAHCON assures of its untiring support to all state welfare boards having technical problems while moving the said funds. Such SPWBs are advised to contact the nearest Jaiz bank branch for assistance. Meanwhile, the commission awaits Saudi Arabias final decision on Nigerias quota allocation to facilitate the local distribution of slots. An Oyo State Chief Magistrates Court sitting at Iyaganku, Ibadan, ordered the remand of a 27-year-old herder, Auwal Salisu, at Abolongo Correctional facility, Oyo, on Monday. Mr Salisu was arraigned over the alleged murder of a Togolese farmer, Kosi Apaji, on his farm at Aada village, via Jobele, Oyo, on January 17. Police prosecutor, Femi Oluwadare, told the court that Mr Salisu caused the death of the 50-year-old farmer by cutting off his head and two legs before he was arrested. He said the offence contravened the Criminal Code of Oyo State 2000 Presiding Chief Magistrate Emmanuel Idowu did not take the plea of the defendant for lack of jurisdiction. He ordered Mr Salisus remand at the correctional facility pending receipt of advice of the states Director of Public Prosecutions. Mr Idowu subsequently adjourned the matter till April 4, for mention. (NAN) Abba Kyari, a suspended deputy commissioner of police, has engaged a former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Kanu Agabi, to defend him in his drugs offences trial. PREMIUM TIMES reported how the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) recently charged Mr Kyari and six others with illegal dealing in cocaine. This newspaper reported earlier on Monday how Mr Kyari and his co-defendants were brought to Federal High Court in Abuja, the venue of the trial, in a Black Hiace bus under tight security by NDLEA operatives. The bus arrived at the court premises at 8:12 a.m. Our reporter observed that Mr Agabi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), arrived at the courtroom and took the front row seat, exclusively reserved for senior lawyers. Mr Kyari and six other persons, who are being accused of illegal cocaine peddling, are expected to take their plea in an eight-count charge before Emeka Nwite, of the Federal High Court in Abuja, on Monday. The National Drug Law and Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), on February 28, filed an eight-count charge bordering on unlawfully dealing with and tampering with cocaine. Mr Kyari and his alleged accomplices were ferried to the court at 8:12 a.m in a Black Hiace bus on Monday under tight security by NDLEA operatives. The anti-narcotics agency also accused Mr Kyari, in a count which features only him as the sole defendant, of attempting to obstruct the NDLEA and its authorised officers by offering $61,400 to a senior anti-narcotics operative as an inducement to prevent the testing of the 17.55kg of cocaine. According to the NDLEA, four of Mr Kyaris co-defendants are said to be police officers belonging to the Intelligence Response Team (IRT), a police unit that was being led by Mr Kyari until he was suspended following the charges filed against him in the U.S. last year. The four IRT operatives charged along with Mr Kyari are Sunday J. Ubua, an assistant commissioner of police; Bawa James, an assistant superintendent of police; Simon Agirgba, an inspector; John Nuhu, also an inspector. The other co-defendants are Chibunna Patrick Umeibe and Emeka Alphonsus Ezenwanne. NASA has released an a beautiful new photo taken by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope of an Herbig-Haro object called HH 34. HH 34 is an Herbig-Haro object located approximately 1,370 light-years away in the constellation of Orion. Herbig-Haro objects are seen to evolve and change significantly over just a few years, Hubble astronomers said. This particular object, called HH 34, was previously captured by Hubble between 1994 and 2007, and again in glorious detail in 2015. It is produced by an extremely young star in the earliest phase of formation, they added. It consists of an incandescent jet of gas traveling at supersonic speeds. As the jet collides with material surrounding the still-forming star, the shock heats this material and causes it to glow. The result is the colorfully wispy structures billowing across the lower left of the Hubble image. Also known as Haro 4-369 or PACH 283, HH 34 resides in the Orion Nebula, a large region of star formation visible to the unaided eye. The Orion Nebula is one of the closest sites of widespread star formation to Earth, and as such has been pored over by astronomers in search of insights into how stars and planetary systems are born, the researchers said. The color image of HH 34 was made from separate exposures taken in the infrared region of the spectrum with Hubbles Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) instrument. It combines observations gathered in four different filters. The color results from assigning different hues to each monochromatic image associated with an individual filter. The data in this image are from a set of Hubble observations of four nearby bright jets taken with WFC3 to help pave the way for future science with the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope, the scientists said. Webb which will observe at predominantly infrared wavelengths will be able to peer into the dusty envelopes surrounding still-forming protostars, revolutionizing the study of jets from these young stars. Hubbles high-resolution images of HH 34 and other jets will help us interpret future observations with Webb. The 14th Emir of Kano and former governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Lamido Sanusi, has preached religious tolerance among Nigerians, even as he canvassed support for Islamic finance, otherwise known as non-interest finance. Mr Sanusi, who spoke on Sunday in Lagos as the special guest of honour at the 5th national discourse organised by The Companion, an association of Muslim businessmen and professionals. The discourse, which was themed; Islamic Finance Experiment in Nigeria: Gains, Challenges and Prospects, had as keynote speaker, a professor of Islamic Law at the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), AbdulRazzaq Alaro. Mr Sanusi, who traced the history of Islamic finance services in Nigeria and the opposition to it by some individuals and religious leaders, commended some non-Muslims for their support, encouragement and what he described as their workable suggestions on how the CBN, under his watch, navigated through the challenging moment. He advised Muslims to always keep their non-Muslim friends, saying reacting to criticisms based on religious perception and that taking individuals opinions to represent the opinion of a people or their religion, cannot be justified. Islamic finance birth in Nigeria Narrating the journey of Islamic Finance in the country, Mr Sanusi said when he attended the meeting of the Islamic financial services board in Geneva as the CBN governor, many had accused him of attempting to Islamise the country. But those criticising us then never knew that it was actually my predecessor, Charles Soludo, who applied to the board that Nigeria should be a member. However, it was at the end of his tenure that we were admitted. So shortly after he left we were invited to the meeting and that coincided with my assumption of office, Mr Sanusi said. He said many Nigerians saw the merit of the non-interest finance system but were blinded by religious sentiments. Mr Sanusi, however, commended those he described as patriots, saying despite their religious faith, they contributed significantly to how certain relevant issues were resolved at the policymaking level. He said; For instance, people were complaining about sharia in some clauses and I said we could remove sharia. I said in the entire Quran sharia is mentioned only once. So everywhere sharia is mentioned in the policy documents, we changed it to Islamic legal jurisdiction. And a Christian also helped to coin the Financial Regulators Advisory Council of Experts (FRACE) to avoid the use of sharia. He said it was the former acting governor of CBN, Sarah Alade, who helped to coin FRACE, to escape the religious sentiments. Meanwhile, when we were at the National Assembly, one of the critics was a female representative from Anambra State. She stood up and pointed fingers at me. But when she finished speaking, I told her that the Islamic Development Bank had given the finance ministry a loan for agriculture and three states including Anambra would benefit. So I told them it is not about Muslims or Christians but about individuals, he added. Meanwhile, Mr Sanusi said as of the time he was being quizzed at the National Assembly, 40 per cent of the shareholders that had bought JAIZ Banks shares were not Muslims. JAIZ Bank is Nigerias first non-interest bank in the country. So if you choose to respond to an attack coming from someone who claims to be speaking for Christianity and then you speak from an Islamic position, you will divide the country, Mr Sanusi said. Meanwhile, in his lecture, Mr Alaro said the United Kingdom is the leading promoter of Islamic banking globally and the head of Islamic finance at the World Bank is a Nigerian Christian, Abayomi Alawode. He described Islamic finance as a form of charity, saying; Islamic finance is interest-free but not profit-free. Islamic finances gains Mr Alaro said Islamic finance has deepened the financial system in Nigeria by providing alternative investment and financing outlets to many households in the banking, insurance and capital market segments. This is evidenced by the growing demand for, and ever-increasing customer base of Islamic financial services in the country. From just one and only non-interest financial institution in 2012, the industry has grown in only one decade to four licensed full-fledged non-interest banks; a window of a conventional bank; and three microfinance banks, among others, he said. Mr Alaro, who is also a member of CBNs FRACE said corporate entities, as well as the Nigerian government, have also benefited from Islamic banking. Challenges Mr Alaro, however, said the market share of the Islamic finance industry is still very low, when compared to the conventional market. He spoke about other challenges including lack of adequate liquidity management instruments in the Nigerian Market, dearth of innovative but yet shariah-compliant products, poor skilled human capital resources; poor Islamic finance literacy, and what he termed jurisdictional gaps in Islamic finance-related disputes. Recommendations On what he would recommend to Nigeria, Mr Alaro said since Islamic finance institutions are by law barred from accessing funds meant for haram products and activities, such as alcohol, gambling or betting, pornography, among others, appropriate measures should be taken to attract more investment into the sector, including government patronage, where necessary. Advertisements The need for increased capital for the Islamic finance industry in Nigeria cannot be overemphasised. It is only natural that funds meant for religious activities such as the annual hajj must be deposited exclusively with the non-interest financial institutions, he said. Still, on recommendations, the don said regulators and operators of Islamic finance institutions, through their CSR projects, should support universities and academic centres to facilitate capacity building for the industry through the endowment of professorial chairs, the establishment of specialised academic departments and introduction of short and long term professional programmes in Islamic finance. He also advised that non-interest financial institutions in Nigeria should invest heavily in financial technologies, otherwise called Fintech, noting that it is where the future of banking services lies. He recommended that CBN should collaborate with the National Judicial Institute on the imperative of training the countrys judges on the intricacies of Islamic finance. In Feb 2022, the Nigerian Copyright Commission reached an agreement with the National Judicial Institute on the training of judges on intellectual property law, he said. The guest lecturer also commended Bayero University, Kano (BUK) for introducing courses in Islamic finance, urging other universities in Nigeria to follow suit. On his part, the national president of The Companion, Kamil Olalekan, said the 5th discourse falls under the fourth theme of the organisations objectives which tagged strategic and community engagement. He said; As an organisation of intellectuals, we have a responsibility to initiate or contribute to debates on key national policy issues affecting the wellbeing of the nation. We are motivated to do these not only as a patriotic duty but also because our own businesses and professions are affected by such policies. The topics that we discuss are influenced by timeliness and relevance to the Nigerian polity. In the past four editions, we addressed the issues of corruption, national elections, energy and food security. This year, we have decided to discuss Islamic finance. Meanwhile, the vice-chancellor of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka, Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, who was also present at the event, said all is now set for the university to begin a postgraduate course on Islamic finance. The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Monday, barred President Muhammad Buhari, the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and the Senate President from tampering with the newly amended Electoral Act 2022. The judge, Inyang Ekwo, in a ruling on an ex-parte application by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said the Electoral Act having become a valid law could not be altered without following the due process of law. Mr Ekwo agreed with the PDPs lawyer, Ogwu Onoja, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), that the proper place to challenge validity of any existing law is court of competent jurisdiction. Specifically, the court restrained President Buhari, the AGF and the National Assembly and other defendants in the suit from removing section 84 (12) of the Electoral Act or prevent it from being implemented for the purpose of the 2023 general elections. PREMIUM TIMES had reported that Mr Buhari while signing the amended bill into law in February, urged the parliament to expunge Clause 84(12) of the Act. The clause reads: No political appointee at any level shall be a voting delegate or be voted for at the convention or congress of any political party for the purpose of the nomination of candidates for any election. The PDP had sued the federal government over fresh moves to tamper with the newly amended Electoral Act. Mr Buhari is sued along with the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Senate President, Speaker, House of Representatives, Clerk of the National Assembly, Senate Leader, House of Representatives Leader and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Also joined as defendants in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/247/2022 are Deputy Senate President, Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Deputy Senate Leader and Deputy House of Representatives Leader. Prayers The main opposition party prayed the court for an order of interim injunction restraining Mr Buhari and other defendants from refusing to implement the duly signed Electoral Act or in any manner withholding the Electoral Act from being put to use including the provisions of section 84 (12) of the said Act pending the resolution of the suit. It also applied for an order of the court stopping the National Assembly from giving effect to President Buharis request to remove section 84 (12) from the Electoral Act or take any step that will make the provision inoperative pending the resolution of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction. The grouse of the PDP is that President Buhari having assented to the bill on February 25, 2022, cannot give any directive to the National Assembly to take immediate steps to remove the section 84 (12) or any section of the Act on any ground whatsoever. The judge granted the interim injunction request and adjourned further hearing in the matter till March 21. Backstory PREMIUM TIMES reported how President Muhammadu Buhari signed the reworked Electoral Amendment bill into law. The president signed the bill at the Presidential Villa on February 25 in the presence of the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, and other officers. The signing came a few days after a presidential media aide, Femi Adesina, assured that Mr Buhari would assent to the bill. Before he signed it, the president sought an amendment to the bill by asking the National Assembly to delete Clause 84(12) of the bill. He had said the clause constituted a disenfranchisement of serving political office holders from voting or being voted for at conventions or congresses of any political party, for the purpose of the nomination of candidates for any election in cases where it holds earlier than 30 days to the national election. He added that the clause introduced qualification and disqualification criteria that were ultra vires the Constitution by importing blanket restriction and disqualification to serving political office holders of which they are constitutionally accorded protection. The governor of Niger State, Abubakar Bello, on Monday, reacted to the report of his appointment as the sole administrator of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) after the alleged dismissal of Yobe State Governor, Mala Buni. Some sections of the media had earlier reported that Mr Buni, who was appointed as the Chairman of the 12-member Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) in June 2020, had been removed and Mr Bello appointed in his place. Against the report of takeover, Mr Bello, who is a also member of the CECPC, told journalists that he was at the APC National Headquarters to administer oath of office to the elected state chairmen of the party. Mr Buni-led interim national leadership of the party presented certificates of return to the chairmen-elect of the party in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in February without administering oath on them. Mr Bello , on Monday, behind closed doors, administered the oath office on the state chairmen in attendance after a meeting with members of the interim committee. The states chairmen took their oath of Office today and we discussed progress made so far on Convention and what needs to be done next so that we will achieve the March 26 date for Convention, he said after the event. The Niger goovernor said he had been acting as the chairman of the party since Mr Buni left the country to seek medical attention. I have been acting for a while since the chairman traveled, he told journalists before leaving the National Secretariat. Mr Bellos arrival at the party headquarters generated speculations of possible takeover of the Yobe Governors role in the party. The governor is a member of the caretaker committee constituted by President Muhammadu Buhari on June 25, 2020. The management of the American University of Nigeria (AUN), Yola, has congratulated Nigerian students who recently returned from Europe following the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. This is as the university has invited them to consider enrolling at the institution, saying rather than flying abroad for university education, AUN would meet their desires. This was contained in a statement by AUNs executive director of communications, Daniel Okereke, a copy of which was obtained by PREMIUM TIMES. The statement read in part: Having fled the war in Europe to safely rejoin your families and loved ones under these traumatic circumstances must certainly have been a frightening time for you all. Like all of Nigeria, we rejoice that you have been able to return safe and sound. Your education has been violently and unexpectedly interrupted by international events beyond your control. Wondering what you should do next, we have one option for you to consider. If you desire to continue your education and research while you are back home here in Nigeria, you will find that AUNa safe, diverse, cosmopolitan and well-resourced university, with an excellent digital library, organised on the US model of higher educationmay meet your immediate needs. Here we have students from every state in Nigeria, and from other African countries as well as the US, UK and Canada. They come to us for our excellent high-tech infrastructure, our high standards, and our sense of community. We invite you to take a virtual tour on our YouTube channel and to see if our programmes will fit your educational and career needs. Russia-Ukraine war The Russian-Ukrainian war started on February 24 when Russian President, Vladimir Putin, said he was carrying out a special military operation in the region. The Nigerian government had also commenced airlifting back home the countrys citizens stranded in Ukraine. The evacuation followed a series of campaigns on social media by many individuals and organisations including PREMIUM TIMES. This newspaper had launched a series of dialogue sessions to advance conversations around the issues of safety and evacuation of stranded Nigerians, and featured relevant officials of the government. The government was later said to have approved $8.5 million for the evacuation of estimated 5,000 stranded Nigerians. Since then, the United Nations said over one million people have fled Ukraine, warning that at this rate the exodus could become the biggest refugee crisis this century. Qosim Suleiman 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. From community and labour protests to civil wars, businesses are entangled in African conflict and violence. Indeed, all fragile and conflict-affected countries experience violence with a close nexus to the private sector. Until we recognise that private sector development in conflict environments must be a peace process requiring political settlements on matters of the economy we wont make progress. Peace-positive private sector development is hard to implement and clashes with the goal of maximising private returns. Specialised peacebuilding intermediaries and investment vehicles are needed. The failure to constrain bad businesses most clearly exacerbates conflict and impedes development. South Africa, for example, transitioned from the Dutch East India Companys corporatised slavery, to the British South Africa Companys corporatised imperialism, through the private sectors symbiotic relationship with the apartheid government, to the active participation of companies such as McKinsey and Bain in state capture. The story repeats itself across Africa. From De Beerss links to war crimes in West Africa to Ugandas New Forests Company, whose plantation was cleared of residents by government forces that burnt houses and murdered children to do so. However, ostensibly good private sector development actors are also implicated in destructive conflict. For example, the African Development Bank won a Deal of the Year 2020 award for the Mozambique Liquefied Natural Gas Area 1 Project, the largest direct investment in Africa. The bank assured stakeholders that it would manage the project to the highest social and environmental standards. Yet this project is at the heart of social divisions and violence that have left thousands dead and as many as a million displaced. A toxic mix of mercenaries, foreign troops and a terrorist insurgency has resulted in gross human rights abuses. Peacewashing saying the right things while doing something different could explain this. Development finance institutions compete with private banks and investor groups for business. They must disperse vast amounts of funds to support a cost structure that resembles Goldman Sachs more than any peacebuilding organisation. This leads them to push investments far beyond the capacity of fragile contexts such as Mozambique to put to developmental use. They also partner with profit-maximising corporations with no track record of peace-positive development. But another explanation may be that development finance institutions and their clients have a fundamentally flawed understanding of the inter-relationships of business, conflict and peaceful development. Even when these actors tell us that they intend to do good, they articulate strategies that are at best highly indirect pathways towards peace. They argue that jobs will make youth less susceptible to recruitment by gangs, or that taxes paid by business will lead to improved public services. To be fair, these assertions are not without evidence. However, these actors largely ignore their impacts on intergroup relations, which is the most direct pathway by which private sector development supports peace or reinforces conflict dynamics. Members of groups in conflict are attentive to their collective access to, and control over, economic, political and social assets. They see how private sector development exacerbates injustice by reinforcing the power and wealth of entrenched elites, as in Burundi and Sierra Leone. They see how it disenfranchises many in the informal sector dependent on land and mineral resources in favour of large mining projects, as in Ghana. They see how it favours some ethnic groups over others in commercial opportunities, as in Ethiopia. Such imbalances between groups exacerbated by investment and business activities increase grievances, widen social divides and legitimise violence. This means our focus must shift from the economic dimensions of private sector development to its role in intergroup political settlements on questions of economic justice and inclusion. Deal making now left to bankers and corporate strategists must, in conflict-prone places, be treated as an extension of peace negotiations. Substantively, all actors must understand and embrace opportunities in the real economy that directly address the needs of poor, vulnerable and marginalised groups at scale. Procedurally, groups in conflict must be accompanied as they build sufficiently broad consensus on a path forward. Critical processes require independent mediation and external verification. These include developing environmental and social risk assessments and mitigation plans; frameworks for allocating benefits, risks and costs between stakeholder groups; and monitoring and evaluation. Conflict resolution including processes that protect community rights and provide restitution for harms done by private sector development projects also needs to be independent from commercial control. These peacebuilding approaches to private sector development require skilled actors with the will to prioritise patient progress towards peace. They must be able to bring about profound changes in power relations and institutional arrangements in economic matters, managing resistance from those with vested interests. Such actors achieve more peace- and development-positive outcomes. For example, in South Africa, Partners in Agri Land Solutions (PALS) understands that Land reform is not a land problem, it is a relationship problem. PALS explicitly addresses mistrust and unequal relationships in a facilitated approach to sustainable transformation. It recognises that the goal cannot be profit maximisation for any particular actor, but must be a just and inclusive economy in which all can prosper. It therefore contributes to peaceful development. READ ALSO: Some international actors, including the governments of South Africa and Canada, are sparking discussions on a more positive and actionable vision for private sector development in conflict environments. This may lead to a balanced framework that includes: dedicated intermediaries who facilitate the analysis, dialogue and accountability processes required for groups in conflict to build consensus on directions for economic development; carefully cultivated, sustainable enterprises willing to prioritise peace outcomes, even at the expense of profits; and development finance institutions who put aside the ego gratification and easy profits of the mega-deal in favour of mobilising resources for these actors peacebuilding efforts. Their challenge is that such approaches predictably complicate business as usual and reduce excess private returns which sits uncomfortably with many powerful actors. Professor Brian Ganson, Head, Africa Centre for Dispute Settlement (ACDS), Stellenbosch University Business School ACDS partners with the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) on issues related to private sector development and peacebuilding. (This article was first published by ISS Today, a Premium Times syndication partner. We have their permission to republish) Advertisements Benin Republic authorities have released Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, from prison to his medical practitioners, his lawyer, Yomi Alliyu, has said. Mr Alliyu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, said in a statement Monday that Sunday Igbohos release was under the agreement that he should not leave the medical centre or Cotonou for any reason. I am to inform you that Chief Sunday Adeyemo, a.k.a Igboho, has been released from prison to his medical practitioners under the agreement that he should not leave the medical centre or Cotonou for any reason. Praises should be given to two prominent Yoruba personalities to wit: Prof. Wole Soyinka and Prof. Akintoye for this turn around in our clients matter, he said. The incarceration of Mr Igboho in the Republic of Benin had been extended by six months after spending the initial six months in prison. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Mr Igboho and his wife, Ropo, were arrested on Monday, July 19, 2021, by the International Criminal Police Organisation at the Cadjehoun Airport in Cotonou, the Republic of Benin on their way to Germany. (NAN) the quality and effectiveness of ministers and heads of parastatals are critical to the governments overall performance, as all policies are executed through the instrumentality of ministries, departments, and agencies. Ministers and heads of parastatals should admit, as a reality, that they face three assessments: that of Mr President who appointed them and at whose pleasure they serve, the public who they are assigned to serve, and history, which keeps records. Last week this column focused on the legacy of elected political office holders, as we wind up a political era and transit to a new one. This week, we will focus on political appointees. After nearly three and seven years, respectively, of service to the country, it is time to reflect on the performance and value addition of our ministers and heads of public parastatals. To hold our ministers and heads of the ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) of government, appointees of the president accountable, is a fundamental element of participatory democracy. In our clime, the power these officeholders exercise, and the impact of their actions and inactions are too significant to be ignored in the power equation. This situation is more noticeable when you have a charismatic and efficient leader as a minister or head of a parastatal. They galvanise their ministries or agencies to achieve their mandates and improve the quality of lives of the people and the countrys development. Three critical assumptions, though misleading, are common in our country. One, ministers are only accountable to the president and not the people. Second, only the president sets the ministers targets, and he alone can assess their performances. The third is that whether ministers perform or not, the credit, blame or condemnation goes to Mr President, who appointed them to act on his behalf. Under proper scrutiny and contextualisation, these assumptions are not the absolute truths in an American-style democracy, which we copied without effort to adapt to our cultural context. Ministers are mentioned in the constitution, and they derive their powers from it, and the people approve them through the legislature, to serve them. The third is that the fund they spend for all activities flows from the national purse or our commonwealth. The import is that they owe their primary loyalty to the country and the Constitution, from where they derive their powers before to whoever appointed them. Ministers cannot hide under these fallacious and illogical assumptions to dodge the accountability responsibility, distinct from accounting. Every Ministry exists for the public good; it is thus consequential that ministers and heads of parastatals explain and justify what they did with public funds to advance the public interest. Anything short of that is democratically unacceptable. Ministers and heads of departments and agencies are the instrumentalities through which government functions and performs its duties. The government implements all its policies through the MDAs, with their civil service structure that is supposed to be apolitical and designed to serve the government of the day. The ministerial mandate challenges the individual appointees creativity, energy, and managerial capacity. In acknowledgement of this, at the mid-term ministerial performance review retreat held in October 2021, nine priorities and presidential legacies were identified and commitments made by the ministers. We are yet to see these commitments impact significantly on the macro economy, poverty reduction, food sufficiency, power, education and health outcomes. The ministers role is crucial in shaping an efficient and effective ministry that is fit for purpose and delivers good dividends of democracy to the people. We can safely conclude that the sum of the output of government ministries, departments and agencies (headed by ministers and heads of parastatals as political appointees) roughly corresponds with the total productivity of government, in terms of structures and infrastructures, policy creation and execution, and procedural and operational efficiencies of the socio-economic and political ecosystem. Based on the above, the principal function of the minister or head of parastatal is to organise, manage and direct all material and human resources available to the Ministry or agency to achieve their set mandate, in line with the dominant ideology, goals and aspirations of the government in power. They must see themselves as the voices of the government they represent and, in a democratic society, the voice of the people and the voiceless. This present government appointed 36 and 42 ministers during the first and second terms, respectively. It also appointed heads of parastatals or agencies under each of these ministries. How have they performed in the past three or seven years, depending on when they were appointed? What indices of development have they been credited with? How have their works impacted the quality of lives of the people they serve? What are their scorecards? Answers to these questions will highlight the efficacies or lack thereof of the ministers and heads of parastatals and the ministries and agencies they have supervised. Typically, the presidency that appointed the ministers ought to have a template for assessing the ministers at periodic intervals and at the end of their tenures. In spite of their political character, it might be better to assess ministers more like departmental CEOs with clear targets and performance indicators. The ministerial mandate challenges the individual appointees creativity, energy, and managerial capacity. In acknowledgement of this, at the mid-term ministerial performance review retreat held in October 2021, nine priorities and presidential legacies were identified and commitments made by the ministers. We are yet to see these commitments impact significantly on the macro economy, poverty reduction, food sufficiency, power, education and health outcomes. As leaders, ministers should start reflecting on the legacy they are leaving for posterity. This last year before the general election allows them time to complete whatever they consider legacy projects or programmes, concentrate on a few projects that will create significant impact, or change course and at least accomplish some good for the people. Failure to make good use of the time left may be tantamount to a lost opportunity, and history does not forgive mediocrity. Today, a cursory survey of our serving ministers indicates that a tiny percentage has made significant impact. Others are anonymous, and a few interested contractors remember them as ministers who are always sleeping on duty. The staff may remember a few others of their various ministries as passers-by who added no value but colluded with contractors to pillage our commonwealth. We still reminisce about ministers who did great work in Nigeria in the recent past. We have had ministers remembered for innovative policies and who made a difference; we remember Ngozi Okonji Iwela for securing debt cancellation for Nigeria and creative management of the economy; Akinwumi Adesina for innovative agriculture policies that served the poor, amongst others. So, if a minister wants to be in this league of much-loved ministers in Nigeria, now is the time to create the legacy, and history will be kind to them. Based on my experience, the challenges of managing an MDA or parastatal in Nigeria is enormous. You are up against landmines and deeply entrenched interests. Any head of a parastatal must be focused, determined, proactive and have a knack for efficiency and the achievement of goals to make meaningful improvements to the system. The heads of parastatals are not left out. That parastatals spend trillions of naira yearly to provide services regulatory, advocacy, etc. therefore makes them deserving of public scrutiny. These services are the backbone of the entire ecosystem and, if not correctly performed, will result in inefficiencies and non-competitiveness across all the sectors of the economy and poor quality of life for all. The major sectors of the economy, from maritime, telecommunication, to banking, are regulated by these agencies to ensure they function well and do not crash the system. Unfortunately, only a few of these parastatals and agencies are functioning optimally and fulfilling their mandates. Some of these heads are performing exceptionally, and the impact of the parastatals are felt across board. We owe much gratitude to such heads, and history will favourably judge them. Some of these heads of parastatals are showing outstanding leadership in transforming an almost moribund administrative system they met when they were appointed into a modern organisational system that is technology-driven and vision-oriented. However, most heads of parastatals performed below expectation and did not make any positive changes to the system they inherited; instead, they left it worse than before they took office. To current heads of parastatals, I sincerely hope they will use this year to reflect on the tasks at hand and map out ways to improve on their delivery. Based on my experience, the challenges of managing an MDA or parastatal in Nigeria is enormous. You are up against landmines and deeply entrenched interests. Any head of a parastatal must be focused, determined, proactive and have a knack for efficiency and the achievement of goals to make meaningful improvements to the system. In some parastatals, the combination of unskilled and unmotivated human resources, an almost religious reliance on path dependency, and nearly non-existent modern technology to drive the processes and increase productivity make it nearly impossible to achieve meaningful results. Transforming a parastatal is a science and an art. I have documented my own experience of changing the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) in four years I was saddled with the responsibility of steering its ship, as chronicled in my seminal book, Strategic Turnaround: Story of A Government Agency published in 2021. Waziri Adio, who served as Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), also did in his memoir, The Arc of the Possible. If you need some new insight into strategically repositioning a parastatal in Nigeria, read these books and you may find useful lessons from them. Ultimately, the quality and effectiveness of ministers and heads of parastatals are critical to the governments overall performance, as all policies are executed through the instrumentality of ministries, departments, and agencies. Ministers and heads of parastatals should admit, as a reality, that they face three assessments: that of Mr President who appointed them and at whose pleasure they serve, the public who they are assigned to serve, and history, which keeps records. Of all three verdicts, that of history is most striking and sticky. If the verdict is to be believed, Nigerians do not reckon with most of our ministers. But it is not too late to improve. This year will make a turning point in creating legacies for the ministers and heads of parastatals. A stitch in time, they say, saves nine. Dakuku Peterside is a policy and leadership expert. It is clear that Nigerias many sovereigns have no interest in the emergence of a country because if that were to happen, they would lose their claims to impunity and to buy and sell the country and everything in it, becoming subject to ordinary rules administered by mere mortals. For their convenience and conceit, the country is condemned to be celebrated as a monument to unrealised potential. With this many sovereigns, folks may be forgiven for wondering whether Nigeria is capable of forging a country. Colonial rule in Nigeria was conducted through indirect rule. It was a system of native administration patented in Northern Nigeria, which became the model exported by the British across their colonies. For all practical purposes, this system of government gave to most emirs and other rulers in chiefly communities, more power than they had in pre-colonial days. The result was the establishment of native states, at the top of which sat these local potentates, many of whom enjoyed powers of life and death over their kinsfolk. The end of colonial rule did not change this much as they reached working accommodation with the post-colonial elite for self-preservation. Powered by the twin failures of both leadership and nation-building, the result in Nigeria, where it all began, is one country with a multiplicity of sovereigns. The on-going dispute between the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, and Air Peace, a private airline in Nigeria, dramatises this. The claim on behalf of the emir is that he flew Air Peace from Banjul, The Gambia to Nigeria, on February 24, landing in Lagos about 05:45 hours. He was at the head of a ten-person traveling party which had a connecting flight to catch to his home in Kano, North-West Nigeria, scheduled for 06:15 hours the same morning, a mere 30 minutes after they landed. Five out of the ten members of the emirs traveling party were business class passengers. Upon landing in Lagos, the emirs cousin, Isa Sanusi Bayero, reportedly personally called the Chairman of Air Peace, Allen Onyema, to inform him of the precarious situation and requested him to assist by delaying their departing flight to Kano as a mark of respect to the revered Emir of Kano. He conveniently forgot to disclose how long it took them to clear immigration. When Mallam Isa got no purchase, it is reported that he personally took this as an insult and a flagrant show of disrespect to his highness and the Kano people at large, whereupon he petitioned the Director-General of Nigerias Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Captain Isa Nuhu, ominously demanding his kind intervention for restitution and for appropriate measures to be taken to stop this unwholesome development from happening in the future. It is relevant that the flight to Kano had closed checking in by the time the emirs flight from Banjul landed. The passengers, each of whom had a contract with the airline, were already seated. The emirs traveling party had luggage, which was going to take some time to retrieve from the cargo hold before they could proceed to the domestic terminal from the international airport. None of this could be concluded in anything remotely approximating the time they had before the flight was scheduled to depart. The only way to comply with the request was to keep the passengers and aircraft on the tarmac for as long as it took the emir and his traveling party to clear immigration, extract their luggage from the international airport and then transit to the domestic terminal. Casting all that aside, Mallam Isa assessed that he had no need or heed for the rules of the NCAA. A unique neural short-circuit found only in Nigeria enabled him to fathom that the chairman of the airline could pull a rabbit out the bag in clear defiance of both contract and civil aviation law. Consider a passenger calling the chairman of British Airways or Delta Airlines to ask them to hold an aircraft with passengers fully boarded Isa Bayero is better known as Isa Pilot because he is a trained pilot of considerable experience, who had himself commanded Nigerias Presidential Air Fleet (PAF) and, by his own admission, flown five former Nigerian presidents. Casting all that aside, Mallam Isa assessed that he had no need or heed for the rules of the NCAA. A unique neural short-circuit found only in Nigeria enabled him to fathom that the chairman of the airline could pull a rabbit out the bag in clear defiance of both contract and civil aviation law. Consider a passenger calling the chairman of British Airways or Delta Airlines to ask them to hold an aircraft with passengers fully boarded on the tarmac at London Heathrow or Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International for an indeterminate duration beyond departure, while a royal party takes its time to saunter its merry way to the departure terminal. Isa Bayero, the faux-potentate who divined this request, is incapable of shame. Rather he feels affronted. Three days after his initial complaint to the NCAA, Isa Bayero issued an ultimatum to Air Peace demanding that they tender an unreserved apology to the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, over alleged flagrant disrespect to the revered institution, darkly warning the airline to be ready to face multiple consequences, including loss of market share in Kano, if it fails to show regret for the inconveniences metted (sic) out to the Kano Emir. Distracted by all this, NCAA cannot find the bandwidth to address the real problem of delays and dysfunctions in civil aviation in Nigeria. This example of a country whose rules are not good enough for its many sovereigns is not an exception. It is easily the norm. These Nigerian sovereigns, each and all of whom insist on being obeyed at the price of consequences of infinite elasticity, do not all come bedecked in turbans or royal capes. They are all citizens for whom ordinary rules are insufferable sources of inconvenience and, therefore, liable to be dispensed with at a whim. The response of government and its institutions has been habitual abdication. The consequences are incalculable. Three of them bear brief attention. First, these many sovereigns have succeeded in retrenching the institutions that should govern Nigerias public commons, with adverse results for living standards across the country. A study published 20 years ago, led by Daron Acemoglu of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), concluded, among other things, that improving Nigerias institutions to the level of Chile could, in the long run, lead to as much as a 7-fold increase in Nigerias income (in practice Chile is over 11 times as rich as Nigeria). In 2020, Chiles score on the Human Development Index (HDI), was 0.851 out of a maximum of 1.0, ranking it 43 out of 189 countries globally. It was the highest performing country in South America. By contrast, Nigeria scored 0.539, placing it 161 on the same ranking (a whopping 114 places below Chile), a difference largely explained by institutional incapacities inflicted on the country by its many sovereigns. each of these sovereigns feels entitled to impunity, ensuring that the country is one in which there are no rules, and surely not rules that apply uniformly to everyone. This guarantees toxic inequality. As a 2017 OXFAM report on inequality in Nigeria points out, this is a catalyst for social tensions within communities, with citizen frustrations manifesting in increased crime rates and violence in various forms Second, each and all of these sovereigns feel entitled to be allocated the best of the country as of right but owe it no responsibility to respect its norms. As a result, everything in Nigeria, including rules, courts, and jobs can be bought and sold in the open market. Nothing is beyond transaction or a quid pro quo. In a joint report issued at the end of 2019, the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) concluded that [i]ndeed, almost half of all public sector applicants in Nigeria are still hired as a result of nepotism, bribery or both. Those hired in this way feel no calling or impulsion to police boundaries to whose willful destruction their jobs bear witness. Third, each of these sovereigns feels entitled to impunity, ensuring that the country is one in which there are no rules, and surely not rules that apply uniformly to everyone. This guarantees toxic inequality. As a 2017 OXFAM report on inequality in Nigeria points out, this is a catalyst for social tensions within communities, with citizen frustrations manifesting in increased crime rates and violence in various forms, including communal, domestic, electoral, religious and inter-tribal violence. These sovereigns decentralise despotism and underwrite violence in all its forms in Nigeria. It is clear that Nigerias many sovereigns have no interest in the emergence of a country because if that were to happen, they would lose their claims to impunity and to buy and sell the country and everything in it, becoming subject to ordinary rules administered by mere mortals. For their convenience and conceit, the country is condemned to be celebrated as a monument to unrealised potential. With this many sovereigns, folks may be forgiven for wondering whether Nigeria is capable of forging a country. To preclude that question, the countrys rulers must confront a choice. The question is: Do they even care what the options are? Chidi Anselm Odinkalu, a lawyer and teacher, can be reached at chidi.odinkalu@tufts.edu. Reaffirming its commitment to enriching the lives of its customers, leading financial institution, Fidelity Bank Plc, has presented cash prizes to winners of the February draw of the Get Alerts in Millions season 5 promo (GAIM 5). The prize presentation event was held at the Fidelity Bank branch Suru Alaba, Lagos and several branches across the six geo-political zones of Nigeria. Winners in the February draw are: Aliu Usman Sunday, Abdullahi Abu Saibu Nwankwo Okoro David, Hadiza Sindama Nuhu, Douglas Monday, Goodness Chiamaka Basil, Idemudia Gracious Eghosa, Ndiana Monday James, Kolade Jacob Elujoba and Obinna Williams Samuel. Speaking at the prize presentation event in Lagos, the Promo Chairperson and Executive Director, Lagos and South-West, Fidelity Bank Plc, Dr. Ken Opara, said, At the heart of all our operations is an overriding desire to make life easier for our customers while empowering them to live fuller and richer lives. As a bank, we take pride in transforming and improving the lives of our customers. Over time, we have seen Nigerians climb the socioeconomic ladder monthly simply because they maintain a minimum of N2,000 in their Fidelity Bank accounts. Today, we would be presenting the sum of N1million to Aliu Usman Sunday and Abdullahi Abu Saibu who emerged winners in the third GAIM 5 monthly draw held last week. Apart from Sunday and Saibu, eight other customers of Fidelity Bank would receive their cash prizes of N1million at similar events at their branches across the country today. This is in continuation of the promise to give out a total of N125million to customers in the GAIM 5 promo between November 2021 and July 2022. Since the inception of the 5th season of the Get Alert in Millions promo, we have rewarded 670 customers with various sums of money including 650 customers that have won N10,000 each in the weekly consolation draws and 20 customers who have won N1million each in the monthly draws respectively, explained Dr. Ken Opara, who was represented by the Head Product Development, Fidelity Bank Plc, Osita Ede. The event was attended by representatives of regulatory bodies, including the National Lottery Regulatory Commission and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission. The Get Alert in Millions Promo, season 5, is an 8-month long scheme that was launched in November 2021 with N125million earmarked as prize money in weekly, monthly and grand draws. Qualifying requirements for the scheme are maintaining an account balance of at least N2,000 in a Fidelity Bank savings account and activating a debit card. According to the bank, the promo employs a ticketing approach whereby each N2,000 in customers accounts represents a ticket in the draws. Fidelity Bank is a full-fledged commercial bank operating in Nigeria with about six million customers who are serviced across its 250 business offices and digital banking channels. In 2021, the bank was recognised as the Fastest Growing Bank and MSME & Entrepreneurship Financing Bank of the Year at the 2021 BusinessDay Banks and Other Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards. Susan Oboh, a final year student of the University of Benin, has died after she was reportedly shot by suspected robbers on March 3 in Benin, Edo State. She was a pharmacy student. She was said to have died at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital on Saturday night after efforts to save her life by medical personnel failed. The News Agency Nigeria (NAN) learnt that Miss Oboh became a victim of the incident when she was seeing off her visitor at the Osasogie area, a community close to the university gate. A source told NAN that the deceased was rushed to the university teaching hospital, while funds were raised through various social media platforms for her medical treatment. The death has thrown the university community into mourning because Susan was very nice, jovial and enterprising. She was billed to graduate in April except for the ongoing ASUU (Academic Staff Union of Universities) strike, said the source. While the university management is yet to react to the development, Foster Amadin, President of the Students Union in the institution, described the loss as saddening. Mr Amadin told NAN that the union would join hands with the police to ensure justice was served in the matter. Basically for now, it is a moment of grief for the university community. We are not really happy the way it went and, of course, there could be a way to push for justice. We want to know what really happened. We will be making a move to the police division to gather more information, and know what they already have in their file. We will be doing our own procession in school just to honour her. Before now, in our own particular order and ability, we have tried. We donated blood when it was needed and contributed finance when money was needed. But God is the ultimate and final healer. We are not happy as it happened; we are grieved and we just pray for the family to bear the loss, he said. The students union leader, however, urged the government to scale up security around the university environment. The police spokesperson Edo State, Kontong Bello, who confirmed the incident to NAN on Monday in Benin, said investigation has commenced on it. Yes, it was reported at the Ugbowo Division that she was shot and there is yet to be any arrest, Mr Bello said. 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